Chaldean Patriarch Urges Preservation of Rights for Iraq's Diverse Communities Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako speaks with Rody Sher of ACI MENA. ( ACI Mena) As the 21st anniversary of the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq approaches, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, patriarch of the Chaldean Church, has called for a reevaluation of the country's entire political process, which is currently based on sectarianism and quota-sharing. Advocating for the establishment of a new consensus formula, Sako argued that adopting a formula based on full citizenship would guarantee a better future for Iraqis, preserving the mosaic of its communities and their rights, which he described as "the beauty of Iraq." Referencing Ramadan, Sako expressed regret that "this holy month arrives while the destructive war continues in the holy lands, with conflicts here and there, and violations of human rights, freedom, and dignity." Sako underscored that peace is not merely an idea but a vital life project that must be cultivated and embodied in our daily lives. Sako called for the establishment of a democratic civil state in Iraq, founded on equal rights and duties for all citizens, capable of embracing everyone. The patriarch is known for frequently voicing his concerns about the "spread of corruption and hypocrisy, and the lack of serious attention to building a sovereign state, a state of law, justice, equality, and citizenship, and ensuring a safe and dignified life for citizens." As a Chaldean Christian figure in Iraq and globally, Sako has consistently advocated for the rejection of division and hatred, respect for Iraqi human rights, and the promotion of values of coexistence. Last year, Sako withdrew from Baghdad to Erbil in protest against the decision by the president of Iraq to withdraw the presidential decree regarding Sako's appointment as the patriarch of the Chaldean Church in Iraq and the world, along with his management of its endowments. The Chaldean Patriarchate attributed this to pressure from an armed faction. This story was first published by ACI Mena, CNA's Arabic-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. Europe sees sharp rise in arms imports in 2019-2023 Xinhua) 09:40, March 12, 2024 STOCKHOLM, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Arms imports to Europe surged 94 percent in 2019-2023 from 2014-2018, said the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) on Monday. In its latest report, SIPRI said Ukraine emerged as the largest arms importer in Europe and the fourth in the world over the past five years, as at least 30 countries supplied weapons to it since February 2022. "With many high-value arms on order, including nearly 800 combat aircraft and combat helicopters, European arms imports are likely to remain at a high level," said Pieter Wezeman, a senior researcher with the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme. Wezeman added that in the past two years Europe has also seen a much greater demand for air defence systems due to the Ukraine crisis. Meanwhile, the SIPRI report showed that around 55 percent of arms imports by European states in the 2019-2023 period were from the United States. "Many factors shape European NATO states' decisions to import from the USA, including the goal of maintaining trans-Atlantic relations," said SIPRI Director Dan Smith. "If trans-Atlantic relations change in the coming years, European states' arms procurement policies may also be modified," Smith added. SIPRI, founded in 1966, provides data, analysis and recommendations for military expenditure, arms trade, disarmament and arms control, among others. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Internal legal grounds being created for Armenia to apply to ICC in connection with Azerbaijan's war crimes European Union responds to Azerbaijan statements on EU-US-Armenia trilateral meeting Russia MFA: Friends of Armenia Network report objective is to tear Armenia from Russia, EAEU Russian 102nd Military Base in Gyumri is only guarantee of Armenia's sovereignty, Russia MFA says Siranush Sahakyan: Hard to convince international organizations to pressure Azerbaijan on Armenian captives matter Lawyer: Ruben Vardanyan gave international resonance to Karabakh issue, earned Azerbaijans hatred Armenian woman is appointed state minister in new Palestine government Lawyer: Azerbaijan uses matter of Armenian captives, hostages for political purposes Ameriabank named the Best Bank in Armenia for 2024 by Global Finance magazine International law expert: Azerbaijan should at least promise autonomy so that Armenians can return to Karabakh Ombudsman: There are 20 Armenians left in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia ex-ombudsman: Azerbaijan pursued goal of de-Armenianizing Karabakh from very beginning Russia TV programs Evening with Vladimir Solovyov and Sunday Evening with Vladimir Solovyov blocked in Armenia US State Department to Zakharova: Turbulence in South Caucasus is fueled by Russia's actions in recent months Russia FM: Putin was surprised by Armenia PM Pashinyan's decision to recognize Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan Lavrov: PM Pashinyan invited EU mission to Armenia, promising Azerbaijan that it will be for 2 months Legislature head: Armenia will attend for first time the gathering of EU countries parliament speakers Armenia parliament speaker: We are trying to defend our country by all possible means Iraqi security services eliminated a high-ranking IS member Armenia parliament speaker: Our ally Russia left us all alone at most critical moment Lebanon to file a complaint to UN Security Council over Israeli strikes on south of country Armenia legislature head: We are not going to concede anything that is ours Clinton and Obama to participate in Biden's campaign fundraiser Armenia legislature speaker to meet with Azerbaijan counterpart again Media: Powerful explosion hits Somalia's capital city France detains 2 suspects for sending bomb threats to lycees Military aircraft crashed into the sea near Sevastopol White House: US passed detailed data on terrorist attack threat to Russian Federation Lavrov: EU mission in Armenia is turning into a NATO mission Mash: A mass round-up of migrants began in Moscow and the region Members of the European Council's Political and Security Committee to visit Armenia EU envoy: We already have attracted 60M to develop Armenias educational sector Armenia ruling force MP: We are EAEU member, in parallel we work towards integration with EU, other markets Dollar, euro lose value in Armenia Mahmoud Abbas approved the new government of Palestine Labor, social affairs minister: Increase in number of 3rd and subsequent children recorded in Armenia MP: Euronest urged EU to develop specific proposals on how to respond to Armenia's European aspirations Armenia government humanitarian aid reaches Gaza (PHOTOS) Armenia government makes allocations to hold events for Parajanov, Aznavour 100th birth anniversaries Armenia to provide $300,000 to Japan for earthquake relief Armenia MP: Euronest called on EU to increase humanitarian, financial aid for forcibly displaced Karabakh children Yerevan ex-mayor Hayk Marutyan is founding political party Azerbaijan ombudsperson meets with dozens of Armenians remaining in occupied Karabakh capital Stepanakert Russia MFA spox: Armenia is being turned into tool for implementing dangerous plans of the West Europeans for Artsakh discusses upcoming actions toward protecting Karabakhs interests Armenia to provide humanitarian aid to 1.5 million people displaced from Gaza Pashinyan: Some circles forcibly displaced from Karabakh are taking steps that create threat to Armenias security Secretary General: Armenia, indeed, has not recently participated in CSTO Secretariats work State Department disagrees with Azerbaijan comments on upcoming US-EU-Armenia meeting President: Document to dissolve Karabakh republic was only way to save compatriots Newspaper: Generals are gone, Armenia PM has decided to hand over some Tavush Province settlements to Azerbaijan Volvo launches its last diesel car US First Lady writes childrens book about her cat Almost 1 child in 6 is cyberbullied in Europe Foreign Ministry: Upcoming Armenia-US-EU high-level meeting not directed to any third party Zakharova on Azerbaijan weapons supply to Ukraine: Main thing is that something similar doesnt appear about Armenia Russia MFA spox: Future of entire South Caucasus is only tool for France Zakharova: Everything that will benefit the people of Armenia can only be welcomed Russia MFA spox: We do not use the term Zangezur corridor Wings of Tatev opens a new tourist season Parliament speaker: Armenia not waiting to become EU membership candidate Alen Simonyan: Russia needed twice as much as we needed Russian border guards presence in Armenia Armenia legislature chair: I don't think Russian border guards will protect us if Turkey attacks Armenia does not join CSTO statement condemning terrorist attack in Moscow Region Armenia parliament head: What we want at this time is to get the border with Azerbaijan No discussion at this phase regarding Armenia's EU membership, legislature speaker says Armenia parliament chair does not rule out that Azerbaijanis will attack Armenia has calculated the risks if Tavush Province defense line collapses, legislature head assures Parliament speaker: No part of Armenia territory is subject to negotiation Armenia PM, France delegation discuss processes taking place in South Caucasus Moscow Region terrorist attack death toll rises France lawmakers visit Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan France ambassador, French MPs visit Armenias Sotk gold mine Lemkin Institute expresses concern that Azerbaijan regime may get revenge upon Armenian captives AraratBank places its 27th issue of dollar bonds 2.5-year-old girl in critical condition after falling into boiling water container in Armenias Byureghavan Friends of Armenia Network report: Offering Armenia EU candidate status would be important signal US State Department reveals objectives of upcoming Blinken-Pashinyan talk Newspaper: Azerbaijan leader reprimands Armenia PM Nikolay Konashenok, who tried to fly to Armenia, is taken into custody for 14 days for petty hooliganism Internal legal grounds being created for Armenia to apply to ICC in connection with Azerbaijan's war crimes European Union responds to Azerbaijan statements on EU-US-Armenia trilateral meeting Russia MFA: Friends of Armenia Network report objective is to tear Armenia from Russia, EAEU Russian 102nd Military Base in Gyumri is only guarantee of Armenia's sovereignty, Russia MFA says Siranush Sahakyan: Hard to convince international organizations to pressure Azerbaijan on Armenian captives matter Lawyer: Ruben Vardanyan gave international resonance to Karabakh issue, earned Azerbaijans hatred Armenian woman is appointed state minister in new Palestine government Lawyer: Azerbaijan uses matter of Armenian captives, hostages for political purposes Ameriabank named the Best Bank in Armenia for 2024 by Global Finance magazine International law expert: Azerbaijan should at least promise autonomy so that Armenians can return to Karabakh Ombudsman: There are 20 Armenians left in Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia ex-ombudsman: Azerbaijan pursued goal of de-Armenianizing Karabakh from very beginning Russia TV programs Evening with Vladimir Solovyov and Sunday Evening with Vladimir Solovyov blocked in Armenia US State Department to Zakharova: Turbulence in South Caucasus is fueled by Russia's actions in recent months Russia FM: Putin was surprised by Armenia PM Pashinyan's decision to recognize Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan Lavrov: PM Pashinyan invited EU mission to Armenia, promising Azerbaijan that it will be for 2 months Legislature head: Armenia will attend for first time the gathering of EU countries parliament speakers Armenia parliament speaker: We are trying to defend our country by all possible means Iraqi security services eliminated a high-ranking IS member Armenia parliament speaker: Our ally Russia left us all alone at most critical moment Lebanon to file a complaint to UN Security Council over Israeli strikes on south of country Armenia legislature head: We are not going to concede anything that is ours Clinton and Obama to participate in Biden's campaign fundraiser Armenia legislature speaker to meet with Azerbaijan counterpart again Media: Powerful explosion hits Somalia's capital city France detains 2 suspects for sending bomb threats to lycees Military aircraft crashed into the sea near Sevastopol White House: US passed detailed data on terrorist attack threat to Russian Federation Lavrov: EU mission in Armenia is turning into a NATO mission Mash: A mass round-up of migrants began in Moscow and the region Members of the European Council's Political and Security Committee to visit Armenia EU envoy: We already have attracted 60M to develop Armenias educational sector Armenia ruling force MP: We are EAEU member, in parallel we work towards integration with EU, other markets Dollar, euro lose value in Armenia Mahmoud Abbas approved the new government of Palestine Labor, social affairs minister: Increase in number of 3rd and subsequent children recorded in Armenia MP: Euronest urged EU to develop specific proposals on how to respond to Armenia's European aspirations Armenia government humanitarian aid reaches Gaza (PHOTOS) Armenia government makes allocations to hold events for Parajanov, Aznavour 100th birth anniversaries Armenia to provide $300,000 to Japan for earthquake relief Armenia MP: Euronest called on EU to increase humanitarian, financial aid for forcibly displaced Karabakh children Yerevan ex-mayor Hayk Marutyan is founding political party Azerbaijan ombudsperson meets with dozens of Armenians remaining in occupied Karabakh capital Stepanakert Russia MFA spox: Armenia is being turned into tool for implementing dangerous plans of the West Europeans for Artsakh discusses upcoming actions toward protecting Karabakhs interests Armenia to provide humanitarian aid to 1.5 million people displaced from Gaza Pashinyan: Some circles forcibly displaced from Karabakh are taking steps that create threat to Armenias security Secretary General: Armenia, indeed, has not recently participated in CSTO Secretariats work State Department disagrees with Azerbaijan comments on upcoming US-EU-Armenia meeting President: Document to dissolve Karabakh republic was only way to save compatriots Newspaper: Generals are gone, Armenia PM has decided to hand over some Tavush Province settlements to Azerbaijan Volvo launches its last diesel car US First Lady writes childrens book about her cat Almost 1 child in 6 is cyberbullied in Europe Foreign Ministry: Upcoming Armenia-US-EU high-level meeting not directed to any third party Zakharova on Azerbaijan weapons supply to Ukraine: Main thing is that something similar doesnt appear about Armenia Russia MFA spox: Future of entire South Caucasus is only tool for France Zakharova: Everything that will benefit the people of Armenia can only be welcomed Russia MFA spox: We do not use the term Zangezur corridor Wings of Tatev opens a new tourist season Parliament speaker: Armenia not waiting to become EU membership candidate Alen Simonyan: Russia needed twice as much as we needed Russian border guards presence in Armenia Armenia legislature chair: I don't think Russian border guards will protect us if Turkey attacks Armenia does not join CSTO statement condemning terrorist attack in Moscow Region Armenia parliament head: What we want at this time is to get the border with Azerbaijan No discussion at this phase regarding Armenia's EU membership, legislature speaker says Armenia parliament chair does not rule out that Azerbaijanis will attack Armenia has calculated the risks if Tavush Province defense line collapses, legislature head assures Parliament speaker: No part of Armenia territory is subject to negotiation Armenia PM, France delegation discuss processes taking place in South Caucasus Moscow Region terrorist attack death toll rises France lawmakers visit Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan France ambassador, French MPs visit Armenias Sotk gold mine Lemkin Institute expresses concern that Azerbaijan regime may get revenge upon Armenian captives AraratBank places its 27th issue of dollar bonds 2.5-year-old girl in critical condition after falling into boiling water container in Armenias Byureghavan Friends of Armenia Network report: Offering Armenia EU candidate status would be important signal US State Department reveals objectives of upcoming Blinken-Pashinyan talk Newspaper: Azerbaijan leader reprimands Armenia PM Nikolay Konashenok, who tried to fly to Armenia, is taken into custody for 14 days for petty hooliganism Ancient boats built with advanced construction techniques discovered in Italy lake Iran's supreme leader receives Hamas politburo chief in Tehran Olivier Decottignies The right of return of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians is being violated today FSB: Primary data received from detainees in Crocus terrorist attack case confirm Ukrainian trace Tigran Balayan to Toivo Klaar: Azerbaijan is gearing up for new aggression against Armenia Iran's ambassador to Russia: Next meeting of 3+3 platform may take place as early as this year Armenia nuclear plant, Rosatom Service directors sign contract on new cooling systems for plant Armenia President: We have warm relations with Greece, this is also related to our history, principles, beliefs Kirill Komarov: Rosatom can offer Armenia nuclear reactors with capacity of 50 to 1,000 MW Armenia PM is presented Military industry Committee 2023 activity report US, UK, Ukraine are involved in Moscow Region terrorist attack, Russia official says State Department: US supports South Caucasus countries sovereignty, territorial integrity Dollar drops, euro rises in Armenia NATO discussing possibility of shooting down missiles near alliance borders Justice minister on returning Azerbaijani who crossed Armenia border: Political decision enabling correct positioning Switzerland launches 10-year project of CHF 9 million in Armenia Britain's Supreme Court rules over Assange's extradition to US Anne-Laurence Petel: We reaffirmed France's support for Armenian democracy Premier: Armenia has been ready to implement liberalization of visa regime with EU for long time Nikol Pashinyan: Highways, railways, pipelines, cables must enter Turkey from Azerbaijan via Armenia Hood Design Studio the acclaimed firm chosen to create the Twin Memorials honoring enslaved persons who were part of the universitys history completed a visit coinciding with Emorys Charter Week and is looking forward to presenting initial ideas on March 27 on the Oxford campus and March 28 on the Atlanta campus. Walter Hood, the studios founder and creative director, is taking every opportunity to verse himself and his associates in university history as well as to understand Emorys future vision of itself. Charter Week provided that dual perspective, commemorating the first meeting of the universitys Board of Trustees on Feb. 6, 1837 two months after Emory College was founded in Oxford, Georgia and serving as an opportunity to celebrate Emorys present and future. The story that needs to be told in this place is necessarily different than other places, and our role is to integrate, and build upon, the collective work you have done in order to create something even more powerful, Hood said. We are endeavoring to tell the story of a people. It should spark in us both sorrow and joy, he continued. Brewing a rich mix of voices representing Oxford and Atlanta Hood Design Studio benefited from 26 listening session with more than 225 descendants of the enslaved, administrators, faculty, students, staff, alumni and community partners conducted in 2022. That input is captured in the engagement report of the Twin Memorials Working Group, which details the potential sites on both campuses as well as possible themes. During previous visits in fall 2023, the Hood team met with students, descendants, alumni, faculty, staff and community members in Oxford and Covington. Over the several days of this engagement, Hood and his staff met with scholars, student leaders, alumni and members of the community in order to close out the extensive listening phase in which he and his colleagues have participated. Since the announcement of the selection of Hood Design Studio in August 2023, the team has connected with more than 280 descendants, alumni, faculty, staff and students on the Atlanta and Oxford campuses virtually and in-person. Gathering all available resources In framing the most recent discussions, Anjulet Tucker 00C 09PhD, director of presidential initiatives and institutional projects in the Office of the President, said: We are putting the puzzle pieces of our history on the table once again, endeavoring to draw in as many people as we can who carry the flames for Emorys stories. What are the chapters, moments and individuals, Hood asked, that the Twin Memorials will need to reference? We want to use all available resources to tell the story. As Hood explained to a gathering of Atlanta nonprofit, city and educational leaders on Feb. 6, Our work, as a studio, is to start with a multitude of ideas and perspectives your ideas and perspectives. Hood walked the group through a presentation of past design work by his studio, then set in motion spirited breakout sessions by asking a series of questions, including: What kinds of twins should these memorials be? How should the line between town and gown be observed? How do you want to tell this story? Doug Shipman 95C identified natural linkages to the Twin Memorials project across the city as being the Chattahoochee Brick Company, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, The King Center, Ebenezer Baptist Church and the citys HBCU campuses, among others. I am heartened by the kinds of ideas I heard today, the complexity of the way people are thinking about his project, Shipman commented. Anytime you are trying to bring history to life, you want to ensure that it is both authentic to the actual story and relevant to the present. Emorys Twin Memorials will help people embody this story in their own lives. Bridget Piggue 15ThD has expertise in educating and empowering those committed to growth, healing and transformation. As the director of spiritual health at Emory University Hospital Midtown, she well understands the courage it takes to engage the work of the Twin Memorials. Finding the discussion powerful on many levels, Piggue acknowledged, It can be difficult to look at what is painful and traumatic. But she is also confident about what can be done together. This is not easy, she admitted, yet the public nature of these memorials will create a bridge that we can cross to help one another toward the shared goal acknowledging our common humanity. Coming soon: a look at emerging ideas Hood and his team will return to Oxfords campus on March 27, where they will set up an Emerging Ideas Showcase in the library that will be resident through April 12. On March 28, the same showcase will debut at The Hatchery, Center for Innovation on the Atlanta campus and also close on April 12. Those wishing to attend are asked to register for either Oxford or Atlanta. The showcases are, says Hood, another form of conversation and listening. We want to give the community a chance to marinate in the ideas we will bring around the goals of acknowledgment, remembrance and reconciliation that are at the heart of this project. Be a Part of the Emerging Ideas Showcase March 27, Oxford College Library. Register to attend the Oxford session. March 28, The Hatchery, Center for Innovation. Register to attend the Atlanta session. Schedule on both days: 2:00 p.m. Gather; refreshments will be served 3:00 p.m. Remarks 3:15 p.m. Tour the exhibition 4:30 p.m. Conclude QR codes will enable participants to share their feedback. For those not able to be at the opening, the showcases will remain onsite through April 12. Photos by Emory Photo/Video. China selects sample firms in EU brandy probe The Commerce Ministry launched an anti-dumping investigation into brandy imported from the European Union in January. File photo: Shutterstock The Commerce Ministry said on Tuesday it plans to select Martell & Co, Societe Jas Hennessy & Co and E. Remy Martin & Co as sample companies for an anti-dumping investigation into brandy imported from the European Union (EU). The ministry launched the anti-dumping investigation in January in a move seen to be targeting France, which accounts for 99.8 percent of all EU brandy exports, according to Chinese customs data. China's brandy probe is one of a number of trade disputes between Beijing and Brussels, with both sides exchanging accusations of unfair competition and protectionism. France's cognac industry association said in January it would fully cooperate with Chinese authorities but it believes the probe is linked to a broader trade row rather than the liquor market. (Reuters) Exiled Navalny ally Leonid Volkov attacked near home Leonid Volkov was a close ally of Alexei Navalny, working as the late opposition leader's ex-chief of staff. Photo: AFP Leonid Volkov, a close ally of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, was attacked outside his home in Lithuania on Tuesday, independent Russian media outlets and Navalny's spokeswoman said. "Leonid Volkov has just been attacked outside his house. Someone broke a car window and sprayed tear gas in his eyes, after which the attacker started hitting Leonid with a hammer," Navalny spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said. Navalny's allies shared photos showing Volkov's injuries, including a black eye, a red mark on his forehead and bleeding on his leg, which had soaked through his jeans. Yarmysh said that Volkov was now at home and emergency services were on their way. She did not say where Volkov lived, but Russia's independent Mediazona news outlet said he was currently in Lithuania. Volkov was a close ally of Navalny, working as the late opposition leader's ex-chief of staff and as chair of his Anti-Corruption Foundation until 2023. The attack comes almost a month after Navalny's death in an Arctic prison, which Volkov blamed directly on Russian President Vladimir Putin. (AFP) SIU Paul Simon Institute discussion to center on higher education reform CARBONDALE, Ill. Brian Rosenberg, president emeritus of Macalester College and visiting professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, will join Southern Illinois University Carbondales Paul Simon Public Policy Institute on Tuesday, March 19, for a virtual conversation about the difficulty of reform in higher education. Rosenberg will join John Shaw, the institutes director, to discuss the need for higher education reform and Rosenbergs 2023 book, Whatever It Is, Im Against It: Resistance to Change in Higher Education. The discussion, via Zoom at 10 a.m., is free and open to the public, but registration is required. The conversation is part of the institutes Understanding Our New World discussion series. Visit paulsimoninstitute.org/events to register. Dr. Rosenbergs book is a powerful and persuasive plea for fundamental changes in Americas higher education system. He is willing and often eager to take on some of the most established practices in higher education, such as shared governance and tenure, and argue they work against the transformational reform many profess to support, Shaw said. Its difficult to read his book and listen to his arguments and not think differently about higher education in the United States. Rosenberg is a native of New York City and has an undergraduate degree in English from Cornell University and a masters and doctorate from Columbia University. An expert on Charles Dickens, Rosenberg has been an English professor and a faculty dean. He was the president of Macalester College from 2003 to 2020. He is now a visiting professor at Harvard Graduate School of Education and a senior adviser to the African Leadership University. Attendees are encouraged to submit questions for Rosenberg on the registration form or email questions to paulsimoninstitute@siu.edu. More information, a list of the institutes upcoming events and past speakers and events are available. PRNewswire Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 12: Liberty General Insurance launches its Women's Day brand video, 'Girls Breaking Free,' a compelling narrative that champions the essence of pride, and empowerment. This initiative is set to leave a lasting impact, symbolizing Liberty's commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion beyond just a single day. The brand film breathes new life into a very colloquially used phrase 'Haath Se Nikal Gayi.' Traditionally laden with negative connotations, the term is reimagined to honor women who dare to defy societal norms and pursue their own paths with independence and self-assurance. It's a tribute to those who exhibit the courage to be their own person, embodying responsibility, ambition, and the spirit of freedom. Reflecting on the campaign, Parag Ved, CEO & Whole Time Director, Liberty General Insurance, expressed, "The antiquated notion of 'Haath Se Nikal Gai' has historically served to undermine women's autonomy, suggesting a life under patriarchal oversight. This brand film flips this narrative, celebrating it as an emblem of liberation, independence, and the rightful control over one's destiny." "More than just altering perceptions, through this video, we aim to contribute to a broader dialogue about gender equality, the dismantling of traditional gender roles, and the importance of creating a society where everyone, regardless of gender, has the opportunity to thrive based on their talents and aspirations. It's about recognizing the strength and potential of women to lead, innovate, and inspire change within our communities and industries," Mr. Ved added. With the release of 'Girls Breaking Free', created by 'Water Communications', Liberty General Insurance transcends conventional celebrations of International Women's Day, proposing a reflective and forward-thinking interpretation of what genuine empowerment and equality entail in the contemporary world. About Liberty General Insurance Liberty General Insurance Ltd. (LGI) is a joint venture between Summit Asia Investment Holdings PTE Ltd.-- a group company of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, a diversified global insurer with over 900 offices across the world, headquartered in the U.S., Enam Securities, and Diamond Dealtrade. LGI commenced operations in 2013 with the aim of providing comprehensive retail, commercial and industrial insurance solutions. The company has an employee strength of 1100+ with presence across 100+ locations in 28 states and UTs. Its partner network consists of about 6000+ hospitals and more than 5000 auto service centres. The company offers health and personal accident insurance, car and two-wheeler insurance, employee compensation insurance, commercial insurance, engineering insurance, marine insurance, liability insurance and property insurance among other products in India. Media Contact: Shivani Sharma,DVP-Marketing & Corporate Communications, Liberty General Insurance,+91-9833376243Shivani.Sharma@libertyinsurance.in Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2359217/Liberty_Womens_Day.jpg (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) NewsVoir Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 12: British Airways, a leading global airline, continues its commitment to corporate social responsibility by partnering with Butterflies NGO in India, aimed at empowering underprivileged kids. The donation drive was carried out by 83 Indian employees of British Airways, including cabin crew, sales personnel, airport and cargo staff who came together in cities such as Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and Hyderabad to support this admirable cause and raise the funds for the NGO. British Airways witnessed an enthusiastic participation from its Indian crew members for this money raising drive held across cities that took place beginning with Chennai, followed by Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, and concluded in Hyderabad. They raised money for a worthy cause while spreading joy as they strolled past famous spots in each destination, like the India Gate in Delhi and the Gateway of India in Mumbai with the aircraft trolley. Through their collective efforts, British Airways raised over INR 1.8 Lakhs that will support the education of the street children. The Trolley Dash (the money raising drive) initiative serves as a platform for British Airways employees to engage with local communities. This initiative helps to raise money for Flying Start and Sport Relief raising funds through sport. Every year, Cabin Crew in London dash with an aircraft trolley through the streets of London, going over London's iconic bridges, creating smiles and raising funds while doing so. This year, for the very first time, the Trolley Dash was conducted in India. By engaging with the communities directly, the airline aims to foster a culture of empowerment and upliftment, aligning with its core values of giving back to the society. Additionally, British Airways is also a supporter of the Hamara Foundation, which works to improve the lives of impoverished children in Mumbai by giving them life skills and vocational training. As a global airline and the UK's flag carrier, British Airways has been flying its customers to where they need to be for more than 100 years. The airline connects Britain with the world and the world with Britain, operating one of the most extensive international scheduled airline route networks together with its joint business, codeshare and franchise partners. British Airways flies to destinations in more than 65 countries. Its principal place of business is London, with its main home at Heathrow Terminal 5. In 2021, the airline won six Business Traveller Awards including Best Short-Haul Carrier, Best Airport Lounge, Best Frequent Flyer Programme, Best Travel App and Best New Seat. In September 2021, British Airways launched its sustainability programme, BA Better World, committing to put sustainability at the heart of everything it does and with a clear roadmap to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. British Airways is a founding member of the airline alliance oneworld, which serves around 1,000 destinations across the globe. The latest information on the measures British Airways is taking to ensure its customers have a safe experience when travelling can be found on ba.com. To book visit www.britishairways.com. Connect on Facebook @BritishAirways and Instagram @british_airways. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) ATK Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 12: In a mesmerizing display of skill, resilience, and sheer determination, Matrix Fight Night captured the hearts of thousands of spectators at the Noida Indoor Stadium on March 9, 2024. The electrifying event unfolded with intense clashes across various weight classes, solidifying Matrix Fight Night's reputation as a premier platform for high-caliber MMA action. Main Event: Sanjeet Budhwar Triumphs in Featherweight Clash The Featherweight main event featured a riveting battle between Afghanistan's Abdul Azim Badakhshi and India's Sanjeet Budhwar. In a display of unparalleled skill and determination, Sanjeet Budhwar emerged victorious, captivating the audience with his stellar performance. Co-Main Event: Chungreng Koren Secures Interim Bantamweight Belt The co-main event witnessed an adrenaline-pumping showdown for the Interim Bantamweight belt between India's Mohammed Farhad and Chungreng Koren. In a historic triumph, Chungreng Koren etched his name in MMA history, showcasing tenacity and skill. Stacked Card Delivers Memorable Fights Matrix Fight Night continued to enthrall the audience with a stacked card that featured remarkable performances in every bout: -Flyweight Showdown: Arsenba Ozukum faced off against Aminder Bisht, with Aminder Bisht claiming victory in a hard-fought battle. - Bantamweight Battle: Pravin Wagh and Balveer Singh Tomar engaged in a fierce contest, resulting in a well-deserved victory for Pravin Wagh. - Bantamweight Excellence: Sahil Rana showcased his skills against Chris 'Tibs' Tibenda, securing victory and earning accolades for his impressive performance. - Lightweight Clash: Mohammed Azim Mokhlis and Owais Yaqoob delivered a thrilling Lightweight bout, culminating in Owais Yaqoob's victorious moment. - Lightweight Duel: Owais Sarwar and Digamber Singh Rawat engaged in a battle of wits and strength in the Lightweight category. - Atomweight Showcase: Ishika Thite faced Tenzin Pema, with Ishika Thite emerging triumphant and leaving an indelible mark on the Atomweight division. - Bantamweight Confrontation: Kapil Kumar and Ajay Paya fought for supremacy, and Kapil Kumar secured a commanding victory. Lightweight Showdown: SK Akib Ali and Neeraj Panghal locked horns in a Lightweight clash, with Neeraj Panghal emerging as the triumphant fighter. Bantamweight Triumph: Dushyant showcased his skills against Mairidin Newmai, securing a well-deserved victory and adding another chapter to his MMA journey. Ayesha Shroff, Founder of Matrix Fight Night, expressed her enthusiasm, stating, "The level of talent on display tonight was truly awe-inspiring. Matrix Fight Night remained committed to providing a platform for fighters to shine and redefine the landscape of MMA." Krishna Shroff, Co-Founder of Matrix Fight Night, shared her sentiments, saying, "Every fighter brought their A-game, making each bout a spectacle. Matrix Fight Night continued to be a beacon for athletes, fostering a community dedicated to the spirit of competition." MMA Fighter Dhruv Chaudhary, associated with Matrix Fight Night, remarked, "The fighters showcased incredible intensity and spirit. It was an honor to be part of a promotion that values the essence of MMA and brings out the best in every athlete." Adding to the spectacle, the event was broadcast live on Hotstar, allowing fans worldwide to witness the thrilling action on March 9, 2024. Matrix Fight Night has once again proven itself as a premier stage for high-caliber MMA, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the next installment of heart-pounding action and unforgettable moments. For ticket information, live streaming details, and event updates, visit https://www.mfnofficial.com/. For Press related queries and further details, please contact at rohit@aiomediasolutions.com or 9560323351 Matrix Fight Night (MFN), founded by Bollywood star Tiger Shroff, along with Ayesha Shroff and Krishna Shroff, is India's premier Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) property. Since its debut in Mumbai on March 12, 2019, MFN has hosted 13 successful events, becoming synonymous with Indian MMA and accumulating over 100 million digital impressions. MFN operates in two formats - International Fight Night and MFN Contenders. International Fight Night showcases top talent globally, while MFN Contenders serves as a platform for emerging prospects, acting as a feeder to the main stage. MFN Contenders, designed to boost promising MMA careers, saw over 500 fighters in the last edition, with 24 winners earning contracts to compete under the Matrix Fight Night banner. Beyond events, MFN is dedicated to building a robust MMA ecosystem to produce world-class talent, solidifying its position in the global MMA landscape. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by ATK. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Department of Pharmaceuticals, has announced the implementation of the Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) 2024, signaling a significant step towards regulating interactions between pharmaceutical companies and healthcare professionals. According to a press release, the UCPMP 2024 aims to ensure transparency, integrity, and accountability in the marketing of pharmaceutical products, emphasizing ethical practices within the industry. Under the UCPMP 2024, several key provisions have been outlined to govern the conduct of pharmaceutical companies and their representatives. Firstly, the code prohibits the offering or providing of gifts for the personal benefit of any healthcare professional or their family members by pharmaceutical companies, agents, distributors, wholesalers, or retailers. This restriction aims to mitigate any potential conflicts of interest that may arise from such practices. Additionally, the code imposes limitations on pecuniary benefits, stating that no financial advantages or benefits in kind may be offered, supplied, or promised to any person qualified to prescribe or supply drugs by pharmaceutical companies or their representatives. This provision seeks to uphold the integrity of medical decision-making processes and prevent undue influence on healthcare professionals. Furthermore, the UCPMP 2024 restricts the provision of travel facilities, including rail, air, ship, or cruise tickets, and paid vacations to healthcare professionals or their family members, unless the individual is a speaker at an event. Similarly, hospitality such as hotel stays, expensive cuisine, or resort accommodations is prohibited unless the healthcare professional is participating as a speaker. Cash payments or monetary grants to healthcare professionals or their family members are also prohibited under the UCPMP 2024, reinforcing the commitment to fair and ethical practices within the pharmaceutical industry. Any violations of the code will be addressed by an Ethics Committee for Pharma Marketing Practices (ECPMP) established within each association, ensuring accountability and oversight. The responsibility for adherence to the code rests with the Chief Executive Officer of pharmaceutical companies, who must ensure compliance with the regulations outlined in the UCPMP 2024. Additionally, companies are required to submit self-declarations annually, detailing their adherence to the code, which will be made available on the association's website or the UCPMP portal of the Department of Pharmaceuticals. Overall, the implementation of the UCPMP 2024 reflects the government's commitment to promoting ethical pharmaceutical marketing practices and safeguarding the interests of patients and healthcare professionals. By establishing clear guidelines and mechanisms for enforcement, the code aims to foster trust, transparency, and integrity within the pharmaceutical industry, ultimately benefiting public health and well-being. (ANI) American model and media personality Khloe Kardashian reflecting on getting older said that "growing up is really a crazy thing," as per a report in People. Kardashian took to her Instagram handle to share a post wishing her best friends and twins Malika and Khadijah Haqq on their 41st birthday. She shared various images of the trio over the years, beginning with more current photos and progressing to some old-school shots featuring Kardashian with darker hair. "Growing up is really a crazy thing... when you're younger, all you want to do is party, be out, be seen, be in the mix. You have tons of friends but none of them really know the real you," Kardashian said. "Then, you get a little older and with every year that passes, you crave more and more simplicity. More peace. You crave friends that you can count on one hand. You crave doing the 'nothingness' with someone. The things that make you feel safe," she added. According to People, giving a special shoutout to Malika and Khadijah, Kardashian continued, "To the twins, You are my safe space. You are the ones I want to do everything and nothing with. You are the ones I've always been able to count on. Blessed to have had my safe space since we were young teenagers. Since the moment I met you girls we just clicked. We just get one another. We became triplets and we never looked back." Kardashian then wished the twins "Happy Birthday," tagging them in the post and adding, "Thank you for trusting me with all that you do. Thank you for holding my hand while we go through life. It's a privilege and an honor to have a friendship as long as we have had and I cherish the years we have spent together. Ohhhhh the memories we have ohhhhhh the secrets that will die with US lol. "I know the magic that exists within your souls and I can't wait to see you both sparkle brighter, and brighter with every year. This is just the beginning!!" she went on. "Some people come into our lives and make it better, you two make life better. Sweeter, more memorable. Thank you for never judging me when I made mistakes, for laughing until we cried, for crying until we laugh, for the sleepless nights of fun and for always being there. You both will always be my person, my ride or die, through thick and thin, until the end..... and we ain't ending!!" Kardashian concluded the lengthy message. https://www.instagram.com/p/C4WB_isPjbM/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== The reality TV personality also included photos of the BFFs' children in the post. While Malika has a three-year-old son, Ace, with her ex, O.T. Genasis, Khadijah shares daughters Kapri, 3, and Celine, 10, and son Christian, 13, with ex Bobby McCray. Meanwhile, Kardashian has two children with ex Tristan Thompson: daughter True, 5, and son Tatum, 19 months old. The twins loved Kardashian's birthday post. "Wellll you bodied that KK..I love you for LIFE!" Malika wrote in the comments section, as Khadijah added, "We ain't ending!!!! Damn I'm crying, thank you my baby. Love you Always, the best bestie, reported People. (ANI) Producer Boney Kapoor recently met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow regarding the new proposed film city in Noida. Boney Kapoor's Bayview Projects and real estate company Bhutani Group had bagged the rights to develop the film city near the upcoming Noida International Airport. Yogi also presented Kapoor the 'Letter of Award', which will now allow him to proceed with formalities related to the project. Earlier Boney Kapoor said, "Bayview Projects and Bhutani Infra are proud to have received the tender to develop the International film studio in Noida, UP." They will make every effort to live up to expectations regarding the Chief Minister's dream project and ensure that he is not disappointed. He wrote on social media that they will establish an international centre for film shooting for filmmakers worldwide at this studio. The studio will not only facilitate film shooting but also provide post-production facilities. According to him, a producer should be capable of coming to the studio with a script and leaving after the completion of the final film. Director Boney Kapoor mentioned that Uttar Pradesh will now become their home for filmmaking, and they are committed to making it an international-level film city. He praised the transparent bidding process conducted by the UP government, considering it a win for everyone involved, and expressed enthusiasm about being a part of it. He mentioned that they will soon present its design and concept to the public. The work on this project will start soon. (ANI) Union Minister Anurag Thakur attended the OTT launch of the Doordarshan series 'Swaraj'. He called it an "historical" series and said that through this many youths will come to know about the history of the country. He said during the launch event, "It's a historical series launched by Doordarshan and now it is available on OTT platform Amazon Prime Video. Many youths do not know about the history of Bharat. Under the leadership of PM Modi we enter the 'Amrit kaal' of Bharat. We want to build Bharat a viksit Bharat. We want to become third largest economy in the world. We are now on fifth and with your support in the third term for PM Modi we will become the third-largest economy in the world." "From this 'Swaraj ' series our youth will know about the struggles of our freedom fighters. In these 75 years, everyone contributed to the growth of Bharat." While talking about the British Raj and how they divided the nation, he shared, "British ruled us, they divided the country, and today also there are some negative powers who want to divide us. I want to say that we must be proud of our history. When we feel proud then we can make viksit Bharat." 'Swaraj' was launched on Doordarshan in 2022. Ministry of I&B posted a promo video of the serial and wrote, "Promo of the upcoming show on @DDNational "#Swaraj: Bharat ke Swatantrata Sangram ki Samagra Gatha", launched by Union Home Minister Shri @AmitShah in the presence of Union I&B Minister Shri @ianuragthakur & MoS Dr. @Murugan_MoS. #SwarajOnDoordarshan | Tune in on Aug 14 at 9 PM." Union Minister Anurag Thakur while speaking on the occasion said that Doordarshan and All India Radio had done a commendable job of reviving the valiant stories of over 550 freedom fighters and enabling the acquaintance of the younger generations with these unsung heroes. Thakur said that it is aimed at reimagining the vision behind the idea of swaraj and telling the stories of the leaders that moulded that idea into a reality. The serial is a manifestation of our pride in these heroes from the past. With satisfaction in his expressions, the Minister stated that intense research had gone into the making of the serial and information and documents have been collected from all the corners of the country to bring to life these stories from our freedom struggle. Starting from the landing of Vasco-da-Gama in 1498 the serial presents a rich saga of the heroes of this land. This includes many unsung heroes of the likes of Rani Abbakka, Bakshi Jagabandhu, Tirot Sing, Sidhu Murmu and Kanhu Murmu, Shivappa Nayaka, Kanhoji Angre, Rani Gaidinliu, Tilka Majhi etc. along with famous freedom fighters like Rani Lakshmibai, Maharaj Shivaji, Tatya Tope, Madam Bhikaji Kama. (ANI) Former Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh and Congress leader TS Singh Deo criticized the central government's notification of the rules under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019 on Monday, emphasizing the importance of discussing issues with the country at large before making a final decision. He said that the central government should have had discussions before notifying the CAA rules across the nation. "These are issues that should have been discussed with the country at large and then decisions taken," TS Singh Deo said. "You (the Central Government) should talk, make it acceptable, and then do it," he added. Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai supported the Centre's move and said that the CAA will 'help' the people who migrated to India after 'facing atrocities' in other countries, including Pakistan. "Today, PM Modi has implemented CAA in the country. It will help the people who have come to India after facing atrocities in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. They will be able to get Indian citizenship through this," the Chief Minister said. Chhattisgarh Deputy CM Arun Sao also welcomed the CAA rules' notification and called it a "historical decision." "This is a historical decision. The bill had been passed in the Lok Sabha... A lot of people were miserable, they were not getting the benefits of the government schemes, but now they got justice..." he said. Chhattisgarh Speaker Raman Singh lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah for the notification. "CAA was in discussion for a long time I want to congratulate PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. CAA has been brought to give citizenship and not take it away," Raman Singh said. On March 11, Monday, the Center notified the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rules, days before the announcement of the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections and the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct. The Ministry of Home Affairs has already created a portal for the applicants' convenience, with the entire process being done online. The Act, which was passed in 2019, seeks to fast-track Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians--except for Muslims--who migrated to India owing to religious persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The applicants are required to declare the year that they entered India without travel documents. The notification has, however, garnered mixed responses from the opposition. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the timing of notifying the rules for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act was "BJP's desperate attempt at divisive politics" just ahead of the coming Lok Sabha elections. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also alleged that the announcement is yet another attempt to "manage the headlines" after the Supreme Court's strictures on the electoral bonds issue. Ramesh said it has taken four years and three months for the Narendra Modi government to notify the rules for the law cleared by Parliament in December 2019. Aam Adami Party leader and Delhi Minister Atishi said that the announcement by the BJP shows that 'it has not done any work in the last 10 years'. "Just a few days before the Lok Sabha elections, CAA is being brought in. What does this show? This shows that the Modi government knows that they haven't done any work in the last 10 years," she said. However, several leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hailed PM Modi after the central government CAA across the country. Rajasthan Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore said, "The CAA law was passed about three years ago, the wait was for its rules and regulations to be made. Now it has been made. I congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Home Minister for implementing CAA." Welcoming the notification, Goa CM Pramod Sawant thanked PM Modi. (ANI) A group of farmers set the office of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) in the Byadagi area of Karnataka's Haveri district on Monday evening, alleging a sudden fall in the prices of chilli varieties, police said. According to officials, the angry farmers went on a rampage, burning vehicles, including police vans, and vandalizing shops in the area. At least three shops were gutted, and one person was injured in the incident, they said. "Today there was an uproar about chilli prices, Three shops were gutted, and one person was also injured. We will provide complete information on who is involved, as we are still looking into the matter. We have already taken some people into custody and an investigation is underway," Badagi SP Anshukumar said. The Badagi SP further said that the imposition of restrictions under the CrPC Section 144 was under consideration. "The implementation of Section 144 is under review. Then we will take a decision and implement it," he said. Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R Ashoka, accused the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Congress government of its 'anti-farmer policies' that left the farmers 'annoyed'. "The incident of angry farmers attacking the APMC office and setting the vehicles on fire in Haveri is a direct consequence of the CM Siddaramaiah-led Congress government's anti-farmer policies and lackadaisical attitude in managing drought situations, which has left the farmers completely dismayed and annoyed. If only the Congress government had addressed the farmers' issues proactively and distributed sufficient drought relief at the right time, the farmers wouldn't have taken such a desperate step to vandalise the APMC premises," Ashoka said in a post on X. He further urged the Chief Minister to provide a 'guarantee of drought relief' to the farmers. "At least now, CM Siddaramaiah should wake up from deep slumber and provide a 'guarantee of drought relief' to Anandatas. Otherwise, the day is not far when desperate farmers will set ablaze the CM's residence and Vidhan Soudha," he said. (ANI) The two new trains will operate between Visakhapatnam-Puri and Visakhapatnam-Secunderabad. With this, the total number of Vande Bharat Express trains operational from Visakhapatnam will be three. During the occasion, PM Modi will also inaugurate completed portions of railway line doubling projects and other infrastructural developments, which will enhance train connectivity and contribute to the overall development of the region. 'One Station, One Product' stalls over the division will also be dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister. Divisional Railway Manager (Waltair Division) Saurabh Prasad said that of the two Vande Bharat trains, one will run between Visakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar and the other will operate between Visakhapatnam and Secunderabad. "These two new Vande Bharat Express trains are in addition to the existing service on this route," the DRM Prasad told ANI. As of date, 41 Vande Bharat train services are operating across the Indian Railways, connecting states with Broad Gauge (BG) electrified networks. These Vande Bharat Express trains touch 24 states and 256 districts. The Ministry of Railways has launched the 'One Station, One Product' (OSOP) scheme to promote the 'Vocal for Local' vision of the Government of India, provide a market for local and indigenous products and create additional income opportunities for the marginalized sections of society. This scheme aims to provide enhanced opportunities for livelihood to local artisans, potters, weavers, handloom weavers, and craftsmen through the provision of sale outlets at railway stations across the country. (ANI) The exercise 'Bharat Shakti' will have on display an array of indigenous weapon systems and platforms as a demonstration of the prowess of the country, premised on the nation's Aatmanirbharata initiative, the Prime Minister's Office stated. It will simulate realistic, synergised, multi-domain operations displaying integrated operational capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces to counter threats across land, air, sea, cyber, and space domains. Key Equipment and Weapons Systems participating in the exercise include T-90 (IM) Tanks, Dhanush and Sarang Gun Systems, Akash Weapons Systems, Logistics Drones, Robotic Mules, Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and an array of unmanned aerial vehicles among others, from Indian Army showcasing the advanced ground warfare and aerial surveillance capabilities, the release said. Indian Navy will be showcasing Naval Anti-Ship Missiles, Autonomous Cargo Carrying Aerial Vehicles, and Expendable Aerial Targets, highlighting maritime strength and technological sophistication. Indian Air Force will be deploying the indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, Light Utility Helicopters, and Advanced Light Helicopters, demonstrating air superiority and versatility in air operations, it stated. In a clear indication of India's readiness to confront and overcome contemporary and future challenges with home-grown solutions, Bharat Shakti highlights the resilience, innovation, and strength of India's domestic defence capabilities on the global stage. The programme exemplifies the nation's strong strides towards Aatmanirbharta in defence, by showcasing the might and operational prowess of the Indian Armed Forces and the ingenuity and commitment of the indigenous defence industry. (ANI) Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh questioned the timing of the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act and asserted that it was timed ahead of the general polls to polarise the voters in Assam and West Bengal. "It took them 4 years and 3 months to bring this rule. The Bill was passed in December 2019. The law should have been formed within 3-6 months. Modi Government sought nine extensions from the Supreme Court and took 4 years and 3 months before notifying the rules last night," Jairam Ramesh said. "These are just for polarisation - to influence the elections in Bengal and Assam. If they were doing it honestly, why did they not bring it in 2020? They are bringing it now, one month before the elections. This is headline management...This is the strategy for social polarisation...," the Congress leader added. The Congress Rajya Sabha reiterated that the government had not stuck to a time frame on this and had waited for over four years to notify the rules. "Our Prime Minister Modi says his government does work with a deadline and nothing is delayed in our government. So, why did it take over four years?" he added. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the timing of notifying the rules for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act is "BJP's desperate attempt at divisive politics" just ahead of the coming Lok Sabha elections. In February, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in categorical terms that CAA was brought in to provide citizenship and not to take away anyone's citizenship. "Minorities in our country, and specially our Muslim community, are being provoked. CAA cannot snatch away anyone's citizenship because there is no provision in the Act. CAA is an act to provide citizenship to refugees who were persecuted in Bangladesh and Pakistan," Shah had said. On Monday evening, the Union Home Ministry notified rules for implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), days ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections schedule. The CAA, introduced by the Narendra Modi government and passed by Parliament in 2019, aims to provide Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants - including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians - who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014. The applications for citizenship would have to be submitted in a completely online mode, for which a web portal has been provided. During the past two years, over 30 district magistrates and home secretaries across nine states have been authorized with the ability to confer Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians arriving from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan under the Citizenship Act of 1955. As per the Ministry of Home Affairs annual report for 2021-22, between April 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021, a cumulative count of 1,414 individuals from non-Muslim minority communities originating from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan were granted Indian citizenship through registration or naturalization under the Citizenship Act, 1955. Under the Citizenship Act of 1955, Indian citizenship by registration or naturalization is granted to non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan in nine states such as Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Maharashtra. It's notable that authorities in districts of Assam and West Bengal, both politically sensitive regions on this matter, have not been empowered with these citizenship-granting authorities thus far. (ANI) The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has welcomed the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 after the centre notified rules on Monday. "I welcome the decision which is taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is a good decision for Sikhs whose religion was converted in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh," said Gurcharan Singh Grewal, spokesperson of SGPC. Earlier the Congress opposed the CAA notification claiming that the BJP just wanted to polarise the elections. Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications, Jairam Ramesh said, " Why are you considering only Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan? Why did you not include Sri Lanka? There are several such questions. But my question is why did you take 4 years and 3 months? Why did the rule not come earlier?...Now, when there is an atmosphere of elections in West Bengal and Assam - to create polarisation there, this has been done...They have just one goal, polarisation at the tine of election...Hum Ram pujari hain, wo Ram vyapari hain. I have two 'Ram' in my name, we are all devotees of Lord Ram." Meanwhile, Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 enable persons eligible under CAA-2019 to apply for the grant of Indian citizenship and applications will be submitted in a completely online mode for which a web portal has been provided by the government. The Centre notified the rules for implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act on Monday before the Model Code of Conduct comes into force as dates will be announced for the general election. The Lok Sabha polls are expected to be held in April-May this year. The Citizenship Amendment Bill was passed by Parliament in December 2019. The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees who had sought shelter in India before December 31, 2014, due to religious persecution in three neighbouring countries--Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, of six minority communities there. The CAA removes legal barriers to rehabilitation and citizenship. It gives a dignified life to refugees "who have suffered for decades". Citizenship rights will protect their cultural, linguistic, and social identity, officials said, adding that it will also ensure economic, commercial, free movement, and property purchase rights. The notification stated that every application made by the applicant under sub-rule (1) shall have a declaration to the effect that the citizenship of the origin country shall stand renounced irrevocably in the event of his application being approved and that the person shall not raise any claim on it in the future. The notification specified the details of the steps and process required to apply for eligible persons for Indian citizenship. New rules have been inserted in the Citizenship Rules, 2009 after rule 10. Rule 10 A details the application for the grant of citizenship by registration or naturalisation by persons eligible under section 6B. The application from a person for grant of citizenship by naturalisation should fulfil the qualifications for naturalisation under the provisions of the Third Schedule and is submitted in Form VIIIA which includes an affidavit verifying the correctness of the statements made in the application along with an affidavit from an Indian citizen testifying the character of the applicant and a declaration from the applicant that he has adequate knowledge of one of the languages as specified in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. The applicant shall be considered to have adequate knowledge of the concerned language if he can speak read or write that language. The rules state that an application for registration or naturalisation under section 6B shall be submitted by the applicant in electronic form to the Empowered Committee through the District Level Committee as may be notified by the Central Government. On submission of the application, an acknowledgement in Form IX shall be generated electronically. The District Level Committee, headed by the Designated Officer, as may be specified, shall verify the documents submitted by the applicant along with the application. The Designated Officer shall administer to the applicant the oath of allegiance as specified in the Second Schedule to the Citizenship Act, 1955 (57 of 1955) and thereafter, sign the oath of allegiance and forward the same in electronic form along with confirmation regarding verification of documents to the Empowered Committee. In case an applicant fails to appear in person to subscribe to the application and take the oath of allegiance despite giving reasonable opportunities, the District Level Committee shall forward such application to the Empowered Committee for consideration of refusal. The rules state the Empowered Committee referred to in rule 11A may scrutinise the application for grant of citizenship by registration or naturalisation submitted by an applicant under section 6B to ensure that the application is complete in all respects and that the applicant satisfies all the conditions laid down in section 6B. On being satisfied after making such inquiry as it considers necessary for ascertaining the suitability of the applicant that he is a fit and proper person to be registered or naturalised, as the case may be, the Empowered Committee may grant him the citizenship of India. Under the Citizenship Act of 1955, Indian citizenship by registration or naturalization is granted to non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan in nine states such as Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Maharashtra. It's notable that authorities in districts of Assam and West Bengal, both politically sensitive regions on this matter, have not been empowered with these citizenship-granting authorities thus far. (ANI) Searches are on at Amba Prasad's Ranchi residence and among other locations. Searches are also being carried out in Hazaribagh, according to sources. A complaint of money laundering was filed in 2023 against the Congress MLA at the Ranchi zonal office of the central enforcement agency, the sources added. Based on the complaint, the Deputy Director-level officer of ED had sought information about all the FIRs registered against Amba Prasad from Jharkhand Police. In its letter, ED also asked the state police whether any case of predicative offence was registered against Amba Prasad or not. After the ED's correspondence, the police sent the list of cases registered against Barkagaon MLA Amba Prasad to the ED's zonal office. (ANI) The Supreme Court on Tuesday listed on March 18, as the next date to hear six Himachal Pradesh rebel Congress leader's plea challenging the Assembly's Speaker's decision to disqualify them. A bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna adjourned the matter for March 18 when the petitioners' advocate informed the top court that they are led by Senior Advocate Harish Salve who is unable to join the hearing. In the meantime, the top court sought to know from the rebel legislators why they hadn't moved to the concerned High Court with their grievances and what fundamental rights had been violated. The petitioner advocate responded that they had been elected. However, the court was not convinced by his submission and said that it would take up the matter next Monday. On February 29, the Speaker disqualified the six Congress MLAs who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha polls. The six MLAs who had been disqualified were Sudhir Sharma, Rajinder Rana, Davinder K Bhutto, Ravi Thakur, Chaitanya Sharma and Inder Dutt Lakhanpal under the anti-defection law. After the 2022 Assembly elections, the Congress had 40 MLAs, while the BJP had 25 in the 68-member state assembly. The remaining three seats are held by independents. These rebel legislators have cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha polls. In the voting of the Rajya Sabha election recently, the BJP, which has just 25 MLAs, managed to secure 9 additional votes. The vote thus ended in a 34-34 tie, with three Independents and six Congress MLAs cross-voting for the BJP. Mahajan ended up winning after the result was decided with a draw of lots. (ANI) Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. He said, "Those who could not come to India at the time of partition and were persecuted on the basis of religion in these different countries." He added, "People who came to India before 2014 had no rights here, so PM Modi has done a good job by giving them citizenship so that they can also live their lives with dignity and raise their children." Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday provided a web portal on which eligible non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan fleeing religious persecution can now seek Indian citizenship. A mobile app 'CAA-2019' will also be launched very soon to facilitate applications through the mobile app. Now, the persons persecuted from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh on religious grounds of six minority communities - Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians-- can apply for grant of Indian citizenship on the portal https:/indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in. The CAA rules, introduced by the Narendra Modi government and passed by Parliament in 2019, aim to confer Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants--including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians--who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014. Earlier in the day, Samajwadi Party MP ST Hasan criticised the implementation of CAA by the central government, saying, "This is just a tactic to distract the people and an election stunt." "We have no objection to people being given citizenship but why has religion been defined in that? Are Muslims not being persecuted in the countries that have been mentioned in the act. In fact, the Ahmediyas are persecuted in all three countries (Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh)," Hasan said. In a sharp critique, Shiv Sena (UBT) Spokesperson Anand Dubey questioned the timing of the recent Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) notification, suggesting that the government had a decade to introduce it. (ANI) In a significant development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off 10 high-speed Vande Bharat trains, including a train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai Central on Tuesday. Thanking PM Modi, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said, "Today, PM Modi flagged off 10 Vande Bharat trains. Out of the 10 trains, one train was inaugurated in Maharashtra. In the state, nine stations will benefit from the 'One station, one product' initiative of the government. This will provide employment opportunities to the locals." Speaking to ANI, the Chief Minister further said, "Earlier, Maharashtra got seven Vande Bharat trains. I thank the PM Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for this." The Prime Minister on Tuesday flagged off the extension of four Vande Bharat trains. Ahmedabad-Jamnagar Vande Bharat is being extended till Dwarka, Ajmer- Delhi Sarai Rohilla Vande Bharat is being extended till Chandigarh, Gorakhpur-Lucknow Vande Bharat is being extended till Prayagraj and Thiruvananthapuram- Kasargod Vande Bharat is being extended till Mangaluru; and two new passenger trains between Asansol and Hatia and Tirupati and Kollam stations. Addressing the occasion, the Prime Minister acknowledged the lakhs of people connected to the event from more than 200 different places and said that the scale and size of today's event cannot be matched with any other event in Railways' history. He also congratulated Railways for today's event. The Prime Minister underlined that development works for the creation of Viksit Bharat are continuously expanding with the inauguration and laying the foundation stone of multiple development projects across the country. "In the 75 days of 2024, projects worth more than Rs 11 lakh crores have been inaugurated or foundation stones laid while projects worth Rs 7 lakh crores have been unveiled in the last 10-12 days", the Prime Minister remarked. PM Modi also flagged off freight trains on the Dedicated Freight Corridor from various locations - New Khurja Jn, Sahnewal, New Rewari, New Kishangarh, New Gholvad, and New Makarpura. He dedicated to the Nation 50 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras at Railway Stations. These Jan Aushadi Kendras will offer affordable and quality generic medicines to the people. The Prime Minister also dedicated 51 Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminals to the Nation. These terminals will promote seamless movement of goods between different modes of transportation. (ANI) Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, virtually participated from the Hubballi Railway Station in an event presided over by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi for the inauguration of 10 Vande Bharat Express trains nationwide, alongside the laying of foundation stones for railway projects totalling a staggering Rs 85 thousand crores. In his address at the event, Governor Gehlot emphasized the pivotal role of a robust and seamless railway transportation system in the nation's ongoing developmental journey. Recognizing Bharatiya Railways as the lifeline of the country's economic and holistic progress, he underscored its significance in fostering growth and connectivity. Governor Gehlot further highlighted Prime Minister Modi's dedication to advancing the nation's infrastructure, noting his joyous expression as he bestowed upon the nation 10 Vande Bharat Express trains and unveiled railway projects worth Rs 85 thousand crores via video conference. Among the notable projects announced were the doubling of railway lines, the establishment of new railway lines, Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal (GCT), goods sheds, one station one product stall, and Janaushadhi centres. The Governor also announced the gifting of a sleeper train maintenance and workshop depot to Thanisandra, Bangalore, as part of the Vande Bharat initiative. Underlining recent achievements, Governor Gehlot recalled Prime Minister Modi's dedication of railway projects worth Rs 41 thousand crores on February 26. These projects encompassed the redevelopment and modernization of railway stations and road over-bridges across the nation, with a significant focus on the South Western Railway sector. Looking ahead, Governor Gehlot outlined plans for the redevelopment and modernization of 15 railway stations within the Bangalore division, in alignment with the Amrit Bharat Station scheme. Emphasizing the importance of indigenous manufacturing, he lauded the Swavalambi Bharat Abhiyan for its role in fostering major infrastructure and manufacturing initiatives within the railway sector. Governor Gehlot concluded by commending Indian Railways' tireless efforts in enhancing passenger facilities, modernizing infrastructure, and ensuring eco-friendly operations. He extended heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Modi for his visionary leadership and applauded the Minister of Railways, Minister of State for Railways, and all officials for their dedicated contributions to the railway sector's development. The event saw the presence of distinguished dignitaries including Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti, MLA Mahesh Tenginakai, South Western Railway General Manager Arvind Srivastav, Model Manager Shri Harsha Khare, among others. (ANI) The Bishnupur constituency of West Bengal will witness a face-off between former couple Sujata Mondal (TMC) and Saumitra Khan (BJP) in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Trinamool Congress candidate Sujata Mondal said that this is the fight against "injustice" and hoped that voters of Bishnupur would choose their daughter. "This is a fight against injustice, hope Bishnupur choose Ghorer Mein (daughter of the home). If you asked about me and my connection with Bishnupur everyone knows I spent my all time at Bishnupur and I'm trying to stand with the people of Bishnupur. I'm the daughter of Bishnupur. This is not only a political battle for me this is a battle of injustice with two rivals," Mondal said. The TMC named Mondal as the candidate from Bishnupur on Sunday, while the BJP announced Khan's candidature for the seat earlier this month. She further said, "Everyone knows about him (Saumitra Khan), not only me everybody knows about our past story now I'm ready for this battle and wish me luck." The couple got divorced in 2020 after Mondal joined politics as a member of the TMC in the run-up to the 2021 assembly elections. Khan, a TMC defector, joined the BJP ahead of the 2019 elections. TMC earlier on Sunday announced candidates for all 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state, abandoning the opposition coalition, INDIA bloc. The list of candidates was released by TMC's general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, at the Brigade Parade Ground. Banerjee, the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, will contest from Diamond Harbour. Mahua Moitra, who was expelled from Lok Sabha in the winter session last year, has been given a ticket from the Krishnanagar constituency. Mukut Mani Adhikari, who recently quit the BJP, has also been given a ticket from the Ranaghat Lok Sabha seat. In the previous Lok Sabha polls, the TMC won 22 seats while the BJP sprung a major surprise, winning 18 seats. The Congress won the remaining two seats. In 2019, the BJP-led National Democratic (NDA) won a total of 303 seats, leaving the grand-old party behind at 52 seats. The Lok Sabha polls are expected to be held in April-May this year. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the redeveloped Kocharab ashram in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on Tuesday, the day that marks the 94th anniversary of the Dandi March which began from the Sabarmati Ashram. PM Modi, in a post on X, shared photographs of the revamped Kocharab ashram and said that the restoration of the Sabarmati Ashram manifests the central government's commitment to preserving and celebrating our rich history. "The restoration of Sabarmati Ashram manifests our commitment to preserving and celebrating our rich history. The scale of the effort will leave you spellbound!" the PM said. It was the first ashram established by Mahatma Gandhi after coming to India from South Africa in 1915. It is still preserved as a memorial and tourist space by Gujarat Vidyapeeth. PM Modi also unveiled the masterplan of the Rs 1,200 crore Gandhi Ashram Memorial and Precinct Development Project. The masterplan, unveiled by PM Modi proposes to restore, conserve, and rebuild about half of the 63 structures that existed in the original ashram that was spread over 120 acres of land on the banks of the Sabarmati River on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. In all, 36 buildings will be restored. The place that is popularly known as Sabarmati Ashram currently, and is open to the public, covers only 5 acres of this original space. It is managed by the Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust (SAPMT). The new memorial will be spread over 55 acres, and the entire precincts will sprawl over 322 acres. An official said that if an hour is needed for a quick tour of the current Gandhi Ashram, it will take at least 6-7 hours for a visitor to tour the entire expanded premises when the project is completed. According to the masterplan, 20 buildings will be conserved including Hriday Kunj, the residence of Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba, the Gandhi Memorial Museum designed by the late Charles Correa which opened in 1963, Nandini Niwas, which served as the guest house, Manav Sadhna, run by Jayesh Patel, son of its Gandhian founder Ishwarbhai Patel, and the son-in-law of Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandi Patel, Vinoba-Mira Kutir, where Vinoba Bhave stayed, the Jay Jagat Amphitheatre, and the Junu Rasodu (Old Kitchen). Thirteen buildings -- which include two gaushalas, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's office, and Dus Ordi (Ten Rooms) -- will be restored. Three buildings -- the Dehla Puni Kendra (place for storing cotton bales), Saat Ordi (Seven Rooms), and Anand Bhawan Sanghralaya -- are proposed to be rebuilt. (ANI) The All India Bar Association (AIBA) on Tuesday wrote a letter to the President of India and requested for Presidential Reference to the Supreme Court of India on the Electoral Bonds scheme under Article 143 of the Constitution of India. It submitted that the Supreme Court of India passed a verdict of far-reaching consequences on February 15, 2024 invalidating the Government of India's Electoral Bonds Scheme. It also ordered the State Bank of India to hand over details of the corporate contributions received by political parties by March 6, 2024 and further directed the Election Commission of India to make public the details. On March 11, 2024, when the State Bank of India sought time till June 30, 2024 to disclose the Corporate Contributions, citing the complexity of the process, the Supreme Court rejected the plea and tasked the nation's largest Bank to reveal the information by March 12, 2024 so as to enable the Election Commission of India to make public all details by March 15, 2024. Senior Advocate Dr Adish Aggarwala, Chairman of AIBA and a President of the Supreme Court Bar Association stated that, it is my duty to lay before you these facts and seek a Presidential Reference on the issue of the Electoral Bonds case, so that the entire proceedings could be reheard and complete justice could be ensured to the Parliament of India, political parties, corporates and the general public. The petitioners invoked Article 32 of the Constitution and challenged the constitutional validity of the Electoral Bond Scheme, which paved the way for anonymous financial contributions to political parties. The petitioners have also challenged the provisions of the Finance Act, 2017 which, among other things, amended the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Income Tax Act, 1961, and the Companies Act, 2013. By way of a 232-page judgment, the Supreme Court bench headed by the Chief Justice of India, struck down the Scheme on February 15. "Madam President, the Supreme Court of India is well within its right to hear any dispute or constitutional question of law brought before it for adjudication. Similarly, the bedrock of the Supreme Court's exalted constitutional status is Article 142 of the Constitution. Article 142 confers upon the Hon'ble Supreme Court the inherent power to render 'complete justice' stated Dr Adish Aggarwala," the letter added. The Supreme Court of India, therefore, should not allow itself to deliver judgments that would create a constitutional stalemate, undermine the majesty of the Parliament of India, the collective wisdom of the people's representatives gathered in the Parliament and create a question mark over the very democratic functioning of political parties themselves. The corporate donations scheme was brought forth because of the absence of poll funding mechanism in our nation, and in order to enable political parties to resort to lawful methods to augment resources for poll purposes. The electoral bond scheme came into effect due to the provisions of the Finance Act, 2017 which, among other things, amended the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Income Tax Act, 1961, and the Companies Act. 2013. Therefore, it would be perverse to doubt the legislative intention behind the scheme. Of course, the four writ petitions -- Writ Petition (C) No. 880 of 2017 Association for Democratic Reforms & Anr, Writ Petition (C) No. 59 of 2018, Writ Petition (C) No. 975 of 2022 and Writ Petition (C) No. 1132 of 2022 - challenged the constitutionality of the scheme. By an order dated April 12, 2019, the Hon'ble Supreme Court delivered an interim order, which is as follows: "In the above perspective, according to us, the just and proper interim direction would be to require all the political parties who have received donations through Electoral Bonds to submit to the Election Commission of India in sealed cover, detailed particulars of the donors as against the each Bond; the amount of each such Bond and the full particulars of the credit received against each Bond, namely, the particulars of the bank account to which the amount has been credited and the date of each such credit." Madam President, the interim order dated April 12, 2019 nowhere mentions that any more receipt of corporate contributions by way of the electoral Bonds was subject to the outcome of the writ petitions challenging the scheme. As on the date of filing of these writ petitions as well as on the date of the interim orders were delivered, the Electoral Bonds Scheme was a perfectly legal and constitutional fund-raising scheme provided by the government and the Parliament of India. It was only on February 15, 2024 that the Scheme was invalidated and further sale of the Bonds was prohibited. It makes two things clear: one, the 22,217 Electoral Bonds that had been received by different political parties from different corporate entities by way of corporate contributions were perfectly legal and constitutional. How can a corporate entity be punished for having played by Rule valid and legal on the day the contributions were made? Two: Even if the Supreme Court prohibited the Electoral Bonds Scheme, the prohibition shall come into effect only prospectively, and not retrospectively. The Honb'le Supreme Court itself has penned umpteen judgments holding and reiterating the constitutional position that laws and rulings would take only prospective effect, and not retrospective effect. This is more aptly applicable in the Electoral Bonds Scheme case because there was no interim order either prohibiting or making such bonds subject to the outcome of the writ petitions. When there was no legal or constitutional bar, and when there was express provisions and amended laws that enabled corporate entities to make contributions, how could they now be faulted and punished. Madam President, Indian laws define the term 'Donation' as follows: "A donation is a voluntary transfer of property (often money) from the transferor (donor) to the transferee (donee) with no exchange value (consideration) on the part of the recipient (donee)." A donation, therefore, is a voluntary transfer of resources without any consideration. A voluntary act cannot be sought to be made an act of compulsion merely because one corporate entity contributed different quantum of donations to different political parties. Or because some corporate entity made 'voluntary donation' to only one party, and nothing to other parties. Donation cannot be conditional on both sides. A donor cannot be asked to maintain uniformity of donation to more than one party, as it would infringe on the voluntary aspect of the act. It would amount to compulsion. While so, the Supreme Court has penned this verdict on the premise that donors cherry-picked donees for a consideration. Assuming, not admitting, that the donation was an act of quid pro quo, how will uniform contribution to all political parties would undo the 'consideration', if any, part of the corporate intention? In other words, even if getting a return favour is the intention behind the donation, by compelling the donor to donate resources equally to all political parties will not undo the intention. Neither will it be exacerbated by choosing one or two political parties for larger donations. Madam President, the most dangerous part of the Hon'ble Supreme Court's judgment in the Electoral Bonds Scheme case is its direction to the Election Commission of India to correlate the donations and make public which political party received how much from which corporate entity. It has a potential to sound a death-knell to both parliamentary democracy and corporate freedom in our nation. Corporate's donated through purchase of 22,217 corporate Bonds with the State Bank of India, and their legitimate expectation was the discretion guaranteed to them. Infringing their right against disclosure of either their name or the quantum of their donation or to the parties they had chosen differential contributions will amount to betrayal of a constitutional trust and sovereign guarantee. Revealing the names of corporates that had contributed to different political parties would render the corporates vulnerable for victimization. The possibility of them being singled out by those parties that had received less contribution from them, and harassed cannot be ruled out if the names of corporates and their quantum of contributions to various parties are revealed. This will be reneging on the promise given to them while accepting their voluntary contributions. Disclosing such sensitive information, that too retrospectively, will result in chilling effect in corporate donations and participation in the democratic process. Besides drying up further donations, such an act would discourage and dissuade foreign corporate entities from setting shops in India or participating in the democratic process but contributing to winning horses. If we enforce this judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India by retrospectively, releasing all sensitive information, it will shatter the reputation the nation enjoys in the international arena. Madam President, Article 143 of the Constitution confers advisory jurisdiction on the Hon'ble Supreme Court and provides for the power of the Hon'ble President of India to consult the Hon'ble Supreme Court; it says that if it appears to the Hon'ble President that a question of law or fact has arisen, or can arise in future which is of public importance and it is beneficial to obtain the opinion of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, he may refer the question for consideration and the Hon'ble Supreme Court may, after such hearing, report to the President its opinion, said Dr Adish Aggarwala. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President JP Nadda on Tuesday congratulated party leader Nayab Singh Saini for taking oath as the chief minister of Haryana. In a post on X, Nadda expressed his confidence in the newly formed Haryana government taking the state to new heights of development. "Hearty congratulations and best wishes to Shri @NayabSainiBJP for taking oath as the Chief Minister of Haryana and the cabinet members on taking oath as Minister. In the last 9 years, the double-engine government has set new standards in every sector of the state. I have full confidence that under the guidance and leadership of respected Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, our journey of public welfare and development will continue," Nadda said in a post in Hindi. Nayab Singh Saini was sworn in earlier today as the new chief minister of Haryana, replacing Manohar Lal Khattar. In addition to Saini, the BJP's JP Dalal, Moolchand Sharma, Banwari Lal, and Kanwar Pal Gurjar, all from the old cabinet, took oath as ministers. Khattar's government collapsed after the seat-sharing talks failed in the BJP-JJP ruling alliance for the Lok Sabha election. An influential figure within the OBC, or Other Backward Classes, community, Nayab Saini is the BJP's Lok Sabha MP from Kurukshetra and was appointed the party's state boss in October last year. He is also a close confidante of Khattar, whose second (consecutive) term ends this year. The Kurukshetra MP Saini was appointed Haryana BJP state president in October last year. Saini won the Kurukshetra constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections by more than 3.83 lakh votes over his nearest challenger, Nirmal Singh of the Indian National Congress (INC). In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had won all 10 parliamentary seats while JJP, which had contested the elections in alliance with AAP, could not put up a fight on 7 seats it contested. The BJP has 41 MLAs in the 90-member House, in which the majority mark is set at 46. The party has garnered support from six independent MLAs and Haryana Lokhit Party MLA Gopal Kanda. (ANI) The LCA Tejas was part of the 18th Squadron of the Indian Air Force and participated in the tri-services exercise Bharat Shakti in Pokharan before crashing in Jaisalmer city. Prima Facie, it is emerging that the engine failure caused the crash today but more details would be known only after the detailed inquiry is completed, defence officials told ANI. It is also learnt that the pilot communicated to the ground station about the engine issue before ejection. The Indian Air Force and other agencies concerned are going to investigate the matter in detail as it is the first time in 23 years that the indigenous fighter has crashed. "A Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas of the Indian Air Force crashed near Jaisalmer today during an operational training sortie. The pilot ejected safely. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident," the Indian Air Force said after the crash. (ANI) Taking to X, Director General of Punjab Police Gaurav Yadav said, "In a major breakthrough, the Special Cell, Mohali Police, has arrested two associates of foreign-based absconding gangster Gaurav Lucky Patiyal and Mandeep Dhaliwal, who were involved in the firing incident at Katani Premium Dhaba, Sector 79, Mohali." The DGP said that two pistols, along with three live cartridges, were seized by the Punjab Police. The Punjab Police is fully committed to eradicating organised crime in the state as per directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. On February 29, the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of the Punjab Police arrested one person involved in the firing incident at Katani Premium Dhaba, Mohali. The arrested persons, identified as Amritpal Singh, alias Nannu, associates of the Davinder Bambiha Gang. Taking to the social media platform, X, the Punjab Director General of Police, Gaurav Yadav, said, "In a major breakthrough, #AGTF, Punjab has arrested Amritpal Singh @ Nannu, an associate of Davinder Bambiha Gang, involved in the recent firing incident at Katani Premium Dhaba, Sector 79, Mohali." Preliminary interrogation of the arrested accused has revealed the identity of two other absconding accused Rana and Arshjot involved in the incident, he said. The fourth accused, Feroz, involved in this incident has been arrested by the Haryana Police. These handlers executed the crime on the direction of foreign-based absconding Gangster Gaurav alias Lucky Patiyal of the Davinder Bambiha Gang, to extract ransom money from the victim. The absconding two accused will be arrested soon, he added. (ANI) A refugee expressed happiness at the Union Home Ministry notifying rules for implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on Monday. The refugee said that the government of India knows the real situation of minorities. "The country was divided based on religion. We were left to die. We came here after suffering a lot. We did not belong anywhere. Now, the Government of India has implemented CAA. So, it is a matter of pride. We can't describe it in words," he said. He further expressed satisfaction over the Ram Mandir issue getting solved. "I appreciate all the issues that were raised by the Hindu society and government of India in the past few years. Be it the issue of the Ram Mandir or citizenship, justice has been delivered. I wish such issues keep coming to the notice of the centre," he added. It is noteworthy that days ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections schedule in the country, the centre has notified rules for implementation of CAA. Home Minister Amit Shah, on multiple occasions, said that CAA rules would be notified ahead of the Lok Sabha elections to be held in April-May. The CAA rules, introduced by the Narendra Modi government and passed by Parliament in 2019, aim to confer Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants - including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians - who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014. Following the passage of the CAA by Parliament in December 2019 and its subsequent Presidential assent, significant protests erupted in various parts of the country. Under the Citizenship Act of 1955, Indian citizenship by registration or naturalization is granted to non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan in nine states such as Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Maharashtra. It's notable that authorities in districts of Assam and West Bengal, both politically sensitive regions on this matter, have not been empowered with these citizenship-granting authorities thus far. (ANI) Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said on Tuesday that his party has started the process of making draft rules for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) that will be implemented, once they come to power. Addressing a press conference in Delhi today, Mallikarjun Kharge said, "The guarantee is for MSP (minimum support price). We announced MSP for farmers. We are also making a law to ensure MSP guarantees for their crops, we will legalise it. This is also our guarantee." Mallikarjun Kharge, talking about the Bhagidari Nyay guarantee,' said that it involves a nationwide survey to tackle social inequalities. "For the 'Bhagidari Nyay guarantee', the Congress party pledges to conduct a national-level survey based on this guarantee, addressing social inequalities. We have introduced this for those whose rights have been denied, providing a fresh commitment," Mallikarjun Kharge said. Addressing the critical issue of unemployment, Mallikarjun Kharge said that, the 'Yuva Nyay guarantee' is a dedicated promise to the youth. "The Yuva Nyay Guarantee is a new promise for the youth, specifically addressing the unprecedented levels of unemployment. The government's attempts to solve this issue have been inadequate, and our commitment is to fill the vacancies promptly after coming into power. This assurance is particularly aimed at youth struggling with joblessness," Mallikarjun Kharge said. Keeping a specific focus on skill development and apprenticeships, Kharge said, "Additionally, there has been a neglect of skill development and apprenticeships in many places. The apprenticeship program, which used to be a standard in every industry in 1961, included stipends. Unfortunately, the neglect of institutions like GTTc has led to a decline in apprenticeship opportunities. We commit to strengthening Gttc, investing a minimum of one lakh rupees for one year of training in industries, and ensuring a secure first job for the youth under our new guarantee." Kharge further said that, "we have recently announced a guarantee in Nandurbar (Maharashtra) focusing on the Adivasi community. Rahul Gandhi made this announcement during a public meeting, assuring Adivasis protection from displacement and providing them with their due rights. Our commitment involves governance and empowerment for the Adivasis." In response to the environmental challenges, Mallikarjun Kharge addressed the inadequacies in forest conservation under the Modi government's leadership. "Conservation of forests is falling short in various regions under the leadership of the Modi government, leading to reduced rainfall and displacement of those residing in the forests. To address this, our primary focus will be on safeguarding water, forests, and land, ensuring comprehensive protection," Mallikarjun Kharge said. (ANI) The Court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, 19th Court, Esplanade Mumbai has acquitted Diamond Merchant Girish Kadel in a case filed by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate P. Modi in an order on March 2, 2024, decided to dismiss the complaint filed on June 21, 2019 by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence. Resultantly, Businessman Girish Kadel stands acquitted of the offence under Section 174 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 read with Section 108 of the Customs Act, 1962. The Court noted that the Special Public Prosecutor was also absent. No one on his behalf has been attending the proceedings of the case since long. Therefore it can be said that the complainant or his department is not interested to proceed further with this case. The DRI had filed the complaint in question before the ACMM Court with respect to the inquiry being conducted in the alleged overvaluation in imports of rough diamonds by M/s Antique Exim Pvt. Ltd. and M/s Tanman Jewels Pvt. Ltd. In 2022, the Bombay High Court had set aside the show cause notices issued to parties and government officials involved in an overvaluation of diamonds. The show cause notice was issued to Girish Kadel and others, including government-approved valuers. (ANI) Tejasvi Surya, the BJP MP representing Bengaluru South constituency, on Tuesday urged the Karnataka government to roll back the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike's proposed property tax system, which relies on guidance value to determine the tax rates instead of the existing zonal-based classification. Writing to Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, the BJP MP said that the proposed tax system has raised several apprehensions among the Bengaluru residents. "BBMP's proposed Property Tax system, relying on Guidance value to determine the tax rates instead of the existing zonal-based classification, has caused confusion & apprehension among the public. It also escalates the financial burden on middle-class families. Urging DCM @DKShivakumar to roll back the new system & hold further consultations with public before bringing about a new Property Tax regime," Surya posted on X. Deputy CM Shivakumar on Monday released the new property tax collection system which will be implemented from April 1. The authorities argued that the new system is intended to simplify and rationalise the taxation process while also boosting revenue for BBMP. However, Surya said that the new tax system was introduced without having a public consultation. "Under the guidance value system, the tax rates include 0.2% of the guidance value for tenanted properties, 0.1% for sell-occupied properties and 0.025% for fully vacant land. The BBMP has sought to introduce the guidance value-linked tax system without having public consultation, leading to a significant number of residents expressing their concerns of an increase in property tax and its uneven application on apartment complexes," Surya said in his letter to Shivakumar . "Coupled with the provision to levy double the tax on rented properties compared to self-occupied ones, has raised several apprehensions among the community," he added. He said that the Government must address these concerns and alleviate undue financial strain on property owners. Furthermore, the provision for an annual 5% hike in property tax from 2025 onwards could further escalate the financial burden on homeowners, especially middle-class families, Surya said. "In light of the aforementioned concerns, I kindly request you to roll back the Guidance value-based Property Tax system and address the apprehensions of the residents of Bengaluru on the Property Tax calculations," he urged to the Deputy CM. (ANI) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reiterated the Congress government's dedication to fulfilling its promises, highlighting the implementation of various programs and guarantees. CM said, "We fulfilled our promises from the day we took the oath. We have implemented five guarantees in eight months and have spent Rs 36,000 crore and directly deposited it." He was speaking after distributing benefits to the beneficiaries and inaugurating the convention of the beneficiaries of government guarantee schemes at Chamarajanagar. "It is the aspiration of the constitution that power and wealth should be distributed among all in the society. The Congress government has formulated programs as per the aspirations of the constitution and guarantees are provided. Ours is the only government that has fulfilled its promises," he said. "4.5 crore people are beneficiaries of our five guarantees. We are giving 45 thousand to 50 thousand rupees per year to every family in the state. Why is the BJP opposing this? Shouldn't the people of the country get government benefits?" he further questioned. The CM further emphasized that his government had disbursed Rs 36,000 crore directly to beneficiaries, benefiting 4.5 crore people from 1.20 crore families. "We have given Rs 36,000 crore to 4.5 crore people of 1.20 crore families. 59000 crore rupees are provided for guarantees in the next year. 1.20 lakh crores are provided in the budget for the development of the state," he said. The CM also condemned the superstitious belief that Chief Ministers visiting Chamarajanagar would lose power, stating that his visit only strengthened his position. "The superstitious belief that we will lose power if we visit Chamarajanagar is an insult to the people of the district. My chair gets safer with every visit to Chamarajanagar," he said. He further urged the public to empower their candidates so the BJP doesn't get a chance to change the constitution. "The followers of Manusmrithi who want to change the constitution and Manusmrithi itself is our enemy. BJP should be defeated miserably so that they don't get a chance to change the constitution. Please empower me by giving victory to our candidates," he appealed. Social Welfare Minister HC Mahadevappa, Animal Husbandry Minister K. Venkatesh, MLAs of Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts and senior officials were present. (ANI) Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale met Bharatiya Janata Party president J P Nadda at his residence in Delhi on Tuesday and demanded two Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra for his party to contest the upcoming election. Speaking to ANI, Ramdas Athawale said, "Today I met BJP President J P Nadda ji at his residence and discussed the political situation in Maharashtra. I demanded two Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra for our party, the Republican Party of India (A) including the Sirdi Lok Sabha seats where I want to contest the Lok Sabha election." "I also inform BJP President that lakhs of Republican Party of India workers expressed their view that I should contest Lok Sabha election from Sirdi Seat in Maharashtra so I seek BJP support to contest Lok Sabha election from there," he added Republican Party of India (A) President Ramdas Athawale further told ANI that "During a meeting with J P Nadda ji, I said that the NDA will win more than 45 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha election in Maharashtra because people in the state believe that Narendra Modi is the only option for the country's prosperity and progress." "Only under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the development of Maharashtra as well as the country is possible," Ramdas Athawale added. Also, Union Minister Athawale told ANI that in the meeting with the BJP President, I extended our party's support to NDA candidates all over the country. "The Dalits, backwards of the country, consider Narendra Modi as their messiah and want to see him as the Prime Minister for the third time so this time NDA will cross four hundred marks " he added Union Minister Athawale appealed to the Dalits, backwards, farmers, Youth and women of the country that they should join hands with PM Narendra Modi, who is working day and night for the welfare of the people of the country, Athawale said this while talking to ANI. "It is high time to teach the lesson to opposition parties in the Lok Sabha election through the ballot," he added. (ANI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for flagging off the Vande Bharat train between Dehradun-Lucknow on Tuesday. PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday laid the foundation stone and inaugurated various development projects worth over Rs 85,000 crore from Ahmedabad. The Prime Minister virtually launched the new Vande Bharat train between Lucknow-Dehradun, Jan Aushadhi Kendra at two stations of Uttarakhand (Kashipur, Rishikesh) and 'One Station One Product Stall' at various railway stations of Uttarakhand. Governor Lieutenant General Gurmeet Singh (Retd) and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the program organized at Railway Station, Dehradun. Chief Minister Dhami said that the "Vande Bharat" train is a living example of the Prime Minister's vision of a progressive and self-reliant India. "Today, unprecedented work has been done in the field of infrastructure in the country. India's first semi-high speed train "Vande Bharat" manufactured indigenously displays the lofty picture of emerging India," he said. The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a special affection towards Uttarakhand. "With the cooperation of the Central Government, Uttarakhand is rapidly moving towards development. A budget of Rs 5,120 crore has been allocated for the expansion of railways in Uttarakhand. Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, redevelopment work is being done for six stations. The Prime Minister is fulfilling every demand of Devbhoomi," CM Dhami said. The Chief Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, continuous work is being done on air connectivity, ropeway, road, rail, transport. "The demand for operation of aircraft from Dehradun to Ayodhya, Pantnagar to Varanasi has been fulfilled. The demand for running trains between Tanakpur and Dehradun has also been fulfilled," he further said. He said that under the leadership of the Prime Minister, the dream of taking trains to the mountains in Uttarakhand is going to come true. As soon as the Rishikesh-Karnprayag rail line is built, it will be a matter of pride for every Uttarakhandi to have train operations in the inaccessible mountains. The Chief Minister said that the government is operating 'Ek Janpad Do Utpadan' based on Vocal for Local in all 13 districts of the state. "Today, under the leadership of PM Modi, 'Ek Station Ek Utpadan' is being started by the Railways. Through this scheme, livelihood opportunities will be provided to local artisans, potters, weavers and craftsmen and each shop will provide employment opportunities to at least four to five people. Along with this, with the launch of Jan Aushadhi Kendra at two stations of Devbhoomi, passengers will be able to get medicines at cheaper rates," CM Dhami said. He said that the central and state governments are working together to implement various schemes to connect the person standing at the last end to the mainstream of development. CM Dhami said that PM Modi has given a historic gift to Devbhoomi Uttarakhand by virtually flagging off the Vande Bharat Express running between Dehradun-Lucknow. After the PM virtually flagged off, CM Dhami, along with Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh and Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal, flagged off the Vande Bharat Express for Lucknow. Along with this, the Chief Minister also inaugurated "One Station-One Product Stall" with the aim of promoting local products. CM Dhami said on this occasion that Vande Bharat Express, equipped with world-class facilities, will play an important role in improving the travel experience of passengers and tourists visiting Devbhoomi as well as giving new impetus to the development of Uttarakhand. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited the Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat on Tuesday, penned his thoughts on ideas and the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi. On March 12, marking the 94th anniversary of the Dandi March that began from the Sabarmati Ashram, PM Modi launched the Rs 1,200 crore Gandhi Ashram Memorial masterplan at Sabarmati in Gujarat's Ahmedabad city and also inaugurated the redeveloped Kochrab ashram at a function on the anniversary of the famous Dandi Yatra, or salt march, taken out by Mahatma Gandhi on March 12, 1930. The Sabarmati Ashram holds immense significance in Gandhi's life and work. In the visitors' book, the PM said that the ideas and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi will hold relevance forever. "The solution to uncountable global challenges is inherited in the social and spiritual outlook of Gandhi. His ideas and philosophy will be relevant forever. We are stepping forward in building a great and developed India with the assimilation of his (Gandhi's) message," the PM wrote. PM Modi further wrote that the Ashram will continue to impact the lives of people widely as a remarkable center of principles and ideas of Mahatma Gandhi. "I have confidence that the youth will get inspired by Gandhi's work and his life after the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram," he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the 'Ashram Bhoomi Vandana', a symbolic laying of the foundation stone. The masterplan unveiled by the PM proposes to restore, conserve, and rebuild about half of the 63 structures that existed in the original ashram that was spread over 120 acres of land on the banks of the Sabarmati River on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. In all, 36 buildings will be restored. The place that is popularly known as Sabarmati Ashram currently, and is open to the public, covers only 5 acres of this original space. It is managed by the Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust (SAPMT). (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday highlighted India's twin messages of peace and power through his avatar as a Shantidoot during his visit to Sabarmati Ashram in the morning and thereafter his transformation as a Shaktidoot in Pokhran. PM witnessed the tri-service exercise 'Bharat Shakti' in Rajasthan's Pokhran and said that once again Pokhran became a witness of the 'triveni' of India's Aatmnirbharta, self-confidence and its glory. PM Modi said that it is the same Pokhran town that witnessed India's nuclear test and today the country is witnessing the power of strength from indigenisation. Addressing the occasion, the Prime Minister said that the valour and skills at display on the occasion are the call of new India. "Today, once again Pokhran became a witness of the 'triveni' of India's Aatmnirbharta, self-confidence and its glory," he said while adding that "It is the same Pokhran that witnessed India's nuclear test and today we are witnessing the power of strength from indigenisation." Speaking about the test firing of the long-range AGNI missile equipped with advanced MIRV technology yesterday, the Prime Minister affirmed that only a handful of countries in the world have hold of this new-age technology and prowess and underlined that the testing is another feather in the cap for aatmairbhata in defence. "The idea of Viksit Bharat is unimaginable without aatmanirbhar Bharat," the Prime Minister said, underscoring the need to reduce dependence on others. Noting that today's occasion is a step towards this resolution, the Prime Minister said that India is laying emphasis on aatmanirbharta from edible oils to fighter jets. The Prime Minister said that the success of aatmnirbharta in defence can be seen with India's tanks, cannons, fighter jets, helicopters and missile systems which reflect India's strength. "We are experiencing the flight of Made in India with arms and ammunition, communication devices, cyber and space. This is indeed Bharat Shakti," the Prime Minister said. He also mentioned indigenously made Tajas fighter jets, advanced light combat helicopters, submarines, destroyers, aircraft carriers, advanced Arjun Tanks and cannons. Listing out the steps for making India self-reliant in the defence sector, the Prime Minister mentioned policy reforms roping in the private sector and encouragement of MSME startups in the field. He talked about defence corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and informed about Rs 7000 crore investment therein. He congratulated the Chiefs of all three forces for preparing lists of items that will not be imported and supporting the Indian ecosystems of these items. The Prime Minister expressed happiness that in the last 10 years, equipment worth Rs 6 lakh crore has been procured from Indian companies. "Aatmanirbharta for India's defence needs is the guarantee of self-confidence in the armed forces," PM Modi said. He underlined that the energy of the armed forces increases manifold when the weapons and equipment used during wars are made indigenously. In the last 10 years, the Prime Minister informed that India has produced its own fighter jet, aircraft carriers, C295 transport aircraft and advanced flight engines. Referring to the recent Cabinet decision to design, develop and manufacture 5th generation fighter jets in India, the Prime Minister envisioned the growth of defence sector and the numerous employment and self-employment opportunities to be created in the future. Recalling the time when India used to be the largest defence importer in the world, the Prime Minister highlighted India's emergence as a defence exporter and mentioned an eight-fold increase in the country's defence exports compared to 2014. "Families of service personnel from the armed forces have experienced the meaning of Modi's guarantee," the Prime Minister said with pride, mentioning the implementation of One Rank One Pension. He informed that 1.75 lakh defence personnel from Rajasthan have received the benefit of Rs 5,000 crores under OROP. PM Modi emphasized that the strength of the armed forces increases in proportion to the economic muscle of the nation. He said that when we become the third largest economy in the world, defence prowess will also touch new heights. He acknowledged the role of Rajasthan in the process and said "Viksit Rajasthan will give strength to Viksit Sena". Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited the Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat on Tuesday, penned his thoughts on ideas and the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi. On March 12, marking the 94th anniversary of the Dandi March that began from the Sabarmati Ashram, PM Modi launched the Rs 1,200 crore Gandhi Ashram Memorial masterplan at Sabarmati in Gujarat's Ahmedabad city and also inaugurated the redeveloped Kochrab ashram at a function on the anniversary of the famous Dandi Yatra, or salt march, taken out by Mahatma Gandhi on March 12, 1930. The Sabarmati Ashram holds immense significance in Gandhi's life and work. PM Modi said, "This Sabarmati Ashram of Pujya Bapu has always been a vibrant center of unmatched energy. And like me, whenever we get the opportunity to come here, we can clearly feel Bapu's inspiration within us. There should be ideals of truth and non-violence, resolve to worship the nation, the feeling of seeing Narayan's service in the service of the poor and the deprived, Sabarmati Ashram is keeping these values of Bapu alive even today." PM Modi laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment and expansion of Sabarmati Ashram here. Kochrab Ashram, which was the first ashram before Bapu, when he initially came, has also been developed.(ANI) According to the forest officials, the male wild elephant was found dead in Dhnaubhanga Deoshila forest area of the lower Assam district. Locals recovered the carcass of the wild jumbo and informed local forest staff. The cause of death of the elephant is yet to ascertain, said officials. "We will come to know about it after the post-mortem report. We have found some injury marks in the body of the elephant. The elephant was roaming in the area since last few days. After seeing the health condition of the elephant, we informed veterinary doctor and preparing for treatment, but the jumbo died," a forest officer of Goalpara district said. (ANI) As per the press release, the Assam Rifles on March 11 recovered a huge cache of war-like stores, i.e., 175 sets of walkie-talkies worth Rs 26 lakh that were being transported from Siaha (New Colony) towards the Indo-Myanmar border. Two persons were apprehended from General Area Siahtla, Siaha District, the release added. Further, the release said that, based on specific input regarding the transportation of these walkie-talkies, the Assam Rifles team, in coordination with Mizoram Police, established a Vehicle Check Post, which intercepted the suspected vehicle along with two persons and illegal walkie-talkies. The apprehended persons and recoveries made are being handed over to Siaha Police Station, in Mizoram for further investigation. Further details are awaited. Earlier on Monday, Assam Rifles seized heroin weighing 97 grams worth Rs 68 lakh and apprehended an individual from General Area Bagha of Cachar District, Assam. Based on credible information, an operation was launched by Assam Rifles in the general area of Bagha in Cachar District, according to an official release. The team seized 97 grams of heroin worth approximately Rs 68 lakh and apprehended one drug peddler. The seized contents and the apprehended individual were handed over to Dholai Police Station for further investigation and legal proceedings. (ANI) The Rouse Avenue court on Tuesday expressed its displeasure over obtaining an independent medical opinion on the condition of Amit Katyal without its order. The court seeking a response from the accused on the reply filed by ED extended interim bail of Amit Katyal till March 22. Katyal is an accused in the 'Land for Job' money laundering case. Special judge Vishal Gogne said that the Court, without expressing further, would only record that a rather peculiar and novel process has been followed by the ED in obtaining opinions from doctors when no direction has been issued by the Court. It is appropriate that a formal rejoinder is filed by the accused to the reply for better appreciation of the merits as well as the contentions raised today regarding the methodology followed by the ED, the court ordered. The court was hearing an application of Amit Katyal seeking an extension of Interim bail granted to him. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed its reply. The senior counsel for the accused submitted that the ED had followed an improper and illegal process in filing the purported "independent opinion" and statements of doctors from certain private hospitals under Section 50 PMLA alongwith the reply. On the other hand, Counsel for the ED submitted that there is no procedural impropriety and efforts had only been made to bring forth the medical condition of the accused by way of the said independent information and statements under Section 50 of PMLA. The court was also apprised that the order on the plea seeking cancellation of interim bail granted to the accused is pending before the High Court. Amit Katyal was granted interim bail on medical grounds for four weeks in February which was extended. He has been arrested by the ED in land for a job money laundering case. Senior advocate Vikas Pahwa argued on behalf of Amit Katyal. Special Counsel Zoheb Hossain along with advocate Manish Jain appeared for ED. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a Prosecution Complaint (PC) on 08-01-2024 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 against Amit Katyal, Rabri Devi, Misha Bharti, Hema Yadav, Hridyanand Chaudhary and two companies viz. AK Infosystems Private Limited, AB Exports Pvt. Ltd. before the Rouse Avenue court. The Court has taken cognizance of the PC on 27.01.2024 and issued notices to the accused persons to be present on 09.02.2024 for further trial. It is stated that ED initiated investigations on the basis of FIR registered by CBI related to Land for Job Scam alleging that Lalu Prasad Yadav, the then Railway Minister, indulged in corruption for appointment of Group D substitutes in Indian Railways during the period 2004- 2009. The candidates were told to transfer land as a bribe in return for jobs in Indian Railways as per FIR. The CBI has also filed a chargesheet. It is alleged by the ED that family members of Lalu Prasad Yadav namely Rabri Devi, Misha Bharti, and Hema Yadav who are made accused in the PC had received the land parcel(s) from a family of candidates [who were selected as Group D substitutes in Indian Railways] for nominal amounts. Hridyanand Chaudhary, another accused in PC is a former employee in gaushala of Rabri Devi who had acquired property from one of the candidates and later transferred the same to Hema Yadav. The companies AK Infosystems Private Limited and AB Exports Pvt. Ltd. were shell companies that received proceeds of crime from family members of Lalu Prasad Yadav, ED said in a statement. It added that immovable properties were acquired in the said companies by front men and thereafter shares were transferred to family members of Lalu Prasad Yadav for nominal amounts. Amit Katyal used to manage these companies for Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family. Earlier, ED had conducted search operations on 10-03-2023 which resulted in the seizure of cash of Rs 1 crore approximately and valuables equivalent to about Rs 1.25 Crore. ED has also provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs. 6.02 Crore on 29-07-2023. ED had arrested Amit Katyal on 11-11-2023 for knowingly assisting Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family in money laundering, the statement said. (ANI) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president and former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Tuesday attacked the Congress government in the state, saying that they are busy collecting funds for the central leadership of the party. "Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and his ministers are busy sending suitcases to Delhi. The self-respect of Telangana is being put hostage in Delhi," KCR said while addressing a public meeting, 'Kadanabheri', held in Karimnagar as part of the poll campaign for the Parliamentary elections. He also accused the state police of being partisans under the Congress government. "Don't be scared of the Congress government. I urge the police officials who are trying to scare the people posting on social media; it's not good. I am asking why politics matters to the police. We have been in power for 10 years and we haven't done this tyranny. If we had done the same tyranny by using police, would Congress leaders be there in the state? But we worked for the people," he said. He alleged that the Congress government failed to implement the guarantees the party promised during the Assembly election. He said that casting votes in favour of the Congress party in the coming Lok Sabha election would embolden them not to implement the guarantees the party had promised. "If you still vote for the Congress party in the parliamentary elections, they will say that even if we don't give Rythu bandhu, Current & water, they voted for us, so there is no need to give six guarantees at all," KCR said in his speech. KCR accused Chief Minister Revanth Reddy of using inappropriate language unbecoming of his position. "When the Chief Minister was asked about the Six Guarantees and water scarcity, he said he would kill and become the human bomb. Is this the language a chief minister should speak? Can a CM speak about becoming a human bomb? Even I used strong words during the Telangana movement against Telangana traitors. But after I became the CM, I did not abuse the opponent," KCR said. "Through Mission Bhagiratha, we have given water to every household. Does the Chief Minister not have the brain to run that scheme? Why are there problems at Mission Bhagiratha? During my tenure, within a year we have provided 24-hour electricity. Even during the Corona period, I did not stop giving Rythu bandhu," he added. He said BRS MPs are needed in Parliament. Telangana will improve if BRS wins the parliamentary elections with the highest number of seats, he said. "We asked for Navodaya schools to be given to every district but Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not give a single school to Telangana. Why should we vote for the BJP? You should think about it. Is there any comparison between Bandi Sanjay and Vinod Kumar? Vinod Kumar played an active role in the Telangana movement from the beginning. Vinod Kumar brought Karimnagar Smart City." "There are a few channels that say BRS will fade. But I am saying BRS will be there forever. If one or two people leave the party, they are saying the BRS party is finished, but the BRS party will be forever," he added. (ANI) Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, met with representatives of United Nations missions and agencies in India on Monday, emphasizing India's new global vision through the philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.' "Had a freewheeling discussion on various topics with the heads & representatives of @UNmissions & agencies in India. I underscored the way forward for the association between UN & India," Union Minister Puri said in a post on X. "Under the visionary leadership of the PM @narendramodi ji, India has brought in a new global vision through the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam & is leading the pursuit of SDGs on the global stage, as epitomised in India's thought leadership during last year's #G20 My association with the UN is a longstanding one, having worked in all three constituent parts of the UN across 40 years of diplomatic service," he added. In the meeting, the leaders discussed strategies to further enhance the UN and its agencies' partnership with India's development objectives. "We discussed strategies and the way forward for UN, & its agencies, to enhance their footprint and partner with India's development objectives by building complementarities with the government's interventions. I urged them to build the South-South Cooperation agenda and help promote, & provide support, expertise and collaboration on future endeavours," the Union Minister said. As a founding member of the United Nations, India strongly supports the purposes and principles of the UN and has made significant contributions to implementing the goals of the Charter, and the evolution of the UN's specialized programmes and agencies, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. (ANI) Following a pivotal meeting between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, the American Jewish Community has emphasised the significance of India's support for the West Asian country during the current challenging times. Jason Isaacson, Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer of the American Jewish Community Isaacson highlighted the enduring partnership between the two countries spanning over 30 years, as a crucial alliance for both nations. He underscored the trust and genuine friendship that have developed, benefiting not only the governments but also the people and businesses of both countries. Doval called on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on Monday and discussed the ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza. "The visit by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his team at a very challenging time for the state of Israel and for security in the region is of great significance," said Isaacson in an interview with ANI. "India is a trusted, true partner of Israel. The relationship that has grown over the last more than 30 years is of enormous importance to both governments, both peoples, to businesses in both countries, and holds the promise of even greater achievements in years to come," he added. Speaking about the current security climate in Israel, Isaacson acknowledged the terrorism threats faced by the nation. He stressed the importance of India's empathy, considering its own experiences in dealing with terrorism on its borders. "But at this very difficult time for Israel as it confronts terrorism, hearing from a true partner that itself has confronted terrorism on its borders, knows the preciousness of every human life and the need to be vigilant in protecting its citizens against the incursion of hostile ideologies and hostile forces," Isaacson said. Expressing his solidarity, Isaacson said that understanding the preciousness of every human life and the necessity to safeguard citizens against hostile ideologies is a shared commitment. "That level of empathy that India can express to Israel from a position of friendship, genuine friendship, would be of enormous importance to the government of Israel as it faces decisions on how to proceed to assure the safety of its citizens after the horrific, barbaric attacks by Hamas on October 7," he further said. Isaacson noted that Israel is "still reeling" from the horrific attacks by Hamas on October 7, seeks peace with its Palestinian neighbours while addressing the ongoing terrorist threat. Isaacson underscored that India's advice, friendship, and support would hold "great significance" for Israel and to the people of United States, who are concerned about stability and peace in West Asia. The meeting held between Doval and Netanyahu yesterday focused on efforts to release hostages and provide humanitarian assistance. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met today with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and updated him on recent developments in the fighting in the Gaza Strip. The sides also discussed the effort to release the hostages and the issue of humanitarian assistance," said the Israeli PM office in a post on X yesterday. The Director of the National Security Council, the Prime Minister's Foreign Policy Advisor and the Indian Ambassador to Israel also participated in yesterday's meeting, according to a statement by the Israeli PMO. (ANI) "Your response to the atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists is unacceptable," wrote Katz. "The indifference you showed towards the report on the sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas terrorists, a report written with great courage, is disappointing." Katz went on to say that Guterres' "unwillingness to take a firm international stance against these atrocities indicates a clear bias." "If the victims were not Jews or Israelis, we would have seen a much stronger response from you," he added. Katz told Guterres that his tenure at the UN will be remembered for diminishing that organization's status to "an all-time low, which allowed it to become a focus of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel incitement." "To ensure justice and preserve human rights, you must act for the immediate and unconditional release of all the people kidnapped by Hamas." (ANI/TPS) Over the past week, Israeli forces uncovered extensive terror infrastructure including a weapons factory, tunnel shafts, rocket launching positions and command centers among and beneath the residences. Large numbers of weapons, explosives and military equipment were also seized. The complex of 40 residential buildings is named after Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, who financed the project with hundreds of millions of dollars. Soldiers from the elite Egoz Unit located a military compound containing weapons, including explosive devices, AK-47 rifles, and vests. A terror squad was spotted trying to plant an explosive device adjacent to a compound in the Hamad area where Israeli troops were located. Ground forces directed an airstrike, eliminating the squad. Elsewhere in Gaza, ground forces assisted by the Air Force struck a terrorist who fired mortar shells at Israeli territory. Fighter jets also struck Hamas military compounds and terrorist infrastructure. Forces from Israel's Nahal Brigade located and dismantled rocket launchers that had been recently used. While dismantling the launchers, Palestinians fired two rockets. An airstrike eliminated the terrorists who fired the rockets. No Israeli forces were injured. At least 1,200 people were killed and 240 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the remaining 134 hostages, Israel recently declared 31 of them dead. (ANI/TPS) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and the country's former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been prohibited for two weeks from holding meetings inside Rawalpindi's Adiala jail, where is currently serving sentence, Geo News reported on Tuesday. The Pakistan news outlet cited a notification issued by Punjab's Home Department, which citing a security alert, restricted all forms of visits, meetings, and interviews within Adiala Jail. Instructions were issued for the installation of barbed wires around the premises while mandating a swift security audit involving officials from the special branch of the police, the Intelligence Bureau, and jail staff. According to Geo News, stringent measures include mandatory body searches for all individuals entering the jail premises, along with a comprehensive clearance operation within and around the facility. Additionally, security clearance for government contractors operating within the jail is now mandatory. Expressing concerns over the ban on Imran Khan's meetings at Adiala jail, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan voiced apprehensions regarding the former prime minister's safety. Addressing a press conference outside the jail, Gohar said that they were barred from meeting the incarcerated PTI founder. He said that the authorities did not inform anybody about the two-week ban on Khan's meeting, as per Geo News. The authorities gave "terrorism" as a reason for the move, he added. Gohar demanded immediate meetings and consultations with the incarcerated PTI founder. He also sought details about Khan's health. The development unfolds against the backdrop of Imran Khan's incarceration, which began in September 2023 when he was transferred from Attock jail. Khan is currently serving an accumulative sentence of 31 years across various cases, including a 10-year sentence for the cypher case and a subsequent 14-year term in the Toshakhana reference case. Moreover, Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, face an additional seven-year sentence in the "un-Islamic nikah" case. The legal proceedings have extended to the 190 million case, with indictments issued during the Adiala jail trial. PTI and associates have consistently advocated for Khan's release from what they term as "fabricated" cases, citing concerns for his safety within the prison environment. Last week, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed to have arrested three terrorists and recovered a map of Adiala Jail, a hand grenade and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) from their possession. Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO) Khalid Hamdani said police recovered automatic weapons and ammunition from the terrorists who hailed from Afghanistan. Before that, in November, police had found a suspicious bag laden with an explosive device near Adiala Road in Gorakhpur, Rawalpindi, just one kilometre away from the facility. (ANI) President Droupadi Murmu hailed the ties between India and Mauritius, stating that the relations have grown stronger through the decades, while securing the shared waters of the Indian Ocean, sharing Covid vaccines during the pandemic and supporting each other at global platforms. President Murmu participated as the Chief Guest of the 56th Mauritius National Day celebrations at the State Banquet hosted by Mauritius PM Pravind Jugnauth. Stating that Mauritius is one of the first few countries that she has visited on a 'state visit' since assuming office, she said that it is truly a "shining beacon of development, democracy, diversity and dynamism." She announced a new special provision for Mauritius under which Mauritians of seventh-generation Indian origin would now be eligible for Overseas Citizenship of India - enabling many younger Mauritians to reconnect with the land of their ancestors. She also announced that India will support the Mauritius government in redeveloping the sacred Ganga Talao complex into a religious, cultural and tourist hub. Addressing the event, President Murmu said, "On behalf of more than 1.4 billion Indians, I thank the Government and people of Mauritius for this exceptional privilege, and for the warm welcome and outstanding hospitality extended to me and my delegation." "I had heard wonderful things about this beautiful country in the heart of the Indian Ocean; but having been here only for a few hours, I can see for myself why your country is called the 'Paradise Island'. Today, Mauritius is truly a shining beacon of development, democracy, diversity and dynamism," she added. Recalling the age-old roots between the two countries, she appreciated the ancestors of Mauritius who came from India including the 'girmitiya' indentured labourers. "I am very proud of, and profoundly inspired by the extraordinary triumph of the human spirit that Mauritius represents. I pay homage to your brave ancestors who came from India, especially the 'girmitiya' indentured labourers who built this country with their toil, sacrifice and fortitude in the face of the worst adversities. I salute your visionary leaders, who steered the destiny of the Mauritian economy into becoming a 'Mauritian miracle' that inspires not only Africa but the entire world." The President said. President Murmu affirmed that India takes 'great pride' in the 'extraordinary' achievements of Mauritius, because both nations have their roles in building this country. She also appreciated that Mauritius chose March 12 as the National Day of the country as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. Notably, Mahatma Gandhi started the famous salt march from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on March 12, 1930. "To this day, our two countries continue to stand shoulder to shoulder as independent nations, through good times and bad. Our relationship has grown stronger through the decades, whether it is securing the shared waters of the Indian Ocean together, or sharing our Covid vaccines during the pandemic; whether it is bolstering our capacities across sectors, connecting our economies and our people, or supporting one another in global platforms," the President said. She added, "The Metro project, the new ENT Hospital, the new Supreme Court building, the 8 MW Solar Power plant and the many other India-assisted development projects are visible symbols of India's commitment to supporting the well-being of all Mauritians." President Murmu hailed the UPI and RuPay Card settlement systems signed between the two countries and said that they are also looking forward to the Rupee Vostro Account Facility that is further expected to enable bilateral trade between India and Mauritius in local currencies. "In the last few weeks, our two Prime Ministers launched UPI and RuPay Card settlement systems in India and Mauritius; they also inaugurated a new Airstrip and a Jetty along with six community projects in Agalega. A new initiative to supply affordable, high quality, Indian generic medicines to Mauritius was also announced. In the days ahead, we are looking at many new initiatives such as launching a jointly developed satellite for Mauritius and supplying 200 environment-friendly electric buses. In addition, Rupee Vostro Account Facility will enable bilateral trade in our local currencies," she said. She also appreciated the leaderships of the two countries for taking forward the ties. She appreciated Mauritius PM Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, for his 'steadfast leadership' and the commitment shown by his government to deepening the special partnership. "Just a few days ago, the Shivbhakts (devotees of Lord Shiva) of both countries celebrated Maha Shivratri with great devotion. I am pleased to announce today that my government will support the Government of Mauritius in the redevelopment of the sacred Ganga Talao complex into a religious, cultural and touristic hub. This decision reflects the deep respect in India for our shared cultural values. I am confident that our cooperation in this project shall further deepen the strong people-to-people connect between our two countries," she further said. She further affirmed that as India proceeds on its 'Amrit Kaal' journey, it will continue to walk hand-in-hand with close partners like Mauritius. "As India proceeds on its Amrit Kaal journey towards becoming a developed country and a leading global power, we will continue to walk hand-in-hand with our close partners like Mauritius. India will continue to be a force for global peace and shared prosperity, in keeping with its foundational values of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and Sarvajana Sukhina Bhavantu," the President added. As part of a three-day state visit, President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Mauritius on Monday. PM Pravind Jugnauth welcomed President Murmu at the airport with full honours. She also held a "tete-a-tete" meeting with Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jagnauth to discuss ways to further strengthen India-Mauritius bilateral relations. (ANI) The meeting, held in New Delhi, saw both leaders delving into various facets encompassing political, trade, and economic dimensions. Both the leaders took stock of the cooperation between India and Belarus. " A good meeting with Foreign Minister and Special Envoy for relations with India, Sergei Aleinik of Belarus. Took stock of our bilateral political, trade and economic ties. Exchanged views on development partnership, defence, S&T and education," stated Minister Jaishankar in a post on X. "Also discussed the regional situation and cooperation in NAM, SCO and UN," Jaishankar added. The leaders also exchanged views on the regional dynamics and cooperation within multilateral frameworks such as the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), and the United Nations (UN). Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs arrived in Delhi to hold meetings with prominent leaders and ministers and discuss India-Belarus bilateral ties. The visit, scheduled from March 11 to 13, aims to strengthen the bilateral ties between Belarus and India. Minister Aleinik's departure is scheduled for Wednesday night, marking the conclusion of his brief yet pivotal diplomatic mission to India, the MEA added. EAM S Jaishankar last met his counterpart from Belarus in Kampala on January 19 on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit. During the meeting, Jaishankar and his Belarusian counterpart, Sergei Aleinik, spoke about developments related to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. (ANI) President Droupadi Murmu participated as the Chief Guest at the 56th Mauritius Independence Day celebrations and appreciated the growing ties between the two countries. She also witnessed the Indian Navy contingent's participation in the march. Mauritius PM Pravind Jugnauth and Mauritius President Prithvirajsing Roopun were also present at the celebrations. "A momentous occasion for the India-Mauritius special partnership! President Droupadi Murmu @rashtrapatibhvn participated as the Chief Guest in the celebrations of the 56th anniversary of the Independence and 32nd anniversary of the Republic of Mauritius at Champ de Mars," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X. https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1767522127584874736?s=20 "President Droupadi Murmu participated as Chief Guest, in the National Day celebrations of Mauritius in presence of President Prithvirajsing Roopun and Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth of Mauritius. Among the various marching contingents was also the proudly marching contingent of Indian Navy. President Murmu witnessed the impressive parade followed by cultural performances," the official X handle of President stated. https://x.com/rashtrapatibhvn/status/1767535871203394031?s=20 President Murmu, who is on a three-day State visit to Mauritius, arrived in Mauritius on Monday. PM Pravind Jugnauth welcomed President Murmu at the airport with full honours. She earlier announced that India has approved a special provision to grant an Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card to the 7th generation of Indian-origin people in Mauritius. The decision would allow the younger Mauritians of Indian origin to become overseas citizens of India and to reconnect with the land of their ancestors. "With the extension of OCI Card eligibility to Indian-origin Mauritians of the 7th generation, many more young Mauritians will be able to reconnect to the land of their ancestors," she stated on X. She paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi while remembering the special significance of the date (March 12) for the two nations. Notably, Mahatma Gandhi started the famous salt march from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on March 12, 1930. She also travelled in Metro and appreciated the Mauritius government's decision to name the situation at Reduit after Mahatma Gandhi and also depict the Dandi March at the station. "I had the opportunity to travel in the Metro just before my arrival at Mahatma Gandhi Institute, and I was moved by the special gesture of the Government of Mauritius of naming the station at Reduit after Mahatma Gandhi - as well as depicting the famous Dandi March at the station, that holds special significance to both our countries," she posted. President Murmu visited the Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI), Moka. She paid floral tributes at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi located on the campus of the Institute, which was established in 1970 as a joint initiative of the Governments of India and Mauritius. Addressing an enthusiastic gathering at the Institute, the President said that the remarkable strides made by the Indian diaspora in Mauritius is a matter of pride not only for us in India but an example worth emulating for Indians around the world. She added that our decades-long development partnership is a shining example of India's commitment to contribute towards the developmental journey of Mauritius and to enhance the quality of life for common people in Mauritius. The President encouraged the Mahatma Gandhi Institute to provide more avenues for the Mauritian youth to engage with India - not only culturally and linguistically, but also by providing them with educational and business opportunities. She also appreciated the initiatives such as the launch of UPI and Rupay card, inauguration of projects in Agalega, supply of generic medicines and launch of several community development projects, terming them examples of India-Mauritius continuing development partnership. "We are delighted to have signed the first Free Trade Agreement with Mauritius, a first for African Countries, when the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement was signed in 2021," she stated. Earlier in the day, President Murmu was conferred with the honorary degree of Doctor of Civil Law by the University of Mauritius on Tuesday in recognition of the profound depth of the bilateral relationship between the two nations. (ANI) The Islamabad High Court (IHC) witnessed a debate when the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) challenged the right of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and ex-Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi to appeal against their conviction in the cypher case, Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported. During Monday's session, the IHC, led by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, directed both parties to present their arguments regarding the appeals filed by Khan and Qureshi against their conviction under the Official Secrets Act. According to Dawn, the FIA contended that the law did not afford the right to appeal against conviction under the Official Secrets Act, citing the absence of such a provision in the original legislation dating back to 1923. Special Prosecutor Hamid Ali Shah underscored that while the law facilitated the trial under the Pakistan Criminal Law (Amendment) Act and the Code of Criminal Procedure, it did not extend the right of appeal beyond the trial proceedings. Addressing Justice Farooq's inquiry about the possibility of filing an appeal under the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), Shah clarified that the law remained silent on this matter, as per Dawn. Furthermore, Shah argued that a two-member division bench lacked the jurisdiction to hear an appeal against conviction under the Special Secrets Act. In response, Khan's counsel, Barrister Salman Safdar, contended that the CrPC should be applicable in this scenario, while Barrister Syed Ali Zafar suggested that the convict could challenge the sentence under the writ jurisdiction if no legal remedy was available. The bench agreed that the law could not be passed without any remedial measures. Further hearings were adjourned to Wednesday (tomorrow). In another development, the bench postponed the hearing of Khan and Bushra Bibi's appeals against their conviction in the Toshakhana reference due to the absence of the lead prosecutor, who was on Umra pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. The hearing in this case was also adjourned to Wednesday. Meanwhile, the District and Sessions Judge issued notices on the applications of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi seeking suspension of conviction in the Iddat case. Advocate Usman Gill argued that appeals had already been admitted and that the court had the power to suspend the sentence until the final adjudication of the matter. He alleged that the PTI chief was living in a miserable condition in jail as part of "political victimisation". He further argued that the evidence produced by the prosecution was weak and contradictory.(ANI) The atrocities of China in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) were highlighted by 62 major human rights groups, stating that any audit will fail to comprehend the level of suppression that the Uyghur community faces in China, World Uyghur Congress stated in a press release According to the press statement, "The 62 groups call on consultancies, auditors, certification bodies, and other service providers to immediately cease providing services in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. "Social audits and certification schemes are not designed to identify the egregious human rights abuses that are perpetrated as part of state-imposed forced labour programmes or in furtherance of them. They are not an appropriate preventive measure or evidence of compliance with forced labour regulations," the press release added. WUC states, "In June 2023, Volkswagen announced an audit of SAIC-Volkswagen (Xinjiang) Automotive Co., Ltd., a plant operated by a subsidiary of the joint venture between Chinese state-owned SAIC Motor Corp. Ltd. and Volkswagen Group, in Urumchi, the capital of the Uyghur Region. On December 5, 2023, Volkswagen shared that Loning-Human Rights & Responsible Business GmbH (Loning), a German-based management consultancy, facilitated the audit of the plant. The audit was carried out by an unnamed Shenzhen-based law firm, which Loning accompanied on-site," the press release added. The statement also stated that several Uyghur and human rights groups had previously condemned Volkwagen's audit, claiming that the oppressive regime in XUAR and China imposed state labour laws. There is no way to verify that any workplace in the Uyghur Region is free of forced labour or to prevent the use of forced labour, or if these workplaces are in line with human rights due diligence. The statement underlines several points that validated the human rights audit that were missing. While ranking the flaws of the human rights audit. The worker interviews, which are essential to the methodology of any labour or human rights investigation, cannot generate reliable information in a circumstance where workers cannot speak candidly to factory auditors about forced labour or other human rights issues without placing themselves and their families at risk of retaliation. Further, there are widespread restrictions and repression of fundamental freedoms and of human rights defenders, and civic space has been shut down. Uyghurs live in a constant atmosphere of fear; even the slightest infraction of the Chinese government's arbitrary rules can lead to internment, as human rights organisations and the United Nations have extensively documented. The human rights abuses occurring in the Uyghur Region are bolstered by a pervasive, technology-enabled system of surveillance, through extensive digital and personal surveillance systems. Uyghurs are monitored around the clock, even in private. Any audit occurring in the region could not be conducted without being surveilled by the Chinese government, and therefore, few workers will want to speak to auditors, or at least about the reality of their lived experiences, the press release stated. The Chinese government is systematically curtailing the independence of international audit firms. Auditors have complained of extreme surveillance, including the use of facial recognition and tracking of physical and digital movements. Multiple audit firms ceased operating in the Uyghur Region years ago due to the repressive environment and fear of reprisal for both auditors and workers. (ANI) Former President Donald Trump has vowed that he will free all the people who are imprisoned in connection with the January 6 Capitol Riots, on the very first day of assuming office, Fox News reported. Referring to the Capitol Riots accused as "hostages", Trump said that closing the southern border would also be one of his first acts as the President. "My first acts as your next President will be to Close the Border, DRILL, BABY, DRILL, and Free the January 6 Hostages being wrongfully imprisoned!" Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social late Monday. Notably, over 1,350 people have been charged in nearly all 50 US States for crimes related to the breach of the US Capitol, according to the US Department of Justice, after rioters stormed the building to protest former President Trump's election loss and the validity of Biden's win, as reported by Fox News. Of those, at least 560 defendants received sentences while at least 335 were sentenced to periods of incarceration, the DOJ said in a January update. Nearly 490 individuals were charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony, according to the latest Dept. of Justice figures. Further investigation is underway. Trump's vow to free the prisoners comes as a new report detailing a "hidden transcript" claims that the January 6 congressional committee allegedly "falsely claimed" that it did not have evidence to show that Trump administration requested National Guard assistance. Meanwhile, Trump himself is facing a federal trial in Washington, DC, on charges of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election loss to remain in power and is challenging it on the grounds that he is immune from criminal prosecution. He is also facing charges in Georgia over his efforts to overturn the state's 2020 election results, in a case being spearheaded by embattled Fulton County District Attorney Fanni Willis. Trump has repeatedly promised to pardon those convicted of crimes related to the Capitol riot. A federal appeals court in Washington, DC, has ruled that some criminal defendants who were charged in connection with the Capitol riot had their sentences "improperly increased." The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit recently ruled that defendant Larry Brock's sentence improperly included charges of "interference with the administration of justice." The longest sentence was handed down to former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, who was sentenced to 22 years in prison after being found guilty of seditious conspiracy by a jury in Washington, DC. Three other leaders of the Proud Boys were each sentenced to between 15 and 18 years, Fox News reported. (ANI) https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1767547921518805065/photo/1 "Welcome to India, New Zealand Foreign Minister @winstonpeters. Looking forward to our productive talks," stated Jaishankar in his post on X. New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters, who is on an official visit to India, arrived in New Delhi on Monday evening. Winston Peters is on an official visit to India from March 10 to 13 at the invitation of External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement. New Zealand's Deputy PM is on his first visit to India after the new government in New Zealand assumed office in November 2023. He had earlier visited India in February 2020, the MEA added. Winston Peters arrived in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on Sunday night. On Monday, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel held a meeting with Winston Peters in Gandhinagar. India and New Zealand share warm and friendly relations based on the commonalities of democratic traditions and shared values bolstered by strong people-to-people ties. The two countries are engaging in cooperation across a wide range of areas, including trade and economy, defence and security, education and research, and environment and climate change, the MEA release concluded. Bilateral relations were established in 1952 between India and New Zealand. New Zealand has identified India as a priority country in its "Opening Doors to India" policy notified in October 2011, which was reiterated by New Zealand in 2015. (ANI) As the United States is deepening sanctions on tankers carrying petroleum above Western price caps, it is also trying to help India negotiate lower prices for Russian oil, Reuters reported citing the Biden administration's energy envoy on Tuesday. Last month, on the second anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the US imposed sanctions on Russia's leading tanker group Sovcomflot (FLOT.MM). It also designated 14 crude oil tankers as property in which Sovcomflot had an interest. "At the end of the day, my goal is not to take it off the market, I'm not looking to take these tankers, take the crude, the product, off the market," Amos Hochstein, Biden's energy and global infrastructure adviser, told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference. "I'm trying to get the Indians to negotiate better prices by forcing the tankers into a different direction. I think the Indians understand what we're trying to do," Hochstein said. Notably, Western sanctions on Russia, one of the world's top energy producers, have shifted global oil markets, forcing the country to ship oil to new customers in India and China and away from traditional consumers in Europe. The sanctions and the USD 60 per barrel price cap imposed on cargoes of Russian oil that use Western-based maritime services such as insurance, transportation and flagging, have pushed dozens of tankers carrying Russian oil to swap flags from Liberia and the Marshall Islands that have registries based in Virginia, to flags from other countries, including Gabon. However, even though the tankers have swapped flags in an effort to avoid sanctions, they could still be vulnerable to the measures if they carried oil above the price cap with the original flag, as reported by Reuters. The goal behind the price cap is to reduce Russia's revenues that it can spend on the war in Ukraine while keeping oil flowing to global markets. (ANI) A Palestinian 13-year-old named Ayham will arrive in Greenville Tuesday afternoon, welcomed by Greenvillians with Palestinian flags waving. He is traveling alongside his brother Ismail. Ayham joins 18-year-old Ahed who was brought to Greenville to undergo treatment after her uncle had to amputate her leg. Her home in northern Gaza was shelled by the Israeli military, according to a press release from Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF), a U.S.-based charity. Aheds uncle, a doctor, was forced to amputate her leg with a kitchen knife on the dining table with no anesthesia. Right now, she is hoping for a chance to walk again. 13-year-old Ayham, a Palestinian, will travel to Greenville with his brother Ismail on Tuesday "In the face of overwhelming adversity, the strength and resilience of these children inspire us all.Their journey to the US for treatment is not just a testament to their courage but a call to action for us to support and stand by innocent civilians in dire need. Together, we can restore hope and rebuild lives, one child at a time," Tareq Hailat, head of the treatment abroad program with PCFR, said in a statement. Ayham is traveling to receive surgery on his leg, which was injured by an explosion when his neighbor's house was targeted by an Israeli airstrike in December 2023, according to a press release from Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF), a U.S.-based charity. The Greenville News reported on Raghad Al-Jabri, a Palestinian girl who was seven years old when she first learned to walk and traveled to Greenville for treatment in 2018, supported by volunteers at PCRF. Raghad died in 2023 after an Israeli airstrike hit the building her family was huddling in. Raghad Al-Jabri came to Greenville, South Carolina in 2018 to get a double amputation surgery and new prosthetic legs. She was 7 when she first learned to walk. What is happening in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Though conflict existed between Israel and Gaza for years prior, the violence came to a head on Oct. 7, 2023, when the militant group Hamas launched an attack on Israel's military and border towns. Israel then retaliated with airstrikes, which continued into 2024. In January, South Africa accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians and expressed its concerns to the International Court of Justice in the Netherlands. Israel has a genocidal intent against the Palestinians in Gaza, Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, who represented South Africa, told the court. The intent to destroy Gaza has been nurtured at the highest level of state." The United Nations has urged both parties to allow humanitarian access, avoid collective punishment and release hostages. Though President Joe Biden has provided military aid to Israel, recently, he also announced the United States will develop a temporary pier off Gaza to deliver supplies to Palestinians. Nationally, there's been an effort for President Biden to call for a ceasefire, an effort that has taken place locally in Greenville as well. Since October, three rallies calling for a ceasefire have been held in Greenville. This story will be updated. Savannah Moss covers Greenville County politics and growth/development. Reach her at smoss@gannett.com or follow her on X @Savmoss. This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Palestinian boy to receive surgery in Greenville for leg injured in war An 86-year-old cold case suspect has been sentenced to 20 years in prison in Dallas Countys first murder conviction using investigative genetic genealogy, Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot said in a news release Tuesday. Liborio Canales pleaded guilty to the murder of Barbara Carr Villareal, almost 38 years after the crime took place. Investigative Genetic Genealogy is no longer the future of solving violent crimes, it is very much the present. In Dallas, we continue to be a national leader using IGG, Creuzot said in the release. On Nov. 7, 1986, Villareal was stabbed to death in her Garland home, authorities said. The crime went unsolved until technological advances allowed for new testing on blood collected at the scene. Through investigative genetic genealogy, the blood was found to match the DNA of Canales, who was Villareals brother in-law, the release states. He was arrested in Lovington, New Mexico, in July 2023. At Canales sentencing, Villareals sister-in-law Jennifer Dunderman thanked Garland detectives, who she said never stopped looking for the person that so violently took Barb, and the Dallas County DAs Office for making sure the victims 93-year-old mother will never again have to worry about who killed her daughter, according to the release. The life you lived should be considered a gift. You didnt just kill Barb, you killed a little piece of everyone she knew, Dunderman said to Canales at the hearing. So many years have passed and the desire for you to suffer the same pain you caused her has passed. It would serve no purpose and will never bring her back. Lead prosecutor Leighton DAntoni said, What really stands out to me about this investigation was the never give up attitude by everyone involved over the past four decades. Starting with the dedicated members of the Garland Police Department in the 1980s to working these last few years hand and hand with the FBI, no one gave up seeking the truth in this horrific murder. The 2024 Buckeye Alpaca Show is March 23 and 24 at the Summit County Fairgrounds in Tallmadge. Every year, hundreds of alpacas, alpaca enthusiasts and fiber artists gather for the Buckeye Alpaca Show. This years show will take place March 23 and 24 in the Arena Complex at the Summit County Fairgrounds in Tallmadge. The show is free and open to the public. Hours are Saturday, March 23 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, March 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Alpacas are raised for their luxurious fleece throughout the United States, but with more than 26,000 registered animals, Ohio is the countrys leading state in alpaca numbers. Alpacas will be featured in the show ring competition, consisting of classes judging conformation and fleece quality in many categories for both Suri and Huacaya alpacas. Throughout the weekend, artisans will showcase alpaca fiber and examples of felting, fiber arts and more. Vendors and farm displays will sell the latest alpaca fashions and hand-crafted items. This years show will once again offer small breeder classes as well as adult and youth performance classes. On Saturday, March 23 from 3 to 5 p.m., youth will take to the ring to compete with their alpacas in showmanship and obstacle classes. The alpaca costume contest also is Saturday from noon to 12:30 p.m. Costumes will be judged on the comfort of the animal with foreign objects on their head, legs, and feet, and how imaginative the costume is as well as the story each participant must write about the costume. About the Buckeye Alpaca Show Inc. The Buckeye Alpaca Show, Inc. is celebrating its 20th year as one of the premier alpaca shows in the country. The show is a non-profit 501c3 public charity. In 2018, the Buckeye Large Animal Veterinary Scholarship Fund at OSU was established whichawards scholarships in $5,000 increments to third and fourth year large animal veterinary students. The Buckeye Alpaca Show has donated $85,000 that was raised at the Live Auctions at the2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 Buckeye Alpaca Fall Fest. In December 2023, four more $5,000 scholarships were awarded. This is the first scholarship fund established strictly for large animal veterinary students. For details, visit http://buckeyealpacashow.com. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Alpacas and alpaca fiber artists featured at Buckeye Alpaca Show With no less than American democracy hanging in the balance, Kamala Harris came to Phoenix on Friday to talk about the fundamental right of abortion. This is an election year, after all, in which Americans could re-elect Donald Trump, the man most responsible for knocking down Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark ruling that established a womans right to abortion. With so much at stake, Kamala Harris, the first woman and first African American to serve as vice president, came to South Mountain Community Center in Phoenix and told some 200 faithful that the eyes of the nation are on Arizona. Missing from the faithful, however, were the two most powerful Democrats in the state of Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes. Also missing was the Democrats U.S. Senate candidate Ruben Gallego, but well get to him later. They couldnt make time for their veep, their issue One might expect that Hobbs and Mayes could make time for the most powerful woman and second-highest ranking Democrat in the United States. Harris also happens to be the White House point person on the Womens Health Protection Act, a proposal to enshrine a womans right to abortion in federal law. I once performed abortions. Why I'd vote against Arizona's abortion initiative Which is of particular interest to our top Arizona Democrats. Hobbs and Mayes were after all the states two most unabashed supporters of abortion rights who made the unlimited and unregulated right to an abortion the cornerstone of their elections. This is the most extreme position one can take on the left and Hobbs and Mayes make no apologies. So where were they on Friday? Where in the world were Katie Hobbs and Kris Mayes? Arizona Republic reporter Laura Gersony posed this most intriguing question about the Harris visit and got this answer. Gov. Katie Hobbs and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes were invited to appear with Harris, but both declined, citing scheduling conflicts. What could be more important that particular Friday than a vice-presidential visit on their signature issue? Well, heres how Katie Hobbs described it at a news conference: "I have meetings, I dont know exactly what they are. I dont even know what Im going to after this. I dont have my calendar memorized for tomorrow." Oh. OK. Democrats hate Kyrsten Sinema. She sees right through them. To her credit, Mayes had a better answer. Her spokesperson Richie Taylor said she couldn't make it because she would be taking her daughter to the airport for spring break. Otherwise, she would have been there, Taylor said. In the universe of Kris Mayes, her daughter ranks higher than the nations vice president. Good for her. She's right. Could there be other explanations for their absence? But could there be other reasons why our two top Arizona Democrats who are maximalists on the issue of abortion would skip the Harris visit? Could it be because the Biden-Harris administration is one of the most unpopular in history? Joe Bidens national popularity rating at the moment is 40% in the Real Clear Politics average and sub-40 (39%) in Arizona. In Arizona, Trump is leading Biden right now by 5.5%, according to the RCP average. Have Joe Biden and Kamala Harris become so unpopular they are a liability to Arizona Democrats? I dont think that explains Hobbs or Mayes. They dont have elections in the horizon and this election will be well in the rear-view mirror by the time theyre up again. But they do have an interest in scoping out the broad center in Arizona, where Republican registered voters outnumber Democrats by 236,000 votes, while independents outnumber Democrats by nearly 200,000. That's a long-term project and probably has more to do with it. Theres something else. Arizona is a battleground state that could possibly rate a dozen or more visits from the presidential candidates and their surrogates over the next few months. Are they going to trot out to every one of these, every time a party dignitary touches down at Sky Harbor? So what is Ruben Gallegos excuse? The other intriguing question from the Harris visit was where was Ruben Gallego, the full-throated womans rights candidate who has been pile-driving Kari Lake every chance he gets on the issue. The Supreme Court's demolition of Roe has been the centerpiece of Gallegos campaign and fundraising, but he didnt have time for Kamala Harris on reproductive rights in his home district? As reported by The Republics Gersony, his aides ... said on Friday that Gallego had votes this morning and confirmed he will not be in attendance. However, Harris did mention Gallego during her speech, saying "(he) wanted to be here today. Yes, it sure seems like it. Phil Boas is an editorial columnist for The Arizona Republic. Email him at phil.boas@arizonarepublic.com. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Abortion in Arizona: Top Democrats skipped VP Harris visit. Why? Tuskegee University, a private, historically Black university in Alabama, had considered buying the University of Phoenix in May 2021 nearly two years before either the University of Idaho or the University of Arkansas had disclosed their interest in buying the private, for-profit online university. The University of Arkansas system came close to purchasing the University of Phoenix in early 2023, but a majority of board members shot down the proposal. That paved the way for the University of Idaho to strike a deal in May 2023 to buy Phoenix for $550 million. Up until now, weve known only about the Idaho and Arkansas proposals. Tuskegee University was one among a number of institutions that University of Phoenix had very initial conversations with regarding an affiliation and ultimately, we progressed further with others, Andrea Smiley, vice president of media relations with University of Phoenix, said in a phone interview. Smiley said she didnt have details about the Tuskegee proposal, and also did not have a specific number for how many other institutions the University of Phoenix was in discussions with. She also said she didnt know what factors led to a deal with Tuskegee not coming to fruition. Officials from Tuskegee University declined to comment. The conversations were confidential, and the university does not have a comment on this now, according to an emailed statement from a Tuskegee spokesperson. University of Phoenix purchase details A slide deck from May 2021 that appears to be a presentation seeking investors for the acquisition shows some of the details of the proposal. The purchase price was $500 million, according to the slide presentation, with a cost of debt of about $200 million to be paid over 20 years. Tuskegee had projected that enrollment would be 150,000 by 2029 and annual revenues would be $1.5 billion. University of Phoenix enrollment is 85,000 with revenues of $800 million, according to previous public statements in the University of Idaho and Arkansas hearings. By acquiring the University of Phoenix Tuskegee can create a new model for higher education, according to the slide presentation. The summary page noted that the model would be national in scale, career-oriented and focused on serving the needs of a diverse array of adult learners, including a large minority population. Providing services to other historically Black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, was a big part of the plan. Tuskegee will also leverage the University of Phoenix infrastructure to create a new Shared Services Unit to serve both Tuskegee and other HBCUs with effective and low-cost services, accelerating HBCUs entry into the digital age, according to the slide presentation. Smiley said that initially there was some excitement about the possibility because they are an HBCU, and theres some similarities in the populations that we serve, but I think it just ultimately didnt come together. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provided funding to Tuskegee University in 2021 to explore ways to scale regionally or nationally to serve more underserved Black and Latino students, according to an emailed statement from a foundation spokesperson. Our grant supported Tuskegee University as it evaluated strategies to operate at a more national level and funded their ability to do financial due diligence on potential partners like the University of Phoenix, the statement reads. Tuskegee University conducted all evaluations of scaling partners and diligence checks through its own independent decision-making process. Like the University of Idaho plan, the Tuskegee proposal envisioned converting University of Phoenix into a not-for-profit school that would empower and obligate management to prioritize mission over return. Due diligence Robert Shireman, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation think tank and former deputy undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Education in the Obama administration, said he was brought in as an expert to consult on the Tuskegee deal. Shireman said he wasnt a decision maker and wasnt privy to the details, such as purchase price or terms, but was there to raise questions. In the end, he said, he doesnt even know which party walked away from the potential deal, which was never disclosed publicly. But he said Tuskegee was wise to bring in experts who might be skeptical and raise red flags. Some of the questions that he had at the time of the Tuskegee proposal included whether the University of Phoenix would remain a separate institution with its own students under a different name, who the board members would be and what their authority would be. He questioned whether money would be needed to make improvements and where those funds would come from. He also noted at the time that the deal was not expected to be meaningfully financially accretive in near term for TU-Phoenix meaning not increasing revenue. In fact, the slide presentation shows a need for investments of $15 million to $20 million per year into student success initiatives for Phoenix, $5 million per year to improve both access to and student outcomes at Tuskegee, and up to $90 million per year to reduce the cost of tuition for Phoenix and Tuskegee students. Other questions Shireman raised were how the acquisition would be financed, what was being purchased and how the purchase price was determined. It is perfectly appropriate for the buyer to say, Let me go see whos been critical of University of Phoenix and see if any of them would be willing to come in and tell me, if I were to announce this, what Id be hearing from them, Shireman said in a phone interview. Its not clear that kind of skeptical due diligence has happened with the University of Idahos planned purchase of the University of Phoenix, which remains under fire from skeptics. My perspective is that Apollo (Education Group, owner of the University of Phoenix), in trying to sell University of Phoenix, they kind of lure these potential buyers into private, confidential discussions using NDAs and create the impression that theyre providing all of the information that is needed, Shireman said. In Idahos case, several university officials signed nondisclosure agreements in the weeks prior to a public announcement that came one day before a State Board of Education meeting at which board members spent 90 minutes listening to a presentation about the deal before voting to approve the purchase. Unfortunately, instead of doing what they really should do, which is to perform due diligence, identify people who might have an alternate point of view and get broad advice, Shireman said, instead, they basically announced the deal as almost a done deal and it means it has too much momentum, rather than allowing for public and expert input into whether its a good idea and whether the price and terms of the agreement are appropriate for the university. Some Idaho legislators are trying to slow down the proposal. Members of the Idaho House last week approved a resolution that urges the State Board of Education to reconsider the deal and gives the Legislature the go-ahead to file a lawsuit, if needed, to stop it, according to Idaho Education News. The vote in the House was 49-21. That resolution is pending in the Senate. With no one talking about the details of the Tuskegee proposal, its hard to conclude why that deal didnt happen. But one thing is clear: Tuskegee seems to have done a more thorough job of being skeptical when doing its due diligence on purchasing the University of Phoenix. Police shot and killed an armed man who officials say was assaulting a woman inside a Texas home. Officers with the Conroe Police Department responded to a home in the Chapel Run subdivision a roughly 10 mile drive northwest from Conroe at about 11:30 p.m. March 11, for a domestic disturbance, the department said in a March 12 news release. Nobody answered the door when officers arrived, but they could hear screaming from inside the house and decided to enter, police said. Officers said a man was in the middle of attacking a woman when they stepped in, and he was holding a weapon. He had the woman in a headlock with one arm and a gun in the other, and he was trying to sexually assault the woman in front of (the officers), police told KPRC. The officers tried to deescalate the situation but the man pointed his weapon at them and both opened fire on him, police said. At first, the man aimed the gun at himself, police told KTRK. Officers told him to drop the weapon but he refused. The man, who has not been publicly identified, was pronounced dead at the scene, the department said. The woman and officers were not injured. Police are investigating the incident along with the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office, officials said. Conroe is about a 40 mile drive north from downtown Houston. Cold-blooded partygoers record woman dying after shooting at rave, Texas cops say Accused robber killed in shootout with man carrying concealed gun, Illinois cops say Dad shot when masked men ambush family unloading groceries, Texas officials say Man shot and killed during argument with girlfriends family, Georgia officials say Asif Sultan was first arrested in 2018 when he was working at a magazine called Kashmir Narrator On 29 February, journalist Asif Sultan arrived at his home in Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir after being held on remand in jail for more than 2,000 days. He barely spent five hours with his family before he was called to a local police station, where he was re-arrested. "We had no idea that he would be arrested again," says Mohammad Sultan, his father. Asif Sultan, 36, was first arrested in August 2018 and charged under an anti-terror law called the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) which makes it extremely difficult to get bail. Police accused him of helping and sheltering anti-India militants, which he denies. His colleagues have alleged that he was targeted for writing an article in 2018 about Burhan Wani, a young militant leader whose death in a gun battle with government forces had sparked protests and deadly violence two years earlier. Militancy is a sensitive issue in Muslim-majority Kashmir, which has been a flashpoint between neighbours India and Pakistan for more than 75 years. Both countries claim the region in full but control only parts of it. Since 1989, an armed revolt has been waged against Indian rule in the region it controls, claiming tens of thousands of lives. India blames Pakistan for stirring the unrest by backing separatist militants in Kashmir - a charge Islamabad denies. For decades, journalists in Kashmir have had to tread carefully between the administration and militant groups while doing their jobs. But they say the federal government's crackdown on press freedom has worsened since August 2019 - that's when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government revoked Jammu and Kashmir's partial autonomy and divided the state into two federally-administered territories. Since the repeal of the state's special status in 2019, at least five journalists have been charged under the UAPA. Three others have been detained under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), which allows detention without charge for up to two years. Some, like Mr Sultan, have been charged and detained under both. Activists say police use a tactic known as "revolving door arrests", whereby people granted bail in one case are promptly re-arrested under another, effectively prolonging their detention. The BBC contacted police officials in Kashmir by email but they have yet to respond to our questions about why Asif Sultan was re-arrested, why other journalists have been detained or to allegations that the authorities are cracking down on media freedoms in the region. A 2018 protest by journalists in Kashmir against Mr Sultan's arrest Mr Sultan was in a Srinagar prison from August 2018 until April 2022, when a court granted him bail - in that case, the police's key witness against him had refused to identify him as an accused before the court. But before he could be released, police detained him under the PSA, describing him as a "threat to peace". He was then transferred to a jail in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, around 1,500km (932 miles) from his home. In December 2023, a court in Srinagar quashed the detention under the PSA and ordered the authorities to release him. Despite that, it took 78 days to release him - prison authorities told online portal Newslaundry that the delay was because they had to get "clearance letters" from authorities in Kashmir. Mr Sultan had just about reached home on 29 February when he was picked up again - this time, his lawyer says, a case had been filed against him under the UAPA related to an incident of rioting that took place in Srinagar's Central Jail in 2019, when prisoners allegedly ransacked the barracks after an argument with prison staff. "There were around 600 prisoners and he [Mr Sultan] wasn't in the barrack which was allegedly set on fire by some inmates," says his lawyer, Adil Abdullah Pandit, adding that they would file a bail plea soon. Asif Sultan is not the only local journalist currently jailed after being caught in the "revolving door" of arrests. Sajad Gul was arrested in January 2022, on charges of "criminal conspiracy" and granted bail after nine days - but he was then detained under the PSA and transferred to a jail in Jammu, 300km from his home. Despite a local court ordering him to be freed last November, he remains in police custody. Kunal Majumder, India representative of the Committee to Protect Journalists, says that the pattern of targeting journalists in Kashmir with multiple cases sends a "concerning signal" about the government's stance on press freedom. "By repeatedly arresting journalists on various charges, often after they've been granted bail on previous ones, it suggests a systematic effort to intimidate and suppress critical voices," he said. Even though they have been living in despair for years, Mr Sultan's father says there is always "light at the end of the tunnel". "There is nothing serious in the case. We are hopeful that we will see him again soon," he said. Read more India stories from the BBC: Alaska Airlines aircraft sit in the airline's hangar at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Jan. 10, 2024. Responding to a U.S. government audit, Boeing said Tuesday that it would work with employees found to have violated company manufacturing procedures to make sure they understand instructions for their jobs. The aircraft maker detailed its latest steps to correct lapses in quality in a memo to employees from Stan Deal, president of Boeing's commercial plane division. The memo went out after the Federal Aviation Administration finished a six-week review of the company's manufacturing processes for the 737 Max jetliner after a panel blew off one of the planes during an Alaska Airlines flight in January. The FAA reviewed 89 aspects of production at Boeing's plant in Benton, Washington, and found the company failed 33 of them, according to a person familiar with the report. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details that have not been publicly released although they were reported earlier by The New York Times, which saw a slide presentation on the government's audit. The vast majority of violations found by the FAA involved workers not following Boeings approved procedures, Deal said in his memo. Deal said the company will take remedial steps that include working with each employee noted with a non-compliance during the audit to ensure they fully understand the work instructions and procedures. Boeing will also add weekly compliance checks for all work teams in the Renton factory, where Max jets are assembled, he said. Deal acknowledged a recent conclusion by a panel of government and industry experts that found Boeings procedures for ensuring safety were too complicated and changed too often. Our teams are working to simplify and streamline our processes and address the panels recommendations, he told staff. FILE - This photo released by the National Transportation Safety Board shows a gaping hole where the paneled-over door had been at the fuselage plug area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, Jan. 7, 2024, in Portland, Ore. The DOJ has launched a criminal investigation into the Boeing jetliner blowout that left a gaping hole on the Alaska Airlines plane this January, the Wall Street Journal reported Saturday, March 9. (National Transportation Safety Board via AP, File) Boeing faces a Justice Department investigation into whether its recent problems including the Jan. 5 blowout of an emergency door panel from an Alaska Airlines jet that had taken off from Portland, Oregon violate terms of a settlement the company reached in 2021 to avoid criminal prosecution after two crashes of Max jets in 2018 in Indonesia and 2019 in Ethiopia killed 346 people. Separately on Tuesday, Boeing reported that it received orders for 15 jetliners in February and delivered 27 planes, including two Max jets each to Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. TD Cowen analyst Cai von Rumohr called the deliveries anemic but not surprising because of increased FAA scrutiny of the company. The slowdown in deliveries is putting Boeing farther behind European rival Airbus, which delivered 49 planes last month, and becoming increasingly frustrating for airlines. Southwest said it might have to reduce its growth, as it now expects to receive fewer Max jets than it planned because of Boeing's struggles. Shares of Arlington, Virginia-based Boeing Co. fell more than 4% in afternoon trading. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: US quality audit of Boeing prompts promise for change A retired Boeing employee was found dead in Charleston Monday, days after his testimony against the aviation company. John Barnett, 62, of Louisiana, was found dead shortly after 10:20 a.m. of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to a Tuesday Charleston Police Department press release. Barnett was found inside a vehicle outside a Holiday Inn at 301 Savannah Highway. Barnett, a former quality manager at Boeing who had retired after 32 years, died just days into testifying in a whistleblower retaliation lawsuit, where he alleged that workers, under pressure, were deliberately firing substandard parts to aircraft on the companys assembly line, according to the Daily Mail. Barnett had testified that sometimes second-rate parts were removed from scrap bins and then fitted to planes to prevent building delays. A 2017 from the FAA upheld some of Barnetts testimony, the Daily Mail wrote. The CPD press release states that detectives were actively investigating the case and were awaiting the formal cause of death. We understand the global attention this case has garnered, and it is our priority to ensure that the investigation is not influenced by speculation but is led by facts and evidence, the press release states. Public disclosure will follow the investigations conclusion. Following his latest arrest, a South Carolina man with a series of run-ins with the law including two allegations of rape may be headed back to a state prison. Bowen Turner, who was charged with DUI in Florence County last weekend, may be found in violation of the conditions set when he was released in November, 16 months into a four-year youthful offender sentence for assault and battery. Turner, 21, pleaded guilty to the first-degree assault charge in April 2022 after being accused of multiple instances of raping young women. The South Carolina Department of Corrections has served Turner with a Youthful Offender Arrest Warrant alleging Turner violated several conditions of his release under the Youthful Offender Act, department spokesperson Chrysti Shain said in a written statement. Turner was arrested by the South Carolina Highway Patrol Saturday, less than four months after his release from prison. He was charged with driving under the influence, resisting arrest, public disorderly conduct, having an open container of beer or wine in a motor vehicle, and failure to wear a seat belt, according to records obtained from the Florence County Sheriffs Office. The conditions of Turners release from the South Carolina Department of Corrections included obeying all federal, state and local laws and following advice and instructions from his supervising officer, Shain said. He was released on Nov. 15, 2023, according to the state Department of Corrections. Turner will remain in custody at the Florence County Detention Center until he appears before a Department of Corrections administrative review hearing officer. The statement provided by the corrections department did not indicate whether a date had been set for that review. Shain said the officer will review his case and make a recommendation to the Department of Corrections Intensive Supervision Administrative Review Authority, or ISARA, which oversees the release of youthful offenders. The three-person body, which approved Turners release in September 2023, will then determine whether Turner violated the conditions of that release. Sentences for inmates incarcerated under the Youthful Offender Act are indeterminate, and the amount of time they are imprisoned is determined partly by their behavior and completion of required programming. The sentences are reviewed by the ISARA, which evaluates whether inmates charged as youthful offenders have met the conditions of their sentence. The reviews are conducted every two months after the offender serves a pre-set number of months, determined by the Department of Corrections. Turner was released after his third review. He was initially denied release following a May 11, 2023, review because the board determined he needed additional programming. The second denial came on July 17, 2023, because the ISARA board considered community opposition, according to a statement provided by Shain. Since 2019, Turners case has drawn public scrutiny as advocates say it is proof of a system that favors defendants over victims. Turner was charged with first degree criminal sexual conduct in Bamberg County in January 2019, and again in Orangeburg County in June the same year. The charges in the Bamberg case were dropped following victim Dallas Stollers death by suicide in November 2021. The next April, Turner pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of first degree assault and battery for his attack on Chloe Bess, the victim in the Orangeburg case . Turner was sentenced to five years probation under South Carolinas Youthful Offender Act. The act allows discretion in sentencing for defendants who meet a range of criteria, including those between the ages of 17 and 25 charged with a felony where the maximum punishment is 15 years imprisonment. While it is not the practice of The State to name victims of sexual assault, Bess has become a prominent advocate for victims and has called for lawmakers to better defend victims of sexual and violent crimes. In May 2022, Turner violated his probation when he was arrested and charged with being a minor in possession of alcohol and threatening the life of a public official. Reports at the time said that Turner threatened to bite off the finger of an Orangeburg County deputy who told him that the jails COVID policy required that Turner wear a mask. He was re-sentenced to four years in prison, the maximum consecutive imprisonment sentence allowed under the Youthful Offender Act. Turner was also required to register as a sex offender with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. The Idaho Supreme Court on Tuesday denied a pretrial appeal from attorneys representing Bryan Kohberger, the man charged with killing four University of Idaho students. The appeal stood to delay his murder trial further if granted. Kohbergers public defenders had argued that a grand jury sat by prosecutors for the case improperly indicted their client on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary. They contended that Idaho law left open the idea that grand jurors must reach the higher legal standard of beyond a reasonable doubt the same as at trial to convict a defendant rather than the longstanding threshold of probable cause to indict. In the one-page Supreme Court ruling issued Tuesday afternoon, the justices offered no legal rationale for their denial of the motion to appeal from Kohbergers attorneys. The document was signed by Melanie Gagnepain, clerk of the Idaho Supreme Court. The appellate case is now closed, state courts spokesperson Nate Poppino told the Idaho Statesman. The justices took just over a month to dismiss the appeal after Kohbergers attorneys filed under seal in early February. Prosecutors opposed the appeal, also under seal, on Feb. 20. Kohberger, 29, is accused of stabbing the four U of I students to death at an off-campus home in Moscow in November 2022. The student victims were seniors Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, both 21, junior Xana Kernodle and freshman Ethan Chapin, both 20. Kohberger, at the time a graduate student at nearby Washington State University, faces the death penalty if convicted by a jury. He was arrested at his familys home in eastern Pennsylvania in late December 2022, which ended a nearly seven-week national manhunt, and brought to Idaho to face the charges. A trial date has yet to be set after Kohberger last year waived his right to a speedy trial. This embedded content is not available in your region. Goncalves family: This is no surprise The judge overseeing the Kohberger case, Judge John Judge of Idahos 2nd Judicial District in Latah County, twice since December denied the defenses request to toss the grand jury indictment on several legal grounds, including the argument over the standard that needed to be met. He also denied in February the defenses request for permission to appeal the issue to the Idaho Supreme Court. Under Idaho appellate rules, attorneys may still appeal a lower court judges denial within 14 days. Prosecutors have objected to throwing out the grand jurys May indictment of Kohberger since his defense lodged the challenge. On Tuesday, the Goncalves family, through attorney Shanon Gray, told the Statesman by email that Tuesdays ruling was what they had anticipated. This is no surprise. No one thought the Supreme Court was going to grant interlocutory appeal, the Goncalveses said, using the legal term for a judgment in the middle of other court action. The Goncalves and Kernodle families issued a previous statement earlier this month taking aim at the speed of the process to bring the man accused of killing their daughters to trial. They implored the justice system to start making some decisions, get to work and quit playing the delay game. We want communication, we want efficiency in prosecution, we want a court that will make timely decisions and we want a fair trial, the statement read. This illusion by everyone involved that they can control what happens is frustrating. A jury will hear the evidence and return a verdict. But we need to get there sooner rather than later. Kohberger is next scheduled to appear in court May 14 for arguments over his attorneys push for a change of venue for trial. Prosecutors oppose moving the trial out of Latah County, asserting that doing so is premature and without sufficient basis. CIA director Bill Burns said Monday that reaching a cease-fire and hostage deal in Gaza is critical to addressing the massive humanitarian crisis in the enclave. The reality is that there are children who are starving, Burns said during the Senates worldwide threats hearing on Capitol Hill. They're malnourished as a result of the fact that humanitarian assistance can't get to them. It's very difficult to distribute humanitarian assistance effectively unless you have a ceasefire. The remarks from Burns, who has been representing the U.S. in negotiations between Israel and Hamas to pause fighting and release the remaining hostages, were some of the strongest yet offered by intelligence officials since Hamas attacked Israel in October, prompting the counteroffensive. They come as the Biden administration is under increasing pressure to push Israel to allow more aid into Gaza, and after the Israels prime minister dismissed the idea that Gazans were starving in an interview this past weekend. The aid world has for months warned of an impending famine in Gaza. And U.N. officials said last week that atleast one-quarter of Gazas population are one step away from reaching that grim milestone.Burns said a pause in fighting is critical to not only ensuring the swift delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza but also to securing the release of the hostages something the director is actively working to address with officials in Israel, Egypt and Qatar. The CIA director returned home from the region Saturday night his eighth trip to try and negotiate an end to the fighting in Gaza. He said the parties are trying to broker a deal for a six-week cease-fire in Gaza that would allow for the release of 40 hostages as well as Palestinian prisoners being held in Israel. Under intense questioning by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) about whether he believed Israel was exterminating the Palestinian people Burns said he understood Israels need to respond to the attack by Hamas. But I think we all also have to be mindful of the enormous toll this has taken on innocent civilians in Gaza, he said. The wide-ranging hearing Monday, which came in conjunction with the publishing of the Director of National Intelligences annual threats report, touched on some of the most critical national security issues facing U.S. policymakers. It included multiple officials from the intelligence community, including Burns, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and Chris Wray, the director of the FBI. In the hearing, intelligence community officials urged Congress to pass additional funding for Ukraine, warned about China, Russia, and Iran using artificial intelligence to interfere in U.S. elections and defended the use of a controversial digital surveillance authority to collect data on foreign individuals. But the fighting in Gaza was touched on by multiple officials. Haines said the conflict in Gaza will likely have a generational impact on terrorism. More than 1,200 Israelis were killed during the Oct. 7 attack. Since then, about 30,000 Gazans have been killed, according to the Hamas health ministry, which is controlled by Hamas. Haines remarks echo those made by intelligence officials in the weeks after the attack. National Counterterrorism Center director Christy Abizaid, told Congress in November that Oct. 7 was inspiring terrorists across the globe. While Abizaid said most of the threats posed by those groups were focused on U.S troops in the Middle East, the FBIs Wray noted in the same hearing he was also concerned about threats against the homeland. Wray reiterated those warnings Monday. Even before Oct. 7, I would have told this committee that we were at a heightened threat level from a terrorism perspective, Wray said, referring to the possibility of a terrorist attack in the U.S. Since Oct. 7, though, that threat has gone to a whole other level. And so this is a time I think for much greater vigilance. Wray said he was particularly concerned about people entering the country and committing crimes after crossing, including violent crimes. We are concerned about the terrorism implications from potential targeting of vulnerabilities at the border, he said. In the hearing, officials also addressed the strikes by Iran-backed Houthis in the shipping vessels in the Red Sea attacks the group says are in response to Israels offensive in Gaza. Iran proxy militant groups in Iraq and Syria have largely stopped attacking U.S. troops in recent weeks in part, officials believe, because of U.S. counterstrikes. But Haines said despite U.S. and UK air bombardments in Yemen, the Houthis continue to launch shipping vessels in the Red Sea. Intelligence officials have previously calculated that the Houthis would continue their campaign as long as the war continued in Gaza. But Israel has shown no indications that it is considering winding down its operations. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the military would soon invade Rafah where more than 1 million people are living in an effort to target Hamas leadership and the groups tunnel network. Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert! CALIFORNIA DOJ RELEASES ANNUAL GUN SEIZURE REPORT Last October, California Department of Justice agents contacted a San Luis Obispo County man whom they suspected of unlawfully owning firearms due to a previous mental health commitment. A search of his home yielded 281 long guns, 227 handguns, 117 ammunition magazines (including 25 high-capacity mags), and approximately 28,000 rounds of ammunition. That was just one example, albeit a sizable one, from Attorney General Rob Bontas 2023 Armed and Prohibited Persons System (APPS) report, which he presented Monday. When firearms fall into the wrong hands, it endangers all of us. We will persist in collaborating with the Governors Office, Legislature, and local partners to effectively tackle this issue of gun violence head-on, Bonta said in a statement. Since 2006, California has been the only state in the nation to monitor people who legally purchased firearms but later were disqualified from possessing them, such as for a mental health commitment, a felony conviction or a domestic violence or other restraining order. The DOJs Bureau of Firearms is tasked with checking that list and seizing firearms from individuals who fail to lawfully surrender them. According to the report, which can be read here, the bureau seized more than 1,400 firearms from illegally armed people in 2023, including 88 so-called ghost guns. Agents made approximately 25,500 contacts with people in the APPS database in 2023, an increase of 1,500 over the year prior. The APPS database shrank in 2023, with 9,051 names removed from the list and 8,633 added a 1.75% decrease from 2022. According to the DOJ, 2023 saw the fewest number of inclusions to the list since 2014. This decrease is due in part to the recent emphasis on seizing firearms at or near the time of prohibition, consistent with DOJs recent recommendations, according to a DOJ statement. FTC WEIGHS COPPA CHANGE, BONTA SIGNS ON IN SUPPORT The Federal Trade Commission has filed notice that it intends to institute a rule that would update the federal Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), earning praise from bipartisan coalition of attorneys general including Californias Bonta. The Federal Trade Commissions proposed rule would strengthen our ability to enforce restrictions on companies selling childrens data and protect consumers who seek to manage what information websites can collect from kids, Bonta said in a statement. The COPPA rule change would require separate notice and parental consent before a childs information can be shared with third-parties, would add biometric data to the definition of personal information, would restrict online companies ability to nudge children to stay online and would strengthen data security, retention and deletion requirements. This isnt Bontas first time tangling with social media providers. Last fall, he led a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general in suing Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, alleging that the companys products have harmed children. QUOTE OF THE DAY The T.A.M.P.O.N. Act is a crucial step toward protecting the health of millions of women and girls who use menstrual products. By setting a maximum contamination threshold and exploring safer alternatives, we are actively working to mitigate the long-term health risks associated with PFAS. - Assemblywoman Diane Papan, D-San Mateo, in a statement promoting her bill, AB 2515, to limit polyfluoroalkyl substances in menstrual products. Best of The Bee: The debate over agricultural overtime is headed back to the California Legislature, with a Republican lawmaker spearheading an effort to revert some of the recently won provisions for farmworkers, via Mathew Miranda . Man bit by Sacramento Sheriff K9 14 months ago sues county. Why havent they released the video? Via Theresa Clift . President Joe Bidens child tax credit plan would benefit millions of California parents, saving eligible families an average of $2,980, according to data from Washingtons Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, via David Lightman. Cat pictures are now gold in Worcester, Massachusetts, as the local library launches a unique solution to late fees. With the kick-off of March Meowness, the Worcester Public Library told the community that it would forgive any late and damage fees in exchange for cat pictures. For the month of March, locals can come into the library and present any cat picture a photo of their own cat, someone elses cat, a wild tiger or even a drawing and have their outstanding fees waved, according to the librarys website. Only a little over a week into the program, over 400 accounts have been cleared, according to WVIT. And this new library currency isnt all. March Meowness is a monthlong program that features a roster of cat-themed programming. Some highlights include a cat-eye makeup tutorial, a workshop with a cat behaviorist (to better understand your cat) and a screening of Cats. The impetus for this feline-filled month was to get more people to come to Worcester Public Library, it said. Public library usage has been in a nosedive in the U.S. since the early 2010s, with pandemic lockdowns only making things worse, according to Publishers Weekly. Now, librarians nationwide are looking for creative ways to get people back in their doors. We want you back at the library, library staff said on their website. They hope the monthlong program will quell any concerns about reentering the library, including guilt for losing or damaging a book by mistake. We understand accidents can happen, and sometimes fees might hold you back from fully using your public library. We hope that you will join us as we celebrate March Meowness at all of our Worcester Public Library locations. Worcester, a city of about 200,000 people, is about a 45-mile drive southwest from Boston. Blind dog came to shelter as a stray and needs new home. Meet the sweet Pomeranian Elephant mom gives birth to 265-pound calf after health scare, Arizona zoo says Shelter cats spend months waiting for home and form a sweet bond. See them snuggle More than 1,000 students are enrolled at the newly-opened Kirkwood High School, as the 2023-24 school year gets underway in Clarksville on Monday, Aug. 7, 2023. School officials are hoping that the Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools' Teach with the Best Job Fair will help close the gap of much needed teachers in the district. On Thursday, the Wilma Rudolph Event Center in Clarksville will be filled with CMCSS administrators and principals as the school district hosts the hiring fair for those who hold a current Tennessee License or are actively pursuing a Tennessee License. CMCSS currently has about 130 teaching positions listed on its website from Pre-K teacher to biology and math high school teachers. With new Kirkwood Elementary opening next year, and the constant growth CMCSS faces, 48% of positions are open at the elementary school level, 28% at the middle level and 24% at the high school level, according to CMCSS chief communication officer, Anthony Johnson. "Our goal is always to start the school year with a certified teacher for every position," said Johnson. "However, with the transient nature of our community and continued growth, we have ongoing hiring with weekly onboarding." High-need positions include special education, elementary teachers, secondary math and science and school counselors. The top 10 schools CMCSS is looking to hire for are: Kenwood Middle School with 10 openings Kenwood High School, nine openings Northeast Middle School, eight openings New Providence Middle School, seven openings Northeast High School, seven openings Kenwood Elementary School, five openings Liberty Elementary School, five openings Kirkwood High School, five openings Hazelwood Elementary School, five openings Glenellen Elementary School, five openings From 4 to 5:30 p.m., interested applicants will have an open session to network, will have the opportunity to meet school administrators and learn more about the school culture. From 5:30 to to 6:30 p.m., school administrators will host interviews and some might decide to set up interviews on the spot. CMCSS is one the few Tennessee school districts with a three-year induction program, which allows each school to have a Site-Based Induction Specialist who mentors and guides new teachers as they get used to their new positions and expectations from the school and district. In 2023, CMCSS implemented a mid-year 5% pay increase for all CMCSS employees. Those interested in the Teach with the Best Job Fair are encouraged to register before the event. View a full list of openings on the district website. Kenya Anderson is a reporter for The Leaf-Chronicle. She can be contacted at kanderson@gannett.com or on X at kenyaanderson32. Sign up for the Leaf-Chronicle to support local journalism at www.theleafchronicle.com. This article originally appeared on Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle: Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools hosts its largest hiring fair Join the 21st century Re A" train should go to the airport," March 6: I agree wholeheartedly with Harold Moellering that a train should go to the airport. In fact, even more so, this city needs to join the current century regarding light rail commuter trains, and the trains should run to the Airport, Circleville, Delaware, Dublin, Marysville, Polaris, Rickenbacker Airport, Springfield, Worthington and more. Letter to the editor: Columbus Convention Center train tracks should finally be built out for airport, Amtrak There is a spoke and hub system already in place that just needs to be developed and used. Amtrack trains should not stop at such places but go non-stop to places like Cleveland and Cincinnati. If not, they will not be time competitive with travel by car. Martin J. Williamson, Worthington Free parking. Just saying. Regarding parking in the Short North, as a 16-year Dublin City Council member and former mayor I wanted to point to the many parking garages our past councils invested in while developing Bridge Park and Dublins pedestrian bridge. Valet prices are out of control. Want more Short North visitors? Start with parking. The area is vibrant and an economic engine for Dublin. Its popularity is due in large part to free and abundant parking. Just saying! Michael H. Keenan, Dublin Letters to the Editor What do you think? How to submit a letter to the editor for The Columbus Dispatch The humane way to execute After reading all the letters about ways to do executions I believe that the best way is to let the person that does the killings pick the way. I believe the best and most humane way is to execute the person in the same way they killed. Carl Felton, Columbus Changing jury's pool base could be worrisome The March 10 article "Symbolic selection?" about changing the jurys pool base from voter registration rolls to DMV records worries me a little bit. People who register to vote demonstrate at least a modicum of a sense of civic duty and responsibility. Obtaining any kind of state issued identification does not make that demonstration. If the effort is because some people believe a jury with members who have not made that minimal demonstration of civic virtue is a good idea, fine. I disagree but they are entitled to their opinion. More: Do Franklin County juries reflect diversity of the community? Often, it's up to chance If this effort is due to dissatisfaction with the Jason Meade mistrial, then its for the wrong reason. The jury didnt find him innocent, they found him not proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Opinion: Not retrying Jason Meade for Casey Goodson Jr. death would be miscarriage of justice https://t.co/GRSbdnbIVr Columbus Dispatch (@DispatchAlerts) February 29, 2024 Edward DeVennish, Blacklick Secured loads protect the publics safety Having served as SWACOs landfill supervisor, director of operations and now assistant executive director, I want to offer my support of the March 6 letter Cover the load. Secured loads, regardless of vehicle size, are required by law in the state of Ohio yet doing so is frequently disregarded and hard to enforce unless a violator is caught in the act. Secured loads protect the publics safety and health by keeping litter from entering Franklin County roads and waterways. For any vehicles entering the county landfill, SWACO has strict rules for tarping, and we assess fees to any driver arriving at our facilities without a tarp or secured load. In addition, SWACO, along with local city and state leaders and law enforcement partners invest labor and funding resources to target litter enforcement areas. Doing the right thing isnt always easy but is essential to the health and safety of our community. Scott Perry, assistant executive director, Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Amtrak is one thing. Columbus needs light rail. A police officer entered a womans home and arrested her for not showing her identification except failing to do so is not a law in Alabama, her attorney said. The mayor has issued an apology to Twyla Stallworth after her arrest and said all charges would be dropped. On Feb. 23, Stallworth called police to complain about her neighbors noise levels but said police didnt respond, according to a news release from her attorney, Harry Daniels. Stallworth set off her car alarm to get her neighbors attention, then when her neighbor complained, Officer Grant Barton with the Andalusia Police Department responded, Daniels said. The officer told her she could be cited for setting off her alarm, but she called him out for saying he would cite her, a Black woman, and not her white neighbor, the attorney said. That marks the beginning of a five-minute video, recorded by Stallworths 18-year-old son and shared by Daniels. In the video, Barton asks to see Stallworths identification. She refuses. Im not giving you my ID, Stallworth says. The officer takes out his handcuffs and tells her she is under arrest, the video shows. Alright turn around and put your hands behind your back, Barton responds. The woman goes back into her home to put on her shoes as the officer repeats the command. He goes past her son into the house, and she tells him not to push her son as tensions escalate. The son asks his mother to give the officer her ID and begs for both of them to calm down. Barton tries to place handcuffs on Stallworth, then hes seen pushing her onto the couch. The two struggle as her son screams. Eventually, the officer places cuffs on Stallworth and leads her outside while her son asks him to explain whats going on. Right now shes under arrest for failure to identify, Barton says as he leads Stallworth across the lawn to his patrol car. That is not the law, thats against the law, Stallworth is heard saying. When the son asks the officer to pull up the specific law his mom is accused of breaking, Barton shows him Alabama code section 15-5-30, called Authority of Peace Officer to Stop and Question. The code allows a law enforcement officer to stop someone in a public place if they suspect the person is going to commit an offense or has already committed an offense and demand the persons name and address, according to Justia Law, an online database for laws and cases. But the law only applies if someone is in public, not at their own home as Stallworth was. Barton is seen driving away with Stallworth in his vehicle as the video ends. Stalworth was charged with obstruction, resisting arrest and attempting to elude, and she was held for 15 hours, her attorney said. On March 8, Andalusia Mayor Earl Johnson shared a video apologizing to Stallworth for the incident and pledging to do better. I have met with the Andalusia police chief and other leaders in the department, Johnson said. We have agreed that the entire department will receive additional training in Constitutional law, the laws of Alabama, and the ordinances of the City of Andalusia, so that we will not have an incident like this to reoccur. He added the officer was disciplined for failing in his duty to know the law. Johnson denied other issues Stallworths attorney raised, such as the departments failure to respond to her noise complaints and the arrest was the result of racism. Ms. Stallworth has not filed a complaint with the police department, but her attorney alleges in his release that her arrest was racially motivated, Johnson said. We have reviewed body cam footage of the incident, and see absolutely no evidence of racism. He said he offered to meet with Stallworth, but she declined. In a meeting with community members, the police chief said the department regularly trains officers on topics such as implicit bias, according to city officials. As a result of the incident, the city of Andalusia plans to form a law enforcement advisory committee. Stallworth has spoken up on social media about the incident, sharing a flyer to protest and bring awareness to racial profiling. Your rights matter, Stallworth wrote in the post. Fight for them. Andalusia is in southern Alabama, about 90 miles south of Montgomery. SWAT team invaded scared womans home, found no evidence, suit says. She wins $3.76M 10-year-old pees in public and is arrested, lawsuit says. Now Mississippi mom wants $2M 8-year-old died after flying from school slide 7 feet above frozen ground, Utah suit says Handcuffed mom of 4 died in terror in patrol car deputy drove into river, suit says If someone kills you in Idaho, the chances that your body will be autopsied are worse than almost anywhere else in the country. The same is true if you die by suicide. In fact, regardless of manner of death, Idaho has some of the worst autopsy rates in the country, according to a recent state investigation into the county coroner and death investigation system. The Office of Performance Evaluations, an independent office that audits state agencies and programs, issued a 96-page report after lawmakers requested an analysis of the system. The investigation found Idaho is trailing national and industry standards in crucial aspects of death investigations. The report highlighted myriad shortcomings in the system, including vague rules, insufficient resources and instances of coroners offices not meeting the education standards set for them in state law. It also included several recommendations for reworking the state system, from requirements for autopsies to significant changes in how coroners offices and death investigations are funded. In his presentation of the report to a legislative panel, senior evaluator Casey Petti told legislators his investigation unearthed very concerning anecdotal evidence from coroners that deaths warranting investigation went without autopsies. We do know for certain that there are deaths that are not properly investigated and are not properly certified, Petti said. Idaho autopsy rates fail to meet standards Idaho is one of 14 states with a county coroner system rather than a medical examiner system or a combination of the two. While most states autopsies are conducted by medical doctors trained in forensic pathology, coroners in Idaho are elected by county, or appointed if no one runs for the office, without any requirement of having a medical background. Idaho has fewer types of deaths that are reported to coroners, including unattended deaths, suicides and homicides, when compared with other states and rates recommended by industry best practices. And the decision to do an autopsy in any of those cases is entirely up to a coroner rather than a mandatory procedure. Idaho has had at least one high-profile criminal case in which a death initially wasnt investigated. Chad Daybell was eventually charged with the first-degree murder of his then-wife, Tammy Daybell, a Rexburg woman whose death was originally attributed to natural causes. Officials performed an autopsy two months after her death and determined she died of asphyxiation. Lori Vallow Daybell was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder in Tammy Daybells death last year. Ada County Chief Deputy Coroner Brett Harding told the Idaho Statesman in a phone interview that Idahos death investigation system is not the worst, but it is definitely in need of improvement. That Idaho is the lowest rate of autopsy for homicides is really disheartening, Harding said. The forensic standards are there for a reason, and if you dont adhere to them, thats when things can slip through the cracks. From 2018 to 2022, 3.9% of all deaths in Idaho were investigated by autopsy. The national average during that time was 7.8%. Idaho coroners performed autopsies in child deaths from external or unknown causes in 49% of cases during that time period the lowest nationwide. The national average was 79%. Idaho had among the lowest rate of suicide autopsies at 14%. It also had the lowest autopsy rate for homicides from 2018 to 2022 at 93%, lower than the rate recommended by industry standards. Unlike some other states with county coroner systems, Idaho has no state-level oversight committee or official. The states death investigation protocol is vague enough that coroners around the state reported different approaches, the state review found. Nearly every aspect of the county coroner role is left to the interpretation of the individual coroner, the states investigative report said. This extends to how death investigations are conducted, what information is gathered in an investigation, how information is disclosed to the media, how records are kept, how a decedent is transported and how next of kin are notified of a death. In Idahos more rural counties where the coroner often works part-time and is paid a median annual salary of about $18,000 coroners look to Ada and Canyon counties or even offices out of state for guidance and assistance with autopsies. Brett E. Harding, chief deputy coroner for Ada County, slides open the morgue cooler where most bodies are kept in this 2021 file photo. Harding said he supports recommendations to overhaul Idahos coroner and death investigation policies. Harding told the Statesman he worries a part-time job translates to part-time caring when it comes to death investigations. I dont really think that translates to most of the coroners in Idaho, but Id hate for somebody have to make that choice between a job that puts a roof over your head and feeds your family and your civic duty that doesnt pay you hardly anything, Harding said. Petti pointed out that state law requires coroners attend a coroners school, but there is not state or industry definition of what constitutes a coroner school. Additionally, while Idaho law requires coroners to complete 24 hours of continuing education every two years, the review found that most coroners are either failing to participate in education or are not submitting completed education to the Idaho State Association of County Coroners, a non-governmental body tasked with tracking continuing coroner education. Pam Garlock, president of the association and Boise County coroner, did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but association vice president and Bannock County Coroner Torey Danner told lawmakers during the legislative committee hearing that the association fully supports the reports findings. Deputy coroner seeks change Harding said the policy suggestions in the report, which include more strict autopsy requirements, clarifications on the role of coroners and definitions of terms like unattended death, would be welcome changes. He also urged additional funding, which currently comes from county budgets and a $1 fee for death certificates. You need to redo the state statutes, but you also need to address the address the funding thing, because an unfunded mandate means it never happens, Harding said. Its unclear whether legislators plan to consider policy changes for death investigations. Sen. Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, co-chair of the legislative committee that requested the review, told the Statesman in a text message that the committee is very concerned and very sincere in its desire to make legislative changes. Wintrow said the report was eye-opening, and that a statewide office overseeing coroners could be a good first step to bring coroners and other stakeholders together and begin addressing other systemic issues. Our coroners are doing a great job and they need our help in creating a system that supports their work and leads to more consistent approaches in the state, Wintrow said. Stewart Wilder, director and co-founder of the Idaho Suicide Prevention Coalition, told the Statesman in an email that the report is a damning indictment on the state of Idahos coroner and forensics system on many levels. Wilder said overhauling the system would likely be a lengthy process but considers it necessary. Without proper reporting on all deaths and inability to autopsy, the state will continue to make decisions on bad data, Wilder said. Harding said he would like to see state laws with a little bit of teeth when it comes to coroner responsibilities and the potential consequences for straying from them. He also suggested three regional forensic pathology facilities could increase autopsy capabilities in the state. Already the Ada County Coroners Office provides those services for much of the state, but Harding said a planned facility in eastern Idaho will open later this year and serve that region. Adding a North Idaho facility would also prove useful, he said. If we dont have a good system in place, were going to miss everything, from potential overdoses to homicides, Harding said. The frameworks, which set out the principles and guidelines that will steer Brussels accession talks with both Kyiv and Chisinau, will require the unanimous endorsement of all 27 EU leaders. If approved, it could see both countries edge closer to their ambition of fully-fledged EU membership. Ukraine has demonstrated remarkable resilience and commitment and has made substantial progress on its EU path, the EUs high representative for foreign policy, Josep Borrell, said in a statement. Despite facing hybrid attacks by Russia, Moldova has made further progress in its EU accession reforms and has shown impressive resilience. The presentation of the draft Negotiating Frameworks for Ukraine and Moldova is a step forward in the process, he added. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked von der Leyen personally for presenting the negotiating framework. "Our European choice is being put into action and the day of Ukraine joining the EU is getting closer," he said. The opening of both Ukraine and Moldovas accession talks was approved by EU leaders during a summit in December, despite the firm opposition of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who questions Ukraines preparedness to start negotiations. Orban has also denounced Kyiv for failing to uphold the rights of the Hungarian minority in the westernmost Ukrainian province of the Transcarpathian Oblast. In December, leaders overcame Orbans opposition campaign by tactically asking him to leave the room in order for him to abstain during the vote. But with the adoption of the frameworks yet again requiring unanimity, Orban has another opportunity to single-handedly veto the start of talks. Candidate countries must implement a raft of judicial and constitutional reforms in order to comply with EU laws and standards before they can proceed to the next step in the accession process. The Commission said in November that both Ukraine and Moldova had completed over 90% of those requirements, and simply needed to tie the loose ends of their reforms before entering negotiations. Among Ukraine's pending reforms were measures to tackle corruption - including through new appointments to top anti-corruption offices -, curb the influence of oligarchs, and safeguard the rights of national minorities. On Monday, the Ukrainian parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, gave its final approval on a lobbying bill that will tighten rules for government lobbyists and stamp out the influence of oligarchs, in line with Brussels requests. War injects urgency into EU enlargement Candidate countries accession, usually a painstakingly long procedure, has been fast-tracked since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with the war on Europes eastern doorstep providing a new impetus for the EUs enlargement. Ukraine applied for EU membership on 28 February 2022, just months after Russia invaded its territory. Moldova followed suit just days later. Both countries were given candidate status just four months later. The speed at which their applications have been advanced is unprecedented in the blocs history. The accession bids of Western Balkan countries have also taken on renewed momentum, as the bloc recognises the geopolitical imperative of delivering on its promises to the region. Bosnia and Herzegovina became the fifth Western Balkan country to get the Commissions greenlight for accession talks earlier on Tuesday, joining Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. Kosovo is currently considered a potential candidate for EU membership. But questions and uncertainty remain over the feasibility of Ukraines accession to the bloc while the war is ongoing. The search for an interim superintendent Eugene School District 4J is underway, following the recent separation agreement with Superintendent Andy Dey. The board voted unanimously March 6 to approve the mutual separation of Dey and the school district after a reported internal investigation, letter of reprimand and series of recent executive session meetings. The separation officially begins June 30. Dey will continue his duties as superintendent of the 16,000-student district until then. During Monday night's special board meeting, members made three motions to advance the process to select an interim. First, the board voted unanimously to work with Coalition of Oregon School Administrators to facilitate the search. Board members said the coalition will be able to provide a list of candidates from its pool of retired superintendents, based on the board desired qualities. During the meeting, chair Maya Rabasa said the coalition's services are free or charge. 4J will work with incoming coalition executive director Krista Parent. Second, the board voted unanimously to appoint a work group to work behind the scenes to quicken the interim search process. The board then appointed Rabasa, board member Judy Newman and board member Ericka Thessen to that work group. Third, the board compiled a list of characteristics it hopes for in an interim superintendent. Suggestions included an individual who: Has experience running a school district in Oregon. Values and listens to employee groups. Is willing to learn about 4J's history and help it move forward. Is willing to learn about 4J's ongoing bargaining, budgeting, etc. Prioritizes managerial leadership with an emphasis on communication, management and reporting. Can help stabilize the district and make people feel confident that 4J is moving in a good direction. Shares 4J's values. Is willing to maintain current successful partnerships and programs. The board members highlighted the need for stability in an interim superintendent. "Someone that really can help stabilize (4J) ... that will go a long way," Newman said during the meeting. "People have to feel confident and all these things that are keeping our district going are happening. And that hope and healing will begin, just so people will feel safe." Is there a superintendent shortage? Rabasa noted 4J is not the only large district in Oregon that is conducting a search for an executive in coming months. Guadalupe Guerrero left on Feb. 16 from the Portland Public Schools, which has 44,000 students. Sue Rieke-Smith, superintendent of the Tigard-Tualatin School District , which has more than 11,000 students, is stepping down at the end of the 2024-25 school year. Erin Lair, superintendent of the more than 4,000-student Baker School District, plans to leave in June. And Charis McGaughy, superintendent of the Coos Bay School District, which serves 3,000 students, announced her resignation Dec. 1. Seeking a permanent 4J superintendent replacement The board also will be tasked with initiating a search for a permanent superintendent. There was no discussion Monday night about when that process will start. The last superintendent search which resulted in naming Dey took more than two years to complete. "We have much work to do," Rabasa said in an email. "Eugene is a strong community that is invested in its schools, and we count on our communitys input and continued support." "More than 16,000 students and their families are expecting us to get this right," she said. "Selecting, supervising, and working with our superintendent is one of the most important things this board does." According to 4J policy, the board may engage in a nationwide search for applicants. The board will develop candidate qualities and experience requirements as well as the application and hiring process. The criteria will be made during public meetings. While the board may appoint an advisory board or committee, the final selection will be decided by the board. "We appreciate Dr. Deys collaboration with us as we bring on an interim superintendent," Rabasa said. "As we move into that process, we look forward to updating the district and the community." Miranda Cyr reports on education for The Register-Guard. You can contact her at mcyr@registerguard.com or find her on Twitter @mirandabcyr. This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Eugene School District 4J interim superintendent search begins Visitors tour Peace Village Co-op's 70 new affordable housing units in December. The Eugene City Council on Monday night voted to revise it's middle housing ordinance to ensure the city provides enough evidence its infrastructure can support new middle housing production. Clarifications & Corrections: This story has been updated to clarify that Eugene's middle housing ordinance was challenged by the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals. Eugene city councilors approved revisions to the citys middle housing ordinance Monday night with a 6-2 vote, to comply with an Oregon Court of Appeals ruling. The city's middle housing ordinance, passed in response to House Bill 2001 which requires Oregons large cities to allow middle housing production, was originally passed in May 2022. The local ordinance was struck down in October in the Oregon Court of Appeals on a challenge by the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA). The opinion said the city did not adequately account for Goal 11, the states planning goal requiring necessary infrastructure to serve middle housing units such as townhomes and cottage clusters. Since the ordinance was struck down, the city has been governed by the states code. Councilor Alan Zelenka said LUBA was concerned the original ordinance didnt have enough evidence substantiating Eugenes compliance with Goal 11. He said the changes approved Monday night include additional information on how the city ensures it can provide infrastructure to new middle housing developments. The Court of Appeals didnt reject our ordinance on its substance. They essentially said that the background information on the record and the information on the record was not robust enough, Zelenka said. Zelenka said the revisions approved Monday night ensure compliance with Goal 11 by verifying infrastructure connection during applications for building permits, denying permits in spaces incapable of infrastructure servicing and by conducting regular capacity analyses to assess the level of service the citys infrastructure can provide. Councilor Mike Clark voted against the ordinance, saying the revisions do not adequately provide compliance with Goal 11. I dont believe that we know we have sufficient public infrastructure in order to handle the load," Clark said. "I think were asking people to build on a first-come, first-served basis and were asking them to carry the load to prove what we should know already in terms of our carrying capacity and see how it works out. I think its the wrong way to do planning. The 2024 Remand Ordinance corrects errors, includes updates to the land use codes since the ordinances original adoption and adds changes to make sure the ordinance complies with statutory requirements. Eugene Code does not outline a process for the city to consider remanded ordinances. The council addressed relevant approval criteria as well as the terms from LUBA and the Oregon Court of Appeals. The remand process works as a continuation of the adoption process for the 2022 Middle Housing Code Amendments. Hannarose McGuinness is The Register-Guards growth and development reporter. Contact her at 541-844-9859 or hmcguinness@registerguard.com This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Eugene City Council revises middle housing ordinance Floridas Vacation Rental Bill awaits review by Gov. Ron DeSantis A current map of short-term rentals from Serenata to the Inlet The Florida Senate and House of Representatives recently passed Senate Bill 280, which if signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, will regulate short-term rentals. The bill is eliciting fear from area residents, including Vilano Beachs North Beach Community Alliance Inc. Led by its president, Carol Anderson, the alliance is urging residents to pen a comprehensive and urgent email to veto the bill listing the governor along with James Uthmeier, the governors chief of staff, and Peter Cuderman, a legislative aide. Anderson described SB 280 as benefitting corporate-owned vacation rentals that are not required to report physical addresses to the state or to local governments. She explained that if the bill becomes law, occupancy limits for vacation rentals will be pre-empted to the state, not local governments, leaving the state to address issues it may remain unfamiliar with, in areas it has never even seen. Also, if the measure becomes law, property owners will be able to establish occupancy during the registration process without noting the number or size of the homes bedroom/s. The bill will also only allow local governments to inspect properties upon the issuance of a registration number. And local governments will not be allowed to require compliance with the Florida Building Code or the Florida Fire Prevention Code as a condition of registration. The St. Augustine Record caught up with Anderson to further discuss SB 280. The St. Augustine Record: How do short-term rentals affect St. Augustines housing in terms of availability and pricing? Carol Anderson: Short-term rentals were originally used as a way for individual property owners to rent their empty vacation homes. Investors caught on to how lucrative short-term rentals would be as a business, so between 2017-18, large organizations purchased vacation homes for cash, shutting out the home buyer who needs a mortgage to purchase the property. A cash purchase is always more attractive to the seller. Organizations also purchased land to build vacation rentals intending to serve as hotels rather than homes. In our North Beach community, property was purchased then divided in half to build two rental units. In August 2022, The North Beach Alliance determined that rental property owners owned almost 40% of the property in our community. Of those, 70% have been bought or built to become vacation rentals since 2018. It seemingly happened overnight, which has created frustration among our residents. The St. Augustine Record: What changes have occurred because of short-term rentals? Carol Anderson: Excessive noise, too many vehicles parked in one driveway, and trash left out for days are among the most common complaints. Not all, but some vacationers, dont care how they treat the rental property. Typically, a few create such havoc that the term short-term rental has become a four-letter word. The St. Augustine Record: What are the benefits of short-term rentals. Carol Anderson: Vacation rentals are a revenue source for the city and the county. But disruptive vacationers negatively impact local residents. The St. Augustine Record: Can anything be done to prevent St. Augustine communities from becoming a haven for short-term rentals? Carol Anderson: Florida wont prevent cities and counties from creating vacation rentals unless a local ordinance was in place prior to 2014; new ordinances limiting rentals cannot be approved. The city of St Augustine had restrictions prior to 2014, but St. Johns County did not. In 2021, the county approved an ordinance for occupancy, parking limits and trash requirements which was as much as the county was allowed to do by the state. During the past two Florida state legislative sessions, bills were introduced that would eliminate local government limits to occupancy, but because the House and the Senate couldnt agree on the bills language, it died. It was recently reintroduced and is under negotiation. The North Beach Community Alliance is hoping to mitigate the negative impact of vacation rentals through our Good Neighbor Program. Property owners will receive information about safety, beach locations, area resources and attractions in exchange for committing to communicate the importance of being a good neighbor to their renters. The program resonates with the North Beach Community because were small, residents have lived here for years, and there are serious safety issues for vacationers crossing the A1A highway to get to the beaches. The St. Augustine Record: Is there anything else you would like to add? Carol Anderson: My family uses short-term rentals while vacation as a welcome change from small hotel rooms. Short-term rentals are great for reunions. But we need to have guidelines to protect communities like North Beach from excessive noise, occupancy, trash, and parking. The St. Augustine Record: What are the next steps? Carol Anderson: Governor Ron DeSantis can sign or veto the bill within seven days of its presentation when the legislature is in session. If the legislature adjourns before an act is presented to the Governor or while an act is in the governors possession, the governor has 15 days from the date of presentation to veto the bill, or it automatically passes into law. Legislators can override a veto with if two-thirds of the chambers vote. This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: Florida Vacation Rental Bill awaits Gov. DeSantis review Haiti is spiralling further into chaos after armed gang members freed thousands of prisoners, burned government buildings, and forced the prime minister to resign after he fled the country to seek help. Dozens of people are dead and roughly 15,000 have been forced to flee their homes due to gang raids, according to The Associated Press, with many now facing dwindling supplies of food and water. The violence escalated on 29 February when Haitis powerful criminal gangs, which already controlled large parts of the economy and most of the capital city, Port-au-Prince, launched a series of attacks on police stations, prisons, and other government buildings. After all the capitals international airports were seized by gangs, prime minister Ariel Henry was trapped outside the country and faced both domestic and international pressure to resign. On 5 March, the leader of the unified gangs Jimmy Cherizier known by his childhood nickname, Barbecue threatened continued violence if Mr Henry did not step down. He said if the international community continues to support [Mr Henry], well be heading straight for a civil war that will lead to genocide. Either Haiti becomes a paradise or a hell for all of us. Its out of the question for a small group of rich people living in big hotels to decide the fate of people living in working-class neighborhoods, Mr Cherizier said. On Monday, Mr Henry resigned. The US has airlifted in extra military muscle to guard its embassy in Port-au-Prince, and Caribbean leaders have met in Jamaica to find a solution to the crisis. So how exactly did this happen? Gunfire, mass jailbreaks, and an absent prime minister The heightened upheaval this month began while former Prime Minister Ariel Henry was travelling to Kenya to push forward a United Nations deal that would bring 1,000 Kenyan police officers to Haiti to help restore security. On 28 February, leaders of Caricom a trade bloc comprised of 15 Caribbean countries or territories announced that Henry had pledged to hold elections by mid-2025, after promising and then failing to do so twice before. We dont know exactly why Haitis powerful criminal gangs chose that moment to strike. But one day later, they unleashed a wave of violence that killed at least four police officers and forced airports, businesses, and schools to close and numerous Haitians to flee their homes. In a recorded video, gang leader and former police officer Cherizier declared that he planned to capture various government ministers and prevent Henry from entering the country. With our guns and with the Haitian people, we will free the country, said Cherizier, who has previously claimed that he is a revolutionary rather than a mere crook. Former police officer Jimmy Barbecue Cherizier, leader of the G9 coalition in Haiti (REUTERS) Gangs led a mass jailbreak at Haitis national penitentiary, reportedly releasing nearly all of its roughly 4,000 prisoners. Three people were found fatally shot outside the facility, while the other Port-au-Prince prison, which held 1,400 people, was also taken over. Several prisoners and prison staff members were injured in the two raids, Haitian government officials said in a less than reassuring statement . Our police officers, on the scene of several operations facing the rampages of heavily armed criminals wanting at all costs to free people in custody, particularly for kidnapping, murder and other serious offenses, and not hesitating to execute civilians, burning and looting public and private property thanks to various collusions, did not succeed in preventing the bandits from bringing out a large number of prisoners, the statement read. Only a small portion of inmates did not flee. Among them were reportedly the 18 Colombian mercenaries accused of orchestrating the assassination of a previous Haitian president, Jovenel Moise, in 2021. Their attorney, Samuel Madistin, told The New York Times they remained in the prison out of fear for their lives. Since Mr Moise was killed, Haiti has faced widespread violence at the hands of gangs. According to a UN report, there were nearly 5,000 homicides in 2023 twice as many as the prior year. Haitis finance minister Michel Patrick Boisvert, who is acting prime minister while Henry is away, declared a state of emergency and imposed an evening curfew. But by Sunday 10 March, the government was still struggling to quell the violence, with sporadic gunfire audible across Port-au-Prince while ordinary Haitians run low on basic supplies. How did Haitis criminal gangs become so powerful? On the afternoon of 13 November 2018, a police armoured vehicle drove into the La Saline neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince and unloaded its cargo of armed men, some of whom were wearing police uniforms. What happened next was one of Haiti's worst massacres in decades. At least 71 people were killed, 11 raped, and 150 homes looted and destroyed, according to a report by human rights observers. The leader of the slaughter, the report alleges, was Jimmy Cherizier then a serving police officer, allegedly acting with the support of senior Haitian politicians who wanted to punish La Saline for its role in a huge wave of protests against then-President Moise. That was the first of many atrocities allegedly backed by Moise's government, which experts say increasingly colluded with criminals to keep a lid on unrest. "'Barbecue' is a Frankenstein['s monster] who has broken free from his master," Sorbonne University geographer Jean-Marie Theodat told AFP, a French news agency, on Sunday. Police officers run holding their guns while confronting a gang during a protest against Prime Minister Ariel Henry's government and insecurity, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti 1 March 2024 (REUTERS) Haiti has long suffered from poverty and political stability. Founded in 1804 by Black revolutionaries who had broken the shackles of slavery, it was eventually forced at swordpoint to pay vast sums in compensation to French former slave owners, creating a debt that would cripple its development for more than a century. Haitian politicians have relied on armed gangs to enforce their rule since at least 1959 when the infamous dictator Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier formed a paramilitary militia known as the Tonton Macoute named after a mythological boogeyman. The problem continued long after the Duvalier family were overthrown in 1986, as Haiti stumbled between military coups and foreign interventions. In 1995 the Haitian military was disbanded after one coup too many, but that put thousands of armed men out of work while creating a power vacuum. When a rogue police official attempted another coup in 2001, it was armed civilians, not soldiers, that thwarted him. Meanwhile, Haiti's position between Latin America and the US made it an attractive route for drug smugglers, creating a new line of commerce for the gangs. Experts say that some progress was made under Rene Preval, the only Haitian leader to democratically win and complete two terms, who took a hard line on gangs. But in 2010, Haiti was struck by a massive magnitude 7.0 earthquake that flattened Port-au-Prince, killing anything between 100,000 and 316,000 people. The Haitian economy was more or less destroyed, while thousands of former gang members escaped from jail. Since then, democratic government has steadily crumbled in Haiti. Before his death, Moise was accused of consolidating power and ruling by decree, repeatedly violating the constitution while refusing to step down at the end of his term. While the reasons for his assassination remain murky, a New York Times investigation found evidence that he was preparing to name names about senior Haitian politicians and businessfolk involved in the drug trade. For his part, Ariel Henry has repeatedly reneged on promises to hold elections, saying that gang violence would make it impossible to ensure that they are fair. Hence, Haiti has been trapped in a fiendish double bind. The United Nations has warned that security must improve before elections can be held. However, the lack of elections has created a crisis of legitimacy that empowers and emboldens the gangs. "For the last three years, the gangs started to gain autonomy. And now they are a power unto themselves," University of Virginia professor Robert Fatton told AP. Just ask Jimmy Cherizier, who gave an interview to AP earlier this year as he strolled through the slums of La Saline, flanked by armed guards and watched from above by a personal monitoring drone. "The government of Ariel Henry is a de-facto government. Its a government that has no legitimacy," he said. "Im not a thief. Im not involved in kidnapping. Im not a rapist. Im just carrying out a social fight." Former police officer Jimmy Barbecue Cherizier, who leads an alliance of armed groups in Haiti, gives a news conference in Port-au-Prince on 11 March, 2024 (REUTERS/Ralph Tedy Erol) Ariel Henry resigns After Henry was left stuck in the US territory of Puerto Rico, having been refused entry by the Dominican Republic (Haitis neighbour on the island of Hispaniola, which shares a land border with it), he began facing pressure to resign. Cherizier and other gang leaders are dead set on removing him and have promised to temporarily stop the violence if he agrees to resign. We are going to call for a truce just to evaluate the situation, Cherizier told ABC News. Everywhere around Port-au-Prince that is currently blocked or inaccessible will be reopened and we will automatically stop the attacks on the police stations. After initially rejecting calls to resign, Mr Henry agreed to resign his position, and said the remnants of his government would end when a transitional council was ready to take over. On Monday US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Jamaica for an urgent Caricom summit aimed at resolving the crisis. Whether Henry was allowed to attend this meeting is unknown. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Foreign Affairs Minister, Kamina Johnson Smith arrive at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel for an emergency summit on the crisis in Haiti. In tow, US Ambassador to Jamaica, Nick Perry. Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry is not in Jamaica and is pic.twitter.com/KyFQOl2hq2 Nationwide90FM (@NationwideRadio) March 11, 2024 What happens next? One possible solution proposed by Caricom: Henry could be replaced by a transitional council, which would select an interim president and arrange the countrys first elections since 2016. However, its hard to imagine how free and fair elections could take place under the current conditions of violence, in a country where armed groups have usurped such power from the government. Guyanas president, Mohamed Irfaan Ali, said: I think we can all agree: Haiti is on the brink of disaster. We must take quick and decisive action. However, he also noted that a transitional council was still a ways off. The United Nations approved an intervention plan that would send 1,000 Kenyan police officers to Haiti to help restore order. However, this intervention faced several barriers. For one, Kenyas High Court has ruled it unconstitutional; for another, 1,000 police officers would not even replace the estimated 3,300 Haitian officers who have deserted since 2021. The mission is also not very well funded: the US has pledged $300m, while Canada has said it will give $80m. However, all of those issues became moot on Tuesday when Kenya announced it would not send a security force due to a lack of a sitting government in Haiti to coordinate their efforts. The deal they signed with the president [William Ruto] still stands although the deployment will not happen now because definitely we will require a sitting government to also collaborate with, Salim Swaleh, Kenyas Foreign Ministry spokesperson, told The New York Times. All of which leaves the future of Haiti, and the safety and prosperity of its people, severely in doubt. This story was originally published on 4 March 2024 and was updated on 12 March to reflect the changing situation. In this Sept. 14 photo, a woman views damage to a commercial building that collapsed during the Sept. 11 floods in Leominster. In a letter to President Joe Biden, Massachusetts Gov. Maura T. Healey appealed the Federal Emergency Management Agency's decision to deny a disaster zone designation to parts of Worcester, Hampden and Bristol counties that were hard hit by torrential rainstorms and flash floods in September. A federal disaster area designation would unlock federal funds and emergency aid, offering financial relief to the families, businesses and governmental agencies that are still in the process of recovery and rebuilding. In her letter, Healey wrote that the storms were devastating for our communities, that she had witnessed the impacts herself, and that businesses were destroyed, roadways and bridges were inaccessible, and some residents had to be evacuated. Healey wrote that Massachusetts had released $10 million in aid two months ago to the affected communities. Her administration has allocated another $5 million to recovery efforts and expects to release that money in the spring. The state has done all that we can to support their recovery, but the needs far outpace our available resources, Healey said in her letter, adding that she believes FEMAs assessment of our request failed to include certain identified costs. Leominster Mayor Dean J. Mazzarella, whose city was hit hard by torrential rain Sept. 11, called it a perfectly written letter. Were still shocked, Mazzarella said of the initial denial that came down Feb. 11. City officials have since been working to collect and prepare documentation of the damage to support Healey's official appeal. In her letter, the governor questioned why only seven of the 56 repair projects submitted by the city were approved by FEMA, adding that a project-by-project explanation is needed for why a specific project was removed from the process and deemed ineligible. Leominster hired a former FEMA employee to help it meet requirements, process the application and fill out the reams of paperwork. No community our size is prepared to deal with 11 inches of rain in four-and-a-half hours, Mazzarella said, adding that Leominster was not flooded due to failure to maintain its infrastructure. Gov. Maura Healey surveys damage in Leominster Sept. 12. With her are state Rep. Natalie M. Higgin, Sen. John Cronin and Mayor Dean Mazzarella. In her letter, Healey said our communities must know that both their state and federal governments understand the severe challenges and stress they are facing, and that we are here to help. Their recovery is particularly daunting given the knowledge that the next severe storm could be around the corner as we continue to see the escalating impacts of climate change, Healey said. Healey wrote that Providence County in Rhode Island had received a federal disaster area proclamation for the same rainstorm. While acknowledging that the two states differ in size and ability to raise taxes, she wrote that the demographics of the affected communities is comparable. Many residents are economically challenged and 45% of Leominster households qualify for federal and state affordable housing programs. In its denial last month, FEMA wrote that its officials determined the damage "was not of such severity and magnitude as to be beyond the capabilities of the state, local governments, and voluntary agencies to recover from," according to CBS Boston. The federal agency, Healey said, failed to weigh other factors in making its decision to deny aid to homeowners, businesses and governmental agencies. She cited the unusually high levels of rainfall through the spring and summer months that saturated the ground, high groundwater tables and the location of furnaces and hot water heaters in basements. As a consequence of climate emergencies endured by Massachusetts in 2023 including a hard freeze in February that devastated the states stone fruit crop, frosts in May that affected the apple and pear crops and summer rainstorms that washed away crop fields Healey has proposed creating a disaster relief and resiliency fund to give the state greater flexibility to respond to natural and manmade disasters. State Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, and Rep. Natalie Blais, D-Deerfield, filed similar legislation. -With reports from State House News Service. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Healey appeals FEMA decision to deny disaster aid for Sept. rainstorms A man accused of killing his wife as he beat her with a crowbar more than 100 times has been sentenced to prison, Alaska prosecutors say. Jim Adams, of Noatak, was given an 80-year prison sentence in relation to his wifes death after he was convicted of second-degree murder last September, the Alaska Department of Law said in a March 11 news release. Adams was also given 10 additional years in the assault of his cousin, prosecutors said. In a March 12 email to McClatchy News, Jay Hochberg, the attorney representing Adams, said he had no comment at this time. Adams, who denied killing his wife in an initial interview with authorities, previously pleaded not guilty, Anchorage Daily News reported. When Adams woke the morning of June 27, 2020, prosecutors said he realized his wife was not home and eventually found her at his cousins home. Armed with a crowbar, prosecutors said Adams kicked in the door to the arctic entry before also kicking in the main door to the home. Evidence at trial showed that as he swung the crowbar at his wife, his cousin stepped in front of her, prosecutors said. This strike broke his cousins arm, but Adams continued to beat him, striking his head and face, prosecutors said. After his cousin fell unconscious on the living room floor, prosecutors said Adams began to beat his wife. He struck her with the crowbar more than 100 times, prosecutors said. Adams took his wifes clothing during the beating and hid them at his home, according to prosecutors. He later claimed the killing was done in a heat of passion after he said he found his wife naked in his cousins bed, prosecutors said. Evidence, however, suggested otherwise, according to prosecutors. Alaska State Troopers later found his wifes bloody clothing at his home, along with the clothes Adams wore during the assaults, prosecutors said. Forensic testing showed the blood on Adams sleeves matched that of his wife and cousin, according to prosecutors. During the trial, prosecutors said the jury rejected the defense of heat of passion and found that Adams acted recklessly in killing his wife. Noatak is in northwest Alaska. If you are experiencing domestic violence and need someone to talk to, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline for support at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788. Man caught cheating shoots pregnant wife as she begged for her life, Alabama court says Husband pulls knife on wife during argument, then stabs man intervening, SC cops say Husband kills 71-year-old wife in their room at retirement community, Georgia cops say A bill that would have provided $50 million in tax credits and grants for families whose children attend private schools or other non-public options will not be advancing to the House floor. House lawmakers on Tuesday voted to hold the bill in a committee after over an hour of testimony and concerns from some legislators. Lawmakers initially rejected a motion to send the bill to the House floor with no recommendation before they voted to hold the bill. House Bill 447 would have provided refundable tax credits of up to $5,000 for families for tuition and other fees related to attending private school or home-school, such as textbooks, tutoring or costs associated with learning pods or micro-schools. For families of children with special needs, it would have provided up to $7,500. The bill would have been capped at $50 million, most of which would have been offered on a first-come, first-serve basis, while $10 million would have specifically gone to low-income families. Lawmakers and those who testified in support of the bill said public school isnt the perfect fit for all Idaho children, and that this legislation would offer support for parents to give their kids the best possible education for them. The legislation would also provide more parental choice and increase competition in education, lawmakers said. I dont think it will be that many kids. But for those who need it, it is life changing, said Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, one of the sponsors of the bill. I feel a moral obligation to care about every childs learning. Those in opposition worried about the lack of transparency and accountability and said the money would primarily go to parents who already pay to send their kids to private schools. Lawmakers worried about the programs long-term sustainability, its fiscal impact and the impacts it would have on rural schools and communities. These are just public dollars replacing private dollars, and so theres no return on our investment and thats whats so fiscally irresponsible about this bill to me, said House Assistant Minority Leader Lauren Necochea, D-Boise. Not to mention that theres still zero accountability. For years, Idaho lawmakers have been discussing school choice bills, iterations of school vouchers, that would direct public money to private schools. The topic was expected to be a key issue this legislative session as states across the country pass similar bills to expand vouchers and other systems. In Idaho, most private schools are concentrated in urban areas, according to previous Idaho Statesman reporting. Although tuition for private schools vary, it can cost tens of thousands of dollars per year. Under the bill, lawmakers would have had to evaluate the $50 million spending cap in 2026 to determine whether its sufficient to address the needs of the program. Horman said shell keep fighting for legislation that will allow parents to choose the best learning environment for their children. We are having continuing conversations about if there is anything we can still move this session, she told the Statesman. We will keep pressing forward until we can get a solution that we believe serves all children in the state of Idaho. Idaho public schools ranked near last in spending During public testimony, representatives from education groups worried the bill could take money away from the states public schools. Idaho has for years ranked last or near last in spending per pupil across the country. I continue to be somewhat astonished that we would be considering dropping all this extra money into a whole new educational system when were regularly not meeting the existing needs of our established ones, said Zach Borman, the president of the West Ada Education Association. Quinn Perry of the Idaho School Boards Association said the legislation violated the principles of fiscal responsibility and conservatism. She pointed to other states across the country that have adopted voucher systems and have seen the appropriations for them grow significantly to support families whose children already attend private school. Robert Sanchez, the vice president of Idaho Business for Education, who presented testimony on behalf of the groups president, called the bill one of the most important pieces of legislation in the history of Idaho. It would have a lasting negative impact on our public schools, Sanchez said. Over time, the legislation would become more and more expensive. It would tie the hands of future lawmakers and make it more difficult for them to fulfill their constitutional mandate to fund free, uniform and thorough public schools. But several parents said paying tuition to send their kids to private schools had been a significant burden on them. The tax credit would help them keep their children in their schools of choice, they said. Others who testified in support of the bill came from out-of-state groups, including the American Federation for Children, which is headquartered in Texas and calls itself a national leader in school choice. Chris Cargill, the president of the Mountain States Policy Center, said analysis shows few families would sign up for the program because they like their public schools. What were talking about here is for the small percentage of students who dont necessarily fit into the public school box, he said. Many of those kids are special needs kids like my son. John Barnett: What were the Boeing whistleblowers allegations about the airline? A Boeing whistleblower who raised concerns over the firms production standards has been found dead aged 62 in South Carolina. Local authorities confirmed that they found former Boeing employee Mr Barnett dead in his truck in a hotel car park over the weekend. Police said it appears he suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound and are investigating further. Mr Barnett had been giving evidence in a lawsuit against Boeing in recent days, having first blown the whistle on alleged aircraft safety issues in 2019. Boeing has responded to Mr Barnetts death, saying: We are saddened by Mr Barnetts passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends. Who is John Barnett and what were his Boeing accusations? Mr Barnett worked at Boeing for over three decades, retiring in 2017 after 32 years with the company. From 2010, he worked as a quality manager at their North Charleston plant in South Carolina, where he worked on the 787 Dreamliner long-haul passenger aircraft. Since retiring, Mr Barnett was engaged in legal action against his former employer for disparaging his character and hampering his career after being forced to retire for raising issues about the company. Boeing denies this, claiming that Mr Barnetts retirement plans were long-standing, and that they had in no way negatively impacted Mr Barnetts ability to continue in whatever chosen profession he so wishes. A Boeing 737 MAX jet, 2020 (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) The qualified aerospace engineer had been giving evidence in a lawsuit related to this case in recent days and was due to return for questioning on Saturday 9 March. Enquiries were made at his hotel when he did not arrive, which is when his body was found. In 2019, Mr Barnett shared concerns about his former employer with the BBC, alleging issues with the oxygen system on board the 787 Dreamliner. The qualified aerospace engineer raised concerns that passengers on board the aircraft could be left without oxygen in case of sudden cabin decompression. After finding some oxygen bottles were not discharging, Mr Barnett commissioned a test of 300 brand new oxygen systems. He claimed 75 of them a quarter did not deploy properly. He claimed that Boeing had blocked him from looking into the matter further. He then went to the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) to complain, but they were unable to substantiate the claim as Boeing had informed them it was working to resolve the issue at the time. The aircraft manufacturer rejects Mr Barnetts allegations, issuing clarification in 2017: [Boeing] identified some oxygen bottles received from the supplier that were not deploying properly. We removed those bottles from production so that no defective bottles were placed on airplanes, and we addressed the matter with our supplier. Every passenger oxygen system installed on our airplanes is tested multiple times before delivery to ensure it is functioning properly, and must pass those tests to remain on the airplane. Mr Barnett also alleged that Boeing failed to follow tracking procedures at its South Carolina plant, as defective items were allowed to be lost. He said that workers had deliberately been fitting sub-standard parts from scrap bins on the production line, claiming that Boeing South Carolina is strictly driven by schedule and cost. A 2017 review by the FAA upheld Mr Barnetts complaint, finding that the location of 53 non-conforming parts was unknown, and ordering Boeing to take action on the issue. Boeing responded to the report saying it had fully resolved the FAAs findings with regard to part traceability, and implemented corrective actions to prevent recurrence. In 2024, Mr Barnett joined other employees in speaking out against the 737 MAX aircraft, which has been subject to several mid-air technical emergencies in recent years. In my opinion, Boeing needs a reckoning from the top down, he said. This is a Boeing issue, this is not a 737 issue. When did Boeings legal issues begin? In 2018 and 2019, two separate Boeing 737 MAX crashed, killing a combined 346 passengers with no survivors. In response, the airline model was grounded around the world a total of 387 planes. Investigations were subsequently made by both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and US House of Representatives in 2020. The following year, the Department of Justice (DoJ) found Boeing had conspired to defraud the FAA during their investigation, meaning they had attempted to cover up their failures and not engaged with the federal government agency honestly. This is a criminal offence in the US, carrying the charge of conspiracy to defraud the US. Entering a deferred prosecution agreement with the DoJ, Boeing was criminally charged and made to pay over $2.5bn. The payment comprised a criminal fine of $243.6m, compensation payments of $1.77bn and a $500m fund to compensate the relatives of the 737 MAX crash victims. A spokesperson for the Criminal Justice Department said: Boeings employees chose the path of profit over candor by concealing material information from the FAA concerning the operation of its 737 Max airplane and engaging in an effort to cover up their deception. This resolution holds Boeing accountable for its employees criminal misconduct, addresses the financial impact to Boeings airline customers, and hopefully provides some measure of compensation to the crash-victims families and beneficiaries. The agreement sees the criminal charge dropped after three years if Boeing complies with all its conditions. The fuselage plug area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 Boeing 737-9 MAX (via REUTERS) On 5 January 2024, a door plug blowout occurred on board Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 at 16,000 feet. Several passengers were injured as the aircraft made an emergency landing with a door-sized hole in the body of the 737 MAX 9 jetliner. The FAA said in January that it was increasing its scrutiny of Boeing, while the Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into the Alaska Airlines blowout in March. Just curious: This occasional feature in the Des Moines Register aims to answer your questions about Iowa. Is there some place, event, lore, history or cultural quirk you're just curious about? Email your question to the Des Moines Register's Bill Steiden at wsteiden@registermedia.com. Thousands of Iowans say Merle Hays name every day, but few know the story of the World War I hero and namesake of the Des Moines shopping mall and road. Who was Merle Hay? Pvt. Merle David Hay, an Iowan, was among the first three U.S. casualties of the war. A farm mechanic and clerk at a farm implement store in his hometown of Glidden, he was known for being mischievous, roller skating, going to movies and smoking a pipe. His mother's sweet rolls were among his favorite foods. The oldest of three children, Hay, 20, quit his job and enlisted in the Army with seven other Glidden-area men less than a month after Congress declared war on Germany. As they left Glidden, hundreds of people packed a church and train depot to see them off. Three weeks later, Hay was on a ship to France. How did Merle Hay die? On July 4, 1917, Hay's battalion marched in a parade in Paris. Afterward Hay trained for four months before being sent to the front lines. By then 21, he died in the early hours of Nov. 3 while serving sentry duty in the trenches near Artois, France, close to enemy lines. He may have been the first killed as 500 German soldiers mounted a surprise attack on the inexperienced American troops. "If it has been necessary that he lay down his life for his country, I'm proud of the boy," Hay's father Harvey said at the time, according to the University of Iowa. "I have another son at home whom I would gladly give up for the same great cause were he old enough. Merle went without my consent and I'm proud of him." Hay was interred in a French cemetery on Nov. 4, 1917. In the summer of 1921 his body was exhumed and transported back to Glidden, where it was reburied after a July 24 funeral that drew about 10,000 mourners from across the Midwest. "The funeral was attended by one of the largest crowds, if not the largest ever assembled at a funeral in the west," the Des Moines Register reported. "Even the transcontinental trains paused to let off visitors from distant towns who had come to the funeral." What monuments are there to Hay? In 1918 a road through Des Moines' northwestern suburbs to Camp Dodge in Johnston was paved and named in honor of Hay. An illustration of the freshly paved Merle Hay Road in August 1918. A 16-ton boulder and plaque placed at the corner of Merle Hay and Aurora roads, now on the nearby grounds of Chapel Hill Cemetery and Merle Hay Funeral Home, memorialized Hay. Members of local VFW posts rededicated a memorial to Merle Hay in 2006 near the corner of Merle Hay and Aurora roads in Des Moines. In 1930, a Georgia granite memorial was built in Glidden, partially with state funds, and Hay was reburied for a third and final time at its base. In 1959 Merle Hay Plaza, a 47-acre shopping center, was built on the northwest corner of Merle Hay and Douglas roads on the Des Moines-Urbandale border. In 1972, the plaza was enclosed and became Merle Hay Mall. From 1982: Recognizable stores at Merle Hay Mall include B. Dalton Bookseller, Rug Crafters, Maurices Mens, The Children's Shop, Hickory Farms and, at far left, Music Den. Is Merle Hay still remembered? More than a century after Hay's death, Glidden still celebrates his legacy. Iowa State Rep. Ray "Bubba" Sorensen in 2021 finished one of his 99-county Freedom Rock paintings in Glidden that includes a portrait of Hay and a rendition of a Des Moines Register cartoon of Uncle Sam carrying his body. "Merle was not in the draft age. Had he chosen to do so he could now be safely at his home," the Glidden Graphic wrote on Nov. 8, 1917. "He went voluntarily because he felt his country needed him, and needed him quickly. It was one chance in a hundred thousand that the first blow of the war should fall upon Glidden. Yet it is a great honor to feel that the first Iowa boy and one of the very first Americans to offer up their lives in France is one of their own." Philip Joens covers retail, real estate and RAGBRAI for the Des Moines Register. He can be reached at 515-284-8184, pjoens@registermedia.com or on Twitter @Philip_Joens. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: The story of Iowa war hero Merle Hay, namesake of road and mall When Joe Cheray wanted to escape the horrific abuse she suffered at the hands of a relative, she said she turned to church leaders for help. And then nothing happened. Cherays abuser was heavily involved in and a large financial contributor to a church located in northeast Kansas. But behind closed doors, Cheray said he was her worst nightmare. Cheray said she suffered everything from emotional abuse and molestation which she said would sometimes occur even in the pews during church services to physical and financial abuse from ages 10 to 15. But when she went to church leaders for help on two separate occasions, she was ignored. They didnt have to do anything because they werent mandated at that time to do anything, Cheray said. I felt hopeless. A Kansas bill, advocated for months by Cheray, would designate clergymen as mandated reporters, thereby requiring them to report suspected abuse. It includes an exception for penitential communication, or private conversations between a clergyman and a layman such as reconciliation. Kansas lawmakers will consider approving the legislation following a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. When Cheray turned 15, she ran away from home. She rode her bicycle several miles to a nearby town. When she arrived, Cheray again called on her priest for comfort. She said the priest simply told her to go back home and pray that things get better. Im angry at the church because they didnt do anything, she said. I dont know why the Catholic Church continues to turn a blind eye to this stuff. Cheray said the person who abused her never faced criminal charges and died about 15 years ago. The bill comes a year after a Kansas Bureau of Investigation report revealed rampant clergy sexual abuse across the state. The report said it had identified 188 suspected offenders and 400 victims since 1950, but it did not name any of the accused clergy. The measure has failed to become law four years in a row to become law despite receiving widespread bipartisan support. If the law is enacted, Kansas would join border states Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma in requiring clergy to report abuse, joining the majority of states and U.S. territories. Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen, a Topeka Democrat who is a pastor, sponsored the legislation. He said the bill is meant to change the culture around sex abuse in religious institutions while putting in place policies that ensure churches are properly protecting children within their care. Schlingensiepen, who preaches at First Congregational Church in Topeka, said that no religious figure should have any reason to object to the bill, which aims to protect the vulnerable. I see absolutely no good reason why any faith community of any faith would want to avoid taking responsibility where its necessary, he said. And some religious organizations, such as the Kansas Catholic Conference, do support the measure with the inclusion of an exception for privileged conversations such as confession. Chuck Weber, the executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference, said the Catholic Church already practices the requirements outlined in the bill. For at least two decades, members of the Catholic clergy in Kansas have been trained, and continue to be trained, to identify and report instances of sexual abuse as a condition of their employment, Weber said. The mandated reporting elements like those contained in HB 2300 are already being practiced by members of the Kansas Catholic clergy, as well as other Catholic Church or school employees or volunteers who are in regular contact with children, he said. Sen. Tom Holland, a Baldwin City Democrat, spearheaded the legislation in previous years after hearing stories from his constituents about clergy abuse. He called the confession exception a get out of jail free card, but recognized it was necessary in order to get churches on board. He said the bill guarantees another avenue to get help escaping abuse, especially since some children, such as homeschooled children, may not have the same access to other kinds of mandatory reporters. Its a matter of having people finally get justice, he said. To me, theres nothing more sickening than having a figurehead in a house of worship who as a child your parents teach you from day one to trust and confide in take that information and twist it to their own benefit when they feel they need to. In the bills fiscal note, the Kansas Department for Children and Family Services estimated the measure would increase the amount of reports filed to the Kansas Protection Report Center, and the Kansas Office of Judicial Administration estimated cases filed for child abuse or neglect would increase in district courts. Most lawmakers contend the legislation is a large step in the right direction to combat abuse in the church. But David Clohessy, former national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said much more needs to be done, such as a complete revision of the states statute of limitations. He said priests and other church officials enjoy too much power under current law, despite ample evidence they often abuse their privileges. Its excessive and unhealthy, dangerous deference, he said. Catholics, citizens, law enforcement and lawmakers all consistently give clergy the benefit of the doubt, over and over and over again in everyday interactions and in the law. When they get too much power, like other human beings, some will abuse that. Some progress has already been made, however. Last year, the progression of this bill was stalled to ensure the enactment of a bill that made radical changes to the statute of limitations, extending the time frame to file civil and criminal cases in child sex crimes. Sen. Cindy Holscher, an Overland Park Democrat, led the charge. She said requiring clergy to be mandated reporters is just another piece of the puzzle and a huge step to combating child sex abuse. She said child predators often know churches are a place where theres easy access to children. People who abuse children, particularly if its sexual abuse, we know generally they do not abuse just one child, she said. Typically they abuse several children. So this is important if theres a case where a clergy needs to see something or hear something, that situation is recorded. Were preventing additional abuse and additional victimization by closing this big gap. Holscher said the GOP flat tax bill, which failed, prevented her from doing further work revising the statute of limitations, but she plans to do more work next session. Schlingensiepen acknowledged the bill may fail yet again to get through the Legislature, as it has for four years in a row. But he said that each year the bill is introduced, it gains positive exposure which he hopes will translate into support from Kansans. He vowed to keep bringing the issue to the Legislature until its passed. If it fails this session, Ill bring it back next session, he said. This isnt going to go away. Early in his new book about the 2020 presidential election, Rhode Island's Ken Block draws on his own gubernatorial campaign for perspective on how Donald Trump could have, in another world, handled his loss to Joe Biden. "I conceded the race to someone I would rather have punched in the nose," Block writes, referring to the 2014 Republican primary against then-Cranston Mayor Allan Fung. "I lost with as much grace as possible. I knew that life would go on." In "Disproven: My Unbiased Search for Voter Fraud for the Trump Campaign, the Data that Shows Why He Lost, and How We Can Improve Our Elections," Block recounts one of the first things the Trump campaign did in 2020 instead of conceding: searching for voter fraud in hopes of reversing the outcome. Block was called on by the Trump campaign to find voter fraud Block, a data analyst and owner of Simpatico Software Systems, had a unique vantage point to evaluate the blizzard of election fraud allegations that emerged after the vote and the federal subpoenas to prove it. The day after the Nov. 3 election, with votes still being counted and many states still too close to call, the Trump campaign called Block at his Barrington home and asked if he would like a job searching for voter fraud. "Somebody was going to do this work. That person should do the work honestly, thoroughly, and most importantly, impartially," Block recounts telling his daughter as he prepared to take the job. "This project represented a unique opportunity the chance to perform a nationwide audit of election data with a large budget and the data-gathering resources of the Republican National Committee," he goes on. "The job, done well, would be about something more than the candidate. It would be about the process." Ken Block in Barrington in 2021. Dead ends, cold water and conspiracy theories Unique as it was, the job Block describes through 300 pages of "Disproven" involves almost exclusively running down dead ends and throwing cold water on unlikely conspiracy theories. There was the claim that in Nevada, more than 16,000 voters had also cast ballots in another state. And the allegations that more than 740,000 people in Wisconsin had voted twice. And an uncertain number of dead Pennsylvanians had cast a ballot. As Block has already told the media and federal prosecutors, none of it checked out. Ken Block owns Simpatico Software Systems and is the author of "Disproven My Unbiased Search for Voter Fraud for the Trump Campaign, the Data That Shows Why He Lost, and How We Can Improve Our Elections." What's in the book? In addition to the resources and opportunity to do an unparalleled deep dive into election data, a lifelong interest, Block also received around $755,000 from the Trump campaign. And he got the material, surprisingly not covered by a nondisclosure agreement, that would turn into "Disproven." Roughly a third of the book describes Block's data work for Trump, a third plunges deep into the election results to explain why Trump lost and another third outlines Block's prescriptions for making American elections more secure. There are a few Rhode Island anecdotes. There's a whole chapter dedicated to his successful campaign to eliminate the master lever. While he never found evidence of significant voter fraud against Trump, Block flags data he says "hints at a broader problem but cannot take it beyond a hint." One example he offers is the share of recently registered 2016 Central Falls voters without Personally Identifying Information, either a drivers license or Social Security number, in their registrations. Overall, Central Falls was in the middle of the pack for voters without personally identifying information that year, but counting only registrations made after the Help America Vote Act mandated it, Block said the city rose to more than 20% without the information, more than double the share in most other communities. "Although I publicized this finding, no one did anything with it, which is not surprising given how controversial anything to do with enforcing existing voting rules has become," he writes. Block says one of the things that made him want to write the book was watching in 2020 as "Rhode Island candidates I knew began repeating the false claim that voter fraud had caused their own losses in the 2020 election cycle." Specifically, he calls out former Rhode Island state representative and congressional candidate Robert Lancia of Cranston. Block's records, testimony used in court cases after the election Investigators working on special council Jack Smith's case against Trump for attempting to overturn the election subpoenaed Block's records. He was also subpoenaed in Georgia election worker Ruby Freeman's defamation case against Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, for which Giuliani was ordered to pay nearly $150 million. And he was interviewed and subpoenaed in the Fulton County, Georgia case brought by District Attorney Fani Willis, against Trump for trying to find 11,780 votes." But he has not had to testify in any Trump-related cases, at least not yet. "For the legal matters that are still pending, they're both kind of in suspended animation," Block told The Journal in a phone interview. "So whether or not I take part in those things is anybody's guess." Block's work analyzing voting across the country over multiple elections has convinced him that the United States would benefit from greater standardization across jurisdictions and, ideally, automatic voter registration at the federal level. How much do the rules vary from state-to-state? "I use the example of what happens to someone's vote if they vote early and then die before election," he said. "And the answer to that question is it depends on where they live, which is a terrible answer. If you live in Michigan, your vote gets canceled. If you live in Rhode Island, your vote counts." This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Trump's search for voter fraud in 2020 election re-told in new book Prestonsburg Mayor Les Stapleton has been accused of verbal and physical sexual assault against a former city employee, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday. The lawsuit was filed in Floyd Circuit Court by the womans attorney, Dale Golden. Stapleton, whos been mayor since 2014, and the city of Prestonsburg have been named co-defendants in the lawsuit. The lawsuit claims Stapleton used his authority as mayor to subject the former employee to unwanted sexual advances, touching and comments. Stapleton allegedly requested sexual favors from the woman, which she felt compelled to do. The Herald-Leader does not name victims of sexual assault or abuse. Stapleton did not immediately return an email Tuesday morning seeking comment. The lawsuit also claims Stapleton touched the woman without consent, exposed himself, engaged in sexual acts and created a hostile work environment for her. The conduct was described as severe, inappropriate and pervasive. The former employee worked at the Mountain Arts Center, which is owned by the city of Prestonsburg, since 2001, according to court documents. The lawsuit doesnt specify when her employment there ended. Stapletons alleged conduct occurred during business hours at the center and at city hall, the lawsuit claims. Stapleton would lock the door to the office where the alleged assaults occurred, according to court documents. Stapleton told the woman her job and benefits depended on his requests for sexual favors, according to court documents. Court documents say Stapleton has the ability to hire, fire, promote and discipline employees of the center. The woman was constructively discharged from the Mountain Arts Center as a result of Stapletons conduct, according to court documents. The lawsuit claims Stapleton and the city discriminated against the woman based on her gender. Constructive discharge is when an employees resignation or retirement is not found to be voluntary but instead forced due to a hostile or intolerable work environment created by the employer, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. After the womans constructive discharge, Stapleton pursued the victim at her new workplace and continued to expose himself, according to court documents. Stapleton also made threats to physically assault the woman, according to court documents. Stapletons conduct also took place at city hall in Prestonsburg. Stapleton has not been criminally charged in connection to the allegations. Golden said he was not aware of any police reports being filed about the allegations. The city was named as a co-defendant in the lawsuit for failing to adopt adequate procedures to prevent and/or detect sexual harassment and abuse by Prestonsburg officials, the lawsuit says. The city knew or should have known about Stapletons conduct but failed to appropriately respond. The city was notified of the hostile work environment created by Stapleton but failed to appropriately respond. The lawsuit says the city is liable for the incidents that occurred and for Stapletons conduct. The woman was intentionally humiliated by Stapleton and suffered severe emotional distress from Stapletons conduct, according to court documents. She was also treated differently than other employees and Stapleton attempted to silence her. Stapletons behavior towards female employees was severe enough that the city should have terminated or started proceedings to remove Stapleton from office, the lawsuit says. Kentucky law prohibits sexual harassment in the workplace. No woman should ever tolerate such conduct, Golden said in a comment to the Herald-Leader. Stapleton previously intended to run for the 29th District of the State Senate, but said in January he would be leaving the race, according to WYMT. ROCHESTER An autopsy shows Joseph Russell died of multiple gunshot wounds. Russell, 36, a suspect in multiple vehicle thefts, was shot and killed by New Hampshire State Police in a residential neighborhood Friday night, according to authorities. State police said Russell, attempting to flee on foot, was taken down by a police dog. Police said he then pulled a gun, leading troopers to fire at him. The New Hampshire attorney general is investigating. Joseph Russell Michael Garrity, spokesperson for the attorney general, said the investigation into the officer-involved shooting is ongoing, and the identity of the troopers who used deadly force will be disclosed once formal interviews of all involved in the incident occur in the coming days. "Further information will be provided at that time," said Garrity. "I can tell you that State Police were called in around 8 p.m. on March 8. Attorney General John M. Formella announced the results of the autopsy completed on Russell. Deputy Chief Medical Examiner Mitchell Weinberg conducted the autopsy on Russell and determined his cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds, and the manner of death was homicide. Homicide is defined as the killing of one person by another. Police say Russell's death followed string of car thefts Hours before Russell died, Rochester police posted on Facebook they were "looking for Joseph Russell, 36, who was a person of interest in a string of motor vehicle thefts in both Rochester and Lebanon, Maine, over the previous two days. Based on witness statements, Russell is believed to be armed and dangerous. Russell is also wanted on unrelated charges." Rochester police urged residents not to approach Russell. On Friday, police were notified Russell was spotted driving in Rochester and intercepted him on Route 16 in the area of Gooseberry Circle. Police also learned Russell had a firearm, the AG said. Russell abandoned the vehicle he was driving and fled on foot into the Gooseberry Circle residential area. Rochester police and New Hampshire State Police troopers entered the residential area and spotted Russell walking between residences, the attorney general said. When Russell spotted law enforcement, he fled again. Law enforcement pursued Russell, issuing several verbal commands to stop and surrender. When he did not comply, a State Police trooper released their K-9 partner to subdue Russell. When the K-9 brought Russell to the ground, law enforcement reported seeing Russell draw a firearm and two state troopers fired at Russell, who died at the scene, according to the attorney general. No other private citizens and no law enforcement officers were physically injured during the incident. The investigation is being led by the AG and the New Hampshire State Police Major Crimes Unit. The exact circumstances surrounding this incident remain under investigation, according to the attorney general. Russell had history with police In 2016, Russell was stopped by Portsmouth police for having the wrong license plate on a car, and it was then discovered that he was wanted on three warrants and he was found to be in possession of heroin, police said. One warrant from Strafford County alleged Russell committed the crime of armed robbery. A second warrant from Sanford, Maine, alleges he committed a burglary and the third warrant from the New Hampshire state prison system alleges Russell violated parole, according to police reports. A search of court records produced further incidents involving Russell. Also in 2016, Rochester police arrested and charged Russell with one felony count of criminal threatening, three misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief and one parole violation. He was sentenced to the New Hampshire House of Corrections and ordered to participate in drug court. In 2017, Russell was arrested in July by South Berwick, Maine, police and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and indicted on the felony charge by York County. In 2011, Russell was found guilty of two felony charges, armed robbery and burglary in Strafford County Superior Court on a Rochester case. Rochester police were seeking Joseph Russell before he was shot and killed by state troopers, according to authorities. This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Joseph Russell autopsy: Suspect shot multiple times in Rochester UC Davis Medical Center officials provided new information after the hospital treated an infant with measles last week, causing more than 300 people to be potentially exposed across 16 Northern California counties. Calling the situation under control, UC Davis Health said in a Friday statement the child arrived to its Sacramento facility March 5 after traveling from abroad. The infant was first treated at a San Joaquin County urgent care facility before coming to Sacramento, wrote Istvan Fazekas, a spokesman with San Joaquin County Public Health Services. The child was never admitted to UC Davis Medical Center and went home the same day, wrote Liam Connolly, a spokesman for UC Davis Health, in an email Monday. Its unclear where the infected infant whose exact age public health officials have declined to release went after March 5. Fazekas wrote in an email he isnt aware of the child coming back to a San Joaquin County medical facility for treatment. There are approximately 300 people who were exposed to the virus at the hospital, a total that includes inpatients, outpatients, employees and people accompanying their loved ones to the UC Davis Health facility that day, Connolly wrote. Fazekas wrote approximately 30 additional people in San Joaquin County were exposed. He added that each person has been contacted and given a chance to be vaccinated. Besides the infant, there are no other confirmed instances of infection in the county, Fazekas said Monday. Measles is a highly contagious disease in which 90% of unvaccinated people who are exposed to the virus can be infected via airborne particles, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Measles manifests as a high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes, according to the CDC. Symptoms appear seven to 14 days after initially exposed to the virus, which can last in the air for up to two hours. Sacramento and El Dorado counties in statements Friday said the child with measles was at the hospital around noon to 5 p.m. last Tuesday, March 5. Residents who may have been around the virus live in 16 Northern California counties, including Sacramento, Placer and El Dorado counties, spokespersons for those three counties said. UC Davis Health employees said they are notifying each person who was potentially exposed through in-person communications, phone calls, online messages and letters. Staff members caring for patients staying in the hospital have also been informed of proper infection prevention processes, the university health systems statement said. There is no need for a public alert, and there are no additional potential exposures at UC Davis Medical Center beyond those people who have been identified and contacted, UC Davis Health wrote in the statement. Katie Combs-Prichard, a spokeswoman for Placer County, said county health officials reached some residents but not everyone. People who have not yet been notified of their potential exposure and are non-immunized against measles must now quarantine for 21 days from the date of the initial exposure, she said. Elizabeth Zelidon, a spokeswoman with the Sacramento County public health office, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. Zelidon said Friday that the residents who may have been exposed spanned 16 counties. MMR vaccination rates for California children Local, state and federal health officials emphasize the importance of childhood vaccinations to prevent the spread of measles, as immunization rates for disease have trended slightly downward and as outbreaks have recently been reported in the U.S. The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is among required immunizations for students of both public and private K-12 schools in California. Adults can also get vaccinated against the virus. MMR vaccination rates have declined by about 0.2 percentage points in three years, according to the California Department of Public Health, going from 96.5% in 2019-20 to 96.3% in 2021-22. CDPH officials publish immunization rates for schools across each county, ranking them on a five-tiered system of the safest schools and to campuses with delinquent status. There were at least 16 schools in Sacramento County ranked vulnerable, one ranking away from delinquent and denoting less than 80% of kindergartners in compliance with required immunizations, according to CDPH data for 2020 to 2022. The schools include a mix of charter schools, private institutions and public schools. California health data also show vaccination rates vary widely by county. Statewide, 94% of kindergartners were compliant with all required immunizations for the 2021-22 academic year. For San Joaquin County, the rate was 94.9%. In Sacramento County, it was 92.7%; and in El Dorado County, it was 78.2%. Measles cases and outbreaks have been reported across the U.S. in recent weeks. The CDC as of Thursday had reported 45 cases across 17 states this year, compared to 58 cases for all of 2023. California health officials have reported four infections in 2024: two in early February and two so far in March. According to CDPH data, the state recorded four cases all of last year and none during 2022. A change in bail was denied Monday for one of two accused Chiefs parade shooters, according to Jackson County court documents. Lyndell Mays, 23, of Raytown will stay behind bars while he awaits trial on charges related to the Feb. 14 shooting at Kansas Citys Union Station that killed 43-year-old Lisa Lopez-Galvan and left 22 others with gunshot injuries. The bond review hearing for Mays was rescheduled several times, including on March 4, when it was postponed because his lawyer was unable to attend. It was postponed again on March 5 when the attorney stated he needed more time to address the bond. Mays is currently being held in Jackson County jail on a $1 million cash only bond. Jackson County prosecutors allege the shooting began after an altercation between Mays and a group of people he had no prior history with. The group approached Mays to see why they were staring at each other, according to probable cause affidavits. Mays was allegedly the first person to fire a gun in the crowd, before he was subsequently shot and taken to an area hospital. Mays is charged with second degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon and two counts of armed criminal action. His next hearing is scheduled for April 18 at 1:30 p.m. Dominic M. Miller, 18, of Kansas City, who is still hospitalized for his injuries, is also was charged with one count each of second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon and two counts of armed criminal action. A court date for Miller, has not yet been booked into Jackson County jail, has not been set. His cash bond has also been set at $1 million. His attorney, however, has asked that he be released on his own recognizance or have his bond lowered. Previous reporting from The Stars Bob Cronkleton, Kendrick Calfee and Andrea Klick were used in this story. A New Mexico man contracted and died of plague in the states first recorded fatality from the disease since 2020, its public health agency announced Friday. The Lincoln County man, whose name was not released, succumbed to the illness after being hospitalized, the New Mexico Department of Health said in a statement. His was the first reported case of the rodent-origin bacterial disease since 2021. We extend our deepest sympathy to the family of the Lincoln County man who succumbed to plague, Erin Phipps, the state veterinarian, said. The bacterial disease, typically spread through infected flea bites, can be transferred to people through a chain of animal interactions. Outdoor dogs and cats who roam freely can bring back the infected fleas who feasted on dead rodents. New Mexicos health department focused on outreach and prevention in its announcement, advising residents to avoid wild animal nests and protect pets from infection by using flea control products and keeping them from roaming or hunting. This tragic incident serves as a clear reminder of the threat posed by this ancient disease and emphasizes the need for heightened community awareness and proactive measures to prevent its spread, Phipps said. David Morgan, the departments public information officer, said New Mexicos small and mostly rural population and patient privacy laws made it difficult to release details relating to the case, such as the mans age, how the man became sick and where in Lincoln County he contracted the disease. The department said it would conduct an environmental assessment in the community to evaluate risk in its announcement. U.S. cases of plague occur almost exclusively in the West, with more than half of all recorded cases between 1970-2020 developing in New Mexico alone. According to the CDC, there are about 1-17 reported cases per year across the entire U.S. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Mr Sleight is part of a team of volunteers who have built shelters for locals in Morocco who lost their homes in the earthquake A man from Hull who got caught in the Morocco earthquake in 2023 has been building shelters to help locals. Steve Sleight, a plumber who lives near the Atlas Mountains, said it was a "real joy" to provide temporary homes for people. A 6.8 magnitude quake on 8 September caused thousands of deaths. Mr Sleight was "gazing at the stars" on a friend's roof when the earthquake happened. Mr Sleight, 50, moved to Morocco in 2019 to become a mountain guide. His new home in the town of Amizmiz is around 34 miles (55km) south of Marrakesh and about seven miles (12km) away from the epicentre of the earthquake. Currently back in East Yorkshire for work, Mr Sleight described the earthquake as "like a train that was coming towards me", and said it lasted for around 20 seconds. He said no one was injured, but three or four houses in the village were flattened. But with nearby villages being reduced to rubble, Mr Sleight teamed up with some friends to help distribute food, water, sanitary products and basic first aid kids. After around two weeks of delivering aid, Mr Sleight said it "became apparent" that the tents families were in were not weatherproof, and could be ripped apart in storms. Over the past three months, Mr Sleight has volunteered with a temporary-shelter building project to build around 800 shelters in 20 villages up in the mountains. They have been built using local materials with a layer of tinplate on the outer parts and polystyrene insulation and could last two years. Mr Sleight said: "It gives people enough time to hopefully start rebuilding their houses." 'Puts life into perspective' Mr Sleight said he will always remember the "wailing of the women and the grief" that he witnessed when people were being pulled from the rubble. Reflecting on the locals, he said: "They live simple lives but they're very resilient people. They've been through a lot of trauma which will take them a while to recover from. "It puts life into perspective. To be able to help practically is a real joy." Follow BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastyorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk Sign up for CNNs Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. Marine researchers on a mission to record life hidden in the worlds oceans have reported they found about 100 potential new species including one mystery starlike creature. The expedition team focused its investigation on the 500-mile (800-kilometer) long Bounty Trough, a little-explored part of the ocean off the coast of New Zealand, east of South Island. The scientists three-week voyage aboard the research vessel Tangaroa, which belongs to the countrys National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, occurred in February. Two mystery specimens could be a new species of octocoral or a whole other new group entirely, according to Dr. Michela Mitchell, a taxonomist at the Queensland Museum Network. - Ocean Census/NIWA The team collected almost 1,800 samples from depths as far down as 3 miles (4,800 meters), finding species of fish, squid, mollusk and coral that they believe are new to science. Youve got this big area off the east coast of New Zealand where theres just an absolutely paucity of data points. We dont know anything about it, said Dr. Daniel Moore, expedition science manager of Ocean Census, a new alliance launched in April 2023 that aims to identify 100,000 unknown species in the next 10 years. It was true exploration, very exciting. For the next three weeks, a team of scientists will sort and describe the deep-sea finds to confirm whether they are newfound species. The teams scientists have been puzzled by one find, which they initially thought was a type of sea star or sea anemone. It is still a mystery. We cant even describe it to family. We dont know where it is in the tree (of life) as of yet, so thatll be interesting, Moore said. Two eelpouts that could be new to science were captured in a fish trap set 1.7 miles (2,700 meters) below the ocean's surface at the Bounty Trough. - Ocean Census/NIWA Dr. Michela Mitchell, a taxonomist at the Queensland Museum Network, said in a statement released by Ocean Census it could be a type of deep-sea coral called octocoral. Even more excitingly, it could be a whole new group outside of the octocoral. If it is, that is a significant find for the deep sea and gives us a much clearer picture of the planets unique biodiversity, she said in the statement. Researchers search and sort a sample collected from the ocean floor on board the research vessel Tangaroa. - Ocean Census/NIWA Moore said he was surprised that the team found a new species of fish known as an eelpout that was instantly recognized as being different to the others. Finding new vertebrates is rare. Theres hundreds of thousands of invertebrates in the sea that we still dont know. Vertebrates, we like to think that we know whats out there, but the reality is, we just dont, he said. The researchers provisionally assigned a potential new genus of black coral to the family Stylopathidae. - Ocean Census/NIWA To collect the samples, the vessel towed three different types of sleds depending on the terrain. These included a traditional beam trawl that towed a net to collect samples, a heavy-duty seamount sled for rocky surfaces and another device that sampled the water just above the seafloor, as well as a towed underwater camera. Huge gaps remain in scientific knowledge of the ocean depths. Of the 2.2 million species believed to exist in Earths oceans, only 240,000 have been described by scientists, according to Ocean Census. Editors Note: Call to Earth is a CNN editorial series committed to reporting on the environmental challenges facing our planet, together with the solutions. Rolexs Perpetual Planet initiative has partnered with CNN to drive awareness and education around key sustainability issues and to inspire positive action. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A Napa Valley winery known for its eclectic vintage service station space is set to open a tasting room in Paso Robles. According to a news release, the family-owned Tank Garage Winery will open its second California filling station in downtown Paso Robles, at 840 13th St., in the spring. Its the first expansion for the winery, which according to the release has long loved and made wines from Paso Robles and the Central Coast region, and aims to offer guests a new opportunity to experience Tank. The original Tank Garage Winery opened in 2014 in a restored vintage service station in Calistoga. It featured a diverse collection of small-lot wine blends from around California, according to the release. The success of the original location inspired the brand to seek more opportunities for locations throughout the state, the release said. Tank loves the Paso Robles wine region, and we are thrilled to join this incredible community of people and vineyards, co-founder James Harder said in the release. It has been a dream to bring Tank to a new location in California, and Paso Robles is a perfect fit. We believe Paso Robles is one of the preeminent destinations for wine, and we hope to be a positive contributor to their community. Harder added: Our motto from the start has been to Never Dream Alone, so we are stoked to open our second location in Paso Robles this spring. What will new tasting room feature? According to the release, the Paso Robles Filling Station will offer a new, yet familiar way to experience Tanks unique wine blends, stories and cool California vibes. Similar to Tanks original location, the new tasting room will feature a Lubrication Bar in the front room with a mechanic aesthetic and vintage Indian motorcycle. It will also have a Backstage Lounge in the back with a vintage rock and roll atmosphere, and odes to the Rolling Stones, according to the release. The new tasting room will offer wines from Tanks full line-up, as well as exclusive Paso Robles releases throughout the year, the release said. An official opening date has not yet been announced, but Tank wine club members will have access to an exclusive preview ahead of the public opening, according to the release. For more information and updates about Tanks Paso Robles opening, you can subscribe to their mailing list at tankgaragewinery.com or follow Tank on Instagram, @tankwinery. [Source] Dragon Ball, which will mark its 40th anniversary later this year, traces its roots back to the inspiration of the iconic action star Jackie Chan. The kung-fu manga: In a 1995 interview with Japan's Bird Land Press, manga artist Akira Toriyama expressed his admiration for Jackie Chans movies, particularly citing the film series Drunken Master as his favorite. When Toriyamas successful manga series Dr. Slump was completed in 1984, his editor at the time suggested he create a kung-fu shonen manga, eventually leading him to develop the Dragon Boy one-shot, which served as a prototype for Dragon Ball. Chans influence on Toriyama: Chan's dynamic, death-defying stunts in films like Dragon Fist and Dragon Lord served as a crucial influence on Toriyama, shaping his series signature kung-fu essence. Toriyama also paid playful homage to the martial arts master through the character Jackie Chun, an alter ego of Master Roshi. Toriyama said that the action star's impact on Dragon Ball underscores both the series inception and its subsequent success. Toriyamas influence on Chan: As for Chan, he also confessed to drawing inspiration from Toriyamas Dr. Slump for his films. In fact, in his 1985 film My Lucky Stars, Chan wears the attire of the series protagonist, Arale Norimaki, in a notable scene. This reciprocal exchange of creative inspiration shows the mutual admiration between Toriyama and Chan, highlighting the interconnectedness across different mediums and cultures. Trending on NextShark: AirAsia CEO says he has no regrets over viral topless photo When their paths crossed: Chan and Toriyama decided to meet in Japan while the martial artist was there to film the aforementioned scene in My Lucky Stars. Toriyama published details and photos of the serendipitous occasion in the December 1986 issue of Bird Land Press. Chan as Goku: In 2013, Toriyama reportedly told Fuji TV that he wanted a younger Chan to play Goku in real life. The first official live-action adaptation of the franchise came in 2009's "Dragon Ball Evolution," which was received poorly by critics and fans alike. Chan, on the other hand, expressed his desire to play the character as early as 1995 in a Shenlong Times interview in "Dragon Ball Daizenshuu 1: Complete Illustrations." Chans farewell: Toriyama, who was born in 1955 in Nagoya, died at the age of 68 on March 1 from acute subdural hematoma, which involves bleeding near the brain after a head injury. After the news was announced, Chan shared his final goodbye to the creator on Weibo. Trending on NextShark: How Jackie Chan and late Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama inspired each other Akira Toriyama-sensei, thank you for creating so many classic works, they will last forever. Farewell, Chan wrote along with a photo of the two of them. Far-reaching influence: Toriyama's far-reaching influence is also evident in the expressions of grief from fans, fellow manga creators Masashi Kishimoto (Naruto) and Eiichiro Oda (One Piece) and China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, who extended condolences and recognized the creators renowned status and the popularity of his work in China. Toriyamas legacy lives on through Dragon Ball, which continues to inspire generations of fans worldwide. Trending on NextShark: Ex-Jaguars employee gets 6.5-year sentence for $22 million theft Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today! Editors Note: Dean Obeidallah, a former attorney, is the host of SiriusXM radios daily program The Dean Obeidallah Show. Follow him on Threads. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own. Read more opinion at CNN. Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama delivered the GOP response last week to President Joe Bidens State of the Union, and America has been ruthlessly delivering its response to Britt ever since. Social media exploded with brutal reviews of Thursdays speech, mocking everything from Britts acting class energy to her decision to deliver the address from her kitchen (suggesting, perhaps, that some in the GOP think thats where women belong), as well as her breathless delivery. Dean Obeidallah - CNN Saturday Night Live piled on this weekend, with Scarlett Johansson making a surprise appearance portraying the senator in the shows opening sketch, overperforming every line including tonight Ill be auditioning for the part of scary mom and Ill be performing an original monologue called this country is hell. At least one person truly loved Britts speech: Former President Donald Trump praised Britt for delivering what he called a GREAT speech that was compassionate and caring. His accolades should not come as a surprise. After all, Britt took a page from his playbook by baselessly ratcheting up fears about an influx of migrants to scare voters into supporting the GOP. In her address, Britt blamed Biden for the border crisis, claiming he invited it with his executive actions. During the speech, she told the harrowing story of a woman she said shed met on the Texas side of the southern border who told her about having been sex trafficked by the cartels starting at the age of 12. She told me not just that she was raped every day, but how many times a day she was raped, Britt said. After sharing additional details of the womans story, the senator declared, We wouldnt be OK with this happening in a Third World country. This is the United States of America and it is past time, in my opinion, that we start acting like it. She added, President Bidens border policies are a disgrace. The senators words might have led some listeners to conclude that Bidens border policies resulted in this child being sex trafficked beginning at the age of 12. However, that was not even close to the truth. As fact checkers detailed and Britts own staff admitted after strong pushback by critics of the speech this sex trafficking did not happen during Bidens presidency. And contrary to what Britt seemed to imply, the vile abuse didnt occur on US soil. It took place in Mexico. SNL mocked the speech and its speaker, with Johansson-as-Britt declaring, Im going to do a pivot out of nowhere into a shockingly violent story about sex trafficking. She quickly added, to big laughs, Rest assured, every detail about it is real except the year, where it took place and who was president when it happened. Amid the uproar over the storys accuracy, Britts spokesperson defended it as 100% correct, but conceded that the individual at the center of the account was Karla Jacinto Romero, who testified to Congress years ago about having been forced by traffickers to work in Mexican brothels between 2004 and 2008 during the George W. Bush administration. Britts border narrative was grossly misleading, but exaggerated stories designed to gin up fears of non-white migrants are exactly what Trump has been delivering from the day he descended the gilded elevator in Trump Tower and kicked off his 2016 presidential run. Trump launched that campaign by falsely telling voters that Mexico was sending people to the United States who were bringing crime and were rapists. Britts story conjures up the very same theme one that the former president and his supporters have returned to repeatedly since his election. During the 2018 midterm elections, for example, Trump and the Republican establishment put out a message that caravans filled with thugs and bringing crime were heading to the United States. After the election, however, when voters rejected the GOP scare tactics and flipped control of the House of Representatives to the Democrats, the GOP suddenly became suspiciously quiet about migrant caravans. Despite that election loss, scaring people about immigrants is still a major part of Trumps playbook. In December, he invoked the dangerous language of Adolph Hitler, claiming that immigrants were poisoning the blood of America. (Trump has said he was unaware that the quote had been uttered by Hitler.) Last month, while visiting the southern border, Trump lied that jails throughout the world were being emptied so that former inmates could migrate to the US. And just last week, after the Super Tuesday primaries, Trump claimed, Our cities are being overrun with migrant crime, and thats Biden migrant crime. The data does not support the assertion that migrants are responsible for higher rates of crime quite the contrary, in fact. But facts dont seem to matter when you are trying to scare voters. The Republican Party was not always associated with racist, anti-immigrant rhetoric. GOP President Ronald Reagan in 1989 declared that immigrants were making our nation forever young, forever bursting with energy and new ideas. The 40th US President added, If we ever closed the door to new Americans, our leadership in the world would soon be lost. But that GOP is dead. Its now the party of Trump. Thats why Britts misleading statements about crime and migrants are applauded by Trump. So, laugh at Britt as much as you want. As long as she stokes fear about migrants, she will be beloved by Trump and the MAGA base. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com North Carolina's more than 135 death row inmates could potentially see their sentences changed to life in prison in the wake of a landmark hearing scheduled to begin next week that will test whether racial discrimination has played a role in jury selection in capital cases. The lead case focuses on Hasson Bacote, a Black man who was sentenced to death in 2009 by 10 white and two Black jurors for his role in a felony murder. Bacote, now 37, has been held in a Raleigh prison as death sentences in North Carolina remain on hold, in part, due to legal disputes and difficulties obtaining lethal injection drugs. Bacote sought to challenge his trial's outcome based on a groundbreaking state law known as the Racial Justice Act of 2009, which allowed death row inmates to seek resentences if they could show racial bias was a factor in their cases. In 2013, then-Gov. Pat McCrory, a Republican, repealed the law, arguing that it "created a judicial loophole to avoid the death penalty and not a path to justice." But the state Supreme Court in 2020 ruled in favor of many of the inmates, allowing those like Bacote who had already filed challenges in their cases to move ahead. At the time, nearly every person on death row, including both Black and white prisoners, filed for reviews under the Racial Justice Act, according to The Associated Press. Now, Bacote's legal team, which includes lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union and Legal Defense Fund, are gearing up for a trial court hearing to begin Monday in Johnston County. It could last two weeks. "We think the statistical evidence will be powerful and demonstrate the lasting impact of discrimination," Henderson Hill, senior counsel with the ACLU, told reporters Wednesday. Lawyers plan to call several historians, social scientists and others to establish a history and pattern of discrimination used in jury selection in Bacote's trial and in Johnston County, a majority-white suburban county of Raleigh that once prominently displayed Ku Klux Klan billboards during the Jim Crow era. In court filings, Bacote's lawyers suggested that local prosecutors at the time of his trial were "nearly two times more likely to exclude people of color from jury service than to exclude whites," and in Bacote's case, prosecutors chose to strike prospective Black jurors from the jury pool at more than three times the rate of prospective white jurors. Bacote's legal team also said its evidence will show that in Johnston County, the death penalty was 1 times more likely to be sought and imposed on a Black defendant and two times more likely "in cases with minority defendants." Notes about jurors in other capital cases in North Carolina may also help bolster the evidence, with the ACLU saying it found references made by prosecutors about Black jurors' physical appearance, from dark skin tones to being referred to as a "thug." Meanwhile, the office of North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein is attempting to delay the upcoming hearing, arguing in a court filing that the claims made by Bacote's lawyers are based, in part, on a Michigan State University study that the North Carolina Supreme Court had already found last year to be "unreliable and fatally flawed." While the state attorney general's office said in its court filing that racial bias in jury selection is "abhorrent," according to NBC affiliate WRAL in Raleigh, the office added that a "claim of racial discrimination cannot be presumed based on the mere assertion of a defendant; it must be proved." Stein's office declined to comment last week because the case is ongoing. Stein, a Democrat running for North Carolina governor in November, has taken heat from a primary challenger who questioned his office's stance in trying to halt the upcoming hearing. "It's shameful that my primary opponent AG Stein is trying to keep a Convicted Black defendant from getting his long-awaited day in court before early voting begins," Michael Morgan, a former state Supreme Court justice, wrote on X. The anticipated hearing comes amid a politically volatile election year in the state, as the seat held by Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, will be up for grabs, along with Stein's attorney general position and a seat on the state Supreme Court, which now has a Republican majority. The last time a prisoner was put to death in North Carolina was in 2006, prompting a de facto moratorium on death penalty cases. In light of the Racial Justice Act being repealed, Cooper has faced calls from anti-death penalty advocates to commute the sentences of the remaining death row inmates. "There's no question that our evidence in Hasson Bacote's case goes to this broader conversation that's happening in North Carolina over whether we should keep the death penalty or if the governor should commute the row," Cassandra Stubbs, the director of the ACLU's Capital Punishment Project, said. In deciding whether Bacote's death sentence should be changed to life in prison, the judge could rule from the bench or make his decision at a later time, Stubbs said, adding that it could set a precedent. "Is there discrimination statewide in jury selection in North Carolina?" she asked. "That's the question at stake, that's the question that the judge will be answering." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com A push by Democrats to get more New Yorkers to vote has fueled a stream of bills in Albany. So what's next on the agenda? Letting counties deploy ballot drop boxes and set up "portable" polling stations for early voting. Both bills are meant to make voting easier and would be optional, left to the discretion of bipartisan election offices in each county. But they are the latest flashpoints in an ongoing clash over voting methods between Democrats who control both legislative chambers and Republicans, who fought the earlier reforms and oppose the two pending proposals. Since 2019, voting access pushes by New York Democrats have given the state early voting and access to mail-in ballots for all voters. Neither bill is new. The Senate has passed them both several years in a row, most recently in January, but they remain in limbo because the Assembly hasn't taken them up. What gives them an added charge this year is the looming battle for congressional swing seats in New York that will help decide control of the House races in which small pockets of votes may prove critical. This file photo shows an absentee ballot box in the lobby at the Dutchess County Board of Elections in Poughkeepsie on Oct. 1, 2020.Under a temporary executive order issued in 2020 because of the pandemic, then Gov. Andrew Cuomo allowed voters to skip lines by depositing their absentee ballots in drop boxes at election offices and polling stations. What would the bills do exactly? One bill would allow counties to set up one or more "secure receptacles" where voters could deposit their absentee ballots instead of mailing them. If enacted, New York would join 25 other states that already allow or require drop boxes, including neighboring New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In a Senate floor debate in January, Republicans cast doubts about the security of ballot boxes, questioning where they would be placed and whether they would be supervised or monitored with surveillance cameras. They raised the prospect of wrongdoers casting multiple ballots or taking votes from the boxes. "Proposals like this erode confidence and endanger the simple security of our elections," said Sen. Mark Walczyk, a Watertown Republican. Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, the Manhattan Democrat who sponsored the bill, explained that state election commissioners from both parties would decide the details that Republicans were questioning about where boxes may be placed and how they would be secured. He discounted the fears they raised about tampering, saying no such problems had arisen in the other 25 states. "There is not a scintilla not a scintilla of evidence that absentee ballot drop boxes lead to less voter security and election integrity," he said. Dems win: Court upholds NY law allowing voters to use mail-in ballots. How do you get one? Another bill Senate Democrats approved that day would allow counties to open one or more "portable" voting stations for at least three days during the early-voting period, when fewer voting sites typically are open than on election days. Sites must be chosen to draw as many voters as possible, based on population density, travel time, public transportation routes and other factors, the bill states. Voters fill in their ballots at the Khalil Gibran School in Yonkers on Election Day, Nov. 7, 2023. Those added polling sites might be mobile housed in a van, for instance or situated in familiar places such as a library, depending on what county officials choose, said Sen. Rachel May, the Syracuse Democrat who sponsored the bill. But that flexibility raised questions about ballot security for Sen. George Borrello, a Chautauqua County Republican. New law: Should Hochul sign bill moving local elections in order to boost voting turnout? "We really don't know what this is going to look like," Borrello said, calling the proposal "one more step in the wrong direction" for voting in New York. Democrats say the purpose of both bills is to increase participation in elections by giving busy voters more options for casting their ballots. This 2020 file photo shows one of 17 identical, ballot drop boxes that were placed in accessible areas throughout Ocean County, New Jersey for voters to return their Nov. 3 General Election ballot in 2020. Both are awaiting action in the Assembly Election Law Committee. Assemblyman Tony Simone, the Manhattan Democrat sponsoring the drop-box proposal, said in an interview on Monday that he expects that bill to come to a vote this year, most likely toward the end of legislative session in June. He said he knew of no objections that had stalled the proposal in past years. Republicans sued last year to stop a new law that gave all New York voters the right to request a mail-in ballot, as they could do for three years during the pandemic. The GOP plaintiffs lost the case last month, but have appealed and were granted a sped-up review by an Appellate Division panel of judges. Both sides must file their briefs this month. Chris McKenna covers government and politics for The Journal News and USA Today Network. Reach him at cmckenna@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Ballot drop boxes, "portable" poll sites to be allowed under NY bills Two arrests were made at a Teaneck protest Sunday after police said demonstrators threw objects and sprayed red paint at pedestrians and vehicles approaching a synagogue that was hosting a company that was providing information about buying real estate in Israel. Hundreds of protesters had marched across town from the Teaneck Armory to demonstrate at Congregation Keter Torah, where the My Home in Israel Real Estate company was providing information on how to buy property. Among those properties were some in West Bank settlements that U.S. policy has long considered illegal. Organizers said the event was an educational program about the real estate market in Israel. "Toward the end of the demonstration, we received complaints from several different individuals who reported that they and/or their vehicles were sprayed with an unknown red liquid by a woman as they drove past the demonstration area," Chief Andrew McGurr of the Teaneck Police Department said in a statement. Thousands of protestors came to Roemer Ave. to protest a private meeting between Israeli real estate agents and potential investors. Protestors called the event the selling of stolen land. A representative for the synagogue said no laws were being broken, Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Teaneck "Another complainant reported that a man tossed an unknown clear liquid onto and into their vehicle as they drove past the demonstration area," he said. Police said their investigation included their own observations and a related video of the incidents, and they arrested Letticia Freitas, 29, of Worcester, Massachusetts, and Mahdy Suleiman, 20, of East Hanover, New Jersey. Background: A pitch for West Bank real estate is prompting protest and fear in Teaneck. Here's why Both were taken to police headquarters. A 32-ounce spray bottle, containing an unknown red liquid, was recovered from Freitas at the time of her arrest, police said. As a result of the investigation, Freitas was charged with bias intimidation, criminal mischief, simple assault and harassment. Suleiman was charged with bias intimidation, criminal mischief and harassment. The two were served with summonses and released from custody on Sunday, pending an initial appearance in Bergen Central Judicial Processing Court. This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Teaneck NJ police arrest two at Israel real estate protest Chinese tech companies attend digital technology expo in Cambodian capital Xinhua) 09:41, March 12, 2024 People visit the Huawei booth at a digital technology expo in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on March 11, 2024. (Photo by Van Pov/Xinhua) PHNOM PENH, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Several Chinese tech companies on Monday showcased their latest products at a digital technology expo here in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, attracting crowds of tech enthusiasts. Sien Soklida, marketing director of Huawei in Cambodia, said a variety of Huawei's latest products such as tablets and laptops, among others, have been displayed at the expo. "Huawei has brought new technology to the expo like our new tablet that is the latest one in the global market," he told Xinhua. "We also showcase MateBook series, or Huawei laptops, that their keyboards are water-resistant." Soklida said Huawei brand is very popular in Cambodia thanks to its high-quality products, with very competitive prices. "Huawei brand always focuses on quality, and most of the consumers trust our products because we offer a standard warranty and we have service centers here," he said. He said the expo gave a great opportunity to Huawei to introduce its latest products to all tech lovers. Son Karona, a second-year student in the major of Information Technology at the Norton University in Phnom Penh, said the expo gave her a great opportunity to gain insights into the latest developments of digital technology in the world. "For technological equipment and devices made by Chinese companies, I am interested in laptop computers, which are thinner and more intelligent than before," she told Xinhua while visiting the expo. "Those laptops are Huawei products. For me, I think Huawei products have been updated well from year to year," the 19-year-old student said. Held back-to-back with a digital government forum organized by Cambodia's Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, the digital technology expo, which will last till Wednesday, has brought together 120 institutions and technological companies. "It is a platform to boost the development of digital technology and to share the latest evolution of digital technology around the world," Cambodian Minister of Post and Telecommunications Chea Vandeth said at the event. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Chega leader Andre Ventura addresses supporters at Marriot Hotel, where the party holds the election night event, in Lisbon on March 10, 2024. ANDRE DIAS NOBRE via Getty Images Portugals far right is set to take on its biggest role in governing the country since the fall of the fascist Estado Novo regime 50 years ago after quadrupling its bloc of lawmakers in the national Parliament. The results of Sundays election are not yet final, but by Monday morning showed the hardline party Chega had won at least 48 of the parliaments 230 seats, up from 12. The center-right Democratic Alliance led by the Social Democrats with a couple of tiny conservative parties secured 79 seats. The Socialists claimed 77. Chega Portuguese for enough formed just five years ago as a right-wing faction of the traditional center-right Social Democrats split off under the leadership of Andre Ventura, a charismatic former sportscaster who gained notoriety by attacking gay rights and Portugals tiny Roma minority. Its rise to power over the last few elections shocked many in a country that had seemed immune to the strain of bombastic populism animating the political right in France, the Netherlands and Germany, inoculated by such recent memories of authoritarian rule. But Chegas anti-establishment rhetoric found new purchase among Portuguese voters after the long-ruling Socialist Party government collapsed in November amid a corruption scandal involving alleged backroom deals for major green infrastructure projects. Portugal's Social Democratic Party (PSD) and Democratic Alliance (AD) leader Luis Montenegro speaks following the result of a general election in Lisbon, Portugal, March 11. Anadolu via Getty Images Ahead of Sundays snap election, Chega papered the countrys traffic circles with billboards pitching Ventura as the man to cleanse Portugals political class, which the far-right blamed for everything from stagnant wages to high housing costs. Luis Montenegro, leader of the Social Democratic Party, had previously ruled out a coalition with the far right. Without Chega, however, the Democratic Alliance does not have enough votes to command a parliamentary majority. While Montenegros chief rival, Pedro Nuno Santos, conceded defeat after his center-left Socialist Partys nine-year run came to an end, he refused to support the center-right coalitions agenda, including across-the-board tax cuts, according to Reuters. Ventura told reporters that Sundays vote clearly showed Portuguese voters wanted a Democratic Alliance that includes Chega. If the center-right refuses to work with Chega and cannot govern, Ventura said the blame will fall on Montenegro. If Montenegro is unable to form a government, he could end up resigning, clearing the way for a party leader with a different view of Chega. The new [Social Democrat] leader may feel differently about the opportunity of governing along with Chega, said Jose Santana Pereira, an associate professor of political science at the University Institute of Lisbon. Its difficult to tell what Chegas priorities would be in a government. Unlike its allied far-right movements elsewhere in Europe, the Portuguese hardliners support the European Union and take relatively moderate positions on immigration. While the partys nostalgia for Portugals imperial past has attracted conservative Catholics, Ventura has said Chega would not reopen the debate on the legality of abortion. Socialist Party leader Pedro Nuno Santos delivers a speech during the election campaign closing rally in Almada, south of Lisbon, Friday, March 8. via Associated Press Chega doesnt present a clear political program, so its very difficult to see, Antonio Costa Pinto, a research professor at the University of Lisbons Institute of Social Sciences, told HuffPost ahead of the election. Chega is changing its position every day. Its like Donald Trump. The election notches another victory for Europes far right. Italys Giorgia Meloni, who grew up as part of a youth group descended from dictator Benito Mussolinis political machine, took power in late 2022 and just survived a major electoral test in a local vote. Despite extremist statements vowing to ban Muslim houses of worship, the Netherlands Geert Wilders won a stunning upset in Novembers election just weeks after Portugals corruption scandal erupted. The radical Alternative for Germany party made major gains in last years election, and polls show the far-right movement in second place ahead of next years vote. Related... A Lancaster company offered again to pay bonuses for city police officers. Now the city will decide whether to take the cash. Supplement maker Nutramax Laboratories offered the city $28,500. That amount would provide all 57 Lancaster Police Department employees $500 bonuses. Those employees include three conditional employees, a part-timer, a temporary employee and a volunteer. Lancaster City Council will vote Tuesday on the offer. Nutramax gifted the Lancaster County Sheriffs Office money at Christmas to provide the $500 bonuses, and offered the same deal to the city, city administrator Steven Flip Hutfles said in an email. City personnel policy forbade employees from accepting gifts, so Lancaster declined. The city changed its policy manual in January to allow departments to accept gifts, Hutfles said. That decision allows gifts after formal advance approval by city council, and are contingent on employees acknowledging in writing that the gift wont influence their work, he said. (The) Nutramax gift is the first one the city has received and under the new policies other companies and individuals can offer gifts to other employees in the future, Hutfles said. Council will decide whether to accept or reject the gift. Should companies be able to pay police? Eric Shytle is general counsel for the Municipal Association of South Carolina. A company offering to pay money for police bonuses is unusual, he said. I dont think Ive heard of it before, Shytle said. The law does allow a member of the public to make a donation to the city, and it does allow someone to designate how money would be used. He points to the infamous Susan Smith case three decades ago when a Union County woman was convicted of murdering her two sons. Public outcry at the time led many people to donate money to the state prosecution. As long as the request isnt to use the money on something illegal, its allowed. The gift is fine, Shytle said. My only question would be giving it in the form of a bonus. There are rules limiting bonus pay from government agencies. How they apply to a company or citizen paying, or how ethics questions fit in, arent so clear. I honestly dont know how that would play out, Shytle said. In a March 5 letter, Nutramax government and community relations manager Athena Ciulla wrote the city police department to express appreciation for all the time, service and daily sacrifices officers make. We know that you and your staff always go above and beyond the call of duty to help the citizens of the City of Lancaster, as well as keep us safe, Ciulla wrote. The letter offers a donation, with an idea of how it might be used. To express our appreciation, we would love to make a donation to the City of Lancaster, reads the letter. Our hope is that the donation amount of $28,500 should be distributed in a way that each of the 57 employees of the police department receive an equal amount as a pay supplement. Lancaster County accepts pay for sheriffs office Various forms of payment to public agencies, beyond taxes and including law enforcement, arent unprecedented. For years, property owners or land developers have worked through development agreements with towns, cities and counties across the region. They often include land for parks, police stations or public services. They sometimes include donations to a fire department, school or police group. The Nutramax gift is different in that it wasnt negotiated and the company isnt providing funds as a concession to build. The company has been in Lancaster County for more than a decade. One of Lancaster Countys most prominent companies will add 240 jobs, $32M investment Lancaster County Councilman Brian Carnes said the offer from Nutramax for the county sheriffs office in December was substantial. That office has close to 200 deputies, plus many more civilian employees. Carnes saw the offer as a continuation of Nutramax philanthropy, like when the company provided public agencies with gift cards to local restaurants when COVID hit as an effort to support families and restaurants. The conversation was, youve got a long-standing company in the community that has supported not only the police, Carnes said. Nutramax doesnt have a record to suggest a pending need for law enforcement help. State court records show the company listed in just one case, dismissed five years ago after a dispute on whether a worker who received relocation expenses should pay them back after a short stay at the company. Still, theres always the possibility of a future investigation. If a case came up where the gift could be seen as impacting law enforcement, there are other options like using the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Carnes said. I would think that the sheriff, because of that relationship, might step aside, he said. Tuesday nights decision in Lancaster involves a resolution that states the city would accept the gift, and use it for one-time bonuses. The city would deduct both state and federal employee taxes. The money would be distributed only after all police department employees signed paperwork indicating the gift cannot and will not influence them, directly or indirectly, in the performance of their official duties. A vote to accept the money, like the county one in December, is a vote that law enforcement can take the pay without impacting how it treats the company. Everybodys as above board as they can be, Carnes said. A South Carolina man was arrested Monday for distributing vulgar, obscene and antisemitic materials in multiple neighborhoods, the Florence County Sheriffs Office said. Jamin Christian Fite, a 48-year-old Myrtle Beach resident, was charged with seven counts of communicating obscene messages and seven counts of littering, the sheriffs office said Tuesday in a news release. No bond has been set for Fite, who is being held in the Florence County Detention Center, jail records show. The sheriffs office said that on March 5, Fite anonymously distributed clear plastic bags with the obscene printed material by throwing them into the yards and driveways of multiple Florence County residences without consent from the owners. The propaganda was distributed in the Rice Planters, Charters, Ebenezer Chase, Hampton Point, Westpoint, Westbrook and Villa Arno subdivisions, according to the release. South Carolina law says it is unlawful for a person to anonymously write, print, telephone, transmit a digital electronic file, or by other manner or means communicate, send or deliver to another person within the State, without that persons consent, any obscene, profane, indecent, vulgar, suggestive, or immoral message. If convicted on the misdemeanor communicating obscene messages charges, each count carries a maximum punishment of three years in prison and a fine, according to South Carolina law. Fite is scheduled to appear in court again regarding the communicating obscene messages charges on May 1, while hes scheduled to appear before a judge on counts of littering on April 17, Florence County judicial records show. This is not the first time Fite has been arrested. In July 2023, Fite was charged with two counts of littering for spreading hate messages across a Murrells Inlet neighborhood, The Sun News reported. In the 2023 incident, a police report said that officers were called about a person who was actively littering in a neighborhood and observed Fite throw clear plastic baggies out of the passenger side window of a vehicle, according to The Sun News. The incident report said that when Fite was confronted, the officer saw two black black duffel bags containing a large quantity of clear plastic baggies with paper and pellets inside, according to The Sun News website, myrtlebeachonline.com. The bags contained about 791 plastic baggies, according to the report. The report did not specify the content of the messages, but residents said they were antisemitic, The Sun News reported. Following his 2023 arrest, jail records show that Fite was released from a detention center after paying a $200 fine, according to The Sun News. A ship carrying 200 tonnes of food aid meant for civilians in Gaza is still waiting at a port in Cyprus, as Israeli authorities requested to inspect it. The vessel, which belongs to the Spanish NGO Open Arms, is currently on the south east coast of the island, in the city of Larnaca. It carries 200 tonnes of rice and flour which could provide immediate relief to Gazans struggling with starvation. The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday that the Open Arms ship will make a pilot trip as international donors launched a sea corridor to supply the besieged territory. After five months of war, civilians in Gaza are now facing a quickly exacerbating famine. Israel said it welcomes the deliveries of aid by sea, but it has asked to check the content of the ship before it departs. US charity World Central Kitchen, a partner in the mission supplying the food, said the boat will sail off for Gaza as soon as possible. The ship is expected to take between two and three days before arriving at an undisclosed location in Gaza. There, a crane will help offload the aid and place it on trucks before it is driven north. Another US military ship carrying equipment to build a temporary pier and aid has already set off. More than 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of Israels war on Hamas, according to local authorities. Most of them were civilians, many women and children. The Shreveport Police Department, alongside other authorities, is examining the circumstances surrounding the reported 1964 death of a Civil Rights activist. Police Chief Wayne Smith announced at the Shreveport City Council administrative meeting on Monday the reopening of the investigation into Ann Brewster's alleged suicide. "This is an opportunity for the Shreveport Police Department to be mindful of our citizens' concern to be mindful and responsive to our community," Smith said. "I do understand from 60 years back, this has been an incident (where there) were many, many questions, many concerns about, given the nature of what took place." Smith formed a team of external investigators, including the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office, Louisiana State Police, United States Attorney's Office, Caddo Parish District Attorney's Office and the FBI to assist in the case. "Everybody that I bought to the table to review this case, over the course of years, has evolved with training, with ability, with technology in order to solve the mysteries that we have before us," Smith said. "Everybody coming to the table has a unique set of resources that will be of assistance in this particular incident, and we are excited for us to do it and excited that we're being allowed to do it. We're looking forward to what the future holds hopefully answering unanswered questions." In February of 1964, Brewster was found dead in her home from a gunshot wound to the head along with a suicide note. However, many who were acquainted with her do not believe she committed suicide. A beautician and Civil Rights activist, Brewster held roles with both the NAACP and Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Gary Joiner, a historian and professor at LSUS, said he believes that Brewster did not commit suicide but was under duress. Joiner said on the day of her alleged suicide, authorities spoke with someone who alleged he saw two white men enter Brewster's home before her death. "That's powerful," Joiner said. "That is a strong statement, and so we're looking at, even outside of the city, at anything that we can find, of which, there's a lot. Other people who were witnesses people that knew her. It's a powerful narrative. We hope to do her justice." Local activist Craig Lee said the investigation could lead to more exposure of Brewster's story, particularly with 50 Cent, who recently purchased Millennium Studios. Councilwoman Tabatha Taylor issued a resolution acknowledging and thanking the City of Shreveport and Shreveport police for reopening the case. Taylor called for the reopening of the case following KSLA 18 News's special, "NOBODY KNOWS HER SORROW: What happened to Ann Brewster?" Follow Ian Robinson on Twitter @_irobinsonand on Facebook at https://bit.ly/3vln0w1. This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Investigation launched into possible murder of Shreveport activist in 1964 Special counsel Robert Hur will defend his explosive report into Joe Biden's handling of classified files under questioning from Congress. He will tell lawmakers that his assessment of the president's memory as poor, remarks that sparked uproar last month, was "accurate and fair". The report found Mr Biden "wilfully" retained troves of files but Mr Hur declined to charge him with a crime. The president's age has become a key issue as he runs for a second term. Last month, Mr Hur's report was published into how classified documents from Mr Biden's time as vice-president ended up in an office in Washington and in a garage next to his sports car in his home in Delaware. Explaining why he declined to bring charges, Mr Hur said in his report that a jury would view him as a "well meaning, elderly man" with a "poor memory". The comments enraged the White House and reinforced some voters' concerns over Mr Biden's age. In prepared opening remarks shared hours before he appears before the House Judiciary Committee at Capitol Hill, Mr Hur defended his decision to detail issues with the president's memory, arguing it was relevant to his decision not to bring charges. "My assessment in the report about the relevance of the president's memory was necessary and accurate and fair," Mr Hur plans to say. "Most importantly, what I wrote is what I believe the evidence shows, and what I expect jurors would perceive and believe." He plans to add that he did not "disparage the president", but was required to explain his logic to the US attorney general. "These are the types of issues prosecutors analyse every day," he will say. Mr Hur alleged in his February report that the president struggled to recall major events from his time serving as vice-president, and could not remember when exactly his term in office had begun or when his son Beau died of cancer. The transcript of the report - released just ahead of Mr Hur's testimony - shows Mr Biden did in fact remember the month and date Beau died, but struggled to remember the year. "What month did Beau die? Oh God - May 30th," Mr Biden asked during the interview. A White House lawyer responded with "2015" and the president responded: "Was it 2015 he had died?" The transcript painted a mixed picture of the president's two-day interview with the special counsel, during which Mr Biden frequently joked with the prosecutor and appeared to have good recall for large parts of the conversation. But it also notes there was a great deal that Biden does not recall, including details about who packed boxes with his documents and how and when they were transported. Mr Biden occasionally appeared to be reaching for words including the term "fax machine". Office building in Washington where classified files were improperly stored After Mr Hur's report last month, the president was quick to refute its claim that he was suffering from memory issues. "I'm well-meaning, and I'm an elderly man, and I know what the hell I'm doing," he told reporters. He responded angrily to Mr Hur's comments about forgetting the day his son died, saying "How in the hell dare he raise that?" The transcript released on Tuesday suggests the president was not asked directly when his son died. The Republican Party has been stoking claims for months that the 81-year-old is not mentally fit to serve a second term in the White House, with polling suggesting that a significant proportion of voters are also worried about Mr Biden's mental acuity. Republicans have also criticised Mr Hur's refusal to charge Mr Biden, comparing it with seven charges filed against former President Donald Trump in June. A trial is potentially scheduled for this summer. Mr Hur argued there were "several distinctions" between the former president and Mr Biden's handling of classified documents, arguing the allegations against Mr Trump "present serious aggravating facts". Mr Trump was given multiple chances to return classified documents but did the opposite, he wrote. "According to the indictment, he not only refused to return the documents for many months, but he also obstructed justice by enlisting others to destroy evidence and then to lie about it." More on the US election Guy Boyd said he had never heard of a ghost gun a homemade gun made from parts until his best friend at the time assembled his own pistol and shot Boyd in the face. They were both 17 when it happened. Now, Boyd is suing his friend and the company accused of illegally selling him ghost gun kits. Do-it-yourself ghost guns are assembled from firearm components and generally lack serial numbers, are untraceable by law enforcement and circumvent background check requirements in place for other firearm purchases. The gun violence prevention advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety calls ghost guns "the fastest-growing gun safety problem facing our country." "They're readily available to anybody," Boyd said in an interview. Guy Boyd at the Michigan Capitol on March 15, 2023 for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords' rally for gun violence prevention legislaiton. His lawsuit filed in Washtenaw County Circuit Court in Michigan Monday and supported by Everytown's litigation arm alleges Pennsylvania ghost gun kits seller JSD Supply illegally sold parts to a Michigan minor who then assembled a pistol and fired it at Boyd's right eye in an incident the suit describes as a foreseeable and preventable accident. It provides details of the night of the shooting in May 2021 and shines a spotlight on gun regulations eyed by Democratic state lawmakers in Michigan to restrict ghost guns. Using the laws currently on the books in Michigan, Boyd's lawyers allege JSD violated the Michigan Consumer Protection Act when they sold ghost gun kits to Boyd's friend. The lawsuit marks the first case involving a ghost gun brought on the state's consumer protection law, according to Len Hong Kamdang, senior director of litigation strategy and trials at Everytown Law serving as a lawyer for Boyd. Michael Bloch, a founding partner at law firm Bloch & White LLC which is also involved in the case along with the University of Michigan's civil-criminal litigation clinic, said he hopes the lawsuit will send a warning to those in the ghost gun industry. "We are hoping not only to hold [JSD] accountable but that ghost gun distributors across the country take note," he said. The lawsuit alleges that the ghost gun kits JSD sold to Boyd's then-best friend in April 2021 were designed and marketed to easily build a pistol and legally constituted a firearm. As such, the buyer should have undergone a background check to make his purchase. JSD told customers they didn't need to fill out paperwork, undergo a background check or register the firearm they built, according to archived pages of the company's website cited in the lawsuit. "So they're actually celebrating this business model of circumventing the law," said Kamdang. Neither Boyd's former friend nor JSD immediately commented on the lawsuit. The Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, is not naming the friend because he was a minor when the shooting occurred. Boyd's lawsuit seeks damages for his injuries. Boyd lost his right eye in the shooting and has seizures so frequently he is considered epileptic, according to the lawsuit. "You get used to it but it's not something we should get used to. We should have to get used to," said Denise Wieck, Boyd's mother. Fragments of the bullet too dangerous to remove remain in her son's brain, the lawsuit states. Surviving shooting inspires action Boyd and Wieck shared vivid memories from the aftermath of the shooting. The flashes from first responders' vehicles illuminated the sky like a strobe light, said Wieck. When Boyd survived, the surgeon told her that he had walked into the operating room and told his team "'it'll be a miracle'" if her son lived, she recounted. Boyd recalled coming home for the first time from the hospital. It was a warm, sunny day. He remembered how good it felt to be outside, the fresh air on his face and how excited his dog was to see him. After the shooting, Boyd and his mother joined the group of survivors trying to turn tragedy into advocacy for gun safety to prevent future tragedies. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is hugged by Linda Watson of Oxford May 22, 2023 as her son Oxford shooting survivor Aiden Watson stands by after Whitmer signed into law bills that would allow police officers, family members and medical professionals to ask courts to take away guns from those who pose a danger. Wieck called her son's lawsuit part of a "healing process" but more importantly, a vehicle to increase awareness of gun violence involving ghost guns, she said. The two have plans to teach gun safety to young people. They've started working on one of Boyd's ideas, a comic book about a one-eyed superhero teaching gun safety, Wieck said. "We did lose a part of him that day. I mean he lived, but we don't have the same Guy we had before the shooting," said Wieck. But some of his best qualities seemed to survive along with him. "He's still wonderful. Still amazing. Still funny," she said. Gun violence prevention: Michigan has new laws, gun safety advocates want to see more Michigan Democrats eye ghost gun restrictions Last year, Michigan Democrats passed new gun safety laws in the wake of the deadly shooting at Michigan State University. Michigan now has a universal background check requirement for all firearm purchases, a so-called "red flag" law to temporarily take away firearms from those posing an imminent threat and storage requirements aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of children. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer poses with officials after she signs into law bills that would allow police officers, family members and medical professionals to ask courts to issue an extreme risk protection order to temporarily take away guns from those who pose a danger to themselves or others on Monday, May 22, 2023, outside of the 44th District Court in Royal Oak. Gun safety advocates want to see lawmakers do more, including adopting ghost gun restrictions. Democratic lawmakers in the Michigan Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention Caucus previously told the Free Press they plan to make legislation targeting "ghost guns" a priority this year. Before leaving the state house, one Democrat introduced a bill to require homemade firearms to contain serial numbers. Thirteen states currently regulate ghost guns, according to Everytown's research arm. Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@freepress.com or follow her on X @clarajanehen. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Guy Boyd Michigan shooting survivor sues JSD Supply over ghost guns In Tennessee, living under the nation's most extreme abortion ban, it's become clear that protecting the right to contraception is essential. Introducing the Tennessee Contraceptive Freedom Act (Senate Bill 1804/House Bill 1943) is our commitment to ensuring every Tennessean can make decisions about starting a family on their terms, without government interference. The battle to protect reproductive freedom in Tennessee is intensifying. The Tennessee Contraceptive Freedom Act is not just a legislative action; its a strong declaration of our commitment to personal freedoms and the well-being of all Tennesseans. This act serves as a beacon of hope amidst the wave of dangerous restrictions that threaten our right to make informed decisions about our reproductive health. Guest column by Dr. Amy Gordon Bono: Legislature's attack on primary care providers will harm health of all Tennesseans There is broad bipartisan support for contraception access Recent legislative efforts and court rulings, such as the Alabama Supreme Courts IVF decision, declaring that stored embryos have the same legal protections as children, reveal the need for urgent action to secure reproductive autonomy. Sen. Charlane Oliver stands with protesters in the rotunda before representatives hold a House session at the State Capitol Building in Nashville , Tenn., Wednesday, March 29, 2023. The Tennessee Contraceptive Freedom Act that we introduced aims to unequivocally affirm that access to contraceptives is a fundamental right of every Tennessean. We seek to ensure that every resident has the freedom to use or refuse the birth control method of their choice without interference. The necessity of this legislative action is supported by broad bipartisan support for protecting access to contraception. Poll after poll after poll shows that contraception is favored by more than 90% of the public, including as many as 72% of Republican voters who consider access to birth control to be deeply important. This consensus highlights the potential of the Act to unite Tennesseans across different ideologies, emphasizing that reproductive rights are not a partisan matter but a question of personal freedom. Contraception is the cornerstone to womens health and equality Our legislation aims to protect and expand access to all forms of contraception, from condoms to emergency contraception. Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, outlines her legislative priorities for the year during a news conference at the Tennessee State Capitol on Jan. 30, 2024. We want to ensure that every Tennessean has the autonomy to make decisions about their reproductive health without government interference. This proactive step is crucial in a state where personal freedoms are increasingly under siege, and it reflects our belief in a Tennessee where everyone can plan their families and futures based on their own faith and values. Contraception is the cornerstone of women's health and equality, representing our freedom to make life's most personal decisions. That's why sponsoring the Tennessee Contraceptive Freedom Act is crucial. We're fighting to ensure that our rights to make those decisions remain protected. Individuals should have the right to control their health In our efforts to champion the Tennessee Contraceptive Freedom Act, the endorsement of healthcare professionals underscores the legislation's profound importance. Among them is Dr. Amy Gordon Bono, a Board-Certified Internal Medicine primary care physician practicing in Middle Tennessee, who stated, Access to contraception is fundamental, enabling Tennesseans to control their reproductive health and enhance overall well-being. It's essential for public health and individual autonomy. Dr. Amy Gordon Bono speaks with Sen. Richard Briggs at Cordell Hull State Office Building following the Senate Judiciary hearing in Nashville , Tenn., Tuesday, March 21, 2023. We call on our fellow Tennesseans to stand with us. The Tennessee Contraceptive Freedom Act is a critical step in ensuring that contraception remains accessible and protected for future generations. It is a testament to our collective belief in the rights of individuals to control their reproductive health and futures, demonstrating our shared commitment to a healthier and more equitable Tennessee. Charlane Oliver Despite adversity, our resolve remains steadfast. Our commitment to the health and freedom of all Tennesseans is unwavering. By championing the Tennessee Contraceptive Freedom Act, we are not just advocating for reproductive rights, but also for the fundamental principles of autonomy and freedom that define our state. Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville Tennessee General Assembly members Sen. Charlane Oliver, D-Nashville (District 19), and Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville (District-90), are the sponsors of the Tennessee Contraceptive Freedom Act This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Contraception access: Protect rights and freedoms of Tennessee women Driving without a license and crashing is common in Texas, a new study revealed. Texas topped the list of states where a driver without a license was most likely involved in a fatal car accident between 2017 and 2021. The study, which was done by the personal injury office of the Connecticut Trial Firm using data from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, showed that 24.16% of Texas drivers involved in a deadly collision lacked a valid license. More trending stories: Texas to 'spring forward': When daylight saving time begins How a six-pack of beer, $100 got rescuers to pull pig out of thorns. Want to make $359K a year working from home? Here's a list of jobs. It also showed that there were 27,392 drivers involved in fatal crashes in Texas, of which 3,308 did not have a license, 1,183 had suspended licenses, 689 had licenses that expired, 106 had their license revoked, and 97 had been canceled or denied, while 1,234 drivers license status remained unknown. In total 6,617 of the Texas drivers did not have a valid license the highest ratio of all 50 states. Hawaii followed the states lead in having 23.14% of drivers without a license along with California at 22.31%. Ryan McKeen, a spokesman for the studys author, said At a national level, the data reveals that out of the 271,028 drivers involved in fatal crashes over the five year period, 46,861 of them did not have a valid license. These figures underscore a vital aspect of road safety and are a sobering reminder of the dangers that road users face. On the other hand, the data shows that New Hampshire had the lowest percentage of unlicensed drivers involved in fatal crashes, at 5.68%. Maine came in second at 6.03%, followed by Maryland at 8.39%, Massachusetts at 8.88%, and Nebraska at 9.16%. Here are the states as they were ranked in the study: Rank State Total drivers involved in fatal crashes Total drivers with a non-valid license Percentage of drivers in fatal crashes without a valid license 1 Texas 27392 6617 24.16% 2 Hawaii 687 159 23.14% 3 California 27309 6093 22.31% 4 Louisiana 5627 1165 20.70% 5 Indiana 6375 1268 19.89% 6 Nevada 2403 469 19.52% 7 New Mexico 2790 538 19.28% 8 Oregon 3430 655 19.10% 9 Mississippi 4663 885 18.98% 10 North Carolina 10613 2007 18.91% In an earlier study in Forbes that listed the U.S. states with the worst drivers, Dallas came in at sixth and Fort Worth made the list at No.9. The data is based on five key metrics around fatalities in car accidents. The Star-Telegram previously reported that these statistics should cause alarm in drivers. Late last year, six people, including two children, were killed and three others injured in a two-vehicle crash in Johnson County. Cleburne Assistant Fire Chief Keith Scarbrough told the Star-Telegram at the time that a minivan with Georgia license plates and a pickup were involved in the crash. Six out of the seven minivan passengers died, according to Scarbrough. U.S. 67, the site of the wreck, is known for its fatal crashes. With only two lanes, the highway is dangerous to travel on as traffic volumes increase. WASHINGTON When President Joe Biden declared over the weekend that he was drawing a red line for Israels military action in the Gaza Strip, he appeared to be trying to raise the potential cost for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as their relationship plummets to new depths. But he never said what would happen, exactly, if Netanyahu ignored him and continued Israels military operation by invading the southern city Rafah, a step that Biden has said repeatedly would be a major mistake. It is unclear whether he hesitated because he did not want to signal what response he might be preparing, or because he did not want to be criticized if he backed away from whatever action he is contemplating. Or perhaps, given his long experience in the Senate and the White House, he remembered that drawing red lines turned out badly for President Barack Obama when it came to Syria, and for President George W. Bush when it came to North Korea and Iran. American allies in the Middle East were stunned by Obamas reversal. Bush was later judged to have invaded a country that had no nuclear weapons Iraq while North Korea tested its first nuclear weapon on his watch. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times Bidens line-drawing was immediately dismissed and matched by Netanyahu, who shot back: You know, I have a red line. You know what the red line is? That Oct. 7 doesnt happen again. The prime minister was referring, of course, to the Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel, left scores more as hostages and precipitated a war now in its sixth month. Such talk of red lines is hardly new. Leaders of all stripes, from heads of democracies to vicious autocrats, often invoke the phrase to describe moves that another country should not even contemplate, because the consequences would be more painful than they could imagine. The odd thing in this case is that the lines are being drawn by two allies who regularly celebrate how close they are but whose dialogue has begun to turn somewhat poisonous. The seemingly obvious implication of Bidens threat was that if the Israelis went ahead with their plans and conducted another military operation with high civilian casualties, Biden would for the first time place restrictions on how Israel could make use of the arms the United States is supplying. Until now, Biden has rejected any such move even though Washington places conditions on almost every arms sale, including requiring a commitment from Ukraine that it will not fire U.S. missiles, artillery or drones into Russia. But Biden appears to be slowly reconsidering his aversion to limits on how Israel could use the weaponry it buys, some U.S. officials say. He has made no decisions, and still seems to be debating the question in his own mind, according to officials who have spoken with him. As reporters tried to shake loose from the White House what exactly the president meant, Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, dismissed the notion Tuesday that Biden had set any red lines at all, calling it a national security parlor game and a distortion of what the president said. The president didnt make any declarations or pronouncements or announcements, he said. Sullivan, who met earlier in the day with Israels ambassador, likewise would not discuss reports that Biden might impose restrictions on arms if Israel proceeded with the Rafah operation. Were not going to engage in hypotheticals about what comes down the line, and the reports that purport to describe the presidents thinking are uninformed speculation, he said. But Biden himself has ruled out cutting off any defensive weapons, such as the Iron Dome, the U.S.-Israeli missile defense project that has intercepted short-range missiles shot into Israel by Hamas. It is a red line, but I am never going to leave Israel, he said in an interview with MSNBC last week. The defense of Israel is still critical. So there is no red line I am going to cut off all weapons, so they dont have the Iron Dome to protect them. But theres red lines that if he crosses, Biden added, drifting off from completing the sentence or the threat. You cannot have 30,000 more Palestinians dead. In using the red-line wording, with its vivid suggestion of some kind of tripwire, Biden was also wading into dangerous territory for U.S. presidents. Time and again in the past few decades, Bidens predecessors have described limits that Americas adversaries or allies could not step over without invoking the most severe consequences. And time and again, they have come to regret it. Take Obamas declaration in August 2012 when intelligence reports suggested that President Bashar Assad of Syria might be preparing to use chemical weapons against his own people. Obama had steered clear of Syrias internal upheavals, but one day in the White House press room he told reporters that if Assad moved or used large quantities of chemical weapons, he would cross a red line and change my calculus. By the spring of 2013, it was clear that Assad was doing exactly that, and when a senior Israeli intelligence official declared as much, the Israeli government had to back away from the comments, for fear that the intelligence finding would box Obama in. By the early summer, it was becoming clear that the weapons were in active use, but Obama called off a planned strike on Assads facilities, worried that it could prompt even more chemical attacks and suck the United States into another major conflict in the Middle East. Bush found himself in a similar situation in 2003 when he declared that he would not tolerate a nuclear-armed North Korea. That summer he used the same word to say he would not put up with Iran obtaining the capability to build a nuclear weapon. During his presidency, the North Koreans tested a nuclear weapon they have since tested five more and the Iranians made progress toward that capability. And while the United States has ratcheted up sanctions and threatened military action with both, North Korea has such a substantial arsenal now that U.S. officials have all but given up the idea that it will ever disarm. Irans capability which seemed neutered, at least for a while, after Obama struck a nuclear deal in 2015 has surged back since President Donald Trump abandoned that deal three years later. Today, it has a stockpile of enriched uranium that could be converted into weapons-grade fuel in days or weeks, and a weapon within a year or so. c.2024 The New York Times Company There are perfectly rational reasons why someone who supported the GOP prior to Donald Trumps rise would consider voting for Joe Biden as the lesser of two evils. And more and more old-school Republicans, it seems, are starting to figure this out. In fact, The New York Times David French has explicitly made this case. As French notes, Bidens support for Ukraine against Russia is more consistent with a Reaganite foreign policy. And if youre a fiscal conservative, both Biden and Trump have spent like drunken sailors (with Trump being the bigger spender). Trumps character deficiencies are another obvious problem for social conservatives who, after all, railed against Bill Clinton. On the other hand, the issue of abortion is a litmus test preventing many Republicans from voting for Biden. Bidens SOTU Easily Cleared the Very Low Bar Set for Him by the GOP But, as French notes, abortion rates decreased during Obamas presidency, and the overturning of Roe v. Wade has (for now, at least) created a backlash against pro-life policies. For those who believe instilling a culture of life is more important than passing anti-abortion laws, this issue becomes more complex than it once appeared. French also taps into something that the liberal political analyst Bill Scher noted recently: Despite his warnings about American carnage, the riots and civil unrest of 2020 happened on Trumps watch. Putting it all together, French concludes that in 2024, ...its the Democrat who can say that hes tougher on Russia and better on crime, and overseeing an economy thats the envy of the world. To be sure, overt support for Biden is still a very small minority position within the GOP. But if recent history is an indicator, it will only take a sliver of the electorate in a few key states to swing this election. (This is true on both sides of the aisle; thats also why Biden should be worried about Arab American voters in Michigan and the threat posed by third party candidates Cornel West, Jill Stein, and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.) In the past, Never Trumpers were, by definition, against Trump. Many would just stay home on election day or to write-in Ronald Reagan. Realizing that depriving Trump of their votes was a more realistic goal than getting them to vote for a (gasp!) Democrat, anti-Trump groups were founded to persuade Republicans to do just that. This helped Biden in 2020, but not as much as an affirmative vote would help in 2024. This time around, whether they come to this decision on their own, or with some prodding, more Never Trump Republicans will be tempted to pull the lever for Biden. Indeed, a super PAC urging non-Republicans to back Nikki Haley in the primaries has now pivoted to calling itself: Haley Voter for Biden. The question for groups like this is whether they will actually do much voter contact. I reached out to my friend Emily Matthews, a senior adviser for Haley Voters for Biden, who cited hundreds of thousands of Americans who voted for Haley in the primaries. Through targeted outreach in key states, she said, Haley Voters for Biden encourages these voters to continue defending democracy by voting for Joe Biden in the general election. Again, because our presidential elections tend to be so close these days (and because Haley garnered 40 percent of the GOP primary vote in some states), efforts like this could matter. So why is this happening now? Katie Porters Ridiculous Rigged Election Sour Grapes For one thing, Republican voters who dipped their toes into apostasy four years ago have been emboldened. The world didnt end. They are now inured to the feeling of being an outsider or a traitor to their old party. They have also seen their former party decide to double down on Trumpism, passing on the chance to nominate Ron DeSantis or Nikki Haley. Its also true that Trump hasnt extended much of an olive branch to Never Trump Republicans. This wasnt always the case. Back in 2016, Trump chose a mild-mannered evangelical running mate, hired adult staffers meant to assuage concerns about his temperament and commitment to conservatism, and relied on a list of possible Supreme Court Justice nominees approved by The Federalist Society. What has Trump done lately to pacify Reaganite concerns? Nothing at all. In fact, he has gone out of his way to alienate old-school Republicans. Trump said on Truth Social that anyone who made a contribution to Haley would be permanently barred from the MAGA camp. Biden, conversely, has said theres a place for Haley fans in his camp, and his team has been reaching out to her donors. Its also true that we know even more about Trump than we did in the past. This is four-time indicted Trump. This is twice-impeached Trump. This is found-liable-for-sexual-assault Trump. And, probably most importantly, this is Jan. 6 Trump. Its difficult to remember, but prior to Jan. 6, Liz Cheney was a Republican in good standing who voted for Trump and voted against his first impeachment. Today, Cheney is one of the most outspoken advocates for stopping a second Trump term, although she is not yet on the Biden bus. Reagans Republican Party Wouldnt Think Twice About Aid to Ukraine During an interview with ABC News This Week on Sunday, Cheney said that Theres a lot that has to be done to begin to rebuild the Republican Party, potentially to build a new conservative party, but that has to wait until after the 2024 election because our focus has got to be on defeating Donald Trump. Cheney suggests, but does not say, that Never Trumpers might want to vote Biden in 2024, before turning their efforts toward creating a new conservative party. Of course, its at least possible that starting a new party wont be necessary. It is, after all, reasonable to conclude that the only way to save the GOP is for Trumpism to be completely vanquished. And the best way to do that is for Trump to lose. Again. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Donald Trump wont give another penny to Ukraine if he wins the US presidential election, Hungarys leader has said after talks with the Republican candidate. Viktor Orban, who has argued against sanctions on Russia and delayed about 50 billion (42.7 billion) in EU aid to Kyiv, met Mr Trump in Florida and backed him to return to the White House. He will not give a penny in the Ukraine-Russia war. That is why the war will end, the conservative prime minister of Hungary, a Nato and EU member state, said. In a breach of usual practice for a visiting leader, Mr Orban did not meet Joe Biden, the current US president, whom Budapest views as an unfriendly critic of the autocratic Mr Orban. Mr Biden has struggled to get more aid for Ukraine passed by Republicans, who are blocking a $60 billion (46.9 billion) package in Congress. Mr Orban backs Donald Trump to win the US election - BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP That has exacerbated European fears about the future of US financial support for Ukraine if Mr Trump wins in November. It is obvious that Ukraine cannot stand on its own feet, Mr Orban, who has regularly called for an immediate ceasefire, told Hungarys state broadcaster on Sunday. If the Americans dont give money and weapons, along with the Europeans, then the war is over. And if the Americans dont give money, the Europeans alone are unable to finance this war. And then the war is over. The US is the country which has given the most support to Ukraine, the equivalent of 58.6 billion, followed by Germany and the UK. The European Union as a whole has committed about 72.6 billion. Mr Trump, who lambasted European leaders for failing to hit Nato defence spending targets when he was president, has claimed he will end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours if elected. Mr Orban, who Mr Trump praised in his Mar-a-Lago mansion as fantastic, said the former president had pretty detailed plans on how to end the war. The long-serving Hungarian strongman is seen as Vladimir Putins closest ally within Nato and the EU after signing energy deals with the Kremlin after the illegal invasion of Ukraine. He has clashed with Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, over the treatment of ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine, been dismissive of the countrys hopes of joining the EU and refused to send weapons to the war-torn country. He also infuriated his allies by shaking hands with the pariah Russian president, who is subject to an international arrest warrant for war crimes, after meeting him at an event in Beijing for the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative last October. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Tyson Foods announced Monday, March 11, that it will permanently close its pork packing plant in Perry, Iowa, amid financial struggles for the pork industry. Here is what we know about the Tyson Foods plant in Perry. How many people will lose their jobs when Tyson closes in Perry? As the largest employer in Perry, Tyson employs 1,276 people. The closure is expected to leave all employees without work. Tyson said it will encourage employees to apply for other jobs within the company. Across Iowa, Tyson employs 9,000 people. A significant number of its employees are immigrants or refugees, with 60% of its national workforce representing those two categories, according to Jobs for the Future. More: Tyson Foods says it's permanently closing 1,276-employee Perry plant When will the Tyson plant close in Perry? Perry Mayor Dirk Cavanaugh said Tyson officials told him the plant will shut down June 28. A Tyson worker also said that was the timeframe given at a meeting Monday where the closure plan was announced. Why is Tyson closing plants? Tyson Foods announced that it will be closing its Perry pork packaging plant Monday, March 11, 2024. Tyson didn't say why the Perry plant is closing. But two things stand out about the plant: its age, at 61 years for the main facility, and, according to an industry analyst, its size, which doesn't lend itself to an efficiency-increasing second shift. At the same time, Iowa's nation-leading pork industry is coming off its worst downturn in the past 25 years, and Tyson at the end of fiscal 2023 said it had lost $128 million on its pork segment. Tyson didn't announce any other closures in March, but Perry isn't the first plant to close recently. Plants in Jacksonville, Florida, and Columbia, South Carolina, closed at the start of 2024. Six Tyson plants closed in 2023. What's being done for Tyson employees? The Iowa Workforce Development will deploy its IowaWorks Mobile Workforce Center to aid the employees without work come June. The League of United Latin American Citizens Council 307 in Des Moines also said it would help the displaced workers many of whom are Spanish-speaking where it can. More: New Iowa mobile workforce center to be dispatched to Perry for Tyson plant workers Where is Tyson's Perry plant? A satellite view of Tyson's plant in Perry. The pork processing facility is located just west of the city limits on a disused rail line that's now part of the Raccoon River Valley Trail. How has the Tyson plant shaped Perry? Aside from being its largest employer (and generating more than $200,000 a year in property taxes), the plant at the end of 2022 was advertising starting pay for general production workers of $18.40 an hour with a sign-on bonus of $5,000, plus an extra $1 an hour for good attendance and full benefits. Though a tad below the Iowa hourly average, that's more than 2 times the state minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. While not all of the workers live in town, they still buy groceries, gas and other services there, Cavanaugh said. "It's our economic base." The plant's heavily immigrant workforce also has helped make Perry one of the most diverse communities in Iowa. The U.S. Census shows that nearly a third of the city's 8,000 people identify as Hispanic or Latino and that almost 19% are foreign born. What will happen to Perry after the Tyson plant closes? The community demonstrated its resiliency earlier this year, when shootings at Perry High School left three dead. The schools are back in session and the ribbons in Perry Bluejay blue and "Perry Strong" remain on display throughout the town. Cavanaugh vowed to work with other community leaders to seek a buyer for the plant. But barring a new owner, the economic impact of lost wages and population will be felt. Area farmers also are likely to feel the effects. The plant slaughtered some 9,000 pigs a day, and they'll have to transport them farther to market and at greater expense. More: Iowa pork producers' losses worst in 25 years amid high costs and declining demand When did the Tyson plant open in Perry? The plant has been in operation in Perry since the 1960s. It became a Tyson facility after the Arkansas-based company merged with Iowa Beef Processors in 2001, according to the Perry Economic Development website. More: Lawsuit by Waterloo Tyson managers fired for COVID-19 bets dismissed What's the population of Perry, Iowa? There are 7,929 residents of Perry, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Perry is nearly 40 miles northwest of Des Moines and is part of Dallas County one of the fastest growing in the country. Does Tyson have other plants in Iowa? Tyson has encouraged employees to apply for other jobs with the company. It operates plants in four other Iowa communities, but none are within easy commuting distance. Tyson facilities can be found in Council Bluffs, Columbus Junction, Storm Lake and Waterloo. Storm Lake would be the closest at about an hour and 55 minutes away. The other locations are between two and three hours away. Who owns Tyson? Tyson was originally founded in 1935. The company went public in 1963 as Tyson's Foods, Inc under the leadership of Don Tyson, the son of the founder John Tyson. Don's son, John H. Tyson, is the current CEO and is worth an estimated $2.6 billion. What brands does Tyson own? Tyson has 31 brands including Hillshire Farms, Ball Park and Jimmy Dean. Tyson is one of the four big meat packers of the world, producing 20% of America's beef, pork and chicken. CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly listed the other communities in Iowa that have Tyson facilities. A facility in Independence was sold in 2021. Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Why is the Tyson plant in Perry, Iowa, closing? What we know A travel warning was issued by the U.S. for Americans planning to visit Mexico for spring break. The warning, which was issued by the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico, noted that violent crime such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery is widespread and common in Mexico. Every year, thousands of travelers, especially in Southern California, head to Mexico for spring break vacation. Federal officials said while the majority of travelers do not encounter any serious issues, there are still many things visitors should watch out for, especially when partying in another country. Crime Travelers should maintain a high level of situational awareness, avoid areas where illicit activities occur, and immediately leave any potentially dangerous situations. Visitors should be extra cautious in the downtown areas of popular spring break locations such as Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, and Tulum, especially after dark. Drugs Drug possession and use, including medical marijuana, is illegal in Mexico and could result in a lengthy jail sentence. Visitors have become critically ill or even died in Mexico after using synthetic drugs or adulterated prescription pills. Unregulated Alcohol Unregulated alcohol may be contaminated and could result in the drinker losing consciousness or becoming injured. Pharmaceuticals Counterfeit medication is common and could be ineffective, have the wrong strength, or contain dangerous ingredients. Medication should be purchased after consulting with a medical professional and from reputable establishments. Sexual Assault Visitors should be aware of the dangers of rape and sex assault overseas. Suspects may target drunk or isolated people or potentially drug them. Drowning Some beaches have strong undercurrents and rip tides. Beaches may not have any lifeguards, warnings, or signs of unsafe conditions. Medical Emergencies An illness or accident could require medical treatment or hospitalization in Mexico. Private hospital prices can be higher than those in the U.S. Many facilities require payment (sometimes only in cash) either before providing treatment or before discharging a patient. Guns and Ammunition All guns and even small amounts of ammunition are illegal in Mexico. Firearms and other weapons violations could result in lengthy jail time. Arrests Drunk and disorderly behavior, public urination, and open alcohol containers in vehicles are illegal in Mexico. Immigration Violating the terms of your stay in Mexico could result in steep fines and detention. In this March 10, 2012 photo, people hang out on the beach during spring break in Cancun, Mexico. While American tourism to Mexico slipped a few percentage points last year, the country remains by far the biggest tourist destination for Americans, according to annual survey of bookings by the largest travel agencies. (AP Photo/Israel Leal) A woman drinks from the bottle at a nightclub in Cancun, Mexico, Tuesday, March 4, 2008, during Spring Break. (AP Photo/Israel Leal) Spring breakers drink at the beach in the resort city of Cancun, Mexico, Thursday, March 12, 2009. (AP Photo/Israel Leal) Spring Break revelers enjoy a foam party at a nightclub in the resort city of Cancun, Mexico, Monday, March 4, 2013. Cancun is one of the No. 1 foreign destination for U.S. college students wanting to enjoy Spring Break. (AP Photo Israel Leal) In this Monday March 17, 2003 file photo, students from the United Sates on spring break sunbathe at Cancun beach, Mexico. The U.S. State Department and universities around the country are warning college students headed for Mexico for some spring-break partying of a surge in drug-related murder and mayhem south of the border. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) The Mexican federal police patrol a beach in Cancun, Mexico, on Jan. 18, 2017, where a shooting occurred in a nightclub the day before. (Credit: STR/AFP/Getty Images) US students walk on the beach as they watch girls sunbathing during spring break at Cancun beach, Mexico, Monday March 17, 2003. Thousands of US students came to Cancun to enjoy spring break unconcerned about terrorism and a possible war in Iraq. Authorities however, are concerned that Cancun, a narrow peninsula packed with young Americans, could be the perfect terrorist target, and they have beefed up security to prepare for anything. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) Police patrol the beaches of Cancun, Mexico, March 6, 2005 in a operation aimed at maintaining order during the years spring break tourist season. A surge in student interest in the Pacific resort city of Acapulco comes as Mexicos spring-break king, the Caribbean resort of Cancun, is taking baby steps to restrict the college crowds increasingly reckless behavior and to tone down its nonstop party image.(AP Photo/Israel Leal)**EFE OUT** A coastal stretch of Mexicos Caribbean coast resort city of Playa del Carmen is seen in a file photo. (Credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus) People enjoy a day on the beach in the seaside tourist resort of Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo State, on February 15, 2019. Playa del Carmen and nearby Cancun are the top tourist destinations in Mexico, famous for their turquoise waters and white-sand Caribbean beaches. (Photo by Daniel SLIM / AFP) (Photo credit should read DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images) Tourists enjoy the beach at the Playa del Carmen in Quintana Roo state, Mexico, on March 28, 2017. (Credit: Daniel Slim / AFP / Getty Images) Tourists, required to wear protective face masks amid the coronavirus pandemic, visit the Mayan ruins of Tulum in Quintana Roo state, Mexico Jan. 5, 2021. (Emilio Espejel/Associated Press) Springtime in Mexico. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) A Happy travels sign hangs at the start of the Paso del Norte bridge where commuters leave Ciudad Juarez and enter El Paso, Texas, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Christian Chavez) Students have fun during Spring Break 2008 at the Cocobongo nightclub in Cancun, Mexico, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008. Cancun continues to be the No. 1 foreign destination for U.S. college students wanting to enjoy Spring Break.(AP Photo/Israel Leal) An aerial view of Cancun, Mexico, is seen in this file photo. (Credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus) Anyone planning to visit Mexico soon is advised to prepare for emergencies by reading the Mexico Travel Advisory and Country Information Page for details on Mexican travel including entry requirements. Enrolling in the State Departments Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive up-to-date safety conditions in Mexico is advised and will help the U.S. Embassy contact you during an emergency. Other tips to stay safe while traveling in Mexico include: Always call 911 in an emergency. Although there may be English-speaking operators available, it is best to seek the assistance of a Spanish speaker to place the call, officials advise. Ensure your health insurance provides coverage in Mexico or purchase extra travel insurance beforehand. Confirm the costs of any medical treatment in advance whenever possible. When partying or having fun, always drink responsibly and keep a close eye on your drink in case of tampering. Always stay with a group of friends or family when spending time in clubs, bars, casinos, walking in dimly lit areas, or riding a taxi at night. Avoid displaying signs of wealth such as expensive watches, jewelry or accessories. Be sure to follow Mexican laws as some may differ from U.S. laws. Limit the amount of cash carried in public and monitor credit/debit cards for unauthorized charges. Be careful when withdrawing cash and avoid using ATMs in isolated or dimly-lit areas. Be aware when using public transportation. Embassy officials recommend using radio taxis or those from sitio taxi stands. Mobile app-based car services such as Uber and Cabify are available in many Mexican cities as a safe alternative to taxis. Inform loved ones at home of all travel plans. Contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate if further assistance is needed. Specific travel advisories issued by the U.S. State Department for Mexican states and cities can be found here. More information on the spring break travel warning from the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico can be found here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. Upstate law enforcement leaders are preparing for changes in how they interact with firearm carriers after the states permitless carry bill was signed into law last week. The new law allows individuals 18 and older who are legally allowed to own a firearm to carry them, openly or concealed, without requiring training or a permit. Although some law enforcement officials across the state presented concerns about public safety as the legislation made its way through the statehouse, Upstate law enforcement leaders gave varying reactions to the new law. While local sheriffs supported the opportunity for more gun owners to protect themselves, others were adamant about the need for training. "I certainly support constitutional carry. I think it's going to make things more safe to be quite honest," Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis told the Greenville News. "What we see is a well-armed citizen who may find themselves in a bad situation with some criminal act. If they take it upon themselves to defend themselves, then they have the necessary means to do that." More: Gov. McMaster signs permitless firearm carry bill, now South Carolina law The law allows individuals to carry a firearm openly expect in certain spaces such as schools, hospitals, most government buildings, jails, polling places during elections and certain athletic events at schools. Some places, such as churches and doctor's offices, may choose to allow individuals to carry weapons onto the premises. Businesses also have the right to label themselves as a gun-free zone. The law also allows for an individual to bring a firearm into a persons residence if they have express permission from the homeowner. "I think from a criminal perspective, criminals better look long and hard across the state not knowing who maybe armed and who isn't," Lewis said. Upstate law enforcement officers and community leaders and elected officials held an open meeting to talk about understanding each others points of view. The meeting was held at the Mt. Pleasant Community Center in Greenville on March 30, 2023. Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis spoke to the public about police actions in the community. New law will take an adjustment period Some officials said that there will be a learning period as officers and citizens learn how to navigate the new law. There were similar adjustments when legislators passed an Open Carry law in 2021 that allowed individuals with a concealed weapons permit (CWP) to openly carry a firearm, law enforcement leaders said. Lewis said one of the first things law enforcement needs to do is educate their citizens on the new law and make sure they are privy to responsibilities of gun ownership. "There's a couple things we need to do and that is to make sure the public knows exactly what the law says, offer some advice and some training for those who may want to act in constitutional carry that were not concealed weapons permit holders," Lewis said. "Our deputies need to know what the procedures are for when dealing with somebody who is armed. We do that anyway, so it's not like it's really anything new." With the new law in place, officers cant question individuals openly carrying a firearm without probable cause. "We really can't just go up to someone and ask why they're carrying a permitless firearm because the constitutional carry bill allows them to do so. Unless they are acting in any suspicious way, it really doesnt give us any justification to ask," Travelers Rest Police Chief Benjamin Ford said. Travelers Rest police chief Benjamin Ford is seen at the Travelers Rest municipal building on Thursday. Haley Walters/STAFF Ford also expressed concern about gun safety for first time gun owners. "I worry about accidental discharges and mistakes that people can make by dropping their weapons and folks leaving their weapons around in the open," he said. SC Statehouse: Led by Upstate lawmakers, South Carolina a step closer to permitless carry with Senate vote Training not required, but still emphasized Although the new law doesnt require training to carry a firearm, South Carolina CWPs are still available for those who want to pursue a permit. The law also establishes free, state-funded opportunities from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division for CWP training across the state. Still, some law enforcement leaders worry individuals will start carrying firearms without the proper training. "There is a lot of liability and responsibility with carrying a firearm," Simpsonville Police Chief Michael Hanshaw said. "I would hope that folks will take that into consideration when they choose to do so and do it safely and wisely." Hanshaw said he hopes people who purchase their firearms will take it upon themselves to get training. "It's a very significant thing to carry and so I would just hope that people would do it in a smart, respectful and responsible way," Hanshaw said. Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright also agreed that those who are getting a firearm should look into practice and training. "You must train like we do," Wright said, comparing training to that of law enforcement officials. "You must be proficient, and you must be familiar with your weapon. These things are not toys, once you squeeze the trigger, you can't get that bullet back." Upstate law enforcement officers and community leaders and elected officials held an open meeting to talk about understanding each others points of view. The meeting was held at the Mt. Pleasant Community Center in Greenville on March 30, 2023. Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright talks about working with community. Though Wright emphasized the need for training for gun owners, he also aligned with Lewis in believing that the law would deter criminal activity. "My desire is that the shooting will not go up at all. I hope and pray that criminals know mostly everybody's got a weapon and that you might not want to be messing with some of these people because of that," Wright said. Currently, no law enforcement agencies in the Upstate partner with programs that specialize in firearms training. Terry Benjamin II covers public safety and breaking news for The Greenville News and can be reached at tbenjamin@gannett.com or on X @Terrybenji2. This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Upstate law enforcement leaders react to new SC permitless carry law Most Americans want the U.S. government to stop supplying weapons to Israel, according to new polling. A narrow majority of U.S. adults, 52%, said American arms shipments should be stopped until Israel ends its attacks in Gaza, according to a YouGov poll released on March 11. Less than one-third of respondents, 27%, said the shipments should not be halted, and 21% were unsure. The poll, commissioned by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) a think tank in Washington, D.C. sampled 1,000 U.S. adults, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. The question over additional military aid revealed a strong partisan divide among respondents. The majority of respondents, 62%, who said they voted for President Joe Biden in 2020 agreed with the statement The US should stop weapons shipments to Israel until Israel discontinues its attacks on the people of Gaza, while 14% disagreed. On the other hand, 30% of respondents who said they voted for former President Donald Trump in 2020 supported stopping the shipments, while 55% opposed it. Additionally, 60% of respondents who said they sat out the 2020 election favored stopping shipments, 17% were opposed and 23% were unsure. The support for halting weapons shipments is specific and unambiguous, Mark Weisbrot, Co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, said in a CEPR news release. The U.S. has sent Israel tens of thousands of arms including precision-guided missiles and bombs since the Oct. 7 attack that left 1,200 Israelis dead, according to The Wall Street Journal. Many of the shipments have been green-lit through a process that avoids congressional review and public disclosure. The poll comes as Israel enters its sixth month of its war against Hamas in Gaza, which has left over 30,000 Palestinians dead, most of whom are women and children. The high death toll has has led South Africa to file a genocide charge against Israel at the International Court of Justice, the United Nations highest court. The poll also follows a November Reuters poll that found 68% of respondents agreed with the statement Israel should call a ceasefire and try to negotiate. Other polls have revealed more mixed opinions, including a January Gallup poll, which found 41% of respondents believed the U.S. was doing the right amount to resolve the conflict, 39% said it was not doing enough, and 19% said it was doing too much. Are voters happy with Americas global standing? Poll shows near-record disapproval Biden and Trump face high levels of dissatisfaction in their parties. Does it matter? Who do voters want as Trumps vice president? Poll reveals some surprising choices Lawmakers in the U.S. Senate passed a bill to pay reparations to New Mexicans impacted by the infamous Trinity Test in the Tularosa Basin where the worlds fist atomic bomb was exploded. Since the Trinity Test in 1945, generations of residents in south-central New Mexico from villages like Carrizozo or Tularosa attributed myriad cancers and health problems to the lingering radiation in the area from the blast. But they were left out of government programs to pay for the resulting medical bills. Many feared they were forgotten by history as recently as the 2023 Oscar-nominated film Oppenheimer that was about the test and man who led it, but made no mention of New Mexicans affected during the movie's 3-hour runtime. The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) was passed in 1990 to provide payments to Americans impacted by nuclear activities and tests, but only provided funds to New Mexicans impacted by uranium mining and communities around the Nevada Test Site in several other states. Tina Cordova with the Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium speaks during a press conference about reparations for New Mexicans impacted by the Trinity Site, Sept. 20, 2023 at the U.S. Senate. More: New Mexican downwinders could be compensated for radiation exposure via bill in Congress Known as downwinders communities in New Mexico around the Trinity Site advocated and lobbied for years to see RECA expanded to include them, and a bill to do so passed the U.S. Senate Thursday on a 69-30 vote. It now awaits approval from the Republican-led House of Representatives. Both of New Mexicos senators voted in favor of the measure, which was also supported by every Democrat in the chamber but one Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware, and 20 Republicans. If passed, the latest RECA bill cosponsored by U.S. Sens. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) would extend the program by six more years, and expand its reparations to include those impacted by the Manhattan Project the federal operation that led to the Trinity Test. More: Biden signs bill giving New Mexico 2 more years to fight for nuclear exposure reparations Downwinders could receive $100,000 lump sums if they meet the qualifications and suffered from diseases included in the bill, which included any leukemia occurring after the age of 20 and at least two years after exposure. The bill also listed cancers of the thyroid, breast, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, brain and several others. It also extended payments to include more uranium miners by amending the law to include those who worked in that industry up until 1990. The law as it stands only covers until 1971. Lujan, who brought a New Mexico downwinder Tina Corodova with him as a guest for Thursdays State of the Union address in Washington, D.C., said the bill would bring justice to those suffering the effects of American nuclear proliferation. More: Trinity Site nuke test exposed New Mexicans to radiation. Senate votes to compensate them After decades of work and tireless advocacy, we are the closest we have ever been to providing justice and compensation for those who have suffered at the hands of our countrys national security, Lujan said in a statement upon the Senates passage of the bill. Todays bipartisan vote delivers a clear message to the generations of New Mexicans living with the lasting impacts of the Trinity Test that our country has a moral obligation to address this injustice and compensate families for their suffering. U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) He urged the House of Representatives to follow the Senates actions and pass the bill onto President Joe Bidens desk for signature. Biden signaled he would support the RECA expansion via a statement from the White House. More: New Mexican downwinders could be compensated for radiation exposure via bill in Congress The President believes we have a solemn obligation to address toxic exposure, especially among those who have been placed in harms way by the governments actions, read the statement. The RECA program was extended multiple times, most recently for two more years past a July 2022 sunset, meaning it expires this year in July without Congressional action. Last year, the Senate voted to add the expansion to the National Defense Authorization Act, but it was removed by the House before being passed. Ahead of the vote Heinrich also urged Congress to pass the expansion and provide payments to New Mexicans. More: New Mexicans demand reparations as Congress moves bill to support victims of nuke fallout It is long overdue for Congress to finally amend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to include Trinity Downwinders, all Americans who were downwind from nuclear tests, and all of the uranium workers who were exposed to radiation in service to our national defense, Heinrich said during his speech. Cordova, who founded the Tularosa Basin Downwinder Consortium and was a lead lobbyist for the legislation, said it had bipartisan support which should continue in House. Today I'm exceedingly grateful for the support that we've received and the US senators that saw to doing the right thing, Cordova said. We don't see a vote like this in the US Senate, ever. That should send a loud and clear message to the House that this is not a partisan issue and that the U.S. Senate knows what justice looks like." Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X. This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Bill recompensing New Mexico Trinity Site survivors passes US Senate The Coloradoan sent all Wellington candidates questions to learn more about their priorities and why they're running for office. Below are Ed Cannon's answers, which have been edited for AP style, length and clarity. You can find the other candidates' questionnaires and more coverage ahead of the election here. Name: Ed Cannon Race: Wellington Board of Trustees Ed Cannon is running for the Wellington Board of Trustees in 2024. Question: What makes you qualified to hold a town board seat in Wellington? Answer: I value fiscal responsibility, accountability, transparency and outstanding community service, and trustees need to make these values their top priority. As a retired city manager, I am highly experienced in all aspects of municipal government, including budgeting, grant writing and administration, planning and development, economic development, public utilities and special district formation and administration. As the former Wellington town administrator, I understand our communitys needs and potential, and I have the knowledge and experience to shape policy to achieve that potential. I have a deep understanding of Colorado water laws and state statutes, and I know how to leverage that experience and knowledge to best meet the needs of our residents. Q: What are your top three priorities if elected and why? A: Resolve Wellingtons water issues We need to get costs under control and find an alternative water source to ensure a sustainable future. Grow commercial businesses Wellington households are spending over $150 million each year for goods and services outside of Wellington. If we can bring in new commercial businesses to capture at least half of that amount, it would generate an additional $7 million in sales tax revenues each year. Wellington needs commercial business to provide jobs, expand available goods and services to our community, and generate sales and commercial property taxes to support or expand town services. Build a recreation center Residents have been demanding a recreation center for years, but the town has done nothing in the way of exploring the feasibility or even developing basic plans, cost estimates or site evaluations. We need to begin these processes so that we have a shovel-ready project when funding is available. Q: What are the top three challenges facing Wellington and what would you do about them? A: Lack of trust in Wellingtons government - Our current board is too divided, creating a win/lose roadblock for effective governance. As trustee, I will work for all residents and encourage my fellow trustees to do the same. I also pledge to understand opposing positions so that we can write inclusive legislation to better meet the needs of all residents. Lack of visionary leadership - There are many examples of Wellingtons past elected leaders being reactive versus proactive, and the town has suffered because of this lack of vision. I will work with board members to provide that vision and write effective legislation to ensure that vision is achieved. Transportation - As we continue to grow, we need to work with Fort Collins to expand bus service to Wellington. We need to work with CDOT to build a new interchange at Cleveland Avenue and I-25 and a second interchange at CR58 and I-25. We need better access across I-25 for pedestrians on the east side of town. We need a trail system that connects all parts of town. I have extensive experience in intergovernmental collaboration, and I will use that experience to improve transportation in Wellington. Q: Wellingtons population is expected to double in the next 20 years. What should the town be doing to prepare for this growth? A: We need to be more proactive and stop focusing on the past or maintaining the status quo. Our ordinances, strategic plans, priorities and budgets need to be focused on laying the groundwork to meet the needs of a growing community. We need to source new water and create sustainable revenues to support a community of 30,000. We need the expanded powers and authorities that home rule can provide so that we can meet those needs. Q: Some current Wellington trustees have said there is a lack of trust among the board that makes it difficult to govern. How would you address that? A: There is certainly a lack of trust among our elected officials, as evidenced by the numerous 4-3 votes on town issues. This inability to agree and long debates on non-municipal matters is dissolving trust within the community. I am a collaborative leader, and I will work to rebuild trust within the community and work to pass legislation that all trustees can agree with. Q: The water and wastewater treatment plants that will help meet the towns future growth needs are opening later in the year. How do you see the plants affecting water rates residents are paying now and going into the future? A: The high water rates our residents are currently paying are due to the North Poudre Irrigation contract, not the plant expansions. We need to renegotiate the terms of the North Poudre contract to get costs under control and source new water to reduce our reliance on contract water. Since the water plant expansion partially benefits existing residents, a small portion of those costs will be paid by residents, with the bulk of the costs borne by developers through impact fees. We need to examine our fee structure to ensure impact fees bear the true cost of the expansions, and restructure water dedications and cash-in-lieu rates to help secure new water. Q: Other items youd like to discuss that werent mentioned in the questionnaire? A: Wellington needs to become a home rule community. Our challenges are unique to Wellington, and we need the flexibility to meet those challenges instead of Denver telling us what we can or cannot do as a statutory town. Wellington also needs to explore creating a Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to encourage business growth and development along Cleveland Avenue. We have a fantastic Main Streets organization, but Main Streets cannot provide the funds necessary to address vacant lots, inadequate infrastructure and empty buildings. A DDA can provide a sustainable funding mechanism to meet those needs. More about Ed Cannon Occupation: Retired City Manager Have you held elected office before? No If you have a college degree, where did you attend school and what did you study? Community College of the Air Force associate degree in airway science Montevallo University, Montevallo, Alabama bachelors degree in political science Northern Illinois University masters degree in public administration Length of time in town? Seven years This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Wellington Board of Trustees election: Q&A with candidate Ed Cannon Ohio Voted stickers given out at county board of election offices during early in-person voting for the March 19 primary election. Republican voters in Madison County will have more contested races to decide than Democrats in the March 19 primary election. No Democrats are on the ballot for any Madison County offices in the GOP-majority county. Ohio registered voters decide in the primary election whether they want a Republican, Democratic or unaffiliated ballot. Unaffiliated voters can only cast ballots in this election on local issues that involve their municipality or school district. Here is a quick rundown of contested candidate races not including county or state party committee posts and local issues excluding neighborhood liquor sales that are on the primary ballot in Madison County: Madison County Incumbent Republican Commissioner Mark A. Forrest is being challenged in his reelection bid by Cory Coburn, Jim King and Brendan Shea for a four-year term that begins Jan. 2, 2025. The county Board of Elections had declared King's petition invalid because it was not under his registered name of "Banca King," but King's name is on the ballot. All other current county officeholders are unopposed for reelection. However, no valid candidate petition for county engineer was received and no name will appear on the primary ballot. Ohio 12th House District representative Incumbent Brian Stewart and challenger Patty Hamilton are competing in the Republican party primary. The winner will face unopposed Democrat Brad W. Cotton in the Nov. 5 general election. Ohio 12th District Court of Appeals Republicans Barbara S. Carter and Melena Siebert are competing for an open judgeship on the Ohio 12th Distrtict Court of Appeals, which handles appeals from common pleas and other courts in eight counties, including Madison County. There are no Democratic candidates. Ohio Supreme Court In the only contested primary battle for three seats up for election this year on the state's highest court, Democrats will decide between two appeals court judges for their party's nominee. Tenth District Court of Appeals Judge Terri Jamison, who lost her bid for the high court in 2022, and 8th District Court of Appeals Judge Lisa Forbes are battling to see who will face unopposed Republican Dan Hawkins, a Franklin County Common Pleas Court judge, in the Nov. 5 general election. U.S. House 15th District Democrats Zerqa Z. Abid and state Rep. Adam Miller, who represents Ohio's 6th House District but is not seeking reelection to that post, are competing in their party's nomination. The winner will face unopposed Republican incumbent Congressman Mike Carey in the November general election. U.S. Senate Incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown is unopposed on his party's primary ballot and in November will face the winner among three Republicans battling for their party's nomination: Matt Dolan, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, whose office oversees the state's elections; and Bernie Moreno, who has the endorsement of former President Trump. Ohio GOP Senate debate: Where primary candidates stand on abortion, immigration, Trump President of the United States Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump won enough states as of Super Tuesday to secure their party's nominations. However, Ohio voters will still find party challengers on their primary ballots even though all those challengers have suspended their campaigns. Local municipal and school issues Only registered voters in the municipalities and school districts involved will cast ballots on these local issues. Voters will recognize some of them as measures previously rejected that are back for their consideration again. City of London: A proposed 0.25% increase of the city's municipal income tax is being sought to fund the fire department and EMS. The city currently collects a 0.5% income tax levy for fire and EMS services, but that was intended for one fire station and its staff. It is now two stations, fire & EMS personnel for both, and all associated services. In the November 2023 general election, voters rejected a proposed new seven-year, 0.25% municipal income tax levy for seven years for the fire department by 52% to 48%. London city officials are warning that staffing reductions and fire and EMS service losses are possible if voters don't approve the measure this time around, and that could affect response times and overall department capabilities. The city says its other option would be to use general fund money for the fire department expenses, but that would potentially divert funds from future capital projects like roads and infrastructure, as well as from community programs. Madison-Plains Local School District: Located largely in Madison County but partially in Franklin County, is seeking approval of a 5.4-mill, 37-year bond issue that would raise $55.36 million for the district's portion of the cost of building a pre-K though grade 12 building and career tech on the current campus. The remaining funds would come from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission Exceptional Needs School Facilities Assistance Program state. The existing intermediate and high school buildings would be demolished. If approved, it would cost homeowners an additional $189 in property taxes for each $100,000 of county appraised value. District voters rejected the same request in November. Fairbanks Local School District: Located in Madison and Union counties, the district is asking voters to approve a 0.25% income tax hike beginning Jan. 1, 2025, and a 1.84-mill property tax for 30 years to cover the cost of a $12 million bond issue. Together, the two sources would generate $23 million to pay for the district's portion of renovating the shared middle and high school building, adding 19,000 square feet to the front of the building, a 12,000-square-foot gymnasium, and constructing school facilities. Additional funding would come through the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission. Anticipated growth is the reason, Superintendent Adham Schirg said. He said district officials have gone through a master planning process with the community since 2021. Beyond the income tax, the 1.84-mill property tax would cost $64 for each $100,000 of a district property owner's appraised property value as determined by their county auditor's office. Range Township: Voters there are being asked to renew for five years a 1.20-mill property tax used to fund maintenance and operation of township cemeteries. The tax costs property owners $42 for each $100,000 of the county auditor's appraised value. How can I see everything that is on my primary ballot? You must be a registered voter as of Feb. 20 to vote in the March primary. To see everything that is on your individual ballot, go to www.boe.ohio.gov/madison/election-info/, click "Ballots," and enter your information. What are the key dates for the Ohio primary election? Voter registration for the primary is over. Early in-person voting began Feb. 21 at county board of elections. March 12: Deadline for absentee ballot applications March 18: Absentee ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by this day. March 19: Primary Election Day. Polls in Ohio are open 6:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. You can find your polling place at voteohio.gov. Absentee ballots not mailed by the March 18 deadline must be delivered to the drop box at your county board of elections by 7:30 p.m. March 23: Mailed absentee ballots postmarked on or before March 18 must arrive at county boards of elections by this day to be counted. How to vote by mail You can get an application to request a mail-in ballot one of two ways: Ask your board of elections to mail you one, or download the application online. You can request an absentee ballot for the March primary until close of business on March 12. To cast a ballot by mail, voters must provide a copy of their photo ID, driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number. Completed ballots must be postmarked by March 18 and received by boards of elections no later than March 23 to be counted. If you don't mail your ballot in time, you can take it to the drop box at your county board of elections before polls close at 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. How to vote early in-person Ohioans can vote early at their county's designated location, which is almost always your county board of elections. Visit voteohio.gov to find your county's early voting spot. Early in-person voting hours for the March primary are: March 11: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. March 12: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. March 13-15: 7:30 a.m.to 7:30 p.m. March 16: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 17: 1-5 p.m. Per the new voting law, Ohio no longer offers early in-person voting on the Monday before the election (March 18). What kind of ID do I need to vote in person? Ohio now requires voters to show a photo ID when they cast in-person ballots, either early or on Election Day. The ID must be unexpired, but it doesn't need to have your current address on it. Other documents, such as utility bills and bank statements, are no longer accepted. The following documents qualify: Ohio driver's license Ohio state ID U.S. passport or passport card U.S. Military ID, Ohio National Guard ID or U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID Interim identification issued by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles Free state IDs are available to residents at BMV deputy registrar locations. More information can be found at bmv.ohio.gov. What if I forget my ID? If you don't have your ID or run into other problems at the polls on Election Day, you can cast a provisional ballot. Voters have four days to provide any missing information to election officials. Boards of elections have until eight days after the election to determine which provisional ballots can be counted. Haley BeMiller, a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which includes The Columbus Dispatch, contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Here are contested candidate races, issues on Madison County ballot The Coloradoan sent all Windsor candidates questions to learn more about their priorities and why they're running for office. Below are Jason Hallett's answers, which have been edited for AP style, length and clarity. You can find the other candidates' questionnaires and more coverage ahead of the election here. Jason Hallett is in a two-way race for Windsor mayor this spring. Hallett currently represents District 6 on the Windsor Town Board and is retired from the Marine Corps and the private sector. Jason Hallett He is running against Barry Wilson, who is the District 2 member of Town Board. Here are Hallett's answers to a questionnaire from the Coloradoan: Question: Have you held elected office before? Answer: Yes, I am currently a Town Board member representing District 6. I am also the liaison for the tree board, Windsor Housing Authority and the chairman of the ad hoc housing committee. Q: What is your background? A: Joined the United States Marine Corps at 17, medically retired at 19, I then became a financial adviser and left the industry a few years back to focus on my time as a board member and being a father. Q: How long have you lived in Windsor? A: I have lived in Windsor for nine years; however, I have a long history with Windsor starting around 8 years old. I have loved and appreciated this town and I am raising my twins here. Q: What makes you qualified to hold a town board seat in Windsor? A: During my time in the Marines, high-pressure decisions were a constant and being able to pivot in fast changing environments. In addition to that, I have a deep understanding of the stressors and difficulties facing our police and how to address the challenges facing them. As a financial adviser I built and maintained relationships and was able to break down difficult topics, allowing for better understanding. I have also been an ambassador for the Vail Veterans Program for several years, putting me in a position to do speaking engagements and fundraising activities. I also currently sit on the Town Board, representing District 6. So I understand how our government works. I liaison to the Tree Board and Windsor Housing Authority. I am also the chairman of the ad hoc housing committee. Q: What are your top three priorities if elected and why? A: Growth: Windsor has grown a lot in the past few years. With growth comes growing pains. Safety: In 2020 we were ranked No. 1 in Colorado for safety. In 2023 we dropped to No. 4. We need to reinforce our efforts to make Windsor No. 1. Housing: This is a large issue facing Northern Colorado as a whole. Windsor can be the crown jewel in how to handle housing. Q: What are the top three challenges facing Windsor and what would you do about them? A: Growth: We need to look at growth holistically, ensuring every project that is voted on by the board has a positive impact to the town. Basing growth on the merits of projects individually, not based on growing to grow or slowing growth just to slow it. Safety: We need to promote programs like secure streets. This program can help our officers gather evidence and track down criminals faster, give an abundance of tools and resources to our officers and bring in more high-quality officers and team members so we can deter criminal activity. Housing: We can address this issue by having a robust mix of quality housing. We need to partner with the private sector to ensure any residential development meets the needs of the town. Q: Windsor is known as a business-friendly town and has provided incentives in the form of fee waivers and tax share backs. Going forward, what should the town be doing to prepare for future residential and commercial growth? A: Preparing our infrastructure, our staff, and our police and first responders. For infrastructure, this would include ensuring we have water, treatment of our water. Roadways and ensuring our road projects and any growth doesnt clog our arterial roads. Keeping close contact with our schools to ensure they are ready for any growth to come. Working with our staff to ensure they have enough people and resources to handle any town obligations that come with the growth. Finally, our police and first responders, ensuring they have enough people to keep Windsor safe, making sure they have the tools and resources available; this includes working closely with any new and old developments to promote the secure streets program so our PD can track down criminals faster. Q: What concessions, if any, should the town board make to acquire land from the Clearview Library District for a future King Soopers grocery store? A: Because this is in active negotiations and is discussed in executive sessions, I cant speak to this. Q: The town is considering asking voters to support a lodging tax. Would you support adding a lodging tax? Why or why not? A: Yes, a lodging tax benefits our local economy, allowing the town to capture the tourist or transient dollar. However, these dollars need to be specifically used to enhance quality of life in Windsor, not to grow the government. This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Windsor mayor election: Q&A with candidate Jason Hallett FUKUOKA, Mar 13 (News On Japan) - Leader of the yakuza group Kudo-kai, Satoru Nomura (77), had his death sentence overturned by the Fukuoka High Court on Tuesday, instead receiving life imprisonment. The court acquitted Nomura of one of the four civilian attacks he was found guilty, which resulted in the death penalty, and sentenced him to life behind bars. Nomura was charged with murder and other crimes in four civilian attack cases and was sentenced to death in the first instance. Nomura's side had appealed the sentence. In the appeal trial, Nomura continued to claim innocence, but in the verdict on March 12, the Fukuoka High Court pointed out that the first-instance judgment's conclusion of conspiracy in the 1998 murder of a former fishing cooperative chairman "cannot be acknowledged in light of the rules of logic and experience." TOKYO, Mar 13 (News On Japan) - A boy under the age of 5 living in Tokyo has been confirmed to be infected with measles According to the city, the boy, who is under 5 years old, visited a medical institution after developing symptoms of fever, rash, and cough on the 4th of this month. His infection with measles was confirmed on the 11th. The boy had no history of vaccination. He is currently hospitalized. The route of infection is unknown, but the boy had a history of traveling abroad, and he had visited a restaurant in Adachi Ward the day before his symptoms appeared. The city is urging anyone who suspects they may have measles to contact a medical institution in advance and follow their instructions for consultation. Regarding measles, eight passengers on a flight from the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East to Kansai International Airport last month were confirmed to be infected, but the route of infection is believed to be different. Measles is highly contagious, with symptoms such as fever, cough, and runny nose, followed by a high fever of over 39C and a rash. Source: ANN An ordinary call to respond to a two-vehicle accident on March 2 escalated into a distressing encounter for Shenandoah Police Officer Andrew Cameron. Dispatched to the 1200 block of West Nishna Road shortly before 8:45 a.m., Cameron found himself facing an unexpected assault allegedly perpetrated by a 41-year-old male involved in the accident. Police Chief Josh Gray said the scene quickly turned hostile upon Camerons arrival. The guy was kind of agitated, kind of provoking the other individual he rear-ended, Gray said. He said the situation took a violent turn when the person, seemingly without provocation, launched an attack on Cameron. In the heat of the struggle, the assailant managed to gain control of Camerons service pistol from its holster, creating a potentially life-threatening situation. However, Cameron was able to maintain possession of the firearm throughout the ordeal. The altercation continued with both parties tumbling down a ditch into a nearby cornfield, where passersby intervened to aid Cameron until additional officers arrived. Fortunately, Cameron did not receive serious injuries.. While the occupants of the front vehicle involved in the accident sought medical attention as a precaution, they also were not significantly hurt. Formal charges and an arrest were pending the alleged assailant's release from the hospital, Gray said. Farmers investing in soil health practices like cover crops, no-till, diversified crop rotations and integrated livestock grazing, among others, are invited to participate in two PFI on-farm research trials. The first explores whether these practices support using less nitrogen fertilizer, according to a news release. The second trial aims to find out if cover crops give farmers greater access to their fields over a season. Many farmers have observed that using soil health practices long-term improves soil function. But most dont have scientific data from their own fields. By taking part in these trials, farmers will have a chance to empirically test the impacts of those soil health investments on their own farms. The results will offer practical insights they can use to improve their operations, their land stewardship and their bottom lines. To be eligible, participants must have been using soil health practices for at least five years. All farmers who sign up will receive a one-time payment for taking part. In the first study, now in its third year, corn farmers will compare their typical nitrogen fertilizer rate to a reduced rate of their choosing in randomized, replicated strips. For instance, if their typical nitrogen rate is 200 pounds per acre, their reduced rate could be 160 pounds per acre a 40-unit reduction. The reduced rate is entirely up to the farmers. When, how and what form of nitrogen they apply is also their decision. Past trial participant Josh Hiemstra, who farms near Brandon, Wisconsin, said hes likely to make changes to his farm based on his findings. I now have enough confidence in my soil health program to free myself from unnecessary costs and passes, Hiemstra said. The second study seeks to find out if cover crops provide earlier field access, or greater access over a season. Farmers will observe their cover-cropped fields throughout the year and complete a short survey on a weekly basis that asks, If you wanted to, could you have completed field activities this past week without compromising field integrity? On which days this past week could you have done so? By surveying cover croppers, we'll be gathering evidence about how using cover crops may be helping farmers become more resilient to challenging weather patterns, particularly during the high-stress planting time in the spring, said Stefan Gailans, PFIs senior research manager. Enrollment for both trials is now open and will close April 10. Full details and application forms are available at practicalfarmers.org/open-calls-for-on-farm-research-cooperators. Woodbine is one of 30 communities across the nation selected for a program seeking to identify barriers preventing entrepreneurs from starting or growing their businesses. Woodbine Main Street announced it was selected for Main Street Americas Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Rural Communities Pilot Program, according to a news release. The program seeks to engage, activate and empower rural entrepreneurial talent, the release states, and is supported by Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in partnership with Forward Cities. Communities each receive a $5,000 seed grant and $1,500 toward professional development certification through the International Economic Development Council. The program also provides access to national thought leaders and partners, as well as opportunities to receive additional funding as the program expands. Because the program pairs grant funding and technical support, outcomes will allow more and better tools for business expansion or start-ups for local businesses and emerging entrepreneurs," Deb Sprecker, executive director of Woodbine Main Street, said in the release. Sprecker said the program will speak to the hurdles faced on a rural level. "Providing opportunity and education for the next generation of business owners is a direct way for us to ensure vitality in our rural communities, Sprecker said. Woodbine Main Street is one of 51 Iowa Main Street communities designated through the Iowa Economic Development Authority. The community received the designation in 2008 and won a National Great American Main Street Award in 2014 from the National Trust and Main Street America, recognizing its historic building preservation and support for small businesses. Those supports will be discussed with Main Street America, and representatives of the national organization will visit Woodbine in person and provide virtual programming support. Much of the current work on equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem development nationally is focused on large cities, said Matt Wagner, chief program officer for Main Street America. There is a need to deliver these services to rural communities, and Main Street America is uniquely positioned to address that need to partnership with its coordinating programs. Local entrepreneurs and small business in Woodbine are asked to provide feedback through an anonymous survey, which is available at arcg.is/0bKXji. The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) is reminding the public that it is unlawful to place political campaign signs or any signs on state highway and interstate right-of-way areas. This includes intersections, medians, entrance and exit ramps, sidewalks and the ditches and lands t We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Niger is expected to increase its oil production five-fold thanks to a pipeline linking the country to Benin, which will start operating in April. Niger military ruler had announced that the initial shipment would take place in January this year but sources told S&P Global Commodity Insights that first oil deliveries will only take place in April. The lifting of sanctions by the ECOWAS on Niger enabled China National Petroleum Corporation to complete construction of the 2,000 km pipeline and crude was flowing through the conduit last week. The removal of sanctions ended restrictions such as the no-fly zone, border closures, and financial constraints on state assets, including Nigers state-owned Sonidep. The pipeline would help Niger increase production from 20,000 barrels daily to 100,000 barrels, offering the landlocked country an export route. Gunmen kidnapped 15 more students from an Islamic school in northwestern Nigeria, which comes following the abduction of more than 280 children by gunmen in the same region last week. The gunmen broke into the premises of the Islamic seminary in the village of Gidan Bakuso in Sokoto state on Saturday (9 March), snatching 15 children mostly aged between eight and 14 from the hostel as they slept, according to police sources. It was the third incident of mass kidnapping in the wider region since last week, when more than 200 people, mostly women and children, were taken hostage by suspected fighters in Borno state. On Thursday (7 March), 287 students were kidnapped from a government primary and secondary school in Kaduna state. With kidnappings increasing in northwestern Nigeria, local people have told the media that they feel abandoned by the government and will have no peace of mind until the children return. Saturdays kidnappings come as the Nigerian government on Friday (8 March) initiated a search and rescue operation for the other almost three hundred missing children. Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubus administration is keen to show the public how seriously it is trying to reverse one of the largest mass abductions in years. Being one of the worlds kidnapping hot spots, Nigeria has seen an increasing number of school kidnappings in Nigeria since the jihadist group Boko Haram seized over 200 pupils from a girls school in Chibok in 2014. Sudan has dismissed all reports of Irans intention to establish a naval base on the countrys Red Sea coast, which comes at a time when the creation of the Russian Navy in the country has been postponed indefinitely due to the ongoing fighting. Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Al-Sadiq Ali was quoted by Sputnik Arabic as saying that an article published on Sunday (10 March) in the US daily newspaper The Wall Street (WSJ) Journal that claimed Iran unsuccessfully pressed Sudan to let it build a permanent naval base there, was false and fabricated. He made the comments on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2024 in the southwestern Turkish city of Antalya on Sunday. The WSJ also claimed that the Iranian military installation would have allowed Tehran to monitor maritime traffic to and from the Suez Canal and Israel, according to a senior Sudanese intelligence official. Sudans top diplomat denied these claims, saying that Iran has never asked Sudan to establish a base there. I paid a visit to Iran lately, and the issue was never raised during my stay. This comes as the construction of the long-awaited base of the Russian Navy on Sudans coast has been postponed indefinitely due to the political crisis in the country. Due to the dissolution of parliament, the Sudanese side has not yet been able to complete the necessary internal ratification procedures, Andrei Chernovol, Russian Ambassador to Sudan, said recently. Plans for the creation of Russian military infrastructure in Port Sudan have now been discussed for more than four years. Meanwhile, the recent naval defense deal inked between Somalia and Turkey is also about Turkeys long-held ambitions to project its power in the Red Sea region and opening the pathway to large defense deals in the future, analysts say. The deal may have been announced in response to Somalias tensions with Ethiopia, but analysts say it is part of Turkeys long investment in the region and its aim to be a maritime player beyond its shores. A recent report by Sputnik Africa claiming that the use of the Russian ruble for trade between Russia and Africa has more than doubled since 2022 is challenged by other sources that report a sharp dip in the share of ruble payments from 23.7% in mid-2022 to 12.7% in mid-2023. Russian ruble usage in international trade sees a significant uptick, particularly in African nations, whereby this shift is likely to reduce reliance on the US dollar, according to a report by Sputnik Africa. It also claims that the use of the Russian currency for trade between Russia and Africa has more than doubled, from 21.9% in 2022 to 48.1% in 2023. To support these claims, the report also refers to the Russian Central Banks data that should also indicate a substantial rise in the amount of ruble settlements in other regions outside of Africa including with American countries. But this report is disputed by the Russian business newspaper RBC that has recently published an article about African countries turning away from the Russian currency to pay for goods they import from Russia, using the Chinese currency, yuan, instead. It based its conclusion also on the Russian central bank statistics that shows that the share of ruble payments tumbled from 23.7% in July 2022 to 12.7% in July 2023. The RBC report added that African companies prefer to use yuan in search of flexibility, stability and safety. In any case, as the BRICS bloc expands, efforts by BRICS policymakers to increase global use of non-dollar currencies particularly the Chinese renminbi are accelerating, a recent analysis published by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace concluded. Morocco, at the instructions of King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al Quds Committee, is dispatching a humanitarian aid, including over 40 tons of foodstuffs and basic products, to the Palestinian population in Gaza and the Holy City of Al Quds. This aid, which coincides with the advent of the holy month of Ramadan, aims to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian population, notably the most vulnerable layers of the society, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement released this Tuesday. Besides the institutional aid, deployed notably through the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, the King has covered, from his personal funds, a large part of the dispatched aid, particularly the aid delivered to babies and young children, the statement said. The ministry pointed out that since the outbreak of armed hostilities more than five months ago, Morocco is the first country to dispatch, through this unprecedented land route, its humanitarian aid which will be delivered directly to recipient populations. The dispatching of the Moroccan assistance to Gaza by land is viewed as a humanitarian breakthrough, Morocco being the first country to do so since the outbreak of armed hostilities. Until now, aid destined for the population of Gaza either went through Egypt, via the Rafah crossing, or was airdropped from aircraft. The latter option entails several risks, including the destruction of the airdropped foodstuffs or the falling of cargoes on the population, which may kill or injure some people. Actually, conveying the assistance by land shows that the King, Chairman of Al Quds Committee, has achieved what great powers have not been able to obtain, as the land route was opened to King Mohammed VI thanks to his weight and position on the international scene, his aura, his moral authority, and his credibility. Moreover, King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al Quds Committee, has instructed Bayt Mal Al Quds Agency to provide a humanitarian aid to the populations of this Holy City. Thus, 2,000 food baskets will be distributed to 2,000 households in Al Quds, and 1,000 meals will be served daily for Palestinians in the City. The aid also provides for setting up an emergency coordination room in the Jerusalem Hospital. This large-scale humanitarian operation for the Palestinian population confirms the effective commitment and continued solicitude of King Mohammed VI for the Palestinian cause, the statement added. This is not Moroccos first humanitarian operation in support of the Palestinians. In 2023, Moroccan aircraft transported 25 tons of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, delivered via the Rafah crossing from Egypt, and in 2018, the Kingdom deployed a medical-surgical field hospital in Gaza. Therefore, Moroccos humanitarian aid to the Palestinian population in Gaza and Al Quds is part of a long tradition of active and concrete solidarity with Palestine. It reflects the Kings bold role, constant commitment, and long-standing support for the Palestinian Cause, confirms that Moroccan solidarity is not dictated by circumstances or conjuncture, but is steady and continuous; and evidences, if need be, that the Kingdoms positions towards the Palestinian Cause are clear, unshakable, and irreversible. Lincoln County will offer whatever support and resources it can to help first responders refine their preparations for wildfires, county commissioners say. They spent about 20 minutes of Mondays County Board meeting reviewing the Feb. 26 Bettys Way Fire and its lessons with North Plattes top two fire officials and County Sheriff Jerome Kramer. All agreed that county residents offered useful ideas and advice at two town-hall meetings last week after the countys latest major wildfire consumed some 70,000 acres and four homes in Lincoln and Custer counties. We want to hear from folks, and we heard some good things, Fire Chief Dennis Thompson said. Water supply is the big thing for us. County Board Chairman Joe Hewgley said its wise to use the immediate aftermath of Bettys Way to refine and upgrade strategies and equipment for the next time a range fire flares up. The time we dont think about it is when youre running around in an active blaze trying to do your job, he said. Thompson and Assistant Chief Trent Kleinow invited commissioners to send representatives to continue Mondays discussion at the Mid-Plains Mutual Aid Associations quarterly meeting April 17 in Maxwell. Hewgley appointed Commissioners Jerry Woodruff and Micaela Wuehler to attend. The fire chief praised the extensive teamwork that enabled the fast-moving wildfire to be mostly contained a day after it started, though it took most of the week to fully extinguish it. A lot of people came together for this fire out at Bettys Way, Thompson said. Its what we see all the time, but in this particular case (it) elevated to the level we hadnt before. But firefighting efforts were hampered by the remoteness of northeast Lincoln County, both in regard to water supplies and radio communications, the three first responders said. Emergency dispatchers put out requests early in the fire response for nearby farmers to turn on their center pivot irrigation systems. Thompson mentioned making more use of pivots when able and installing rural dry hydrants that firefighters could tap. Wuehler volunteered to put together an emergency registry of farmers that have rapid fill valves connected to their center-pivot systems. I do know that there are ag producers in my community that have the rapid fill valves, she said, referring to the County Boards District 3 southwest of North Platte. An upgraded statewide emergency radio system is in place, Thompson said, but a lot of the smaller departments are still struggling with the expense of that to replace radios and gain training on how to use the new system. District 4 Commissioner Chris Bruns said the county still has some of its federal COVID-19 aid that could be used for training, adding more rapid fill valves and improving signage for out-of-town first responders. We have mutual aid responders come in from all over the state, he said. They dont know where all our resources are. District 2 Commissioner Kent Weems brought up fresh examples during the Bettys Way battle of rural residents trying and failing to lend help or coming out just to watch the fire. The fire command protocol runs headfirst into the fact that weve got locals who have fire mitigation equipment on their pickups (or) whatever, four-wheelers, ATVs, he said. Public comments at last weeks town-hall meetings showed that weve got a major communication problem there, Weems added. But how do we sort the looky-loos from those folks who maybe do have volunteer fire department experience, although theyre not credentialed? Thompson said earlier that life safety is our priority, including the lives of affected landowners. It can be a bit shaky when theyre wanting to help. We cant ask them to. In other business Monday, commissioners: Voted 5-0 to spend $9,500 for a three-year contract to continue the TextMyGov county notification service that debuted in September. The deal includes 300,000 text messages a year, County Clerk Becky Rossell said, because far more people signed up than had been expected. To join, text LINCOLNCO to 91896. Heard an update by Bruns on the countys application for a $750,000 planning grant from federal infrastructure funds to examine a four-lane highway loop around North Platte, including a third Interstate 80 interchange. The West Central Nebraska Development District submitted the application for the county Feb. 23, he said. Agreed to accept bids at 10 a.m. April 15 to replace and improve insulation at the county roads department shops in North Platte. The county has been preapproved by the U.S. Department of Energy for a $76,200 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, said North Platte and Lincoln County Planning Administrator Judy Clark. The billionaire Illinois governor in Nevada where hes supporting a ballot referendum to protect reproductive rights (and boost Democratic turnout). Photo: Jeff Scheid/The Nevada Independent Last year, when J.B. Pritzker was looking for the best way to deploy his considerable personal fortune ahead of the 2024 election cycle, he had a wide array of choices at his disposal and no shortage of pitches filling his inbox. The Illinois governor, a billionaire and longtime Democratic megadonor, had no interest in building a campaign apparatus of his own, so he wanted to find where on-the-ground organizers had clear plans to help voters while also making national waves. He saw an obvious best option to the east. That summer, Ohioans were organizing ballot measures to protect abortion rights, and he sent them $750,000. By October, sensing momentum, he scaled up, both founding and funding a group called Think Big America that promptly sent the organizers another $250,000. He duplicated that donation in Virginia, earmarking the cash for the state Democratic party and legislative candidates who sought to prevent Republicans from passing a 15-week abortion ban. Democrats took back the state house, and Ohioans voted to protect abortion access by a large margin. This year, he is looking west. In Arizona and Nevada, organizers are gathering signatures to put abortion protections on the ballot in November, and Pritzker has so far given them $1.25 million, on top of sending advice and helping hire aides on the ground. The logic is straightforward: Ballot measures to amend state constitutions are the most durable ways to codify abortion rights under threat by Republicans in politically divided states where there is no long-term guarantee of sympathetic leadership. But the nationwide political reality that Democrats like Pritzker have recognized is also inescapable: Pro-abortion-rights campaigns have been winning consistently since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago, often helping drive unexpectedly high turnout in races that benefit Democrats. Were committed to moving state by state to support state constitutional amendments and candidates protecting a womans right to choose, Pritzker told Virginia Democrats earlier this month. Since Republicans have now made abortion a state issue, well fine, well make it a state issue. Arizona and Nevada were already going to be top-tier battlegrounds in a presidential election year, with the swing states likely to be pivotal not just for Joe Biden some close to the White House believe they may be key in keeping him in office but also in the tug-of-war over Senate control, with Democrats Jacky Rosen running for reelection in Nevada and Ruben Gallego running to replace Kyrsten Sinema in Arizona. As a result, national Democrats see the campaigns to get these ballot measures in place as opportunities to both protect abortion rights and force Republicans to go on record opposing them. When youre looking at opposing right-wing extremism, theres a lot of bang for your buck in these states. First of all, we support the policy on the ground of making sure women are not second-class citizens in these states, says Mike Ollen, the former Pritzker campaign manager who is now helping lead Think Big America. Further, he says, if you make that the topic of the day, and you remind voters especially persuadable and swing voters that these threats are very, very real, you can have real impact up and down the ballot. While Arizona and Nevada are the most closely divided states to feature abortion referenda, they are hardly alone. Both Maryland and New York will see such votes in November, the latter over barring discrimination on the basis of pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes. Other such measures could be on ballots in Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, and South Dakota. In Florida, a campaign to legalize abortion until the point of fetal viability (essentially restoring Roe) has already gotten the signatures it needs to make the ballot, but the Republican attorney general has argued it should be disqualified because of its wording. (The state supreme court is currently considering whether the language is indeed too complicated for voters to understand.) Though much of Think Bigs resources are now trained on Nevada and Arizona, Pritzker and his lieutenants have not ruled out expanding the investments to include some of these other states, especially Florida and possibly Montana, where a referendum would coincide with a competitive race for incumbent Democratic senator Jon Testers seat. I always hesitate to say ballot initiatives are silver bullets to restoring rights around the country, says Ryan Stitzlein, the vice-president of political and government relations at Reproductive Freedom for All, which has staff on the ground in both Arizona and Nevada. This isnt going to get us out of the national crisis, because its not an avenue we have in every state. But we look at it as one of the crucial tools. In many cases, leaders within the states refuse to frame the referenda in political terms beyond noting that its always Republicans who have rejected legislative efforts to expand or protect abortion rights. People often say to us, Youre doing this to drive turnout, implying that because we are Democrats, its going to drive turnout for Democratic voters, but thats not necessarily the case, said Nicole Cannizzaro, the majority leader of the Nevada senate, who last year introduced a constitutional amendment to enshrine abortion rights. She pointed to a 1990 statutory initiative to formalize abortion-care protections in the state, which passed easily, not just with liberal votes: Honestly, for me, its a little offensive when it keeps getting thrown in our face that were doing this for an overtly political reason. For anybody who has tried to have a family or has gone through that, or has even tried to access basic OB/GYN care, that can be a very difficult path to navigate, and now were seeing in these last two years very sweeping efforts to strip away health care to women. So this is very much not about turnout. When I asked Cheryl Bruce, the manager of the Arizona campaign to get a referendum on the ballot, whether it would be helpful to have the explicit support of Kamala Harris, who was about to visit the state, she demurred, arguing that they were looking to build as broad a coalition of signatories as possible. (Harris, predictably, cheered the signature-collecting effort in a south Phoenix event focused on abortion rights.) Those concerned with the national strategy agree not to let the talk on the ground be primarily about turnout but have been more explicit about a political upside that bubbles up from the clear voter intensity on the issue. There is some precedent to thinking about ballot initiatives in swing states as powerful turnout tools. In 2004, George W. Bush allies made sure referenda about same-sex marriage were on the ballot in influential states where they wanted to increase conservative turnout. There is still a debate over the results; though political scientists arent sure the tactic had much of an effect, many strategists nonetheless have seen it as a model. And in some states, local liberals in particular believe ballot measures have been central to boosting their candidates: Florida Democrats, for example, point to initiatives on medical marijuana (2016), felon rights (2018), and the minimum wage (2020) as having been clearly helpful for them in local races. Pritzker hasnt just been sending money. Before addressing the Virginia Democrats, he spoke to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Congressional Leadership Conference in Washington. No democracy worthy of the designation should contemplate jailing health-care providers for doing their jobs. No country should make the most intimate decisions by a patient, decisions about their own reproductive destiny, illegal, said Pritzker, who grew up knocking on doors and stuffing envelopes alongside his abortion-rights-activist mother. I worry a great deal about the moment that were in because things that felt untouchable and sacred are suddenly vulnerable. First it was abortion and emergency contraception. Now its IVF. Tomorrow it will be birth control. A few days ago, conservative activist Chris Rufo suggested it was time to ban recreational sex. I do truly invite Republicans to attempt to make that illegal. As a policy plank, I believe that will rank right up there in popularity with killing puppies and outlawing Disney World. He also joined Nevada Democrats in kicking off their signature drive in Las Vegas in late February. Hed seeded Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom with $1 million much of the groups early money and helped hire senior advisers on the ground. In Nevada, the ballot measure joins an ongoing effort in the state legislature, which is primarily made up of women, driven by Cannizzaro to enshrine abortion rights in the constitution. It already passed the legislature once; it must pass again in 2025 to find a place on the 2026 ballot. In Arizona, meanwhile, campaign backers are waiting for a ruling from the states supreme court over whether Arizonans will be subject to a total abortion ban from 1864 or a 15-week restriction passed in 2022. Our campaign contends that neither is acceptable, but obviously the 1864 ban would be absolutely devastating. That decision soon is going to be at the forefront of voters minds no matter what the outcome, because regardless, its a ban, says Bruce, the campaigns manager. Organizers have leaned into the effort in large part because of the states battleground nature. A group of us representing reproductive rights-leaning organizations got together before the election last November and said we needed to do something, recognizing that Arizona is a state where our government is divided and our legislature feels a little bit dysfunctional because of those divisions, says Chris Love, a senior advisor to the Arizona for Abortion Access campaign and to the Arizona chapter of Planned Parenthoods political wing. This is the only way to enshrine the right in our constitution. Pritzkers group established an Arizona chapter of its own and sent the central signature-gathering effort $250,000. Pritzker is the deepest-pocketed and most politically aggressive, but he is, of course, far from the only Democrat with national ambitions putting abortion rights at the top of their priorities list. Just among other possible 2028 presidential candidates running their own states, Californias Gavin Newsom has run ads and billboards in red states, most recently airing a spot in Tennessee pegged to a legislators proposal to charge adults who help pregnant minors leave the state to receive abortions. (The ad, which drew national attention, features a young woman handcuffed to a hospital bed.) Michigans Gretchen Whitmer, in particular, has been vocal about encouraging Democrats around the country to run on abortion rights, using her own 2022 re-election campaign which ran alongside a ballot measure codifying abortion as a constitutional right as a case study in how to drive up turnout and to force opponents to take a stance on the record. What we say to candidates where for sure its going to be on the ballot is: You cant just rest on the laurel that people are going to turn out for the abortion ballot. Candidates have to run on their full-throated support for abortion to connect those dots, says Stitzlein of Reproductive Freedom for All. In 2022, we saw some candidates try to talk around ballot initiatives in their states, but an example we like to point to is Michigan. We had a ballot initiative, you had Governor Whitmer and Democrats running for state legislature and Congress on their support for abortion front and center, open about supporting the ballot initiative. And we saw success across the board. Thats the model. Back in Washington, there is still a distinct sense among top Democrats that work remains to be done to remind voters of Trumps culpability for Dobbs. The White House has long since gotten the message. (Whitmer is a co-chair of Bidens campaign; Pritzker and Newsom are on its national advisory board.) Harris has been the face of the administrations response ever since the Dobbs ruling, often visiting campuses and meeting with advocates to talk about restoring and protecting abortion rights. The campaign itself has been relying heavily on clips of Trump claiming credit for Dobbs, and it recently ran a 60-second ad featuring Austin Dennard, a Texas OB-GYN who was herself forced to leave the state for an abortion because of potentially fatal pregnancy complications. In Texas, you are forced to carry that pregnancy, and that is because of Donald Trump overturning Roe v. Wade, she says to the camera. At the State of the Union, in which Biden promised to restore Roe and predicted a flood of women voting on the issue in 2024, Jill Biden hosted both Kate Cox, a Texas woman who sued to be able to end a nonviable pregnancy, and Latorya Beasley, an Alabama mother who used IVF to have a child and was going through another round before her states supreme courts recent ruling that disrupted IVF procedures across the state. Republicans and Alabamans in particular have scrambled to contain the political fallout of that decision, but that ruling has only intensified the signature drives in states like Arizona and Nevada. The decision in Alabama is a direct result of the overturning of Roe at the end of the day, so you can point the blame squarely at Donald Trump there. He appointed the justices that delivered that decision, says Stitzlein. Since that ruling came out, its been really similar to the awakening folks had post-leak of the Dobbs decision, and then obviously after the Dobbs decision was formally handed down. Thered been a bit of a believability gap people couldnt fathom that the Supreme Court was actually going to overturn Roe, people couldnt fathom that Republicans were actually going to go after IVF, or contraception. In Nevada, for one, Cannizzarro says shes been getting new questions from voters and IVF practitioners by the day, amplifying a level of voter engagement around reproductive health unlike any shes seen before, on any issue. For one thing, she pointed out, much of the IVF process and related procedures can happen across state lines, so her constituents are concerned about what might happen even outside of their home state and how it might affect them. I have a friend who is looking for a surrogate, and their surrogate was out of state. Theres an additional layer of: What happens if the surrogate theyre getting matched with is in a state where IVF is not accessible, or theyre susceptible to criminal penalties? Cannizzaro says. Its clear now, she continued, that IVF is not going to be the last thing to fall in the wake of Dobbs. There are going to be other restrictions we see. For many activists, the hope is that such intensity in the states can make up for the dismay some still feel with how Biden himself talks about abortion even as his party fights to maintain the right. This angst resurfaced in recent days with the publication of a New Yorker profile in which the Catholic president said, Ive never been supportive of, you know, Its my body, I can do what I want with it. But I have been supportive of the notion that this is probably the most rational allocation of responsibility that all the major religions have signed on and debated over the last thousand years. A few days later, at the State of the Union, which had an extended section on protecting reproductive rights, he skipped over the word abortion altogether, despite its presence in his prepared remarks. I called a very senior Democrat involved in the effort to center abortion rights shortly after the quote was published in The New Yorker. She sounded exasperated but sure of one thing: If Biden ends up winning, its going to be because of this issue, and nothing else. Controversial Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson makes North Carolina a tempting target for Democrats. Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images In the complex chess game of presidential campaigns seeking an Electoral College majority, the obvious starting point is the last presidential election. Thats particularly true this year with Joe Biden and Donald Trump set for a rematch. In a number of battleground states Biden won in 2020, hes now trailing in recent head-to-head or multicandidate polls. Two of these states stand out: Nevada, where Trump is leading by 7.7 percent in the RealClearPolitics polling averages, and Georgia, where Trumps lead is 6.2 percent. Georgia worries Democrats more than Nevada does because it has 16 electoral votes compared to the Silver States six. Additionally, while there has been a Republican mini-trend in Nevada, the state hasnt been won by any GOP presidential candidates since George W. Bush. Georgias extremely narrow Biden margin in 2020 was the first Democratic presidential win there since 1992. As the New York Times reports, some influential Democrats trying to build a map with 270 electoral votes are substituting another southern state for Georgia in their 2024 plans: North Carolina, which also has 16 electoral votes. Yes, Trump has carried the Tar Heel State twice, but there is one solid reason it might be more promising for Biden in 2024 than Georgia: It has a downballot election that could galvanize Democrats and disadvantage Republicans. Per the Times: [North Carolina] Republicans recently nominated a candidate for governor with a well-documented history of antisemitic comments, staunch opposition to abortion and anti-L.G.B.T.Q. views, and Democrats hope he will drag down the Republican ticket to Mr. Bidens advantage. Georgia now appears a little less enticing, despite a narrow Biden victory there in 2020 that gave Democrats new ambitions of winning in the South. That year, Mr. Biden ran alongside two Democratic candidates for Senate with control of the chamber at stake, prompting both die-hard Democrats and infrequent voters to surge to the polls. This year, there is no marquee down-ballot race to help Mr. Biden, and liberal organizers in the state have warned of money problems and lagging grass-roots energy. Republican lieutenant governor Mark Robinson will face Democratic state attorney general Josh Stein in what is sure to be an expensive and incendiary gubernatorial race in North Carolina, a place where the two parties have been battling for control of state government for most of this century. Robinsons mega-MAGA reputation and MTG-like record of outlandish comments could contaminate the statewide GOP brand and create the unusual spectacle of Trump being overshadowed by a ticket-mate, the Times notes: Among other things, Mr. Robinson has quoted Hitler on Facebook, flirted with Holocaust denial and referred to transgenderism and homosexuality as filth. He has also expressed support for a six-week abortion ban, a stance Democrats have already seized on. Pat Dennis, the president of American Bridge 21st Century, a liberal group that digs into the histories of Republican candidates, said Mr. Robinson was a dream for opposition researchers, adding that candidates like him who hold right-wing views on abortion really help define the race in the suburbs, which I think is where North Carolina will be won or lost. Meanwhile, there are no Senate or gubernatorial races in Georgia, and state government is firmly in Republican hands. Yes, North Carolina has most recently trended Republican in presidential races and Georgia lurched Democratic in 2020. But in 2008 (when Barack Obama carried the state), 2012, and 2016, the GOP margin in North Carolina was smaller than in Georgia, and the difference in 2020 was minimal (1.5 percent). In 2020, Biden benefited from a coordinated campaign in Georgia led by two Senate candidates (Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff) who were both exceptionally good at building a voter-mobilization operation and who were able to exploit a unique situation. They both won a general-election runoff in which Republican voters were discouraged and divided by Trumps constant assertions that the presidential vote had been rigged by Georgias Republican election administrators. So the states new blue hue may have been ephemeral, an impression strengthened by Georgia governor Brian Kemps big win in his 2022 rematch with Democratic superstar Stacey Abrams. (Yes, Warnock won another Senate race in 2022, but his Republican opponent, Herschel Walker, turned out to have some exceptional weaknesses.) Team Biden has by no means decisively tilted toward North Carolina as its principal source of southern comfort in 2024. As the Times story notes, it has spent more on TV in Georgia so far but has placed more staff in North Carolina. There is, moreover, a path, albeit very narrow, to 270 electoral votes for Biden that includes neither Georgia nor North Carolina nor their Sun Belt cousins Arizona and Nevada (Virginia is assumed to be a relatively safe Democratic state if the national race is close). But most successful presidential campaigns have multiple avenues for victory. It would open up a lot more possibilities for Biden if Democrats can keep their fragile recent gains in the South alive. Screen cap of video taken by Andry Barreto obtained by the NYT. Photo: Andry Barreto Video has emerged of a chaotic scene at a migrant shelter in Queens on Friday during which an NYPD officer is seen firing his stun gun at a man while he is holding his toddler son. The man is later arrested after being restrained by multiple officers. In the footage, which was obtained by the New York Times, two officers can be seen struggling with Yanny Cordero, a migrant from Venezuela, who has his back to a pair of closed elevator doors. Other migrants and a pair of men in military fatigues are standing by as the altercation continues. Things escalate as one officer draws his stun gun, uses it against Cordero, and appears to hit him in the head. Additional officers intervene and pull him from the elevators, forcing him down on a nearby desk after removing Corderos 1-year-old son from his arms. His wife, Andrea Parra, can be heard screaming and attempts several times to put herself between her husband and the officers, only to be pulled away. Andry Barreto, a Venezuelan migrant who recorded the video, can be heard yelling in Spanish, This is abuse, brother! and Dont hit him! Dont hit him! as officers hold Cordero down and strike him multiple times, after which he tumbles to the ground. Cordero, who has been staying at the shelter since December, tells the Times that the incident began when he returned to the building Friday evening after buying food for his family. He claims employees at the shelter stopped him from taking food up to his room and that, as he struggled to use a translator on his phone, one of the employees suddenly hit him in the face. They later called the authorities. Both Cordero and his wife were arrested, with Cordero facing charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, among others. The couple told the outlet that their three sons, including their 1-year-old, were briefly taken into custody by the Administration for Childrens Services but were returned to them Monday following the parents Saturday release. During his weekly press availability Tuesday, Mayor Eric Adams said he spoke to NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban over the weekend about the incident which was reportedly captured on the officers body-worn cameras. The mayor defended the officers actions that evening, saying that Cordero was drunk at the time of the altercation, something he denied to the Times. This person was under the influence of alcohol, holding a child. Those officers had to get that child from him so that child was not going to be in danger, Adams said. Adams said the officers asked Cordero to hand over his son multiple times, but that he refused. He was violent. He was volatile. They had to take that necessary action. Based on our review, those officers took appropriate action, he said. This is far from the first altercation between migrants and members of law enforcement at a city shelter. Last September, the City reported that officers conducted a raid on a shelter in Brooklyn in order to confiscate unregistered mopeds. Videos from that day show officers using stun guns and roughly shoving migrants in the crowd that formed. In January, a scene outside a Times Square shelter became a national political story as migrants were seen fighting with officers. Subsequent video revealed significant disparities from the official accounts of the incident that alleged the incident started when migrants refused an order to leave a sidewalk. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images In early February, special counsel Robert Hur delivered his report on President Joe Bidens handling of classified documents while out of office. While he did not find any wrongdoing, Hur made news by writing that Biden was an elderly man with a faulty memory a troublesome claim for a president already facing questions about his age. On Tuesday, hours after the transcript of their conversation contradicted some of Hurs claims, he appeared before the House Judiciary Committee to discuss the report. Here are the most notable moments from the hearing. GOP Rep. Tom Tiffany to Hur: "I want to thank you for the work you did as far as you could, but unfortunately you are part of the praetorian guard that guards that swamp out here in Washington DC, protecting the elites." pic.twitter.com/Zr7r8Gz3KJ Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 12, 2024 Sign Up for the Intelligencer Newsletter Daily news about the politics, business, and technology shaping our world. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. This post has been updated. Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's government has moved to implement a contentious citizenship law that has been criticised for being discriminatory against Muslims, four years after it was passed in parliament. The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which the Hindu-nationalist government claims to be "pro-refugee", comes into effect just weeks before the 2024 general elections, where Mr Modi is seeking a rare third consecutive term in office. The law grants the right to apply for Indian citizenship to refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before 31 December 2014 but only if they come from minority religious groups in these Muslim-majority countries. An announcement from Indias home ministry that the legislation would finally be enforced triggered fresh protests on Monday night in the northeastern state of Assam and the capital Delhi by critics who say the law is anti-Muslim. VIDEO | Members of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) stage a protest in Guwahati against the Centre's decision to implement the CAA. pic.twitter.com/wtAiyLp9Fh Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 11, 2024 India witnessed massive nationwide protests and sit-in demonstrations against the law when it was first passed in 2019, resulting in multiple deaths and arrests. Following the backlash, the government said it would need time to finalise the rules, and further delays were blamed on the Covid-19 pandemic. Critics of the law say it violates Indias secular constitution, and fear that the CAA combined with a proposed pan-India national register of citizens (NRC) could lead to discrimination against the 200 million Muslims living in India, especially in border states. Various reports have pointed to a rise in hate crimes against Muslims since the BJP came to power in 2014, with critics saying Mr Modi has said or done little to condemn such incidents. Story continues The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) a party based in the southern state of Kerala has moved Indias supreme court seeking a stay on the implementation of the citizenship law. The petitioners have argued that the law links citizenship to religion, which was prima facie unconstitutional. Implementing the CAA had been one of the key manifesto promises of the BJP before the last general elections in 2019. "This will pave [the] way for the persecuted to find citizenship in India," a spokesperson for the prime minister's office said. The home ministry in a statement said the law would remove legal barriers to citizenship for refugees, giving a "dignified life" to those who have suffered for decades. "Many misconceptions have been spread" about the law, the statement said. "This act is only for those who have suffered persecution for years and have no other shelter in the world except India," it said. Home minister Amit Shah on X heaped praise on Mr Modi, saying the prime minister "delivered on another commitment and realised the promise of the makers of our constitution to the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians living in those countries". The Modi government today notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024. These rules will now enable minorities persecuted on religious grounds in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to acquire citizenship in our nation. With this notification PM Shri @narendramodi Ji has Amit Shah (Modi Ka Parivar) (@AmitShah) March 11, 2024 Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal and one of Modis fiercest critics, led the outrage against the implementation of CAA with just weeks to go until the elections. The law has been opposed by West Bengal's more than 31 million Muslims, amid fears that it could be weaponised to declare them illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh. Following notification of Citizenship (Amendment) Act (#CAA) rules by the Centre government, protests were registerd at Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia campus, which has been a focal point of opposition to the law deemed discriminatory. Deployment of Delhi Police has been made. pic.twitter.com/RaWIWUVgnU Pirzada Shakir (@pzshakir6) March 11, 2024 Ms Banerjee said her government would steadfastly oppose "anything that discriminates (against) people". "If there is any discrimination, we won't accept it. Be it religion, caste, or linguistic. They won't be able to give citizenship to anyone in two days. This is just lollipop and show-off," she said. A spokesperson for the countrys main opposition party the Indian National Congress questioned the timing of the law. "After seeking nine extensions for the notification of the rules, the timing right before the elections is evidently designed to polarise the elections, especially in West Bengal and Assam," spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said on X. The northeastern state of Assam has been facing unrest since a national register of citizens was imposed to weed out people who came to India illegally, defined as anyone who migrated across the border into Assam after 1971. The law put the burden on residents to show documents proving their citizenship or risk deportation. The Communist Party of India (CPIM), which rules Kerala, called for state-wide protests on Tuesday. "This is to divide the people, incite communal sentiments and undermine the fundamental principles of the Constitution," Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in a statement. "This move to stratify Indian citizens who have equal rights, must be opposed unitedly." AA A+AThe Worlds No 1. Trade Fair with Congress for Safety, Security and Health at Workis renowned for its wide range of products and international reach, reflecting the status of the industry with the latest technologies and trends. From October 24-27, 2023, A+A will showcase the entire range of products and services for personal and occupational safety at the fairground in Dusseldorf, Germany - from protective items for individual body parts to complex security systems, from occupational medical care to ergonomic workplace design. An international congress will complement the exhibits. 3 Safety Knives The Safety Knife Company LLC has developed a quality range of safety knives for all industries. Designed so that fingers cannot get to the blades, these knives will safely cut through cardboard, tape, strapping, shrink or plastic wrap or a variety of other packing materials. Because these knives have no exposed blades and only cut cardboard deep, they will not only protect employees against lacerations but they will also save product. The Metal Detectable versions have revolutionary metal detectable polypropylene knife bodies specifically for the food and pharmaceutical industries. This material can be detected and rejected by typical detection machines and is X-ray visible. 3 The tech world is currently living through the Fourth Industrial Revolution as Artificial Intelligence (AI), cryptocurrencies and clean energy have emerged as some of the biggest secular megatrends of our time. AI and Machine Learning ("ML") have become the biggest consumer tech buzzwords thanks in large part thanks to ChatGPT, OpenAIs generative AI chatbot. ChatGPT has become AIs poster child, managing to garner 100 million users 60 days after its November 2022 launch. Energy companies are increasingly deploying AI tools to analyze vast troves of data and geological maps, digitize records and potentially identify problems such as pipeline corrosion and/or excessive equipment use. Last year, Dutch energy giant Shell Plc (NYSE:SHEL) announced plans to use AI-based technology from big-data analytics firm SparkCognition in its deep sea exploration and production in a bid to boost production and improve operational efficiency. Generative AI for seismic imaging can dramatically cut exploration timelines from nine months to less than nine days. Back in 2019, BP Plc (NYSE:BP) teamed up with AI start-up Belmont Technology and developed a cloud-based geoscience platform nicknamed Sandy. Sandy allows BP to interpret geophysics, geology and reservoir project information and also perform simulations using the programs AI neural networks. On the crypto scene, the bitcoin craze has gone into overdrive as the leading cryptocurrency keeps taking out new highs with FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) keeping markets bustling as more and more traders pile in to take advantage of the wild rally. Bitcoin price was up 4.2% on Mondays intraday session to trade at $72,486, a couple hundred bucks off its all-time high. The latest bitcoin surge has been chalked up to bitcoins upcoming halving event on April 20--bitcoins fourth halving eventduring which mining rewards will be halved from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC, effectively reducing the rate at which new bitcoin is introduced into circulation. Related: Europes Secret Weapon In Its Energy War With Russia Meanwhile, many countries are doubling down on renewable energy after a brief hiatus during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to BloombergNEF, in 2023, clean energy investment globally increased by 17% to $1.8 trillion, with 1.7 dollars going into renewable energy for every dollar invested in fossil fuels. Unfortunately, these exciting and seismic shifts in tech and financial circles are coming at a huge cost: high energy consumption. According to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the AI boom, cryptocurrency mining and increased clean technology manufacturing are straining U.S. energy supplies leading to energy sources struggling to keep pace. NERC's most recent long-term reliability assessment has projected that power demand in the summer of 2024 will hit its highest level since 2016 while winter demand will hit its highest level since at least 2015. "The [Bulk Power System] is currently forecast to have its highest demand and energy growth rates since 2014, mainly driven by electrification and projections for growth in electric vehicles over this assessment period," NERC wrote. Bitcoin Total Hash Rate (TH/s) Source: Blockchain.com Power Hungry Technologies According to NERC, resource growth is "becoming more challenging" as more and more fossil fuel generation sources are retired adding that "[m]ore than 83GW of generator retirements are planned through 2033, and more are expected. Generation plans need to consider growing energy needs and grid stability." "Across the board, we are seeing power companies say, 'We don't know if we can handle this; we have to audit our system; we've never dealt with this kind of influx before, " Andy Cvengros, the managing director of data center markets at commercial real estate firm JLL, has told The Washington Post. Industry insiders have started acknowledging that these technologies powering the fourth industrial revolution are indeed power hungry. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has declared that the world needs an energy breakthrough like fusion if AI is to achieve its full potential. "There's no way to get there without a breakthrough. It motivates us to go invest more in fusion," Altman has said. Altman has invested $375 million in private nuclear fusion company Helion Energy. Even more alarming is the likelihood of AI power demand skyrocketing from here. According to Sreedhar Sistu, vice president of artificial intelligence for Schneider Electric, excluding China, AI represents 4.3 GW of global power demand, and could grow almost five-fold by 2028. AI tasks typically demand more powerful hardware than traditional computing tasks. ADVERTISEMENT AI-servers are power-hungry devices: Digiconomist estimates that a single NVIDIA DGX A100 server consumes as much electricity as several U.S. households combined. This implies that powering a couple of millions of these devices could easily strain the power grids they are supposed to make more efficient. Meanwhile, bitcoin mining shows no signs of slowing down, hitting 565 exahashes per second (EH/s) currently, a five-fold increase from three years ago. Digiconmist estimates that bitcoin mining consumes 148.63 TWh of electricity per year, comparable to the power consumption of Malaysia, and emits 82.90 Mt CO2 per year, similar to the carbon footprint of Bangladesh. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that bitcoin mining accounts for up to 2.3% of U.S. electricity consumption. Galaxy Digital analysts had earlier estimated that between 15% and 20% of the hash rate coming from eight ASIC models could go offline when the halving occurs, because the economics would no longer make sense. However, it had used BTC price of $45,000 in its assumptions, much lower than the current BTC price approaching $75,000. In other words, few, if any, bitcoin miners will be put out of business after the April 20 halving event thanks to the wild bitcoin rally. Last year, the White House proposed a plan to have crypto miners pay extra for the energy they consume. Dubbed the Digital Asset Mining Energy (DAME) tax, miners would pay a tax equal to 30% of the electricity they use in crypto mining. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Stranded cargoes of Russias Sokol crude, previously headed to India but idled off South Korea and Singapore since the U.S. stepped up sanctions enforcement, have started to make their way to China, beginning to clear a backlog of more than 10 million barrels of the grade sitting on tankers at sea. China has increased purchases of Sokol in recent weeks and its independent refiners are expected to take several such shipments this month, traders have told Bloomberg, which also notes that tankers loaded with Sokol and idling offshore Singapore since December have started moving towards Chinas shores. The tougher enforcement of the G7 sanctions and related payment issues have been holding up Indian purchases of some cargoes of Russian crude oil, with tankers previously headed to India turning back eastwards, tanker-tracking data monitored by Bloomberg showed early this year. At the end of last year, the United States took a tougher stance on the sanctions against Russia and sanctioned several vessels for violating the G7 price cap of $60 per barrel, above which cargoes cannot use Western insurance and financing. Some of those tankers were already en route to India loaded with Russias Sokol grade and departed from the Far Eastern ports in Russia. With Indian refiners shying away from the Sokol grade, Russia is now looking for alternative buyers for its crude. Some barrels appear to have been placed with private Chinese refiners, often referred to as teapots, while others wait for other takers. According to Bloomberg, the first tanker carrying Sokol unloaded this weekend in Pakistan, at a refinery west of the capital city of Karachi. Meanwhile, the largest state-owned refiners in India have become increasingly cautious about committing to contracted supplies of Russian crude, wary of potentially running afoul of the stricter enforcement of the U.S. sanctions on Russian oil exports, multiple sources with knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg last week. [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif] By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Chinas stunning economic growth was almost single-handedly responsible for the commodities supercycle from the late 1990s to the onset of the 2014-2016 Oil Price War, as analysed in full in my new book on the new global oil market order. This was characterized by consistently rising prices of the key commodities that the country required in its dramatic economic expansion. In 2013, China became the worlds largest net importer of total petroleum and other liquid fuels and, as late as 2017, its still high rate of economic growth allowed it to overtake the U.S. as the largest annual gross crude oil importer in the world. Late 2019 saw most of this activity grind to a halt as Covid hit the country, and the economic slowdown was exacerbated by its Draconian handling of the virus, with its zero-Covid policy seeing complete shutdowns of major economic centres at the slightest hint of infection. Last week saw China officially announce its economic growth target for 2024 of around 5 percent the same as last years, which it managed to beat by 0.2 percent. The key question now, given Chinas enduring status as the worlds leading gross importer of oil, is whether can this be achieved again. One factor that cannot be underestimated in this question is the sheer political will to ensure that this growth target is met. Chinas top political figures including President Xi Jinping are acutely aware of the potential for high youth unemployment caused by low economic growth to spiral into widespread protests. They know that just before the series of violent uprisings in 2010 that marked the onset of the Arab Spring, average youth unemployment across those countries was 23.4 percent. This is why China stopped publishing the youth unemployment data after June 2023s figure showed this jobless rate at an all-time high of 21.3 percent very close to the Arab Spring level. The previous November had seen the beginnings of anti-Covid lockdown protests in China, after a fire in Urumqi led to several deaths, which the leadership knows have the potential to change focus into broader anti-government movements if the economy does not maintain a high growth rate. The basic trade-off in China has long been the peoples acquiescence for most things, provided that the government provides them with what they need and want food, a place to live, a job, education, healthcare, and the chance for their children to have even more opportunities. This is why towards the end of 2023, President Xi ordered several new stimulus measures to ensure that the governments economic growth target also around 5 percent then - was hit. Related: Two Countries That Could Break Putin's Gas Grip On Europe This included CNY828 billion (US$115 billion) of reverse repurchase contracts announced by the Peoples Bank of China (PBOC) on 20 October. On the same day, the central bank maintained record low lending rates for the one-year loan prime rate (of 3.45 percent) and for the five-year rate (of 4.2 percent), and implied that more monetary easing may be effected if required. Additionally, on 24 October, CNY1 trillion of new special sovereign bond issuance was approved, with the paper to be placed in Q4. Chinese government news channels stated that the bond proceeds would be allocated to local governments to help deliver growth. The budget adjustment also raised the cap on the general fiscal deficit to CNY4.88 trillion - or 3.8 percent of GDP, from the initially planned deficit of 3.0 percent. The effects of this latter measure partly washed through into the early part of this year too, Eugenia Victorino, head of Asia strategy for SEB in Singapore exclusively told OilPrice.com. The incoming bond supply remains elevated, and this will require continued liquidity injections from the central bank, she said last week. Aside from a bigger bond supply, the central government will likely raise the pressure on local government to implement the budget in a timely manner and, assuming the run rate of government bond issue is accelerated in the coming months, growth in aggregate financing will likely pick up, she added. The 50 bps [basis points] reduction in reserve requirement ratio implemented in February [2024] has already injected CNY1 trillion in long term liquidity and this gives the PBoC some time to assess if there is need for further policy easing, she concluded. Added to this, there are signs that Chinas trade globally is beginning to markedly trend up again. Exports jumped 7.1 percent year on year to US$528 billion in January and February, following a 2.3 percent gain in December 2023, and ahead of market forecasts of a 1.9% rise. This was echoed in its trade surplus, which increased to US$125 billion over the January and February period, compared to just US$104 billion in the same period a year earlier, again beating market forecasts. Stronger global trade on its own is unlikely to be sufficient to achieve the official around 5% growth figure, though. To reach its target, Beijing will need to increase infrastructure investment and to do so it will need to overcome two key obstacles, Rory Green, chief China economist for GlobalData.TSLombard exclusively told OilPrice.com last week. The first obstacle is the lack of money in local government for such projects, and to deal with this the government is likely to set an expansive fiscal stance, with central government taking on greater debt and redistributing to weaker provincial authorities. The deficit target of 3.2 percent, a central government special-purpose bond quota of CNY1 trillion, and a local government special purpose bond quota of CNY3.9 trillion, mark a departure from the hawkish fiscal stance over H2 2022 and H1 2023, he added. The second obstacle is a lack of projects that would promote Xis longer-term policy objectives, and here the expansive fiscal position might indicate that Beijing is shifting to a cyclical pro-growth stance, thinks Green. In addition to the stimulus announced at the NPC [National Peoples Congress], we expect government borrowing - CNY1 trillion between central and provincial balance sheet) and pledged supplementary lending of CNY500 billion in the second half of this year, he said. Alongside adjustments to allow a wider array of projects - similar to new common prosperity aligned property investment - all of this would just be enough to report official growth at 5%, he added. Fiscal expansion and increased trade is likely to feature increased demand for oil from China, as opposed to the type of growth that has dominated 2023 - broadly been led by household consumption, mainly of services, following three years of intermittent mobility restrictions during the Covid period. In this phase, it is apposite to note that the transportation element accounted for just 54 percent of Chinas oil consumption, compared to 72 percent in the U.S. and 68 percent in the European Union. Consequently, Green underlined, although the consumer-led rebound did produce an increase in oil demand, it did not in and of itself cause oil prices to surge. According to the International Energy Agency, increases in global oil demand are set to halve from 2.3 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2023 to 1.2 million bpd this year, but China will continue to lead this demand growth. It is also apposite to note that Chinas economy is valued at US$18 trillion, and Indias - currently the darling of the developing commodities markets - at US$3 trillion. This means that even if Chinas growth falls short of its around 5 percent target, an annual growth rate of even 4.5 percent would mean China adding an economy the size of Indias to its own every four years. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: In December 2023, European Union leaders made the historic decision to open EU accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova. But two months into 2024, the negotiations have not yet started as fears still exist of going too fast too soon -- notably with Kyiv -- especially ahead of June's European Parliament elections. And as Ukraine's and Moldova's enlargement journeys are connected, this of course applies to Chisinau as well. Most pressing are the negotiation frameworks that the European Commission, the executive branch of the EU, needs to adopt for both Ukraine and Moldova. Those two countries also have a "midterm" assessment, along with Bosnia-Herzegovina. The commission is due to deliver all these reports to EU member states on March 12. A more comprehensive report on all EU candidate countries in the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe is due at the end of October. Deep Background: The easiest way to unpack all of this is to revisit the December 2023 summit conclusions that the 27 EU heads of state agreed on regarding enlargement. The conclusions state that "the European Council decides to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and with the Republic of Moldova. The European Council invites the council to adopt the respective negotiating frameworks once the relevant steps set out in the respective commission recommendations of November 8, 2023, are taken." "Relevant steps" for Ukraine and Moldova normally means issues related to the rule of law in those countries. While Kyiv and Chisinau are working to address the issues, the question of whether they have satisfactorily resolved them is open to interpretation. It is the European Commission's job to decide and issue a recommendation. Then it's up to the EU member states to decide. Related: Europes Secret Weapon In Its Energy War With Russia This is where Bosnia also comes into the picture. And again, it's worth looking back at those EU summit conclusions: "The European Council will open accession negotiations with Bosnia-Herzegovina, once the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria is achieved. It invites the commission to report to the council on progress at the latest in March 2024, with a view to making a decision." Drilling Down Bosnia is one step behind Ukraine and Moldova, as the opening of talks is conditional on the country completing a number of reforms spelled out in the European Commission's enlargement report in November 2023. Some of Bosnia's biggest supporters in the EU -- Austria, Croatia, Hungary, and Slovenia -- want Bosnia's candidacy to be tied to Ukraine and Moldova. So far, those supporters have used their potential vetoes on accepting Ukraine and Moldova into the bloc in order to secure a green light for Sarajevo. Not everyone feels the same about Bosnia. There are plenty of officials from the EU and EU member states who think that Bosnia is less deserving than the two Eastern European countries. The issue is coming to the fore, as EU leaders have explicitly asked for a European Commission report on the progress Bosnia has (or hasn't) made by the end of March at the latest. That's a requirement that neither Moldova nor Ukraine have. The most likely scenario is that the European Commission will deliver a written report on Bosnia but only give oral assessments on Ukraine and Moldova. EU leaders will assemble again for a summit in Brussels on March 21-22. From speaking to officials and diplomats, my understanding is that Germany and France don't want the summit to be about enlargement, instead preferring to focus on how to arm Ukraine. So those assessments might be something of a damp squib. Another distinct possibility, from speaking to my sources, is that Germany and others would prefer that no enlargement decisions be made before the European Parliament elections in June. The justification stems from the concern that populist parties around the continent would increase their support by inciting alarm about Ukraine's impending EU membership. That would be bad news for Ukraine and Kyiv's biggest supporters, notably the three Baltic states and Poland. They were hoping that a symbolic intergovernmental conference, marking the opening of talks with Ukraine (and Moldova), could be held in March. This would mean a decision is pushed back to the end of June, after the European elections. Leaders of the 27 member states are planning to hold two summits in Brussels in June chiefly with the aim of selecting new European Commission and European Council presidents but also to potentially discuss and decide on enlargement. A June date would also give Ukraine and Moldova a few more months to complete the necessary reforms. In Moldova, for example, the EU-required vetting of judges is expected to drag on well into May. But what about the negotiation frameworks mentioned in the December 2023 summit conclusions? Each framework is a roughly 20-page document outlining the main negotiation chapters -- for example, agriculture, taxation, or home affairs -- and what each candidate needs to do to comply with EU laws. Normally, the frameworks are just an overview, without any controversial political elements. And while they are country-specific, the chapters will be essentially the same as those negotiated by Albania and North Macedonia, who were both given the go-ahead to start accession talks back in 2022. The European Commission is currently working on drafts of the frameworks, and, when visiting Kyiv in February, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that they will be ready in mid-March. That's the easy part. The hard part is getting agreement and sign-off from all the members of the EU. With Hungary And Georgia, A Complex Picture Gets Even More Complex What You Need To Know: The already complex enlargement picture gets even muddier when it comes to Georgia and Hungary. More so, as the Hungarian European commissioner, Oliver Varhelyi, is also in charge of the bloc's enlargement negotiations. On July 1, Hungary takes over the rotating six-month presidency of the European Council, which defines the political direction and priorities of the EU. Given Budapest's open skepticism of Ukraine's EU membership bid -- starkly illustrated in December 2023, when Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had to leave the room while others voted to open membership talks with the war-ravaged country -- Kyiv might not see much progress in the second half of 2024. Deep Background: EU officials and diplomats are broadly split into two camps. Some believe Hungary will act as a spoiler on anything Ukrainian and that every decision related to Kyiv will have to be made prior to July 1 -- or instead have to wait until Poland takes over the rotating presidency from Hungary on January 1, 2025. The second camp is more optimistic and believes that Hungary will take a more moderate position during its presidency, given that the country must appear to be a neutral, honest broker for those six months. The optimists have also noted that if Budapest did want to spoil things, it could do so at any time, presidency or not. My guess is that the intergovernmental conference will be held with Moldova and Ukraine in June. It's unlikely, but who knows, maybe even Bosnia will get one as well. In this context, it is worth mentioning Varhelyi, who, despite the fact that he officially works for the European Commission, seems to be very aligned with the Orban government's thinking on enlargement. Case in point: screening. This is when European Commission officials sit down with their counterparts, in this case from Ukraine and Moldova, and go through policy field after policy field to determine how EU rules and regulations would be transposed into national law. The screening is the meat on the negotiation framework's bones. Diplomats from EU member states expressed surprise when they learned in January that the screening with Ukraine and Moldova hadn't started immediately after EU leaders made the decision in December 2023. In fact, the screening still hasn't started, although both Ukrainian and Moldovan officials have claimed the opposite. Related: 2 Companies That Could Help Europe Win Its Energy War With Russia Quite why it has dragged on is unclear. One explanation is that Varhelyi didn't want to start the process until he got an explicit green light from EU member states to do so, whereas officials from other EU member states claimed that such a technical move didn't need to be signed off on by national capitals and that the European Commission was capable of taking such a step itself. So far, so Brussels. ADVERTISEMENT Drilling Down So where does Georgia fit into all of this? You may remember that the South Caucasus country got candidate status from EU leaders at that same December 2023 summit that Moldova and Ukraine got a green light to open accession talks. This means that Tbilisi is at least one step behind the pair. This could mean Hungary will get involved, especially if its past record is anything to go by. Take the EU-Georgia Association Council, which took place in Brussels in February. Normally, this is a fairly low-profile event, where Brussels and Tbilisi compare notes on various political developments. This time, though, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze was there, along with the bloc's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, and Varhelyi. EU member states tend to not even send their EU ambassadors to such things, instead deploying their designated desk officers. However, at the EU-Georgia Association Council, Hungary was represented by none other than Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. While the Georgian and Hungarian governments have cultivated close political ties, sending Szijjarto was an extraordinary gesture. It shows just how hard Hungary is lobbying for Georgia's membership, with some reports indicating that Budapest is trying to move the timeline forward and even pushing for an intergovernmental conference with Tbilisi before the end of the year. Looking Ahead Ambassadors from EU member states are set to green-light another set of sanctions when they meet in Brussels on March 13. This time it concerns asset freezes and visa bans on around 35 people and entities that the bloc considers directly responsible for the death of Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny in a Siberian prison last month. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will present his annual report for 2023 the following day, on March 14. There will be a lot about the war in Ukraine and how prepared the military alliance is in case Russia were to attack any of its members. The report is also set to include new figures on how much the 31 allies have spent on defense in the past 12 months. By RFE/RL More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: In the intricate world of commodities, volatility is a double-edged sword: it presents both significant risk and potential reward. Commodities, by their very nature, are susceptible to wide price fluctuations due to a variety of factors including supply and demand dynamics, geopolitical tensions, environmental conditions, and economic indicators. This article delves into the most volatile commodities in the market, providing examples and insights into the factors that contribute to their unpredictability. Energy Commodities: Crude Oil and Natural Gas Among the most volatile commodities, energy sources like crude oil and natural gas stand out. Their prices can be highly sensitive to geopolitical events, changes in regulatory policies, technological advancements, and shifts in supply and demand. For example, crude oil prices have historically experienced significant volatility due to conflicts in oil-producing regions, OPEC decisions, and changes in energy consumption patterns. In recent months, the opposing influences of weak macroeconomic indicators and the unpredictability of the conflict in Gaza and the Red Sea have contributed to significant daily movements. Natural gas is another energy commodity known for its price swings. Factors such as weather conditionsespecially cold winters and hot summerscan greatly affect its demand for heating and cooling, respectively. Additionally, the increasing role of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in global trade has introduced more variables into the equation, affecting prices on a worldwide scale. Indeed, natural gas has been the most volatile commodity in recent times. The extremely high prices of 2021 and 2022 have since given way, but the legacy of those extreme price shocks remain. For example, when strikes were announced at key production sites in Australia in August last year, European gas prices jumped by over 20% in a single day, reflecting the remaining anxiety about another supply squeeze. Related: Europes Secret Weapon In Its Energy War With Russia Industrial Metals: Copper and Nickel Shifting the focus tol metals, copper and nickel stand out for their high volatility, driven by different yet interconnected factors. Copper, often referred to as "Dr. Copper" for its ability to predict economic trends, is highly sensitive to industrial demand, geopolitical tensions, and supply chain disruptions. Its extensive use in electrical wiring, construction, and renewable energy technologies means that any shift in these sectors can significantly impact copper prices. In this regard, a consistent theme in copper markets over the past 18 months has been the prospect of a recovery for the Chinese property sector. The industry previously provided a significant source of demand for copper, and the stuttering attempts to stimulate renewed investment in the sector since have led to swings in copper prices. At the same time, there is widespread acceptance that the long-term copper supply will fall far below projected demand given the global push towards green energy and electric vehicles, a factor which has kept prices elevated in spite of other uncertainties. Nickel, another key industrial metal, experiences price swings due to its critical role in stainless steel production and battery manufacturing. The growing demand for lithium-ion batteries, essential for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage, has placed additional pressure on nickel supplies, leading to price fluctuations. In recent years, Indonesias export ban, sanctions imposed on Russia, the March 2022 short squeeze and subsequent impact on LME nickel trading are just a few examples of events which have contributed to high volatility in nickel markets. Agricultural Commodities: Coffee and Wheat As a rule, agricultural commodities tend to be less volatile than energies, however, this conventional wisdom has been disproved across a range of markets since the pandemic. At present, cocoa is the commodity which is omnipresent in market reporting due to its record-breaking price climb which has included significant multi-percent day moves. As a general rule, however, coffee is the more volatile soft commodity of the two. Indeed, arabica coffee is the most volatile agricultural commodity which ChAI covers. Coffee prices can fluctuate wildly due to weather patterns in major producing countries like Brazil and Vietnam. A drought or excessive rain can significantly affect crop yields, leading to sharp price movements. Wheat, a staple food grain, also sees its fair share of price volatility. Factors such as droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events in key growing regions can drastically alter supply forecasts and, hence, prices. In the past few years, however, it has often seemed that geopolitical events have been the dominant drivers of wheat volatility. Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2024 sent CBOT wheat futures prices above $14 per bushel, around 150% higher than the current level, while the subsequent uncertainty over exports from the Black Sea region due to strategic importance of the agreed temporary grain corridor continued to impact volatility for over a year. ADVERTISEMENT In the complex landscape of commodity markets, volatility emerges as a pivotal element, influenced by an array of factors such as geopolitical tensions, environmental conditions, and supply-demand dynamics. Through examining the intricate interplay of factors contributing to the volatility of these commodities, it becomes evident that while volatility presents challenges, it also offers opportunities for informed risk management strategies. By ChAI Predict More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: A Lukoil refinery in western Russia is on fire following a drone attack early on Tuesday local time in what appears to be several coordinated attacks by drones from Ukraine on Russian refinery and fuel facilities. A crude processing unit at the refinery in Nizhny Novgorod is on fire after a drone attack was carried out on Tuesday morning, Gleb Nikitin, governor of Nizhny Novgorod, wrote on his Telegram channel. Investigators and fire brigades are working to contain the fire at one of the refinerys units, Nikitin said, adding that preliminary reports say there have been no injuries. [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif] Another energy facility in western Russia was also attacked by a drone overnight. A drone attack was launched at a fuel and energy facility in the Oryol region, governor Andrey Klychkov said on Telegram. One of the fuel tanks caught fire as a result of the attack, a representative of the local authorities told Russian news agency TASS. Local officials in the capital city Moscow, as well as in the regions of Kursk, Tula, Voronezh, and Belgorod also reported drone attacks, without giving more details. Ukraine hasnt commented on the drone attacks. Ukraines security services have been hitting with drones Russian refineries, especially those in southern Russia, in attacks that have intensified since the beginning of the year. The Ukrainian attacks and the damage they caused to Russian refineries have reduced Russias capability to process crude. In mid-February, Russias refinery rates had slumped by 380,000 barrels per day (bpd) compared to December levels as several refineries were under repairs after being hit by Ukrainian drone attacks. Lower refining capacity in the second quarter, due to refinery maintenance and emergency repairs following the attacks, could be one of the reasons why Russia said it would focus on cuts to oil production instead of exports in its voluntary supply reduction as part of OPEC+ in the second quarter. ADVERTISEMENT By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The lower prices of coal from major exporters Indonesia, South Africa, and Australia are weighing on Russias capacity to sell more of its coal to Asia, which has become Moscows primary export market after the West slapped embargoes on its coal in 2022. Russian exports of both thermal and metallurgical coal to Asia slumped in February by 21.6% year-over-year, to around 8.48 million metric tons, according to data from Kpler reported by Reuters columnist Clyde Russell. Despite the fact that Kpler estimated Russias February 2024 coal exports to be slightly higher than in January 2024, Moscow had seen six consecutive months of falling coal sales in Asia, Russell notes. Russia turned east to Asia to place its coal after the EU and its Western allies banned imports of Russian coal in the summer of 2022 after Putins invasion of Ukraine in February of that year. China, South Korea, Turkey, and India are currently the top importers of coal from Russia. These countries received over 80% of Russias coal exports between August 2022 and July 2023, compared with 47% from August 2021 to July 2022, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in an analysis early this year. But competition from top exporters Indonesia, Australia, and South Africa and their competitive export prices in India and China, have been squeezing out Russian coal exports to Asia. Domestic logistical challenges are also weighing on Russias coal exports. According to the EIA, limited eastbound rail infrastructure from the Kuzbass region in Western Siberia, where coal production is centered, leads to congestion, delays, and longer turnaround times. Higher exports from Russias largest coal transshipment port, Vostochny, on the Pacific coast, have led to railway and seaport bottlenecks, the EIA notes. In the first seven weeks of 2024, Russias coal shipments dropped by 14% year-over-year, according to BIMCO, the world's largest direct-membership organization for ship owners, charterers, shipbrokers, and agents. Volumes have been declining since October 2023 when logistical challenges started to emerge, BIMCO said in an analysis last month. ADVERTISEMENT By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Chinas Sinopec has begun production at a natural gas field that has an annual capacity estimated at 2 billion cubic meters. The field, in the province of Sichuan, has reserves estimated at around 100 billion cubic meters, which makes it an important contributor to Chinas domestic natural gas output, Reuters reported, citing a statement by Sinopec. It is also the companys third field with reserves of over 100 billion cubic meters, the statement said, putting Sinopecs total reserves in the Sichuan province at close to 3 trillion cubic meters. Annual output from these stands at some 26 billion cubic meters. The West Sichuan field is a conventional reservoir but the province is also the focus of shale gas development. Although China is estimated to have a high volume of shale gas resources, topping even those in the United States, its shale gas boom has not yet materialized because of some significant challenges. Unlike in the United States, the development of shale gas resources in China is much more difficult due to more complex geography and a lack of adequate infrastructure in the remote mountainous regions where most of the Chinese shale resources lie. Drilling for shale gas in China requires deeper wells, while fracturing is also tricky because of the mountain terrain and geological constraints. Yet Sinopec is pursuing exploration in shale formations in Sichuan and is reporting results. The latest update came in January this year, when the state-owned company said it had struck oil and gas at an exploration well in Sichuan, estimating potential reserves at some 100 million metric tons. ADVERTISEMENT The Sichuan province in southwestern China is estimated to hold a large part of Chinas shale gas resources. It was there that Sinopec discovered the Qijiang field last year, with reserves estimated at 146 billion cubic meters. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Starling Bank has appointed Ovo boss Raman Bhatia to be its permanent chief executive, taking over from interim CEO John Mountain ahead of a planned public listing. Bhatia is set to join the digital challenger bank in the early summer, subject to regulatory approval. Mountain was named interim CEO after the banks founder Anne Boden stepped down as chief executive last June. She cited a desire to split up her role as a major shareholder and the chief executive. The firm has rebuffed reports of a row between Boden and investors over Starlings valuation falling by at least 1bn when fund manager Jupiter sold its holding. Bhatia is due to step down from his current role as chief executive of energy supplier Ovo. He was previously an executive at HSBC, where he was head of digital bank for the groups retail banking and wealth management business in the UK and Europe. The bank touted his wealth of consumer tech and fintech expertise, including navigating one of Britains leading digitally driven disruptor brands through a period of significant change at Ovo. Boden commented: I am pleased that in Raman we have found someone who can take Starling into its next phase of growth while cherishing the culture and values we have worked so hard to instil in everything we do. News of the appointment gives renewed optimism over Starlings plans for an IPO. The firm, most valued officially at 2.5bn in 2022, put its plans for a London public listing on ice after Boden stepped down. The CEO of Starlings software-as-a-service business Engine told City A.M. in December that a stock market float was still the plan but there was no set timeline for it. Related: Europes Secret Weapon In Its Energy War With Russia Starling, like rivals Monzo and Revolut, has captured an increasingly bigger slice of the retail banking market in recent years. Last May, it reported record pre-tax profits of 195m for the year to the end of March 2023 a more than six-fold increase from the same period the year before. Starlings revenues doubled to 216m, while its loan book grew nearly 50 per cent to 4.9bn. David Sproul, chair of Starling, said on Tuesday: We see significant opportunities for Starling under Ramans leadership as the economy stabilises, as our truly differentiated offering for personal and small business customers wins market share in the UK, and as our Engine by Starling software-as-a-service business secures further international contracts. ADVERTISEMENT I want to thank John Mountain for his wise stewardship of Starling these past eight months and am delighted that we will continue to benefit from his expertise at the company. Bhatia commented: I am truly honoured to be appointed as the next group CEO of Starling Bank. Starling is a company I have long admired because it believes passionately, like I do, in using the power of technology to do the right thing for its customers and its people. I cant wait to get started and to see what we can achieve together. By City AM More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: To start the week, Ehsan Khoman, the Head of Commodities at MUFG Bank, points out that iron ore ended the session in Asia as one of the weakest major commodities. This downturn was primarily due to the lack of enthusiasm from China's National People's Congress event on Monday amid mounting concerns about worsening macroeconomic headwinds. Futures in the critical steelmaking ingredient are down 25% year-to-date in Singapore, and they fell nearly 7% on Monday to around the $107 a ton level. The 7% drop in Singapore was the largest daily decline since the near 10% plunge on April 22, 2022. Iron ore has slid about 25% from a peak of $142 a ton in early January as China's real estate and manufacturing secotr remain under pressure. Monday's annual National People's Congress in Beijing provided investors with no clear insight into demand-boosting policies. Related: Europes Secret Weapon In Its Energy War With Russia Construction activity remains lackluster as China's yearslong crackdown on property debt squeezes a vital source of steel demand, while Beijing has refrained from deploying the type of massive infrastructure stimulus that it has used to revive the economy in the past. There had been hopes for a stronger pick-up in construction after the Lunar New Year holiday that ended in mid-February, but that hasn't eventuated. -Bloomberg Iron ore prices are expected to tumble to around $100 a ton as stockpiles of the metal in Chinese ports are quickly building. "Prices will have to drop further for inventories to be withdrawn," Jinrui Futures Co. wrote in a note to clients. The broker suggested that clients initiate a short iron ore position before the Chinese steel demand returns. Related: 2 Companies That Could Help Europe Win Its Energy War With Russia Weak iron ore prices in Australia led to big losses in the mining-heavy materials sector. Australian shares tracked iron ore prices lower. Could sliding iron ore prices be a bellwether of global economic growth? ADVERTISEMENT Is a global slowdown ahead? By Zerohedge.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Hannah with Special Agent Adrienne King and Lester Middle Schools video production teacher, Antiwon Tucker. (Steph Pawelski) Students in military families often move and rely on social media to stay in contact with friends. However, electronic communication may risk cyberbullying. Cyber safety is routinely discussed in school, and an eighth-grader students project about cyber safety awareness earned her a Girl Scout Silver Award. Lester Middle School student Hannah Pawelski returned to Okinawa after earning the Bronze Award with Elk Grove Troop 2700 in Sacramento, Calif. Pawelski began working on her Silver Award with her troop for over a year before returning to Okinawa in 2022. I made a lot of great friends while living in California. Even though we still communicate through our iPhones, we often played games together where strangers can chat with us, said Pawelski. I received a message from someone I didnt know, and it scared me. Pawelskis project about cyber safety was inspired by the challenges of maintaining long-distance friendships for military children and the inherent dangers associated with social media. Pawelski recalled a workshop hosted by her Camp Courtney Brownie troop in collaboration with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) on Camp Foster in 2018. My troop went to the NCIS building and learned about agents jobs, toured their building, and learned about cyber safety, she added. Pawelski reached out to NCIS in January 2023 to work on a cyber safety project. Special Agent Adrienne King, assigned to the NCIS Cyber Operations Field Office in Okinawa, was excited to support it. I was happy to team up with Hannah in sharing important safety information to protect students online. Its a privilege to support future female leaders, particularly in the technology realm. I was impressed with Hannahs dedication to having a positive impact in her community, King said. Pawelski recreated her own version of an interview between SA King and Mr. Fredo Ontiveros, then-DoDEA principal at Naples Middle High School (NMHS) in Naples, Italy, about cyber bullying, and geared it towards fellow middle schoolers. Pawelskis interview project was aired during LMS morning announcement on Jan. 2. My friends and teachers were excited to see me on the screen, said Pawelski, they told me I did a good job. With the help of King and Antiwon Tucker, the LMS video production teacher, the interview project covered topics including insight on cyberbullying offenders and the effect on victims. Victims may have an increased risk of drug and alcohol abuse, depression, and academic performance. Bullying is unwanted, aggressive, and repeated behavior done to someone by someone else, King said in an interview. Parents may be more familiar of the traditional sense of bullying, the physical encounters shoving, hitting, punching, and kicking. Others may think bullying is verbal such as name calling, gossiping, and the excluding and ignoring of others. King added that although students may not want to go to their parents because they are using accounts they dont know about, it is important to tell a trusted adult. There are many adults at Lester Middle School including principals, teachers and counselors. Pawelski said she felt the success of her project was attributed to the help she received from Megan Cominski; a counselor at the school, Dr. Karla Lloyd, the school psychologist; Principal Will Penner and educational technologist Benjamin Ayers. I interviewed a lot of people at school and learned new information about cyber bullying. SA King helped me organize this information and put it into an interview format. I was nervous about having the whole school see me, but practicing the interview helped me speak clearly and confidently. I am proud of myself and what I have achieved, Pawelski said. (Photo by Shoji Kudaka) Burritos are not common in Japan. To top that, putting one together can prove a challenge. Former Third Eye Blind bassist Leo Kremer (who is also a co-founder of his own burrito chain) once compared making one to making one car. Beans, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, and more the options for the inner workings of a great burrito are endless. Burritos are complicated and are defined by the preferences of the person making it and the person who will eat it. In Okinawa, Roll Up Burritos is taking the challenge and giving its customers options to customize a masterpiece of their creation rolled into a tasty tortilla. Located in a compact orange building along the Sunabe Seawall and about a five-minute drive from Gate 1 of Kadena Air Base, Roll Up Burrito really draws a crowd for lunch. (Photo by Shoji Kudaka) The joint looks like a beachfront food shack in the U.S. Its interior walls are adorned with menu items printed in chalk on blackboard, colorful photos of burritos and side dishes, plus T-shirts with the shops logo, exuding a fun and fashionable mood. If you see customers filling out what looks like a horse-race slip, dont worry, its actually an order form to pick all of the delicious fillings you want in your burrito. First, decide between a burrito bowl or two sizes of burritos: 9-inch or 12-inch. Then, choose from the 10 burrito bases offered, like vegetable, taco, teriyaki chicken, sausage and egg, just to name a few. Now here comes the fun part customize your burrito with the many different topping options the shop offers, from various types of rice and vegetables to cheese and salsa. (Photo by Shoji Kudaka) With many options on the slip, first-time customers may find it hard to decide what to choose. But the employees are friendly and can assist you in deciding on right ingredients to fit you taste. As a Mexican-food newbie, I asked Mari Nagano, one of the employees, for advice. At her suggestion, I ordered the 9-inch shrimp and guacamole burrito and a 9-inch yakiniku beef burrito (900 yen, about $6 each), which, she noted, are popular among servicemembers. Nagano helped me with the customization, and my slip for shrimp and guacamole burrito got check marks for beans, Mexican rice, Mexican dressing, shredded cheese, lettuce, green tomato salsa, and cilantro. For the steak burrito, I checked guacamole, hash brown, garlic rice, steak dressing, melted cheese, lettuce, salsa, and fresh vegetables. (Photo by Shoji Kudaka) As for side dishes, Roll Up offers quesadillas, nachos, herb chicken, hash browns, salt chips, fries and more. My stomach, however, did not have room for sides, so I just stuck with the burritos. At first taste, my shrimp and avocado burrito had a fruity taste, which stimulated my appetite a lot. The texture of the beans, cheese and other toppings together was great. The surprise was when I bit into my steak burrito. The garlic rice and chopped steak ensemble created an addictive sweet and spicy taste I was not expecting. (Photo by Shoji Kudaka) The burritos went well beyond the size of a meal I would normally eat, but it didnt not take me long to finish every last bite of these two Mexican delights. Not once during this meal were my taste buds bored, and the depth in flavor and textures made a robust eater out of me. I washed down these masterpieces with Roll Ups original lemonade. It deserves equal credit because Its delicate sweetness and distinct sourness cooled me down and set me up for one bite after another of the burritos. Whether you are die-hard Mexican food enthusiast or newbie like me, Roll Up Burrito is worth a visit. Fill out the slip and get ready to be wowed by their burrito offerings. Rollup Burritos Address: 2-198 Miyagi, Chatan-cho, Okinawa 904-0113 GPS Coordinates: N 26.330373, E 127.743413 Hours: 8 a.m. 8 p.m. Tel: 098-926-5068 * Extra toppings are subject to fees. * Burritos are available as either nine- or 12-inch rolls. Photos by Shoji Kudaka () Power spot is a term which, I think, reflects the Japanese obsession with luck. According to a dictionary, the term surfaced in the mid-1990s to refer to locations filled with psychic power. In mainland Japan, prominent temples, shrines and natural landscapes such as mountains and rivers are considered power spots. Here on Okinawa, visits to power spots will likely be explorations into sanctuaries with unique natural landscapes, like Daisekirinzan, a rocky mountain at the north end of Okinawas main island. According to its website, Daisekirizans interesting topography is a result from changes in the earths crust over the course of more than 200 million years. When I visited the mountain in early April, I saw many tourists who came to enjoy the unusual look of the mountain, take a hike on a road surrounded by banyan trees and be surprised by the beautiful view of Cape Hedo from the top. I also saw some local folks there seeking spiritual power. I am from the neighboring area of this mountain. I have been coming to this place since I was a kid. Touching stones and trees here gives me power, said Sue Shinzato, an elderly lady who came all the way from Naha City with her two sisters. Once called Ashimui or Asumui, which means the forest of the oldest, this mountain is mentioned in the myths of Ryukyu as a location where the history of the country started. Daisekirinzan has a been a place for locals wishing for spiritual power and luck for health, safe travel, bloodline, art, land transactions and development for nearly 600 years, according to tour guide Tamotsu Hiura. Huira explained that for many the mountains power has brought many miracles for others. We had a visitor who could not walk without a cane. But once he seated himself on Kotsubanseki (pelvis rock), one of the power spots on the mountain, he started walking with no problem and went back home, leaving behind his cane, Hiura said. Many people come to the mountain, desperately looking for some luck for health, love and having a baby. Some come here after being summoned in a dream. As if to bless people who come to this sacred mountain for all kinds of reasons, there are sacred sites (power spots) with unique names and power: Kotsubanseki (pelvis rock) for health and easy delivery, Umarekawarino Ishi (reincarnation rock) for another chance with a clean slate, and Jinaganasi (Sir/Madam. Money) for financial success, just to name a few. Since there are many power spots on Okinawa and across all of Japan, you might need to find out which one will apply to what youre seeking luck for. It depends upon individuals which power spot works best, Hiura explained. If you are looking for specific kind of luck, I can recommend power spots for that. You might end up finding your own power spot because it is up to how you feel. No matter which spot you choose, its important to remember that theyre sacred sites that should be respected. Sanctuaries in Okinawa such as Daisekirinzan can be interpreted as the prototype of shrines or temples in mainland Japan even though they may not have a gate or main halls, Hiura said. In fact, locations on the mainland where you now see shrines and temples, are the ones where people used to feel special power a long time ago. Since the special power belongs to nature, many power spots and sanctuaries welcome everybody. It doesnt matter where you are from or which religion you follow, so long as you are mindful of the area, dont touch certain stones or trees, and are respectful of others around you. Daisekirinzan Hours: 9 a.m. 5:30 p.m. (Ticket counter closes at 4:30 p.m.) GPS Coordinates: N 26.861441, E 128.254575 Form: mountain What makes it a Power Spot: Huge rocks and banyan trees with unique shapes. Some sacred sites require an escort by tour guide. Admission: 1,200 yen for adults (15 years old and above), 550 yen for children (ages 4 to 14) Website Tel: 0980-41-8117 A 24-year-old man pleaded guilty Tuesday to shooting a police officer in the face and head at Westroads Mall in 2021 as the officer attempted to arrest him for shoplifting. Kenya Jenkins will face up to 100 years in prison when he is sentenced in May for the shooting of Omaha Police Officer Jeffrey Wittstruck. Wittstruck was shot multiple times, including in the face and top of his head, but survived his injuries. Jenkins pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree assault on an officer and use of a firearm to commit a felony. In exchange, prosecutors dismissed three additional felony charges: Operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest, possessing a stolen firearm and theft by receiving stolen property. At a preliminary hearing held shortly after his arrest, detectives testified that Jenkins had been stopped by a loss prevention officer after he attempted to shoplift a pack of T-shirts from J.C. Penney at Westroads Mall on March 12, 2021. Wittstruck and his partner, Officer Joseph Kunza, responded to the mall to arrest Jenkins, though Wittstruck went into the mall alone. As Wittstruck attempted to place Jenkins in handcuffs, a struggle ensued, resulting in Wittstruck firing his Taser at Jenkins. After another scuffle, Jenkins pulled a handgun from his sweatshirt pocket and fired four shots, hitting Wittstruck in the face and neck. Despite his serious injuries, Wittstruck was able to call for help as Jenkins fled from the mall. Im down, I need help, Wittstruck said on his radio. Im in the loss prevention office. Jenkins ran out of the mall and fled in a stolen BMW. He led police on a high-speed chase, reaching speeds of more than 140 mph and ending in Lincoln about two hours after the shooting. Jenkins has a registered address in Gary, Indiana, according to court documents. A public defender previously said he attended high school in Chicago, and an Illinois identification card was found in his car. He had no criminal history in Nebraska prior to the shooting. In August 2022, Jenkins defense attorneys filed a motion for a competency evaluation. Jenkins was committed to the Lincoln Regional Center, where doctors said in November 2022 he was incompetent to stand trial, but it was likely he could be restored to competency in the future. In November 2023, Jenkins was considered by the Lincoln Regional Center to be competent and able to stand trial. In January, defense attorneys for Jenkins requested a separate evaluation to determine whether he was sane at the time of the shooting, though its unclear in court documents if that evaluation was completed prior to Tuesdays plea agreement. Three arrests were made in connection with a shooting Sunday night near Fontenelle Park in North Omaha that sparked a police chase into Iowa. Omaha police were called to the area of 48th and Pratt Streets about 6:20 p.m. for a report of shooting. Officers located Taw Moo, 27, of Omaha, who was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center with a gunshot wound. He later died. Police said Monday the shooting is being investigated as a homicide. Gang-unit officers located a Dodge Challenger thought to have been involved in the shooting just before 7 p.m. near 46th Street and Ames Avenue. The Challenger fled the area at high speed when officers attempted a traffic stop. Near 66th Street and Grand Avenue, a passenger in the Challenger got out and ran. The passenger, a 17-year-old male in possession of a rifle, was captured following a foot pursuit. The Challenger was being driven recklessly, the police spokesman said, as it eluded officers and crossed into Iowa. The vehicle became disabled on Interstate 29 and two men, ages 25 and 18, were taken into custody. They were later booked into the Pottawattamie County Jail. Omaha police also are investigating a shooting that injured a 57-year-old man early Sunday at an apartment just north of 66th Street and Ames Avenue. Officers responded to the scene at 1:41 a.m. and located A Taw, of Omaha, with a gunshot wound. Taw was taken to an Omaha hospital with an injury that was not thought to be life-threatening. The police spokesman said its not known if the two shootings are related. Game changing. Thats how Harnoor Dhaliwal, associate executive director of the Walter Scott, Jr. Scholarship Program, described a more than $23 million pledge made by the Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundation to bring the prestigious scholarship program to the University of Nebraska Medical Center and boost the existing scholarship program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The pledge made by the foundation, which was founded by the late Kiewit CEO Walter Scott Jr. and his late wife, Suzanne, will allow more high-achieving Nebraska high school students each year to earn the scholarship when they major in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) or health science field at UNO. The pledge will increase the Scott Scholars program class sizes at UNO from 32 scholarship recipients per class to 42 recipients per class. Students must be a Nebraska resident, have a 3.5 or higher high school GPA and score 30 or more on the ACT to qualify for the scholarship. The pledge is expected to support the program through the 2028-2029 academic year. Every year, when we review applicants, we have way more qualified applicants than we have available (scholarships), Dhaliwal said. This allows us to look at all the talented students across the state of Nebraska and say, Theres a place for you and that place is at UNO. At UNMC, the Scott Scholars program covers the room and board for this years inaugural class of 12 scholarship recipients who are all enrolled at the College of Medicine. The scholarship also provides a stipend to fund professional and research opportunities for four years. The more than $3 million pledge from the foundation will also support a second 12-member scholarship cohort that will begin studying at UNMC this fall. The scholarship program at UNMC is open to native Nebraska students as well as those from outside Nebraska. Similar to UNO Scott Scholar students, UNMC Scott Scholar students live together on campus and have access to learning opportunities unique to the scholarship program. The hope is that, once a Scott Scholar student earns their medical degree and completes their residency, they will choose to practice in Nebraska, Dhaliwal said. What were trying to do here is really create a pipeline of leaders, whether theyre from Nebraska or outside of the state, to create a pool of physicians that are choosing to reside in Nebraska after residency, he said. UNMC Scott Scholars, Heather Richard, Nour Elrokhsi and Ryan Chapman are open to practicing medicine in Nebraska. The three were also Scott Scholars at UNO. While plans in school are subject to change, Richard says she sees herself becoming a pediatric oncologist. I see myself landing back in Nebraska and practicing in the state and kind of giving back to the community that has given me so much, Richard said. Chapman said hes developed interests in infectious diseases, cardiology and internal medicine. Like Richard, he also wants to give back to a Nebraska community and live up to the selfless ideals embodied by Walter Scott Jr., who died in 2021. Although Scott achieved much in his life, Chapman remembered him as an incredibly generous guy when the two met. All he wants to hear about is you, Chapman recalled. Richard agreed with that assessment. He was very kind to every single student and he treated us all with so much love and respect, she said. The Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundations $23 million pledge was made through the University of Nebraska Foundation as part of the University of Nebraskas $3 billion Only in Nebraska fundraising campaign. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of March 2024 When a motion detector went off overnight at Kromrey Middle School, a police dispatcher called up a digital map of the building, pinpointed the detector, clicked on a live feed from the nearest camera and relayed the intruder's location to responding police. Within moments, they captured the culprit: a teenager, dressed in dark clothes and a ski mask but carrying no weapon. The map and cameras let the dispatcher keep things from becoming super-escalated, said the school's security director, Jim Blodgett. The dispatcher could see that it looked like a student just kind of goofing around in the building. Spurred by mass shootings, thousands of school districts have hired companies to produce detailed digital maps that can help police, firefighters and medical professionals respond more quickly in emergencies. The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District, where the teenage trespasser entered from a roof hatch, was an early adopter in Wisconsin, which has since provided mapping grants to about 200 districts. More than 20 states have enacted or proposed digital school mapping measures in the past few years, according to an Associated Press analysis aided by the bill-tracking software Plural. Florida approved $14 million in grants last year. Michigan allotted $12.5 million. New Jersey allocated $12.3 million in federal pandemic relief funds to complete digital maps of every school in the state. Critical Response Group, run by an Army special operations veteran, has been driving the trend. The New Jersey-based company's CEO Mike Rodgers recently told lawmakers in Maryland how he used gridded digital maps during deployments and was surprised the school where his wife taught had nothing similar. So he mapped her school, then expanded to 12,000 schools and counting, nationwide. Many of the state laws and bills contain nearly identical wording championed by Rodgers' company. They require verification by a walk-through of each campus and free compatibility with any software already used by local schools and public safety agencies. They must be overlaid with aerial imagery and gridded coordinates, oriented true north and contain site-specific labeling for rooms, doors, hallways, stairwells, utility locations, hazards, key boxes, trauma kits and automated external defibrillators. The standards create a competitive, fair environment for all vendors, Rodgers said. But when New Jersey sought a mapping contractor, the Critical Response Group had "the only product that was available in the state that answered the legislative criteria, State Police mapping coordinator Lt. Brendan Liston said. The New Jersey law required critical incident mapping data, a phrase that Critical Response Group tried to trademark. Critical Response Group has hired lobbyists in more than 20 states to advocate for specific standards, according to an AP review of state lobbying records. Competitors also have engaged lobbyists to wrangle over the precise wording. In some states, lawmakers have gone with a more generic label of school mapping data. Four companies offering digital mapping among their services Critical Response Group, Centegix, GeoComm and Navigate360 have together spent more than $1.4 million on lobbyists in 15 states, according to an AP analysis. Their costs are unknown in some states where lobbyist payments aren't publicly reported. Delaware and Virginia also chose the Critical Response Group program. Iowa has contracted with GeoComm. Other states are leaving vendor decisions to local schools. The Texas Education Agency responded last year with new standards requiring an accurate site layout and door designations to be provided to 911 agencies. The Legislature reinforced this by requiring silent panic buttons and armed security officers as part of a more than $1 billion school safety initiative. Creating each map can cost several thousand dollars, and costs can escalate as maps are linked to other security systems, such as wearable panic buttons. But integrations also add value. If its not integrated with a crisis response system that can be pushed electronically to the dispatch center and police, then its probably not going to mean anything to them in the first minutes, said Jeremy Gulley, the school system superintendent of Jay County, Indiana, which uses a Centegix mapping and alert system. Because of their detailed information, digital school maps are exempt from public disclosure under legislation in some states. Thats critical to school safety, said Chuck Wilson, chair of the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools, a nonprofit coalition of education groups, law enforcement and security businesses. If bad people had access to the drawings, that would be almost worse than not knowing a schools layout, Wilson said. He added, Weve got to be really, really mindful of protecting this information. Yes, it's getting worse: New data shows mass shootings are more frequent Yes, it's getting worse: New data shows mass shootings are more frequent Mass shootings have been on the rise steadily for the past 40 years While shooting incidents show a gradual upward trend, the number of those killed is rising at an alarming rate Injuries have likewise risen significantly; one contributing factor: assault weapons MANCHESTER, N.H. President Joe Biden released a budget proposal Monday aimed at getting voters' attention: It would offer tax breaks for families, lower health care costs, smaller deficits and higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations. Unlikely to pass the House and Senate to become law, the proposal for fiscal 2025 is an election year blueprint about what the future could hold if Biden and enough of his fellow Democrats win in November. The president and his aides previewed parts of his budget going into last week's State of the Union address, and they provided the details Monday. If the Biden budget became law, it would cut deficits by $3 trillion over a decade. It would raise tax revenues by $4.9 trillion over that period and use about $1.9 trillion to fund various programs, with the rest going to deficit reduction. The president traveled Monday to Manchester, New Hampshire, where he called on Congress to apply his $2,000 cap on drug costs and $35 insulin to everyone, not just people who have Medicare. He also advocated for making permanent some protections in the Affordable Care Act that are set to expire next year. Biden aides said their budget was realistic and detailed while rival measures from Republicans were not financially viable. "Congressional Republicans don't tell you what they cut, who they harm," White House budget director Shalanda Young said. "The president is transparent, details every way he shows he values the America people." House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, issued a joint statement with other GOP leaders calling the Biden proposal a "glaring reminder of this Administration's insatiable appetite for reckless spending." "Biden's budget doesn't just miss the mark it is a roadmap to accelerate America's decline," the House Republican leaders said. Election 2024 All of this is a chance for Biden to try to define the 2024 presidential race on his preferred terms, just as the all-but-certain Republican nominee, Donald Trump, wants to rally voters around his agenda. Trump, for his part, would like to increase tariffs and pump out gushers of oil. He called for a "second phase" of tax cuts as parts of his 2017 overhaul of the income tax code would expire after 2025. The Republican also says he would slash government regulations. In a Monday interview with CNBC, Trump indicated he would be willing to reduce spending for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, though he did not offer a full policy. "There is a lot you can do in terms of entitlements, in terms of cutting," Trump said. The interview drew Biden's attention, prompting him to tell the audience in New Hampshire that cuts were off the table: "The bottom line is he's still at it. I'm never going to allow that to happen." House Republicans on Thursday voted their own budget resolution for the next fiscal year out of committee, saying it would trim deficits by $14 trillion over 10 years. But their measure would depend on rosy economic forecasts and sharp spending cuts, reducing $8.7 trillion in Medicare and Medicaid expenditures. Biden pledged to stop any cuts to Medicare. Meanwhile, Congress is still working on a budget for the current fiscal year. On Saturday, Biden signed into law a $460 billion package to avoid a shutdown of several federal agencies, but lawmakers are only about halfway through addressing spending for this fiscal year. Biden budget Under Biden's proposal, the government would spend $7.3 trillion next fiscal year and borrow $1.8 trillion to cover the shortfall from tax receipts. Biden's 188-page plan covers a decade's worth of spending, taxes and debt. Parents could get an increased child tax credit in 2025, as payments would return briefly to the 2021 level funded by Biden's coronavirus pandemic relief package. Homebuyers could get a tax credit worth up to $10,000 and $10 billion in down payment aid for first-generation buyers. Corporate taxes would increase, while billionaires would be charged a minimum tax of 25%. Biden said in his State of the Union that Medicare should have the ability to negotiate prices on 500 prescription drugs, which could save $200 billion over 10 years. Aides said his budget does not specify how many drug prices would be subject to negotiations. Biden's plan would permanently keep Medicare solvent, aides said, but as noted by Maya MacGuineas, president of the fiscal group Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, it does not appear to fix Social Security, which projections say will be unable to pay full benefits starting in 2033. The proposal would provide about $900 billion for defense in fiscal 2025, about $16 billion more than the baseline. The Biden administration still seeks money to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia and aid for Israel. His budget plan reiterates the supplemental funding request made last October for Ukraine, Israel and humanitarian relief for Palestinians It also requests funding to expand personnel and resources at the U.S. southern border. Military spending over 10 years would decline $146 billion to $9.57 trillion. WASHINGTON The White House knew it had a political problem on its hands when a special counsel report questioned President Joe Biden's memory last month, but Biden saw a much more personal affront as well. Robert Hur, who was appointed to investigate whether Biden mishandled classified documents, wrote that the president couldn't recall in an interview with prosecutors the date when his son, Beau, died of cancer. It was a shocking contention about a keystone event in Biden's life, and it fed into questions about whether the 81-year-old president is fit to serve another term. "How in the hell dare he raise that?" Biden angrily declared during a news conference after the report was released. "Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself it wasn't any of their damn business." The reality of the situation, however, isn't as clear as either Biden or Hur portrayed, according to a transcript of the interview released Tuesday before the former special counsel testified on Capitol Hill. Hur didn't ask the president about his son's death; Biden brought it up himself during a discussion about how he stored documents at a rental home in Virginia after leaving the vice president's office in 2017. Biden recalled the specific date that Beau died, though he briefly wondered aloud about the year as the conversation toggled between various events. "What month did Beau die?" Biden mused. "Oh, God, May 30th." A White House lawyer interjected by saying, "2015." "Was it 2015 he had died?" Biden asked. When someone responded affirmatively, the president added, "It was 2015." Biden aides defended the president's inaccurate characterization of the interview during his news conference last month, describing his response as visceral and emotional. They said his exchange with Hur showed how Biden believed it was important to reflect on how his son's death affected his decision-making. Hur, in his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, said his report's discussion of Biden's memory was "necessary and accurate and fair" because his state of mind was an important part of evaluating whether he committed a crime. "I did not sanitize my explanation nor did I disparage the president unfairly," he said. Asked why Biden angrily accused Hur of raising his son's death when the transcript shows otherwise, White House spokesman Ian Sams responded that the president was being asked about Beau generally, including the book that the president wrote. "He thought it was outrageous and inappropriate for that report to include such an inappropriate and extraneous comment like that, especially when it's clear that he says the day his son died," Sams said. "So I think that you saw the anger and emotional reaction of a father who still experiences the pain of that loss every single day." Though the special counsel's investigation found no basis to bring criminal charges against Biden unlike Donald Trump, who was indicted for refusing to return classified records to the federal government the references to his memory threatened the president's ability to assure voters that he can keep doing his job until he turns 86. Beau was Delaware's attorney general and widely viewed as his father's political heir when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The cancer, which Biden connects to his son's National Guard service near toxic burn pits on military bases in Iraq, was devastating for a family that already suffered tragedy decades earlier. Shortly after Biden was elected to the Senate in 1972, his first wife and baby daughter were killed in a car crash that also badly injured Beau and his younger brother Hunter. Beau died while Biden was serving as vice president, and his deep sorrow helped deter him from running for president in 2016, when Trump ultimately defeated Hillary Clinton. Biden mentioned the death during an interview that Hur conducted Oct. 8. They were discussing where Biden kept documents that he was "actively working on" at his Virginia home. The president responded by skipping back a few years to talk about how "in this timeframe, my son is either been deployed or is dying." After the brief exchange about the specific date, Biden began to talk about writing his book, "Promise Me, Dad," which was released in 2017. "This is personal," he said as he talked about how "Beau was like my right arm and Hunt was my left." Hur offered Biden a break at this point, but the president insisted on continuing with a lengthy story about his family. Biden said how Beau, after he was diagnosed with cancer, made him promise not to step away from public life. Biden decided "I couldn't handle" another run for president but he would "stay involved." However, in a story that Biden frequently told at fundraisers, he changed course after the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 and Trump's response that there were "very fine people on both sides." Biden said that he is "the antithesis" of everything that "this guy stood for" and "I could beat him." As he wrapped up the story, Biden wondered aloud whether Hur needed such a lengthy answer. "Sorry for the detail," Biden said. "No apology necessary," Hur replied. LINCOLN A vetoed bill that would allow local governments to distribute hypodermic needles to reduce the spread of infectious diseases will not become law in Nebraska this year. An attempt to override Gov. Jim Pillens veto of Legislative Bill 307 failed Tuesday in a 27-20 vote, needing 30 to pass. Pillen had cited his concern about potential health risks associated with the proposal and criticized the bills lack of age restrictions. The bills introducer, State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha, accused the governor of vetoing the bill due to a personal grudge against her stemming from the rancor of last session. She claimed some lawmakers willfully misunderstood LB 307 as a way to curry favor with Pillen. People can just be committed to misunderstanding, Hunt said. And thats a really big barrier to overcome. LB 307 would have let public health programs set up needle distribution programs, with approval from cities or other jurisdictions. Nebraska is one of five states that has not legalized such programs. Often referred to as Syringe Service Programs (SSPs), the programs are a way to encourage treatment of drug addiction and reduce the spread of infectious diseases like HIV. Some also offer other services, such as on-site vaccinations and referrals to treatments. Hunt said SSPs benefit public health and would be useful in Nebraska, where the number of new HIV diagnoses spiked in 2021 to the highest level in a decade, even as the nationwide number has dropped steadily since 2008. Hunt said needle distribution programs can reduce the spread of used needles and the risk of first responders receiving needle-stick injuries. Drug users who access the programs are more likely to seek drug treatment than those who dont use such programs, she said. Supporters of the bill, including Speaker of the Legislature John Arch, said that drug abuse wont go down until there are efforts to refer users to treatment. If there is no treatment, there is no recovery, Arch said. Other LB 307 supporters emphasized the bills emphasis on local control. If there isnt clear support for SSPs in specific jurisdictions, they said, its unlikely they would be authorized. In his veto letter to the Legislature, Pillen said that while research has shown SSPs to be marginally effective in reducing HIV infections, they also been found to contribute to rising opioid-related deaths, citing a 2022 study in the Journal of Public Economics. That same study was referenced in an article distributed by Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, who voted against the override attempt. Kauth and other opponents to LB 307 said that allowing SSPs would enable drug addiction rather than reduce it. Enabling addiction in any way is a dangerous path, Kauth said. LB 307 supporters criticized the highlighted article. Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln said it was essentially an opinion piece that didnt come with any links or listed authors, and noted the writer referred to drug users as junkies. Support for LB 307 fluctuated through its three rounds of floor debate, receiving 37 yes votes in its first round but only 30 votes in the final round. Multiple lawmakers who supported the bill in its final round did not vote yes on Tuesdays override attempt, including Sens. Christy Armendariz, Carolyn Bosn, Tom Brewer, Rick Holdcroft, Jana Hughes, Fred Meyer and Mike Moser. In response to the governors veto last week, Hughes posted on Facebook defending the merits of LB 307, although she never explicitly said she would support an override attempt. She declined to comment on her vote Tuesday. Armendariz said her support of LB 307 was genuine during previous floor debates, but the Omaha senator said she was swayed by arguments Pillen made to her after his veto, and after hearing opinions from her children, who live in larger cities. She said the bill would serve as another step toward normalizing drug use, and she is more interested in pursuing alternative ways of reducing addiction. Before Tuesdays vote, Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha said lawmakers shouldnt change their votes due to the governors influence. He said the executive branch would be watching their debate to see which senators are leaders and who will bend over with a little text or a phone call. After the vote, Pillen said he appreciated that senators took due notice of concerns that caused me to veto the bill. We need to invest in less harmful ways to combat drug usage and disease transmission that are in line with Nebraska values, Pillen said. I look forward to working with our state senators on those strategies in the next session. Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen vetoes bill to allow hypodermic needle distribution Gov. Jim Pillen vetoed a bill that would allow Nebraska jurisdictions to distribute hypodermic needles to drug users to reduce the spread of infectious diseases. An override attempt is expected. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of March 2024 In six days, Nigerians of voting age will clarify not only whom they are, but whom they wish to be. Four years ago, I helped bring to the leadership of Nigeria a man I had equally endorsed at the 2011 election: General Muhammadu Buhari, as President. In 2015, there really wasnt much of a choice. This year, there is: Anybody Else. Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo unintentionally captured the situation a few days ago during a campaign stop in Owerri Reaching down to his evangelical side, the pastor told the crowd: The most important thing is that when the righteous are in power, the people rejoice. Then he asked, Are you rejoicing now? The crowd erupted: NOOOO!!! The vice-president seemed to think that he might have been misheard, or that his audience had perhaps got its cue wrong. He tried again: Under this governmentare you rejoicing? Louder came a thunderous tumult, as if the crowd thought Osinbajo was hard of hearing: NOOOO!!! But here is the punchline, and I am going to quote the vice-president comma by comma in a statement he made as if it were 2015 and he was waxing delirious about the Goodluck Jonathan administration his APC presidential ticket was trying to defeat: Very good. The reason, the reason, the reason why we cannot rejoice under this government is because the Scripture says, when the righteous are in power, the people rejoice. I dont know who wrote the screenplay of Osinbajos Nollywood appearance at that Owerri rally. Clearly, the answer to his question was supposed to have been a resounding YES! In which case his conclusion, something about righteousness and political power, was supposed to be that Nigerians are happy today because the right people are in power and should be re-elected. The louder rejection of his proposal the second time appeared to have thrown the vice-president out of his tradermoni heart and the law professor adlibbed into a verdict against his very purpose. Now, I believe that Osinbajo, speaking before an audience he understood to be mainly Christians, had hoped to take advantage of their faith. In which case it is wise to look at the segment of the Holy Book he unwisely but incompletely drew from: Proverbs 29:2. When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn, it says. It is not surprising that the vice-president avoided that second part, but his conclusion was unavoidable: Nigerians are suffering because its rulers whatever they think of themselves are wicked. Osinbajos testimony against his own cause says almost everything anyone would like to know about where Nigerians find themselves this week as they vote. Buhari himself continued the effort to market the same theme three days ago, calling on the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria to stand for righteousness and truth, and preach against all forms of corruption, as only righteousness can elevate Nigeria. Mercifully, he was not standing before an incredulous crowd to preach righteousness. But before Osinbajo spoke, Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai had inflicted a different kind of righteousness. I have praised el-Rufai in this column for what seemed to be his clarity of vision, notably in March 2017 when the second of two powerful memos he sent to Buhari, leaked. The first was in April 2015, before Buhari took his oath of office, and the other in September 2016. Citing the progress of our party, our president, our government and our country, the governor offered Buhari a 30-page, well-reasoned strategic plan in which he challenged the president to revamp the entire apparatus of government so that APC would not leave Nigeria worse than it had met it. Stressing that the Buhari administration had so far failed to manage the change expectations of Nigerians or to deliver even mundane matters of governance outside of fighting Boko Haram and corruption, he urged him to act decisively. Overall, the feeling even among our supporters today is that the APC government is not doing well, the governor observed. He encouraged Buhari to consider communicating actively and directly with the Nigerian public to enunciate the governments plans, strategy and road map to take Nigeria out of her economic mess. For that purpose, he suggested that Buhari use a mechanism akin to a State of the Union addresspreferably in a joint session of the National Assembly, during which he would explain some perceptions and lay out his vision. Among others, he pointed out that APC could shape Nigerias political culture in (Buharis) image through active stakeholders and process engagement, saying, We are not engaging at all, and (are) taking things and important matters for granted. El-Rufai counselled that the institutional weaknesses that enabled corruption to thrive under Jonathan and the persons involved, were still very much in control, and many are around you. He wanted stronger hands and minds closer to the president, describing (former SGF Babachir Lawal) as inexperienced, lacking in humility, (and) insensitive and rude to most VIPs, and Chief of Staff Abba Kyari as totally clueless. El-Rufai then spelled to Buhari the time: You have both a crisis and opportunity in your hands to turn around our country in the right direction. But APC and Buharis ineptitude were just fermenting. They ignored all progressive voices inside and outside the party, and rotted in ambition, focus and performance. Buhari, for his part, never read any of el-Rufais memos: he handed them to the same key officials the governor had criticised, who shredded them and demonised him. Last week, with days before the election, a key measure of the depth of the Buhari rot emerged: the same el-Rufai appearing on television to threaten the massacre of foreigners who intervene to disrupt Buharis desperation to remain in office. A fifth prosecution witness, Musiliu Obanikoro, in the ongoing fraud trial against former governor Ayodele Fayose, on Tuesday said that he was informed two years ago that his late Special Assistant (SA), Justin Erukaa, died in an accident. Mr Obanikoro gave the evidence in continuation of his cross-examination by a second defence counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), at the Federal High Court in Lagos. Mr Fayose, the immediate-past governor of Ekiti State, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on October 22, 2018, alongside a company, Spotless Investment Ltd, on an 11-count charge. He had pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail in the sum of N50 million, with one surety in like sum. EFCC had opened the case for prosecution on November 19, 2018 and had called four witnesses. On January 21, 2018, the prosecution called its fifth witness, Mr Obanikoro, a former minister of state for defence. At the last adjourned date on February 5, Mr Obanikoro was still under cross-examination by the second defence counsel, (Ojo), who had sought to tender the extra judicial statement of Justin Erukaa, made to EFCC in the course of their investigation. In reaction, the prosecutor, Rotimi Jacobs, had objected to the admissibility of the said statement, on the grounds that counsel was seeking to tender the document from the Bar, with which he wants to contradict a witness from the Bar. Mr Jacobs cited the provisions of Section 232 and 233 of the Evidence Act, arguing that the approach was wrong. Justice Mojisola Olatoregun had consequently ordered counsel to address the court on the admissibility of such extra judicial statement made by a person interrogated during the course of investigation and who is not standing trial. Parties had addressed the court on February 7, after which the judge reserved ruling. In a ruling delivered on Monday, the court had admitted the extra judicial statement of the late Erukaa and marked same as Exhibit J. At the resumed trial on Tuesday, Mr Ojo (SAN) continued his cross-examination with Obanikoro, who has been in the witness box since January. Ojo asked him: Do you remember your statement on Exhibit G2 made on Oct. 8, 2018? Obanikoro replied: I will have to see that to acknowledge. After being showed the exhibit, Mr Ojo asked: In exhibit G2, you specifically stated that you were not privy to any discussion between the first defendant and the former NSA. Mr Obainokoro replied: That is correct. Mr Ojo: I suggest that because you were not privy to any such conversation, you cant on your oath tell the court any date or time of such alleged conversation. The witness replied: Correct. Mr Ojo: In the same Exhibit G2, you categorically said that Justin Erukaa died after he had made Exhibit J. The witness replied: Thats correct. This Justin Erukaa who was one of your Special Assistants, can you tell the court how you got to know about his death, after making Exhibit J. Mr Obanikoro: He left Lagos a day before Sallah about two years ago, and the police called one of my SAs that the owner of the phone just had an accident and died on the spot; and he immediately called me and informed me. Mr Ojo: Do you remember on February 4, you told the court that you could not recall whether or not Justin Erukaa made any statement to the operatives of the EFCC? Witness: Yes, I said so. The defence counsel then urged that Exhibit J be showed to the witness and then he asked him, What is Exhibit J and Obanikoro replied: It is a statement. Defence counsel: Whose name appears as the maker or author of Exhibit J? Witness replied: Justin Erukaa. Defence counsel: Did you attend the burial of Justin Erukaa? Witness: I was there with my family. Finally, Mr Ojo asked the witness if any document was provided to the EFCC operatives in the course of interrogation to back any of his statements before the court concerning the second defendant? The witness replied: No. With this last question, Mr Ojo informed the court that he had finished his cross-examination of Obanikoro. Mr Obanikoro, consequently, stepped down from the witness box. The prosecution called its sixth witness, Olugboyega Falae, a staffer of Ecobank, who said he had worked in Skye bank, (now Polaris Bank), as Head of its Estate Support Department. On what he knows about the property identified as No. 44, Plot 1241, Osun Crescent, Maitama, Abuja, the witness told the court that one of the responsibilities of his unit, was to dispose non-core assets of the bank, that are in excess of the requirements. He said that the property was one of such assets, which was sold at the time, after acquiring requisite approvals. Mr Falae said that in the case of the said property, one Mrs Titiloye approached the bank with a N300 million offer for the property, adding that there were discussions and exchange of letters between them, before the property was eventually sold for N200 million. After the witness finished his evidence before the court, he was cross-examined by the defence counsel, but there was no re-examination from the prosecution. The court has adjourned until Wednesday (tommorow), for continuation of trial. According to the charge, on June 17, 2014, Mr Fayose and one Abiodun Agbele were said to have taken possession of the sum of N1.2 billion, for purposes of funding his gubernatorial election campaign in Ekiti State, which sum they reasonably ought to have known, formed part of crime proceeds. Mr Fayose was alleged to have received a cash payment of the sum of five million dollars, (about N1.8 billion) from the then Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, without going through any financial institution and which sum exceeded the amount allowed by law. He was also alleged to have retained the sum of N300 million in his Zenith Bank account and took control of the aggregate sums of about N622 million, which sum he ought to have known, formed part of crime proceeds. Mr Fayose was alleged to have procured De Privateer Ltd and Still Earth Ltd, to retain in their Zenith and FCMB accounts, the aggregate sums of N851 million which they reasonably ought to have known, formed part of crime proceeds. Besides, the defendant was alleged to have used the aggregate sums of about N1.6 billion to acquire properties in Lagos and Abuja, which sums he reasonably ought to have known, formed part of crime proceeds. The accused was also alleged to have used the sum of N200 million, to acquire a property in Abuja, in the name of his elder sister, Moji Oladeji, which sum he ought to know, also forms crime proceeds. The offences contravene the provisions of Sections 15(1), 15 (2), 15 (3), 16(2)(b), 16 (d), and 18 (c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011. The Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has reminded the returning and incoming governors that the nation still battles poverty, malnutrition, illiteracy, out-of-school children etc. He challenged states to boost their IGR and value added tax (VAT) in respective states in order to address the numerous issues. He also said the national executive council would begin to look at more ways to effectively fund security in the country. According to him, it has always been the tradition for all elected officials in Nigeria to complain about inadequate funds. So, we will not be saying anything new if and when we raise those complaints; Lagos State, the highest IGR earner was earning 600 million in IGR when minimum wage was increased from N7,500 to N18, 000, about 140 per cent increase. We are confronted again with the new increase in minimum wage. So as scripture says, `there is nothing new under the sun. We must confront the problem, not merely by hoping that the Federal Government can do more. Already, our deficit is close to two trillion Naira, while debt service is somewhere in the order of 54 per cent; states must in the next few years earn more in IGR. We must more effectively collect VAT and increase our agricultural output, work with the Federal Government to make broadband infrastructure available all over the country. So, our young people anywhere in the country can do jobs anywhere in the world from their villages in any corner of Nigeria. If a state is charging for right of way from communications companies and is hindering the laying of cables and other broadband infrastructure as an IGR measure, permit me to say that will be penny wise pound foolish. He said that to tap into the millions of jobs in technology and other services that a country like India had tapped into required broadband infrastructure across the country. On agriculture, he said that each state must leverage its most advantageous agricultural produce, by working with the Federal Governments initiatives in agricultural credit and the recently inaugurated Green Alternative. ALSO READ: Police trace Otedola bridge fire suspect to Kano He said it was possible for states to generate significant revenues from agriculture. Osinbajo assured the inductees that the Federal Government would equitably treat all states in spite of party affiliations. After all, all the mind boggling achievements of the regions in our history were without oil money, but mainly agriculture and taxes. Today there are even more options. On the part of the Federal Government, we have our work well cut out for us, but it may offer some comfort to reiterate that President Muhummadu Buhari has shown in the past four years that he would be completely transparent with the Federation account. Secondly, that all states will be treated fairly and equitably irrespective of party affiliations, and thirdly that the Federal Government will play its role in support of the states as often as necessary and within its means. We have in the past three years intervened through loans, bailouts and refunds to the tune of well over one trillion naira, representing the highest amount of Federal Governments extra statutory allocation/intervention to states in Nigerias history. And we are proud to say that there were no discriminations along party lines in the disbursements, he said. The vice president said that in the next four years, Buhari had made it clear that his administration would be focusing attention on human capital development and infrastructure. He said that Buharis administration would be working with the states on education, especially the education of girls as the administration had begun some deep diving in that respect with its Human Development Index (HDI) work at the National Economic Council (NEC). Osinbajo said that the administration was doing the same with healthcare. The vice president said that the administration had already started to implement the one per cent of the Conditional Revenue Fund (CRF) in the Health Act. In an interview with newsmen, Bala Mohammed, Governor-elect, Bauchi State, said that the inductees should see themselves as those called to duty and work toward delivering the dividends of democracy to the people. I listened to the development partners and what the vice president said, government is a collective responsibility. Government is a trust and we should rediscover ourselves. We should know that we are privileged out of 200 million, 74 of us have been elected as governors, as deputy governors, as president, as vice president, we must be able to deliver, to leave legacies and landmarks, he said. Post Views: 64 Items recovered from the suspects include six vehicles, 20 laptops, 66 mobile phones, six international passports and 1 Apple wristwatch. At least 37 suspected internet fraudsters have been arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Abuja Zonal Command. They were arrested on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at Jahi, Dawaki and Gwarimpa axes of Abuja following actionable intelligence about their activities. Items recovered from the suspects include six vehicles, 20 laptops, 66 mobile phones, six international passports and 1 Apple wristwatch. They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded. Nigerian Billionaire businessman Tunde Ayeni has taken legal action against his ex-girlfriend, Adaobi Alagwu, for unlawful entry and trespassing. The controversy emerged in December 2023 when Adaobi Alagwu made a contentious visit to her former office in Abuja, a space initially provided by Tunde Ayeni but later withdrawn. The move, under the pretext of retrieving her property (an air conditioner), sparked public outcry, leading Ayeni to file a petition for unlawful entry and trespassing. Ayeni disclosed this in a Cease and Desist legal notice he sent to Alagwu entitled, Withdrawal of Consent for Use of the Family Name Ayeni With Respect To Your Daughter Omarosa. He also wrote the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to void any international passport presented by Adaobi Alagwu and her child, bearing his name. Ayeni, represented by his lawyer Dele Adesina (SAN), specified that Alagwus daughter has no familial relationship with him and, therefore, is not entitled to use his name on her travel document. This follows Alagwus adoption of the businessmans name on her daughters international passport even after a DNA test had established that she wasnt Ayenis child. The legal action by Ayeni comes after the recent arrest and detention of Alagwu for trespassing on his private property in Abuja. The ongoing dispute between the two has involved Ayeni issuing multiple press statements refuting paternity claims and addressing Alagwus adoption of his name for herself and her daughter. Expressing his seriousness in handling the matter, Ayeni emphasized, I want this matter to be handled with every seriousness it deserves. I dont want anything to be swept under the carpet. Through his legal representatives, Ayeni directly appealed to Adaobi, urging her to respect his privacy and cease interference in his life. Please leave me alone, allow me to have my peace, Ayeni conveyed to Adaobi. Im not interested in whatever youre doing. Just stay away from me. In January this year, Alagwu allegedly entered illegally, into one of Ayenis properties formerly occupied by her, and of which she had surrendered possession over six months prior. Her reasons for the unauthorised entry were not acceptable to Ayeni, which necessitated the report of the incident at the Wuse 2 Police Station, Abuja. Alagwu was subsequently invited to the police station to answer the allegations against her. In response, she claimed that she never visited the property but sent one of her underlings to pick up her air conditioner from the building. In the presence of the DPO, Ayeni who joined the meeting via a phone call, warned Alagwu to keep away from his property and his family. He urged the police to do their job and give the matter definite closure. It was alleged that through Ayenis submissions, Alagwu tried to talk over him and persistently hurled insults at him; this eventually irked the police chief and he ordered that Alagwu be detained behind the counter until she calmed and displayed decorum. Ayeni expressed frustration with Adaobis actions, stating, With the circumstances with which you were booted out of that property, if you had any iota of shame, you shouldnt have gone back there for any reason. By filing a cease and desist injunction, Tunde Ayeni is making it clear that he will not tolerate further intrusion into his private affairs by Adaobi Jennifer Alagwu and her family. Meanwhile, South African disk jockey (DJ), Black Coffee has recounted his wife, Enhle Mbalis ungrateful reaction to his car gift. folorunsho alakija Africas richest woman, Folorunsho Alakija, has shared a cryptic post on social media amidst rumours that her 30-year-old marriage to husband Modupe Alakija has hit the rocks. Recent reports alleged that the mother of four separated from her husband and sent him out of their home in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State over incessant quarrels. In what appeared to be a reaction to the reports, Folorunsho wrote in a post on her verified X handle on Monday: Your heart will not be broken by evil-doers. Negativity will not break your heart. The enemies will not break your heart. Nothing shall threaten your peace. You will have peace in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Your peace will be all around and intact. Folorunsho is the group managing director of The Rose of Sharon Group and the executive vice chairman of Famfa Oil Limited. According to Forbes magazine, she is worth over $1 billion amassed from the oil and gas sector. Below are some reactions to her tweet: @EmmanuelApara1 wrote, Hello maam @alakijaofficial. There are rumours speculating around that youre now divorced. Could you please clear us if this is valid or not. We need to hear from the horses mouth. Thanks in anticipation maam. @ProxiMusic: True love is never appreciated. True love suffers long. Jesus Christ did it and never demanded too much. In all points, he was exploited, yet he didnt ask for the price from us. The world can never appreciate true love. Maam, live free & enjoy Ur freedom in Christ. Nigeria is a blessed country in both human and natural resources. It is a country where all its sociocultural groups have a reputable and remarkable history. Nigeria, which has the largest black population in the world with over 200 million out of the 700 million, is the giant of Africa and produces a lot of talents in educational aspects, art, music, sport, literature, and even business. Nigeria produced the first wealthy man among the highest-ranking people in the world (Alh. Aliyu Dangote). But on the contrary, with all these attributes and blessings, Nigeria seems or probably became a failure or produces no good result in almost all the work of life for its citizens for some reasons, most especially in areas of greediness, selfishness, and corruption, among others. In one of the lectures delivered by the late Dan Masanin Kano, Alhaji Maitama Sule. He stated, In Nigeria, there is meaninglessness in philosophy, insecurity in politics, chaos in politics, corruption in the economy, immorality in society, frustration in art, a lack of creativity in literature, etc.. My reason for the above analysis was the move by the Jigawa state government under the leadership of H.E. Malam Umar Namadi (FCA) to release some tonnes of rice (27,000 bags) and 10,000 cartons of spaghetti, amounting to almost two billion naira (N1.944000,00), as a parliative. The governors decision aimed at reducing the hardship that people face as a result of the high costs of food items in the market to support in the 1445 A H/2024 Ramadan season. This move is commendable for a first-time governor. Well, the government is aware of so many problems facing the people, but when it comes to solving them, the execution is not done in the proper way, at the right time, and for the right purpose. For this Ramadan parliative released by the state government, if care is not taken, probably only a small percentage (4050%) can be benefited by the masses; even this percentage to be given out to the poor masses is maybe just a formality. Government officials and recognised high-ranking politicians in the state or even from outside will enjoy the cake, with the largest share I am telling you this by experience because it happened in the previous regime of the former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar. It was alleged that the fertilisers were released by the FG to ease the suffering of poor masses in Jigawa State as a palliative to ease some peoples hardship on the effect of flood invasions (disaster) that occur in two to three seasons, if I may guess right, between 2018 and 2022, also during the tenure of his excellency. Alhaji Saminu Turaki, on the same cause of drought, flood, locust, quela birds, and fertiliser subsidy to poor farmers, was not delivered to the right beneficiaries. If care is not taken, the poor masses may not benefit from the present state governments aid. The previous happenings make me devastated because many things were not done in the right way in this country, Nigeria, when it comes to execution. Life can be frustrating when all efforts produce little or no result, but the mystery of life is that you can win in the same place you have fallen or lost before. I am appealing to the present government of Malam Umar of Jigawa State to address this issue immediately and assign God-fearing people to handle such cases. One of the first and legitimate objects of good government is to care for its subjects, their lives, happiness, and well-being, not their use, suffering, or destruction. Truly, the heart is normally inclined towards the person who is most compassionate towards it. Also, the feeding exercise should not turn into an opportunity to embezzle government funds and even promote nepotism by giving cooking contracts to members and families of either top government officials or politicians handling the programme. It shouldnt be a great avenue for Chuwa-chuwa (fraud) since one hundred and seventy-one thousand nine hundred (171,900) people are expected to be fed daily, so about five million people are targeted to benefit from this free Ramadan meal (FRM) during this exercise. Governor Namadi has to strive hard to reorganise and govern the state very well. You may be doing the right thing, but others are there to pollute your policies and programmes. Though we witnessed the parliatives that were distributed some months ago across the 27 local government areas in the state, there were elements of transparency and accountability. We hope Governor Namadi will emulate himself and be used as a ladder through which many people will be happy and lifted to success and greatness, since you believe that life is a duty and should be lived in the most useful manner. Our society must try to add value to lives of others, to help them become great and be a pillar of the society. Adamu writes from Kafin-Hausa, Jigawa State. Related The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, on Monday expressed concerns about misconduct in Ajaokuta Steel Company and urged President Bola Tinubu to order a thorough investigation into reported mismanagement. If there are individuals or group of individuals protecting the corrupt managers of the Ajaokuta Steel Company and hereby shielding them from any form of probe and judgement, it simply means that they are beneficiaries of the ill-gotten proceeds of the mismanagement or they have other personal interests that are not people-friendly and that are tantamount to water down or nullify President Bola Ahmed Tinubus fight against corruption. These set of people should also be probed. They may even be part of those used by these selfish leaders to loot the treasury of the steel company dry. The student body implored the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices & Other related Offences Commission (ICPC) to stand their ground against every form of intimidation or shielding, as they probe and investigate mismanagement in Ajaokuta Steel Company. While the revamping of this company is going on, the probing of these culprits should aggressively continue. Both can go concurrently, and one will not affect another. As a matter of fact, the probing is an essential part of the revamping because investigators and other Stakeholders may discover in the course of probing that some bad eggs are still on the management and staff of this Steel Company. With these probes, many unveilings will take place, giving way to a holistic revitalization and resuscitation of the Ajaokuta Steel Company. The umbrella body with over 50million members across the nation in a press release said those involved in the mismanagement of this company must be brought to book immediately: This is simply because if these offenders are brought to book, it will serve as a deterrent to others who are aspiring to steal from the company as soon as it starts operation again. Bringing them to book will help the company grow in the sense that the money recovered from these offenders would be pumped back into the company and it will give it a higher lift in every sense. In the release signed by NANS Universal President, Comrade Lucky Emonefe, GCNS, the association vowed not to back down on fights of this peculiarity, especially one that is against the tenets of financial accountability and transparency. Power intoxicates, and absolute power intoxicates absolutely. Having a Sole Administrator for the past 12 years to oversee a public and national company like Ajaokuta Steel is not good enough. This gives room to corruption in the sense that there will be no one else to check the excesses of the Sole Administrator and this may give him/her an ample chance to misuse the trust and powers given to him/her. Hence, power in this institution should be broken down to the Managing Director, Executive Director Technical Services, Executive Director Finance and other directorates for more effectiveness, accountability and productivity that will culminate in efficacious checking and balancing. The association stressed the importance of addressing concerns raised by Nigerians and ensuring that no single tribe, out of the over 200 tribes in Nigeria has the right to lay claim of sole ownership to this government project built from the nations taxpayers money. In as much as this company is Federal Government owned, one particular group should never claim ownership and control of it because its built on their land. Just the way no single tribe is laying claims to the oil in the Niger Delta and the Hydroelectric dams in Kanji and its environs, This company should be a haven of massive employment opportunities for us Nigerian Students upon graduation and it should also be a technology site where our potential engineering students all over the country could come and experience technological innovations at its peak as they aspire for greatness in the field of engineering. So, no single tribe, out of the over 200 tribes in Nigeria has the right to lay claim of sole ownership to this government project built from the nations taxpayers money. This must be checkmated. The association underlined Bola Tinubus commitment to the development of the country. We want to sincerely appreciate H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for the humongous effort he has put into the development of the Ajaokuta Steel Company and National Iron Ore Mining Company, Itakpe, since he assumed office. From history, apart from the Shehu Shagari era, this will be the first time that this company would be having this kind of unusual support from the Federal Government. This is highly commendable. We also want to appreciate the office of the Senate President, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio for his huge and tireless efforts in making sure that this company comes back on its feet and deliver the purpose with which it was founded. All his efforts are seen, and they wont go unappreciated. It commended members of the National Assembly, especially Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who raised one issue or the other in support of the growth and development of the company. We believe that their efforts shall not go unrewarded and their wishes towards the progress of Ajaokuta Steel Company will come to materialization in no distant time. The association highlighted the dedication of the government and the stakeholders. Ajaokuta Steel Company and National Iron Ore Mining Company have remained in operational, but resuscitation plans of the projects are near with the attraction of investors in topmost gear. The government and the stakeholders alike are working assiduously to see that the company comes back to life. This is a good omen for the Renewed Hope Agenda to continue to flourish amidst the global economic crisis that has engulfed the world right about now. It pointed out that individuals who brought the Ajaokuta Steel Company to this comatose are still walking the street un-investigated and unpunished. These people who have been indicted to the tune of several millions of US dollars further siphoned $496m in September 2022 through Buharis administration. They have neither been probed nor punished. This is not a good precedence at all and if unchecked would create an avenue for dabbling into President Tinubus efforts of resuscitating the steel plant. These individuals including past corrupt government executives denied the public, most especially the youth, the benefit of experiencing the exodus of job opportunities, technological exposure and economic emancipation that would have been massively accrued to us all these while if they had done what was expected of them. These people selfishly and callously mismanaged Ajaokuta Steel Company and grounded it with the notion that nothing will happen in the end. If acts like these go un-investigated and unpunished, what is now the tendency that after rebuilding, some other people would not come and do the same thing to loot and ground it again the umpteenth time? This should not be so. NANS CALLS FOR PROBE OF MISMANAGEMENT IN AJAOKUTA STEEL COMPANY LIMITED AS ITS RESUSCITATION CONTINUES APPRECIATION: The leadership of National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, the umbrella body with over 50million members across the nation, wants to sincerely appreciate H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for the humongous effort he has put into the development of the Ajaokuta Steel Company and National Iron Ore Mining Company, Itakpe, since he assumed office. From history, apart from the Shehu Shagari era, this will be the first time that this company would be having this kind of unusual support from the Federal Government. This is highly commendable. We also want to appreciate the office of the Senate President, Distinguished Senator Godswill Obot AKPABIO, CON, for his huge and tireless efforts in making sure that this company comes back on its feet and deliver the purpose with which it was founded. All his efforts are seen and they wont go unappreciated. Finally we want to thank the members of the National Assembly especially Senator Natasha Uduaghan, who raised one issue or the other in support of the growth and development of this company. We believe that their efforts shall not go unrewarded and their wishes towards the progress of Ajaokuta Steel Company will come to materialization in no distant time. THE STATUS QUO: Ajaokuta Steel Company and National Iron Ore Mining Company have remained inoperational but resuscitation plans of the projects are near with the attraction of investors in topmost gear. The government and the stakeholders alike are working assiduously to see that the company comes back to life. This is a good omen for the Renewed Hope Agenda to continue to flourish amidst the global economic crisis that has engulfed the world right about now. It is also worthy of note that the set of individuals who brought the Ajaokuta Steel Company to this comatose are still walking the street uninvestigated and unpunished. These people who have been indicted to the tune of several millions of US dollars further siphoned $496m in September 2022 through Buharis administration. They have neither been probed nor punished. This Ref No: NANS/VOL1/GA1/ A73 10 March, 2024 is not a good precedence at all and if unchecked would create an avenue for dabbling into President Tinubus efforts of resuscitating the steel plant. These individuals including past corrupt government executives denied the public, most especially the youth, the benefit of experiencing the exodus of job opportunities, technological exposure and economic emancipation that would have been massively accrued to us all these while if they had done what was expected of them. They selfishly and callously mismanaged Ajaokuta Steel Company and grounded it with the notion that nothing will happen in the end. If acts like these go uninvestigated and unpunished, what is now the tendency that after rebuilding, some other people would not come and do the same thing to loot and ground it again the umpteenth time? This should not be so. OUR STANCE AS NANS: 1. EVERY PERSON INVOLVED IN THE MISMANAGEMENT OF THIS COMPANY MUST BE BROUGHT TO BOOK IMMEDIATELY: This is simply because if these offenders are brought to book, it will serve as a deterrent to others who are aspiring to steal from the company as soon as it starts operation again. Bringing them to book will help the company grow in the sense that the money recovered from these offenders would be pumped back into the company and it will give it a higher lift in every sense; 2. REVAMPING SHOULD NOT DISRUPT PROBING: While the revamping of this company is going on, the probing of these culprits should aggressively continue. Both can go concurrently and one will not affect another. As a matter of fact, the probing is an essential part of the revamping because investigators and other Stakeholders may discover in the course of probing that some bad eggs are still on the management and staff of this Steel Company. With these probes, many unveilings will take place, giving way to a holistic revitalization and resuscitation of the Ajaokuta Steel Company; 3. DECENTRALIZATION OF POWER IN THE STEELCOMPANY: Power intoxicates and absolute power intoxicates absolutely. Having a Sole Administrator for the past 12 years to oversee a public and national company like Ajaokuta Steel is not good enough. This gives room to corruption in the sense that there will be no one else to check the excesses of the Sole Administrator and this may give him/her an ample chance to misuse the trust and powers given to him/her. Hence, power in this institution should be broken down to the Managing Director, Executive Director Technical Services , Executive Director Finance and other directorates for more effectiveness, accountability and productivity that will culminate in efficacious checking and balancing; and 4. DETRIBALIZATION OFAJAOKUTASTEELCOMPANY: In as much as this company is Federal Government owned, one particular group should never claim ownership and control of it because its built on their land. Just the way no single tribe is laying claims to the the oil in the Niger Delta and the Hydroelectric dams in Kanji and its environs, we see no reason why the Ebira people will turn the Ajaokuta Steel Company to their personal property and would never want others to benefit from the largesse that should come with it. This company should be a haven of massive employment opportunities for us Nigerian Students upon graduation and it should also be a technology site where our potential engineering students all over the country could come and experience technological innovations at its peak as they aspire for greatness in the field of engineering. So, no single tribe, out of the over 200 tribes in Nigeria has the right to lay claim of sole ownership to this government project built from the nations taxpayers money. This must be checkmated. Conclusive, if there are individuals or group of individuals protecting the corrupt managers of the Ajaokuta Steel Company and hereby shielding them from any form of probe and judgement, it simply means that they are beneficiaries of the ill-gotten proceeds of the mismanagement or they have other personal interests that are not people-friendly and that are tantamount to water down or nullify President Bola Ahmed Tinubus fight against corruption. These set of people should also be probed. They may even be part of those used by these selfish leaders to loot the treasury of the steel company dry. The Nigerian Students are not the type to back down on fights of this peculiarity, especially one that is against the tenets of financial accountability and transparency. Hence, we implore the EFCC, ICPC and other related agencies to stand their ground against every form of intimidation or shielding, as they probe and investigate these heartless people. SIGNED: Comr. Lucky Emonefe, GCNS NANS Universal President Related By Israel Bulus, Kaduna The Rachael Averik Foundation (RAF), a non-governmental organization has shared N10,000 cash to over 100 Almajiris with people living with disabilities around Kano Road Mosque in Kaduna as Ramadan gifts. The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Rachael Averik in an interview with newsmen on Friday, said the gesture was specifically to assist them go through the fasting period with something substantial to begin with and to also mark the International Womens Day (IWD) Celebration of 2024, tagged; #InspireInclusion. She explained that she decided to align with the theme inspiringly and inclusive to reach out to WIDOWS and LESS PRIVILEGED WOMEN with financial assistance. According to her, there was a need to show love as the masses were in dire need of assistance in this hard time to ameliorate their suffering. This was done out of love for humanity to ease the daily hardship in the holy month of Ramadan. Averik implores the Muslim faithful to use the period to pray for the restoration of peace in Kaduna State and for the country in general to prosper. She, therefore, challenged others to follow in alleviating the plight of vulnerable Nigerians. Some spectators commended the Founder and described her gesture as unparalleled and worthy of emulation. The beneficiaries who could not hide their tears, expressed gratitude and prayed for Gods protection and more opportunities for her to continue serving humanity. Related By Israel Bulus, Kaduna The Executive Chairman of Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State has called for a special prayer for the nations peaceful coexistence and the safe release of all kidnapped victims. The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar, who is the Islamic spiritual leader in Nigeria, had on Sunday declared (Monday) March 11, 2024, as the first day of Ramadan. Nasara in a statement signed on Tuesday and issued to newsmen in Kaduna, calls on the entire Muslim faithful to use the holy month to offer prayers for peace, development, and prosperity of the country. According to him, Ramadan, as one of the pillars of Islam, provides an opportunity for spiritual cleansing and devotion through supplication and worship. He urged clerics to emphasize peaceful co-existence, unity, and piety, throughout the month-long fast and beyond. While decrying the alarming rate of abductions of vulnerable citizens in Kaduna, state, the Kagarko LG chairman urged Kaduna citizens to support the State Government led by Governor Uba Sani to solve the States problems. There was a need to put all hands on deck to support the Government and the Military in ensuring the Kurigas Primary and Secondary School students, Gonin Gora, and other kidnapped victims are released and reunited with their families. Kaduna is facing another round of challenges that requires the masses support towards their leaders to overcome all the challenges in the Country. He urged the Muslim faithful to use the Month of Ramadan to exemplify Gods virtues by showing love, and empathy as well as seeking forgiveness at all times. Related From Umar Ado Sokoto The Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto has approved the payment of half salary as Ramadan gift to all civil servants,Primary school Teachers, Local Government staff as well as pensioners in the state. This is in an effort to ensure that Muslims in the State start this years Ramadan fast comfortably, The magnanimous gesture, which is expected to commence tonight in sha Allah,is to assist workers in the state observe this years Ramadan fast with a relative ease. Governor Aliyu, in a statement issued by Abubakar Bawa ,Press Secretary to the governor also appealed to the Muslim ummah to use the sacred month to pray for Allahs intervention in the numerous challenges hindering smooth Nigerias development. He also called on traders and wealthy individuals in the state to show love and mercy to the have-nots for them to earn Allahs mercy and forgiveness in this holy month. The Governor thanked the people of the State for their continued support and fervent prayers to his administration, which he described as key to all the successes so far recorded in the state. Related Prof. Cyril Ndifon Prof. Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of Faculty of Law, University of Calabar (UNICAL), was on Tuesday, granted leave to appeal the decision of the court dismissing his no-case submission in the charge against him. Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, also gave Ndifons lawyer, Mr Sunny Anyanwu, the go-ahead to file an appeal against the dismissal of the no-case submission. Justice Omotosho granted the leave following a motion filed by Ndifon and Anyanwus counsel, Joe Agi, SAN, which was not opposed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) lawyer, Osuobeni Akponimisingha. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the judge had, on March 6, dismissed the no-case submission filed by Ndifon and Anyanwu on the ground that the evidence led by the prosecution constituted a prima facie case against the duo. Consequently, Justice Omotosho ordered them to enter their defence in the charges filed against them. When the matter was called on Tuesday, Akponimisingha informed the court that the matter was slated for the defendants to open their defence and that he was ready to proceed. But Agi drew the attention of the court to two motions filed on behalf of the defendants. He said the first motion sought the leave of the court to appeal its ruling on their no-case submission, and the second motion sought an order directing the registrar of the court to make available Exhibits N and O (Oppo and Tecno Phones) to the defendants. Akponimisingha, who informed the court that his attention was only drawn to the motions on Monday, said he was not opposing the first motion, seeking leave to appeal. However, he indicated interest in opposing the motion seeking the release of Ndifons two phones to the National Forensic Laboratory. Justice Omotosho, who granted the motion seeking leave to appeal his ruling, adjourned the matter until March 19 for a hearing of all pending motions in the matter. NAN reports that Ndifon and Anyanwu had, on Feb. 19, filed a no-case submission after the ICPC closed its case. They had argued that there was no evidence adduced by the prosecution on which the court could convict them and insisted that the commission failed to establish a prima facie case against them. But the ICPC, in opposition, filed a counter affidavit on Feb. 23, praying the court to dismiss the no-case submission of the defendants. Ndifon was, on Jan. 25, re-arraigned alongside Anyanwu on an amended four-count charge bordering on alleged sexual harassment and an attempt to perverse the cause of justice. Anyanwu, who is one of the lawyers in the defence, was joined in the amended charge filed on Jan. 22 by the ICPC on allegation that he called TKJ, the star witness, on her mobile telephone during the pendency of the charge against Ndifon and threatened her. The anti-corruption commission had, on Feb. 14, announced the closure of their case after calling four witnesses, including a female diploma student identified as TKJ (NAN). An SUV allegedly belonging to the abducted woman , a nurse, was seen abandoned in a viral video with bullet-perforated glass on the front passenger side. The University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku Ozalla, in Enugu State was again invaded by suspected armed kidnappers on Tuesday, March 12. Earlier this year, a resident doctor was attacked by gunmen on the hospital premises and abducted but later managed to escape from the kidnappers den. It was learnt that the kidnappers allegedly abducted a female deputy director of the hospital and a security man. An SUV allegedly belonging to the abducted woman, a nurse, was seen abandoned in a viral video with bullet-perforated glass on the front passenger side. The police and hospital management are yet to confirm the incident at the time of filing this report. But a reliable source who confirmed the incident said it occurred at the same location where a medical doctor was abducted a few weeks ago. This is so sad; we are not safe at all in this hospital; everywhere is porous, a distressed staff member lamented. Atiku Abubakar The 2023 Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar has dismissed reports circulating online that he is planning to dump the party ahead of the 2027 elections. The report claimed Atiku and some other politicians were planning to form a new party to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu. However, Atiku in a personally signed statement on Tuesday via his account on the X platform, said the reports are pure lies which should be disregarded by Nigerians. While affirming his loyalty to the PDP, the former Vice President accused President Tinubu of pursuing a personal agenda with the story instead of focusing on governance. The 2023 presidential candidate of the PDP added that those behind the story of him dumping the PDP are mischief makers, and there is no truth in the allegation. He said: I have been inundated with calls from our party members, supporters, and concerned Nigerians regarding the fabricated story in The Nation, Tinubus ragtag, alleging my departure from the @OfficialPDPNig. Let me be unequivocal: this is pure mischief, devoid of truth. I reaffirm my unwavering loyalty to the PDP while advocating the swift merger of opposition parties. The urgency of this consolidation cannot be overstated. Tinubus relentless pursuit of personal agendas at the expense of national governance is glaring. His myopic focus on 2027 betrays a disregard for the pressing needs of the populace. Its high time he ceased his bumbling escapades and prioritised the welfare of the people. My media team is vigorously countering his baseless claims. Let this be a wake-up call to all: the pursuit of power must not overshadow the imperative of effective governance. Together, let us propel Nigeria forward, leaving behind the antics of political charlatans. By Izunna Okafor, Awka Some armed hoodlums, on Tuesday, fell into ditch with their vehicle while they were escaping from the joint operatives of the Anambra State Police Command and the local vigilante, who gave them a hot chase. According to statement from the States Police Command, the incident happened at Awka-Etiti in Idemili South Local Government Area of the State, where the joint security operatives (during their routine patrol) accosted the heavily-armed gang as they were on a yet-to-be unravelled mission. The joint security team chased the hoodlums until the vehicle they were in ran into a ditch. After a shootout, two members of the gang were arrested while four AK-47 rifles with 219 rounds of ammunition were recovered. Also recovered were one Toyota Highlander SUV with Reg. No. Lagos GGE 408 GZ, the statement read. The statement also added that another joint security team comprising the police and the local vigilante similarly intercepted a Toyota Venza Car, with Reg. No. Lagos EKY 746 JB, at Neni in Anaocha Local Government Area of the state. It was gathered that the driver of the car abandoned the vehicle and fled when he sighted the joint security team, while 34 live catridges were recovered from the vehicle after a thorough search. According to the statement, in his reaction to the development, the Anambra States Commissioner of Police, CP Aderemi Adeoye, who provided operational guidance to the Joint Team throughout both operations, also praised all personnel involved, for their discipline and operational effectiveness; even as he also directed the Rapid Response Squad at Awkuzu to take over investigation of both cases that appear related. The Commissioner has vowed that Anambra State will be made too hot for any criminal gang to operate, except they are ready to meet their waterloo, the statement concluded. Related A report by Punch Metro has shown that an employee of the Rivers State Primary Healthcare Board in Asari-Toru Local Government Area of the state, Douglas Ajemine, has been arrested by operatives of the Inspector General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team for paying two men to kill her husband. The 41-year-old mother of four, who was apprehended in the Abalama area of the state, started having a love affair with one of the killers, Kingsley Nna, after the gruesome murder of her husband, Inedugoba Tyger. After her arrest, Ajemine claimed that she hired Nna and his friend, Sunny, to carry out the mission because her late husband was in the habit of abusing her physically and s*xually each time he came home. She said at a point, Tyger abandoned her and moved into a new apartment in Port Harcourt, the state capital, with another woman. The suspect said that it was in a bid to stop being abused by him that she got across to Nna and his friend, who eventually carried out the evil task. An official of the IRT, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Saturday Punch that upon receiving a petition on the matter, the IGP, Adamu Mohammed, instructed them to unravel the mystery behind Tygers killing. According to findings by the team, the victims wife, in a bid to cover up the crime, took his car to a nearby market and parked it at a place where it could be recovered. She went ahead to use his mobile phones to send text massages to his brothers, informing them that he was travelling out of the state on a business trip. But the brothers, having waited days without hearing from their sibling, reported his sudden disappearance to the IGP, who immediately ordered an investigation into the matter. After her arrest, Ajemine led police operatives to arrest Nna, who had been having s*x with her after killing Tyger. She said, I met my husband, Inedugoba Tyger, in December 2014 and we got married the following year. He had two children before I married him and he said that he needed me to help him take care of them. I accepted and moved into his house and I started taking care of his children but usually spent two weeks with his children after which I would move to my own house to be with my own children. That same year, he proposed that we should live together and I moved into his house with my second son. Soon, he lost his job and we relocated to our village in Buguma and his children were all staying in my house. By April 2016, my husband got some money from his former company and went to my family and paid my bride price. We then relocated to his family house and since he had no job, he became aggressive and abusive. Later, he started coming home to take things to sell and when I refused, he would beat me up and leave. Then I moved out of his house in Abalama and went to Port Harcourt. He traced me to where I was staying and tried to have s*x with me in the passage of that house in January 2019. I approached Kingsley Nna and told him what I was facing in the hands of my husband and he promised to help out. Another time, my husband came to my place and tried to forcibly have s*x with me, I called Kingsley (Nna) on the phone to come. He came with one of his friends and started beating my husband. I left them inside the house and when I returned, I was told that he had died. Kingsley warned me not to tell anyone or else he would kill me and my children. My husbands body was buried close to our house. I later sold his phone for N15,000 and Kingsley started demanding money from me. I gave him N150,000 but he went ahead to start having sex with me. Not too long after then, officers of the IRT came and arrested me. Confessing to the crime, Nna said Ajemine paid him and his friend N100,000 to beat her husband, adding that the woman pressured him into a sexual relationship with her soon afterwards. He said, In December 2018, I met Ajemine and she told me and my friend, Sunny, that her husband was maltreating her. I told her that whenever the man came around, she should call us. One day, she called and said that she wanted us to beat the man. In January this year, she gave us N50,000 and said she would call us whenever the man was with her in Abalama. Some days later, she called us and said that her husband was with her but we couldnt make it down to her place that day. On January 26, she called again in the afternoon and said the man was coming and that we should come and beat him. When we got there, we met the two of them naked, as if they had just finished making love. The room was dark and the woman put on a torch so that we would see the man on the bed. Sunny wrapped the mans face with a wrapper and a pillow, then I started beating him. He woke up and started struggling. He removed what was used to tie his face, saw Sunny and recognised him. The two of them started speaking their Kalabari language. I dont know what they were saying but Sunny insisted that we should kill the man since he had seen his face. I held him and Sunny strangled him. We informed the woman who was outside when this happened that her husband was dead but she said she didnt instruct us to kill him. She gave us a shovel and showed us where to bury him. The next day, she called and gave us N30,000. That evening, she called and said she wanted me to make love to her. We met at a hotel and made love for two hours. One week later, we met again in that same hotel and made love again. We made love a third time before I stopped responding to her calls because she wanted to turn me to her new husband. Officials of the IRT disclosed that all three suspects in the murder of Tyger would be charged to court at the end of investigations. Former President Olusegun Obasnjo has sent condolences to the bereaved Reuben Fasorantis who just lost their 58-year-old daughter Funke Olakunrin to armed bandits suspected to be Fulani herdsmen along the Ore junction road on Friday. Eyewitness account has pinned the death on herdsmen, but the Ondo police authorities said they were armed robbers. Consoling the family in the letter his media aide Kehinde Adeyemi made available to newsmen Saturday, Obasanjo, who is in Morocco now, said the death just diminished Nigeria as a whole. He urged the government to go after the killer, and find a lasting solution to the Fulani herdsmeen violece acrossthe nation. Obasanjo has accused the President Myhammadu Buhari government of fostering a Fulanisation and Islamization agenda. Letter CONDOLENCE I received, today, the tragic news of the death of your beloved daughter, Mrs. Funke Olakunri, who was killed by some suspected Fulani herdsmen. This is a worrisome development in our polity, especially, at a time when all well-meaning Nigerians are preaching tolerance and political accommodation in national politics. I must say Nigeria as a whole is diminished by the manner of Funkes death. We deplore this dastardly act and seize this opportunity to call on governments at all levels to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that our security agents vigorously pursue and find the perpetrators of such heinous crime and make them face the full weight of the law. We must, together, find solution to all acts of insecurity in the country, particularly acts of banditry, kidnapping, robbery and killing by the suspected Fulani herdsmen. As you mourn the tragic loss of our very dear Funke, please be assured of the sympathy and profound sorrow of many others like me who are saddened by the manner of her demise, especially as she still had a lot to contribute to the nation and her family to which she was highly devoted. Let me also implore you to be strong for the entire family. I pray that God Himself will comfort you and sustain the whole family in this hour of painful trial. And may the soul of the dear departed rest in perfect peace. Because I have to be in Morocco, I am sending a delegation of Otunba Oluwole Fasawe and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola with this letter and to personally deliver my condolence. Post Views: 84 Paul Gabriel Amos A Nigerian jailed in Singapore for money laundering, has been charged to court for another fraud. Paul Gabriel Amos, 48, allegedly defrauded one Milled El Khouri of S$37,800 to make bail. Court documents showed this incident happened between January and May 2018. Amos was in remand at the time, with his original case pending conclusion. While behind bars, he allegedly tricked Milled into delivering the cash to someone named Chung Ting Fai. In May 2019, Amos was sentenced to three years in jail for helping to launder US$1.84 million that his friend had stolen from the Ethiopian government. In 2009, he was prosecuted in a New York district court for committing bank and wire fraud. If convicted of fraud now in Singapore, he could face up to 10 years. He is set to return to court on Aug. 28, 2019. File Photo Britain, France and Germany have declared that Iran bears responsibility for the attack on a Saudi Arabia oil plant this month. Dpa reports that the world powers announced their position in a joint statement on Monday. It is clear to us that Iran bears responsibility for this attack. There is no other plausible explanation. We support ongoing investigations to establish further details, the European nations said. The three European nations stressed their continued commitment to the 2015 multi-national nuclear deal with Iran. The U.S. has pulled out of that deal and is imposing tough sanctions on Iran. The statement comes as world leaders are gathering for the UN General Assembly in New York. U.S. President Donald Trump is due to address the assembly on Tuesday, while Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is scheduled for later in the week. Meanwhile, Iran has expressed its readiness for an all-out war if the United States or Saudi military strikes against his country. Foreign Minister, Javad Zarif, made the declaration as the US, which has announced highest sanction ever, begins troop deployment to the kingdom. Noting that Iran hoped to avoid conflict and was willing to talk to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Zarif stated that his country would not discuss with the US unless it gets full relief from sanctions under the 2015 deal. File Photo The Kogi State Police Command said that it had recovered a Toyota Corrola car recently snatched by a three-man robbery gang in Anambra. The commands spokesman, Deputy Superintendent of Police William Aya, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lokoja on Tuesday that the car with registration number ABUJA ABX 377 PQ was intercepted on Lokoja-Abuja road.. He said that some of the operatives attached to the B Division, Felele area, Lokoja, intercepted the car while on an intelligence patrol of the road. Aya said that the police patrol followed the information received from the control room of the Anambra State Police Command that some three armed men forcefully snatched the car belonging to one Okaka Prosper Jideofor in Anambra. Based on the above information, the operatives promptly swung into action, intercepted and arrested one Eze Emmanuel Ndudirim of Awka Local Government Area of Anambra State with the vehicle. During interrogation, he could not give a satisfactory explanation of himself and the vehicle. The vehicle had been recovered from him and parked at the police station. The investigation is ongoing, the spokesman said. Aya also said that one Zuberu Haruna, 19, had been arrested in connection with recent armed robbery incidents around Ejule axis. He said that his arrest was effected by some of the operatives attached to Ajaokuta Division in conjunction with the local vigilante who intercepted and arrested him at Ejule village. According to him, the suspect was arrested with one boxer motorcycle with registration number KOGI STATE LAM -75- VWX and a locally made pistol. He confessed to belonging to a gang that specialises in snatching motorcycles at gunpoint. Efforts are ongoing to arrest other members of the syndicate, the PPRO said. The PPRO also said that the suspects would be arraigned in court on completion of the investigation. The Gombe State command of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has revealed that some women in the state has grown from normal drugs addiction to now boiling of used sanitary pads, filtering and drinking the water to get high. Muhammad Alkali, the commander in charge of Funakaye Local Government Area of the state disclosed this, while sensitising residents of Bajoga, the headquarters of the council, against illicit drugs. Alkali lamented that the act of drug abuse among women in Gombe is growing by day. He said the sensitisation campaign which the agency carried out at the palace of the Emir Funakaye was to carry the traditional rulers along in the fight against illicit drugs abuse. This is because it has come to our notice that mostly female addicts have devised means of getting high without consuming constitutionally-band or known substances. They now boil used sanitary pads mixed with other substance mostly waste, filters the water before drinking. You see this is very bad for as humans, our society really needs the help of all and sundry in this fight as NDLEA cannot do it alone, Alkali said. Also speaking at the campaign, the principal staff officer in charge of Press and Special Duties Unit of the state command Mr. Akomolafe Adekola, disclosed that in 2019, the state command made 69 arrests with a total seizure of 844.006 kilo grams of various illicit drugs in the state. During the period, the command secured a total number of 16 convictions and successfully counselled and rehabilitated 31 drug dependant clients, he said, adding that the level of drug abuse prevalence rate in the state was between 21 and 33 percent hence the essence of more sensitisation and creation of a team of NDLEA personnel in Bajoga to effectively fight the act of drug abuse. While seeking for more cooperation of the traditional and religious leaders as well as other stakeholders in the area, Mr. Akomolafe assured that the command was determined to dislodge criminal syndicates seeking to turn the LGA to a hub for illicit drug trade and abuse. The Emir of Funakaye, Alhaji Abubakar Kwairanga, urged the youths and other members of the emirate to reject drug abuse and maintain the tempo of the sensitisation programme. Meanwhile, the NDLEA had also raised an alarm over the rate of fake drugs in Nigeria as in every 10 drugs you buy, there is a high probability that seven of them are fake. The agency said that recent report revealed that about 70 percent of all the drugs in the market are fake. Davido A Nigerian pop star has talked on his tattoo explaining how his dad found out. After hiding my first set of tattoos from my family dad found out when I came home one day, I was seating in the palour and I slept off with my shirt off, all of a sudden someone taped me, it was my dad, he asked what is this, what is this on your hands? His billionaire dad then asked some further qiestions, Are you going to draw More tattoos? Like draw on your face and other part of the body? And Davido had to respond, No no I cant, I will even try to cover this ones up. Am going to wear agbada to cover it. Recently, Davido sent a congratulatory message to his father, Adedeji Adeleke, on the acquisition of another private jet. The music star took to his Twitter page on Sunday, March 1, 2020, where he shared a photo of his father sitting at the cockpit of his newly acquired jet. Congrats Daddy on your (our) new baby !!! he tweeted. His latest acquisition is a Bombadier Global Express 6000. According to publisher, Dele Momodu, Adelekes new jet is worth over $62m. Davido had earlier announced the purchase of the private jet. At that time, we werent sure if he was the one who bought it for himself or it was another acquisition by his dad. New jet here !!! 19 seaters on yall bitch asses!!! WATTBA!!!! he tweeted earlier. In case you dont know, Davidos father, Adeleke Adedeji, is one of the richest men in Nigeria. PV: 0 Minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi says President Muhammadu Buhari will start running an inclusive government because he is guided by the fact that Nigerians have suffered enough. Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, the minister thanked Nigerians for voting the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the election. He said the support for the ruling party in the south has tripled, adding that there is a difference between what the party recorded in the region in 2015 and at the just concluded polls. The support in the south increased, tripled as against what we had in 2015, he said. The transportation minister said there was no voter apathy because people knew the APC would win the presidential election. Why will be there be apathy? Buhari supporters will say he has already won, if you see the crowd we pulled state by state, you will not want to vote, the transportation minister said. On the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakars decision to challenge Buhari in court, Amaechi said; The Federal Government has told the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) that it has no records of the exact amount of public funds stolen by a former military head of state, Sani Abacha and no records of the spending of about $5 billion recovered loot for the period between 1999 and 2015. Three presidents ruled Nigeria between 1999 and 2015. They are Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru YarAdua and Goodluck Jonathan. The governments response followed SERAPs Freedom of Information (FoI) requests sent to Mr Abukabar Malami, SAN, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and Mrs Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, requesting: information on the exact amount of public funds stolen by Abacha, and details of spending of about $5 billion recovered loot since the return of democracy in 1999. According to SERAP, only Mr Malami has sent a reply to its FoI requests. In the reply dated 26 February 2020 but which SERAP said it received 9 March 2020, Mr Malami said: We have searched our records and the information on the exact amount of public funds stolen by Abacha and how recovered loot was spent from 19992015 is not held by the Ministry. Mr Malami also said: However, a total of $322 million was recovered from Switzerland in January 2018 and the funds were used for Social Investment Project. Also, $308 million was recovered from the Island of Jersey in collaboration with the USA. While awaiting the transfer of the money to Nigeria, it has been designated for the following projects: LagosIbadan Expressway; AbujaKano Expressway, and Second Niger Bridge. Dissatisfied with Mr Malamis reply, SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare said: The failure to provide information on the exact amount stolen by Abacha and on spending of recovered loot for the period between 1999 and 2015 implicitly amounts to a refusal by the government. The government also failed to provide sufficient details on the spending and planned spending of the $630 million it said it recovered since 2018. In the statement dated 15 March, 2020, SERAP said: in the circumstances and given that Mrs Zainab Ahmed has failed and/or refused to response to our FoI request, we are finalising the papers for legal actions under the FoI Act to compel the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to fully and effectively comply with our requests. Mr Malamis reply with reference number MJ/FOI/REQ/035/11/34, was signed on his behalf by Hamza Adeyinka Omolara, Principal Counsel at the Ministry of Justice. It would be recalled that SERAPs FoI requests expressed: concerns that substantial part of the estimated $5 billion returned Abacha loot since 1999 may have been diverted, re-stolen or mismanaged, and in any case remain unaccounted for. The FoI requests dated 14 February 2020, read in part: the Federal Government should disclose details of projects executed with the Abacha loot and their locations, details of companies and contractors involved in the execution of any such projects, details of all the agreements on the loot, the roles played by the World Bank and other actors, as well as the implementation status of all projects since 1999. Publishing the details of projects on which Abacha loot has been spent would allow the public to know the specific projects carried and the areas of the country in which the projects have been implemented as well as the officials that may be responsible for any alleged diversion or mismanagement of the loot. According to our information, a special panel set up on 23 July 1998 by the former head of state General Abdulsalami Abubakar to probe the late military dictator General Sani Abacha stated that he stole over $5 billion between 1993 and 1998 when he was in power. Much of the stolen public funds have been returned to Nigeria. The report by the panel shows that the government recovered some $635 million, 75 million, DM 30 million and N9 billion as well as several vehicles and properties in Abuja, Lagos and Kano together with 40% interests in West African Refinery in Sierra Leone. Other assets were recovered from the Abacha family and associates. Furthermore, former president Olusegun Obasanjo administration also reportedly recovered over $2 billion of Abacha loot. Mr Obasanjo would seem to confirm this fact when he stated in the second volume of his book titled My Watch that: by the time I left office in May 2007, over $2 billion and 100 million had been recovered from the Abacha family abroad, and N10 billion in cash and properties locally. Similarly, former president Goodluck Jonathan administration reportedly recovered $226.3 million and 7.5 Million from Liechtenstein. Some 22.5 million was also recovered from the Island of Jersey while $322 million and 5.5 million from the Abacha loot were reportedly returned to the government. The government of president Muhammadu Buhari has also recovered several millions of dollars of Abacha loot since assuming office in May 2015, including $321 million from Switzerland, and $300 million from the US and Jersey. With subsidiaries Hollard Insurance and Hollard Life, insurance group Hollard Ghana rewards Sandra Kumah,the valedictorian from theDepartment of Mathematics and Statistics,University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), with the Hollard Prize. The Hollard Prize, a vital component of the Hollard X Academia partnership, aims to celebrate and reward students who excel academically and in personal growth. The honoree, Sandra, received a laptop, a citation, and a cash prize during the congregation for graduating with a distinction in BSc. in Actuarial Science. Reese Mensah-Daniels, Regional Head of Markets, Hollard Insurance, assisted by Eric Adu-Gyamfi, Branch Manager, Sunyani, Hollard Insurance, presented the award on the company's behalf during the brief ceremony in Sunyani. Commenting on the award, Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Affairs Cynthia Ofori-Dwumfuo commended Sandra for her remarkable academic journey. She described the recognition as exemplifying the company's commitment to fostering better futures through various educational and developmental programs. "As part of our broader initiatives, the Hollard Prize underscores our commitment to nurturing well-rounded individuals who can contribute meaningfully to society.As a company that treats everyone with care and dignity through sustainable and inclusive growth, I am pleased to witness Sandra Kumah's achievements. Sandra's story is a testament to the transformative power of education and holistic support". "She is also an immediate beneficiary of the Hollard Scholar program, a module that supports brilliant students with tuition grants. As an investor, it's rewarding to see Sandra emerge as the best-graduating student in her class. Congrats, Sandra, and cheers to your better futures ahead", she added. Gwendy Tetteh,Richard Agyenim Boatengand Seidu Joshua Adamshave been the previous beneficiaries of the Hollard Prize from UNIMAC-IJ and UENR, respectively, since the partnership's inception. These efforts reflect Hollard's dedication to contributing to the all-inclusive development of students and empowering them to thrive in academia and the corporate world. The University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) is one of four schools benefiting from the Hollard X Academia scheme. Aside from the Hollard Prize, the other modules under Hollard X Academia are Hollard streetwise finance engagement, thought leadership events, corporate events, and the scholar programme for three years, subject to renewal. About Hollard Ghana The countrys favourite insurance group is Hollard Ghana, with subsidiaries Hollard Insurance and Hollard Life Assurance. The group combines its deep local knowledge of the market, having previously operated in Ghana for 25 years as Metropolitan Insurance, with the world-class expertise of an international insurance brand in 18 countries worldwide. With feet firmly planted on Ghanaian soil but headquartered in South Africa, Hollard delivers innovative insurance solutions customised to the unique risks Ghanaians face. Hollard offers various life and general insurance products, including funeral, personal accident, motor, business, travel, home, and more, and can be reached via 0307000599. Beyond various nationwide office branches and Hollard 2U franchise shops, Ghanaians can find Hollard at Shell Fuel Station Welcome Shops, Melcom stores and online at www.hollard.com.gh, www.melcom.com/hollard-insurance and www.jumia.com.gh for all their insurance needs. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has expressed helplessness about the purported amount of money that can be used to complete the National Cathedral project. "I give up" Ablakwa tweeted on March 7, 2024, with an accompanying screenshot of a news story about the project needing US$250m more to secure completion. The figure was advanced by Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, member and secretary to the Board of Trustees of the project which has stalled over funding challenges, according to the secretariat. In an interview on Onua FM on March 7, 2024, Kusi Boateng stressed the need for the faithful to look at the advantages that would accrue to the nation upon completion. If we could raise an amount of US$200 million to US$250 million, the National Cathedral will be completed. Lets look at the advantages the Cathedral will bring to Ghana and its financial benefits. As a nation, God has blessed us, we need to come together and thank Him, he admonished. He added that comparatively, the project would be less expensive than a similar one in the United States, pointing out that Ghana's edifice will also boast of more attractive facilities. Kusi Boateng also dismissed claims by Ablakwa that the project was fraught with illegalities and corruption. The MP has been one of the most vocal lawmakers demanding accountability over the use of public resources for the cathedral project. He has pointed out through social media publications, issues regarding corporate governance breaches, financial impropriety as well as identity fraud on the part of the secretary of the project's Board of Trustees. I give up pic.twitter.com/8NVU5EMBkr Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) March 7, 2024 Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Kwame Kwakye, the legendary District Commissioner during the Nkrumah days, was a household name in the 1960s. I was in elementary school when I sniffed his presence in the neighborhood, Akim Oda which was 30 kilometers away from Duakwa. But fragments of Kwakyes profile were brought closer home through a colleague student of Odasco, who in dull moments lit the sky with the DCs hilarious quotes. 'Today is a great day, and a great day is today, and today is a great day said Kwame Kwakye, as he flipped through his prepared speech whose early pages were missing. His saloon car, VW Beatle convertible, loudly foreshadowed his presence while I attended school in Akim Achiase. Its registration number AA 104 was a historical landmark, representing the exact number of seats in Ghanas parliament most of which belonged to Kwame Nkrumahs CPP. If you had that kind of parliamentary majority, Krobo Edusei could easily tell you, The CPP can do anything except turn a man into a woman. Born in 1912 Kwame Kwakye was a school dropout, and fitted squarely within the Verandah Boy paradigm where men of limited literacy could climb to high echelons of power. In 1949 when Kwame Nkrumah formed the Convention Peoples Party, Kwakye joined the wagon since its principles and grassroots orientation mirrored his own lifestyle. His diligence and close affiliation with the masses earned him the position of District Commissioner for the Birim District in 1959. The growing popularity of Kwakye over the years, gave him access to Kwame Nkrumah himself who fondly called him Charles De Gaulle, after the then president of France. The access he had to high government officials tremendously boosted Kwakyes development agenda, and facilitated the several high class infrastructure in his district: the classic Agona Swedru-Oda road, Central market, Oda Government Hospital, Oda Secondary School, and a Fire Service station. But this was boosted by the national fame he had gained through his peculiar Ghanaian English which threw audiences into fits of laughter. As guest speaker at a speech day in Oda Secondary School, Kwakye once groped helplessly for the English equivalent of ktkor, the curved drum sticks used by drummers. After a futile search he coined the phrase, wooden koana, which was a rare combination of English and Twi (koa, to bend), and has now come to stay in comic settings. On several occasions he represented Kwame Nkrumah at public events, DC Kwakye apologized for Nkrumahs absence. The President being busy, could not division himself into twice, for which reason I stand here in the leg of Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah today. When he was late for an important meeting one day, his apology for the late attendance was also a self-introduction: Colleagues, I am the Late DC Kwame Kwakye. If Ghanaians owed a debt of gratitude to Kwame Nkrumah, DC Kwakye had a peculiar way of conveying this: If not Kwame Nkrumah then me, I am the who? All of you, you are the where? This was a virtual transliteration of Twi expressions (Nka me ne hwan? nka wow he?) that conveyed the Presidents impact on every Ghanaian. Then Mr DC whats your occupation?, quipped a newspaper reporter. I occupy the whole of Akyem Oda district, was DC Kwakyes supposed response. After he and his entourage had been well seated and given the customary drink, it was for their host to politely ask the guest, Mr DC, whats your mission here today? Kwame Kwakye: My mission? I am a Roman Catholic. And when he became a topic of discussion all over the district, he knew it was a mark of his fame and dignity. Because of my dibiality, people are working myself arithmetic, (nam me dibr nti nkorfo rebu me ho nkontaa) implying, Due to my dignified position, people gossip about me. Finally when Kwame Kwakye had gone to visit a colleague who was not home that day, he left him a simple message: When he comes please tell him DC Kwame Kwakye passes away. Here was a politician who boosted his political fortunes turning a deficit in English proficiency into a creative art. Indeed Kwakye was fond of his indigenous Akim dialect, and considered English as an anomaly in local government. In giving English a distinctive Ghanaian touch, Kwame Kwakye was in part subverting its purity, but also protesting the power relations it imposed in the local context. The Gomuas of Central Region decided to convey the local perception of English in the name of one village: Brfoyedur meaning English Language is a Burden. Kwame Kwakyes claim to fame was in the art of dislodging the burden posed by English, by bringing it down to the masses. Today, there are several variants of Kwakyes peculiar diction across the country, and so have many Kwakye surnames arbitrarily attracted the title prefix DC, to perpetuate the memory of Ghanas folk hero, DC Kwame Kwakye. The question is whether Kwame Kwakye was the sole author of words and phrases ascribed to his name. As with the numerous quotes attributed to President Robert Mugabe, historic figures who are known for a peculiar diction or literary style are often over-credited with quotations, far in excess of phrases they coined. Indeed the claim that Kwame Kwakye uttered the statement, My mission is Roman Catholic can only be a fallacy; for DC Kwakye in truth was a staunch member of Awisa Methodist Church, not Roman Catholic. A quotation in oral tradition is sometimes a celebration of broad literary strokes pioneers left behind: the abstract footprints, and not the real thing. DC Kwakye knew this, and never protested fake quotations attributed to him when he was alive. To him, that boosted his popularity and opened up opportunities for infrastructure development. Finally, to my good friend Lawyer Ace Ankomah who comes from Akim Achiase within Kwame Kwakyes jurisdiction. Please consider adopting fragments of Kwakyes diction into your legal jargon; this could help breathe life into boring submissions at court. Ace, how about the following: My Lord, Your Honour, I stand here in the leg of Koo Hia my client. [Kwesi Yankah is a Fellow of American Academy of Arts and Sciences; and Fellow, Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences.] [email protected] Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has expressed his family's joy in joining fellow Muslims to welcome the holy Islamic month, Ramadan. Muslims across the world are obliged to fast for a month in the Islamic month of Ramadan and Ghana officially joins the world to start the fast today following announcement last night by the National Chief Imam of the sighting of the Ramadan crescent in the country. In a message posted on his social media handles last night, Dr. Bawumia expressed immense joy at joining fellow Muslims with his wife to welcome the holy month of Ramadan. He urged Muslims to cease the opportunity to renew their commitments to Allah, show compassion to the poor and the needy as well as pray for loved ones and the nation. Below is his full statement: Hajia Samira and I, join fellow Muslims to welcome the blessed month of Ramadan, with immense joy. Ramadan presents a unique opportunity to all of us, to renew our commitment to the Almighty Allah, as well as show love and compassion to the poor and the needy. Let us also use this month of devotion and sacrifice, to pray for our loved ones and our dear nation, Ghana. Ramadan Kareem. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Executives of the Senior Staff Association of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), have rejected as worthless, media reports suggesting a disquiet in the Corporation. The Association further described as false, claims of a potential demonstration against management following an alleged move by the Chief Executive Officer, A-O Danquah to have his salary increased. A release issued by the Association to the staff on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, to notes the leadership is not aware of any issues or grievances that would necessitate such potential demonstrations as mentioned in the said publications and it should be dismissed in no uncertain terms. Furthermore, the SSA leadership would like to clarify that the individual referred to by the name Norbert Gbogbotsi in the publication is not a staff of the Corporation and not recognized by our association, nor does his assertions represent the views or positions of the SSA in any capacity, the release indicated. It added: The mention of this individuals name and the association of such a person with the SSA is completely erroneous and misleading. According to the statement, the SSA leadership takes pride in maintaining open lines of communication with GNPC management and the board, in addressing any concerns of their members through established internal channels. They are, therefore, committed to fostering a positive and productive work environment for all staff, it states. We would like to mention the cordial relationship existing between Staff and Management which has resulted in the signing of the improved Conditions of Service. We believe that working together has not only been beneficial to both parties but has also contributed to the overall welfare and development of all, the SSA assured the staff. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video In a shocking revelation, the wife of the late Dr. John Kumah, Apostle Mrs. Lilian Kumah, has accused self-proclaimed prophet Nigel Gaisie of exploiting their familys personal information for his own gain. In an interview with Asaase Radio, Apostle Kumah disclosed that Gaisie knew about her late husbands terminal illness but used this knowledge to falsely prophesy the death of a deputy minister in Ghana in 2024. According to Mrs. Kumah, Nigel Gaisie was close to their family and had been treated as a brother. They had even collaborated on a program together. However, after learning that Gaisie had used their voluntarily supplied information to make false prophecies, the family decided to sever ties with him. Mrs. Kumah also alleged that Gaisie is a known womanizer and that his extramarital affairs had led to the breakdown of his own marriage. She claimed that his behavior has caused other churches to distance themselves from him and that he has gained a reputation for pursuing married women. Regarding these accusations, Mrs. Kumah challenged Gaisie to explain why the family cut ties with him and why he is no longer welcomed in several churches. She urged him to pray for forgiveness and to stop pursuing other peoples wives. Nigel Gaisie was like a brother. He knows my late husband, lawyer John Kumah personally, one-on-one. We have sat in this house and eaten together several times. That is how far we go. When he came from abroad to start a church in Ghana, he came to my church, Disciples of Christ Ministries and I did a programme with him dubbed Let the Prophet Speak We know him very well and have been aware since November 2023 that the late John Kumah was seriously sick. My husband had a lot of respect for men of God in this country and that included Nigel Gaisie when my husband and I thought he was a genuine man of God. Nigel Gaisie knew very well that my husband was terminally ill as far back as August 2023 but regardless of that, he stood on his altar on 31st December 2023 to lie through his supposed prophesy that a Ghanaian deputy minister will die in the year 2024. What does he want to achieve through these fake prophesies? John Kumahs widow questioned. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gossip_Man (@akonkonsafuor) Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ms Priscilla Torkornoo, a philanthropist, has donated items to children at the Volta Regional Hospital, Hohoe to mark her birthday. The items include sets of childrens dinner plates, water bottles, washing soaps and powders, toothbrushes, toothpastes, fruits, boxes of fruit juice, toilet tissues and a birthday cake to mark the occasion. Miss Torkornoo told the Ghana News Agency (GNA), the gesture was to put a smile on the faces of the children at the Hospital. She said it was the best way she could mark the day although it was an annual activity she undertook. Ms Esther Kporwofe, Nurse Manager, Volta Regional Hospital, on behalf of the Hospital, parents and children at the Ward, expressed gratitude to Miss Torkornoo for the kind gesture. She said the act had put smiles on the faces of the children and asked for Gods blessings for Miss Torkornoo. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia has announced that Ghana and Togo have signed free roaming services to begin this year. He outlined the governments bold step to implementing the ECOWAS Free Roaming Services, noting that though it was adopted in 2016, Ghanas free-roaming services agreement with Cote DIvoire in June 2023 presents the first of such arrangements. Ghana has also signed an agreement with Togo to begin free roaming services between the two countries this year. Speaking at the official outdooring of Telecel Ghana, he said, The National Communications Authority (NCA) is also engaging Benin and Gambia to establish similar bilateral agreements. Dr Bawumia lauded Telecel Groups decision to invest in Ghanas telecommunications landscape and urged the multi-national company to uphold the highest standards of ethics, transparency and corporate governance. The unveiling of Telecel Ghana comes after the parent company; Telecel Group, acquired a majority shareholding in Vodafone Ghana. The company has, therefore, been rebranded into Telecel to expand economic access to communication. Telecel Ghana has, thus, taken over the operations of Vodafones fixed telephone lines, internet services, voice and data services, as well as cash transfer and other business services. Dr Bawumia said, In the ever-evolving technological landscape, innovation remains key to staying afloat, he said, and entreated the telecom firm to provide its customers with accessible, safe, affordable and reliable network always. In todays fast-paced world, access to reliable and efficient communication is not just a luxury; it is a necessity for socio-economic development. He noted that expanding access to communication infrastructure would create opportunities for economic growth and social empowerment for the underprivileged in society. Telecommunication is central to Ghanas digitisation goals. It plays a pivotal role in shaping the modern society because it connects people and empowers communities. Telecel Groups decision to invest in Ghana was a testament to the conducive business environment created over the past few years, Dr Bawumia said, and that Ghana had witnessed a profound transformation in her telecommunications landscape. In fact, I am proud to state that under this administration, the number of rural telephony sites, which is aimed at promoting digital inclusion and reducing the digital gap, have increased from 78 at the end of 2016 to 1,010 as of February 2024, he stated. Works are also underway to build an additional 1,006 sites this year, bringing the total to 2,016 sites. Additionally, we have introduced technology neutrality, which has allowed increased capacity within the industry to serve more customers using existing spectrum allocation, Dr Bawumia said. Telecel has leveraged this opportunity to introduce its 4G+ spectrum. Mobile money In 2023, mobile money transactions hit a record GHC199.3 trillion, which represented a 64.3% increase from the previous year. The opportunities that the mobile money platform, backed by the introduction of mobile money interoperability, had created was enormous, he added. Dr Bawumia commended Vodafone Ghanas role in the mobile money transactions and urged Telecel to strive to do more since mobile money was one of the surest ways to promote financial inclusivity. He expressed delight to see the emphasis placed on inclusivity and accessibility in services as Ghana, like in many parts of the world, still had underserved communities with limited access to telecommunications infrastructure. By expanding your reach and investing in infrastructure development, you are not only expanding access to communication but also creating opportunities for economic growth and social empowerment for the underprivileged. I applaud your commitment to corporate social responsibility through the Telecel Foundation and Africa Start-Up Initiative Programme (ASIP). Your initiatives to support education, healthcare, and support for start-ups reflect your dedication to making a meaningful impact beyond business success. This aligns perfectly with our governments vision of building a more equitable and prosperous society for all Ghanaians. He challenged Telecel to look beyond physical infrastructure and make sure that corporate social responsibility included a deliberate investment and development of the digital capabilities and capacities of young Ghanaians across the country at all levels. As we celebrate this momentous occasion, remember that you also have a role in shaping the future of our nation. I have no doubt that this brand will not only thrive but also contribute significantly to the advancement of our nations telecommunications sector. Patricia Obo-Nai, the chief executive officer, of Telecel Ghana, recalled the trajectory of the telecom company, dating back to 1974 as P&T and transitioned to Vodafone Ghana in 2009. It currently has more than six million customers using its mobile telephone network with over 200,000 on fibre and thousands of others patronising its cash transfer services. Obo-Nai assured the companys numerous customers of its readiness to provide innovative services to them and impact more lives in the coming years.ervices Source: asaaseradio.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The choice of a former Minister of Education, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as the vice presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, has been described as a "shrewd move" by Alhaji Said Sinare, the former High Commissioner to Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Alhaji Said Sinare applauded the appointment of Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang adding that, her emergence as President Mahama's running mate is a "masterstroke that will not make the office of the Vice President wasteful and irrelevant as it has been under Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's days in office." The founder of the Zongos for John Mahama added that the choice of Prof. Jane Naana was an indication that the party consulted widely and settled for the best among equals shortlisted candidates. "John and Jane's campaign will not be one riddled with phantasmagoric and illusory cheap campaign promises but issue and policy-based that will keep the other languorous mate goofing," he stated in a Facebook post. He continued to add that the "ticket of John and Jane will take governance from the level of mediocrity to excellence" as Ghanaians are witnessing under the leadership of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Prez. Nana Addo. Alhaji Said Sinare further noted that the pair, if they win, could set the nation on the pedestal of economic recovery given their rich public and private sector managerial experience. READ THE FULL POST BELOW H.E John Dramani Mahama and Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang's ticket into the 2024 general elections will brim with the integral condiments of leadership: competence, capacity and credibility. Their campaign will not be one riddled with phantasmagoric and illusory cheap campaign promises but issue and policy-based that will keep the other languorous mate goofing. Congratulations once again @Prof as your emergence as President Mahama's running mate is a masterstroke and I know you won't be a wasteful vice president to the Republic of Ghana. This pair will take governance from Mediocrity to Excellence. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The founder and leader of Prophetic Hill Chapel, Prophet Nigel Gaisie has denied ever being friends with the late Member of Parliament for Ejisu, John Ampontuah Kumah. In a Facebook live session on Monday, March 11, 2024, the prophet denied claims by the widow of the late Deputy Minister for Finance that he had used information acquired about the deceased, as a close friend, to issue a prophecy ahead of his death. The point is that the late John Kumah was not my friend; he was a son. I dont have friends; I am too busy I dont even know how to keep friends. I am always indoors. So the late John Kumah, a very honourable man, he was not my friend. So Lilian get it. You and your husband, you were my daughter, I poured oil on you. You have knelt before me and I have all the pictures, I have all the videos and if you dare say it is not true, I will just allow my media team to blow all these things on the internet, he stated. In the aftermath of the death of the MP on March 7, 2024, videos of a prophecy issued by Prophet Nigel Gaisie in December 2023 surfaced on the internet. In the said video, Gaisie prophesied about a certain deputy minister of finance with a bright future ahead of him but set to face certain attacks. "I saw a Deputy Minister of Finance, if he can take care of himself, I see him at the highest height of government, but they want to attack him. If he can take care of himself, in the next years, God will help him and I saw him at the seat of government, but they have ganged, they have sat down, they want to crash him, a deputy minister of finance," he stated without mentioning a name. After the MPs death, the prophet stated that he was referring to John Kumah as he had seen his impending death but failed to avert it due to a lack of needed attention from the deceased. But according to John Kumahs wife, Apostle Lilian Kumah, the prophet only used information gathered as a close friend of her late husband in his prophecy. She has thus accused Nigel Gaisie of being a fraud and false prophet. In his Facebook live session, Nigel Gaisie maintained the authenticity of his prophecy. He detailed how he met the Kumah's and how the relationship between them went sour over a political prophecy. Meanwhile, GhanaWebs sources have revealed that an autopsy report has cited multiple myeloma as the cause of the MPs death. The late MP who died at the age of 45 was elected MP for Ejisu in the 2020 general election. According to his wife, the late MP prior to his death had been diagnosed with a terminal condition for which the prophet had known as a friend since August 2023. Source: ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A High Court in Accra has ruled that Nana Frimpomaa remains the chairperson and leader of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP). The ruling comes after the National Executive Council (NEC) of the CPP in December 2023 indicated that it had dissolved the entire national leadership of the party and formed an interim council to govern its affairs. The court, in its ruling on Monday, March 11, 2024, dismissed all the actions brought against the CPP chairperson, which tried to stop her from performing her duties. The CPP, in a statement issued by its Acting General Secretary, Hildegard Ferguson-Krakue, said that the court found the action taken by the executive council as illegal. This landmark decision also prohibits any attempts to unlawfully restrain the chairperson from executing her duties, effectively upholding the integrity of our party's leadership and governance. The action, which sought the removal of our esteemed Chairperson and Leader, was found by the court to be unauthorized by the CPP's Central Committeethe operating mind of our party. Furthermore, the court recognized that the plaintiffs attempted to misuse the judicial system to perpetrate an injustice, and declared that the interim council, set up by certain individuals, is not a legitimate organ of the CPP, part of the statement reads. It added, This victory is not just for the CPP but for the democratic process and the rule of law in our country. It reaffirms the principles of rightful leadership and the importance of internal party democracy and governance. The party also commended the lawyers who represented it, including the former leader of the #FixtheCountry movement, Oliver Barker-Vormawor. The CPP was represented pro bono by Merton & Everett LLP, with Jamaldeeen Tonzua as counsel on record, Oliver Barker-Vormawor as Lead Counsel and 1st Chair, and Selikem Donkor as Supporting Counsel and 2nd Chair. Their professionalism, dedication, and expertise were instrumental in securing this win, and we extend our deepest gratitude to them for their exceptional service, it added. The party called on its members to rally behind it following the ruling of the court to make the party stronger. It also urged the general public to unite behind the CPP, as the country nears the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Benard Antwi Bosiako aka Chairman Wontumi says allegations made against him by the Manhyia South Constituency Chairman, Mr. Richard Adjei Mensah Ofori Atta, relative to the party's running mate position are simply vile propaganda . The Manhyia South Constituency Chairman had accused Chairman Wontumi of selling the NPP's presidential running mate slot to the highest bidder. In a statement signed by his political assistant, Chairman Wontumi asked for justification of the allegation after urging the public to discredit the unfounded claims. He also threatened to seek redress from the court if his accuser failed to apologise. While the public is urged to dismiss and disregard these unfounded claims as they are bereft of, and lack, substance, Mr. Richard Adjei Mensah Ofori-Atta is given Forty-Eight (48) hours to either substantiate these allegations or render an unqualified apology to Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako and the Party in the Ashanti Region. There would be no other option than to take legal action against him should he fail to do so. portions of the statement read. Read below the full statement SUBSTANTIATE YOUR CLAIMS AGAINST CHAIRMAN WONTUMI OR APOLOGISE IN 48 HOURS, OR FACE LEGAL ACTIONS Our attention has been drawn to a vicious smear campaign against the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Mr. Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, about the selection of a running mate to partner with our Flagbearer, His Excellency Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, for the 2024 Presidential Elections. According to some malicious claims made by the Manhyia South Constituency Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Mr. Richard Adjei Mensah Ofori Atta, also known as TomTom, which was monitored on Accra-based Okay FM, the Ashanti Regional Chairman has been trading the presidential running mate slot of the party for his personal gains. He repeated these unfounded allegations in a separate interview with Sompa FM, the same day, Monday, 11th March 2024, and went further to subtly accuse the Minister of Education, Hon. Dr. Osei Yaw Adutwum and the late Hon. Lawyer Dr. John Ampontuah Kumah, of paying bribes to Chairman Wontumi for the running mate position. These unsubstantiated claims are totally unfortunate and reprehensible, particularly when they seek to demean the reputation of, not only Chairman Wontumi, but also that of Dr. Adutwum, and most abhorrently, the reputation of our departed brother, Dr. John Kumah, whose passing is barely a week old. Well, it is necessary to educate Tomtom and all those who have bought into this vile propaganda that; while Chairman Wontumi, as the Ashanti Regional Chairman and member of the National Council of the party, would undoubtedly have a say in the consultative process leading to the selection of a Running Mate, the ultimate decision lies with the Flagbearer. Every Tom, Dick and Harry in the party know this fact. So it beggars belief TomTom would want to push this derisive narrative regarding astute senior members of our party and in government paying monies to Chairman Wontumi for the Running Mate position. It is however not surprising that TomTom would seize the moment to defame the reputation of these personalities, as it has been his methods and modus operandi these past two months or more, particularly when he perceives one does not sympathise with his interest. Indeed, TomTom, in recent months, has conducted himself in such a brutally cynical manner, demonstrating his utter disregard for authority and high offices in the party, which even the National Organiser was not spared. The fabricated claims of disrespect for the Asantehene he (TomTom) made against Chairman Wontumi is still fresh in our minds. Ordinarily, these unfounded claims would not have been glorified with a response as Chairman Wontumi is usually unfazed by such acts, especially when he is currently distraught and devastated by the untimely demise of his faithful brother and loyal friend, Dr. John Kumah. However, the timing of these insensitive pronouncements of TomTom clearly shows that, the orchestrated and coordinated attempt to undermine the leadership of the Regional Chairman since the latters reelection about two (2) years ago has reached such crescendo where all persons, dead or alive, affiliated to him, are not spared. It is therefore worthy to note that, the continued nonchalant shrug of Chairman Wontumi towards this conduct of TomTom, in the interest of the Partys cohesion and unity, could rather become a harbinger for more of such acts, which would go a long way to harm the very cohesion and unity we seek to preserve ahead of the 2024 Presidential Elections. Although there is no blazing fury among the party people, there is a simmering discontent with the behaviour of Tomtom, which if not quickly dealt with, would spark reactions and counter-accusations in the region. While the public is urged to dismiss and disregard these unfounded claims as they are bereft of, and lack, substance, Mr. Richard Adjei Mensah Ofori-Atta is given Forty Eight(48) hours to either substantiate these allegations or render an unqualified apology to Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako and the Party in the Ashanti Region. There would be no other option than to take legal action against him should he fail to do so. Signed, Nana Poku Frefre (Political Assistant, Chairman Wontumi) Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Communications Director of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has asked the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to refrain from politicising the National Cathedral project. Rather than engaging in political rhetoric, he urged the NDC to focus on crafting a campaign message that resonates with the Ghanaian populace in preparation for the upcoming December elections. In a statement posted on X on Thursday, March 7, Mr Ahiagbah defended the expenditure on the project, despite its current status at the foundation level. He explained that the foundation symbolises the core of the project, hence the associated costs. Mr Ahiagbah further advised Ghanaians to disregard any attempts by the NDC to exploit the project for political gain in the upcoming elections. "There are those who are trying their hardest to ridicule the exalted task of building a National Cathedral in honour of God. Well, that's a poor idea because to build, one must dig, and if it is an elevated project like a National Cathedral, the kind we envision, then the foundation represents the heart of the project, hence the cost." "What I know is that the Cathedral project is a work in progress. If we persevere, it will be completed." "The NDC must find a message to campaign with and stop politicizing the National Cathedral project," he posted. There are those who are trying their hardest to ridicule the exalted task of building a National Cathedral in honor of God. Well, that's a poor idea because to build, one must dig, and if it is an elevated project like a National Cathedral, the kind we envision, then the Richard Ahiagbah (@RAahiagbah) March 7, 2024 His statement comes in the wake of a symbolic commissioning of the incomplete National Cathedral project by some Minority Members of Parliament, including North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. The purpose of this gesture was to draw attention to what they perceive as the government's failure to finalize the project. Initially, opposition MPs were barred by security personnel from accessing the construction site of the controversial National Cathedral and issuing a statement there. The cathedral, initially slated for commissioning on March 6 as indicated by former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta in the 2021 budget statement, has attracted criticism, particularly from minority MPs dissatisfied with its financial implications. Despite being denied access to the construction site, the Minority MPs negotiated with security personnel to gather at the entrance. They conducted a press conference to voice their discontent with the ongoing project and its associated expenses. Their symbolic commissioning of the unfinished National Cathedral project underscored their opposition to what they view as the government's mismanagement of the project. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Emmanuel Nii Ashie Moore, has announced that the NDC has strategic plans to deploy drones to monitor the December 7 general elections within the Greater Accra region. The primary focus for this strategy, according to the Greater Accra Chairman, is to secure over two million votes for the party during the elections. This initiative has become necessary because the NDC, according to the chairman believes that strategically monitoring the elections at the polling station level would help secure the millions they envisage to garner. With a targeted goal of securing over two million votes in the region, the NDC perceives this endeavour as pivotal in shaping the elections outcome while preventing any electoral irregularities. Ashie Moore disclosed that comprehensive plans are already in motion, including the training of personnel tasked with operating the drones. He said to supporters of the NDC, Next week, we are going to train constituency executives on how to use drones to monitor what happens during the elections. Although specifics regarding the deployment remain undisclosed, Ashie Moore stressed the partys commitment to securing all necessary resources for a smooth electoral process. This special initiative was made known to the party faithful during the Candidate Mahamas Greater Accras edition of the Building Ghana Tour. During the two day tour which started on Monday 11th March, 2024, Former President and flagbearer of NDC is expected to meet Traders and business owners within the Greater Accra region. John Mahama called on the members of the NDC to be more vigilant. One of the key things in this election is going to be vigilance. We can do all the campaigning we want but if we are not vigilant on the day and dont cover every polling station with eagle eyes, you will do everything you can and not achieve the objective that you want and so in Greater Accra in particular, we want you to cover your polling stations with the best party agents. Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Sri Lanka to deploy 4,500 development officers to safeguard elephants Xinhua) 09:48, March 12, 2024 COLOMBO, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka will deploy 4,500 development officers to support elephant conservation efforts, a minister told a news conference held at the Presidential Media Center on Monday. Minister of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation Pavithra Wanniarachchi said that the main tasks of these officials would be to protect the elephant fences that have been built by the government. The ministry of finance has approved the deployment of these officials, she said. Wanniarachchi said the International Day of Forests falls on March 21, and they have organized an initiative where a plant will be distributed to each household across the island. She added that the demarcation of forest boundaries is to be completed in 2024. The above activity is a part of the project aimed at increasing the country's forest coverage to 32 percent of the total land area, she said. According to official data, about 400 elephants have died in 2023, and about half of the deaths have occurred due to human-elephant conflicts. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) A long-standing leadership dispute within the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) has finally been settled by the Accra High Court. In a ruling delivered on Monday (11 March), the court affirmed Nana Akosua Sarpong-Kumankumahs position as the partys chairperson. The controversy began in December 2023 when several key CPP officials, including the general secretary, national organiser, and youth organiser, tendered their resignations following a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting. This move led to the formation of an interim council intended to replace the existing leadership. However, Nana Akosua Sarpong-Kumankumah and her legal team challenged the legitimacy of this interim body. Speaking to Asaase News, Nana Akosua Sarpong-Kumankumahs lawyer, Oliver Barker Vormawor, welcomed the courts decision, emphasising its clarity and finality. Vormawor pointed out that, according to the court, the partys Central Committee, headed by the chair and leader of the party, holds the sole authority to authorise actions on behalf of the CPP. The judge further ruled that the partys constitution makes no provision for an Interim Council. The court ruling today brings a bit of clarity and finality to the issue. One; that the proper people who were supposed to authorise an action in the name of the CPP was the central committee of the party, which is led by the chair and the leader of the party, and not any group of individuals constituting themselves as an interim council. Secondly, that the partys constitution does not know anything called an interim council, and that thirdly, that certain individuals within the party had sought to use the courts to perpetrate an injustice against the chair and leader of the party. Vormawor expressed gratitude to the court for upholding justice. He emphasised the rulings significance in allowing the CPP to prepare and reorganise itself to compete in our democratic process. This decision paves the way for a unified CPP to move forward and participate effectively in the upcoming elections. Source: asaaseradio.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Majority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Nsawam Adoagyir, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, has admonished the Minority in Parliament to be tolerant of opposing views from their colleagues in parliament. The Nsawam-Adoagyir lawmaker stated that, unlike the Minority, the Majority members are more receptive to divergent views. This assertion came to light as a result of the minority sides reactions towards the alleged denigrating statement by the majority leader, Alexander Afenyo- Markin concerning the running mate of John Dramani Mahama, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang. During proceedings in Parliament on Monday, the Minority caucus expressed unhappiness with the Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markins comment that the choice of septuagenarian Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as Former President John Dramani Mahamas running mate for the 2024 elections. In the view of Afenyo-Markin, her selection comes off as a lack of succession plan and an absence of visionary leadership within the NDC. The minority caucus immediately demanded a withdrawal of the statement made which the majority leader and Member of Parliament Effutu, Alexander Afenyo- Markin declined. The Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Asiamah Amoako suspended proceedings as a result of the unrest that had ensued between both sides of the House to allow matters to settle. When the house resumed sitting, Mr Afenyo-Markin withdrew "aspect of the submission that referred to her ((Prof Jane Naana) age as the basis of my contention. Addressing the press in Parliament later in the day, Hon. Annoh-Dompreh said In our standing orders if somebody said something that is impugning a wrong motive you have the right to rise up at where you are and take the person on. Our colleagues should learn how to be tolerant, they should up their sense of tolerance. When Ato Forson and co were speaking, assuming without admitting that the Majority Leader had said something that borders on personal attacks on Prof Opoku-Agyemang, that is not how to go about it, but we will be kind enough, that is how democratic we are, we always show the way. If it is the case that the mention of Prof and her age is their problem we will depart from there. but the fact will be told, the story will be told, and the abysmal performance of John Mahama and their administration we will continue to expose that. Let nobody begin any crusade that we went on a viral attack on womanhood, that we will never do. Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has unveiled a comprehensive strategy aimed at enhancing water accessibility in Accra. With Accra grappling with recent water shortages which Ghana Water Limited has attributed to Accras burgeoning population, Mahama addressing the Greater regional house of chiefs during his 'Building Ghana Tour' stressed the need for proactive measures to tackle the pressing water crisis. Highlighting the rapid urbanization of Accra, Mahama underscored the necessity of foresight in managing water resources. He further noted that while significant strides were made in augmenting water capacity between the erstwhile Professor Mills administration and his tenure, subsequent years have witnessed a rather stagnant efforts in expanding the capacity. Former President Mahama said, We also want to expand water supply to Accra. Accra is going very fast. Recently, the Ghana Water Company complained that they cant keep up with the supply of water because of the fast expansion of water. What you do is you plan ahead, and that is what we did. Speaking further, Mahama reaffirmed his commitment to addressing Accras evolving needs, pledging to prioritize the expansion of water supply upon assuming office in January 2025 as the elected President. Between Professor Mills time and my time, we added 40 million gallons of water to Accras water supply. In the last eight years, there has not been a single drop expansion in Accras water supply. So why do you expect that the water will be enough? He added, This is a city that is growing. And so after we added 40 million gallons, at least in eight years, you should have added another 20 million gallons. We have started planning ahead already that when we come into office, we are going to increase the water supply to Accra. Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Electoral Commission (EC) has kicked against the use of drones to monitor election proceedings across the country by the National Democratic Congress (NDC). The Director of Electoral Services at the EC, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe says the move will be illegal after describing the polling stations as 'security zones'. I don't think they can do that, it is allowed and even if it is, they have to apply from the rightful authorities before, he told Joy News in an interview monitored by Peacefmonline.com. The NDC has promised to go the extra mile to ensure the December 7, general election will not be rigged. The party says they will deploy drones to monitor the election proceedings in key areas like the Greater Accra Region. The new approach was made known by Greater Accra Regional Chairman Emmanuel Nii Ashie Moore as plans to protect balots for NDC. Next week, we are going to train constituency executives on how to use drones to monitor what happens during the elections, Ashie Moore said. This follows his party's flagbearer, Mr John Dramni Mahama's call for vigilance during the December 7, polls. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 From a press release: As spring approaches, the American Red Cross urges donors to give blood or platelets now to continue to strengthen the national blood supply. People of all blood types especially those with type O blood are critical to ensuring hospitals can meet the daily demand for lifesaving transfusions. Times and locations for donation in Warren, Washington and Saratoga County are: Warren Chestertown 3/22/2024: 1 p.m.5 p.m., Chestertown Town Hall, 6307 US-9 Glens Falls 3/22/2024: 10 a.m.3 p.m., 333 Glen St., 333 Glen Street 3/29/2024: 6:30 a.m.11:30 a.m., Glens Falls Hospital, 100 Park St 3/29/2024: 11:30 a.m.4:30 p.m., Glens Falls Hospital, 100 Park St Lake George 3/29/2024: 12 p.m.5 p.m., Comfort Inn & Suites, 4054 NY-9L North Creek 3/25/2024: 11 a.m.3:30 p.m., Johnsburg Central School, 165 Main St Queensbury 3/14/2024: 1 p.m.6 p.m., Queensbury United Methodist Church, 460 Aviation Rd 3/26/2024: 11 a.m.5 p.m., Aviation Mall, 578 Aviation Road 3/30/2024: 10 a.m.2 p.m., Glens Falls BPOE, 32 Cronin Road Warrensburg 3/21/2024: 9 a.m.3 p.m., Warrensburg Health Center (Warren County), 3767 Main Street Washington Argyle 3/15/2024: 1 p.m.5 p.m., Argyle United Methodist Church, 12 Sheridan St Cambridge 3/19/2024: 8:30 a.m.1:30 p.m., Cambridge High School, 24 South Park Street Greenwich 3/22/2024: 1 p.m.6 p.m., Saratoga Regional YMCA Battenkill Branch, 184 Main Street Salem 3/13/2024: 12 p.m.5 p.m., Salem FD, 53 S Main Street Saratoga Burnt Hills 3/22/2024: 12 p.m.5 p.m., Burnt Hills United Methodist Church, 816 Route 50 Clifton Park 3/19/2024: 10 a.m.3 p.m., 1785 Clifton Park, 1785 Route 9 3/20/2024: 1 p.m.6 p.m., American Legion Post 1450, 275 Grooms Road 3/26/2024: 1 p.m.6 p.m., Clifton Park Halfmoon Public Library, 475 Moe Rd Greenfield Center 3/28/2024: 12 p.m.6 p.m., Greenfield Community Center, 25 Wilton Rd. Malta 3/18/2024: 12 p.m.5 p.m., Malta Community Center, 1 Bayberry Drive 3/26/2024: 12 p.m.6 p.m., Malta Ambulance, 2449 Rt. 9 Mechanicville 3/19/2024: 1 p.m.6 p.m., Hillcrest Fire Dept., 145 Pruyn Hill Rd Round Lake 3/13/2024: 1 p.m.6 p.m., Corpus Christi Church, 2001 Rt. 9 Saratoga Springs 3/14/2024: 12 p.m.6 p.m., Saratoga City Center, 522 Broadway 3/20/2024: 10 a.m.3 p.m., Saratoga Hospital at Wilton Mall, 3065 Route 50 3/23/2024: 8 a.m.1 p.m., Dorothy Nolan Elementary School, 221 Jones Rd. 3/29/2024: 1 p.m.6 p.m., Saratoga YMCA, 290 West Ave South Glens Falls 3/27/2024: 8 a.m.2 p.m., South Glens Falls High School, 42 Merritt Road Waterford 3/16/2024: 9 a.m.1 p.m., The Church at Newtown Road, 142 Lower Newtown Road During Red Cross Month in March, the Red Cross celebrates the volunteers and blood and platelet donors who are critical to ensuring those in need receive relief and care. Help cant wait to book a time to give, visit RedCrossBlood.org, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or call 1-800-RED CROSS. As a thank-you, all who come to give by March 24 will get a $10 e-gift card to a pet supply merchant of choice, plus a chance to win one of five $3,000 gift cards. Visit RedCrossBlood.org/Pets for details. Additionally, the Red Cross is teaming up with Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures to celebrate the epic new film, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, and to invite donors to rise together and give blood. When donors share their strength by giving March 25-April 7, theyll get an exclusive Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last From the Division of Military and Naval Affairs: Two New York Army National Guard aviators were killed on Friday, March 8, when the UH-72 Lakota light utility helicopter they were flying crashed near Rio Grande City, Texas at 2:50 p.m. local time. A Border Patrol agent was also killed in the crash, and the aircraft crew chief was badly injured and remains hospitalized. The Soldiers were assigned to Detachment 2, Company A, 1st Battalion, 244th Aviation Regiment, and were operating as part of Joint Task Force North, a military unit which supports Customs and Border Protection operations on the southwest border. The detachment, which specializes in flying missions in support of civilian agencies, is based at Army Aviation Flight Facility #3 at Albany International Airport in Latham. Twenty-one Soldiers from the unit deployed to Texas in October 2023 to support the federal military mission. They are operating in federal duty status and are not part of the Texas National Guard's Operation Lone Star. The New York Army National Guard has been flying the UH-72 Lakota helicopter since 2012 and has been deploying UH-72 pilots and support personnel to the southwest border in support of the Border Patrol since 2014. The aircraft that crashed was not one of the two UH-72s operated by the New York Army National Guard. It was assigned to the District of Columbia Army National Guard. Killed were Chief Warrant Officer 2 Casey Frankoski, age 28, a resident of Rensselaer, New York; and Chief Warrant Officer 2 John Grassia, age 30, a resident of Schenectady, New York. Frankoski, who is female, joined the New York Army National Guard in 2016. Grassia has served in the New York Army National Guard since 2012. "We are all shocked and devastated by the loss of Chief Warrant Officer 2 Grassia, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Frankoski, while serving along the U.S. border in Texas," said Major General Ray Shields, the adjutant general of New York. "We are praying for the quick recovery of the crew chief who was injured in the crash. Our deepest condolences also go out to the family and friends of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent who was also killed," Shields added. The name of the injured Soldier is not being released due to privacy regulations. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Casey Frankoski. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Casey N. Frankoski, age 28 and a resident of Rensselaer, New York, enlisted in the New York Army National Guard in October 2016. She was appointed as a warrant officer in 2019 and trained to become a UH-60 Black Hawk and UH-72 Lakota helicopter pilot. She was promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer 2 in 2021. She is a graduate of Columbia High School and Schenectady County Community College with an associate degree in social science. Frankoski deployed to Kuwait from November 2018 to Sept. 2019 with Detachment 5, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 245th Aviation Regiment as a mission planner. The unit flies the Army's C-12 transport aircraft. Her military awards include the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the Basic Aviator Badge, and the Basic Aviation Badge. Chief Warrant Officer 2 John Grassia Chief Warrant Officer 2 John Grassia, age 30, and a resident of Schenectady, enlisted in the New York Army National Guard in 2013 as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter maintenance specialist. He was appointed as a warrant officer in 2019 and trained to as a UH-60 and UH-72 pilot. He was promoted to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 2 in 2020. Grassia is a 2012 graduate of Schalmont High School in Schenectady. He was a New York State Trooper in civilian life. He deployed to Kuwait with Company A of the 3rd Battalion, 142nd Assault Helicopter Battalion from September 2013 to September 2014. He was also on state active duty from 2020 to 2022 as part of the New York National Guard's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. His awards include the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the Basic Aviator Badge, and the Basic Aviation Badge. UH-72 Lakota Light Utility Helicopter The New York Army National Guard has been flying the UH-72 Lakota helicopter since 2012. The aircraft that crashed was not one of the two UH-72s operated by the New York Army National Guard. It was assigned to the District of Columbia Army National Guard. The Lakota is configured to conduct utility helicopter missions and execute tasks in non-combat, non-hostile environments, usually in support of local and state government and law enforcement. A variant of the commercial American Eurocopter EC-145, the Lakota is a twin-engine, single-main-rotor helicopter. It has seating for two pilots and up to six passengers or two litters. Two Turbomeca Arriel 1E2 engines, combined with an advanced four-blade rotor system, provide lift and speed in a wide range of operating conditions. The UH-72 can be configured with two litters, passenger seating for a medical attendant and a crew chief. The UH-72A is equipped with modern communication and navigation avionics. It includes a 3-axis autopilot and single pilot Instrument Flight Rules capability. The cockpit is compatible with night vision devices. In addition to the MEDEVAC configuration, the UH-72A is also being fielded in a security and support configuration. ATLANTIC CITY A 33-year-old city man wanted by authorities in North Carolina had a stolen handgun and 10 ecstasy pills in his jacket pocket when he was arrested Friday, police said. Hakim Clark was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, certain person not to possess a weapon, possession of hollow-point ammunition, hindering apprehension, resisting arrest, receiving stolen property, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, refusal to be fingerprinted and being a fugitive from justice. Clark had two active warrants for his arrest, including one from North Carolina that called for extradition, police said Tuesday in a news release. It was not immediately clear what the charges were in those other cases. Clark was walking in the beach block of North Carolina Avenue when he was stopped by Officer La'Tray Butcher at 11:52 a.m. Friday, police said. He gave Butcher false information about his identity and became combative. Butcher, Officer Lorenzo Bethea and Sgt. Gary Holmes attempted to arrest Clark, who resisted, police said. After Clark was placed in custody, Holmes found a handgun that was reported stolen from North Carolina in Clark's jacket pocket, along with the pills. Clark was sent to the Atlantic County jail. PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. ATLANTIC CITY Stockton University's Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism graduated 23 people from its first casino industry certificate program last week. The eight-week Integrated Casino Resorts Operations Certificate Program gives people who are interested in getting their first casino job an overview of the industry, Stockton said Tuesday in a news release. It also gives insights to those who are looking to move into higher levels of management, said Jane Bokunewicz, director of the institute. When you work in the casino industry, sometimes you are in one specific area, such as human resources or food and beverage, and you dont always get to see the whole big picture, said Bokunewicz. We wanted to give a networking opportunity for the students to meet people from different organizations. ... We want them to get the latest information from people who do the job every single day and talk about the challenges the industry is facing. Every week, the program focused on a different aspect of the casino business, such as accounting, food and beverage, human resources, marketing and regulations. Lovers of the Pine Barrens come together for art, education, more in Galloway Lines on the Pines is an annual gathering of artists, authors and artisans who have a passion for the Pine Barrens. This year's theme was "bugs and insects of the NJ Pine Barrens." That was really great for me because that means they see something in me. I can build on my career, said Egg Harbor Township resident Samantha Phommalya, 28, general manager of the Kuro restaurant at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, who was nominated to take the program. Ive always looked at the casino as one team, so this just helped reaffirm that. Several of the participants had their tuition paid for by their employers, including Phommalya. The synergy between the hospitality industry and academic institutions is indispensable, said Robert Ambrose, a casino industry professional and consultant who taught the program's slot operations and analysis course in its third week. It's a symbiotic relationship that has sometimes been underestimated. The potential for collaboration is vast. Stockton plans to offer the certification program again next year, in addition to its existing online certified tourism industry professional certificate. ATLANTIC CITY The city has begun $26 million in restoration work on parts of the Boardwalk here and is seeking an additional $62 million to complete whats needed along its entirety. Remember, the Boardwalk is a city street, Mayor Marty Small Sr. said Tuesday during a news conference at Bellevue Avenue and the Boardwalk. He said structural repairs will make it possible for the Boardwalk to last another 50 years. And now that the state and federal governments acknowledge it is a city street, it is eligible for road dollars. There comes a point where you are just putting a Band-Aid on a wound, Small said, talking about previous patchwork repairs. Behind him, workers were pulling up old boards and replacing them. Small said the work will also address problems with the underlying structures, parts of which are many decades old. The work from Bellevue to Arkansas avenues, which has already started, is funded with a $6 million federal Economic Development Administration loan, Small said. The next phase will run from New Jersey Avenue in the South Inlet to Tennessee Avenue near the Orange Loop and Resorts Casino Hotel, Small said, and will be funded with a $20 million state grant. It comes from the $100 million Boardwalk bill sponsored by local legislators and signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy last year. New wood, new look on the Wildwood Boardwalk Work is underway on the latest phases of the reconstruction of the Wildwood Boardwalk. City officials cite millions of dollars from the state as vital to making the project possible. Not long ago, Wildwood was raising alarms about a deteriorating structure. City engineer Uzo Ahiarakwe said some but not all of the structural supports, including deck beams and vertical columns, will be replaced as needed. In addition to quality of life and safety ... this will also enhance resiliency come the next storm, Ahiarakwe said. If we dont build things well, they wont last. The contractor is Weatherby Construction, which is local, the mayor said. We would not be able to afford these repairs on the Boardwalk, Small said, without the state and federal governments investments in the city. We have already spent $60 million on the Boardwalk, said Jim Rutala, the citys grant administrator. He said thats what it cost to rebuild the Boardwalk from Gardners Basin to Ocean Casino Resort. That came from eight different funding sources, Rutala said. And it was done on time, on budget and in a first-class way. Almost 50 years ago in 1977, former state Sen. and Superior Court Judge Steve Perskie said he stood nearby on the Boardwalk as state and local officials gathered to celebrate the Casino Control Act, which he helped write, and which kickstarted a new casino industry. The Boardwalk is iconic. Its what people think of around the country and even various places around the world think of when they think of Atlantic City, Perskie said. Here we are today taking another step a major step in envisioning what Atlantic City can become, Perskie said. Personally, Im privileged and pleased to be a part of that process again. GALLERY: Atlantic City Boardwalk gets multimillion-dollar facelift The activists, voting watchdogs, lawyers, state comptroller, and state public defenders office hate it. Journalists, civil liberties advocates, the data-reporting firm LexisNexis, regular residents, and even a few politicians detest it, too. But after more than seven hours of incendiary testimony, state lawmakers in two committees agreed to advance a controversial, fast-tracked bill that watchdogs warn would gut the publics access to government records in New Jersey. By the time the Senates budget committee recorded their votes Monday night, half the committee members were long gone after instructing their colleagues to record them as yes votes, leaving critics even more convinced that the gig was rigged from the start. Boos and colorful language erupted in the packed room after the Assemblys local government committee passed the bill by a 5-2 vote earlier Monday. By the time the Senate budget committee approved it by a 9-4 vote after 6 p.m., the room had largely emptied, with just a few weary, cynical stalwarts still there. Assemblyman Brian Bergen (R-Morris) wasnt on the committees that heard the bill but popped into both committees to listen to testimony. Were getting less transparent. Its a joke, isnt it? Bergen said. Like, legitimately, if you wrote this down and read it to me, Id think it was a joke. But this is actually how were doing things. Multiple people who testified against the bill Monday chastised bill sponsors Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) and Assemblyman Joe Danielsen (D-Middlesex) for failing to respond to their calls and emails. Sarlo fled a gaggle of reporters after Mondays Senate panel vote and Danielsen told a New Jersey Monitor reporter that news coverage of the bill has mischaracterized the changes in the bill. Labor unions oppose bills to limit public's access to government records A coalition of labor unions is opposing a bill (A4045/S2930) that would change the Open Public Records Act in New Jersey, making it more difficult for many people to get access to public documents. Over half of them are increasing, creating, or improving access to documents. None of you have the courage to print that, right? Its fake news. As far as I can tell, its disingenuous, and it speaks to the integrity of every one of those journalists, he said. Thats not how most of those who testified Monday see it. They warned the bill would hurt transparency, make records harder for everyone to get, increase corruption, and reduce accountability. Several people outright told the committees that no amendments would save the legislation and urged lawmakers to kill the bill. The proposal youre considering to eliminate many elements for OPRA and create new restrictions is tantamount to limiting and restricting democracy that is provided in our own Constitution, said Joe Strupp, an Asbury Park Press journalist who shared stories hes uncovered through public records requests. The bill would revamp the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, known as OPRA, which guarantees the publics right to some government records. Under the 29-page bill, draft documents would become private; agencies would be able to exempt records and seek court orders against requestors who are deemed to be nuisances; data brokers would be barred from acquiring public documents; and governments could redact more information from records. Lawmakers say the law hasnt been updated since it was enacted in 2002, and blamed commercial requesters for abusing the law in ways that couldnt be imagined when the bill was first passed. Sarlo also has blamed an uptick in creepy requests by people requesting police body camera footage and similar things to exploit vulnerable women and children, although he couldnt cite specifics nor quantify that. Lori Buckelew of the New Jersey League of Municipalities was one of just a handful of people who testified in support of the bill. Privacy concerns require a law update, she said. OPRA was enacted at a time when dial-up internet was cutting edge, Google was in its infancy, and identity theft was your sibling borrowing your drivers license to get into the college bar, Buckelew said. Fast forward 20 years, and not a week goes by that you do not hear of a data breach and calls for protection of personal identifying information. Under these bills, those protections are given. John Donnadio, executive director of the New Jersey Association of Counties, supports the bill too, especially its effort to restrict records requests by businesses and data brokers. He told lawmakers his group surveyed county officials, who reported their counties fielded about 250 to 3,000 OPRA requests a year, with more rural counties like Salem getting fewer requests and denser counties like Bergen getting more. More than half were commercial requesters, he added. Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University, pushed back on that testimony. You asked about the number of requests that we have in the state as if thats a bad thing, Rasmussen said. I think that thats indicative of the number of citizens in the state who are interested in their government. And I respectfully say that thats a good thing. Critics challenged claims that modernization and cost concerns prompted the legislation, accusing lawmakers of fast-tracking the bill to shroud themselves in secrecy. Cape May takes steps to head off 'First Amendment audits' CAPE MAY An ordinance recommended by City Council member Shaine Meier proposes new restric On Monday a Rock Island County judge found Glen J. Evans Jr. guilty of first-degree murder for the 2023 shooting death of another man. Evans, 19, of Rock Island, faced a single count of first-degree murder, according to court records. Authorities allege he killed Zavion A. McNair, 19, on Aug. 19, 2023, at a house party in the 2000 block of 33rd Street in Rock Island. McNair died on the way to the hospital, police said previously. Evans, shot in the leg, was treated and released. Evans opted for a bench trial, so Judge Daniel P. Dalton, not a jury, had to decide Evans culpability. Testimony began on Feb. 27 and concluded March 1. Dalton has been deliberating since then. Dalton announced the verdict at an afternoon hearing. The families, friends and loved ones of McNair and Evans filled the gallery. Sentencing has been scheduled for May 17. After the hearing, Dalton said there will be a presentence investigation performed ahead of the sentencing hearing. Such investigations are designed to develop a background report on a defendant to assist a judge in determining the appropriate sentence. Defense attorney Kelvin McCabe, of the Rock Island County Public Defenders Office, said he expects to appeal. At trial, McCabe contended that his client acted in self-defense. Assistant States Attorney Jessie Brockways argued there was no justification for the killing. The overview Brockway put numerous witnesses on the stand, including teens who attended the party, Rock Island police officers and forensics experts. McCabe cross-examined the state's witnesses and Evans elected to testify in his own defense. When the shooting began, Evans and McNair were arguing over a gun, according to trial testimony. McNair apparently took it from Evans, who was trying to get it back. Both men were armed when the confrontation occurred. Authorities recovered the gun that evidence indicates killed McNair. The gun witnesses said McNair had was not recovered. Accounts, however, of how the shooting started differed between the defense and prosecution. State witnesses testified that they did not see McNair make any threatening moves and did not see the first shot fired. One, a juvenile, said she heard the shot come from behind her and that Evans was standing behind her. Brockway told Dalton during the final day of testimony that there is no evidence that McNair aimed or fired a gun. Evans testified that McNair acted aggressively toward him and shot first, hitting Evans. Evans said he then started shooting back as they both ran from the room, McNair in front. McNair still had the gun in his hand, so Evans kept shooting until he saw McNair had dropped the gun. The video Brockway also played security video footage from the front of the house. The footage, recovered by police, included the shootings final moments. The camera covered the residences front porch and stairs, the front yard and the nearby street. There is a loud bang, people scream and flee the house, then there are more bangs. McNair tumbles down the front-porch stairs and comes to rest in the yard. He drops what police identified as a probable handgun. A gunman, whom police identified as Evans, stands over him and fires several more shots. Once he stops shooting, the gunman picks up the dropped object then walks out of the cameras view a few moments later. Evans returned to the house while police were still on the scene after the shooting, according to authorities. The guns Evans testimony included that when he confronted McNair about the missing handgun, he saw that McNair had it under his arm. Evans said he had one of his fathers pistols, which Evans found in the glovebox of his car while looking for the missing handgun. Evans is the son of Rock Island County Republican Central Committee Chairman Glen J. Evans Sr., according to previous reporting. Evans Sr. also testified at the trial. When Evans Jr. left the yard after the shooting, he encountered his father, both said during the trial. Evans Sr. testimony included that hed received phone calls that something had happened and that someone had taken his sons gun. He went to the neighborhood where the party was happening. Just after arriving, he heard the shots. Soon after, he met his son. Both he and Evans Jr. told the court Evans Jr. returned his fathers firearm to Evans Sr. Shortly after the shooting, Evans Sr. turned that pistol in to the Rock Island Police, according to testimony. Evans Jr. told police he put the firearm he took from McNair in his car. Dalton's evaluation of the evidence Before announcing his verdict, Dalton gave an overview of how he interpreted the trial evidence. The judge said he thought McNair did shoot first the wound on Evans leg was not consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot but that Evans, not McNair, was the aggressor. There was testimony that Evans had threatened McNair, Dalton said. Witnesses also said Evans had a gun in his hand and was pointing it in McNairs direction, though it was also pointed toward the ground. Once Evans did that, McNair was well within his rights to shoot. Dalton also noted testimony and evidence that when Evans returned to the party just before the shooting, he left his car running and was wearing gloves. While reviewing the video, Dalton said he saw a moment where Evans shifted his stance while standing on the porch Evans could see the gun dropped by McNair but continued to fire. Dalton also referenced Evans Jr. testimony that put the gun hed taken from McNair in his car. That gun disappeared, Dalton said. The judge said he thought that pistol was made to disappear. It didnt go missing on its own. Photos: Looking back at J.I. Case in the Q-C The Chicago Bears are prepared to provide $2 billion in private funding for a new publicly owned enclosed stadium and park space in the city, the team confirmed Monday. The lakefront site would replace Soldier Field and increase open space on the museum campus by 20%, and provide a prime location to host the Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four and year-round community events, a source familiar with the deal said. A poll showed that 80% of Chicagoans support a museum campus location, and 77% want to keep the team in the city, the source said. The poll of 500 registered voters by McGuire Research also found 60% of Chicagoans support using public money for a publicly owned stadium. As proposed, the new stadium would be in the area of Waldron Drive, just south of the Bears current home at Soldier Field. The project would include open plazas, paths and landscaping, with access to the lakefront, and could include saving the Soldier Field colonnade in honor of veterans. Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren issued a statement that the team is proud to contribute more than $2 billion to build a stadium and improve open space. The future stadium of the Chicago Bears will bring a transformative opportunity to our region boosting the economy, creating jobs, facilitating mega events and generating millions in tax revenue, Warren said. We look forward to sharing more information when our plans are finalized. Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jack Lavin called the proposal impressive and exciting. This investment will enhance our reputation as a world-class city and tourist and convention destination, Lavin said. And it will encourage more investment. A city ordinance generally prohibits private development on the lakefront. The nonprofit group Friends of the Parks filed suit and defeated a previous plan by Star Wars creator George Lucas to build a museum south of Soldier Field. The team is expected to meet with the group soon to share its plans. The group issued a statement on Friday, before the latest news, cautioning against a rush to judgment on the issue. Right now, our main reaction is frustration at the apparent urgency for decisions to be made, Interim Executive Director Gin Kilgore wrote. Discussions about projects as impactful as new stadiums that will require significant public investment and that will profoundly affect the literal and figurative landscape of Chicago and our neighborhoods should not be rushed. More than a year ago, the Bears spent $197 million to buy the former Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights, with plans to build a $2 billion domed stadium and surrounding development there. Those plans have stalled as team officials have recoiled from increased property taxes and have been unable to reach an agreement with local school districts. Economists generally warn against publicly financed stadiums as a bad investment, and Chicago still is on the hook to pay off bonds for the current Chicago White Sox stadium and the renovated Soldier Field. Recently, the team has begun working with the city of Chicago on the lakefront site. The Bears also have had conversations with the White Sox about seeking public loans to help build new stadiums for each team. The City of Davenport is arguing in court that it should not have to turn over recordings of closed meetings to the State Auditor's Office as it investigates the city's settlements with former employees, citing attorney-client privilege. State Auditor Rob Sand announced in January his office would review the city's settlements with three now-former employees, including a $1.6 million payment to former city administrator Corri Spiegel, that were not voted on in public session until months after agreements were signed. As part of that investigation, Sand's office issued a subpoena for several city records, including the meeting recordings for several closed city council sessions leading up to the announcement of Spiegel's departure; copies of emails, memorandums, payments, and other documents discussing proposed settlements and settlement agreements involving Spiegel and administrative employees Samantha Torres and Tiffany Thorndike; their employment agreements; and final signed settlement agreements. The Auditor's Office, in its response filed in court, says Iowa code states the Auditor's Office, while conducting an audit, shall at all times have access to all information at all times used by an audited entity in the performance of its duties. Iowa code stipulates if materials are required to be kept confidential, the Auditor's Office should still have access to the information or records, but will maintain the confidentiality subject to the same penalties. "The public interest in providing the records to the auditor outweighs the assertion of privilege in this case," the Auditor's Office argues. "Given the confidentiality protections of 11.42, there is no danger of unauthorized disclosure of confidential records." Attorneys from Lane & Waterman in a letter to the state auditor's office dated Feb. 15 objected to the state auditor's request for closed session records, but supplied other documents requested by the state office. In the letter attached to the city's motion, attorney Brett Marshall wrote that the city's defense strategies against pending and threatened lawsuits were discussed at closed sessions, and disclosure would be "disastrous." "The city is currently engrossed in numerous pending and threatened lawsuits. These pending and threatened lawsuits, including the city's entire defense strategies, have been discussed with its attorneys at its closed session meetings," Marshall's letter states. "As I'm sure you would agree, a waiver of the city's privileges with regard to these closed sessions would be disastrous and irreparably harm the city in its ability to defend itself in these lawsuits." A court hearing is scheduled for March 25. The city is arguing the court should order a modification of the auditor's office subpoena and the auditor's office is arguing the court should order the city to comply fully with its subpoena. In separate records suit, city opposes Iowa FOI Council intervention In a separate legal case, the city is opposing intervention by a nonprofit agency that advocates for open records and government transparency. In the case, the city asked the courts to decide whether Spiegel's demand letter should be released as a public record. The city, through its attorneys, argued the Iowa Freedom of Information Council did not follow civil procedure and had only an indirect interest in the outcome of the case. The FOIC, in response, filed its own FOIA request for the Spiegel demand letter and argued that its members, including the Quad-City Times, do have a direct interest in the outcome of the case. The FOIC has argued that public accounting of what led to a $1.6 million payment using taxpayer funds to a former city employee outweighs Spiegel's privacy concerns. "The council is aware of at least two others who also requested the Letter, including the Quad-City Times and attorney Mike Meloy, so it is notable that the city selected the requestor Dr. (David Ezra) Sidran, a non-attorney citizen who was the least likely to have the resources and experience to defend against a declaratory judgment action and the most injured by getting hauled into court as a defendant simply by requesting access to a public record from a governmental entity," the FOIC's filing stated. Thorndike and Torres also have motioned to intervene in the suit. The city also opposes their motions to intervene, saying the suit is asking the court to decide on Spiegel's letter, not Thorndike's or Torres' records. A hearing on the motions to intervene is set for March 29. Photos: Eagles make their way back to the Quad-Cities along the Mississippi River The St. Patrick Societys Grand Parade XXXVIII will be held Saturday starting in Rock Island at 11:30 a.m. before crossing the Stanley Talbot Memorial (Centennial) Bridge into Davenport. This years Grand Marshal is Terry OConnell, who has lived in the Quad-Cities since 1971. Originally from Wheaton, Illinois, where he attended St. Francis High School, OConnell moved to the Quad-Cities to attend St. Ambrose University. He and his wife, Linda, were married in May of 1976 at Lourdes Catholic Church in Bettendorf. OConnell worked in the robotics and factory automation industry beginning in 1982 and is president of President of Paobu Automation Business Consulting. This years Irish Mother is Stephanie Taylor of Cambridge, Illinois. An Irish dancer in her youth, Taylor is a teaching assistant with the Champagne Academy of Irish Dance at Bishop Hill Creative Commons. She was nominated for Irish Mother of the Year by her husband, John. All three of her children do Irish dance. OConnell and Taylor will be introduced at the Gathering of the Clan Luncheon at the RiverCenter on Friday. Luncheon reservations can be made by emailing vicquinn2016@gmail.com. The parade will start from the corner of 23rd Street and 4th Avenue in Rock Island, pass over the Centennial Bridge and proceed through downtown Davenport along 3rd Street to the Davenport RiverCenter. The Iowa-bound lanes of the Centennial Bridge will be closed from 11 a.m. to about 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Photos: St. Patrick Society Grand Parade XXXVII RUSHVILLE Five people, including three children, were killed Monday after a school bus and semitruck collided on a highway in Schuyler County, authorities said. The bus was traveling eastbound on Illinois Route 24 when it crossed the center line into the westbound lanes and the path of the semitruck. Both vehicles were set ablaze in the crash. The crash happened just before noon in Rushville, a community of about 3,000 about 100 miles south of Moline. Four people were aboard the school bus three children and the driver. The driver of the semitruck was also killed. Theres not really words at this time that can be said, Schuyler County Sheriff Bill Redshaw said at a news conference. When you have a loss of life like this, its devastating. The cause of the crash remained under investigation Monday afternoon. The names of the victims have not yet been released. Schuyler County Coroner Terry Millslagle said the victims' bodies were being transported to Springfield for autopsies. DES MOINES A bill that would allow state agencies to hire private accountants and bypass the state auditors office to conduct annual audits is in limbo in the Iowa House. Senate File 2311, which passed the Senate 31-16 last month, hit a setback Tuesday. A House subcommittee voted 2-1 to advance the bill without recommendation to the full House State Government Committee, leaving it to the chair of the committee to determine the bills fate. Rep. Michael Bergan, R-Dorchester, raised concerns about additional costs and added inefficiencies created by the bill. John McCormally, chief of staff for Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand, highlighted a fiscal note from the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency that found that hiring a private CPA firm could cost up to more than three times as much as using staff from the state auditors office. Based on data obtained from audit reports filed with the auditors office by private firms, audits of state agencies performed by outside CPA firms have cost as much as $260 per hour compared with $85 per hour by the auditors office. Bergan also noted private CPA audits of state agencies could make it difficult for the state auditor to compile a required annual report on how the state spends federal funds. Brad Epperly, a lobbyist for the Iowa Society of Certified Public Accountants, said Iowa has a shortage of CPAs to perform governmental audits. As of right now, I don't know that we would have the members that would have the ability to do the audits, Epperly said. Sand and legislative Democrats say the bill kneecaps Sands authority as auditor and opens the door to political corruption by allowing government officials to bypass the state auditor for annual audits. Republican supporters of the bill argue the hiring of a private accountant to conduct a required annual audit already is allowed and widely employed by local governments and school districts. Rep. Adam Zabner, D-Iowa City, voted in subcommittee not to advance the bill. Zabner said Iowa voters trust Sand and reelected him in 2022 to come back and be in charge of audits for the state of Iowa. I don't like the idea that the Legislature can circumvent that just because they have issues, Zabner said. I think this is another example of the Senate playing politics. We should put people over politics and make sure that our elected officials can do their jobs. A new Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll shows a majority of Iowans oppose the Republican-led bill that would allow state agencies to outsource their annual audits, circumventing the state auditor the lone Democrat elected to statewide office in Iowa. Ethics complaint dismissed House lawmakers voted unanimously Tuesday to dismiss an ethics complaint filed by Des Moines-based Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement against Rep. Dean Fisher, R-Montour. CCI President Barbara Kalbach alleged there was a conflict of interest for Fisher, as founder and board president of the newly created Tama-Toledo Christian School, to campaign on, help pass and vote for legislation signed into law last year that created taxpayer-funded education savings account to help Iowa families pay for private school tuition and expenses. The complaint states Fisher helped establish and serves as the board president of the Tama-Toledo Christian School, an emerging private school. Kalbach alleged the school plans to use the state-funded accounts to pay the bulk of its operating costs, and that Fisher discredited Iowas General Assembly by abusing his public power for private gain. The six-member House Ethics Committee comprised of three Republicans and three Democrats, however, voted unanimously to dismiss the complaint with prejudice. Members stated the complaint did not meet requirements and no further investigation was required. House rules state members refrain from taking action on bills and committee work that are a conflict of interest due to personal gain beyond that afforded the public or a particular profession, trade, industry group or class of people. In Fishers case, the 2023 law applied to all non-public accredited schools in Iowa and did not solely or primarily benefit Fisher or his immediate family. Teachers in the Legislature, for example, vote on state spending for schools and pay raises for teachers across the state. I am concerned about what the complainant has stated, said committee member Rep. Monica Kurth, D-Davenport. It just gives me a bad feeling overall; however, I dont think it rises to the point of being a violation of the ethics code. Fisher, in a response, blasted the complaint as clearly politically motivated and claimed he upheld a campaign promise made to his constituents. Its wrong to attempt to use the mechanisms of government to attack someone you simply disagree with on policy, Fisher said in the statement. Fortunately, the ethics committee agrees, and this situation has been resolved." CCI, in a statement, asserted the committee turned a blind eye to Rep. Dean Fishers glaring ethical violations, and said his actions are self-dealing and self-serving. State: 1,500 tons of fertilizer spilled into Western Iowa river An investigation was underway Tuesday after 1,500 tons of fertilizer were released into a Western Iowa river. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources announced that New Cooperative in Red Oak notified the agency early Monday that tons of liquid nitrogen fertilizer were discharged into a drainage ditch, and they later reached the East Nishnabotna River. The river is a tributary of the Missouri River. The Iowa DNR says the release occurred due to a valve left open on an aboveground storage tank overnight. Areas of pooled fertilizer were pumped into a vac truck and will be land applied later. Dead fish were observed in the East Nishnabotna. The extent of the fish kill was still being determined, according to the agency. Iowa DNR field staff were on-site collecting samples and analyzing them. Meat substitute product labeling Legislation that would require manufacturers to make clear that meat substitute products are plant-based or lab-grown advanced out of the Iowa Houses Agriculture Committee. Proponents of the bill say it is needed to better help consumers understand what kind of product they are buying, and to protect Iowas livestock farmers. The bill also prohibits Iowas public schools, regent universities and community colleges from purchasing lab-grown products and would require the state to apply for a waiver to opt out if the federal government ever approves a lab-grown meat substitute for purchase under federal nutrition assistance programs like SNAP for individuals and families or WIC for expectant mothers. With its passage out of the committee, the bill, Senate File 2391, meets this weeks legislative funnel deadline and is eligible for consideration by the House. The House ag committees chair, Rep. Mike Sexton, R-Rockwell City, said amendments to the proposal will be proposed during floor debate in the House. He said one proposed amendment is mostly technical, while another would add dairy and egg substitute products to the bills requirements. A Pennington County magistrate judge Tuesday set bond at $2 million dollars cash-only for a 21-year-old Rapid City man accused of shooting and killing 24-year-old McGarland Walker VI last week. Law enforcement found Walker dead Friday afternoon at an apartment complex on the 4500 block of Candlewood Place in west Rapid City after someone called to report gunshots. Luke Birch was arrested for first-degree murder within hours of the shooting. Deputy Pennington County State's Attorney Emma Kalkowski-Farrand alleged Birch shot Walker "multiple" times after an argument ensued. Law enforcement initially stated Walker suffered "a gunshot wound." Kalkowski-Farrand asked the judge to hold Birch on either no bond or $750,000 cash-only bond. She argued Birch is a "danger to the community" based on the level of violence in the killing. Birch read from a piece of paper during his initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Janki Sharma. His remarks resembled a eulogy. He said Walker is "forever loved, forever missed" and called him "a great person, a best friend." "Dear Mack, my brother, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Birch said. Social media posts suggest Walker went by "Mack." Sharma stopped Birch and told him she would not permit him to continue reading the letter. She had asked him to address bond and warned him not to discuss any facts within the case itself. Birch is scheduled to appear in court at 11:30 a.m. March 27 for a preliminary hearing. At a preliminary hearing, the state will present evidence and a judge will decide if there is enough evidence to formally charge him. Preliminary hearings are often cancelled in favor of a grand jury hearing, which functions the same as a preliminary hearing but involves a panel of people and is closed to the public. Most of the county officials who administer elections in South Dakota dont consider hand counting to be an effective or efficient method of tabulating votes. Thats the result of a South Dakota News Watch survey that saw input from 49 of the states 66 county auditors. Auditors are elected officials who supervise county, state and federal elections as well as maintain financial records and other duties. Nearly 90% of those who responded (43 of 49) answered no to the question of whether hand counting is an effective and efficient method of tabulating ballots. One auditor responded yes and four were uncommitted. There was one no comment. (Counting votes by hand) increases the chances of human error and is extremely time-consuming, said Douglas County auditor Phyllis Barker, echoing the concerns of many of her peers. I have complete trust in the tabulation machines we currently use. Many of the auditors noted that South Dakota passed a law in 2023 requiring post-election audits using hand counts of randomly selected precincts to make sure results match up with machine tabulations. There are also test decks used to evaluate the accuracy of electronic vote counters before each election. Machine vote tabulators must have an error rate no worse than 1 in 500,000 to be certified by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. A Nevada election official in Nye County, with more than 10,000 voters, recruited hundreds of volunteers to hand-count ballots in November 2022 after expressing skepticism about machines. He estimated a human error rate of 25% after the first day. "Hand counting has its place," said Spink County Auditor Theresa Hodges. "For small municipal and school elections, with generally one to two contests on their ballots, it is doable and the most responsible decision fiscally for those entities. For larger elections with multiple contests, hand counting leaves too much room for human error and is not the most efficient way to tabulate results." Minnehaha County auditor voices support The most steadfast support of hand counts came from the states most populous county: Minnehaha County Auditor Leah Anderson. She has clashed with county commissioners by expressing distrust of election technology and advocating hand counting, a position held by South Dakota Canvassing Group, a grassroots organization pushing for election reform. If done properly with a good system in place and training ahead of time, (hand counting) can definitely be effective and efficient, especially in smaller counties, Anderson told News Watch. In Minnehaha County, we would need a larger volume of volunteers with equal party representation to make it happen effectively and efficiently. Anderson said she is not formally involved with South Dakota Canvassing, the citizen group behind a campaign to lobby counties to adopt hand counting for 2024 or bypass county commissions by forcing a public vote through petitions. She has engaged in hand counting demonstrations and research with computer analyst Rick Weible, a "friend and ally" of South Dakota Canvassing who has been instrumental in urging South Dakota legislators for stronger election security. (South Dakota Canvassing) does not have membership and I am not formally involved other than consideration of research they provide, said Anderson, who ousted incumbent Republican Ben Kyte in the 2022 primary. I am friends with some of the founders and I appreciate all of the work they do in researching topics. Fall River, Gregory counties will hand count for 2024 elections The hand count debate comes as South Dakota is viewed as a proving ground by election reformists who claim that recent elections across the county were marred by hacking or fraud, allegations repeatedly rejected by courts of law as well as Democratic and Republican election leaders. One of the most prominent voices is My Pillow founder and Donald Trump supporter Mike Lindell, whose 2021 "cyber symposium" in Sioux Falls inspired South Dakota Canvassing founders Jessica Pollema and Cindy Meyer to scrutinize what they see as voting system vulnerabilities. The group first drew attention in 2022 by filing lawsuits and freedom-of-information requests seeking to acquire cast vote records from the 2020 presidential election, in which Democratic candidate Joe Biden defeated Trump, a Republican. Lindell had Pollema as a guest on his web show in late February and praised the use of citizen petitions and public pressure at county commission meetings to try to restore the use of hand counting for the 2024 election cycle. County commissions in Fall River and Gregory counties already have voted to use hand counting in 2024 after hearing public comment. Petitions with the required number of signatures have been submitted in Lawrence and McPherson counties, which will likely trigger public votes on the issue. 'Purveyors of false claims' spread doubts, official says The South Dakota Canvassing website lists more than a dozen counties in which requests for petitions or signature collection have occurred. Pollema, who ran unsuccessfully for Lincoln County auditor in 2022, didn't respond to a request from News Watch to clarify how many counties are seeing active signature collection. This is the chance we have to blaze the trail for our whole country to get rid of these machines, Lindell said during the Feb. 22 web show. This is the plan I had (a while ago), and South Dakota is just out in front of everybody. They have the perfect prototype. South Dakota Secretary of State Monae Johnson, who made statements during her 2022 campaign that connected her to election denialism, has been critical of some of South Dakota Canvassing's activities as well as Weible's efforts to impact state election law. In a statement to News Watch from Johnson's office, state elections director Rachel Soulek expressed confidence in the optical scan paper ballots with high-speed counters used statewide in South Dakota for nearly two decades. Many voters are unfamiliar with how elections are run in South Dakota, and in recent years, purveyors of false claims have taken advantage of that lack of knowledge to spread doubts about certain aspects of the voting process," Soulek said. Secretary Johnson and the South Dakota Election Team are confident in tabulation machines used in South Dakota, the safeguards built in throughout the process and the post-election audit on the machines after the primary and general election to ensure they are working properly." 'Are their concerns overblown?' South Dakota Canvassing has provided a template for county initiative petitions calling for elections to be conducted by paper ballots only, with no electronic voting devices or tabulators. Residents need to gather signatures from 5% of registered voters in the county, based on the total number of registered voters (active and inactive) in the last general election. Advocacy at county commission meetings is also strongly encouraged by the group, as evidenced by Matthew Monfore's successful push to get Fall River county commissioners to approve hand counting for the 2024 primary election on June 4. Monfore, an evangelist and election skeptic from the West River town of Oral, is associated with South Dakota Canvassing. He's running for a state House seat in District 30. Some of these people are doing everything they can to try to make sure that every ballot is counted, said Fall River States Attorney Lance Russell, a former state legislator who also served as executive director of the South Dakota Republican Party. From that standpoint, I don't feel that it was inappropriate to have the discussion. Are some of their concerns overblown? I believe they probably are. But maybe making sure that the public has confidence in our elections outweighs that. In south-central South Dakota, where former Democratic legislator Julie Bartling serves as Gregory County's election official, the county commission voted March 6 to switch to hand counting for the 2024 primary and general elections after hearing concerns about election security from residents. I am disappointed that (the commission) would not give the procedure of the post-election audit an opportunity to squelch any concerns of the individuals who pushed for the hand count," Bartling told News Watch. South Dakota mandated machine counting in 2005 South Dakota purchased Election Systems & Software voting systems in the aftermath of the contentious presidential election of 2000, when a U.S. Supreme Court ruling regarding vote recounts in Florida elevated Republican George Bush over Democrat Al Gore. Confusion surrounding Floridas punch-card ballots led Congress to pass the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) in 2002. The law established standards for federal elections through the Election Assistance Commission, paving the way for South Dakota to adopt automatic tabulating and electronic ballot marking as state law in 2005. Chris Nelson, a Republican who was secretary of state from 2003 to 2011, worked with county auditors to choose optical scan ballots with high-speed counters as the standard for South Dakota. One of the key reasons we went to that is because we have a paper backup, said Nelson, who currently serves on the Public Utilities Commission. Were going to use the high-speed counters so we can get a quick, accurate count on election night. But thats the unofficial result. We know that if theres a question about the legitimacy of that, weve got the paper ballots, and we can go back through a recount or audit procedure. Theres no need for cast vote records. We can go back through the paper and see exactly how each person voted. Tired election workers not as accurate as machines Before 2005, South Dakota counties were using four different types of balloting systems punch cards, hand counting, optical scan ballots that were hand-fed into a counter and optical scan ballots with high-speed counters. I lived through hand counting, Nelson told News Watch. You had election workers who would be at the polling place at 6 in the morning, they would work until the polls closed at 7 at night, and then they would begin counting ballots by hand. And if you've got a general election ballot with maybe a dozen different candidate races and half a dozen ballot questions, you've got hundreds and hundreds of ballots, maybe even thousands of ballots, in your precinct. You've got these folks working until 2 or 3 in the morning, trying desperately to accurately count ballots, and the accuracy just falls away. It's not there. Asked about bringing in a different crew to count ballots, Nelson said that the difficulty lies in simply finding that many people, especially since you've literally doubled the number of people that you need to operate your polls. Poll workers are typically paid. In Minnehaha County, for example, precinct superintendents make $250 a day and precinct deputies make $200 a day. The advent of automated counting machines allowed precincts to become consolidated, with the statewide number reduced to 687 for the 2022 general election. Back when I started there were probably three times that many (precincts), Nelson said. With the machines, you could reduce the number of precincts and make it a whole lot more efficient and cheaper because you have less people working. And if we were to go back to hand counting, with some of these precincts you're talking thousands and thousands of ballots. You would have to make your precincts smaller to handle the number of ballots with humans doing the counting. Hand count demo held in Pierre Making precincts smaller and adding poll workers is part of the plan advocated by Weible, a small business owner and former small-town mayor from Minnesota who now lives in the eastern South Dakota town of Elkton. Weible supervised a hand counting demonstration at the South Dakota Capitol on Feb. 23, using a method that he and Minnehaha Countys Anderson promote as an effective way to replace machine tabulations. It involves teams of four, with two people looking at the ballot and calling the race and two people tallying the results. The theory is that it can count 250 ballots of one race in under 10 minutes. So for a county that has 2,500 or fewer ballots, it would take about 1.5 hours per race or ballot question with four people on the counting board. With more counting boards of four people, that estimate would decrease, Anderson said. News Watch asked Weible about his past appeals for post-election audits, which South Dakota legislators adopted in 2023. The new law requires 5% of randomly selected precincts in a county to manually count votes in two contests. "Here's the problem: We're doing less than half a percent of ovals (filled-in votes) in the election," Weible said. "Would the IRS accept an audit of your bank accounts if you only gave them the December statement?" Nelson counters that South Dakota has had "dozens and dozens" of recounts since machine tabulators were adopted in 2005, with no major discrepancies found. "They might move one or two votes this way or that way, based on how an oval was filled in or not filled in," Nelson said. "But in those 20 years, nobody in any of those recounts uncovered any kind of fraud or error in a counting machine. So any suggestion that we ought to go back and do it some other way that is proven to be less accurate just doesn't make sense to me." Bill to rein in petitions falls short The petition drive for hand counting encountered friction in Pierre when concerns were raised about federal election laws being violated, likely leading to county governments being sued. The original petitions that circulated stated that electronic voting machines and electronic tabulation devices of any kind would be prohibited. Such action would violate the Help America Vote Act, according to Rapid City attorney and election law expert Sara Frankenstein. She sent a message to lawmakers noting that states are obligated in federal elections to provide at least one direct recording electronic voting system or other voting system equipped for individuals with disabilities at each polling place. To comply with HAVA, South Dakota uses ExpressVote machines to help the visually impaired, those who cannot hold a pen and those with other disabilities mark a paper ballot. Legislators amended a vehicle bill (House Bill 1140) to allow county commissions to keep a petition from reaching public vote if it violates state or federal law, adding an emergency clause to allow it to take effect immediately. The House rejected that amendment, prompting new language that removed the emergency clause and allowed petition sponsors to withdraw the petition prior to the election being scheduled. That amendment also failed, killing the bill and its amendments. "So we're stuck with ordinance language our legal counsel states is in direct violation of state and federal law," said McPherson County Auditor Lindley Howard, also a member of the State Board of Elections. "If the voters vote for this ordinance we will have lawsuits. If we illegally deny the petition, then the petitioners will file a lawsuit. I feel like counties were left swimming in an ocean without a lifejacket." Prior to the House vote, Pollema disputed Frankensteins legal conclusions in an email addressed to "every elected official in the state of South Dakota," asserting that federal election laws contain separate provisions for states with paper ballot voting systems. "Federal and state laws clearly have protections for machine-free voting and counting," Pollema wrote in the email, which was obtained by News Watch. "Any lawyer who is promoting an opinion to the opposite is unethically and immorally weaponizing the law to fit a politically motivated agenda and is in clear violation of the code of conduct for lawyers per State Bar Association rules." Despite this stance, South Dakota Canvassing changed the wording on its sample petitions to say that electronic voting machines are prohibited "with the exception of devices for those with disabilities." The original wording still stands on the petitions submitted to McPherson and Lawrence counties. 'Guess it didn't fit their narrative' Jim Eschenbaum, a semi-retired farmer from Miller who serves as a Hand County commissioner, thinks some of the election reformists have gone too far. At first, he attended South Dakota Canvassing meetings to hear more about claims that the 2020 and 2022 elections were susceptible to hacking or fraud. He heard concerns from fellow residents in his central South Dakota county, where voters gave Trump 62% of the vote in 2016 and 2020 and favored a Democratic candidate for president just once in the past 90 years Lyndon Johnson over ultra-conservative Barry Goldwater in 1964. "I told the South Dakota Canvassing Group on a regular basis, 'Thank you for what you are doing. You have definitely awakened the people of South Dakota,'" Eschenbaum said. Along with Hand County auditor Doug DeBoer, Eschenbaum received permission from the secretary of states office to pull the ballots from the 2020 election and perform a hand-counted audit to test out the countys machine tabulators. The process was videotaped and later posted to YouTube. We had two election judges from the county, one Republican and one Democrat, and we randomly chose two precincts from the 2020 general election, Eschenbaum told News Watch. We found that all the ballots that went through the tabulators were counted 100% correctly. Four mail-in ballots had not gone through the machines in one precinct, which they traced to human error. When they did another audit for the 2022 primary election, the machine count came out accurate once more. Eschenbaum and DeBoer said they reported their audit to South Dakota Canvassing but that the group did not include the findings as part of its online reports or presentations at community gatherings across the state. Transparency appears to be a one-way mirror," said DeBoer, who also served as Hand County sheriff for 17 years. "I guess it didn't fit their narrative." For Eschenbaum, the experience showed that the current wave of electoral activism in South Dakota is more about tearing down the system than finding common ground in an effort to maintain election integrity. "The state passed a law to mandate post-election audits after South Dakota Canvassing pushed for that," Eschenbaum said. "That's what they wanted, and when they got that, now they want to get rid of all the machines. I cannot speak for any other tabulators. I cannot speak for any other county. I will just assure people in Hand County that we've done our due diligence in making sure that the election count was correct. That's what we wanted to know." Country music superstar Josh Turner is bringing his "Greatest Hits Tour" to The Monument in Rapid City on Wednesday, May 15. With songs like Long Black Train and Why Dont We Just Dance, Josh Turners global reach has surpassed 5.8 billion global streams, 6.5 million album sales and almost 12 million track sales worldwide. He has charted five number-one singles, including Your Man, of which the official music video surpassed 223 million views. Turners album Long Black Train celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2023 and was certified Platinum by the RIAA with nearly 1.5 million album sales, 1.3 million track downloads and almost 315 million streams to-date. Turner released his first Greatest Hits album in Sept. 2023. It features 11 of his biggest songs from seven studio albums. In June 2021, Turner released Your Man Deluxe Edition, celebrating 15 years of the iconic double platinum-selling album, as well as the mini documentary Josh Turner Your Man 15th Anniversary." A native of South Carolina, Turner has been nominated for three GMA Dove Awards and won his first GMA Dove Award in 2021 for I Saw The Light featuring Sonya Isaacs, off his I Serve a Savior album. Turner has been nominated for two GRAMMY Awards, five CMA Awards, two ACM Awards, one CMT Award, seven ACA Awards and six Inspirational Country Music Awards. Tickets start at $36.50 plus applicable fees and go on sale Friday, March 15 at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased online at themonument.live, at the Bluepeak Ticket Offices at The Monument, by phone 1-800-468-6463 or at the Ellsworth Air Force Base Outdoor Rec Center. South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks is partnering with the National Rifle Association to provide a free online Hunter Education course option. With the addition of the online NRA course, there are now three online Hunter Education courses students can choose between. Each course provides the necessary certification for the student to receive their Hunter Safety and Firearms Education (HuntSAFE) card, but allows the student to pick between different levels of course interaction and cost. "The NRA is honored to partner with GFP to provide our free course for its state residents," said Peter Churchbourne, managing director for NRA Hunting. "This course is provided and funded by the NRA Foundation and our members to offer American hunters with a free online hunter education alternative that allows the wildlife agency to earn valuable match credit for Pittman Robertson funding. Course costs range from free to $49.95. All course options follow state Field Day requirements where any student younger than 16 years old will receive a Field Day voucher and will be required to attend an in-person Field Day. Students 16 or older will receive their certification after completing their online course. Available in-person HuntSAFE classes and Field Days can be found online. Participants are encouraged to register early and get their courses completed prior to fall as classes will fill up quickly. The Bitterroot Community Band is hosting a free concert on Thursday, April 4, with donations accepted to raise funds for a high school flute player who is heading to Europe for concerts. Victor High School sophomore Damien Wilson received a perfect score at the Montana High School Association (MHSA) District 2 Music Festival. Wilson received an invitation to travel all over Europe with the elite musical group of outstanding high school students from Montana and North Dakota called Northern Musicians Abroad. Victor Music Director and Bitterroot Community Band Director Amber Grey Morning said Wilson is an outstanding musician. He plays with the Community Band and this is our last opportunity to help him raise money, Grey Morning said. The Community Band has helped him raise about $2,000. He has received charitable donations from other local businesses, including the Victor Community Church and the audience who attended the Missoula Symphony. The two-week trip through Europe is coordinated by Willi Prince, band director at Big Sky High School in Missoula, and costs each band member $11,000. The price will cover plane tickets, hotels and food. The tour will perform in six different countries. Grey Morning said the community band has been collecting donations for Wilson who is about $2,500 short of his goal. We hope to get a lot of audience members into the PAC to help Damien with the funding he needs, she said. He will play all over Europe. The concert in Victor will include toe-tapping tunes known by audiences and fans of the Bitterroot Community Band. Songs will include "Holiday in London" by A. R. Piato, "Little Bach Suite" arranged by Maurice Gardner, Disco Lives! "Stayin' Alive," "I Will Survive" and "Y.M.C.A" arranged by Johnnie Vinson, "Zeal" by Rob Grice, "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen arranged by Michael Brown, "I'm Shipping Up To Boston" by the Dropkick Murphys arranged by Sean O'Loughlin, The Blues Brothers Review "I Can't Turn You Loose," "Soul Man," "Soul Finger," "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" arranged by Jay Bacock, "The Far Country" by Robert Dillon and "All Star" by Smash Mouth arranged by Michael Story. The free benefit concert will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 4, in the Mary Stewart Rodgers Performing Arts Center, 425 4th Avenue, in Victor. For more information email bitterrootcband@gmail.com/. Public education has always been complicated on Hutterite colonies, entangled in a jigsaw puzzle of rural school districts, special education cooperatives and small schoolhouses. For decades, colonies penned agreements, often informal, with surrounding public school districts to make the most of limited resources and challenging cultural barriers. In these arrangements, a colonys district of residence the one in which its located geographically allows a different school district in a different county to provide and fund public education services to the school such as teachers, materials and oversight. EDITOR'S NOTE: This story is part of a multi-week series that will explore the future of public education in Montana's Hutterite communities. Part 1: Education on Hutterite colonies Part 2: Hutterite schools caught in policy shift Part 3, coming 3/19: 'People come up with their own ideas' Part 4, coming 3/26: What does 'equal, quality education' mean under Montana law? Over time, situations bubbled up regarding money. How does funding flow from one district to another? Which county taxpayers are footing the bill? Questions arose about authority. Which elected officials are responsible for students living in one district, but educated by another? And, at the extreme, could a single district run schools all over the state using funding generated by taxpayers from other counties to pay for students and teachers? Hutterite colonies on the Hi-Line were regular users of these agreements, meaning a number of colony schools were provided public education by districts other than the one in which they were located. All it took was the agreement of their district of residence and the district that would take on the school. A memo dated August 2018 from legislative analyst Pad McCracken to the Education Interim Committee speaks at length about this dynamic with specific and repeated mention of the Hutterite colony schools. McCracken wrote "if the current dynamic is allowed, and if a district could find other districts willing to 'release' students and schools, there is nothing preventing a district from operating schools all over the state." He acknowledges in this memo that this practice wasn't widespread, but that four of the five schools in Montana that, at the time, were "being operated by districts other than the district in which they are located" were on Hutterite colonies. According to documents obtained by Lee Montana, Sen. Russ Tempel, R-Chester, spearheaded a years-long effort to enact legislation to clean up the mess. He succeeded in 2023. House Bill 214, passed last legislative session, sets its sights on these arrangements. It addresses a district's ability to provide public education to a campus that is not within its boundaries or part of its traditional school sites, and how to manage students who want to enroll in schools outside their districts. It limits the ease with which school districts can provide services to schools outside their boundaries or at these offsite educational settings, such as Hutterite colony schoolhouses, across county lines. The bill also had the effect of casting major doubt on the legality of the existing agreements, which usually lasted one year and would be renewed before every fall. Hesitation has become especially strong among local school boards and county officials whose jurisdictions include Hutterite colonies. As a result, multiple districts that formerly provided public education to colony schools outside their boundaries no longer do, either because their boards chose otherwise or because county officials said they would not sign off on the agreements given all the uncertainty. Three Hutterite colonies on the Hi-Line are now operating as de facto private schools. Others worry their future could hold the same fate. At these now-private colony schools, students can no longer participate in standardized testing to track their development. Colonies must source and pay for materials. Teachers dont have access to their state-provided health insurance or pension plans, but rather must be compensated directly by the colonies. This environment we had here, it fits the model, it fits the culture, said Paul Wipf Jr., an elder and former German teacher at the Riverview Colony, nearly 100 miles southwest of Havre. Its too bad that weve been doing it for 32 years and, all of a sudden, it changed. I cant really explain in precise terms how this is working As of the 2022-2023 academic year, there were 195 enrolled students in the Chester-Joplin-Inverness Elementary School District. Three Hutterite colonies are located within its borders Sage Creek, Riverview and Hi-Line. Sage Creek Colony and its six students are funded as part of CJI. As such, they are counted toward the district's total enrollment and provided public education dollars accordingly. The district agreed to continue this arrangement after the passage of HB 214. The other two, which account for about 33 students total, were provided public education by Liberty Elementary School District, a separate and standalone district headquartered on nearby Eagle Creek Colony, through a multi-district agreement. Since HB 214, they function as bonafide private schools. All four colonies and both school districts are located within Liberty County. HB 214 creates two paths for Riverview and Hi-Line to continue as a public schools: CJIs school board can vote to provide services directly to these colony schools are they are located within its district boundaries. Or, the board signs a multi-district agreement allowing another district such as Liberty Elementary to continue to provide services. It did neither going into the current school year. Luke Haggerty, the superintendent of CJI, recommended to the school board not to provide services to Riverview or Hi-Line within its boundaries this year because it did not have the funding. This is Haggerty's first year as superintendent. He said a multi-district agreement that would have allowed Liberty Elementary School District to continue providing education onsite to those colonies was also too complicated thanks to the legislation. It would require a lot of legwork to flow the funding and force CJI to abdicate responsibility for the colony students education while still being responsible for their wellbeing as district residents. We wanted to make it work, but it felt like there were too many unknowns, Haggerty said about the legislations impact. Cool Spring Colony, nearly 60 miles from Havre, falls within the boundaries of the North Star District, headquartered in nearby Rudyard. Cool Spring is in Hill County, and CJI District is in Liberty County. For years, CJI had provided onsite public education to Cool Spring outside its boundaries through a multidistrict agreement, one that has now been severed in the wake of HB 214. North Stars superintendent declined to comment on whether the district had offered to provide bus services for Cool Spring students so they could attend the elementary school in town. Haggerty of CJI said the school board formally reached out to Riverview and Hi-Line colonies saying the district could bus Hutterite students into town to attend school. The [town schools] don't know the culture, said Kalli McGregor, the elementary-aged teacher at Riverview Colony. Before she taught there, she worked in the state public school system. It would be a mess for them if they went into a regular public school. At Cool Spring, two kids with learning disabilities need full-time paraprofessionals. Without district resources, those arent readily available. Larissa Fenger, who worked as a teachers assistant in traditional public schools before taking the middle-school teacher job at Hi-Line Colony, where shes now employed directly by the colony, said shes tracking down old materials from her teacher friends to supplement her barebones supply. Riverview and Hi-Line colonies continue to use materials such as textbooks and tablets on loan from Liberty Elementary School District, led by a Hutterite school board. Liberty County officials say that's problematic because those items were purchased with taxpayer dollars by a public school district and are now being used in a private setting. Its all about the kids, said Tim Hofer, the German teacher at Hi-Line Colony. We are like normal people. We want an education, and I think we want the best for our kids. Hutterite students at now-private schools arent counted as part of any districts enrollment. School funding in Montana depends primarily on enrollment. CJIs enrollment count for this year will not include the nearly three dozen Hutterite students attending school on the Hi-Line and Riverview colonies. As a result, their funding allocation, which is provided by the tax base of which Hutterites pay a large percentage, could shrink for next year since enrollment will be down. Even if CJI agreed to provide public education to the colonies under the provisions of HB 214 next year, it would struggle to secure the funding to educate those children since funding is based on student counts from the year prior. Even in the least complicated cases, the present and future of Hutterite colony schools is uncertain. Take North Harlem District near Chinook. Located in Blaine County, the school district is headquartered on a Hutterite colony and run by a school board consisting of Hutterite trustees. It provides public education to the school at East Malta Colony in neighboring Phillips County. This arrangement is codified through a multi-district agreement signed in November 2023 by close to a dozen signatories. Even so, Blaine County Superintendent Kendall Hargood said the agreement raises questions. Blaine County taxpayers arent paying for the retirement of teachers working on East Malta Colony in Phillips County, he said, but its looking like'' those colony students wont be counted for the purposes of school funding calculations into the district thats providing their education, North Harlem. Im all about education, thats the bottom line, Hargood said. But as far as overseeing a school in another district, that is a little bit difficult. I cant really explain in precise terms how this is working. Under HB 214, crossing county lines to provide or receive public education becomes much harder. As such, the simplest outcome would be for a school district to provide services to the colony schools within its boundaries, as is the case with CJI and Sage Creek Colony. Charter school plan rejected Liberty Elementary School Districts board, which consists of three Eagle Creek Colony elders, applied for Montanas new public charter program. The application alleged colony schools had been abandoned by their local districts. It articulated a vision of a charter network in which colony schools from all over the region could be housed under Liberty Elementary school District, allowing a Hutterite-led board to oversee the education of Hutterite schools using public dollars. The Board of Public Education denied their application in January. Members said during the meeting that the responsibility should lie with local school districts to better meet the needs of Hutterite students. Colony leaders insist they want to be part of the public school system, and they believe their children should receive the same education as their peers across Montana. Isolation is not the answer we need that oversight, said David Hofer, the board chair of Liberty Elementary School District and president of the Eagle Creek Colony. We are living in these communities. We want to be a contributing member. Officials from three different counties and as many school districts told Lee Montana theyre looking for better guidance on HB 214 and its implementation from the Office of Public Instruction. Many colony residents say the law feels to them like a deliberate attempt to undermine Hutterites, since they are the most gravely impacted by its implementation. Caught in the bureaucratic crossfire are the kids, teachers and communities at these colony schools now without public education infrastructure. Whats the difference between Hutterite children and those that arent Hutterites? Nothing really, said Crystal Conrad, the middle-school teacher at Riverview Colony. Its so sad. Its 2024. Things should be different. Despite some rhetoric from the administration of doing away with junk fees, they're still flourishing. And it will take more than public pronouncements actually to get rid of them. What They Are So far, I don't see even a uniform definition of junk fees. Some folks include just about any fee for some service or feature that was once included in the advertised price, like a checked bag or Wi-Fi. I don't agree. If it's truly optional, a fee may be excessive but it isn't junk. My definition of true junk is a mandatory fee travelers are required to pay whether or not they use the service or feature the fee is supposed to cover. That means, in effect, they're really part of the base price that the seller has carved out in order to post a deceptively low "price" figure. They're everywhere. Airlines. Many airlines but not all break their true fares down into a phony low-ball base price plus a "carrier imposed fee." As an example, for a Chicago-London round trip in mid-May, United quotes a total basic economy price of $659, including airfare of $412 plus $247 in government taxes and fees, while American quotes a total basic economy of $643, including a phony airfare of $56, $247 in government taxes and fees, and a whopping carrier-imposed fee of $340. Fortunately for consumers, a Department of Transportation rule requires airlines to show all-up prices including all fees and taxes, government and carrier, in the posted price from the get-go. This rule has been a big benefit for consumers. Maybe that's why the current House version of the FAA reauthorization bill voids this rule; the Senate does not. We shall see. Hotels. Currently, hotels are the worst junk fee offenders, with so many hotels excluding part of their true rate and adding mandatory fees to make up the difference. Originally started as "resort" fees, the practice has spread to locations that couldn't possibly be described as resorts under names such as "destination" or "facility" fees. Currently a few states and some federal agencies are looking at rules to prohibit those fees. But for now the scam remains unchecked. Online Travel Agencies. Just last week, a Ryanair release showed puffed-up mandatory fees added by online agencies, including a charge off 23.50 for a seat reservation the airline charges 10 for, 65 "refund fee" the airline charges nothing for , and a 17.99 "premium" fee having nothing to do with the airline. The offending online agencies are not used frequently by North American travelers, but the practice is out there. Rental Cars. For years, outfits that rent cars have added a laundry list of fees covering what are actually parts of the cost of doing business. Fortunately for consumers, various websites have been quoting all-up prices, including fees, for decades, so consumers aren't scammed. Railroads. Despite its overall excellence, Eurail is guilty of disguising a co-payment to some rail companies as an inflated "seat reservation" fee up to 43. C'mon, Eurail: Any "reservation fee" over 5 is a co-pay. Call it what it is. Restaurants. I recently saw a blog post showing a restaurant check that included a "restaurant" fee. Ouch! You currently see all sorts of others. Why They Do It Have no doubt: The only reason any seller adds mandatory fees is to deceive consumers or cheat someone by featuring a price less than it really is. Even though the DoT airline rule prevents consumer deception, those airline "carrier imposed fees" scam frequent flyers. What You Can Do Current rules give sellers wide latitude to post deceptive prices so long as the deception is revealed before a final buy. All you can do is keep your eyes on the fine print before you buy anything. Clearly, there's a Gresham's law at work: Bad advertising drives out good. The only hope for a genuine fix is federal or state legislation, for which the current odds are not great. More than ever, as an emptor, seriously caveat and reprehendo improbum venditorem on any travel deal you're considering. Copenhagen is known for happy people and hygge (pronounced HEW-geh), which means enjoying the cozy simplicity of everyday life, like walking along the beach, or sharing a picnic of smrrebrd (open-faced sandwiches) with a friend. Where else would Hans Christian Andersen, a mermaid statue, and lovingly decorated open-face sandwiches be the icons of a major capital? For the tourist, Copenhagen is compact. After a busy day cruising the canals, touring its palace, and strolling a shop-lined pedestrian boulevard called the Strget, you'll feel right at home. Start your city visit at Radhuspladsen (City Hall Square), the bustling heart of Copenhagen. This used to be the fortified west end of town. The king cleverly quelled a French revolutionary-type thirst for democracy by giving his people Europe's first great public amusement park, Tivoli, in 1843 just beyond the city walls. When the train lines came, the station was built next door to Tivoli for the best possible access to all the fun. Today the walls and moats of Copenhagen are long gone. Theyre replaced by a ring of lush parks and tranquil lakes so appreciated by the nearly naked sunbathers who savor the short Danish summer oblivious to all the history that surrounds them. The train station, Tivoli, and City Hall huddle together. From there, the Strget pedestrian street stretches through the heart of the old kben (merchant's) havn (harbor) to the old sailors quarter, a 15-minute walk away but don't rush it. Nyhavn, formerly a sleazy sailors' quarter, lounges comfortably around its canal. A few lonely tattoo parlors and smoky taverns stubbornly defend their salty turf against a rising tide of trendy, expensive cafes. Glamorous sailboats fill the canal. Any historic sloop is welcome to moor here, temporarily joining the fleet that makes up Copenhagen's ever-changing boat museum, a scene of modern-day Vikings gone soft. While tattoos were once the mark of crusty old sailors, today they are Viking chic. Young Danish bodybuilders showing off muscles, tans, and tattoos, clog the harborside promenade working their way through cases of local beer. The scene is off-putting to many tourists who dont realize that, in a land with astronomical taxes on serving alcohol in bars, this is just the only affordable way for the normal working-class gang to go out for a few beers. I consider the outdoor beer consumption in Denmark no different than the consumption in an English pubjust on the curb rather than at the bar. The city's most famous (and photographed) citizen, the Little Mermaid, sits demurely a few blocks away, posing patiently for all the tour groups and wondering when a prankster will steal her head again. (The poor mermaid has been victim to decapitation and other acts of vandalism over the past century.) If your rambles whet your appetite for history, the excellent and curiously enjoyable National Museum traces the Danish civilization from its ancient beginnings. English explanations make the prehistoric passage graves, mummified Viking bodies with armor and weapons, the rustic yet mysteriously exquisite 2,000-year-old Gundestrup Cauldron, ancient lur horns that still can be played, and mead drinking horns particularly interesting. Copenhagen is one of Europes most expensive cities, but smart travelers can keep expenses down without going to extremes. A Copenhagen Card sightseeing pass covers entry to many city sights (including pricey ones, like Tivoli) and local transportation. (It can save money if you plan to visit a lot of attractions, especially the ones with steep entry fees, but do the math to see if it adds up for you.) Do as the Scandinavians do and stay in budget hotels with shared bathrooms or in hostels (most have private rooms and great breakfasts). Both are respectable options in clean and wholesome Scandinavia. Breakfasts offered at lodgings are all-you-can-eat and so hearty that youll need only a light lunch. Budget travelers eat well with a few tips. Viktualiehandler (small delis) and bagerier (bakeries), found on nearly every corner, sell tasty pastries such as wienerbrd. (These are what the we in the States call a "Danish"). Try the drinkable yogurt, caviar paste in a squeeze tube, creamy Havarti, and dense rugbrd (rye bread). Treats like these make picnics as memorable as they are inexpensive. Denmark's famous open-face sandwiches cost a fortune in restaurants, but many street corner smorrebrd shops sell them for more reasonable prices. Drop into one of these often no-name, family-run alternatives to Yankee fast food, and get several elegant sandwiches to go. There's no more Danish way to picnic. The tradition calls for three sandwich courses: herring first, then meat, then cheese, washed down with a local beer. "Skal!" Mark Meier, a juror on last months Amari Pollard murder trial, told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that he likely would have found Pollard not guilty on the charge of first-degree murder in the June 6 shooting death of Shawn Jackson outside the Altria Theater in Richmond. Meier, of Richmond, was not convinced the shooting, which took place after Huguenot High Schools graduation ceremony, had been premeditated, he said last week. He also had reservations about the location of some of the bullets in Jacksons body and questions about the other firearm recovered at the scene. It didnt (seem) like (Pollard) had gone to the graduation to hurt anybody, Meier said. And while the prosecution stressed the bullet wounds in Jacksons back, Meier said two bullet wounds in the front of Jacksons arm raised questions. But Meier and the other jurors never got the chance to deliberate and vote. On Feb. 29, Pollard abruptly pleaded guilty after Judge W. Reilly Marchant ruled that Pollards actions did not meet the legal threshold for a self-defense plea. Marchant then sentenced Pollard to 43 years in prison with 18 years suspended. The plea came as a shock to many, including Meier. We spent all that time Meier said he had first heard about the shooting via a June 6 text alert from VCU. He had just left the schools campus earlier that day, he said, when the text came through. Eight months later, Meier found himself on the jury for Pollards trial. On Feb. 29 the fourth day of the trial the members of the jury recessed for what Meier assumed was a routine lunch break, during which the prosecution and the defense were going to settle a quick matter between the sides. But at around 3:15 p.m., a deputy showed up and told the jury (members) to get their stuff and leave, Meier said. The group was dismissed with no explanation as to what had unfolded. At the time, Meier and the other jurors did not know about Marchants ruling and the plea deal. Meier said he was disappointed when he found out what had happened. We spent all that time hearing the evidence and then didnt get to deliberate (or) make a decision on it, he said. Among the reasons for his disappointment: He was leaning toward acquittal on the specific charge of first-degree murder when the trial came to its sudden conclusion. Meier said there is no question that Pollard killed Jackson. Pollard admitted to pulling the trigger, and no one disputed that, he said. I can see where there (werent) necessarily sufficient attempts by (Pollard) to do something else, such as flee the scene or deescalate the situation, Meier explained. So while he may have considered voting to convict Pollard had Pollard faced other charges such as second-degree murder or manslaughter Meier said he was not persuaded Pollards actions met the standard of first-degree murder. In criminal trials in Virginia, convictions require unanimous votes on the part of jurors. All 12 members of a jury must find a suspect guilty for conviction. We believe there was an error Marchants decision, which took self-defense off the table and left Pollard with few options, stripped the jury of its rightful role in ruling on the case, according to Pollards attorney, Jason Anthony. Anthony said the ruling deprived the jury of the opportunity to review and consider specific elements of video footage and forensic evidence, and was inconsistent with what a judge should tender to the jury. (It was) a legal ruling, which prevented (us) from defending our client, that was based ... on disputed issues of fact upon which (Marchant) drew conclusions, Anthony said. But the jury is sacrosanct. When there are contested issues of fact that make up the defense, those issues must go to the jury. Anthony said he intends to file a motion to vacate the guilty plea. We believe there was an error, he said, and if a mistake was made, we are confident the court, the commonwealth and the defense will find the common ground of making sure this is something that is able to be decided by a jury. Marchant did not respond to a request for comment. One man has so much power According to Pollards stepfather, Ernest Brown, Meier was not the only juror who had misgivings about the first-degree murder charges against Pollard. Brown told The Times-Dispatch that, as he was leaving the court following Pollards guilty plea, a member of the jury approached him and told him that a group of four jurors had planned to vote in Pollards favor and to push (the rest of) the group that way. But it was taken out of the jurys hands, Brown said. I dont understand how that happened. One man has so much power. Brown said he advised Pollard against taking the deal; he thought Pollard should take his chances with the jury despite Marchants ruling, an instinct he said was validated by the jurors remarks. But Pollard was afraid that conviction could mean life behind bars, Brown said, prompting him to plead guilty. The judge just overruled the jury, Brown said. I dont know whats next for us. Violence and trauma in these kids lives Questions surrounding the shooting remain. For example: Who killed Renzo Smith? Smith, Jacksons stepfather, was also fatally shot in Monroe Park that day, but one of the bullets in his body could not be traced to Pollards gun. Five other bystanders were injured, but it is still not clear by whom. Authorities have repeatedly declined to comment on potential suspects and charges in Smiths death, citing ongoing investigations. Meier has his own theories. Based on the evidence the jury was able to review, he speculates that one of Jacksons friends accidentally shot Smith while returning fire at Pollard. My big takeaway is the amount of violence and trauma in these kids lives, Meier said. Thats the part I feel like we need to fix. Amari in jail doesnt really (address) that, he added. Police said Megan Dembrosky, 28, of Midlothian, has been charged in connection with a Jan. 25 incident in which she allegedly assaulted a juvenile male student at the school, located at 13901 North Spring Run Road. The investigation into the assault led police to obtain a releasable warrant, which they served on Thursday. The Richmond City Council voted unanimously Monday night to change some of its meeting rules and procedures including how it conducts its public comment period. The decision comes after City Attorney Laura Drewry, who took over the position nearly a year ago, noticed that changes could make meetings run more smoothly. While the resolution outlines a dozen meeting-related tweaks, one item has sparked controversy among certain residents who believe the city is attempting to silence them. Residents looking to speak up during public comment will now have to provide a detailed and complete description that provides the clerk with an understanding of which city agency the comments pertain to or affects. Currently, the city allows only eight slots for public comment. So if folks want to address the council, they have to sign up prior to the meeting. If those spots fill up, then it limits others from addressing the city publicly. The city argues this will allow it to better address public needs as it will direct the concerns directly to the city department that can help with the issue and it will ensure only local issues are addressed. However, for pro-Palestine protesters who have packed the citys meeting room every other week since early January, the change will prevent them from speaking publicly to the council. I think issues in which we complicate the ability and the process for people to come and speak on what is on their heart is not the best way forward, resident Allan-Charles Chipman said during public comment on Monday. We shouldnt make it more complicated for residents like myself to request our government to not use our money to kill our friends. For months, dozens of pro-Palestine protesters have come forward demanding the city pass a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. In response, several pro-Israel supporters have come forward to call for the city to not pass a resolution calling for a cease-fire. The discourse, which has continued to grow inside city chambers, has resulted in numerous disturbances. The council has had to stop meetings on several occasions to remind folks of its existing rules that do not allow for clapping or standing during the comment period. In one instance, the council stopped its meeting and called for a 5-minute recess after a small skirmish between two residents. According to Kristen Nye, council president and 4th District representative, while it could be considered bad timing, this resolution has been in the works for nearly a year and was first introduced prior to folks calling for a cease-fire. (This resolution) is a culmination of a lot of things that we have talked about as a council over maybe the last six to eight months and then additionally some things our city attorney has seen in her new role, Nye said during the Feb. 5 meeting of the Organizational Development Standing Committee. So thats where a lot of this is coming from. Drewry first publicly proposed the changes during the organizational development meeting. Other changes include: adding an order of succession for the role of vice president; canceling standing committee meetings if there is nothing of note on its agenda; adding a cap of three presentations of awards, proclamations and other recognitions per meeting; and summarizing a motion or amendment instead of reading the whole motion. It also prohibits signs from being placed on the walls and doors of city chambers, and folks can only bring in signs that are 14 by 11 inches or smaller. Richmond is not the only municipality to see widespread outcries for cease-fire resolutions, and some have crafted such resolutions including Chicago; St. Paul, Minnesota; and Durham, North Carolina. While local governments do not have any authority to end the ongoing conflict, those in support of a local cease-fire resolution argue that there is strength in numbers. If more cities join in, it could lead to the federal government weighing in. The council said it will not move forward with a resolution as it is not protocol to weigh in on non-city matters. However, the city has broken from this protocol before, including passing a resolution opposing the U.S. Supreme Court Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization decision, which ended universal, federal abortion care. The resolution does relate to state law, however, as the city also called for the Virginia General Assembly to pass legislation to protect womens reproductive rights. Additionally, some protesters have come forward claiming the reason the city is refusing to call for a cease-fire is because it has a financial relationship with Israel. The city denies these claims, and there is no evidence in the citys fiscal year budgets to suggest otherwise. The claims originated from a local Richmond pro-Palestinian organizational groups Instagram post on Feb. 11 that reads: Richmond City has sent over $3.6 million to Israel since Oct. 7. However, this is misleading as the data cited by the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights is based on the annual military funding provided by the U.S. to Israel. So the $3.6 million is simply federal taxes collected from Richmonders. Following the councils approval, the resolution to change the meeting rules is set to go into effect immediately. 22 photos of Belle Isle from The Times-Dispatch archives Near the beginning of the Civil War, eastern Henrico County was the site of heavy fighting. In what is now Varina, Union troops bore down on the rebel forces defending Richmond because, if the capital of the Confederacy fell, the young war would have met a quick end. The fighting in the area was known as The Peninsula Campaign, which culminated in the Seven Days Battles. It was among the bloodiest battles in American history with over 35,000 recorded casualties for the North and South. The South held, prolonging the American Civil War into three more years of fighting. 9 protesters arrested after wrapping themselves in wire, lying down on I-95 Troopers on Monday morning arrested nine pro-Palestine protestors who had stopped traffic on Interstate 95 in Richmond. Now, the Capital Region Land Conservancy announced last week that it had helped put the former battlefield, 41 acres of eastern Henrico land, into a perpetual preservation easement, which would bar the land from being developed and preserve it for future generations. The Department of Historic Resources signed off on the easement. But saving history may also save the environment. Experts say the land is not only important for its preservation value, but also for maintaining ecological balance and protecting nature while adding to local recreation space. The freshly protected 41-acre site known as Little Malvern Hill is located at 5270 New Market Road, directly adjacent to the larger historic Malvern Hill Farm property. Little Malvern Hill encompasses areas where the battles of Glendale, Malvern Hill Deep Bottom and Deep Bottom II took place. CRLC Land Holdings LLC a wholly owned subsidiary of the Capital Region Land Conservancy acquired Little Malvern Hill in 2023. The group also purchased the adjacent 871-acre Malvern Hill Farm tract five years prior. The area is historically significant because the Battle of Malvern Hill was the final of the Seven Days Battles in late June 1862 when Gen. Robert E. Lee launched a series of assaults against Union positions, and failed to prevent them from retreating. The 41 acres of land at Little Malvern Hill are just a small chunk of an even larger patchwork of properties owned for the intention of preservation. Around 6,000 total acres in Varina are now under the ownership of state, federal, nonprofit and local groups. Henrico recently purchased the former home of John Rolfe and Pocahontas the 2,000-plus acre Varina Farms property for $17.25 million for the purpose of historical preservation. Its slow progress assembling all these different parcels to make one large conservation area, said Parker Agelasto, executive director for the Capital Region Land Conservancy. Its been done over the course of (decades) and its remarkable when you see how large of an area that is becoming and how it is connecting. The landscape of Little Malvern Hill is mostly level with a mix of open land and forest. A historic earthen road runs along the eastern boundary. Around 26 acres of forested cover and more than 34 acres of prime farmland are protected under the easement. Peter Smallwood, chair for the University of Richmonds Department of Biology, says old battlefields have often had the unintended side effect of protecting nature. He and colleague Todd Lookingbill researched the concept in their work Collateral Values. War and other conflicts sometimes result in lands being set aside, Smallwood said. It does more service for clean air and clean water, agriculture, than it would as a strip mall and associated parking lot. One prominent example, Smallwood says, is the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea. The mostly untouched stretch of land between 2 and 10 miles wide has become the peninsulas most important wildlife preserve, he said. That concept applies to the preserved land in Henrico, he says. It keeps pollinators in place which the agriculture needs. The water running through those landscapes is much clearer by the time it goes into streams which run into the James that we pull our drinking water from, Smallwood said. A lot of air pollution is lessened. Carbon is sequestered from the air into the bodies of these trees. It helps with climate change as well as the sort of cultural aspects that people feel better when they can walk through these natural landscapes or just driving by. Agelasto also noted that the area is an important stopover for migratory birds. The larger landscape is an important stopover for bird species that are going from South America to Canada. Its a place where they stop to rest and refuel on that long journey they do every year, Agelasto said. If this was gone, where would those migratory birds go? This is part of the global ecosystem. The protective easement on the land is also designed to allow farming operations to continue. The Capital Region Land Conservancy is also deciding how to incorporate some outdoor recreational elements into the land over time. From the Archives: The old Virginia State Penitentiary The private jet that crashed short of the runway at Ingalls Field Airport in Bath County on Sunday was en route from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to an event at the nearby Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, state police said Monday. State police said there were no survivors among the five people on board, who included a pilot, a first officer and three passengers, one of them a child. Their remains have been sent to the state medical examiners office for the Western District for positive identification. The plane, a twin-engine IAI Astra 1125, was short on its approach to the runway, struck trees and crashed into a hillside around 3 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The airport, at an elevation of 3,792 feet, is the highest airport east of the Mississippi. Its runway is more than a mile long. A state police spokesman told The Associated Press that the plane caught fire on impact, and local reports showed what appeared to be plumes of white smoke rising from the site. A National Transportation Safety Board investigator arrived at the crash site on Monday, and the wreckage will be moved to a secure facility for further evaluation, the agency said in a statement. The NTSB said it does not determine or speculate about the cause of the crash during the on-scene phase of the investigation. The NTSB is expected to issue a preliminary report within 30 days on the initial phase of its investigation, though a final report with a probable cause and contributing factors is expected to take one to two years. Virginias much-needed rural broadband expansion is being threatened by the Biden administrations back-door attempt to force a harmful rate regulation mandate on the commonwealth that Congress has expressly forbidden. When Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, it dedicated $42.45 billion to build out broadband to unserved areas of the country. This provision, called the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program, would allocate a much-needed $1.482 billion for broadband buildouts in Virginia to cover an estimated 162,000 locations without broadband access. As a former commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission and nearly 20-year congressional staffer, including years working for the late U.S. Rep. (and former Richmond Mayor) Tom Bliley, I have traveled throughout the commonwealth for decades hearing exactly what members of the state Senate and House of Delegates have been hearing Virginians in outlying and even in closer-in gap areas need access to fast, reliable broadband. The good news is that great progress is within reach. Congress has allocated the money, and Virginia is perhaps the best-equipped state in the nation to efficiently allocate those funds. Virginia was an early pioneer in creating and expertly staffing the Virginia Office of Broadband, which has done yeomans work, and targeting unserved areas with its own state money. The bad news is that President Joe Bidens Commerce Department which houses the agency in charge of distributing the infrastructure bill's funds is throwing needless bureaucratic obstacles in the way of progress. To put it generously, Bidens commerce secretary, Gina Raimondo, is holding hostage billions in needed broadband funding in order to force Virginia and other states to succumb to an unnecessary, intellectually bankrupt policy of rate regulation. Gov. Glenn Youngkin is rightly pushing back against Bidens back-door rate regulation ploy, but without a change in the Biden administrations mindset, Virginia citizens lacking broadband might well face years of delays and needless increases in broadband buildout costs. Virginia promptly filed all the necessary paperwork ahead of every other state and territory but one. But Virginias application suddenly became stuck in bureaucratic quicksand over one issue and one issue alone the Biden administrations insistence that Virginia establish a low-cost, regulated broadband service rate, a regulatory measure that is expressly forbidden by the infrastructure bill that established the BEAD program in the first place. The infrastructure bill clearly states that "(n)othing in this title may be construed to authorize the Assistant Secretary or the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to regulate the rates charged for broadband service." Answering NTIAs attempt to bully Virginia into this back-door rate regulation scheme, the Virginia Office of Broadband read this provision right back to them. But Bidens agency heads persist in defying the law Congress passed in order to establish what amounts to a government-approved low-cost broadband rate for the nation, and show other states that Washington, D.C., can bully their way into a rate regulation regime, despite the law, by making an example out of the commonwealth of Virginia. No matter what Washington, D.C., may want to call it, setting a price is rate regulation. And by holding up Virginias application, the Biden administration is not only violating Congress bipartisan infrastructure law, but cynically trying to bend Virginians to the administrations will. The Biden administration is cynically threatening to let Virginias allocated funding sit idle or worse, be diverted elsewhere. Gov. Youngkin and the Virginia Office of Broadband are doing the right thing by holding the Biden administration to the law Congress passed and sticking to the solid plans they have drawn up to bring broadband service to Virginias unserved areas. Virginians deserve better than to have last-minute bureaucratic obstacles thrown up in front of their long-needed broadband expansion. Hopefully, President Bidens team will see the wisdom of Virginias clear vision of expanding broadband and release the money Congress has allocated. Absent that, perhaps the Biden administration will see the citizens from a politically important battleground state rejecting its politicized bureaucracy at the ballot box. From the Archives: The C&P Telephone Company C&P C&P C&P C&P C&P C&P C&P C&P Telephone One killed another seriously injured in Maya Train accident La Placa, Chiapas Two men who are reported to have fallen asleep on a section of Tren Maya tracks were hit early Monday. One of the two men, both of whom are reported to be Honduran migrants, died. The accident happened on a Palenque-Escarcega section of new Tren Maya tracks between the towns of La Placa and Rio Chinal, Chiapas. The two migrant men were sleeping between the tracks of section 1 when the train passed over them early Monday morning. One man was killed. The other was rushed to hospital with an amputated left arm among other injuries. The surviving man has been identified as 16-year-old Orlin A. The Maya Train driver notified emergency services of the accident who in response, sent National Guard to the site. Guardia Nacional personnel were sent to the accident site where one migrant was killed. Photo: March 11, 2024. Personnel from the Mexican Red Cross and Civil Protection also arrived confirming the death of one of the migrants while transferring the other to a hospital in Palenque. Elements from the Secretariat of National Defense and personnel from the State Attorney Generals Office arrived to cordon off the area in addition to closing the site. A member of Guardia Nacional is seen at the site of the accident Monday morning with forensics. Photo: March 11, 2024. Forensic personnel were requested to lift the remains of the victim, who has not yet been identified. The author of some of Southern Gothics greatest prose, Flannery OConnor, was working on a third novel when death took her at age 39. A new book attempts to piece together what she left behind and thus give us a glimpse at what might have been. After a silence of nearly 60 years, following her untimely death from lupus, Flannery OConnors hitherto-unpublished prose rises from the page like one of her own fictional epiphanieselectric, immediate, and alive. In a labor of scholarship and love, Jessica Hooten Wilson has reassembled and edited the fragments of OConnors unfinished third novel, offering critical commentary that both frames these episodes and points to the work their author was struggling to envision and execute: a novel whose working title was Why Do the Heathen Rage? Over the course of a decade, Flannery OConnors two published novels, Wise Blood (1952) and The Violent Bear It Away (1960), as well as her short story collection, A Good Man Is Hard to Find (1953), had developed her fictional exploration of what she called the action of grace, or the salvific intervention of the Holy Spirit in human lives, an intervention generally figured in scenarios both grotesque and violent. Hazel Motes, the protagonist of her first novel, blinds himself with lye. In The Violent Bear It Away, as in the short story The River, baptismdying to the old self and rising to new lifebecomes a literal death, a shortcut conversion in which the converts new life presumably takes place in heaven, offstage. The self-satisfied Mrs. May of her short story Greenleaf undergoes conversion by being gored by a bull. By 1962 this way of imagining the action of grace had become a settled trope in OConnors fiction. As OConnors fellow Catholic novelist J.F. Powers seems to have hinted, perhaps over time the trope had become a little too settled. Hooten Wilson describes a letter Powers had written to OConnor after reading Greenleaf in which he chastised OConnor for her habit of killing off all her characters. OConnor took his criticism to mean that she should have left [the character] alive so that [she] could write a novel about her. But as she began to wrestle with material for a third novel, a deeper, though connected, problem presented itself. She could cast, in grotesque relief, a characters moment of conversion. What she had not yet done was the hard work of imagining, then depicting, what might come next. Killing the convert had become all too easy. Keeping him plausibly, compellingly alive: that was the problem. What if in art, as in life, conversion was not the end of the action but its beginning? What then? Hooten Wilson suggests that for OConnor, the artists dilemma is how to make corruption believable so that the reader understands the significance of grace. This problem had driven OConnors fictional project throughout the 1950s, but the artistic challenge presented by her new novel was how to make a story of the continuing work of grace. How to make a protagonist of a person who has already surrendered to that grace, already undergone a change of heart? How does that surrender become dramatic action? If the mandate of grace is to change your life, how to inscribe that change in a narrative arc becomes the only real question for the artist. Every other consideration is a subsidiary of that primary question. In the time left to her, as she strove to set her new novel in motion, OConnor had completed enough short stories for a second collection, Everything That Rises Must Converge, published posthumously in 1965. In reassembling experimental drafts and narrative episodes, Hooten Wilson teases out strands in those published stories that OConnor was beginning to explore as a more extended narrative. In marked contrast to her previous two novels, whose protagonists she understood as prophets, the protagonist of this new work would be a different type, originating in some of those newer short stories. In some drafts, as Hooten Wilson notes, this new protagonist appears as a version of those previous characters and bears their names. Sometimes he is Asbury, the ineffectual scholar back home on the farm, who in The Enduring Chill drinks unpasteurized milk in a misguided show of solidarity with his mothers farmhands and, while suffering from undulant fever as a result, has a vision of the Holy Spirit descending upon him in the form of a water stain on the ceiling. Sometimes he appears as Julian, of Everything That Rises Must Converge, the enlightened and self-righteous son reduced to childishness by the spectacle of his foolish mothers stroke. This character springs, too, from the same genealogy as Hulga, of the earlier short story Good Country People, with her Ph.D. and her atheist credo. Thanks to her precarious health, OConnorovereducated for rural Georgia, often impatient with its confinesfound herself, like these characters, consigned to the care of her mother on their Milledgeville farm. She imagined these characters, whose deadly pride sets them up for debasement, as figures for herself. It was easy to lead them to, and then leave them in, their epiphanic experiences of humiliation. To imagine a character fundamentally like herself in an ongoing narrative beyond that point presented, again, an entirely new level of difficulty. One thing was clear, however: this time the character would be not a prophet, but a penitent. In the drafts Hooten Wilson presents in narrative sequence, the penitent appears under a new name, Walter Tilman. Like Asbury of The Enduring Chill, Walter is a failed intellectual who finds himself home on the farm, where he is no good to anybody, least of all himself. His mother agonizes over him as a manifestation of her personal failure but also as a spiritual paralytic, with no conception of either sin or election. The farmhands, black and white, view him with contempt and suspicion. His sister, Mary Maud, is an atheist with a doctorate in education, the kind of person around whom, as OConnor writes, people reverted to their childhood. It was impossible to act any age around her but eleven. In most of these scenes, Walters father, already an old man, appears as an invalid, incapacitated by a stroke, though his malice toward his family remains unimpaired. In the one fragment in which Tilman Senior is up and about, he treats the languishing 28-year-old Walter as though his chief affliction were mortality (as indeed Walter thinks it is), offering him cigarettes and a television to ease him through his final days. In these drafts, as OConnor tries out her characters, seeking a way to launch her story, a narrative thread emerges, with the potential, however unrealized, to propel the action forward. The idle Walter, whose one consuming occupation is to write letters to strangers, has begun writing to a young civil rights activist, Oona Gibbs, possibly modeled, as Hooten Wilson suggests, on OConnors friend Maryat Lee. The lie on which the narrative tension builds is that Walter has written to Oona, the idealist, in the persona of his fathers black caretaker. As a catalyst for something to happen, OConnor has him invite Oona (whom we meet more fully in a separate, harrowing scene) to visit him on the farm. One of the final extant passages depicts Oonas arrival at the farm, where one way or another truths wait to be revealed. But there the story stops. Hooten Wilson includes a disjunct fragment, a scene rewritten four times and presumably intended to precede Oonas descent upon the Tilmans, in which Walter undergoes what he thinks of as a revolting conversion. He had not up until that moment been a believer, OConnor writes. But he realized, with a shudder, that he was. What makes him shudder is the epiphany that to be a Christian demands that he confront not the intellectual tradition of Christianity, with which he is all too well acquainted already, but the stark reality of being bound for hell. Walter discovers that he has boarded a runaway sin train, and that the only way off is to jump. All the novels subsequent action is meant to unfold from this moment of resolution, to make the jump. But despite Hooten Wilsons play with a possible ending for the novel, and her speculation about the ways that current events might have shaped the storys progress, we cant know where it would have gone or by what means it would have arrived there. As an excerpt from a letter included in the text indicates, OConnor viewed then-new developments in racial justice in the South as great fuel for my kind of comedy and my kind of tragedy. For her, the prospect of seeing old wrongs righted must surely have seemed pregnant with implications for another kind of conversion, and therefore artistically useful. If, ultimately, she doubted whether race was her subject (as it was for the Mississippi novelist Eudora Welty in the same period), this doubt would seem to point to an aversion to writing something merely topical or political in which her more compelling, more transcendent concerns would be lostand the fear of failing, artistically, to make those concerns clear. Whatever weight we might grant her admission that her imagination failed to penetrate to the interior lives of black people, again the role of current events in her day seems entirely subsidiary to the question of how to write a novel of conversion. If she had been able to see her way to accomplishing that task, then the great fuel of current events would have had a steady fire to feed. At any rate, its telling that although OConnor mentions this novel in letters to Caroline Gordon and others, describing her labors as the futile struggle of a squirrel on a treadmill, she never developed it sufficiently to send Gordon a chapter for critique. Whether she would have finally mastered her material or conceded defeat, well never know. This is a frustrating and unsatisfying conclusion, but death has a way of leaving things hanging. Nevertheless, Hooten Wilsons careful editing of OConnors typewritten manuscripts, her arrangement of these drafts into a plausible sequence, and her critical commentary to frame and contextualize them is a gift to interested readers. As an account of discovery and reclamation, her narrative has the feel of an archaeological dig in which things do not surface in their whole and intended forms, but enough comes to light to suggest what those forms might have been. This narrative suffers from an occasional indulgence in imagined, sometimes credulity-straining scenes, in which the reader is asked, for example, to envision Flannery OConnor discussing her novel with her mother over morning coffee. Such moments feel both intrusive and unnecessary to the presentation of OConnors own writing. Despite these lapses, Flannery OConnors Why Do the Heathen Rage? offers us a marvel: OConnors written voice, risen from its long silence and, although fragmented, its utterances cut short, still vibrant with her imaginations strange, electric life. A $14,000 check from Roanoke City Public Schools was reported to be fraudulently cashed in October, according to court records, and now police are investigating. An affidavit in a search warrant certified in Roanoke Circuit Court Monday explains the situation. It reads that on Jan. 11, the school divisions accounting director, Donna Caldwell, told police about the alleged fraud. Caldwell told city police that she made a payment via check to the Global Equipment Co., an industrial equipment supplier in Chicago, Illinois, in the amount of $14,414.26. The school system sent a statement to The Roanoke Times Tuesday night that reads: "Roanoke City Public Schools (RCPS) made a payment in fall 2023 to Global Equipment for shelving for the Charles W. Day Technical Education Center, and the check cleared our account. In early January, Global Equipment reached out to the department that had originally ordered the shelving to ask when they could expect payment. RCPS let the vendor know that the payment was made, and the check had cleared. The vendor signed an affidavit confirming they did not receive the check, and RCPS reported it to the bank for a fraud investigation. RCPS Director of Accounting Donna Caldwell then reached out to RCPS insurance company, VAcorp, to report the incident. VAcorp instructed Mrs. Caldwell to file a police report. Roanoke Police recently asked if we had any updates, and upon checking with the banks fraud investigation department, were informed there are no updates to be provided at this time." According to the warrant, on Oct. 30, the check was cashed at an unknown Regions Bank branch." Roanoke police obtained a search warrant for Regions Bank, headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, and requested documents related to the deposit of the check. The warrant was executed Monday, and according to the court document, police have seized bank account information. The Global Equipment Co., predecessor to what is now the Global Industrial Co., sells furniture, school supplies, building materials and more, according to its website. Correction March 13, 2023, 11 a.m.: Jasmine Yoon will be the first Asian American federal judge in Virginia. An earlier online version of this article, which has been updated, incorrectly reported Yoon will be the first Asian American jurist in the state. Jasmine Yoon received Senate confirmation Tuesday to be U.S. District judge for the Western District of Virginia. She will be the first Asian American federal judge in the state and the first person of color to be a judge in the district. The vote Tuesday was 55-41. Virginias U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine issued this statement: Were thrilled the Senate voted to confirm Jasmine Yoon to the federal judiciary. She has a remarkable track record and a profound commitment to public service. With todays confirmation, she cements herself in history as the first Asian American federal judge in Virginia. We know shell be a tremendous asset to the federal judiciary. Yoon was nominated by President Joe Biden after the senators recommended her to fill the position when Chief Judge Michael Urbanski assumes senior status in July. The senators spoke at her confirmation hearing in February, and she was voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee last week. Yoon, a South Korean immigrant who moved to the United States with her family at the age of 14, told the committee that she was grateful for an opportunity that a young, scared but grateful non-English speaking immigrant could only imagine in her wildest dreams. Western Virginias federal bench has, with just one exception, consisted of white men since the district was created in 1871. Elizabeth Dillon became the first woman judge when she was appointed in 2014. Currently, three women preside over the districts magistrate and bankruptcy courts. Magistrate judges are appointed by the district judges; bankruptcy judges by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The jobs do not carry the higher power and lifetime appointment that comes with a Senate confirmation to a District Court judgeship. The Western District stretches from the Lynchburg region to the states western tip and extends all the way north to Winchester. It has seven courthouses; the largest one is in Roanoke. Last fall, Yoon was one of two names recommended to the White House by Warner and Kaine. The other was Patice Holland, a Black attorney with the Roanoke firm of Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black. Yoon, 43, is the wife of the districts U.S. Attorney, Chris Kavanaugh creating a possible conflict of interest should she be asked to hear criminal cases handled by his office. One possible scenario would be for Kavanaugh to step down from his four-year appointment, which was mentioned in a Virginia State Bar evaluation of the judicial candidates. Yoon and Kavanaugh have declined to comment. In a questionnaire submitted to the judiciary committee, Yoon wrote that if she were to be confirmed and Kavanaugh was still the head prosecutor, she would recuse herself from matters involving the office. Asked about Yoons possible conflict of interest last November, Warner and Kaine said they were confident that she would take the necessary steps to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest. Yoon faced no opposition at a Judiciary Committee hearing last month. Yoon is currently vice president of corporate integrity, ethics, and investigations at Capital One Financial Corp. She previously served as counsel to the University of Virginia and as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. One hot book making the rounds these days is a tiny, easily pocketable volume first published in 2017 by Yale history Professor Timothy Snyder. The title is On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century. On Tyranny made the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list that year and again in 2021, after the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Unfortunately, by then, many of the authors lessons seemed clairvoyant. A friend of mine, retired sociologist Rita Krasnow, recently loaned On Tyranny to yours truly and encouraged me to give it a look. At 126 pages, divided into 20 succinct chapters, the books both easily digestible and haunting. Its about how established democracies collapsed and succumbed to authoritarianism in Europes not-too-distant past. A good synopsis might be the famous aphorism coined by Harvard philosopher George Santayana: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Theres not enough space in this column to run through all 20 of Snyders lessons. Instead, well graze a handful, in no particular order, that seem most apropos, considering that an explicit authoritarian is waging a second campaign for the White House. Lets begin with Chapter 6. Be wary of paramilitaries, is the title. When the men with guns who always claimed to be against the system start wearing uniforms and marching with torches and pictures of a leader, the end is nigh, Snyder writes. Presciently, Synder published that warning only six months before torch-wielding, gun-carrying marchers mobbed Charlottesville, waving Confederate banners and Nazi flags and chanting Jews will not replace us! That was the deadly and injurious Unite the Right rally in August 2017. Snyder writes: It is impossible to carry out democratic elections, try cases in court, design and enforce laws, or indeed, manage any of the other quiet business of government when agencies beyond the state also have access to violence. Unite the Right was merely the debutantes ball for paramilitary action in 21st Century America. Since then, weve seen additional signals even closer to home. One was the formation of private local militias in Franklin, Floyd and Bedford counties (which are illegal under the Virginia constitution). In 2020, the latter gained formal recognition from the Bedford County Board of Supervisors. Elements of other paramilitaries, such as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, were key plotters and participants in the Jan. 6 insurrection in Washington. These days at his campaign rallies, Trump portrays those convicted for Jan. 6 as heroes of the nation. And he says hell pardon them when hes reelected. Snyders second lesson is Defend Institutions. It is institutions that help us to preserve decency. They need our help as well, Synder writes. Institutions do not protect themselves. They fall one after the other unless each is defended from the beginning. So choose an institution you care about a court, a newspaper, a law, a labor union and take its side. Snyder suggests we should feel alarm when political leaders attack institutions the way Trump has attacked the U.S. Department of Justice, the legal systems in two states, the media and just about anyone else who doesnt fully support Trump. Trump attacked the Republican Party in 2015 and 2016 while seeking its presidential nomination. More recently he consolidated his control of the partys national apparatus by appointing his daughter-in-law to lead the Republican National Committee. Already, Trumps publicly pledged to be a dictator on day one of his second term. And hes promised to eviscerate the federal civil service and replace thousands of nonpartisan federal government workers with people whose first loyalty is to Trump. The mistake is to assume that rulers who came to power through institutions cannot change or destroy those very institutions even when that is exactly what they have announced that they will do, Snyder notes. Contribute to good causes is lesson No. 15, and Snyder recommends a few ways to do that. Supporting good causes and organizations is one foundation of a polite society, he writes. Be active in organizations, political or not, that express your own view of life, Snyder writes. Pick a charity or two and set up autopay. Then you will have made a free choice that supports a civil society and helps others do good. This idea is based on a fundamental although not specifically enunciated doctrine of the U.S. Constitution: the right to free association. One element of freedom is the choice of associates, and one defense of freedom is the activity of groups to sustain their members, Snyder writes. He means organizations like the Roanoke Kiwanis Club a nonpolitical, nondenominational club of well-meaning people who realize they can get a lot more done together than alone. Such groups are all over the Rotary Club, the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club, the American Legion. Insofar as we take pride in these activities, and come to know others who do so as well, we are creating civil society, Snyder writes. Sharing in an undertaking teaches us that we can trust people beyond a narrow circle of friends and families, and helps us to recognize authorities from whom we can learn. Snyder doesnt say so specifically, but bonds created from learned and earned trust will prevent us from killing each other in times of political disorder. It might come in handy on the next Jan. 6. Chapter 10 is headlined, Believe in truth. To abandon facts is to abandon freedom, Snyder writes. If nothing is true, then no one can criticize power, because there is no basis upon which to do so. If nothing is true, then all is spectacle. The biggest wallet pays for the most blinding lights. The truth dies in four ways, according to Snyder. The first is the renunciation of reality, such as, denouncing vaccines by arguing they do more harm than good, even when facts demonstrate otherwise. The second is shamanistic incantation rally chants of Crooked Hillary, Lock her up! and Build the wall are good examples. Repeated incessantly, popular slogans replace logic. Embracing contradiction is the third way, Snyder writes. In his 2016 campaign, Trump promised to cut taxes on everyone, eliminate the national debt, and increase both social and defense spending. These promises mutually contradict, Snyder writes. Their acceptance requires magical thinking. The final way truth dies is misplaced faith that any one person can solve all problems. The fascists of 20th Century Europe despised the small truths of everyday existence, loved slogans that resonated like a new religion and preferred creative myths to history or journalism, Snyder writes. They used new media, which at the time was radio, to create a drumbeat of propaganda that aroused feelings before people had time to ascertain facts. And now, as then, many people confused faith in a hugely flawed leader with the truth about the world we all share. Today, the new media is social media, which is stirring emotions and sowing divisions 24 hours per day. That sums up just four of Timothy Snyders lessons outlined in the concise On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century. Buy that book. The other 16 are worth learning, too. Created under a funerary theme, Of Mud & Blood fuses the talent of Richmonds ceramic artists and tattoo artists into one collaborative art show. Over the course of about eight months, the ceramic artists of the Visual Arts Center (VisArts) and the tattooer community have dedicated their energy to unique ceramic pieces, adorned with tattoo art. Each artist incorporated their unique style, perspective, culture, technique, and vision, yielding a body of work thats full of variation, and telling stories from all over Richmond and the world. Of Mud & Blood || Visual Arts Center of Richmond Of Mud & Blood is in its second iteration; the first took place in 2021 and created a lot of buzz. It was originally conceptualized by Jeff Vick, the Director of Studios + Facilities at Visarts. The idea initially emerged from a conversation he had with Katie Davis, a Richmond tattoo artist and co-coordinator of this years show. Katie had taken Jeffs ceramics classes, decorated one of his pieces, and the idea was born. Culminating in a silent auction that raised over $16,000, VisArts donated the money to two local charities, MAD RVA and Health Brigade, as well as bolstering community partnership programs at VisArts. The hard work that has gone into the creations of this years show will be celebrated with an auction once again this time around, but that comes last. What came first? Each ceramic artist made 1-3 pieces and bisque-fired them, which means that the clay has gone through its initial firing and hasnt yet been glazed. The official theme was ceremonial and funerary objects such as urns, jars, reliquaries, and wall hangings, and each artist was inspired by this theme, adapting it to fit their aesthetic and inclinations. Ceramic Artist Jess Cullen || Tattooer Matty Esswein of Salvation Tattoo || Photos by Zack Rogers To me, one of the coolest parts of this process is making the piece and knowing that the tattoo artists wont be slowed down at all by the fact that its three dimensional, because thats something theyre already good at, remarks Karen Hull, a ceramics artist and teacher at VisArts. Then, the tattoo artists came through and selected the piece that spoke to them the most. It was really cool to see the artists come in, get settled, and then see a light behind their eyes when they choose a piece, reflects Davis. After finding their perfect vessel, the tattoo artists took their pieces home to underglaze them. Underglazes are not shiny, they come out matte when fired by themselves, and they are applied with a paintbrush. Theyre perfect to be used in this case because they allow for more control of the color, but Katie noted that theyre a much different medium than most tattoo artists are used to. Deb Rice, a ceramics teacher at VisArts and co-coordinator of the show, gave a few underglaze demonstrations with Katie to help the tattoo artists transition their skills to the new medium and to teach them a few techniques. They very quickly familiarized themselves with a new art form in an unconventional way, with impressive results. Echoing Hulls sentiment, Davis (who, along with being a coordinator, is also one of the tattoo artists participating in the show) said that the three dimensional aspects makes the adaptation of mediums a bit more fluid. A lot of tattoos take the shape of the body into account when designing, so the eye doesnt get stuck in one area, she explains. On the flip side, she emphasized the fact that while tattooers usually see immediate, instantaneous results of their work as they do it, ceramics take more patience. Artists dont really know what the piece will truly look like until after its fired, and there are so many different elements and avenues for variation, such as glaze combinations. When working with clay or skin as your canvas, there are many living, breathing aspects to consider. Next, the tattoo artists brought the underglazed pieces back to VisArts, putting them into the care of the original ceramic artist. Its been such a thrill to see the pieces come back in, says Rice, continuing, you get it back and its such a surprise! Ceramic Artist Nga Nguyen-Weaver || Tattooer Kpham of Hold It Down || Photos by Zack Rogers Rice is also a participating artist, along with coordinating the show, and she initially worried about giving up control. However, she said the project has helped her grow a lot from connecting more with her fellow artists at VisArts, to trying new glaze combinations. Already gorgeous pieces, the tattoo art added another level of color and narrative to the pottery. Each ceramics artist marveled at the underglaze work done on their piece and carefully added another layer of glaze after discerning what would best highlight the tattoo artists work. They then placed the pieces back into the kiln for their final firing. Several ceramic artists added white gold or yellow gold luster to their pieces, truly highlighting the previous brush strokes with metallic details, which required a third firing. An interesting take on an exquisite corpse style of collaboration, this project gave both the ceramicists and tattooers the freedom to uphold their own aesthetics while contributing to a unique piece. This enabled them to go in directions they may not have ventured into if it werent for the collaboration. Exquisite corpse, an artistic endeavor where each participant builds upon the work of the previous one with no prior discussion, was invented in 1925 by a group of surrealists in Paris. It differs from traditional collaboration because there is no official discussion of how the piece should look; it just flows. I like to believe that each tattoo artist gravitated to the bisqued pieces for a reason, and that the masterpieces that have emerged were needed in some way by the community. We really care about this project, and we also really care about each other, muses Rice, amazed by the level of respect that all of the participating artists gave to each others work. She speaks about the VisArts community, and how they came together for this show, brainstorming their pieces, especially how to best honor the tattoo work with the final layer of glaze. Ive never had a community like this before I came to VisArts, Rice says. We all look out for each other, Ive been really moved by that. The eight month process will finally be realized at an opening taking place from 6:00 to 9:00 on March 15th (the Ides of March, spooky right?) at Material Room in Scotts Addition. According to Emily Nixon, the Exhibition and Residencies Manager at VisArts, who has handled many organizational aspects of the show, this space is much smaller than the VisArts gallery, where the 2021 iteration of the show was held. This presents some spatial challenges, but everyone is extremely excited for the exhibition. Material Room, a self proclaimed DIY art space, draws many local artists. Richmonders will be able to view their pieces and decide if one is meant to be in their home. All of the bidding on the pieces will be done online, running from March 15th at 9:00am until March 24th at 7:59:59pm EST. The link for bidding and to preview the pieces can be found here, but please note that bidding wont be active until March 15th. It includes full lists of the artists included as well. Ceramic Artist Karen Hull || Tattooer Adam Mckown of River City Tattoo || Photos by Zack Rogers This year, the proceeds from the Of Mud & Blood auction will benefit Mental Health America of Virginia. A branch off of the larger national organization, they support community members through advocacy, recovery education, and a peer run-warm line, which is a means for communication and connection. Nixon says they found the organization through one of their studio access residents who is very passionate about the work they do. The confluence of this show is significant; though there is a funerary theme and each artist works relatively alone, the collaboration has fostered community and will give back to those in need through Mental Health America of Virginia. Making art can feel isolating when you havent tapped into a community of fellow artists, but that warm community certainly exists at VisArts. To have our expression benefitting people who really need our help is such a gift for us, Rice exclaims. For me, art is such a powerful way to express myself and maybe work through some things, she elaborates. Art and mental health are connected in intricate ways, making the organization feel like a natural choice. The 2024 Of Mud & Blood show is the realization of a long-awaited dream in more ways than one. Originally, the 2021 show was supposed to be a part of NCECA, a massive ceramics conference that was slated to come to Richmond in 2020. It was canceled, like so many things, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving many disappointed artists in its wake. Of Mud & Blood still happened, of course, but a year later and not as a part of NCECA. This year, NCECA is finally coming to Richmond. According to Vick, who is a major part of making the conference happen, there will be over 70 exhibitions taking place from March 20th to 23rd, which will be free and open to the public. Bringing artists, art connoisseurs, and collectors to Richmond, its an understatement to say that NCECA is a huge deal. Of Mud & Blood is such a strong representation of Richmond for those traveling from all corners of the earth. Tattoo artists and ceramic artists are such integral parts of our art ecosystem, and this show is bursting with Richmonds energy. The 2024 NCECA theme is coalescence, which, according to Oxford Dictionary, is the joining or merging of elements to form one mass or whole. These pieces, originating from the coalescence of talent, passed back and forth between excited yet careful hands, electric with gratitude and vision, are like nothing I have seen before. Top photo courtesy of the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. Im starting to really enjoy these interviews. My favorite part? Staying in touch with all of the candidates. Theyve all sent me prompts on issues they care about since our individual conversations; not one in aggrandizement of their contributions to anything. Just, Hey, look at this problem! Help me fix it. Give it some ink. You start to really feel a part of the food chain of progress. The darker side of me also sees the dimly lit roads to appeasement and apologistic complicity beckoning. Lucky for me, I was raised by punk rock specifically, Richmond punk. What that means needs no explanation to those that share the same upbringing. To those that didnt, let me describe the ethic: our best and our loudest always stood firm in the face of oppressors, protected our vulnerable, judged ourselves by our willingness to fight against our collective past, and win our futures. Mostly through song and the sharing of ideals, but when needed and without hesitation in marches, collective giving, community organization, and sometimes using our bodies as barriers to fascist intimidation. As I grow older I have replaced my studded belts with stretch waistbands, and my Docs see the inside of my hall closet more than the sticky venue floors they knew so well. The local punk heroes from my youth are now real estate agents, dads, moms, contractors, and such, but the values that raised our clenched fists high in defiance of institutional evil still fly, arthritis and all. One of the most potent fronts in the ethical battle for equity has been in confrontation with policing; it is an Americans most common intersection with state sponsored violence. Weve seemingly encouraged some of our worst to apply for sensitive positions of power in the police ranks locally and nationally, and we seem to be stymied by the Thin Blue Line when it comes to holding those officers accountable. We often hear about the bad apples. How does the adage go? Bad apples spoil the whole bunch? Remove the rotting fruit, or dont be surprised when we consider throwing out the whole basket. Im walking into Kuba Kuba in the Fan to meet Maurice Neblett. Hes a product of the most challenged and neglected neighborhoods in Richmond. The front lines of the battle littered with the bodies and freedoms of the least powerful. Mr. Neblett is a graduate of Virginia Union University. Hes an American that has seen this violence done against his neighbors and himself. Hes a thriving survivor of the worst Richmond can throw at you. Im very stoked to talk to this guy. I feel I have a great story to listen to, and some empanadas to eat. CHRISTIAN DETRES: Maurice Neblett, this is your first time running for office for anything. This is your first foray into politics at all. Hows it going? MAURICE NEBLETT: Yes, sir. It is my first time running for office. Ive supported other candidates, as a team, coming up through college. CD: Why are you doing this? Youre putting yourself under a lot of scrutiny. Also, God knows these jobs dont pay well. MN: Im doing what I love: serving the people of Richmond and this area. Im a Richmond native. I graduated from Virginia Union University. Im an entrepreneur. I also sit on the Board of Directors of a Federal Credit Union here. Im a community organizer. Ive always been involved in helping to pull up individuals out of disparity. My mother passed away when I was a child and I felt helpless. I had made a promise to myself that I was going to help my mother. But what could I do? I was a kid. From there on, I knew I was to be a protector. Thats my purpose, my purpose is to be there for people and to be true. CD: You have had the experience of growing up in some of our most challenged neighborhoods. That is a unique background amongst the rest of the mayoral candidates. You have to be intimately aware of all of the most troublesome components of our most troubled areas. Given your perspective, what needs to get fixed first? How do we make a sustainable impact in those areas? Things that actually can be done within the budgetary confines of our city. MN: First off, I attended a lot of RPS schools. Fairfield Elementary, Carver, Linwood Holton, J.E.B. Stuart Not limited to that because there are more. Ive lived in Fairfield Court, Mosby, Gilpin. Swansboro, Blackwell. Look at the statistics I had to overcome. Live in your environment, but do not become your environment. Thats what I had to live by coming up. The budgetary apportioning that you mentioned is going to be what I push on my platform. Im pushing for police reform. Though we cant have real police reform without community formation and organization. We have to have a seat at the table and have access to the conversation. When we do have that access we can effectively communicate the immediate issues. But, we cant use the legacy political stance because, like you mentioned, that hasnt changed a thing. CD: It has not. I dont want to be a cynic, but Ive been around long enough to have heard the announcement of the beginnings of that conversation between the police and the community many times. It never happens. I either have to assume that the people saying that these conversations are gonna happen are bullshitting us, or I could assume charitably that theres something in between that motivation to dialogue and the actual reality of it producing any benefit to anyone other than a candidates PR team. What is that barrier if it exists? Whats keeping us from actually delivering on those promises? MN: So first off, thats included in my purpose. To bridge that gap. My understanding and knowledge in criminology and criminal justice teaches me that we do need order in our society. I also know we need to convert the current antagonistic methods of community policing to solid, collaborative, community relationships with RPD. We need to be sure were deploying officers that can be community engaged. We need to implement that in their training. Not just a cursory re-training, but to make them experts in community engagement. So they can understand the community theyre serving. CD: What do you feel is at the heart of that issue? There seems to be a problem thats deeper than training. MN: When I started running for Mayor, I stepped in with the understanding that I have to be accountable as a leader. The Mayors office has to be accountable to this issue. The Chief of Police, the whole police department, has to be held accountable. But we have to do it together. Its not a problem that will just dissolve or be changed from one single direction. I want to incentivize officers to get to know the individuals in the community they patrol. We have to set an amount of hours that officers have to engage with community members without waiting for a conflict to arise or in response to a call. Not being reactive but proactive. We need a different approach. CD: What do you think the communitys reaction to an initiative like that would be in those neighborhoods? How do you build a trust thats already been lost, maybe never been had? How do you get the community to look at the police department as an assistant, as opposed to a prowling entity to fear interacting with? MN: So trust is key. The way policing has been instituted in our city in our nation since they transferred over the practice from England is problematic. The dynamic of policing has to change. We have to be innovative. We have to be more equitable. The thing is this: the community may not be initially trusting because of that history and those methods, that have terrorized the poor for centuries. We have to be persistent and organized. I do have tactics that will ensure that we are able to bridge that gap. A lot of us have experienced interactions with police. Weve had some horrible experiences with police officers, with bad actors. We have also had amazing interactions with officers who are there to actually serve. CD: One of the reasons why I said I was excited about talking to you is because this issue irks me a lot. I know its difficult to be strident on this topic. As a politician seeking the mayors office, you know, no matter what, you have to work with RPD. With, not against. These are partners that you have to bring into your fold. When you address the idea of bad apples, we start from the premise that its a fringe element in the police ranks. I call bullshit. If it was, thered be no problem. There wouldnt be a culture that shuffles bad apples around like were not going to notice theyre just terrorizing a different community now. We shouldnt have to deal with that problem. They have to deal with it. And theyre not. For me to believe there is an overwhelming populace of good cops, there would have to be an unimpeachable policing of themselves. How can you be a good cop and look the other way when your colleagues treat us like animals? To continue to let us be paper targets instead of taking their badges? Where is that disconnect? I cannot be supportive of people that stand beside and watch a bad cop. Knowing that theyre putting somebody within a hairs breadth and death by virtue of their state sponsored weapon. How do you incentivize the police to police themselves? MN: Thats a key point. That problem and approach is like an onion. There are many layers to it. From start to end, I have a plan for that. We have to increase the morale in the police department on this issue. Change the way peer to peer evaluations happen within the police department. There are going to be key initiatives to encourage and welcome officers who are there to protect and serve. CD: Doesnt that initiative start at home for RPD? MN: It does start at home, but we have to also implement real civilian oversight. So that we can have a transparent process with the de-certification of those who are not fit. To weed out those who are not there to serve the community. The ones that have lost themselves or never had themselves in the beginning. CD: Yeah, right? All that said, I can imagine being a police officer is probably a hard job not to lose yourself in. As much as I can damn them for harm, the vast portion of their job is essentially dealing with assholes. They dont get called to attend cookouts and birthday parties. Theyre responding to domestic violence calls, robberies, murders etc. Not the best scenarios to meet cool people. How many assholes would I have to talk to during a day before I start yelling at people? I understand the frustration, but thats the thing. Not everybody is cut out for that job. You have to be able to withstand and transcend that frustration to create a positive outcome. And thats the job. Take it or leave it. I think that I speak for myself and a lot of my peers, especially coming from RVA magazine, when I say the youth culture, the counterculture of this city, is very dialed in to the troubles of policing. Thats a big issue. Im glad to know theres somebody serious, coming to that situation. When we look maybe a year from now, two years from now, and youre sitting in that office, with regular connection to the police department, what type of things are you going to be suggesting to them? MN: So first of all, understanding politics, some politicians have a different view point of purpose. They have a different view of their desire. But one of the key points in the seat as Mayor, policing is number one, It is a responsibility of the Mayor to make sure that we are a productive engine. There are many parts of the city that need attention, but this is an essential key piece. Because safety is first. Safety first. As Mayor, I am the capital A Administrator. The Police Chief is the direct administrator of the department, but I am still responsible for the manner in which they administrate. Lets look at the use of force. We need to implement effective mental health awareness in our officers, so that they know how to engage with individuals who are in crisis. How to tell the difference between someone trying to do harm and one crying out for help. CD: How do you teach empathy and patience? MN: We have to look at the problem from start to finish. From the process of the candidate being an officer to representing our government as a police officer. We need to re-evaluate our hiring standards. We need to be able to gauge their biases or ignorances. We need to make sure that we inform them of the cultures theyll be interacting with. Its not just the people that have been here generationally, we also have migrants coming into the country. How are we supposed to be able to interact with them without understanding their culture as well? To understand where theyre coming from? Keeping our officers culturally literate is key. CD: I agree with that. I know you want to talk about financial accountability so lets move on. Could you explain your position therein and how that factors into your plans? MN: Theres a logical approach and stance on leadership. It requires a blend of humility, courage, and commitment to service. Ultimately, when it comes to cultivating great employees within the city government, valuable employees, it involves cultivating citizens that have the opportunity to be those people. Giving people good chances to thrive and become effective team members in city government and community. The accountability aspect of it is baseline transparency. We want to make sure that we give access to transparency for budget allocation. A lot of departments, at the end of their fiscal years, try to hurry up and try to burn through remaining funds, so they dont get shorted for the next year. We can instead use surpluses to provide contributions to other departments that may need those dollars now. Provide for nonprofit organizations or small business that support our community. CD: How we manage surpluses is weird. So an agency has a million dollar budget right? It comes down to the end of the fiscal year, and they havent spent $180,000 of that million. Now for them to get the same million dollars in the next budget, they have to show that they are using that money. They see their budgets slashed for being efficient. How can we not incentivize those agencies to turn that money back in without losing that they budgeted as necessary? How they can maybe roll that surplus into the next year. So they start with $1.18M in 2025. That number grows in an interest bearing account and makes it so that when that agency has the opportunity to tackle a normally prohibitively expensive project, they can access this war chest to accomplish their goals. MN: We do need to take a strategic approach to this and review. In those instances where departments need additional funds to update equipment, that plan would be helpful. Outside of that, we have to actually stop overspending and allocate funds to support other departments without having their budgets in danger. One thing we can do now is review the useless waste of resources by looking at overtime at all levels across multiple departments within the citys governance. You have individuals making a lot of money where their overtime pay is equal to or more than their salary. CD: I havent even looked at this being an issue in Richmond, but in New York, specifically with the police department, overtime is an expected perk. Im very pro-union, but sometimes you find theres a lot of room for mismanagement. In the search for the best deal within the member ranks, we find the taxpayers most aligned with their communal goals to be on the hook. Im only addressing wasteful overtime. Clearly there are times when its necessary. We have created a place on the left where dissent from the absolute sanctity of the Union is attacked feverishly. If youre on the progressive side of things (as I proudly am), it starts to feel that you have to be a union cheerleader or persona non grata. You cant criticize or workshop ideas for streamlining. We have painted ourselves into a corner where people outside of our governmental system are telling us how to use our money with cultural impunity. How do we stop that waste or at least balance the conversation? MN: That goes to allowing transparency and showing the systems we own in action. Were developing a system where the community at large will have a seat at the table. Where theyll be able to have input on city relations, especially when it comes down to finance. There are many areas that need to be touched in the city and many improvements that need to be made. When individuals have access to the line items they can see whether theres waste in the use of funds. We can then make an adjustment or explain our judgment on specific spending. CD: We are overspending in ways that are completely nonsensical, and it seems like these nonsensical things are not even hard to understand when you put human motives into the equation. Is there a certain amount of patronage thats coming into the picture here? Where we get bloated bills from contractors because if you dont pay the vig youre not gonna get their support in the next election? Its a slippery slope I guess. When it comes to well, if it means I get to implement my administrative plans that I think are noble, then I gotta just pay this little tip over here, then Ill do it. How do we change that mentality? MN: We need to take these decisions back to the home ground. We need to give the citizens, the body, more access to making these decisions. A politician is a working servant, in tune with the community, being a part of initiatives on grassroots ground level. Thats a way to circumvent budgetary restrictions and contain waste. We can do this collectively. But to touch on that piece, some politicians want to cater unevenly to developers and powerful- CD: -generous- MN: Yeah. Thats not me. I have infrastructure goals. Im all for progress. I also know what Richmond has, and its not to be sold cheaply. We have a lot here in Richmond and we need to embrace it. We, together, need to take ownership of our infrastructure goals, and implement them within our means. We also need to make sure that the money weve allotted for certain programs are spent the right way. Yeah, you know what I mean, especially when it comes down to housing, and the displaced people in desperate need of it. We have to devise a plan thats going to cultivate individuals in those circumstances to have hope, and to allow them to purchase homes within their communities while providing career development and financial awareness. We need to make sure our resources are not sold cheaply to developers. CD: Ooh, you need to speak to Damon Harris at Teal House Company. I think youd find some very aligned goals between the two of you. I want to say thank you so much for this conversation. I really look forward to seeing what you do. I mean that. Learn more about Maurice Neblett here. I was pleased that I had stumbled upon a practical example to illustrate this popular aphorism, until it struck me that I had it backwards, and in this case, the eye was faster than the hand ... Man arrested in California after Massachusetts shooting deaths of woman and her 11-year-old daughter Police in California have arrested a man wanted in connection with the deaths of a mother and her 11-year-old daughter in Massachusetts who were fatally shot while sitting in a parked SUV " " The Louvre Pyramid is considered one of the world's most iconic design masterpieces. Wikimedia Commons/(CC BY-ND 2.0) Key Takeaways The Louvre Pyramid was commissioned as part of the Grand Louvre project to enhance visitor reception and access. Architect I.M. Pei collaborated with Saint-Gobain to develop a new type of clear glass, eliminating the usual greenish tint to achieve transparency, which was a significant technological achievement at the time. The pyramid is cleaned by a remote-controlled robot, due to to the pyramid's unique sloped structure. Thirty years after it was unveiled, the Louvre Pyramid stands in front of the world's most visited museum, and despite its relative youth, it has become a vital part of Paris' renowned cityscape. Vying with the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe for the title of Paris' most recognizable landmark, the Pyramid officially opened in 1989 and gained instant notoriety, and not the kind the designers were hoping for. The glass-and-metal structure designed by Chinese-born architect and founder of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, the late I.M. Pei, sits atop the Louvre's underground, yet light-filled, lobby connecting the museum's three pavilions Denon, Richelieu and Sully. With a square base and an apex of 71 feet (21 meters), its dimensions form a miniature Great Pyramid of Giza. Advertisement Initially constructed in the 12th century as a fortress, what is today the Louvre Museum served as a royal residence before becoming a public museum in 1793 after the French Revolution. So how did a modern take on ancient Egyptian architecture end up in the City of Light? Here are seven facts about this Pyramid. " " Ecologist Arthur Hasler (left) is credited with explaining the homing instinct of coho salmon. Center for Limnology, University of Wisconsin-Madison Key Takeaways Ivan Pavlov's experiment demonstrated conditioned responses in dogs. Pavlov's work exemplifies the scientific method, starting with a hypothesis about conditioned responses and testing it through controlled experiments. Pavlov's findings not only advanced an understanding of animal physiology but also laid foundational principles for behaviorism, a major school of thought in psychology that emphasizes the study of observable behaviors. Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) are amazing fish. Indigenous to the Pacific Northwest, they begin their lives in freshwater streams and then relocate to the open ocean. But when a Coho salmon reaches breeding age, it'll return to the waterway of its birth, sometimes traveling 400 miles (644 kilometers) to get there. Enter the late Arthur Davis Hasler. While an ecologist and biologist at the University of Wisconsin, he was intrigued by the question of how these creatures find their home streams. And in 1960, he used a Hypothesis-Presentation.pdf">basic tenet of science the hypothesis to find out. Advertisement So what is a hypothesis? A hypothesis is a tentative, testable explanation for an observed phenomenon in nature. Hypotheses are narrow in scope unlike theories, which cover a broad range of observable phenomena and draw from many different lines of evidence. Meanwhile, a prediction is a result you'd expect to get if your hypothesis or theory is accurate. So back to 1960 and Hasler and those salmon. One unverified idea was that Coho salmon used eyesight to locate their home streams. Hasler set out to test this notion (or hypothesis). First, he rounded up several fish who'd already returned to their native streams. Next, he blindfolded some of the captives but not all of them before dumping his salmon into a faraway stretch of water. If the eyesight hypothesis was correct, then Hasler could expect fewer of the blindfolded fish to return to their home streams. Things didn't work out that way. The fish without blindfolds came back at the same rate as their blindfolded counterparts. (Other experiments demonstrated that smell, and not sight, is the key to the species' homing ability.) Although Hasler's blindfold hypothesis was disproven, others have fared better. Today, we're looking at three of the best-known experiments in history and the hypotheses they tested. BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Two Hezbollah fighters were killed in the past 24 hours in Israeli raids targeting areas in eastern and southern Lebanon, Lebanese military sources told Xinhua. The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Israeli warplanes carried out eight airstrikes overnight into Tuesday, targeting the village of Aita al-Shaab in southern Lebanon and the city of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon. They added that members of the Civil Defense, the Lebanese Red Cross, and the Islamic Health Authority rushed to the scene with several bulldozers and cranes, working to remove the rubble and transport the injured to hospitals. The sources noted that several teams were still working to remove the debris from one of the destroyed buildings near the Dar Al Amal University Hospital in the vicinity of Baalbek. According to the sources, about 100 surface-to-surface missiles were launched Tuesday morning from southern Lebanon toward northern Israel, and some of them were intercepted by the Israeli Iron Dome. In addition, four drones crossed the border of Lebanon into the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, the sources added. Meanwhile, the Israeli military confirmed that its warplanes carried out airstrikes in Baalbek, deep inside Lebanon, on Tuesday, saying the attack was "a response to some 100 rockets fired earlier by Hezbollah at northern Israel," referring to salvos toward the Upper Galilee area and the Golan Heights. "The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) fighter jets struck two Hezbollah military command centers in the area of Baalbek," the Israeli military said in a statement, adding, "Hezbollah used these sites to store significant assets for strengthening its weapons arsenal." Also on Tuesday, the Israeli army struck a military compound in the southeastern Lebanese village of Khiam and an infrastructure in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil. The Lebanon-Israel border has been witnessing increased tension since Oct. 8, 2023, after Lebanese armed group Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets toward Israel in support of the Hamas attack on Israel the previous day, prompting Israel to respond by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon. The confrontations between Hezbollah and Israel have killed 357 people on the Lebanese side, including 236 Hezbollah members and 70 civilians, according to Lebanese security sources. " " Look at that resemblance! You're not alone if you've wondered if these two towering beastmen Bigfoot (left) and Chewie were related. Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP/Getty Images; RichLegg/E+/Getty Images It's Sunday, Feb. 26, 1984, and like millions of other kids in the United States, you're watching the network TV debut of "Star Wars" (aka "Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope") on CBS. "Is that Bigfoot?" asks your dad, when Chewbacca appears onscreen. Advertisement "No, Dad," you manage. You've told your dad about Chewbacca before. He's seen the action figure. For that matter, he's seen actual depictions of Bigfoot before on "In Search of" and "The Six Million Dollar Man," so your dad should know better. "He looks like a Bigfoot," Dad contends, walking out of the room. And you can only sigh. That was more than 36 years ago. Today, with eight more films in the series released, you reflect on your dad's confusion and you can't help but wonder: What IS the connection between these two, towering beastmen? "Bigfoot," of course, is another name for Sasquatch, a folkloric North American being said to resemble a shaggy, upright ape. The creature has roots in the folk beliefs of various native North American tribespeople and is part of a familiar trope in global folklore: the beastman, a form neither entirely human nor entirely animal that inhabits the wild, untamed and sacred parts of the world. In modern times, Bigfoot has also come to symbolize a longing for the unexplored and an embodiment of environmental concern. It's also a frequent obsession of pseudoscientific investigation and unsubstantiated sightings. Wookiees (like Chewbacca), at least within the lore of "Star Wars," have nothing to do with Earth. It's a galaxy far, far away, remember? As we know from 1978's "The Star Wars Holiday Special" and subsequent treatments, the Wookiees hail from the forest planet Kashyyyk. While many observers mistake them for a primitive species, the Wookiees boast both a rich culture and an aptitude for advanced, spacefaring technology. They fought in one of the final, crucial battles during the Clone Wars, and Chewbacca became a prominent rebel hero during the Galactic Civil War that followed. FLORENCE For the seventh straight year there will not be a tuition increase for students attending Francis Marion University. Trustees at their Thursday meeting voted to continue the tuition freeze, approved a new academic program and named facilities to honor two longtime board members. I am delighted that the board has chosen to freeze tuition for another year, said FMU President Fred Carter. Through appropriations support from the General Assembly and the generous gifts of our donors, we can go yet another year without increasing the financial burden on our students and their families, thus ensuring that our students have the opportunity to receive an exceptional education at an affordable cost. The trustees also approved a resolution for the creation of a new undergraduate degree program in criminal justice. The bachelor of arts/bachelor of science in criminal justice will meet the workforce demand of the state for individuals trained for careers in criminal justice administration, criminal law, and general law enforcement. The approval of this new program in criminal justice will help to meet the critical demand for better educated law enforcement personnel across the Pee Dee Region and throughout the state, said Carter. Im immensely proud of the collaborative efforts within the faculty to develop this curriculum in such a timely fashion. In addition, trustees approved the naming of two wings within the new School of Education/School of Business building for longstanding board members, both of whom are also alumni. The Dr. Randall Dozier School of Education Wing will honor current board Chairman and FMU alumnus Randall Dozier. Dozier earned his baccalaureate degree from FMU and his masters, specialist, and doctoral degrees from the University of South Carolina. Dozier began his career as a teacher and progressed to various administrative positions at both the school and district levels including superintendent of Georgetown County Schools during his more than 43-year career in education. He has served Francis Marion in numerous capacities since his graduation. His bold leadership has been instrumental in the continued growth and development of the university. Robert Lee earned his baccalaureate degree from Francis Marion and his juris doctorate from the University of South Carolina School of Law. The Robert Lee School of Business Wing will be named in his honor. For more than 30 years Lee has been an advocate for justice and individual rights for all citizens regardless of their economic or social status. His unwavering commitment to the university is demonstrated by the dedication with which he has served his alma mater both on the board and in various other capacities. He led the board of trustees during a critical time in the universitys history. Also during Thursdays meeting, the board unanimously approved the construction of an engineering workshop building. This free-standing applied laboratory facility will meet the current and future needs of the universitys engineering programs. One Singaporean and one Vietnamese national were killed, while five others were injured, including an 11-year-old girl, in a tour van-lorry crash in Sabah. (PHOTO:Facebook/Balai Bomba Dan Penyelamat Semporna, Sabah) SINGAPORE A Singaporean man was killed in a collision between a tour van and a lorry in Malaysia on Monday afternoon (11 March). The accident occurred in Semporna, Sabah, and claimed the lives of a 60-year-old Singaporean and a 40-year-old Vietnamese national. According to a report by Malaysian newspaper The Star, the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department operations centre officer Riki Mohan Singh Ramday confirmed the identities of the deceased as Singaporean Lee Siong Huat and Vietnamese Ngo Trinh Buu Dung. He said they were killed on the spot as a result of the accident, which occurred around 4pm at KM20 on Jalan Semporna-Tawau. Multiple injuries reported Malaysian news agency Bernama reported that three others suffered serious injuries: the 42-year-old Malaysian tour van driver and two Singaporeans aged 67 and 71. Mazlan Sarman, the chief of Semporna Fire and Rescue Station, told the agency that two more Singaporeans, an 11-year-old girl and a 58-year-old man, suffered minor injuries and were taken to the hospital for treatment. The accident occurred when the tour van collided with a lorry before it skidded and crashed to the roadside. The 25-year-old lorry driver emerged from the incident unharmed. The fire station received an alert about the incident at 4.03pm, prompting five officers and firemen to rush to the accident scene, which was located 20 kilometres away from the station. The operations ended at 5.23pm. Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs extends support to affected citizens A spokesperson from Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Yahoo Southeast Asia on Tuesday (12 March) that the ministry, via the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, has been providing consular assistance and support to affected Singaporeans and their families. The spokesperson said, "Officials from the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur have been in close contact with the Sabah authorities and are in Tawau to provide further assistance." Story continues MFA added that it extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and wishes the injured Singaporeans a smooth and speedy recovery. Do you have a story tip? Email: sgnews.tips@yahooinc.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. Also check out our Southeast Asia, Food, and Gaming channels on YouTube. A 63-year-old man found dead at Marina Bay Sands hotel. According to 8World News, he is believed to have fallen from the building. (PHOTO: Getty Images) SINGAPORE A 63-year-old man was found dead at the foot of Marina Bay Sands (MBS) hotel on Monday (11 March). An MBS spokesperson confirmed the discovery of the man's body at the exterior of the hotel around 7.50pm on Monday. "The authorities were called to the scene and we will work closely with them on their investigations," the spokesperson told Yahoo Southeast Asia on Tuesday (12 March). The Singapore Police Force also confirmed with Yahoo they were alerted to a case of unnatural death along Bayfront Avenue at around 7:55 pm on the same day. According to the police, the man was found lying motionless and was pronounced dead at the scene. Based on preliminary investigations, the police do not suspect foul play, and said investigations are ongoing. According to a report from 8World, it is believed that the man died after falling from the hotel. An eyewitness told the media outlet that several police officers were setting up a blue tent and barricades at the first-floor exit of MBS' Tower 3. A post in the Professional PHV Drivers Singapore: Grab, Gojek, Tada and Ryde Facebook group at 9.45pm on Monday also advised the public to avoid the MBS area. If you have thoughts of suicide or are feeling distressed, you can call the Samaritans of Singapore's 24-hour hotline at 1767. You can also email pat@sos.org.sg. Do you have a story tip? Email: sgnews.tips@yahooinc.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. Also check out our Southeast Asia, Food, and Gaming channels on YouTube. The Woodlands Checkpoint (left) and Tuas Checkpoint. (FILE PHOTOS: Yahoo News Singapore) SINGAPORE From next Tuesday (19 March), travellers arriving and departing Singapore by car via Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints can use QR codes in lieu of passports for faster immigration clearance. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a media release that, to use the QR code for immigration clearance, travellers will need to download the MyICA mobile app and key in their passport details in the app to generate a unique QR code. They can scan their QR code by the scanners at the arrival and departure car counters at Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints. Once the QR code is scanned, ICA officers will conduct face-to-face checks of the travellers using the data retrieved backend through the QR code. The QR code initiative allows travellers to save up to around 20 seconds for cars with four travellers, and about one minute for cars with 10 travellers. Overall waiting time can be reduced by more than 30 per cent if most car travellers use QR code for clearance. This initiative also offers travellers contactless and more hygienic immigration clearance. Group QR code for those travelling in same car First-time visitors and those re-entering Singapore using a different passport from their last visit will need to present their physical passport for immigration clearance. They will be able to use QR code for immigration clearance on their subsequent trips. Travellers in the same car can populate their passport details and generate one group QR code for immigration clearance. For example, a family of four can have their passport details stored in the MyICA app on one family members phone, and generate a family group QR code for immigration clearance. Travellers can also create multiple QR codes for travels with different groups of people. Up to 10 travellers passport details can be included in one group QR code and each group QR code can be stored and named in the app. The QR codes generated are encrypted, and can only be retrieved and decrypted by ICA. Story continues Those travelling in a group must use a group QR code containing the passport details of those travelling in the same vehicle. QR codes that do not tally with the details and number of travellers in the vehicle will be rejected. Physical passports can still be used Even after this QR code initiative is rolled out, travellers can still opt to present physical passports to the ICA officers at the counters, as per current practice. ICA plans to progressively extend QR code clearance to the other clearance zones at the land checkpoints. This will allow travellers in other means of conveyance to also enjoy faster and more convenient immigration clearance. Do you have a story tip? Email: sgnews.tips@yahooinc.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. Also check out our Southeast Asia, Food, and Gaming channels on YouTube. FILE PHOTO: Protests against new citizenship law, in New Delhi GUWAHATI, India (Reuters) - Sporadic protests have erupted in India against a citizenship law that has been criticised for discriminating against Muslims, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government implemented the legislation just days before a general election is announced. Protests broke out in the eastern state of Assam and the southern state of Tamil Nadu late on Monday evening after the implementation was announced, authorities said. There were no reports of damage or any clashes with security forces. Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government framed rules on Monday to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), making it easy for non-Muslim refugees from three Muslim-majority South Asian nations to get Indian citizenship. The enactment of the law in 2019 had led to massive protests and sectarian violence in which scores were killed, forcing the government to delay its implementation. In Chennai, Tamil Nadu's capital, protesters took out a candle-light march on Monday and shouted slogans against the law. In Assam, protesters burnt copies of the law and shouted slogans on Monday night, and local opposition parties have called for a state-wide strike on Tuesday. Many oppose the CAA in Assam as they fear it can increase migration from neighbouring Muslim Bangladesh, a longstanding flashpoint that has polarised the state for decades. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), which rules the southern state of Kerala, has also called for state-wide protests on Tuesday. "Kerala will stand united in opposing this communal and divisive law," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in a post on X, among several opposition chief ministers who have criticised implementation of CAA. Authorities in the national capital New Delhi, where the protests were centred in 2019, were on alert for any violence, prohibiting unlawful gatherings and increasing police presence in sensitive areas. CAA grants Indian nationality to Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Christians who fled to Hindu-majority India due to religious persecution from Muslim-majority Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan before Dec. 31, 2014. Story continues Rights activists and Muslim groups say the law, combined with a proposed national register of citizens, can discriminate against India's 200 million Muslims - the world's third-largest Muslim population. Some fear the government might remove the citizenship of Muslims without documents in some border states. The government denies it is anti-Muslim and says the law is needed to help minorities facing persecution in Muslim-majority nations. It says the law is meant to grant citizenship, not take it away from anyone, and has called the protests politically motivated and due to misconceptions that have been spread. (Reporting by Tora Agarwala in Guwahati; Writing by Shilpa Jamkhandikar; Editing by YP Rajesh and Raju Gopalakrishnan) NORTH SIOUX CITY -- A Sioux City man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of robbing a North Sioux City bank. North Sioux City police chief Richard Headid said the suspect walked into Liberty National Bank, 113 Military Road, at 2:43 p.m., and handed a teller a note that demanded money or someone would be hurt. The suspect also displayed a knife. The robber left the bank with $1,000-$5,000 in cash and walked to a nearby parking lot, where he got into a car and fled. Police followed the suspect into Sioux City, where Headid said he pulled in front of the suspect's car and forced him to stop near West 19th and John streets. The suspect was taken into custody without incident, and the stolen money was recovered. Headid said Dennis Manchester, 44, was arrested on charges of first-degree robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, grand theft and driving while suspended. Headid said Manchester will be held in the Woodbury County Jail until he can be extradited to South Dakota to face charges. No bank employees were injured, Headid said. SIOUX CITY Representatives from a Minneapolis environmental engineering firm told Sioux City Council members Monday that the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) project delivery approach for the first phase of the rebuild of the city's aging wastewater treatment plant "is likely going to be the most attractive way to go." "Proposing to do phase one as one large contract gives the city an economy of scale, which means you're going to have larger, more national contractors focused on bidding this project in order to achieve that economy of scale. And you're just, frankly, likely to get a lot more bids, better bids by going the CMAR route, we feel, in this particular project," said Hazen and Sawyer's Gary Haubner, who is the project director for the wastewater treatment plant improvement project. Hazen and Sawyer delivered a presentation about project delivery methods during the council's weekly meeting at City Hall. Hazen and Sawyer is providing design, site survey and geotechnical investigation, construction administration and observation, as well as post construction services for the project. Last year, the council, in spite of objections from the business community, approved a residential, commercial and industrial sewer rate hike to help fund a projected $470 million three-phase rebuild of the plant, 3100 S. Lewis Blvd. The council has committed to the first two phases of the project, which consist of rebuilding the plant at its current location and also slightly increasing the plant's capacity, which the Iowa DNR is requiring. The plant poses significant safety issues for city staff and has a history of compliance issues with the state. In January 2022, the DNR filed suit against the city over alleged repeated environmental violations at the plant, which dated back to March 2012. The city faces fines adding up to millions of dollars. The first phase will address all safety and reliability issues associated with the liquids stream treatment process, along with odor control at York, Floyd and Riverside lift stations. The second phase will address reliability issues with the solids handling processes. In FY 2025, $300 million in is being requested for construction and $12 million for odor control. The funding source for the $312 million is sewer Iowa revolving loan proceeds. Sioux City wastewater treatment plant The Sioux City wastewater treatment plant is shown in a 2022 file photo. The council has two main delivery methods to choose from for the project: Design-Bid-Build (DBB) is the traditional method of delivery for construction projects -- design, publicly advertise, contractors bid, the lowest bid is selected. Cost alone determines the successful bidder and the contractor is not involved in the design in this method, which has been used by cities and municipalities for infrastructure projects for decades. Although CMAR has only been authorized for water and wastewater projects in Iowa since July 2022, it has been used in other states for the past 20 years. CMAR presents potential financial benefits through early contractor involvement, value engineering and risk mitigation strategies. CMAR's upfront costs may appear higher, but it has the potential to reduce change orders, project delays and overall construction expenses." "The key feature here is that the city is really typically locked into the low bid under the Design-Bid-Build process," Haubner said. "The contractor's really only involved in the project at the time of bidding. They have no involvement throughout the design process. The first time they're seeing the project is when those bid documents are publicized and advertised." With CMAR, Haubner said the construction management firm is brought on during the design process and selected on a "best value basis." "So, you can consider cost along other factors and get the right fit for the city to act as the construction manager and then, subsequently, as the contractor as well," he said. "They're able to look at the design as it's progressing and provide input on matters of constructability, matters of cost, sequencing." Haubner said that local and regional contractors will be pulled into the project with either delivery method, but he noted that will particularly be the case with CMAR. "Just because of the size of the project, it's just more economical to use local labor forces when they can," he said. In regard to the project delivery method, Mayor Bob Scott said he's not sure if he's "for or against anything." "They've got to be a pretty darn good contractor, whether you hard dollar, or whether you construction management," Scott said. "You may get one guy that bid outside the scope and territory, but I don't think there's any difference in the first line. I really don't, just because you've got to have a lot of, not only money, but a lot of expertise to bond a $270 million job. As we talked, there are very few contractors that can handle this." Scott asked Haubner for their closest sewer plant project to Sioux City. They responded that they've done work in Denver and the Twin Cities. "We've done a variety of different ways. We've done a lot of hard bid projects. We've done a lot of CMAR projects," he said. The council is expected to vote on the project delivery approach at its next meeting. SIOUX CITY The Iowa Transportation Commission approved more than $1.2 million in grant funding Tuesday for the construction of a roadway to support a new waterpark in Sioux City. The city of Sioux City will receive up to $1,250,957 to assist with the construction of approximately 410 feet of new roadway and turn lanes on Highway 75 North. The project is expected to be completed by December. Siouxland Splash, 3820 Highway 75, is slated to be open for business by the summer of 2025 and is under design by a team of waterpark consultants. Sioux City currently has several public pools and splash pads, but no waterparks. Last month, the City Council approved a resolution supporting a grant application to the DOT's Revitalize Iowa's Sound Economy (RISE) Program for the construction of the roadway. An Iowa DOT review determined that turn lanes in both directions will be required to safely allow traffic to decelerate and make the turn from Highway 75 (which is under the DOT's jurisdiction) to the waterpark. Siouxland Splash's site plan also requires a short access road connecting the entrance to the turn lanes to be built on Highway 75. The RISE Program offers funding to road projects from a newly-created tourism category. A local match is required from the city. The city engineer's estimate for construction of the road is $1,375,925 and the estimate for the turning lanes is $1,125,988. Frontline Development, LLC, a group of local investors, intends to invest an estimated $12 to $15 million to build the waterpark. Joe Zehring, partner and co-owner of Frontline Development, LLC, previously told the council that the park will have a lazy river, wave pool and one of the biggest kids zones in the Midwest. "We're going to have a huge slide tower with actually a really iconic slide. It's going to be the first one in the United States," Zehring said. "We're going to really try and make a big impact for Sioux City here. We want to make this a really fun staple in the community." MOSCOW, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Although Armenia has refrained from participating in the activities of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Secretariat, it has not officially declared its suspension from the CSTO, Russian media reported on Tuesday. "Yerevan has indeed not recently participated in the work of the CSTO secretariat. This is Armenia's decision at this stage, and we, as an international organization, respect any decision of a sovereign state. However, the organization's activities continue in full, all procedures are observed in full accordance with the CSTO regulatory framework," CSTO Secretary-General Imangali Tasmagambetov was quoted by Russia's TASS news agency as saying. The secretariat maintains daily communication with Yerevan about the decisions. Despite statements from Armenian officials, no official notification of membership suspension has been received, he said. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan previously told France 24 that Yerevan had suspended its participation in the CSTO, citing unfulfilled obligations during the border escalation with Azerbaijan. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned ongoing Moscow-Yerevan contacts to clarify Pashinyan's statements. CSTO is a Russia-led military alliance established in 1992 that brings together six former Soviet republics: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. Its primary objective is to maintain peace and stability in Eurasia. SIOUX CITY The opening of the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center has been delayed to mid-May "due to events outside of the Authoritys control." The substantial completion date was set for April 9, but the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center Authority said Tuesday that date will not be achieved. They are now proposing a completion date of mid-May. "The Authority now believes that, due to events outside of the Authoritys control, the LEC will not be substantially complete by the current substantial completion date of April 9," according to an Authority news release. "This is due, in part, to additional mechanical work ... that will now have to be completed pertaining to the testing and balancing of the mechanical system." The Authority states this delay is due to "actions, inactions and errors" by Introba, Inc., an engineering consultant hired by Goldberg Group Architects. On Feb. 7, the Authority announced a construction change directive had been issued related to "certain work that will need to be performed on the mechanical system." On Tuesday, the Authority approved another change directive for the issues. Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center The new Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center is shown under construction in Sioux City, Iowa, Thursday, March 7, 2024. The LEC, beset by con In Tuesday's news release, the Authority states they do not agree with the costs or time associated with the mechanical work, proposed by Hausmann Construction, the general contractor. A May 23 date has been proposed by Hausmann Construction, the Lincoln, Neb.-based general contractor, in documents submitted to the Authority starting Nov. 20, 2023. "That completion date isn't anything official yet. They're reserving the right for the completion date to be that," said Shane Albrecht of the Baker Group, project manager for the jail. Because of the delays and the "Authority's lack of confidence in Introba," the Authority has hired its own mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineer, Resource Consulting Engineers, LLC, according to the release. "The Authority and its counsel continue to assess its additional costs and damages on the Project caused by the actions, inactions, and delays by Hausmann, GGA, and GGAs mechanical engineering subconsultant, Introba, and are taking the proper steps to ultimately hold the responsible parties liable for such additional costs and damages to be incurred by the Authority," according to a release. Jail inspection Woodbury County Sheriff Chad Sheehan said a walkthrough by Iowa Chief Jail Inspector Delbert Longley resulted in a list of corrective work needed. "Until those items are fixed, he cannot give us approval to open or occupy the building," Sheehan said. Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center The new Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center, under construction on the northeast side of Sioux City, is shown Thursday. Longley is the only jail inspector in Iowa. Sheehan said he is expected to return sometime in mid-April or the first week of May. Worst case scenario, Sheehan said Longley would return to Sioux City on May 8. Rost said the walk-through process is 99 percent complete. "We're getting closer and closer to the completion of this thing," Rost said. Sheehan expressed frustration with Sioux City news station KTIV regarding a Freedom of Information Act request, that had a total cost of $11,767.50 and has been worked on by the Authority's lawyer Jodie McDougal of Fredrikson & Byron P.A., since September. Sheehan said from his perspective, he understands the desire to get the information but is frustrated with the time dedicated to it. "If the time that was spent replying to some of this [FOIA request] was spent preparing for the state jail inspector, we may have been able to get this occupancy today," Sheehan said. Previous delays A day before the Sept. 14 deadline for contractors to finish their work, LEC leaders announced the completion date had been pushed back to a proposed April 9 due to 38 missing fire dampers. The new jail was originally expected to be completed in March 2023 when it was bid in 2021. It was later pushed back to August 2023, and then to Sept. 14, 2023. Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center The new Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center is shown under construction in Sioux City, Iowa, Thursday, March 7, 2024. The LEC, beset by con Since the September delay, the authority has given regular updates on the project and ongoing work. On Tuesday, the LEC Authority approved payment to Hausmann for $163,365.30 for some of the work related to the 38 missing dampers. The payment is part of the proposed nearly $1.8 million additional costs. The Authority, GGA, and Hausmann are continuing to discuss Hausmanns previously requested additional time and expense for this damper work, with which the Authority and GGA has expressed their disagreement, according to a news release. The largest employer in Perry a Tyson Foods pork processing facility is set to close permanently in June. A Tyson spokesperson on Monday confirmed the pending closure but declined to say when it would happen. Perry Mayor Dirk Cavanaugh said the company told him the plant would close June 28. The facility employs nearly 1,300 people, he said, whereas the next largest employers in town have 100 to 150 employees. Perry, in central Iowa, has about 8,000 residents. It was a complete shock to me, Cavanaugh said. Its going to affect everything. Everybody is going to feel the pinch. Tyson said the closure is a result of our focus to optimize the efficiency of our operations to best serve our customers. After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to permanently close our Perry, Iowa pork facility, the company said Monday in an emailed statement. We understand the impact of this decision on our team members and the local community. Tyson said it has more than 9,000 employees elsewhere in Iowa, which it said is a key state for the company. The closure announcement follows some financial troubles for the company: It reported a loss of $648 million for its fiscal year that ended in September. About $450 million of that loss came in July, August and September. The Perry processing plant has existed and expanded under various ownership for nearly 60 years. Its future is unclear. Cavanaugh said he didnt yet know whether Tyson is willing to sell it to another meat processor, or whether another processor would buy it. How the town is going to recover, I dont know, he said. Tyson said it is encouraging its Perry employees to apply for open jobs elsewhere in the company. We are also working closely with state and local officials to provide additional resources to those who are impacted, the company said. This story originally appeared online at Iowa Capital Dispatch. WASHINGTON The Pentagon will rush about $300 million in weapons to Ukraine after finding some cost savings in its contracts, the White House said Tuesday, though the military remains deeply overdrawn and needs at least $10 billion to replenish the weapons it pulled from its stocks to help Kyiv in its fight against Russia. Its the Pentagons first announced security package for Ukraine since December, when it acknowledged it was out of replenishment funds. It wasnt until recent days that officials publicly acknowledged they werent just out of replenishment funds, but $10 billion overdrawn. The announcement comes as Ukraine is running low on munitions and efforts to get fresh funds for weapons stalled in the House because of Republican opposition. Congressional action House Democrats and a small group of centrist Republicans on Tuesday launched separate long-shot efforts to force a vote on tens of billions of dollars in wartime aid for Ukraine, intensifying pressure on Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to take up the foreign funding package. Democrats, as the minority in the House, began gathering signatures to force a floor vote on the Senate's $95 billion package of aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan through a "discharge petition" a seldom-successful procedural tool that can circumvent the speaker's control over which bills come up for a vote. Shortly after, a group of Republicans launched their own signature drive for a bill that would trim the package to $66 billion, mostly for military aid, and include border security provisions. The moves underscored the stubborn impasse in Congress over the roughly $60 billion in military aid for Ukraine, with conservatives balking at providing more ammunition and weaponry for Kyiv. Johnson resisted taking up the package passed by the Senate last month and insisted that the House work its own will on the matter. He suggested the House will turn to the package only after government funding is settled and he still insists the money must be paired with policy changes at the U.S. border with Mexico. At the same time, Ukrainian soldiers suffer from shortages of ammunition as U.S. supplies have been shut off in recent months. "We have made every single opportunity to engage with the speaker on bringing the bill to the floor as a bipartisan piece of legislation," said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee. "Why not just bring it to the floor? You know, it would win overwhelmingly." For either petition to trigger action in the House, it must be signed by a majority of lawmakers, or 218 members. With Republicans controlling the House 219-213, at least some Republicans would have to buck their leadership and sign the Democratic-backed petition to reach a majority. Some progressive Democrats are unlikely to sign on because the legislation includes military aid for Israel. "What Israel is doing and I think the president is starting to express this is as well is absolutely unacceptable," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the chair of the House Progressive Caucus. "(Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu cannot be doing that with United States aid. We are killing people in Gaza right now." Meanwhile, Johnson faces pressure from within his own conference to take up aid for Ukraine, even as a contingent of hard-line conservatives have vocally resisted sending more military aid to Ukraine. A group of centrist Republicans began gathering signatures for their own discharge petition effort. Their bill would provide $48 billion for Ukraine, mostly by sending ammunition and weaponry. It would also for one year require that asylum seekers remain in Mexico while their cases are decided. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican, led that effort. It gained support from six Republicans and three Democrats on Tuesday. A separate group of House Republicans are also trying to draft their own version of a foreign aid package in hopes of breaking the stalemate. Their version also trims back the foreign aid to Ukraine so that it is only for the country's military, not for the functioning of its government. War developments Ukrainian long-range drones smashed into two oil facilities deep inside Russia on Tuesday, officials said, while an armed incursion claimed by Ukraine-based Russian opponents of the Kremlin unnerved a border region just days before Russias presidential election. The attack by waves of drones across eight regions of Russia displayed Kyivs expanding technological capacity as the war extends into its third year. The cross-border ground assault also weakened President Vladimir Putins argument that life in Russia has been unaffected by the war, though he remains all but certain to win another six-year term after eliminating all opposition. The Russian Defense Ministry said that Moscows military and security forces killed 234 fighters while thwarting the incursion. In a statement, the ministry blamed the attack on the Kyiv regime and Ukraines terrorist formations, insisting that the Russian military and border forces were able to stop the attackers and avert a cross-border raid. It also said the attackers lost seven tanks and five armored vehicles. The reports of border fighting earlier on Tuesday were murky, and it was impossible to ascertain with any certainty what was unfolding in Russias Kursk and Belgorod regions. Cross-border attacks in the area have occurred sporadically since the war began and have been the subject of claims and counterclaims, as well as disinformation and propaganda. Ukraine endures a second year of war with scenes of grief, suffering and also joy DES MOINES A proposal to cap what staffing agencies can charge for the help of temporary health care workers which Iowas nursing homes turn to as a means of addressing employee shortages is being considered by state lawmakers. The proposals supporters say staffing agencies charge so much for temporary nurses that it places a financial burden on nursing homes and other health care facilities. But the proposal also has been met with caution from staffing agencies, which insist that billing rates that spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic have been gradually returning to pre-pandemic levels and warn that capping rates would only make the health care worker shortage even worse. Under the proposal, payment rates for nursing services provided by staffing agencies could be no more than 150 percent of the statewide average paid the previous year. The proposal was introduced by majority Republicans in the Iowa House and passed out of that chamber with strong bipartisan support. It is now being considered in the Iowa Senate, where the proposal went through its first legislative hearing in that chamber Monday at the Iowa Capitol. The stress in the long term care industry is very real. I think everybody understands that, Sen. Jason Schultz, a Republican from Schleswig who ran the subcommittee hearing Monday, told reporters after the meeting. I do believe we are going to have a very robust exchange of ideas on this one. But that indicates just how much money is at stake on one hand and how difficult the long-term care industry is on the other. Iowas nursing homes are losing money. Had it already been in place, the proposed legislation would save the industry $22 million this year, according to the testimony of Brent Willett, president and chief executive officer of the Iowa Health Care Association. Those dollars could be reinvested in increasing wages for permanent direct care staff, hiring more people, and not directed predominantly to out of state staffing agency profit margins, Willett said during the meeting. But the proposal could have the opposite of its intended impact, argued Bob Livonius, chair of the American Staffing Association and board member of GrapeTree Medical Staffing based in Milford. Livonius said nearly two-thirds of nurses who work through staffing agencies have other full-time jobs, and that those nurses could be driven out of staffing positions if the proposed legislation becomes law. He said that would create even more strain on nursing homes when they look to staffing agencies when in need of temporary workers. The organization that represents Iowa nurses shared that concern during the hearing. I will say nurses feel very targeted by this. There was a very negative reaction to this legislation, said Amy Campbell, a lobbyist for the Iowa Nurses Association. There are other traveling professions that have similar (profit) margins that are not included in this. So they felt very pulled out and targeted, and they have deep concerns that this is actually going to have an opposite effect. Sen. Todd Taylor, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, said his viewpoint on the proposed legislation has gone back-and-forth. I spoke with a lot of people last week. I was for the bill. I was against the bill, Taylor said. And this is not with any snark at all, but many of the bills that Ive seen in this Legislature, theres not really a problem that were fixing. Here, I see there is a problem. I am concerned is this the right fix? The bill, House File 2391, previously passed the Iowa House on an 80-17 vote. Schleswig and fellow Republican Sen. Dawn Driscoll, from Williamsburg, advanced it out of subcommittee Monday, making it eligible for consideration by the full Senate Workforce Committee. Schultz said the goal is to at least pass the bill out of that committee in order for it to qualify for this weeks legislative deadline and remain eligible for consideration. DES MOINES When Manny Galvez arrived in Iowa after immigrating to the U.S., one of the first things he did, he said, was give aid to people in need because of his Christian faith. Now, Galvez and other activists fear a bill advancing through the Senate would make it harder for religious organizations and others to provide housing, food and transportation to immigrants without legal status. The bill, which Republicans in a Senate subcommittee advanced with some hesitation on Tuesday, would create a new crime of human smuggling and penalize people who transport or harbor undocumented immigrants in certain cases. The bill would also make undocumented immigrants ineligible for public benefits something that is already in federal law. Galvez, who has been in the U.S. for 20 years and now lives in Iowa City, said while working with immigrant communities, he would never ask for a persons legal status before helping them. He worries if the bill were law, he could be prosecuted for those actions. When I was working in the streets of Des Moines, we never asked (for) a paper, we never asked if they were citizens or not, he told lawmakers on Tuesday. I think this bill is attacking one of the values of this state. Because we have a Christian state, and this is against the values. Galvez was among the dozens that showed up at the Iowa State Capitol on Tuesday to speak against the bill. The bill, House File 2608, has galvanized immigrant rights activists as it has made its way through the legislative process, along with a few other bills to restrict and penalize undocumented immigrants in Iowa. Opponents of the bill said, regardless of how it is enforced, it has instilled fear in immigrant communities across the state. Emily Sinnwell, a member of the Iowa City Catholic Worker House, a group that works with asylum seekers in the U.S., providing them housing and transportation to appointments and court dates, said the bill was not a solution to the issues at the southern U.S. border. If we want solutions, this is not it, she said. This bill is only causing chaos, panic, fear among the state of Iowa and in our communities. Sinnwell said she was worried the bill could make her and other migrant service providers guilty of a felony, and that it could shut down the operation of the Catholic Worker House. The bill stipulates that a person must obtain payment or some other benefit for the smuggling to be in violation of the law. Republican House supporters have said that provision would prevent prosecution of religious organizations and other nonprofits. It also carves out exceptions for people transporting or harboring relatives, creating an affirmative defense against prosecution for people who are closely related by blood or marriage. Transporting a spouse, child, sibling, parent, grandparent or grandchild would be grounds for the affirmative defense. The standard punishment for violating the law would be a Class C felony, and the punishment would increase if the smuggled person is injured. A Class C felony is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. If the smuggled person becomes a victim of sexual abuse or suffers serious bodily injury or death, the violator could be convicted of a Class A felony, which carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Opponents of the bill also argued on Tuesday that the chilling effect it would have on immigrant communities in the state would hurt the economy by pushing immigrants out of the workforce. Ninoska Campos, a member of eastern Iowa immigrant rights group Escucha Mi Voz and an asylum seeker from Honduras, said immigrants in Iowa do a range of essential work from housekeeping and restaurant work to meat packing and construction and that passing legislation to hurt those communities would impact that workforce. These are all the jobs that we do to keep Iowa going, keep the economy going, Campos said through a translator. It would be hard to get up and go to work every day knowing that a police could stop our car and ask for our papers and arrest us because were immigrants. Republicans want changes Despite advancing the bill to the full committee, Republican senators on the subcommittee Tuesday said they were uncomfortable with its vague language and would not support it in its current form. They recommended an amendment, though they did not say what changes they want to see. The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to discuss the bill on Wednesday. Sen. Julian Garrett, R-Indianola, said the bill needs some work. I dont really like it very well the way it stands right now, and I agree with those of you that have made that point, Garrett said. I do think it needs to be changed. Well have to work on that. Sen. Jeff Taylor, a Republican from Sioux Center, said he thinks the language around requiring a payment or some other benefit to be in violation of the law was too vague. Sen. Janice Weiner, a Democrat from Iowa City, said the bill could be subject to a constitutional challenge after lawmakers passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act this year, a bill to enhance religious freedom protections in the state. Its clearly against my religion. Were coming up on the holiday of Passover, which speaks specifically to the need to welcome the stranger, Weiner said. Heaven knows we need the workers in this state and we dont want to be pushing anyone out. DES MOINES With a second key deadline looming at weeks end in the Iowa Legislature, there remain many significant proposals with work still to do in just a few days if they are to remain available for further consideration in this years session. Defining man and woman in state law; helping schools arm teachers and other staff; creating legal penalties for causing a pregnancy to end, which could also impact fertility treatments these are among high-profile proposals needing at least a little more legislative approval if they are to remain on the track to become law this year. Even the one issue that has dominated the 2024 session like no other Gov. Kim Reynolds proposal to overhaul the way the states nine area education agencies are operated and funded still needs legislative attention by the end of this week. All of these proposals and hundreds more face the second legislative deadline of the 2024 session: the second funnel. By the end of this week, legislation must be approved by one full chamber either the Iowa House or Senate and at least a committee in the opposite chamber in order to remain eligible for consideration moving forward. Any bill that fails to garner that much legislative support will be considered dead. However, leaders in the majority party have the ability to resurrect the dead bills through multiple legislative tools. And sometimes they do. The funnel deadline does not apply to bills that deal with tax policy, the state budget or other spending measures. So bills that deal with, for example, increasing the salaries of public school teachers and support staff, Reynolds proposed streamlining of the states mental and behavioral health systems, or statehouse Republicans plans to further decrease state income taxes, are not subject to this weeks deadline. The following bills and topics are among the many that state lawmakers must advance at some point this week if the bills are to survive this second funnel: Area education agencies In her Jan. 9 Condition of the State address to the Iowa Legislature, Reynolds set the tone for the next four months when she called for dramatic changes to the operating and funding structures of Iowas area education agencies. Since that day, Reynolds has unveiled her proposal and offered changes after hearing feedback from educators and parents, and majority party Republicans in the Iowa Senate and Iowa House have introduced their own proposals. Instead of allowing state funding to go directly to the AEAs, as is currently the case, Reynolds has proposed giving school districts more direct control over special education funding, and moving oversight of AEAs to the state education department instead of local boards. Senate Republicans proposal is similar to the governors, but keeps some of that state funding moving straight to the AEAs and calls for the Iowa Department of Education to work with the AEAs on a new oversight structure. House Republicans went a completely different route. The House bill keeps AEAs as the sole provider of special education support. While state funding for special education services would go to the school districts, schools would be required to use that funding on services provided by the AEAs. House Republicans passed their plan out of the chamber barely, on a 53-41 vote with nine Republicans voting against it. Shortly after the Houses passage, the Senate was scheduled to debate the bill. But in an unusual move, it was pulled from the debate calendar and has not been seen since. Gender identity Legislation proposed by Reynolds that would define man and woman in Iowa Code based on a persons sex assigned at birth has yet to advance out of the House. House Republicans passed the bill out of committee last month over the protests of transgender Iowans and civil rights activists who called it discriminatory, arguing it would lead to the "erasure" of transgender and nonbinary people from Iowa Code. But lawmakers have yet to take up the bill on the House floor and send it off to the Senate. House File 2389 defines man and woman and several other terms in Iowa Code based on a persons sex assigned at birth. The bill would also allow transgender people to be excluded from sex-segregated spaces like bathrooms and womens shelters. It would also require transgender Iowans to list both their sex assigned at birth and their post-transition sex on their birth certificate. Reynolds and Republicans said women and men possess unique biological differences, and that the bill was necessary to protect the health, safety and rights of women in spaces like domestic violence shelters and rape crisis center. However, both the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence are registered opposed to the bill. LGBTQ and civil rights advocates said the bill is another attack on transgender Iowans, and its use of pro-segregation language should raise alarm. It says the term equal does not mean same and that separate accommodations are not inherently unequal. School safety and arming teachers A bill to create a licensing process for K-12 school staff to carry guns on campus has yet to advance out of a Senate committee to remain eligible after this weeks funnel. House Republicans passed the proposal along party lines in February. The bill was proposed in the wake of Januarys fatal shooting at Perry High School. Republicans hope the bill, House File 2586, will make insurance companies less resistant to covering a school that allows its teachers and staff to carry firearms, which is already legal under Iowa law. Democrats have opposed the proposal and say that introducing more guns to school grounds will not make students safer. The bill would also devote state funds to allow large schools to hire private security officers or school resource officers. A Senate subcommittee advanced the bill last week, sending it to the full education committee. It must pass out of the committee to remain eligible after this week. Fetal homicide and fertility treatments House Republicans introduced and passed out of the chamber a proposal they said would increase penalties for individuals whose actions cause a pregnancy to be terminated. But House Democrats warned the legislation, because it also replaces in state law the terms human pregnancy with unborn person, could jeopardize fertility treatments for families hoping to get pregnant. During debate in the Iowa House, Democrats argued the proposed legislation could make in vitro fertilization illegal because as part of that process, extra embryos are sometimes frozen, stored or discarded. House File 2575 passed the House but has not yet been taken up by the Senate. Voter ID laws are disenfranchising transgender and nonbinary people as anti-trans legislation reaches record levels Voter ID laws are disenfranchising transgender and nonbinary people as anti-trans legislation reaches record levels Voter ID laws make voting difficult for over 11% of Americans Transgender voters can be put at risk by voter ID laws There's a lot on the line for trans voters People are pushing back WHITING, Iowa -- A Sioux Falls man was seriously injured late Monday after his parked car was struck by a truck on Interstate 29 near Whiting. According to the Iowa State Patrol, David Martinez was stopped in his Honda Accord with no lights on in the right lane of southbound I-29 near mile marker 118 at 10:09 p.m. David Chumbley, of Halbur, Iowa, was southbound in an International truck when he saw Martinez' vehicle and swerved in an attempt to avoid it. The truck struck the car, pushing it off the highway into the west ditch. Martinez, 45, was airlifted to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Chumbley, 53, was not injured, the state patrol said. Three other vehicles were damaged by debris from the crash. This article was originally featured in Foreign Policy, the magazine of global politics and ideas. Haiti is facing its most severe crisis in decades. Violence has skyrocketed, presenting a lethal threat to the countrys national security and worsening the humanitarian situation on ground. According to the United Nations, approximately 1 million people are on the brink of famine, 350,000 of whom have been displaced. The country is in a power vacuum. There is not a single elected official in the country, all the way up to the presidenta position that has been vacant since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise. What remains of the state is near collapse, with gangs threatening the National Palace after having successfully released more than 4,700 prisoners. Guy Philippe, a former coup leader and expresidential candidate who was recently released from U.S. custody, is prepared to take charge with the support of Moise Jean Charles, an opposition leader, and Jimmy Cherizier, the most prominent gang leader. The latter has warned of a civil war that will lead to genocide and has denied the return of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who has been stuck in Puerto Rico for more than a week. Early on March 12, Henry agreed to resign from his post once a transitional presidential council is formed. The United States has supported this decision, and is now advocating for a new political transition in Haiti without the support of Henry, contradicting previous statements made by the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti and the Organization of American States. The proposal to establish a council of up to nine members (including two nonvoting observers) was put forward during a high-level meeting in Jamaica earlier this week, convened by the Conference of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Representatives from Canada, France, the U.N., and the United Statesincluding U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinkenattended the meeting. Advertisement The council would include representatives from political parties, civil society, and the private sector. However, the proposal remains contentious within certain political circles in Haiti, and it has already been opposed by Philippes party and Cherizier, the latter of whom has said that Haitians should be the ones to decide the form of their government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finding agreement and consensus on the path forward has proven elusive despite the urgency of righting this dismal situation. The U.N. and, more notably, the United States have reiterated that Haiti needs free, fair, and credible elections in order to emerge from its multifaceted crisis. However, holding credible elections under the current circumstances is far more complex than simply scheduling a vote. It has become abundantly clear that previous Haitian elections have not resulted in a pathway to sustainable development and democratic governance. They are not, therefore, the panacea that the international community sees them as, nor a functional exit strategy. Advertisement Flawed or contested elections will only undermine the legitimacy of elected officials and further erode trust in democracyand Haiti already scores among the lowest in the Northern Hemisphere in that category. Therefore, it is crucial that the next elections (which may take place within two years, according to proposals made by leading figures) are meticulously organized. It may seem obvious, but in practice, the international community has tended to undervalue the technical and legal aspects of an election, preferring quick processes and political validation by international electoral missions that serve as a stamp of external legitimacy. Asking political candidates to participate in an electoral race that they believe is flawed from the start is bound for failure. Regrettably, members of the international community have pushed for this to take place regardless, not only in Haiti but also in other conflict zones. Advertisement Advertisement Yemen is a perfect illustration. The 2012 Yemeni presidential elections were openly noncompetitive, with only one candidate, Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, running for office. This made it more a plebiscite than an actual election, with posters of Hadi above each ballot box. The countrys Supreme Electoral Commission reportedly inflated the voter turnout figures to give Hadi the appearance of popular support. The United States largely applauded this election, calling it the beginning of a promising new chapter. Nonetheless, the Houthis and the Southern Movement called for an election boycott, and two years later, Yemen found itself in a new civil war. Advertisement Another good example is Afghanistan. The parliamentary elections held in October 2018 were viewed by some members of the international community, such as the United States, as more of a technical test before prospective presidential elections than as a way to establish legislative power. Advertisement The opposition parties demanded that the electoral commission create a biometric voter registry. However, due to time constraints, the biometric registration was done on election day, making it impossible to centralize the data and remove possible duplicates. A sticker affixed to each ballot with voter information also potentially violated voter secrecy and endangered the lives of voters. Nevertheless, the parliamentary elections carried on but failed due to massive fraud, and most members of the electoral and complaint commissions were sent to jail. Advertisement Advertisement Yet the same issues that were observed during the parliamentary elections, such as instances of ballot stuffing, continued into the 2019 presidential election. Voting procedures were even changed over the course of election day, contradicting electoral law provisions. The unreliability of the voter registry and malfunctioning biometric voter verification machines remained a significant concern. As a result, the election authorities purged nearly 1 million votes due to irregularities and alleged fraud. Advertisement This so-called democratic exercise ended with a new power-sharing agreement between incumbent President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah in May 2020, and subsequently, in the fall of Kabul in August 2021an incident that came at enormous cost to both U.S. taxpayers and human lives. Despite the threat of the Talibans advance, authorities still planned, with U.N. assistance, to hold elections in Kabul just three months before the city fellrevealing the lack of understanding of the political and security situation at the time. In the case of Haiti, the problems with the electoral system are not new and should not come as a surprise to international officials. First, Haiti desperately needs a civil registry and an audit of the current ID and voter registries. Before any vote can be held, this audit needs to be settled transparently, with the participation of national and international observers. Haiti has not conducted a census in more than 20 years, much like in Afghanistan, which means that we can only estimate the voting-age population based on demographic projections provided by the countrys statistical institute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This issue became particularly contentious during the administration of Moise, when the government began issuing new biometric ID cards and claimed that it had registered over 4.5 million people ahead of the 2021 constitutional referendum, a total many believed to have been highly inflated. Next, the electoral process needs a permanent electoral council and an independent dispute mechanism. Since adopting the 1987 Haitian Constitution, which calls for forming a permanent electoral council, Haiti has instead experienced an extraordinary 19 provisional councils. This erodes institutional memory and subjects each new council to charges of politicization, thus undermining confidence in electoral processes and accelerating electoral fatigue. Furthermore, this electoral council serves as both judge and jury for the voting process, organizing the election and then adjudicating any disputes that arise. If electoral disputes are to move from the streets to the courts where they belong, an impartial and independent appeals process is necessary. Advertisement The most recent law regulating political parties, which authorizes creating a party with only 20 signatures, is another concern. There are reportedly more than 250 political parties registered in Haiti. If this law is not amended, it could destabilize the next electionas happened during the 2015 presidential election, when some 900,000 registered representatives of political parties might have taken over the voting processleading to allegations of vote buying and multiple voting, which ultimately resulted in the vote being annulled. Advertisement Advertisement Finally, it is essential to examine the countrys legal framework and consider constitutional reforms. Some existing constitutional provisions have been contentious and challenging to implement. For example, the requirement that one-third of the Senate be reelected every two years has seldom been fulfilled, resulting in dysfunction in the upper chamber of Parliament. The duration of the presidents and senators terms has also been interpreted differently, resulting in widespread protests and the alleged use of gangs to suppress them. Advertisement Ahead of the vote, an electoral law that outlines the rules of the election process must be put in place. The law requires approval by the Haitian Parliament, which does not exist today. Given the extraconstitutional nature of the current situation, it is thus imperative that the electoral rules (which must now take the form of a decree) emerge from a broad political consensus to avoid a potentially damaging boycott. It is easy to agree that Haiti needs elections. But a credible election starts well before the first vote is cast, and it must be fair and competitive enough to ensure greater legitimacy by increasing voter participation and widespread acceptance. As reflected by debates in the U.N. Security Council, the international community has too often seen elections in Haiti or other conflict zones as a simple box to check before proclaiming that democracy has been restored. We must avoid making the same mistake again. When special counsel Robert Hur announced his decision last month not to prosecute Joe Biden for his possession of classified documents, he made a startling claim: The president suffered from significant memory loss, Hur wrote, botching dates, names, and detailsincluding the year of his son Beaus death. This narrative had a chokehold on Bidens reelection campaign until Tuesday, when newly released transcripts of the two-day interview revealed that Hur exaggerated and misrepresented multiple statements in an obvious effort to depict the president as a senile geezer unfit for office. Democrats hammered this point during a congressional hearing shortly after the transcripts came out, venting their fury at Hur for manipulating the record to smear Bidens mental capacities. But in a sense, their rage was misplaced. It would be more appropriately directed toward the one person on the planet who apparently believed that Hur would serve as a fair arbiter of this controversy: Attorney General Merrick Garland. It was Garland, after all, who appointed Hura former U.S. attorney appointed by former President Donald Trumpto investigate the allegation that Biden held on to classified materials after leaving the vice presidency. No one forced Garland to do so. There were plenty of former U.S. attorneys under Democratic presidents who served with integrity and could have stepped into the Biden probe. But as MSNBCs Chris Hayes has noted, there appears to be an unwritten rule that only Republicans may be appointed as special counsel when a president or presidential candidate is accused of misconduct. Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Hillary Clinton, Trump, and now Biden all faced down GOP prosecutors. Garland made the conscious decision to continue that tradition, with results that are as disastrous as they are predictable: His choice to scrutinize Biden transformed the job into an audition for an even more prominent role in Trumps second administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And again: Can anybody really blame him? Yes, Hurs dishonest jabs at Biden showed a profound lack of probity and principle. Yes, Hur took advantage of the investigations secrecy (and the presidents respect for its confidentiality) to paint a picture of his findings that, in many key respects, simply does not align with reality. But that is what Trump appointees do. It has barely been five years since William Barr, the Trump-selected attorney general, released a summary of special counsel Robert Muellers report that featured misleading, selective quotations, making it sound as if the report had exonerated Trump. Barr later gave a press conference at which he continued to mislead the public about the content of Muellers report and either spun, ignored, or redacted its most damning details. He spent much of the following year attempting to block a release of the full report. A federal judge even accused Barr of undertaking a misleading and calculating campaign to misrepresent the reports contents. Sound familiar? Advertisement Its not as if Hur shimmered with independence and nonpartisanship during his stint as Trumps U.S. Attorney in Maryland. He participated, for example, in a notorious event at the White House touting the prosecution of MS-13 gang members that shattered the norm against politicized prosecutions. The best that can be said is that Hur declined Trumps deranged demand to prosecute John Kerry for his work on the Iran nuclear deal, but if the bar is truly that low, we might as well praise Hur for tying his shoelaces too. Really, the only data point that really matters here is that Hur secured an appointment from Trump in the first place. We have seen this story play out over and over again: An ostensibly upright conservative gets elevated to power by Trump, then promptly wields their power to reward friends and punish enemies. Its the story of many Trump-appointed judgesmost notoriously Aileen Cannon, who continues to brazenly sabotage Trumps prosecution for withholding classified documents and obstructing justice. Cannon herself was a federal prosecutor before Trump elevated her to the bench; as far as anyone can tell, there was nothing in her record to indicate the utter lawlessness that has defined her tenure. It is almost unfathomable that Garland could witness Cannons reign of madness and appoint, as special prosecutor, a guy whose resume looks so much like hers. Advertisement Advertisement Related From Slate The Supreme Court Just Delivered a Rare Self-Own for John Roberts Read More This isnt a conspiracy, and these partisans arent sleeper agents. They are part of the conservative legal movement, which has constructed a machine that elevates people like Hur and Cannon to the top, ideally gathering as little baggage as possible along the way. Hur, like Cannon, is affiliated with the Federalist Society, the network of ambitious conservative lawyers who elevate one another into positions of power and influence. Does anyone seriously think that Hur or Cannon believes theyve reached the highest point of their career? By running interference for Trump, Cannon is obviously auditioning for a promotionperhaps to the Supreme Courtunder her benefactors second term. Hur, too, has every incentive to harm Biden in this moment. During a second Trump presidency, Hur is now well positioned to get the nod for a higher position within the Department of Justice, perhaps even attorney general. At worst, he is in line for a judgeship. Brett Kavanaugh helped Kenneth Starr investigate Bill Clinton (in a maximally salacious, partisan manner) and wound up on the Supreme Court. At least one of his colleagues on the Starr team, Karin Immergutthe woman tasked with asking Monica Lewinsky invasive sexual questionsalso landed a judgeship under Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When youre investigating a president, it pays to be political. For Hur, every incentive ran toward undermining Biden. If the president wins reelection, Hur will remain in exile (albeit at a lucrative law firm). If Trump knocks him out, Hurs ascent continues apace. Somehow, Garland was unable to perceive the obvious truth that 100 percent of Hurs interests lay in shivving Biden, not in sharing an honest account of his investigation with the public. There has been little accountability for so many other Trump enablers, like Don McGahn, who shattered norms while refraining from outright criminal conduct; why wouldnt Hur assume that he could swing for the fences here and get away with it? Advertisement A handful of left-leaning Hur defenders have argued that the special counsel did, in fact, discharge his duties with commendable independence. They point to Hurs acknowledgment that Trumps misconduct was far more serious than Bidens, justifying his decision not to charge the sitting president with any crime. Well, yes: The evidence suggests that Trump intentionally absconded with massive amounts of classified materials, lied about it to investigators, then engaged in a criminal conspiracy to conceal the materials from federal law enforcement. What, by contrast, did Biden do? Carelessly brought a small number of secret files (including his own handwritten notes) home to Delaware, then complied fully with law enforcement after they were discovered. No reasonable prosecutor would have brought charges because there was absolutely no chance of winning and sustaining a conviction. Zilch. Not in this lifetime or any other. Hur had to compare Trumps and Bidens alleged offenses to explain to Republicans that he had no choice but to walk away without seeking an indictment. He deserves no credit for bowing to reality. Advertisement Why did Garland appoint Hur? Because the attorney general has a fetish for bipartisanship and a deep, overwhelming desire to be admired by the American people. These dual fixations drive him to conflate the real world with The West Wing, presumingwrongly and repeatedlythat he could win universal acclaim by appeasing Republicans. It wont work. Garlands one genuinely smart move was appointing Jack Smith to investigate Trump (after waiting way too long to do so). And that decision turned the GOP against him forever. One might suppose that Garland, of all people, would realize that Democratic appeasement and unilateral disarmament does not work in the face of Republican hardball. Obama nominated him to replace Justice Antonin Scalia in 2016 specifically because the president assumed that Republicans would assent to an older, moderate white man. Obama, we all know now, was disastrously wrong. And somehow, Garland did not learn his lesson. All these years later, he still hasnt. And it is Biden whos paying the price. Religious freedom is having a moment in federal courts. One of the big successful goals of the conservative legal movement was that religious freedom would be advanced in a way that it supposedly had not been before. However, while the courts have certainly presented Christian legal interests with significant wins over the last several years, now that the takeover of the federal judiciary by conservative movement judges has advanced, left-leaning fears of religious favoritism in the judiciary appear to have been validated. As the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit demonstrated in an opinion issued earlier this month in Apache Stronghold v. United States, for religious practitioners outside of the Judeo-Christian tradition, religious freedoms may actually be more restricted than they were under previous legal regimes. Apache Stronghold, the nonprofit organization suing to stop a federal land sale in Arizona, argued that the sale and exploitation of sacred Apache land violates the First Amendments free exercise clause and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Designed to enhance protections on religious freedom and exercise, RFRA imposes a strict scrutiny standard of review on any federal law or other action that substantially burdens the exercise of religion, meaning that the government must show that its action supports a compelling government interest and that its action was the least restrictive means of supporting that interest. Advertisement Some Apache religious practices are tied to certain sacred sites within the original Apache territory, such as Oak Flat, a place that embodies the spirit of the Creator. In order to practice their spiritual traditions, Apaches must have access to such federally held lands, and those lands must remain in their current, natural state. According to Apache Stronghold, copper mining in Oak Flat will close off a portal to the Creator forever. However, according to the 9th Circuit, the sale of sacred Apache land to copper mining interests for private exploitation does not impose a substantial burden on religious exercise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On its face, this is an absurd argument that can only make sense if you do not take Apache Strongholds religious claims seriously. When a spiritual practice is tied to specific land, and that land is held by the federal government, it is reasonable to expect the government to protect it to ensure continued access to sacred places. What is even worse is that the conservative U.S. Supreme Court has used similar free exercise and RFRA arguments to insulate conservative Christians from simple exposure to or discomfort with modern principles of inclusion even while the courts continue to treat other religions like exceptions only entitled to minimal protections. Advertisement Since the installation of the current conservative supermajority on the U.S. Supreme Court, RFRA has been used several times to advance Christian, conservative interests. In Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, the Supreme Court held that Philadelphias nondiscrimination policies violated RFRA by precluding a Catholic adoption agency from contracting with the city because it refused to place children with LGBTQ+ families. The court also used the free exercise clause and RFRA to invalidate the mandate for employers to provide contraceptive coverage in Little Sisters of the Poor v. Pennsylvania. The 9th Circuit itself relied on the free exercise clause to overturn a public schools decision not to recognize a Christian student group that required students to hold Christian beliefs to join in Fellowship of Christian Athletes v. San Jose Unified School District. Advertisement Related From Slate The Supreme Court Just Delivered a Rare Self-Own for John Roberts Read More However, at the same time that Christians have been racking up RFRA and free exercise wins in federal courts, adherents of other religionsand Indigenous religions in particularhave not been so fortunate. Apache Stronghold is merely the latest in a string of failures of the courts to prevent the desecration of Indigenous sacred sites and remains. In La Posta v. Donald Trump, the 9th Circuit allowed construction of Trumps border wall to continue despite allegations of RFRA and other violations from the tribe because Indigenous remains were found on the construction site.* The 9th Circuit also held, in Navajo Nation v. U.S. Forest Service, that spraying recycled sewage over sacred Navajo sites did not constitute a substantial burden on their practice of religion involving the sites. Advertisement Advertisement The discrepancy in treatment between Christian and Native traditions is particularly jarring because RFRA was passed in the first place in response to a Supreme Court case involving Indigenous religious rights. In Employment Division v. Smith, the Supreme Court upheld the firing of two Native American employees who had been denied unemployment benefits after using peyote, a sacrament in their religious ceremonies. This decision, which held that generally applicable laws could be applied to religious practices without violating the free exercise clause of the First Amendment, prompted widespread concern about the erosion of religious freedoms, especially for minority and marginalized communities. In response, Congress passed RFRA with bipartisan support. Despite its beginnings as a shield meant to recognize the challenges faced by Indigenous religious practices in courts, RFRA has done little to protect Indigenous rights and has instead become a sword for fundamentalist Christians to impose their views on the rest of society. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The recent trajectory of religious freedom cases in federal courts underscores a troubling reality of disparate outcomes based on religious affiliations. While the conservative legal movement plays at bolstering religious freedom protections for all, recent rulings suggest a pronounced favoritism toward Christian interests. Apache Stronghold has not necessarily been lost for the tribe, however. There is still the possibility of Supreme Court review, and if the court were to hold true to its professed belief in a renewed RFRA, it should take the Apache Strongholds claims seriously. Given the courts recent history and the federal courts general disdain for Indigenous religious claims, it seems unlikely that even a violation of religious rights as egregious as the one in this case this will find any sympathy from these justices. Zimbabwe's Minister of Health and Child Care Dr. Douglas Mombeshora (C, front) poses with members of the 20th Chinese medical team after a medal awarding ceremony in Harare, Zimbabwe, March 11, 2024. As Zimbabwe bade farewell to the eleven members of the 20th Chinese medical team with medals and heartful speeches at a ceremony here on Monday, the new aid team is ready to bring fresh air to the enduring healthcare partnership. Arriving a year ago from Hunan Province of China at the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare, the departing team provided medical services in various departments, including general internal medicine, critical care medicine, and traditional Chinese Medicine.(Xinhua/Zhang Baoping) HARARE, March 12 (Xinhua) -- As Zimbabwe bade farewell to the eleven members of the 20th Chinese medical team with medals and heartful speeches at a ceremony here on Monday, the new aid team is ready to bring fresh air to the enduring healthcare partnership. Arriving a year ago from Hunan Province of China at the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare, the departing team provided medical services in various departments, including general internal medicine, critical care medicine, and traditional Chinese Medicine. Officials from the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe, members of the Health Commission of Hunan Provincial, and officials from Zimbabwe's Health Ministry attended the ceremony, honoring the service of aid workers which embodies the friendship between the two countries. "Coming to serve in Zimbabwe entails a lot of sacrifice which includes leaving their families and friends behind for a whole year. We cherish your unwavering commitment to save humankind," said Zimbabwe's Vice President Constantino Chiwenga in the speech on behalf of the Minister of Health and Child Care Dr. Douglas Mombeshora. He applauded the departing team for delivering efficient and effective health services to local communities. He also acknowledged the level and diversity of their expertise, critical for capacity building and medical students' training. "The medical teams have often filled some of our gaps and introduced new ideas to our systems. In recognition of the expertise, we have decided to deploy the China Medical Teams to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, our country's premier health institution, where opportunities to work with various local specialists and teaching of medical students are available," he said. "The twinning arrangement has so far seen our own Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals establishing a Health Informatics and Telemedicine Centre, a state-of-the-art Respiratory and Critical Care Unit with training facilities for medical students specializing in that area," said Chiwenga. In his remarks, Charge d'affairs of the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe Cheng Yan congratulated the outgoing team on completing its mission successfully and welcomed the new cohort. "The 21st China Medical Team just arrived last week. I believe they will carry forward the spirit of the China Medical Team, keep up good work and make greater contributions to China-Zimbabwe health cooperation," he said. He reiterated China's commitment to enhancing cooperation with Zimbabwe in the healthcare sector, saying that this year China will provide more training programs for Zimbabwean medical personnel. "The health sector has always been one of the focuses of China's cooperation with Zimbabwe. China has been providing all-around support to Zimbabwe's health sector," Cheng added. In his farewell speech, the captain of the departing team, Ouyang Bin, reviewed the 14 free consulting sessions they organized in communities, schools, and orphanages, covering all 10 provinces of Zimbabwe. "We have traveled far from home to come to Africa, and though our time together spans just a year, we have forged profound bonds of emotion and friendship. As we approach the end of our mission and prepare to return to China, our hearts are filled with a myriad of emotions. We feel a longing for our homeland, yet we also feel a deep attachment to the people of Zimbabwe and the Chinese diaspora residing here," he said. "We believe that, just like in the past 39 years, batches after batches of China Medical Teams will continue to come to Zimbabwe, taking over the baton from their predecessors, and carry on providing healthcare services for the people of Zimbabwe," he added. In 1985, the first Chinese medical teams arrived in Zimbabwe, establishing the foundation of the enduring partnership in healthcare between the two countries. Through such cooperation, hospitals such as the Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital and the Mahusekwa China-Zimbabwe Friendship Hospital were also constructed. Heres a serious question: Since Teslas Cybertruck was officially rolled out to the public on Nov. 30, has it seen a single week without a series of either hilarious or nigh-catastrophic disasters? It has been four years since Elon Musk botched the exhibition of his companys first electric pickup truck, by touting unbreakable, bulletproof, Armor Glass windows that broke easily after contact with a metal ball. (The windows being easy to break might have been a good thing, however: As the Wall Street Journal reported recently, the shipping executive Angela Chao died in a tragic accident after she backed her Tesla Model X into a pond and firefighters, police, and paramedics were unable to break the Teslas windows and rescue her.) Advertisement Having now recovered from myriad parts-sourcing and manufacturing issues, the Cybertruck has seen its belated introduction to prime time greeted with much hypeand worry. Its not just the overwhelming size and weight of the thing, or its documented struggles in scaling off-road hills, or its sharp, stainless steel edges, all of which could prove fatal in the event of a collision with pedestrians, bikers, or other drivers. Really, its basically everything about this boxy monstrosity. During the November rollout at Teslas Texas Gigafactory, tech reporters and other observers made note of the trucks complicated doors, its floppy and lengthy windshield wipers (which dont cover the entire windshield, are rather expensive to replace, and apparently flop around like a wet noodle), its windows rebranding as rock-proof instead of bulletproof, and its incredibly faulty anti-crash features. Not long after the event, even more concerning elements came to the publics attention, in the least ideal way possible: publicly, and dangerously. Lets lay out a little timeline here: Just a few days after the rollout, a transportation-focused TikTokker posted a popular video showing off the Cybertrucks alarming visibility fails, including the drivers obstructed front and rear views, and the lack of easy functionality for gear shifts and land-change indicators. A few days after that, Instagram user Matt Chambers shared videos from an off-road trail in Bear Valley, California, where a Cybertruck slid far from the track and had to get towed by a Ford pickup driven by his friends. It turns out, per an update to the caption, that this truck had traction control issues due to software problems, not aired down, no pickup points, poor choice of tires and no recovery points! Thanks to the popularity of the videos, Chambers is now selling a limited-edition CyberStuck sticker, in case youre interested. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A late-December head-on collision in Palo Alto between a Cybertruck and a teen-driven 2009 Toyota Corolla all but destroyed the latters front end, although, thankfully, no passengers in either vehicle were seriously hurt. By early January, it became apparent the Cybertruck was not up to the job of navigating an extremely snowy winter, thanks to faulty tires unable to find traction in fluttery conditions. Social media posts from drivers showed their trucks stranded on the side of the road, blanketed by snow. Later that month, after Cybertruck owners complained that their vehicles mileage capacities per charge were far lower than advertised, another off-road-driving YouTuber detailed his struggles with operating the trucks locking software and the Cybertrucks difficulty navigating the inclines in a Texas dirt-road park. Humiliatingly, his friends managed to tackle the park just fine in their Subaru Crosstrek and Toyota 4Runner. Advertisement In early February, a immediately viral, now-deleted video from user @blakestonks showed us the worst of both worlds: a Cybertruck driver going hands-free on the highway while wearing an Apple Vision Pro headset and clearly occupied with some sort of virtual game. Other outlets reshared the clip: Also in early February, at the desert-racing King of the Hammers tournament, a Cybertrucks rear wheels popped off after its driver put it through what Futurism called some gnarly donuts. The Cybertruck wasnt the only vehicle there to undergo technical difficultiesbut, because its an all-wheel drive, it was the only vehicle whose rear wheels broke off. Not great for a supposedly invincible juggernaut. (Oh, and did we mention that the Cybertrucks tires are already weaker than most, thanks to tightly applied wheel covers that rub up against the rubber?) Advertisement Drive it tell until the wheels fall off pic.twitter.com/noLIz0l5QW FriendlyCitizenJoe (@FCJOriginal) February 3, 2024 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This has already earned quite a bit of attention at this point, but its worth reiterating that not only did Musks insistence on a stainless-steel exterior for the Cybertruck lead to yearslong manufacturing delays but has now fueled customer dissatisfaction with the discoloration and orange rust stains that affect the trucks look whenever it gets wet. As Wired explains, The Cybertruck does not ship with a clear coat, but you can purchase a $5,000 Tesla-produced wrap if youd like to keep your shiny truck from looking all corroded. So much for stainless! Advertisement To kick off March, tweeter Matthew Chiarello shared this harrowing story in a now-deleted post: Love @tesla and my @cybertruck but catastrophe failure with steering and brakes while on a road trip with wife and toddler. Pretty pretty pretty not good. Oh and service center not open today. @elonmusk. Pretty much explains itself. Another early-March post from a Cybertruck owner that earned some attention: Ive had my truck for two days, got in this morning, everything was on. Went to press the brake to put it in reverse and everything went black. Power door button wouldnt even let me out, had to use manual release to get out. I can not get back in either. My battery is at 40%, so no its not dead. Ah, well, nevertheless. Advertisement Last Tuesday, a local news channel in Monterey County filmed a Cybertruck that got stuck while illegally driving on Marina State Beach. The drivers could only push it away from the beach after the local fire department arrived to deflate the tires. Naturally, many online observers had fun with this image, recalling memories of the big ol boat that got stuck in the Suez Canal almost exactly three years ago. Advertisement A Tesla Cybertruck got stuck while illegally driving on Marina State Beach. The owners were able to get off the sand after deflating their tires. They were cited by the State Parks. pic.twitter.com/oFwF2VkTJH KSBW Action News 8 (@ksbw) March 5, 2024 Advertisement Only a few hours after sharing an Instagram video in which he flexed his new Cybertruck, the up-and-coming rap star 2Rare admitted that hed crashed it into a sign outside the Beverly Hills Hotel, an incident that gained even Elon Musks attention. 2Rares reaction to seeing his whip literally go up in flames? Iknoo i F#^ked that money upp yall iknoo. Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, the popular YouTube reviewer JerryRigEverything decided to test the Cybertrucks bulletproof claim by firing a .223-caliber AR-15 at its steel walls, which indeed gave way to the powerful rifles bullets. Advertisement Advertisement Oh, and by the way, if you wanna attach a Basecamp tent to the back of your Cybertruck, itll cost you $3,000, and the tent will be nowhere near as sturdy or as adaptable to your trucks needs as advertised. Related From Slate Why the Supreme Court Is So Uniquely Awful at Tech Cases Read More Over the weekend, a Texas-based electric vehicle enthusiast tweeted a video of his Cybertrucks screen flashing red with a critical steering issue warning, forcing him to pull over in a parking lot. What ended up fixing this? Walking away from the vehicle and coming back resolved the issue, he wrote. Just got this in the parking lot. Walking away from the vehicle and coming back resolved the issue, but strange nonetheless. Already reported to Tesla service just in case! pic.twitter.com/E3IWcDNSry Ben (@VoyageATXBen) March 10, 2024 Advertisement Also over the weekend, Tesla fan and TikTokker Jeremy Judkins posted a video of what will happen should you find yourself locked inside the Cybertrucks trunk, or Cybertrunk: There is no glow-in-the-dark emergency releasenormally a standard feature for passenger vehiclesand the space contains internal sound pretty effectively. Another issue Tesla just might wanna fix. Well! That should suffice in bringing you up to speed on the fragile state of the Cybertruck, dear reader. Little wonder that fans of Golden State Warriors star Gary Payton II are begging him not to get one for himselfeven as resale prices for the truck reach record lows, thanks to disaffected owners flooding the auction market with their discolored, damaged, unsafe, complicated, and possibly wheel-less vehicles. (But if you try to list your Cybertruck for resale, Tesla might retaliate against your account and cancel your other reservations with the company, according to Electrek.) For Elon Musk, whos betting a lot on Cybertruck success for the sake of Teslas business, that may end up being the worst crash of all: the hit to his market share. Who knows? Maybe itll take another four years to helm a safer version. If you buy something through our links, we may earn money from our affiliate partners. Learn more. There are so many options available for entrepreneurs and professionals to create their own business cards, it can be hard to know where to begin. Where is the best place to get business cards? What design best suits your brand? What is the best font for business cards? The Best Font for Business Cards: Our Recommendations Sans Serif Fonts : Known for their clean lines and modern appearance, sans serif fonts like Myriad Pro and Futura offer readability and versatility, making them excellent choices for business cards. : Known for their clean lines and modern appearance, sans serif fonts like Myriad Pro and Futura offer readability and versatility, making them excellent choices for business cards. Serif Fonts : For a touch of elegance and professionalism, serif fonts like Trajan and Baskerville PT are great options. They add a classic flair that can set your business card apart. : For a touch of elegance and professionalism, serif fonts like Trajan and Baskerville PT are great options. They add a classic flair that can set your business card apart. Script Fonts: Use script fonts sparingly for titles or brand names to add a unique touch. However, due to their reduced readability, theyre not recommended for the main text. Why Font Choice is Important Your business cards font is much more than just a way to display text. It plays a crucial role in readability, conveys your brands tone, and can significantly impact the first impression you make on potential clients or partners. A carefully selected font ensures your business card is not only visually appealing but also embodies the characteristics of your brand, whether its professionalism, sophistication, or playfulness. Key Considerations for Selecting a Font Mood and Tone : The font you choose should reflect the mood you wish to associate with your brand. From classic sophistication to modern elegance or adventurous fun, the design of the font carries a message. : The font you choose should reflect the mood you wish to associate with your brand. From classic sophistication to modern elegance or adventurous fun, the design of the font carries a message. Readability and Clarity : Opt for fonts that are easy to read at small sizes, considering factors like serif vs. sans serif, weight, letter spacing, and height. : Opt for fonts that are easy to read at small sizes, considering factors like serif vs. sans serif, weight, letter spacing, and height. Uniqueness vs. Legibility : While standing out is important, dont compromise legibility for uniqueness. Ensure your font choice is distinctive yet clear. : While standing out is important, dont compromise legibility for uniqueness. Ensure your font choice is distinctive yet clear. Font Pairing: If youre confident in your design skills, consider using a combination of two contrasting fonts to make your card pop. If not, sticking to one font or font family is advisable to avoid mismatches. How to Choose Your Business Card Font How do you choose your business card font? Whether youre customizing a template or designing business cards from scratch, thousands of fonts are available from the best font sites, though not all are created equal. Choosing the wrong font can result in your brand delivering the wrong message to your target audience. Likewise, many fonts are not designed for the quick, clear communication required for an effective business card font. Unsure how to choose good fonts for business cards? The following four tips should set you on the right path. Choose Business Card Fonts That Emote Proper Mood The design of a font carries a message and a tone, and it conveys a mood that will be attached to your brand. When choosing a font for your business card, be sure and select a typeface that emotes the mood you want to represent. Is your small business classic and sophisticated, upscale and elegant or fun and adventurous? All of these can be communicated in a font. Look for Business Card Fonts that are Original with High Readability In the pursuit of uniqueness, its essential not to compromise on clarity. When selecting a font that embodies your brands distinctiveness while ensuring it remains legible, consider the following: Serif vs. Sans Serif : Serif fonts, like Times New Roman or Baskerville, have small lines attached to the end of each letter, making them appear more traditional. Sans Serif fonts, such as Arial or Helvetica, lack these lines, giving a modern look. Decide which style aligns with your brands personality. : Serif fonts, like Times New Roman or Baskerville, have small lines attached to the end of each letter, making them appear more traditional. Sans Serif fonts, such as Arial or Helvetica, lack these lines, giving a modern look. Decide which style aligns with your brands personality. Weight Matters : Fonts like Futura or Bebas Neue come in various weights, from thin to bold. Depending on the backdrop of your card and the space available, select a weight thats both attractive and readable. : Fonts like Futura or Bebas Neue come in various weights, from thin to bold. Depending on the backdrop of your card and the space available, select a weight thats both attractive and readable. Letter Spacing : Fonts like Oswald have tighter letter spacing, making them suitable for larger text sizes, while fonts like Raleway offer a bit more breathing space between characters. : Fonts like Oswald have tighter letter spacing, making them suitable for larger text sizes, while fonts like Raleway offer a bit more breathing space between characters. Height and X-height : Some fonts, like Montserrat, have tall uppercase letters and a high x-height (the height of lowercase letters), which can impact readability at smaller sizes. : Some fonts, like Montserrat, have tall uppercase letters and a high x-height (the height of lowercase letters), which can impact readability at smaller sizes. Decorative Fonts with Caution: Fonts like Pacifico or Lobster are decorative and can add flair. However, they should be used sparingly and ideally for headers or brand names only. Choose a Combination of Fonts that Makes your Business Card Design Pop Amateur designers creating their own business yards might want to stick with a single font or a single font family to avoid mismatching their fonts. However, if you have an eye for design, mixing two contrasting fonts on your business card can make the design stand out and capture attention. Consider Font Families Different types of fonts convey different tones and even can deliver varying messages, so its important to understand the primary font categories when selecting the perfect business card font. Will you choose a classic sans serif font or a more sophisticated serif typeface? Creative professionals might even choose to add elements of a script font for a unique and original business card design. Sans Serif Fonts for Business Cards A simple sans serif typeface makes one of the best business card fonts because of the clean lines, classic style and clear readability. Common sans serifs are some of the most popular business card fonts because their simplicity allows a sans serif font to serve as the foundation for almost any design. 1. Myriad Pro As its name implies, Adobes Myriad Pro font adds a flair of professionalism to business cards. The popular sans serif font has high readability and clearly conveys its message in a variety of font sizes and weights. 2. Source Code Fonts like Adobes original Source Code typeface are perfect options for business card fonts thanks to their clarity, simplicity and readability. The Source Code font is particularly popular for business cards in the tech industry, where the lettering resembles common coded characters. 3. Futura Emoting modernism for nearly a century, the Futura font, available from a variety of sources including Adobe, is a simple sans serif typeface that retains high readability on a business card design. The generous line spacing in Futura is enjoyed by designers, and its various available weights allow it to compliment a multitude of business card designs. 4. Ratio Another great font for business cards, the Ratio sans serif font choice features smooth and sleek lines for a clear and professional appearance. The Ratio font, available from Adobe fonts and other popular sources, provides a modern feel for business cards in contemporary sectors. 5. Quicksand The Quicksand font is another effective sans serif typeface suitable for business cards. Available from a variety of online sources including Adobe Fonts, Quicksand features ample spacing and quirky characters that provide a unique appearance to any business card design. 6. Gibson Because its so easy to read, the Gibson font remains one of the most popular sans serif fonts for business cards. Available from Adobe and other resources, Gibson is considered a humanist font that shines in almost any design. 7. Xaviera Looking or the perfect business card font? Why not select a typeface that was created just for that purpose? Xaviera is a professional sans serif font choice designs exclusively for business cards as well as display advertising and online print. The straightforward characters of the Xaviera font, available from Envato Elements and other popular sources, pair well with scripted or novelty anchors. 8. Dalton Dalton is a modern business font perfect for making a statement on a business card. The sans serif Dalton font exudes professionalism and sends a clear message. The typeface is available from Envato Elements. Best Sans Serif Fonts for Business Cards Summary Font Name Description Myriad Pro Professional flair, high readability, suitable for various sizes and weights. Source Code Clear and simple, popular in the tech industry. Futura Modern yet classic, generous line spacing, available in various weights. Ratio Sleek and clear with a contemporary feel. Quicksand Unique with ample spacing and quirky characters. Gibson Highly readable, versatile humanist font. Xaviera Designed for business cards, straightforward characters. Dalton Modern and professional. Serif Fonts for Business Cards Serif fonts also make effective choices as business card typefaces thanks to their classic and professional appearance. In typography, a serif refers to small line or stroke thats attached to the end of a larger stroke in a typed or written character. These tiny details can drastically alter the appearance of a font, and when used effectively they can spice up an otherwise plain and boring design. 9. Trajan Trajan | Adobe Fonts Inspired by classic Roman letterforms, Adobes Trajan font adds a touch of timeless style to a business card design. The serif fonts classic elegance emotes professionalism while still standing apart from the crowd. 10. Minion Similar in style to the universally-popular Times New Roman, the Minion serif font was designed for body text over 30 years ago. The Minion font, an original typeface from Adobe Fonts, gives business cards a classic yet professional look. 11. Qanaya Want to give your business card an air of elegance? The Qanaya font is a serif typeface that is available from Envato Elements and other sources in a variety of weights and font sizes. 12. Solomon Another popular serif font choice for business cards available from Envato Elements, the Solomon font features a creative design that will add flair to an otherwise ordinary business card while retaining its elegance and readability. 13. Baskerville PT Another beautiful font option for business cards, Baskerville PT is an elegant serif typeface that promises to provide an auro of professionalism. The versatile font is available in a variety of sizes and weights, holding its classic appearance in multiple formats. Best Serif Fonts for Business Cards Summary Font Name Description Trajan Timeless, classic Roman-inspired elegance. Minion Classic and professional, akin to Times New Roman. Qanaya Elegant serif typeface in various weights and sizes. Solomon Creative yet elegant. Baskerville PT Classic, elegant serif typeface versatile in various formats. Script Fonts for Business Cards While script fonts, typefaces that resemble cursive handwriting, arent recommended as a primary business card font, they can add a creative flair when used sparingly. Consider capturing attention with your business card by choosing a script font for a title or company name. However, avoid script typefaces for the details because of reduced readability. 14. Bouquet Sporty and exciting, the Bouquet typeface is a script font characterized by thick cursive lettering. The Bouquet font, available from Envato Elements and other sources, will make a strong statement with a legible message when used in a limited capacity on a business card. 15. Signature Cursive Looking for a simple yet elegant script font to highlight your business card? The Signature Cursive font, available from Envato Elements, consists of a stylish characters drawn with graceful strokes. 16. Bright Daddy The Bright Daddy typeface, available online from sources such as Envato Elements, features a natural, flowing design that could serve as an effective way to highlight unique themes on an otherwise forgettable business card design. Best Script Fonts for Business Cards Summary Font Name Description Bouquet Thick cursive lettering, strong statement but readable when used sparingly. Signature Cursive Graceful strokes offering a simple elegance. Bright Daddy Natural, flowing design, highlights major themes on a business card. Choosing the Best Font for Business Cards: Our Methodology Choosing the right font for business cards is crucial as it significantly impacts the cards readability and the overall impression of your brand. Here are the criteria we considered when selecting the best font for business cards, with each rated on a scale of one to ten, with ten being of the highest importance. Selecting the Best Font for Business Cards Legibility (Importance Scale: 10/10) The font should be easy to read at small sizes. Clear distinction between different characters. (Importance Scale: 10/10) Professionalism (Importance Scale: 9/10) The font should convey a professional image. Appropriate for your industry and brand identity. (Importance Scale: 9/10) Brand Consistency (Importance Scale: 8/10) The font should align with your overall brand style and other marketing materials. Consistency in font style across all business communications. (Importance Scale: 8/10) Uniqueness (Importance Scale: 7/10) A font that stands out while still being professional. Avoid overly common fonts to differentiate your brand. (Importance Scale: 7/10) Scalability (Importance Scale: 8/10) The font should maintain its legibility and aesthetics when scaled down for business cards. No loss of detail or distortion at smaller sizes. (Importance Scale: 8/10) Versatility (Importance Scale: 7/10) The font should work well in various contexts, including digital and print formats. Compatibility with different backgrounds and design elements. (Importance Scale: 7/10) Weight and Style Options (Importance Scale: 6/10) Availability of different weights (light, regular, bold) and styles (italic, condensed) for versatility in design. (Importance Scale: 6/10) Licensing and Availability (Importance Scale: 7/10) Ensure the font is licensed for commercial use. Easily accessible for consistent use across different platforms and materials. (Importance Scale: 7/10) Aesthetics (Importance Scale: 7/10) The font should have an aesthetic appeal that complements your brands image. Consider modern, classic, elegant, or minimalist styles based on your brand. (Importance Scale: 7/10) Compatibility with Other Elements (Importance Scale: 6/10) The font should work well with other design elements on the business card, like logos or graphic elements. (Importance Scale: 6/10) Taking into account these guidelines, weve researched and collated a list of fonts that shine when used on business cards. Whether you seek a timeless classic or a modern gem, the recommendations above are designed to ensure your card leaves a lasting impression. What is the Best Font for Business Cards? With so many options available, it can be hard to determine what is the best font for business cards. The best business card font is one that is clear and readable, while retaining professionalism and originality. Therefore, the best business card font is clearly Baskeville PT. The font is versatile and includes a variety of options while offering a flair of elegance and professionalism. What is the best sans serif font for business cards? For a variety of reasons, some people prefer sans serif fonts for their business cards. Sans serrif fonts are classic and provide clear readability in multiple sizes and formats. The best sans serif font for business cards is Xaviera. The crisp and clear characters promise to stand out and capture the recipients attention. What is the standard size for business card fonts? What are the best font sizes for business cards? The standard size for business card fonts is 10 pt. Bear in mind that when 10 pt is used for the primary font size, details like contact information will be better suited at a smaller 9 or 8 pt font size. Remember, dont print any information on your business card in a font size smaller than 8 pt. Read More: best font sites Cold calling remains a valuable tool for small businesses, offering a direct and personal way to reach potential customers. Despite the rise of digital marketing, the human touch of a phone call can effectively build relationships and generate leads. For small businesses, cold calling can be a cost-effective way to expand their customer base, introduce new products or services, and gather market feedback. When executed with research and a clear strategy, it can open doors to new opportunities and growth. What is Cold Calling? Cold calling uses unsolicited phone calls to potential customers. Its different from warm calling, which involves contacting customers with prior interactions and interest in the service or product. These people have signed up for newsletters or downloaded content from a companys website. Cold calling increases brand awareness and serves as market research, providing insights into market trends, customer preferences, and needs. Use cold calling and other sales and marketing techniques in a multi-channel approach involving content and email marketing. Definition Cold calling is a sales technique involving unsolicited calls to potential customers. Approach without prior contact. Initiates new customer relationships. Objective To introduce a product or service to potential clients and gauge interest. Offer value propositions clearly. Generates leads and potential sales opportunities. Preparation Research and planning before making calls. Gather information about potential clients and their needs. Enhances effectiveness of calls. Scripting Creating a guideline for the conversation. Develop a flexible script to guide the call. Ensures consistency and covers key points. Building Rapport Establishing a connection with the prospect. Use active listening and personalized approaches. Increases receptiveness of the prospect. Handling Objections Addressing concerns or questions from prospects. Prepare responses for common objections. Improves chances of converting prospects. Closing Techniques Strategies to end the call with a commitment or clear next step. Use assumptive or alternative close techniques. Aims to secure a sale or follow-up meeting. Follow-Up Steps taken after the initial call. Send emails or schedule meetings as agreed. Strengthens customer relationships and sales potential. Regulatory Compliance Adhering to legal standards in cold calling. Stay updated on telemarketing laws and regulations. Prevents legal issues and maintains reputation. Metrics and Analysis Evaluating the success of cold calling efforts. Track call outcomes, conversion rates, and customer feedback. Guides strategy refinement and measures ROI. The Evolution of Cold Calling This sales technique has evolved and adapted to different consumer behaviors and technology. In the post-World War II era, telemarketing became a sales practice, and cold calling became prevalent. New channels for sales outreach were developed with email, mobile phones and the Internet. Cold calling has recently integrated itself with digital marketing techniques, allowing for a shift from cold calling. The newer strategy has become more personalized with tools like CRM software, automated dialing systems, and predictive analytics. How Does Cold Calling Work? There are several steps to making a cold call. Preparation Crafting a script is an integral part of preparing for a phone call. Personalizing each pitch is essential, and you can gather information using LinkedIn or a company website. Pre-call research is essential. Targeting Target prospects through job title, geographical location, company size and industry, to name a few metrics. Lead scoring is an effective method that ranks them against a scale representing the perceived value. The Workflow The process starts with an initial cold call and a series of follow-ups. You can send follow-up emails with more data and information and schedule a demo or discussion. Its always a good idea to end every call with a clear next step so the prospects understand whats to come. That can involve sending more information or scheduling the follow-up with your sales teams. Preparing for a Cold Call Successful cold calls involve research that can uncover a target audience and give you the information to craft a compelling sales pitch. Staying informed about any challenges and trends in a prospects industry is essential to understanding them. Look to industry reports and news. Analyze press releases and company websites. A customized pitch is based on your research. It narrows down specific opportunities and challenges the target market faces that your product and service can address. Identifying and Targeting Prospects Identifying and targeting prospects most likely to follow through is essential. A sales rep can use customer profiles that include industry, job title, location, gender, and age. Likewise, they can use purchase history and product usage patterns. For business B2B transactions, sales reps can focus on decision-makers, company size, and sector, to name a few benchmarks. They can leverage data from past sales interactions through a CRM. Sales reps can also use market research, industry reports, and third-party data providers. Cold Calling Techniques and Strategies Heres a list of techniques and strategies that address prospects needs. These are effective cold-calling tips. Building Rapport and Trust Building rapport means researching the prospect by taking a few minutes to learn about them or their company. You can use social media, recent press releases or the company website. That allows you to begin with a personalized, tailored opening line that shows youve done some research. For example, you can mention youve noticed on LinkedIn that a company is big on green energy solutions. Handling Rejections and Objections You must listen carefully to understand the heart of any rejection. After that, you can respond with empathy. For example, I understand that budget constraints can make you want to think this offer over is an excellent way to show that youve been listening. Moreover, mastering how to handle objections in sales calls is crucial for turning potential rejections into opportunities. One good way to overcome any objection is to offer a product or service in a different light using industry trends and data points. The idea is to validate prospects issues and provide them with new perspectives and insights from your sales team. Cold Calling Scripts Here are a few examples of scripts that can be customized. For a comprehensive list of effective scripts, explore cold calling scripts. For software companies selling to retail businesses to improve inventory management: Hello. We have noticed that your retail outlet has been scaling up its online and internet presence. Can we have a few minutes to discuss how our product can make your inventory management and customer service more streamlined and efficient? At this point, the cold call can mention that the product can reduce stock discrepancies and integrate brick-and-mortar and online sales. For a small business HR solution: Good morning. Managing HR tasks as a small business owner can be challenging. Our product is designed specifically for your vertical and has features like easy employee onboarding and automated payroll. This cold call script can also ask if you can schedule a brief demo to help reduce the HR workload. Cold Calling Script Writing Tips Effective scripts have the following elements built in. Structure You need to start with a personalized greeting before you introduce yourself. Afterward, you can add a value proposition that addresses pain points. Be sure to end all these calls with a clear call to action. Language Engaging language is the most effective and needs to be respectful and concise. Other Key Points Make sure to specify how your product or service benefits the prospect and propose the next step, like a meeting. Cold Calling Tips for Success Following are some successful best practices. Enhancing Communication Skills Communication skills are essential. You can show a prospect that youre listening by summarizing their points. This demonstrates that their input is valuable. You can also use storytelling to make your points and pitch more memorable. For example, you can use a story from a client with a similar background facing the same challenges so the prospect can see themselves in your narrative. Incorporating effective sales training techniques can further refine these skills. Statistics and Research on Cold Calling HubSpot reports that 82% of buyers will accept meetings after a series of different contacts that start with a cold call. (HubSpot (2021). Sales Prospecting Statistics.) LinkedIn reports that 76% of people ready to buy have a social media conversation. (LinkedIn (2020). State of Sales Report.) The Difficulties of Cold Calls Cold callers face common difficulties and challenges, including the fear of rejection and anxiety about possibly being dismissed. Some common frustrations include low pickup and response rates and gatekeepers like personal assistants and receptionists becoming obstacles. Overcoming Cold Calling Anxiety Building confidence before you start making cold calls gets better when you: Set small daily or weekly goals to build momentum. Get advice from mentors who can provide tips and feedback. Take breaks to avoid burnout. Look at each rejection as a learning tool. Why Cold Calling Could Fit into Your Small Business Cold calls are an essential sales technique. They are a proactive, direct method to generate new opportunities and leads. The personal touch contributes to building long-lasting relationships and understanding a target markets needs. Understanding your buyer persona is crucial in this process, as it helps tailor your approach to the specific needs and characteristics of your potential customers. Its essential to prepare, research, and personalize your approach. This technique also involves dealing with rejection as a learning opportunity and building confidence through positive reinforcement, practice, and preparation. Moreover, utilizing tools like cold email software can complement your cold-calling efforts by reaching prospects through multiple channels. In summary, cold calling remains a vital strategy in sales, especially when combined with modern tools and techniques. Its about understanding the customer, personalizing the approach, and continuously adapting to the evolving market. For those looking to excel in this area, a detailed Sales Representative Job Description can provide further insights into the skills and strategies needed for successful cold calling. FAQs: Cold Calling Here are some answers to frequently asked questions. What are the key elements of a successful cold call? Personalizing the call to demonstrate youve done your homework and clearly articulating your value proposition need to be addressed. How can one measure the success of cold calls? Key performance indicators include the number of appointments set, the conversion rates and the sales generated. What are the most common mistakes to avoid in cold calls? Lack of preparation and dominating the conversation without listening are the worst mistakes. How has cold calling changed with the rise of digital communication? Digital technologies have allowed cold calling to leverage social media insights and online data to build a stronger rapport. If you buy something through our links, we may earn money from our affiliate partners. Learn more. Taxes can be an overwhelming and daunting task, but understanding the available free tax advice in 2023 is an essential part of being financially responsible. With a number of sources providing free advice, its easy to find the help you need to navigate the tax preparation process. In this article, well look at several places to get free tax advice so you can take control of your taxes. Where can you ask tax-related questions? If youre looking for help with tax-related questions, there are many resources available to assist you. Heres a list of just a few: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) VITA is an IRS-sponsored program that provides free tax return preparation and filing at local centers. VITA is an IRS-sponsored program that provides free and filing at local centers. Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) TCE offers tax guidance specifically focused on the needs of elderly taxpayers, including pension and retirement issues. TCE offers tax guidance specifically focused on the needs of elderly taxpayers, including pension and retirement issues. H&R Block H&R Block is a global tax services provider which offers both online and in-person filing options. H&R Block is a global tax services provider which offers both online and in-person filing options. IRS Help Line The IRS operates several toll-free phone lines and online tools to answer questions about filing taxes. The IRS operates several toll-free phone lines and online tools to answer questions about filing taxes. State Tax Office Each state has its own tax office which provides information on state-specific laws and regulations related to taxation. Can you ask for tax advice for free? Yes, there are plenty of sources to get free tax advice in 2024. Professional tax advisors, online resources, and government organizations all provide free advice to help you understand which deductions you can take, how to maximize your returns and more. Depending on your situation, it may also be beneficial to speak with a professional who can provide more comprehensive advice tailored to your individual needs. Be aware that some free resources require your adjusted gross income to be below a certain level. Free In-person Tax Advice Free in-person tax advice is a valuable resource for individuals and businesses seeking guidance on their own tax returns , tax debt , and other tax matters. Here are four options: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) VITA IRS-certified volunteers provide free tax preparation and filing services to individuals and families with low to moderate income levels. Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) TCE is a program that provides free tax preparation and assistance services specifically to individuals who are 60 years of age or older. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is a program that provides free tax services to individuals with low to moderate income levels, with a special focus on those 50 years of age or older. Free Taxpayer Clinics These clinics offer a range of services, including help with tax preparation, resolving tax disputes, and navigating complex tax laws. Free Tax Advice Online Chat Free tax advice online chat provides a convenient and accessible way for individuals and businesses to receive guidance on tax-related issues in real-time. Here are several options: Military OneSource Tax Resource Center The U.S. Defense Departments Military OneSource Tax Resource Center provides free tax software, live chat, and referrals to military tax consultants, for service members and eligible veterans. Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) TAS is an IRS organization dedicated to the fair treatment of taxpayers and the promotion of their rights. TAS advocates offer assistance to taxpayers with unresolved tax issues. H&R Block H&R Block offers free live chat support for online tax filing, excluding users of the free product who must upgrade to H&R Block Plus. TurboTax Live Get free, expert assistance with filing your taxes with TurboTax, plus enjoy live support and a final review before submitting, at no cost. Offers vary, but look for Early Bird pricing specials. Free Tax Advice by Phone Whether youre preparing for tax season, have questions about deductions, or need help navigating complex tax laws, free tax advice by phone can provide the support you need. Here are some options: IRS Help Line Individuals with tax inquiries can reach the IRS by dialing 800-829-1040. The IRS also provides specialized phone support for business, non-profit, estate and gift taxes, excise taxes, and international callers. State Tax Office For state-specific tax questions, consider contacting your states tax office for assistance, available through email or phone. No need to go to the IRS for all tax issues. TaxRise TaxRise is a leading and rapidly growing tax relief company in the US, credited to its innovative two-phase approach and in-house software. The firms success starts with a thorough initial tax consultation, during which clients are pre-qualified through realistic resolutions and access to a free tax consultant. Community Tax Community Tax experts offer comprehensive tax assistance. They simplify the often confusing and stressful process of taxes, beginning with a free consultation. With a range of services to tackle any tax problems, the company has successfully assisted thousands of clients. FAQ Does the IRS offer free tax preparation advice? Yes, the Internal Revenue Service offers free tax preparation advice for individual taxpayers and business owners. The IRS website provides comprehensive information about filing taxes, with an emphasis on understanding deductions and credits. You can also visit an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center to speak with a tax professional one-on-one about your specific situation. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program also offers free assistance from trained volunteers regarding any questions you have about preparing your taxes. Is there a live chat for IRS tax counseling? The Internal Revenue Service has started employing voice and chatbots on two of its specialized toll-free lines and its website, IRS.gov. This move allows taxpayers with basic payment or collection notice inquiries to get prompt assistance and avoid delays. If necessary, taxpayers can still opt to talk to an IRS representative on the telephone. What is the best option for free tax help? The best option depends on the complexity of the tax situation and personal preference. For free tax help, eligible taxpayers can use the IRS Free File program to prepare and file their federal return, or they can receive assistance through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program for low-to-moderate income individuals, the Tax Counseling for the Elderly program for those 60 and over, IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers for in-person help, or the IRS toll-free telephone lines for tax information and assistance. The Justice Department has taken legal action against Aniel Saint-Hilaire, a Miami-based tax return preparer. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the complaint seeks to permanently bar Saint-Hilaire from owning, operating, or participating in tax return preparation businesses and from preparing tax returns for others. The case against Saint-Hilaire underscores a troubling pattern of alleged fraudulent activities. According to the Justice Departments complaint, Saint-Hilaire, through his various business entities, has been engaged in preparing federal income tax returns that contain fraudulent deductions, inflated expenses, and unwarranted credits. These manipulations are designed to reduce the tax liabilities of his clients artificially, enabling them to claim refunds to which they are not rightfully entitled. Key allegations include the preparation of tax returns with false or exaggerated deductions for business expenses and losses, alongside fictitious claims for residential energy credits, fuel tax credits, and other financial incentives. The complaint further accuses Saint-Hilaire of concealing his involvement in tax preparation by failing to properly identify himself on the returns he prepares. This case highlights a significant issue with potential repercussions for the U.S. Treasury and honest taxpayers. The government alleges that nearly all (approximately 99%) of the tax returns prepared by Saint-Hilaire claim refunds, resulting in an estimated loss of $16.5 million in tax revenue annually. In response, the government is not only seeking an injunction to stop Saint-Hilaires operations but also an order of disgorgement to prevent him from benefiting financially from these alleged unlawful activities. For small business owners, this situation serves as a critical reminder of the importance of vigilance and due diligence when selecting tax preparation services. The reliance on unscrupulous tax preparers can lead to severe financial and legal repercussions, including the possibility of audits, penalties, and fines. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers resources and guidance for choosing a reputable tax return preparer, including a free directory of federal tax preparers and advice on identifying preparers with the necessary credentials and qualifications. The Justice Departments Tax Division, under the leadership of Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert, has been proactive in addressing fraudulent tax preparation practices. Over the past decade, the division has secured injunctions against hundreds of individuals and businesses engaged in deceptive tax preparation activities. Taxpayers and small business owners are encouraged to consult the Justice Departments website for a listing of enjoined tax preparers and to report any suspected violations of these injunctions. This legal action against Saint-Hilaire not only underscores the governments commitment to combating tax fraud but also highlights the ongoing risks and challenges faced by taxpayers in navigating the complexities of tax preparation. As the case proceeds, it will undoubtedly serve as a cautionary tale for both tax preparers and their clients, emphasizing the critical importance of compliance with tax laws and regulations. For small business owners, the unfolding case against Saint-Hilaire is a stark reminder of the need for vigilance in financial and tax matters. Choosing a tax preparer is a decision that requires careful consideration, given the potential implications for business operations and financial health. The IRSs resources can serve as valuable tools in making informed decisions and ensuring that tax preparation is conducted legally and ethically, safeguarding businesses against the risks associated with fraudulent practices. You may be eligible for valuable credits that can help reduce your overall liability and make running your business more affordable. This guide provides an overview of some of the most common small business tax credits and what they could mean for you in terms of savings. With this information, you can make more informed decisions when it comes to filing your taxes and utilizing these credits to their fullest potential. What is a tax credit? A tax credit is an amount of money that can be subtracted from the amount of taxes you owe. Its a way for the government to incentivize certain activities or businesses and is available in different amounts depending on the type of activity or business being incentivized. Tax credits can either be refundable or nonrefundable. A refundable credit will result in a refund if the amount of your credit exceeds your tax liability, while nonrefundable credits can only reduce your taxable income to zero. Whats the difference between a tax credit and a tax deduction? A tax credit and a tax deduction are two common methods of reducing your tax liability, but there is an important distinction between the two. A tax deduction reduces the amount of income that is subject to taxation, while a tax credit directly reduces your tax liability. Tax credits are often more advantageous than deductions because they allow you to reduce your taxes dollar-for-dollar, whereas deductions can only reduce taxes proportionally based on the amount deducted. Many credits have no minimum spending or income requirement and are available for everyone who qualifies for them. List of Small Business Tax Credits You Should Know There are some tax credits available that can help reduce a businesss tax liability and potentially increase the amount it receives in refunds. Knowing about these tax credits and how to qualify for them is essential for any small business owner looking to maximize their savings. Here is a list of small business tax credits every small business owner should be aware of: 1. General Business Credit The catchall General Business Tax Credit is a great way to add up the individual credits and deductions youve earned. Some of the activities that qualify for this credit include entering new markets, retaining employees, and purchasing electric vehicles. Fill out Form 3800 for this credit. 2. Employer Credit for Paid Family and Medical Leave Small business owners can take advantage of a tax credit authorized by Congress in 2017 to help them provide paid leave for employees covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). This law allows eligible employees to access up to 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave, plus access to group health benefits each year. Complete Form 8994 for this credit. 3. Credits for Alternative Fuels Business owners could be eligible for tax credits for producing alcohol-based fuels such as methanol and ethanol, as well as other alternative fuels like biodiesel or renewable diesel. These niche credits help to incentivize investments in alternative sources of fuel, increasing U.S. energy independence while reducing dependence on imported oil. For these credits, use forms 8849, 8864, 8896, 6478, and 4136. 4. Credit for Small Employer Health Insurance Premiums You could qualify for a significant tax credit if you provide healthcare coverage to your employees. The IRS states employers may be eligible for up to 50% of premiums paid towards qualifying health insurance plans, and 35% of premiums paid for eligible tax-exempt employers. Use Form 8941 for this credit. 5. Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit Business owners could take advantage of up to $7,500 in tax credits if they purchased an alternative fuel source vehicle in 2022. This credit does not include hybrid or electric vehicles because they rely on conventional fuel sources. Use Form 8910 to take advantage of this tax credit. 6. Credit for Increasing Research Activities Businesses looking to support domestic research and development may qualify for a tax credit of up to 20% of their expenses. Though the process of calculating the credit can be complicated, it can lead to big savings. This credit is only applicable to certain types of research and if your business is eligible, use Form 6765 to claim this credit. 7. Credit for Employer-Provided Child Care Facilities and Services Businesses that assist their employees with childcare costs may be eligible for a tax credit of up to 25% of expenses, plus an additional 10% for childcare resource and referral costs. This credit is capped at $150,000 per year. To claim this credit, use Form 8882. 8. Work Opportunity Tax Credit Businesses that hire individuals who have traditionally faced barriers to employment can benefit from a tax credit. This includes but is not limited to, unemployed Veterans (including disabled Veterans), ex-felons, and long-term family assistance recipients. To claim this credit, use Form 5884. 9. Credit for Small Employer Pension Plan Startup Costs Small businesses may be eligible for a tax credit of up to $500 or 50% of costs when setting up a pension. This credit is available over the first three years of the plan. To qualify, businesses must have fewer than 100 employees earning at least $5,000 each and cannot have established a 401(k) or other qualifying retirement plan in the last three years. To claim this credit, use Form 8881. 10. Disabled Access Credit Businesses with total revenue of $1 million or less, or those with 30 or fewer full-time employees, may be eligible for a tax credit that encourages the installation of ramps, upgraded restrooms, improved storage units, and text in braille to make their premises accessible to people with disabilities. Claim this credit using Form 8826. 11. New Markets Credit Using Form 8874, businesses that invest in qualified community development entities (CDEs) which are designed to assist low-income communities, can claim this tax credit if theyre eligible. 12. Empowerment Zone Employment Credit Through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, businesses may be eligible for up to $3,000 per full-time or part-time employee who resides in an established empowerment zone, which was created to promote development in low-income areas. Use Form 8844 to claim this credit. 13. Investment Credit This tax credit supports businesses that invest in reforestation, alternative energy property used in business, or building rehabilitation. These businesses may be eligible to claim a tax credit valued at 30% of their expenditure. This tax credit can be claimed on Form 3468. 14. Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Low to moderate-income workers and families can take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for a tax break. If you qualify, the credit could be used to lower your taxes owed or add to your refund. How to Claim a Small Business Tax Credit Claiming a small business tax credit can provide major savings when filing taxes, and with the right preparation and knowledge you can maximize your benefit. To make sure you are getting the most out of these credits, consider these steps for claiming them: Gather documents and information. Before applying for any tax credit, it is important to make sure you have all the necessary documents and information on hand. This includes income statements, receipts from qualifying purchases, and records of charitable contributions. Before applying for any tax credit, it is important to make sure you have all the necessary documents and information on hand. This includes income statements, receipts from qualifying purchases, and records of charitable contributions. Do research to determine eligibility. Different credits have different requirements and qualifications. Doing some research beforehand will help you understand which credits you are eligible for. Different credits have different requirements and qualifications. Doing some research beforehand will help you understand which credits you are eligible for. Calculate your potential savings. Calculating your potential savings based on the various credits available will help you decide which ones are worth pursuing. Look into any limitations or restrictions that may apply before moving forward with a claim. Calculating your potential savings based on the various credits available will help you decide which ones are worth pursuing. Look into any limitations or restrictions that may apply before moving forward with a claim. Complete the application forms. Once you have gathered everything needed and determined which credits to pursue, complete the required forms accurately and submit them according to exact instructions in order to get approval. FAQ Are credits included in taxable income? Generally speaking, most tax credits are considered non-taxable and do not need to be reported as additional income for federal tax purposes. Credits are most often subtracted from your total taxable income when filing taxes, resulting in a lower tax liability. Depending on the specific credit being used, there may be certain items that must be reported independently when filing returns. Is there a tax credit for starting a new business? There isnt a tax credit for starting a new business. However, the IRS offers two potential tax deductions of up to $5,000 each in the first year of your operations, which can be subtracted from your taxable income for that year. Is there a tax credit for an LLC? There are many tax credits that an LLC can take advantage of such as a general business tax credit, a credit for paid medical and family leave, and alternative fuel credits. However, to start an LLC, there are two potential tax deductions you can take worth up to $5k each, but no tax credits. Do you need receipts to claim a tax credit? Its important to note that in order to claim tax credits, you must provide the appropriate documentation and proof of expenses. This requirement applies to individual and business tax credits alike. For example, if you are claiming a credit for energy-efficient home improvements, you must be able to show receipts for the purchases of items like HVAC systems and insulation. How do you get a large tax refund for your small business? Its possible to maximize your small business tax refund by being mindful of the deductions and credits you are eligible for. Make sure youre taking advantage of any exemptions or deductions that apply to your particular business structure, such as health insurance coverage or retirement plan contributions. Youll also want to look into tax credits that could apply to your situation such as research and development tax credits or renewable energy tax credits. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: The landscape of the business world is undergoing a remarkable transformation, with women emerging as powerful catalysts of change. Their role and impact in business are undeniable, shaping economies and fostering innovation across the globe. This article goes into the statistics that paint a vivid picture of womens growing presence in the business domain, underscoring their achievements, challenges, and opportunities. Women in Business The participation of women in business is not just a matter of economic empowerment but also a cornerstone for societal progress. With women at the helm, companies often see enhanced creativity, greater governance, and improved financial performance. Women in business bring diverse perspectives and benefits to the workplace, including: Innovation and Creativity : Women often bring different viewpoints and experiences that can lead to innovative solutions and creative approaches to problem-solving. : Women often bring different viewpoints and experiences that can lead to innovative solutions and creative approaches to problem-solving. Improved Financial Performance : Studies have shown that companies with more women in leadership roles often experience better financial performance, including higher returns on equity and greater profitability. : Studies have shown that companies with more women in leadership roles often experience better financial performance, including higher returns on equity and greater profitability. Enhanced Collaboration and Team Dynamics : Women are often strong in collaboration and communication, skills that enhance team dynamics and improve the effectiveness of group projects. : Women are often strong in collaboration and communication, skills that enhance team dynamics and improve the effectiveness of group projects. Diverse Leadership Styles : Women leaders can exhibit a range of leadership styles, including transformational leadership, which is associated with higher levels of employee engagement and satisfaction. : Women leaders can exhibit a range of leadership styles, including transformational leadership, which is associated with higher levels of employee engagement and satisfaction. Market Insights : As women represent a significant portion of the consumer market, having women in key business roles can provide valuable insights into consumer preferences and trends, leading to better market strategies. : As women represent a significant portion of the consumer market, having women in key business roles can provide valuable insights into consumer preferences and trends, leading to better market strategies. Corporate Social Responsibility : Companies with higher gender diversity often prioritize corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, which can enhance the companys image and relationships with stakeholders. : Companies with higher gender diversity often prioritize corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, which can enhance the companys image and relationships with stakeholders. Workforce Attraction and Retention : Businesses that champion gender diversity are more attractive to potential employees and tend to have higher retention rates, as they are seen as more inclusive and progressive workplaces. : Businesses that champion gender diversity are more attractive to potential employees and tend to have higher retention rates, as they are seen as more inclusive and progressive workplaces. Better Decision Making : Gender-diverse teams are more likely to consider a wider range of perspectives and alternatives, leading to more thorough and well-considered decisions. : Gender-diverse teams are more likely to consider a wider range of perspectives and alternatives, leading to more thorough and well-considered decisions. Enhanced Corporate Governance : Women in leadership positions can contribute to stronger governance practices, with a focus on ethics, risk management, and compliance. : Women in leadership positions can contribute to stronger governance practices, with a focus on ethics, risk management, and compliance. Increased Competitiveness: By leveraging the full talents of the workforce, including women, businesses can enhance their competitiveness in the global market. Benefit Impact Area Potential Outcomes Examples Innovation and Creativity Problem-solving New products, services, and processes Diverse teams developing groundbreaking technology Improved Financial Performance Financial health Higher returns on equity, greater profitability Companies with women in leadership outperforming peers in stock markets Enhanced Collaboration and Team Dynamics Teamwork More effective team projects, higher employee satisfaction Teams with women showing improved collaboration and project outcomes Diverse Leadership Styles Management and Leadership Increased employee engagement, adaptability in leadership Women leaders employing both transformational and democratic styles Market Insights Marketing and Strategy Better alignment with consumer needs, effective marketing strategies Products designed with women's insights meeting market demands more effectively Corporate Social Responsibility Ethics and Sustainability Positive social impact, enhanced company reputation Gender-diverse companies leading in CSR initiatives Workforce Attraction and Retention Human Resources Lower turnover rates, higher talent acquisition Companies known for gender diversity attracting top talent Better Decision Making Strategic Planning More thorough decision-making processes, reduced risks Gender-diverse boards making well-rounded strategic decisions Enhanced Corporate Governance Governance and Compliance Stronger adherence to ethical standards, improved risk management Women in boardrooms contributing to stringent governance practices Increased Competitiveness Market Competitiveness Higher market share, competitive advantage Businesses utilizing full talent pool to innovate and stay ahead of competitors Women Business Owner Statistics: A Closer Look The landscape of entrepreneurship in the United States is undergoing a significant transformation, with women leading the charge. Women own 42% of all businesses in the United States. Women-led businesses employ 9.4M workers and generate $1.9 trillion in revenues annually. States with the most women-owned employer firms are Hawaii, Virginia, and Colorado. Over 1,800 new women-owned businesses are created each day in the U.S. The number of women-owned businesses grew 2.5 times faster than the national average over the last decade. Female entrepreneurs are 1.5 times more likely to start a business than men. Women in Leadership Roles: Statistics and Trends The presence of women in leadership roles within major corporations remains a critical area of focus, as current statistics and trends reveal a stark disparity. Only 7% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women. Women hold 25% of all executive- and senior-level roles in S&P 500 companies. One-third of businesses worldwide are owned by women. Women Entrepreneurs: Data and Insights The landscape of American business is increasingly shaped by the contributions of women entrepreneurs. Over 11.6 million firms are owned by women in the U.S., employing nearly 9 million people. Women-owned firms generate $1.7 trillion in sales. Economic Contributions of Women-Owned Companies Women-owned companies are making substantial economic contributions, significantly impacting the United States gross domestic product (GDP). Businesses owned by women contribute 20% to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States. Women-led startups deliver 35% higher return on investment than male-led firms. Women Owned Businesses: A Statistical Overview The entrepreneurial landscape is witnessing a remarkable trend, with women-owned businesses experiencing a growth rate. Globally, one in three businesses has women among the principal owners The growth rate of women-owned businesses has been more than double that of all businesses over the past decade. Businesses owned by women of color in the U.S. employ 2.4 million people and generate $422.5 billion in revenue annually, with a notable disparity in average revenue between minority and non-minority women-owned businesses. Prevalence and Growth of Women-Owned Businesses There has been a 58% increase in women-owned businesses since 2007. From 2019 to 2023, the growth rate of women-owned businesses outpaced the rate of mens 94.3% for several firms, 252.8% for employment, and 82.0% for revenue. Women-owned businesses with 50 or more employees account for nearly half of women-owned businesses employment and revenues. Women-owned businesses with 50 or more employees average $31.8 million in revenue, generating $1.3 trillion in aggregate revenue. Performance and Impact of Women-Owned Businesses Women of color own 50.4% of all women-owned businesses, employing 3.9 million workers and generating $1.1 trillion in revenues. The growth of women-owned businesses outpaced mens for firms, employment, and revenue during the pandemic and post-pandemic in 2023. Women-owned businesses in the technology sector generate 12% higher revenue than their male counterparts. States with the most women-owned businesses include the District of Columbia, Florida, Colorado, Vermont, and Georgia. Spotlight on Female Small Business Owners Women business owners oversee more than 12 million businesses in the United States, which collectively employ over 10.1 million workers. The majority of women business owners are from Generation X (55.7%), with nearly a third from the Boomer generation (29.9%). Notably, millennial women entrepreneurs are demonstrating impressive success rates, outpacing their male counterparts by 36 percent. There has been a notable increase in businesses owned by women of color. Specifically, businesses owned by Black or African-American women have increased by 33 percent from 2022 to 2023. Additionally, businesses owned by Hispanic, Latino or Spanish Origin, and Asian or Asian-American women have both doubled since the previous year The majority of women-owned businesses (60%) showed profitability this year despite many being newly-fledged businesses facing unique economic challenges. Female small business owners constitute 31% of all small business or franchise owners. The National Womens Business Council found that the number of female entrepreneurs has increased by 114% compared to just two decades ago. Prevalence and Growth of Women-Owned Small Businesses The number of small businesses owned by women is growing at a rate of 3% per year. The majority of women business owners belong to Generation X (55.7%), followed by the Boomer generation (29.9%). The top industries for women-owned businesses include retail (26%), health, beauty, and fitness services (17%), and food and restaurant (14%). Performance and Impact of Women-Owned Small Businesses Small businesses owned by women are responsible for creating 4.2 million jobs in the U.S. 37% of women investors are likely to invest in startups to mitigate investment risks. Minority Women-Owned Businesses: A Statistical Exploration Minority women control 14% of all women-owned businesses. Prevalence and Growth of Minority Women-Owned Businesses There has been an impressive 71% increase in businesses owned by minority women since 2007. Challenges and Opportunities for Minority Women Business Owners Minority women business owners face higher challenges in accessing capital compared to their non-minority counterparts. Success Stories of Minority Women Business Owners Minority women-owned businesses have seen a 163% increase in employment over the past decade. Female Business Owners: Challenges and Opportunities Women business owners cite lack of access to funding as their number one challenge. Success Stories of Female-Owned Businesses Female-founded startups in Silicon Valley are responsible for 24% of all startup deals. Female Entrepreneurs: Breaking Barriers and Making Strides Despite economic challenges, female founders in the UK have been responding with innovation and entrepreneurialism, establishing over 150,000 new companies in 2022 alone. Startups founded by women deliver 63% more returns on investment than those founded by men. Female Entrepreneur Statistics and Trends Women entrepreneurs are expected to create more than 5 million new jobs by 2028. In South Africa, womens entrepreneurial activities have increased year on year, with over 150,000 new companies established by women in 2022 alone, more than twice as many as in 2018. Success Stories of Female Entrepreneurs Female entrepreneurs have secured 2% more in profitability when they are on the board of directors. Female entrepreneurs have secured 2% more in profitabilitywhen they are on the board of directors. The Global Gender Gap: Challenges and Opportunities for Female Entrepreneurs The World Economic Forum states that the gender gap in economic participation and opportunity stands at 58%. Businesses with gender-diverse executive teams are 25% more likely to have above-average profitability. Globally, one in three businesses has women among the principal owners Only 10% of the global cross-company founders listed on Crunchbase are women. Less advanced and lower-income countries have an average of 38% of women in business ownership. FAQs: Women in Business Statistics What are some surprising women entrepreneur statistics? Women entrepreneurs start their businesses with 50% less capital on average than their male counterparts. Despite this, businesses founded by women ultimately deliver higher revenuemore than twice as much per dollar invested than those founded by men. What is the growth rate of women-owned businesses? Women-owned businesses are growing at a rate of more than double the national average for all businesses, showcasing significant entrepreneurial activity and economic contribution. What challenges do women business owners often face? Women business owners often face challenges such as access to funding, finding mentorship, and overcoming gender bias in traditionally male-dominated industries. Additionally, balancing business and family commitments is a notable challenge. What sectors have the highest number of women entrepreneurs? The highest number of women entrepreneurs can be found in the healthcare and social assistance, educational services, retail trade, and hospitality sectors. These industries are known for their strong presence of female leadership and entrepreneurship. What impact do women-owned businesses have on the economy? Women-owned businesses significantly contribute to the economy by generating trillions in sales and employing millions of people. They drive innovation, create jobs, and contribute to economic growth and diversity in the business community. What resources are available for women entrepreneurs? Numerous resources are available for women entrepreneurs, including grants, mentorship programs, networking groups, and business training. Organizations such as the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), Womens Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), and Small Business Administration (SBA) support women in business through resources and educational programs. There are also various forms of tech helping women entrepreneurs succeed. What is the success rate of female entrepreneurs? The success rate of female entrepreneurs varies by industry and individual business strategy, but research suggests that women-led startups are more likely to succeed, with higher profitability and return on investment than those led by men. How many women are in business compared to men? While men still outnumber women in business ownership, the gap is narrowing. Women now own close to 42% of all businesses in the United States, a significant increase from previous decades. Which Big Companies have female Founders? Big companies with female founders or co-founders include Spanx by Sara Blakely, Rent the Runway by Jennifer Hyman and Jenny Fleiss, and Bumble by Whitney Wolfe Herd. These companies have made significant impacts in their respective industries, showcasing the innovation and leadership of women entrepreneurs. He claims it was a staged artistic event. The owners are not convinced. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share The art scene in Kosice has been roiled in recent days by the reported theft of an important artwork from a public cafe by none other than the dean of the local university's art faculty. The curious series of events began to unfold on Monday afternoon (March 4) when the painting went missing from the Muse Cafe on Hlavna Street, the main street in Kosice's historical centre, the Korzar daily reported. In security camera footage, a man can be seen casually removing the small painting from the cafe's wall as he walks past, before leaving soon afterwards. The cafe's owners noticed that the artwork was missing about half an hour after its removal. After posting the surveillance video online and asking the public for help in identifying the thief, the finger of suspicion quickly turned towards Tibor Uhrin, the dean of the Faculty of Arts at Kosice's Technical University (TUKE). The cafe owners later met Uhrin at a police station and, after a conversation, agreed to withdrew their criminal complaint. He returned the painting, apologised and described the artwork's removal as part of a "bet". video //www.youtube.com/embed/5m1MZc-zwSQ However, later, in an online post addressed to students, he portrayed the painting's removal as a "happening," a term used in the art world to describe a type of improvised, staged event or performance. There is no evidence that the act was recorded in any other form than on the cafe's security video. The cafe owners were less than impressed by this explanation, expressing their dismay at what they saw as an attempt to downplay the incident as a "performance" and emphasising that the stolen painting, by renowned artist Herta Viktorin Ondrusova, was of considerable value. Art theft sparks dispute and ongoing investigation A claim by the dean that he was unaware of the artwork's origin also prompted doubts among the cafe owners, given his background in the arts. Herta Viktorin Ondrusova's paintings are highly regarded and works of the type taken are typically valued at around 1,000. The artist, known locally as "Lady Mozaikova," contributed significantly to Kosice's artistic landscape with her mosaic works. The cafe owners called for a more sincere acknowledgment from the dean, who, in turn, maintained that the incident was misunderstood and said he was trying to address concerns among students. The rector of TUKE, to which the Faculty of Arts belongs, did not respond to a request by Korzar for comment; the university later confirmed that an ad hoc ethics committee was being appointed. When the daily reached Dean Uhrin he insisted that no crime had occurred and that the incident had been a "happening" based on a "fictitious concept". "I want to point out that no one was hurt and I didn't want to hurt anyone. I don't want to say more about it," he stated, asking: "Why do you want to write about this? A painting taken by the dean without consent. (Source: Korzar/Elena Dankova) An artwork by Herta Viktorin Ondrusova in Kosice. (Source: Korzar/Elena Dankova) Resignation The faculty condemned the ex-dean's behaviour. Uhrin, who has worked at the faculty for more than 20 years, resigned several days after the scandal. "I apologise to everyone, I'm very sorry, and I'm stepping down as dean," the ex-dean said on March 11, as quoted by Korzar. He admitted that he was a troublemaker but refused to be called a thief, calling his action "probably the biggest mistake of my life" and "nonsense" he couldn't explain. It's not clear if he will continue teaching at the faculty. If he was sacked by the faculty, the design study programme would most likely end. In 1993, Uhrin designed the children's construction kit Gringo, for which he won the main prize in the competition of the Slovak Design Centre - Good Design, and which is still produced today. He creates interior design accessories and objects for dining. The oldest ice in the cave is approximately 2,600 years old. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share The amount of ice in the Dobsinska Ice Cave, eastern Slovakia, increases as well recedes, depending on the climate and the effects caused by cave visitors. For now, the condition of ice in the cave is stable, shows data obtained from extensive multidisciplinary research by scientists of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV). Detailed travel guide to the Tatras introduces you to the whole region around the Tatra mountains, including attractions on the Polish side. "After more detailed research, the initial estimates of the amount of ice in the cave turned out to be surprisingly accurate: with a volume of 115,000 to 120,000 cubic metres, refined by more modern methods to 110,000 m3 in 1995, the cave is one of the largest in the world," said Earth Science Institute Director Jan Madaras, as quoted by the TASR newswire. He added that the current ice has a maximum thickness of around 25 metres. The oldest ice in the cave is approximately 2,600 years old, according to the SAV. "We have the first georadar measurements of the thickness and characteristics of ice from 1995. Compared to the results of regular measurements from the 2011/2012 season, ice has decreased by one to two metres in some parts of the cave, but has increased in others," said Madaras. He explained that at the time of the cave's discovery, its entrance was also covered by ice. There is currently none there. "On the contrary, a continuous layer of ice with a thickness of several metres is currently located in the lower parts of the cave, which were not glaciated at the time of discovery," the scientist pointed out. Changes in the ice environment are influenced by the presence of visitors and technical operation. According to SAV, negative impacts can be mitigated by strict seasonal visiting regulations, as well as by technical changes in lighting. In the cave, they apply a set of geodetic and geophysical measurements because ice develops dynamically, reacts to seasonal changes, moves, melts, grows, sublimates. "The purpose of the measurements is to determine the thickness and volume of the ice massif in different parts of the cave, to record changes in the thickness of the ice at the same locations - the dynamics of the ice, its melting or increase in different parts of the cave," said the geologist. Pack some extra layers if you want to visit this icy UNESCO place Read more The Dobsinska Ice Cave has the advantage of being located in the northern part of Slovak Paradise National Park. From a long-term climatic point of view, it belongs to the coldest locations in Slovakia up to an altitude of 1,000 metres. However, SAV pointed out that due to shorter winters, milder winters with a decreasing number of very cold days, shortening of cold days, with poorer snow cover, richer summer precipitation and also the influence of tourism, changes underground may occur in the long term. "Therefore, the detailed long-term monitoring of the ice is extremely necessary," the expert concluded. https://sk.frame.mapy.cz/s/hesedotesa Spectacular Slovakia travel guides Campaign taking place in three cities. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share Last week, the Health Ministry launched a voluntary vaccination campaign using a new Covid-19 vaccine. People older than 12 can now register via the National Health Portal website (click on the yellow "COVID ockovanie testovanie" button on the right). Further details will be provided upon registration. The new Nuvaxovid XBB.1.5 vaccine is administered intramuscularly three months after the last Covid-19 vaccine at the earliest, regardless of the previous type of vaccine or order of doses, says the ministry. Vaccination with the Nuvaxovid vaccine will take place at Bratislava University Hospital (Kramare), F.D. Roosevelt Faculty Hospital in Banska Bystrica, and L. Pasteur University Hospital in Kosice. In the case of increased interest in this vaccine, the Health Ministry will consider expanding the vaccination network to include other centres. Chinese firm in Uganda plant trees with local students Xinhua) 10:06, March 12, 2024 WAKISO, Uganda, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan students and a Chinese company planted trees here on Monday ahead of China's National Tree Planting Day, which falls on March 12. Students from Good Samaritan Secondary School and officials of CRJE (East Africa) Limited, a construction company, planted trees at the school in Uganda's central district of Wakiso. Liu Qiang, general manager of CRJE (East Africa) Limited, told the students that planting trees has been a prevalent practice for the Chinese. China designated March 12 as National Tree Planting Day in 1979. To mark the day, citizens are encouraged to adopt or nurture trees, donate money, and conduct volunteer work related to trees. Quoting a Chinese saying, "It takes ten years to grow a tree, but a hundred years to cultivate people," Liu encouraged the students to continue learning throughout their lives, explaining that the current generation should emulate their predecessors who planted trees so that future generations could enjoy the benefits. Anthony Mutambo, the school's head teacher, thanked the Chinese firm for partnering with the school to plant trees. "I would like to hail the Chinese firm for partnering with our school in this tree planting campaign that would enable our students to learn the importance of maintaining a good environment in school," Mutambo said. Joan Namagembe, a student at the school, also said planting trees is important to protect and preserve the school's environment. According to Uganda's National Forestry Authority, a state-run agency, Uganda has lost 3 million hectares of forest cover in the last 25 years. According to the agency, restoring about 36,000 hectares of forest cover each year would reverse the country's deforestation trend by 2040. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) OSLO, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Norway's economy is expected to grow by 0.8 percent in 2024 and reach 2.1 percent in 2025, Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum said in a statement on Monday. Furthermore, the unemployment rate is anticipated to remain low, with projections of 2.0 percent for 2024 and 2.1 percent for 2025. The low unemployment indicates that the economic policies are effective, suggesting "that we are moving in the right direction," said the finance minister. According to the Statistics Norway, the country's Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 4.5 percent in February year on year, notably lower than anticipated, thanks to the decrease in food prices, which dropped by 0.7 percent in February from January. "Many have noticed the demanding years we have been through, but now it looks like things will turn around. We believe that 2024 and 2025 will be brighter for people and that most people will enjoy improved purchasing power again," said Vedum. He may have been looking for a girlfriend, opines a zoologist. Calm and stagnant waters in Kosice's Nad Jazerom borough are paradise for beavers. (Source: Korzar/Judita Cermakova) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share A beaver, protected by law, was spotted as it walked along the pavement near a busy road and a shopping mall in Kosice. The video with the largest European rodent was filmed by Sebastian Danko on Vodarenska Street in the citys Sever district, reports the Korzar website. The Anicka recreational site, near which the Hornad River flows, is a stones throw from the area. Zoologist Peter Krisovsky thinks that something happened that disturbed the rodent. As a result, it was forced to leave its territory and walk through the built-up area even in daylight. Perhaps it was an individual who was excluded by the group to look for and create its own family. Beavers mate from February, the expert noted, adding that a beaver colony cannot grow indefinitely. video //www.youtube.com/embed/KVNwThJjRC4 Another reason for the beavers unusual behaviour can be its illness. Half a year ago, we and the State Nature Conservancy dealt with the case of a beaver in Sabinov, which was on the shore and was sick. It died shortly after, said Krisovsky. The Slovak Water Management Company confirmed for Korzar that the beaver population in Slovakia is increasing from year to year. In February, Environment Deputy Minister Filip Kuffa (SNS nom.) suggested that the beaver might no longer remain a protected animal. In the Western worldat least when I was growing upalternative medicine was seen as exactly that: alternative. Even the phrasing of it centers Western medicine as the main, accepted method. Relying on centuries of botanical development and knowledge using plants and herbs wasnt seen as modern, and western culture positioned these understandings as unscientific, foreign, different. You may sip on coffee for pleasure or the caffeine hit. But for some people, coffee has always been medicine. One could argue that if you get a caffeine headache after skipping your morning coffee, you also use coffee as a medicine of sorts. But Im not here to debate contemporary research articles on coffees health benefits. Instead, I want us to look closer at the history of coffee as a medicine, and understand how this intertwines with coffee culture as we know it today. Early coffee usage was tied to religion. The Oromo people of Ethiopia use coffee in religious ceremonies and as medicine; the Kaldi-and-goat story describes a monk drinking coffee to stay awake for prayers; and Sufi mystics also used it to energize themselves for evening prayers. All parts of coffee the plant and the various subsequent preparations of its cherries have a notable presence for the Oromo people and one of their religions, Waaqeffannaa. Oromo people have been utilizing coffee from time immemorial, and the art of preparing coffee is a central element in their every-day cultural practices, writes Bula Sirika Wayessa in a study on traditional coffee use among the Oromo people. In the society, coffee has always been used as a medicine, a food and a beverage, as well as in ritual performances. It is mainly used to treat discomfort and illness, like a headache, and is also carried on long journeys in case someone starts feeling ill. If someone has an injury, the wounded area is sprinkled with coffee powder and covered with a croton leaf. The same powder, when mixed with honey, treats diarrhea. Wayessa continues, Moreover, coffee is viewed as a preventive medicine that protects people from any illness and the smoke produced from its burning is said to kill vectors and eliminate any cause of sickness. It is also believed that the smoke goes to and appeases the spirit (ayyaana) that guard as persons well being. Early medical texts in the 9th11th centuries showed Islamic physician Rhazes describing coffee as hot and dry and very good for the stomach, and Islamic doctor Avicenna wrote about coffee as coming from Yemen and, expanding on Rhazes, explained that it fortifies the members, cleans the skin, and dries up the humidities that are under it, and gives an excellent smell to all the body. A handful of centuries later, coffee was in full use by Yemeni Sufis to stay awake for a night of prayers. These gatherings laid the foundations of the first coffeehouses in Yemen. A coffeehouse was often one of the first things Ottoman empires build upon conquering a new city, to demonstrate the civility of their rule, writes Augustine Sedgewick in the book Coffeeland. But before we look at how coffee was prescribed as medicine in Europe, we need to rewind to the first century. Originating from Ancient Greek by Hippocrates and Galen, the humoral medical theory detailed that each human body had an individual mix of four fluids, or humors: black bile, yellow bile, blood, and phlegm. Health issues arose when the humors became imbalanced. Because every food had its own humoral affiliationhot, cold, dry, or moistit was given as a prescription of sorts to treat whichever humor went out of sync. The humoral theory stayed for over a millennia and then became challenged when new foods were introduced. As coffee, tea, and chocolate were brought in from different parts of the world, doctors were divided over how to categorize them, writes Lorraine Boissoneault. Some physicians viewed the drink as having a heating effect. Others claimed coffee cooled the body by drying up certain fluids (an early acknowledgement of coffee as a diuretic). If a single food item had multiple forms and qualities, then what did that mean for the humoral system? In the early 1600s, coffee was announced as curing alcoholism in England, in addition to all sorts of ailments like preventing and curing gout and scurvy, headaches and stomachaches, and miscarriages. It is observed that in Turkey, where this is generally drunk, that they are not trobled with the Stone, Gout, Dropsie, or Scurvey, and that their Skins are exceeding clear and white, proclaims Pasqua Rosee, who opened the first coffee shop in London, in a 1652 handbill advertisement. Noted Islamic physician Dawud Al-Antaki wrote in the 16th century (translated in 1659) on The Nature of the drink Kauhi, or Coffe, that coffee was used to treat coughs and diseases: When it is dried and throughly boyled, it allayes the ebullition of the blood, is good against the small poxe and measles, and bloudy pimples. Elsewhere in the world, coffee reached China in the 19th century, but the Rubiaceae plant family it belongs to had long been documented in Chinese herbal medicine. Unroasted and green coffee bean is used to move constrained liver qi and has a cooling property. It also energetically enters the gallbladder and can disperse stagnant qi. explains Dr. Paige Yang, a doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. When roasted, as we commonly know coffee beans to be in the West, it then becomes a warming herb that adds heat to the body. Here, as in other cases of coffee being used as medicine, it is not consumed in large quantities, but rather in in a complete formulation alongside other herbs to treat the patterns of disease found through differential diagnosis. The Oromo people and Chinese medicine are still around today, and the concept of coffee as medicine is not lost to history books. There are people like Daniel Brown of Gilly Brew Bar in Atlanta, who shared with Sprudge a few years ago about elixirs, Your grandmother may have made you chicken soup; for me, in my family, we saw coffee and tea as a kind of medicine, and I wanted to choose a word that would help express and embed that in peoples heads. He added, We also want to express that it is a medicinal product, that can be healing to your soul. And the storytelling is all a part of that. This was but a brief foray into coffees medicinal historyI hope that telling the story of coffees roots inspire you to explore this area more deeply. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/argentine-foreign-ministry-summons-uk-ambassador-over-falkland-islands-dispute---reports-1117273892.html Argentine Foreign Ministry Summons UK Ambassador Over Falkland Islands Dispute - Reports Argentine Foreign Ministry Summons UK Ambassador Over Falkland Islands Dispute - Reports Sputnik International The Argentine Foreign Ministry summoned UK Ambassador to Argentina Kirsty Hayes to express its dissatisfaction with UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron's recent visit to the Falkland Islands. 2024-03-12T00:20+0000 2024-03-12T00:20+0000 2024-03-12T00:20+0000 world united kingdom (uk) falkland islands argentine foreign ministry chris hayes https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102024/35/1020243507_0:136:1024:712_1920x0_80_0_0_56bfcb7830f3906189045c4bef47a5fe.jpg The ministry has also expressed its protest against the decision of the island's leadership to build a port that could potentially compete with the port in the Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego, Argentine broadcaster TN reported. Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino has not been present during the ministry's conversation with Hayes, the report said. Cameron visited the islands in February. Mondino later expressed concern about his trip to the disputed territory on the sidelines of the meeting of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Rio de Janeiro.The Falkland Islands, or the Malvinas, remain the subject of a long-standing dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom. In 1982, a war broke out between the countries. It lasted several weeks and ended with the defeat of the Latin American country. In March 2013, the islands held a referendum on the status of the territory, with 99.8% of local residents having preferred to remain a UK overseas territory. Argentina has not recognized the voting results. Tensions over the territory intensified in 2015, after British oil companies discovered new oil and gas deposits near the islands. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230329/argentine-president-discusses--falkland-islands-issue-with-uns-guterres-1108891334.html united kingdom (uk) falkland islands Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International argentine foreign ministry, uk ambassador to argentina kirsty hayes, uk foreign secretary david cameron, falkland islands https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/biden-may-limit-military-aid-to-israel-in-case-of-operation-in-gazas-rafah---reports-1117277358.html Biden May Limit Military Aid to Israel in Case of Operation in Gaza's Rafah - Reports Biden May Limit Military Aid to Israel in Case of Operation in Gaza's Rafah - Reports Sputnik International US President Joe Biden could consider conditioning aid to Israel if it extends ground operation in the Gaza Strip to the southernmost city of Rafah on the border with Egypt, where around 1.4 million people are currently sheltering, Politico reported, citing unnamed US and Israeli officials. 2024-03-12T09:28+0000 2024-03-12T09:28+0000 2024-03-12T10:07+0000 world palestine-israel conflict israel benjamin netanyahu joe biden gaza strip hamas iron dome https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/0c/1116739294_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_46273d8629530330805010c3ef24f95d.jpg "Its something hes definitely thought about," one of the officials was quoted as saying. On the other hand, the operation in Rafah is not imminent: even if the order was given today, it would not start, an anonymous Israeli military official said. Palestinian refugees would have to be evacuated from the city before it could begin, and troops would have to be trained, the official added. Israel is also yet to present a sound and feasible plan to protect the civilian population of Rafah, as the United States wants to see it before any action is taken, another US official said. Last week, Biden said he would continue to send necessary supplies for Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system, but added that mass Palestinian casualties were a "red line" for him. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for his part, said he would still enter Rafah despite the warnings, and that a ceasefire during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan was only possible if the remaining hostages held by Palestinian movement Hamas were released. On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from Gaza and breached the border, killing 1,200 people and abducting around 240 others. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. At least 31,100 people have been killed so far in the Gaza Strip, local authorities said. On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240310/death-toll-from-israeli-strikes-on-gaza-strip-tops-31000---health-ministry-1117244166.html israel gaza strip Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International military aid to israel, gaza strip, us president joe biden, us and israeli officials https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/dead-boeing-whistleblower-never-appeared-suicidal-police-must-investigate---lawyers-1117293445.html Dead Boeing Whistleblower Never Appeared Suicidal, Police Must Investigate - Lawyers Dead Boeing Whistleblower Never Appeared Suicidal, Police Must Investigate - Lawyers Sputnik International Lawyers representing deceased Boeing whistleblower John Barnett said that they saw no indication that Barnett was suicidal, after authorities discovered him with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. 2024-03-12T22:44+0000 2024-03-12T22:44+0000 2024-03-12T22:44+0000 world us south carolina boeing boeing 787 whistleblower https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/04/16/1094956524_0:0:2911:1637_1920x0_80_0_0_3725e0bb2e1096094fab6d63dacd8097.jpg John was in the midst of a deposition in his whistleblower retaliation case, which finally was nearing the end. He was in very good spirits and really looking forward to putting this phase of his life behind him and moving on. We didnt see any indication he would take his own life. No one can believe it, Barnetts lawyers said in a statement shared with Sputnik. Earlier this week, the Charleston, South Carolina coroners office said that they found Barnett dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Charleston City Police Department is investigating Barnetts death, the coroners office said.Barnett was recently cross-examined by Boeings lawyers and was scheduled to answer more questions on Saturday, but did not appear, according to media reports. Barnett worked at Boeing for more than three decades before retiring in 2017. Barnett accused Boeing of cutting corners in order to expedite the production of its 787 Dreamliner jets at a North Charleston plant. Barnetts lawyers said that they need more information about the whistleblower's death. The Charleston police must investigate Barnetts death fully and accurately inform the public of their findings, the lawyers statement said. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/boeing-whistleblower-found-dead-from-self-inflicted-gunshot-wound---coroners-office-1117274499.html south carolina Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International boeing case, boeing whistleblower, boeing whistleblower john barnett suicide, who is john barnett, john barnett death, john barnett died https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/first-ship-with-humanitarian-aid-leaves-cyprus-for-gaza-strip---president-1117279193.html First Ship With Humanitarian Aid Leaves Cyprus for Gaza Strip - President First Ship With Humanitarian Aid Leaves Cyprus for Gaza Strip - President Sputnik International The first ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza has begun its journey under the Cyprus Maritime Corridor Initiative, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides said on Tuesday. 2024-03-12T10:02+0000 2024-03-12T10:02+0000 2024-03-12T10:02+0000 world palestine-israel conflict gaza strip cyprus european commission hamas israel aid https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/10/1116833474_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_4e0029dca786ffe2394fcc5b5bb49f7a.jpg "The Amalthia journey is one of hope and humanity, and it has only just began. The first ship in the context of the Cyprus Maritime Corridor Initiative for humanitarian aid to Gaza has sailed. It is a lifeline to civilians," the president said on X. Earlier in the day, the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) reported that the Open Arms aid ship had left the port of Larnaca carrying 200 tonnes of humanitarian aid as part of a Cypriot-led Amalthea Initiative. The ship is expected to reach its destination in two days, the news agency reported. Last week, the European Commission, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States announced the activation of the maritime corridor for humanitarian assistance delivery to Gaza. The Israeli government welcomed Cyprus' initiative, vowing to help facilitate aid transfers to the region. In November 2023, Christodoulides unveiled the details of his plan to establish a sea corridor for direct humanitarian aid shipments to the Gaza Strip. The president suggested that the operational headquarters be located in the Cypriot city of Larnaca, home to a major Mediterranean port which has the capacity to store about 100,000 tonnes of aid for Gaza. The aid will be collected and checked by customs officers in Larnaca, Christodoulides said. The cargo vessels carrying the aid should be convoyed by military ships, he added. The vessels will be unloaded on the southwestern bank of the Gaza Strip and then handed over to Palestinian civil authorities. On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from Gaza and breached the border, killing 1,200 people and abducting around 240 others. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. At least 31,100 people have been killed so far in the Gaza Strip, local authorities said. On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240310/death-toll-from-israeli-strikes-on-gaza-strip-tops-31000---health-ministry-1117244166.html gaza strip cyprus israel Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International humanitarian aid, gaza strip, cyprus maritime corridor initiative https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/foreign-investors-interested-in-exchange-of-frozen-assets---russian-finance-ministry-1117282857.html Foreign Investors Interested in Exchange of Frozen Assets - Russian Finance Ministry Foreign Investors Interested in Exchange of Frozen Assets - Russian Finance Ministry Sputnik International Foreign investors are interested in the exchange of frozen assets, otherwise there would have been no need in developing a relevant mechanism, Russian Deputy Finance Minister Ivan Chebeskov said on Tuesday. 2024-03-12T13:45+0000 2024-03-12T13:45+0000 2024-03-12T13:45+0000 russia asset freeze russia russian finance ministry asset seizure asset freeze https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/18896/18/188961841_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_d38780d9b6e51258c675b7a5091eaa05.jpg On Monday, the Russian Finance Ministry said that the government commission for the control of foreign investments had approved the terms of the exchange of frozen assets, and all transactions must be completed by September 1. Investors have been expressing interest along the development of this mechanism, he added. The exchange procedure provides that foreigners would get an opportunity to purchase frozen foreign assets from Russian retail investors using financial sources in C-type accounts. The acceptance of applications from Russians within the framework of the exchange of frozen assets will begin on March 25 and end on May 8, and Russian citizens will be able to submit more than 3,500 exchange instruments for buy back as part of the exchange instruments of frozen assets. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240311/eus-proposal-on-frozen-russian-assets-expected-to-be-ready-quite-soon-1117271399.html russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russian finance ministry, foreign investors, frozen assets https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/german-army-short-of-everything-partly-due-to-supplies-to-kiev---official-1117287141.html German Army Short of 'Everything,' Partly Due to Supplies to Kiev - Official German Army Short of 'Everything,' Partly Due to Supplies to Kiev - Official Sputnik International The German armed forces lack equipment, personnel and "everything" in general, with stocks depleted by military deliveries to Ukraine, the parliamentary commissioner for the Bundeswehr, Eva Hoegl, said Tuesday 2024-03-12T17:05+0000 2024-03-12T17:05+0000 2024-03-12T17:05+0000 military europe boris pistorius kiev ukraine germany bundeswehr german armed forces https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/07/1117183869_0:0:3304:1859_1920x0_80_0_0_f307cc09232a7ec837ee29ad2990b845.jpg "Unfortunately, I have to admit that the Bundeswehr still has too little of everything. There is a shortage of ammunition, spare parts and radio equipment. There are not enough tanks, ships and aircraft," Hoegl said presenting the annual report on the state of the German military. The commissioner praised Berlin for doing an "outstanding" job in supporting Ukraine in the conflict. However, supplying military aid to Kiev means that the German armed forces now have even less of everything, even more so two years into the conflict, she added. Germany continues to procure equipment to modernize the Bundeswehr under a special military fund worth 100 billion euros ($109 billion), Hoegl said, adding that two-thirds of it are already earmarked for specific purchases. A total of 181,514 people were serving in the Bundeswehr as of the end of last year, with the average age of a German soldier being 38.8 years. In January 2023, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told the Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper that the special defense fund would not be enough for Germany to modernize its troops and cover maintenance costs for military equipment. Pistorius then called for an increase of 10 billion euros per year in the German defense budget. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240310/germanys-2025-military-budget-lacks-up-to-65bln---defense-minister-1117241385.html kiev ukraine germany Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International german army, german armed forces, how big is germany's army, size of the german army https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/good-gotland-nato-militarization-risks-putting-swedish-island-in-nuclear-crosshairs-1117283743.html Good Gotland! NATO Militarization Risks Putting Swedish Island in Nuclear Crosshairs Good Gotland! NATO Militarization Risks Putting Swedish Island in Nuclear Crosshairs Sputnik International Swedens prime minister has told British media hes open to the idea of the militarization of the strategic Baltic Sea island of Gotland, and that this is one obvious thing to be discussed with our new NATO allies. Veteran military expert Vasily Dandykin told Sputnik what Stockholms approach could mean for Russia, and for Gotlands residents. 2024-03-12T16:09+0000 2024-03-12T16:09+0000 2024-03-12T16:09+0000 analysis sweden russia baltic sea ulf kristersson military & intelligence americans maria zakharova nato https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/0c/1117283528_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_ce54020af86be8813276adaca1aa8be7.jpg NATO planners and Washington-based geopolitics policymakers have salivated for years over the strategic potential of the Baltic Sea island of Gotland, with the massive, 3,184 square km Swedish territory seen as a potential game changer in the regional security competition with Russia, offering Sweden a commanding view of the Baltic and an advantage to influence air and maritime traffic.NATO has been strengthening its relations with Sweden since the mid-1990s, using its Partnership for Peace program as a Trojan horse through which to gradually ply Stockholm and other countries in the Nordic and Eastern Europe toward bloc membership. In 2022, following the escalation of the Ukrainian crisis into a full-on proxy war between NATO and Russia, the alliance received a once-in-a-lifetime chance to push Sweden and Finland to break with decades (and in Swedens case, centuries) of neutrality and join the Western bloc.Soon after, in the summer of 2022, Sweden hosted NATOs BALTOPS 22 exercises on Gotland Island, with US troops drilling on the island, and the drills which included over 45 ships, more than 75 aircraft and 7,500 troops, led by the US Sixth Fleet.Sweden formally joined NATO on March 7. In a Financial Times piece published Tuesday, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed Stockholms openness to reinforcing Gotlands defenses, in a nod to NATO plans for the Baltic.What Would Gotlands Militarization Mean for Russia?Gotland is the biggest island in the Baltic Sea, and situated in a very advantageous position: 380 km to Kaliningrad, Vasily Dandykin, a veteran Russian military analyst and retired Russian Navy Captain 1st Rank, told Sputnik.Dandykin said the existence of plans to strengthen its Gotland garrison could be predicted based off the growing rhetoric in Stockholm about a Russian threat, and expects these plans to include a shoring up of naval forces, coastal troops and intelligence gathering capabilities.Dandykin did not rule out potential provocations by NATO in the Baltic, with Gotland expected to play a big role amid the Western blocs ongoing effort to militarize the region.In the event of direct aggression, Russia would be forced to respond accordingly, Dandykin warned. The Swedes, who recently became new NATO members, and everyone else involved should understand this. In any case, more intensive [Russian] exercises will take place in the Baltic. We have to understand that Finland too is already a NATO member. Therefore, our actions will be adequate both from Kaliningrad, where the Baltic Fleet is based, and from the rest of Russia. If attacked, we could use nuclear weapons. The situation is not an easy one, and not just in the Baltic and other regions, but in the Arctic.Of course, NATO troops will operate in Sweden. But we do not want permanent NATO bases, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said Tuesday in an interview with Turkish media. The same goes for nuclear weapons, which Billstrom said Stockholm sees no reason to host in peacetime. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/sweden-open-to-reinforcing-defenses-on-baltic-island-of-gotland-says-pm-1117275812.html sweden russia baltic sea Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov why has nato expanded into the nordic countries, why is nato trying to dominate the baltic sea region, how will russia respond to sweden in nato https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/haitian-prime-minister-resigns-amid-social-unrest-in-country-1117275035.html Haitian Prime Minister Resigns Amid Social Unrest in Country Haitian Prime Minister Resigns Amid Social Unrest in Country Sputnik International Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry will leave his post amid the state of emergency declared by local authorities due to ongoing unrest in the country, Guyanese President Irfaan Ali said on Tuesday, adding that power in the country will be temporarily held by a transitional presidential council. 2024-03-12T04:52+0000 2024-03-12T04:52+0000 2024-03-12T04:52+0000 world ariel henry muhammad ali haiti prime minister https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/01/02/1091984431_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_f8edd87d7b47930b2de96070fd284fbc.jpg "In this regard, we recognize the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry to create a transitional presidential council and appoint an interim prime minister," Ali said during a press conference following international negotiations in Jamaica. The transitional presidential council will consist of seven members representing various Haitian movements with the right to vote and two non-voting observers, a declaration, drafted by representatives of Haiti, the member states of the Caribbean Community, the United States, Canada, France and Brazil, read. The council will temporarily exercise a number of presidential powers, acting by majority vote. On February 29, gangs began shooting in downtown Port-au-Prince and at the Haitian capital's international airport in the absence of Henry, who was on a visit to Kenya to seek agreement for the deployment of foreign forces in his country to fight organized crime. The gangs said their goal was to prevent Henry from returning to Haiti. An armed gang stormed Haiti's largest prison and freed an unconfirmed number of inmates. The Haitian government declared a state of emergency in the capital region. Haiti has long been mired in a social and political crisis that escalated after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7, 2021. The country has faced an unprecedented increase in the activities of criminal groups, while the humanitarian situation has deteriorated due to a multitude of natural disasters. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240307/haiti-in-anarchy-gangs-flex-muscles-while-pm-disappears-1117163848.html haiti Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International haitian prime minister, guyanese president irfaan ali, haitian prime minister ariel henry JERUSALEM, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Around 100 rockets were fired by Hezbollah militants in Lebanon towards northern Israel on Tuesday morning, following Israeli airstrikes deep into Lebanon, Israeli sources said. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the rockets were fired at the Upper Galilee area and the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. The country's aerial defense systems intercepted some of the rockets. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The IDF confirmed in a statement that in response, its fighter jets struck three launchers used to fire rockets earlier in the morning. The salvos came in response to Israeli airstrikes in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon, approximately 45 km east of Beirut. The IDF said in a statement that the airstrikes targeted two sites belonging to Hezbollah's aerial forces in retaliation for recent Hezbollah aircraft attacks launched towards the Golan Heights. The Beqaa Valley, some 100 km from the Israel border, is considered a Hezbollah stronghold. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/hamas-must-be-declared-terrorist-organization-face-most-heavy-sanctions-israel-minister-1117274355.html Hamas Must be Declared Terrorist Organization, Face 'Most Heavy' Sanctions-Israel Minister Hamas Must be Declared Terrorist Organization, Face 'Most Heavy' Sanctions-Israel Minister Sputnik International Israel wants Hamas to be declared a terrorist organization and face the most heavy sanctions, the Israeli Minister for Foreign Affairs Israel Katz said. 2024-03-12T01:49+0000 2024-03-12T01:49+0000 2024-03-12T01:49+0000 world israel katz benjamin netanyahu israel palestine hamas palestinians israel-gaza conflict israeli-palestinian conflict palestine-israel conflict https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107829/96/1078299625_0:41:2633:1522_1920x0_80_0_0_0079b7c37e026b590c4e694154a5d33d.jpg "Hamas must be declared as a terrorist organization and face the most heavy sanctions possible," Katz said in the UN Security Council meeting on Palestine. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that he rejects the possibility of creating a Palestinian state. In addition, the Israeli prime minister said that Israel must have full control over all Palestinian territories west of the Jordan River.Palestinians seek diplomatic recognition of their independent state in the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which is partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip. The Israeli government refuses to recognize Palestine as an independent political and diplomatic entity and builds settlements in the occupied areas despite objections from the United Nations. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240309/netanyahus-office-says-hamas-currently-not-interested-in-hostage-deal-1117234328.html israel palestine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International hamas terrorists, israel against hamas, israeli minister for foreign affairs israel katz, is hamas a terrorist organization https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/natos-1999-enlargement-sent-clear-signal-to-russia-that-cold-war-never-ended-1117289580.html NATOs 1999 Enlargement Sent Clear Signal to Russia That Cold War Never Ended NATOs 1999 Enlargement Sent Clear Signal to Russia That Cold War Never Ended Sputnik International March 12 marks the 25th anniversary of the beginning of NATOs fateful expansion into Eastern Europe in 1999. Veteran Serbian-American historian Srdja Trifkovic told Sputnik how the fateful error made a quarter century ago set the stage for the present crisis between Russia and the West. 2024-03-12T19:30+0000 2024-03-12T19:30+0000 2024-03-12T19:30+0000 analysis russia yugoslavia serbia srdja trifkovic bill clinton nato expansion nato expansion military expansion https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/0c/1117289315_0:71:1961:1174_1920x0_80_0_0_16910288994957956090608edd56706a.jpg The three-week period between March 12 and April 4 marks three important milestones for NATO:The blocs enlargement has been a good investment, former president Bill Clinton, whose administration set a course for NATO expansion almost immediately after entering office, said to attendees of a NATO conference in Prague on Tuesday.25 Years of Poking the BearHistory will see the accession of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland as a key step towards a Europe cooperation and integration, towards a Europe without dividing lines, former NATO secretary general Javier Solana said in 1999.The first Eastern European round of NATO expansion marked a strategic shift in US policy, with the Clinton administration sending a clear signalthat they intended to use NATO as a means of projecting US power in Eastern Europe and extending it, even though the USSR, the alliances raison detre, had ceased to exist, says Dr. Srdja Trifkovic.In other words, it was a decision that reflected the intention of the US government to treat NATO as a permanent feature, as a permanent factor of the international scene, and no longer as a defensive alliance, which was created in 1949, theoretically at least, to defend Western Europe against possible Soviet aggression, Trifkovic told Sputnik.For the Russians, I think it also was a sobering moment when they realized that the promise made by James Baker, then US secretary of State, that there would be no enlargement, was no longer valid, Trifkovic said, referring to Bakers February 1990 remark to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev that NATO would not move one inch eastward of Germany pending Soviet approval to have East Germany annexed by the Federal Republic.Aggressive New CourseIn a twist of fate symbolizing the revamped NATOs aggressive geopolitical course, the alliance kicked off a massive bombing campaign of Yugoslavia on March 24, 1999, less than two weeks after the Czech Republic, Hungary and Polands accession to the bloc.The encirclement has continued ever since, with 13 additional members entering NATO in the 25 years since 1999, six of them neighbors of Serbia.Ultimately, the Clinton administrations decision to expand NATO was a strategic fateful error, ruining a fledgling relationship between Washington and Moscow, setting the stage for the Ukrainian crisis, and serving to bring Russia and China closer together than theyve been since the 1950s.George Kennan, one of the architects of the US strategy in the Cold Warsaid when this wave of expansion occurred that it was the biggest mistake of US foreign policy in the post-Cold War period, Trifkovic recalled. Kennan, as a strategist of the highest order, was extremely skeptical about the wisdom of expanding NATO. Now, all these years later, we see that indeed, he was right, the observer summed up. https://sputnikglobe.com/20231003/how-clinton-used-russias-1993-crisis-to-dupe-yeltsin-on-natos-eastward-march-1113895633.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230324/ignoble-anvil-how-us-lust-for-power-pushed-yugoslavia-to-depths-of-hell-1108750915.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240309/75-years-of-nato-expansion-in-one-pic-1117220942.html russia yugoslavia serbia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov why did nato expand, why is nato still around, why didn't nato dissolve, who started nato expansion https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/netanyahu-doesnt-fear-biden-with-us-elections-looming-1117274157.html Netanyahu Doesnt Fear Biden With US Elections Looming Netanyahu Doesnt Fear Biden With US Elections Looming Sputnik International Veteran war correspondent Elijah Magnier told radio Sputnik on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "doesn't fear" US President Joe Biden. 2024-03-12T01:36+0000 2024-03-12T01:36+0000 2024-03-12T01:36+0000 analysis fault lines joe biden benjamin netanyahu elijah j. magnier palestine rafah israel sputnik israel-gaza conflict https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/06/1082001396_0:0:2780:1565_1920x0_80_0_0_f097ab9767ae836e848e32c2f59eb843.jpg Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doesnt fear US President Joe Biden because he knows that Biden is depending on the Zionist vote in the US Presidential election this November, veteran war correspondent Elijah Magnier told Sputniks Fault Lines on Monday.We have a clear challenge from Israel to President Biden and in particular, Benjamin Netanyahu, Magnier said, referring to Netanyahus comments that Israel will invade Rafah, despite Bidens protests. Magnier noted that without US support, Israel would be unable to keep up its bombardment and invasion of Gaza for long. So basically, America is saying, Im happy to be a partner in all the killing because of my election. Im going to support that and you can do whatever you want, but allow me to go on television and complain about it.Despite Bidens recent protests, Magnier noted that the two leaders agree on two important points. First, that Biden will not stop supplying the Israelis with weapons and the second point that [Biden has] agreed on [is] the same narrative that Israel has a right to defend itself, noting that Netanyahu is really doing whatever he wants.Netanyahu said yesterday I am going to go to Rafah hes basically saying to Joe Biden, Keep your mouth shut. Its much better [that way] because I am doing what I want. Anything you are saying or planning or putting red lines does not work for us, because at the end of the day, we have our own plan.Those plans, Magnier fears, include the elimination of Palestine entirely. Once [Israels campaign in Gaza] is over and when Gaza will be under Israeli military control, the next step is to say to the Palestinians, 'okay, we've given you enough time to play around. Now forget about anything that is called a Palestinian state.' That is the inevitable step that Israel is going to take after Gaza.The long-promoted two-state solution is dead under the current conditions, Magnier said. Who is going to implement it? If Benjamin Netanyahu doesnt listen to the United Nations, doesnt abide by international laws, and doesnt listen to the United States which is the reason for the existence of Israel, then he can do whatever he wants. Therefore, a two-state solution is no longer a viable choice for the Palestinians. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240310/netanyahu-rejects-bidens-criticism-of-israeli-war-strategy-1117245662.html palestine rafah israel gaza strip Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ian DeMartino Ian DeMartino News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ian DeMartino gaza war, gaza genocide, invasion of rafah, joe biden red line, us support of israel, biden netanyahu relationship, us israel relations, us 2024 elections biden support groups https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/philippine-foreign-ministry-says-some-of-chinas-proposals-on-south-china-sea-workable-1117288193.html Philippine Foreign Ministry Says Some of China's Proposals on South China Sea 'Workable' Philippine Foreign Ministry Says Some of China's Proposals on South China Sea 'Workable' Sputnik International Some of China's proposals to the Philippines concerning the territorial disputes between the two countries over areas in the South China Sea are "somewhat workable" while many are against the country' interests, the Philippine Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday 2024-03-12T17:35+0000 2024-03-12T17:35+0000 2024-03-12T17:35+0000 asia china philippines south china sea https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/0a/05/1089667452_0:157:2000:1282_1920x0_80_0_0_e5132149a0c857442a16c417b07c603f.jpg The ministry made a reference to an article titled "Chinese Official: PH ignored China's proposals on sea row," published in The Manila Times newspaper on Monday, saying that it had received concept papers from China on the issue in 2023 and had "undertaken serious study and consideration" of the proposals. After reviewing the proposals, Manila presented its counterproposals to Beijing in 2023 and the issue was discussed during the 8th Bilateral Consultation Meeting on the south china sea in Shanghai in January, the ministry added. In July 2016, following a lawsuit filed by the Philippines, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China has no grounds for territorial claims in the South China Sea. The court ruled that the islands are not disputed territory and do not constitute an exclusive economic zone, but Beijing refused to recognize or accept the ruling. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240223/slumbering-joe-overshadowed-chinese-mock-us-show-of-force-in-western-pacific-1116933848.html china philippines south china sea Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International china vs philippines, china philippines dispute, disputes over south china sea https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/redeployment-of-french-troops-from-africa-to-russias-borders-a-deadly-idea-1117291810.html Redeployment of French Troops From Africa to Russias Borders a Deadly Idea Redeployment of French Troops From Africa to Russias Borders a Deadly Idea Sputnik International As France's involvement in Africa faces scrutiny amid calls for a troop redeployment to NATO's eastern flank, tensions are rising with Azerbaijan over support for Armenia. 2024-03-12T21:23+0000 2024-03-12T21:23+0000 2024-03-12T21:23+0000 analysis maria zakharova emmanuel macron france russia nato west africa french army eastern europe https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107770/45/1077704583_0:148:2835:1743_1920x0_80_0_0_8e7d03abb6e56d8003aedf49083d468d.jpg During a televised Monday appearance, Maria Zakharova was, as usual, clear and outspoken. Having failed in Africa, France is trying to make a semblance of peace-making activity in other regions, including the Trans-Caucasus. It is a way of compensating the damage dealt to the image [of the French President Emmanuel Macron] in the eyes of the public.Zakharova obviously meant the recent shipments of French weapons to Armenia and Frances diplomatic support for the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, which caused a lot of ire in Armenias perennial adversary, Azerbaijan. And this is not even the first of his attempts to antagonize Russias neighbors. Just two weeks ago, Macron attempted to float the idea of sending NATO soldiers to Ukraine. Reacting to his statement on the matter, Zakharova called the mere idea of making French and Russian soldiers shoot at each other a disgrace.Meanwhile, the leading French newspaper Le Monde in a recent article went even further: it called for a redeployment of French military from hopeless Africa to NATOs eastern flank, closer to Ukraine.It would be wrong for France to confine its thinking solely to Africa, states the article tentatively headlined, "The crisis of the French military presence in Africa can be an opportunity to rebalance in favor of Europe."The publication writes: The war in Ukraine means that Frances presence in Africa is being called into question at a time when its NATO allies have set ambitious targets for their presence on Europes eastern flank So, here is the question for France: does it still make sense to maintain more than 5,500 French troops in Africa, where their presence is highly contested, but less than 1,500 on Europes eastern flank, where our allies are constantly calling for reinforcements?The article suggests placing the French troops in Romania or some other country next to the former Soviet border, as part of the 300,000 NATO force deployable in less than a month to oppose a possible invasion attempt by Russia.However, the French militarys presence in Africa is indeed highly contested. In the last four years, one after another, several key states of what the French proudly called our France-Afrique got rid of the pro-Paris regimes on their land. In 2020, Mali; in 2021, Guinea and Chad; in 2022, Burkina Faso; and in 2023, Niger followed by Gabon in all of these countries patriotic military together with disgruntled citizens toppled the neo-colonial regimes.These regimes were established by France in West Africa in order to control its resources, even after the French formally dismantled the remnants of their colonial rule in Africa in 1975. The experience of Algeria, once the jewel in Frances colonial crown that liberated itself in 1962, was quickly spread through Africa in the 1980s and 1990s. However, even if the French colonial governors left, the French companies stayed, continuing to extract the oil of Algeria and the uranium of Niger.Usually the French companies got preferential access to Africas resources because of the French troops. They were stationed in almost all countries of 'French Africa' under the pretext of fighting Islamist insurgencies there. They willingly provided protection to the French businesses, and not to those from other countries," explains Vyacheslav Matuzov, the head of the Russian Society of Business Cooperation with Arab-speaking countries, who spent several years in French Africa as a Soviet diplomat.When Russian private military companies revealed themselves much more effective in providing anti-terrorist security, French troops were kindly asked by the local authorities to leave Mali and later the uranium-rich Niger. All in all, the process of French military withdrawal is nearing its final stage in the region.Russian officials have long been saying that should French military appear in Ukraine, they will be considered legitimate targets, or even priority targets. The Russian Defense Ministry has reported on several occasions regarding the elimination of French nationals near the battle line, leaving little doubt about the methods by which they planned to deter direct Western interference in the conflict.On Monday, early in the morning, the Russian Geran drones hit the building of an Aeroport hotel in the city of Kharkov, which is still controlled by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys troops. The local residents reported the deaths of dozens of people in military fatigues, who were placed in the hotel by Ukrainian generals and frequently talked to each other in French. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240301/macrons-idea-to-send-nato-troops-to-ukraine-made-him-look-very-foolish--1117069472.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230808/niger-crisis-sparks-fears-in-france-that-paris-being-squeezed-out-of-africa-by-russia-china-us-1112457076.html france russia west africa eastern europe Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Dmitry Babich https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/0e/1116778495_0:120:720:840_100x100_80_0_0_9bf47040bc46073fb920d272be7bc29d.jpg Dmitry Babich https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/0e/1116778495_0:120:720:840_100x100_80_0_0_9bf47040bc46073fb920d272be7bc29d.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Dmitry Babich https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/0e/1116778495_0:120:720:840_100x100_80_0_0_9bf47040bc46073fb920d272be7bc29d.jpg france in africa, macron genius ideas, russia france relations, french in ukraine, french mercenaries, west africa, france looses influence in africa, after africa france eyes eastern europe https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/russia-foils-ukraines-attempt-to-carry-out-terrorist-attack-using-25-uavs-1117274756.html Russia Foils Ukraine's Attempt to Carry Out Terrorist Attack Using 25 UAVs Russia Foils Ukraine's Attempt to Carry Out Terrorist Attack Using 25 UAVs Sputnik International Russian air defenses destroyed 25 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory overnight, the Russian Defense Ministry said. 2024-03-12T04:29+0000 2024-03-12T04:29+0000 2024-03-12T04:29+0000 russia ukrainian drone attacks on russia russia ukraine russian defense ministry drone attack https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/02/1117090111_0:225:2841:1823_1920x0_80_0_0_cbed16e800f686c041afdf50cbe6db3a.jpg "An attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack with the use of 25 airplane-type drones on objects on the territory of the Russian Federation was foiled," the ministry said. According to the ministry, the air defense forces on duty intercepted and destroyed two drones over the territory of the Moscow Region, one over the Leningrad Region, seven over the Belgorod Region, 11 over the Kursk Region, one over the Bryansk Region, one over the Tula Region and two over the Orel Region.Ukraine has been sending drones and missiles into the Russian territory almost daily since it launched a counteroffensive in early June. The United Nations said in August 2023, following a botched drone strike on Moscow, that it did not want to see any targeting of civilian infrastructure. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240309/russia-destroys-47-ukrainian-drones-over-four-regions-at-night--1117218935.html russia ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International terrorist attack, russian defense ministry, russian air defenses, ukrainian drones https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/russian-armed-forces-take-control-of-nevelskoe-settlement-in-donetsk-area---mod-1117280823.html Russian Armed Forces Take Control of Nevelskoe Settlement in Donetsk Area - MoD Russian Armed Forces Take Control of Nevelskoe Settlement in Donetsk Area - MoD Sputnik International Ukraine has lost more than 380 soldiers in the Avdeyevka area, also knpwn as Avdeyevka, over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. 2024-03-12T11:26+0000 2024-03-12T11:26+0000 2024-03-12T11:26+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine donetsk russia russian defense ministry ukraine avdeyevka https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/07/1116034319_0:295:3071:2022_1920x0_80_0_0_1e8f86bf9222e11b627e4b1564784e32.jpg Over the given period, the Russian armed forces have repelled seven attacks and counterattacks by Ukrainian troops in the Kupyansk area, and another attack in the South Donetsk area. Ukraine has also lost up to 350 soldiers in the Donetsk area, more than 145 soldiers in the South Donetsk direction and 40 soldiers in the Kupyansk region, the ministry said. Additionally, the Russian armed forces have taken control of the Nevelskoe settlement in the Donetsk area, the statement read. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240308/ukraine-loses-over-2860-soldiers-in-avdeyevka-outskirts-in-past-week-1117209497.html donetsk russia ukraine avdeyevka Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russian armed forces, ukraine has lost, russian defense ministry https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/russian-foreign-ministry-summons-swiss-ambassador-over-russian-assets-confiscation-plan-1117280943.html Russian Foreign Ministry Summons Swiss Ambassador Over Russian Assets' Confiscation Plan Russian Foreign Ministry Summons Swiss Ambassador Over Russian Assets' Confiscation Plan Sputnik International The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that it had summoned Swiss Ambassador in Moscow Krystyna Marty Lang in connection with decision of the Swiss parliament on a mechanism that would allow the confiscation of Russian assets. 2024-03-12T11:29+0000 2024-03-12T11:29+0000 2024-03-12T11:58+0000 russia switzerland russian foreign ministry moscow asset freeze asset freeze https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/15/1116300409_0:0:3255:1831_1920x0_80_0_0_0d784aba2cb672fb020894aa23769003.jpg "On March 12, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the ambassador of Switzerland in Moscow, K. Marty Lang, to protest against the decision of the Swiss parliament to initiate the development of the legal basis for a mechanism that would allow the confiscation of state assets of Russia located on the territory of Switzerland," the ministry said in a statement. The Russian side strongly condemns this step by the Swiss authorities, "which flagrantly violates the fundamental principles and norms of international law regarding state immunity," the statement read. If Switzerland confiscates state Russian assets, Moscow will take inevitable retaliatory measures, the ministry added. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240311/eus-proposal-on-frozen-russian-assets-expected-to-be-ready-quite-soon-1117271399.html switzerland moscow Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russian foreign ministry, swiss ambassador in moscow, wiss parliament https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/slovak-defense-chief-draws-red-line-against-nato-troop-deployment-to-ukraine-1117281869.html Slovak Defense Chief Draws 'Red Line' Against NATO Troop Deployment to Ukraine Slovak Defense Chief Draws 'Red Line' Against NATO Troop Deployment to Ukraine Sputnik International It could be recalled that the French president's calls to send troops to Ukraine hit a brick wall, with authorities from several NATO countries denouncing such a prospect. However, Slovakia's Defense Minister has advocated for Ukrainian young men of military draft age to return home and join their armed forces. 2024-03-12T15:12+0000 2024-03-12T15:12+0000 2024-03-12T15:12+0000 world emmanuel macron radoslaw sikorski sergey lavrov moscow russia ukraine nato https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/0f/1116169362_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_1010c67005b2eb886e37f98da1e448ee.jpg Slovak Defense Minister Robert Kalinak has taken a firm stance against deploying NATO troops to Ukraine, labeling it a "red line" that must not be crossed.He also criticized Western politicians for exploiting the conflict for their agendas.Kalinak's remarks came soon after French President Macron's comments about the possibility of sending NATO troops to Ukraine hit a brick wall, prompting a series of rebuttals within NATO member countries, like the Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden, and the UK, each of them insisting they had no such plans. Three Baltic countries - Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia - backed Macron's idea, while Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski voiced support afterward, arguing that Russia's actions necessitated "asymmetric escalation" from the West. Sikorski stressed that putting NATO boots on Ukraine's soil is "not unthinkable."The Slovak minister cautioned against sending NATO soldiers to Ukraine, noting the potential for exacerbation into a global conflict. He emphasized the need for a peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian conflict.Kalinak was echoed by Peter Pellegrini, Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, who also reiterated Bratislava's commitment not to send Slovak troops to Ukraine.There have been continuous calls for peace talks between Moscow and Kiev recently. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered to host negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in late February, while Pope Francis urged Kiev to "have the courage" to enter into dialogue with Moscow to halt further bloodshed. Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto also called for the activation of diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.Earlier this month, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto warned that postponing talks with Russia could erode Ukraine's position at the negotiating table. But the Kiev regime maintains that the withdrawal of Russian troops from its claimed territories is necessary before talks can proceed, a demand that Moscow lambasted as "absurd."However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has asserted Moscow's commitment to resolving the conflict in Ukraine through peaceful means. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240301/macrons-idea-to-send-nato-troops-to-ukraine-made-him-look-very-foolish--1117069472.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240309/zelensky-rejects-proposed-peace-summit-negotiation-with-russia-1117216966.html moscow russia ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Chimauchem Nwosu https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/09/01/1113046371_0:99:1536:1635_100x100_80_0_0_9c5c627283eca931c39fe4852bbb301c.jpg Chimauchem Nwosu https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/09/01/1113046371_0:99:1536:1635_100x100_80_0_0_9c5c627283eca931c39fe4852bbb301c.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Chimauchem Nwosu https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/09/01/1113046371_0:99:1536:1635_100x100_80_0_0_9c5c627283eca931c39fe4852bbb301c.jpg nato troops, ukrainian conflict, peaceful resolution of the ukrainian conflict, nato countries. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/sweden-open-to-reinforcing-defenses-on-baltic-island-of-gotland-says-pm-1117275812.html Sweden 'Open to Reinforcing Defenses' on Baltic Island of Gotland, Says PM Sweden 'Open to Reinforcing Defenses' on Baltic Island of Gotland, Says PM Sputnik International Sweden is open to reinforcing defenses on the Baltic Seas strategic island of Gotland, according to Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. 2024-03-12T11:50+0000 2024-03-12T11:50+0000 2024-03-12T11:50+0000 nato sweden finland baltic states russia ulf kristersson world vladimir putin north atlantic treaty organization https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/0c/1117275637_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_6f3170cb194db9b92107a31e9dbffafd.jpg Despite just recently becoming an official member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on March 7, Sweden is already getting in line with the Western-driven narrative alleging that Russia is a threat.The Scandinavian nation is open to reinforcing defenses on the Baltic Seas strategic island of Gotland, according to Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. The Nordic countrys largest island of Gotland is lodged between Sweden and Latvia in the Baltic Sea, and is located approximately 330 kilometers from Kaliningrad, where Russia's Baltic Fleet is based.Kristersson said that Sweden currently has a small military presence on Gotland. The regiment on the Baltic island, introduced by Sweden in 2018, now has an estimated 370 soldiers.There are quite a few things in terms of how to deploy our resources, where to focus the most. And obviously everything to do with the Baltic Sea is such an obvious candidate. That goes in terms of presence on Gotland, but also in terms of surveillance, in terms of submarine capabilities, added the Swedish Prime Minister.Echoing the Russia threat claims, Sweden has been vocal in asserting that the defense of the three Baltic States - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania would now be much easier since Sweden became NATOs 32nd member.Furthermore, Sweden has already revealed it is sending a combat battalion to Latvia - just 200km from Gotland - to join the ranks of the alliances multinational force situated there.Once Sweden finally joined NATO on March 7, Latvias Foreign Minister reveled in the fact that the bloc had come close to ringing the entire Baltic Sea.The Baltic Sea becomes a NATO lake, said Krisjanis Karins quipped.Only Germany and Denmark on the Baltic coast were in NATO during the Cold War. Poland joined the alliance in 1999, and the three Baltic republics in 2004.Finland became a NATO member in April 2023. Since then, Russia has conducted regular missile drills near the Gulf of Finland as Moscow continues to strengthen its border. At the Antalya Diplomacy Forum held in Turkey, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov took Finland and Sweden to task for abandoning their longstanding neutrality to join NATO. He said that their decision marked the end of "decades of good neighborliness." Lavrov also warned that Russia would respond by introducing additional systems that will be appropriate to the threats that could appear on the territory of Finland and Sweden.In recent years, the North Atlantic alliance had largely shrugged off Moscow's offers regarding NATO and the US, which were aimed at providing security assurances. These proposals included an agreement that would entail a mutual commitment from both Russia and NATO to refrain from positioning troops, ships, or aircraft in proximity to one another. In response to the North Atlantic bloc building up its military potential near Russia's borders, the Kremlin has taken measures to bolster its troop strength in the northwestern and western strategic regions, creating the Leningrad and Moscow military districts, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said earlier in March.NATO is gearing up for new conflicts, and drills conducted by the alliance in Europe raise tension in the world, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev warned earlier."The joint drills by NATO's armed forces in Europe called Steadfast Defender 2024, during which the scenario of armed confrontation with Russia is being worked out, will certainly increase tensions and destabilize the situation in the world," Patrushev said during a meeting on security in the North Caucasus. He added that the US-led North Atlantic bloc intends to step up its presence in the Arctic and Asia-Pacific.As for the imaginary Russia threat, President Vladimir Putin noted in his interview with US journalist and media personality Tucker Carlson that NATO leaders were trying to intimidate their own population. According to Putin, "thinking people, analysts," and "just smart people understand perfectly well that this is a fake." https://sputnikglobe.com/20240309/75-years-of-nato-expansion-in-one-pic-1117220942.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240216/nato-draws-up-plan-to-deploy-forces-in-europe-in-event-of-conflict-with-russia---reports-1116824088.html sweden finland baltic states russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko sweden plans to reinforce defenses on the baltic sea island of gotland, who own island of gotland, where is gotland, why is gotland strategic, how is nato expanding, is nato expanding east, why is russia against nato expansion, how is russia respnding to nato expansion, when did sweden join nato, why did sweden and finland join nato MEXICO CITY, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced early Tuesday that he would resign once a transitional presidential council is created, according to local media. "The government that I am leading will resign immediately after the installation of (a transition) council," Henry said in a video address. "I'm asking all Haitians to remain calm and do everything they can for peace and stability to come back as fast as possible." Regional leaders of the Caribbean Community held an emergency summit in nearby Jamaica on Monday to discuss the framework for a political transition and provide urgent humanitarian assistance to local residents. On July 7, 2021, the then-President of Haiti, Jovenel Moise, was assassinated. Haiti was scheduled to hold elections before February 7 this year. Those elections failed to materialize, leading to social unrest. Since late February, multiple gang organizations in Haiti have launched attacks on public facilities in the capital, Port-au-Prince, including police stations, the police academy and the international airport, demanding the resignation of the prime minister. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/szijjarto-not-fully-ruling-out-deployment-of-western-troops-in-ukraine-1117292366.html Hungarian FM Not Fully Ruling Out Western Troops Being Sent to Ukraine Hungarian FM Not Fully Ruling Out Western Troops Being Sent to Ukraine Sputnik International Hungarian FM Peter Szijjarto said that the potential deployment of Western troops in Ukraine cannot be completely ruled out as European leaders often change their opinions. 2024-03-12T21:22+0000 2024-03-12T21:22+0000 2024-03-13T10:07+0000 world europe peter szijjarto ukraine nato emmanuel macron nato forces https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/18/1109798712_0:0:2200:1239_1920x0_80_0_0_99836a7b435ae1e02d32fb00e9765f3e.jpg Szijjarto commented on French President Emmanuel Macrons statement about the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine. According to Hungarys top diplomat, this kind of development would cross NATOs red line, as the alliance has repeatedly said that it is not a side in the Ukraine conflict. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240311/abandonment-issues-what-macrons-verbal-bravado-on-ukraine-conceals-1117270534.html ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International will nato sent forces to ukraine, szijjarto nato forces, western troops in ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/uk-to-send-hms-diamond-destroyer-to-red-sea-to-rejoin-naval-mission---minister-1117285011.html UK to Send HMS Diamond Destroyer to Red Sea to Rejoin Naval Mission - Minister UK to Send HMS Diamond Destroyer to Red Sea to Rejoin Naval Mission - Minister Sputnik International The United Kingdom will send its HMS Diamond destroyer to the Red Sea to take over from HMS Richmond frigate in protecting commercial shipping in the region from attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels, Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said Tuesday 2024-03-12T15:05+0000 2024-03-12T15:05+0000 2024-03-12T15:05+0000 world red sea crisis grant shapps united kingdom (uk) red sea yemen houthi hms diamond hms richmond gaza strip https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/105017/09/1050170922_0:80:1438:889_1920x0_80_0_0_afbf472b5a8be80018cb6e110135581e.jpg "I thank the crew of HMS Richmond for their incredible work and am confident that HMS Diamond will continue to stand up for freedom of navigation and the safety of seafarers," Shapps said in a statement. HMS Diamond, equipped with Sea Viper surface-to-air missiles, has patrolled the volatile region since the end of December, after the United States said it would muster a multinational naval force for the stated goal of protecting maritime shipping from Yemeni rebel attacks. HMS Richmond, armed with Sea Ceptor air defense missiles, was rotated to the region at the beginning of January. After handing over to HMS Diamond, the warship will set sail for the UK for maintenance and resupply. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240209/houthis-say-all-warships-must-leave-red-sea-as-brit-ship-sent-off-for-refit-following-militia-1116697236.html united kingdom (uk) red sea yemen gaza strip Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International houthi attacks in the red sea, terrorist attacks in the red sea, why are houthis attacks ships in the red sea, commercial ships under attack in the red sea, who do houthis target, who do houthis attack, who are houtis, red sea attacks, whats happening in the red sea, why are there attacks in the red sea, us ships in the red sea, us coalition in the red sea, us-led coalition in the red sea, international coalition in the red sea, military hostilities in the red sea, tensions in the red sea https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/ukraine-loses-234-fighters-during-attempt-to-cross-border---mod-1117290140.html Ukraine Loses 234 Fighters During Attempt to Cross Border - MoD Ukraine Loses 234 Fighters During Attempt to Cross Border - MoD Sputnik International Ukraine lost 234 fighters, seven tanks and three Bradley infantry fighting vehicles during an attempt to cross Russias border on Tuesday, the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) said 2024-03-12T18:50+0000 2024-03-12T18:50+0000 2024-03-12T18:50+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine ukraine russia kharkov belgorod region belgorod ukrainian attacks on belgorod region https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/06/04/1110905449_0:0:3089:1739_1920x0_80_0_0_5e1f1d9b1691928bd7b876d86f2b89b2.jpg "The enemy lost 234 militants killed, seven tanks, three US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and two armored personnel carriers. There were no violations of the state border," the ministry said in a statement, adding that all attacks were repelled when the enemy attempted to enter the Russian territory in three different directions. In particular, the ministry said that up to 60 Ukrainian fighters were killed and four trucks were destroyed in the Kharkov Region. In addition, 100 soldiers were killed in border areas form the Ukrainian side, and five tanks were also destroyed, while 45 troops were killed near the Nekhoteyevka settlement in Russias Belgorod Region. Moreover, two tanks were destroyed near Nekhoteyevka. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/russias-fsb-denies-ukrainian-armed-formations-entered-belgorod-kursk-regions-1117277497.html ukraine russia kharkov belgorod region belgorod Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russias special military op in ukraine, special military operation, special military operational zone, special op zone, russian troops in special op zone, ukraine casualties in conflict, total ukrainian losses, how many people did ukraine loose, how many people did kiev loose, new russian weapons in ukraine, advanced russian weapons, russian defense ministry statements, latest russian military statements, what did shoigu say about ukraine, donetsk peoples republic, nato in ukraine, is nato in ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/us-playing-double-game-in-haiti-as-crisis-threatens-regional-spillover-1117281695.html US Playing 'Double Game' in Haiti as Crisis Threatens Regional Spillover US Playing 'Double Game' in Haiti as Crisis Threatens Regional Spillover Sputnik International The spiraling crisis in Haiti is a flashing red light' threatening with spill out that could affect neighboring countries and regions, international affairs analyst Rocio Mendez Bautista told Sputnik. 2024-03-12T13:38+0000 2024-03-12T13:38+0000 2024-03-12T17:05+0000 haiti ariel henry antony blinken caribbean caricom intervention port-au-prince coup latin america us https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/0c/1117282062_0:121:3213:1928_1920x0_80_0_0_81d6698bf00d0df52cefbab1a7f887d8.jpg The spiraling social, economic, and political crisis in Haiti is a flashing "red light" threatening to spill over and affect neighboring countries and regions, international affairs analyst Rocio Mendez Bautista, of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), told Sputnik.The consequences of this wave of violence for Haiti range from the forced displacement of millions of people to an increase in the number of homicides. Unless swift action is taken, besides Haiti becoming a "failed state," the situation could spread to other nations, Mendez Bautista reflected.Haitis old ties with Washington, which has been quick to offer pledges of fiscal assistance to Port-au-Prince, might only aggravate the situation further, Mendez Bautista added. Henry's critics say he had no legitimate right to his position, accusing the US and its allies of trying to sustain a corrupt elite.Whether it was Washington's years of direct military occupation (1915 -1934), multinational military intervention such as Operation Uphold Democracy in 1994, or the economic dependence generated by providing Haiti with weapons and money, US involvement in the country has left an indelible scar of violence.The Caribbean state's economic dependence on Washington in the current spiral of chaos and political fragility is fraught with further grave consequences, pundits have told Sputnik. It should be noted that Ariel Henry confirmed his resignation in a telephone conversation on Monday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was in Jamaica for an emergency Caribbean meeting on Haiti. Blinken promised an additional $100 million for a United Nations-backed force to bring order to the chaos-gripped country, along with $30 million worth of humanitarian assistance. The US pledges of fiscal assistance came with a proposal developed in partnership with CARICOM and Haitian stakeholders to expedite a political transition through a creation of a broad based, independent presidential college, as per the US State Department.Haiti has long been mired in a social and political crisis, which escalated after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7, 2021. With backing from the US, Ariel Henry at the time took over the post of PM without being elected. Promised elections were put on the back-burner, while gangs gained power. Things escalated in late February, as Henry went to Kenya to push through a deal to deploy foreign forces in his country to fight organized crime. An armed gang stormed Haiti's largest prison, letting the inmates loose. The gangs said their goal was to prevent Henry from returning to Haiti, as they blocked the main airport, preventing the PM's plane from landing on March 5. Accordingly, Henry headed for Puerto Rico instead.A state of emergency was set in place in Port-au-Prince and the surrounding region. By the time Henry opted to step down, the gangs were believed to be in control of 80 percent of Port-au-Prince. Ex-police officer-turned-gang leader Jimmy "Barbecue" Cherizier, who is accused of fueling violence in Haiti, announced that if Henry doesnt the resign and if the international community continues to support him, the country would be heading for a civil war that would lead to genocide.Besides nearly half of its population suffering food insecurity, data released by the United Nations shows that more than 8,400 people in Haiti were victims of gang violence last year. Nearly 200,000 people were displaced in 2023, and close to 15,000 fled Haiti in the last week of February 2024. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240310/blinken-reportedly-presses-henry-to-step-down-amid-haiti-turmoil--1117234757.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/haitian-prime-minister-resigns-amid-social-unrest-in-country-1117275035.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240304/new-documents-reportedly-link-cia-veteran-to-2004-haiti-coup-1117116760.html haiti caribbean port-au-prince americas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko haiti, armed conflict, criminals, terrorist organizations, failed state, criminal gang, prison escape in haiti, haiti crisis, how us meddles in haiti crisis, antony blinken, ariel henry, civil unrest, political unrest, political turmoil, economic crisis, political crisis, former colony, neo-colonializm, neo-colonialism, neocolonializm, neocolonialism, us intervention, american intervention, american forces, us forces, us troops, us invasion, riots https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/us-preparing-400-million-weapons-aid-package-for-ukraine---reports-1117285187.html US Preparing $400 Million Weapons Aid Package for Ukraine - Reports US Preparing $400 Million Weapons Aid Package for Ukraine - Reports Sputnik International The United States is preparing a $400 million aid package of weapons for Ukraine after a nearly three-month-long pause since the announcement of the latest military aid package for Kiev, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing US officials 2024-03-12T15:13+0000 2024-03-12T15:13+0000 2024-03-12T15:13+0000 world us sergey lavrov ukraine kiev israel nato military aid us military aid foreign military aid https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/09/10/1113423583_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_06517626abcec89e1eefcc8b1ed16e9a.jpg The last time the United States announced a new package of military assistance to Kiev was at the end of December 2023. The $250 million package completely depleted funds for military support for Ukraine approved by Congress a year earlier. Meanwhile, US lawmakers to date have not passed a $118 billion national security supplemental package that includes $60 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel and border policy reforms.The Kremlin has consistently warned against the West's continued arms deliveries to Ukraine, saying that they only prolong the conflict, adding that Western military equipment will be eventually destroyed. Moscow also cautioned that NATO countries are playing with fire by providing Kiev with arms.Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized that any cargo that contains weapons for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russia. According to him, the US and NATO are directly involved in the Ukraine conflict by supplying weapons and training soldiers in the UK, Germany, Italy and other countries. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/us-intel-debunks-biden-admits-russia-doesnt-want-direct-military-conflict-with-nato-1117281270.html ukraine kiev israel Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International military aid for ukraine, is us giving more money to ukraine, why is us giving more money to kiev, whats happening to money given to kiev, will us give more money to kiev, how much money does ukraine get, how much money us gives to ukraine, how much money eu gives to ukraine, how much money europe gives to ukraine, what weapons does ukraine receive, does us give ukraine new weapons https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/us-to-announce-atacms-munitions-to-ukraine-as-part-of-new-300mln-package---reports-1117288364.html US to Announce ATACMS Munitions to Ukraine as Part of New $300Mln Package - Reports US to Announce ATACMS Munitions to Ukraine as Part of New $300Mln Package - Reports Sputnik International The United States is expected to announce that it will provide ATACMS munitions to Ukraine as part of a new $300 million package, Politico reported on Tuesday citing US officials 2024-03-12T17:42+0000 2024-03-12T17:42+0000 2024-03-12T17:42+0000 military us ukraine us army army tactical missile system (atacms) gmlrs military aid us military aid foreign military aid https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/101664/22/1016642244_0:845:1500:1689_1920x0_80_0_0_853e37694c5435a9bcedb48f1265e25e.jpg The announcement is expected as soon as Tuesday, the report said.The military aid package will also include additional 155mm artillery rounds and Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) munitions, the report said. This new Ukraine aid package will be funded with savings from a previous US Army contract for Ukraine weapons, the report added. A US official told Politico that this is not an alternate path to replace the $95 billion supplemental package stuck in the House of Representatives.The Kremlin has consistently warned against the West's continued arms deliveries to Ukraine, saying that they only prolong the conflict, adding that Western military equipment will be eventually destroyed. Moscow also cautioned that NATO countries are playing with fire by providing Kiev with arms. https://sputnikglobe.com/20231122/challenger-to-himars-and-atacms-meet-belarusian-made-polonez-m-mlrs-1115137385.html ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International military aid for ukraine, is us giving more money to ukraine, why is us giving more money to kiev, whats happening to money given to kiev, will us give more money to kiev, how much money does ukraine get, how much money us gives to ukraine, how much money eu gives to ukraine, how much money europe gives to ukraine, what weapons does ukraine receive, does us give ukraine new weapons https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/us-uk-carry-out-15-strikes-on-yemen-over-past-24-hours---reports-1117274886.html US, UK Carry Out 15 Strikes on Yemen Over Past 24 Hours - Reports US, UK Carry Out 15 Strikes on Yemen Over Past 24 Hours - Reports Sputnik International The United States and the United Kingdom carried out at least 15 airstrikes on Yemen as a response to Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea, Yemeni media reported. 2024-03-12T04:39+0000 2024-03-12T04:39+0000 2024-03-12T04:39+0000 world red sea crisis yemen red sea united kingdom (uk) houthi us https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0c/14/1115700128_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_4fd3e7278aa1a9928a26e89073082d2c.jpg US and UK aircraft carried out five raids on the Sadah province in northern Yemen, Al-Masirah broadcaster reported. In addition, they carried out about 13 strikes in western Yemen, including Hodeidah province, the report added. The Houthi movement, which controls large parts of northern and western Yemen, vowed in November 2023 to attack any ships associated with Israel until it halts military actions in the Gaza Strip. This led US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to announce the creation of a multinational operation to secure navigation in the Red Sea. US and UK forces later launched major strikes against Houthi positions in a bid to degrade the rebels' ability to target commercial vessels. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240309/us-conducts-strike-against-houthi-anti-ship-missiles-in-yemen-1117220313.html yemen red sea united kingdom (uk) Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International united kingdom, united states, houthi attacks, attacks on ships in the red sea https://sputnikglobe.com/20240312/watch-russian-mi-28-helicopters-carry-out-strikes-on-enemy-positions-1117275999.html Watch Russian Mi-28 Helicopters Carry Out Strikes on Enemy Positions Watch Russian Mi-28 Helicopters Carry Out Strikes on Enemy Positions Sputnik International The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage of Mi-28 helicopters carrying out strikes on enemy positions and personnel in the area of Severodonetsk. 2024-03-12T09:59+0000 2024-03-12T09:59+0000 2024-03-12T09:59+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine russia russian defense ministry mi-28 ukraine attack video https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/0c/1117277139_91:0:1343:704_1920x0_80_0_0_90995b4746368b11a6c4d6944330ca8f.jpg The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage of Mi-28 helicopters carrying out strikes on enemy positions and personnel in the area of Severodonetsk. According to the ministry, all targets were destroyed as a result of the combat operation.The Russian Mi-28 attack helicopter's primary role is to provide close air support, engage enemy ground targets, and conduct reconnaissance missions. It is armed with a 30 mm cannon and can carry a variety of air-to-ground missiles, rocket pods, and guided bombs, enabling it to engage a wide range of targets. russia ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Russian Mi-28 helicopters carry out strikes on enemy strongholds and manpower Sputnik International Russian Mi-28 helicopters carry out strikes on enemy strongholds and manpower 2024-03-12T09:59+0000 true PT1M00S 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russian mi-28 helicopters, enemy positions, mi-28 helicopters carrying out strikes, severodonetsk Swedish Starlet N continued her terrific start to the 2024 campaign at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Tuesday, March 12 when the Jimmy Nickerson trainee won the matinees $15,541 feature for pacing fillies and mares. Swedish Starlet N was heavily backed in the wagering as the races 2-5 favourite when driver Matt Athearn wasted little time putting the seven-year-old daughter of Mach Three on the front end. The New Zealand-bred distaffer never faced an anxious moment en route to a 1:56.2 score, her fourth victory in five local starts this year. Longshot Fond Memories A (Larry Stalbaum) dropped out of the Open and finished second to Swedish Starlet N at odds of 13-1 to complete a $14.80 exacta while Goldies Adelight A (Ron Cushing) rounded out a $75.50 triple. Swedish Starlet N became a four-time winner on the young campaign for owners Tim Bojarski of Akron, New York and Anthony Gruppo of Bradenton, Florida. Live harness racing resumes on Saturday evening at Saratoga with post time set for 5 p.m. There will be a $2,642 carryover in the Pick 5 pool with the wagering starting in the first race. The jackpot in the Super High 5 is up to a giant $16,893 in the Saturday finale. (With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel; Photo, left to right, of Heidi Rohr Nickerson, Swedish Starlet N, Matty Athearn, Tina and Tim Bojarski) Reports from Europe indicate that former North American-based stallion Explosive Matter has been euthanized at the age of 18. Explosive Matter (Cantab Hall-Fireworks Hanover) had 20 career starts, earning $1,528,266 from a record of 11-6-1. He raced as a freshman and sophomore with his career best performance in 1:52.3 at The Meadowlands in the 2009 first elimination of the Hambletonian. After his tenure in the states, Explosive Matter raced two times overseas in Italy before retiring to stud. After retiring at the end of 2009, Explosive Matter stood at Hanover Shoe Farms for nine years until 2019, when he was relocated to Sweden to continue his stud duties. In the nine years at Hanover Shoe Farms, Explosive Matter sired 683 foals with 521 making it to the races while earning in excess of $48 million. His most notable offspring was 2015 Hambletonian winner and multiple award winner Pinkman (1:51; $3,009,653). After an incident occurred in Denmark that injured one of his handlers, Explosive Matter was relocated to Finland; however, the aggressive behavior progressed and the decision was made to euthanize the stallion. Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Explosive Matter. (Standardbred Canada) GENEVA, March 11 (Xinhua) -- The remains of five cross-country skiers who had gone missing over the weekend were discovered near the Tete Blanche mountain in the southern Swiss canton of Valais, local police said Monday. Valais cantonal police chief Christian Varone said in a press briefing that the six skiers embarked on their journey in "relatively good" conditions on Saturday. However, the situation rapidly worsened later. The authorities did not disclose the cause of death for the five skiers discovered late on Sunday, but they characterized the conditions as "catastrophic," citing snowstorms, strong winds, and extreme temperatures. Varone emphasized that the priority was to find the sixth person. "As long as there is hope we will do all we can, but we have to be realistic about the conditions that person has lived through over the past 48 hours," the officer said. The incident is one of the deadliest in the Swiss Alps in recent years. Over the weekend, an extensive search and rescue operation was conducted, involved 11 helicopters and a team of five people. Culpeper County is moving to regulate public utilities at future developments and place conditions on multifamily residential projects in rural commercial districts. The proposed changes come as Dominion prepares to construct a massive electric infrastructure across farmland in Stevensburg to serve approved data centers in the county and as one Brandy Station property owner ponders future uses for his land. That property owner, David Martin, said the proposed legislative measures target his land, just west of the village of Brandy Station along Brandy Road, on which he originally sought to build a data center. The 2022 plan for 88 acres garnered opposition from neighbors who feared the data center project would ruin the areas rural nature. Martin eventually pulled the project and vowed to build apartments, a plan that is now progressing. The board of supervisors later acted to remove his parcels, bounded by Bel Pre Road, from the Brandy Station Technology Zone and to eliminate a tech zone at the location altogether. Now, the Board of Supervisors Rules Committee is recommending requiring the conditional use permit process for residential on commercial zoned sites. Ordinance currently permits by right multifamily dwellings as a mixed commercial-residential structure in the convenience center, village center commercial and commercial services zones. The ordinance change could affect Martins proposed, 384-unit low-income apartment/commercial venture on the land in Brandy Station. A preliminary plan shows eight, three-story apartment buildings on the Brandy Road side of the property and three commercial buildings to the south, along Stevensburg Road, separated by undisturbed wetlands. The ordinance amendment under review would impact very few other property owners, county staff stated at the March 5 board of supervisors meeting. The 50 acres on which Martin wants to build the apartments is entitled with the commercial services zoning, he said in an email to the Star-Exponent. Martin worked years ago to rezone the property for a future development, yet to materialize on the picturesque parcel. After last Januarys board vote to remove the Brandy Station Technology Zone tax incentives for commercial use, I pivoted to the only viable alternative use, multifamily residential, Martin said. I have been working with various groups and state agencies on the necessary permitting. The final step requires the county to certify the zoning, which Martin said he requested beginning last October. My low income residential project (in parallel to another commercial activity on this property) have generated a significant amount of interest, he said. If the board again changes the rules to block development on his land, the actions would be unprecedented, Martin stated. To the best of my knowledge, Culpeper has never attempted a wholesale land grab like this, removing existing entitlements and putting themselves in the position to pick winners and losers, he said. Even more disturbing is their blatant disregard for the needs of our communitys most needy multifamily residential is the gold standard for addressing our nations affordable housing crisis. Local and state leaders recognize this need. Stevensburg District Supervisor Susan Gugino made the motion to refer the ordinance change to the planning commission for consideration and Jefferson District Supervisor Brad Rosenberger gave a second. The amendment would bring the commercial services district within its original intent, Gugino said, with an emphasis on commercial. Other permitted uses in the district are an antique shop, barber shop, church, fire and rescue station, general store (maximum size of 5,000 square feet), deli, gas station, laundromat, dry cleaner, music conservatory, post office, real estate office and a tailor/seamstress shop. Salem District Supervisor Tom Underwood said the ordinance change would affect six parcels total, including Martins 50 acres and some land the supervisor said he owns along U.S. Route 29. Underwood stated the board was aware of the property owners plans to build residential and that permits were in the works. Virginia Housing is a potential partner for the apartment project, according to documents. He added it would be inappropriate to act on the law change right now when that is the only related activity. Underwood also said it would be contrary to pending state legislation that would require residential in commercial districts. West Fairfax District Supervisor Gary Deal went with Underwood in voting against the zoning district change, at last Tuesdays meeting. This property owned by Martin, I dont know him, but I am hoping we are not targeting his property, Deal said. The county did away with the technology zone on the land, which Deal said he supported, to consolidate data center growth around McDevitt Drive. That was very smart, what we needed to do, but (Martin) got penalized because of that, Deal said, and if we do this, we change an ordinance, we are targeting him, I dont know if we are or not, but are we open for a potential lawsuit? Rosenberger said no one was being targeted. Commercial zoning provides services and helps offset local government impacts of new residential, which Rosenberger said depletes the tax base. It make sense to remove the residential allowance from the zone, he stated. Chairman Paul Bates said the ordinance change had been in the works long before the plan for the Brandy Station property came up and that the intent of the commercial services districts should be commercial. This is not targeting anyone, in my opinion, its good planning and preventing having houses right on the side of a four-lane highway, he said of Underwoods Route 29 property, including the old Boxwood Restaurant & Motel. The primary use for commercial services is commercial, to have something by-right (residential), I dont support that on commercial. For a long time, people could build residential in commercial, Underwood responded, and there hasnt been a problem. He said while he is leaning more toward commercial for his property, the state is leaning the other way in requiring residential in commercial zones. We were ahead of the curve and now were going the other way, he said. I hope we dont. The board voted 6-2 to send the issue to the planning commission for further review. Martin said he would fight the measure by educating and organizing local groups about his project, how the countys actions will affect them, and what they can and must do to protect their rights. He said he would litigate the issue at the state and federal level. While Virginia generally allows counties to remove property rights, the county must do it for the rights reasons, Martin said. We feel the countys actions are a likely violation of the Fair Housing Act and hope the courts agree. Finally, the property owner said he would advocate and lobby state leaders to intercede. State leaders from both parties have expressed frustration with wayward localities on their resistance to solar, Martin said. Im hopeful they will take an even stronger position on Culpepers attempt to remove by-right multifamily entitlements in order to stop or stall a much needed housing project. While some opponents may argue that a large low-income apartment project will stress the countys finances, he added, his development team will soon provide a means for the county to pay for it or any smaller focused housing project. Details are forthcoming on the business development side for the land, Martin said. Also at last Tuesdays meeting, the board, with Underwood dissenting, moved to send another proposed, development-related legislative change to the planning commission Martin said would also impact his project. Per the proposal, a conditional use permit would be required for construction of public utilities in zoning districts of agricultural, rural residential, residential, convenience center, village center commercial, commercial services, light industrial and heavy industrial. Public utilities would include substations, like Dominion will erect on six acres at the future site of Amazon data center on a former horse farm along State Route 3 in Stevensburg. The ordinance change would also apply to all other public utilities as well, per the proposal, including gas, electricity, water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, communications, heating, fuel, cable television and other similar consumable public commodities or services. McLearen said the change could unify the zoning code and allow the board, along with the planning commission, to review public utility projects. The measure passed 6-1 with Underwood voting against. He stated, I dont believe in further restricting property owners. Again, it will impact Martin and his project. With this change, its possible all commercial/industrial land may now require a CUP, effectively taking away existing development rights, he said. A Sterling woman suffered serious injuries after police say she was driving under the influence and in the wrong direction on Interstate 81. Virginia State Police is investigating the two-vehicle crash in Shenandoah County that occurred at 1:05 p.m., on March 9, on I-81 at the 298 mile marker, according to release from state police spokesman Sgt. Brent Coffey. A 2013 Honda Civic was traveling on I-81 in the wrong direction when it collided head-on with a northbound 2024 Honda CRV, Coffey stated. The driver of the Civic, Marlena Martinez, 30, of Sterling, suffered serious injuries in the crash and was transported to Winchester Medical Center for treatment. She was wearing a seatbelt, according to investigators. The driver of the CRV, Dennis W. Shipe, 54, of New Market, and an adult passenger were uninjured in the crash. They were both wearing seatbelts. Martinez was charged with driving under the influence and reckless driving. She was released on summons at the hospital due to the extent of her injuries. The crash remains under investigation, Coffey said. The Nebraska Attorney Generals Office issued a release Tuesday, March 5 that former Scottsbluff Police Captain Brian Wasson has pleaded guilty to charges in connection with allegations of the theft of drugs and money from police evidence. According to the release, the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office filed charges, directly in Scotts Bluff County District Court, bypassing the filing of charges in county court and other proceedings, such as a preliminary hearing. Wasson, who previously served as a police captain for the Scottsbluff Police Department, pleaded to two felony counts of theft by unlawful taking in excess of $5,000. The first count alleges that between March 2021 and April 15, 2023, that Wasson stole controlled substances in excess of $5,000. The second count alleges that between those same dates he also stole currency in excess of $5,000. Bond was set and Wasson surrendered himself, according to the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office. He was booked in the Scotts Bluff County Detention Center, but had reportedly already posted bond. Wassons sentencing is scheduled for April 23 in Scottsbluff. According to Scotts Bluff County District Court records, the case was heard by Judge Cindy R. Volkmer, an 11th Judicial District judge. Wasson was arraigned at about 11:30 a.m. An arrest affidavit or other documents werent filed in the case, with only the charging information filed in the case. Without an arrest affidavit, its likely the bulk of information regarding the investigation, done by the Nebraska State Patrol, wont be known by the general public. Only information disclosed in court hearings will be released. In October 2023, Wasson surrendered his law enforcement certification voluntarily. Some details were made public at that time, with records submitted by Scottsbluff Police Department Police Chief Kevin Spencer to the Nebraska Crime Commission citing Wasson as having admitted to having stolen fentanyl from the departments evidence room. The theft was reported by Wasson to have been occurring a little less than a year, according to evidence during a Police Standards Advisory Council hearing. In surrendering his certification, Wasson told authorities that he had been suffering from an opioid addiction. Wasson had resigned from his position at the Scottsbluff Police Department, where he had served for 25 years, on Sept. 6, according to a change of status form filed with the commission. He had served for 17 years as one of the departments captains. His career included a stint in the WING drug task force. In the early hours of March 12, the Alliance Police Department swiftly responded to a report of a stolen vehicle, a 2013 GMC Acadia, white in color, seen heading southbound on Box Butte Avenue from 25th Street. The department was alerted at 01:14 hours and Officer Gomez swiftly responded to the call and located the stolen vehicle in the vicinity at around 01:16 hours, initiating a traffic stop. Despite Officer Gomezs attempt to pull over the vehicle, the suspect failed to comply, prompting a pursuit that commenced near the Lakefield Apartments which traversed through town until reaching 7th and Black Hills. Recognizing the need for additional support, a call for assistance was issued to the Nebraska State Patrol and the Box Butte County Sheriffs Office during the pursuit. Off-duty NSP Trooper Garfio responded to the call for assistance, reinforcing efforts to apprehend the suspect. The juvenile suspect, whose identity is withheld, abandoned the stolen vehicle near the alleyway of 7th and Black Hills, fleeing on foot. Trooper Garfio and Officer Gomez, with exceptional coordination, pursued the suspect, successfully bringing him into custody without further incident. The swift response and collaborative efforts of our officer, alongside the invaluable support from our law enforcement partners, led to the safe apprehension of the suspect without harm to the public or officers involved, stated Lieutenant Felker, acknowledging the commendable efforts of Officer Gomez and the assisting agencies. The Alliance Police Department extends its sincere gratitude to the Nebraska State Patrol and Box Butte County Sheriffs Office for their invaluable assistance during this operation, exemplifying the spirit of collaboration and mutual support in ensuring the safety and security of our community. A steel beam that will be used to complete the new Douglas A. Kristensen Rural Health Education Building at the University of Nebraska-Kearney will make a stop in Scottsbluff as part of a signing tour. The beam has been traveling throughout the state to be signed by members of the public and will be available in Scottsbluff at the Scotts Bluff Country Club from 1-2 p.m. on March 19. According to a press release, it is roughly four feet in length and weighs 40 pounds. Along with the beam, the event will be attended by University of Nebraska Medical Center officials including Chancellor Jeffery P. Gold, Dean of the College of Nursing Lepaine Sharp-Mchenry, Dean of the College of Dentistry Gerard Kugel and Dele Davies, senior vice chancellor for academic affairs. The group plans to speak with community leaders about the new complex and what it could mean for prospective students in the area. We are excited for the opportunity to speak with leaders in the Scottsbluff community, Gold said. Our growing student population in west and central Nebraska is an exciting opportunity to further our mission to provide the very best health care professionals to communities across the state, and were excited to share our vision. The $95 million facility will allow the University of Nebraska-Kearney to expand nursing and allied health programs in Kearney, according to information released in a previous press release. The $95 million in construction costs was covered by a public-private partnership. UNK Chancellor Douglas A. Kristensen spoke about the partnership that made the new facility possible The signed beam is a visible reminder of all groups ... who came together to make this project possible, Kristensen said. The topping-off ceremony and completion of the facility in Kearney is expected to take place some time in April and students will fill its halls as soon as the fall of 2025. Everyone hears about the controversial fights in Washington, but they dont always know the untold stories of true legislating. Practical answers to real problems dont make headlines, but those solutions make a difference in Americans lives. Last week, we made strides toward passing such a bill that would right a wrong done to thousands of Americans and Nebraskans: our railroaders. On Wednesday, the Senate Budget Committee held a markup to consider my bipartisan Railroad Employee Equity and Fairness (REEF) Act, and I was invited to introduce my bill to the committee. The Budget Committee rarely considers any bill other than the budget so it was a unique and important opportunity to advocate for railroaders. The committee unanimously approved the REEF Act, another rare victory, and the bill is now ready for a full Senate vote. Once passed, the REEF Act will end cuts to railroad workers unemployment and sickness benefits. A law passed years ago mandates that the Railroad Retirement Board cut its Unemployment Insurance Account each year and use that money to offset the federal budget deficit. These cuts, 5.7% annually, are set to continue through 2031. That means the government will cut railroad employees benefits repeatedly over the next seven years. Theres a glaring problem with these cuts. The Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, which funds unemployment and sickness benefits for railroaders, is the only federal benefits program entirely funded by one industry: the railroad industry. Theres not one general taxpayer dollar in the fund. The government is essentially stealing money from railroad workers to offset federal debt. Its a classic case of Washington meddling that punishes working people. Ive heard from many railroad workers over the years. They all agree that these cuts are demoralizing, are unfair, and make them want to leave the industry. Thats a major problem. Railroaders keep our trains moving, whether to transport passengers or freight. In 2021, Nebraska freight rail alone employed 8,436 railroad workers. The same year, freight rail transported 34.5 million tons of products from Nebraska to other parts of the country. That included 19.1 million tons of farm products and 7.2 billion tons of food products. Nationally, corn is the highest-volume grain carried by railroads and as one of Nebraskas top exports, transporting corn is vital to our agriculture industry and our economy. If railroad workers suffer, railroads suffer. If workers and railroads suffer, Nebraska suffers. Railroad employees deserve the benefits theyve earned by committing their careers to the railroad, in many cases for years or decades. Theyve paid into the Unemployment Insurance Account throughout their careers to contribute to their retirement and other benefits. Its a question of fairness: that money should be used for its intended purpose rather than by the federal government. The REEF Act will right the wrong of unfair cuts, ensuring that the people who keep our trains moving receive the benefits theyve earned. This is a common-sense bipartisan legislative change, and I applaud my colleagues on the Budget Committee for unanimously approving my bill. I look forward to passing it in the full Senate soon. Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced last week that the Floyd County Economic Development Authority is the recipient of a grant that will benefit local infrastructure. The $2.7 million grant will support Phase 2 of the Floyd Regional Commerce Centers development, focusing on roadway and wastewater infrastructure improvements. This grant will greatly benefit the residents of Floyd County by enhancing the transportation Infrastructure, said Governor Glenn Youngkin. I look forward to the improvements this grant will bring to the region, especially when the second phase of the Floyd Regional Commerce Center is completed. Secretary Raimondo credited the leadership of President Joe Biden for making it possible for the Department of Commerce to (help) communities recover from disasters and unlock the full potential of economies across the country. This Economic Development Administration grant will help ensure that Floyd County has the resources necessary to create modern and sustainable infrastructure that will support local business, create good-paying jobs and transform the local economy, she said. Both Senator Tim Kaine and Senator Mark Warner said they are thrilled to see the funding awarded to Floyd County. Im glad to have voted for the legislation that made this funding possible and will keep doing all that I can to secure the resources Virginia communities need, said Kaine, who visited the Commerce Center in 2021. Warner said, This funding will help to continue the growth of the center and provide economic development opportunities for the region. This is great news for Floyd County. This investment from the EDA to improve Floyds roadway and wastewater infrastructure will help support economic development and job growth in the county, said Rep. Morgan Griffith (VA-09). This grant will positively impact the area for years to come. The announcement of the grant explained that the funding stems from the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2023 which provided EDA with $483 million in additional Economic Adjustment Assistance Program funds for disaster relief and recovery for areas that received a major disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Act as a result of Hurricanes Ian and Fiona, wildfires, flooding, and other natural disasters occurring in calendar years 2021 and 2022. To learn more, visit EDAs Disaster Supplemental webpage at www.eda.gov. Learn more about the Floyd Regional Commerce Center, its progress and other Floyd EDA projects and initiatives, online at www.yesfloydva.org. UNITED NATIONS, March 11 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urges countries to increase funding and contributions of police units to the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission for Haiti, a UN spokesman said on Monday. Guterres continues to urge UN members to accelerate plans to deploy and adequately fund the MSS, which is needed to tackle the grave security needs of Haitians, said his chief spokesman, Stephane Dujarric. "The secretary-general continues to call on the government and all national stakeholders to agree on immediate steps to stop the ongoing deterioration of the situation in the country and to advance the political process that will lead to elections," said Dujarric. The spokesman said there are no new contributions to the trust fund for the mission, which stands at 10.8 million U.S. dollars. The UN Security Council adopted a resolution in October 2023 to authorize the multinational police force for Haiti. The resolution decides that the cost of implementing this operation will be borne by voluntary contributions and support from individual UN member states and regional organizations. The spokesman said high-ranking UN officials are in Kingston, Jamaica, for a high-level meeting organized by the Community of Caribbean States. "Our main message to the meeting is that it is critical that we support the Haitian people with one voice toward finding rapidly a Haitian-led solution to the current grave crisis," the spokesman said. UN humanitarians continue to do everything they can to deliver assistance to Haitians in need, despite the risks for their own safety, he said. Since the end of February, the World Food Programme and its partners delivered more than 50,000 meals to people who have fled their homes. The UN Children's Fund and the International Organization for Migration provided nearly 70,000 gallons of water and emergency shelter material, said Dujarric. The aid is not enough and there is a need for unhindered, safe humanitarian access without preconditions, he said. The world body's humanitarian partners continue to report shortages of medicine, medical equipment, blood, beds and staff to treat the patients who are coming in with gunshot wounds from areas all around Port-au-Prince, the capital, he said. The humanitarian response plan for Haiti, which calls for 674 million dollars, is only 2.6 percent funded, Dujarric said. The regime has instituted its version of an "Oscar", not for celebrating artistic creativity but for venerating loyalty to Assad, Walid Barksia writes in al-Modon. In a striking juxtaposition with the glamorous Oscar film awards, the Syrian regime has instituted its version of an Oscar, not for celebrating artistic creativity but for venerating loyalty to President Bashar al-Assad. This peculiar honour, highly coveted by Syrian artists, doesnt revolve around accolades for creative achievements but rather, the distinction of meeting Assad himself, a vision considered a prize. As the Ramadan drama season unfolds, Assad has made his presence felt through a video clip disseminated across social media by the Presidency of the Republic, featuring him among Syrias elite actors and directors at the Al-Muhajireen Palace, in Damascus. The clip showcased celebrated figures such as Suzan Najm al-Din, Nadine Tahseen Bey, and Bassam Koussa, among others, many of whom have maintained prominence in Arab and local series post-Syrian revolution, thereby earning this honour. These actors, known for their regime support, exemplify the regimes effort to brandish Assad family support in media portrayals, including those positioning themselves as internal opposition. This form of allegiance was epitomized when actress Mona Wassef attended Assads oath-taking ceremony in 2021, post-elections, alongside other regime-loyal artists. Diverging from his father, Hafez al-Assads low-profile interaction with artists, Bashar al-Assad regularly engages with the drama industrys luminaries, crafting an image at odds with the accusations of human rights violations levelled against him. He portrays himself as a cultured patron of Syrian arts, setting against a backdrop of Syria of Light versus Syria of Darkness, echoing narratives propounded by Syrian artists and politicians since 2011. Assads engagement with the arts and public appearances at cultural events aim to craft a civilized national identity, a strategy dating back to his ascendancy to power. This contrasts sharply with the less visible interactions between Hafez al-Assad and artists, notwithstanding the occasional narrative of his support for the arts. Under Hafez al-Assad, the regime sought to project an image of unwavering strength, with minimal emphasis on softer, cultural pursuits. However, Bashars era has seen a pivot towards leveraging artists to bolster the regimes image, in exchange for spotlight and privileges for these artists, inadvertently elevating some to stardom without merit. For years, Syrian drama has served as an authoritative medium, dictating societal norms and political narratives, often with the regimes tacit approval. Even as some series ventured into critique, their impact was curtailed, serving more to foster an illusion of free speech than to challenge the status quo. Artists have not only portrayed roles on screen but have also been mobilized for political objectives, from quelling demonstrations to participating in pro-regime rallies. This intertwining of art and politics has ensured that the authoritys perspective permeates Syrian drama, with contemporary narratives often avoiding or sanitizing depictions of corruption and societal issues. In this environment, censorship and self-censorship ensure that art remains a tool of the regime, with artists navigating a landscape where expressing loyalty to authority can often be the safest path to survival and success. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. The majority of Syrians are now unable to perform Ramadan rituals due to soaring prices, according to al-Watan. The current economic conditions and the significant rises in the prices of food commodities hinder Syrians from embracing the month of Ramadan with the same enthusiasm as in previous years. Will Ramadan prayers and alms persist as before, or is the Syrian contemplating only securing the costs of breaking the fast for family members? Dr. Shafiq Arbash, a Professor at the Faculty of Economics at the University of Damascus, highlighted in a statement to Al-Watan that the majority of Syrians are now unable to perform these rituals due to soaring prices and the prevailing economic hardships. These traditions have gradually waned over the years, with few exceptions in rural areas. Today, the average housewife can no longer afford to prepare lavish meals to share with neighbours, as they used to. He added, Syrians once eagerly anticipated Ramadan to observe these customs, but now it burdens a large percentage of them. In a simple analysis conducted by Dr. Arbash, he revealed that a basic Iftar for a family of five could cost up to 300,000 Syrian pounds, totalling about nine million Syrian pounds per month. However, the average citizen cannot sustain such expenses daily. Even if a family opts for modest meals like beans or fattah for suhoor and labneh or cheese sandwiches, they would still require approximately 2.5 million Syrian pounds for the month of Ramadan. The prices of essentials such as labneh, cheese, beans, and chickpeas have skyrocketed, not to mention other necessities like oil. Arbash noted that previously, neighbours would share their meals to promote food diversity on Ramadan tables within the same social class. Many Syrians would also extend help to the less fortunate, often sharing their leftovers with those in need shortly after breaking their fast. However, this practice has largely disappeared today, making it challenging to perform acts of charity during Ramadan, as it demands significant financial resources only available to a privileged few. In a related vein, Arbash emphasized that many Syrians are compelled to sell their gold, if available, during Ramadan to meet the months requirements. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Mekdad criticized European Union leaders and strategists for their failure to uphold their vision of a rules-based international order. Syrias Foreign and Expatriates Minister, Fayssal Mekdad, has condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for committing what he describes as genocide in the Gaza Strip. Mekdad alleges that Netanyahus actions resulted in the deaths of over 12,000 children and 8,000 women, with a total victim count reaching 31,000. In a statement on the Foreign and Expatriates Ministrys X account, Mekdad criticized European Union leaders and strategists for their failure to uphold their vision of a rules-based international order. He accused Netanyahu of violating numerous international norms and laws, including those related to human rights, disarmament, and peace. Furthermore, Mekdad highlighted the danger in the support Netanyahu has garnered from various European Union country leaders, their parliaments, and notably, unwavering backing from Washington. According to Mekdad, this defense of Netanyahu by EU leaders exposes them as being heavily influenced by Zionism and as adversaries to the rights and aspirations of peoples globally. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. The humanitarian crisis in Syria has reached an unprecedented scale. In a comprehensive report released on March 11, 2024, by the United Nations Syria Commission of Inquiry, the dire situation in Syria has reached levels of violence not witnessed since 2020. The Commissions findings highlight an urgent need for a ceasefire, as intensified conflicts across Syria have resulted in civilian and infrastructure attacks, likely constituting war crimes. Paulo Pinheiro, Chair of the Commission, emphasized the critical state of the Syrian conflict, which has escalated significantly since October, marking the largest surge in violence the region has seen in four years. Pinheiro stressed the immediate necessity for a determined international effort to contain the conflict and called for a ceasefire. The report details the devastating effects of the conflict on the Syrian population, with more than 90% living in poverty amid an economy in freefall, exacerbated by tightening sanctions and increased lawlessness. The violence has led to predatory practices and extortion by armed forces and militias. A significant incident triggering the recent upsurge was a series of explosions at a military academy graduation ceremony in Homs on October 5th, killing at least 63 people, including 37 civilians. The Syrian Government and Russian forces responded with heavy bombardments across opposition-controlled areas, indiscriminately attacking hospitals, schools, markets, and camps for internally displaced persons, actions that may amount to war crimes. The conflict has also seen a worrying increase in tensions between the six foreign armies active in Syria, with Israel, Iran, and the US notably involved. Israel has conducted numerous strikes on Iran-linked sites, while pro-Iranian militias have launched attacks on US bases. In northeast Syria, Turkish military operations against Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have resulted in civilian casualties and deprived nearly one million people of essential services, in actions that may also constitute war crimes. Furthermore, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has intensified operations in central Syria, targeting both military and civilian sites. The report also addresses the ongoing issue of detainees, with the Syrian Government continuing practices of disappearance, torture, and ill-treatment, highlighting the dire conditions in detention facilities such as the infamous Sednaya prison. In Idleb, Hayat Tahrir el Sham (HTS) has continued acts of torture, ill-treatment, and unlawful deprivation of liberty. The situation for womens rights organizations in these areas has become increasingly precarious due to threats and bureaucratic impediments. The report also sheds light on the plight of almost 30,000 children, many of whom are detained in camps, prisons, or rehabilitation centers in northeast Syria. These children, victimized during ISILs rule, continue to suffer from human rights violations and abuses. Commissioner Lynn Welchman called for immediate action to allow these children to return home and integrate into society. The humanitarian crisis in Syria has reached an unprecedented scale, with 16.7 million people inside the country requiring assistance. A severe shortfall in donor funds has led to the suspension of regular food aid, placing millions at risk of hunger. The Commission will present its findings to the UN Human Rights Council on March 18, hoping to galvanize international action to address the crisis and hold those responsible for atrocities accountable. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Your daily brief of the English-speaking press on Syria. The trial of Adnan Catic for allegedly organizing a terrorist group and engaging in foreign battlefield activities commenced following the reading of the indictment and the opening statement by the Prosecutors Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Concurrently, on Wednesday, 6 February, Syrian opposition activist and researcher Sheikh Jumaa Lehib received a deportation order from Lebanon to Syria amidst an intensified crackdown on Syrian refugees in Lebanon. The Trial of Adnan Catic for warfare in Syria has begun With the reading of the indictment and presentation of the opening statement of the Prosecutors Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the trial of Adnan Catic for organizing a terrorist group and participating in a foreign battlefield began. According to Sarajevo Times, Prosecutor Merisa Nurkic read the indictment, which states that Catic created a plan in 2013 with the aim of going to the battlefield in Syria and joining the terrorist organization Jabrat Al Nusra, which was declared a terrorist organization by the United Nations Security Council. According to the indictment, Catic left Bosnia and Herzegovina from Sarajevo airport on July 1, 2013, went to Turkey, and then illegally crossed to the territory of Syria. According to reports, he joined the terrorist organization Jabrat Al Nusra, whose members intend to force the legitimate authorities of this country to change the constitutional order through daily armed actions including attacks on the population, killings, illegal detentions, taking hostages and other actions. As stated by the prosecutor Nurkic, the accused Catic became a member of the organization in which he underwent military training and became a sniper of this terrorist group and participated in the battles against the legal army of Syria, where he remained until the end of 2021. During her opening statement, she said that the Prosecution would prove the guilt of the accused by questioning seven witnesses and presenting material evidence. The Prosecution also proposed the re-extension of the previously ordered custody of Catic, while the Defense proposed ordering house arrest, which the Prosecution opposed. The hearing of the first witnesses is planned for March 25, Detektor reports. Syrian opposition activist threatened with deportation from Lebanon Syrian opposition activist and researcher Sheikh Jumaa Lehib was handed a deportation order on Wednesday, 6 February, from Lebanon to Syria amid a more significant crackdown on Syrian refugees in Lebanon, New arab reported. Lehib is an opposition activist who was arrested in Syria during the countrys 2011 revolution and is currently the head researcher with the opposition party Syrian Future Movement. He was given an order to return to Syria by 6 April by Lebanese General Security when he went to renew his residency, despite his registered status with the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). Activists and human rights monitors have warned that he and his family could be in danger of reprisal from the Assad regime if they are sent back to Syria. Refugees who return to Syria have faced torture, forced disappearance, arrest and even death at the hands of authorities. I am wanted by the political security directorate, and my name is still present on the list of wanted people. I have a wife and five kids; there is a lot of danger to all of us if I am deported, Sheikh Jumaa Lehib told The New Arab. A Lebanese General Security Directorate spokesperson had not responded to TNAs request for comment by the time of publication. Lehibs deportation order comes as Lebanon threatens to send other Syrian activists back to Syria in recent weeks. We are seeing several incidences in which Syrian opposition activists or defectors have been reportedly deported or threatened with deportation last month, despite their registration with UNHCR, Ramzi Kaiss, the Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch (HRW), told TNA. At least two individuals a Syrian activist and a defector from the Syrian army have been threatened with deportation over the last month. Forced from their home in Syria, five siblings are learning a new life (and language) at Dayton schools Home is a very important touchstone in peoples lives. This is true anywhere in the world. So when people are in a position where they have to uproot themselves from the place they know as home and establish home somewhere else, it is a major upheaval in their lives, NKyTribune reported. Five children, along with their parents, lived in Syria. That was their home. But when conditions arose where it became impossible for the family to continue to live safely in Syria, they knew they had to leave. They applied for asylum in the United States and it was granted. Suddenly the five children and their mother and father were refugees in a strange country. The government settled them in Dayton, Kentucky. The oldest child, Mohammed, who is now 20, had already finished high school in Syria and the second oldest, a girl named Hala, who is 18, was almost through school back home. But according to Kentucky law, they were required to go back at least a year in their education. They arrived last summer, with little knowledge of the language, and all five children were enrolled in school. The four older kids were signed up for high school and the youngest, a boy, was put into fifth grade. When I first met them, their command of English ranged from about 7 percent to about 30 percent, said Rick Wolf, Director of Teaching and Learning at Dayton schools. I decided to meet with them five times a week in the school board room, to see if I could make a difference in the language barrier. The sessions started with school and right away they seemed to be helping. The students had lots of questions, and gradually they became more comfortable with Wolf and his easygoing methods of trying to unravel the mysteries of the English language. The class I have the most problem with is English, said Mohammed. He is doing very well in his studies, even though he has to take the year over in this country. I want to be a doctor, he said firmly, smiling all the while. I love this country. His sister Hala, a junior, said she is having some trouble with English, but she is doing well in her studies. She wants to be a doctor also, but unlike Mohammed who wants to be a brain surgeon, she would like to be a pediatrician. The younger sisters, Fatima, 17, and Dima, 16, both sophomores, deplore the difficulties in English and some in other subjects, but all of the students are determined to get past the hurdles of language. Both of the younger sisters are unsure what their future careers hold. We are working on mapping out sounds, explained Wolf. A process called chaining where you work on, say, ue as in statue, or ew, or tu. There are a lot more sounds that we have to practice with. UN-backed commission says 30,000 children are suffering rights abuses in northeastern Syria Five years after the Islamic State group lost the last sliver of land it controlled in Syria, nearly 30,000 children of militants and their supporters of various nationalities are suffering abuse in camps, prisons and rehabilitation centers in the war-torn countrys northwest, a U.N.-backed commission said Monday. The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria said most of the children were brought by their parents to parts of Syria and Iraq after the extremists declared a caliphate there in 2014, and it urged all countries with children in Syria to repatriate them and integrate them into their societies. The largest number of children are staying at al-Hol Camp, which is housing tens of thousands of people, mostly wives and children of IS fighters as well as supporters of the militant group. A smaller number of children are staying at Roj Camp, while teenage boys are kept in jails and rehabilitation run by the U.S.-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. These children were already victimized during ISILs rule, only to be subjected to years of continued human rights violations and abuses, Commissioner Lynn Welchman said, using an acronym to refer to IS. The commission said it has concluded that living conditions in heavily guarded al-Hol and Roj camps amount to cruel and inhuman treatment and outrages on personal dignity. Lebanon army rescues 20 Syrians from Mediterranean The Lebanese Army announced today that it had saved 20 Syrians from drowning during an irregular migration attempt across the Mediterranean Sea. In a statement, the army said: Information was available about a boat sinking off the coast of the city of Tripoli in northern Lebanon, while it was being used to smuggle people. An army naval patrol was able to rescue 20 Syrians, including women, who were on the boat.Due to the poor economic conditions in Syria, the eastern and northern Lebanese borders with Syria have witnessed a massive wave of displacement with many wishing to continue the journey and move to Europe in search of safety and a better life. There are 1.8 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, including about 880,000 registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, according to Lebanese estimates. Drug operations: Internal crackdowns do not halt smuggling from Syria A report by Enab Baladi suggests that despite the United States enacting legislation in December 2022 to dismantle drug operations associated with the Syrian regime, drug smuggling activities from Syria persist unabated, indicating both the limitations of internal crackdowns and the complex regional dynamics that enable the continuation of these illicit networks. In December 2022, the United States passed legislation targeting drug operations linked to the Syrian regime, specifically aiming to disrupt networks associated with President Bashar al-Assad. Despite these efforts, drug smuggling activities from Syria have continued unabated, with internal crackdowns failing to halt the flow. The Syrian Ministry of Interior, the report adds, has made several announcements about thwarting smuggling operations and arresting individuals involved in the drug trade. Notably, operations have shifted focus, with Syria being presented as a transit or receiving point rather than an exporter of drugs. Recent captures include significant quantities of Captagon pills, with one operation seizing over 2.8 million pills. Despite these internal actions, smuggling attempts across borders remain a significant issue. According to the report, the regime has reported arrests related to drug trafficking and facilitating prostitution, alongside the confiscation of large amounts of narcotics intended for neighbouring countries like Iraq. The pattern of these operations suggests an escalation in drug-related activities within Syria, alongside larger seizures compared to previous months. Jordanian security experts question the sincerity of the Syrian regimes announcements, suggesting they may be an attempt to mitigate external pressures rather than a genuine crackdown on drug smuggling. Neighbouring countries, particularly Jordan, Iraq, and Turkey, continue to be targeted by smuggling operations, with Lebanon, via Hezbollah networks, serving as a notable route for exporting drugs into Syria. The report concludes by stating that regional efforts to combat drug smuggling have intensified, with Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, the Syrian regime, and Egypt forming a collaborative contact cell to exchange expertise and coordinate efforts. Despite these initiatives, significant smuggling attempts continue to be reported, including on the Saudi-Jordanian border, highlighting the ongoing challenge of curtailing the drug trade emanating from Syrian territory. The Syrian Interim Government reported the apprehension of two individuals in possession of 100,000 Captagon pills in Ras al-Ain. Jordans customs directorate announced on Monday the successful interception of a narcotics smuggling attempt at the Jaber border crossing with Syria. According to Al-Sabeel newspaper, Brigadier General Saed Ali Ashour, the media spokesman for the Jordanian Customs Department, reported that personnel at the Jaber port confiscated 237,000 Captagon tablets concealed within two cargo vehicles. The first truck, purportedly carrying wooden folding epoxy tables, and the second, loaded with childrens beds, were discovered to harbour significant quantities of narcotic pills concealed within hidden compartments. On February 19, Jordanian authorities repatriated the bodies of three drug smugglers to the Syrian side, following fatal clashes with Jordanian border guard forces. These incidents occurred within 24 hours of the establishment of a collaborative anti-narcotics liaison cell between the Syrian regime, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon in the capital, Amman. Smuggling of narcotic pills and hashish to Turkey thwarted The Ministry of Defense in the Syrian Interim Government reported the apprehension of two individuals in possession of 100,000 Captagon pills in Ras al-Ain, located in the northern countryside of Hasakeh and originating from territories controlled by the Syrian regime. In a statement released by the ministry, it was disclosed that the operation aimed at smuggling drugs into Turkish territory. The military police forces in the Ras al-Ain area, administered by the Syrian Interim Government, successfully detained the individuals in possession of the aforementioned pills along with 50 grams of hashish. The statement emphasized that the narcotics pills and hashish were sourced from areas under the control of the Assad regime and were intended for smuggling into Turkey. In a separate incident last January, three drug dealers were apprehended in Afrin, situated northwest of Aleppo, by military police, resulting in the seizure of 5,000 Captagon pills. The ministry disclosed insights into the sources of narcotics, smuggling methods, security efforts to combat drug-related activities, apprehension of offenders, types of drugs, medical advice for overcoming addiction, treatment methods, and prevention strategies. Its noteworthy that various entities benefit from the proliferation of drugs in northwestern Syria, including Iranian militias, Lebanese Hezbollah, the Syrian regime, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and factions within the national army. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. "The PYD is fully accountable for the transgressions that occurred," stated a spokesperson for the Kurdish National Council. The Kurdish National Council in Syria attributed the attack and arson on its offices in Amuda and Ain al-Arab/Kobani, northern Syria, to the Democratic Union Party (PYD). In early March, the Kurdish National Councils office in Ain al-Arab, located in the eastern countryside of Aleppo, was assaulted by what the Council characterized as unknown saboteurs who set fire to the office. A few days later, a similar attack occurred on the Councils office in the city of Amuda, north of Hassakeh. The PYD is fully accountable for the transgressions that occurred, stated a spokesperson for the Kurdish National Council, Faisal Yousef, emphasizing that the attacks unfolded in plain sight, and overlooking this fact equates to disregarding the events and their implications. Yousef underscored that these incidents are not conducive to the interests of the Kurdish people and do not advance the path of dialogue and fostering a constructive atmosphere among Kurdish factions. He noted that these violations entrench the Democratic Unions dominance over political life and its reluctance to engage in genuine partnership with other Kurdish entities, including political, civil, and social parties and forces, obstructing any prospects for resuming negotiations between the council and Kurdish factions under US mediation. Concluding his remarks, he urged for the cessation of hindrances placed before the Kurdish National Council, affirming that the council remains committed to its political endeavours and the advocacy for Kurdish rights, unwavering in the face of any exertion of force, be it localized or otherwise, as per the source. On Friday evening, the Internal Security Forces, known locally as the Asayish, declared the initiation of comprehensive investigative operations and inquiries aimed at apprehending the perpetrators, in a statement released on its official website. Despite maintaining silence for eight days, the Asayish indicated that it was continuing investigations to uncover the circumstances surrounding the arson incidents and to ensure the perpetrators face legal consequences. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Rifaat al-Assad stands accused of "murder, torture, cruel treatment, and unlawful arrests in Syria in February 1982", according to Enab Baladi. Swiss prosecutors have announced their decision to bring Rifaat al-Assad, the uncle of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, to court on charges of war crimes. According to the Swiss Federal Council, as stated on its official website on Tuesday, the prosecutors office has referred Rifaat al-Assad to the Federal Criminal Court for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. It is asserted that Rifaat stands accused of murder, torture, cruel treatment, and unlawful arrests in Syria in February 1982, during his tenure as commander of the Defense Brigades and operations in Hama. These accusations stem from the armed conflict and the systematic, widespread assault on the residents of Hama. An international arrest warrant for Rifaat al-Assad was issued by the Swiss judiciary last August, relating to his involvement in the Hama events during the 1980s. The initiation of criminal proceedings against Rifaat al-Assad dates back to December 2013, following a complaint filed by the NGO Trial International regarding alleged war crimes committed under his command in Hama. These criminal proceedings are founded on the principle of universal jurisdiction, with war crimes not subject to statutory limitations. Numerous victims have lodged civil complaints within the criminal proceedings overseen by the Public Prosecutors Office. According to the Swiss Federal Council, police surveillance confirmed the presence of the accused on Swiss territory at the commencement of the investigation. It is noteworthy that Rifaat al-Assad returned to Syria in October 2021, ending an absence of over 30 years. His return was reportedly aimed at evading potential imprisonment in France following a court ruling, along with the confiscation of his assets in Spain, as reported by Al-Watan. Bashar al-Assad has pardoned all of Rifaat al-Assads actions, permitting his return to Syria as an ordinary citizen without any anticipated political or social role, an unnamed source stated to Al-Watan. In June 2020, the French judiciary sentenced Rifaat al-Assad to four years in prison and seized all his assets in France on charges of money laundering and embezzlement from the state treasury. Despite an appeal filed by Rifaat al-Assads lawyers, the French Court of Cassation upheld the four-year prison sentence, citing charges of illegal gains. Syrians allege that Rifaat al-Assad misappropriated substantial sums from the Central Bank of Syria before being exiled to France by his brother Hafez al-Assad in the 1980s, following a power struggle and a failed coup attempt against Hafez al-Assad. During his residency in Europe with his four wives and 16 children, Rifaat al-Assad acquired a significant real estate portfolio, prompting legal actions not only in France and Switzerland but also in other European countries including Britain and Spain. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. A Puyallup man is facing six charges, including assault and kidnapping, after he allegedly breached a no-contact order and attacked his ex-girlfriend in a Longview home. According to court records, Tyler Jordan Scherer, 29, is facing two assault charges, violating a court order, kidnapping, felony harassment, and unlawful imprisonment. His next court date is scheduled for Thursday, and he is currently out on a $50,000 bail. Stay up to date on Lower Columbia news, wherever you go Easily access the latest Lower Columbia news in an app that lets you select the topics that matter most to you. Cowlitz County Prosecuting Attorney Ryan Jurvakainen told The Daily News prosecuting attorneys asked for bail to be set at $200,000. Cowlitz County Superior Court did not answer The Daily News emails about the reason for the bail amount by deadline. As stated in the police report, Scherer violated a court-issued no-contact order when he drove from Puyallup to Longview to see his ex-girlfriend, Katelyn Teresa Fairchild, 27, of Kelso, whom he allegedly assaulted in King County last December. Fairchild told the Daily News the King County incident occurred following a Seattle Seahawks game, in which he threw her out of a truck, and according to the police report, a court-ordered no-contact order was issued. The report alleges that on Feb. 10, Scherer violated the no-contact order by sending text messages, photos and making several calls to Fairchild, saying he was headed to Longview from Puyallup. Fairchild sent a text to Scherer asking him to stop and turn back, but he responded by sharing photos of his location while driving on Interstate 5. Upon reaching Longview, he visited Fairchild at a friends residence and kept Fairchild in a room; she escaped, but he pulled her back inside and strangled her until she lost consciousness, a police report states. Her friend eventually grabbed Scherer from behind, freeing Fairchild to run out of the house to Millers Market at 3152 Washington Way. A long-time Lower Columbia College professor lost his job after his four-year relationship with a student was investigated by the Longview school. While its not clear if the investigation into the affair and its aftermath allegations of harassment and retaliation led to his dismissal, an investigation by the college concluded Keegan Norwoods involvement with the student was inappropriate. The inquiry last year found that Norwood did not explicitly violate school policy during the on-again, off-again consensual affair, but his conduct violated the colleges values. Kendra Sprague, vice president of foundation, human relations and legal affairs, said Norwood has not been offered an adjunct contract since last spring quarter. She did not say if the reason his contract wasnt renewed was due to the investigation. Norwood, a former decade-long LCC adjunct professor, was accused of harassment and retaliation by the student after the relationship ended. She suggested he had similar relationships with other students, but none of the allegations were proven by the investigation. The school hired MFR Law Group to interview those involved and examine 647 documents, including personnel files, emails and even excerpts from the complainants diary, kept 800 days after the relationship ended. The results of the investigation say LCC expects instructors to meet a high standard that matches the institutions values and mission and Norwoods history of dating students didnt meet those standards. 2016: Retaliation, harassment claims The student accused Norwood of retaliating against her and harassing her and other students during their brief initial relationship, but the investigation proved otherwise. The couple first dated for about two months around spring 2016 when the student was nearly 21, the report states. They would meet at Norwoods home, sometimes when she skipped class, she said, but Norwood denied encouraging her to blow off school. Norwood attended Central Washington University from 1998 to 2003, according to his resume, and previously taught at Rainier and Longview middle and high schools. In summer 2016, Norwoods now ex-wife, Lindsay Norwood, was released from the Cowlitz County Jail after serving time for dating a high school student while she was a teacher at Mark Morris High School. Upon her release, she asked Norwood to end his relationship with the student, the report states, and he did so. The student later alleged that around this time, Norwood retaliated against her when he asked her to delete photos and text messages showing proof of their affair. Norwood admitted to investigators he asked her to do so, but didnt have the authority to force her to follow through with his request and denied he made threats. The student also later accused Norwood of harassment during this time; she said he used his position of power as an instructor to date her and other students. Norwood denied dating students while they were taking any of his classes, but said he had sexual relationships with former students. Investigators tried to contact two students Norwood reportedly dated, which the complainant recommended, but the students never answered the requests. Investigators ultimately found Norwood didnt harass the complainant or violate another college policy, but his conduct was clearly inappropriate, reflected poor judgment, and was inconsistent with the colleges core values or mission, the report states. 2018-21: The final break-up The couples relationship continued to be rocky for years, but Norwood claims he started receiving threats from an unknown person after the final break-up. In 2018, the couple rekindled their relationship, while Norwood was going through a divorce and the student was no longer at LCC. The complainant recalled to interviewers a moment in which one of Norwoods students saw the couple at Baskin-Robbins. The student said, I did not know you had a daughter. I thought you only had sons, and Norwood clarified the two were a couple, not related. Norwood ended the relationship again in the summer of 2020. He told the former student they could continue texting as friends but later blocked her number and blocked her on social media. On July 14, 2020, he texted her, F*** kid. I cant. Im going to ruin any other relationship I try to have if I keep up a relationship with you. She told interviewers the breakup came out of nowhere; she said she made several attempts to reach Norwood to no avail. In November 2021, Norwood told investigators he received two messages from an unknown number, which said, Im bored. Feel like losing your job? and This wasnt meant as a joke. or blackmail. Im gonna do it. you should never again be in a position to hurt someone else. 2022-23: Investigation When the student later started taking more classes at LCC, she told staff about the affair. In September 2022, the student emailed Norwood, saying she planned to return to campus but hoped they wouldnt see each other. Norwood informed investigators he did not respond to the email and had no objection to her returning. The student told college employees about the relationship the next month. During an English class, the student wrote about Taylor Swifts All Too Well, a break-up song about the age difference between two lovers that she said, talked about grooming of young girls. It was a triggering situation, she said and couldnt finish the assignment. The student alleged Norwood also harassed her that fall when he entered the college cafeteria, didnt say anything to her, and looked angry, forcing the complainant to leave. Norwood denied seeing her to investigators, who concluded he wasnt bullying or harassing her. That March, Norwood was tipped off by someone who knew the student about a possible investigation and sent Norwood a screenshot of the schools sexual misconduct form, writing, I saw this and Im trying to run damage control at this point for her own good, the report states. In April 2023, the investigation began. Norwood applied for a tenured track position but was told in May he would not be considered for the role; he assumed the colleges inquiry played a role in the decision. In June, he was told about the investigations findings. MANILA, March 12 (Xinhua) -- A Philippine diplomat said Tuesday that negotiations continue for the release of 17 Filipino sailors taken hostage by the Yemen's Houthi rebels last year, and the rebels insist "an end to the war in Gaza" as a precondition for their release. "The Houthis are consistent in their statement that it would need an end to the war in Gaza before they release the ship or the seafarers," Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega told a press conference at the presidential palace. De Vega said the seafarers are safe and can communicate with their families, although not in the best condition. "At the very least, one thing we're always in touch with the Houthis about is to ensure that they are treated well and that they are able to contact their families," de Vega said. The Philippines is among the biggest suppliers of maritime labor in the world, providing almost one-fifth of seafarers worldwide, according to the International Labor Organization. The 17 Filipino seafarers were among the crew members of a cargo vessel taken hostage by the Houthis in the Red Sea in November last year. At the same news conference, de Vega said that 11 of the 13 sailors, who survived another attack against a cargo vessel by the Houthis, will return to Manila on Tuesday night while the remaining two will come home via an air ambulance in the next few days. Last week, a cargo ship True Confidence was hit by several anti-ship ballistic missiles some 50 nautical miles southwest of Aden port, off southern Yemen. Two Filipinos were killed in the attack. Editor's note: To read more on how clashes between council and staff led to this special meeting, read the latest story here. Longview City Council is set vote on whether to fire the city manager Wednesday in a special meeting. The agenda, sent to The Daily News by the city, says the council is considering terminating City Manager Kris Swanson without cause and providing her with a severance package according to her contract. Her contract, signed Feb. 28, 2023, states five of the seven council members must agree to the termination in a meeting. The council also plans to discuss who should replace Swanson. This isn't the first time a city employee has been discussed by council recently. Three weeks ago, Swanson said in an email obtained by The Daily News that councilmembers accused her of misconduct after what she called a clerical error on a state funding request, then a councilmember wrote a resolution about possibly auditing the assistant city manager's time. Soon after, former councilmembers and staff asked the current administration in a public meeting to try be more cooperative with staff and transparent about management. The special meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall or over Zoom at us02web.zoom.us/j/82394132374 with password 823 9413 2374. People can also call in with numbers 1-253-215-8782 or 1-346-248-7799. The council is also set to meet for their regular meeting on Thursday. Dassault Systemes announced it collaborated with CDR-Life, a Swiss biotherapeutics company, to accelerate CDR-Lifes development of next-generation highly tumor-selective immunotherapies using CDR-Lifes proprietary M-gager platform. Scientists from Dassault Systemes Contract Research team worked closely with scientists from CDR-Life to perform virtual what if experiments on antibody-based biologics called T-cell engagers, using Dassault Systemes BIOVIA software and CDR-Lifes experimental data. Dassault Systemes Contract Research team leveraged its expertise in science and technology to model different molecules virtually, and identify ones that will have desirable properties such as stability, without impacting other molecular function. Following a holistic and systematic analysis of the results, the team provided the variants that were anticipated to have a high probability of success when tested in the lab by CDR-Life. Our collaboration with Dassault Systemes Contract Research team accelerated our research and development efforts based on our proprietary antibody-based MHC-targeting T-cell engager technology. By working together, we can use the insights gathered virtually for our protein engineering platform and pave the way toward more efficient and effective oncology treatments, said Fabian Scheifele, Discovery Leader, CDR-Life. Next generation immunotherapies are a key step in the successful treatment of cancer, as they empower the immune system to eradicate malignant cells with unparalleled specificity. Improving the stability of antibody-based T-cell engagers can result in high tumor cell killing potency, longer duration of effect, and lower risk of immune-related adverse effects. The complexity of unmet medical needs affects the patient experience and health outcomes. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies of all sizes seek to accelerate the development of therapies that will help people live healthier lives, said Claire Biot, Vice President, Life Sciences & Healthcare Industry, Dassault Systemes. Our outcome-based Contract Research service is a game-changer in how we work with our customers on projects. CDR-Life was able to focus its time and energy on prioritized experiments with the most promising candidates. Not only did this narrow down the number of experiments its scientists needed to perform in their lab, it provided new insights that helped them reach their end-goals faster. As a science-based company, Dassault Systemes, through its Contract Research team, provides solutions to business-critical scientific challenges that its existing and new customers in all industries face. During the pandemic, for example, these services delivered actionable results and insights for projects to model, simulate and evaluate virus propagation risks in hospitals, offices and public spaces. Ericsson and the Department of Telecom (DOT) announced that they have entered into a collaboration to offer access to Ericsson Educate -21st Century Technologies Programme, Ericssons online learning platform to 100 institutes with 5G Labs. An MoU to the effect was signed between A Robert J Ravi, CEO, Telecom Centres of Excellence, India (TCOE) India and Dy. Director General, DoT and Nitin Bansal, MD, Ericsson India. DoT has set up one hundred 5G Use case labs within 100 institutes across India with the objective to build competencies and engagement in 5G technologies for students and startup communities. Ericsson will open its Ericsson Educate platform to 10,000 students from these institutes and provide access to learning material on key technologies. The subjects covered as part of the Program at an introductory level include: Automation, Telecommunications, AI, IoT, 5G and Machine Learning. The collaboration will provide both students and lecturers with access to quality digital learning resources that draw on Ericssons 145-year experience in telecommunications and ICT. Content from the Ericsson Educate portal will be provided at no cost to the students. States Honble Minister for Communications, Electronics & Information Technology and Railways, Government of India, Ashwini Vaishnaw,I am confident that the 5G Labs that we have set up in institutes will help us create new 5G use cases for the country .We are delighted to partner with Ericsson to build competencies in emerging and new technologies and prepare the students to be 5G-ready so that they can play a catalytic role to achieve the vision of Honble PM on Digital India. States Nitin Bansal, MD -Ericsson India, The collaboration with DoT is a significant step towards developing a 5G ready workforce in India that can leverage the potential of 5G to support the governments Digital India vision. Access to 5G technology related courses will enable these students to develop use cases that can address the local needs of the country, help enhance productivity and accelerate the countrys digitalization efforts. The collaboration is expected to reach up to 10,000 people. Ericsson has been in India since 1903 and is helping service providers to seamlessly transition across generations of technology, from 2G to now 5G. The networks, software and services Ericsson delivers to its customers support the digital transformation of industry and society. In addition to its commercial offerings, Ericsson is actively working to ensure that meaningful connectivity supports essential societal needs, such as access to education. A boat carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza departs from the port of Larnaca, Cyprus on March 12, 2024. The first consignment of aid through the Cyprus-based corridor left on Tuesday morning for Gaza, with more aid expected to be shipped soon, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides announced. (Photo by George Christophorou/Xinhua) NICOSIA, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The first consignment of aid through the Cyprus-based corridor left on Tuesday morning for Gaza, with more aid expected to be shipped soon, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides announced. "The journey of hope and humanity has just started," Christodoulides said in a statement after a ship owned by Spanish NGO (non-governmental organization) Open Arms left the Larnaca port in southern Cyprus, towing a barge loaded with food, water and pharmaceuticals. Due to the low towing speed of the barge, the 400-km journey to Gaza is anticipated to span two days, contrasting with the usual 15-hour duration. The ship was part of an aid project known as "Amalthea." The Cyprus-proposed project was activated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Christodoulides on Friday in Larnaca and later endorsed in a joint statement by the European Commission, Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, the United Kingdom, Greece, Italy and the Netherlands. According to Cypriot media reports, upon arrival in Gaza, the aid will be received by activists from the NOG World Central Kitchen, which will help distribute it to the local population facing dire food shortages. Since the Israel-Hamas conflict in October last year, the Palestinian death toll has climbed to 31,112, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. A boat carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza departs from the port of Larnaca, Cyprus on March 12, 2024. The first consignment of aid through the Cyprus-based corridor left on Tuesday morning for Gaza, with more aid expected to be shipped soon, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides announced. (Photo by George Christophorou/Xinhua) Washington-on-the-Brazos Ferry Street is a gravel trail these days with some signs on either side denoting buildings that stood during 1840s Texas. Many visitors might not realize theyre walking the old streets of the town of Washington, where the Republic of Texas was born. Soon, though, those same visitors will be able to see and walk into buildings where the last capital of the Republic existed, where Sam Houston had his presidential office, and where the likes of Davy Crockett stayed on their way to the Alamo. A multiyear effort to enhance Washington-on-the-Brazos is coming to fruition as the site is currently undergoing a $51 million renovation thanks to significant funding from the state Legislature. Plans include recreating seven buildings from the 1840s in the town deemed The Birthplace of Texas for visitors to have a deeper experience connecting with a place full of Texas history. Construction on the recreated townsite buildings is expected to begin late this summer and take a year to complete. The townsite along with the renovated Star of the Republic Museum and Visitors Center are expected to open in 2025. The Republic was born, and the Republic ended here, said Jonathan Failor, site manager for Washington-on-the-Brazos. Its a remarkable story. And whats one thing non-Texans know about Texas that Texans love to make sure they know? Texas was its own country. That story has largely only been told in the Star of the Republic Museum, but the townsite of Washington is the place that can tell that story better than any other place. It was the capital of the Republic, a Presidents office was there, the Senate met there, the House met there, the Supreme Court met there, the War & Marine Office was there. All these key decisions that Texas makes is happening here in the town of Washington from 1842 to 1845. In 2019, Washington-on-the-Brazos was transferred from Texas Parks & Wildlife to the Texas Historical Commission by the state Legislature. Lawmakers then committed $8 million to renovate the sites Star of the Republic Museum for the first time since 1999. Historic site officials began to think of ways to unify the site for a holistic visitor experience. In 2021, State. Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, a Brenham native and resident, helped secure an additional $34 million for site renovations. In 2023, the Washington-on-the-Brazos Historical Foundation began a $10 million private fundraising campaign. Kolkhorst and her husband, Jim, are co-chairs on the foundation. The Star of the Republic Museum, which opened in 1970, is finally getting redone. The Visitors Centers interior is also being redeveloped and telling its story in a more modern way. The townsite experience is a new addition altogether, though. Making it come together had some challenges, too. There are only a few photographs of the townsite and most are later pictures that show the town in its decline, Failor noted. The only map of the town from that time period was part of a court case in Galveston and lost during the great hurricane of 1900. A researcher was hired to look through archives to help determine what the town looked like and who owned what land. Surveyors remapped the town from the outside and into the historic site. Probate records showed what was on plots of land when it was sold. Tax records provided more information. Integrated Environmental Solutions from McKinney was hired last spring to do geophysical research and conducted surveys where they walked over the surface with machines to look for underground anomalies. The firm searched 11-acre plots on either side of Ferry Street and found things like old water pipes, metal from a blacksmiths shop and brick foundations from buildings. Once we had that and we knew where the town boundaries and lots were, we could say, OK, we knew theres something here on this lot where we think this building was. We want to go look at it, Failor said. It really helps you focus your archaeology and helps you save a lot of money. Archaeology is expensive and takes a lot of time. You cant just go and open up all 11 acres. Physical archaeology began as an eight-week project in September 2023, but lasted until mid-February. It was a slow, methodical process, Failor said. Archaeologists went one meter by one meter, 10 centimeters at a time and recorded everything. High-priority areas included the sites of Hatfields Exchange, Hall & Lotts Tavern, Sam Houstons presidential office and Heaths carpenter shop. Archaeologists found over 15,000 artifacts from an 1820 Spanish silver dollar to an 1831 U.S. dime, pipes, bones, broken plates, glass, marbles, gun parts and a 24-karat pocket watch key. It was really fun to sit there and look at stuff that had been dropped or lost under a building or fallen out of someones pocket 180 years ago or more and to be the first person to look at that since it fell, Failor said. Thats really going to help us. Its going to help us tell the story of the town in ways weve never been able to tell before and really bring it to life. With archaeology efforts complete, the project is now in the design phase. Failor said they looked to contemporary examples to recreate archetypical structures. He said the carpenter, Mr. Heath, was from Maine, so they looked at some of the building tradition he might have brought with him. While the dimensions of Hatfields Exchange are known, they used a building from Alabama as a key guide to determine what the building looked like. Seven full buildings will be recreated, including a drug store and a blacksmith shop that was run by enslaved tradesmen. Two buildings Goodrich Apothecary and the Bailey, Gay & Hoxey Store will be ghost structures, which is just a frame of the building. A couple other buildings, including the War & Marine Office, will have their foundation outlines marked on the ground. All other buildings will be represented with interpretive signage. At one time, Washington had a population of over 1,000 people, but only has 12 today. In 1842, Sam Houston moved the capital from Austin to Washington, but it moved back to Austin in 1845. In 1858, the townspeople turned down an offer to bring the railroad there while they went all in on steamboat travel along the Brazos River. The railroad went to Navasota and later Bryan, with a spur to Brenham. The Civil War decimated the town further. In the late 19th century, a German population moved in and began to farm the land. The German farmers found the soil was hard to plow because it was studded with brick foundations. They trudged on, though, which destroyed what would have been archaeological remains. Failor said thats been good for the historic site in some ways because its now allowing them to construct a building over archaeology. We can protect the archaeology and interpret and rebuild, and thats a goal for us, Failor said. Not everybody connects to archaeology. People really connect to being able to walk into a building and smell the smoke of the fire and hear the sizzle of food in a pan, see someone working and be able to touch something. People prefer immersive experiences and thats what were hoping to create. A myriad of experiences for visitors are being thought through with the renovated townsite, Failor said, including self-guided tours, living-history experiences, educational programming, woodworking at the carpenters shop, and maybe even night-time tavern experiences. Itll all take place nearby Hatfields Exchange where Anson Jones, the last President of the Republic of Texas, called a special session of Congress in June 1845 inside the stores second floor and presented them two options: Peace with Mexico or annexation to the United States. People know about the Alamo, people know about San Jacinto, Failor said. You could show a picture of the Alamo to someone in any other state and they would likely know what that is thanks to John Wayne. But if I showed them Independence Hall, they likely wont know what that is, unless theyve just taken fourth-grade Texas history. So, how do we connect to those people? And one of the ways we feel very strongly about is doing it through tangible ways, bringing things to life, recreating buildings because this place matters. It matters to all Texans. It belongs to all Texans. 2Xideas AG reduced its position in Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW Free Report) by 2.5% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 137,391 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 3,552 shares during the period. 2Xideas AGs holdings in Edwards Lifesciences were worth $9,518,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Truvestments Capital LLC raised its stake in Edwards Lifesciences by 260.0% during the second quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC now owns 270 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 195 shares in the last quarter. Castleview Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences during the 1st quarter valued at about $25,000. Compass Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences in the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. Jackson Grant Investment Advisers Inc. bought a new position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences in the 3rd quarter valued at about $38,000. Finally, Janiczek Wealth Management LLC grew its position in Edwards Lifesciences by 108.6% in the third quarter. Janiczek Wealth Management LLC now owns 582 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 303 shares in the last quarter. 79.25% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Edwards Lifesciences alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades EW has been the subject of several analyst reports. StockNews.com raised Edwards Lifesciences from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 13th. Wells Fargo & Company raised shares of Edwards Lifesciences from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and set a $94.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price target on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $82.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Mizuho upped their target price on Edwards Lifesciences from $85.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Finally, Truist Financial raised their price target on Edwards Lifesciences from $78.00 to $84.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, December 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Edwards Lifesciences currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $87.38. Insider Activity In other Edwards Lifesciences news, insider Larry L. Wood sold 8,658 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.86, for a total transaction of $622,163.88. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 213,794 shares of the companys stock, valued at $15,363,236.84. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In related news, CFO Scott B. Ullem sold 14,510 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.55, for a total transaction of $1,110,740.50. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 19,248 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,473,434.40. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, insider Larry L. Wood sold 8,658 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $71.86, for a total value of $622,163.88. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 213,794 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $15,363,236.84. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 235,367 shares of company stock worth $19,060,542. 1.29% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Edwards Lifesciences Stock Down 0.2 % Edwards Lifesciences stock traded down $0.20 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $90.63. 597,403 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,078,499. Edwards Lifesciences Co. has a 12 month low of $60.57 and a 12 month high of $94.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a quick ratio of 2.40 and a current ratio of 3.38. The company has a market cap of $54.50 billion, a PE ratio of 39.49, a P/E/G ratio of 4.57 and a beta of 1.05. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $81.38 and a two-hundred day moving average of $74.56. Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 6th. The medical research company reported $0.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.64. The company had revenue of $1.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.50 billion. Edwards Lifesciences had a net margin of 23.35% and a return on equity of 23.56%. Edwards Lifesciencess revenue was up 13.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.64 earnings per share. As a group, analysts expect that Edwards Lifesciences Co. will post 2.76 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Edwards Lifesciences Profile (Free Report) Edwards Lifesciences Corporation provides products and technologies for structural heart disease and critical care monitoring in the United States, Europe, Japan, and internationally. It offers transcatheter heart valve replacement products for the minimally invasive replacement of aortic heart valves under the Edwards SAPIEN family of valves system; and transcatheter heart valve repair and replacement products to treat mitral and tricuspid valve diseases under the PASCAL PRECISION and Cardioband names. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Edwards Lifesciences Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Edwards Lifesciences and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Phoenix Holdings Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of Ingersoll Rand Inc. (NYSE:IR Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 30,911 shares of the industrial products companys stock, valued at approximately $1,970,000. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of IR. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in Ingersoll Rand by 1.9% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 44,054,298 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $2,218,134,000 after buying an additional 823,749 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. grew its position in shares of Ingersoll Rand by 4.3% in the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 31,966,777 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $2,089,349,000 after purchasing an additional 1,323,821 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC grew its position in shares of Ingersoll Rand by 3.4% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 19,190,038 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $1,222,789,000 after purchasing an additional 627,146 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp grew its position in Ingersoll Rand by 1.6% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 15,236,796 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $995,877,000 after buying an additional 235,489 shares in the last quarter. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its position in Ingersoll Rand by 1.9% during the third quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 11,547,716 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $735,821,000 after buying an additional 213,441 shares in the last quarter. 94.54% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Ingersoll Rand alerts: Insider Activity at Ingersoll Rand In other news, insider Vicente Reynal sold 240,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $90.16, for a total transaction of $21,638,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 91,957 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,290,843.12. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. In related news, insider Vicente Reynal sold 240,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $90.16, for a total value of $21,638,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 91,957 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,290,843.12. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Andrew R. Schiesl sold 10,421 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $89.95, for a total transaction of $937,368.95. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 48,904 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,398,914.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 258,011 shares of company stock worth $23,243,689 in the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.83% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth IR has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. StockNews.com raised Ingersoll Rand from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 6th. Evercore ISI downgraded Ingersoll Rand from an outperform rating to an in-line rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $81.00 to $89.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 20th. BNP Paribas initiated coverage on Ingersoll Rand in a research report on Tuesday. They set a neutral rating and a $92.00 target price on the stock. UBS Group lifted their target price on Ingersoll Rand from $78.00 to $93.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 29th. Finally, Cfra raised their price target on shares of Ingersoll Rand from $68.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Friday, February 16th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $82.50. Get Our Latest Stock Report on Ingersoll Rand Ingersoll Rand Trading Up 1.3 % IR stock traded up $1.14 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $90.66. The company had a trading volume of 1,025,079 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,637,259. The company has a quick ratio of 1.67, a current ratio of 2.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $83.53 and a 200-day moving average price of $73.61. Ingersoll Rand Inc. has a 12 month low of $51.84 and a 12 month high of $92.44. The stock has a market cap of $36.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.11, a PEG ratio of 3.25 and a beta of 1.44. Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 15th. The industrial products company reported $0.83 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.09. Ingersoll Rand had a net margin of 11.32% and a return on equity of 12.24%. The firm had revenue of $1.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.76 billion. As a group, analysts predict that Ingersoll Rand Inc. will post 3.1 earnings per share for the current year. Ingersoll Rand Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 7th will be issued a $0.02 dividend. This represents a $0.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.09%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 6th. Ingersoll Rands dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 4.21%. Ingersoll Rand Company Profile (Free Report) Ingersoll Rand Inc provides various mission-critical air, gas, liquid, and solid flow creation technologies services and solutions worldwide. It operates through two segments, Industrial Technologies and Services, and Precision and Science Technologies. The Industrial Technologies and Services segment designs, manufactures, markets, and services air and gas compression, vacuum, and blower products; fluid transfer equipment and loading systems; and power tools and lifting equipment, including associated aftermarket parts, consumables, air treatment equipment, controls, other accessories, and services under the under the Ingersoll Rand, Gardner Denver, Nash, CompAir, Elmo Rietschle brands, etc. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Ingersoll Rand Inc. (NYSE:IR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Ingersoll Rand Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ingersoll Rand and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Invst LLC boosted its position in shares of AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV Free Report) by 5.3% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 3,933 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 198 shares during the period. Invst LLCs holdings in AbbVie were worth $586,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of AbbVie by 89,097.0% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 29,203,106 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,719,514,000 after buying an additional 29,170,366 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of AbbVie in the 4th quarter valued at $3,033,348,000. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA boosted its holdings in shares of AbbVie by 29,922.3% in the 3rd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 6,032,374 shares of the companys stock valued at $899,186,000 after buying an additional 6,012,281 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley boosted its holdings in shares of AbbVie by 17.9% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 31,571,750 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,102,311,000 after buying an additional 4,785,277 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its holdings in shares of AbbVie by 426.5% in the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 4,652,122 shares of the companys stock valued at $754,155,000 after buying an additional 3,768,579 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.86% of the companys stock. Get AbbVie alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, CFO Scott T. Reents sold 14,140 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $177.44, for a total transaction of $2,509,001.60. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 27,065 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,802,413.60. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, CFO Scott T. Reents sold 14,140 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $177.44, for a total transaction of $2,509,001.60. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 27,065 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,802,413.60. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Azita Saleki-Gerhardt sold 52,870 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $173.71, for a total transaction of $9,184,047.70. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 243,944 shares in the company, valued at $42,375,512.24. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 306,205 shares of company stock valued at $53,974,299 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.26% of the companys stock. AbbVie Price Performance Shares of NYSE ABBV opened at $181.52 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $320.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 65.80, a PEG ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 0.58. AbbVie Inc. has a 52 week low of $130.96 and a 52 week high of $182.42. The companys 50-day moving average price is $170.44 and its 200 day moving average price is $155.38. The company has a current ratio of 0.87, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.02. AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 2nd. The company reported $2.79 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.76 by $0.03. AbbVie had a net margin of 8.95% and a return on equity of 162.28%. The firm had revenue of $14.30 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $14.02 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $3.60 EPS. The firms revenue was down 5.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts forecast that AbbVie Inc. will post 11.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. AbbVie Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 15th will be paid a dividend of $1.55 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, April 12th. This represents a $6.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.42%. AbbVies dividend payout ratio is currently 227.11%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several analysts recently commented on the stock. Truist Financial upped their price target on shares of AbbVie from $180.00 to $195.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Barclays upped their price target on shares of AbbVie from $175.00 to $185.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, February 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded shares of AbbVie from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $173.00 price target for the company in a research report on Monday, December 11th. William Blair upgraded shares of AbbVie from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, January 29th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on shares of AbbVie from $187.00 to $195.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, February 5th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $175.36. View Our Latest Analysis on AbbVie AbbVie Profile (Free Report) AbbVie Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells pharmaceuticals worldwide. The company offers Humira, a therapy administered as an injection for autoimmune, intestinal Behcet's diseases, and pyoderma gangrenosum; Skyrizi to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, psoriatic disease, and Crohn's disease; Rinvoq to treat rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, atopic dermatitis, axial spondyloarthropathy, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease; Imbruvica for the treatment of adult patients with blood cancers; Epkinly to treat lymphoma; Elahere to treat cancer; and Venclexta/Venclyxto to treat blood cancers. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ABBV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for AbbVie Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AbbVie and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. AngloGold Ashanti plc (NYSE:AU Get Free Report) declared a semi-annual dividend on Friday, February 23rd, Wall Street Journal reports. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be given a dividend of 0.19 per share by the mining company on Thursday, March 28th. This represents a yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. This is a positive change from AngloGold Ashantis previous semi-annual dividend of $0.03. AngloGold Ashanti has raised its dividend payment by an average of 32.3% annually over the last three years and has increased its dividend annually for the last 1 consecutive years. AngloGold Ashanti has a payout ratio of 18.0% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Research analysts expect AngloGold Ashanti to earn $1.56 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $0.38 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 24.4%. Get AngloGold Ashanti alerts: AngloGold Ashanti Price Performance NYSE AU traded down $0.72 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $22.13. 1,469,710 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,885,113. AngloGold Ashanti has a 52-week low of $14.91 and a 52-week high of $30.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 2.17 and a quick ratio of 1.24. The company has a 50 day moving average of $18.06 and a two-hundred day moving average of $17.93. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research firms recently issued reports on AU. StockNews.com upgraded AngloGold Ashanti from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, February 23rd. HSBC upgraded AngloGold Ashanti from a reduce rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, AngloGold Ashanti presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $22.50. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on AngloGold Ashanti Institutional Trading of AngloGold Ashanti A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of AngloGold Ashanti by 7.8% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 16,743,697 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $312,940,000 after buying an additional 1,215,741 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD lifted its holdings in shares of AngloGold Ashanti by 5.7% in the 2nd quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 11,002,317 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $162,724,000 after buying an additional 594,702 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of AngloGold Ashanti by 2.3% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 10,174,686 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $214,584,000 after buying an additional 226,080 shares during the period. Barclays PLC purchased a new position in AngloGold Ashanti in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $180,693,000. Finally, Mackenzie Financial Corp increased its stake in AngloGold Ashanti by 28.3% in the 4th quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 3,365,866 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $65,365,000 after purchasing an additional 741,948 shares in the last quarter. 22.36% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About AngloGold Ashanti (Get Free Report) AngloGold Ashanti plc operates as a gold mining company in Africa, the Americas, and Australia. The company primarily explores for gold, as well as produces silver and sulphuric acid as by-products. Its flagship property is a 100% owned Geita project located in the Lake Victoria goldfields of the Mwanza region in north-western Tanzania. Read More Receive News & Ratings for AngloGold Ashanti Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AngloGold Ashanti and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Autonomy Capital Jersey L.P. lifted its position in shares of Wallbox (NYSE:WBX Free Report) by 9.8% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 175,652 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 15,721 shares during the quarter. Wallbox accounts for approximately 0.9% of Autonomy Capital Jersey L.P.s holdings, making the stock its 10th largest position. Autonomy Capital Jersey L.P.s holdings in Wallbox were worth $395,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund grew its position in shares of Wallbox by 25.5% in the third quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund now owns 146,405 shares of the companys stock valued at $329,000 after purchasing an additional 29,794 shares in the last quarter. LPL Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Wallbox during the third quarter valued at about $56,000. Kestra Advisory Services LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Wallbox in the third quarter worth about $236,000. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank boosted its position in shares of Wallbox by 948.0% in the third quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 17,847 shares of the companys stock valued at $39,000 after acquiring an additional 16,144 shares during the period. Finally, State Street Corp purchased a new position in Wallbox during the second quarter valued at approximately $982,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 12.99% of the companys stock. Get Wallbox alerts: Wallbox Price Performance Wallbox stock traded down $0.00 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $1.45. 137,763 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 471,268. The companys fifty day moving average is $1.52 and its 200-day moving average is $1.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a current ratio of 1.46. Wallbox has a 52 week low of $1.24 and a 52 week high of $5.10. About Wallbox Wallbox N.V., a technology company, designs, manufactures, and distributes charging solutions for residential, business, and public use. The company operates in three segments: Europe-Middle East Asia, North America, and Asia-Pacific. It offers EV charging hardware products, such as Pulsar Plus, an AC smart charger for home or multi-family residence; Commander 2, an AC smart charger for fleets and businesses with a 7-inch touchscreen display that provides a personalized and secure user interface for multiple users; Copper SB, an AC smart charger for fleets and businesses with an integrated socket that makes it compatible with both type 1 and type 2 charging cables; Quasar1 & 2, a DC bi-directional charger for home-use that allows to charge and discharge electric vehicle, and enables to use car battery to power home or sell energy back to the grid; Supernova, a DC fast charger equipment designed for public use; and Hypernova that allows to optimize available power and adapt to the number of EVs connected for public charging along highways and transcontinental road networks. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WBX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Wallbox (NYSE:WBX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Wallbox Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Wallbox and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Canadian Natural Resources Limited (NYSE:CNQ Get Free Report) (TSE:CNQ) declared a quarterly dividend on Friday, March 1st, Wall Street Journal reports. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be given a dividend of 0.774 per share by the oil and gas producer on Friday, April 5th. This represents a $3.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.29%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. This is a boost from Canadian Natural Resourcess previous quarterly dividend of $0.72. Canadian Natural Resources has raised its dividend payment by an average of 28.9% per year over the last three years and has increased its dividend annually for the last 1 consecutive years. Canadian Natural Resources has a dividend payout ratio of 44.9% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Analysts expect Canadian Natural Resources to earn $6.36 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $3.10 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 48.7%. Get Canadian Natural Resources alerts: Canadian Natural Resources Stock Performance NYSE CNQ opened at $72.14 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $77.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.02 and a beta of 1.53. Canadian Natural Resources has a 1-year low of $48.81 and a 1-year high of $73.19. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a current ratio of 0.96 and a quick ratio of 0.69. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $64.90 and its 200-day simple moving average is $64.70. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in Canadian Natural Resources by 2.0% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,099,191 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $2,823,859,000 after acquiring an additional 835,633 shares during the period. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership acquired a new position in Canadian Natural Resources during the 1st quarter worth $960,796,000. 1832 Asset Management L.P. boosted its position in Canadian Natural Resources by 1.7% during the 4th quarter. 1832 Asset Management L.P. now owns 14,225,902 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $789,964,000 after acquiring an additional 234,170 shares during the period. Capital International Investors boosted its position in Canadian Natural Resources by 88.2% during the 1st quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 7,930,544 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $491,064,000 after acquiring an additional 3,716,523 shares during the period. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc boosted its position in Canadian Natural Resources by 35.6% during the 4th quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 6,066,835 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $399,394,000 after acquiring an additional 1,593,439 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 73.88% of the companys stock. Separately, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Canadian Natural Resources from $101.00 to $102.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, January 11th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $94.00. Get Our Latest Stock Report on Canadian Natural Resources About Canadian Natural Resources (Get Free Report) Canadian Natural Resources Limited acquires, explores for, develops, produces, markets, and sells crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs). The company offers light and medium crude oil, primary heavy crude oil, Pelican Lake heavy crude oil, bitumen (thermal oil), and synthetic crude oil (SCO). Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Canadian Natural Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Canadian Natural Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cannell Capital LLC boosted its position in loanDepot, Inc. (NYSE:LDI Free Report) by 19.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 5,396,445 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 879,650 shares during the quarter. loanDepot makes up approximately 2.1% of Cannell Capital LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 21st biggest position. Cannell Capital LLC owned about 1.68% of loanDepot worth $9,282,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of LDI. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in loanDepot by 61.8% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 2,420,998 shares of the companys stock worth $10,047,000 after buying an additional 925,002 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC lifted its position in loanDepot by 39.4% in the second quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 1,100,305 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,584,000 after purchasing an additional 310,820 shares during the last quarter. Balyasny Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in loanDepot in the third quarter valued at approximately $244,000. Knightsbridge Asset Management LLC lifted its position in loanDepot by 6.6% in the third quarter. Knightsbridge Asset Management LLC now owns 2,800,039 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,816,000 after purchasing an additional 172,802 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wolverine Asset Management LLC lifted its position in loanDepot by 27.9% in the third quarter. Wolverine Asset Management LLC now owns 674,832 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,161,000 after purchasing an additional 147,198 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 53.01% of the companys stock. Get loanDepot alerts: loanDepot Price Performance Shares of loanDepot stock opened at $2.50 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.26, a current ratio of 1.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.70. The company has a market cap of $802.68 million, a PE ratio of -2.74 and a beta of 3.13. The business has a 50 day moving average of $2.76 and a 200 day moving average of $2.21. loanDepot, Inc. has a 52 week low of $1.14 and a 52 week high of $3.71. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several analysts have weighed in on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group downgraded loanDepot from a neutral rating to a sell rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $1.75 to $3.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 9th. UBS Group assumed coverage on loanDepot in a research report on Wednesday, December 6th. They issued a neutral rating and a $2.00 price objective for the company. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on LDI Insider Activity at loanDepot In related news, insider Jeff Alexander Walsh sold 39,284 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $2.63, for a total transaction of $103,316.92. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 3,954,678 shares in the company, valued at $10,400,803.14. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders sold a total of 180,777 shares of company stock worth $547,838 over the last quarter. 83.88% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. About loanDepot (Free Report) loanDepot, Inc engages in originating, financing, selling, and servicing residential mortgage loans in the United States. It offers conventional agency-conforming and prime jumbo, federal assistance residential mortgage, and home equity loans. The company also provides settlement services, which include captive title and escrow business; real estate services that cover captive real estate referral business; and insurance services, including services to homeowners, as well as other consumer insurance policies. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for loanDepot Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for loanDepot and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Carmignac Gestion grew its stake in Capital One Financial Co. (NYSE:COF) by 21.7% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 309,250 shares of the financial services providers stock after buying an additional 55,187 shares during the quarter. Carmignac Gestions holdings in Capital One Financial were worth $30,013,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of COF. Capital Research Global Investors bought a new stake in Capital One Financial during the 2nd quarter valued at $874,947,000. Norges Bank bought a new position in Capital One Financial in the 4th quarter worth $318,480,000. Berkshire Hathaway Inc raised its holdings in Capital One Financial by 25.7% in the 2nd quarter. Berkshire Hathaway Inc now owns 12,471,030 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,363,957,000 after purchasing an additional 2,549,030 shares in the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP grew its position in shares of Capital One Financial by 603.3% in the 1st quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 1,731,554 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $227,336,000 after buying an additional 1,485,339 shares during the period. Finally, Swiss National Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Capital One Financial in the 2nd quarter worth about $151,073,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.09% of the companys stock. Get Capital One Financial alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Capital One Financial In related news, insider Frank G. LapradeIii sold 39,760 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $130.00, for a total transaction of $5,168,800.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 43,186 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,614,180. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other news, Director Ann F. Hackett sold 3,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $130.00, for a total value of $390,000.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 54,980 shares in the company, valued at $7,147,400. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Frank G. LapradeIii sold 39,760 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $130.00, for a total value of $5,168,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 43,186 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,614,180. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 1.41% of the companys stock. Analyst Ratings Changes COF has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Piper Sandler upped their target price on shares of Capital One Financial from $126.00 to $142.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, February 23rd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on shares of Capital One Financial in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. They set a hold rating and a $153.00 price objective on the stock. Bank of America raised shares of Capital One Financial from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their price objective for the company from $112.00 to $129.00 in a research report on Wednesday, December 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on shares of Capital One Financial from $131.00 to $134.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of Capital One Financial from $115.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, December 4th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have issued a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Capital One Financial currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $129.42. Read Our Latest Report on COF Capital One Financial Trading Up 0.8 % Shares of NYSE:COF traded up $1.12 on Tuesday, hitting $139.58. 975,825 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,832,826. Capital One Financial Co. has a 12 month low of $83.93 and a 12 month high of $140.86. The stock has a market capitalization of $53.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.47. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $133.91 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $116.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 1.01 and a quick ratio of 1.01. Capital One Financial (NYSE:COF Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 25th. The financial services provider reported $2.24 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.50 by ($0.26). Capital One Financial had a return on equity of 9.24% and a net margin of 9.88%. The business had revenue of $9.51 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.45 billion. Analysts anticipate that Capital One Financial Co. will post 13.86 EPS for the current fiscal year. Capital One Financial Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 23rd. Investors of record on Monday, February 12th were paid a $0.60 dividend. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.72%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 9th. Capital One Financials dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 20.08%. Capital One Financial Company Profile (Free Report) Capital One Financial Corporation operates as the financial services holding company for the Capital One, National Association, which engages in the provision of various financial products and services in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. It operates through three segments: Credit Card, Consumer Banking, and Commercial Banking. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding COF? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Capital One Financial Co. (NYSE:COF Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Capital One Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Capital One Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. China Youzan Limited (OTCMKTS:CHNVF Get Free Report) saw a large increase in short interest in February. As of February 29th, there was short interest totalling 100,000 shares, an increase of 1,150.0% from the February 14th total of 8,000 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 2,200 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 45.5 days. China Youzan Price Performance OTCMKTS CHNVF remained flat at C$0.01 during trading on Tuesday. China Youzan has a 52-week low of C$0.01 and a 52-week high of C$0.03. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of C$0.01 and a 200-day simple moving average of C$0.01. Get China Youzan alerts: China Youzan Company Profile (Get Free Report) Featured Articles China Youzan Limited, an investment holding company, provides online and offline e-commerce solutions in the People's Republic of China, Japan, and Canada. The company operates through five segments: General Trading, Third Party Payment Services, Onecomm, Merchant Services, and Others. It trades in watches and other good; sells integrated smart point of sales devices; and offers third party payment and related consultancy services, as well as third party payment management services. Receive News & Ratings for China Youzan Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for China Youzan and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. KHARTOUM, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) on Tuesday said it destroyed a force belonging to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Omdurman city, north of the capital Khartoum. "Early this morning, our forces in Omdurman thwarted a desperate attempt by an RSF force to escape the cordon imposed on them by the army in the vicinity of the Al-Mulazmeen neighborhood and the area around the national radio station," the SAF said in a statement. The SAF noted that it busted most of the fleeing force and another group that attempted to back it and seized most of their equipment and vehicles. It stated that the army was still dealing with small RSF groups trying to escape the city, vowing to destroy the paramilitary forces anywhere in Khartoum utterly. The RSF has not yet made any comment in this regard. The latest development of the conflict between Sudan's warring parties came days after the UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Sudan during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on March 8. Sudan has been mired in deadly clashes between the SAF and the RSF since April 15, 2023. Recent estimates by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs suggest that more than 13,000 people have been killed since the outbreak of the conflict. CNO Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:CNO Get Free Report) has been given a consensus recommendation of Hold by the six research firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, four have given a hold recommendation and one has assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price objective among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $25.80. Several analysts recently weighed in on CNO shares. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on shares of CNO Financial Group from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, February 8th. StockNews.com cut shares of CNO Financial Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 6th. Finally, Evercore ISI boosted their price objective on shares of CNO Financial Group from $26.00 to $27.00 and gave the stock an underperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 28th. Get CNO Financial Group alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Report on CNO Financial Group CNO Financial Group Stock Up 0.2 % Shares of NYSE:CNO opened at $26.82 on Tuesday. The company has a fifty day moving average of $27.05 and a 200-day moving average of $25.60. The company has a market capitalization of $2.92 billion, a PE ratio of 11.13 and a beta of 1.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.50, a quick ratio of 0.19 and a current ratio of 0.19. CNO Financial Group has a 52-week low of $19.95 and a 52-week high of $28.39. CNO Financial Group (NYSE:CNO Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The financial services provider reported $1.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.85 by $0.33. CNO Financial Group had a net margin of 6.67% and a return on equity of 17.51%. The company had revenue of $1.17 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $934.05 million. On average, equities analysts predict that CNO Financial Group will post 3.17 EPS for the current fiscal year. CNO Financial Group Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 22nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 8th will be given a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 7th. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.24%. CNO Financial Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 24.90%. Insider Buying and Selling at CNO Financial Group In other news, EVP Matthew J. Zimpfer sold 3,220 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.97, for a total transaction of $86,843.40. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 275,777 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,437,705.69. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, CFO Paul H. Mcdonough sold 15,476 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.78, for a total transaction of $414,447.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 202,962 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,435,322.36. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Matthew J. Zimpfer sold 3,220 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.97, for a total transaction of $86,843.40. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 275,777 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,437,705.69. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 48,942 shares of company stock valued at $1,308,200. 3.00% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its holdings in CNO Financial Group by 48.4% in the 2nd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 4,332,549 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $102,551,000 after buying an additional 1,413,511 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new position in CNO Financial Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $32,205,000. BlackRock Inc. boosted its holdings in CNO Financial Group by 4.1% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 15,806,159 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $350,739,000 after buying an additional 626,454 shares during the period. Retirement Systems of Alabama bought a new position in CNO Financial Group in the 4th quarter worth approximately $10,568,000. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. boosted its holdings in CNO Financial Group by 97.8% in the 4th quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 587,569 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $16,393,000 after buying an additional 290,585 shares during the period. 94.28% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. CNO Financial Group Company Profile (Get Free Report CNO Financial Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, develops, markets, and administers health insurance, annuity, individual life insurance, insurance products, and financial services for senior and middle-income markets in the United States. It offers Medicare supplement, supplemental health, and long-term care insurance policies; life insurance; and annuities, as well as Medicare advantage plans to individuals through phone, online, mail, and face-to-face. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for CNO Financial Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CNO Financial Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Coupang, Inc. (NYSE:CPNG Get Free Report) saw an uptick in trading volume on Tuesday . 34,824,037 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 218% from the previous sessions volume of 10,959,971 shares.The stock last traded at $19.31 and had previously closed at $18.53. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several brokerages have recently commented on CPNG. Citigroup lowered Coupang from a buy rating to a neutral rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $20.00 to $17.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded Coupang from a hold rating to a buy rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $18.50 to $21.00 in a research report on Thursday, February 29th. UBS Group downgraded Coupang from a buy rating to a neutral rating and cut their price objective for the stock from $26.00 to $18.50 in a research report on Wednesday, December 20th. TheStreet upgraded Coupang from a d+ rating to a c- rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 5th. Finally, Barclays lifted their price objective on Coupang from $24.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, February 29th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Coupang currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $21.07. Get Coupang alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Report on Coupang Coupang Trading Up 4.0 % The businesss 50-day moving average is $15.88 and its two-hundred day moving average is $16.58. The company has a current ratio of 1.14, a quick ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. The stock has a market capitalization of $34.58 billion, a PE ratio of 26.15 and a beta of 1.33. Coupang (NYSE:CPNG Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 27th. The company reported $0.08 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.05 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $6.56 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.40 billion. Coupang had a net margin of 5.57% and a return on equity of 15.04%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 23.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.06 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Coupang, Inc. will post 0.34 earnings per share for the current year. Insider Activity In related news, insider Tae Jung Kim sold 5,350 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.00, for a total transaction of $85,600.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 248,240 shares in the company, valued at $3,971,840. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Coupang news, insider Pranam Kolari sold 2,356 shares of Coupang stock in a transaction on Friday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $13.88, for a total transaction of $32,701.28. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 182,844 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,537,874.72. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, insider Tae Jung Kim sold 5,350 shares of Coupang stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.00, for a total transaction of $85,600.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 248,240 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,971,840. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 14.90% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Coupang Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of CPNG. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in Coupang by 4.0% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 4,481,965 shares of the companys stock worth $72,563,000 after acquiring an additional 172,761 shares during the last quarter. Mubadala Investment Co PJSC acquired a new position in Coupang during the 4th quarter worth $23,129,000. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its position in Coupang by 55.9% during the 4th quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 824,082 shares of the companys stock worth $13,342,000 after acquiring an additional 295,534 shares during the last quarter. Aragon Global Management LP acquired a new position in Coupang during the 4th quarter worth $385,000. Finally, Twenty Acre Capital LP lifted its position in Coupang by 23.5% during the 4th quarter. Twenty Acre Capital LP now owns 505,914 shares of the companys stock worth $8,191,000 after acquiring an additional 96,300 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 72.02% of the companys stock. About Coupang (Get Free Report) Coupang, Inc, together with its subsidiaries owns and operates retail business through its mobile applications and Internet websites primarily in South Korea. The company operates through Product Commerce and Developing Offerings segments. It sells various products and services in the categories of home goods and decor products, apparel, beauty products, fresh food and groceries, sporting goods, electronics, and everyday consumables, as well as travel, and restaurant order and delivery services. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Coupang Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Coupang and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. American Century Companies Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR Free Report) by 19.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,735,073 shares of the conglomerates stock after purchasing an additional 282,089 shares during the quarter. American Century Companies Inc.s holdings in Danaher were worth $430,472,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. acquired a new position in Danaher in the third quarter valued at $25,000. IAG Wealth Partners LLC boosted its holdings in Danaher by 344.8% in the second quarter. IAG Wealth Partners LLC now owns 129 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. OFI Invest Asset Management acquired a new position in Danaher in the third quarter valued at $30,000. First Capital Advisors Group LLC. acquired a new position in Danaher in the second quarter valued at $32,000. Finally, WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new position in Danaher in the second quarter valued at about $32,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.71% of the companys stock. Get Danaher alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In DHR has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. KeyCorp lifted their target price on Danaher from $260.00 to $290.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, February 1st. Barclays lowered Danaher from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and set a $240.00 price objective for the company. in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. HSBC began coverage on Danaher in a report on Monday, December 18th. They issued a hold rating for the company. StockNews.com lowered Danaher from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. Finally, TheStreet raised Danaher from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a report on Friday, December 8th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $266.00. Insider Buying and Selling at Danaher In other Danaher news, SVP Daniel Raskas sold 23,757 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, February 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total value of $5,986,764.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 38,102 shares of the companys stock, valued at $9,601,704. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other news, SVP Georgeann Couchara sold 2,622 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $242.67, for a total transaction of $636,280.74. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 4,244 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,029,891.48. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, SVP Daniel Raskas sold 23,757 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total transaction of $5,986,764.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 38,102 shares in the company, valued at $9,601,704. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 32,957 shares of company stock valued at $8,265,802. Corporate insiders own 11.10% of the companys stock. Danaher Stock Performance Shares of NYSE DHR traded up $0.88 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $253.68. 821,071 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,707,732. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31, a current ratio of 1.68 and a quick ratio of 1.37. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $241.79 and its 200-day moving average price is $231.03. The firm has a market cap of $187.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.56, a PEG ratio of 3.85 and a beta of 0.84. Danaher Co. has a twelve month low of $182.09 and a twelve month high of $259.00. Danaher (NYSE:DHR Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 30th. The conglomerate reported $2.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.91 by $0.18. Danaher had a return on equity of 12.25% and a net margin of 17.26%. The business had revenue of $6.41 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.10 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.87 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was down 10.2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts anticipate that Danaher Co. will post 7.63 EPS for the current year. Danaher Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 26th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 28th will be issued a $0.27 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 27th. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.43%. This is a boost from Danahers previous quarterly dividend of $0.24. Danahers dividend payout ratio is currently 15.02%. About Danaher (Free Report) Danaher Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets professional, medical, industrial, and commercial products and services worldwide. The Biotechnology segments offers bioprocess technologies, consumables, and services that advance, accelerate, and integrate the development and manufacture of therapeutics; cell line and cell culture media development services; cell culture media, process liquids and buffers for manufacturing, chromatography resins, filtration technologies, aseptic fill finish; single-use hardware and consumables and services, such as the design and installation of full manufacturing suites; lab filtration, separation, and purification; lab-scale protein purification and analytical tools; reagents, membranes, and services; and healthcare filtration solutions. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DHR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Danaher Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Danaher and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Deutsche Bank AG reduced its position in shares of The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW Free Report) by 22.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 7,172,257 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 2,033,456 shares during the quarter. Deutsche Bank AGs holdings in Charles Schwab were worth $393,757,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Providence Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Charles Schwab during the third quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Charles Schwab in the 1st quarter valued at $32,000. BluePath Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Charles Schwab in the 3rd quarter worth $34,000. State of Wyoming lifted its stake in shares of Charles Schwab by 71.0% during the 2nd quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 624 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 259 shares during the last quarter. Finally, WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new stake in Charles Schwab during the second quarter valued at about $39,000. 81.61% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Charles Schwab alerts: Charles Schwab Stock Performance SCHW traded down $0.38 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $66.57. 1,092,227 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,579,587. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $64.87 and its 200 day simple moving average is $60.43. The firm has a market capitalization of $118.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.31 and a beta of 1.00. The Charles Schwab Co. has a 1-year low of $45.00 and a 1-year high of $71.40. The company has a current ratio of 0.43, a quick ratio of 0.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82. Charles Schwab Dividend Announcement Charles Schwab ( NYSE:SCHW Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 17th. The financial services provider reported $0.68 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.64 by $0.04. Charles Schwab had a return on equity of 21.33% and a net margin of 26.90%. The firm had revenue of $4.46 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.49 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.07 earnings per share. Charles Schwabs revenue for the quarter was down 18.9% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 3.34 earnings per share for the current year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 23rd. Investors of record on Friday, February 9th were paid a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.50%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 8th. Charles Schwabs dividend payout ratio is currently 39.37%. Insider Buying and Selling In other news, Director Carolyn Schwab-Pomerantz sold 9,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $65.29, for a total transaction of $587,610.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 585,057 shares in the company, valued at approximately $38,198,371.53. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Charles Schwab news, insider Nigel J. Murtagh sold 29,991 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.80, for a total transaction of $2,033,389.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 81,446 shares in the company, valued at $5,522,038.80. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Carolyn Schwab-Pomerantz sold 9,000 shares of Charles Schwab stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $65.29, for a total transaction of $587,610.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 585,057 shares in the company, valued at approximately $38,198,371.53. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 202,607 shares of company stock valued at $13,214,499. Corporate insiders own 6.60% of the companys stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades SCHW has been the subject of several analyst reports. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Charles Schwab from $64.00 to $68.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 21st. JMP Securities restated a market outperform rating and issued a $77.00 target price on shares of Charles Schwab in a research note on Thursday, January 18th. StockNews.com downgraded Charles Schwab from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Thursday, March 7th. TD Cowen initiated coverage on Charles Schwab in a report on Thursday, January 4th. They set a market perform rating and a $77.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Raymond James dropped their target price on Charles Schwab from $78.00 to $75.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 18th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $69.92. View Our Latest Research Report on Charles Schwab About Charles Schwab (Free Report) The Charles Schwab Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a savings and loan holding company that provides wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Investor Services and Advisor Services. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SCHW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Charles Schwab Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Charles Schwab and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Dimension Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:PWZ Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor acquired 26,232 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $616,000. Dimension Capital Management LLC owned approximately 0.11% of Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. bought a new position in shares of Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $65,000. Money Concepts Capital Corp increased its position in shares of Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF by 51.4% during the 4th quarter. Money Concepts Capital Corp now owns 2,877 shares of the companys stock valued at $69,000 after purchasing an additional 977 shares during the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. bought a new position in shares of Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $99,000. McIlrath & Eck LLC bought a new position in shares of Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $128,000. Finally, Comerica Bank bought a new position in shares of Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $134,000. Get Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF alerts: Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF Stock Performance Shares of NYSEARCA PWZ traded up $0.03 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $25.11. 80,206 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 132,684. The companys 50 day moving average price is $25.01 and its 200 day moving average price is $24.29. Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF has a 12 month low of $22.57 and a 12 month high of $25.32. Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF Profile The Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF (PWZ) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in investment grade fixed income. The fund tracks an index of insured investment-grade, tax-exempt debt issued by California or any US territory with at least 15 years remaining to maturity. PWZ was launched on Oct 11, 2007 and is managed by Invesco. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco California AMT-Free Municipal Bond ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Diversified Trust Co lessened its holdings in Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR Free Report) by 4.0% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 4,011 shares of the conglomerates stock after selling 167 shares during the quarter. Diversified Trust Cos holdings in Danaher were worth $995,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Fairfield Bush & CO. raised its position in Danaher by 10.9% during the 1st quarter. Fairfield Bush & CO. now owns 4,840 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $1,420,000 after purchasing an additional 475 shares during the last quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. raised its holdings in Danaher by 19.3% in the 1st quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 2,468 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $724,000 after purchasing an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. Covestor Ltd lifted its position in shares of Danaher by 76.8% in the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 495 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $145,000 after purchasing an additional 215 shares during the period. NewEdge Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Danaher by 14.1% during the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 31,530 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $9,248,000 after purchasing an additional 3,897 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bridgewater Associates LP increased its position in shares of Danaher by 135.9% during the first quarter. Bridgewater Associates LP now owns 35,270 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $10,346,000 after buying an additional 20,320 shares during the period. 76.71% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Danaher alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several analysts have weighed in on DHR shares. TheStreet raised Danaher from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research report on Friday, December 8th. Citigroup upped their price target on Danaher from $255.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. Raymond James boosted their target price on shares of Danaher from $240.00 to $270.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. HSBC started coverage on shares of Danaher in a research report on Monday, December 18th. They set a hold rating for the company. Finally, KeyCorp lifted their target price on shares of Danaher from $260.00 to $290.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, February 1st. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Danaher presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $266.00. Danaher Price Performance NYSE DHR opened at $252.80 on Tuesday. Danaher Co. has a one year low of $182.09 and a one year high of $259.00. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $241.79 and a 200 day moving average of $231.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31, a quick ratio of 1.37 and a current ratio of 1.68. The company has a market capitalization of $187.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.56, a PEG ratio of 3.85 and a beta of 0.84. Danaher (NYSE:DHR Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The conglomerate reported $2.09 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.91 by $0.18. Danaher had a net margin of 17.26% and a return on equity of 12.25%. The firm had revenue of $6.41 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.10 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.87 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 10.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Danaher Co. will post 7.63 EPS for the current year. Danaher Increases Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 26th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 28th will be paid a $0.27 dividend. This is an increase from Danahers previous quarterly dividend of $0.24. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.43%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 27th. Danahers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 15.02%. Insider Buying and Selling In other news, SVP Georgeann Couchara sold 2,622 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $242.67, for a total transaction of $636,280.74. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 4,244 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,029,891.48. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, SVP Georgeann Couchara sold 2,622 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $242.67, for a total transaction of $636,280.74. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 4,244 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,029,891.48. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Teri List sold 3,289 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $248.32, for a total value of $816,724.48. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 19,726 shares in the company, valued at $4,898,360.32. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 32,957 shares of company stock valued at $8,265,802 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 11.10% of the companys stock. About Danaher (Free Report) Danaher Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets professional, medical, industrial, and commercial products and services worldwide. The Biotechnology segments offers bioprocess technologies, consumables, and services that advance, accelerate, and integrate the development and manufacture of therapeutics; cell line and cell culture media development services; cell culture media, process liquids and buffers for manufacturing, chromatography resins, filtration technologies, aseptic fill finish; single-use hardware and consumables and services, such as the design and installation of full manufacturing suites; lab filtration, separation, and purification; lab-scale protein purification and analytical tools; reagents, membranes, and services; and healthcare filtration solutions. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Danaher Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Danaher and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fortis Group Advisors LLC grew its position in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (BATS:USMV Free Report) by 10.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 23,937 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 2,220 shares during the period. iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF comprises 0.5% of Fortis Group Advisors LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 29th largest holding. Fortis Group Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF were worth $1,741,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in USMV. Bank of Montreal Can boosted its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 7.8% during the first quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 8,253 shares of the companys stock worth $646,000 after buying an additional 594 shares in the last quarter. Blair William & Co. IL boosted its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 1.7% during the first quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 95,612 shares of the companys stock worth $7,417,000 after buying an additional 1,612 shares in the last quarter. AJ Wealth Strategies LLC boosted its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 4.4% during the first quarter. AJ Wealth Strategies LLC now owns 1,348,690 shares of the companys stock worth $104,618,000 after buying an additional 57,434 shares in the last quarter. Founders Financial Securities LLC boosted its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 27.0% during the first quarter. Founders Financial Securities LLC now owns 88,779 shares of the companys stock worth $6,887,000 after buying an additional 18,853 shares in the last quarter. Finally, West Michigan Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 6.1% during the first quarter. West Michigan Advisors LLC now owns 12,575 shares of the companys stock worth $975,000 after buying an additional 719 shares in the last quarter. Get iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF alerts: iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF Stock Performance USMV stock traded up $0.29 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $82.42. 1,431,605 shares of the company were exchanged. The company has a market cap of $31.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.17 and a beta of 0.75. iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF has a 52-week low of $47.44 and a 52-week high of $55.45. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $80.10 and its 200 day moving average price is $76.57. iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF Company Profile The iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (USMV) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Minimum Volatility (USD) index. The fund tracks an index of US-listed firms selected and weighted to create a low-volatility portfolio subject to various constraints. USMV was launched on Oct 18, 2011 and is managed by BlackRock. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding USMV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (BATS:USMV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Comerica Bank raised its position in General Electric (NYSE:GE Free Report) by 1,711.5% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 213,918 shares of the conglomerates stock after purchasing an additional 202,109 shares during the period. Comerica Banks holdings in General Electric were worth $23,649,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in General Electric by 10.9% in the 3rd quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 109,332 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $12,087,000 after purchasing an additional 10,722 shares in the last quarter. D1 Capital Partners L.P. lifted its holdings in General Electric by 159.8% in the 2nd quarter. D1 Capital Partners L.P. now owns 1,455,000 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $159,832,000 after purchasing an additional 895,000 shares in the last quarter. Hoey Investments Inc. lifted its holdings in General Electric by 51,152.3% in the 3rd quarter. Hoey Investments Inc. now owns 22,551 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $2,493,000 after purchasing an additional 22,507 shares in the last quarter. Qsemble Capital Management LP purchased a new position in General Electric in the 3rd quarter valued at about $1,846,000. Finally, Cambridge Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in General Electric in the 3rd quarter valued at about $6,285,000. 74.83% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get General Electric alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on shares of General Electric from $148.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, March 1st. Oppenheimer reiterated a market perform rating on shares of General Electric in a report on Tuesday, March 5th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of General Electric in a report on Tuesday. They set a hold rating on the stock. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of General Electric from $153.00 to $181.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, February 29th. Finally, TheStreet upgraded shares of General Electric from a c+ rating to a b+ rating in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, General Electric has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $143.36. General Electric Stock Up 0.5 % Shares of NYSE:GE opened at $167.37 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 1.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. General Electric has a 52-week low of $86.45 and a 52-week high of $175.81. The company has a 50 day moving average of $140.82 and a two-hundred day moving average of $124.49. The company has a market capitalization of $182.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.90, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.23 and a beta of 1.28. General Electric (NYSE:GE Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 23rd. The conglomerate reported $1.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.90 by $0.13. General Electric had a net margin of 13.95% and a return on equity of 10.88%. The company had revenue of $19.42 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $17.27 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.24 earnings per share. General Electrics revenue for the quarter was up 15.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts forecast that General Electric will post 4.57 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. General Electric Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 25th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 28th were given a $0.08 dividend. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.19%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 27th. General Electrics dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 3.82%. Insider Buying and Selling at General Electric In other news, SVP Michael J. Holston sold 13,601 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.55, for a total transaction of $1,843,615.55. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 48,339 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,552,351.45. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In other news, SVP Michael J. Holston sold 22,055 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $144.87, for a total transaction of $3,195,107.85. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 56,284 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,153,863.08. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, SVP Michael J. Holston sold 13,601 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $135.55, for a total transaction of $1,843,615.55. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 48,339 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,552,351.45. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.67% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. About General Electric (Free Report) General Electric Company operates as a high-tech industrial company in Europe, China, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East, and Africa. It offers gas and steam turbines, full balance of plant, upgrade, and service solutions, as well as data-leveraging software for power generation, industrial, government, and other customers. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for General Electric Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for General Electric and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PFS Partners LLC cut its holdings in shares of General Electric (NYSE:GE Free Report) by 3.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 2,728 shares of the conglomerates stock after selling 103 shares during the period. General Electric makes up approximately 0.3% of PFS Partners LLCs holdings, making the stock its 28th biggest position. PFS Partners LLCs holdings in General Electric were worth $302,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in GE. Macroview Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of General Electric by 43.4% in the third quarter. Macroview Investment Management LLC now owns 317 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 96 shares during the period. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. acquired a new position in General Electric in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $37,000. Global Wealth Management Investment Advisory Inc. grew its position in General Electric by 808.1% during the 1st quarter. Global Wealth Management Investment Advisory Inc. now owns 336 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 299 shares in the last quarter. Oliver Lagore Vanvalin Investment Group raised its stake in General Electric by 281.7% during the 3rd quarter. Oliver Lagore Vanvalin Investment Group now owns 355 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 262 shares during the period. Finally, Spartan Planning & Wealth Management purchased a new stake in shares of General Electric in the third quarter valued at $40,000. 74.83% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get General Electric alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research firms have recently issued reports on GE. Oppenheimer reissued a market perform rating on shares of General Electric in a research report on Tuesday, March 5th. TheStreet upgraded General Electric from a c+ rating to a b+ rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised General Electric from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and raised their price target for the stock from $166.00 to $180.00 in a research note on Friday. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on General Electric from $180.00 to $195.00 in a research note on Monday. Finally, StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of General Electric in a research report on Tuesday. They set a hold rating on the stock. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $143.36. General Electric Stock Performance GE traded down $0.01 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $166.55. The stock had a trading volume of 2,885,242 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,799,248. The company has a current ratio of 1.18, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. General Electric has a 12 month low of $86.45 and a 12 month high of $175.81. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $140.82 and a 200-day simple moving average of $124.49. The firm has a market cap of $181.26 billion, a PE ratio of 19.90, a P/E/G ratio of 2.23 and a beta of 1.28. General Electric (NYSE:GE Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 23rd. The conglomerate reported $1.03 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.90 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $19.42 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $17.27 billion. General Electric had a return on equity of 10.88% and a net margin of 13.95%. The firms revenue was up 15.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.24 EPS. Analysts expect that General Electric will post 4.57 EPS for the current year. General Electric Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 25th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 28th were paid a $0.08 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 27th. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.19%. General Electrics payout ratio is 3.82%. Insider Transactions at General Electric In related news, SVP Michael J. Holston sold 13,601 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.55, for a total transaction of $1,843,615.55. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 48,339 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,552,351.45. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, SVP Michael J. Holston sold 13,601 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $135.55, for a total transaction of $1,843,615.55. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 48,339 shares in the company, valued at $6,552,351.45. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, SVP Michael J. Holston sold 22,055 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $144.87, for a total value of $3,195,107.85. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 56,284 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,153,863.08. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.67% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. General Electric Profile (Free Report) General Electric Company operates as a high-tech industrial company in Europe, China, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East, and Africa. It offers gas and steam turbines, full balance of plant, upgrade, and service solutions, as well as data-leveraging software for power generation, industrial, government, and other customers. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for General Electric Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for General Electric and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Green Organic Dutchman (OTCMKTS:TGODF Get Free Report) and Eagle Point Credit (NYSE:ECC Get Free Report) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, risk, valuation, profitability, earnings, analyst recommendations and dividends. Profitability This table compares Green Organic Dutchman and Eagle Point Credits net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Get Green Organic Dutchman alerts: Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Green Organic Dutchman -83.86% -22.02% -14.58% Eagle Point Credit 84.05% 15.03% 10.63% Valuation and Earnings This table compares Green Organic Dutchman and Eagle Point Credits top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Green Organic Dutchman $24.13 million 0.10 -$33.62 million ($0.41) -0.08 Eagle Point Credit $122.69 million 4.52 $116.89 million $1.78 5.65 Analyst Ratings Eagle Point Credit has higher revenue and earnings than Green Organic Dutchman. Green Organic Dutchman is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Eagle Point Credit, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. This is a breakdown of recent ratings and recommmendations for Green Organic Dutchman and Eagle Point Credit, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Green Organic Dutchman 0 0 0 0 N/A Eagle Point Credit 0 1 1 0 2.50 Eagle Point Credit has a consensus price target of $11.00, suggesting a potential upside of 9.29%. Given Eagle Point Credits higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Eagle Point Credit is more favorable than Green Organic Dutchman. Insider & Institutional Ownership 0.4% of Green Organic Dutchman shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 26.4% of Eagle Point Credit shares are held by institutional investors. 8.7% of Green Organic Dutchman shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.2% of Eagle Point Credit shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Risk and Volatility Green Organic Dutchman has a beta of 2.27, suggesting that its share price is 127% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Eagle Point Credit has a beta of 0.77, suggesting that its share price is 23% less volatile than the S&P 500. Summary Eagle Point Credit beats Green Organic Dutchman on 11 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks. About Green Organic Dutchman (Get Free Report) The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. engages in the production, cultivation, processing, and distribution of cannabis and related products. Its products include cannabis plants, cannabis plant seeds, dried cannabis, fresh cannabis, cannabis oils, cannabis topicals, cannabis extracts, and edible cannabis. The company was founded by Scott Skinner and Jeannette VanderMarel in 2012 and is headquartered in Mississauga, Canada. About Eagle Point Credit (Get Free Report) Eagle Point Credit Company Inc. is a closed ended fund launched and managed by Eagle Point Credit Management LLC. It invests in fixed income markets of the United States. The fund invests equity and junior debt tranches of collateralized loan obligations consisting primarily of below investment grade U.S. senior secured loans. Eagle Point Credit Company Inc. was formed on March 24, 2014 and is domiciled in the United States. Receive News & Ratings for Green Organic Dutchman Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Green Organic Dutchman and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. IMA Wealth Inc. reduced its position in Invesco Senior Loan ETF (NYSEARCA:BKLN Free Report) by 2.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 25,536 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 700 shares during the period. IMA Wealth Inc.s holdings in Invesco Senior Loan ETF were worth $536,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Jane Street Group LLC boosted its holdings in Invesco Senior Loan ETF by 142.1% in the second quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 1,519,410 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $30,798,000 after acquiring an additional 5,127,335 shares during the last quarter. State of Tennessee Treasury Department acquired a new position in Invesco Senior Loan ETF in the second quarter valued at $85,637,000. Angeles Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Invesco Senior Loan ETF in the third quarter valued at $70,619,000. 1832 Asset Management L.P. acquired a new position in Invesco Senior Loan ETF in the first quarter valued at $50,149,000. Finally, UBS Group AG raised its position in Invesco Senior Loan ETF by 112.5% in the first quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 4,286,923 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $93,327,000 after purchasing an additional 2,269,823 shares during the period. Get Invesco Senior Loan ETF alerts: Invesco Senior Loan ETF Trading Up 0.1 % NYSEARCA:BKLN traded up $0.03 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $21.23. The company had a trading volume of 1,756,869 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,283,350. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $21.11 and a 200-day simple moving average of $21.05. Invesco Senior Loan ETF has a 1 year low of $20.33 and a 1 year high of $21.27. Invesco Senior Loan ETF Company Profile The Invesco Senior Loan ETF (BKLN) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in high yield fixed income. The fund tracks a market-value-weighted index of senior loans issued by banks to corporations. BKLN was launched on Mar 3, 2011 and is managed by Invesco. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Invesco Senior Loan ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco Senior Loan ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. KB Financial Group Inc. (NYSE:KB Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $55.39 and last traded at $54.05, with a volume of 52573 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $52.53. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Separately, StockNews.com downgraded shares of KB Financial Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 5th. Get KB Financial Group alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on KB KB Financial Group Price Performance The company has a quick ratio of 1.69, a current ratio of 1.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.36. The firm has a market capitalization of $21.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.96, a P/E/G ratio of 0.39 and a beta of 1.02. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $45.01 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $42.23. KB Financial Group (NYSE:KB Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 6th. The bank reported $0.43 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.64 by ($0.21). KB Financial Group had a return on equity of 7.72% and a net margin of 12.94%. The company had revenue of $3.54 billion during the quarter. Analysts anticipate that KB Financial Group Inc. will post 9.87 EPS for the current fiscal year. Institutional Investors Weigh In On KB Financial Group A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of KB. Lazard Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in KB Financial Group by 79.8% during the second quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 2,959,952 shares of the banks stock valued at $107,741,000 after acquiring an additional 1,313,605 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. grew its position in KB Financial Group by 36.1% during the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 2,434,596 shares of the banks stock worth $88,619,000 after buying an additional 646,184 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership grew its position in KB Financial Group by 86.3% during the first quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 600,940 shares of the banks stock worth $29,344,000 after buying an additional 278,345 shares in the last quarter. Ramirez Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in KB Financial Group during the third quarter worth about $9,278,000. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada grew its position in KB Financial Group by 263.6% during the second quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 301,913 shares of the banks stock worth $10,989,000 after buying an additional 218,885 shares in the last quarter. 6.30% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. KB Financial Group Company Profile (Get Free Report) KB Financial Group Inc provides a range of banking and related financial services to consumers and corporations in South Korea and internationally. The company operates through seven segments: Retail Banking, Corporate Banking, Other Banking, Credit Card, Securities, Life Insurance, and Non-Life Insurance. See Also Receive News & Ratings for KB Financial Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for KB Financial Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Walleye Capital LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Kite Realty Group Trust (NYSE:KRG Free Report) by 109.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 790,329 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after purchasing an additional 413,236 shares during the quarter. Walleye Capital LLC owned about 0.36% of Kite Realty Group Trust worth $16,929,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in KRG. Natixis Advisors L.P. boosted its holdings in Kite Realty Group Trust by 22.9% in the third quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 37,102 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $795,000 after acquiring an additional 6,915 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its holdings in Kite Realty Group Trust by 1.3% in the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 3,157,785 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $70,545,000 after acquiring an additional 39,426 shares during the last quarter. Virginia Retirement Systems ET AL acquired a new position in Kite Realty Group Trust in the second quarter valued at $4,996,000. William Blair Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in Kite Realty Group Trust by 1.9% in the second quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC now owns 2,163,851 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $48,340,000 after acquiring an additional 39,722 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Kite Realty Group Trust by 2.0% in the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 3,253,294 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $69,686,000 after acquiring an additional 63,388 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.22% of the companys stock. Get Kite Realty Group Trust alerts: Kite Realty Group Trust Stock Down 0.5 % Shares of Kite Realty Group Trust stock opened at $21.17 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79. The firm has a market cap of $4.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 96.73, a P/E/G ratio of 3.07 and a beta of 1.29. Kite Realty Group Trust has a fifty-two week low of $18.77 and a fifty-two week high of $24.26. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $21.64 and a 200 day moving average price of $21.63. Kite Realty Group Trust Dividend Announcement Wall Street Analyst Weigh In The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 12th. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 5th will be paid a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 4th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.72%. Kite Realty Group Trusts payout ratio is currently 454.57%. Several research firms have commented on KRG. StockNews.com raised Kite Realty Group Trust from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, February 22nd. Piper Sandler raised their price objective on Kite Realty Group Trust from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 20th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on Kite Realty Group Trust from $23.00 to $21.00 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $26.00. Read Our Latest Research Report on Kite Realty Group Trust About Kite Realty Group Trust (Free Report) Kite Realty Group Trust (NYSE: KRG) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) headquartered in Indianapolis, IN that is one of the largest publicly traded owners and operators of open-air shopping centers and mixed-use assets. The Company's primarily grocery-anchored portfolio is located in high-growth Sun Belt and select strategic gateway markets. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding KRG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Kite Realty Group Trust (NYSE:KRG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Kite Realty Group Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kite Realty Group Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Dimension Capital Management LLC lessened its position in shares of Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS Free Report) by 82.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,736 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 22,204 shares during the period. Dimension Capital Management LLCs holdings in Morgan Stanley were worth $387,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MS. BlackRock Inc. lifted its position in shares of Morgan Stanley by 4.0% during the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 90,635,593 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $7,740,280,000 after buying an additional 3,480,402 shares during the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors lifted its position in shares of Morgan Stanley by 7.3% during the 2nd quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 28,073,015 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,397,435,000 after buying an additional 1,908,648 shares during the last quarter. Capital International Investors lifted its position in shares of Morgan Stanley by 5.8% during the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 24,463,443 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,089,138,000 after buying an additional 1,341,559 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Morgan Stanley by 1.8% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 23,626,016 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,012,223,000 after buying an additional 422,710 shares during the last quarter. Finally, FMR LLC lifted its position in shares of Morgan Stanley by 21.2% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 23,474,452 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,917,159,000 after buying an additional 4,098,577 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.09% of the companys stock. Get Morgan Stanley alerts: Insider Transactions at Morgan Stanley In other news, CFO Raja Akram sold 7,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.56, for a total transaction of $584,920.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 97,634 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,158,297.04. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, Chairman James P. Gorman sold 100,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $87.30, for a total transaction of $8,730,000.00. Following the sale, the chairman now owns 350,000 shares in the company, valued at $30,555,000. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Raja Akram sold 7,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $83.56, for a total transaction of $584,920.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 97,634 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,158,297.04. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 208,155 shares of company stock valued at $18,149,314 in the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.24% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research firms recently commented on MS. BNP Paribas downgraded shares of Morgan Stanley from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and set a $85.00 price target for the company. in a research report on Monday, November 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a neutral rating and issued a $87.00 price target (down previously from $94.00) on shares of Morgan Stanley in a research report on Wednesday, January 17th. Societe Generale downgraded shares of Morgan Stanley from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $80.00 price target for the company. in a research report on Tuesday, November 28th. Bank of America upped their price target on shares of Morgan Stanley from $95.00 to $100.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating and issued a $85.00 price target on shares of Morgan Stanley in a research report on Thursday, December 21st. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Morgan Stanley currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $94.56. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Morgan Stanley Morgan Stanley Price Performance Morgan Stanley stock traded up $0.25 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $87.19. The company had a trading volume of 2,634,883 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,969,194. Morgan Stanley has a 1 year low of $69.42 and a 1 year high of $95.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.89, a current ratio of 0.75 and a quick ratio of 0.75. The company has a market capitalization of $142.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.81, a P/E/G ratio of 1.76 and a beta of 1.43. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $87.42 and its 200-day simple moving average is $83.70. Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, January 16th. The financial services provider reported $1.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.07 by $0.06. Morgan Stanley had a net margin of 9.49% and a return on equity of 10.36%. The company had revenue of $12.90 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $12.77 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.31 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts predict that Morgan Stanley will post 6.37 EPS for the current year. Morgan Stanley Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 31st were paid a dividend of $0.85 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, January 30th. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.90%. Morgan Stanleys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 65.76%. Morgan Stanley Company Profile (Free Report) Morgan Stanley, a financial holding company, provides various financial products and services to corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. It operates through Institutional Securities, Wealth Management, and Investment Management segments. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Morgan Stanley Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Morgan Stanley and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund (NYSE:NOM Get Free Report) declared a monthly dividend on Friday, March 1st, Wall Street Journal reports. Investors of record on Friday, March 15th will be given a dividend of 0.0395 per share on Monday, April 1st. This represents a $0.47 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.65%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. This is an increase from Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Funds previous monthly dividend of $0.03. Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund Stock Performance NOM traded up $0.01 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $10.20. 4,836 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,469. The businesss 50 day moving average is $10.11 and its two-hundred day moving average is $9.69. Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund has a fifty-two week low of $8.52 and a fifty-two week high of $10.54. Get Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund A hedge fund recently raised its stake in Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund stock. Susquehanna International Group LLP lifted its position in Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund (NYSE:NOM Free Report) by 44.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 17,638 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 5,454 shares during the period. Susquehanna International Group LLP owned about 0.75% of Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund worth $184,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. 8.94% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund Company Profile Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc The fund is co-managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors LLC and Nuveen Asset Management, LLC. It invests in the fixed income markets of Missouri. The fund invests in undervalued municipal securities and other related investments the income from which is exempt from regular federal and Missouri income taxes. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nuveen New York Select Tax-Free Income Portfolio (NYSE:NXN Get Free Report) announced a monthly dividend on Friday, March 1st, Wall Street Journal reports. Investors of record on Friday, March 15th will be given a dividend of 0.041 per share on Monday, April 1st. This represents a $0.49 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.23%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. Nuveen New York Select Tax-Free Income Portfolio Stock Performance NXN stock traded down $0.01 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $11.62. The company had a trading volume of 36,929 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,553. The business has a 50 day moving average of $11.77 and a 200 day moving average of $11.56. Nuveen New York Select Tax-Free Income Portfolio has a fifty-two week low of $10.64 and a fifty-two week high of $12.45. Get Nuveen New York Select Tax-Free Income Portfolio alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On Nuveen New York Select Tax-Free Income Portfolio Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of NXN. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. lifted its holdings in Nuveen New York Select Tax-Free Income Portfolio by 20.3% in the 4th quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 12,000 shares of the companys stock valued at $139,000 after acquiring an additional 2,024 shares during the last quarter. UBS Group AG lifted its holdings in Nuveen New York Select Tax-Free Income Portfolio by 76.1% in the 2nd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 12,191 shares of the companys stock valued at $142,000 after acquiring an additional 5,267 shares during the last quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC lifted its stake in Nuveen New York Select Tax-Free Income Portfolio by 10.0% during the third quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 14,548 shares of the companys stock valued at $161,000 after buying an additional 1,327 shares in the last quarter. Stifel Financial Corp lifted its stake in Nuveen New York Select Tax-Free Income Portfolio by 25.3% during the first quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 14,662 shares of the companys stock valued at $177,000 after buying an additional 2,958 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Guggenheim Capital LLC lifted its stake in Nuveen New York Select Tax-Free Income Portfolio by 80.8% during the third quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC now owns 19,147 shares of the companys stock valued at $212,000 after buying an additional 8,554 shares in the last quarter. Nuveen New York Select Tax-Free Income Portfolio Company Profile Nuveen New York Select Tax-Free Income Portfolio is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments Inc The fund is co-managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors LLC and Nuveen Asset Management, LLC. It invests in the fixed income markets of New York. The fund invests in the securities of companies that operate across diversified sectors. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Nuveen New York Select Tax-Free Income Portfolio Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nuveen New York Select Tax-Free Income Portfolio and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Phoenix Holdings Ltd. raised its holdings in The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX Free Report) by 20.6% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 31,617 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock after purchasing an additional 5,391 shares during the quarter. Phoenix Holdings Ltd.s holdings in TJX Companies were worth $2,810,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in TJX. Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC purchased a new stake in shares of TJX Companies in the 3rd quarter valued at $29,000. ICA Group Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in TJX Companies during the 4th quarter worth $27,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC acquired a new position in TJX Companies during the 2nd quarter worth $33,000. Larson Financial Group LLC grew its stake in TJX Companies by 76.0% during the 3rd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 389 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 168 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fortis Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in TJX Companies during the 4th quarter worth $33,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.28% of the companys stock. Get TJX Companies alerts: TJX Companies Price Performance NYSE:TJX traded up $0.89 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $97.36. 2,149,702 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,910,073. The TJX Companies, Inc. has a 1-year low of $72.92 and a 1-year high of $102.84. The firms 50-day moving average is $96.46 and its 200-day moving average is $92.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 1.21 and a quick ratio of 0.64. The stock has a market cap of $110.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.99, a P/E/G ratio of 2.48 and a beta of 0.86. TJX Companies ( NYSE:TJX Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 28th. The apparel and home fashions retailer reported $1.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.12 by $0.10. TJX Companies had a return on equity of 64.18% and a net margin of 8.25%. The business had revenue of $16.41 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $16.20 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.89 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 13.0% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts expect that The TJX Companies, Inc. will post 4.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. TJX Companies declared that its board has approved a stock repurchase plan on Wednesday, February 28th that authorizes the company to repurchase $2.50 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the apparel and home fashions retailer to repurchase up to 2.2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are usually a sign that the companys board of directors believes its stock is undervalued. Insider Transactions at TJX Companies In related news, EVP Louise Greenlees sold 2,694 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, March 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.83, for a total value of $266,248.02. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 50,273 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,968,480.59. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Redburn Atlantic cut TJX Companies from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $100.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Monday, February 5th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on TJX Companies from $95.00 to $110.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, February 29th. UBS Group upped their price objective on TJX Companies from $95.00 to $104.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, March 1st. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on TJX Companies from $99.00 to $101.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, November 16th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group reissued an outperform rating and set a $105.00 target price on shares of TJX Companies in a research note on Wednesday, February 28th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, TJX Companies presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $102.19. View Our Latest Analysis on TJX Companies TJX Companies Profile (Free Report) The TJX Companies, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an off-price apparel and home fashions retailer in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. It operates through four segments: Marmaxx, HomeGoods, TJX Canada, and TJX International. The company sells family apparel, including footwear and accessories; home fashions, such as home basics, furniture, rugs, lighting products, giftware, soft home products, decorative accessories, tabletop, and cookware, as well as expanded pet, and gourmet food departments; jewelry and accessories; and other merchandise. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TJX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for TJX Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for TJX Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Phoenix Holdings Ltd. boosted its position in shares of Exxon Mobil Co. (NYSE:XOM Free Report) by 41.9% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 31,672 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after acquiring an additional 9,349 shares during the quarter. Phoenix Holdings Ltd.s holdings in Exxon Mobil were worth $3,751,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in XOM. Intrepid Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Exxon Mobil by 1.2% in the 2nd quarter. Intrepid Capital Management Inc. now owns 7,928 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $850,000 after buying an additional 92 shares during the period. Traynor Capital Management Inc. raised its holdings in Exxon Mobil by 4.2% in the 3rd quarter. Traynor Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,346 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $276,000 after purchasing an additional 94 shares during the period. Money Concepts Capital Corp raised its holdings in Exxon Mobil by 3.1% in the 3rd quarter. Money Concepts Capital Corp now owns 3,119 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $367,000 after purchasing an additional 95 shares during the period. Defined Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in Exxon Mobil by 2.4% in the 3rd quarter. Defined Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,051 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $476,000 after purchasing an additional 96 shares during the period. Finally, Fluent Financial LLC raised its holdings in Exxon Mobil by 2.8% in the 3rd quarter. Fluent Financial LLC now owns 3,610 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $424,000 after purchasing an additional 97 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 58.53% of the companys stock. Get Exxon Mobil alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research firms recently weighed in on XOM. TD Cowen raised Exxon Mobil from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $115.00 price target for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating and set a $120.00 price objective on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research note on Monday, February 5th. UBS Group cut their price objective on Exxon Mobil from $133.00 to $132.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Exxon Mobil from $134.00 to $127.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, December 8th. Finally, Erste Group Bank reiterated a hold rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research note on Friday, December 22nd. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Exxon Mobil currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $127.53. Exxon Mobil Trading Down 0.4 % Exxon Mobil stock traded down $0.40 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $108.62. The companys stock had a trading volume of 8,818,762 shares, compared to its average volume of 18,538,781. The firm has a market capitalization of $430.99 billion, a PE ratio of 12.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.95 and a beta of 0.96. Exxon Mobil Co. has a 1 year low of $95.77 and a 1 year high of $120.70. The company has a current ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The stocks fifty day moving average is $102.41 and its two-hundred day moving average is $105.89. Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 2nd. The oil and gas company reported $2.48 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.20 by $0.28. The company had revenue of $84.34 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $90.03 billion. Exxon Mobil had a return on equity of 18.51% and a net margin of 10.45%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $3.40 earnings per share. On average, analysts anticipate that Exxon Mobil Co. will post 9.15 EPS for the current year. Exxon Mobil Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 11th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 14th were paid a dividend of $0.95 per share. This represents a $3.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.50%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 13th. Exxon Mobils dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 42.74%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Exxon Mobil news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 2,400 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.00, for a total transaction of $252,000.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 30,189 shares in the company, valued at $3,169,845. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Exxon Mobil news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 2,400 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.00, for a total transaction of $252,000.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 30,189 shares in the company, valued at $3,169,845. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, VP Leonard M. Fox sold 12,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, December 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $102.65, for a total value of $1,231,800.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 220,678 shares in the company, valued at $22,652,596.70. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.04% of the stock is owned by insiders. About Exxon Mobil (Free Report) Exxon Mobil Corporation engages in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas in the United States and internationally. It operates through Upstream, Energy Products, Chemical Products, and Specialty Products segments. The Upstream segment explores for and produces crude oil and natural gas. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding XOM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Exxon Mobil Co. (NYSE:XOM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Exxon Mobil Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Exxon Mobil and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Phoenix Holdings Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE Free Report) by 1.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 85,368 shares of the utilities providers stock after acquiring an additional 1,572 shares during the quarter. Phoenix Holdings Ltd.s holdings in NextEra Energy were worth $4,891,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. raised its position in shares of NextEra Energy by 2.6% during the 3rd quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 206,009 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $11,802,000 after purchasing an additional 5,168 shares during the period. Fidelity D & D Bancorp Inc. bought a new stake in shares of NextEra Energy during the 3rd quarter valued at $372,000. Trust Co. of Vermont raised its position in shares of NextEra Energy by 11.8% during the 3rd quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont now owns 244,306 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $13,996,000 after purchasing an additional 25,765 shares during the period. EP Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of NextEra Energy by 20,939.2% during the 3rd quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,216,907 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $69,717,000 after purchasing an additional 1,211,123 shares during the period. Finally, Public Sector Pension Investment Board raised its position in shares of NextEra Energy by 4.4% during the 3rd quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 625,240 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $35,820,000 after purchasing an additional 26,621 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.48% of the companys stock. Get NextEra Energy alerts: NextEra Energy Price Performance Shares of NYSE NEE traded down $0.74 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $57.13. The company had a trading volume of 5,796,221 shares, compared to its average volume of 11,073,871. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $57.93 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $59.07. NextEra Energy, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $47.15 and a fifty-two week high of $79.78. The firm has a market capitalization of $117.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.06 and a beta of 0.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.47, a current ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06. NextEra Energy Increases Dividend NextEra Energy ( NYSE:NEE Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The utilities provider reported $0.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.49 by $0.03. NextEra Energy had a net margin of 26.00% and a return on equity of 11.73%. The business had revenue of $6.88 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.72 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.51 earnings per share. On average, research analysts expect that NextEra Energy, Inc. will post 3.44 earnings per share for the current year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 27th will be paid a dividend of $0.515 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 26th. This is an increase from NextEra Energys previous quarterly dividend of $0.47. This represents a $2.06 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.61%. NextEra Energys payout ratio is 57.06%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts have recently commented on the stock. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on shares of NextEra Energy from $79.00 to $76.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of NextEra Energy from $65.00 to $67.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 29th. Guggenheim boosted their price objective on shares of NextEra Energy from $70.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. StockNews.com cut shares of NextEra Energy from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Monday, February 19th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and issued a $74.00 price objective on shares of NextEra Energy in a research report on Tuesday, January 30th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $71.85. Read Our Latest Stock Report on NEE NextEra Energy Profile (Free Report) NextEra Energy, Inc, through its subsidiaries, generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric power to retail and wholesale customers in North America. The company generates electricity through wind, solar, nuclear,natural gas, and other clean energy. It also develops, constructs, and operates long-term contracted assets that consists of clean energy solutions, such as renewable generation facilities, battery storage projects, and electric transmission facilities; sells energy commodities; and owns, develops, constructs, manages and operates electric generation facilities in wholesale energy markets. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for NextEra Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NextEra Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board increased its stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS Free Report) by 4.8% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 76,691 shares of the investment management companys stock after purchasing an additional 3,479 shares during the period. Public Sector Pension Investment Boards holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group were worth $24,815,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Cambridge Trust Co. raised its holdings in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 82.0% in the 3rd quarter. Cambridge Trust Co. now owns 91 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 41 shares in the last quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC raised its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 88.0% in the third quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC now owns 94 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares in the last quarter. Pacific Center for Financial Services bought a new stake in The Goldman Sachs Group during the first quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in The Goldman Sachs Group in the 1st quarter worth approximately $33,000. Finally, First Capital Advisors Group LLC. bought a new position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in the 2nd quarter worth $34,000. Institutional investors own 69.06% of the companys stock. Get The Goldman Sachs Group alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at The Goldman Sachs Group In other The Goldman Sachs Group news, CFO Denis P. Coleman sold 12,680 shares of The Goldman Sachs Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $394.43, for a total value of $5,001,372.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 29,417 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $11,602,947.31. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, insider Brian J. Lee sold 3,000 shares of The Goldman Sachs Group stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $376.39, for a total transaction of $1,129,170.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 10,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,809,443.19. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CFO Denis P. Coleman sold 12,680 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $394.43, for a total value of $5,001,372.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 29,417 shares of the companys stock, valued at $11,602,947.31. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 39,064 shares of company stock worth $15,082,153. Company insiders own 0.54% of the companys stock. The Goldman Sachs Group Stock Up 0.1 % Shares of NYSE:GS traded up $0.33 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $386.49. The companys stock had a trading volume of 185,139 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,273,188. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a 12-month low of $289.36 and a 12-month high of $397.49. The firm has a market capitalization of $125.83 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.83, a PEG ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 1.42. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $384.86 and a 200-day moving average of $351.67. The company has a quick ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.29. The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 16th. The investment management company reported $5.48 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.62 by $1.86. The company had revenue of $11.32 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.80 billion. The Goldman Sachs Group had a return on equity of 8.03% and a net margin of 7.85%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 6.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $3.32 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 32.86 earnings per share for the current year. The Goldman Sachs Group Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 29th will be issued a dividend of $2.75 per share. This represents a $11.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.85%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 28th. The Goldman Sachs Groups payout ratio is currently 48.20%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth GS has been the subject of several research analyst reports. JMP Securities reaffirmed a market outperform rating and set a $440.00 price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a research note on Wednesday, January 17th. Oppenheimer lifted their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $491.00 to $506.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. Edward Jones started coverage on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a research note on Tuesday, February 27th. They issued a buy rating for the company. Barclays raised their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $437.00 to $493.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 2nd. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised The Goldman Sachs Group from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and boosted their target price for the company from $333.00 to $449.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $408.98. Read Our Latest Research Report on GS The Goldman Sachs Group Company Profile (Free Report) The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in financing under securities to resale agreements. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. NICOSIA, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The long-expected aid vessel heading for Gaza via the Cyprus-based corridor sent out the first consignment on Tuesday morning. It was part of a joint aid project known as "Amalthea." Though the Cyprus-proposed aid project has been endorsed by the European Union and several European countries, as well as the United States, security concerns from the Israeli side and the lack of proper jetties on the Gaza coast means it still takes time for the materials to reach the needy in the enclave. "The journey of hope and humanity has just started," Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides said in a statement after a ship owned by Spanish NGO (non-governmental organization) Open Arms left the Larnaca port in southern Cyprus, towing a barge loaded with food, water and pharmaceuticals. He said more aid is expected to be shipped soon. Local media said that due to the low towing speed of the barge, the 400-km journey to Gaza is anticipated to span two days, contrasting with the usual 15-hour duration. The aid project was activated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Christodoulides on Friday in Larnaca and later endorsed in a joint statement by the European Commission, Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, the United Kingdom, Greece, Italy and the Netherlands. According to Cypriot media reports, upon arrival in Gaza, the aid will be received by activists from the NGO World Central Kitchen (WCK), which will help distribute it to the local population facing dire food shortages. WCK revealed plans to create a maritime route for ongoing aid deliveries to Gaza, with an additional 500 tons of aid already prepared in Cyprus for shipment. Furthermore, WCK highlighted that the jetty constructed on the Gaza coast utilized rubble from buildings demolished during Israeli airstrikes. This jetty serves as a separate facility from a temporary pier that will be built at another location with support from the U.S. military, facilitating the docking of larger aid vessels. Von der Leyen announced the launch of the Amalthea project on Friday, however, the aid shipment, initially supported by contributions from the United Arab Emirates and Cyprus, experienced a three-day delay due to ongoing construction of a jetty at the Gaza coast, which is necessary for unloading the 150 tons of aid. On Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden announced that he had directed the U.S. military to lead a coalition effort to construct a temporary pier off the coast of Gaza to facilitate the delivery of additional humanitarian aid. But it is expected to take up to two months for an auxiliary U.S. Navy ship departing from Virginia for Gaza to undertake the construction of the pier. A few months ago, Cyprus launched the Amalthea initiative, aiming to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza through a maritime corridor via Cyprus. However, the corridor has only been used once thus far. In January, a shipment of 87 tons of UK and Cypriot tents and medicines was delivered by a British navy ship to the Gaza people via the Egyptian city of Port Said. Cypriot media reported the delay in the Amalthea project was due to the prolonged construction of a jetty on the Gaza coast, which is necessary for docking and unloading the 150 tons of aid from the barge. According to local media, before the aid was loaded on the ship, it had been vetted by Israeli officials, as Israel expressed concern that weapons or other military equipment that Hamas could use might be included in the cargo. Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip since October 2023. The Gaza Health Ministry reported on Monday that the Palestinian death toll has climbed to 31,112 since then. Quantum Financial Advisors LLC grew its holdings in The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG Free Report) by 37.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 5,238 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 1,439 shares during the quarter. Quantum Financial Advisors LLCs holdings in Procter & Gamble were worth $764,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Proquility Private Wealth Partners LLC increased its stake in Procter & Gamble by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. Proquility Private Wealth Partners LLC now owns 6,008 shares of the companys stock valued at $912,000 after buying an additional 66 shares during the period. KFA Private Wealth Group LLC increased its stake in Procter & Gamble by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter. KFA Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 3,054 shares of the companys stock valued at $445,000 after buying an additional 67 shares during the period. Watchman Group Inc. increased its stake in Procter & Gamble by 0.4% in the 3rd quarter. Watchman Group Inc. now owns 18,052 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,633,000 after buying an additional 68 shares during the period. Auxier Asset Management increased its stake in Procter & Gamble by 0.3% in the 3rd quarter. Auxier Asset Management now owns 20,448 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,983,000 after buying an additional 68 shares during the period. Finally, Syntegra Private Wealth Group LLC boosted its position in shares of Procter & Gamble by 1.5% during the 3rd quarter. Syntegra Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 4,773 shares of the companys stock worth $696,000 after purchasing an additional 71 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 63.43% of the companys stock. Get Procter & Gamble alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, insider Marc S. Pritchard sold 101,704 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $153.57, for a total transaction of $15,618,683.28. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 163,428 shares of the companys stock, valued at $25,097,637.96. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, CEO Ma. Fatima Francisco sold 74,443 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $153.30, for a total value of $11,412,111.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 973 shares in the company, valued at approximately $149,160.90. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Marc S. Pritchard sold 101,704 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.57, for a total value of $15,618,683.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 163,428 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $25,097,637.96. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 279,063 shares of company stock valued at $43,187,745 over the last three months. Company insiders own 0.17% of the companys stock. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research firms recently commented on PG. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $169.00 to $162.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 18th. UBS Group boosted their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $172.00 to $178.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 24th. StockNews.com lowered shares of Procter & Gamble from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, February 29th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their target price on shares of Procter & Gamble from $156.00 to $157.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Procter & Gamble from $162.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $168.41. Check Out Our Latest Report on PG Procter & Gamble Stock Up 0.1 % Shares of Procter & Gamble stock traded up $0.18 on Tuesday, hitting $161.73. 1,545,453 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 6,958,061. The stock has a market cap of $380.55 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.17, a PEG ratio of 3.27 and a beta of 0.44. The company has a quick ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. The firms 50-day moving average is $155.48 and its 200 day moving average is $151.48. The Procter & Gamble Company has a 52-week low of $137.04 and a 52-week high of $162.62. Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 23rd. The company reported $1.84 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.70 by $0.14. Procter & Gamble had a return on equity of 34.04% and a net margin of 17.60%. The firm had revenue of $21.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $21.48 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.59 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 3.2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that The Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.45 earnings per share for the current year. Procter & Gamble Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 19th were given a $0.9407 dividend. This represents a $3.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.33%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 18th. Procter & Gambles dividend payout ratio is presently 62.98%. About Procter & Gamble (Free Report) The Procter & Gamble Company provides branded consumer packaged goods worldwide. It operates through five segments: Beauty; Grooming; Health Care; Fabric & Home Care; and Baby, Feminine & Family Care. The Beauty segment offers conditioners, shampoos, styling aids, and treatments under the Head & Shoulders, Herbal Essences, Pantene, and Rejoice brands; and antiperspirants and deodorants, personal cleansing, and skin care products under the Olay, Old Spice, Safeguard, Secret, and SK-II brands. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Procter & Gamble Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Procter & Gamble and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Scarborough Advisors LLC lowered its position in shares of Invesco S&P Emerging Markets Low Volatility ETF (NYSEARCA:EELV Free Report) by 16.0% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 388,282 shares of the companys stock after selling 73,966 shares during the quarter. Invesco S&P Emerging Markets Low Volatility ETF accounts for 2.1% of Scarborough Advisors LLCs holdings, making the stock its 13th biggest position. Scarborough Advisors LLC owned approximately 1.17% of Invesco S&P Emerging Markets Low Volatility ETF worth $8,736,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Invesco S&P Emerging Markets Low Volatility ETF by 14.6% in the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 16,298 shares of the companys stock valued at $421,000 after acquiring an additional 2,080 shares in the last quarter. Centaurus Financial Inc. bought a new position in Invesco S&P Emerging Markets Low Volatility ETF in the first quarter valued at approximately $275,000. UBS Group AG grew its stake in Invesco S&P Emerging Markets Low Volatility ETF by 49.3% in the first quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 236,846 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,118,000 after purchasing an additional 78,192 shares in the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada increased its position in shares of Invesco S&P Emerging Markets Low Volatility ETF by 2,576.6% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 84,527 shares of the companys stock worth $2,184,000 after purchasing an additional 81,369 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Jane Street Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Invesco S&P Emerging Markets Low Volatility ETF during the 1st quarter worth approximately $2,890,000. Get Invesco S&P Emerging Markets Low Volatility ETF alerts: Invesco S&P Emerging Markets Low Volatility ETF Price Performance NYSEARCA EELV traded up $0.07 on Tuesday, hitting $24.22. 73,352 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 126,748. The company has a market capitalization of $805.32 million, a PE ratio of 11.58 and a beta of 0.61. The businesss fifty day moving average is $23.67 and its 200 day moving average is $23.26. Invesco S&P Emerging Markets Low Volatility ETF has a 52 week low of $21.78 and a 52 week high of $24.48. About Invesco S&P Emerging Markets Low Volatility ETF The Invesco S&P Emerging Markets Low Volatility ETF (EELV) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in total market equity. The fund tracks a volatility-weighted index of emerging markets firms. EELV was launched on Jan 13, 2012 and is managed by Invesco. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EELV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Invesco S&P Emerging Markets Low Volatility ETF (NYSEARCA:EELV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Invesco S&P Emerging Markets Low Volatility ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco S&P Emerging Markets Low Volatility ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Grown Rogue International Inc. (OTCMKTS:GRUSF Get Free Report) was the target of a significant increase in short interest during the month of February. As of February 29th, there was short interest totalling 2,300 shares, an increase of 2,200.0% from the February 14th total of 100 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 215,600 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.0 days. Grown Rogue International Trading Up 1.7 % Shares of Grown Rogue International stock traded up $0.01 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $0.51. 119,261 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 159,935. Grown Rogue International has a twelve month low of $0.10 and a twelve month high of $0.58. The company has a quick ratio of 1.15, a current ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $0.40 and a 200-day moving average price of $0.31. The firm has a market capitalization of $92.83 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.05 and a beta of 0.82. Get Grown Rogue International alerts: About Grown Rogue International (Get Free Report) Read More Grown Rogue International Inc, a craft cannabis company, focuses on premium flower and flower-derived products. It produces a range of cultivars for consumers, which are classified as indicas, sativas, and hybrids. The company sells its products through dispensaries. Grown Rogue International Inc was incorporated in 1978 and is headquartered in Medford, Oregon. Receive News & Ratings for Grown Rogue International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Grown Rogue International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Guangdong Investment Limited (OTCMKTS:GGDVY Get Free Report) saw a large drop in short interest in the month of February. As of February 29th, there was short interest totalling 200 shares, a drop of 81.8% from the February 14th total of 1,100 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 1,100 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.2 days. Guangdong Investment Stock Performance GGDVY stock traded up $0.83 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $30.33. The companys stock had a trading volume of 200 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,965. Guangdong Investment has a 52-week low of $26.63 and a 52-week high of $51.06. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $32.33 and a 200-day simple moving average of $34.78. Get Guangdong Investment alerts: About Guangdong Investment (Get Free Report) Featured Articles Guangdong Investment Limited, an investment holding company, engages in water resources, property investment and development, department store operation, hotel ownership, energy project operation and management, and road and bridge operation businesses. The company's Water Resources segment provides water distribution, sewage treatment, water pipeline installation and consultancy services, constructs water supply and sewage treatment infrastructure, and sells machineries in Mainland China and Hong Kong. Receive News & Ratings for Guangdong Investment Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Guangdong Investment and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Carmignac Gestion raised its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO Free Report) by 264.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 230,500 shares of the medical research companys stock after buying an additional 167,296 shares during the period. Thermo Fisher Scientific comprises about 2.1% of Carmignac Gestions portfolio, making the stock its 16th largest holding. Carmignac Gestions holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $116,648,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Halpern Financial Inc. boosted its holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 307.7% in the 3rd quarter. Halpern Financial Inc. now owns 53 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC purchased a new position in Thermo Fisher Scientific in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Live Oak Investment Partners purchased a new position in Thermo Fisher Scientific in the 4th quarter worth approximately $36,000. Tyler Stone Wealth Management purchased a new position in Thermo Fisher Scientific in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $37,000. Finally, Indiana Trust & Investment Management CO purchased a new stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $38,000. 87.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Thermo Fisher Scientific alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, Director Debora L. Spar sold 164 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $546.97, for a total value of $89,703.08. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 1,207 shares in the company, valued at $660,192.79. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 10,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $555.63, for a total transaction of $5,556,300.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 49,155 shares of the companys stock, valued at $27,311,992.65. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Debora L. Spar sold 164 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $546.97, for a total transaction of $89,703.08. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 1,207 shares in the company, valued at approximately $660,192.79. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 40,277 shares of company stock worth $22,533,584. 0.32% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Thermo Fisher Scientific Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:TMO traded down $1.95 on Tuesday, reaching $597.48. The companys stock had a trading volume of 521,649 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,676,141. The stocks 50-day moving average is $554.96 and its two-hundred day moving average is $516.91. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a 52-week low of $415.60 and a 52-week high of $603.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 1.75 and a quick ratio of 1.39. The stock has a market capitalization of $227.83 billion, a P/E ratio of 38.80, a PEG ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 0.80. Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 31st. The medical research company reported $5.67 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.64 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $10.89 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.73 billion. Thermo Fisher Scientific had a net margin of 13.99% and a return on equity of 18.78%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $5.40 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 21.52 EPS for the current year. Thermo Fisher Scientific declared that its Board of Directors has approved a share buyback plan on Tuesday, November 14th that allows the company to repurchase $4.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the medical research company to reacquire up to 2.2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are often an indication that the companys management believes its stock is undervalued. Thermo Fisher Scientific Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be given a dividend of $0.39 per share. This is a positive change from Thermo Fisher Scientifics previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.26%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. Thermo Fisher Scientifics dividend payout ratio is presently 9.06%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities analysts have commented on TMO shares. HSBC started coverage on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in a research note on Monday, December 18th. They issued a buy rating and a $610.00 price target for the company. Raymond James boosted their target price on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from $515.00 to $605.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. TheStreet upgraded shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research note on Friday, December 22nd. Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from $530.00 to $575.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, December 11th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from $592.00 to $642.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, February 1st. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $596.00. View Our Latest Report on TMO About Thermo Fisher Scientific (Free Report) Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc provides life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, and laboratory products and biopharma services in the North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and internationally. The company's Life Sciences Solutions segment offers reagents, instruments, and consumables for biological and medical research, discovery, and production of drugs and vaccines, as well as diagnosis of infections and diseases; and solutions include biosciences, genetic sciences, and bio production to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agricultural, clinical, healthcare, academic, and government markets. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TMO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Thermo Fisher Scientific Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Thermo Fisher Scientific and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Trust Co. of Vermont increased its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report) by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 7,404 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 57 shares during the period. Trust Co. of Vermonts holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $3,977,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Thompson Investment Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Retirement Group LLC grew its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 159.1% during the second quarter. Retirement Group LLC now owns 57 shares of the companys stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 35 shares in the last quarter. Legacy Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in Eli Lilly and Company in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $35,000. Optiver Holding B.V. bought a new position in Eli Lilly and Company in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $36,000. Finally, Cornerstone Planning Group LLC purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Institutional investors own 81.38% of the companys stock. Get Eli Lilly and Company alerts: Insider Activity at Eli Lilly and Company In other Eli Lilly and Company news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 34,538 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $631.81, for a total transaction of $21,821,453.78. Following the sale, the insider now owns 99,719,884 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $63,004,019,910.04. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders sold 195,055 shares of company stock valued at $125,254,657 in the last three months. 0.13% of the stock is owned by insiders. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts have commented on LLY shares. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $710.00 to $865.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. Truist Financial increased their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $650.00 to $850.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. DZ Bank lowered shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $820.00 price objective for the company. in a research note on Wednesday, February 21st. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an overweight rating and issued a $815.00 target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Tuesday, February 20th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $700.00 to $825.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Eli Lilly and Company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $677.62. Get Our Latest Analysis on LLY Eli Lilly and Company Stock Up 1.9 % Shares of NYSE LLY traded up $14.01 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $748.38. 819,243 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,370,786. Eli Lilly and Company has a 12 month low of $317.24 and a 12 month high of $800.78. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $697.02 and a 200-day moving average price of $620.01. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.69. The company has a market cap of $711.08 billion, a PE ratio of 128.30, a PEG ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 0.34. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 6th. The company reported $2.49 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.30 by $0.19. Eli Lilly and Company had a return on equity of 51.22% and a net margin of 15.36%. The firm had revenue of $9.35 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $8.95 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.09 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 28.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Eli Lilly and Company will post 12.44 EPS for the current year. Eli Lilly and Company Profile (Free Report) Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. The company offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; Jardiance, Mounjaro, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes; and Zepbound for obesity. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Eli Lilly and Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eli Lilly and Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Trust Co. of Vermont cut its stake in shares of Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL Free Report) by 1.9% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 31,684 shares of the companys stock after selling 605 shares during the period. Trust Co. of Vermonts holdings in Colgate-Palmolive were worth $2,253,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. EP Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Colgate-Palmolive by 431.0% in the third quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 41,289 shares of the companys stock worth $2,936,000 after buying an additional 33,514 shares during the period. Public Sector Pension Investment Board lifted its position in shares of Colgate-Palmolive by 11.5% during the third quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 88,553 shares of the companys stock worth $6,297,000 after purchasing an additional 9,116 shares during the last quarter. Allen Mooney & Barnes Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Colgate-Palmolive during the third quarter valued at $261,000. Comerica Bank purchased a new position in Colgate-Palmolive in the 3rd quarter worth about $32,284,000. Finally, Brown Shipley& Co Ltd boosted its position in Colgate-Palmolive by 7.1% in the 3rd quarter. Brown Shipley& Co Ltd now owns 5,299 shares of the companys stock valued at $377,000 after buying an additional 350 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.36% of the companys stock. Get Colgate-Palmolive alerts: Colgate-Palmolive Trading Up 0.7 % CL stock traded up $0.63 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $88.76. 656,858 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,837,929. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $83.54 and a 200-day simple moving average of $77.79. The firm has a market capitalization of $73.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.70, a PEG ratio of 3.36 and a beta of 0.42. Colgate-Palmolive has a 12-month low of $67.62 and a 12-month high of $88.92. The company has a quick ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 8.59. Colgate-Palmolive Announces Dividend Colgate-Palmolive ( NYSE:CL Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Friday, January 26th. The company reported $0.87 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.85 by $0.02. Colgate-Palmolive had a return on equity of 509.75% and a net margin of 11.82%. The company had revenue of $4.95 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.89 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.77 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 6.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that Colgate-Palmolive will post 3.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, January 22nd were given a dividend of $0.48 per share. This represents a $1.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.16%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 19th. Colgate-Palmolives dividend payout ratio is currently 69.06%. Insider Activity In related news, CEO Noel R. Wallace sold 50,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.15, for a total transaction of $4,157,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 274,179 shares in the company, valued at $22,797,983.85. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, CEO Noel R. Wallace sold 50,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.15, for a total transaction of $4,157,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 274,179 shares in the company, valued at approximately $22,797,983.85. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director C Martin Harris sold 2,760 shares of Colgate-Palmolive stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $84.50, for a total transaction of $233,220.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 19,272 shares in the company, valued at $1,628,484. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 232,371 shares of company stock worth $19,505,099. 0.34% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on CL shares. UBS Group lifted their target price on Colgate-Palmolive from $93.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 29th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of Colgate-Palmolive from $80.00 to $88.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Monday, January 29th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on Colgate-Palmolive from $85.00 to $93.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, January 29th. Barclays lifted their target price on Colgate-Palmolive from $75.00 to $82.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on Colgate-Palmolive in a research report on Friday, March 1st. They set a buy rating and a $93.00 price target on the stock. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $87.31. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Colgate-Palmolive About Colgate-Palmolive (Free Report) Colgate-Palmolive Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells consumer products in the United States and internationally. It operates through two segments: Oral, Personal and Home Care; and Pet Nutrition. The Oral, Personal and Home Care segment offers toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, bar and liquid hand soaps, shower gels, shampoos, conditioners, deodorants and antiperspirants, skin health products, dishwashing detergents, fabric conditioners, household cleaners, and other related items. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Colgate-Palmolive Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Colgate-Palmolive and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Dakota Community Bank & Trust NA grew its position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH Free Report) by 7.1% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 332 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock after purchasing an additional 22 shares during the period. Dakota Community Bank & Trust NAs holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $167,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Robbins Farley purchased a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. NewSquare Capital LLC grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 340.0% in the third quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 66 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the 1st quarter worth about $35,000. WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter worth about $39,000. Finally, Annapolis Financial Services LLC increased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 38.6% during the 3rd quarter. Annapolis Financial Services LLC now owns 79 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock worth $40,000 after purchasing an additional 22 shares during the period. 85.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get UnitedHealth Group alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts recently weighed in on the stock. HSBC reaffirmed a reduce rating and issued a $480.00 target price (down previously from $550.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Monday, December 18th. Bank of America reiterated a buy rating and set a $675.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Thursday, March 7th. Truist Financial reiterated a buy rating and set a $610.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Thursday, November 30th. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $596.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Thursday, February 29th. Finally, Barclays assumed coverage on UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, March 6th. They set an overweight rating and a $551.00 price target for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $579.33. UnitedHealth Group Price Performance Shares of UNH traded up $0.66 on Tuesday, reaching $489.81. The stock had a trading volume of 1,192,352 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,207,948. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $513.49 and a 200 day moving average of $518.27. The firm has a market capitalization of $451.57 billion, a PE ratio of 20.53, a PEG ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 0.54. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a twelve month low of $445.68 and a twelve month high of $554.70. The company has a quick ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 12th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.98 by $0.18. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.39% and a net margin of 6.02%. The business had revenue of $94.43 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $92.13 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $5.34 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 14.1% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.79 EPS for the current year. UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Investors of record on Monday, March 11th will be paid a $1.88 dividend. This represents a $7.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.54%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 8th. UnitedHealth Groups payout ratio is currently 31.54%. Insider Transactions at UnitedHealth Group In related news, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $525.79, for a total transaction of $451,127.82. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 32,289 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,977,233.31. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders own 0.35% of the companys stock. About UnitedHealth Group (Free Report) UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. The company operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. The UnitedHealthcare segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services for national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; health care coverage, and health and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older addressing their needs; Medicaid plans, children's health insurance and health care programs; and health and dental benefits, and hospital and clinical services, as well as health care benefits products and services to state programs caring for the economically disadvantaged, medically underserved, and those without the benefit of employer-funded health care coverage. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding UNH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for UnitedHealth Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for UnitedHealth Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Walleye Capital LLC raised its position in shares of PJT Partners Inc. (NYSE:PJT Free Report) by 12.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 200,919 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 21,940 shares during the quarter. Walleye Capital LLC owned 0.83% of PJT Partners worth $15,961,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in PJT Partners during the 1st quarter valued at $29,000. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of PJT Partners by 133.0% in the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 431 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 246 shares during the last quarter. Huntington National Bank increased its stake in shares of PJT Partners by 67.9% in the second quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 450 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 182 shares during the last quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of PJT Partners by 423.3% in the first quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 471 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 381 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Global Retirement Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of PJT Partners by 61.4% in the third quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 668 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $51,000 after acquiring an additional 254 shares during the last quarter. 73.40% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get PJT Partners alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on PJT shares. UBS Group upped their price target on shares of PJT Partners from $86.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. Wolfe Research reaffirmed an underperform rating and issued a $89.00 price target on shares of PJT Partners in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. Seaport Res Ptn cut shares of PJT Partners from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, December 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a neutral rating and issued a $99.00 price objective (down from $108.00) on shares of PJT Partners in a report on Tuesday, January 9th. Finally, JMP Securities upped their price objective on shares of PJT Partners from $105.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock a market outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, PJT Partners presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $99.50. PJT Partners Trading Down 0.5 % Shares of NYSE:PJT opened at $98.64 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.36 billion, a PE ratio of 32.23 and a beta of 0.69. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $99.08 and a 200 day moving average price of $89.38. PJT Partners Inc. has a 1 year low of $59.61 and a 1 year high of $107.35. PJT Partners (NYSE:PJT Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The financial services provider reported $0.96 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.76 by $0.20. The company had revenue of $328.60 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $304.26 million. PJT Partners had a return on equity of 17.44% and a net margin of 7.09%. The firms revenue was up 17.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.08 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that PJT Partners Inc. will post 3.85 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. PJT Partners Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 20th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 6th will be given a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.01%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 5th. PJT Partnerss dividend payout ratio is currently 32.47%. Insider Activity In related news, General Counsel David Adam Travin sold 5,000 shares of PJT Partners stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $93.21, for a total transaction of $466,050.00. Following the sale, the general counsel now directly owns 1,541 shares of the companys stock, valued at $143,636.61. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, CFO Helen T. Meates sold 12,926 shares of PJT Partners stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.51, for a total transaction of $1,363,822.26. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 48,821 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,151,103.71. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, General Counsel David Adam Travin sold 5,000 shares of PJT Partners stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $93.21, for a total value of $466,050.00. Following the sale, the general counsel now directly owns 1,541 shares in the company, valued at $143,636.61. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 27,926 shares of company stock valued at $2,875,672. 10.67% of the stock is owned by insiders. About PJT Partners (Free Report) PJT Partners Inc, an investment bank, provides various strategic and capital markets advisory, restructuring and special situations, and shareholder advisory services to corporations, financial sponsors, institutional investors, and governments worldwide. It offers advisory services to clients on various transactions, including mergers and acquisitions (M&A), spin-offs, activism defense, contested M&A, joint ventures, minority investments, and divestitures. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PJT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for PJT Partners Inc. (NYSE:PJT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for PJT Partners Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PJT Partners and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE:WST Get Free Report) CAO Chad Winters sold 815 shares of West Pharmaceutical Services stock in a transaction on Monday, March 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $358.82, for a total value of $292,438.30. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 1,309 shares of the companys stock, valued at $469,695.38. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. West Pharmaceutical Services Stock Up 3.5 % West Pharmaceutical Services stock traded up $12.49 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $370.01. The stock had a trading volume of 316,286 shares, compared to its average volume of 559,005. West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. has a 52 week low of $310.42 and a 52 week high of $415.73. The company has a market cap of $27.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.37, a PEG ratio of 6.41 and a beta of 1.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03, a current ratio of 2.88 and a quick ratio of 2.24. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $363.62 and its 200-day moving average price is $364.50. Get West Pharmaceutical Services alerts: West Pharmaceutical Services (NYSE:WST Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 15th. The medical instruments supplier reported $1.83 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.78 by $0.05. West Pharmaceutical Services had a net margin of 20.12% and a return on equity of 21.60%. The company had revenue of $732.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $740.43 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.77 earnings per share. West Pharmaceutical Servicess revenue for the quarter was up 3.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts anticipate that West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. will post 7.63 EPS for the current year. West Pharmaceutical Services Announces Dividend Analysts Set New Price Targets The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 1st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 24th will be issued a $0.20 dividend. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.22%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, April 23rd. West Pharmaceutical Servicess dividend payout ratio is presently 10.15%. Several research firms recently weighed in on WST. UBS Group decreased their price objective on West Pharmaceutical Services from $400.00 to $375.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 16th. KeyCorp raised their target price on shares of West Pharmaceutical Services from $440.00 to $470.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 13th. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of West Pharmaceutical Services from a hold rating to a buy rating and upped their price target for the stock from $323.00 to $536.00 in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of West Pharmaceutical Services from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, February 16th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $435.20. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on West Pharmaceutical Services Institutional Trading of West Pharmaceutical Services A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of WST. Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd. grew its holdings in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 10.8% during the third quarter. Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 1,830 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock valued at $687,000 after buying an additional 179 shares during the last quarter. Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC increased its holdings in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 63.3% in the third quarter. Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC now owns 3,746 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock valued at $1,406,000 after purchasing an additional 1,452 shares during the period. Victory Capital Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 12.0% in the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 55,058 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock valued at $20,658,000 after purchasing an additional 5,892 shares during the period. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS raised its stake in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 14.7% in the third quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 14,851 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $5,572,000 after purchasing an additional 1,903 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ lifted its holdings in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 166.3% during the third quarter. Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ now owns 37,159 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $13,943,000 after purchasing an additional 23,207 shares during the period. 91.23% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About West Pharmaceutical Services (Get Free Report) West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc designs, manufactures, and sells containment and delivery systems for injectable drugs and healthcare products in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It operates in two segments, Proprietary Products and Contract-Manufactured Products. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for West Pharmaceutical Services Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for West Pharmaceutical Services and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. China's foreign trade expected to maintain momentum in 2024 10:19, March 12, 2024 By Zhong Nan ( Chinadaily.com.cn Yu Jianhua, minister of the General Administration of Customs (GAC), gives an interview after the closing meeting of the second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China on March 11. [Photo/Xinhua] China's foreign trade is anticipated to maintain an upward trend in the first half of 2024, laying a solid foundation and creating favorable conditions to achieve the annual goal of improving quality while keeping volume stable, said the minister of the General Administration of Customs. During his meeting with the media at the "Ministers' Passage" following the closing meeting of the second session of the 14th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday, Yu Jianhua, minister of the administration, said that since the start of this year, China's import and export activities have maintained an upward trend. The value of China's foreign trade surged to 6.6 trillion yuan ($918.6 billion) during the January-February period, setting a new historical record for the same period, the GAC data showed. Yu said that in the meantime, the quality and value of foreign trade had been consistently on the rise. The rate of growth in imports and exports to economies involved in the Belt and Road Initiative exceeded the overall growth rate, while emerging trends and formats in foreign trade, such as cross-border e-commerce and market procurement, are gaining strong momentum. "Looking at the trends, favorable factors are accumulating," he added. Yu mentioned that, in addition to strengthening policies and introducing more targeted measures to boost border trade this year, the administration will continue to monitor, collect data, and analyze foreign trade conditions, as well as conduct surveys on economic indicators to help exporters secure orders. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun) The Christian parents of a 10-year-old girl in Pakistan who was abducted and forcibly converted to Islam last month fear she could be sold to sex traffickers, sources said. A month after Laiba Suhail was abducted from her home in Chak 233-RB Ikhlaq Town, Faisalabad District, Punjab Province on Feb. 12 by four non-Muslims at the behest of a Muslim, Shaukat Shah, officials have refused to prosecute, said her father, Suhail Masih. Shah is well-known in the area for forcibly converting children to Islam under duress, coercing them to file court statements that they willfully converted and later taking them from shelter homes on the pretext of giving them religious education, Masih said. A court sent his daughter to a womens shelter at her request after police on Feb. 15 informed Masih that she had filed an application claiming she had converted to Islam. Masih said that he has learned that Shah has taken custody of her from the shelter. This is Shahs modus operandi, Masih told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. No one knows what happens to his victims after they are handed to him. We fear that he and his accomplices are involved in sex trafficking, and they sell these minor girls when they see that the families are in no position to pursue the matter further in courts. He lamented that the Roshan Wala Police Station has not taken action to recover his daughter despite the familys registration of an abduction case against Shah. On Feb. 15, police informed us that an application had been filed by Laiba in the court of a magistrate in which she had claimed that she had converted to Islam of her own free will after being impressed with Islamic teachings, Masih said. We immediately went to the court where we saw our minor daughter surrounded by several policemen. We were not allowed to talk to her despite our repeated requests. The police later presented her before the magistrate where she reportedly repeated the contents of the application. She also sought to be sent to the Dar Ul Aman [womens shelter], which the magistrate admitted. Masih said that the family looked on helplessly as Shah and police took his daughter to the shelter. We could not do anything after Laibas statement before the court, which I believe was extracted under duress, he said. We were not given any opportunity to ask her under what circumstances she was forced to give this statement. Masih questioned how a 10-year-old girl could convert to Islam willingly when she did not even have basic education, let alone a religious one. It is a blatant lie that my daughter has changed her faith willingly, he said. Whatever little religious education she has is from the churchs Sunday school. She has had no interaction with Muslims, because she used to stay at home all day long to take care of me and her mother. Masih, a member of the Church of Pakistan, is crippled in both legs, and neither he nor his wife are able to work due to health problems, he said. Christian attorney Sumera Shafique told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News that the impoverished family should immediately file a motion with the high court for the recovery of Laiba. The family has yet to find an attorney to help them. Laibas case is yet another example of how sharia [Islamic law] is invoked to undermine the age of a minor, Shafique said. In her statement before the magistrate, the girl claimed that shes an adult, but her official birth document states her age is 10 years and two months. The attorney has recovered several Christian children who were victims of forced conversion and forced marriages, including Maira Shahbaz, who was kidnapped and forcibly converted in 2020. Shafique said she regretted that victim families, who are often illiterate and poor, are used by local activists for their own self-interests, which damages the cases and results in prolonged delays in recovery of abducted girls. The victim families should immediately seek legal help instead of turning to touts who are focused only on making money from their plight, she said. In this case, a month has passed, but the family has reportedly not been able to meet their daughter even once. A habeas corpus petition must be filed immediately in the Lahore High Court, she said. The child is hardly 10 years old, and I believe the high court will take her conversion matter very seriously, she said, adding that timely legal intervention could help save the girl from further sexual exploitation. Masih said four non-Muslims working for Shah Irfan Masih, Khurram Masih, Aneeqa Masih and Grace Masih abducted Laiba from his home around midnight while the family was asleep. After my daughters abduction, we came to know that this gang was also involved in several other incidents of abduction and forced conversions of minor Christian girls in Faisalabad, he said. They have managed to evade legal action due to the influence of Shaukat Shah, who is notorious for carrying out religious conversions of minor girls. The 55-year-old Christian said his oldest son, who is 25, is a daily wage laborer who is sole breadwinner for the family. Laiba is the youngest of his three children and was born 12 years after his second child. I had to pull Laiba out of school early on because we were not able to afford her education due to our meagre financial resources, he said. Masih said he is determined to rescue his daughter at all costs. I appeal to the Christian leadership to step forward and help me in saving my minor daughter, he said. Shes just a child who has fallen victim to these predators masking themselves as religious leaders. Pakistan ranked seventh on Open Doors 2024 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian, as it was the previous year. State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Zip Code The body of a man was discovered in a creek by a property owner in rural Lancaster County north of Waverly on Saturday afternoon, according to the Lancaster County Sheriffs Office. Around 3:40 p.m., a person driving a four-wheeler along his property line discovered the body in a ravine of the Salt Creek near North 134th Street and Mill Road. The Sheriffs Office does not know how long the body has been in the creek, but deemed it highly suspicious, Chief Deputy Ben Houchin said at a Sunday press conference. Houchin said it is highly unlikely it is missing Lincoln man Tyler Goodrich. Houchin said drone footage of the body did not match Goodrichs physical characteristics. The family has been contacted and made aware of the situation. Law enforcement was set to work on pulling the body out of the creek Sunday to investigate further. When officials arrived on the scene Saturday, it was starting to become dark so they waited until Sunday morning to preserve physical evidence, Houchin said. Officials could not say whether the body had sustained any trauma. The Nebraska State Patrol was expected to help with the investigation by using its helicopter to canvas the area. The Sheriffs Office is reviewing video footage of the area as well, Houchin said. Those with information are asked to call the Sheriffs Office at 402-441-6500 or Crime Stoppers at 402-475-3600. Hai Phong city prepares massive industrial parks to accommodate FDI By Vy Anh, Minh Anh Tue, March 12, 2024 | 10:45 am GMT+7 Vietnams northern port city of Hai Phong has plans to build new industrial parks (IPs) to prepare for an anticipated increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) amidst a supply chain value shift to the Southeast Asian region. A view of the DEEP C Hai Phong I, within the Dinh Vu-Cat Hai economic zone. Photo courtesy of the government's news portal. The city has worked out a plan to construct an additional 13 IPs with a combined area of nearly 5,000 hectares. Of them, it has submitted applications to the Ministry of Planning and Investment for four IPs, namely Nam Trang Cat, Thuy Nguyen, Trang Due 3, and Giang Bien. Hai Phong, one of the five centrally-administered cities in Vietnam, last year secured prime ministerial approval of the 752-ha Xuan Cau IP and non-tariff zone and the 410-ha Tien Thanh IP. Infrastructure construction is under way, and they are expected to come into operation in 2024-2025. The city has 14 operational IPs with a combined area of over 6,000 ha and an average occupancy rate of 60.5%. Under its master plan, the city will have 25 IPs by 2050, covering 15,777 ha, and an economic zone in the south with some 20,000 ha. To ride a global trend, Hai Phong is calling for investment in eco-industrial parks, with a focus on green transition and low carbon emissions. Serving as Vietnams northern gateway to maritime routes, Hai Phong had attracted 1,130 FDI projects worth a combined $29 billion as of February, according to official data. Among the largest foreign investors are LG, SK, and Kyocera Document Solutions. Suan Teck Kin, executive director at UOB Global Economics & Market Research, said in January that Vietnam was well-positioned to attract more FDI, given its competitiveness and an ongoing supply chain shift to the Southeast Asian region. Investment from China has rapidly grown over the past years, taking the fourth place in 2023 with $421 million, government data showed. Policy 2024 ED National Education Technology Plan Focuses on Use of Technology to Advance Learning In January, the U.S. Department of Education (ED)'s Office of Educational Technology released its annual 2024 "National Education Technology Plan (NETP): A Call to Action for Closing the Digital Access, Design and Use Divides." The plan, first released as part of the 2000 Educate America Act, has been updated several times, most recently in 2016, ED said. This update represents a departure from descriptive survey reports of the past and focuses more on prescriptive strategies to address rapid developments in digital education technology. It outlines how students, educators, and state leaders can design, access, and use it to advance learning. As the NETP's introduction notes: " [E]ducational technology (ed tech) tools sometimes claim (without independent, research-based evidence) that student assessment results will soar if school systems adopt a given digital resource. Such claims are not only misleading, but they can undermine the true potential of ed tech. Reliance on a specific tool to accelerate learning or deliver a comprehensive and rigorous education for every student places all responsibility on the content. It ignores educators and students and the relationships between all three." The comprehensive report is divided into three ed tech "divides" in use, design, and access that limit technology's ability to support teaching and learning: The Digital Use Divide , addressing opportunities to improve how students use technology to enhance their learning, including dynamic applications of technology to explore, create, and engage in critical analysis of academic content and knowledge; , addressing opportunities to improve how students use technology to enhance their learning, including dynamic applications of technology to explore, create, and engage in critical analysis of academic content and knowledge; The Digital Design Divide , addressing opportunities for educators to expand their professional learning and build the capacities necessary to design learning experiences enabled by technology; and , addressing opportunities for educators to expand their professional learning and build the capacities necessary to design learning experiences enabled by technology; and The Digital Access Divide, addressing opportunities for students and educators to gain equitable access to educational technology, including connectivity, devices, and digital content. This also includes accessibility and digital health, safety, and citizenship as key elements of digital access. Each section contains actionable recommendations for closing these divides. The report also includes appendices with examples from all U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and territories that illustrate how these divides are being addressed (with the caveat that "examples are not endorsements"), as well as separate guides for educators and state, district, and school leaders. Each section, particular to ed tech use, design, and access, addresses: Profiles/portraits of learner and educator ed tech competencies and the learning environment; Systems, plans, and processes that support students and educators, and how to establish oversight and budgets for them; Feedback mechanisms and needs assessments; Rubrics for adopting, modeling, and upgrading ed tech; Age-appropriate curriculum effectiveness evaluations; Public/private/stakeholder input and partnerships; Professional development of educators and administrators; Data privacy and digital health, safety, and citizenship; and Ed tech accessibility. To complement the NETP, ED has released two guides: "Assistive Technology and Devices for Children with Disabilities Under the IDEA," and a resources list for "Digital Health, Safety, and Citizenship." Those interested can also read additional "Stories of EdTech Innovation" beyond the NETP's appendices. Manhattan, KS (66502) Today Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 52F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 52F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. A former classmate of an 18-year-old Christian in Pakistan accused him of blasphemy after failing to convert him to Islam, impeding the accuseds college studies and his familys hopes for a better future, sources said. Police arrested Ashbeel Ghauri from his home in Attock city, Punjab Province on Wednesday (March 6) after his former classmate, Sheraz Gulistan, accused him of disrespecting Islam during a religious discussion in a WhatsApp group two months ago, said his father, Babar Ghauri. We were shocked when the police came to arrest Ashbeel, Ghauri said. My son had not shared with us before that Sheraz and some other Muslim classmates had been pressuring him to change his Christian faith. A devout Christian passionate about his faith, Ashbeel Ghauri had begun college while his former classmate, Gulistan, entered an Islamic seminary (madrassa), said his father, who belongs to the Presbyterian church. Gulistan and other Muslims had engaged Ashbeel Ghauri in religious discussions on several occasions in a bid to convert him, he said. His former classmates have implicated him in a false blasphemy case to destroy his educational career and prospects because he refused to renounce his faith in Christ, Babar Ghauri said. Ashbeel has categorically denied making any derogatory remarks about Islam, Babar Ghauri told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. He always asked academic questions about the Islamic faith whenever he was forcibly dragged into such conversation. As Christians living in Pakistan, we are all well aware of the sensitivities involving religious discussion, and our children are taught from day one to avoid getting into such arguments. Ashbeel Ghauri is the oldest of three children, and the family had pinned their hopes on him for a better future, his father said. Its a crucial time for my family, especially for Ashbeel, but we know God will walk us through this test, and he will emerge victorious in faith, he said. His mother and I met him in prison on March 8, and though he is concerned about his condition, Ashbeel told us not to worry because he knows Christ will not forsake him. Gulistan accused him of saying in WhatsApp text messages in January that he did not believe in the Islamic Allah, according to First Information Report No. 185/24, registered at the Attock City Police Station under Section 295-A of Pakistans blasphemy law. In the text messages, Ashbeel is also alleged to have questioned the Islamic concept of allowing four marriages for Muslim men, said his attorney, Nadeem Hassan of legal aid group Christians True Spirit (CTS). The complainant then alleges that in a WhatsApp call to him, the Christian had allegedly said that Islam was a false religion, and its teachings were also false, Hassan told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. Ashbeel merely stated that he believed in the God of the Bible and said his Christian faith did not allow four marriages contrary to Islamic teachings. The complainants allegation that Ashbeel called Islam a false religion during a phone call has not been substantiated with any evidence. Section 295-A relates to hurting religious sentiments and is punishable by up to 10 years in prison or a fine, or both, Hassan said. He said he hoped the court would grant bail to the Christian student because the text messages shared by the complainant did not contain any derogatory words against the Islamic faith. The court should consider the case on merit, keeping in view the fact that Ashbeel has not committed any blasphemy, Hassan said. The complainant has instituted the case based on text messages that were exchanged two months ago, which shows that he nurtured a grudge against the victim. It would be a grave miscarriage of justice if the court does not grant bail to the student and gives him an opportunity for a fair trial. At least 329 persons were accused of blasphemy under the law in 2023, according to the Center for Social Justice (CSJ), an advocacy group based in Lahore. Among those accused, 247 were Muslims, 65 were Ahmadis, 11 were Christians and one was Hindu, while the religious affiliation of five others was unknown. Punjab Province had the highest number of people accused of blasphemy, with 179, followed by 79 in Sindh Province, 37 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 32 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each in Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan, according to the CSJ report. It added that seven persons accused of blasphemy were killed extra-judicially in 2023, including four in Punjab and one each in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir. At least 2,449 persons have been accused of committing blasphemy between 1987 and 2023, according to the CSJ report. The highest number of accused by religion were 1,279 Muslims (52 percent), followed by 782 Ahmadis (32 percent), 291 Christians (12 percent), and 45 Hindus (2 percent), while the religion of other (2 percent) was unconfirmed. Pakistan ranked seventh on Open Doors 2024 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian, as it was the previous year. The Lake Marion Regional Water Agency has voted to pursue a significant expansion of its water treatment plant on Lake Marion just east of Santee. The facility can produce up to 8.5 million gallons of clean drinking water per day. The expansion would increase its capacity by 40 percent, to 12 million gallons per day. Lake Marion Regional Water Authority The Lake Marion Regional Water Agency has voted to pursue a significant expansion of its water treatment plant on Lake Marion just east of Santee. The expansion would cost about $1.9 million. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would provide about $1,425,000, or roughly 75 percent of the money. Get TheTandD.com for $1 for 26 weeks Support local journalism by becoming a member at www.TheTandD.com. View our latest offer at https://thetandd.com/subscribe. Agency members would contribute $475,000. The amount each agency member would pay would be proportional to the additional capacity they reserve. Dorchester County officials are requesting just over half of the additional capacity. Officials of Orangeburg County, Calhoun County, and the Town of Santee will discuss how to divide the rest of the additional capacity among themselves. Calhoun County Council: Zeus plans to add jobs Calhoun County will give tax incentives to a Zeus Company Inc. expansion that will bring almost a dozen jobs to the county. County Council approved a resolution authorizing the incentives last week. Agency members were informed during their meeting on Thursday, March 7, that Berkeley County does not plan to seek additional capacity at this time. Instead, Berkeley County soon will be getting more water through a transmission line that is dubbed the Orangeburg-Berkeley Reach. The new line will draw water from an existing transmission line at Boyer crossroads, south of Holly Hill, and continue eastward into the Sandridge community of Berkeley County. I-95, I-26 industrial park planned; developer seeks infrastructure help A Georgia-based real estate development company is looking to build an industrial park near the junction of Interstate 26 and Interstate 95. The contract has been awarded for the first phase of construction. A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, March 20. The design work on the second phase is substantially complete, so the project can be sent out for bids in the near future. Calhoun County seeks funds for water line extensions Calhoun County Council unanimously agreed last month to allow a regional water agency to seek money for water line extensions in the county. Courtney Watkins, Santee Coopers water system manager, gave updates on these and other water transmission line and storage tank projects. The Winding Woods Reach, which runs from Harleyville to the east side of St. George, needs a final bit of electrical work and a sanitary cleansing, but all of the leaks have been identified and fixed, so pressure testing can begin soon. The Providence Reach in eastern Orangeburg County is on track for completion in about three months. Design work is 30 percent complete on the Cameron Reach in Calhoun County. Work on the St. Matthews Reach, which will extend from the Cameron Reach, is further in the future. In the Vance area, the proposed location of a water storage tower has been shifted to avoid a well and a septic drain field, but its still going to share the same property as the Vance fire station. Design and engineering work are pending. The Vance tower will serve water lines that will serve rural areas south of Vance, generally along Pineland Street toward Lodge Hall Street. The Lake Marion Regional Water Agencys next regular meeting is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday, May 2, online and in person in the second floor meeting room of the water treatment facility on Graveyard Rock Road east of Santee. COLUMBIA -- Eight products advance in the third annual Manufacturing Madness contest presented by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. The winner will earn the title of Coolest Thing Made in SC. The public voted March 4-7 for their favorites during the Top 16 round, and more than 103,000 votes were cast to determine which products would advance to the Top 8 bracket. Voters can visit scmanufacturingmadness.com to select a winner from each pairing in the bracket, cutting the field in half each week until the ultimate winner is selected from the Top 4. The winner will be announced in a ceremony at the Statehouse on March 28. The 2024 Top 8 finalists are: Honda Talon 1000R-4 Fox Live Valve, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. South Carolina Manufacturing, Florence 9-Speed Automatic Transmission, ZF Transmissions, Laurens High Noon Sun Sips, E. & J. Gallo Winery, Chester M240 Series Machine Guns, FN Manufacturing, LLC, Richland Fire Sprinklers, Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Co., Inc., Pickens 670LXS, Scout Boats, Dorchester Reishi, MycoWorks, Union Signa Hero MRI Scanner, GE HealthCare, Florence Created by the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance, the Manufacturing Madness: The Coolest Thing Made in SC contest debuted in 2022. The F-16 Fighting Falcon made by Lockheed Martin in Greenville won the contest in 2023, and Steel made by Nucor Steel Berkeley in Huger won the inaugural contest in 2022. Remaining contest timeline: Through March 14: Top 8 bracket voting March 18-21: Final round of bracket voting March 28: Winner announced (TBTCO) - Ngay 1/4/2024, Kho bac Nha nuoc buoc sang nam thu 34 truong thanh va phat trien. Trong hon 30 nam qua, tu mot Kho bac truyen thong voi 4 nghiep vu chinh (ke toan thong ke, kho quy, giao dich va ke toan tong hop), Kho bac Nha nuoc a tro thanh kho bac ien tu, tao nhieu thuan loi cho khach hang trong giao dich. Trong tien trinh chuyen oi so hien nay, Kho bac Nha nuoc ang tiep tuc thuc hien nhieu cai cach, hien ai hoa e huong toi kho bac so vao nam 2030. You have reached a premium content area of Transitions. To read this entire article please login if you are already a Transitions subscriber. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today for access to: Full access to the website, including premium articles videos, country reports and searchable archives (containing over 25,000 articles). The Bureau of Land Management Wyoming State Office this month completed its first oil and gas lease sale of 2024 and the results stand in stark contrast to previous lease sales, calling attention to the changing dynamics around oil and gas development in Wyoming. The sale stood out, on the one hand, because of the relatively low number of parcels offered. With fewer than 13,000 acres up for lease, it was amongst the agencys smallest lease offering under the Biden administration, and dwarfed in comparison to the acreage commonly offered by the previous administration. But even as the auctioned acreage was comparatively minimal, the March lease saw more than 90% of the parcels snapped up, a significant jump in the bidding percentage over previous lease sales. For instance, the BLMs three lease sales in 2023 offered a total of 229,552 acres, yet only 55% of the available lands were bid on. Some attribute 2023s low lease activity to the recently hiked federal mineral royalty rate, which was lifted for the first time in a century from 12.5% 16.67%. Additionally, Wyomings oil industry advocates say, the unaggressive year may reflect uncertainty in the regulatory environment, as operators wait for the codification of new rules and the outcomes of ongoing litigation. Some of our operators may just be in a waiting pattern to figure out where the regulatory state falls on things like air emissions, water quality, all sorts of things that could impact the industry, said Ryan McConnaughey, vice president of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming )PAW). Others believe the comparatively low bid rates of 2023 indicate a different reality: that the industry appetite for Wyomings federal lands is diminishing. The point was made by the conservation group Center for Western Priorities, in a data analysis that showed that in addition to low percentage of BLM parcel bids in 2023 in Wyoming, the available tracts saw little competition, which they believe reflects tepid industry interest. Almost 80 percent of the acres BLM offered didnt sell at all or sold for the minimum bid. This shows how little overall interest there is in new competitive leasing in Wyoming, the organization stated. The analysis also reveals that there is lopsided interest in available lands, with the majority of lease revenue coming from a limited number of tracts; the statistical average bid was $874 per acre, but the median bid was just $21. That gap between the average and median shows that the revenue is heavily skewed by a small handful of parcels that oil and gas companies find valuable, while the vast majority of public land leased by drillers has negligible value, the organization states, adding that the low number of nominated parcels is further evidence of diminished interest, as the BLM is required to auction at least half of the nominated acreage. Although industry advocates in Wyoming contest that logic. Ryan McConnaughey of PAW explained that one of the states most productive wells was drilled in the Powder River Basin as recently as 2022, and questions if the feds may be tying up parcel nominations through administrative processes. Maybe for this sale nominations are down, but were still seeing a backlog of expressions of interest pending before the BLM that had never been acted on, or are in deferred status. I think the BLM can use their opaque, bureaucratic process to pick and choose which leases they want to give, he said. I think this lease sale shows that there is still strong interest in Wyoming oil and gas reserves even with the increasingly strong headwinds that we see from the Biden administration. CHEYENNE Historically the upper chamber (the colloquial name for the Wyoming Senate) has been the decorous chamber, filled with wise, experienced lawmakers. Unlike the House with its large number of new, younger people full of energy and fervor that at times was hard to control, the Senate members were polite, respectful; they followed the rules, the tradition. It is their job to sift through the slew of bills passed by the House and weed out the wildest and kill or improve the rest. They were the adults, the problem-solvers. That long history took a whack last week when the Senate far-right-wing segment overturned a ruling by Senate President Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower. In so doing, they also rejected a rules committee vote and a recommendation from the Legislative Service Office that said a two-thirds majority vote was needed to extract from a committee a bill that had been voted on and rejected by the committee. Years ago, I was told the two-thirds vote was essential given that it was such an important, nearly sacrilegious step to override the decision of a committee. And such a step would diminish the strength of the committee system and ultimately damage the entire legislative process. Hence, the two-thirds rule. But if a bill was languishing and was never voted on in committee, the extraction to the floor or to a different committee only required a simple majority. The new and very different Senate disagreed and decided a simple majority vote was all that it took to get a floor vote on House Bill 125. And that is how the bill to abolish gun-free zones got through the Senate. Such a bill has been a primary goal of gun rights organizations as well as the Freedom Caucus in Wyoming and D.C. It was a logical vehicle for an appeal, given that it easily passed the House and failed by only one vote in the Senate committee. Losing a bill by one vote is a hard swallow. Yet those are the rules which the Senate rejected. This is an embarrassment, Driskill said about the override vote of his ruling. The rebellion against his decisions could ultimately unravel the process, he said, because his successors could find their every decision appealed, thus triggering chaos and a congressional-style deadlock. It was a sad day, he said. This is not a sad day, countered Sen. Dave Kinskey, R-Sheridan, who has been at odds with Driskill. This is just politics. Kinskey also said that the genteel tradition such as tea-drinking with the pinkie extended is gone. What you have seen here is the rough and tumble of politics, he added. We also saw a flat out rebellion. Joining the anti-Driskill crowd was Sen. Larry Hicks, R-Baggs, the Senate vice president who is in line to be speaker next term. But if the Senate throws out tradition, that job could go to someone else. The dissidents started to object to Driskills decisions last year when he removed Kinskey as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Driskill said members complained about Kinskeys leadership. This session, the Senate restored Kinskey to the chairmanship in defiance of the Senate president. Then the Senate macerated the Houses state budget. In a display of his opposition to the draconian cuts, Driskill appointed a couple of right-wing conservatives with no experience on budgets or budget negotiations to the joint conference committee that was negotiating a deal on the budget with the House. Kinskeys committee made no progress in five days. Driskill named a second conference committee with himself and House Speaker Al Sommers, R-Pinedale, as members. With Rep. Lloyd Larsen, R-Fremont, as chairman, they worked a deal in a matter of hours. But that success didnt satisfy Driskills critics, who apparently have now forged a unity between the Senate moderates and Freedom Caucus folks just like the House did. And they may change the tenor of the Wyoming Legislature for the worst. Decades of hostility by organized crime toward the Catholic Church in Italy allegedly surfaced anew when a priest who had received death threats found bleach in wine he was about to serve for Holy Communion. The Rev. Felice Palamara of San Nicola di Pannaconi Church in Cessanti, in the southern region of Calabria, on Feb. 24 noticed a chemical smell while pouring water and wine into a chalice. He stopped the Mass and told his parishioners there was a problem. Police later confirmed the presence of enough bleach in the vessels containing the wine to have killed the priest, according to the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe (OIDAC). Police suspect local mafia of attempted murder. Palamara, who has since publicly voiced forgiveness for the attack, had previously received death threats via anonymous letters in his mailbox, according to OIDAC. His car, parked near the church building, was also vandalized on two occasions. My revenge is called love, my shield forgiveness, my armor mercy, Palamara wrote on Facebook. Whatever has been done, for me he is and will remain this brother who can only be loved, even if justice must take its course. The priest also expressed support for the local community. Im sure that this act of intimidation has nothing to do with my parishioners, because I have been here for 10 years, and I have always had good relations with the people of the parish, he told local newspaper Corriere della Sera. Italys military police, the Carabinieri, launched an investigation, and Palamara was under 24-hour police surveillance. He suffers from both asthma and a heart condition, according to the Catholic Herald. Local mafia are suspected as the most probable explanation, according to OIDAC. Also in Cessanti, a dead cat was recently left on the hood of the car of the Rev. Don Francesco Pontoriero, along with threatening letters, according to OIDAC. On the same night that Palamaras Communion wine was poisoned in Cessanti, nearly 440 kilometers (273 miles) north in Caserta an arsonist set fire to the car of the Rev. Marcos Aparecido de Goes, which was parked near the San Germano Bishop in SantAndrea del Pizzone parish building. Video footage obtained by police clearly show a perpetrator pouring flammable liquid onto the Hyundai car. Mayor Sergio Tessitore of Francolise condemned the attack and blamed Camorra Mafia. Residents in Caserta subsequently held a solidarity parade for the priest. The attacks follow decades of mafia hostilities toward the Catholic Church in Italy. The Rev. Raymond J. de Souza, in commentary for the National Catholic Register in August, recalled that mafia bombings plagued Italy in the early 1990s in response to a national criminal justice campaign opposing organized crime. In 2018, Pope Francis told criminal factions they could not believe in God and be mafiosi. The pope made the comment while paying homage the Rev. Giuseppe Puglisi, shot dead on his doorstep by the mafia in Piazza Anita Garibaldi 5, Sicily on Sept. 15, 1993 the date of his birthday, according to the BBC. In an address at Palermos Piazza Europa, the pope paid tribute to the slain priest, saying Puglisi helped young people steer clear of drugs and mafia lifestyles. A person who is a mafioso does not live as a Christian, because with his life he blasphemes against the name of God, Francis said, pleading with the criminals, Change, brothers and sisters! Stop thinking about yourselves and your money... Convert yourselves to the real God. On July 28, 1993, the cathedral of St. John Latheran Basilica, the official papal seat in Rome, was bombed within minutes of other explosions near the city cathedral in Milan, which killed five people and injured many others. A prior assassination had led to the St. John Latheran Basilica bombing. A judge and devout catholic, Rosario Livatino, had worked on a mass trial against mafia members that led to his Ford Fiesta car being sprayed with bullets as he drove to work in Agrigento, Sicily, on Sept. 21, 1990. When Pope John Paul II met the judges parents during a visit to Sicily in 1993, he held an outdoor Mass in the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento in which he lambasted mafia figures. In the name of Christ, crucified and risen, of Christ who is the way, the truth and the life, I say to those responsible: Convert! John Paul shouted. The judgment of God will come! The bombing of St. John Lateran took place three months later, reportedly in response to the former popes comments. On July 27, 2023, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni paid tribute to the victims to mark the 30th anniversary of the 1993 bombings. Over the last 30 years, our nation has come to realize that mafia groups can indeed be defeated, she said in a statement on the Italian governments website. The Italian state and institutions have been able to translate this awareness into a body of legal, technical and operational instruments that have made it possible to combat the mafia phenomenon, making Italy a model at international level. Fighting the mafia is a moral issue that guides the governments daily actions, she said. It is the compass that guides our work and allows us to continue along the path of adapting anti-mafia legislation, making it more and more effective and able to respond to the new challenges of organized crime. Regarding the attempted poisoning in Cessanti, Bishop Attilio Nostro also saw the hand of organized crime. The diocese is living through a period of suffering due to acts of intimidation that have nothing to do with the normal Christian life of parishes, Nostro said in a public statement. For this reason, I appeal anew to the Christian communities not to be discouraged by this language of violence. We must not cede to this logic, allowing ourselves to be tempted by unease and by anger. An elderly man visiting Trinidad from Canada has been murdered in his familys home by intruders. The body of Hilton Smith, 75, was found on Friday on a bed. His mouth was gagged, and his feet and hands tied. I listened with interest to a news clip where the speaker was opining that the economic model being used in Trinidad and Tobago was not helpful to our situation. The news clip focused on the authority structure between the political directorate (the Government) and senior public sector workers. Unfortunately, only limited sound bites of the speakers discussion were brought, which I consider insufficient to make further comment. I hope sincerely that submissions in this regard are made to the committee dealing with constitution reform. Arts Express Theatre is turning the clock back to the late 1960s sex, drugs and rock n roll counterculture with its production of the rock musical Hair. But folks in the audience might see a lot of 2024 in the play, which runs March 15-30. It deals with issues that provoke and offend absolutely everyone, said director Nancy Davis Booth. Theres issues of racism and church and social norms and nudity and all of those things that were so shocking back in 1968 and still shocking today. OK, so the audience will probably not be as shocked by the brief nudity at the end of the first act, which Booth said will not include full-on nudity; the theaters and malls liquor licenses prohibit that. The audience will only see performers bare backsides during a scene where the tribe shows unity and solidarity with Claude as he debates whether to dodge the Vietnam War draft or sign up to serve. Gerome Ragni and James Rado wrote Hair in 1967 based on their observations of the sexual revolution and counterculture movements in late 1960s New York City. Galt MacDermot wrote the music, which included the iconic hits Age of Aquarius, Let the Sunshine In, Good Morning Sunshine and Hair. Set in the late 1960s as the Vietnam War raged, Hair follows a tribe of young counterculture hippies whose lives revolve around fighting the establishment. Claude has just received his draft notice, but the tribe tries to convince him to immerse himself instead in their fight for peace, love and community. The play also deals with identity, politics, drugs and the sexual revolution. Kinda sounds like today. The issues are still the same and thats why I really wanted to do this production, said Booth, who has directed 10 productions for Arts Express since her first one in 2018. Fifty years later we are still dealing with the same issues; nothings changed. Booth said the cast, most of whom are in their early 20s, are just thrilled to be part of something that is different from anything they have done in musical theater. Hair, the first musical to use rock music, delivered a defiant antiwar message at a time when America was deeply divided over the ongoing Vietnam War. The show rattled Americas conscience as it broke with Broadway norms with its frank depictions of drug use, nudity, sexuality and obscenity, all of which will be part of Arts Expresss production. As the play opens, Booth uses projections of a video loop that depicts 1960s America, from scenes of protestors to images of war, hippies, drug use and the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The show closes with a video loop showing America today, from scenes of protesting, wars in Ukraine and Gaza and homelessness on Americas streets as the cast sings the finale, Let the Sun Shine In. The song becomes a plea for the audience to open their eyes to see that whats happening today mirrors what happened 50-plus years ago, she said. Thats how I brought it back around to being relevant today, Booth said. This show is rollicking and fun and full of energy. But on the other side of it there is these moments that just bring tears to your eyes because its so poignant. ... The message is uncomfortable and makes us ask questions and makes us have conversations. ... I think theater is a powerful tool for changing behavior and educating people. Hair is Arts Expresss 12th fully-professional production, said community engagement director Jonathan Crider. In addition to its professional productions, staged at the companys theater home at Park Place Mall, Arts Express offers introductory and advanced educational programs. If you go What: "Hair" the musical Presented by: Arts Express Theatre Directed by: Nancy Davis Booth When: 7 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays March 15-30; special Thursday show at 7 p.m. March 28 Where: Arts Express Theatre, 5870 E. Broadway, in Park Place mall Tickets: $35 through arts-express.org Et cetera: "Hair" contains language, adult content and nudity that may not be suitable for young audiences. Contact reporter Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@tucson.com. On Twitter @Starburch A Tucson solar installation company and one of its principals have been ordered to pay restitution of $7.7 million and a $1 million fine for allegedly selling unregistered securities to foreign investors in violation of Arizona law. The Arizona Corporation Commission on Tuesday approved the order against ABCO Energy, related companies including ABCO Solar, and company principal David Shorey, after approving a similar restitution order against another company executive in 2021. The Tuesday order was approved on a 4-0 vote, with member Lea Marquez Peterson recusing herself because she was acquainted with Shorey 20 years ago. The ACCs Securities Division filed a cease-and-desist order in May 2021, alleging that ABCO and Shorey offered and sold unregistered securities while not registered as dealers or salesmen, in violation of state law. Neither Shorey nor his attorney immediately responded to a request for comment Tuesday. Specifically, the Securities Division alleged that between 2011-19, Shorey, as a control person for ABCO Energy, entered into an agreement with United Kingdom-based Intuition Capital Corp. to raise capital for ABCO by soliciting foreign investors, agreeing to pay Intuition an estimated 65% of the proceeds. Investigators alleged the respondents offered and sold unregistered securities to 81 foreign investors in 491 transactions totaling $7,699,546. None of the investors resided in the U.S., and they were mainly in the U.K. and Spain, the ACC said. The Securities Division also alleged that ABCO and Shorey engaged in fraud by failing to disclose or misrepresenting the high commissions paid to Intuition, and that Shorey had been ordered to pay restitution and penalties in two different prior commission cases. In February 2013, the ACC found that Shorey had engaged in fraudulent securities sales involving a wireless company he headed and ordered Shorey and others involved to halt the sales and pay $130,000 in restitution, plus a $9,000 fine. A month later, the commission ruled that Shorey and others had fraudulently sold unregistered securities in Westcap Energy Inc. which later became ABCO to 24 foreign investors. The regulators ordered Shorey and Westcap to offer to buy back $388,495 worth of the shares and pay an administrative penalty of $10,000. The order approved Tuesday follows a June 2021 ACC consent order requiring ABCO executive Charles ODowd to pay $7.7 million in restitution and a $75,000 penalty for his part in the securities sales made through Intuition Capital cited in Shoreys case. In both cases, the respondents contended that the investments were exempt from registration and other regulation under federal Regulation S because the securities were offered and sold outside the U.S. But the Securities Division disagreed, citing Shoreys failed appeal of his 2013 ACC case involving the wireless firm, Cell Wireless. Agreeing with a lower-court decision, the Arizona Court of Appeals upheld the commissions order in 2015, ruling that Regulation S doesnt exempt securities from state laws, including registration requirements and anti-fraud laws. Meanwhile, ABCO Energy has expanded beyond solar to lighting installation and air-conditioning work, and Shorey remains listed on the companys licenses with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors. A sea of people facing the Pacific Ocean, Panama's coastal belt vibrated with a message of faith and transformation during the Palau Festival. Andrew Palau, son of late renowned Argentine evangelist Luis Palau, and his wife Wendy led this event that captivated thousands of people with a message of hope. During his visit, Palau had the opportunity to meet with the President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo Cohen. Although the protocol of the meeting was to discuss the situation of society and government in the country, Palau and Cortizo spoke privately as well. During the discussion, Palau shared the reason for his visit and talked about his testimony of personal transformation. Palau also had the chance to meet with the Vice President of the Nation, Jose Gabriel Carrizo Jaen, during a special dinner for professionals and businessmen at the Panama Convention Center. During his visit, the evangelist was welcomed by the Governor of the Province of Panama, Mrs. Carla Garcia, with whom he had a private conversation. Later, the official invited some of her colleagues to join them, so that Palau could pray for them. The preacher also paid a visit to the National Congress. His final meeting was with the Secretary General of the Mayor's Office of Panama City, Mr. Jorge Lopez, who presented Palau with the "Key to the City" on behalf of Jose Luis Fabrega Polleri, Mayor of Panama City. Wendy and Andres Palau traveled to various locations including prisons, immigration detention centers, churches, and a police training academy. During their trip, they met with pastors, businessmen, professionals, and prominent women from the community. In each of these settings, they both shared a message of hope based on Scripture and personal experiences. They demonstrated, in a practical way, what God can do when a person chooses to surrender their lives to Him. Two days of good music and good news! For at least two months, the appearance of the coastal belt changed as a hot air balloon announced the Palau Festival. Towards the end of February, a metallic mega-structure was erected in front of the Seafood Market to serve as a stage for national and international artists. They were the stars of a top-quality professional show that accompanied Andres Palau on March 1 and 2. Palau delivered a message of faith and hope that inspired thousands of people to seek spiritual transformation in their lives. With a clear, simple, and straightforward speech, he reiterated the message of "God loves you!" and explained that regardless of a person's situation, God is always willing to provide them with a fresh start. The event was a grand celebration with lights, smoke, fire, laser, drones, and music, all coming together to create an experience for people with different tastes in music. The event ran for an average of 5 hours each night and attracted spectators from various nearby and far-off places. On the day of the event, there were fun and games for children with activities tailored to their age group, all with the message of hope. The event was a memorable time for all who attended. In addition, several tents were set up to provide medical and psychological care, clothing donations, health information centers, mobile showers for the homeless, free haircuts, and food for low-income families. All these services were offered in one location, with the same aim of serving the community. University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins announced the 16 inaugural members of his newly appointed University Advisory Council on Monday afternoon. I am particularly encouraged to have students, faculty, staff, department heads and deans working together in the same room to collaboratively address issues, Robbins wrote in his email to employees. The council, which has been met with backlash from some members of the universitys Faculty Senate, was announced late last month after the Arizona Board of Regents criticized the Faculty Senate. Unlike its peers including the Faculty Senate and the Graduate Student Council, for example, the newly created University Advisory Council members are not elected. They are instead appointed by Robbins. In Mondays Faculty Senate meeting, Professor Wolfgang Fink, a senator and member of the Committee of Eleven, presented a letter the committee sent to Robbins condemning the newly formed University Advisory Council. They do NOT represent the Faculty Senate, the Committee of Eleven and/or other elected shared faculty governance bodies, recognized by (state law) and university policies dating back to 1947, the letter states. UAC is a selected body, and NOT to be misinterpreted as an elected shared faculty governance body in compliance with Arizona Law. The one dissenter from that letter, Faculty Senator and Executive Director of Arizona Online Caleb Simmons, was announced Monday as a member of the new council. Robbins wrote that the new council will not in any way diminish the input or impact of other shared governance patterns. The committees first meeting takes place next week. Faculty members appointed are Eller College of Management Professor William Neumann, Law Professor Tessa Dysart, Nutritional Sciences and Wellness Professor Melanie Hingle, College of Medicine Tucson Professor Lucinda Rankin, Religious Studies Professor, Regents Professor of Medicine Marvin Slepian and Simmons. Staff members appointed are Aaron Davis Martinez, associate director of Blue Chip Leadership experience; Amanda Kraus, the associate vice president of campus life and executive director for disability resources and chief accessibility officer; Melanie Madden, program manager of curricular affairs; Cheree Meeks, assistant dean of the W.A. Franke Honors College; Danielle Oxnam, project director of university initiatives and policy; and Christina Rocha, manager of research, innovation and impact at the business center. Students Tobi Adigun, the president of the Bobcat Honorary Society; Jeremy Bernick, the president of the Graduate and Professional Student Council; and Alyssa Sanchez, the president of the Associated Students of the University of Arizona, are also on the council. Susan Brown, the Eller College of Management MIS Department Head will also serve on the council. Additionally, Robbins wrote that he is reconstituting the Presidents Cabinet. It will include leadership from the Staff Council, the Faculty Senate, Deans Council, Department Heads network, the University Advisory Council, the Associated Students of the University of Arizona, the Graduate and Professional Student Council, the Strategic Planning and Budget Advisory Committee and members of the presidents senior leadership team. This collection of esteemed campus leaders will meet as a team, enabling the institution to have a more informed, consistent and unified approach to address challenges and inform decisions that best advance the universitys mission, Robbins wrote. This cabinet will meet quarterly. The creation of the new council and the update to the cabinet comes on the heels of attacks on shared governance in the state legislature, which Robbins addressed in his email. With the complex issues facing higher education and the university, I believe this is a critical time to engage in broad and inclusive dialogue across our community, Robbins wrote. As we expand the number of voices and perspectives informing decision making, members of my leadership team and/or I will attend meetings of each group and communicate regularly with these organizations. A champion has fallen in Big Wash, just north of Oro Valley. The largest soaptree yucca in the United States has lost its almost 30-foot-tall main stem, an extraordinary appendage that earned it the title of national champion. The bristled stalk used to stand straight up, but it began to stoop in 2020 and broke off completely sometime in the past six months or so. It was the drought we had that killed it, I think, said local resident Clive Probert, who nominated the plant for title consideration eight years ago. Its a pity. Ive never seen one anywhere near that tall. Soaptree yuccas are native to the deserts of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and northern Mexico, where they typically grow slowly into an evergreen, palm-like shrub or small tree. The one in the wash west of Oracle Road was declared the largest of its species in 2016 by the nonprofit conservation group American Forests, which created the National Register of Champion Trees in 1940. Arizona is currently home to about 50 such national champions, the fourth most of any state. Nine of those trees are in Pima County, including the soaptree yucca at least for the moment. Alison Faller is state coordinator for Arizonas Magnificent Trees program. She is also an urban and community forestry specialist with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. She said the collapse of the soaptree yuccas main stem will be noted in state records, but the dethroned plant wont be forgotten. It will remain on Arizonas list of current and former record holders. Nobody gets deleted after they get listed as a champion, Faller explained. Its unclear how or when the yuccas entry on the national register might be changed. That list is in the midst of a transition, as American Forests hands the database off to the School of Natural Resources at the University of Tennessees Institute of Agriculture in Knoxville. As everyone waits for the national effort to resume, Faller said the states Magnificent Trees program continues its work to recognize significant trees around Arizona. Along with determining state champions based on size, the program catalogs so-called witness trees that have been growing in the same spot since before Arizona statehood in 1912 and heritage trees with special cultural or historical significance, such as the infamous Jail Tree in Wickenburg where criminals were shackled before a prison was built there. The state even has an assistance program to help owners care for their listed trees by connecting them with certified arborists or providing as much as $1,000 in financial aid. State and national champion trees are determined based on a formula that uses height, trunk width and branch crown spread to determine the most massive individual from a given species. All woody plants, including saguaros and other cacti, are considered for the list, so long as they grow at least 13 feet tall with a single trunk at least 9 inches in circumference. The last time the national register was updated in 2021, only Virginia, Florida and Texas had more champion trees than Arizona. Faller and company accept tree nominations from the public between Dec. 1 and May 31, followed by a verification period that lasts from June 1 through Sept. 15. The updated state register of Magnificent Trees is unveiled each year on Nov. 1. The program relies heavily on volunteers, both to help verify nominated trees and scour the countryside in search of new specimens worthy of recognition, Faller said. We call them magnificent tree hunters. Anyone can do it. All it takes is an eye for outsized examples from the plant world. You could find a new national champion while youre out on a hike, Faller said. Its a great way to get people outside and looking up at trees and cacti in a new way. Probert said he first noticed the champion soaptree yucca while leading outings in Big Wash for the Hiking Club of Sun City Oro Valley. It was remarkable, he said of the plant. We would detour to go past it. The towering yucca so impressed him, Probert decided to bring it to the attention of someone at the University of Arizona. It was that person who introduced him to the states Magnificent Trees program and encouraged him to submit a nomination. Despite its recent collapse, the yucca in Big Wash isnt dead. Surrounding its broken central stump are several smaller stalks none taller than about 8 feet that still appear to be in good condition. Its possible this champion is poised for a comeback, Faller said. Im glad the plant lives on to perhaps reach new great heights. PHOENIX A bipartisan group of lawmakers is pressuring a reluctant Gov. Katie Hobbs to sign legislation they believe will lead to more affordable housing in Arizona. Rep. Analise Ortiz, a Phoenix Democrat, said Tuesday she believes HB 2570, sent Monday to the governor, is the only viable legislation that actually would provide some price relief to those who want to have a starter home. And that, she said, includes her. I have been a renter my entire adult life, she said. And Ortiz said that, despite working full-time her entire adult life, she doesnt have enough for a down payment on what developers are building. In my community, people like me are tired of being told the only way we can have an affordable place to live is if we rent it and rents are no longer affordable or if we have government subsidized housing, she said. We deserve that same opportunity to own a home. And the governor needs to recognize that. House Majority Leader Leo Biasiucci, R-Lake Havasu City, said theres nothing in the legislation overriding certain local regulations thats terribly radical. Should the city tell you you cant have a carport (instead of a garage) if you want a carport? he said. Should the city tell you that you cant have a certain type of roof, that it has to be shingle instead of tile? All that, Biasiucci said, should be decisions left to homeowners. This is when the price goes up, he said. This is when regulation gets in the way. And Sen. Anna Hernandez, D-Phoenix, said there would be another benefit: getting rid of the cookie-cutter homes and creating more neighborhoods where each house is individual. But the real heart of the measure is not about amenities and design. Its about zoning. It would spell out that, for new developments of more than five acres, cities cannot require a minimum lot size of more than 1,500 square feet in any area zoned for single-family homes. Also gone would be minimum square footage or dimensions for any single-family home as well as requirements to set back a house more than 10 feet from the front or back lot line or more than 5 feet on either side. Now the future of the entire package rests with the governor. She has until Monday to sign or veto the measure. And if she does neither, it becomes law without her signature. Gubernatorial press aide Christian Slater was noncommittal, saying his boss is still studying the measure. But the governor herself, speaking with reporters last week, provided a laundry list of concerns. What I have been very clear about is that, when it comes to housing, I want to see a package that is negotiated and has bipartisan support and is a compromise with local jurisdictions, Hobbs said. It was pointed out to her that the bill does have bipartisan support. A total of 15 of the 29 House Democrats voted for the measure. So did half the Senate Democrats. What that leaves is the opposition of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns which represents the 91 incorporated communities in the state. Tom Belshe, the organizations executive director, said his organization is willing to negotiate on process things that would shorten the time frames that cities have to review plans and provide the necessary approvals. And he said there already are places in many cities where builders can construct duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes. And changes in zoning and density? This is not what our constituents are telling us, people that live in those neighborhoods, Belshe said. And that becomes the heart of the divide: people who are renters who want affordable homes and those who already have homes. Backing the cities are groups like the Neighborhood Coalition of Greater Phoenix. This bill would allow a mishmash of construction in existing neighborhoods, posing a threat to existing homes property values and residents quality of life, said Neal Haddad, the groups president. We urge Gov. Hobbs to veto it and to not throw neighborhoods under the bus. Hobbs made it clear that, bipartisan support or not, the objections from the cities will weigh heavily in her decision. I think that our local elected officials are the closest to their constituents and best positioned to make those decisions, she said. Hernandez sniffed at the governors conclusion that city officials know best. Last time I checked, Im knocking on the same doors that the city council is knocking on, she said. And I am hearing that affordability is the top of mind for our people, Hernandez said. They are worried about can they even attain home ownership. Hobbs, however, maintains that what she wants is legislation that is negotiated as a compromise, that everyone can agree on that will get us to a solution. That, however, isnt going to happen and not just because the bill is now on her desk. Belshe acknowledged that his organization has refused to even negotiate any state-mandated changes in how many homes can be built on a property and associated issues like setbacks. Zoning is something that we cannot support, he said. And we told them from the beginning. Sen. Theresa Hatathlie, D-Tuba City, said opposition from Belshes organization has no meaning to her. Theyre just lobbyists, she said. Somebodys got to advocate for those individuals who I can identify with, who are able to provide a home for their families. Senate President Warren Petersen was more direct in his dismissal of opposition from the cities and his urging of the governor to ignore it. Were counting on her not being a shield for the League of Cities and Towns, he said. Were counting on her making an independent decision to do the right thing. Rep. Sarah Liguori, D-Phoenix, said she has heard from developers who would like to build more affordable starter homes if the legal barriers that now exist can be removed. But right now they cant, mostly because land is in low supply and priced high, she said. And zoning skews it, so to recover costs you need to build at the premium end, Liguori said. The American dream may be to own a home, but beginning with one that is smaller is almost impossible she said. Belshe, however, said price is determined by by more than zoning. There are problems with labor, he said. There are problems with supply chain. And, ultimately, theres the question of whether what is in HB 2570 will lead to more affordable homes. Biasiucci said there is proof in places like his home town where the lowest price for single-family homes has been in the $400,000 to $500,000 range. Now, he said, the city is allowing more homes onto a single lot, up to six or more. And those homes, Biasiucci said, are being marketed in the $200,000 range because city officials decided to try something different. They understood that we have to do something to help our bartenders, our teachers, our firemen, our police, all the people that make this state work, all the people we know that need homes so they dont have to drive 40, 50 miles away, he said. HB 2570 is just one of the housing measures that also could wind up on the governors desk. On Tuesday the House gave final approval to HB 2721. It would require cities of at least 75,000 to allow for the development of duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, fiveplexes and townhomes on all lots zoned for single-family residential use. Proponents say this is aimed at providing more middle housing, something more than starter homes, but more affordable than single-family homes. PHOENIX Refusing to take no for an answer, Republican legislators are going to resend the same border law enforcement bill back to Gov. Katie Hobbs that she vetoed just a week ago. It is unacceptable that our own governor wont give Arizona a fighting chance at the border, said Rep. Steve Montenegro, R-Goodyear. He is the sponsor of HB 2821, a carbon-copy of the measure that Hobbs rejected. That measure to allow state and local police to arrest people who crossed the border illegally remains alive and can be sent back to the governor. And Senate President Warren Petersen brushed aside questions of whether Republicans just sending back the same language that Hobbs said in a veto message she found unacceptable and hoping for a different outcome fits the definition of insanity. It would be absolutely insane for her to veto the bill again, said the Gilbert Republican. Anyway, he said, sometimes governors do sign measures they have previously rejected. He said thats already in the cards for the tamale bill that Hobbs vetoed last year to expand the kinds of items that can be prepared in home kitchens and sold to the public. What Petersen did not say is that the version of that which will be going to the governor this year is different than the one she vetoed. She should sign it, he said of the border measure. And if nothing else, the Senate president suggested that the ultimate fate of a resurrected measure depends on news coverage. If the media would have the right narrative with her and was pointing out the truth, and will point out the truth, Im confident shell sign it, Petersen said. But gubernatorial press aide Christian Slater said he shouldnt hold his breath. Asked for a comment about the plan to resend the measure to his boss, Slater sent back a statement of opposition Hobbs issued in February, even before her actual veto detailing why she opposed the bill. There is a work-around: Lawmakers could bypass Hobbs and sent the issue directly to voters. We may, said Petersen. In fact, thats the path GOP leaders already are taking with HCR 2060 which would add teeth to existing laws that require employers to use the federal E-Verify program to determine whether the people they hire are in this country legally. That measure also would extend that requirement to use E-Verify when someone applies to certain public benefits. Even Hobbs has acknowledged that proposals on the November ballot to deal with border issues could gain significant support. I certainly understand that voters are frustrated and want to see something resolve this, she said. Mondays news conference was not just about a do-over for the bill on empowering state and local police. GOP lawmakers also detailed other measure they said would help deal with border crossers and the related problems of smuggling humans and drugs. These include: SCR 1021 providing for life imprisonment, without possibility of parole, for any adult who is convicted of child sex trafficking; SB 1344 saying it is first degree murder if someone dies as a result of fentanyl trafficking; SB 1608 to make it a felony to use a telephone or computer app or program to knowingly assist in human smuggling; HB 2374 creating a Class 2 felony to flee law enforcement in a vehicle if it intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causes death or serious physical injury; SCR 1042 expressing support for Texas in its fight with the federal government over who has the right to secure the border. It is that last issue that is at the heart of the measure Hobbs vetoed, as the bill is a virtual carbon-copy of the Texas law. The proposal would make it a state crime for anyone who is an alien to enter the United States from any foreign nation other than at a port of entry. More to the point, it would authorize state or local police to enforce the law. Another provision would permit police to arrest anyone who is not a U.S. citizen who has been denied admission or already has been ordered deported. The crimes would be designated a misdemeanor which generally carries a penalty of six months in county jail and a fine. But Sen. Janae Shamp, R-Surprise, who sponsored the Senate version, said it was not meant to be punitive. She said it would allow judges to dismiss the charges against those who voluntarily agree to leave the country. Shamp also noted her measure and the Montenegro bill that remains does have carve-outs. For example, it would be an affirmative defense to prosecution of the person has been granted asylum. But that would not apply for those who have simply presented themselves to Border Patrol and applied for asylum. Also protected would be those admitted into the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program enacted by President Obama that allows those brought to this country as children to remain. And the legislation would not allow police to arrest anyone at a school, a place of worship or a health care facility. Whether all that is legal remains unclear. A federal judge put the Texas measure on hold, saying it is an illegal enforcement of federal law by local governments. In fact, U.S. District Court Judge David Ezra specifically cited the 2012 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court which voided much of what was in Arizonas 2010 legislation seeking to empower local police to detain and question those they believe are not in the country legally. That stay was lifted by a federal appeals court. But it is again on hold until at least Wednesday as the Supreme Court looks at the issue. Montenegro said he is confident that the Arizona proposal, if it is signed, would be upheld. The courts will recognize the sovereignty, the sovereign authority that states have to pass meaningful border reform in light of the gross negligence thats happening because of the open border policies that the Biden administration and the Democrats push through, he said. And Montenegro said that right of Arizona to defend itself is guaranteed in the federal constitution. Not only is the federal government doing a bad job but it is refusing to do its job, he said. It is siding with illegal immigrants, illegal aliens, Montenegro said. It is siding with cartels. The governor has said she is doing what she can to deal with the border, including providing funds to assist local law enforcement. Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, who is running for Congress and was at the GOP event, said there has been some funding from the state. And he said sheriffs have had meeting with Hobbs. But thats not enough. While police were searching a five-state area for him, bank robber Henry Starr was living in Tulsa within two blocks of the sheriff and within four blocks of the mayor. He took nightly "joy rides" in his car and frequently visited restaurants and movie theaters, he told a Tulsa World reporter in 1915. Starr, who boasted on his deathbed six years later that he had robbed more banks than any man in the country, had used the name of R. L. Williams -- Oklahoma's governor -- to rent the house at 1534 E. Second St. Utilities and subscriptions to the World and the Tulsa Democrat were in the name of Laura Williams, although one utility was in the name of Wilson. The infamous badman was being sought for a string of 14 bank robberies that had prompted the Legislature to pass a bank robber bill and to put a $1,000 dead-or-alive bounty on Starr's head. Starr revealed his address to Tulsa World reporter J. Burr Gibbons and gave Gibbons permission to enter the house after he was shot during a double bank robbery in Stroud on March 27, 1915. Gibbons wrote that the house presented the appearance of an average home -- with the exception of a large amount of ammunition for .45-caliber Colts and Winchester rifles lying on a dresser. Starr pleaded guilty to a robbery charge and was sentenced to 25 years in the state penitentiary at McAlester but was paroled four years later after he began urging young people to earn their livings instead of turning to a life of crime. "I'm 45 years old and 17 of my 45 years have been spent in prison," he told a World reporter. It was the second time he had been released from prison early and the second time he had tried to go straight. His first release came in 1903 after President Theodore Roosevelt cut the length of his prison sentence in gratitude for Starr's help in disarming badman Crawford Goldsby, alias Cherokee Bill, who was trying to break out of jail and later was hanged at Fort Smith. Starr was in the Fort Smith jail serving a term on his plea of guilty to manslaughter for killing a deputy U.S. marshal for which he had twice been convicted and sentenced to hang, both convictions being overturned by the Supreme Court. After his second release, Starr starred in a couple of movies, including one based on the Stroud double bank robbery. He told reporters he went back to robbing banks to pay his debts -- and was shot by banker J. W. Meyers during a bank robbery in Harrison, Ark., on Feb. 19, 1921. He died five days later. It was apparent from the first that his wounds would be fatal, and Starr talked extensively with his doctor and lawmen about his life of crime, claiming he had robbed more banks than any other man and even more than the James-Younger and the Doolin-Dalton gangs put together. "It doesn't pay," he said, then explained, "I was in debt $2,000 and had to have money, so I turned bank robber again. I'm sorry, but the deed is done." Starr was shot by Meyers from the bank vault into which Meyers and several other bank employees had been forced. The bullet severed Starr's spine, and his gang members started to turn their guns on Meyers but were prevented from shooting him by Starr, who said he had never killed anyone during a robbery and he didn't want his companions to break his record. Starr's wife, son and mother were called to Harrison and remained by his bedside while he was being treated. He told them he realized he was mortally wounded. He told his wife he didn't want to be buried but preferred cremation. However, a funeral with ground burial was scheduled. The 48-year-old bandit, a native of Fort Gibson, had told a World reporter a few months earlier that he had gone straight after being released from prison two years earlier. "All young men should know crime is a losing game no matter who the players may be," he told the reporter. "I would not take $17 million to again face the agony I have endured." Photograph research by Rachele Vaughn. Like this column? Read all the columns in the Only in Oklahoma series from the Tulsa World Archive. Art Haddaway Follow Art Haddaway Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today OWASSO The Owasso Public Schools Board of Education on Monday heard from several attendees who voiced their concerns about the districts handling of and response to student Nex Benedicts death. Benedict, 16, who identified as nonbinary and used gender-neutral pronouns, died Feb. 8, one day after being involved in a fight inside a restroom at Owasso High School. Benedicts high-profile death has brought international attention as detectives continue to investigate details and evidence related to the Feb. 7 altercation amid public outcry over whether the sophomore was the target of a hate crime. Around 70 people showed up at Mondays meeting, which included six individuals who signed up to implore the district to take a stricter stance against bullying, especially toward students who identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community. Do better; be better, Nicole Gray, who self-identified as queer-nonbinary, said. Give these kids a chance not just to survive your schools but to thrive in them. Queer kids deserve safe and happy lives just as much as the straight ones do. LeaAnne Wilson, a lesbian mother of three children enrolled in Owasso, added: My question to you guys is, what does zero-tolerance policy mean? Are you guys following that? Because if you guys were following that, we wouldnt have these bullying cases going on. Wilson commented in reference to the districts Bullying Prevention page, which specifies that Owasso Public Schools student conduct code prohibits bullying and provides references to help students and parents identify bullying as well as report cases. Superintendent Margaret Coates stated in her report to the board on Monday that she and her staff are striving to ensure that every student feels a sense of safety, security and belonging within our school walls in the aftermath of Nexs death. As we move forward with our strategic plan, this is an opportunity for us to review our policies, curriculum and programs, Coates added. I remain committed to listening and collaborating with our students, families, staff and community, and I invite everyone to join OPS in this important work. Madison Hutton, a 2019 Owasso High School graduate and an LGBTQ+ community member, took the podium to raise awareness about bullying but also brought a petition to the board to have a new monument built on district property to commemorate Benedicts life and legacy. We demand that Owasso Public Schools erect a memorial park bench in Nexs honor placed prominently on school grounds and funded entirely by the school district, said Hutton, who currently has 814 signatures on the petition. This bench will serve as a lasting tribute to Nexs memory, as their story will not be silenced or forgotten. One attendee, Aaron Forst, signed up to speak in support of the district, commending Coates and her team for how they have handled the situation. This administration as a whole has done a fantastic job in keeping us informed about the things we need to know, keeping quiet about the things we cannot know at this time and dismantling any false information, Forst said. You have also continued to support and protect our children in countless ways. Forst sat a couple of rows in front of nearly two dozen attendees who showed up with signs and shirts that read: Trans rights, Protect our kids, Every kid deserves safety, Justice for Nex and Owasso, what are we going to do about bullying? Seven of the protesters were removed throughout the course of the evening for disruptive behavior. Mondays board meeting follows a student walkout on Feb. 26 that amplified the bullying discussion in Owasso. It also comes on the heels of the U.S. Department of Educations Office of Civil Rights opening a federal investigation of whether the district failed to appropriately respond to allegations of student harassment. The investigation into Benedicts death is ongoing after detectives in mid-February ruled out physical trauma as a cause of death, based on preliminary autopsy results from the Oklahoma State Medical Examiners Office. They are currently awaiting toxicology and other ancillary testing results. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. A teenage girl was critically injured and hospitalized after a fight near Hazelwood East High School late last week, St. Louis County police said Sunday. Police responded just after 2:30 p.m. Friday to a fight near the intersection of Norgate and Claudine drives in Spanish Lake, Missouri, a community in north St. Louis County. Officers found a girl suffering from a severe head injury. On Saturday, police arrested another girl, 15, on suspicion of assault, according to a release. Her name was not released because she is a juvenile. The Hazelwood School District released a statement Saturday condemning bullying and fighting in the community and urging people to take ownership and work towards a resolution for the sake of our children. The Hazelwood School District offers our sincerest condolences to everyone involved, and will offer additional emotional support from our support and crisis team to those in need, the statement said. A graphic video began circulating on social media over the weekend that showed two girls fighting in the middle of a street. By the end, one of the girls was lying on the pavement, severely injured. Police said Sunday they had confirmed the video was authentic through an investigation. Editor's note: This story has been updated to include details of a video of the fight that was circulating online. The location of the school has also been corrected. Randy Krehbiel Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Randy Krehbiel Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today With the families of six people murdered near Henryetta last year watching from the gallery, the Oklahoma House of Representatives voted to send people convicted of some sex crimes to prison for life without the possibility of parole and lengthen the sentences of many others. House Bill 3992s author, Rep. Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee, referred to the legislation as You-mess-with-my-kids-Im putting-your-butt-in-jail-for-100%-of-your-time, and thats what it would do. Under Fetgatters legislation, people convicted of first-degree rape, child sexual abuse, lewd or indecent proposals to a child, child pornography or aggravated child pornography, child prostitution, or human trafficking of a minor for commercial sex would not be eligible for early release. That sentence could be life without parole if the victim is a minor. The measure also would extend the sentencing range for most of those offenses. Five of the six people killed near Henryetta were teenagers. They were killed by a rapist who was released in 2020 after 17 years in prison and who was due to stand trial on the day of the shootings on a charge of sexting with minors. Some viewed HB 3992 as an understandable reaction to the murders but questionable policy that might make convictions hard to obtain. A fiscal analysis put the potential cost of the measure at up to $129.1 million. That did not deter Fetgatter. In the wake of the devastating tragedy in Henryetta, we need to establish stronger measures to ensure the safety and security of our communities, he said. These events have caused immense pain and sorrow, leaving our community in a state of shock and grief. No other Oklahoman should suffer a tragedy as brutal and devastating as this. HB 3992 fits into this legislative sessions throw-the-book-at-em atmosphere. The House also voted Monday to upgrade domestic assault and battery with a dangerous weapon to an 85% crime and to open pornography purveyors to lawsuits from parents whose kids get a look at the stuff. Im beginning to think this body has an unnatural obsession with porn, said Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Oklahoma City, referring to bill after bill after bill on the subject and suggesting that those bills were more about pandering to the public than solving any problems. Later in the afternoon, Rep. J.J. Humphrey, R-Lane, brought up his bill, HB 3022, which he said is intended to protect prison inmates from rape by making sure women go to womens prisons and men go to mens prisons. Because his bill relies on a definition of gender based on identity at birth, Humphrey was asked if it would send transgender women who have fully transitioned to mens prisons. Humphrey, who has said he considers transgenderism to be a mental illness, said he understood why that might be a concern but didnt exactly say no. In summing up his bill, Humphrey said he receives many calls from inmates who are being raped in prison and from families who say theyre paying extortion to prevent their sons from being raped. He didnt explain how men being raped in prison related to transgender women or men, for that matter. Earlier, he suggested that men posing as transgender women are a threat to female inmates. Rep. Mauree Turner, D-Oklahoma City, the Legislatures only nonbinary member, chided lawmakers for again making transgender people targets and women in prison have bigger concerns. Turner also mentioned the death of 16-year-old Owasso High School student Nex Benedict, who was described as nonbinary. We continuously see the impact of real-life death and assault of trans-Oklahomans, Turner said. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Steve Metzer Tulsa World Capitol Bureau Staff Writer Follow Steve Metzer Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today OKLAHOMA CITY Public schools and charter schools in Oklahoma would see new limits placed on virtual days that they might plan for students to remain at home to do their assignments under legislation that advanced through the Senate on Tuesday. Senate Bill 1768, authored by Sens. Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond, and Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, would allow for schools to shift to online learning only on days when inclement weather, staffing shortages, building maintenance issues or some other challenge approved by the State Board of Education makes it impossible for teachers and students to meet in person. The measure passed through the Senate on a 31-16 vote. Thompson said students learn better when theyre in classrooms with teachers and that allowing schools, in some cases, to plan for dozens of virtual-only days throughout the school year has been detrimental to students. The move to virtual days also has been hard on working parents, she said, making it a workforce issue for the entire state. We have a responsibility to our kids to ensure they receive a high-quality education every single day, Thompson said. The lawmaker said that since she drafted SB 1768 she has heard from many parents who have faced family challenges related to remote-only days planned by schools. Some lawmakers who opposed the bill, including Sens. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, and Jo Anna Dossett, D-Tulsa, expressed concerns about stifling innovation and creativity by schools in their use of online instruction. Some lawmakers also expressed reluctance to circumvent the control of local school boards. On a busy day at the Oklahoma Capitol, the Senate also voted to pass, among other bills: SB 2035 by Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, which would mandate that motor vehicle license plates remain with vehicles to which theyre initially registered, including after vehicles are sold. In cases of new vehicle sales or when license plates dont exist, authorized vendors would provide preprinted temporary license plates to licensed dealers, provide a method for dealers to electronically enter required purchaser information and submit required purchaser information to Service Oklahoma within 24 hours. The measure would require dealers and sellers to complete preregistration of vehicles by submitting documentation to Service Oklahoma or a licensed operator identifying a motor vehicle subject to transaction and any associated state-issued license plate on the vehicle within two days of the transaction. SB 1358 by Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, which would change the way Oklahoma funds higher education and CareerTech programs to meet workforce development needs. The measure would put the recently formed Oklahoma Workforce Commission in charge of $100 million deposited into a Workforce Development Revolving Fund. Goals would be to increase the numbers of Oklahomans who hold degrees, credentials or skill sets in high demand by employers. SB 1279 by Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, which would create a pilot program funded with $500,000 intended to help police departments get training for officers to identify when drivers are high on marijuana or otherwise impaired. HB 3749 by Rep. Jim Grego, R-Wilburton, and Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, which would appropriate $8.3 million into a newly created Oklahoma State Penitentiary Prison Rodeo Revolving Fund to refurbish a rodeo arena at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester to be used in reinstituting a prison rodeo. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Video: Debate and vote on lock the clock legislation for Oklahoma. Steve Metzer Tulsa World Capitol Bureau Staff Writer Follow Steve Metzer Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today OKLAHOMA CITY A proposal by a Bartlesville lawmaker that could lead to a wholesale change in the way Oklahoma Supreme Court and appellate court judges are selected, shifting more power to the governor, passed through the Senate on Tuesday. Senate Joint Resolution 34, authored by Republican Sen. Julie Daniels, proposes a statewide vote on whether the Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Commission should be disbanded and its responsibility for selecting judicial nominees turned over to the governor. Daniels said she believes that voters, if given the opportunity, would favor a system reflective of the way U.S. Supreme Court and appeals court justices are selected over the current Judicial Nominating Commission system, which has been in place since 1967. I believe that we would have a better reflection of the people of Oklahoma if we move to a system that allows the governor to appoint, Daniels said. Now, we have another group, another viewpoint that has, in my view, more weight, more influence in the process than I think is good for my state. After more than 30 minutes of questioning and debate on the Senate floor, the resolution passed on a vote of 32-14. Seven Democrats were joined by seven Republican senators in opposing the measure. Sens. Michael Brooks and Kay Floyd, both Democrats from Oklahoma City, raised numerous questions about why Oklahomans might want to throw out a system that they said has worked well for some 50 years and which was implemented in the aftermath of a national scandal involving Supreme Court judges in Oklahoma caught taking bribes. Both asserted that the Judicial Nominating Commission, consisting of 15 members that by law are selected in such a way that the commission should remain nonpartisan, has worked well in insulating the judiciary from politics. They suggested that making the change as proposed by Daniels would have the effect of weakening the judicial branch and giving leverage over judicial matters to the executive branch. They also suggested that the Judicial Nominating Commission, which by law is to include no fewer than six lawyers elected by members of the Oklahoma Bar Association, would be better suited to screen and ensure the qualifications of prospective jurists than a governor who might have little or no legal experience. If this proposition were to pass, is there anything that would prevent the governor from being empowered to make these appointments based on purely political reasons? Brooks asked. If Oklahomans opt to make the change, selectees for the bench named by a governor would have to be confirmed by the Senate. SJR 34 also proposes that Oklahomans should vote on whether to do away with judicial retention ballots and allow justices to serve for life unless theyre impeached. An amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution in 1967 established the Judicial Nominating Commission and rules for how its organized. Its members serve without compensation. The governor appoints six, all representing different parts of the state, to serve staggered six-year terms. No more than three of the governors appointees can belong to any one political party. Additionally, six lawyers are elected by members of the OBA to serve six-year terms, staggered at two-year intervals. Of those, no more than three can belong to any one political party. Other at-large members are appointed by the Senate president pro tem and the speaker of the House, and one is selected by other members of the Judicial Nominating Commission. Of those three, no more than two can be from the same political party. When vacancies occur on the Oklahoma Supreme Court or appellate courts, and in some other cases, the commission is responsible for nominating the three most qualified candidates for appointment by the governor. Daniels said Oklahomans should be allowed to weigh in on whether they would prefer the federal constitutional system of selecting Supreme Court and other senior judges in the Sooner State. When youre talking about the integrity of individual people, certainly you would vet to the best of your ability, and certainly that would be what I would expect from the governor, just as I expect from the president, she said. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. The three Belgian climate protesters who were previously sentenced to a two-month jail time for targeting Johannes Vermeer's famed piece "Girl with a Pearl Earring" is no longer getting punished after a Dutch appeals court ruled in favor of them last Monday, March 11, according to CNN. Behind the Ruling in Favor of the Just Stop Oil Belgium Activists The activists were part of the Just Stop Oil Belgium campaign group, two of whom can be seen in a video captured of the incident gluing parts of their bodies on the Vermeer painting as well as pouring tomato soup near it, with the third man serving as the cameraman. The demonstration, which happened in October 2022 at The Hague's Mauritshuis Museum in the Netherlands, initially resulted in the protesters getting two-month jail sentences for causing destruction and damage to the piece, alongside exacting public violence. In a statement shared by the museum just days after the incident, it said the 17th-century masterpiece "remained undamaged" and was swiftly returned "back to her familiar spot." However, in contrast, the piece's 19th-century frame had been unfortunately damaged after the protest, according to the Netherlands Public Prosecution Service. Before the recent ensuing trial, the convicted men had to stay in detention for a total of 23 days. Because of spending almost a month in pre-trial detention, the court has determined that a longer more definitive prison sentence would have been immoderate. As per a court spokesperson, the ruling was made in consideration of others who would like to peacefully protest or exercise their democratic right to freely express their dissatisfaction in a non-violent manner. Especially because punishing the protesters for essentially doing just that would have had a "chilling effect" on others, the court added. Read Also: Broadway Alums Da'Vine Joy Randolph and Emma Stone Win Big at the Oscars 2024 2024 Classicalite All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Chairperson of the ASEAN New Zealand Business Council (ANZBC) Kathleen Morrison has called on New Zealand companies to tap the Vietnamese market. Firms should come to Vietnam to do more business, she said while coordinating a talk between Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and nearly 20 international and New Zealand enterprises on Monday. ANZBC is a member-based organization connecting New Zealand businesses with ASEAN trading partners. In an interview with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on the sidelines of the talk, Morrison affirmed that the Vietnamese prime ministers two-day visit to New Zealand was seen as a push for New Zealand firms to expand their business in Vietnam. Vietnam is determined to seek cooperation opportunities to raise bilateral trade between the two nations, she underlined. Benefiting from a growing middle class and a sizable population, the Southeast Asian nation is anticipated to offer advantages for New Zealand companies, she noted. The ANZBC leader also underscored that the council considers ASEAN, including Vietnam, its tremendously strategic trade partner and a potential destination for New Zealand investors. Chairperson of the ASEAN New Zealand Business Council (ANZBC) Kathleen Morrison. Photo: Supplied Last year, the government of New Zealand and the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade paid a lot of attention to the region, with a focus on climate change. The council is implementing some trade activities in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, she said, adding that it was sure that the council would do more in the region. Southeast Asia in general and Vietnam in particular are working to drive up circular and green economic growth, so technology transfer is seen as a prospective partnership, she stressed. ANZBC is planning to arrange a trip to Vietnam for New Zealand dairy firms to sound out cooperation opportunities there. Meanwhile, many firms in New Zealand active in various industries desire to explore the Vietnamese market, Morrison divulged. Wrapping up the interview, Morrison encouraged New Zealand companies to call the Vietnamese trade office to seek investment and cooperation opportunities in Vietnam. PM Chinh arrived in Auckland on Saturday evening (local time), beginning his first official visit to New Zealand since assuming power in 2021 at the invitation of his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon. The two-day visit took place ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-New Zealand diplomatic ties in 2025. The prime minister and his entourage left New Zealand for Hanoi on Monday night. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Sport utility vehicles (SUVs) are expected to compete with sedans and multipurpose vehicles in Vietnam as multiple models will make their debut in the local market this year. These new vehicles will be priced from VND700 million (US$28,500) to over VND2 billion ($81,540). The Volkswagen Teramont X, manufactured by German automaker Volkswagen, will be launched in the Southeast Asian nation on March 14. Though the model has yet to debut in Vietnam, some local dealerships have already imported several Volkswagen Teramont X cars and handed them over to customers in early February. Each Teramont X is priced from VND2.168 billion ($88,368). The Teramont X is seen as the coupe version of the Teramont, but has five seats instead of seven like the latter. The Teramont X set to be sold in Vietnam is equipped with 19-inch wheel discs, a 12-inch instrument display, a 10.25-inch touchscreen, matrix LED headlights, a tri-zone automatic climate-control system, and a Harman Kardon audio system. With its two-liter engine, the Teramont X can produce 220 horsepower and 350 Nm of torque. The Suzuki Jimny, a four-wheel drive off-road mini sport utility vehicle manufactured by Japanese automaker Suzuki, will officially be launched in Vietnam in April 2024. Photo: Supplied The Suzuki Jimny, a four-wheel drive off-road mini sport utility vehicle manufactured by Japanese automaker Suzuki, will be officially launched in Vietnam in April. Some dealerships announced its price at VND799 million ($32,570). Like the Volkswagen Teramont X, the Jimny has yet to go on sale in Vietnam, but importers brought some to the country in 2023. The Suzuki Jimny features LED projector headlights and each wheel of the car has a 15-inch disc brake. The one-tone-color version comes in white, silver, black, gray, pearl, and moss green. The model is equipped with a seven-inch screen, Bluetooth connections, a satellite navigation system, and a single-zone automatic vehicle climate control system. With its 1.5-liter engine, the Jimny can produce 103 horsepower and 138 Nm of torque. The Toyota Corolla Cross 2024 on display in Thailand. Photo: Toyota The facelifted Toyota Corolla Cross, produced by Japanese automaker Toyota, will come to the Vietnamese market in April. Some local dealers said that the 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross features a 3D grille, a 12.3-inch instrument display, a touchscreen measuring 10.1 inches, an electric parking brake, wheel discs with new design, an upfront sensor, and upgraded adaptive cruise control. The luxury Ford Everest Platinum, a mid-size SUV, produced by Ford Motor Company, an American multinational auto manufacturer, is expected to enter Vietnam to replace the Wildtrak model. A Ford Everest Platinum car. Photo: Ford The Ford Everest Platinum, powered by the 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine, had its price announced at VND1.7 billion ($69,300). The Haval Jolion, a compact cross SUV produced by Chinese automobile maker Great Wall Motor, is scheduled to make its first appearance in Vietnam in August at a temporary price of VND700 million ($28,500). The interior of the Haval Jolion is equipped with a 12.3-inch central touchscreen, and a 7.0-inch instrument display. Other features include a six-speaker sound system, a six-way electric driver's seat with ventilation, dual-zone climate control, and an advanced driver-assistance system. Certain dealerships said that the Haval Jolion will come to Vietnam in two versions, including the petrol-powered version and a hybrid model. The interior of the Haval Jolion. Photo: Supplied Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! BRUSSELS -- European Union country leaders will urge the EU to work quickly on more measures to support farmers in response to months of protests by angry agriculture workers, draft conclusions for an EU leaders' summit showed. The EU has already watered down some environmental policies in response to the sometimes violent protests, but with farmers still taking to the streets this week in Belgium and France, Brussels is under pressure to do more. Draft conclusions for an EU summit on 21-22 March, seen by Reuters, showed EU country leaders plan to ask the European Commission to work without delay on "all possible short-term measures, including those to reduce the administrative burden and achieve simplification for farmers". Tractors of the French farmers of the Coordination Rural (CR) are parked during a go-slow operation as they protest ahead of the opening of the Paris farm show, in Paris, France, February 23, 2024. Photo: Reuters The EU should also take action to strengthen the position of farmers in the food supply chain, and ensure they can earn a fair income, the draft said. Having already withdrawn a law to reduce pesticides and weakened some nature protection measures, the EU is looking at new proposals to ease pressures on European farmers, including a reduction in farm inspections and the possibility of exempting small farms from some environmental standards. A driver smokes as he walks past his tractor parked in front of a government office in Prague, Czech Republic, March 7, 2024. Photo: Reuters The crisis in the sector comes as Europe faces increasingly dire warnings from scientists about the environmental damage industrial farming is causing, and the urgent need to protect nature in the face of worsening climate change. The EU Environment Agency this week said current EU food policies are failing to address climate change risks. French farmers block the A20 highway with their tractors and hay bales to protest over price pressures, taxes and green regulation, near Montauban, south of France, January 24, 2024. Photo: Reuters It suggested Europe consider policies to encourage less livestock farming, since shifting to plant-based proteins could help farmers reduce their reliance on imported animal feed and use less water, which climate change is making an increasingly scarce resource in drought-stricken southern Europe. Angry farmers have staged protests from Poland, to Germany, to France and Slovenia in recent months to draw attention to numerous complaints, including cheap supermarket prices, low-cost imports from outside of Europe, and EU green policies some say are excessive. WASHINGTON -- While most people speak only one language or perhaps two, some are proficient in many. These people are called polyglots. And they are helping to provide insight into how the brain deals with language, the principal method of human communication. In a new study involving a group of polyglots, the brain activity of the participants was monitored using a method called functional magnetic resonance imaging as they listened to passages read in various languages. With one intriguing exception, activity increased in the areas of the cerebral cortex involved in the brain's language-processing network when these polyglots - who spoke between five and 54 languages - heard languages in which they were the most proficient compared to ones of lesser or no proficiency. "We think this is because when you process a language that you know well, you can engage the full suite of linguistic operations - the operations that the language system in your brain supports," said Massachusetts Institute of Technology neuroscientist Evelina Fedorenko, a member of MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research and senior author of the study published on Monday in the journal Cerebral Cortex. "You can access all the word meanings from memory, you can build phrases and clauses out of the individual words, and you can access complex, sentence-level meanings," Fedorenko added. But an exception caught the attention of the researchers. In many of the participants, listening to their native language elicited a lesser brain response compared to hearing other languages they knew - on average down about 25 percent. And in some of the polyglots, listening to their native language activated only a part of the brain's language network, not the whole thing. "Polyglots become experts in their native language from the point of view of efficiency of neural processes that are required to process it. Therefore, the language network in the brain does not activate as much when they do native versus non-native language processing," said neuroscientist and study co-lead author Olessia Jouravlev of Carleton University in Canada. "One's native language may hold a privileged status, at least in this population," Fedorenko added, referring to the study's polyglot participants. Children of a welcome class for migrants attend a German language lesson at the catholic Sankt Franziskus school in Berlin, Germany, January 22, 2016. Photo: Reuters The brain's language network involves a few areas situated in its frontal and temporal lobes. "The language network supports comprehension and production across modalities - spoken, written, signed, etc. - and helps us encode our thoughts into word sequences and decode others' thoughts from their utterances," Fedorenko said. Study co-lead author Saima Malik-Moraleda, a doctoral student at the Harvard/MIT Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, said the findings suggest that the distillation of meaning governs brain response to language. "The more meaning you can extract from the language input you are receiving, the greater the response in language regions - except for the native language, presumably because the speaker is more efficient in extracting meaning from the linguistic input," Malik-Moraleda said. Student Jose Rodriguez Ramos of Peru takes notes during a Russian language class in Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 6, 2018. Photo: Reuters The 34 study participants, 20 men and 14 women, ranged in age from 19 to 71. Twenty-one were native English speakers, with the rest native speakers of French, Russian, Spanish, Dutch, German, Hungarian and Mandarin Chinese. Their brain activity was monitored when they listened to recordings of passages in eight languages: their native language, three others in which they were highly proficient, moderately proficient and minimally proficient, and then four they did not know. Half heard recordings of Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland." The other half heard recordings of biblical stories. The lesser brain response to hearing one's native language was most pronounced among the study participants who heard the biblical stories - linguistically simpler, according to Fedorenko, than Carroll's writing. "A lot of work in language research," Fedorenko said, "has focused on individuals with linguistic difficulties - developmental or acquired. But we can also learn a lot about cognitive and neural infrastructure of some function by looking at individuals who are 'experts' in that function. Polyglots are one kind of language 'experts.'" Ho Chi Minh City, an economic hub in southern Vietnam, wishes to promote multifaceted cooperation with Shandong Province and other Chinese localities along the Huang He River (Yellow River), the citys vice-mayor Nguyen Van Dung said. Dung was making the remark at a trading conference held by local authorities in District 1 on Monday. The event was organized in collaboration with the Chinese Consulate General in the city and the Shandong administration. The event was attended by officials from the host city, the consulate general, and the authorities of Shandong along with other Chinese localities, focusing on beefing up multifaceted cooperation. Dung recommended that the Vietnamese and Chinese sides concentrate on cooperation in fields that match their strengths and demands, including construction, healthcare, education, culture, tourism, digital economy, and green economy. Ho Chi Minh City is striving to turn into a smart city and a regional logistics hub, creating a breakthrough for its economic development in the future, he told the conference. "In this context, we hope Shandong authorities and the other Chinese regions will encourage tech and innovation-driven businesses to invest in Ho Chi Minh City and enhance the importation of commodities that align with the city's strengths," the official said. The Ho Chi Minh City administration, as affirmed by the deputy chairman, will persist in improving the local investment climate to offer optimal conditions for foreign firms, including those from Shandong and those situated along the Yellow River, to invest in the city. China is currently one of the citys biggest trading partners and has invested over US$303 million in 590 projects there, ranking 17th among the 122 countries and territories directly investing in the southern Vietnamese metropolis, he told the conference. Addressing the meeting, Song Junji, deputy governor of Shandong said the provinces industrial production value tops China with over one trillion yuan ($139.4 billion) while its economic size ranks third in the country. Last year, the province placed fifth in attracting foreign direct investment, representing 11 percent of the total in China. He highly appreciated Ho Chi Minh City as the largest economic hub of Vietnam that holds substantial potential for expansive economic cooperation with the provinces in the Yellow River basin and China in general, the Vietnam News Agency reported. China has been Vietnams biggest trading partner over the past few years while the Southeast Asian nation respectively ranks fourth and first among the trading partners of China in the world and ASEAN, the Chinese official said. The conference was aimed at laying a foundation for strengthening trade links between the Yellow River localities and Ho Chi Minh City in farm produce, garments, footwear, and electronic products, among others, he told the conference attendees. The Vietnam News Agency cited Chinese Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Wei Huaxiang as saying Shandong has long cooperated effectively with many southern localities of Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City. The number of direct flights between the city and the Yellow River localities has almost doubled, reflecting their vast cooperation potentialities expected to be tapped for mutual interests, he commented. The conference also heard a number of businesses from Shandong and many representatives of Shanxi, Qinghai, and Shaanxi Provinces in the Yellow River area introduced their potential in cooperation with Ho Chi Minh City. The event witnessed the signing of cooperation projects between Chinese and Vietnamese businesses in agricultural products, food, and industrial materials. In particular, Shandong-based Qingdao Port Group signed a friendly cooperation agreement with Saigon Port of Ho Chi Minh City. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnam and Canada jointly launched a United Nations staff officer training course at the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations in Hanoi on Monday. Lieutenant General Nguyen Trong Binh, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, and Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Shawn Steil co-hosted the opening ceremony of the course, gathering 64 lecturers, coordinators, and officers. As part of Canada's Military Training and Cooperation Program, the training course is aimed at providing the participants with knowledge and skills needed to perform duties as UN military staff officers. The course is also expected to improve Vietnams capacity for hosting intensive international training courses on UN peacekeeping and developing a team of UN peacekeeping lecturers. Besides, the course is set to enhance the friendship and collaboration between Vietnam and Canada as well as international partners in UN peacekeeping. Lieutenant General Binh said that Vietnam has received tremendous support from Canada over the past decade in preparation and deployment of forces for UN peacekeeping missions. Binh stressed that this is the first time that Vietnam and Canada have co-hosted a UN staff officer course, adding that it is the fourth intensive international training course on UN peacekeeping co-held by both sides in Vietnam, at a time when the Southeast Asian nation is deeply engaging in UN-led peacekeeping operations. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Steil spoke highly of the Vietnam-Canada partnership in peacekeeping, particularly the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in UN peacekeeping last year. The Canadian diplomat elaborated that the growing Vietnam-Canada defense ties are clearly evident in this training course. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Thu Ha Bakery in Soc Trang Province, located in southern Vietnam, was levied a VND90 million (US$3,670) fine and a four-month suspension for its role in a food poisoning incident which involved 159 customers in January this year. A leader of the provincial Department of Health confirmed on Tuesday that the chairperson of the provincial administration had signed a decision on the sanction against the bakery, situated at 2 Hai Ba Trung Street in Soc Trang City in the namesake province. The bakery was also required to cover treatment costs totaling over VND384 million ($15,638) for 153 victims. According to the decision, the bakery committed administrative violations, including purchasing, processing, and providing food causing food poisoning. Salmonella spp, a pathogen responsible for severe foodborne infections, was found in cold meats at Thu Ha Bakery. In late January, 159 people developed symptoms of food poisoning, such as stomach ache, diarrhea, vomiting, and fever, after eating banh mi at Thu Ha Bakery. Of them, 153 were treated at hospitals in Soc Trang Province, while the six others were treated at home. A representative from Thu Ha Bakery stated the commitment to adhere to all decisions made by local authorities. The bakery also expressed willingness to cooperate with the authorities in covering the treatment costs for the victims. The incident was unexpected. We have been extremely saddened over the past few days," the representative added. We will sort everything out and hope that everyone will understand us." Banh mi, a type of Vietnamese baguette typically filled with cold meats, pate, and vegetables, is a popular dish in Vietnam. Late last year, Banh Mi Phuong, a well-known bakery in Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam, was fined VND96 million ($3,913) and suspended for three months for causing a food poisoning incident involving over 300 customers. It was reopened in January this year. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Residents of Thoi An Ward in District 12, Ho Chi Minh City have been working with police forces for nearly a month in a joint effort to stop adverts from drowning the streets near their homes. For many years, illegally placed adverts in public have been a source of frustration for residents of Ho Chi Minh City. Given simple directives from the Ministry of Public Security, the Party Committee and the Peoples Committee of Ho Chi Minh City launched a movement among the people and police forces of Thoi An Ward. A police officer arrests two individuals in the middle of illegally placing adverts in Thoi An Ward, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City, March 2024. Photo: Giai Thuy / Tuoi Tre Locals took to the streets with whatever tools they had multiple times between mid-February and the beginning of March in order to scrub away the many illegally placed adverts that have been stuck to building walls, as well as traffic and electric poles. Meanwhile, residents and police forces arrested a total of four individuals in the act of covering the streets of Thoi An Ward with more adverts on three separate occasions, two of which occurred on March 2 and the final one on Saturday last week. Cung Quang Ha, chairman of the Thoi An Ward Peoples Committee, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper in an interview on Sunday that this clean-up campaign had been in the works since 2023. We finished cleaning up a street last week, only to find it already covered in new adverts the following morning, Ha said. Residents and police officers of Thoi An Ward in District 12, Ho Chi Minh City gather to participate in a campaign to clean the streets where they live of illegally placed adverts. Photo: Giai Thuy / Tuoi Tre These violators often work late at night or early in the morning to escape detection. Our officers have to disguise themselves for a chance to make an arrest. We are also working with authorities in other parts of the city to expand investigations and solve the problem from its roots. Cleaning up the streets has proved to become more challenging with recent cases of gambling sites being spray-painted on walls. Thoi An Ward's police assert that addressing this issue long-term necessitates public adherence to advertising laws and active participation in campaigns to remove illicitly placed advertisements in public spaces. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnams Ministry of Planning and Investment on Monday launched the Vietnam Innovation Challenge (VIC) 2024 program, with prizes totaling US$300,000, to seek innovation solutions from around the world toward a goal of innovation accounting for 40 percent of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030. Initiated and steered by the ministry, the VIC 2024 is organized and conducted by the National Innovation Center (NIC) in conjunction with U.S. tech giant Meta Group under the topic Innovation to Accelerate the Semiconductor Industry and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Go Global. The annual program, which also welcomes coordination of other domestic and international partners, seeks creative initiatives from individuals and organizations from all over the world that help overcome key national challenges to bring prosperous and sustainable development to Vietnam. VIC 2024 aims to support and develop 500 pioneering enterprises leading the economy by 2030. It also focuses on enhancing innovation capacity in central and local government agencies, according to the program's website. It will develop a comprehensive innovation ecosystem in Vietnam to make the country an attractive destination for technology and innovation investors with the presence and operation of the world's 500 largest corporations. The overall goal of the program is to further promote innovation so that it can represent 40 percent of the countrys GDP by 2030. The VIC 2024 seeks and recognizes solutions that enhance the quality of the semiconductor value chain in design, packaging, and testing phases, with a priority on applications related to AI. Also being sought are solutions that apply AI technologies to supporting enterprises to enhance business efficiency. All initiatives submitted to the program will be evaluated and selected on a set of criteria including uniqueness, sustainability, effectiveness, readiness, competence, and scalability. The VIC 2024 will provide a total prize pool of $300,000 for chosen innovative solutions, and the specific number of prizes is yet to be announced. VIC winners will also be given privilege support packages, including technical support, co-working spaces, market expansion opportunities, and promotion of images and brands. The organizing board will hold a press conference next Monday to launch the VIC 2024, for which the application deadline is May 31. After compiling and screening applications, the organizers will conduct a preliminary selection in June in preparation for the official evaluation to be carried out in September. The announcement and recognition of the winner are scheduled for October. During the inaugural year of the VIC in 2023, organizers received 758 proposals for digital transformation solutions and products from many countries with well-established innovation ecosystems, including the U.S., South Korea, and Singapore. Twelve prizes were awarded to the most exceptional innovation solutions in the VIC 2023 program. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! UK docuseries Lockerbie will premiere with a double episode this Sunday on Seven. The 4 part series, which documents the air crash terrorist attack of 1988, hears from those who were involved. It will conclude with a double finale a week later. Christmas cheer in the quiet farming community of Lockerbie is shattered on the night of 21st December 1988, as a huge explosion destroys a residential street, and for miles around debris falls from the skies. Local residents speak of their shock and confusion at what looks like a plane crash, and their distress at finding bodies sometimes still in their airline seats in their gardens and fields. Meanwhile relatives of those on-board Pan Am 103 learn of the disaster on television and the radio, unable to confirm their loved ones deaths for many hours due to jammed phone lines. Dr Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora was on the flight, drives to Lockerbie determined to see her body, held in a temporary mortuary at the towns ice rink. So begins Jims search for the truth about how she died. It emerges the plane was downed by a bomb: the prime suspects are Iran, who had publicly vowed revenge for the accidental downing of an Iran Air passenger flight by the US Navy in the Gulf in July 1988. A huge criminal investigation is set in motion, and investigators find their first lead pieces of a suitcase they believe contained the bomb. Double episode 8:30pm Sunday on Seven. Following a recent heart operation in London, Miriam is worried about what the future holds. So, ignoring everyones advice to slow down, she returns to Australia for a new series, Miriam Margolyes: Impossibly Australian. Across the three-part series, she embarks on a personal mission, travelling to Perth, Byron Bay and Broken Hill, meeting communities that are facing change and who can teach her how to adapt to whatever the future holds. Miriam begins her journey in Perth in search of both her own identity and has an emotional meeting with Fremantle locals Tony and Jim, part of Australias Stolen Generation. She then travels to Byron Bay, where individualism and influencers thrive. Here she meets hippies, learns about Byrons homelessness crisis and even gets her yoni steamed. Finally, she heads into the outback mining town of Broken Hill, where people are reinventing themselves, carving out new paths against all odds. Production credit: A Southern Pictures production in association with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the BBC and Screen NSW. Executive Producer: Laurie Critchley. Series Director: Helen Barrow. Series Producer: Jo Siddiqui. ABC Commissioning Editor: Julia Hanna. ABC Head of Factual: Susie Jones. Tuesday 9th April at 8pm on ABC Production of Kangaroo Beach Season 3 is underway in Western Australia and NSW, with 10-year-old actor Blake Stevens joining the main cast as the new voice of kangaroo lifeguard cadet, Pounce. Since splashing onto screens across Australia in 2020, Kangaroo Beach became the second most-watched ABC Kids series on ABC iview. Season 3 will see the cadets returning for another summer stacked with fun, adventure and friendship. The cadets will spend more time under the sea, scuba diving around the beautiful reef, as well as up in the mountains in a spectacular new lake location that is surrounded by gum trees and connected via a long and bendy river through the bush to Kangaroo Beach. After producing the first two seasons in NSW, Cheeky Little Media (Ginger & the Vegesaurs, Kazoops) teamed up with WA production company Siamese to co-produce the new season. Production is underway across both states, with a number of WA producers, concept designers, editors, sound designers and voice actors bringing the series to life, which will feature a brand-new location inspired by the Western Australian landscape. Expanding our casting search to Western Australia for Season 3 has led us to discover some exceptional new talent. Were thrilled to welcome WAs Blake Stevens as Pounce and his brother, Bradley Stevens as Junior Junior Cadet Dougie, who are joining the cast alongside Deborah Mailman as Spykes Aunty Bev, Mark Trevorrow as Frizzys popstar dad, Russell as well Miranda Tapsell who is returning as Wanda the beloved sugar glider, said Producer, Celine Goetz of Cheeky Little Media. Partnering with Cheeky Little Media on Kangaroo Beach Season 3 marks our first steps into the preschool space and were having an absolute blast making the show. This season will feature a freshwater lake inspired by Western Australia and will also showcase the talents of WA creatives to the world. Weve created employment opportunities in Perth across an 18-month schedule in the areas of scripting, voice talent, storyboards, design, editorial and sound design, said Producer, Francesca Hope of Siamese. Being part of Kangaroo Beach was so awesome! I had so much fun! The voice director, Kate taught me so much and helped me become Pounce. Hes such a happy and energetic character with lots of energy! Im really proud that I get to be a part of this wonderful show teaching kids about important water safety. I cant wait to watch Season 3 when it comes out! said Blake Stevens. Its fantastic to see so many career opportunities for WA cast and crew created by Siamese congratulations to Francesca and the team for coming on board as co-producers and bringing production of this iconic kids series to WA, said Rikki Lea Bestall, Screenwest CEO. Its great for Australian families and children to have access to high quality content that reflects shared experiences and life in Australia and Kangaroo Beach delivers just that. Season 3 promises yet another action-packed summer with our favourite lifeguard cadets Frizzy, Neville, Pounce and Gemma exploring the beach and the bush! Congratulations to the entire Cheeky Media team and talented cast for creating a show that resonates so strongly with children at home and abroad, said Grainne Brunsdon, Director of Content Screen Australia. We are so pleased to work in Western Australia for the third series of this much-loved, iconic pre-school brand. This has allowed us to widen the talent pool across the animation pipeline with new creatives, and bring on wonderful new cast members who authentically reflect the lives of kids across Australia. Were bringing the WA sun and surf to Kangaroo Beach! said Jo Boag, ABC Children & Family Commissioning Editor, Animation. Production Credit: Kangaroo Beach Season 3 is a Cheeky Little Media production for the ABC, produced in association with Siamese. Major production investment from the ABC in association with Screen Australia and the Australian Childrens Television Foundation (ACTF). Financed with support from Screenwest and Lotterywest and Surf Life Saving Australia. International sales by the Australian Childrens Television Foundation (ACTF) and Infinite Frameworks. Post, digital and visual effects supported by Screen NSW. Developed with assistance of the ABC. Cheeky Little Commercial continues as the global brand manager. Amid Dubai's industrial district Al Quoz district lies something unexpected: a hub of creativity, drawing artists, designers and art lovers from around the world to an unassuming part of a city famed for its glitz. In the 15 years since the art crowd started making its mark on the area, Alserkal Avenue has been the heart of this movement; of late, however, a group of innovative spaces has been moving the centre of gravity slightly south. Among these is the young NIKA Project Space, set on Al Khayat Avenue, which despite having only just celebrated its first anniversary is already making waves on the Dubai art scene. Founded by Russian-born lawyer-turned-gallerist Veronika Berezina, NIKA champions and practically supports the work of female artists and curators, with a particular focus on practitioners from the Global South not least via its research and residency programme. Among those to have taken part is New York-based artist Katya Muromtseva, herself an immigrant and anti-war activist who found herself forced to leave her native Russia. Katya Muromtseva poses with one of her artworks - Rocio Segura Her show Over the Slopes of Speech adorns the space with epic watercolour triptychs, each telling the story of immigrant women (and in some cases accompanied by a pamphlet containing the full written interview) an apt endeavour in a country where immigrants make up close to 90% of the population. The monumental paintings are based on interviews the artist conducted both in Dubai and her adopted home New York, exploring the experience and resilience of women from countries including Ukraine, Turkmenistan, Russia, Ghana and Nigeria, and prompting reflection on wider themes of belonging, memory, borders and control. Euronews Culture sat down with Muromtseva to speak about her own experience of immigration, her work committing the stories of other immigrant women to paper, the dynamic UAE arts scene, and her participation in the upcoming Venice Biennale. Your works come from discussions you had with immigrant women. Did they say anything that surprised you? Dr. Maya's [a doctor who fled Turkmenistan and eventually started her own cosmetology business in Dubai] story really shocked me. I've never met a person from Turkmenistan in my life, its a very closed country. Her whole story was very harsh, but also how she managed it was shocking for me, because she does not complain. She just works and works and works, and looks to the future, like an acrobat on a high wire who cannot look back, because to do so would mean falling off. Story continues Could you tell me a bit about the title of the exhibition, which I believe is taken from a poem? Yes, it's taken from a poem by Mahmoud Darwish. He was a Palestinian poet, who actually came to the Soviet Union and is very widely translated in Russian. This particular poem No More And No Less is about being a woman, and one of the lines in the poem over the slopes of speech struck me as perfect. This show really is over the slopes of speech, because it's all made from all the words I listened to. What is it about watercolours that allows you to engage with or represent the topics you deal with in the show? This is my favourite medium, though I also work with shadow theatre, video and installation. On the one hand I like that I need to have control over the paint because, if it leaks, the whole piece is spoiled. On the other, it's sometimes very unpredictable, because it takes two days to dry. It's like life some parts you can control and some parts are just uncontrollable. I asked my interviewees: When did you start feeling that you are living in history? This question is actually about how you face the circumstances that you cannot control. How has your own experience of becoming an immigrant shaped your work on this show, and more broadly? I think it shaped my understanding of these women. If I wasnt an immigrant myself, I would never have come up with this idea and I would never have understood them as deeply. Also they kind of helped me too to adjust to a new culture and be an immigrant myself. When you talk with somebody and they share their experience, you feel youre not alone. How did the NIKA Project Space Research and Residency programme help you to develop your practice, and expand your thinking on the themes you deal with in this show? This is my first time in the Middle East. I think it's very important to actually visit the Middle East at least once in life. You hear so much about it from very different perspectives, and so many stereotypes about it. But when you get here, you feel its very much its own thing, and you cannot judge it from the outside. Being here has broadened my understanding of life and my horizons. Practically speaking, the studio they rented for me for the residency a huge warehouse has been amazing. I've never had such a big studio in my life. NIKA Project Space has also connected me to so many people, and supported me materially, in terms of paint and everything I needed to produce the work. What do you think is particularly exciting about the creative scene here in the UAE? I like that at NIKA they are very thoughtful with their programme, and its not always business first: the idea is to do something impactful, and to create some sort of community and connection. They also want to really work with artists from the global south and local artists and curators too the last show here, I Can No Longer Produce the Limits of My Own Body, was with Dubai-based curator Nadine Khalil. Im also very excited about Sharjah (a neighbouring city). The Sharjah Triennial is so interesting, and particularly how they use non-conventional spaces to show the works: a hospital, slaughterhouse, school. This is something I do in my work Ive painted murals in nursing homes, and set up a balcony gallery during the pandemic. It's not as alienating as it can be when its just in the white cube. It's really welcoming because it's part of your everyday experience. More generally, because the art scene here is relatively young, I think its generally more open and accepting than, say, New York and London. Youre participating in the Croatia Pavilion at the Venice Biennale this year. How does it feel as a Russian artist to have an active role at Venice? (The 2024 Venice Biennale will once again not include a Russian pavilion) I was invited by Vlatka Horvat, who is representing Croatia. She asked immigrant artists to create a piece for her that reflects the immigrant experience of their diaspora and their community where they live, which is then taken by someone in the art world (not by any delivery service!) to Venice its called By the Means at Hand. I'm very against the war in Ukraine, in fact I did a protest exhibition called Women in Black Against the War. I think it's important to express your political position, and to show that there are a lot of people in Russia who are against the war. As Yulia Navalnya said in her speech in front of the European Parliament recently, its important to support everybody who is against Putin and the war that's how you might actually change something. Over the Slopes of Speech runs at NIKA Project Space until 4 May 2024. Haitian police officers in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on March 9, 2024 (Clarens SIFFROY) Haiti on Tuesday readied for a new government after its prime minister agreed to step down over spiraling gang violence, but a planned UN-backed stability mission floundered when lead-nation Kenya put its role on hold. Gang violence has plunged the Caribbean country into renewed chaos since last week, leaving public services shattered, many people displaced and bodies strewn in the streets. The capital Port-au-Prince was calm Tuesday after Prime Minister Ariel Henry -- who has been stuck abroad since the latest unrest erupted -- announced overnight he would resign, saying "no sacrifice is too great for our homeland." Gangs who rule much of the city had demanded Henry's departure after they launched a series of attacks on police stations, prisons and other infrastructure. But Haiti has been in a cycle of violence for years, and Henry's resignation is not certain to help ordinary people who face worsening shortages of food and medicine. "What we can hope for right now is a lull, but we know that the lay of the land will remain quite challenging in the future," World Food Programme (WFP) country director Jean-Martin Bauer said from Haiti. "Taking your kids to school, going to the supermarket, going to work, all these things are extremely risky." WFP said it can not get food into Port-au-Prince, and that 1.4 million people nationwide face emergency levels of food scarcity. The gangs went on a coordinated offensive while Henry was in Nairobi to try to secure deployment of the Kenya-led, multinational police mission. In a blow for Haitian hopes, Kenya on Tuesday paused its plans. Korir Sing'oei, principal secretary for foreign affairs, told AFP that "without a political administration in Haiti, there is no anchor on which a police deployment can rest." The United States -- which has vowed to not send troops -- quickly responded, saying the mission was still on track. - Risk of civil war - Story continues Henry has remained in power in Haiti since president Jovenel Moise's 2021 assassination, but it is unclear who would lead the country next. The Caribbean regional body CARICOM had secured his resignation at a crisis meeting in Jamaica on Monday. "The government I lead cannot remain insensitive to this situation," Henry said in his address, adding his government agreed to the creation of a "presidential transition council" and that he would resign when it was installed. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spent seven hours in the talks in a Kingston hotel, and US official traveling with Blinken said that Henry had agreed to quit on Friday. Escalating violence "creates an untenable situation for the Haitian people, and we all know that urgent action is needed on both the political and security tracks," Blinken said. "All of us know that only the Haitian people can, and only the Haitian people should, determine their own future." Also raised in discussions were how to prevent reprisals against Henry and his allies, with the United States agreeing that the outgoing prime minister could stay on US soil if needed. Authority has badly eroded in Haiti, which has not held national elections since 2016. A nighttime curfew was extended through Thursday -- although it is unlikely overstretched police can enforce it. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, the host of the crisis talks, warned of all-out civil war. "It is clear that Haiti is now at a tipping point," he said, urging action to "stem the sea of lawlessness and hopelessness before it is too late." CARICOM, in a statement with its partners and the United Nations, said that Haiti's new Transitional Presidential Council would have seven voting members, including political parties, the private sector and a civil society coalition. "This is a way forward," the UN secretary-general's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. "It is important that the international community, CARICOM and others support this path, and we hope that will lead to better days for the Haitian people." burs-bgs/sms Lord Jonathan Marland leapt in to defend Frank Hester on LBC over racism accusations NurPhoto via Getty Images A Conservative peer just claimed the Tory Partys largest donor cannot be racist because he does a lot of work in Jamaica. Frank Hester who gave the Conservatives 10m last year allegedly said backbencher Diane Abbott made him want to hate all black women and that she should be shot, according to The Guardian. But speaking to LBC on Tuesday, Tory peer Lord Marland defended his friend Hester and pointed to the donors international business ties as proof he is not racist. Marland said: I know Frank Hester and he is not a racist. He continued: Hes an international businessman, hes travelled widely overseas. He does a lot of business in Jamaica, he does business in Malaysia, Bangladesh and places like that, so hes not a racist. He made some unfortunate remarks that do sound racist, and quite rightly he has apologised for them. Hester allegedly made the remarks at a meeting for his health tech firm TPP in 2019, while talking about a female executive at another company. Abbott was the first Black woman ever elected into the Commons and the longest-serving Black MP. Originally elected as a Labour MP, she has sat as an independent since April 2023. In a statement posted on Hesters X (formerly Twitter) account, his team wrote: Frank Hester accepts that he was rude about Diane [Abbott] in a private meeting several years ago but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin. The Guardian is right when it quotes Frank saying he abhors racism, not least because he experienced it as the child of Irish immigrants in the 1970s. He rang Diane Abbott twice today to try to apologise directly for the hurt he has caused her and is deeply sorry for his remarks. He wishes to make it clear that he regards racism as a poison which has no place in public life. Story continues No.10 has not called Hesters remarks racist. The prime ministers spokeswoman said: What is alleged and reported to have been said would clearly have been unacceptable, but we are not going to characterise further alleged comments from source reporting. NEW: No10 still in knots over the Frank Hester stuff. PMs spokeswoman says: What is alleged and reported to have been said would clearly have been unacceptable, but we are not going to characterise further alleged comments from source reporting. Wont say it was racist. Kevin Schofield (@KevinASchofield) March 12, 2024 Energy minister Graham Stuart told Sky News this morning: They were clearly reprehensible, he has apologised profusely and rightly and tried to reach out to Diane Abbott specifically to apologise to her. It was half a decade ago, clearly those comments were wrong and he is right to apologise and I support him doing so. Pressed over whether the Conservatives should return the donations, he said: Its not my decision, but I do welcome those who support the Conservative Party to ensure that we have Rishi Sunak - our first Hindu prime minister. Meanwhile, LaboursKeir Starmer told ITVsLorraine on Tuesday that the comments were abhorrent and urged the Conservatives to return Hesters money. Related... Old footage of naval ships has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in posts about a fatal boat incident near Taiwan's Kinmen islands in February 2024. The video circulated as Taiwan's coast guard said it had detected an increase in Chinese ships in waters around Kinmen since the February 14 incident. "[China] is getting serious about this, six coast guard ships blockaded Kinmen, boarded and inspected yachts from Kinmen for the first time, and Taiwanese authorities chickened out," reads the simplified Chinese title of a video published on the Chinese video-sharing platform Bilibili on February 21, 2024. A man speaking Mandarin in the video -- viewed more than 200,000 times -- describes China's Coast Guard operations in mid-February around Taiwan's Kinmen islands, located just five kilometres (three miles) from the Chinese city of Xiamen. The video was also shared alongside a similar false claim elsewhere on YouTube. Screenshot of the false post taken on March 1, 2024 It circulated after two Chinese nationals drowned on February 14, 2024 as their fishing boat was being chased by the Taiwanese coast guard, further fuelling tensions between China and Taiwan, which Beijing claims as part of its territory. Taiwan's coast guard chief said on March 4 that an average of six to seven Chinese vessels were spotted in waters around Kinmen island every day since the deadly fishing boat incident. The inspection of a Taiwanese yacht by China's Coast Guard was reported by media on both sides on February 19, 2024 (archived links here and here). However, reverse image searches on Google found the video that circulated on Chinese social media contained footage which predated the Kinmen Islands row. South China Sea clips The video's first four seconds corresponded to footage shared on social media platform X by Philippine Coast Guard Commodore Jay Tarriela on September 8, 2023 (archived link). The clip's caption stated the Philippine Coast Guard was escorting supply vessels to Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly islands, where a handful of troops are stationed on a crumbling navy ship in the hotly contested South China Sea. Story continues The caption added the vessels were "subjected to dangerous maneuvers" by China Coast Guard ships, which AFP also reported at the time. Today, the @coastguardph again assisted in the routine Rotation and Resupply (RoRe) mission in Ayungin Shoal conducted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). The PCG deployed two 44-meter vessels, namely BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409) and BRP Sindangan (MRRV-4407), as escort ships pic.twitter.com/ZKnkxMBcD0 Jay Tarriela (@jaytaryela) September 8, 2023 The false video also corresponded with the South China Sea footage from its 30-second to 59-second mark. Below are screenshot comparisons of the clips used in a false context in the video (left) and the ones shared in Tarriela's X post (right): Screenshot comparisons of the clips used in a false context in the video (left) and the ones shared in Tarriela's X post (right) Philippine online news site Rappler also included these clips in its report about China attempting to prevent the resupply mission on September 8, 2023 (archived link). Subsequent reverse image searches found the clips of Chinese Coast Guard ships seen from the false video's one-minute, 27-second mark to its one-minute, 51-second mark correspond to AFP's footage published on its YouTube channel on August 23, 2023 (archived link). The video's description read: "The Philippines said a resupply mission had reached a remote outpost in the disputed South China Sea Tuesday, despite attempts by Chinese vessels to 'block' the boats carrying provisions for Filipino marines." AFP reported four Philippine supply boats were chased by Chinese ships as they attempted to reach the Second Thomas Shoal on August 22, 2023. Below are screenshot comparisons of the clips used in a false context (left) and AFP video (right): Screenshot comparisons of the clips used in a false context (left) and the video from AFP (right) Another section of the footage in the false posts was taken from this AFP video published on November 11, 2023 (archived link) alongside the title "Chinese boats in high-seas chase Philippine boat with media". The video says the pursuit ended after the Philippine Navy deployed inflatable vessels from its station on Second Thomas Shoal to block the approaching Chinese boats. It corresponds with footage shown at the false video's two-minute, 39-second mark to its two-minute, 42-second mark. Below is a screenshot comparison of the clip used in the false video (left) and the AFP footage (right): Screenshot comparison of the clip used in the false video (left) and the AFP footage (right) US aircraft carrier Further reverse image and keyword searches found clips showing a fleet of ships were taken from footage published on YouTube on November 17, 2022 and uploaded by the US Navy (archived link). The video's description states it shows the deployment of the first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in the Atlantic Ocean on November 7, 2022. The false video corresponded with the US Navy's footage from its three-minute, eight-second mark to its three-minute, 22-second mark. Below are screenshot comparisons of the false video (left) and the US Navy clip (right): Screenshot comparisons of the false video (left) and the one shared by the US Navy (right) AFP has debunked other false posts linking unrelated videos to the deadly incident in Kinmen here and here. (Viking Octantis) It was about 10 hours into our voyage through the churning Drake Passage when I realised that I was experiencing a peculiar type of cabin fever. Sailing aboard the Viking Cruises ship Viking Octantis, we were a quarter of the way through the notoriously temperamental channel that connects the southern tip of Argentina to the immensity of Antarctica. Cruise-ship passengers on this route typically encounter Drake Lake or Drake Shake conditions; we were enduring the latter. As 45-knot (50mph) winds shunted us, 16ft waves smashed against the ship like juggernauts. Pinned to my bed as the horizon trampolined outside, my brain had landed on a helpful dissociative tactic. I had become philosophical. I decided I wanted and needed this experience. Antarctica is somewhere few will encounter. Id have felt undeserving if getting there was easy; this was the penance owed for the rewards to come. Id have felt undeserving if getting there was easy; this was the penance owed for the rewards to come. My Catholic upbringing maybe had something to do with that masochistic take, but theres no escaping just how demanding it is to access Antarctica. The types of travellers who can afford to visit are perhaps more accustomed to being mollycoddled in a Four Seasons, but you need to commit to some discomfort if you want to visit the frozen continent. Sailing on Viking Cruises 13-day Antarctic Explorer voyage, we had flown from Heathrow to Buenos Aires (refuelling in Rio de Janeiro). Then after a night in Argentinas capital it was a four-hour flight to Ushuaia, the worlds southern-most city, and then up to 48 hours navigating the Drake Passage. Thats not to say that the Norwegian-owned Octantis itself is in any way lacking. The 189-cabin vessel accommodates 378 passengers and 256 crew. Though it was built to navigate extreme environments, its essentially a resort at sea, with a chic Scandi-style spa and two pools; a gym and exercise studio; a hi-tech lecture theatre; and multiple bars and restaurants. In the ships belly, toys include Zodiac inflatable boats, kayaks and two submarines. Viking Octantis is also significantly more stylish than various American cruise liners Id sailed on previously. Story continues A viewing deck on board the Viking Octantis (Viking Octantis) Pale woods abound, theres a sprawling top-deck library but no garish casino and a genuinely attention-worthy art collection which includes a selection of staggering photography from the earliest Antarctic exhibitions. I was just about able to explore the ship when an announcement indicated that our first notable iceberg was drifting by. I looked out and there it was. As long as the Houses of Parliament, a slate-grey block of ice glinted under stormy skies. It had been cleaved into such a neat rectangular shape that I immediately imagined it as a colossal Five Guys chip. That comparison was possibly induced by starvation-induced delirium, but whatever the case the ephemeral landmark indicated we were about to breach the planets most extreme frontier. Reaching such a significant milestone was also a reminder that we were entering a terrain where nothing is guaranteed. Wed been made aware that our itinerary would be adapted constantly in response to the weather and that passenger safety would take precedence over everything. Things could change in an instant as we would later discover. Our tentative plan was to sail south-west along the outer expanse of the Antarctic Peninsula, and initially things went well. We dropped anchor to view thriving penguin colonies and were astounded one immaculate morning as we sailed past the towering basalt mountains that framed the Lemaire Channel. The dark, still waters around us had all the shimmer and solidity of a black-sand beach an illusion that was corrupted in magical fashion when a pod of orcas breached the surface and shot water into the air like confetti. Gentoo penguins in Antarctica (Octantis) On another dazzlingly clear day we sailed to Chiriguano Bay, where mountains were topped with ancient ice as glossy and smooth as whipped cream. In an inlet where brash ice had unfurled over the waters surface like a lace curtain, we took to Zodiacs and kayaks to explore our surroundings. I have never seen blues as radiant and remarkable as I did then. In the distance, the light had refracted in a way I hadnt known possible to coat distant snow-capped peaks of the Antarctic Peninsula in celestial gossamer golds. It was a perfect day. Then things changed with news that a passenger had been afflicted by a serious health condition. We needed to turn back. Before joining Vikings Antarctic cruises, everyone must undergo a health screening. But with the average passenger aged somewhere in their mid-sixties, a mishap is always a possibility. If someone dies, theyre placed in an on-board morgue and the cruise floats on. But for sudden, serious ailments, the individual concerned may require specialist care beyond whats available on the ship. We needed to reach King George Island, back at the tip of the Peninsula, where resident researchers are served by a dinky air strip, so this person could be airlifted to comprehensive support in Chile. We were disappointed our schedule had been compromised, but wed been relatively lucky. If the weather had been too bad for a plane to land, we would instead have sailed back to Ushuaia. Admiralty Bay; King George Island covered in snow and ice (Alamy Stock Photo) King George Island is a strange place, home to about 150 resilient specialists in summer and 40 or so hardcore occupants come winter. While we waited here for the plane, we heard tales of how the intensity of the weather can impact inhabitants mental health. Those vicissitudes came to prominence in 2018, when a Russian national was charged with attempted murder after stabbing a colleague. It was alleged his victim had repeatedly told him the ending of books he was reading. I wasnt much taken with King George Island, but our detour brought good fortune. Our captain decided we would proceed along a little-visited route into the Weddell Sea rather than repeating any of our original itinerary. Seasoned crew who had been to Antarctica 20 times or more had never seen these settings; we were truly reaching new horizons. We ventured onwards, navigating a map riddled with names that indicated peril and calamity Exasperation Inlet, Cape Disappointment, Deception Island, Erebus and Terror Gulf. But for us it was smooth sailing, as we glided between colossal icebergs as broad as city blocks. I was reminded of how I used to read clouds as a child. Looking left, I saw a crystalline cathedral, complete with arches and spires; to the right, where my friend likened one vertical form to the Statue of Liberty I observed an upturned middle finger. I worried our sightings might be as revealing as a Rorschach test. A Black-browed albatross flying past (Alamy Stock Photo) For days the beauty was never-ending and almost overwhelming. I kept my blinds open at night, so I wouldnt miss a second of it. When not visiting their abundant colonies on land, I became accustomed to seeing penguins waddling, sunbathing and tobogganing on the ice floes that drifted past my window. Though it was rarely dark, I admired long, dewy sunsets when the sky turned pink and amber and the waters swirled with iridescence. And now back in the familiarity of London, I still remember one still, strange night as the end of our adventure approached and we prepared to again tackle the North Passage. I had woken with a start to find the ship encased in a fog so milky and dense I couldnt fathom what was the horizon, sea or sky. Everything everywhere was a smoky white and in this curious liminal state, half asleep and still woozy on all the mystery and majesty that had already enveloped me, I had the strange sensation that Id left the world I knew behind and was caught somewhere between dream and reality. Viking Cruises Antarctic Explorer voyage costs from 10,095 per person. Prices include return flights from UK airports, one night in Buenos Aires, 11 nights on board, all on-board meals (with complimentary wine and beer during lunch and dinner), WiFi, gratuities, expedition gear and excursions. To book, call 0800 319 66 60, or visit www.viking.com On the occasion of the "Business Connection Forum: Industrial, Trading and High-tech Agriculture EuroCham - Binh Phuoc 2024," which opens today in the southern province of Binh Phuoc, Chairman and CEO of Hung Nhon Group Vu Manh Hung and CEO of De Heus Group's Asian region Gabor Fluit shared about their success in over 10 years of collaboration and the direction of both parties in the future. In past years, Hung Nhon and De Heus have collaborated extensively in developing high-tech agricultural chains. Could you please share the achievements of this collaboration? Vu Manh Hung: By 2024, the DHN joint venture will enter its tenth year. As you may know, the scale of most Vietnamese agricultural businesses is still modest. Therefore, we need to stand on the shoulders of giants, relying on them to grow together. This is why we chose De Heus to fulfill the goal of becoming a leading agricultural corporation. For me, Gabor Fluit is not only a business partner but also a reliable friend. As the CEO of a company from Europe with over 110 years of experience, Gabor Fluit has greatly assisted us. Thanks to this close collaboration, we have become more confident in our investment decisions, even during market fluctuations. One thing that brings me joy is that during our work, myself, Gabor Fluit, and Johan van den Ban, CEO of De Heus Vietnam, all understand each other very well. When we have an idea, just by talking to each other, we can make decisions quickly. We share the same values, from lifestyle and thinking processes to work ethic. Gabor Fluit: Currently, DHN is focusing on developing high-quality, disease-free breeding sources because in animal husbandry, breeding quality is crucial. Over the years, we have seen disease outbreaks causing significant losses to the livestock industry. Therefore, we are investing in building disease-free areas to ensure stable high-quality breeding sources, and we have chosen very convenient and suitable locations for this. Hung truly understands which locations are suitable for long-term investments. De Heus plays a role in finding markets for high-quality breeding sources such as one-day-old chicks, etc., to supply to large farms in our supply chain. These breeds are the best selected and will yield the highest productivity. Viet Nam has joined various free trade agreements. Many companies from around the world are exporting to Viet Nam. If Vietnamese farmers do not have competitively priced products, they will surely lose in the long run, even on their home ground. Therefore, the key focus of the DHN joint venture is to ensure that all members of our value chain have good breeds, good feed, good techniques, and solutions for market access. And that is the big focus of the joint venture. Gabor Fluit, could you share more about De Heus's plans and collaborations with Hung Nhon in the future? Gabor Fluit: On March 6, we inaugurated our fourth plant in Vinh Long Province. This specialised plant produces feed for shrimp using advanced European and American technologies. On May 18, De Heus and Hung Nhon will co-host the inauguration of a modern high-tech poultry breeding area in Tay Ninh. We will also launch several other projects to serve the white-feathered poultry production chain aimed at exporting. Regarding the strategic development of the high-tech agricultural chain in 2024 and the vision until 2030, the De Heus Hung Nhon collaboration will invest in building large-scale, modern livestock farms that meet international standards. By 2030, the goal is to achieve approximately 37,500 pig breeding and sows in the Central Highlands, southeast and south central regions. We also target to supply 83 million chicken breeds and meat in Tay Ninh. The estimated total annual revenue is around US$2 billion. In addition, De Heus will also implement several sustainable livestock projects. De Heus's goal is to help livestock farmers who really want to sustain their career, mainly in terms of capital, technology, and solutions for them to continue their career. For export products, market requirements are increasingly strict. Therefore, all members of the chain must meet environmental hygiene standards, food safety regulations and criteria related to emission reduction, in order to build a green economy. Viet Nam has a policy to ban the use of antibiotics in animal feed by 2025. Therefore, many of De Heus's upcoming projects will focus more on this issue. To be more proactive in livestock feed raw materials and to reduce imports, De Heus is also collaborating with several provinces in the Central Highlands to establish corn and cassava raw material areas for animal feed production. This is a key project for De Heus in Viet Nam. As the Deputy Chairman of the Vietnam Digital Agriculture Association (VIDA), Vu Manh Hung, could you share with us the role of the association in Viet Nam? Vu Manh Hung: VIDA serves as a platform that gathers resources to carry out practical tasks such as: improving technological infrastructure for agriculture, international connectivity, and expanding markets. This is to promote and develop Viet Nam's agriculture towards digitalisation with the ultimate goal of "Wealth from Agriculture". VIDA has been supporting the development of large-scale projects to modernise Viet Nam's agriculture, introducing high-quality agricultural centers from around the world to Viet Nam. We also set up global online agricultural trading platforms, and build agricultural product processing and preservation centers in various regions. Currently, the Government is determined to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, striving to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 43.5 per cent by 2030, and achieve over 70 per cent renewable energy by 2050. Therefore, we are also planning to have a comprehensive direction for high-tech agriculture and digital agriculture in the practical operation of all farms. HA NOI According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), the Vietnamese government has been working on a plan to build a 50,000-strong workforce for the development of the country's semiconductor industry until 2030, with a vision to 2045. The ministry said Vietnamese engineers must start engaging in the design of modern semiconductor microchips, participating extensively in the packaging and testing stages and mastering a portion of the packaging and testing technology. The Southeast Asian economy has set a target to become a crucial link in the global semiconductor industry's value chain with a skilled workforce, meeting the industry's development requirements in terms of both quality and quantity. The National Innovation Center (NIC) has been tasked with leading the drafting of the plan. Vu Quoc Huy, director of the NIC, said the plan's key objective is to supply sufficient skilled labour for the domestic semiconductor industry, and potentially export labour to other markets. Regarding the available semiconductor workforce in Viet Nam, Huy said companies such as VHT (Viettel) and FPT Semiconductor have around 200 employees. Meanwhile, 36 companies from Japan, the United States, Chinese Taipei, China and South Korea have invested in the Southeast Asian economy, employing approximately 5,600 engineers. Among these, Intel has invested US$1.5 billion in Viet Nam since 2009, employing nearly 3,000 engineers. In the northern province of Bac Ninh, the Amkor factory has invested over $1.6 billion in three phases. According to a 2023 report by the MPI, there were sufficient resources in Viet Nam to train about 50,000 engineers for the industry by 2030. Large international corporations are operating in the country including Intel and Amkor in packaging and testing; Marvell, Qorvo and Qualcomm in design; Synopsys and Cadence in providing semiconductor chip design tools. In addition, there were established cooperation programmes with global semiconductor giants for workforce training. Siemens Group has pledged to support Viet Nam with the most advanced chip design software and hardware, provide training services and collaborate with the NIC to promote the development of the domestic workforce. Synopsys has supported NIC in establishing a chip design incubation centre at the Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park, including advanced Synopsys technologies in modelling and simulation to optimise software and synchronise hardware system-on-chip (SoC) designs. Synopsys also provided training licenses, including curriculum, educational resources, and lecturer training programmes, to help establish the chip design incubation centre. In an earlier development, the NIC signed a memorandum of understanding with the US semiconductor company Cadence on the implementation of activities to enhance design capabilities and develop semiconductor chip products in Viet Nam. In addition, a specialised training course on microchip design is to be offered to lecturers from universities in the Ha Noi area and engineers in tech companies. VNS HA NOI The Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry has proposed a zero-value added tax (VAT) rate to be maintained for exported services, over worries that tax hikes would undermine the competitiveness of Vietnamese providers against foreign rivals. The Ministry of Finance is drafting amendments to the Law on Value Added Tax which will be proposed to the National Assembly for consideration in the seventh meeting in May this year. In the draft, the ministry wants to impose VAT on most exported services, instead of the zero rate as currently. Specifically, only international transportation and vehicle rental outside Viet Nam and some related services are proposed to be maintained at zero tax rates, while others will be subject to VAT rate, commonly at 10 per cent. The reason for the amendment is that tax authorities found it difficult to distinguish between revenues from exported services and from domestically consumed. VCCI said that the imposition of 10 per cent VAT rate when exporting will make it difficult for Vietnamese services providers to compete with foreign rivals. International trade of services increased strongly in the global market during the past two decades and is forecast to remain robust in coming years, along with the vibrant development of Internet and remote work solutions, VCCI said, citing statistics of the World Bank that global export of services jumped from US$400 billion in 1980s to more than $7.2 trillion in 2022, with an average annual growth rate of 6.5 per cent from 2003 to date. The international transportation service accounts for a significant proportion but it is dropping, from 30 per cent in 1982 to 17 per cent in 2020, while telecommunications and IT services are rising. Statistics showed that global telecommunications and IT services export is expanding at 12.3 per cent annually on average from 2004. The rate has been rising more rapidly since the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the VCCI services export has huge potential for development. Viet Nams export of services reached $20 billion in 2023 with an average annual growth rate of 11 per cent, higher than the countrys gross domestic growth rate. Viet Nam is running a trade deficit of services worth more than $10 billion each year. Providing exported services does not require huge capital like investing in manufacturing and processing industry, which is appropriate in a capital-shortage economy like Viet Nam. In addition, Internet-based services export helps promote the countrys image and increase soft power, VCCI said. Viet Nam is an export-oriented economy with export being an important growth driver with an average annual growth rate of nearly 15 per cent, VCCI said, emphasising that zero VAT on exported services plays a significant role. According to VCCI, most countries around the world are imposing zero VAT on exported services and allow tax refunds on inputs. Thus, VAT on exported services should be kept at zero, VCCI said. Major exporting services of Viet Nam include manufacturing outsource, maintenance and repairing, tourism and transportation, insurance, financial services, IT and information services. VNS BINH DUONG The 2024 Horasis China Meeting will be held in the southern province of Binh Duong on April 14-16, attracting about 700 participants. More than 300 top-level members of the Horasis Vision Community will attend the 2024 Horasis China Meeting, including some of China and Viet Nam's most prominent business leaders. The Horasis China Meeting plays an important role in connecting businesses from other countries and creating a favourable environment for economic development between China and Viet Nam. Horasis China is held in Binh Duong to create opportunities for local businesses to exchange and connect with a network of senior leaders of leading companies in Asia as well as the whole world. This will improve the ability to find new opportunities and partners, jointly develop management capacity, boost science and technology, promote trade, attract investment, and expand cooperation between Viet Nam/Asia and the world. The forum will have six plenary sessions and 21 dialogue sessions on each topic with presentations and speeches from the world's leading speakers. Horasis is an economic forum that brings together many senior business leaders around the world. The goal of Horasis summits is to provide solutions to global economic challenges. Besides the Horasis China Meeting, Horasis also holds the annual meetings such as Horasis Global Meeting, Horasis Indian Meeting, Horasis Asia Meeting and the Horasis Visionary Circle. Held in Binh Duong, one of Viet Nam's key economic centres, the Horasis forum has become an important platform to share visions and ideas about the province's development. The province has 29 industrial parks and 12 industrial clusters, attracting thousands of foreign direct investment projects with investment capital of more than US$40 billion. It is also one of the country's leading localities in building smart urban areas. With many notable successes, the province is highly appreciated by the international community, maintaining its leading position in the 2023 Intelligent Community Forum (ICF). VNS HA NOI Vietnam Rubber Group has released its business results for 2024, with a positive outlook, according to the companys document for its extraordinary shareholders' meeting in 2024. This year, it plans to achieve a revenue of nearly VN25 trillion (US$1.02 billion) and a profit after tax of over VN3.4 trillion. These targets represent a 13 per cent and 2 percent increase, respectively, from the previous year. The rubber producer has also presented a restructuring proposal to shareholders, which is set to be implemented by 2025. Particularly, the company plans to divest its capital from majority-owned companies, such as Rubber Trading and Tourism Services JSC, and seven other firms where the group does not hold a controlling share. It will also explore additional capital investment to maintain controlling stakes in Ben Thanh Rubber JSC and initiate the dissolution of the Visorutex Joint Venture Enterprise in compliance with legal requirements. Vietnam Rubber Group sets out to transform four entities, namely the Rubber Industry College, Vietnam Rubber Magazine, Rubber Healthcare Centre and Vietnam Rubber Research Institute, into enterprise-operated models. As a part of the plan, the company has set a target of reaching a total consolidated revenue of nearly VN28.6 trillion for the entire group in 2025, with an average annual growth rate of approximately 5 per cent and a consolidated profit before tax amounting to VN5.05 trillion. From 2021 to 2025, the accumulated total consolidated revenue is projected to reach VN135 trillion, while the estimated total consolidated profit before tax is expected to be nearly VN25.1 trillion. During the period, the average annual workforce for the entire group is 82,848 individuals per year. By 2025, this number is anticipated to reach 87,070 employees, with an average income of VN101 million per person per year. For the core business sector until the end of 2025, Vietnam Rubber Group is planning to engage in the planting, cultivating, exploiting and trading of products derived from rubber trees. It will also invest in the expansion and upgrading of wood processing factories, focusing on increasing the production capacity of high-value-added products that meet market demands. On the stock market, shares of the company closed Monday at VN29,550 per share, up 1.9 per cent. VNS HA NOI Viet Nam now has 876 durian growing areas and packing facilities issued with codes eligible for export to China by the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC). This helps create favourable conditions for promoting durian exports to this market in the future. Vietnamese durian has the advantages of high output and year-round harvest. Another advantage is to have a shorter time to ship durian to China. In 2023, according to the General Department of Customs, Viet Nam's total export value of fruits and vegetables reached US$5.6 billion, an increase of 66.7 per cent compared to the previous year. This export result was due to the sudden increase in durian exports which reached $2.1 billion, compared to $288 million in the previous year. Of which, Viet Nam's durian was mainly exported to China with $2.03 billion in value, accounting for 99.4 per cent of the country's total export value of this product group. The fruit and vegetable exports in the first two months of this year continued to grow strongly by more than 70 per cent to $970 million with key products such as fresh coconut, dragon fruit, grapefruit, bananas, lemons, vine, mango and durian. Durian was still the dominant product. Along with reaching standards from demanding markets such as the US, Europe and Japan, Vietnamese fruits and vegetables are having many opportunities to accelerate exports. At present, Viet Nam and China are completing procedures to open the market for coconuts and frozen durians. That is expected to help the export value reach $6.5 billion in 2024. According to the Plant Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, by the beginning of 2024, the durian growing area in the Southern provinces reached 62,173 hectares; 15,000 hectaresx higher than that in the same period of last year, the au tu (Investment) newspaper reported. The South Central Coast and Central Highlands provinces now have 57,101 hectares of growing durian, an increase of more than 19,200 hectares year on year. Meanwhile, the durian market demand can reach $20 billion in China and $28.6 billion in the world by 2025. This is considered a great opportunity for Vietnamese durian if the domestic durian industry is developed according to the sustainable direction in the future. To expand the durian export market, growers and businesses need to focus on improving quality, as well as the stages of preservation, preliminary processing, and processing to add value, besides expanding the areas. VNS CA MAU The Ca Mau Petroleum Fertiliser JSC (PVCFC) is preparing high-quality shipments to officially enter Australia and New Zealand, two of the world's most demanding fertiliser markets. According to a PVCFC representative, Australia and New Zealand are willing to pay premium prices for urea granular fertiliser, but they have stringent quality standards. In response, PVCFC has gradually improved the quality of all stages from transportation to loading and unloading services since the onset of this year. The goal is to ensure that its urea shipments meet the highest quality standards and achieve superior loading and unloading speeds compared to the global average. PVCFC also said it is completing the final procedures to get a license to export urea granular products to Australia. In the first two months of this year, PVCFCs urea equivalent production reached 165,220 tonnes, exceeding the plan by 8 per cent and reflecting a 4 per cent year-on-year increase. This strong production performance translated into impressive revenue figures, estimated at over VN1.4 trillion (US$56.8 million) in the first two months of this year, surpassing the plan by 15 per cent. As of late 2023, the Ca Mau Fertiliser products were present in over 18 countries worldwide. Currently, PVCFC is preparing a shipment of 35,000 tonnes for export to Mexico. Last year, the company exported 344,000 tonnes of fertilisers, making up about 26 per cent of its total sale, with export value reaching $136 million, representing some 25 per cent of the revenue from fertiliser products. Cambodia emerged as the largest export market, contributing over 60 per cent of both export volume and value. VNS HCM CITY HCM City and Chinese provinces situated along the Yellow River, like Shandong, Shanxi and Qinghai, have great potential for economic, trade and investment ties as they have cultural similarities and their goods structures are complementary, a conference heard in the city on Monday. Song Junji, Deputy Governor of Shandong, said the conference sought to build a foundation for co-operation and boost bilateral trade. Shandong has the third largest economy in China with industrial production of more than one trillion yuan (US$139.3 billion), the countrys highest, he said. HCM City is Viet Nams largest economic hub, with trade, information technology, and tourism growing rapidly and potential for extensive economic co-operation with Chinese localities, especially those situated on the Yellow River, he said. Nguyen Van Dung, Deputy Chairman of the city Peoples Committee, said HCM City attaches importance to co-operation with Chinese localities. China is one of HCM Citys biggest trading partners and ranks 17th in the list of 122 countries and territories that have invested in it, he said. Chinese investors have 590 projects worth a total of more than $303 million, he said. HCM City hopes to enhance co-operation with Shandong and other provinces on the Yellow River in areas such as construction, healthcare, education, culture, tourism, and the digital and green economies, he said. HCM City is seeking to become a smart city and logistics hub and achieve economic breakthroughs, he said. He added that HCM City hoped Shandong and localities on the banks of the Yellow River would increase imports from it and encourage their businesses with science, technology and innovation advantages to invest here. Wei Huaxiang, the Chinese consul general in HCM City, said Shandong has a long history of co-operation with Viet Nams southern localities, including HCM City, and many of its renowned companies have invested in the city. At the conference, businesses from the two countries signed many agreements related to agriculture, food and industrial materials. VNS HCM CITY Viet Nam's mergers and acquisitions market is poised for growth in 2024 with foreign investors scouring for strategic deals in the dynamic market and local firms needing capital to restructure but unable to source domestically, a conference heard in HCM City on March 12. Speaking at the "Consumer goods and distribution sectors: M&A trends and strategies to raise investment capital for Vietnamese enterprises" organised by the Business Association of High Quality Vietnamese Goods and the Leading Business Club, Dr Nguyen Tuan Anh of RMIT [University] Vietnam said investors are expected to pursue businesses with stable and long-term investment strategies, including those in agriculture and food sectors. Investors also look for opportunities in sectors that offer attractive valuations amid the market downturn, such as real estate and construction. He cited figures from KPMG showing over 260 M&A deals worth more than US$4.4 billion were completed in the first 10 months of last year, 80 per cent of it in the healthcare, finance and real estate sectors. The average value of a transaction was $54.5 million. Unlike three years ago, when domestic investors dominated, foreign investors made up the top five in terms of transaction value. Japan, Singapore and the US were some of the most engaged foreign investors, collectively accounting for over 70 per cent of the overall reported deal value. Anh forecast that foreign investors would continue to dominate this year too. In recent years Japanese businesses have been involved in lots of M&A deals. Japanese investors, faced with a devaluing yen and domestic constraints, are increasingly looking at investment opportunities in other countries, including Viet Nam. They have great interest in logistics, particularly cold supply chains, in Viet Nam, Anh said. ao Tien Phong, a lawyer at Investpush Legal, one of the leading law firms in Viet Nam in terms of providing incorporation and other legal services, said his company recently served a number of funds and other investors who came to consider investment opportunities in sectors such as distribution, healthcare and education. To further attract foreign investors, especially those with long-term investment strategies, speakers at the conference called on the Government to improve policies and mechanisms to stimulate mergers and acquisitions and ease the way for divestment of stakes. In addition, it is necessary to have measures to shorten the time needed to complete a deal. Firms need to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) in their operations since it is gaining importance in M&A activities globally, Anh said. Speakers agreed that businesses need to clearly determine their M&A goals and the partners strengths and expertise. Before starting off, Vietnamese companies should conduct thorough market research, financial due diligence and legal assessments, and consider cultural and regulatory factors that could impact the deal, they said. Minh Huynh, director of investment fund Tael Partners, said: Financial planning for a business, like financial planning for one's life, needs to take into account both advantages and disadvantages. When we think about raising capital, it is necessary to ask: Why do we need to raise capital? What do we need from investors? Capital? Technology? Management? The second question is when investors come to us, how will our company change, how will we manage it, and what will we expect? We must answer all of those questions before asking investors to contribute capital. Senior economist Pham Chi Lan said: Looking for new investors, including foreign investors, is what Vietnamese businesses need, but what is more needed is good macroeconomic policies so that businesses can easily access foreign capital. VNS HA NOI The US Embassy in Viet Nam held a conference yesterday in Ha Noi to open registration for the SelectUSA Investment Summit 2024, which has been scheduled to take place in June 23-26 in Washington DC. US Ambassador in Viet Nam Marc E. Knapper highlighted the growing importance of the US-Viet Nam ties, especially since the two countries upgraded the bilateral relations from a Comprehensive Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in September last year. He said the SelectUSA Investment Summit 2024 remained the largest event to promote foreign direct investment in the US and a celebration of successfully connecting international companies, US economic development organisations and industry experts. Knapper said since the first time a Vietnamese delegation joined the summit in 2016, Vietnamese businesses have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the US economy. He encouraged Vietnamese businesses to join more than 2,300 international participants coming from 83 international markets at this year's event to explore investment and cooperation opportunities in key industries including energy, automotive, healthcare and financial services, among others. Participants will have opportunities to meet with representatives from Governors and Mayors economic development teams across the US. The ambassador highlighted SelectUSA Tech, an important part of the SelectUSA Program, that provides support to tech startups, that are developing innovative tech products and services and planning to expand to the US market within the next two or three years. Stephen Green, Counselor for Commercial Affairs at the US Embassy in Ha Noi said: The United States is the largest consumer market in the world and a great choice for any Vietnamese company looking to go global. In four days at the SelectUSA Investment Summit, companies can efficiently make the connections and gather the information they need to start the process of growing in the United States everything you need to know, all in one single location. Last year, Mission Vietnam led 30 delegates seeking business opportunities in the United States to the Investment Summit." Speaking at the conference, Tran Manh Hung from Baker McKenzie, said Vietnamese businesses that are interested in investing in the US must pay special attention to the countrys complex regulations, especially in areas related to intellectual property and personal data. SelectUSA is the US government programme led by the US Department of Commerce that focuses on facilitating job-creating business investment in the US and raising awareness of the critical role that economic development plays in the US economy. Since its inception, SelectUSA has facilitated more than $200 billion in investment, creating over 200,000 US jobs. VNS HA NOI The price of Robusta coffee in February increased sharply in the domestic market because coffee demand has remained at a high level, according to the Import-Export Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade. Viet Nam's average coffee export price in February reached US$3,276 per tonne, up 7.4 per cent against the price in January and up 50.6 per cent compared to the same period of last year. In the first two months of 2024, the price stood at $3,153 per tonne, up 44.7 per cent over the same period in 2023. According to the Viet Nam Commodity Exchange (MXV), closing the trading session on March 11, the coffee prices decreased by 0.11 per cent for Arabica and 0.35 per cent for Robusta. The fluctuation of the US Dollar and Brazilian Real (USD/BRL) exchange rate and positive signals from supply caused coffee prices to fluctuate during the session, the Cong thuong (Industry and Trade) newspaper reported. The stronger increase in Brazil's Real has dragged down the USD/BRL exchange rate by 0.02 per cent, causing Brazilian farmers to limit coffee sales. On the other hand, Arabica inventories are increasing, putting pressure on prices. At the end of the session on March 8, the total amount of Arabica coffee stored at certified warehouses of the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) increased by 13,875 60-kg bags to 424,752 bags, the highest level in the past four months. With Robusta, concerns about supply shortages have somewhat eased with rain forecast to reappear in Viet Nam's main coffee growing region. Furthermore, Robusta coffee inventory on ICE at the end of the session on March 7 grew by 290 tonnes, bringing the total amount of coffee stored at certified warehouses of ICE to 24,320 tonnes. Coffee prices in the domestic markets of Viet Nam and Indonesia reached new records last week, due to low inventories and very high demand. The price was pushed up to very high levels at $500-550 tonne for grade-2 Robusta coffee, and at $750 - 800 per tonne for grade-4 Sumatra coffee. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that the main reason for the increase in Robusta coffee export prices was concern about supply shortages. Hot weather in key coffee growing areas has made many importers worried about the prospect of a low supply of Robusta coffee for the new crop, because Viet Nam is the world's largest Robusta exporter. It is forecast that Viet Nam's coffee output in the 2023-2024 crop year may decrease by 10 per cent to about 1.66 million tonnes, the lowest level in four years, due to drought. In February, Viet Nam's coffee exports reached 200,000 tonnes, worth US$655 million, down 0.2 per cent in volume but up 50.3 per cent in value compared to the same period of last year. In the first two months of 2024, Viet Nam's coffee exports were estimated to reach 438,000 tonnes, earning $1.38 billion, an increase of 27.9 per cent in volume and 85 per cent in value compared to the same period in 2023. Regarding kinds of coffee, in January 2024, Viet Nam increased exports of Robusta and Arabica coffee compared to December 2023, but decreased exports of Excelsa and processed coffee. According to the General Department of Customs, in January, Viet Nam exported 216,380 tonnes of Robusta coffee, worth $613.6 million, increasing 15.4 per cent in volume and 25.7 per cent in value compared to December 2023. The exports increased by 68 per cent in volume and 155.7 per cent in value year on year. Viet Nam promoted the export of Robusta coffee to many markets, such as Italy, Spain, Russia, Indonesia, Belgium, China and the Philippines. Meanwhile, exports of Robusta coffee to some traditional markets decreased, including Germany, Japan and America. Viet Nam's Arabica coffee exports reached 5,250 tonnes in January, earning $20.15 million, an increase of 78.5 per cent in volume and 83.1 per cent in value compared to December 2023. However, the exports fell by 27.1 per cent in volume and 25.7 per cent in value compared to the same period of last year. The Arabica coffee exports recorded high growth to many markets, such as the US, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines and Russia. VNS Sangeeta Dasguptas Reordering Adivasi Worlds: Representation, Resistance, Memory examines the complex, contingent and dynamic nature of Adivasi identity in India and shows how the past, especially, the structures of the colonial state, played a major role not only in constructing the Adivasi identity but also in reordering the rural and social landscapes of the Chhotanagpur region. Dasgupta asks: How did the Adivasis assert/exercise their agency? In particular, what were the ways and mechanisms through which the Adivasis expressed their identities, engaged with politics and negotiated with the state and non-state institutions? Moreover, how did the colonial interventions impact the remaking of the agrarian landscape and the politics of Adivasi representation? Addressing these questions, Dasgupta makes an in-depth historical and anthropological analysis of Adivasi identity and resistance, and shows how contemporary Adivasi protest draws upon memories of the past (p 4). Specifically, drawing on colonial ethnography, missionary narratives and anthropological writings, Dasgupta makes two major interrelated arguments: first, it is vital to recognise the changing role of Adivasi agency in structuring the idea of tribe (p 12); and, second, understanding the Adivasi social world through just the idea of the political or the language of the modern is in itself self-limiting (p 181). What is therefore required, argues Dasgupta, is to recognise the multiple life worlds and belief systems, fractured identities and social hierarchies, and pluralist forms of protests and demands that reorder the Adivasi worlds in India in general and Chhotanagpur region in particular. HA NOI Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang on March 12 said that there remains ample room for the cooperation between Vietnam and Nordic countries as they have advantages to support and complement each other in many fields. Speaking at a conference of leaders of Nordic businesses that are investing in Viet Nam, Quang expressed his hope that big corporations and companies from the Nordic region, with their experience, strengths, and reputation, will continue to support and accompany the Vietnamese Government and enterprises. He expected that they will have breakthrough, creative, modern solutions, seize opportunities, and expand investment cooperation in areas where both sides have strengths and potential. Quang also hoped that Nordic investors will help the Vietnamese Government to continue perfecting institutions, mechanisms, and policies to encourage businesses to apply sustainable business models, develop new industries, as well as digital, green, and circular economy. The Deputy PM also asked Nordic corporations and businesses to promote cooperation directions that they have strengths in and that Viet Nam has needs such as finance - banking, green industries, education and training, and healthcare. In the spirit of harmonising benefits and sharing risks, the Vietnamese Government will always accompany, support, and create favourable conditions for the business community in general and foreign investors in particular, including those from the Nordic region, to do successful, sustainable and long-term business in Viet Nam, Quang affirmed. On this occasion, Quang clarified issues that Nordic corporations and businesses are concerned about relating to administrative reforms, electricity supply, agricultural development, human resource training, and Vietnam's diplomatic relations. - VNS BINH PHUOC The southern province of Binh Phuoc introduced its potential and incentives to invite European investors to invest in industry, trade, and high-tech agriculture in the province at a business forum held in ong Xoai city on March 12. Giving a brief introduction of Binh Phuoc, Chairwoman of the provincial Peoples Committee Tran Tue Hien said her province, about 110km from HCM City, is a rubber and cashew production hub. It owns an abundant land reserve for developing industrial parks, trade, service and urban areas, and high-tech agricultural projects. The province is home to comprehensive and gradually modernised infrastructure, along with 13 industrial parks that cover 4,686 ha and has an occupancy rate of 69%. She went on to say that there are 413 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects worth US$4.25 billion in Binh Phuoc at present. They include 17 projects with combined capital of $523 million from Europe, accounting for 12.3% of the total. With good infrastructure, good human resources, good policies, and good public services, Binh Phuoc will serve and satisfy investors, including members of the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham), at its best, Hien stated. The official pledged that her province will always stand side by side with businesses and are ready to create the best possible conditions for foreign investors, including European ones. Gabor Fluit, Chairman of EuroCham Vietnam and CEO of De Heus Asia, said Binh Phuoc holds a strategic location in the southern key economic region and acts as an important gateway connecting Vietnam with Cambodia and other regional countries. With an abundant land resource, it offers attractive investment chances in agriculture, aquaculture, food processing, and large-scaled production. Besides, favourable climate conditions also make it an ideal candidate for large renewable energy projects. Thanks to the EU - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), under which nearly 99% of tariffs will be eliminated and reduced in the next decade, Binh Phuoc is well-positioned to benefit from the expanded access to the EU market with 500 million people, he said. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien said EuroCham businesses are not only technologically strong but also financially capable while the EU is a highly potential market for Viet Nams agricultural sector. Therefore, the presence of European businesses will not only help Binh Phuoc sustainably develop agriculture but also contribute to local socio-economic development. VNS HA NOI Environmental protection in industrial zones and craft villages has long received special attention from Ha Noi authority. However, environmental pollution still occurs in a number of places throughout the city, especially in suburban areas. According to Kinh Te & o Thi (Economy and City) Newspaper, the small road connecting National Highway 32 to Lai Xa Industrial Zone in Kim Chung Commune of outlying Hoai uc District often emits an overwhelming stench with garbage scattered everywhere. Along another road at the end of the industrial zone there is a black ditch filled with garbage, bordering a vegetable field. This wastewater in the ditch is stagnant, with no way out. Over time, wastewater from the ditch will penetrate deeply into the soil causing severe environmental pollution. Lai Xa Industrial Zone is just one of many industrial parks and craft villages in Ha Noi facing the risk of pollution from many different waste sources. According to statistics, the city currently has about 70 industrial parks located on a total planned area of 1,686ha, and many craft villages in most districts and towns. The industrial parks and craft villages help promote the growth of the citys industry and handicrafts, shift the economic structure between industries, and effectively exploit the potential of raw materials as well as create jobs for local labour. However, the parks and villages bring great concern about environmental pollution. Referring to the environmental pollution situation in industrial zones and craft villages in Ha Noi in recent years, it is impossible not to mention Duong Lieu craft village of agricultural product processing in Duong Lieu Commune of Hoai uc District. The traditional craft brings high income, but local people are facing heavy pollution. The main cause of the environmental pollution in the village is organic waste generated during the processing of agricultural products, specifically arrowroot vermicelli, rice noodles and cassava starch. Wastewater from soaking sour cassava for a long time makes most of the canal system in this craft village black and smelly. There was even a time when Duong Lieu craft village had become a search keyword on the internet for burning canals. The reason was that in the summer time with high temperature, the water in the polluted canals evaporates causing organic waste to become concentrated, and creating gas that could easily ignite when exposed to fire. To solve the pollution in craft villages, Ha Noi authority has implemented a number of large-scale projects on wastewater treatment for craft villages, including Cau Nga Wastewater Treatment Plant which treats wastewater for Duong Lieu Commune. The plant, with a capacity of treating 20,000cu.m per day, was put into operation in 2016. However, due to geographical location difficulties, there are still some villages of Duong Lieu Commune that cannot use the services of this plant. Is the monitoring mechanism effective? In fact, environmental pollution in industrial zones and craft villages is getting more serious in recent years. Many solutions have been proposed by State management agencies, however, up to now, proposed solutions have not been fully effective for many different reasons. Environmental experts believe that one of the main reasons environmental pollution persists in these areas is because the monitoring mechanism is not effective. Dr. ang Huy Huynh, vice president of the Viet Nam Nature and Environment Protection Association, said that the Law on Environment Protection clearly stipulates that the construction of environmental infrastructure must include a wastewater collection, drainage and treatment system, works and equipment for preventing and responding to environment incidents, and non-stop automatic wastewater monitoring system, as well as guarantee green areas. According to the vice president, the legal corridor in the field of environmental protection has been relatively fully developed. All businesses and production facilities in industrial parks and craft villages must comply with these regulations. Before being allowed to operate, environmental protection conditions must be met as stipulated in the Law on Environmental Protection, said Huynh. However, there are still a number of production facilities, industrial zones and craft villages that do not comply with those regulations. They illegally discharge into the environment, causing environmental pollution and affecting peoples health," Huynh said. Ha Noi is developing towards becoming a smart, green, clean and beautiful city. Therefore, in recent years, the municipal People's Committee has paid attention to environment protection, including solutions for environmental pollution in industrial zones and craft villages, he said. Although there are legal corridors and policies for environmental protection in industrial zones and craft villages, the weak monitoring mechanism is a major barrier that makes the environmental protection in these areas ineffective, according to Huynh. Therefore, the environmental expert recommended two solutions to improve the effectiveness of environmental protection in the areas. The first is to strengthen information dissemination and raise awareness of environmental protection among owners of businesses, production facilities and people. The effort aims to help everyone understand that protecting the environment is protecting one's own life. The second is to improve the effectiveness of monitoring and handling violations in the environmental field. Authorities and State management agencies need to be more decisive. Besides, it is necessary to give local mass organisations such as the association of elderly, women and youth, and the Fatherland Front the right to supervise and raise their voices on solutions for pollution prevention and preserving the environment. VNS Assoc. Dr. Pham Quoc Khanh, vice director of the Department of Quality Management at the Ministry of Education and Training, talks with Vietnam News Agency about changes in learning results after 10 years of participating in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and applying this assessment model to evaluate Vietnamese student capacity. After 10 years of participating in PISA, what is Viet Nams latest performance? Viet Nam has participated in the programme since 2012 and properly, fully and strictly implemented all Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) processes. According to PISA 2022s results, Vietnamese students scored close to the OECD average in mathematics, reading comprehensive and science ranking, 34 out of 81 countries and territories. Viet Nam ranks 2nd in the ASEAN region after Singapore, and Vietnamese students have among the highest math scores in Asia, only behind Hong Kong, Taiwan (China) and South Korea, when calculated according to the PISA index of socio-economic conditions. These results are consistent with OECDs analysis on factors affecting results in its published reports. PISA survey cycles have fluctuations in rankings, so Viet Nam has seen changes in results. We are also very interested in in-depth analysis and evaluation to serve policy development and implementation. The country is actively developing a national report to analyse and compare PISA 2022 results. The general change in PISA results through cycles is that the average scores of subjects have changed due to the addition and updating of assessment content to serve the goals set for each stage. PISA 2022 results show Viet Nam has always been in the leading group in the ASEAN region, as well as in a high position among the group of middle-income countries and territories and around the average of the OECD countries. PISA 2022 results decreased in overall rank. We initially evaluated some of the causes of this to implement the motto "temporarily stopping going to school, not stopping studying". Organising online teaching in Viet Nam was a new thing for many schools, teachers and students, but not new to many developed countries. The Ministry of Education and Training has directed the streamlining of content, keeping only the core part, guiding student assessments, and reducing supplementary lessons. According to overall results published by the OECD, higher spending for education is associated with higher results in PISAs mathematics. However, Viet Nam is a typical example of students achieving high academic results when investment in education is still modest. In your opinion, is this because Vietnamese students focus more on math? Education spending per student aged 6-15 in Viet Nam is only about US$13,800 while in the OECD countries and territories, the amount is $75,000 but the average score in math of Vietnamese students is 438 points, one of the highest for students with similar socio-economic backgrounds. OECD only announced this comparison in mathematics because PISA 2022 focuses on this subject. In my opinion, there are many reasons for this result. Education is considered a top national policy. Learning opportunities are available for children through a wide school network across the country with 97 per cent of students attending preschool education for one year or more as compared to 94 per cent of OECD average. The learning programme is designed to provide middle school students with a solid foundation of knowledge in basic subjects such as math, science and Literature, so Vietnamese students score the OECD average. In addition, mathematics is considered a strength of Vietnamese students through other assessments as well as many international Olympic competitions. Therefore, Viet Nams mathematics results in this PISA 2022 basically reflect the quality of teaching this subject compared to other countries and territories in the region and the world. Vietnamese teachers also focus on training logical thinking for students in the process of teaching math, as well as encouraging students apply diverse math solving methods helping them develop creativity and independent thinking. Do you have any comments on the gap between students with the best learning conditions and those with the most difficulties? Is it true that Vietnam still has a lot to do to narrow this gap? It is true that students with favourable socio-economic conditions outperform students from disadvantaged backgrounds in mathematics. The average difference between the two groups is 78 points compared to 93 points in OECD countries. This not only happens in Viet Nam but also in many other countries and territories. However, about 13 per cent of Vietnamese students from disadvantaged backgrounds scored high, in the top 25 per cent, as compared to 10 per cent in OECD countries. Along with socio-economic conditions, there are other factors that affect learning outcomes. Therefore, the Ministry of Education and Training has been implementing synchronous and systematic solutions fitting each region to achieve equality in education access. What does participating in the PISA survey mean for Viet Nams educational innovation? How have we applied the OECD assessment model to evaluate students? PISA 2022 includes 81 participating countries and territories with at least 81 different middle school programmes. Although many different sets of books and learning materials were used, the same competency assessment test of 120 minutes and 35 minutes asking about information related to students were applied. The survey was organised scientifically and seriously to provide important data for policy development and implementation. The education and training sector is implementing a project of developing a national wide-scale assessment system to meet the requirements of improving the quality and international integration of general education in the period 2022 - 2030, according to Decision 468/Q-BGDT dated February 13, 2023 issued by the Minister of Education and Training (known as Project 468). The implementation of the project aims to periodically provide objective and reliable information about the quality of general education as a basis for proposing policies and solutions to innovate teaching and learning activities to meet the requirements of implementing the Programme of General Education 2018. The fact that Viet Nam will continue to participate in PISA 2025 shows commitment and consistency in goals and the significance of participating in large-scale assessments of Project 468. In recent years, we have also applied the OECD assessment model to evaluate Vietnamese students. The Department of Quality Management is still implementing training on how to apply PISA assessment to improve the capacity of management and teachers. The training sessions have helped managers and teachers apply PISA assessment methods at the local level, as well as innovate test questions in the direction of developing students capacities. PISA's assessment techniques and methods have many outstanding advantages and are consistent with the trend of assessing learners capacities set in the 2018 General Education Programme, contributing to improving general education quality and international integration. VNS VIENTIANE Secretary of the Ha Noi Party Committee inh Tien Dung paid a courtesy call to Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone in Vientiane on March 11, assuring the host that Ha Noi, as well as Viet Nam, will spare no effort, together with the Party, State and people of Laos, to preserve and foster bilateral special relationship in various areas. Dung affirmed that Ha Noi always gives high priority to its important political relations with Laos, especially Vientiane capital and northern Lao provinces. In the coming time, Ha Noi will work together with Vientiane and other Lao localities to enhance cooperation in a more practical and effective manner, he said, adding that in this regard, Ha Noi will increase sharing experiences in various fields. PM Sonexay Siphandone, for his part, highly valued the success of joint initiatives between the two capitals under their 2022-25 cooperation agreement, especially practical support provided by Ha Noi for Vientiane during this period. Expressing his confidence that the two capitals will continue effectively realising the 2022-25 cooperation agreement, he wished that Ha Noi would actively share the best practices and lessons learned in Party and political system building, economic management, budget allocation, Capital Law drafting, decentralisation, long-term planning with innovative thinking, building of green-clean-beautiful urban areas and fight against social vices like drug abuse, among others. He envisioned a future where the two capitals become a model of local-level collaboration, thereby fostering the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation nurtured by leaders of both Parties and States. In the afternoon the same day, Dung held talks with Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People's Council of Vientiane Anouphap Tounalom. Dung said in response to Laos' National Tourism Year 2024, Ha Noi will collaborate with Vientiane to hold a bilateral tourism promotion programme aimed at increasing economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between the two capitals. He further highlighted Ha Noi's keen interest in and desire to step up cooperation with Vientiane in quality human resources development this year. Beyond offering scholarships for university and postgraduate education, Ha Noi stands ready to assist Vientiane in leadership training, and facilitate vocational training and internship opportunities for Vientiane artisans in Ha Noi's craft villages, he said. Agreeing with Dungs proposals, Anouphap Tounalom vowed to direct local agencies to discuss with Ha Noi counterparts to effectively realise them. This collaborative approach, he believed, will foster deeper mutual understanding and solidify the bonds between the two cities. VNS HA NOI Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visits to Australia and New Zealand (March 4-12) were successful in all aspects, marking significant milestones in Viet Nam's relations with the two countries, according to Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son. In an interview granted to press agencies, Minister Son highlighted the significance of the visits, saying that they represent a concrete step in implementing the foreign policy set by the 13th National Party Congress, which includes further strengthening and deepening relations with partners, especially strategic, comprehensive and important partners, and traditional friends. These were PM Chinh's first visits to Australia and New Zealand in his new position, and also the visits by a Vietnamese PM to the two countries in seven years, the diplomat noted. In Australia, Chinh and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese announced the elevation of the Viet Nam-Australia relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They agreed to closely coordinate to implement six major directions, including strengthening political trust and strategic diplomacy. Others include more practical and effective cooperation in economy, trade, and investment; and in science, technology, innovation, digital transformation, and green transition. More comprehensive cooperation in culture is also in the cards, along with collaboration in education, training, environmental protection, and climate change adaptation. The two sides will strive for stronger people-to-people exchanges and connections between generations, as well as security and defence cooperation. PM Chinh had meetings with Australian Governor-General David Hurley, President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines, and leader of the Liberal Party of Australia (LPA) Peter Dutton. He received Deputy Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives and Chairperson of the Australia-Viet Nam Friendship Parliamentarians Group Sharon Claydon, and many other Australian leaders. He attended and delivered speeches at Viet Nam-Australia business and education forums, participated in a ceremony to inaugurate the Australia-Viet Nam Policy Institute at RMIT University, visited education-training facilities, and met with representatives of the Vietnamese community in the country. During the visit, ministries and sectors of the two countries' signed 13 cooperation deals in different fields. Meanwhile, universities of the two sides inked nine cooperation agreements, Son said. In New Zealand, PM Chinh held talks with his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon; and met with senior leaders of the country. The two sides agreed to strengthen political trust, mutual understanding, and cooperation in trade, agriculture, education, people-to-people exchange, thus opening up opportunities for cooperation in new areas such as climate change adaptation and digital transformation, Son said. The two sides also agreed to together boost trade promotion activities towards lifting two-way trade to US$2 billion this year, and take measures to increase bilateral investment to $500 million by 2030. They also committed to contributing to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region. On this occasion, ministries and sectors of Viet Nam and New Zealand signed three cooperation agreements in the fields of education, economy-trade, and finance, which serve as a foundation and prerequisite for specific and effective cooperation between the two countries' ministries and sectors in the coming years, contributing to the stable and sustainable development of the Viet Nam-New Zealand strategic partnership. According to Minister Son, both Australia and New Zealand highly valued Viet Nam's increasing position and role in the region and the world. They agreed to continue collaborating with and supporting each other at regional and international forums for the benefit of their people, as well as for peace, stability, and development in the region and the world. Regarding the outcomes of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, Son called it a golden milestone in the bilateral relationship as it set out cooperation orientations for the new period. The summit is a testament to the growing value and importance of ASEAN, as well as the importance partners attach to the groupings role and position, the minister continued. The two sides consented to promote the culture of dialogue and cooperation, trust building, conflict prevention, and the role of international law and multilateralism in conduct and cooperation in dealing with common challenges. The leaders emphasised the role of peace, stability, security and safety of aviation and overflight in the East Sea, and the peaceful settlement of conflicts on the basis of international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The summit adopted the ASEAN-Australia Leaders Vision Statement Partners for Peace and Prosperity and the Melbourne Declaration A Partnership for the Future, Son said, calling them a foundation for the implementation of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership in the time ahead. Notably, PM Chinh's remarks were highly valued by other countries as the Vietnamese leader reviewed the ASEAN-Australia relationship over the past 50 years, and raised initiatives to boost the ties in the time ahead. Delegates were also impressed by proposals put forward by the Vietnamese leader to create breakthroughs in economy, trade, and investment cooperation; human resources development, and cooperation on science, technology, and innovation; and to strengthen political trust and cooperation in ensuring global peace and security, promote cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchange. PM Chinh urged ASEAN and Australia to join hands to promote a region that respects and acts on international law, with countries complying with the UN Charter and international law, and jointly shaping an open and inclusive regional structure, heightening multilateralism with ASEAN playing a central role. Viet Nam's participation in the summit contributed to highlighting Viet Nam's role in ASEAN-Australia relations, and promoting the substantive and effective development of the Viet Nam-Australia bilateral relationship in the future, FM Son said. On the sidelines of the summit, PM Chinh met with all senior leaders of ASEAN member countries, Timor-Leste, Australia, New Zealand, and the ASEAN Secretary-General. These partners hailed Viet Nam's role and position and expressed their desire to further deepen the relationship in all areas with Viet Nam. VNS HA NOI Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his wife and a high-ranking delegation of Viet Nam arrived back Ha Noi on Tuesday morning, concluding a trip for the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit commemorating the 50th anniversary of dialogue relations, and official visits to Australia and New Zealand from March 5-11. At the ASEAN Australia Special Summit, leaders highlighted the importance and value of the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, set out a major orientation to promote comprehensive cooperation in all fields in the coming time. They adopted the Melbourne Declaration - A Partnership for the Future and ASEAN-Australia Leaders' Vision Statement - Partners for Peace and Prosperity", which serve as a basis for implementing the ASEAN-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership in the coming time. At the sessions of the Special Summit, PM Chinh underlined the necessity to create breakthroughs and promote mutual commitments to further strengthen the ASEAN Australia relations to commemorate the 50th anniversary. Notably, he had bilateral meetings with heads of participating delegations, including leaders of ASEAN countries, Timor Leste, Australia and New Zealand, and the Secretary General of ASEAN, focusing discussions to tighten friendship and promote bilateral cooperation. The Prime Minister's official visits to Australia and New Zealand were a success in all aspects and an important milestone in the relationship between Viet Nam and the two countries. In particular, Viet Nam and Australia upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, and Viet Nam and New Zealand agreed to promote bilateral relations to a new height. Also during the visits, the two sides signed nearly 30 cooperation documents in the fields of education, training, innovation, goods and services, aviation, energy, mining, trade, investment, finance, banking, agriculture, environment, labour and employment, justice, and defence. VNS HA NOI Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu held talks in Ha Noi on Monday with Komura Masahiro, Member of the House of Representatives, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who is in Viet Nam for a visit from Sunday to Wednesday. Vu proposed the two sides maintain the exchange of high-level and all-level delegations in 2024, and Japan continue to cooperate and support Viet Nam to promote industrialisation and modernisation in the new context. The Vietnamese official expressed his satisfaction with the progress in bilateral economic cooperation, and in improving Viet Nam's investment in the environment as well as collaboration in such new fields as green transformation, digital transformation, and implementation of projects within the framework of Japan's Asian Zero Emissions Community (AZEC) initiative. He also suggested the two countries boost labour cooperation and training of skilled human resources to meet their demands, and create favourable conditions for Vietnamese labourers in Japan. The Japanese official affirmed Viet Nam has an important position in Japan's foreign policy on the region. Emphasising the importance of the two countries establishment of their comprehensive strategic partnership and organisation of large-scale events celebrating the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations in 2023, Komura said that his ministry will maintain close coordination with the Vietnamese side to successfully prepare visits and contacts by high-level leaders in the coming time. The two officials also exchanged views on the world and regional situations; agreed to strengthen coordination and cooperation on international issues of mutual concern, and to actively contribute to peace and prosperity in the region; and affirmed to maintain mutual support at multilateral forums and international organisations. VNS NEW YORK Vice State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan suggested empowering women and girls in science, technology and digital transformation while addressing the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in New York on March 11 (local time). The work should go in tandem with the fight against discrimination and violence in cyberspace, she said, stressing the need to promote womens role in building an international environment of peace, stability, and inclusive and sustainable development, and handling non-traditional challenges, especially climate change. Women should be given opportunities to maximise their capability in economic, political and social activities, and further engage in decision-making mechanisms in these fields, especially economy, Xuan continued. The Vice President called on UN countries to work together to enhance partnership for sustainable development, and provide financial support and policy consultations for developing nations. She used the occasion to brief the participants on Viet Nams achievements in ensuring gender equality, elaborating that female National Assembly deputies make up 30.3% of the total seats; and female labour force participation, 70%. In January, Viet Nam issued a national action programme on women, peace and security for 2024-2030, Xuan said, affirming that the country stands ready to closely cooperate with others and partners for gender equality, and womens and girls empowerment, ensuring that no one is left behind. At the session, UN leaders expressed their concern about the stagnant implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially that on hunger eradication and poverty reduction, saying one in every 10 women in the world lives in extreme poverty. UN leaders emphasised the need to ensure finance and enhance institutions to fully put in place the 1995 Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and strengthen womens economic empowerment. The CSW is instrumental in promoting womens rights, documenting the reality of womens lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women. On the same day, Vice President Xuan met with Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Achim Steiner, during which she hailed the leadership role of the UNDP within the UN development system, particularly in advancing the implementation of the sustainable development goals (SDGs). She thanked the organisation for its continuous support to and partnership with Viet Nam in the country's reconstruction, development, and national-building efforts over the past nearly 50 years, with total assistance nearing US$1 billion. Xuan spoke of Viet Nam's efforts in implementing the Socio-economic Development Strategy for the 2021-2030 period, and the Socio-economic Development Plan for the 2021 2025 period, including maintaining macroeconomic stability, addressing climate change and natural disasters, transitioning growth models towards green, sustainable and inclusive development, as well as advancements in the Human Development Index (HDI) and gender equality. She highly appreciated UNDP's cooperation in implementing the Viet Nam-UNDP Cooperation Programme for the 2022-2026 period, as well as in the draft outline of the Resource Mobilsation Plan for implementing the Viet Nam Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). The leader suggested the UNDP continue financial and policy assistance for Viet Nam, help the country improve its capacity to implement the aforementioned priority policies, support the socio-economic development in the Mekong Delta region, and mobilise adequate resources from development partners to ensure the implementation of these tasks. For his part, Steiner congratulated Viet Nam on its great achievements thus far, describing them as a source of encouragement and substantial contribution to implementing the UNs priorities. He said Viet Nam and the UNDP share common priorities regarding green and digital transformation, affirming that international organisation stands ready to support Viet Nam in achieving its commitment of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 and in implementing the JETP, accelerating decarbonisation processes and ensuring affordable access to clean energy. It will act as a bridge between Viet Nam and international donors, as well as among the Mekong River basin countries, to support Viet Nam in meeting its set objectives. The two sides agreed to maintain close collaboration to enable Viet Nam to make more significant contributions to UNDP's global efforts in promoting sustainable development. VNS HA NOI President Vo Van Thuong received Pakistani Ambassador Samina Mehtab in Ha Noi on Tuesday, congratulating the outgoing diplomat on her excellent fulfillment of tasks in Viet Nam. The State leader highly valued the ambassadors active and effective contributions to the friendship and cooperation between the two countries, especially the organisation of many meaningful activities to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relations in 2022. He highly appreciated Mehtab for holding a number of effective activities to promote cooperation between ministries, sectors, localities, and businesses of the two countries, thereby helping develop the Viet Nam - Pakistan friendship and cooperation and expand cooperation areas, especially economy, trade, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. Many business delegations of Pakistan have also come to Viet Nam to explore investment opportunities, he noted. Thanking the President and relevant agencies of Viet Nam for their active support for her and her colleagues to fulfill duties, Mehtab said she was deeply impressed with the sentiments and hospitality of Vietnamese people, which, she said, is why the countrys tourism is growing so strongly. She underlined the importance of economic and trade partnerships and voiced her delight at the vigorous growth of bilateral trade. The ambassador expressed her hope that the two sides will soon hold high-level mutual visits to open up more opportunities for boosting trade ties. She also suggested the countries parliamentary friendship groups increase sharing experience to help enrich cooperation achievements. In addition, Mehtab called on the two countries to further step up collaboration in other fields, particularly information technology and between chambers of commerce to promote coordination programmes between Vietnamese and Pakistani businesses. President Thuong emphasised that Viet Nam always treasures the cooperation with Pakistan and wishes the bilateral relations will develop more strongly in the future. He agreed with the ambassadors proposal on increasing high-level delegation exchanges, asking the two sides to boost mutual visits by delegations of ministries, sectors, localities, businesses, associations, and parliamentary friendship groups, along with people-to-people interactions, so as to enhance mutual understanding and friendship. Viet Nam and Pakistan should make joint efforts to secure more fruitful partnerships in trade and investment, he added. Through the ambassador, President Thuong sent congratulations to Asif Ali Zardari on his recent election as President of Pakistan and invited the latter to pay a visit to Viet Nam. He also expressed his hope that with her experience, understanding, and special sentiments towards Viet Nam, Mehtab will further contribute to the two countries relations in the time to come. VNS The late real estate investor James F. Cotter, photographed in 2007. COURTESY PHOTO The late real estate investor James F. Cotter, photographed in 2007 in front of one of the Alamo Towers office buildings he owned. Joshua Boren/Sonshadow Multimedia More than seven years after the death of San Antonio real estate tycoon James F. Cotter, legal battles over his estate continue to play out. Late last month, his three oldest children accused their San Antonio probate lawyer and his firm of malpractice for advising them to sign a settlement agreement that allegedly let the trios two half-siblings share equally in their fathers estate even though they werent named in his will. James Val Lee Val Cotter, Vivian Mueller and Valeri Cotter Zaharie allege in their suit that attorney Martin Marty Roos and his firm, Clark Hill PLC, failed to explain all the facets of the conflicts of interest that existed between Plaintiffs on the one hand, and their half-siblings, Adam and Andy Cotter, on the other. Roos represented all five children. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As a result, the three plaintiffs say they entered into a settlement agreement that drastically reduced the value of their interests in the estate. Roos and his firm placed their interests in collecting excessive fees above their clients interest, the lawsuit adds. They are seeking damages of more than $1 million. Roos referred questions to San Antonio attorney William Ford, who declined to comment. Jason Davis, the heirs attorney, didnt respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Cotter died of cardiac arrest on Jan. 25, 2017. He was 83. $166 million estate Cotter was described as a self-made man who was often clad in a cowboy hat and boots. He built a vast real estate empire that about a year before his death was comprised of 66 properties including office buildings, farms and houses in six states. In San Antonio, his holdings included the Alamo Towers along Northeast Loop 410 and the two Petroleum Towers just around the corner on Tesoro Drive. But he also owed a lot to lenders, creditors and the IRS. The companies that owned Alamo Towers and Petroleum Towers landed in bankruptcy after his death. Advertisement Article continues below this ad San Antonio attorney Marcus Rogers, who was appointed to oversee the estate, previously said Cotter left his companies books in disarray, with substantial intercompany-related accounts that did not balance and had not been reconciled for what appears to be many years. Rogers resigned from the post as independent administrator in 2022, but not before Val Cotter accused him in the probate case of mismanaging the estate by selling estate assets for less than their appraised value and generating millions in fees and commissions for himself. Rogers couldnt be reached for comment. The estate was estimated to be worth about $166 million at the time of his death, his three oldest children say in their lawsuit. A 1981 will they cite allegedly left various specific bequests to his three oldest children: Vivian Mueller, 67, of Washington state; Val Cotter, 64, of San Antonio; and Valeri Cotter Zaharie, 59, of Idaho. The bequests included corporate stock, real estate in Glenn County, Calif., and the rest of Mr. Cotters properties, the suit says. Cotters two youngest sons James Adam Adam Cotter, 37 of San Antonio, and James Andrew Andy Cotter, who is in his mid-30s, of California, werent even born at the time of the 1981 will. They were the sons of Cotters second wife, a woman who was more than half his age. That union lasted less than three years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He married his third wife, longtime companion Ruth Cotter, in 2012. Now 86, she lives in Oklahoma. Settlement agreement Even though Adam and Andy werent mentioned in the will, the lawsuit says Roos and his firm decided to represent all five children in the probate case. The conflicts of interest were so great that the attorneys were obligated to decline representation of all five Cotter Children and advise Plaintiffs to seek separate counsel, the complaint alleges. Ruth Cotter challenged the validity of the will less than a month after Cotters death. Advertisement Article continues below this ad She and the five Cotter children mediated the dispute and entered into the settlement agreement in late June 2017. It had the effect of the three oldest children relinquishing their rights to the specific bequests to which they were entitled under the terms of the will, their lawsuit says. The suit further adds, with boldface emphasis, that the agreement provided that the courts determination of heirship will be determinative of the beneficiaries of the estate, notwithstanding any written will. As a result, the suit says the three oldest children purportedly forfeited the specific valuable bequests granted to them in the Will. The lawsuit doesnt place a value on the specific bequests, however. Redacted exhibit The settlement agreement filed in Cotters probate case has an attached redacted exhibit detailing amounts distributable to beneficiaries. It shows the five children would equally share $40.4 million, or about $8.1 million each. But it also shows Adam stood to receive about $7.5 million, for a total of $15.6 million. Ruth Cotter was due to receive $8.6 million, while almost $12.9 million was designated for a marital trust. Under terms of the will, the three oldest children say their distributions would have been significantly higher. They also allege that if they had not entered into the settlement agreement, Rogers would not have been made the independent administrator and the loss of value to the estate that occurred under his administration would not have occurred. A NANG A delegation of Chinas Shandong province led by its Vice Governor Song Junji paid a visit to the central city of a Nang on Tuesday, which was expected to contribute to enhancing cooperation between the two localities in the time ahead. Vice Chairman of the a Nang City Peoples Committee Tran Chi Cuong briefed the guests on the citys socio-economic situation, saying it has been identified as the growth nucleus of Viet Nams central key economic region. According to the official, a Nang has established cooperative ties with 48 localities of 22 countries and territories worldwide, noting it has maintained friendship and official cooperation with a number of Chinese localities, including Shandong. In 2017, the Chinese Consulate General in a Nang was put into operation, serving as a bridge between the city and Chinese localities and partners, he said. Cuong emphasised that a Nang wishes for more intensive and closer relations with Chinese localities, especially in the areas where the sides have strengths and share similarities like tourism and navigation. For his part, Song said Shandong boasts strengths in both agriculture and industry, and suggested the two sides promote Party diplomacy and exchange experience in Party building, thus contributing to boosting the relations between Viet Nam and China in the new era. The official held that Shandong and a Nang share similarities in economy, culture, tourism, trade and high-tech, saying he hopes that the visit will help forge their bilateral collaboration in the coming time. Apart from the good political ties, economic cooperation and trade between a Nang and Chinese localities are growing, he continued. China is running 93 projects in the Vietnamese central locality with a total investment capital of US$118 million, mainly in catering services, electronics import consultation, and silicon product manufacturing. Last year, a Nang exported $47 million worth of goods to China, and imported $205 million. In the year, China was the second biggest source of tourists to a Nang, with 179,000 arrivals. - VNS VIENTIANE General Secretary of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith received a delegation of Ha Noi led by inh Tien Dung, Politburo member of the Communist Party of Viet Nam and Secretary of the municipal Party Committee, in Vientiane on March 12. Briefing his host on the outcomes of the talks between the Ha Noi and Vientiane delegations, Dung said the fruitful cooperation between the two capital cities is one of the vivid demonstrations of the Viet Nam - Laos special traditional friendship. He affirmed that Ha Noi will continue coordinating closely with Vientiane to effectively carry out the agreements reached by leaders of the two Parties and the two States, along with the deals between the two capitals. The Lao leader spoke highly of the outcomes of Dungs talks with Secretary of the Vientiane Party Committee Anouphap Tounalom, along with the two cities partnerships under their cooperation agreement for 2022 - 2025, especially Ha Nois practical assistance to the Lao side. He voiced his belief that Ha Noi and Vientiane will continue productively implementing their cooperation agreement and carry out new cooperation areas in an increasingly effective manner. He also called on Ha Noi to actively share its experience in the Party and political system building as well as other fields with Lao localities. The top leader of Laos noted that he believed the two capital cities friendship and cooperation will become a role model of the two countries locality-to-locality cooperation, thus contributing to the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Viet Nam and Laos. Also on March 12, the Ha Noi delegation attended the inauguration ceremony of the headquarters of the Justice Department and the Procuracy of Vientiane. The project, invested with US$3 million, is a gift from the Party organisation, administration, and people of Ha Noi to their Vientiane counterparts. The same day, the delegation took part in the Ha Noi - Vientiane tourism and trade promotion programme 2024. VNA/VNS HA NOI Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son received Komura Masahiro, member of the House of Representatives and Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, in Ha Noi on March 12. Lauding the great progress of the Vietnam - Japan friendship and cooperation in various fields, Minister Son noted that Japan remains a partner of leading importance of Viet Nam. It ranks first in terms of official development assistance (ODA) provision, second in labour cooperation, third in investment and tourism cooperation, and fourth among trading partners of Viet Nam. He said 2023 was a particularly successful year of the Vietnam - Japan relations as it saw the elevation of their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, which created an important basis for bilateral relations in the next 50 years, along with mutual visits by nearly 200 delegations at all levels, and more than 500 activities celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties. He asked Komura and the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to work closely with the Vietnamese side to promote the implementation of the newly established comprehensive strategic partnership and the agreements reached between the countries leaders; increase exchanges at all levels and between their Parties, States, and parliaments; and reactivate and step up cooperation mechanisms between ministries and sectors of the countries. The host official called on Japan to continue assisting Viet Nam to build an independent and self-reliant economy, and provide new-generation ODA for large-scaled strategic infrastructure development, climate change response, digital transformation, and healthcare projects. Viet Nam is pushing ahead with the establishment of a Government working group to accelerate investment cooperation and ODA projects between the two countries, he announced. The Foreign Minister also asked for boosting people-to-people exchanges, a foundation for sustainable relations, through strengthened cooperation in culture, tourism, labour, and human resources training. For his part, Komura pledged close coordination with the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to successfully organise high-level mutual visits in the coming time. Japanese businesses are highly interested in expanding investment in Viet Nam , he said, proposing the Vietnamese Government continue to further improve the investment climate and roll out partnerships in new areas like digital transformation, green transition, and cooperation within the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) framework. At the meeting, the two sides also touched upon some regional and international issues. They affirmed that Vietnam and Japan will continue supporting each other at multilateral forums and international organisations while enhancing coordination, stance sharing, and cooperation in issues of common concern. VNS HA NOI The government has issued a decree regarding the management of motorised vehicles registered abroad and brought into Viet Nam by foreign travellers. Stipulating general conditions for both foreign drivers and vehicles entering Viet Nam, it said individuals must work with international travel service businesses in Viet Nam who are capable of making requests for the authorities approval of organising the participation of foreign drivers and motorised vehicles in the local traffic. The approval document must be obtained from the Ministry of Public Security. Foreign motorised vehicles on Viet Nam's roads must meet certain conditions, including being road motorised as defined in Clause 1, Article 3 of the decree and having valid vehicle registration certificates and licence plates as well as valid safety and environmental inspection certificates for motorised vehicles or equivalent documents (for automobiles). These documents must be issued by the authority of the country of registration. Automobiles with right-hand drive must obtain a diplomatic note from diplomatic missions, consular offices, or international intergovernmental organisation offices in Viet Nam. The note is sent to the Ministry of Public Security, requesting permission and stating the reasons for the vehicle to be used. These automobiles are only allowed temporary entry or re-export through international border gates via road, sea, inland waterway, rail, or air routes as approved by the ministry. Another general condition is to undergo customs, temporary entry, or re-export procedures in accordance with customs laws immediately at the border gates. The maximum duration allowed for traffic participation in Viet Nam is no more than 45 days. In exceptional circumstances, a stay of no more than 10 additional days is permitted, subject to regulations. The drivers, meanwhile, must be foreigners holding valid passports or internationally recognised travel documents and visas, and valid residence documents in Viet Nam, except for cases exempted from visas under the immigration, emigration, transit, and residence law for foreigners in Vietnam. If foreigners enter the country under unilateral visa exemption, their passport must be valid for at least six months before expiry; while those using electronic visas must enter through international border gates decided by the Government. Other conditions for the drivers to meet include having a valid driving licence issued by a foreign country suitable for the type of vehicle being driven, and undergoing entry, exit, and residence procedures in accordance with Vietnamese law. These stipulations will come into effect on May 1, 2024. VNS HA NOI The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs estimates that reducing the age for receiving social pensions from 80 to 75 years old will help expand the eligible beneficiaries by about 800,000 elderly people who will receive benefits. According to the ministry, after 12 years of implementing the Law on the Elderly, ministries, sectors, and localities have achieved significant results. Up to now, the legal framework for the implementation of the Elderly Law has been issued. However, the work for the elderly in localities still faces difficulties and limitations. Regular health check-ups and health records for the elderly in some areas are only conducted for those over 80 years old. Those from 60 to 79 years old are still ineligible due to financial shortages. The social pension level for the elderly is still low compared to the current cost of living. Many people cannot wait until they are 80 to receive social pensions. In addition, the community-based elderly care model has not been adequately implemented by localities. Pension policies for the elderly who retired before 1995 are not reasonable, commonly ranging from VN3.2 million to 4.8 million, which is lower than those holding the same positions who retired after 1995, it said. The ministry said that in the upcoming period, it was necessary to address issues related to the elderly in the context of population ageing, in line with the national socio-economic development strategy. Viet Nam is currently experiencing a golden population structure while undergoing the process of population ageing. The population group aged 60 and above is growing rapidly, from 11.9 per cent in 2019 to 13.9 per cent in 2023. Currently, the average life expectancy of Vietnamese people born in 2023 is 73.7 years, with an average life expectancy of 71.1 years for males and 76.5 years for females. Compared to countries in the Southeast Asian region, Viet Nam's average life expectancy is lower than that of Singapore (83 years), Brunei (78 years), and Thailand (76 years). In the draft amended Social Insurance Law submitted to the National Assembly, the Government has proposed that Vietnamese citizens aged 75 and more without pensions, monthly social insurance benefits, and other monthly social allowances will receive social pension benefits provided by the State budget. The monthly pension benefit level determined by the Government is in line with the socio-economic development conditions and the State budget's capabilities at each period. The Government will report to the National Assembly to decide on gradually adjusting the age for receiving social pension according to the State budget's capabilities at each period. According to Truong Xuan Cu, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Elderly Association, the draft amendment of the Social Insurance Law to reduce the age for receiving social pensions from 80 to 75 has met the expectations of the elderly. In addition, the association has also proposed reducing the age of receiving financial support to the elderly in poor households, those without caregivers, or near-poor elderly living in areas of ethnic minority communities and extremely difficult mountainous regions from 75 to 70 years old. VNS AN GIANG An Giang Province will focus on growing high-quality rice, tra fish and fruits this year because of their high prices and yield, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province aims to increase the area of high-quality and glutinous rice varieties by 15,000ha this year. It will step up the inspection and grant of production codes for rice, vegetables and fruit growing areas to meet the requirements of export markets. Localities in the province are encouraging farmers to link up with companies to secure outlets for their produce. The province will call on companies to sign farm contracts with animal breeding households through co-operative groups and to apply technologies for breeding animals. Ton That Tinh, deputy director of the province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said his agency would continue to grant production codes for farming areas and packaging establishments to meet export and origin traceability requirements. The province plans to actively participate in a Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development programme to cultivate one million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice in alignment with green growth goals in the Mekong Delta, and this will also help farmers get profits of more than 35 per cent, according to the official. It will boost the application of advanced farming techniques such as three increases-three reductions and one must-five reductions. The latter requires the use of certified seeds and reduces the use of seedlings, nitrogenous fertilisers and plant-protection chemicals, and of irrigation and post-harvest losses. The province plans to turn 7,400ha of unproductive rice fields into vegetable and fruit farms this year. It will develop farming models with value chains, expand its large-scale rice fields and develop co-operatives. It will assist large companies such as Loc Troi Group and Tan Long Group in developing linkages with farmers and setting up co-operatives. An Giang is the countrys second largest rice producing province after neighbour Kien Giang. It exports around US$250 million worth of the grain a year. It had 20,000ha of fruit orchards with an output of 234,000 tonnes last year, 16,000 tonnes more than in 2022. It harvested 652,000 tonnes of seafood, up 37,000 tonnes. Most tra fish production companies in the province have increased their scale and have closed breeding processes. VNS BAC GIANG Returning from the battlefield, Tran Van Hung, born in 1970, started a wheelbarrow-manufacturing business from scratch in his hometown in Tan Yen District, northern Bac Giang Province, creating jobs for his fellow veterans and their relatives. Hungs wheelbarrow-manufacturing factory, located in Ngoc Chau Commune, occupies a 2ha plot of land and is equipped with cutting-edge machinery. Hung stated that his company invested more than VN200 billion to construct a new mechanical factory on 4.5 hectares last year to produce wheelbarrows and household products. After serving for many years in the northernmost province of Ha Giang, he returned home in 1992 and faced many challenges. He had to work several heavy jobs to make ends meet, yet he was still unable to escape poverty. As a result, he was always considering how to launch a business. Veteran Hung majored in welding at Technical Worker School No. 1, which is now the Hanoi University of Industry, in 1993. He applied for numerous jobs after graduating, but was turned down because of the order shortage amid the difficult economic situation facing the whole country at the time. He went back to his hometown in search of a new strategy. With the knowledge he had learned, Hung borrowed money from friends and relatives to buy a welding machine. First, he fixed broken hoes and shovels and helped neighbours in welding useful tools. Based on his observations of farmers' daily tasks and his acquired knowledge, Hung created his first one-wheeled hand pushed vehicle for transportation. After seeing how convenient the wheelbarrow was, he kept adding features, most notably improving the wheels, which allowed it to carry more cargo and roll more smoothly on any surface. He started off just intending to build a wheelbarrow for his family, but when he saw how useful it was and how much people needed it, he started to produce more of his first wheelbarrow. His wheelbarrows quickly ran out of stock. Hung realised that he needed to grow the company and offer the wheelbarrows to more customers, both in the neighbourhood and in nearby provinces such as Bac Ninh and Hai Duong. A lot of mechanical shop owners refused to sell his wheelbarrows since the wheelbarrow takes up a lot of storage space in comparison to other commodities. So, he sent two wheelbarrows to each business; one was for the shop owner to carry tools and small mechanical equipment, and the other was for sale. Many consumers have come to rely on his wheelbarrow because of its versatility and ease of use. He made the decision to invest in expanding production and launching mass production as the volume of orders rose. There were times in 201415 when his factory made hundreds of wheelbarrows in order to satisfy customer demand. He intended to industrialise the mass manufacture of wheelbarrows after realising the market's enormous potential, but mechanical machinery demands a significant financial commitment. Hung drew up a roadmap to realise his plan gradually. He upgraded the wheelbarrows at that time by purchasing mechanical machinery with all of the proceeds from the sales. He founded Hung Thao Mechanical Limited Liability Company in 2017 with the help of loans provided by the local government. With the capacity to create hundreds of thousands of wheelbarrows annually, the company has grown to become the largest and only wheelbarrow-making operation in Viet Nam. An important turning point came in 2021 when an American company placed an order for wheelbarrows worth about $1 million, which allowed the company to go in a new direction. Hung, though, is never content with his achievements. Learning about customers' needs and preferences in the US market, he designed new wheelbarrow models popular with American customers such as models with wooden handles, which are both light and sturdy. He then began to learn more about some other overseas markets. His factory can now manufacture every step and part of a wheelbarrow on its own. He is also creative in taking advantage of, purchasing and reusing waste motorbike tyres to use as wheels for the wheelbarrows an environmentally-friendly solution. His company has exported wheelbarrows to big markets like the US and Australia with revenue of nearly $2 million per year. Making contributions to homeland Hungs business has so far created jobs for 110 local workers, many of whom are veterans and their relatives, with wages averaging VN8-12 million per month. Chairman of the Bac Giang Province Veterans Association Nguyen uc Thuan said veteran Hung hails from a family with a revolutionary tradition, was trained and grew up in the army, and is an example of a veteran doing business. He is a typical model of a businessman who is compassionate and patriotic. Every year his company donates hundreds of millions of ong for people in difficult circumstances, policy beneficiary families and to help local families escape poverty. His business also helps local authorities build welfare projects such as concrete roads and schools, helping Tan Yen District achieve the new rural style area title two years ahead of schedule. His company also offers support worth VN30 million to the Veterans Association at commune and district levels to remove dilapidated houses for three local families and provided wheelbarrow-manufacturing tools for poor, near-poor households and people living in difficult circumstances in the district. Veteran Tran Van Hung is always an active and exemplary member in the association's movements such as: Veterans help each other reduce poverty and do good business; Veterans join hands to build new rural areas, and; The whole country joins hands for the poor - No one is left behind. He was awarded many certificates of merit for his contributions to his community. VNS HA NOI The Vietnam Global Leaders Forum 2024, spearheaded by the Association of Vietnamese Scientists and Experts (AVSE), is set to convene on March 30th and 31st in Paris, France. Originating in 2019 in France, the Vietnam Global Leaders Forum achieved remarkable success, drawing over 200 distinguished guests and hosting representatives from 20 Vietnamese and international entities. Themed "Elevating Vietnam's Brand," the inaugural forum laid the groundwork for establishing the Vietnam Global Leaders Network, aimed at advancing Viet Nam's global presence and values. Nguyen uc Khuong, Director of Research at IPAG Business School and President of AVSE, underscores Viet Nam's recognition of the vast potential within its diaspora, numbering approximately 4 million individuals worldwide, as a crucial asset for national development. Anticipating the 2024 forum, themed "Viet Nam Thriving in Change," Khuong envisions a gathering of influential Vietnamese figures from around the globe, poised to catalyse positive transformations within the nation. "The forum encapsulates our nation's resolve to forge a future defined by collaboration and prosperity," remarked Khuong. AVSE, headquartered in Paris, operates as a non-profit organisation comprising experts, scientists, and intellectuals from diverse backgrounds worldwide. The organisation is dedicated to advancing Viet Nam's development through various initiatives, including workshops, training sessions, and consulting projects covering a broad spectrum of topics such as national branding, education, talent retention, and urban development. VNS VNS HA NOI About 73 per cent of provinces and central-level cities in Viet Nam have disclosed land pricing frameworks on their web portals as of October 2023, according to a review released on Tuesday by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Viet Nam, Real-Time Analytics and the Centre for Education Promotion and Empowerment of Women. This demonstrates significant improvements in the transparency of disclosing land use plans and land pricing frameworks on the web portals of provincial and district governments. The review studied the disclosure of land information by local authorities in Viet Nam from 2021 to the present. It aims to measure adherence to Vietnamese laws on land and access to information, which specify responsibilities, processes, forms and deadlines for disclosing information on provincial land pricing frameworks, district-level land use master plans and annual plans, as well as an obligation to provide these types of information at the request of citizens. According to the study, by October 6, 2023, out of a total of 705 district units nationwide, 65.4 per cent have disclosed district-level land use master plans for the period 2021-2030, an increase of 16.5 per cent compared to 2022. However, the review pointed out that the proportion of district-level government agencies that did not respond to citizens requests for information remained high. By the end of 2023, 23.7 per cent of the requested agencies had provided the information, 1.1 per cent rejected the requests, while 5.3 per cent responded but did not provide information, and 67.9 per cent did not respond. The research group recommended relevant agencies at provincial and district levels fully implement the disclosure of land information both online on the agencies web portals and at their headquarters in order to promote the disclosure of land information by State agencies. Hoang Thi Van Anh, former head of the Legal Department under Viet Nam General Department of Land Administration, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, said the disclosure of land information is directly linked to local peoples rights. Disclosing land use master plans will help local residents know the future of their land lots, while publicising land pricing will let them know their financial obligations and the level of tax they will have to pay. Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa, former head of the Department of Criminal and Administrative Legislation under the Ministry of Justice, said it is necessary to ensure citizens access rights to land use information following the Constitution. Everyone has the rights to get access to the land information for the places where they are living. UNDP Resident Representative Ramla Khalidi said the transparent disclosure of land information is crucial in mitigating the risks of land-related complaints and conflicts. Tracking performance in implementing laws regarding land information disclosure to the public becomes particularly important as we approach the enforcement of the 2024 Land Law from January next year, she said. Le ang Trung, Real-Time Analytics director, said: We hope that the Government will soon include the procedure for information provision at the request of citizens in the current set of administrative procedures of all sectors and fields, including land administration. VNS HA NOI The environment ministries of Viet Nam and Laos on Tuesday held a workshop to launch a bilateral project on water and environment security in the Ma and Neun-Ca rivers. The project, themed Fostering Water and Environmental Security in the Ma and Neun-Ca Transboundary River Basins and Related Coastal Areas, Viet Nam and Lao PDR, aims to strengthen integrated water resources management and "ecosystems health" in the Neun-Ca and Ma river basins. It is a result of collaboration between Viet Nam's Department of Water Resources Management (DWRM) under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the Department of Water Resources (DWR) under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in Lao DPR, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The workshop, which introduced the project and captured feedback on the project design and implementation plan, brought together many central and provincial government officials from Viet Nam and Lao DPR, local and international NGOs, universities, research institutes and other stakeholders. This five-year project has a budget of US$8 million funded by the Global Environment Fund (GEF) of which about $3 million will be channelled to support pilot project implementation in the Ma and Neun-Ca basins. Its overall goal is to enable Viet Nam and Lao PDR to address freshwater resource management and ecosystem health in the transboundary Ma and Neun-Ca river basins and coastal zones by creating an enabling environment for transboundary cooperation and action. IUCN is the lead operational partner responsible for project coordination and technical oversight. In opening remarks at the workshop, Remi Nono Womdim, FAO Representative in Viet Nam, said: "Importantly, as the first bilateral GEF international waters project between the two countries, it will address the common challenges that the Ma and Neun-Ca rivers share." The project's efforts to enhance water and environmental security in the Ma and Neun-Ca river basins align closely with FAO's 2022-2031 Strategic Framework, advancing the 'four betters': better production, better nutrition, better environment, and better life. By creating the enabling conditions for transboundary cooperation and action on shared water resources, the project contributes to healthier ecosystems, which are foundational to sustainable agrifood systems, improved livelihoods, and a better future for communities in Viet Nam and Lao PDR, according to the FAO official. Sharing the same view at the workshop yesterday in Ha Noi, Ngo Manh Ha, Deputy General Director of DWRM of Viet Nam's MoNRE, and Dr. Inthavy Akkharath, Director General of DWR, Lao DPR's MoNRE, said: The project is consistent with national priorities and the ambitions of the new law on water resources management. Both governments strongly support this project and will work closely with IUCN, FAO and other partners in Viet Nam and Lao PDR to address climate change impacts and improve natural resources management in both river basins. The project will be implemented with five expected outcomes including: 1) getting consensus among countries on key transboundary concerns; 2) enhancing water security, environmental sustainability and forecasting capabilities in both basins and their coastal areas; 3) reinforcing joint actions; 4) reversing land degradation trends in the two basins; and 5) enhancing the capacities of relevant national entities, and sharing project experiences and lesson learnt. Jake Brunner, Head of IUCN Lower Mekong Sub-region and IUCN Viet Nam Country Representative, emphasised: As the lead executing agency, IUCN will collaborate with a wide range of partners on project implementation. This includes setting up a transboundary coordination mechanism to collaboratively manage surface and groundwater. This will maximise the economic value of the basins water resources and reduce risks of floods, droughts and saline intrusion. Participating the workshop, representatives from across sectors contributed ideas, and provided inputs and comments for project implementation and future plans to promote transboundary cooperation, build sound river basin management frameworks, and strengthen water and environmental security and gender equality. Viet Nam and Lao PDR share several transboundary waterbodies which play a crucial role in supporting the livelihoods of millions of people, sustaining ecosystems, and driving economic development, experts said. However, the experts have also warned these waterbodies face increasing pressures from population growth, urbanisation and climate change, highlighting the urgent need for effective and sustainable transboundary management. The challenges are immense and further complicated by multiple pressures on water resources at the water-energy-food-ecosystem nexus. VNS Zimbabwe urged to embrace global partnerships following U.S. sanctions lift Xinhua) 10:22, March 12, 2024 HARARE, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean businesses are encouraged to explore cooperation opportunities with global partners following the termination of broader U.S. sanctions on the southern African country. The call was made by Zimbabwean Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Frederick Shava at the opening of the Zimbabwe-U.S. Business Forum in the capital, Harare, on Monday. A nine-member delegation from the Global Opportunities Committee of the Atlanta Black Chambers (ABC), a non-profit organization based in Atlanta, the United States, is currently in Zimbabwe to explore investment opportunities in the country. This trade and investment mission, the first since the U.S. administration terminated its sanctions program on Zimbabwe last week, is part of a regional tour that includes South Africa and Zambia. Shava highlighted the significant benefits expected to accrue to the country through the trade and investment mission, including the opportunity to leverage ABC's experience to change the narrative about Zimbabwe as an investment destination for American businesses. "Let's take full advantage of the newly stated United States government position that American businesses are free to engage Zimbabwean business entities," Shava said. U.S. President Joe Biden terminated a sanctions program on March 4 that had been in force since 2003. However, new sanctions were imposed on 11 individuals, including Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, as well as three entities, over alleged involvement in corruption and human rights abuses. Last Wednesday, Charge d'Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe Laurence Socha said at a media briefing that the new sanctions position presents an opportunity for American businesses, financial institutions, and investors to reconsider Zimbabwe's markets. According to a statement issued by the Zimbabwean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade last week, the ABC delegation is expected to meet several key industry leaders as they explore investment opportunities in real estate, manufacturing and supply, insurance, ICT, renewable energy, mining, and trade and investment sectors. During the business forum on Monday, Shava said Zimbabwe is keen to strengthen and broaden its export market to the United States, particularly given the current low levels of trade between the two countries. Despite the sanctions, Zimbabwe saw its exports to the United States increase from 700,000 U.S. dollars in 2020 to 12.1 million dollars in 2022. "Despite this significant increase, our exports remain very low and undiversified, failing to reflect the potential of both economies," Shava said. However, Obert Mpofu, secretary-general of the ruling ZANU PF party of Zimbabwe, suggested that the revision of sanctions appeared to be an attempt to resume business with Zimbabwe. In an opinion piece published in the Sunday Mail newspaper, Mpofu emphasized Zimbabwe's strategic importance, not only to U.S. interests but also to the rest of the world, due to its abundant mineral resources such as gold, lithium, natural gas, platinum and diamonds. Mpofu questioned whether Washington's change in stance could be linked to the discovery of new gas and oil deposits in Zimbabwe, prompting the Americans to reassess their relationship with Zimbabwe. He pointed out the United States' history of pursuing oil resources, suggesting that this could be a factor in their current actions. In response to the U.S. accusations of corruption and human rights abuses, Zimbabwean Ambassador to the United States Tadeous Chifamba criticized Biden, saying that Biden was addressing corruption allegations at a time when he and his son were facing similar accusations. Chifamba also highlighted what he perceived as hypocrisy in Biden's stance on human rights abuses, pointing out that the United States provides arms and funding for the Israeli military offensive in Gaza and conducts indiscriminate bombing in Yemen. He emphasized that human rights abuses by the United States are well-documented, including disparities in rights between racial groups within the country. "Even in the United States, blacks and other minority groups have fewer rights than whites. There is absolutely no justification for the continuation of these unilateral sanctions on Zimbabwe," he said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Mandy Patinkin Tony- and Emmy-winning actor Mandy Patinkin performs a setlist of Broadway and classic American tunes onstage in his newest concert, "Being Alive" with pianist Adam Ben-David. Courtesy Proctors Mandy Patinkin fans who want to hear his stories need to catch him live, because he will not be writing a memoir. I cant think of a worse idea, he said, laughing, in a telephone interview. Im not a writer. I tell stories. I sing the stories that other people wrote and I tell stories that I can remember and I just have a nice time. My life and my memories and my memoirs, they go into my songs and the characters I play, and they make my heart beat. They keep me alive. Thats what I use them for. I dont need to tell you where I ate my first Snickers. Mandy Patinkin When: 8 p.m. Saturday Where: H-E-B Performance Hall, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle Tickets: $49.50 to $125, tobincenter.org. The stage and screen star is bringing his solo concert, Being Alive, to the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What will he be singing? Youll have to go to find that out. I never tell what songs Im going to do because I change my mind sometimes and I dont want somebody to drive God knows how far to hear X, Y or Z and I do ABC, he said. So were going to hear a lot of story songs written by an eclectic group of gifted geniuses. Im just the mailman. I just deliver them and I put them together so that we can all have fun. Because after three years of pandemic, I wanted to get back out there and have fun. I think my audiences wanted the same thing, and Im really grateful for having it to offer. Patinkin's high-profile roles include indelible performances in such musicals as Evita and Sunday in the Park with George. On the silver screen, he brought vengeful swordsman Inigo Montoya to vivid life in The Princess Bride. Most recently, he played detective Rufus Cotwesorth in the Hulu murder mystery series Death and Other Details. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mandy Patinkin and his wife, Kathryn Grody, have a big following on social media. Monica Schipper/Getty Images The pandemic unexpectedly expanded his fan base, thanks to an ongoing series of sometimes viral videos of him and his wife, actress and writer Kathryn Grody. In the addictive shorts, they bicker, dance, tease each other and promote progressive causes. Gideon Grody-Patinkin, one of their two grown sons, shoots the videos and often can be heard asking them questions. Grody-Patinkin also edits and posts the videos. The couple have more than 2 million followers on TikTok. The series began during the shutdown part of the pandemic. Grody-Patinkin had been recording videos, which he referred to as the family archives, and asked if he could post one on social media, Patinkin said. And he puts it out there and it goes crazy, he said. And all of the sudden, we realized that at a time when most of us were terrified of dying, literally, and too many certainly did, whatever he was asking us and however we were answering it were giving people a chuckle and sort of a break. And we felt like if were helping people, you know, youre a jerk if you stop doing that. And so we just kept it up, and thats all she wrote. Advertisement Article continues below this ad SA theater news: The Public Theater of San Antonio has a new (old) name Hes grateful to be able to make the videos, which also sometimes shed light on causes that are important to him, including the work of the International Rescue Committee. Hes also delighted they have raised Grodys profile. People have started recognizing her on the street, he said, even when shes wearing a facemask and has tucked her distinctive fluffy white hair under a hat. And her performances of The Unexpected 3rd, a solo show that is a work-in-progress, have been selling out. I always knew the world would be a better place if they got a little more of Kathryn, he said. Shes getting a kick out of it. And the young people love her. They just love her, because I think she makes people not afraid of getting older. Shes got so much vinegar and energy and whatever those words are, shes got all of it. The videos have so much of a following that the three of them have started doing live shows. Advertisement Article continues below this ad People come out in droves. We sell out. And I cant understand it for the life of me, he said, laughing. Theres no show, theres no songs, theres no dance, theres no band, theres no orchestra. I dont get it. I dont know whats going on. But they just say shut up and keep swimming; thats what Im doing. He also is drawing good-size audiences for Being Alive. He hopes lots of folks will come see him perform it at the Tobin Center. QUANG NGAI Agencies in the coastal central province of Quang Ngai are simultaneously implementing measures in a crackdown on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. At fishing ports in the province, border guards and staff from the ports IUU Fishing Control Offices are coordinating to oversee fishing vessels that enter or leave the ports, ensuring that all vessels have all the required papers and operating VMS equipment before setting out to sea, as well as checking the origin of catches before issuing certificates. Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Thanh, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Quang Ngai Border Guard said that they closely check all the vessels that are 15 metres long or more or those that go for offshore fishing to see if they have enough licenses and technical safety equipment, especially the vessel monitoring system (VMS). Without the required papers and equipment, the vessels are not allowed to leave the ports. He emphasised that fishermens awareness of IUU fishing plays an important role in the fight against IUU fishing. All local fishermen commit to saying "No" to IUU fishing. Director of Quang Ngai Fisheries Sub-Department Nguyen Van Muoi said that being aware of the significance of the next inspection by the EC, the provincial Steering Committee on combating IUU fishing has proposed many solutions. According to statistics of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, as of February, the province had 3,643 vessels with fishing licences. A total of 2,947 vessels with a length of 15 metres or more are required to install VMS. Since the beginning of 2023, the local authorities have handled 249 fishing vessels for losing VMS connection, and 33 vessels for passing allowed sea boundary. Fifty-six vessels committing 58 violations were fined more than VN10 billion (US$405,600). VNS TAY NINH Border guards at the Moc Bai international border gate in the southwestern province of Tay Ninh on March 12 received 15 Vietnamese citizens who had been rescued from forced labour in Cambodia. Of the Vietnamese nationals, 10 have passports while the others fail to show any personal identity papers. They are between 18 and 30 years old and most of them are from northern provinces. The border guards coordinated with Tay Ninh's public security officers to verify the returned citizens identification and then brought them home. To carry out citizen protection work, from March 8-11, the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia worked with the General Department of Immigration under the Cambodian Ministry of Interior to interview and verify information about the 15 Vietnamese citizens who were being detained at the department's custody centre. Representatives of the Vietnamese Embassy discussed and requested the Cambodian authorities to ensure living conditions, quickly coordinate to complete procedures, and support the repatriation of these citizens to Viet Nam. VNS Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 5G l 8GB + 256GB ROM l 6nm Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 l 120Hz AMOLED display, 33W fast charging 106.50 4.7 (498) En stock Por un escritor de hombre misterioso Buy Sweet's Milk Chocolate Raspberry Sticks - Sweet Candy - Sweet Candy Company 22.00 4.7 (635) En stock Por un escritor de hombre misterioso This ultra-rare Panasonic NV-FJ610 VCR plays VHS tapes in the PAL format, which is a format used outside the United States. It can also receive SECAM broadcasts. When used with this format of VHS tape, it displays high-quality playback, along with cue playback and review playback to give you better control of your VHS viewing experience. One-touch recording, timer recording, and assemble editing allow you to get the perfect recording every time! Our take on the Panasonic NV-FJ610This ultra-rare Panasonic NV-FJ610 VCR plays VHS tapes in the PAL format, which is a format used outside the United States. It can also receive SECAM broadcasts. When used with this format of VHS tape, it displays high-quality playback, along with cue playback and review playback to give you better control of your VHS viewing experience. One-touch recording, timer recording, and assemble editing allow you to get the perfect recording every time! CONDITIONSPENCERTIFIED- Fully certified by SpencerRefurbished and SPENCERTIFIEDEvery function has been confirmed 100% working. We have cleaned it inside and out and replaced any worn parts if necessary. The VHS audio and video heads have been professionally cleaned.Cosmetic Condition: Very Good.Functional Condition: Very Good.INCLUDES-Panasonic NV-FJ610 VCR Video Cassette Recorder Compatible with PAL TVsComposite CableFEATURES-Plays PAL tapes (will NOT work in a typical American setup; meant for other regions)Receives SECAM (B/G) broadcastsCue Playback and Review Playback - slowly rewind or fast forward while the tape is playing to find the best moment in your VHS tape!One-Touch Recording - record your favorite programs with the touch of a buttonTimer Recording - set a timer to record while you're awayAssemble Editing - allows you to select sequences on a recording to deleteINPUTS-21-pin ScartRF AntennaOUTPUTS-Analog audio21-pin ScartRF AntennaDIMENSIONS-16.8" x 11.8" x 3.4" (WxDxH)Weight: 8.3 lbs MANUFACTURER-Made in Germany About VCRs from SpenCertifiedAt SpenCertified we are reviving the VHS format along with many others. Our goal is to make buying a VCR and similar vintage audio and video equipment as easy as possible. All of our Video Cassette Recorders are fully serviced, refurbished and SpenCertified. We try to make them all look as close to new as possible. We have a very high success rate on our shipments and most things arrive without issues. If you by chance receive an unsatisfactory VCR, getting a replacement is very easy. Just call or email us. Let us be your permanent VHS Player provider! After placing an order with us, you will never want to look anywhere else. Our take on the Panasonic NV-FJ610 This ultra-rare Panasonic NV-FJ610 VCR plays VHS tapes in the PAL format, which is a format used outside the United States. It can also receive SECAM broadcasts. When used with this format of VHS tape, it displays high-quality playback, along with cue playback and review playback to give you better control of your VHS viewing experience. One-touch recording, timer recording, and assemble editing allow you to get the perfect recording every time! CONDITION SPENCERTIFIED- Fully certified by Spencer Refurbished and SPENCERTIFIED Every function has been confirmed 100% working. We have cleaned it inside and out and replaced any worn parts if necessary. The VHS audio and video heads have been professionally cleaned. Cosmetic Condition: Very Good. Functional Condition: Very Good. INCLUDES- Panasonic NV-FJ610 VCR Video Cassette Recorder Compatible with PAL TVs Composite Cable FEATURES- Plays PAL tapes (will NOT work in a typical American setup; meant for other regions) Receives SECAM (B/G) broadcasts Cue Playback and Review Playback - slowly rewind or fast forward while the tape is playing to find the best moment in your VHS tape! 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State District Judge Gary Steel sentenced Dresner to consecutive 75-year sentences on each of four counts of continuous sexual abuse of a child. He added stacked sentences from 10 to 20 years on the 61 child pornography charges for a total of 410 years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hays County District Attorney Kelly Higgins said in a news release Monday that Dresner changed his plea to guilty after his trial started, during the first day of testimony. Dresner was arrested in 2019, after an investigation that began when a child reported she was molested by him, Higgins said. At the time, Dresner was a precinct chair and former sergeant-at-arms for the Hays County Republican Party, the San Marcos Daily Record reported. During the criminal investigation, Dresner was stopped by Hays County sheriffs deputies, the district attorneys office said. He was on his way to the airport with a one-way ticket to Armenia, according to the district attorneys office. Investigators determined another child also was abused, and hundreds of thousands of images of child pornography were found on Dresners electronic devices, according to the district attorneys office. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Evidence also showed that one of the victims in the current case made allegations about Dresner in 2012, Higgins said. CPS was involved but the matter was not fully investigated by law enforcement and the victim was sent back to live with Dresner. Maximilien Schreder, Commercial director of the Global Consumer Electronics Coatings and Automotive and Refinish Coatings North Asia, AkzoNobel Could you provide insights into the competitive landscape of the consumer electronics market and how AkzoNobel differentiates itself? We began our operations for consumer electronics business in Vietnam in 2010, specifically to support Samsung's expanding presence in the country. This exemplifies our responsiveness to client needs and our ability to manage a robust network of applicators - ensuring colour, quality, and consistency across multiple suppliers for a single original equipment manufacturer (OEM). We distinguish ourselves through our advanced coating technologies that offer distinctive functionalities and aesthetics, such as metallic effects and tactile sensations, making touch surfaces feel softer, for instance. Additionally, our coatings are formulated to be highly durable and resistant to stains, catering to a broad range of substrates - even those with higher recycled content that may otherwise have a less appealing look. With proper application method, our solutions can effectively mask these concerns, presenting a visually appealing product without sacrificing environmental friendliness. Furthermore, AkzoNobel is at the forefront of sustainable innovation. We are rolling out waterborne products with significantly reduced carbon footprints compared to traditional solvent-based options. We continue to develop technologies that can help to improve the appearance of products made from recycled plastics, so we can enable consumers to enjoy high-quality finishes while supporting environmental initiatives. Durability remains a cornerstone of our approach. By enhancing the lifespan of products, we contribute positively to the environment by extending the lifecycle of consumer electronics. Given AkzoNobel's diverse client base in the consumer electronics sector, how does the company navigate potential conflicts of interest while maintaining client confidentiality? Indeed, we operate in a dynamic industry where the confidentiality of product launches is paramount, yet the sensitivity of information diminishes over a product's lifecycle. To mitigate conflict of interest, our approach is tailored. We address each case and client distinctly. While proprietary design elements remain client-specific, basic technological innovations like our waterborne solutions are offered market-wide. We focus on adaptability and providing a universal benefit to all clients, including the burgeoning Vietnamese market and other international businesses thriving in Vietnam. Since initially establishing our presence for consumer electronics business in Vietnam in 2010 to cater to some of our key clients, we've recognised a burgeoning opportunity to serve diverse businesses. Living in Vietnam has allowed me to see first-hand the growth of Vietnamese businesses. Our expertise in coating technologies for plastic substrates positions us as a valuable partner to these companies as they evolve within the Vietnamese market. Can you detail the rationale and strategic fit for AkzoNobel's recent expansion of production lines in the consumer electronics division within Vietnam? We have scaled up our production, particularly in the north of Vietnam, which is a continuation of my prior responsibilities within the company. Concurrently, we've pivoted to focus on the advanced waterborne technology for our consumer electronics segment, which reflects a significant shift from our existing solvent-borne capabilities. We decided to be closer to our customer base, which allows us to respond swiftly and provide tailored solutions that align with their specific requirements. We aim to not just respond to client requests, but also actively drive the industry towards more sustainable practices. Our investments also cater to the need for durable and high-quality finishings that meet diverse substrate requirements. Could you elaborate on how AkzoNobel is integrating sustainability into its growth strategy, particularly in the Vietnamese market? AkzoNobel has made sustainability a key focus, particularly as the demand for sustainable solutions grows in Vietnam and globally. Over the last 5-6 years, sustainability has moved from a talking point to a core aspect of our product discussions with OEMs, who now seek sustainable offerings like bio-coatings and low-carbon options. Our investment in waterborne technology in Vietnam highlights our commitment to accessible, sustainable solutions, differentiating us from competitors and supporting local industry progress toward sustainability. This move is part of our wider goal to incorporate sustainability throughout our value chain, from raw materials to production processes. We aim to empower customers with sustainable choices, demonstrating through our actions in Vietnam that advanced, innovative technical solutions are available now. For example, among our products, the durable, anti-stain coating for electronics exemplifies our commitment to practical, sustainable innovation, prolonging device life, and reducing waste. In AkzoNobels push towards sustainability, do clients incur a premium cost for opting for eco-friendly products? Our sustainable offerings are competitively priced to deliver significant value without a hefty premium in Vietnam. We emphasise on efficiency and value, optimising application processes to ensure maximum paint utilisation. Our experienced technical team in Vietnam is instrumental in helping suppliers and applicators enhance efficiency, reduce overall costs, and align with our sustainability objectives. The true value of our paint goes beyond cost, focusing on effective application and longevity, which saves money over time and supports sustainability. We also guarantee the durability and performance of our coatings with advanced testing in our Bac Ninh facilities, using climate chamber to simulate extreme conditions. This commitment to quality and sustainability ensures we provide high-value solutions to our clients. How does AkzoNobel collaborate with partners, both within and outside the industry, to enhance the quality and sustainability of its consumer electronics? AkzoNobel thrives on a global collaboration network, encompassing teams across the continent, which fuels our innovation with diverse best practices and ideas. Our development presence spans from the Netherlands to Asia, including Vietnam, facilitating close work with partners ranging from suppliers to startups and academic institutions. This global and local blend enables us to launch contests and co-development projects, promoting innovation. Additionally, AkzoNobel annually unveils colour trends, a collaborative effort with designers and architects worldwide. This process is not just about aesthetic appeal but also about responding to broader societal trends, such as the integration of AI in consumer devices, with the aim of making technology more approachable and human-centric. What are the key challenges and opportunities AkzoNobel faces in the consumer electronics sector, particularly regarding sustainability? One of the primary challenges we face is navigating a traditional industry where the significant role of coatings in sustainability is not consistently recognised. For instance, enhancing coatings to allow for greater use of recycled plastics is a direct way we contribute. Another key area is the restrictions on the waterborne technologies that we previously thought to be limiting, but it turns out to be not the case any more . We've demonstrated to designers from well-known appliance manufacturers that our environmentally friendly solutions can achieve vibrant, metallic finishes without compromising design freedom. On the flip side, in Vietnam's post-COVID landscape, agility has become paramount for the consumer electronics and automotive industries I lead. The rapid changes in manufacturing locations, driven by the shifting sands of the global economy, compel us to stay close to our customers and adapt quickly to their evolving strategies. Despite the economic contraction, where many companies are slashing expenses, our optimism fuels our growth and propels our technology and sustainability efforts forward. Sustainability isn't a mere consideration - it is integral to our industry's future and a personal driver in my role. Sustainable practices will define our success and legacy in the chemicals and coatings field. PM Pham Minh Chinh (second from right) held talks with Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese (second from left), raising both nations ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, Photo: Nhat Bac During Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinhs visit to Australia last week, he and Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese lifted their strategic partnership to a comprehensive strategic one, meaning more favourable mechanisms will be crafted for bilateral ties. We expect that the new cooperation framework will help the two countries forge bigger political trust, higher economic-trade-investment cooperation, and stronger sci-tech and innovation ties, increase education and training cooperation, and create a rise in labour opportunities, stated PM Chinh. Both governments will continue the best conditions for these sectors. Vietnam will protect legitimate rights and benefits of all businesses and investors, while continuing to implement administrative reforms and reduce compliance costs for investors, he continued. According to a joint statement released during the visit, the two countries will promote market access and trade facilitation measures for both countries, including in agriculture, fisheries and forestry and they confirm their commitment to enhanced labour mobility, including through access for Vietnamese citizens to work in Australia and Australian citizens to work in Vietnam. Both sides also pledged to promote a transparent business and regulatory environment, including to support investment and sustainable financing through capital markets and other mechanisms. We commit to further strengthening our agricultural partnership by enhancing trade and investment, co-operating on shared regional challenges and promoting technical, research collaboration and capacity development initiatives that support more competitive, resilient and sustainable agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors, read the statement. Bilateral trade between Vietnam and Australia hit $13.8 billion last year, down from $15.7 billion in 2022. Australia is now the seventh-largest trade partner of Vietnam, which is the 10th largest trade partner of Australia. The achievement is largely ascribed to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and the new ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA). According to the Australian governments Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy report released last year, the Vietnamese market is attractive to Australian companies. The report stated that, having achieved lower middle-income status in 2010, more than half of Vietnams population is expected to join the global middle class by 2035, with real GDP per capita projected to grow at 4.5 per cent annually by 2030. Vietnams economy attracts strong domestic and foreign investment flows. Its rapid industrialisation, geographic proximity to rapidly growing economies, and embrace of trade liberalisation has led Vietnam to become one of the most trade intensive economies in the world, the report read. Australian investment is concentrated mainly in manufacturing and processing industries, food services, and agro-forestry-fisheries. Major Australian investors in Vietnam include Blackstone Minerals, CBH Group, Austal, BlueScope Steel, RMIT University, LOGOS, Mavin Group, SunRice, and Linfox. Vietnamese businesses are also increasing investment in Australias agricultural sector. For example, since 2019, TH Group has conducted large-scale agricultural investment in Australia by acquiring and developing three cattle farms in Northern and Western Australia with an investment of about $88 million. At present, the farms cover 775,000 hectares in total and include 62,000 cattle, supplying beef to the Australian market and exporting to many other countries. TH has also expanded the farms capacity with increased profits, and contributions to promoting local economic development. With this project, TH is currently the largest Vietnamese businesses in Australia. As of February 20, Vietnam was home to over $2 billion in registered capital for 631 Australian projects, according to Vietnams Ministry of Planning and Investment. Last week, Vietjet also announced a new air route, to be inaugurated in June, connecting Hanoi and Melbourne, helping to salve growing travel demand between both nations. Meanwhile, during an official visit to New Zealand last week, PM Chinh met with leaders and suggested that their bilateral strategic partnership be intensified, pointing to the effective implementation of an action plan for 2021-2024. A new plan should be negotiated for the new upcoming period, PM Chinh added. He also suggested that both nations further boost ties thanks to various trade pacts, with commitments to open up markets for their respective goods, including agricultural products, in which efforts are to be made to reach $2 billion in bilateral trade this year up from $1.3 billion last year. Both countries also laid a focus of bilateral cooperation on labour, education and training, and agriculture, especially in new technology in agriculture and measures to expand the import and export market of high-quality agricultural products. New Zealand is an important strategic partner of Vietnam in the South Pacific region, said Do Hung Viet, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. Next year, we will celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations with New Zealand, which has supported Vietnam in many areas such as education and training, gender equality, and development. As of February 20, Vietnam had $208.38 million in registered capital for 53 New Zealand projects. Last August, a second protocol to amend the AANZFTA was inked to achieve tangible benefits from the upgraded deal. The AANZFTA took effect in 2010 and was first upgraded in 2015. The agreement covers an area with a population of over 650 million people and over $4.5 trillion in combined GDP. It is ASEANs highest-quality free trade agreement in terms of opening market access to trade in goods. The upgraded deal will usher in new opportunities as parties to the deal have ensured it remains of high quality, responsive towards emerging challenges, takes into account modern trade practices, and remains commercially meaningful to businesses in the region, said the ASEAN Coordinating Council. According to the ASEAN Secretariat, businesses benefit from the AANZFTA upgrade via improved transparency solutions; lower costs and time for exports and imports; use of technological solutions for trade; cooperation in digital technology, sustainable development, and education services; increased participation of micro, small, and medium enterprises in economic activities, including government procurement; and smoother flow of essential goods during periods of crises. Australia and New Zealands tariff commitments for Vietnam Since 2015, Australia has eliminated tariffs for about 97 per cent of tariff lines (only maintaining a tariff of less than 10 per cent for some products such as bamboo shoots, surgical threads, wood and wood products, iron and steel products, and fabrics). Since 2015, New Zealand has removed tariffs for about 91 per cent of tariff lines (only maintaining tariffs of less than 10 per cent for some products such as cakes, sweets, cereal products, wood and wooden products, chemicals, components, auto parts, machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts, computers, electronic products, and components). In 2022, both Australia and New Zealand eliminated all tariffs for goods from ASEAN countries. Vietnams commitment Since 2018, 86 per cent of tax lines in the tariff have been eliminated. By 2022, 92 per cent of tariff lines were eliminated, including items such as livestock, pharmaceuticals, sugar, rice, wood, paper, chemicals, and cosmetics. Eight per cent of the remaining tax lines will be reduced according to a separate schedule or maintained at the same rate (for example, goods such as some fruit, alcohol, cigars, petroleum, tobacco leaves, and steel products).Source: ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area. Australia and Vietnam upgrades ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh announced a major upgrade of the Australia Vietnam relationship on March 5 to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Vietnam and Australia to enhance engagement under comprehensive strategic partnership Enhancing economic engagement is highlighted as Australia and Vietnam upgrade relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaks at a press conference with media practitioners from Malaysia in conjunction with his official visit to Australia, March 5, 2024. (Photo: Bernama) Kuala Lumpur At the roundtable dialogue between Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Australian companies in Melbourne on the sideline of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, major Australian groups have shown interest to invest a total of 5.18 billion USD in the Southeast Asian country. PM Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, revealed the information after chairing the dialogue with more than 20 Australian companies in Melbourne on March 6. Among the potential investments are from data centre operators AirTrunk and NextDC which plan to spend about 2.33 billion USD and 630 million USD, respectively, he said According to Anwar, mining firm Lynas Rare Earths is also keen to add 210 million USD to its investment in Malaysia while other potential investors include Fortescue, Macquarie Group and Arnott's Group. He affirmed that Australian investors interest in Malaysia showed their confidence in the policies that Malaysia has announced. The PM added that those potential investments will create jobs for about 1,200 skilled workers in Malaysia. In terms of trade, Anwar said, Malaysia has recorded potential export sales of over 190 million USD to Australia, consisting of products such as urea, timber, food and electrical components. He said that the Malaysian government has made efforts to clarify any concerns or doubts in order to give Australian investors and businesses confidence in Malaysias prospects. Malaysian ringgit undervalued, hoped to trade higher An official of Malaysias central bank expected the country's ringgit to trade higher on the back on positive economic prospects. Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Quoc Phuong chairing the meeting (at the headquarters of the MPI) Binh Duong used to rely heavily on agriculture, but over the last 25 years the province has adopted changes in many fields to become an industrial powerhouse. Since 2019, Binh Duong's economy has ranked third in the country, only behind Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The province's GRDP per capita in 2023 reached VND172 million ($7,200), 1.7 times higher than the national average, contributing 25 per cent of the southeast region's export turnover and accounting for 10 per cent nationally. Binh Duong's urbanisation rate is among the top in the country at 85 per cent, and the province attracts the second highest amount of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam. Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Quoc Phuong said that in addition to these results, there remain challenges for the province to resolve. They include the middle-income trap, services accounting for a small proportion, labour-intensive production, territorial spatial organisation, overloaded traffic infrastructure, and increasingly fierce intra-regional and domestic competition. "To develop quickly and sustainably, Binh Duong needs to identify its unique advantages. Planning should take a new approach with an expanded development vision that provides a clear implementation roadmap with a focus based on regional links to create a spillover effect to promote the national economy," Phuong emphasised. "To achieve the above aspiration, Binh Duong should become a bright spot in innovative technology, and high technology, and deeply participate in global supply chains. It is necessary to define the position and role of Binh Duong in relation to other localities in the southeast, Central Highlands and Mekong Delta regions," he added. Regarding the development of spatial organisation, the province's economic activities are currently concentrated in the southern region (Thuan An and Di An cities) which has limited urban areas. A shift is needed to expand the development space to the north of the province with roadmaps for infrastructure development, especially the transport network connecting Binh Phuoc and Tay Ninh provinces on the industrial belt associated with Ring Road 4, the Ho Chi Minh City - Chon Thanh Expressway, and the Trans-Asia road through the Moc Bai border gate. Vo Van Minh, Chairman of Binh Duong People's Committee At the meeting, Vo Van Minh, Chairman of Binh Duong People's Committee, emphasised that provincial planning for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, has been scientifically, strategically and practically researched. "Binh Duong and other southeast provinces will become the driving force centre for national economic development that reaches an international level," Minh stated. According to the plan, by 2030, Binh Duong will have transformed its development model towards modern industries and high-quality services based on a complete innovation ecosystem. The development will follow natural conditions, advantages, and current socioeconomic status in harmony with environmental protection. It will focus on social security and justice, improving the material and spiritual lives of the people, and ensuring national defence, security and territorial integrity. "To transform and continue to make breakthroughs, regional connectivity, sci-tech, human resources, and innovation will be the driving forces towards creating an attractive environment for sci-tech development, investment, and startup activities," the chairman highlighted. To become an attractive destination for domestic and international investors, Binh Duong will continue to improve its infrastructure, legal environment, production, services, and living infrastructure. Through cooperation with developed countries in Asia, Europe, and America, Binh Duong will create conditions for the development of key industries following international standards. This will help Binh Duong lead the region in industrial production, sci-tech, human resources, and smart urban development. Binh Duong needs around 12,000 workers by year-end Enterprises in the southern province of Binh Duong are projected to recruit between 10,000-12,000 employees from now to the end of the year, with skilled and unskilled labourers accounting for about 70 per cent of the total. US state of Oregon seeks investment opportunities in Binh Duong province A delegation from the US state of Oregon led by Commissioner at Port of Portland Katherine Lam on November 21 paid a working visit to the southern province of Binh Duong to learn about the investment environment in the locality. Four Singaporean groups receive investment licences in Binh Duong Binh Duong People's Committee has granted investment certificates to four Singaporean enterprises with the total investment capital of nearly $182 million. The information was shared at a meeting on March 7 between provincial leaders and the joint venture. The initial proposal is for a hydrogen production plant in Dong Gio Linh industrial cluster along with 200 MW of solar power in the first phase. They also expected the province to allow the joint venture to research and explore other potential areas for the second phase. Accordingly, investors will research the possibility of developing a plant to produce hydrogen through water electrolysis, along with storage sites, transportation, shared facilities, and related auxiliary systems. Other developments include a 1,200 MW wind farm and an 800 MW solar power plant. The project will cost about $2.39 billion. Once put into operation, the plant will have an annual output of 60,000 tonnes of hydrogen and earn a revenue of $250 million, contributing $27.5 million to the state budget and creating jobs for 500 workers. At the meeting, Vo Van Hung, Chairman of Quang Tri Peoples Committee, said the project was in line with Vietnams hydrogen development strategy and Quang Tris power plans. The province greenlighted the joint venture to conduct research and a pre-feasibility study for the hydrogen project, and the chairman asked departments to facilitate the implementation process. Huadian Group is one of the five largest state-owned power generation enterprises in China. It engages in the generation and supply of electricity and heat, as well as the development of power-related primary energy. In Vietnam, Huadian Group, through its affiliate, China Huadian Engineering Co., Ltd., has invested in and managed the Duyen Hai 2 Thermal Power Plant project with a capacity of 1,320 MW and the Dak Lak wind power project with a capacity of 200 MW. The group also expressed its wish to expand its partnership with Vietnam Electricity (EVN) to develop the green energy market amid the global energy shift. Support policies needed to develop green hydrogen The Government should implement support policies to ensure the development and competitiveness of clean hydrogen sources in the country. Honeywell teams up with The Green Solutions Group Corporation for Vietnam's first green hydrogen plant On February 21, US industrial giant Honeywell announced that it has signed a MoU with The Green Solutions Group Corporation (TGS) for the Tra Vinh Green Hydrogen Project, Vietnam's first green hydrogen plant in the Mekong Delta. Tim Evans, CEO HSBC Vietnam The world is shifting at an unprecedented pace, and it is important to read and interpret the underlying changes that are reshaping the global and regional economies. Heightened geopolitical conflicts, rising protectionism, and pronounced climate change risks indicate that whilst the previous era was governed by globalisation, the world is now becoming more multipolar. Asia, though it has benefited in becoming a global trade hub over the past few decades, is now facing new challenges that will need to be navigated. HSBC believes that supply chains will continue to evolve and shift. One theme that will be more prevalent is a move by many economies to de-risk their trade with China. This is even though close to 70 countries globally regard China as their top source of imported goods. ASEAN is benefiting from this diversification trend and Vietnam is a key player in this space. Western businesses are also looking to reduce reliance on China by diversifying sourcing to other Asian markets such as Vietnam and India. The region is now attracting more foreign direct investment (FDI) than China, most notably in the manufacturing sector. China is also building out supply chains in neighbouring countries such as Vietnam, which is a trend that HSBC is supporting given our strong presence across both markets. According to a recent American Chamber of Commerce survey in China, 60 per cent of US companies are increasingly concerned about bilateral tensions and more than 40 per cent have responded that they are looking to invest more in their supply chain resilience. Over half have also responded that Southeast Asia remains their top destination for redirecting investment from China. A European Chamber of Commerce survey also indicates that European companies operating in China are continuing to review their supply chain strategies, with ASEAN being selected as the top destination for this shift in investments. The governments strategy to draw in additional FDI into Vietnam should start with understanding the competitive landscape between Vietnam and the rest of ASEAN and also looking at other markets such as India/Mexico. Singapore and Malaysia are leading the semiconductor ecosystem, with Singapore as the wafer fabrication and front-end equipment hub and Malaysia as the packaging and back-end testing hub. High-tech production in Vietnam to benefit from a new draft decree, photo Le Toan Thailand has become the established auto supply chain and power supplier for electric vehicles (EVs). Indonesia is targeting the electric vehicle ecosystem with its abundance of nickel and a large domestic car market. Vietnam is slowly venturing into both EVs and semiconductors as it aims to focus on more high-value-added goods but continues to perform well in enticing large electronics manufacturers into the market off the back of competitive pricing, stable and consistent government support, the large number of free trade agreements in place and the work ethic of the Vietnamese. The next step is to identify the biggest pain points as perceived from a foreign investors perspective and set a comprehensive and implementable action plan in place to address these. Firstly, it is the quality and accessibility of labour and the ongoing need to improve their productivity as Vietnam moves up the quality curve. Vietnam still ranks behind other major ASEAN markets in terms of labour productivity, with output per hour worked being relatively low at 9.7 compared to a range of 10~26 for other ASEAN nations. Secondly, Vietnams logistics performance index also lags China, Malaysia, and Thailand with gaps shown in logistics capacity, delivery time, and traceability. Logistics infrastructure currently falls short of meeting the expected international standards and road transport commands a 74 per cent share of overall transport means that while demand is skewed towards sea transport and port space that supports the export story from Vietnam. Finally, regulatory navigation continues to be a critical consideration for investors looking to invest in Vietnam. According to the latest HSBC Global Connections survey, regulatory developments are among the top two challenges for foreign firms operating in Vietnam, with which 30 per cent of surveyed companies point to the challenge of adapting to fast-changing regulations and policies within the market. A more consistent and easier to comprehend regulatory framework would be a positive step in attracting new parties to invest in the market. HSBC will continue to work with key ministries and customers on assisting Vietnams transition to net-zero, which is becoming a more important selling point to foreign investors as they select markets to invest in. PM expects breakthrough in agricultural cooperation with New Zealand Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited the Plan and Food Research Centre (PFR) in Auckland on March 10 as part of his official visit to New Zealand. Australia's largest rice producer eyes expansion in Vietnam Australia's largest rice distributor and producer SunRice, which accounts for over 90 per cent of the Australian rice market, plans to expand its footprint in Vietnam. New Zealand announces investment in Vietnams horticulture sector A five-year New Zealand government-funded project to help Vietnam build a more lucrative passion-fruit export industry was formally launched by the prime ministers of Vietnam and New Zealand in Wellington on March 11. SK Group proposes new energy production and storage model in Vietnam SK Group, one of the largest South Korean conglomerates, is keen on applying a new model for hydrogen production and carbon storage in Vietnam. Vietnam ESG Initiative 2024: seizing green transformation opportunities Following the success of the 2023 Vietnam Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Initiative, the Agency for Enterprise Development under the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are co-hosting the 2024 Vietnam ESG Initiative. Indonesia uses carbon for decarbonisation, Illustrative image (Photo: Indonesia Power) Jakarta Indonesia is developing CO2-to-X technology to transform captured CO2 into valuable materials, thus balancing energy needs with decarbonisation goals. Indonesia has announced ambitions to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. To such end, Indonesia has taken the lead in its bid to become the regions hub for CO2 storage, with up to 128 prospective basins to be explored, among which 20 are already in use. However, the expansion potential for carbon sequestration faces challenges, including scarcity of storage sites, and high transport and long-term maintenance costs. Captured CO2 can act as a source of carbon for industrial materials, providing the molecular backbone for construction materials, chemicals and fuels among other possibilities. For CO2-to-X initiatives to contribute significantly to Indonesias decarbonisation journey, increased international cooperation and participation from the private sector will be required, similar to what has driven the scaling of renewable energy. Indonesia asks social media platform X to remove gambling ads Indonesias Communications and Information Ministry (Kominfo) summoned representatives from the Singapore office of social media platform X, formerly Twitter, to address concerns regarding online gambling advertisements on the platform. What direction are the latest healthcare trends in Asia and Vietnam going in? Healthcare continues to be a key priority for many governments in the region. The COVID-19 pandemic of course put the issue of healthcare top of mind and on the agenda for governments and policymakers, whilst some of the existing issues such as increase in non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and more continue to be an area of focus for all of us in the healthcare sector. Vy Tran, president of Siemens Healthineers Asia-Pacific and Japan The public sector is talking the talk by expanding healthcare spending, and we also see the private sector playing a role in introducing new care models. Medtech companies such as Siemens Healthineers are also playing a role in transforming the patient experience and meeting their healthcare needs through innovative life-changing healthcare solutions, digitalising healthcare as well as other initiative particularly in cardiovascular, cancer, and neurovascular issues. In terms of trends, the population is getting older, this is a known fact. According to the United Nations Population Fund, by 2050, one in four people in the Asia-Pacific region will be over 60 years old. The population of persons aged over 60 in the region will triple between 2010 and 2050, reaching close to 1.3 billion. Vietnams population has been ageing rapidly, with the proportion of the population that is 60 years and above increasing at the fastest rate, nearly 5 per cent since 2014. Patients, especially those in Vietnam, are also more digitally savvy, aware of their healthcare needs, conscious of quality of care and price sensitive, which is paving the way for telehealth that could bring more healthcare access to remote areas and wealthier groups demanding for higher quality of care and treatment with personalised solutions. Thirdly is the trend around cost. No doubt, healthcare is getting expensive and a growing financial burden across Asia. As people get older, they get sicker and while they may live longer, its also about ensuring the best possible quality of life. Naturally, the cost of healthcare goes up for them. There is focus on curative care and hospital care, but more needs to be done for preventive care too. Its about helping people before they get sick and need medical intervention. In the context of cancer care, what specific initiatives has your organisation undertaken to provide advanced and accessible solutions? According to the World Health Organization, Vietnam has about 165,000 new cancer cases and about 115,000 cancer deaths each year. The age-standardised rate of cancer mortality in Vietnam is 104 per 100,000 population, ranking 57 globally. Siemens Healthineers and Varian share a vision for shaping the future of healthcare and creating a world without fear of cancer. We do this by combining our strengths by taking a leap in cancer care, and a leap in the impact on healthcare overall to accelerate the path from diagnosis to survivorship in one joint step. Through accelerating our digital and AI-offerings, broadening the scope of our service networks and combining our technology and oncology expertise, we aim to improve how diagnostic imaging, radiation therapy, interventional oncology, and surgery are delivered to fight cancer. In Vietnam, we have provided support to set up cancer screening centres in key locations such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and others. These centres play a pivotal role in early detection and prevention efforts, offering crucial services to individuals at risk of cancer. Siemens Healthineers is committed to raising awareness within the community about various types of cancers, including breast cancer and lung cancer. Through television shows and other channels, we disseminate information and educate the public about risk factors, symptoms, and preventive measures, empowering individuals to take proactive steps for their health. We conduct comprehensive training programmes for healthcare professionals, equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively diagnose and treat cancer. These initiatives focus on enhancing diagnostic capabilities, implementing advanced treatment modalities, and staying abreast of the latest developments in cancer care. In addition, Siemens Healthineers provides support to hospitals in establishing and strengthening their cancer centres of excellence. By providing technology, and expertise, we aim to elevate the standard of cancer care delivery, ensuring that patients receive comprehensive and multidisciplinary treatment approaches. Digitalisation and automation are transforming healthcare globally. How is your organisation embracing these technologies to improve delivery? One way to increase efficiency in the healthcare system and to make an impact is through transformative digital and automation solutions. Done well, it can bring change the patient journey as well as alleviate some of the pressures on systems like inefficient processes, long manpower hours, and more. We see three critical areas that we can play a role. First is innovating personalised care by promoting the health of each patient. For example, by digitally connecting precise diagnosis with precise treatment. Second is striving for operational excellence by augmenting capabilities and simplifying the work of care teams so they can focus on creating value. This means with the help of AI based clinical decision supports tools, even automation tools for some routine tasks. And the final aspect is transforming systems of care, enabling for instance smart care delivery models, like the hub and spokes model and hospital at home by seamlessly connecting stakeholders, bringing specialised knowledge closer to patients, and providing access to equitable care. Siemens Healthineers is alleviating pressure in the healthcare sector Does Siemens Healthineers have a particular strategy to adapt to the post-pandemic world and accelerate the globes development? Many countries in the region are still dealing with the aftermath of the pandemic, including experiencing a shortage of healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses, and laboratory technicians. This scarcity has led to an increased reliance on technology to automate routine tasks, allowing healthcare professionals to focus on more complex and critical aspects of patient care. The demand for diagnostic testing is on the rise due to factors such as an ageing population, increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, and a growing emphasis on preventive healthcare. This trend has driven the development of advanced diagnostic technologies to handle higher volumes of tests efficiently and accurately. One of the many ways we are helping governments and partners deal with the pandemic and helping build resiliency is through our diagnostics business. Siemens Healthineers is dedicated to advancing healthcare through unwavering commitment and innovative solutions that directly address the challenges faced by laboratories. Our mission is to empower healthcare professionals with cutting-edge technologies, streamlined workflows, and precision diagnostics, ensuring that they can deliver the highest standard of care to patients. By collaborating closely with the healthcare community, we continuously strive to understand and overcome the evolving challenges in laboratory settings. What is the current status of Siemens Healthineers and how does the company serve patients in Vietnam? Siemens Healthineers is not only a medical equipment supplier but also a professional healthcare consultant. We work with our customers in conceptualising, planning, and executing projects to build intensive care centres. In Vietnam, Siemens Healthineers has been a partner of nearly 90 per cent of public hospitals, accounting for 40 per cent of our customers, and the remaining 60 per cent are domestic large and medium-sized private hospitals. Thanks to all the strengths we have in advanced technology, hospital design, planning experts, maintenance services, financial solutions, and intensive training programmes, Siemens Healthineers can help Vietnams healthcare sector extend access to world-class health services for its local communities. For example, in a cooperation project with Hanoi Medical University Hospital on breast cancer screening, we provide Transpara Breast AI solutions and specialised training for radiologists in using AI for early cancer screening. However, we still needed professional advice from Radiology Across Borders to set up and run study trials and provide in-depth clinical recommendations on mammography. The project has now taken anonymous mammograms for almost 6,000 women, helping to improve the quality of early breast cancer detection while reducing workload and strengthening the skills of doctors at the hospital. Preparing to meet the criteria for upgrading the stock market is one of the significant tasks this year assigned by the government to the securities industry. Time is running short, from a regulatory perspective. Ta Thanh Binh, head of Market Development State Securities Commission One of the major barriers that makes the Vietnamese stock market less attractive than others in the region is the requirement for foreign investors to pre-fund 100 per cent before conducting transactions in the Vietnamese stock market, while not being allowed to borrow margin as per banking laws. To address this issue, the State Securities Commission is carefully reviewing solutions, setting conditions so that only securities companies that meet the requirements can allow foreign investors to place orders without requiring 100 per cent funds. Regarding this issue, there are two documents that need to be amended: the aforementioned Decree 155 and the Ministry of Finances Circular No.120/2020/TT-BTC on trading listed stocks. At this point, we have received the consensus from securities companies on amending the two documents. Additionally, what foreign investors are concerned about is the ability to buy stocks on the Vietnamese market. Foreign investors, especially large investment funds, are truly interested in their ability to invest in stocks of large companies. In fact, regulations related to foreign ownership restrictions are not unique to Vietnam. Many stock markets around the world have barriers to foreign investors, especially for business sectors that affect national security or fall under the jurisdiction of state management agencies. However, a current limitation is that regulations on the sectoral ownership limit of foreign investors are scattered in many different documents. Meanwhile, companies tend to register multiple business sectors, even though they are not actively operating in those sectors. While businesses are confused about determining the maximum ratio, foreign investors have no official and comprehensive access to this information. Therefore, an additional aspect in the draft amendment to Decree 155 is to extend the deadline for foreign ownership ratio notification procedures. Companies need to determine the maximum foreign ownership ratio. Many of their registered sectors, while not actually in operation, are causing restrictions in terms of foreign ownership. Furthermore, it is important for companies to avoid situations where the AGM sets a maximum foreign shareholder limit that is lower than what is legally permitted. While it is within the rights of shareholders and businesses to ensure investor interests, it is crucial to avoid scenarios where companies unintentionally hinder foreign investor access. Of all the criteria for market upgrading, quantitative measures like market capitalisation and the value of listed companies have already met the standards, and market liquidity is generally satisfactory. It is important to further enhance qualitative aspects, particularly focusing on improving the quality of listed companies, strengthening corporate governance practices, and ensuring transparency in the market. Also according to the draft, the requirement for mandatory information disclosure in English and Vietnamese will be implemented according to a particular roadmap. For large public companies with contributed capital of $4.8 million or more, regular disclosure in English will start from 2025, and disclosure of both regular and irregular information in English from 2026. Then, this requirement will be implemented across the entire market from 2028, for all types of information. We are drafting amendments to circulars to address the above issues and have reported to the minister of finance on the main amendments and has been approved for the amendment schedule. New Zealands Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Vietnams Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. Source: VGP New Zealands Prime Minister Christopher Luxon welcomed Vietnams Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to New Zealand for his first official visit and constructive bilateral talks on Monday, March 11. Accordingly, the PMs reaffirmed the deep and enduring friendship and strategic partnership shared by Vietnam and New Zealand, underpinned by strong people-to-people links and close cooperation in areas of diplomacy, economics, trade and investment, education, labour, and sci-tech. We have built great momentum in our bilateral relationship since the upgrade of our relationship to a Strategic Partnership in 2020. Vietnam is one of New Zealands key relationships in Southeast Asia, one of the fastest growing economies in the world, and our 14th largest trading partner. We discussed opportunities to significantly boost annual two-way trade to a new goal of $3 billion in 2026 by enhancing our tourism and education flows, as well as removing non-tariff barriers, accelerating trade promotion activities, fully committing to existing free trade agreements and studying measures to promote greater investment in both directions, PM Luxon said. Luxon also announced a new NZ$6.24 million ($3.85 million) investment in Vietnams horticulture sector, the Vietnam Climate-Smart Fruit Value Chain (VietFruit) project, delivered through a partnership with the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research to support climate and economic resilience in Vietnams passion fruit industry, building on the highly successful New Zealand-funded dragon fruit project that preceded it. The PMs welcomed plans to progress cooperation in the education sector through the new Education Engagement Arrangement focusing on institution-to-institution partnerships in the tertiary sector, innovative education models via digital capability tools, and alumni engagement. The New Zealand's government is committed to boosting international education and diversifying our international education markets. Prime Minister Chinh and I discussed opportunities for more Vietnamese students to study at our world-class universities, PM Luxon said. PM Chinhs visit will also see New Zealand and Vietnam advancing cooperation across a range of fronts with new arrangements also signed on economic and trade cooperation, and finance. High-level defence and police dialogues are also being progressed. Plans were also announced for a bilateral Oceans Dialogue in 2024 on international law, maritime governance, and marine conservation. The PMs reiterated the two countries determination to respect international law, including the United Nations Charter and UNCLOS, and their commitment to working together and with other international partners to contribute to regional peace, stability, and prosperity globally and in the Indo-Pacific. The PMs looked forward to the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations next year as an excellent opportunity to expand the relationship into new areas of mutual interest such as the green economy, climate change, digital transformation, and agri-tech cooperation. Vietnam and New Zealand have made excellent progress together on our Action Plan for the 2021-2024 period, resulting in significant outcomes in economic and trade initiatives, defence, security, education and labour. Prime Minister Luxon and I have agreed to accelerate the exchange of high-level visits and contacts, and to actively implement cooperation mechanisms as we look forward to elevating our bilateral relations to a higher level in the near future. I am pleased Prime Minister Luxon has accepted my invitation to undertake an official visit to Vietnam at a mutually convenient time, said PM Chinh. PM learns about New Zealand firms cooperation demand Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh joined New Zealand businesses in a seminar in Wellington on March 11 to learn about investment cooperation potential and demand between the two countries. PM expects breakthrough in agricultural cooperation with New Zealand Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited the Plan and Food Research Centre (PFR) in Auckland on March 10 as part of his official visit to New Zealand. Jose Angel Ruiz listens to his defense attorneys confer on the first day of his trial Tuesday. Ruiz is accused in what a medical examiner called the extreme abuse and torture of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya in February 2022. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Body cam footage from 2022 shown at the trial of Jose Angel Ruiz shows him outside the hospital where he was arrested. Ruiz is accused in what a medical examiner called the extreme abuse and torture of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya in February 2022. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Defense Attorney Theresa Mallon Connolly listens to prosecutor Marissa Giovencos objection to her opening statement as the trial of Jose Angel Ruiz began Tuesday. Ruiz is accused in what a medical examiner called the extreme abuse and torture of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya in February 2022. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News State District Judge Stephanie Boyd addresses defense attorney Theresa Mallon Connolly on the first day of the trial of Jose Angel Ruiz on Tuesday. Ruiz is accused in what a medical examiner called the extreme abuse and torture of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya in February 2022. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Prosecutor Marissa Giovenco delivers opening remarks in the trial of Jose Angel Ruiz on Tuesday. Ruiz is accused in what a medical examiner called the extreme abuse and torture of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya in February 2022. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Former San Antonio Police Officer Ryan Cahill testifies in the trial of Jose Angel Ruiz on Tuesday. Ruiz is accused in what a medical examiner called the extreme abuse and torture of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya in February 2022. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Jose Angel Ruiz is seen on live stream screens on the first day of his trial on Tuesday. Ruiz is accused in what a medical examiner called the extreme abuse and torture of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya in February 2022. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Defense Attorney Loraine Efron, left, discusses video evidence held up by prosecutor Brittany Mitchell, right, as the trial of Jose Angel Ruiz opened Tuesday. Ruiz is accused in what a medical examiner called the extreme abuse and torture of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya in February 2022. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News The sadistic treatment of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya ended with her being pronounced dead in a San Antonio hospital just over two years ago, authorities said. On Tuesday, a jury heard chilling details of her abuse in a video of her sister, then 6, as testimony began in the trial of Jose Angel Ruiz, 27, who had once been their mothers boyfriend. My sister throwed up (sic) all her food and didnt come back to life, Jordan Losoya told a ChildSafe interviewer days after Mercedes died. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Ruiz was arrested even before an autopsy showed obvious evidence of extreme abuse and torture, in the words of a Bexar County medical examiner. Charged in an eight-count indictment with injury to a child, he could face up to life in prison if convicted of the first degree felony. The girls mother, Katrina Rose Mendoza, 24, had faced the same charge, but in August pleaded guilty to one count of assault of a child causing serious bodily injury by omission in exchange for a maximum prison term of 45 years. The pair have been jailed since Feb. 7, 2022, the evening they took Mercedes to a South Side hospital. The girl was unresponsive, and medical personnel were unable to revive her. The ChildSafe interview followed testimony from a San Antonio police officer and investigators from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services who were called to the hospital the evening Mercedes died. Jordan was ordered placed in the care of the state shortly after. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In the video, Jordan described being punished by her mother, slapped in the face and hit with a belt. Mendoza would discipline Mercedes by holding her under the water (in the bathtub) sometimes, the water was running in her face. She said she once saw her mom shove a spoon into her sisters mouth to force-feed her. Jordan told the interviewer that her sister had bruises all right there, as the child moved her hands over her hands, arms, torso and bottom. That was when they lived at a friends house. The abuse seemed to intensify when they moved to Ruizs apartment. Jordan said Ruiz would spank Mercedes with a belt and put her in time outs in a closet in his bedroom. She was in the closet, she peed on herself, and Jose said Lick the pee and sleep there, Jordan told the interviewer. He said for her to put her face in it, and I heard Mercedes scream. She smelled like pee, and he started putting thumb tacks into the skin on (the soles of) her feet. Jordan said her mother watched as Ruiz inserted the thumb tacks into her daughters feet. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The child told the interviewer that in addition to spankings and whippings with the belt, her mother used a large blue chancla, or sandal, on the girls. A San Antonio police officer, a hospital charge nurse and two Child Protective Services case workers who investigated the death started the testimony. Mercedes was the bad kid, prosecutor Marissa Giovenco told jurors in her opening statement, warning that they would have to see and hear horrific things as the trial unfolded. She said Mendoza and Ruiz were dating and at some point in the relationship, Mendoza complained to Ruiz how Mercedes would not listen to her. He said, Let me have her, she will listen to me. He takes custody and takes her to his apartment. Mendoza and Jordan joined them later, for about two weeks. Those were the last two weeks of her (Mercedes) life. Both Katrina and Jose are guilty of killing 5-year-old Mercedes. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In an unusual opening, defense attorney Theresa Mallon Connolly told the jury that precious little Mercedes Losoya was killed on Feb. 7, 2022, and began to talk about murder, a word that both sides had agreed would not be used in the trial. Prosecutors objected at least six times during Connollys opening statement, saying she was violating her own motions to not say certain things before the jury. Connolly also took issue with KSAT-12s livestream of the proceedings, saying it should not be allowed because the stations news director had been subpoenaed by the defense. State District Judge Stephanie Boyd sent the jury out of the room and admonished Connolly for an improper opening statement, telling her that she needed to stick to telling the jury what evidence would show. Affidavits backing arrest warrants for Mendoza and Ruiz told a gruesome story of ongoing brutality. Mendoza told police that she had let Ruiz punish the child after moving in with him and that he forced Mercedes to eat feces and drink urine, the documents state. Advertisement Article continues below this ad When she died, Mercedes was missing sections of hair and had bruising, scratching and swelling all over her body, including bruises and cuts to her inner thighs from pinching, the affidavits stated. When Ruiz was taken into custody while he waited in his car at Southwest General Hospital, now Texas Vista Medical Center. A gun was in the vehicle and he was charged with violating a bond condition from a previous arrest in addition to the child injury case. Julien Guerrier, head of the European delegation to Vietnam, told VIR last month that the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) had become important to lifting the commercial links between the two economies to an unprecedented height. Obstacles still to be ironed out to improve EVFTAs standing, illustration photo/ Source: Internet We have witnessed the positive impact of the EVFTA on bilateral trade, Guerrier said. During 2020-2022, the annual growth in two-way trade was extremely high, at 13 per cent, even when considering the negative growth of minus 5 per cent in two-way trade in 2020. The enforcement of the EVFTA in 2020 has significantly cushioned the big negative drop of exports from both economies during the crisis and helped bring about the positive bounce back of their trade performance. According to Vietnams General Statistics Office, in 2023, bilateral trade hit $59.1 billion including $44.1 billion worth of Vietnams exports and $15 billion from the countrys imports, down 5.9 and 2.5 per cent, respectively. Guerrier believes that some difficulties will reduce in scale. Based on this factual trade and investment development, we can predict a stable growing trend for the bilateral EU-Vietnam trade and investment flows in the coming years, even if we could witness a deceleration in growth or even some minor decreases after the miraculous expansion over the past few years, he said. Data from the Ministry of Planning and Investment indicates that the EU currently has a total stock of investment of approximately $28.3 billion, with about 2,450 projects. Bernd Lange, chairman of the European Parliaments Committee on International Trade, told VIR in late January during his visit to Vietnam to oversee implementation of the EVFTA that there had been a big successful story in trade cooperation between both sides, and as much as 71 per cent of tariff lines for Vietnamese exports to the EU have been removed so far, while 65 per cent of tariff lines for EU goods exported to Vietnam have followed suit. About 30 per cent of the trade balance has tilted towards Vietnam. This is excellent for the Vietnamese economy, Lange said. However, he added that to keep the trade balance in favour of both sides and for Vietnam to draw in more investment from the EU, much remains to be done. For example, the Vietnamese government would need to make it more favourable for licensing the circulation of pharmaceutical products in the domestic market. The EVFTA implementation would mean fair benefits for all people, he said. Under the EVFTA commitments, more than half of the tariffs on pharmaceutical imports from the EU have been removed, but the Ministry of Health has released a draft amendment to the Law on Pharmacy that would give foreign pharmaceutical companies more rights and incentives. For example, the scope of activities eligible for pharmaceutical investment incentives has been expanded to include fields such as the manufacturing of new, generic speciality, and high-tech drugs; drugs created through tech transfer for production in Vietnam; essential drugs as well as those for the prevention and control of social diseases; and vaccines and biological products. In addition, we have told some Vietnamese leaders that procedures for importing a number of types of goods from the EU into Vietnam remain cumbersome, Lange said. Many European investors are also waiting for Vietnam to improve the policy in renewable energy development. Currently, some German companies are ready to invest in some projects in the country but face hurdles about feed-in tariffs and power purchasing agreements. Though Vietnam has enacted the Power Development Plan VIII, which prioritise renewable energy development, the European Chamber of Commerce pointed out in its White Book released in January that there has been an unclear investor selection process. Currently, there is little visibility as to how investors will be selected for future energy projects, the White Book stressed. When it comes to offshore wind surveys and investor selection links, EuroCham said that there was a lack of pathways being approved to undertake offshore surveys, and then the benefits of securing and undertaking these with requirements from the implementation plan and investor selection process as to how projects will be selected and to who. What Vietnam has achieved so far is still below its potential and that potential cannot be optimised in the absence of vigorous reforms and a strong determination to simplify cumbersome administrative procedures and eliminate complicated licences and sublicences, Guerrier said. The EU is closely observing Vietnams implementation of its FTA commitments, which should help resolve technical barriers in market access. We cannot wait to see stronger growth of trade and investment and turn the potential of our bilateral relations into reality. EVFTAs benefits for businesses The trade agreement benefits businesses by eliminating 99 per cent of all tariffs and partially removing the remaining 1 per cent through limited zero-duty quotas; reducing regulatory barriers and overlapping red tape; protecting intellectual property rights, including geographical indications awarded to special regional food and drink products; opening up services and public procurement markets; and ensuring the agreed rules can be enforced. Vietnam removed 65 per cent of its duties on EU goods the day the agreement entered into force. It will gradually remove the remainder by 2030. The EU will progressively remove its duties on imports from Vietnam by 2027. This asymmetric approach takes into account the fact that Vietnam is a developing country. The trade agreement removes tariffs on a range of key EU export products, including machinery, motorcycles, car parts, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and chemical exports. Specifically, - most machinery and appliances no longer have to pay Vietnamese import duties of up to 35 per cent the rest will no longer do so by August 2025 - motorcycles with engines larger than 150cc will see Vietnamese import duties of 75 per cent gradually fully removed by August 2027 - most cars will see Vietnamese import duties of 78 per cent gradually removed by August 2030 - car parts will see Vietnamese import duties of up to 32 per cent gradually removed by August 2027 - about half of EU pharmaceuticals no longer have to pay Vietnamese import duties of up to 8 per cent the rest will no longer do so by August 2027 EU textile exports no longer have to pay Vietnamese import duties of 12 per cent l nearly 70 per cent of EU chemicals exports no longer have to pay Vietnamese import duties of up to 5 per cent the rest will be able to enter free of tariffs of up to 25 per cent after three, five or seven years. Besides eliminating tariffs, Vietnam has also agreed to remove its existing export duties on its exports to the EU, and not increase the few duties that will remain.Source: European Commission EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement implementation kicks into higher gear Vietnam and the EU are amplifying investment and trade ties seconded by a bilateral free trade deal, with the latter committing to assist the former in implementation. More leverage coming for EU trade deal success Vietnam and the EU are intensifying their cooperation in trade and investment. Julien Guerrier, Ambassador and head of the European Delegation to Vietnam, talked to VIRs Thanh Tung about how the relations will develop in 2024 and beyond, with a major leverage of a bilateral trade deal. Ambassador of the Netherlands to Vietnam Kees van Baar (Photo: VNA) The Netherlands Embassy to Vietnam last week announced that at the invitation of Vietnams State President Vo Van Thuong, the King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima shall pay a state visit to Vietnam on March 19-22. As scheduled, King Willem-Alexander will have bilateral talks with President Thuong, and then have meetings with National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. This visit is aimed to further cement cooperation between the Netherlands and Vietnam in various sectors boasting much development potential for both countries, said Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Kees van Baar. The royal couple will implement many different activities in Vietnam, including a visit to Damen Song Cam Shipyard and a launch of electric tugboats in the northern port city of Haiphong. In the city, they will also visit a mangrove replanting project where they will speak with students from a university about a mobile living lab, which they have carried out in collaboration with the Dutch Delft University of Technology. The king and the queen will plant mangroves with the students. In Ho Chi Minh City, where a Mekong Delta business forum and exhibition will be held, the Dutch king will witness the signing ceremony of business corporations. There will be panel discussions on the topics of salinity, connectivity, and digitalisation. Market information will be displayed for businesses. Towards a sustainable and climate resilient Ho Chi Minh City with a focus laid on water management and port development, during a boat trip, the royal couple will speak with local authorities, port representatives, and experts about the challenges and solutions for water management and port development. They will also have a discussion with local authorities, as well as some Dutch and Vietnamese companies, knowledge institutions, and social organisations, said a statement on the visit released by the Netherlands Embassy to Vietnam. The Dutch king and queen will, in addition, fly to the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak to visit Cu Sue Cooperative and talk to local farmers on coffee and pepper integrated crops, and on the Netherlands support for the farmers to be able to comply with the EU Deforestation Regulations for coffee exports. During the visit, Vietnam and the Netherlands will also carry out assorted activities to connect businesses of both economies in the sectors of agriculture, water management, and logistics in port and aviation development. For example, in the agriculture sector, there will be a business conference on agrofood and horticulture focused on both sides working together towards sustainable food systems. Businesses and experts from the two counties will exchange solutions about agricultural outlook and solutions. Additionally, in the Central Highlands city of Dalat, discussions will also take place on the development of the horticulture sector in Lam Dong province. In port and aviation logistics development, businesses from both countries will have meetings, with some deals set to be inked. Vietnam and the Netherlands emphasise sci-tech and innovation as breakthrough fields in bilateral ties, while agreeing to maximise the potential for cooperation between the two countries in high technology, electronic circuit production, semiconductor devices, building digital platforms and telecommunications ecosystems, digital transformation, and human resource development in this field, said Vietnams Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Both nations have also agreed to expand cooperation in potential sectors such as exploration and sustainable exploitation of important minerals, defence security, customs, maritime, logistics, and people-to-people exchanges. Last November, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte visited Vietnam, accompanied by a business delegation consisting of 23 high-tech companies and organisations, and attended a high-tech business forum organised by the Dutch Embassy at Samsungs research and development centre in Hanoi. At the forum, international and local business partners shared their perspectives on the position of Vietnam in international high-tech value chains, as well as strategies and recommendations for nurturing Vietnamese talents The Dutch businesses presented their innovative and smart solutions in a series of elevator pitches during the event. The companies also went on site visits in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to meet with local business partners to increase their understanding of the market and the business climate in Vietnam. In an example, BESI was in October licensed at Saigon High-Tech Park to implement a project costing nearly $5 million for first-phase advanced electronic component production. To save on time and soon put the project into operation, BESI foresees leasing ready-to-serve factory space From Q4 of 2023 to the end of 2024, BESI will complete assembly and labour recruitment, paving the way to begin production from 2025. The Netherlands is the second-largest trade partner of Vietnam in Europe, with bilateral trade hitting $11.9 billion in 2022 up 32 per cent on-year. The figure reached $6.94 billion in the first 10 months of 2023, with Vietnams exports of $8.3 billion and imports of $546 million. The Netherlands is also the biggest EU investor in Vietnam, with 432 valid projects registered at $14.23 billion cumulatively as of February 20. The projects are mostly implemented in the southern region, involving names such as Heineken, Unilever, Royal Dutch Shell, FrieslandCampina, Akzo Nobel Coating, and Philips, among others. Thailand prepares for national AI strategys 2nd phase, Illustrative image (Source: iStock) Bangkok The development of an artificial intelligence (AI) workforce and the creation of a Thai large language model (ThaiLLM) are among the six proposed flagship projects under the second phase of Thailand's national AI strategy and action plan. Chai Wutiwiwatchai, deputy chairman of the National AI Policy and Action Plan Steering Committee, said a new National AI Committee is pending appointment by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and plans to begin implementing the second phase for 2024-27. An estimated budget of 1.5 billion THB (42 million USD) is required for these projects, with 1 billion THB dedicated to the development of 30,000 AI-skilled workers, including engineers and beginners. The National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC), secretary of the steering committee, recently held a confidential hearing where details of the proposed projects were shared by associated organisations. Tiranee Achalakul, president of the Big Data Institute, said Travel Link is the institute's AI project to combine tourism data with AI to recommend tourism attraction, elaborating that they will use generative AI to make a tourism chatbot. According to Tiranee, Travel Link is expected to help local communities earn more revenue from tourism through the insight of travellers. Nakarin Amarase, senior vice-president for external affairs at Siam Commercial Bank, said the use of AI to strengthen the fraud detection system is essential to reduce losses from financial fraud. From March 17, 2023 to Feb 29, 2024, losses from cybercrime totalled 27 billion THB (750 million USD) from an average of 645 cases per day, he said. Kobkrit Viriyayudhakorn, president of the AI Entrepreneur Association of Thailand, said ThaiLLM is an important project which is expected to require a budget of 120 million THB to create an open source ThaiLLM foundation and chatbots to offer information on health, travel and the environment. They aim to employ 590 AI workers for the project and encourage the creation of Thai AI startups, reducing both costs and reliance on foreign AI, he added. Thailand seizes over 10,000 illegal vapes Thai authorities have arrested eight suspects and confiscated more than 10,000 e-cigarette and vaping devices in a raid at Number One market near Ramkhamhaeng University (Bangna Campus) in Bangkok. At the signing ceremony (Photo: DAH) Hanoi Vietnam and New Zealand signed a cooperation agreement to utilise electronic certificates in the veterinary field for the 2024-2026 period, witnessed by Vietnamese Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan and New Zealand Minister of Agriculture Todd McClay on March 11. The signing ceremony was part of the Vietnamese PM Pham Minh Chinhs ongoing visit to the Pacific nation, meant to specify the signed agreements on food safety and plant quarantine and facilitate customs clearance for agro-fisheries. Both sides will consult and coordinate with each other to ensure that the new regulations do not hinder trade and explore options with minimal trade impact. If any issues arise from exports-imports from either country, they will jointly resolve any concerns in a manner that protects human, animal and plant health without disrupting trade flow. They will also simplify and expedite customs clearance procedures at border crossings by transitioning to an official electronic quarantine certification system. This will initially focus on dairy products from New Zealand, with technical assistance offered by New Zealand to Vietnam's Department of Animal Health (DAH) during the implementation phase. A trial period for electronic certificates will run from late 2024 to the second quarter of 2025, with expansion to other products planned for the third quarter of 2025 onwards. When appropriate, they will establish trade agreements recognising disease-free zones/facilities and adopt risk mitigation measures to handle products up to the OIE standards. Vietnam acknowledged that New Zealand has provided sufficient information to facilitate market access for its honey and venison products. The agreement outlines a joint effort to develop practical inspection programmes for honey and venison to finalise the risk assessment process for these products from New Zealand. Additionally, New Zealand will provide post-graduate training courses to improve the capability of the DAHs officials. New Zealand announces investment in Vietnams horticulture sector A five-year New Zealand government-funded project to help Vietnam build a more lucrative passion-fruit export industry was formally launched by the prime ministers of Vietnam and New Zealand in Wellington on March 11. The conference, chaired by Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc, welcomed more than 200 delegates from businesses in Japan and Vietnam, including financial institutions, banks, life insurers, investment funds, and securities companies. At the conference, Takafumi Oue, head of Daiwa Securities representative office in Vietnam, shared that Daiwa Securities Corporation has been investing in Vietnams stock market since 2008. During that time Daiwa Securities has formed a strategic partnership with SSI Securities Corporation and engaged in many successful mergers and acquisitions in Vietnam. He noted that Vietnams stock market is attractive to Japanese investors, and Daiwa Securities plans to expand its operations in Vietnam, creating opportunities for Japanese companies to invest in the country. During the conference, other Japanese investors also expressed their interest in opportunities in Vietnams stock market. They raised many questions about policies to develop and upgrade the stock market, which would draw in a new wave of capital. Minister Phoc said that the Vietnamese government is aiming to upgrade its stock market status from frontier to emerging. This goal has been included in a project to restructure the stock and insurance markets. In addition, the Ministry of Finance and the State Securities Commission have been working to bolster comprehensive partnerships with foreign partners, exchange information to attract foreign investment capital, and resolve problems facing investments in Vietnam's stock market. He expected that after the event, businesses from the two countries would come up with new ideas and projects to deepen economic cooperation as well as the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Japan. Stock market gaining robust foundation The Vietnamese stock market is converging various elements conducive to its growth, marked by positive shifts in terms of both quality and quantity. Stock market can become noteworthy regional entity The eagerly anticipated advancement of Vietnams stock market, with strategies involving addressing foreign limit cap issues and infrastructure investment, holds the capacity to draw in around $25 billion in new investments by 2030. PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) Prosecutors all but wrapped up their case Tuesday against the father of a Michigan school shooter by showing passages from the teens journal expressing despair over his mental health and a photo of a gun box, unlocked and empty, on his parents bed. I have zero help for my mental problems and it's causing me to shoot up the ... school, Ethan Crumbley wrote. I want help but my parents don't listen to me so I cant get any help. The handwritten journal was found in the 15-year-old's backpack in an Oxford High School bathroom where he executed Justin Shilling, one of four teens killed on Nov. 30, 2021. Ethan's father, James Crumbley, 47, is on trial for involuntary manslaughter. Hes accused of failing to safely store a Sig Sauer 9 mm handgun used by his son and ignoring signs of the boys mental distress. Assistant prosecutor Marc Keast suggested he would rest his case Wednesday morning. Ethan's mother, Jennifer Crumbley, was found guilty of the same charges last month. In his journal, the shooter said he was begging his dad to buy the gun but that James Crumbley wasn't in favor and the family was having financial problems. On another page, Ethan wrote that they had acquired the Sig Sauer, but I will have to find where my dad hid it. He subsequently said he had discovered the gun and was poised to attack the school. He said he was prepared to spend the rest of his life in prison, according to an excerpt read to the jury by Det. Lt. Tim Willis. James Crumbley appeared to wipe away tears as Willis' testimony ended with a brief school security video of the shooting. The gun was purchased by him during the long Thanksgiving weekend, four days before the shooting. Ethan and his mother, Jennifer Crumbley, used it to fire at targets at a shooting range. Earlier Tuesday, the fourth day of trial, jurors saw a photo of an empty gun case and an ammunition box found on the couple's bed when investigators searched the Crumbley home. Jurors also saw photos of Ethans messy bedroom, which had targets from the shooting range displayed on the wall. Prosecutors have been trying to show that the father was grossly negligent in how he took care of a gun that was secretly toted to school by his son. I found no evidence that a cable lock was ever installed on that firearm, federal agent Brett Brandon testified Monday, describing how the gun was kept at the Crumbley home. Conversely, James Crumbley had two smaller guns in a small gun safe in the house, Oakland County sheriff's detective Adam Stoyek said. Defense attorney Mariell Lehman has argued that James Crumbley was not aware that Ethan had access to the 9 mm gun, a point she emphasized again during cross-examination when the journal was introduced into evidence. Stoyek said James Crumbley was cooperative while in a patrol car in the aftermath of the tragedy. A video camera in the car recorded him telling the investigator about other guns in the house, including a BB gun. It's unloaded but it looks like a freakin assault rifle," James Crumbley said in the video. The Crumbleys are the first U.S. parents to be charged with having criminal responsibility for a mass school shooting committed by a child. They weren't easy to find back in 2021 despite knowing they'd been charged. The jury saw police video of a wee-hours arrest in a friend's Detroit art studio where they were sleeping on the floor, 12 hours after charges were widely publicized. James Crumbley could he heard wailing before he calmed down. An eagle-eyed coffee roaster in the same commercial building had learned through social media that police were looking for the couple and spotted their Kia vehicle in the parking lot. I can't believe it," Luke Kirtley said on a 911 call. They're here! The Crumbleys had more than $6,000 in cash with them and clothes for more than one night. Defense lawyers insist they were not fleeing and had planned to appear in court later that morning. Ethan Crumbley, now 17, is serving a life prison sentence for murder and terrorism. He told a judge when he pleaded guilty that the gun was not locked when he stuffed it in his backpack before school. Follow Ed White on X, formerly Twitter: https://twitter.com/edwritez LAWTEY, Fla. (AP) A man shot and killed his girlfriend and her two adult daughters early Tuesday morning, prompting an 11-year-old girl at the north Florida home to call 911, authorities said. Bradford County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Brad Smith described the shooting as a domestic incident, First Coast News reported. Responding deputies found Johnnie Bernard Brown, 46, in the home's front yard suffering from several cuts. He and the girl were both taken to a Gainesville hospital, where they were treated and released. Brown was taken into custody. Inside the home, investigators found the bodies of 49-year-old Quanique Robinson, 27-year-old Danisha Sims and 25-year-old Windshay Roddey, according to officials. Brown told investigators that they were having an argument when one of the women started attacking him with a knife, and thats when he shot them, officials said. Brown is facing three murder charges and one attempted murder charge. Jail records didn't list an attorney that could comment on his case. Parkinsons and caregivers support The Heart of Texas Parkinsons and Caregivers Support groups meeting at 3 p.m. Thursday at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church, 1624 Wooded Acres Drive will be open to the public and feature Dr. Paul Fillmore, owner of Waco Neurotherapy. Fillmore is board-certified in quantitative EEG analysis and in neurofeedback. A social time will follow the meeting. For more information, call Ida McBride at 254-716-4402. Downtown walk Waco Walks will have a Downtown Economic Development Walk starting at 10 a.m. Saturday at Fabled Bookshop and Cafe, 215 S. Fourth St. The walk will focus on some of the citys most transformed blocks. Medicare information The Area Agency on Aging of the Heart of Texas will hold an information meeting from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. March 19 at the Heart of Texas Council of Governments office, 1514 S. New Road, on learning the difference between Medicare Advantage plans and supplemental insurance, as well as other changes in store for Medicare this year. Robinson ISD job fair Robinson Independent School District will host a job fair from 5:30 to 7 p.m. March 20 at Robinson Intermediate School, 605 Old Robinson Road. Robinson ISD will be hiring for all open positions for the 2024-25 school year. To register, go to risdweb.org/page/hr. TSTC lunch The Texas State Technical College culinary arts program has resumed serving meals to the public this spring on Wednesdays and Fridays. The student-operated restaurant will feature Mexican cuisine from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday and Friday at the Greta W. Watson Culinary Arts Center, Campus Drive and Eighth Street. The $16 three-course lunch includes starter, entree, dessert and a specialty drink. Advance reservations are required by emailing wacoculinary@tstc.edu. All are welcome. Upcoming cuisine themes include Indian on March 20 and 22, French on March 27 and 29, Jamaican on April 3 and 5, and Honduran on April 10 and 12. Hazardous waste Wacos annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day will run from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 23 at the Waco Solid Waste Operations Center, 501 Schroeder Drive. The free service is available to people who live in the city limits of Waco, Bellmead, Hewitt, Lacy Lakeview or Woodway. Pre-registration is available for a fast lane via waco-texas.com/HHWD the Waco Curbside Services smartphone app or by calling 254-299-2606. Pre-registered residents are asked to bring their registration confirmation number and a photo ID. Residents who do not pre-register must bring a current water or utility bill with matching identification. For lists of accepted and prohibited items, go to waco-texas.com/HHWD and click the registration link. For more information, call Solid Waste Customer Service at 254-299-2612 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, email soildwasteinfo@wacotx.gov or text 254-644-3336. Rainwater harvesting, compost Keep Waco Beautiful will offer a rainwater harvesting and composting workshop from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at Mission Wacos Urban Renewable Energy and Agricultural Project site, 1509 N. 15th St. Registration costs $100. Participants will learn how to build a rainwater harvesting system and have it ready to go by the end of the workshop. Urban REAP will share how to get started on composting and the basics of a successful compost pile. Spots are limited, and registration is required. For more information or to register, go to keepwacobeautiful.org/rainwater-harvesting-workshop. Tax help Students from La Vega High Schools business program will offer free tax preparation help from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. March 18, March 25 and April 8 at the Waco-McLennan County Central Library, 1717 Austin Ave. People receiving help should bring all tax documents, ID and Social Security cards for everyone on the tax return. No registration or library card is required. Tax-Aide program This years AARP Tax-Aide program sponsored by NeighborWorks Waco will run through April 15, offering free tax assistance to anyone, with a focus on taxpayers who are older than 50 or have low to moderate income. Tax-Aide volunteers are trained and IRS-certified. The service will be available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the following dates and locations: Tuesdays and Thursdays through April 11 at NeighborWorks, 922 Franklin Ave. For an appointment, call 254-752-1647, ext. 0. Mondays and Wednesdays through April 15 at Ascension Providence Medical Center, 6901 Medical Parkway. For an appointment, call 254-751-4102. Tuesdays and Thursdays through April 11 at First Baptist Church of Hewitt, 301 S. First St. For an appointment, call 254-214-9123. Dave Nichols life changed in an instant when he fell during a rock-climbing trip in October 2017. A severe brain injury required months of inpatient care. But when his parents tried to bring him home to Oregon, they encountered a problem. The state did not have enough hospital beds. Nichols would have to go elsewhere for treatment. His parents looked around and found an opening in Colorado 1,000 miles away. As an Oregon state lawmaker, I do not usually focus on health care policy. But I started doing research when Nichols and his mother came to the state Capitol and testified about their experience. What I learned was concerning. Rather than welcoming health care investment, Oregon routinely blocks projects using a regulatory tool called a certificate of need, or CON. Before anyone can open or expand facilities, they must prove to the governments satisfaction that a need exists. Thirty-eight states and the District of Columbia have CON laws or something similar. In all of these jurisdictions, the application process is complex and can take years to complete. An analysis from the Institute for Justice, a public interest law firm that opposes CON laws, finds 43 requirements and four levels of review in Oregon. Many smaller investment groups are not even bothered. They cannot afford the cost. Even when they persevere and win state approval, a second hurdle remains: CON laws in 34 jurisdictions, including Oregon, allow existing providers to enter the debate and challenge their would-be rivals. This is what happened to Post Acute Medical when it applied for a CON to open a 50-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital in Oregon. After obtaining state approval, an existing rehabilitation facility and the Oregon Health Care Association objected to the application. Post Acute Medical finally took its money and went elsewhere, citing the dogged self-interest of its opponents. Other would-be investors have faced similar barriers. Encompass Health applied for a CON to open a 50-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital in Hillsboro, Oregon, but withdrew after spending five years in pursuit of a CON. NEWCO also tried and failed when it sought a CON for a 100-bed inpatient psychiatric facility in Wilsonville, Oregon. The roadblocks continue despite chronic bed shortages nationwide. The crisis is especially bad in Oregon, which ranks 49th in the nation for the number of rehabilitation beds per capita. Only Alaska ranks lower. Mental health care and addiction recovery beds are also scarce, and access could decrease as the population ages. CON advocates say the regulation is necessary to control health care costs by restricting duplicative services, but real-world experience shows otherwise. California, Texas and 10 other states have operated for years without CON laws. Arizona, Ohio, Indiana and Montana have gutted their CON laws, and North Carolina, South Carolina and West Virginia joined the list in 2023 with significant CON cutbacks. None of these states reports any negative consequences. The opposite is more likely true. As the Department of Justice concluded in 2004: Certificate-of-need laws impede the efficient performance of health care markets. The ultimate losers are patients, especially those suffering with mental illness, addiction or traumatic injuries. Dave Nichols had resources to seek out-of-state care, but many families in the same situation would be stuck. Other reforms might be necessary, but these are the most urgent. With the bed shortages that exist, policymakers should be giving the green light to potential investors. Not red tape. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. With these historic words from our Declaration of Independence, the founding fathers served notice that a new order was about to be born. No longer would we be ruled by a hereditary monarch or a privileged aristocracy. As Lincoln would later declare, we were to be a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Our governing document. the U.S. Constitution, would begin, We, the people This new governing principle would be known as egalitarianism, which grew out of the 18th-century Enlightenment. The French Revolution would later call for liberty, equality, fraternity. However, this new enlightenment was limited in its scope. It did not include slaves, Native Americans or women. Nor did it replace the elitism it was designed to eliminate. Economic elitism would always be a part of American society and it would work diligently to undermine egalitarianism. Economic egalitarianism would be labeled socialism no matter in what form it appeared. Economic elitism reached its height towards the end of the 19th century when the robber barons became the new aristocrats. Their power became so great that the government had to step in and pass antitrust legislation. Egalitarianism seemed to be back in vogue with the rise of populism. But it was not to last. Populism was often labeled socialism. White vs. blue collar Egalitarianism seemed on the rise again after World War II and the creation of a prosperous middle class. The GI Bill of Rights had a lot to do with it. Surely the goal of economic prosperity for all would assure the dream of liberty and justice for all, especially economic justice. However, the dream of a prosperous egalitarian middle class was doomed from the start when it divided society into white collar/urban and blue collar/rural class distinctions. As the white-collar class became better educated and more prosperous they became the new elites. The blue-collar working class felt left behind. Economic egalitarian efforts to empower blue-collar workers (such as with labor unions) were demonized as socialism or worse. These citizens began to feel disenfranchised. Their perception was that they were losing out to minorities and immigrants. They felt that others were prospering at their expense, and it only fueled their resentment. It was fertile ground for a resurgence of racism. There is a new book out entitled White Rural Rage by Tom Schaller and Paul Waldman. They have studied rural America and found widespread anger and resentment over the feeling of being left out of the American Dream. Feeling that they are in a minority, increasingly they have given up on democracy. Instead they are looking for a strong authoritarian leader who will restore their rightful place in society. In the process, their resentment and anger will be turned loose on the elitists and they will get revenge for decades of humiliation. An increasing number of voters seem to be looking for an authoritarian leader like Vladimir Putin or Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Revenge on elitesIt came to a head in the presidential election of 2016. The Democrats chose as their candidate one who was the epitome of elitism, Hillary Rodham Clinton. She was seen as a newly liberated independent woman. She was well-educated at an Ivy League school, Yale. She was capable and accomplished as a former first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state. But she wasnt satisfied. She was ambitious and wanted to be president. She further fueled the perception that she was an elitist when she referred to some of her opponents as deplorables. This enraged those who felt disenfranchised and resentful. Enter Donald J. Trump. The Democrats actually wanted to run against Trump because they thought he was a joke and could be easily defeated. Moreover, he was a bit of an elitist himself. He was a billionaire who also attended an Ivy League school, the University of Pennsylvania. Although he inherited much of his wealth, he portrayed himself as a self-made billionaire who got rich by outwitting the elites. He, too, harbored a lot of resentment of the rich and powerful who never took him seriously. So the election of 2016 was never about the real issues facing the country. Rather it was all about getting revenge against the elites. Republicans led by Trump set about to practice the politics of resentment. Trump won by capitalizing on widespread blue-collar resentment in states like Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, as well as the white rural heartland. Democracy is the life blood of egalitarianism. If egalitarianism dies, democracy dies with it. The American dream of a democratic society is in jeopardy. Unless the legitimate grievances of those in our society who believe that democracy has not served them well are addressed, the American experiment is over. The mindset of the resentful was best revealed during the recent COVID-19 epidemic. In order to deal with this epidemic, certain measures were necessary like wearing masks, vaccination, quarantine. But because they had been recommended by elitists in government, they were resisted for no other reason than to get even with the government elitists. If scientists are perceived as elitist, science will be discredited. If the government is perceived as elitist, government recommendations will be resisted or ignored. If educational institutions are perceived as elitist, ignorance will be preferred. This is where we are today and I see no obvious way to change it. San Antonio police officers and firefighters hold up a tarp as investigators take pictures of a body at the scene of a house fire that killed a family of four in the 4400 block of Wrangler Run on Friday, March 8, 2024, on the far Southeast Side of San Antonio, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News San Antonio police officers and firefighters investigate the scene of a house fire that killed a family of four in the 4400 block of Wrangler Run on Friday on the far Southeast Side of San Antonio. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News A scorched vehicle is pictured next to rubble at the scene of a house fire that killed a family of four in the 4400 block of Wrangler Run on Friday on the far Southeast Side of San Antonio. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News San Antonio police officers and firefighters investigate the scene of a house fire that killed a family of four in the 4400 block of Wrangler Run on Friday, March 8, 2024, on the far Southeast Side of San Antonio, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News A house fire that killed a family of four on the Southeast Side last Friday is being investigated by San Antonio police as a homicide. The family, believed to be from El Paso, was found dead in the 4400 block of Wrangler Run. San Antonio police released the names of three of the deceased family members Tuesday: Alfredo Pescador, 44; Blanca Pescador, 40; Leslie Pescador, 19, and a 13-year-old juvenile. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Ricardo Guzman, a spokesperson for SAPD, said in an email that the case was being investigated as a homicide but that he could not provide any other information. When firefighters arrived at the scene, the home was fully engulfed in flames, according to preliminary information from the San Antonio Fire Department. Joe Arrington, a spokesperson for the fire department, said a car fire had been initially reported, but it appeared that the fire had started inside the home and spread to the car. Michael Lara, a neighbor, said the mother told him and other neighbors earlier in the week that she was taking her kids to El Paso on Wednesday for a family emergency. However, they did not go, and neighbors did not know why. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He said the family had a son who went to East Central High School and a daughter who was in college. When he returned from work around 10:45 a.m., Lara said he heard an explosion. WATERLOO An illness many Americans overlook is making a strong resurgence, especially in Black Hawk County. The number of tuberculosis cases has tripled since 2021. In 2023, the county had 13 active cases. When compared to the state and the U.S., based on the incidence rate per 100,000 people, Black Hawk County had a case rate of 6.1 in 2022, while the state had 1.9 and the country had 2.5. In 2023, the county had a case rate of 11.4. Last years rate is not yet available for the state or the U.S. The most common symptoms of TB are a persistent cough, low-grade fevers and night sweats. People can also cough up blood and unintentionally lose weight. TB is the second deadliest infectious killer, after COVID-19. The bacteria is most often in the lungs and can spread through respiratory droplets in the air. There are two types of tuberculosis those with active TB are the ones who are infectious, but people can also have latent TB. These people have the germ but it hasnt replicated enough to be infectious and stays within their system. Many people with latent infections do not have symptoms but if it goes untreated it can turn into an active case of TB. Kaitlin Emrich, the countys public health director, said her goal is to encourage local health care providers to screen for both types of the infection. The risk to the community is higher when someone is infectious to others, she said. Theyre not infectious to others when they have that latent infection so finding it and treating it then is kind of the best thing to do all around for the community. She said one of the reasons is due to the areas change in population. Black Hawk County has seen an influx of people who have come from Pacific Island countries. The Pacific Islands are protected under a Compact of Free Association. With this agreement, the U.S. provides these countries with economic assistance, defense and other development services. This status allows people from the countries, as well as visitors to the islands, to not go through communicable disease screening and testing when they arrive in the U.S. Emrich said TB is endemic on the islands due to a lack of preventive care resources. We as a society have a really good way of screening for communicable diseases and treating them, and not everybody has that, she said. Thats kind of the difference and (Pacific Islanders) are not getting that upon entry to the United States, either. Tuberculosis is still present in the U.S., but at very low levels because of screening and treatment opportunities. Tuberculosis treatment medications are free from the government. Along with free medication, the countys public health department provides free testing and treatment regimens. It has two nurses specifically assigned to TB cases. These nurses focus solely on the disease due to the lengthy treatment process. Depending on the patient and if they have other health issues, it can take six to 12 months for TB to be out of a persons system. To diagnose tuberculosis, nurses will do a blood test for anyone over the age of 2. Spit tests can also detect whether the infection is active or latent. If a test comes back as positive, nurses see these patients every day through daily observed therapy. This is to monitor that patients are taking their medications as well as assess their progress. The increase in cases is taking a toll on the two tuberculosis nurses. In about five years, each nurse went from dealing with 3.5 cases per year to 10.5. The burden on our workforce is pretty substantial right now, Emrich said. She said they dedicate a lot of time to tuberculosis cases because it can cause severe illness and death, especially for young children. Prevention and treatment of tuberculosis is covered for any community member at no charge. For more information, contact Black Hawk County Public Health at (319) 291-2413. Demand for these health care jobs is increasing most in Iowa Demand for these health care jobs is increasing most in Iowa #25. Family medicine physicians #24. Opticians, dispensing #23. Diagnostic medical sonographers #22. Occupational therapists #21. Respiratory therapists #20. Dentists, general #19. Chiropractors #18. Radiologic technologists #17. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians #16. Massage therapists #15. Physician assistants #14. Phlebotomists #13. Speech-language pathologists #12. Dental hygienists #11. Physical therapist assistants #10. Physical therapists #9. Pharmacy technicians #8. Dental assistants #7. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses #6. Nurse practitioners #5. Medical assistants #4. Medical and health services managers #3. Nursing assistants #2. Registered nurses #1. Home health and personal care aides WAVERLY The developer who revitalized the Red Fox Inn is dealing with some major financial challenges. A pending foreclosure was made known last week at the City Council meeting, filed Sept. 18 by CUSB Bank in district court against 1859 Ventures for defaulting on its mortgage-backed notes totaling $5.66 million. The financing fueled the major undertaking that resulted in the successful restoration of the hotel, event center and apartments at 1900 Heritage Way. The former inn had been derelict for years and was acquired by the city in 2020 after property taxes went unpaid. The municipality eventually gave the property to 1859 Ventures to rehabilitate. Construction wrapped up a little over a year ago. As a result of the financial trouble, which includes a failure to pay a sizable amount of municipal property taxes, the council unanimously suspended its development agreement and the tax rebates associated with the propertys redevelopment. The developer was slated to receive the rebates for 100% of the property taxes on the added commercial and residential value, not to exceed $500,000, beginning in June over the next six years, as well as 50% of the hotel-motel taxes the next seven years, not to exceed $250,000. Since property taxes were not paid, there are no funds to pay the (rebates), wrote City Attorney Bill Werger in a memo to the council. The agreement with the city may become effective again if assurances are received to cure its default and continue its performance, states the resolution approved by the council. However, Werger explained to the elected officials that the future is up in the air if 1859 Ventures loses the property to foreclosure. Well just have to wait and see, he said. Thats what we want to do here just suspend the performance so we have time to think about it and have more information and find out what happens, he said. The court found out later that the notes were purchased by Barker Financial and ordered the firm replace CUSB as the plaintiff. Additionally, court records show several other suits opened against 1859 Ventures by subcontractors seeking payment and liens for work reportedly completed. Businessman Nick Graham was the only officer of 1859 Ventures included within the lawsuit. 4 crucial tips for Canadian homeowners considering renewing their mortgages in 2024 4 crucial tips for Canadian homeowners considering renewing their mortgages in 2024 CLARKSVILLE One person is dead following a two-vehicle crash Monday in rural Clarksville. According to the Iowa State Patrol, Brady Lee Cashatt, 31, of Parkersburg, was driving a 2013 Dodge Dart northbound on Quail Avenue around 9:20 p.m. when he allegedly failed to stop at a stop sign and struck the front drivers side of a 2023 Peterbilt semitractor-trailer traveling westbound on Iowa Highway 3. Both vehicles rolled over. The car ended up upright on Highway 3. Cashatt was transported or in the midst of being transported to Waverly Health Center when he died. The other driver, Mark John Behrens, 57, of Carroll, was injured. The semi rolled into a ditch. He was also transported to Waverly Health Center. The crash remains under investigation. Clarksville and Allison fire, emergency medical service and police assisted along with the Butler County Sheriffs Office. 8 cartoons debate Joe Biden's State of the Union WATERLOO The Waterloo Public Library is hosting youth STEM activities Sunday from 3 to 4 p.m. in the conference room. The family-friendly event has STEM themed stations where attendees will be able to test the latest gadgetry and so much more. WATERLOO -- The City of Waterloo has been awarded a $750,000 grant for a study on the relocation of the downtown railroad yard. The money comes from the Neighborhood Access and Equity program, disbursed by the Office of the Secretary of Transportation. The study would look at moving an active railroad yard from downtown Waterloo to the outskirts of town, as well as safety improvements along the corridor. Four community groups across Mayo are to receive funding to bolster local biodiversity initiatives. The grants, which total 34,500, are being allocated as part of a joint initiative between the Community Foundation Ireland and the National Parks and Wildlife Service. River Moy Search and Rescue in Ballina are to receive a total of 17,000, of which 11,000 is to improve biodiversity and work with the farming community, while 6,000 is to erect fencing, develop hedgerows, grow trees and wildflowers, and install a water dispenser for cattle all recommendations of the Community Biodiversity Action Plan (CBAP). Ballycroys Tidy Towns and Community Council have been approved 5,500 for its plan to increase biodiversity in the Ballycroy community for future generations while the Parke and Crimlin Area Development Association will receive 4,000 to partner with two local schools and deliver actions that include the construction and installation of nesting sites for birds, bats, hedgehogs, and ducks. There is also 3,000 for Ballyhaunis Tidy Towns to engage the local community in Community Biodiversity Days and implement actions in the Friarsground such as improving grassland biodiversity, setting native plants and trees, creating insects, bats and birds habitats, and increasing biodiversity awareness. Mayo TD Michael Ring, who confirmed the funding, said the commitment of the local groups to protect and enhance biodiversity was key to protecting the health of the environment in Mayo. Each local project will be receiving access to experts to either develop a new Community Biodiversity Action Plan or support to implement measures from an existing plan. These projects are uniquely impactful because they connect community groups with scientific expertise, helping them to better understand their local biodiversity. The preservation and enhancement of our local biodiversity is crucial to the health of our environment, concluded Deputy Ring. A 22-year-old man died and a 19-year-old man was injured in a shooting Monday on the Port Aransas beach. Spencer Platt/Getty Images An Ingleside, Texas, man died Monday after being shot on the beach in Port Aransas, local police said in a news release. Kristopher Welder, 22, was transported to the Bay Area Hospital in Corpus Christi and pronounced dead on arrival, police said. MORE CRIME: San Antonio man found dead inside Tesla at supercharger station on Northwest Side Advertisement Article continues below this ad The shooting sent a crowd gathered at the beach running as deputies and police officers worked to disperse spring breakers away from the scene. A 19-year-old Alice man was also shot and transported to the Bay Area Hospital in Corpus Christi. After undergoing surgery he is expected to survive, according to the release. The River Valley Media Group is honored to continue our Nurses: The Heart of Health Care program. Heres your chance to nominate nurses who are serving our community so steadily. Since 2019, the Nurses: The Heart of Health Care program has recognized the absolute best health care professionals in our region who shine with care, compassion and comfort in their demanding careers, said Paul Pehler, president and director of local sales. Nursing professionals do far more than most people imagine and their impact is enormous. Anyone can nominate a nurse who has made a difference in their life or the life of a loved one during 2023 using the form attached to this article online or the QR code. Nominations are open now until March 27. After collecting nominations, an independent panel of judges will choose extraordinary nursing professionals, and one Nurse of the Year, to be recognized during Nurses Week in May. The honored nurses will be recognized in our publications the week of May 6-12; there also will be a video presentation online highlighting each professionals story. Loading COLLECTION: Congrats to Heart of Healthcare nurses and 2023 nurse of year The River Valley Media Group took nominations and judges selected the Heart of Healthcare nurses of 2023. Meet them in this collection and mee Neighbors and others in Wisconsin Dells gathered Saturday night for a candlelight vigil for missing 3-year-old Elijah Vue. The vigil featured balloons, a poster for guests to sign, and pictures of the missing Wisconsin Dells boy and of James Yoblonski, a 13-year-old Reedsburg boy who has been missing since June 12, 2023. Miranda Dolle, a northern Wisconsin resident, organized the vigil after seeing the large amount of social media posts about the case. She is not connected to Elijah or his family. Elijah was reported missing Feb. 20 in Two Rivers in Manitowoc County. He is about 3 feet tall, weighs 35-40 pounds, has sandy hair and brown eyes, and has a birthmark on his left knee. He was last seen wearing grey sweatpants, a long-sleeve dark shirt, and red and green slip-on shoes with dinosaurs on them, according to a missing child post. Dolle held a prayer and balloon release at the end of the vigil. Jason Weaver and Leslie Reher live in Cambrian Commons, the Wisconsin Dells apartment complex where Elijahs mother, Katrina Baur, also lives. Reher wrote a note on the poster relaying a message from Baur, who is currently being held in the Manitowoc County Jail on charges of child neglect along with her boyfriend, Jesse Vang. Elijah, Mommy is waiting to hear news you are safe and wants you home, Reher wrote in the note relaying Baurs message. I love you my baby boy! Love Mommy and ElenaElijahs older sister. He is 3 years old, full of energy, Reher said of Elijah. Baur, 31, is being held on a $15,000 cash bond. Her request for a bond reduction was rejected during a court hearing on March 7 in which prosecutors filed additional child neglect charges against her. The vigil was held in an area between Cambrian Commons and the neighboring gas station where Elijah and other children would play while parents supervised them. Weaver said Elijah had a tendency to wander off, but would never go far out of fear of monsters, which he said Baur would use to get him to return. Reher and Weaver said they supervised Elijah and his sister on numerous occasions. If anything, this whole thing in itself is very shocking to us, all of us as tenants, Reher said, referring to Cambrian Commons residents. We want Elijah home. Thats the main focus. Vang, 39, reported going to sleep between between 8 and 11 a.m. Feb. 20 and waking up to find Elijah gone from his Two Rivers residence. According to criminal complaints, Baur had sent Elijah to stay with Vang because of perceived behavior issues. Eight oclock, the child is there, 11:00, the child is not there, Reher said. Whats the in-between? Weaver and Reher refuted characterizations in the criminal complaint and on social media that painted Baur in a negative light, saying she was an attentive mother and would often walk throughout Wisconsin Dells with Elijah and Elena, whom Reher said is a child with special needs, and their dog. If I could give a gold star to a mom in the building, I would honestly give that gold star to Katrina, Reher said. She would be pulled in both directions but she maintained everything so perfectly. That was so impressive for a single mom. She did it all. Weaver said he went to Two Rivers on an unspecified date to see the property where Elijah was reported missing. He did not provide additional details on what he saw there. The criminal complaint, thats not who we saw, Weaver said. Thats not who we knew. Her abusing her kids just doesnt fit. Elijahs father, Jimmy Vue, is incarcerated due to charges relating to domestic violence, according to court records. I just want to pray for the families and I wish them a lot of strength and hope with everything they are going through right now and that they find Elijah, Dolle, a domestic violence survivor, said following the vigil. The Two Rivers Police Department is leading the investigation and search for Elijah. Urban and rural areas, including land and water, in Manitowoc County and surrounding counties have been searched. Search efforts have also occurred in Wisconsin Dells. Anyone with information that leads to Elijahs location and/or arrests of individuals responsible for his disappearance are eligible for a reward of up to $40,000, the Police Department said Monday. The reward has increased from $25,000 because of donations in search efforts. The cost of menstrual products can be difficult for students, so a Baraboo High School senior has spearheaded a project to provide them free of charge to her classmates. The Period Positivity Project is a senior independent study by Anne Langkamp, who worked with two staff members to have menstrual product dispensers installed in facilities throughout the high school and the districts WINGS building. Langkamp discovered that 42 percent of her fellow students received free or reduced lunches, a statistic that drove her to question the affordability of menstrual products for students from lower-income families. This project has set a precedent for menstrual equity, demonstrating the impact that student-driven projects can have on fostering a more inclusive and supportive educational environment, the district said in a release. Baraboo High School social studies instructor Becca Onken and school social worker Jen Lombardi collaborated with Langkamp on the Period Positivity Project. I started researching period poverty in general last year in Ms. Onkens History of Social Movements class, said Langkamp, who had to do a project on a social movement of interest. The more I researched, the more I felt like I was being called to do something about it in our district. Langkamp presented her project in class late in the 2022-23 school year and started her independent study at the beginning of the current year with Onken, who connected her with Lombardi and others to raise funds, spread awareness and have dispensers installed with free products starting in February. Annie found in her research, while she was in my course, a pilot program that had done this exact thing in a New York school, Onken said, adding that the school in New York correlated attendance rates to access to menstrual products. The school found that there was an increase in attendance when students had access to period products. The Baraboo High School Class of 1976, which started the Education Innovation Grant program in September , provided a $900 grant for the project as part of its first round of funding. Program grants are for projects, activities and educational practices that emphasize creativity and innovation and initiatives not included in the Baraboo School District operating budget. Langkamp said the grant funds paid for the dispensers, which are located in girls and gender-neutral bathrooms, the girls locker room, and the staff and strength and conditioning bathrooms. Products are donated by community members, she added. A lot of the people around me and a lot of my friends have come up to me and said how much it has helped them and saved them in a time where they didnt have anything, Langkamp said. Its comforting to know its making an impact. Langkamp received the Good Citizen Award from the Wisconsin Area Daughters of the American Revolution in February for the Period Positivity Project. She will do a presentation for the organization in May about period poverty. Onken lauded the support within the district and Baraboo community, as well as the project in New York, as reasons for optimism for Langkamps initiative. We have people who are willing to be forward-thinking and think about change, Onken said. I was like, Heck yes, we can figure this out. Lombardi said that she has a very big stash of menstrual products that have been donated by residents and organizations. The products have been donated for the schools food pantry over the past few years and are now being used for Langkamps project. She said Langkamps timing was perfect because of the Education Innovation Grant. She and Langkamp have shared information about the project with Baraboos Jack Young Middle School, hoping a student there might want to start a similar program. Langkamp hopes the project will inspire Baraboo students who go to college to start a similar initiative in facilities at those schools, as well as students in other school districts. Its a basic necessity that we should all have access to, she said. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form FILE - Haiti's Prime Minister Ariel Henry attends a public lecture at the United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, March 1, 2024. The prime minister had traveled to Kenya to push for the U.N.-backed deployment of a police force from the East African country to fight gangs in Haiti. Henry, who is facing calls to resign or form a transitional council, remains unable to return home. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku, File) FILE - Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., right, arrives to meet with reporters at the Capitol in Washington, March 6, 2024. A bill that could lead to the popular video-sharing app TikTok being unavailable in the United States is quickly gaining traction in the House. Lawmakers advanced legislation against TikTok Thursday as they voiced concerns about the potential for the platform to surveil and manipulate Americans. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) The White House has announced that the Pentagon will rush about $300 million in weapons to Ukraine after finding some cost savings in its contracts. This is even though the military remains deeply overdrawn and needs at least $10 billion to replenish all the weapons it has pulled from its stocks to help Kyiv in its desperate fight against Russia. Its the Pentagons first announced security package for Ukraine since December, when it acknowledged it was out of replenishment funds. Tuesday's announcement comes as Ukraine is running dangerously low on munitions and efforts to get fresh funds for weapons have stalled in the House because of Republican opposition. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Local residents demonstrate their support for Annunciation House, a network of migrants shelters in El Paso, Texas, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit claiming the Annunciation House "appears to be engaged in the business of human smuggling" and is threatening to terminate the nonprofit's right to operate in Texas. Andres Leighton/AP Roger and his 4-year-old son Roger Jr, (only first names given) embrace during a press conference at the Annunciation House, Wednesday, July 11, 2018, in El Paso, Texas. After being separated by CBP in February, the two were reunited and released by ICE late last night. Photo by Ivan Pierre Aguirre Ivan Pierre Aguirre A mother and her two daughters are seen embracing during a press conference on refugees at the Annunciation House Monday, February 11, 2019, in El Paso, TX. Photo by Ivan Pierre Aguirre for the San Antonio Express-News Ivan Pierre Aguirre/Ivan Pierre Aguirre for the San A judge in El Paso said Monday that Attorney General Ken Paxton acted without regard to due process or fair play in his effort to shut down a Catholic nonprofit that has helped shelter and feed asylum-seekers for decades. State District Judge Francisco Dominguez temporarily blocked the effort to close Annunciation House, which Paxton has accused of operating as a stash house and taking part in human smuggling. The Attorney Generals efforts to run roughshod over Annunciation House, without regard to due process or fair play, call into question the true motivation for the Attorney Generals attempt to prevent Annunciation House from providing the humanitarian and social services that it provides, Dominguez wrote. There is a real and credible concern that the attempt to prevent Annunciation House from conducting business in Texas was predetermined. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The conflict started last month when the attorney general sought records from Annunciation House related to its work with migrants. The El Paso organization said it would provide the information but could not meet the deadline laid out by the attorney generals investigators and sued for a temporary restraining order. Paxton, in turn, filed a counterclaim, accusing the nonprofit of violating state law by refusing to turn over the records. His office sought to revoke Annunciation Houses license to operate in Texas. Dominguez ruled that the conflict over the records Paxton sought would have to be decided before an enforcement action could be taken. Paxtons counterclaim seeking to close the nonprofit was therefore moot, Dominguez ruled. Paxtons office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Jerome Wesevich, an attorney representing Annunciation House, said in a statement that the ruling will mean a fair and orderly process for determining what documents the law allows the Attorney General to see. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Annunciation House needs to collect sensitive information, including health information, concerning its guests, and it is imperative for the safety and well-being of the community that the releasing of this sensitive information be handled with care and the law in mind, Wesevich said. Ruben Garcia, the founder and director of Annunciation House, told El Paso Matters on Monday that Paxtons actions could threaten businesses across Texas. It kind of sends a shiver through all incorporated entities in the state of Texas, because people are going to ask, does this mean that the attorney general feels that they have the authority to arrive at any institution, any business, any entity, and just walk up and say, we are submitting a request to examine. And I think thats a really fundamental question about whether thats a way to function, Garcia told the outlet, which first reported the ruling. Spring Break has meant clear skies and comfortable temperatures across most of Texas, as seen here in this weather satellite image taken at 2:30 p.m. Monday. San Antonio skies on Tuesday are expected to be cloudier. NOAA/National Weather Service San Antonio has had nicer Spring Break weather before but Tuesdays temperatures will still be comfortable despite overcast skies. Try to take advantage of the quiet weather over the next couple of days because forecasters expect us to be facing the prospect of storms before Spring Break ends. Thanks to the development of a trough of low atmospheric pressure over West Texas, moisture-rich air will be drawn in toward South and Central Texas, the National Weather Service said Monday. San Antonio temperatures early Tuesday before dawn will be between 56 and 58 degrees. Meanwhile, dew points, the temperatures at which dew forms and an indicator of moisture levels in the air, will be only a degree or two below that, according to forecasters. That means fog. Advertisement Article continues below this ad With dew points ranging from the mid- to upper 50s, expect low clouds to develop Tuesday morning with even areas of patchy fog mainly but not limited to the southern Edwards Plateau, around Bexar County and vicinity and portions of the Coastal Plains, the weather service said in a forecast bulletin Monday. Even after the fog lifts by around 9 a.m., overcast skies will remain. With the sun blocked by clouds, afternoon temperatures likely will stay below 77 degrees. But balmy southerly winds at 5 to 10 mph, including gusts as strong as 20 mph, will continue to carry humid air into the region. At night, skies will be mostly cloudy, which will prevent radiant heat from escaping and keep overnight temperatures above 61 degrees. Whats Wednesday going to be like? The skies over San Antonio will open up on Wednesday, allowing more sunshine and much warmer temperatures: The citys afternoon high could reach 84 not a daily record, but still about 10 degrees warmer than normal for March 13. A dry line, which in Texas typically is the boundary between a dry air mass from the west and a humid air mass from the Gulf of Mexico, advances east Wednesday afternoon into Central Texas and trails back through the southern Edwards Plateau, the weather service said. The dry line is then forecast to retreat back into West Texas Wednesday night. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Wednesday night in San Antonio should be mostly cloudy, with temperatures overnight into Thursday morning staying above 66 degrees, thanks in part to humid air brought in by south-southeast tropical winds at 10 to 15 mph, including gusts as strong as 25 mph. National Weather Service extended hourly forecast as of 3 p.m. Monday. National Weather Service Weakening cap, moving dry line Up to this point, a cap of warm air several thousand feet up in the atmosphere has acted as lid to prevent the moisture-rich air from developing thunderstorms. Forecasters said that with the cap in place, the air below it can continue to warm and/or increase in moisture. But that also means the potential for instability in the atmosphere increases. On Thursday afternoon and evening, an atmospheric disturbance in the southwest flow of air is forecast to move across the area, the weather service said, adding that the cap will weaken and, when combined with the dry line, could generate scattered storms. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Where exactly the dry line ends up and storms develop is still low confidence, forecasters said. The air has enough moisture and potential instability that it may support a risk for a few severe storms, with hail likely the main hazard. The most favored locations at this time for severe storms will be across portions of the southern Edwards Plateau/Hill Country and Central Texas, the weather service said. San Antonio on Thursday has a 50% chance of thunderstorms, mainly after 1 p.m. Rain-cooled afternoon temperatures will still reach as high as 81 degrees amid south-southeast winds of 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Thursday night has a 30% chance of showers, mainly after 1 a.m., forecasters said. Otherwise count on mostly cloudy skies and a low of 63. Beyond Thursday evening, forecast confidence is very low, the weather service said. The upper-level low pressure system to our west will remain a weather factor Friday through the weekend. Forecasters also are still determining the timing of a shallow cold front entering the region and how far south it progresses. Advertisement Article continues below this ad John Barnett, a former Boeing employee known for raising concerns about the firm's production standards, was found dead in his truck in a hotel parking lot in South Carolina on Monday. He had been testifying in a whistleblower case against the company in the days before his passing. Boeing Whistleblower Found Dead On Monday, the Charleston County coroner confirmed his death to BBC. Boeing expressed their sorrow at hearing of Barnett's passing. In a statement, the company said Barnett's passing saddens them, and their thoughts are with his family and friends. The company claimed that Barnett had died due to a "self-inflicted" wound and police investigations are underway. His death comes when production standards at both Boeing and its key supplier, Spirit Aerosystems, are under intense investigation. Barnett worked for the US plane giant for 32 years until his retirement in 2017 on health grounds. He launched a long-running legal action against the company after his retirement. He began serving as a quality manager in 2010 at the North Charleston plant, which produces the 787 Dreamliner, a cutting-edge aircraft mostly used for long-haul flights. In 2019, Barnett revealed that under-pressure workers had deliberately installed subpar airplane parts during construction. He also claimed to have discovered serious problems with oxygen systems, which may explain why one in four breathing masks would not function in an emergency. He said that shortly after arriving in South Carolina for work, he had started to worry that the urgency to produce a new aircraft meant that safety was jeopardized during the assembly process, which the company denied. Furthermore, he later told the BBC that workers had let defective components disappear from the factory because they had not followed the protocols to trace them. According to Barnett, sub-standard components have been removed from scarp bins and put on airplanes built to prevent production line delays. He claimed that tests on the emergency oxygen systems intended to be installed on the 787 revealed a failure rate of 25%, indicating that one in four of the systems might not deploy in an emergency. He warned the managers to his concerns, but no action had been taken. Boeing denied Barnett's claims. However, a 2017 study by the US regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), supported some of Barnett's concerns. It was determined that at least 53 "non-conforming" parts were unknown and considered lost. Boeing was mandated to implement corrective measures. Regarding the oxygen cylinders issue, the company said that in 2017, it identified some oxygen bottles received from the supplier that were not being properly deployed. However, it denied that any of them were actually fitted on aircraft. Furthermore, he said that Boeing's denied charges had damaged his character and career. Read Also: Lindsey Horan Header Goal Lifts USA to Gold Cup Final Glory Over Brazil Boeing's Aircraft Incident On Monday, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner traveling from Australia to New Zealand encountered a technical event that resulted in a strong movement that startled passengers out of their seats. According to first responders and LATAM airline, five people remain hospitalized after the plane dipped violently due to an unidentified problem. Meanwhile, in another incident in early January, a brand-new Boeing 737 Max was nearly destroyed when an unused emergency exit door blew off the aircraft shortly after takeoff from Portland International. On Friday, Boeing said before the incident over the Indian Ocean that it thought the door's technical failure resulted from an event during production and that necessary documentation describing the removal of a failed crucial component was never created. Related Article: Indonesia Probes Aircraft Incident After Both Pilots Fell Asleep During Flight @ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Globale Media, a leading player in the Indian mobile and web advertising company, has entered into a preferred partnership with Rooter, Indias largest gaming and e-sports content platform. This alliance marks a significant milestone in expanding both companies' reach and capabilities to the thriving digital marketing and advertising fraternity. As part of this strategic alliance, Globale Media will leverage Rooters in-built inventory across its branding business present across various digital platforms. Globale Media will be working closely with Rooter to cultivate and nurture a business pipeline, directing at achieving its objectives through the partnership. Through targeted campaigns, and innovative strategies, Globale Media aims to enhance its branding side of the business using Rooters extensive range of premium inventories including influencer marketing spread across verticals like FMCG, e-commerce, gaming, and more. Sharing his views on the partnership, Bhavesh Talreja, Founder and CEO, Globale Media said, "We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Rooter, a pioneering platform in the gaming and e-sports space. This collaboration aligns perfectly with our commitment to delivering innovative solutions and driving meaningful results for our partners. Together with Rooter, we look forward to unlocking new opportunities in the branding space and providing unparalleled value to our clients worldwide." Rooter, known for its dynamic and engaging gaming content, will benefit from Globale Media's extensive network and cutting-edge technology to optimize its advertising revenue streams. By tapping into Globale Media's comprehensive suite of digital marketing solutions, Rooter aims to further solidify its position as a leading destination for gaming and e-sports enthusiasts, while continuing to build its credibility among brand partners. Sarabjeet Singh, President-Sales, Rooter, who has recently joined the company to spearhead and expand their strategic brand partnerships and advertising revenue channels said, Rooter has become the go-to platform for brands who wish to engage a highly active gaming audience through a 360-degree suite of brand solutions. As we aim to strengthen this equity, we are excited to build our portfolio of partnerships by collaborating with a reputed player like Globale Media. We look forward to setting new benchmarks in building monetization opportunities for the Indian gaming community while delivering deep value to our partners. The partnership between Globale Media and Rooter underscores their shared commitment to innovation, growth, and delivering exceptional value to their audiences. Together, they aim to redefine the digital marketing and branding landscape. For more information about Globale Media, please visit https://www.globalemedia.net/ In an era where diversity and inclusivity are paramount, women leaders are revolutionising the landscape of Public Relations (PR) and Corporate Communication. With their unique strengths and perspectives, they prioritise empathy and understanding, particularly in crisis management when navigating sensitive issues. Even as most industries are now upping their DEI game, the PR industry has for long been promoting women in leadership roles, in fact, the PR industry has a large percentage of women founders and has a strong gender sensitive strategy. Tanmana Rath, Lead Communications and Stakeholder Management at TERI, believes that women leaders in PR and corporate communications tend to bring a collaborative and inclusive approach to the boardroom. Their diverse experiences and leadership styles foster relationship-building, leading to more authentic and impactful communication strategies. Moreover, their emphasis on nurturing talent, empathy, and promoting diversity contributes to a dynamic and forward-thinking industry landscape. On an affirmative note, Jyotsna Dash Nanda, AVP - Corporate Communications, Dharampal Satyapal Group (DS Group), points out that women leaders are reshaping the landscape of PR and corporate communications by bringing a multitude of strengths to the table. These include: Diverse Consumer Understanding: Women represent a significant and growing consumer demographic, ensuring campaigns resonate with a wider audience and avoid traditional gender biases in messaging. Women represent a significant and growing consumer demographic, ensuring campaigns resonate with a wider audience and avoid traditional gender biases in messaging. Collaborative Communication: Studies suggest women tend towards a more collaborative communication style, fostering teamwork and inclusivity within communication teams, leading to richer brainstorming sessions and more well-rounded strategies. Women have higher emotional intelligence and hence, are able to build a balanced environment for employees. This, in turn, helps to build a cohesive team that can drive better results. It also enables an environment where employees are more confident to share their ideas, in turn driving innovation, opines Akanksha Jain, Head - Public Relations & Corporate Communications, BharatPe. She further says, Women are often skilled at fostering inclusive and participatory decision-making processes, valuing diverse perspectives, and seeking input from all stakeholders. This collaborative mindset can lead to more innovative solutions, stronger team cohesion, and better outcomes for organisations as a whole. Jain also notes that women have a different way of looking at things as compared to men. This ensures that they bring a different perspective to a situation or a problem at hand. Additionally, their eye for detail can help add a new dimension when evaluating a problem at hand. Additionally, Mou Chakravorty, Associate Director Marketing Communications, Deloitte India highlights the importance of market sensing and leveraging digital tools in PR and corporate communication strategies, "We are at the cusp of a massive digital revolution where PR and Corporate communications no longer operate in traditional ways and hence it's important to have market sensing to understand and analyse the consumer behaviour shifts on the go, to listen and accordingly devise a brand communications strategy. Being natural multitaskers, women manage work and home seamlessly, Women leaders are able to bring in valuable inputs of careful observation, empathy and reassurance as well as being grounded . Some of the innovative approaches they are bringing include: Crowdsourcing ideas and immediate planning over digital and the trait of collaboration Marrying the power of digital and influencer outreach Ensuring diversity of opinion and perspectives are welcomed to think beyond the obvious and turning ordinary into extraordinary." Addressing the role of empathy and understanding in crisis management, Tanmana Rath emphasises, As a professional, I believe in active listening, acknowledging concerns, and showing genuine care for those affected. Compassion and a commitment to resolving issues establish trust, strengthen relationships, aligning with our values of empathy and understanding. Women leaders like Mary Barra, Chair and CEO of the General Motors Company, or Jacinda Arden, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, are inspiring examples who have turned around situations with their remarkable leadership. Jain emphasises that when dealing with sensitive issues or stakeholders, it is important to keep a cool head and hear out the issue, before responding or reacting. The response should be well-measured and factual in nature. Empathy is important and as a leader, one should be mindful of the trust that an employee has on him/ her to solve an issue. It is recommended to bring the issue to its logical conclusion and extend all possible support (sometimes only listening and guiding helps) to the concerned employee, she adds. Jyotsna Dash Nanda stresses that diversity and inclusion are strategic imperatives, adding Women leaders often excel at building strong relationships with stakeholders, fostering trust and understanding. This is crucial in crisis management and reputation management. According to her, in crisis management, empathy is paramount. Heres how to prioritise it: Active Listening: Acknowledge stakeholders' concerns, emotions, and validate their perspectives. Acknowledge stakeholders' concerns, emotions, and validate their perspectives. Transparency and Authenticity: Communicate transparently, taking ownership of mistakes, and outlining a clear path forward. Communicate transparently, taking ownership of mistakes, and outlining a clear path forward. Humanise the Response: Showcase the company's commitment to resolving the situation with genuine care. Showcase the company's commitment to resolving the situation with genuine care. Enhanced Creativity: Diverse teams bring a wider range of perspectives, leading to more creative and impactful communication strategies. Diverse teams bring a wider range of perspectives, leading to more creative and impactful communication strategies. Brand Authenticity: A commitment to diversity enhances brand authenticity and resonates with a broader audience. A commitment to diversity enhances brand authenticity and resonates with a broader audience. Improved Talent Acquisition: Diverse workplaces attract top talent from all backgrounds, leading to a more competitive and innovative workforce. TERIs Tanmana Rath adds here, We prioritise inclusivity and diversity by ensuring our messaging reflects varied perspectives and engage with a range of stakeholders. We have enhanced our brand reputation, increased engagement, and built stronger relationships with stakeholders, ultimately leading to business gains through improved trust, innovation, and market relevance. As far as mentoring and nurturing the next generation of leaders in PR and corporate communications is concerned, Akanksha Jain says that she prefers to advise and guide numerous young professionals on how to further advance in their career. I guide them from time-to-time on dealing with daily issues, skills that they need to add to their kitty, and on people management. I have always advised all young professionals to invest a lot of time in reading about their industry and be well-aware of the latest developments. This adds to the confidence levels and helps position them as well in front of their senior leaders. Also, I advise next generation of leaders to have the confidence to speak their mind in a meeting and not get bogged down by what others have to say. Regarding mentoring the next generation, Tanmana Rath says, I believe in mentoring the next generation by sharing experiences and nurturing their strengths. Leading with empathy, providing opportunities for growth, giving a platform to learn, and offering constructive feedback. By fostering confidence and emphasizing continuous learning, I strive to empower the younger generation of communicators to excel in their careers and make meaningful contributions to the industry. Data from Forbes highlights the correlation between diversity and financial performance, stating that companies with diverse leadership teams have a 19.1% higher chance of exceeding industry-level profitability. By embracing these fresh perspectives and innovative approaches, women leaders are driving a new era of effective and impactful PR and corporate communication. Lastly, Mou from Deloitte emphasizes eradicating biases, creating safe spaces for women to voice concerns, "The first step is to eradicate biases seeped in our mindset and through networking within and outside the organisation, we have tried to create a safe space for women to be vulnerable and open up on various discriminatory behaviours under our SheXO initiative.. Based on these things, women have been able to share their issues without inhibitions and we guide them on physical, mental and professional wellness." "Secondly, we have policy checks that ensure that any team has a healthy gender ratio and there are no gender discriminations. Steps like flexibility and return to workforce or special care during motherhood have helped encourage more and more wormen. to join the workforce in the digital age not only as full time employees but as gig-employees where there is a healthy balance of work and life. Formal mentoring, coaching programmes also help women professionals to step up in their career journeys especially when they self doubt", she added. Authored by Shubham Gupta, Founder, Bonkers Corner The year 2023 witnessed a remarkable journey for the marketing ecosystem in India, marked by resilience, adaptation, and innovation. Despite initial uncertainties stemming from economic fluctuations and the enduring effects of the pandemic, the latter half of the year witnessed a robust resurgence, underlining the industry's potential for growth and dynamism. Digital Dominance: One of the defining features of the year was the consolidation of digital marketing as the primary growth engine. Strategies centered around mobile-first approaches, influencer collaborations, and hyper-personalized content took precedence, reflecting a shift towards more targeted and impactful marketing efforts. Data-Driven Decision Making: The reliance on data analytics and insights deepened, empowering marketers to tailor campaigns with precision and optimize returns on investment. This data-centric approach not only enhanced the effectiveness of marketing initiatives but also provided invaluable insights into consumer behavior and preferences. Rise of Video Marketing: Short-form video platforms like Instagram Reels and TikTok emerged as potent tools for capturing consumer attention and driving engagement. Brands increasingly embraced video storytelling as a means to connect with audiences on a deeper level, leveraging the immersive nature of visual content to convey their narratives effectively. Focus on Authenticity and Transparency: Consumers' growing demand for authenticity and transparency compelled brands to adopt genuine storytelling and ethical practices. Building trust through transparent communication and relatable experiences became paramount, reshaping the way brands interacted with their audiences. Sustainability and Social Impact: Ethical considerations and environmental consciousness gained prominence as key drivers of consumer behavior. Brands that aligned with sustainable practices and social causes found favor among consumers, highlighting the importance of corporate responsibility in marketing strategies. In summary, 2023 was a year of transformation and consolidation for the Indian marketing ecosystem, laying the groundwork for a future driven by data-driven insights, digital fluency, and a renewed emphasis on human connection. Key Trends Reshaping the Retail Landscape As the retail industry navigated through the transformative currents of 2023, several key trends emerged, reshaping the way brands engage with consumers and conduct business. Phygital Experience: The convergence of physical and digital retail experiences gained momentum, with brands adopting omnichannel strategies to provide seamless shopping journeys. Innovations such as in-store kiosks, click-and-collect options, and AR/VR product visualization blurred the boundaries between online and offline shopping, catering to the evolving expectations of modern consumers. Personalization Powerhouse: Data-driven personalization emerged as a cornerstone of retail strategy, enabling brands to tailor offerings to individual preferences. From customized product recommendations to dynamic pricing models, personalized experiences fostered deeper connections with consumers, driving higher engagement and conversion rates. Sustainability Takes Center Stage: Increasing consumer demand for eco-friendly and ethically sourced products reshaped retail priorities. Brands responded by embracing sustainable practices, from adopting eco-friendly packaging to implementing carbon-neutral operations, aligning with consumer values and preferences. Rise of Social Commerce: Social media platforms evolved into prominent shopping destinations, with features such as shoppable posts and live selling events facilitating seamless transactions. Retailers capitalized on influencer collaborations and engaging content to tap into this burgeoning market, leveraging the power of social commerce to drive sales and brand engagement. Frictionless Checkout: Streamlining the checkout process emerged as a priority for retailers, with investments in self-checkout kiosks, mobile payment options, and contactless delivery. By reducing friction and enhancing convenience, retailers sought to provide a seamless shopping experience that catered to the preferences of modern consumers. These trends underscored the importance of agility, data-driven decision making, and customer-centricity in the retail landscape, emphasizing the need for brands to adapt and innovate to thrive in an ever-evolving market environment. Bonkers Corner: Navigating Growth and Engagement in 2023 At Bonkers Corner, 2023 marked a year of significant achievements and growth, as we not only exceeded our own expectations but also adapted seamlessly to the evolving marketing landscape. Expanding from a mere e-commerce platform to a multi-store retail brand with a presence across geographiesincluding Pune, Assam, and Lucknowwas a testament to our commitment to meeting the diverse needs of our customers. Looking ahead, we plan to further expand our footprint, reaching new markets and expanding our customer base. Additionally, we concluded the year on a high note with the launch of a quirky and user-friendly app, designed to enhance the convenience of our customers and provide them with a seamless shopping experience. Key initiatives that fueled our growth and engagement in 2023 included: Embracing data-driven marketing: Investments in analytics enabled us to gain deeper insights into customer preferences, facilitating the personalization of our marketing campaigns and enhancing their effectiveness. Hyper-local content creation: Tailoring content to specific regional and community interests helped us forge stronger connections with our diverse customer base, fostering a sense of belonging and affinity towards the Bonkers Corner brand. Community building initiatives: Through online and offline events, contests, and workshops, we actively engaged with our customers, building a loyal community of Bonkers Corner enthusiasts who shared our passion for creativity and innovation. Leveraging micro-influencers: Collaborating with niche influencers who resonated with our target audience enabled us to drive authentic brand advocacy and expand our reach organically. Experimenting with interactive formats: Incorporating elements of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) into our marketing initiatives added a layer of excitement and interactivity, capturing the imagination of our audience and driving deeper engagement. These initiatives yielded remarkable results, propelling our brand to new heights of success. As we look forward to the year ahead, we remain committed to innovation, creativity, and customer-centricity, as we continue to build deeper connections with our customers and drive sustainable growth in the dynamic retail landscape. Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland Bern, 12.03.2024 - On 11 March 2024, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland referred the former Vice-President of the Syrian Arab Republic and former officer of the Syrian army, Rifaat AL ASSAD, to the Federal Criminal Court for trial on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The accused is charged with ordering homicides, acts of torture, cruel treatments and illegal detentions in Syria in February 1982, in his capacity as commander of the defence brigades (Saraya al Difaa in Arabic) and commander of operations in Hama, within the context of the armed conflict and the widespread and systematic attack launched against the population of the city of Hama. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) submitted an indictment to the Federal Criminal Court (FCC) for facts that took place during the month of February 1982 in the city of Hama and within the context of the armed conflict between the Syrian Armed Forces and the Islamist opposition. Historical context According to the indictment of the OAG, the armed conflict between the Syrian Armed Forces and the Islamist opposition, in particular including the armed faction of the Muslim Brotherhood called Fighting Vanguard of the Muslim Brotherhood, caused between 3,000 and 60,000 deaths in the city of Hama, according to estimates. A majority of these deaths were civilians. Starting at the beginning of February 1982, the Syrian security forces were deployed in Hama to suppress an insurrection of the Islamist opposition. The operation allegedly ended at the end of the same month. The defence brigades (Saraya al Difaa) were purportedly the main forces in charge of the suppression. In this context, several thousands of civilians were allegedly victims of different abuses, ranging from immediate execution to detention and torture in specifically-created centres, according to several testimonies. Initiation of criminal investigations against AL ASSAD Following a complaint by the non-governmental organisation TRIAL International, the OAG initiated criminal proceedings in December 2013 for war crimes against Rifaat AL ASSAD, former commander of the defence brigades (Saraya al Difaa) and Vice-President of the Syrian Arab Republic between 1984 and 1998, on suspected war crimes, carried out in his capacity as commander of operations in Hama in February 1982. The criminal proceedings were initiated under the principle of universal jurisdiction and non-applicability of statutory limitations to war crimes. In this context, a police control established that the accused was present in Swiss territory when the investigation was initiated. Several victims filed civil complainnts within the OAGs criminal proceeding. The facts of the indictment In its indictment, the OAG accuses Rifaat AL ASSAD of ordering several violations of the laws of war to be committed and, in particular, ordering the troops under his command to scour the city of Hama and execute its inhabitants in the month of February 1982, in his role as responsible for operations in Hama and commander of the defence brigades (Saraya al Difaa). In this context, the accused was allegedly involved in homicides, acts of torture, cruel treatments and illegal detentions committed during the military operation in Hama. The aforementioned facts constitute a violation of the laws of war according to Article 109 para. 1 of the Military Criminal Code (MCC) in the version that was in force at the time of the facts, as per Article 108 para. 2 MCC in addition to common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions. The homicides that the accused is being charged with can also be characterised as crimes against humanity (Art. 264a para. 1 let. a Swiss Criminal Code). The OAG will present its conclusions during the hearing before the FCC in Bellinzona. The accused will be entitled to the presumption of innocence until the entry into force of the decision. Once the indictment is submitted, the FCC has jurisdiction for additional information. Original version of the text in French The prosecution of crimes under international criminal law in Switzerland before 2011 Under the former Military Criminal Code (MCC), a war crime has been a criminal offence in Switzerland since 1968, regardless of where it takes place and the nationality of the offender or the victim. Article 109 of the former MCC expressly makes an offence of violating the provisions of international agreements on warfare, the protection of persons and property, and other recognised laws and customs of war. Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions provides that, in the event of an armed conflict that is not of an international character that occurs on the territory of one of the High Contracting Parties, each party to the conflict is bound to apply certain provisions; accordingly, violence to life or person, and the cruel treatment and torture of persons who are not directly involved in the hostilities, are prohibited. Switzerland ratified the Geneva Conventions on 31 March 1950 and the Syrian Arab Republic on 2 November 1953. Address for enquiries Communications Service of the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland, T +41 58 464 32 40, info@ba.admin.ch Publisher Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland http://www.ba.admin.ch/ Dear Amy: My wife and I are going to have a baby in two months. We are very excited. My mother is very excited, too. This will be her first grandchild. The other day my mother brought up the idea of bringing her dog with her into the delivery room while my wife gives birth. We all love this dog (and my mom), but this seems bonkers to me. She says it will be great for the newborn baby to get used to the dog and that the dog will be like an emotional support animal for all of us. My wife hates this idea, but Im not sure how to respond to my mother. We agreed to ask you for ideas of what to say. Worried Future Dad Dear Worried: Reword this sentiment: Hell to the no, and take it from there. The hospital will not allow a dog in the delivery room. And you should not allow your mother in the delivery room, either. Your childs birth should be shared by you and your wife as a private and intimate event. You are going to need a lot of practice in establishing healthy boundaries with your mother, and this is the place to start. You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. A fresh US intelligence report, which was released on Monday, expressed concern regarding North Korea's possible use of chemical weapons, in addition to other perils presented by the reclusive nation. The report, which the Office of the Director of National Intelligence compiles annually, is an assessment of global threats from the US intelligence community. North Korea's Chemical Weapons It encompassed deliberations on the recent activities and whereabouts of nations with anti-American sentiments, such as Russia and China, as well as the current status of specific types of aggression, such as cyber and nuclear strikes. Moreover, the report revealed a comprehensive analysis of North Korea, an authoritarian and highly isolated East Asian country notorious for its recurrent threats against South Korea and the United States. The report mentioned North Korea's use of chemical weapons at one point, and it also explored their possible uses beyond traditional military operations and their potential for future advancements. Significantly, North Korea has faced allegations of orchestrating the scheme that resulted in the assassination of Kim Jong-Nam, the elder sibling of leader Kim Jong Un, through the use of VX nerve toxins, a chemical weapon, applied to his face by two unwitting women at an airport in Malaysia. In addition, the report asserts that North Korea and Kim Jong Un will persist in establishing alliances with crucial foreign allies in an effort to achieve economic stability, security, and international recognition as nuclear powers. It further states that these objectives have been impeded by "nearly two decades of severe United Nations sanctions and its self-imposed COVID-19 lockdown." The report noted that North Korea has been supplying Russia with munitions for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine as part of this objective. The North Korean arsenal was estimated to contain approximately 30 nuclear warheads as of January 2023, with the necessary materials to produce an additional 50-70, according to the Arms Control Association. Read Also: [PICTURED] Sweden's Flag Raised at NATO HQ, Cementing 32nd Nation to Join Alliance North Korea's Increased Military Preparation Recently, Kim Jong Un was seen holding a gun during an inspection of a significant operational training base, encouraging his military to increase actual war drills, according to state media on Thursday. Clad in a black leather jacket, Kim Jong Un was seen conversing with rows of heavily armed soldiers in camouflage, supervising firing drills, and examining weaponry, as depicted in images from the official Korean Central News Agency. During his visit on Wednesday to the base in the country's western region, Kim instructed the North Korean army to 'steadily intensify the actual war drills aimed at rapidly improving its combat capabilities for perfect war preparedness,' as reported by KCNA. The visit coincides with Seoul and Washington carrying out their yearly spring military drills, dubbed 'Freedom Shield,' which include field exercises, missile interception drills, and live firing. Pyongyang described the drills as "reckless" and cautioned the allies that they would face a significant cost. North Korea has criticized joint military exercises between the US and South Korea, labeling them as practice for a potential invasion. Seoul stated on Tuesday that its military was fully prepared for any potential provocations from North Korea. In the past, North Korea has conducted weapons tests in response to similar joint exercises. This year, Pyongyang has declared South Korea its main adversary, disbanded organizations focused on reunification and engagement and warned of conflict over even the smallest territorial violation. Kim Jong Un reiterated last month that Pyongyang would not hesitate to take action against South Korea if attacked. North Korea fired an artillery barrage near two South Korean border islands in January, leading to a live-fire drill by the South and evacuation orders for residents. This occurred as Kim intensified military preparedness at the beginning of the year. Experts caution that North Korea may be conducting tests on cruise missiles before potentially sending them to Russia for deployment in Ukraine. Both Washington and Seoul allege that Kim has transferred weapons to Moscow, in violation of numerous UN sanctions. According to Han Kwon-hee from the Korea Association of Defence Industry Studies, North Korea may be showcasing the capability of their missiles through recent launches to demonstrate to Russians before sending them to Moscow. According to Daily Mail, testing cruise missiles is not prohibited under the current UN sanctions on Pyongyang, unlike ballistic missiles. Cruise missiles are typically jet-propelled and fly at a lower altitude than more advanced ballistic missiles, making them more challenging to detect and intercept. Related Article: Kim Jong Un Orders North Korea To Intensify War Preparations Amid US, South Korea Joint Military Drills @ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Steve Miller Band will be on tour this summer, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the hit album The Joker. The band is planning a stopover at Huntsvilles Orion Amphitheater May 18 for the annual benefit for the Huntsville Hospital Foundation. The show will also feature the Unorthodocs. The Steve Miller band is best known for hits such as The Joker, Fly Like an Eagle and Jet Airliner. Lead vocalist Steve Miller is 80 years old and still rocking. He founded the band in 1966 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. The groups Greatest Hits 1974-78 album received the RIAA Diamond Award with sales of more than 15 million copies. Proceeds benefit the Huntsville Hospital Foundation. You can find tickets at AXS, the official ticketing partner of the Orion, or head to SeatGeek, StubHub and TicketMaster. Find out more about the bands summer tour with Def Leopard and Journey here. A masked gunman opened fire on a small group of people standing in field in a southwest Birmingham neighborhood, leaving one person dead. The shots rang out just before 5 p.m. Monday in the 100 block of First Avenue S.W. in the Titusville community. Sgt. LaQuitta Wade said officers arrived on the scene to find a man unresponsive outside a shed in a small field where people are known to gather. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service pronounced the victim dead on the scene. No one else was injured. The victim, who has not yet been identified, was talking with other people when the shooter, wearing a ski masked, approached them on foot and fired multiple shots. At least a handful of shell casings were marked as evidence. The shooter then fled the scene. The investigation is in its early stages. The victim is Birminghams third homicide in three days and the 23rd so far this year. Of those, three have been ruled justifiable and therefore are not deemed criminal. In all of Jefferson County there have been 30 homicides, including the 23 in Birmingham. Anyone with information is asked to call homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. Faced with high housing costs and what the White House described as a large shortage of affordable housing, the Biden administration is looking to jump-start the real estate market with large tax credits aimed at homebuyers. In his State of the Union address, Biden called for $10,000 tax credits for first-time homebuyers and people who sell their starter homes. For many Americans, owning a home is the cornerstone of raising a family, building wealth, and joining the middle class. Too many working families feel locked out of homeownership and are unable to compete with investors for a limited supply of affordable for-sale homes, the White House said in a statement. READ MORE: New child tax credit 2024: What if credit changes after I file taxes? Heres how it would work and who would qualify: First-time homebuyers This annual tax credit would provide $5,000 a year for two years, or the equivalent of reducing the mortgage rate by more than 1.5 percentage points for two years on a median-priced home in the U.S. The proposal is expected to help some 3.5 million families. People who sell their starter homes A separate one-year tax credit of $10,000 would go to middle-class families that sell their starter home, the statement continued. A starter home is defined as a home below the area median home price in the county where it is located. To qualify, the sale would have to be made to another owner/occupant, a move designed to skip over investors looking to snatch up low-cost properties. The proposal is estimated to help some 3 million families. Both of the credits would be limited to households earning less than $200,000 a year, CBS News reported. Bidens also plans to ask Congress to authorize $25,000 in down payment assistance for first-time buyers whose parents arent homeowners. The president is calling on Congress to pass the tax legislation this year. Five Alabama men were among 12 suspects taken into custody as the result of an 11-agency effort dubbed Operation Kessel Run designed to flush out would-be child sexual predators. Special Agent Chris Williams of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) announced the arrests during a Monday press conference. In the movie Star Wars, (the) Kessel Run is a dangerous route used by smugglers used to avoid detection, Williams said. Its a fitting name for this investigation, because dangerous men intent on hurting our chilren were using the internet to avoid detection, but they failed. During the multi-day operation, suspects communicated with undercover investigators posing as juveniles. Each suspect was told they were communicating with a teenager, but chose to engage in sexually explicit conversations anyway, asking for lewd photos and discussing how they planned to be sexually active with the child. Following the conversations, the suspects drove to meet the investigators, thinking they were meeting 13 and 14-year old children to engage in sexual activity, according to the FDLE. Ultimately, each of the men drove to meet who they believed to be minors to engage in sex, according to officials. Each was instead taken into custody by agents. The arrests all occurred between Feb. 23 and March 4. These suspects asked for lewd photos and communicated in graphic sexual terms, Williams said. Luckily our FDLE agents and analysts, along with our partners, found them before they found our children. And while this operation is finished, we are not. The work of these investigators continues because we know there are more predators out there just waiting for the opportunity to hurt a child. The five Alabama men arrested are: Clayton Costello, 37, of Hoover Telvan Williams, 28, of Mobile Kriss Gilmore, 31, of Foley Raphael Brooks 39, of Robertsdale Eric Long, 33, of Montgomery Twelve suspects from all walks of life were arrested after using the internet as both a route to access our children and to cover their actions, Williams said, adding that some of the suspects were found in possession of handguns. The suspects ranged in age from 24 to 64. In addition to the five suspects from Alabama, the remaining seven charged are: Darryl Hart 57, Pensacola, Fla. Randy Powell, 52, Pensacola Alex Durlock, 24, Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Jordan Belton, 28, Pensacola William Nordstrom, 64, Pensacola Patrick Dehnel, 33, Slidell, La. Jamaine Johnson, 32, Pensacola All 12 have been charged with seducing or soliciting a minor for sexual activity, traveling to meet a minor for sexual activity, and use of a two-way device to facilitate a felony. Nordstrom, Dehnel and Johnson have also been charged with transmitting harmful material to a minor, while Long is also charged with fleeing law enforcement. Other agencies participating in Operation Kessel Run included the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Naval Criminal Investigative Services, U.S. Marshals, Pensacola Police Department, Santa Rosa County Sheriffs Office, Escambia County (Fla.) Sheriffs Office, Office of the (Fla.) State Attorney, and the Fort Walton Beach Police Department. The Kessel Run joint operation is an example of law enforcement partnerships, enabling the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) to leverage combined expertise and effort, to target online sexual predators who attempt to prey on our communities, said NCIS Supervisory Special Agent Myles Roy. If convicted, all 12 suspects face up to 25 years in prison, with the four men with additional charges facing a maximum sentence of 30 years, according to the Pensacola News Journal. Several Alabama politicians say they are concerned about childrens safety at Huntsvilles Space Camp after a parent complained about the presence of a transgender employee. U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville and Reps. Dale Strong and Robert Aderholt posted statements on X, formerly known as Twitter, after a parent posted on Facebook complaining about the gender identity of one of the U.S. Space and Rocket Center employees. The topic was also picked up by the Libs of TikTok account. Clay Yarbrough of Owens Cross Roads, the father of an 11-year-old Huntsville city school student, said he became aware on Thursday evening that a Space Camp crew member is transgender. See also: Transgender Space Camp counselor has done nothing wrong, should not be fired, coalition says His daughter was to attend camp in a week as part of a school exercise, he said. I heard that one little girl had called her parents and said this guy is in the (dorm) room and I dont feel comfortable, Yarbrough said. The employee referenced by critics declined to comment Monday. We would like to assure parents, teachers, and the public that the safety and security of Space Camp students is our number one priority. Any allegations of misconduct are taken very seriously. We are working to determine the facts in this case, after which we will take appropriate action, a statement from the Space and Rocket Center on Monday read. As a condition of employment, camp staff undergo nationwide criminal background checks including court records, Department of Corrections data, state sex offender registries from across the country, and multi-panel drug tests, the center said. Additionally, staff sleep in separate rooms from students and use separate bathroom facilities. We also provide 24-hour onsite security including round-the-clock video surveillance, regular foot and vehicle patrols, and controlled campus and building access, the center said. We are an apolitical organization with no social agenda. Our singular mission is to inspire and educate. The statement came after several members of Alabamas Congressional delegation spoke out on social media, citing safety concerns but without including specifics. I call on the Center to immediately remove this individual and open a safety review to consider the potential harm and damages they have inadvertently caused children, Strong said in the post. He said putting the safety and wellbeing (of children) first is critical. It is imperative that Space Camp remains a safe place for children and young people, Tuberville said. I urge the Space and Rocket Center to ensure that its reputation as a world-renowned camp remains untarnished by the progressive agenda of today, Tuberville said. Aderholt said his office promptly expressed my concerns directly with Space Camp officials. Parents want to know that when they entrust their children to others...that they will be well looked after and not put into situations that could potentially put them in danger, Aderholt said. Rep. Gary Palmer called the situation unacceptable. When parents send their kids to Space Camp in Alabama, they should be confident they are going to a safe, educational environment, Palmer said. Space Camp hosts about 26,000 participants each year. According to its website, it follows federal guidelines and does not discriminate against protected classes when hiring. The camp also does not allow physical contact between staff and students beyond a fist bump or high five and no staff member is allowed to be alone with a student behind a closed door. There is also no sharing of personal details, including personal phone numbers, email addresses or social media information. Discussion of religion, sexual topics, politics, or sharing of opinions and beliefs that may be controversial is also prohibited. Yarbrough said he called Space Camp on Friday and asked questions of Space Camp Vice President Robin Soprano. She said, I can assure you that your kids safety is my number one priority, and no males are allowed in female dorms, and no females are allowed in male dorms. So I asked, do you allow transgenders in? Efforts by AL.com to reach Soprano were not immediately successful. Yarbrough said Soprano dodged several additional questions, but finally told him that a trans female was allowed on the dorm hallways, and the dorm rooms are not locked. Yarbrough said he questioned Soprano about whether the crew member would be alone with the young people attending the camp. She just kind of set there for a minute, and then said to me, Youre sure throwing out a lot of hypotheticals. Yarbrough said he shared the story on Facebook once he became aware of the situation. He said he didnt look deeply into the employees social media presence until after his conversation with Space Camp officials. Yarbrough said he was shocked by the garbage he saw on the employees social accounts. AL.com has not independently verified whether the social media accounts in question belong to a Space Camp crew member. Are you not vetting your people? You find that instantly. It takes five minutes to find what we found on Twitter. Im aggravated I didnt find out beforehand, Yarbrough said. He said he plans to withdraw his daughter from Space Camp and does not think it is appropriate if someone born male is alone with girls in a camp setting. I dont hate these people, man, Yarbrough said. It goes against everything Im for, he said. I just dont think this is any place for it. I just think its totally out of line. AL.com reporter Williesha Morris contributed reporting. An Alabama police officer has died following an off-duty shooting. Sylacauga police on Monday identified the victim as 40-year-old Jeremy Dewayne Wilson. Wilson was an officer with the Ohatchee Police Department. He formerly served as a Talladega County sheriffs deputy. Sylacauga Lt. Willis Whatley said officers responded on March 6 to 1599 Commerce Drive on a report of a person shot. They arrived to find Wilson with a gunshot wound to the upper body. Officers spoke with other people in the residence and determined the shooting was the result of a domestic violence altercation between the male and other members of the residence, Whatley said in a news release. Wilson was taken by ambulance to Coosa Valley Medical Center Hospital. He was pronounced dead a short time later. Whatley said no arrests have been made. All parties involved are cooperating with the investigation, according to Whatleys statement. The investigation is ongoing and no additional information is being released at this time. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sylacauga Police Department Investigations Division at 256-401-2464 or the departments tipline at 256-249-4716. U.S. Rep. Terry Sewell said today the City of Birmingham has been awarded a federal grant of more than $14.5 million to turn Fourth Avenue North into a two-way street. The grant of $14,556,040 will come from the U.S. Department of Transportations Neighborhood Access and Equity grant program to re-connect the historic Fourth Avenue Black Business District. Birminghams 4th Avenue Business District has a rich history of African American ingenuity and entrepreneurship, Sewell said. With the help of the Biden-Harris Administration, we are working to ensure that the residents, workers, and businesses of this historic place have the infrastructure they need to thrive. This major federal investment will help reconnect our communities and pave the way for strong and equitable growth. Birmingham last year announced it had applied for federal funding to help turn the major one-way street downtown into a two-way street, which officials say will promote economic development and improve safety. The Birmingham City Council in August approved a grant application seeking funding from the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Program. The money will be used to convert Fourth Avenue North from a one-way street to a two-way street from 24th Street North to 9th Street North. Fourth Avenue North moves traffic west on a one-way street starting from the U.S. Post Office at 24th Street through downtown, past the Harbert Center at 2019 Fourth Ave. North, through the historic Black business district that includes the Carver Theatre at 1631 Fourth Ave. North, on to the west side of Interstate 65. I think its so important for the city to support this Black business center, said City Council President Wardine Alexander said at the time. The city pledged $2 million toward the cost of the project. The cost involves improving and changing signals at intersections with traffic lights.. The City Center Master Plan has long called for converting one-way streets to two-way streets to boost economic activity and curb reckless driving. It allows access to stores on both sides of the street from both directions and slows traffic. Conversion of our one-way streets in the city center back to two-way streets is something thats been an objective for a long time, said Birmingham City Council President Darrell OQuinn. This is something thats been identified primarily as a way to promote economic development, he said. It would improve safety in terms of reducing speed. See also: Birmingham wants to convert major one-way street downtown to two-way Birmingham gets $216 million federal grant for civil rights district roadwork Transportation secretary announces $1 billion to reunite communities A 56-year-old Birmingham man has pleaded guilty to sodomy of a child in Blount County. Ralph Warren Burg was indicted on six felony charges in 2018. The victim was a young girl under the age of 12. Details of the abuse have not been made public. Jury selection was set to begin Monday, but just as prospective jurors were being seated, Burg pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree sodomy. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison. I am very happy for the victim in this case. She has waited a long time to see her perpetrator brought to justice, said Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey. But, today, she got an opportunity to stand in court, hear the defendant admit to the crime he perpetrated against her, and see him led away in handcuffs. Deputy District Attorney Scott Gilliland said the most important thing to the victim was that he he would not be able to do this to another child. This case was investigated by Blount County sheriffs Sgt. Ed Hull. Burg was taken into custody immediately following his guilty plea. Authorities have released the name of man killed when a masked gunman opened fire on a small group of people standing in field in a southwest Birmingham neighborhood. The Jefferson County Coroners Office on Tuesday identified the victim as Jerry Edward Lewis, Jr., 43, of Birmingham. The shots rang out just before 5 p.m. Monday in the 100 block of First Avenue S.W. in the Titusville community. Sgt. LaQuitta Wade said officers arrived on the scene to find Lewis unresponsive outside a shed in a small field where people are known to gather. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service pronounced him dead on the scene. No one else was injured. Lewis was talking with other people when the shooter, wearing a ski mask, approached them on foot and fired multiple shots. At least a handful of shell casings were marked as evidence. The shooter then fled the scene. No arrests have been made. The victim is Birminghams third homicide in three days and the 23rd so far this year. Of those, three have been ruled justifiable and therefore are not deemed criminal. In all of Jefferson County there have been 30 homicides, including the 23 in Birmingham. Anyone with information is asked to call homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. A Jefferson County judge has reduced bond for the Birmingham man charged in a car crash that injured the wife of U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin. Tradarryl Rishad Boykins, 31, is charged with two counts of second-degree assault, felony attempting to elude, and certain persons forbidden to possess a firearm also a felony in connection with the Jan. 29 wreck that happened during a police chase from Homewood to Birmingham. The crash happened in January during a police chase that started in Homewood and ended with the crash at a north Birmingham intersection. His more than $2 million bond also included previous charges of discharging a firearm into an unoccupied vehicle. Boykins attorneys Juandalynn Givan and Reginald McDaniel - sought the bond reduction, saying that his bond amounts related to the crash was excessive, and only set that high because one of the victims Gayle Manchin is the wife of a U.S. senator. District Judge William Bell, following a Tuesday hearing, reduced Boykins bond to a total of $135,000 on all seven charges he is currently facing. Four of the bonds that were initially set at $500,000 each for the charges of assault, attempting to elude, and persons forbidden to possess a firearm were reduced from $2 million to a total of $75,000. Clearly, bail was excessive in this matter, Bell said. Gayle Manchin, 76, is the federal co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission and was in Birmingham for an event. She and her colleague, Guy Land, both were injured in the crash. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and his wife Gayle Manchin, arrive for the State Dinner with President Joe Biden and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House, Thursday, June 22, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Thursday, June 22, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Manchin was a passenger in the SUV driven by Land. Jefferson County Deputy District Attorney Deborah Danneman asked that Boykins bonds actually be increased. In doing so, she chronicled the series of events involving Boykins that started Dec. 10, 2023, when she said Boykins went to the home of his ex-girlfriend the couple had recently broken up and shot an SUV when her sister wouldnt tell him where she was. He went back on Dec. 13, 2023, and again shot into a different car that was parked very close to her home where her small children live with her. Shell casings were collected from incidents. Testing showed both casings came from the same gun. On Jan. 13, 2024, Danneman said, there was a 911 call from Boykins ex-girlfriend stating that he has seen her in a car with another man, had turned around and was following them. Dispatchers told her to go to the Homewood Police Departments parking lot. This defendant follows her into the Homewood Police Department parking lot, and its there they first encounter him, the prosecutor said. Officers tried to pull over Boykins, he fled. He was driving 62 mph in a 35-mph zone, Danneman said, and police stopped the chase because traffic was too heavy. On Jan. 29, 2024, officers saw Boykins again and knew he had outstanding warrants. They again tried to pull him over. His recklessness during that time endangered so many people, Danneman said. The chase traveled along Green Springs Highway at speeds of 80 mph. He was on the wrong side of the road, running red lights and jumping curbs, she said. The chase continued to Interstate 65 and then exited on 17th Street in Birmingham, still at high speeds. It was then he struck the vehicle with Manchin and Land inside. Manchin suffered a broken sternum and internal bleeding. Land sustained eight broken ribs and a broken hand. Boykins, at the time of the crash, had a 40-caliber pistol on the floorboard, that matched the gun used in the Homewood shooting incident. There is a clear escalation of criminal behavior by this defendant over two months, Danneman told the judge. The bond is to ensure a defendants return to court and to protect the community at large. He has continuously shown blatant evidence that he will not return to court, Danneman said. He has fled from law enforcement, endangering members of the public. Boykins has prior convictions for robbery and burglary. Givan responded that Boykins has always shown for his court proceedings in the past, and pointed out that his ex-girlfriend was in the court Tuesday to support Boykins. She knows him to be a law-abiding citizen since hes been back as a productive citizen in our society. Givan said at least a dozen family members of Boykins were present in court to support him, as well as his pastor. He has very strong family support, she said. We are asking for a bond reduction that would allow him to be placed back out into civilization. Boykins waived his right to a preliminary hearing and the cases were sent to a grand jury for indictment consideration. Givan said following the ruling that the judges ruling was fair under the circumstance. Had this been me or your or any ordinary citizen, (Boykins) would have been charged with reckless driving, she said. I think because of who the victims were in this case that bond was excessive, so much so that it made it unfair, unconstitutional, because it almost convicted him before he had an opportunity to have a fair trial. 5 dead, 2 missing in coal mine accident in China's Shanxi Xinhua) 10:34, March 12, 2024 TAIYUAN, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Five miners were killed and another two missing as a warehouse in a colliery shaft collapsed in north China's Shanxi Province, authorities said. The accident happened at 10:45 p.m. Monday at Taoyuan Xinlong coal industrial corporation in Zhongyang County, burying seven people, according to the publicity department of the county's Party committee. As of 7 a.m. Tuesday, five bodies had been pulled out of debris and rescuers were searching for the missing. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) A LATAM Boeing 787 plane was traveling from Sydney, Australia, to Auckland, New Zealand, before it took a sudden "nosedive" following what is believed to have been a technical problem that resulted in the injury of 50 passengers. The airline said that the aircraft abruptly dropped mid-flight on Monday and a New Zealand health service organization later treated the injured individuals. The plane was said to have experienced a powerful shake that injured 10 passengers and three cabin crew members enough to send them to a hospital. Boeing Plane Suddenly Drops Mid-Flight The flight, which was carrying 263 passengers and nine crew members, landed at Auckland airport as scheduled on Monday afternoon. One individual was said to have been in a serious condition following the incident while the rest only suffered mild-to-moderate injuries. Another passenger, identified as Brian Jokat, said that the plane just dropped, unlike any kind of minor turbulence that he had felt before. He added that passengers were quickly thrown out of their seats and hit the top of the cabin, while others were thrown down the aisles, according to Reuters. Officials could not immediately determine the exact cause of the sudden change in the altitude of the LATAM 800 flight. Safety experts have said that the majority of airplane accidents are caused by a multiude of factors that need to be thoroughly investigated first. Jokat, who was fortunate enough to not be injured during the incident, said that some of the roof panels of the plane were broken from people being thrown up and knocking through the plastic roof panels in the aisle ways. He noted that there was blood coming from several people's heads. The passenger said that other people onboard the plane who were doctors provided bandages and neck braces for those who were severely injured. Following the incident, Boeing said that it was working to gather more information regarding what happened and would provide any support to the airline. Read Also: Swiss Police Conduct Desperate Search For Missing Skier After 5 Others Found Dead on Matterhorn Various Safety Concerns LATAM Airlines issued a statement after the plane landed in Auckland, saying that the aircraft had a technical event during the flight that caused a strong movement. However, it did not elaborate on what particular technical event it was, said CNN. A statement released by Chile's Directorate General of Civil Aeronautics said that they regret the situation that was experienced by the passengers. It added that they were reiterating their commitment to the safety of air operations. Transport Accident Investigation Commission spokesperson Simon Pleasants said that the agency, which is New Zealand's equivalent to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), was already aware of the reported incident. It added that they are trying to gather more information to make a decision as to whether or not to open an inquiry. The incident comes as Boeing has been facing a myriad of challenges stemming from various safety concerns on its aircraft. The company announced that is was would be overhauling how it pays employee bonuses in an attempt to emphasize quality and safety over meeting its financial targets. The move is one of many that are being made to address quality issues after the door-plug blowout on an Alaska Air flight. It applies to Boeing's non-union workforce which numbers roughly 100,000 employees, managers, and executives, according to the Wall Street Journal. Related Article: North Korea's Development of Chemical Weapons, Potential Use Against Other Nations Sparks Alarm From US Intel @ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The mayor of Andalusia has issued an apology to a woman who was arrested after refusing to show a police officer her identification. On behalf of the City of Andalusia and the Andalusia Police Department, I would like to apologize to Twyla Stallworth for her arrest in February, Mayor Earl Johnson said in a video posted on the citys website. All charges against Ms. Stallworth are being dropped. Andalusia is also forming a Law Enforcement Advisory Committee after a meeting with community stakeholders on Sunday afternoon. The planned Law Enforcement Advisory Committee was the brainchild of those in attendance, and was quickly embraced by Mayor Johnson. Mayor Johnson appointed Councilman (Joe) Nix to chair the committee, and said committee members will be charged with bringing concerns of the community to the attention of law enforcement officers, and will hold quarterly meetings. Stallworths attorney, Harry Daniels, had said Stallworth, 40, of Andalusia, called police multiple times on Feb. 24 to complain about her neighbors loud music. But, when the police did not follow up on her complaints, according to her attorneys, Stallworth purposely set off her car alarm to get her neighbors attention. Her neighbor then complained about the car alarm and an officer showed up to respond to her neighbors complaint, her attorneys claimed. The officer, identified by Stallworths attorneys as Grant Barton, threatened to cite and arrest Stallworth for the car alarm but did nothing to address her multiple complaints, her attorney alleged. Johnson, however, said city officials reviewed internal evidence and it shows the police department did respond. We have agreed that the entire department will receive additional training on Constitutional law, the laws of the State of Alabama, and the City of Andalusias ordinances, so that we will not have problems like this one in the future, he added. The arresting officer has a clean record with our department, but he made a mistake in this case on February 23rd, Johnson said. He has been disciplined for failing in his duty to know the law. Johnson said Stallworth declined his offered to meet with her and has not filed a complaint with the police department. Daniels said the officer needlessly escalated the situation, forcefully entered Ms. Stallworths home and physically assaulted her over a noise complaint. Never mind that he arrested her for exercising her constitutional rights and never mind that he misquoted a law that doesnt require a woman in her own home to present an ID, said Daniels. He was leaving. He was walking back to his car ready to drive away right up until she called out his racism. Calling out racism isnt illegal, he said. Using your badge to intimidate a 40-year-old mother is. Stallworth was arrested and charged with obstruction, resisting arrest and attempting to elude, according to Daniels. He said his client was detained for 15 hours. Her attorney alleges in his release that her arrest was racially motivated. We have reviewed body cam footage of the incident, and see no evidence of racism, Johnson said. We have always worked hard in Andalusia to maintain great relationships among our diverse populations. Residents of the St. Clair County town of Steele celebrated a victory last year, when Alabama Power withdrew plans to build new dams that might have cost them their homes. Now these residents -- and local Native American tribes -- are joining together to try and get the land around Chandler Mountain protected against such developments forever. One reason for that: emerging evidence that the mountain top has been a revered site for native tribes for thousands of years. Its a sacred mountain, said visiting archaeologist David Johnson, who became aware of the site last year, when the area was threatened by the proposed dam project. Chandler Mountain is a natural, bowl-shaped mountain located in Etowah and St. Clair Counties, about 40 miles northeast of Birmingham. Last year, Alabama Power tried to get approval to build a pumped storage hydropower project on the mountain, that would have likely forced many residents off their land through eminent domain, potentially flooding parts of the town of Steele. The power company wanted to build a large dam to create a lake on top of the mountain, and several dams to create smaller reservoirs at the bottom of the mountain. The company would build massive pumping stations to pump water uphill during non-peak hours and allow it to run downhill over a turbine to generate electricity during times of high demand. Alabama Power withdrew its application to build the project after weeks of local opposition and reporting from AL.com on the potential consequences of the project. The project likely would have destroyed or flooded what Johnson says are stone structures left by native people hundreds, if not thousands of years ago. We have found evidence that indicate, different types of evidence, different levels of evidence, that indicate that for thousands of years, Native Americans have seen Chandler Mountain as a sacred special area, Johnson said. Johnson said he has surveyed several properties around the mountain and says he has found significant evidence of Native American activity going back thousands of years, including rock cairns, petroglyphs carved on cliff faces, stone fences and turtle piles. Archaeologist David Johnson says features like this stacked stone wall pre-date European settlements and are evidence of the importance of Chandler Mountain to Native American cultures.Photo courtesy David Johnson Johnson has previously studied the Nazca lines in Peru, hypothesizing that the intricate designs are maps that follow groundwater sources in the water-scarce region. He also worked on the effort to preserve Split Rock Mountain in the metro New York area, and numerous other sites in North America. He gave a presentation last week for around 75 people at the Steele Community Center highlighting his findings so far in the area and showing photos taken from Chandler Mountain compared to other sites of Native American cultural importance. [Chandler Mountain] has all the aspects of all the sacred mountains Ive ever studied, Johnson said. Johnson during the Thursday meeting also encouraged Chandler Mountain residents to contact him to survey and document any potential native sites on their property to help bolster their arguments that the land should be protected. The more examples I have of these features, and the more we see the similarities and how they come together, the better we can read them and understand better as to what theyre saying about the ancient past, and how to preserve them for the future, he said. Johnson said many similar features have already been destroyed across the country. Because so many have been destroyed, were trying to identify those locations and preserve whats left, he said. Representatives of Alabamas Native American tribes were also present to watch the presentation and to show their support for conserving the land around Chandler Mountain. This is an important site and theres a lot of ancestral ties here when talking about Chandler Mountain, said Seth Penn, a member of the Cherokee Tribe of Northeast Alabama and the southeast coordinator for the Indian Nations Conservation Alliance. Penn said Chandler Mountain has cultural significance for multiple tribes in Alabama. Its an area of where our territory as Cherokee people met the Creek territory, Penn said. We have been in discussion with the Southeastern Muscogee nation, one of the other state recognized tribes here in Alabama and their chief has also issued support for these initiatives because we as indigenous people collectively understand the importance of the cultural ties to this location. Penn said his ideal resolution would be for the land that was intended for the dam project to be sold to an outside group -- Native or otherwise -- for preservation. For us, indigenous people, we know very much our ties and our connections to Chandler Mountain and the surrounding area, Penn said. A lot of the footprints that we have left behind as we have been removed, or I always like to say attempted removal, because some of us are still here. Theres nine tribes still left in the state of Alabama. So really, part of this is preserving and telling the story of were still here too. A slain woman found naked on a dead-end street was beaten and kidnapped at Birmingham convenience store in front of multiple people, and only one of whom called 911, court testimony revealed. Genise Carter was found by a city worker at 8:21 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, in the 1300 block of 17th Street North, near a water tower. Carter, 43, had been shot in the head. Jayden Gildersleeve, a 21, and Michael Spellman, 62, are charged with capital murder. On Tuesday, both suspects appeared before Jefferson County District Judge William Bell for a preliminary hearing. When it ended, Bell ruled there was enough probable cause to send their cases to a grand jury for indictment consideration and ordered them held without bond. Birmingham homicide Det. John Finke was the lone witness, detailing the horrific events that led to Carters death. Chief Deputy District Joe Roberts is prosecuting the case. Gildersleeve is represented by attorney Scott Boudreaux, and Spellman is represented by Sammie Shaw and Brittany Mercer of the Jefferson County Public Defenders Office. A motive in Carters killing was not revealed. Carter was at least acquainted with one of the suspects. Police are investigating the discovery of a body found on a dead-end street in northern Birmingham.(Carol Robinson) Finke said a Birmingham Streets and Sanitation worker found Carter face down and nude, except for a pair of socks. Four days later, police received a tip that Carter may have been kidnapped from the Shell service station at 800 Third Ave. West. The tipster said detectives needed to look at the stores surveillance video. I noticed that the female that was beaten and kidnapped from the store was in fact Genise Carter, Finke said of the video. Finke said that at 4:17 a.m. that Thursday, Carter arrived at the Shell station. Three minutes later, Gildersleeve and Spellman entered the parking lot in a Chevrolet Malibu and went inside the store. Gildersleeve immediately went to where Carter was, and Spellman made some sort of hand gesture to the store clerk. At 4:22 a.m., Gildersleeve forced Carter at gunpoint out of the store. Spellman left with them. Carter was then forced into the car at gunpoint. Both men got into the car and drove away. At 4:32 a.m., Finke said, the suspects returned to the stores parking lot. Gildersleeve went into the store and then began talking to people near a gas pump. Theres quite a few cars there, Finke said. At 4:36 a.m., Carter got out of the suspects vehicle and jumped into a white SUV, seeking help from a man she did not know. Spellman then got out of the car and stood between the Malibu and the SUV. Gildersleeve then took Carter out of the SUV. Carter tried to resist. Shes bear-hugging the driver, Finke said. She does not want to go with Gildersleeve. Gildersleeve had a gun to her head, forces her back into the (Malibu), Finke said. Jayden Gildersleeve is charged with capital murder in the January 2024 killing of Genise Carter.(Jefferson County Jail) Carter then escaped the car again and ran into the store. Gildersleeve chased her inside, Finke said. Spellman also was in the store. The victim was beaten on the ground in the doorway of the store, and Gildersleeve picks the victim up from the ground at gunpoint and forces her back into the car, he said. The ordeal at the store lasted about 30 minutes. Spellman, Finke said, unlocked the back door of the car so Gildersleeve could throw her in. Finke said he recovered a second video from a house across from where Carters body was found. That video showed a dark-colored sedan driving down the dead-end street seven minutes after Gildersleeve drove off from the gas station. A few minutes later, Finke said, that vehicle left the dead-end street. No other vehicles were seen driving down that street until the worker found Carters body. Finke said one witness did call 911 to report the kidnapping. Authorities said police responded to the gas station, but did not find anything at that time. That 911 caller provided a tag number, and a similar tag number later hit on a Flock camera near Fairfield. Once police identified the owner of that vehicle, they realized he looked just like the person in the (store) video, Finke said. The vehicle, he said, was registered to Gildersleeve. Investigators then set up surveillance at an apartment building on Third Avenue Southwest, the address Gildersleeve used for his car registration. The departments Crime Reduction Team staked out the apartment and saw Gildersleeve leave and go into another apartment below his unit. On Jan. 31, when Gildersleeve left and headed toward his vehicle, police swarmed the scene and took him into custody. Police obtained search warrants for both apartments. The woman that lived in the second apartment told them that Gildersleeve brought two guns, asking her to hide them. One of them was a .380. Finke said ballistics testing showed the bullet recovered from Carters head matched perfectly with that weapon. Spellman was taken into custody on Feb. 1 while he was riding a bicycle near 9th Avenue West and 1st Street West. Finke said Spellman waived his Miranda Rights and admitted he was the person in the store video, but denied knowing anything about Carters slaying. Finke said Gildersleeve also denied being responsible for her death. Under questioning by Boudreaux, Finke said clothing was found near where Carters body was located but it didnt appear to match what she was wearing in the video. That clothing, he said, is being tested for DNA. Boudreaux also questioned Finke about the time the video was taken. Finke testified a Google search of the distance between the Shell Station and the place where Carters body was found was 3.4 miles away with a suggested nine-minute drive. It takes longer than the video from the Shell and the neighbors house indicated, Boudreaux noted. Youre saying this vehicle made the nine-minute trip in seven minutes? She was alive when she left the Shell station? Finke said that was correct. Michael SpellmanBirmingham Police Department Shaw, when questioning Finke, pointed out that Spellman was not seen armed in any of the videos, nor was he seen assaulting Carter. He also asked about the man in the truck from whom Carter had sought help. Finke said detectives interviewed that man about the incident. That man was pushing Carter away while Gildersleeve was pulling her. Spellman was in the store while the struggle was going on, Finke said. Under questioning by Shaw, Finke said the man told police Carter had gotten into his car and called 911. He, not wanting to have anything to do with it when she was bear-hugging him and asking for help, he peeled her off and pushed her away, Shaw said. Finke said that was correct. In response to a question from Shaw, Finke testified that the 911 call was disconnected and the man did not answer his phone when 911 tried to call him back. That man, testimony showed, did not call police at all, and was tracked down by detectives. Another witness in the store told police he didnt call either because he was minding his own business. The store clerk didnt call police either, nor did anyone else at the store that morning. Roberts said both suspects are charged with capital during first-degree kidnapping. That kidnapping is on video, Roberts said. We see Gildersleeve brutally assault Genise Carter, take her from the gas station at gunpoint on two different occasions. We know Gildersleeve was the main actor, the one leading this charge' the prosecutor said. However, Spellman assisted. He participated. He was of the same mind of Gildersleeve. He assists on at least one occasion by opening a door for Gildersleeve to put Genise Carter into the car, he said. He never tries to stop anything. He never tries to help her. He is assisting in that kidnapping. Shaw said that he did not think the state proved probable cause for Spellman to be charged with capital murder. One of the principles of criminal law in the state of Alabama is that mere presence at the scene of a crime does not make one guilty of the crime, Shaw said. Shaw pointed out that the man in the truck from whom Carter sought help was not charged with any crime. He would have done more, Shaw said, to participate in the kidnapping than Mr. Spellman. Republican Rep. Ken Buck said Tuesday that hell resign next week, narrowing his partys razor-thin House majority and potentially throwing an obstacle in the way of Rep. Lauren Boeberts effort to succeed him. Buck, a staunch conservative who already declined to run for reelection as he became increasingly critical of his partys handling of former President Donald Trump, made his surprise announcement in the midst of the House Judiciary Committees hearing on Special Counsel Robert Hurs investigation into President Joe Bidens handling of classified documents. During an appearance on CNN, Buck lamented that he hadnt been able to ask a question in the hearing yet even though he is the third-ranking Republican on the committee. A lot of this is personal. Thats the problem, Buck said. Instead of having decorum instead of acting in a professional manner this place has really devolved into this bickering and nonsense, he said, adding that this was the worst of his nine years in Congress. Bucks March 22 departure will trigger a special election to serve the remainder of his term. Under Colorado law, that must happen within 85 to 100 days or right around the June 25 Republican primary to run in the November race to serve a full term. Several Republicans are already running to replace him in November, including Boebert, who moved across the state to run for Bucks more Republican-friendly seat anchored in Colorados eastern plains. But political insiders were already noting Tuesday that Bucks timing could block Boebert from taking over his seat. It all depends on the timing of the special election, which must be held between June 15 and June 30. A committee of Colorado Republicans will pick the partys nominee to serve the remainder of Bucks current term, and its unclear if they would choose the controversial Boebert, who has no prior ties to the district. That Republican nominee would likely easily win the special election in the overwhelmingly conservative district. If the special election happens before the primary or even the day of it, the likely Republican winner now a member of Congress will have an advantage in the primary, as GOP voters will have just backed them. This would make it harder for other primary contenders who hope to represent the party in Novembers race. Speaking to reporters Tuesday on Capitol Hill, Buck alluded to the ability of the local Republican committee to effectively choose his heir. Whoever fills that seat both for the next Congress as well as the remainder of this Congress will do a great job, he said. Buck said that even though hes resigning, he wants to stay involved politics. I just feel there is important work to be done concerning the election and how we choose candidates, Buck added. So I want to get involved in this election cycle and make sure we choose the best candidate we can. Buck is a former federal prosecutor and District Attorney in northern Colorado who is a member of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus. Since the 2020 election, however, hes made a name for himself in Washington breaking with his party on major issues. He voted to certify Bidens presidential win, voted against a Republican push to impeach Biden and against making Rep. Jim Jordan, a major Trump ally, speaker. Skincare company The Body Shop is closing all of its stores in the United States as part of an effort to restructure. The beauty company filed the U.K. equivalent of bankruptcy in February, reports Quartz. In a March 1 press release, the Body Shop announced its U.S. leg would cease operations. As of March 12, the Body Shop website is not accepting online orders. The site issues a Thanks for Visiting message, along with the text Were currently undergoing planned maintenance, but dont worry were due to be back online soon. Founded in 1976, The Body Shop became a household name for its fragrant scrubs, lotions, and other products. It also made a name for itself by pushing its customers to consume ethically via fair trade raw materials and other methods, reports Quartz. A 44-foot-long sperm whale died sometime during the early morning hours Monday after it had beached itself in shallow water just off a Florida beach and rough surf conditions made rescue efforts impossible. Mote Marine Laboratory was first notified of the stranded whale on Venice Beach along Floridas west coast about 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Once Mote and others, including the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and NOAA, arrived on the scene, it was determined hazardous wave conditions, coupled with the 70,000-pound animals erratic behavior, made it unsafe for rescue efforts to continue. About 1:45 p.m. Sunday, rescue personnel attempted to move close enough by boat to sedate the distressed animal, but once again rough surf stopped the effort. By 6 p.m., further attempts to reach the animal were called off until Monday morning. Venice police remained at the scene, primarily to keep sightseers and swimmers out of the area. Rescue personnel returned at 7 a.m., at which point it was confirmed the whale had died. Anytime we have animals come in like this, especially when theyre still alive and we cant get to it and help it, its heartbreaking, said Motes Gretchen Lovewell during a Monday press conference. Its a gut-punch. We wanted to get to it yesterday, but it just couldnt be done safely. Monday, the whale carcass was pulled further on shore to allow marine biologists to perform a necropsy and gather other data in hopes of determining what killed the whale, which was described as emaciated. The fact this animal was this close to shore and this skinny -- something has been wrong for a while, Lovewell said, adding that, on average, only about two whales per year become stranded along the Gulf of Mexico. Once the necropsy is completed, the plan is for tug boats to drag the whale carcass out to sea. In the interim, the City of Venice has made that area of the beach off limits. Lovewell noted excessive amounts of the whales bodily fluids will go into the water during the necropsy, with the potential to draw predators to that area, including sharks. The Comic Cowboys are under fire again for a controversial float satirizing Taser-related deaths that critics call totally unacceptable, and which one Mobile city councilman compared to joking about lynching. A group of residents on Tuesday called on city council members to denounce the 140-year-old Mardi Gras parading groups display during the Feb. 13, Fat Tuesday parade. The focus of the concern was the organizations float that depicted an image of someone being stunned with the inscription, MPD finally releases BODY CAM footage with SHOCKING RESULTS. Two council members vowed to sign a letter to the secretive Mardi Gras organization raising concerns about the float. Patricia Law of Mobile speaks before the Mobile City Council on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, inside Government Plaza in downtown Mobile, Ala. Law spoke out against a controversial sign display during the Comic Cowboys Mardi Gras parade on Feb. 13, 2024.John Sharp/jsharp@al.com Ive seen several floats theyve done in the past (that were controversial), but this one really cuts deeply, said Pat Law, a Mobile resident who was flanked by Christine Dallas, the mother of the late 36-year-old Jawan Dallas, a Black man who died following an altercation with two Mobile police officers that included him being stunned by a police Taser and whose death spurred protests and rallies late last year. This is a mothers pain, Law said. You dont make fun of that. In order for the family to have some kind of healing, they dont need to be reminded of it and embarrassed in front of hundreds of thousands of people when this city is benefitting from the people gathering at the time. Law said she hoped the city would consider changing its parade permitting guidelines so they dont continue to allow this type of messaging to go out. She also hinted at starting up a separate parade featuring floats with our own comments on them. We are not going to settle for this, she said. Time is up, and we stand bold on that. Councilmen speak Mobile City Councilman William Carroll (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com). Two of the councils three Black members William Carroll and Cory Penn -- spoke up against the displays, and vowed to sign a letter that will be forwarded to the Comic Cowboys condemning the float. Council President C.J. Small was not in attendance. The councils four white members did not speak. It hasnt been 90 years since there was a rope and a tree and a fire where bodies were burned and citizens were made to look at it and kids were made to look at it and laugh at it as a joke, Carroll said, calling the circumstances behind Dallas death a modern-day version of lynching. The memories it brought back are to a different time period when people who looked like me were burned, Carroll said. Instead of being burned, they are electrocuted. They are shocked to death. He added, If that is the same atmosphere we want to bring to the city, then we have a problem. Carroll said the entire display was not funny, but was inappropriate and uncalled for in this city. Mobile City Councilman Cory Penn in this 2023 photo.John Sharp/jsharp@al.com Penn agreed, saying he doesnt attend the Mardi Gras parades involving the Comic Cowboys because of the groups reputation of producing biting satire on display placards and rolling them through the city streets during what are often the largest annual crowds to descend to downtown Mobile. Some of the past displays have been criticized for being racist, including in 2017 when the fallout from that years parade led to several public officials including Mayor Sandy Stimpson and Councilman Joel Daves to resign from the organization. As a community, and as a city, if we want to move forward, we have to stand against things like that, Penn said. That as an awful statement. No one wants to see something like that. First Amendment protection 32 1 / 32 See the Comic Cowboys Mardi Gras parade signs for 2024 City Attorney Ricardo Woods said the First Amendment protects the content of the Comic Cowboys display and prevents any government from censuring their parade. Council members admit they have few options in restricting the parading group. Stimpson, who was not at the council meeting, sent out a statement calling the Comic Cowboys display in poor taste, but agreed that they have First Amendment protections. Making jokes about any loss of life is always in poor taste, but regardless of my or anyone elses personal opinion, all citizens have a right to peaceably assemble and exercise their right to free speech under the First Amendment, Stimpson said in a statement. Since the 2017 parade, the Comic Cowboys have come under criticism for lampooning deaths and creating an uncomfortable situation for city leaders and businesses. The Comic Cowboys, whose membership is anonymous, has not released a statement addressing the concern first raised by AL.com on Monday. The group has a long tradition of parading controversial placards aimed at political figures and public issues on national, state, and local levels. Its motto has long been, Without Malice. Past controversies The Comic Cowboys parade through downtown Mobile, Ala., on Fat Tuesday on Feb. 25, 2020. Four years ago, in 2020, signage displayed by the group targeted Boeing and the companys struggles with the 737 Max airline following tragic plane crashes in 2018 and 2019. The signage drew outrage on social media and prompted Airbus Boeings chief rival, with its largest North American manufacturing operation in Mobile to release a statement claiming that the Comic Cowboys have no affiliation with the company, and their messaging did not reflect Airbus values. The controversial floats in the 2017 Comic Cowboys parade took aim at the city of Prichard.file photo The 2017 parade drew the most critics after the Comic Cowboys had placards displayed which were overtly disparaging toward Black people and women and belittling to the city of Prichard. The group apologized in a letter to Councilman Fred Richardson, vowing it would cease from comments which may be hurtful to our citizens while taking everyones feelings into consideration. Richardson, at the time, had hoped the group would consider laying off two specific topics: portraying gun violence and the victims of gun violence to humorous effect, and depicting women being assaulted. Law said she felt there were other floats in last months parade that were also condescending. There are a lot of racist jokes going on, she said. This has been going on far too long. We decided, the group of us, to stand up for the Dallas family and other families throughout the state of Alabama suffering so many injustices. This is the 21st century, and we will not continue to sit in the shadows and allow these atrocities continue in our communities. Jawan Dallas Calkeisha Dallas, the oldest sister of Jawan Dallas, and her daughter wear "Justice for Jay" shirts at a gathering at Bethel AME Church on Oct. 23, 2023. It was the first time that Christine Dallas, who wore a T-shirt honoring her late son, had been at Government Plaza since the announcement in December that her legal team was filing a federal lawsuit against the city over the handling of Jawan Dallas death. Christine Dallas did not comment, citing the pending lawsuit. Jawan Dallas, during a police stop in Theodore, was hit with a Taser stun gun by two police officers. Attorneys for the Dallas family claim the Taser incident led to his death, but authorities have since said that underlying medical conditions, and not Tasing, was the direct cause. For months, the Dallas family and community activists protested at Mobile City Council meetings and elsewhere over the lack of releasing police-worn body camera footage of the altercation with police. The family and their attorneys were able to eventually review the footage, which has never been released publicly. Bishop William Barber II, president and senior lecturer of Repairers of the Breach, was joined by members of Jawan Dallas' family and their attorneys, for an emergency community meeting on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, at All Saints Episcopal Church in Mobile, Ala. The meeting's purpose was to demand justice and call for action in the aftermath of devastating details surfacing about Dallas' death after a fatal encounter with Mobile police on July 2, 2023. Dallas' family members recently got to watch the police-worn body cam footage of Dallas' death. The family's attorney, Harry Daniels of Atlanta, said that the 36-year-old Mobile man was brutally killed by police officers in "one of the worst videos I've ever seen."John Sharp/jsharp@al.com Civil rights attorneys, in December, accused police of misusing the Taser that is supposed to be non-lethal, while labeling its use on Dallas as murder. The Mobile County District Attorneys Office said in November that it is not pursuing legal charges against the officers involved in the altercation. The Dallas familys attorneys have compared Jawan Dallas death to George Floyd, the Black man whose killing in 2020 while in police custody in Minneapolis ignited protests across the country over police brutality and racial injustice. There are a lot of good folks in this community who are working for racial conciliation, said the Rev. Tonny Algood, a community activist and former director with United Methodist Inner City Mission in Mobile. What kind of message does such a float send to those who seek it? How would any of us feel if it was our son and daughter that had been tased to death, and then view something like that? It brings up a lot of wounds. The Alabama Transgender Rights Action Coalition issued a statement Tuesday defending a transgender counselor at the Alabama Space Camp who was the subject of social media posts that have now garnered more than a million views. It is clear that the goal of these social media posts is to pressure the Space and Rocket Center to fire the employee in question simply for being transgender, the statement said. Legally, employers may not discriminate based on transgender status because of the majority Supreme Court opinion in Bostock v. Clayton County an opinion written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, who was appointed by President Trump. Members of Alabamas Congressional delegation posted statements on X, formerly known as Twitter, after a parent posted on Facebook complaining about the gender identity of one of the U.S. Space and Rocket Center employees. The topic was also picked up by the Libs of TikTok account. I call on the Center to immediately remove this individual and open a safety review to consider the potential harm and damages they have inadvertently caused children, Rep. Dale Strong said in his post. He said putting the safety and wellbeing (of children) first is critical. In a statement Monday afternoon, the center said it follows federal guidelines and does not discriminate against protected classes when hiring. The employee at the center of the dispute declined to comment when contacted on Monday by AL.com. The statements came after social media posts by Clay Yarbrough of Owens Cross Roads, whose 11-year-old Huntsville daughter was to attend the camp as part of a school exercise. After learning a counselor is transgender, Yarbrough told AL.com he planned to withdraw her. It goes against everything Im for, he said. I just dont think this is any place for it. I just think its totally out of line. The coalition said Yarbrough has no legitimate cause for concern. The group has started a petition to support the employee. News organizations were quick to report on the incident, but most failed to note that the targeted employee has done nothing wrong, and that Yarbrough had no good-faith concerns, the coalition said. The notion that queer people are out to indoctrinate, groom, or recruit children is a prejudiced falsehood that dates back decades in America and has led to innocent queer people losing their lives and livelihoods, the statement said. This kind of rhetoric further divides our state, has no basis in reality, and has historically led to violence, said Andrea Trenaman, a member of the Alabama Transgender Rights Action Coalition. It is additional fuel poured on the flames of moral panic gripping the right wing of American political discourse, based only in fear and misunderstanding. I'm disheartened by the actions of Senator Tommy Tuberville and Congressman Dale Strong regarding their actions at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. Their decision to amplify baseless concerns about a transgender employee, who serves as a Camp Counselor, is not just https://t.co/h2ekjCV9kH Josh Coleman (@joshcolemanal) March 12, 2024 Joshua Coleman, LGBTQ+ Liaison for Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, shared those same sentiments on X. Political leaders decision to amplify baseless concerns about a transgender employee, who serves as a Camp Counselor, is not just disappointingits harmful, Coleman said. This isnt about politics; its about a persons right to live and work without being subjected to prejudice and fearmongering. The murder suspect with several connections to Republican politics in north Alabama allegedly sodomized his victim with a plunger before killing him, according to the complaints against Kyle Hayden Lewter filed in court Tuesday. Lewter, 36, was identified in a 2022 social media post as the chairman of Madison County Young Republicans. He also reportedly had a paid position with state Sen. Tom Butler and said in a 2017 interview that he worked on campaigns for ex-U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks and former U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions. He is charged with murder and sexual torture in the March 6 death of 54-year-old Harvest resident Derek Franklin Walls. The suspect and victim knew each other, according to authorities. Lewter utilized a plunger handle and forcefully inserted it in the anus area while victim was still alive, according to the sexual torture complaint filed in Madison County District Court. He allegedly killed Walls by blunt force by a hammer, the complaint charging Lewter with murder stated. Walls was found slain March 6 in a home in the 1700 block of Capstone Road in Harvest. A preliminary hearing has not yet been scheduled in the case. Chuck Greene, CEO of AM/NS Calvert, announced his retirement Tuesday. After much contemplation and reflection, I believe the time has come for me to step down and pass this great responsibility to a new leader who will continue to successfully guide AM/NS Calvert, Greene said in a news release. The Chinese defense ministry announced that this week, China, Russia, and Iran will be participating in combined naval maneuvers close to the Gulf of Oman. The exercises, known as "Security Bond-2024," are scheduled to run from Monday through Friday with the goal of "jointly securing regional maritime security" and "strengthening maritime cooperation," according to a ministry statement made on Monday. Multinational Naval Drills Promote Regional Security The exercises are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, and they will include the participation of military officials from a number of different nations, including Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Oman, India, and South Africa. These delegates will watch the maneuvers as they take place. As observed by Iranian official media, the official objective of the drills is to strengthen regional security and build multilateral cooperation among the participating states, with a focus on a common dedication to maritime stability among those involved. As part of the preparations for the exercises, China repeated its support to the cooperation by declaring that it will be sending the guided-missile destroyer Urumqi, the guided-missile frigate Linyi, and the comprehensive supply ship Dongpinghu. In a comparable manner, the Russian Ministry of Defense repeated the hands-on aspect of the exercises, which are scheduled to take place in the seas of the Gulf of Oman, with the primary objective of improving maritime safety in the region. There have been reports from Russian official media that ships from the Pacific Fleet have arrived at the Chah Bahar port in Iran. The strong Varyag cruiser is the ship that is leading the group, according to Sky News. Read Also: Virginia Woman Kathy Brandel Was Raped Before Boat Hijackers Killed Her, Cops Say Tensions Rise Amid Naval Drills Amid Conflict There remain tensions, including the war in Gaza, and a number of attacks on boats in the Red Sea, which are assigned to Iran-backed Houthi rebels. These active maritime drills take place against the backdrop of heightened tensions that have been fanned by these current wars. Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the commander of the Houthis, has made worrying remarks regarding the frequency and intensity of these assaults. As justification, he has cited complaints against what he perceives to be conduct in Gaza. A number of officials from the US have spoken of their worries about the growing number of military connections between China, Russia, and Iran. These officials are concerned about the implications that this may have for the stability of the area. The former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, has issued a warning about potential problems that might evolve as a result of this cooperation. He thinks that the impacts could be felt for a very long time in the future. The exercises, slated to span from Monday through Friday, aim to collectively uphold regional maritime security, as communicated by China's defense ministry via the social media platform WeChat. Notably, this year's drills follow a similar round held last year under the banner of "Security Bond 2023," reflecting a continuity of collaborative efforts in the maritime domain. The cooperative military exercises demonstrate the evolving character of international relationships and the combined attempts to protect maritime interests in unpredictable times, even as tensions in the area remain strong, Business Recorder reported. Related Article: Joe Biden's Key Georgia Voters May Not Be So Loyal In 2024, Polls and Interviews Suggest @ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. English News High-quality development highlighted at passage interviews of Chinese ministers Alwihda Info | Par People's Daily - 10 Mars 2024 To promote industrial upgrading, it is necessary to focus on high-end, intelligent, and green transformations to enhance the efficiency of traditional industries. Strategic emerging industries and future industries should also be given prominent positions. By Zhang Jiaying, Wang Zi, People's Daily The first "passage interviews" of ministers for the second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) was held at the Great Hall of the People, Beijing on March 5. Heads of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC) responded to the concerns of the various sectors of society, including promoting sci-tech innovation, advancing national water network construction, ensuring national food security and developing new quality productive forces. "Last year, China accelerated the implementation of major scientific and technological projects, and continuously improved its strategic strength in science and technology, showing new momentum in development," said Yin Hejun, Minister of Science and Technology. In 2023, China's investment in research and development rose 8.1 percent year-on-year to more than 3.3 trillion yuan ($458.4 billion), accounting for 2.64 percent of the country's GDP in the same period. In particular, investment in basic research was 221.2 billion yuan, up 9.3 percent from the previous year. Last year, 950,000 technology contracts were signed in China, with total transaction volume reaching 6.15 trillion yuan, up 28.6 percent from a year ago. The number of authorized invention patents stood at 921,000, up 15.3 percent year-on-year. China has also made major original achievements in fields such as quantum technology, integrated circuits, artificial intelligence, biomedicine and new energy, according to Yin. Data show that young talents are gradually becoming the mainstay. It is reported that 80 percent of the projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China were undertaken by individuals under the age of 45. More than 1,100 projects supported by the National Key Research and Development Program were led by young scientists under the age of 40, accounting for over 20 percent of the total. "The Ministry of Science and Technology will strive to create a favorable research environment for better growth and development of young sci-tech talents. It will provide opportunities, build platforms, and address key concerns such as income, treatment, and family issues for them," Yin said. Water conservancy is of strategic importance for a country's overall development, long-term growth, and the well-being of the people. In 2023, China's water conservancy construction accelerated comprehensively, with a record-breaking annual investment of nearly 1.2 trillion yuan, an increase of 10.1 percent compared to the previous year, said Li Guoying, Minister of Water Resources. Li noted that the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council have issued a guideline on national water network construction, with the goal of establishing a national water network that is well-equipped, secure, efficient, green, intelligent, smoothly circulated and well-regulated by 2035. The guideline also plans to build a national water security system that is compatible with the basic realization of socialist modernization. Last year, although some parts of China suffered severe natural disasters, the country still reported total grain output of over 695 million tons, an increase of 8.88 million tons compared to the previous year, reaching a new historical high, said Tang Renjian, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. According to him, the per capita grain possession stood at 493 kilograms last year, an increase of 7 kilograms from a year ago, higher than the internationally recognized grain security line of 400 kilograms. Zhang Yuzhuo, chairman of the SASAC, said that this year, China's centrally-administered state-owned enterprises (SOEs) aim to achieve high-quality development through high-level synergy, effective improvement in quality and reasonable growth in quantity. "In the first two months of this year, some key industries have performed well. The social electricity sales of central SOEs increased by 13 percent, automobile sales by 15 percent, and aviation and logistics transportation volume by 59 percent from a year ago," said Zhang. "This indicates that the positive trend of economic growth is being consolidated, and we have full confidence in doing a good job in managing state-owned enterprises and assets this year," Zhang added. To strengthen their role as the main force driving technological innovation to accelerate the development of new quality productive forces, central SOEs should further promote independent innovation and increase investment, Zhang said. They should adhere to open innovation, integrate into the global innovation network, and establish cooperative relationships with domestic research institutions, universities, leading private enterprises, and innovative private enterprises, Zhang added. To promote industrial upgrading, it is necessary to focus on high-end, intelligent, and green transformations to enhance the efficiency of traditional industries. Strategic emerging industries and future industries should also be given prominent positions. "By 2025, the proportion of revenues from strategic emerging industries in central SOEs should reach 35 percent, and early preparations should be made in areas such as brain-like intelligence, quantum information, and controlled nuclear fusion," said Zhang. Dans la meme rubrique : < > Keeping pace with China is keeping pace with opportunities 5G technology sees application in various industries in China New journey begins for fourth phase of China's lunar exploration program Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena) The harm President Biden is doing goes far beyond public policy and geopolitical mistakes. The damage has not only stained the presidency, but has permeated American culture and any other culture that has access to audio and video of him. At this point, we must acknowledge that the Democrat party is responsible for the damage, and the president can no longer be held accountable for his actions. In addition to jeopardizing multiple American interests, the presidents deteriorating health -- being allowed to play out as it is on the international stage -- reinforces stereotypes and encourages prejudice and discrimination against elderly people everywhere. A few weeks ago, I had a nightmare about President Biden. I dreamed he was standing behind the presidential podium looking like Jeff Dunhams puppet Walter, the grumpy old man. Like Walter, Biden had the severely narrowed eyes, angry eyebrows, and downturned mouth. Also like Walter, Biden was angrily barking at people. It wasnt just annoying, it was horrifying. I woke up only to realize it was all true: This man really was the leader of the free world. Let me give you a quick background as to what might have caused a nightmare like this. Firstly, I was raised to respect the presidency, even when the office was held by someone I completely disagreed with. My parents taught me that it was my civic duty not only to vote, but to be actively involved in maintaining the culture and preserving our freedoms intact for the next generation. I grew up watching every State of the Union speech, no matter who occupied the presidency. It was, after all, my countrys status quo that was being addressed, so I was obligated to watch it. In short, it was ingrained in me to take my native-born citizenship very seriously. We called it patriotism. Now consider this: I had cared for my father with Alzheimers for eight years, a journey I documented in an emotional article the year he passed. I did it because I didnt believe that family members should be shipped off to nursing homes. It was a decision I often regret due to the physical and mental stress I endured; but it was a sacrifice I chose to make. Its been eight years since he passed and I still have disturbing flashbacks. The disease had slowly turned my father from a laid back, fun guy who drew cartoons and whittled toys -- to a paranoid militant who stashed knives under his pillow and put banana skins at the top of the stairs. It was gut-wrenching. Somehow, we survivors -- caregivers who endure despite battle scars inside and out -- eventually learn to remember the lifetime of happiness we enjoyed with our loved ones, even as we push the bad memories of their waning years to the back of our minds. But when President Biden totters up to the podium and begins a sometimes-unintelligible angry tirade against his target-of-the-day, it all comes back. Combine the bad memories of my fathers last years with the fact that any semblance of reverence or respect is being stripped from the American presidency, and voila! Welcome to my nightmare. While not all dementia or Alzheimers patients show increased aggression or angry behavior, many of them do. They may curse, hurl insults, or yell at you. Short of losing their sanity, the caregiver becomes a kind of expert diplomat, taking note of triggers that might warn of the coming combative behavior. Sometimes there are no clues, just rage. Victor Davis Hanson wrote in his article One Angry Biden Lie After Another: A demagogic fuming Biden gave another Phantom of the Opera speech blasting conservatives for all the destruction that he has caused All too aware that he was confused and incoherent, his handlers felt that the antidote was to come out barking and bellowing at his imaginary enemies. We also watched in disbelief as the executive branch attacked the judicial branch, with President Biden having an invective against the Supreme Court justices sitting directly in front of him in the chamber. Ive never seen anything like it; it was like watching someone sucker-punch the Constitution. Meanwhile, the mainstream media was declaring that the president delivered perhaps the best speech of his life last night; he may have also changed the race itself. I agree he changed the race all right, but not the way theyre thinking. Beyond caring for my own parents, I have volunteered extensively with the elderly. Ive seen age discrimination (or ageism) manifested in various ways: Someone not being taken seriously despite having full mental acuity; severe or disgusted looks because a person might react slowly, or needs help with standing, eating, or going to the bathroom. All of those are actions that make you want to remind people that if they get that long life they yearn for, this will be their circumstance too. The American Psychological Association (APA), addressing the issue of ageism, pointed out that While it is true that the risk of some chronic diseases and dementia increases with age, most older adults maintain quite good health and cognitive functioning, adding Aging is a very diverse process, and there are great differences between individuals. Thats why Trump denies Biden is too old to be president, because you cant judge a persons ability based solely on age when theyre exhibiting symptoms of a serious disease like dementia (which I believe President Biden has). Unfortunately for Trump, the media keep lumping he and Biden together, forcing us to discuss Trumps age and memory instead of focusing on the elephant in the room. It's no surprise to learn that a majority of voters now think Biden is too old to be an effective president, as many people are becoming convinced that being 81 looks like the current occupant of the White House. That mistaken belief will eventually manifest itself in peoples behavior toward family members and beyond, contributing to one of the last socially acceptable prejudices discrimination against the elderly. Every time President Biden comes out swinging, we dont hear policy points or intellectual debate, we hear You kids get off my lawn! People are laughing not only at President Biden, but at the character of a senile old man hes become; and thats just bad for our society on so many levels. Susan D. Harris can be reached at www.susandharris.com Image: PxHere Israel stands out among the nations like a sore thumb because of its willingness to fight for its right to exist. By doing so, it is a threat to the world order. The Western world is dedicated to humanitys destruction, believing that global population is inherently wrong. For leftists, as for Islamists, individuals have no worth and can be manipulated and destroyed for ideological ends. To aid this planned depopulation, leftists seek to create a bleak, dystopian world in which people find pleasure in sex without procreation. And most importantlyin stark contrast to Israelleftists create a world without emotional connections, starting with their destruction of the most important bond of all, that within a happy family. Population reduction to make the world a better place is about as poorly thought out a policy as child sacrifice to improve crop yields. Without evidence, globalists believe that reducing the population will produce peace, prosperity, progress, and happiness. However, there is excellent evidence that humans made very little progress for hundreds of thousands of years before our population began to burgeon. According to the archeological record, it took primitives one hundred twenty-five thousand years to move from using shaped rock tools to the first evidence that they tied a rock on a stick to form a hammer. More catastrophic, regarding population reduction, we are still too ignorant to determine what adaptive genetic and epigenetic patterns would be wiped out. Each of us is an original, a one-of-a-kind production. As much as Marxists fantasize that people and jobs are interchangeable, thats just one of their many delusions. Genetic and epigenetic losses due to population reduction do not nearly describe the full destructive effects of purposeful family disruption. The hypothesis of this essay, bluntly stated, is that family destruction has caused societal degradation in the past and may lead to human annihilation in the future. We already have policies in America that resulted in a decline in family functionality. A short list includes laws that undermine parental rights, facilitate drug and alcohol abuse, ease divorce with children bearing the emotional costs, use education as a political tool to teach captive children that family life is undesirable, devalue academic standards to reduce the possibility of family formation, and replace fathers with government support leading to debilitating economic and emotional poverty, particularly for the youngest children. Image: Survivors of the October 7 Kibbutz Beeri massacre come together to sing. YouTube screen grab. The most underappreciated disability imposed upon children in both primitive and modern times is abandonment. Any disturbance of affectional attachments from late pregnancy through toddlerhood leaves indelible deficiencies in the future adult. When an infant experiences abandonment, especially when unexpected, he suffers the distortion or complete disappearance of trust and may permanently lose the ability to express compassion or altruism. From a lack of trust comes insecure relationships. From insecure relationships comes unfulfilled affectional needs. And from unfulfilled affectional needs comes a vague but pervasive unhappiness and a lifelong feeling of discontent that translates easily into anger, unreasonable fear, generalized anxiety, depression, and the acceptance that one is powerless. If a child cries so long that he gives up and becomes silent, he has lost control of his world and will suffer for that loss. A society composed of once-abandoned children is broken. To a great degree, any societys nature is based upon the nature of its individuals taken as an aggregate. There is a feedback loop in which the robustness of its members determines a societys quality. If individuals are happy and productive, the society will radiate the aggregated features of the happy individuals. If individuals are dour, distrustful, hopeless, and angry, the society again will reflect the aggregate features of its individual members. To believe that the state, government, or societal structure solely determines the viability of its individual members negates the insight that the feedback loop between the individual and society runs in both directions. Happy citizens would naturally want and expect their government to be interested in their happiness and success. Now we get to the connection between the Jews and the bleakness problem. The reason many Jews were able to leave Europes concentration camps and go on to marry and restart their family lives is because their infancies and childhoods were full of affection. These attachments brought them forward passed the physical and emotional traumas of the death camps. There are data in the reconstituted lives of post-Holocaust Israeli Jews to indicate this is the case. An example is their enjoyment of singing together. It is unusual and implies the presence of happiness borne on the wings of trust acquired from undisturbed childhood affection. The following videos all post-date October 7. All show a robustness that comes from early affectional attachments. You can see trust being passed from one generation to the next as the children receive affection in the form of touching and eye contact that they readily accept without tense suspicion. The first videoLeaving Melancholycomes from Jerusalems Arnona neighborhood and encompasses all age groups. The songs first line is There will yet be better days, I promise. The second videoI Have No Other Countrywas created in Mateh Asher, in northern Israel, just south of Lebanon, a region in which many towns have been evacuated because of Hezbollahs rockets. We see a community in which resilience has been passed down from one generation to the next: This last video comes from the survivors of Kibbutz Beeri, 10% of whose members Hamas massacred. The government evacuated survivors to hotels across Israel. And yet the kibbutzniks still sing, even as many of their number are still held hostage in Gaza. The rectangular pendants around their necks each contain the name of a hostage. The song is To Believe. They sing, Things will change tomorrow. Certain aspects of life are unavoidable, ironic, and very unfair. Happiness turns out to be naturally and easily available only to those adults who were given unblemished affection in their first three years, while those who were injured through abandonment must struggle until the grave against their early deprivation. Perhaps the shattered adults will still be able to provide the affection needed by their own children; perhaps not. But they, themselves, will always be touched by the melancholy they experienced when they were separated from a caring mother and supportive father. What should be a crime is when this separation is a political goal. Thus, to create happy families, its imperative for the society to support families that can offer affection in every possible form and at all moments to their newest members. Israel, alone among nations, does that. Of course, this starts from the top. Societal acceptance of the goal of individual happiness will depend upon the robust happiness of the infancies and childhoods of those who are running the government. So, we should never knowingly elect a person to rule over happy people who was not loved beyond reason and without interruption as an infant and toddler. Also, for best personal results, let us learn to make our lives among those who have been blessed with early and uninterrupted affection. By March 20, 2024, Donald Trump will have amassed sufficient Republican delegates to clinch the Republican presidential nomination. On the same date, Joe Biden will have accumulated the delegates required to secure the Democrat nomination. Thirty-three weeks before the election, the nominating process will theoretically be concluded. However, Joe Biden will be the oldest presidential nominee in American history (he will be 82 in November) and suffering from noticeably accelerating mental and physical disabilities. If over the next seven months he were to die, or have a debilitating stroke or, in a far more likely scenario, is forced by the party hierarchy (i.e., Barack Obama) to drop out of the race due to his age, escalating infirmities and persistent unpopularity, the process to replace him is relatively straightforward. The only considerations will be when Biden exits the race and the timeframe necessary to print ballots. However, choosing someone to replace him is a potential minefield only Barack Obama can navigate. Per Elaine Kamarck of the Brookings Institution, if Biden were to leave the race any time after March 19th and before mid-June, those delegates committed to him would likely go to the convention uncommitted. However, the party could adopt a new rule in conjunction with the rules of the individual state parties which would allow delegates to switch to other candidates prior to the convention. But that highly unlikely process could eventuate in potential chaos and thwart the ability of the Obama cabal, who control the party and the White House, to determine the Democrat nominee. If Biden were to leave the race after the primaries are over in June and before the convention, it would be impossible to adopt rule changes and the nomination will then be decided at the convention in August. Democrat delegates are pledged to a candidate based on the results of the primaries, and while the DNC rules say that delegates shall in good conscience reflect the outcome chosen by the voters who elected them, there is no penalty if a delegate votes for a different nominee at the convention. Thus, they are essentially not required to vote for a particular candidate. Any new candidate who wants to run once a convention convenes would have to first get at least 300 delegate signatures in order to have their name placed in nomination and then win a majority of the 3,936 delegates at the convention. But who would a majority of delegates select? In all likelihood, the convention will evolve into an embarrassing four days of public infighting among the menagerie of delegates before they can settle on the presidential and vice-presidential nominees. For nearly two decades the Democrats have incessantly promoted racial and tribal antipathies. This ongoing and deliberate attempt to foment societal animosities and fracture American culture has now boomeranged on the party. Because of this mindless obsession, the Democrats must choose their presidential nominee not based on qualifications or past accomplishments but on superficial issues such as skin color, sex, or sexual proclivities in order to satisfy the bulk of their base. As the incumbent Vice-President, Kamala Harris should win by acclamation, but she is extraordinarily unlikeable, has a more abysmal unfavourability rating than Joe Biden and polls worse against Donald Trump in a head-to-head match-up. Therefore, the convention delegates will face an unwelcome conundrum if Kamala Harris declares herself a candidate as she is a person of color and a female. The convention would be faced with a multifaceted dilemma. If it does not nominate Kamala Harris and chooses a white female, the party could antagonize the majority of the people of color faction. If they choose a heterosexual Christian Black male, the party could antagonize the majority of the religiophobic and LGBTQ factions. If they choose someone who is overtly LGBTQ, the party could antagonize the majority of the Black and Hispanic factions. If they choose a straight White male, the party will antagonize virtually all of their factions. Meanwhile, outside the United Center in Chicago marches and demonstrations will be ongoing throughout the four days of the convention (August 19-22) led by the pro-Palestinian/anti-Israel groups, transgender militants, Antifa, and a myriad of other radical left-wing activists. There is a high probability that the violence at the 1968 convention, also in Chicago, could be repeated in 2024. In order to avoid the potential strife within the convention, Obama could come out of the shadows and publicly exercise his hold over the delegates by forcefully imposing his choice on the convention, or Joe Biden could remain the presumptive nominee going into the convention, and with Obamas backing, win the nomination and leave the race after the convention. Once the convention is over, and Biden leaves the race, the duty of choosing a nominee falls solely to the Democratic National Committee. The Chairman of the DNC, Jaime Harrison, would call the entire Democratic National Committee (483 members) to a closed convention in order to vote on a new nominee. There are no rules governing who the nominee has to be. The proposed candidates just have to get the majority of party members to vote for them. With the control Obama asserts over the party, the process would be devoid of any political chaos, and with a gun to their head in terms of the calendar, the DNC members would quickly choose whoever Obama designates. Because of their reckless sixteen-year promotion of racial and tribal animosity combined with their mindless determination in 2020 to elect a dementia-riddled, vindictive reprobate, the Democrat Party has placed themselves in an absurd political conundrum. Barack Obama knows the only options are to either run the gauntlet of replacing Biden or to nominate him and bank on convicting Trump of at least one fabricated felony. The success of either scenario relies heavily on repeating the 2020 level of overt voting fraud and manipulation. In light of the virulent Trump Derangement Syndrome infecting the party, which option will Obama choose, or will unforeseen circumstances choose for him? Image: PxHere When President Joe Biden said in his State of the Union speech that the vaccines that saved us from COVID are now being used to help beat cancer, the internet went crazy. Unless you were a pharmaceutical CEO, you might think that this was a bizarre gaffe or a very big announcement. Big Pharma understood the message perfectly, and the news was welcomed with open arms. President Biden approaching a podium is like a bus sliding down an icy hill. You dont know where it is going or what it will hit, but you cannot turn away. Perhaps the increase in viewership for this years State of the Union was due to a perverse desire to witness one of the presidents increasingly common Biden moments of confusion and unpredictable behaviors. When he talked about COVID-19 vaccines and cancer, nearly everyone must have cringed, wondering what he meant to say. Why would the president want Americans to hear that the COVID-19 vaccines are now being used to fight cancer? His team undoubtedly vetted the speech and had to expect most people would understand that to mean that the vaccines in some way work against cancer. Shamelessly, CNN left Bidens claim about COVID-19 vaccines and cancer out of their fact-check entirely. Newsweek dutifully came to the presidents defense and traced the claim to a $24 million grant looking into how mRNA research is aiding immune response, and declared only bad faith or narrow interpretation of Biden's comments could have driven the idea that he was literally referring to the treatments developed by Pfizer, Moderna and others, and not new technologies. Of course, that is nonsense. In 2020, when President Trump was accused of promoting bleach injections to combat COVID-19, Newsweek was all too happy to promote the story as true before finally debunking it after the election. Headlines claiming Biden Says COVID-19 Vaccine Cures Cancer! are unlikely to show up at any time soon. Unfair to be sure, but likely part of a larger strategy. Democrats, like Republicans, are losing their enthusiasm in defining political differences around responses to a pandemic they no longer believe is a top priority. In November 2020, 85 percent of Democrats believed the pandemic constituted a major threat. Today, that number has dwindled to 28 percent. With Trumps support of Operation Warp Speed, it will make it a heavy lift for either party to use coronavirus vaccines effectively as a political wedge in this falls presidential election. President Biden has been promising for a very long time to keep the spigots of COVID-19 money flowing wide open, long after the pandemic has faded. Now, with only 28 percent of Americans up to date on their vaccinations, the pharmaceutical industry needed to feel the love in the State of the Union speech. I want you to know that once we beat COVID, were going to do everything we can to end cancer as we know it Biden said in 2021 while appearing at the Pfizer pharmaceutical plant in Kalamazoo Michigan. In other words, delete COVID, insert CANCER on future spending requests. In fact, Biden promised to develop a DARPA-like advanced research effort on cancer and other diseases, just like there is DARPA in the Defense Department that develops the breakthroughs to protect our country. After 40 years of Dr. Fauci and his Soviet-style management tactics at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the last thing we need is more government control coupled with an off-the-books, secret bureau for medical research. To be sure, a debate about why and how to fund cancer research is more than appropriate. However, it is disturbing and unbecoming that Biden has chosen to conflate and confuse the search for a cure for cancer with the COVID-19 vaccines, which remain a controversial subject to this day. Matt Dean (mdean@heartland.org) is a senior fellow for health care policy outreach with The Heartland Institute. Image: OpenClipArt Sixty years ago, the so-called free speech movement began at the University of California at Berkeley. History of the Free Speech Movement The Free Speech Movement began in 1964 when UC Berkeley students protested the universitys restrictions on political activities on campus. Small sit-ins and demonstrations escalated into a series of large-scale rallies and protests demanding full constitutional rights on campus. This led to the university overturning policies that would restrict the content of speech or advocacy. Today, the Movement stands as a symbol of the importance of protecting and preserving free speech and academic freedom. ... Our principles of community Our principles of community are rooted in our mission and reflect our passion for critical inquiry, debate, discovery and innovation, and our deep commitment to contributing to a better world. ... contributing to a better world. Hmmm sounds inspiring. How is this passion manifested? Student support Our campus has served as a meeting point for extreme elements from opposing ends of the political spectrum and may also attract and involve those who espouse hateful rhetoric that runs counter to our values. If you need support, the campus has several resources. Oh! But...if free speech runs counter to our [unnamed, but you know who they are] values (unnamed but you know what they are), it is hateful rhetoric. Oh again! And therefore self-defined hateful rhetoric from extreme elements can be violently suppressed, because free speech shouldnt be hateful rhetoric that sends students to campus support. Or something. Therefore, one brave Berkeley Jewish professor, Ron Hassner, has decided that not only is his right and the rights of all Jews to free speech not subject to some self-appointed group approval, but he has the right to actively protest in approved Berkeley fashion protesting by a sit-in, a sleep-in, a live-in, when his rights are violated, are in danger. (Quick summary: the professor is proudly Jewish not cowering Jewish on the Berkeley campus, which is infested with anti-Jewish [antisemitic], anti-Israel hate. The hate is often converted to such actions as violently suppressing disapproved free speech, such as recently occurred when a pro-Israel speaker at Hillel, the national on-campus organization for Jewish students, was invited to speak. Israeli Speaker Canceled, Event Evacuated at UC Berkeley Violent pro-Palestinian protests prompted officials to shut down a talk by an Israeli lawyer. Those free speech believers at Berkeley and similar places highly approved. So Hassner is striking back. Shiva-worthy: Berkeley prof starts sit-in to force action against antisemitism UC Berkeley professor Ron Hassner hauled a suitcase, pillow and sleeping bag into his campus office Thursday evening and began converting the small room into his temporary home. Hassner, faculty director of the Helen Diller Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies, began an open-ended sit-in protest over what he and many others in Cals Jewish community see as the failure of university administrators to protect Jewish students. A wave of anti-Zionist activity and antisemitic intimidation began on campus after the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre in Israel, including mob violence on Feb. 26 at Zellerbach Playhouse, where an Israeli speaker was slated to appear. Hassner intends to eat, sleep and teach from his office until the university administration addresses a series of requests he issued in a letter Thursday to UC Chancellor Carol Christ and Provost Benjamin Hermalin. If my students feel that they cannot walk safely across campus without being bullied, then I will not cross campus either, he wrote. Imagine that. Jews believe and act on President Barack Obama (D)s philosophy: Punch back twice as hard. In response to Hassners plans, a Berkeley spokesperson emailed a statement to J. on Friday, noting that Cal remains committed to fostering an environment conducive to robust free speech and in which all members of its community feel that they may engage in campus life without fear of harassment. The administration is committed to confronting antisemitism and holds Professor Hassner in great esteem and it is in conversation with him about his concerns. The lesson plan for Berkeleys commitment to fostering an environment conducive to free speech hasnt been published as of yet. It should be educational to read it and see it carried out. Stay alert for it, especially you Berkeley-affiliated free speechlovers, and keep all of us free speechlovers informed. Image: Ilmicrofono Oggiono via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. Just over 50 years ago occurred the purported Chilean coup d'etat of Sept. 11, 1973, enacted by Gen. Augusto Pinochet on orders from the legislature to unseat elected Marxist President Salvador Allende. Pinochet, harshly reviled to this day by the Left, would rule Chile in a military government until in 1990 he returned power to an elected president after holding a referendum. Since then, Chile has had an uneasy relationship with its armed forces. The unease should be with the communist forces in the body politic that stirred up the trouble in the first place. During his presidency which he won with just 36.6% of the vote in a three-way split, Allende ran interference with the legislature while Cuban-supported, and actual Cuban, revolutionaries ransacked the countryside and rioted in the cities. These elements provoked the coup and continued to stir up trouble in Chile during Pinochet's military government (with multiple bombings, assassinations and assassination attempts), and still continue to stir up trouble all these years later. Chile was the model for bringing America down. In the early 1970s, she exhibited many of the markers we see today in America as a country under siege by the revolutionary Left. Their foot soldiers are generally college kids those most easily reached and fooled because inexperienced, idealistic, and naive led by hardcore cadres. Chileans in those years were somewhat notorious for their intense political polarization. In particular they read only the press that supported their politics. Everything was segregated by politics, they even had politically segregated beaches. I used to wonder about this, then it happened here and now I know why: the Leftist press is unreadable, though of course to them a fair press is unreadable. There wasnt in 1973 Chile nor America today a far Right of any significance, but neither did (do) ordinary folks cotton to revolution. The revolutionaries see them as enemies for just wanting to raise their families, go to church, pay their mortgages, and mind their own business. Supporting revolution in Chile back then was Fidel Castro, bankrolled by the Soviet Union. Today in America, oligarchic billionaires provide the means to fuel the action. China, as we know via Hunter Biden, fits in prominently. All these vultures expect to profit handsomely from Americas gotterdammerung. The model doesnt fit in all particulars, mainly in that we dont have to worry about our military taking action against the revolutionary Left. Not only do we not want it, but the crucial military personalities just wouldnt do it. Judging by their comments, they side with Biden and the crooks. Fighting communists is ugly, thankless, work that never gets properly acknowledged. Generalissimo Francisco Franco spared Spain a communist takeover and then the ravages of WWII, yet his countrymen spit on his name today. Pinochet suffers a similar fate. Neither man was a nice guy, but dictators arent all equally bad. Castro killed tens of thousands by firing squad in his early years; Pinochets count, over 17 years, was about 3,000, and most deaths were of armed revolutionaries in open warfare against the state. Murder is murder, but surely far fewer is preferable to far more. Chile 1973 is playing out in our own streets today. The violent Left doesnt want to talk, they want to fight. And burn. And hurt people. And wreck lives. They will stop only when somebody just as determined stops them. While not news to anybody whos paid attention over the years, this history needs to be reviewed periodically to remind everyone whose side they should be on. During a 21-year career retired Army officer Richard Jack Rail specialized in Latin America and traveled extensively in the region, including tours of duty in Colombia and El Salvador during those countries civil wars. Image: Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional, via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has revealed that Boeing failed 33 of 89 audits conducted as part of a recent examination, shedding light on numerous issues within the production process of the 737 Max jet. This revelation comes after an Alaska Airlines flight experienced a door panel blowout mid-air in January, prompting heightened scrutiny of Boeing's practices. FAA Audit Reveals Manufacturing Lapses Following Door Plug Blowout During the six-week audit, the FAA scrutinized Boeing's manufacturing processes along with its supplier, Spirit AeroSystems. The examination uncovered multiple instances of non-compliance with quality-control requirements. Specifically, Boeing passed 56 of the audits but failed 33. Additionally, the audit uncovered a staggering 97 instances of alleged noncompliance, further raising concerns about Boeing's adherence to regulatory requirements. Similarly, Spirit AeroSystems passed six audits out of 13, with seven failures. Details from the audit include observations of technicians at Spirit using unconventional methods, such as utilizing a hotel key card to check a door seal and applying Dawn soap as a lubricant during assembly. These actions were noted as not conforming to specified procedures, indicating lapses in standard practices. Last month, Boeing was urged by the FAA to address quality control issues within 90 days. The agency has also halted the production expansion of the 737 Max and is considering third-party reviews of Boeing's quality systems. Moreover, increased FAA presence at Boeing's facilities in Renton, Washington, and Spirit AeroSystems' facility in Wichita, Kansas, has been mandated. Read Also: NTSB New Report: 4 Bolts Missing from Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 Before Door Plug Blowout Boeing Grapples with Safety Concerns Amidst FAA Scrutiny The FAA's audit is part of a broader investigation into the Alaska Airlines incident, with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) probing the root cause of the door panel detachment. In a preliminary report released in early February, the NTSB disclosed that four essential bolts meant to secure the door plug of the Boeing aircraft were missing prior to the explosive mid-flight detachment of the plug. In response to these findings, Boeing expressed its commitment to rectifying the identified shortcomings. Dave Calhoun, Boeing's CEO, acknowledged the need for improvement. "An event like this must not happen on an airplane that leaves our factory." Calhoun stated. "We simply must do better for our customers and their passengers." However, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy recently condemned Boeing's insufficient cooperation in the ongoing investigation. She emphasized that investigators still lack vital details, such as the identities of those who worked on the door plug that detached from the aircraft midflight despite repeated requests. The Justice Department, meanwhile, has initiated a review to determine if the deficiencies identified in the audit violate a deferred prosecution agreement signed by Boeing following previous incidents involving the 737 Max. The outcome of the FAA audit is expected to inform future congressional hearings on Boeing's practices. Homendy is scheduled to provide updates on the investigation to the Senate committee overseeing aviation, with hearings involving Boeing executives anticipated thereafter. Related Article: National Transportation Chair Slams Boeing's Lack of Cooperation in Mid Air Emergency Probe @ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Recently, we have been hearing about how artificial intelligence (A.I.) may be dangerous. One year ago, Forbes reported that Elon Musk and hundreds of technologists, entrepreneurs, and researches called on A.I. labs to pause work on powerful A.I. systems. But, just yesterday, I discovered an exciting tool, CitizenPortal, which harnesses the power of A.I. to aid ordinary citizens especially patriotic activists and citizen-journalists in researching and monitoring the speech of local, state, and national officials on a myriad of topics so they can hold them to account. After watching ski races on YouTube, I clicked on a December 2023 Glenn Beck interview for Glenn TV (ep. 321) with Paul Allen, the co-founder and former CEO of Ancestry.com, about his new project. The description of the program on YouTube reads, CitizenPortal is proof that while A.I. certainly should never have free rein, it also CAN be used for good. Further explanation of CitizenPortal is on the home page of the CitizenPortal website. Your A.I. Partner for Transparent Government. See what politicians are saying about issues important to you. Search by word or phrase. CitizenPortal puts A.I. to good use enabling transparency and accountability in federal, state and local government. The American Public empowered. What a great concept: empowering Americans by providing them with easy access to government information, powered by A.I. Tech entrepreneur Paul Allen joined Glenn Beck to talk about CitizenPortal. Beck began by stating, This is the first technology that I think is now using the power that technology has given us the right way. ... This is the first time, I think, somebody is actually showing something that is easy to use, will focus on the things I want it to focus on, it costs me no time. Its fantastic. Explain what CitizenPortal is. Allen prefaced his explanation by saying he is a patriot who values the USA as it was founded, and he wants to be a good citizen. Well, this country needs badly a database of every word spoken by every public servant in every public meeting, and were on the path to do that. Were in the early days. This is less than one year old. He remembered the early days of Ancestory.com and then said about CitizenPortal, Whats coming is very exciting because every person is a citizen of your city, your county, your state. He started talking about everything the portal can include concerning government and got revved up with a long list, beginning with constitutions and constitutional conventions. In August of 2023, Eric Wilson did a podcast with Allen for The Business of Politics Show. A description of the podcast reveals the real value of CitizenPortal in a quote from Allen: I think its a really good time for Americans to say, lets lean into A.I. as citizens to hold our representatives accountable and to make sure that what they say they actually do and what they do actually works. I tried CitizenPortal out by inputting a subject that is controversial in my state: the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR). Out came 12 results for one state, Colorado. I clicked on the state represented in a map of the USA. Up came 15 state results, eight counties with results, and seven city results on which I could click. I chose my county, which is Jefferson, and received videos from two different cities city council meetings and an audio recording from a telephone town hall for the Jefferson County Board for County Commissioners. The videos and audio zeroed in on the point at which TABOR was being discussed. Next, I input a current topic, gender transition, and searched that. Up came video of discussions at three different legislative days and a Board of Education meeting at one school district. Another search was for a politician: Governor Jared Polis. In all the states, 371 results came up, and I could choose to click on another state to see what my governor was saying there. In Colorado, 21 results came up with the choice to view them all or to see them by county. I clicked on Jefferson County and received three results, which were a video at a Lakewood City Council meeting where someone talked about the governor, an article with an interview of the governor in another city, and a video of Governor Polis speaking at a Colorado law enforcement memorial. I then searched TikTok and received 8,684 results on the federal level, in multiple committees, and in all four branches of the federal government. Also, I received multiple results in about every state, and 177 in Colorado, specifically. You can see that CitizenPortal represents a positive use of A.I. that will benefit many regular Americans now and in the future. Try this tool for yourself. You may be amazed. C.S. Boddie writes for Meadowlark Press, LLC. Image via Pexels. By At a Dutch museum dedicated to preserving the consequences of Jew-hate, a small girl got to experience that hate, too, as baying mobs waving Palestinian flags screamed out their hatred for Jews at the child. Here is what was seen on Twitter: De agressie van de haatzaaiers richtte zich gisteren ook tegen de jongste generatie joden. De achterkleindochter van overlevende Rudy Cortissos wordt uitgescholden. Dank burgemeester van Amsterdam dat u deze historische dag hebt laten ontsporen tot een van de zwartste voor joods pic.twitter.com/DvcXWM3j7W Ron Eisenmann (@RonEisenmann) March 11, 2024 The picture was curiously redolent of Norman Rockwell's famous masterpiece about desegregation of schools titled "The Problem We All Live With," in this illustrative painting: Here's the best account of the context -- from The Guardian of all places: Three-quarters of the Dutch Jewish population 102,000 people were killed by the Nazis during the second world war, the highest proportion in western Europe. But, unlike some other countries, the Netherlands has never had a national museum devoted to those horrors. That changed on Sunday when, eight decades after the second world war and in the presence of the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, the Dutch king opened the countrys first Holocaust museum on the site of an Amsterdam creche and former teaching college where 600 children were smuggled to safety. Wearing a kippah, the monarch, Willem-Alexander, said: There is no excuse for not knowing, no room for perspective. Ifs and buts are not appropriate here. Knowing about the Holocaust is not optional. This museum shows us what happened. And not so very long ago. Herzog, whose attendance sparked protests amid Israels continuing offensive in Gaza, said the museum sent a clear and powerful statement: remember, remember the horrors born of hatred, antisemitism and racism and never again allow them to flourish. Unfortunately never again is now, right now. Because right now, hatred and antisemitism are flourishing worldwide and we must fight it together, added the president. Waving Palestinian flags and banners, protesters in a square close to the museum voiced their anger at his visit, chanting ceasefire now. The human rights group Amnesty International, meanwhile, put up detour signs around the museum to direct Herzog to the international court of justice in The Hague. The little girl was a great grandchild of one of the few Jewish survivors of the Nazi Holocaust of Dutch Jews. To take the Google Translate of the Dutch-language caption on Twitter: #Holocaustmuseum The aggression of the hate mongers was also directed yesterday against the youngest generation of Jews. The great-granddaughter of survivor Rudy Cortissos is being verbally abused. Thank you, Mayor of Amsterdam, for derailing this historic day into one of the darkest for the Jewish Netherlands after the war. #Amsterdam Which takes the standard pro-Palestinian Jew-hating protest we have seen since October to a whole new level. It's shocking that anyone with any cause whatsoever would scream at a child. To scream at a Holocaust survivor child is utterly vile, and takes a special kind of antisemite to have the nerve to do it. One thing this nasty, uncalled-for abuse of this small child tells us is that the left's claim that its so-called "anti-Zionism" has nothing to do with antisemitism is absolutely false. They claim it's about policy differences, not Jew-hate, but this incident lays it out loud and clear that this is about Jew-hate. They hate that child for surviving and their shrieks amount to cheering for Hitler. To do that in front of a Holocaust museum to an innocent child tells us everything we need to know about this crowd. They are naked Jew-haters and their brazenness abuse against children and a museum dedicated to the sacred memory of the lost signals that they're Hitler's spiritual denizens. It doesn't get more vile than this. Maybe we ought to know more about who they are, whether they belong in Europe, who failed to teach them the history of the Jews, and why they turned up at that Holocaust museum to scream obscenities. Image: Twitter screen shot Just yesterday, Breitbart News reported on Angus Deatons epiphany regarding the mass invasion of illegal foreigners into the American interior; he finally realized that importing millions of freeloaders to our welfare state isnt such a good thing for the working class taxpayers, or the economy. Deaton is a Princeton economist and a Nobel recipient, so cut him some slack, hes a little slower than the rest of usremember, the road to Hell is paved with Ivy League degrees and apparently, Nobel Prizes too. Heres what Deaton had to say, in an editorial titled Rethinking My Economics and published by the International Monetary Fund: The [economics] profession knows and understands many things. Yet today we are in some disarray. We did not collectively predict the financial crisis and, worse still, we may have contributed to it through an overenthusiastic belief in the efficacy of markets, especially financial markets whose structure and implications we understood less well than we thought. Like many others, I have recently found myself changing my mind, a discomfiting process for someone who has been a practicing economist for more than half a century. After making a case for how economists really have no clue what theyre talking aboutthat much was obvious when Deaton included Karl Marx in a list of economists, and considering that a majority of them assert debt is nothing more than a numberDeaton arrived at several new (to him) realizations. Most importantly, Deaton did a U-turn on his previous support for the mass importation of third-world foreigners into the U.S. homeland: I had seriously underthought my ethical judgments about trade-offs between domestic and foreign workers. We certainly have a duty to aid those in distress, but we have additional obligations to our fellow citizens that we do not have to others. I used to subscribe to the near consensus among economists that immigration to the US was a good thing, with great benefits to the migrants and little or no cost to domestic low-skilled workers. I no longer think so [emphasis added]. Maybe the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences ought to dole out another Nobel for his newfound and remarkable command of the obvious. Deaton seriously underthought the ethical implications of a government stealing money from one person at the barrel of a gun, to hand it over to someone else who didnt earn it? No kidding. How is this possible for such an educated guy? Those low wages for illegals are subsidized by my stolen wealth and your stolen wealth (food stamps, government health insurance, housing vouchers, public school, etc.), both through taxation and debt and devaluation. Better late than never I guess? Since Deaton is apparently behind the curve, a brief (and basic) economics lesson: Importing tens of millions of third-world people with no skills and no money into a first world nation with an enshrined welfare state, does not benefit the people of that nation, as the latter are forced to foot the bill. Thats it, class dismissed. Image: Holger Motzkau, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, unaltered. Beginning in 1964, with the Free Speech Movement, leftists draped themselves in the First Amendment. Having attained political and cultural power, though, they no longer pretend to value free speech. Thats how you end up with the travesty of RuPauls anti-banning bookstorebanning books. For several years, Moms for Liberty fought against schools using pornographic and racist material in classrooms and libraries. (Leftists justify pornography as LGBTQ inclusion, but its still porn, while they justify racism because it only hates white people, but its still racism.) Ron DeSantis stood with Moms for Liberty and was able to get Florida to pass laws somewhat limiting these assaults on our children. The left responded that they were book banners. Leftists said this despite the books being freely available online and at stores throughout America. They also ignored that schools have always curated books for children. RuPaul decided to act against this non-existent book banning. Last week, to leftist applause, he announced that he would send a rainbow-colored bus from coast to coast to deliver banned books to Americas children (something that couldnt happen if they were actually, you know, banned). Image: RuPaul (edited). YouTube screen grab. He revealed, too, that he was one of the partners behind a new online bookstore called Allstora. When it first launched, Allstora insisted that it was a no-holds-barred, free-speech, non-censorship site from start to finish: Initially, the Allstora website stated in a subsection about offensive books that it would carry all books. We cannot fight the ideologies of hate if we lack the ability to study, understand, and react to them. We do that by reading books, the Allstora website previously stated. Allstora further said that censorship of any book, perspective, or story is incompatible with the survival of democracy, and banning books is never the answer. That Voltairian languageI disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it disappeared within days when the owners discovered that they were expected to carry content with which they disagreed: Allstora, a new online bookstore cofounded by RuPaul, is backtracking on its initial decision to include any and all books in its catalog, including anti-LGBTQ titles. They will, in fact, no longer carry the books, but the decision comes after significant controversy. [snip] Ive spent the past week listening to ShopQueer.co customers, RuPaul fans, marginalized authors, and readers who feel betrayed by the inclusion of hate-filled books in our catalog, [store co-owner Eric] Cervini wrote. And through these conversations, Ive re-learned the difference between a library and a bookstore. While a library should fulfill its civil duty of making all perspectives, however abhorrent, available to all, the environment I envisioned for Allstora was one that made its guests feel safe. In building that space, I failed. Cervini clarified that the Allstora team has removed the titles visitors have called to our attention and that, moving forward, Allstora will rely on our community of readers to curate the sites catalog through a mix of focus groups, customer surveys, and a diverse committee of authors. While other online bookstores will continue selling hate-filled books, Allstora will not, he added. We will be a community, a home, for all. Note how carefully Cervini argues that your third-graders library should continue to stock anti-white racism and gay pornbut he shouldnt have to deal with ideas that offend him. What youre seeingagainis the malignant narcissism that defines both leftism and leftists. Heres a list of symptoms, but the takeaway is clear: Narcissists are their own gods. While they manipulate other peoples empathy, they have none of their own. There are no absolute values other than their needs. Thats why its book banning if you do it, but its an appropriate response to offensive ideas if they do it. In this case, the narcissistic truth is that LGBTQers want as many people as possible, starting with infants, to be exposed to the ideas justifying their own sexuality. That standard means its not cognitive dissonance for you to be evil for wanting to keep sexual ideas away from children but for them to be good when they want to erase books challenging LGBTQ ideas. Heads, they win; tails, you lose. You cannot change a narcissists mind. The only thing you can do is use your heft at the ballot box and your dollars in the marketplace to return them to societys margins. Once there, they shouldnt be persecuted because we are civilized. However, they must not have their anti-child, anti-family, anti-society, and anti-civilization ideas ever again returned to center stage in American politics and culture. From 1936-1938, Stalin held a series of trials in Moscow that effectively purged his opposition through executions and imprisonment in gulags. We remember them as show trials because they were pure theater, without any semblance of due process or justice. The sentences were predetermined political outcomes. We suspected that was the case during Nancy Pelosis and Liz Cheneys January 6 investigation and public hearing, but a damning report proves it: The investigation was corrupt (including meetings with Fani Willis), and the public proceedings were dishonest. Stalin may have died in 1953 in Moscow, but his revenants are still hard at work in America in 2024. A newly released initial report from the House Subcommittee on Oversight details its investigations and reveals the truth about the January 6 Committees corruption, including its conniving with Fani Willis to bring about her RICO case against Donald Trump. You can read the entire initial report here. The Subcommittee on Oversight also released a one-page PDF, which summarizes the top-line findings based on the evidence the committee discovered. Ive interlineated the key findings with my commentary: THE SELECT COMMITTEE WAS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE A POLITICAL NARRATIVE - Pelosi made the unprecedented decision to refuse to appoint minority members chosen by the minority to the Select Committee. They hired Hollywood producers to assist with their primetime hearings. They refused to adopt rules, allowing them to operate without limits, to project their predetermined narrative to the world. In other words, for the first time in American history, we had a full, Stalin-esque show trial. This should put to rest any doubt that the Democrat party has purged all liberal elements and is now a hardcore totalitarian entity that will do anything to attain and maintain power. CHENEY WAS VICE CHAIR, A POSITION RESERVED FOR A DEMOCRAT - Cheney was not the minority ranking member but served as Vice Chair of the Select Committee a position under House Rules for a member of the same party as the Chair. Pelosi appointed Cheney to the Select Committee as one of Pelosi's eight majority appointments to the Select Committee. Former Select Committee staff members spoke out against Cheney's insistence that the Select Committee focus on President Trump. Most obviously, this gave the J6 Committee a superficial appearance of bipartisanship (and shame on Kevin McCarthy for allowing even that fig leaf.) However, at a substantive level, the Committee was constructed to give the most power to those who hated Trump the mostand there is no zealot like an apostate. Cheney, a conservative apostate, was happy to take on the role of Trumps chief executioner. THE SELECT COMMITTEE DELETED RECORDS AND HID EVIDENCE - Reps. Thompson and Cheney failed to turn over video recordings of witness interviews and depositions despite using these recordings in their high-profile, primetime hearings. The Subcommittee recovered over one hundred deleted or password-protected files, including some files that were deleted days before Republicans took the majority. They also hid multiple transcribed interviews of witnesses who had firsthand knowledge of Trump's actions on January 6. What the Subcommittee is describing is something called spoliation of evidence. It is a serious crime (emphasis mine): Whoever knowingly alters, destroys, mutilates, conceals, covers up, falsifies, or makes a false entry in any record, document, or tangible object with the intent to impede, obstruct, or influence the investigation or proper administration of any matter within the jurisdiction of any department or agency of the United States or any case filed under title 11, or in relation to or contemplation of any such matter or case, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both. Justice requires that every member of the committee who participated in destroying the documents should be prosecuted under 18 U.S. Code 1519. I think a nice 20-year prison sentence would be a good reminder that the United States is still a country with the rule of law. (And yes, I know the statute refers to departments or agencies, but Congress should surely have rights to the preservation of its proceedings at least as strong as those in the rest of the government.) THE SELECT COMMITTEE PROMOTED "STAR WITNESS" HUTCHINSON'S TESTIMONY - Reps. Thompson and Cheney promoted Cassidy Hutchinson's sensational revised testimony and hid witness testimony from White House and Secret Service employees with firsthand knowledge that directly contradicted Hutchinson's version of events. Hutchinson conducted three transcribed interviews with the Select Committee before substantially revising her story in her fourth transcribed interview. Despite knowing how significantly her testimony changed, the Select Committee promoted it as fact. HUTCHINSON'S SENSATIONAL STORY ABOUT TRUMP LUNGING AT STEERING WHEEL IN SUV AFTER SPEECH AT THE ELLIPSE WAS DIRECTLY REFUTED BY DRIVER OF THE SUV - Reps. Thompson and Cheney were aware that the Secret Service agent driving the SUV on January 6 directly refuted Hutchinson's testimony. Despite this, they still included her testimony in the Final Report and insisted it was credible. In other words, the J6 Committee members knowingly suborned what was almost certainly perjury and made sure to exclude any contradictory evidence. THE SELECT COMMITTEE COLLUDED WITH FANI WILLIS - Fulton County District Attorney wrote to the Select Committee seeking assistance with her prosecution of President Trump. Select Committee staff met with representatives from her office. Its this last one thats a kicker. It proves (as if we didnt already know) that Fani Willis, the Fulton County District Attorney, had no interest in administering justice in her county. Instead, she worked with the Democrat party, both in the White House and in Congress, to file an indictment against the Democrat partys chief political opponent. Stalin would be so proud of his American progeny. We constitutional Americans, however, should be horrified and disgusted. And we should vote for Donald Trump so that he can put in place a United States Attorney General who believes in the rule of law and applies it impartially to all who violate that law. (And please, even if you dislike Trump, dont cast a protest vote for a third-party candidate. Protests ended with the primaries. This is now a completely binary election: Either Biden wins, or Trump winsand if you throw away a vote for Trump, youre ensuring a win for the radicals pulling Bidens strings.) Image: AI reimagines the J6 Committee as zombies, which seems about right, given that they are Stalins living dead. Getting your account hacked or stolen is one of the worst nightmares of any social media user. All social platforms have preset instructions in place for serving hacking victims. Meanwhile, Facebook and Instagram users should have gone to great lengths to take back their compromised accounts, according to Engadget. A coalition of 41 state attorneys general wrote a letter to Meta, demanding the firm take immediate action to help users whose accounts on Facebook and Instagram were hacked. The attorney generals also complain that their offices are flooded with a dramatic and persistent spike in complaints from Meta users. Advertisement Advertisement We refuse to operate as the customer service representatives of your company, the letter to Metas chief legal officer reads. We request Meta take immediate action and substantially increase its investment in account takeover mitigation tactics, as well as responding to users whose accounts were taken over. 41 state attorneys general warn Meta about its poor customer support for compromised accounts The plaintiffs say Meta does not provide them with clear instructions and proper customer support to take back their accounts. Contacting Meta customer support also results in no action, and the firm does not respond to support requests. Metas support is mostly built on automatic responses, and the system isnt capable of properly supporting users. In recent years, even some high-profile accounts with millions of followers on Instagram and Facebook were deactivated. The owners of those accounts had a hard time restoring their accounts. Restoring a deactivated or hacked account is mostly done by finding a contact inside the Meta firm. Meanwhile, solely relying on online forms and instructions that Meta provides to victims results in nothing. Advertisement The attorney generals also demand Meta provide more information about the number of account takeovers over the past five years; suspected causes of the increase in account takeovers; safeguards currently in place to prevent account takeovers; current policies and procedures related to Metas response to account takeovers; and staffing related to safeguarding the platforms against account takeovers as well as responding to complaints. The company has come under fire for allegedly letting parents exploit their children A Meta spokesperson said the company has invested in resources, review teams, and tools to identify compromised accounts. We regularly share tips and tools people can use to protect themselves, provide a means to report potential violations, work with law enforcement, and take legal action, the spokesperson added. Meta has recently come under fire for allegedly allowing parents to run accounts for their underage children. The reports allege that Meta was aware of the case and the explicit content being shared on their account. However, the firm didnt take serious action to stop them. And only relied on its systems to limit access to childrens accounts. The European Unions new Digital Markets Act finally took effect last week, and that means the biggest companies in the technology industry were forced to comply. That includes the likes of Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and more. These companies, designated as gatekeepers by the EU, are now subject to regulation. There is a financial incentive for the corporations to get it right, too. If they are not found to be in compliance, they could be heavily fined. The EU states that companies not found to be in compliance could be the subject of DMA investigations and fined up to 10% of their total revenue. The following six companies are considered gatekeepers: Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and ByteDance. They have each had unique approaches to DMA compliance. In part, thats because each company may have different obligations under the law. Gatekeepers have at least one core platform service, which the EU defines as those that are critical to business in the region. Different requirements may apply to each gatekeeper based on their core platform service. There is also some ambiguity here since the DMA is a new law that is yet to be tested. Advertisement Advertisement However, its looking like the EU is likely to open investigations over the DMA. A report from Reuters predicts this, with a few caveats. The report says that EU regulators may only pick a few DMA investigations to pursue. Microsoft, Amazon, and ByteDance may face less scrutiny initially as EU regulators focus their resources on one or two cases and ensure a case able to withstand a legal challenge, people familiar with the matter said, per Reuters. This may be due to the time constraints related to the investigations, which stipulate regulators must report their findings in just one year. Which companies could face EU investigations over the DMA? That leaves Apple, Meta, and Google as the most likely targets for investigation. Apple might be the obvious choice because it has come under heavy fire for its DMA plans. It also has arguably been affected most by the DMA. Thats because the regulation forced it to open up iOS to third-party app stores, default browsers, and more. Apple has also been criticized for its new fee system, which heavily charges developers who use third-party distribution methods. Another company that could face investigations is Google. No other company has more core platform services than Google, which has eight. Meta is also a possibility, as it wants to give users the option to opt into cross-platform data sharing. The truth is, that many companies dont know exactly what the DMA requires. They might be testing the waters to find out what the true requirements are following investigations. Well, its that time again. Right now, several countries in the world are getting ready to host their elections, and this includes the United States. Since generative AI makes rapid misinformation a very real threat, Google announced that Gemini will not answer questions about global elections. Misinformation has probably been an issue ever since mankind learned how to speak. However, its much more of an issue now with the advent of AI. While the technology is very smart, it is not immune to generating inaccurate results. Right now, many AI chatbots have the capacity to hallucinate and produce wrongful information. That can be devastating if potential voters are given inaccurate information. Advertisement Advertisement Because of this, all eyes are on companies making these AI chatbots. Companies like Google, OpenAI, xAI, Anthropic, Meta, etc. are going to have to prepare for this. Google will not let Gemini answer questions about global elections While we are in the dark about what most of these companies are doing, Google gave us a clue as to what it plans on doing. The company announced that if anybody asks for information dealing with any of the numerous elections going on this year, Gemini will respond with a message saying Im still learning how to answer this question. In the meantime, try Google search. So, if you try to ask it any questions about current US presidential candidates, youre likely to get stonewalled. This doesnt only apply to the United States election going on. There are other elections in other countries coming on as well. Since Googles information and Gemini pretty much span the globe, other countries are just as much at risk of AI hallucinations. So, this seems like a good step for Google. Right now, the company is struggling with AI. For starters, the Gemini image generator was taken down due to the pictures of historical figures with inaccurate skin tones, ethnicities, and genders. This is only one example of Googles rushed mentality toward AI technology. In fact, a former Google consultant spoke about this in a video. Google Wallet, Googles mobile payment service, has been getting steady updates and features. Just near the end of February 2024, Google added support for 42 new US-based banks to grow the app further. The latest Google Wallet update prioritizes user convenience instead of growth by making it significantly easier for users to store all their tickets and boarding passes in one place. This is done by having Google automatically add movie tickets and passes to Google Wallet. Advertisement Advertisement All your movie tickets and passes in one place During the Mobile World Congress, Google announced that updates would be rolling out for the Google Wallet service. One highlighted addition was expanding Google Wallet passes to Wear OS. The update made accessing boarding passes, movie tickets, gym memberships, loyalty cards, and more easier for Wear OS users. Now, instead of having to manually add a boarding pass or ticket to your wallet, Google can automatically save it for you. This new feature was first reported by Android expert Mishaal Rahman, who was among the first to report that the OnePlus Pad was getting Android 14 in the US. Thanks to this update, Google Wallet can now automatically add movie tickets and passes to its data when the user gets a confirmation email in Gmail. This automatic process will make storing tickets and passes in one place more streamlined and seamless. After all, users wont have to interact with the ticket themselves, making the hassle of manually adding passes and tickets non-existent. Advertisement While this new feature is live for some global movie chains and airlines like AMC Theatres, more partners will join the list in the future. Google will likely add support for movie chains and airlines in batches, similar to how it does with banks. Manually archive passes now Googles Google Wallet innovations dont end here, as the company seemingly wants to make organizing passes as easy as possible. Not only can Google Wallet automatically add movie tickets and passes through this update, but users can also manually archive various pass types. Archived passes go to the Wallet apps dedicated Archived Passes section, allowing easier access. Furthermore, this archiving feature isnt limited to the apps mobile version. Users can also archive passes in their Google Wallet using Wear OS, allowing them to organize and access their passes on the go. These new features come after Google announced Google Pays June closure in the US. True to its word, the company is shifting its focus on making Google Wallet the definitive payment service. The "leadership viability" of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is "in jeopardy," according to the US intelligence community's annual report on national security concerns, which was presented to Congress on Monday. The head of the Central Intelligence Agency said that a hostage agreement was the most practicable method to end, at least temporarily, the conflict in Gaza. This fresh assessment of American intelligence sparked concerns about whether or not Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel could remain in office. Netanyahu Faces Opposition Amid Crisis The 2024 Annual Threat Assessment spoke anticipates over Israel's vision for the conclusion of the conflict and stated that Netanyahu's right-wing alliance "may be in jeopardy." These concerns were aired in both the United States and Israel. Following an increase in tensions and a devastating terror attack, Netanyahu is dealing with severe opposition and instability in politics. According to a recent intelligence report, there is a growing lack of trust in Netanyahu's leadership, leading to widespread demands for his resignation and the potential for new elections. There is an alarming rise in public dissatisfaction, showing a decrease in trust in Netanyahu's leadership skills. The perception of his government's failures has been elevated by its actions leading up to and during the October 7 attack, resulting in the loss of 1,200 lives and 240 individuals being held hostage by Hamas militants. Netanyahu has faced stern reproach for his handling of the crisis, with questions raised about the efficiency of his military actions leading to an extended war with substantial casualties, especially in Gaza. Although there is widespread backing for the demise of Hamas among the Israeli population, lots of people are suspicious of Netanyahu's tactics, which have resulted in extensive damage and casualties in the Palestinian territories. The fragile relationship between Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden has added to the intricacy of the situation. Biden has openly condemned Netanyahu's management of the conflict, arguing that it has escalated tensions and damaged Israel's interests. Netanyahu has strongly supported his policies, stating that they align with the desires of the Israeli people, according to CNN News. Read Also: Oscars Red Carpet 2024: From Best Celebs Fashion to Most Scandalous Looks, Trends! Israel's Military Operations Risk Drastic Consequences But still, the intelligence report evokes a bleak outlook for Netanyahu's political prospects, indicating that his hold on power could be destroyed. Facing rising opposition from both domestic and international sources, Netanyahu is on the brink of an essential leadership opposition. Experts warn that Israel's military operation against Hamas could result in lasting consequences. Israel is advised not to underestimate Hamas's resilience and ability to sustain prolonged resistance, despite its significant military advantage. There are worries that the current conflict may fuel more extremism, motivating potential terrorists in the future and risking the interests of Israel and the US. During this period of political instability, the chance for a change in leadership is essential. The annual threat assessment from the US director of national intelligence indicates that Netanyahu's coalition government, known for its tough stance on Palestinian issues, could be facing instabilities. An alternative that is considered more moderate is being proposed as a potential solution to the current situation in Israel, The Telegraph reported. Related Article: Netanyahu Vows To Push on With Hamas War Despite Biden's Concerns: 'We're Not Getting off the Gas' @ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Are you a Windows 10 user? If so, you may have heard that Windows 10 Enterprise, (version 21H2) will reach the end of updates on June 11, 2024. This means that after this date, Microsoft will no longer provide any security updates, bug fixes, or other updates for this particular version of Windows 10. Moreover, this news may bring up some questions and concerns for users who rely on this operating system. In this article, we will discuss what this means for users and what steps you can take to ensure the security and smooth functioning of your system. Advertisement Advertisement What does end of updates mean? When a software version reaches the end of updates, it signifies that the developers will no longer be releasing any new updates or patches for that particular version. This is typically done to encourage users to upgrade to a newer version of the software, which will have the latest features, security updates, and bug fixes. In the case of Windows 10, version 21H2, users will no longer receive any updates from June 11, 2024, onwards. What are the risks of using an outdated version of Windows 10? Using an outdated version of Windows 10 can pose various risks to your system. Since security updates and bug fixes will no longer be provided, your system will be vulnerable to cyberattacks, malware, and other security threats. This can result in data breaches, system crashes, and other serious issues that can compromise the security and stability of your system. Therefore, it is crucial to take action before the end of updates to ensure the safety of your device. Advertisement Understanding the end of updates First and foremost, lets break down what the end of updates for Windows 10, version 21H2 means. When Microsoft ends updates for a specific version of Windows, it signifies the end of support and security updates for that version. This means that users will no longer receive new features, bug fixes, or security patches for their operating system. What to expect after June 11, 2024 After the end of updates for Windows 10, version 21H2, your operating system will continue to function as normal. However, without regular updates and security patches, your system may become more vulnerable to cyber threats and malware. It is essential to be aware of this risk and take necessary precautions to protect your data and personal information. Things to consider before the end of updates As the end of updates approaches, there are several steps you can take to ensure a smooth transition. Here are some tips to help you prepare. Advertisement Upgrade to a newer version: Consider upgrading to a newer version of Windows, such as Windows 11, to continue receiving updates and support from Microsoft. Back up your data: Before making any changes to your operating system, make sure to back up all your important files and data to prevent any loss during the transition. Update Your Software: Make sure all your software and applications are up to date to reduce the risk of compatibility issues with newer versions of Windows. Consider Security Software: Invest in reputable security software to enhance the protection of your system against potential cyber threats. In conclusion, the end of updates for Windows 10, version 21H2 is approaching, and it is essential to be prepared for this change. By understanding what this means for you as a user and taking the necessary steps to protect your system, you can ensure a seamless transition to a newer version of Windows. Stay informed, back up your data, update your software, and consider security measures to safeguard your system after June 11, 2024. Windows 10 users should be proactive in addressing this update. Remember, your cybersecurity is in your hands take the necessary precautions to protect your system and data. Whether you choose to upgrade to Windows 11 or explore other options, being proactive is key to maintaining a secure and efficient operating system. Prepare yourself for the end of updates for Windows 10, version 21H2, and keep your system safe and secure in the ever-evolving digital landscape. Samsungs newly launched premium mid-range smartphone, the Galaxy A55, may not arrive in the US. The company reportedly hasnt planned a US release for the phone. It could change its mind later but there arent any such signs. The Galaxy A35, which debuted alongside the A55 yesterday, is coming stateside. Samsung prioritizes Galaxy S23 FE over Galaxy A55 in the US The Galaxy A55 sits below Samsungs Galaxy S series flagships on the price ladder. It is a value smartphone with good cameras, a decent chipset, flagship build quality, a premium display, long update support, and more on a budget. Last years Galaxy A54, for example, debuted with a price tag of $450, a good value for what it offered. Advertisement Advertisement Samsung sweetened the deal this year by adding an aluminum frame to the Galaxy A55. At a sub-$500 price, the phone would have been an appealing proposition. However, according to a CNET report, the new mid-range device wont step into the US. The company will not be carrying the Galaxy A55 5G at this time, a Samsung representative told the publication. The Korean behemoth reportedly plans to position a discounted Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 FE as its offerings below the Galaxy S24, which starts at $800. This doesnt seem like a bad move. The FE model launched with a $600 price tag. If Samsung offers a discount on it, the Galaxy A55 wont be missed. The Galaxy S23 FE is a substantially better package than the A-series phone. That said, Samsung can bring the Galaxy A55 to the US anytime if it feels there is a market for the phone. The Galaxy A35, on the other hand, is confirmed to be available stateside from the beginning. We can confirm that Galaxy A35 5G will be coming to the US market and look forward to sharing more details in the coming weeks, the Samsung representative said. A release date for the Galaxy A35 is not yet available Samsung has yet to reveal a release date for the Galaxy A35 in the US. It hasnt even announced its release in most markets outside Europe. The company may share the details closer to the market debut of the device. As far as the entry price is concerned, the Galaxy A35 may start at around $400. It uses the Galaxy A54s Exynos 1380 chipset and the Galaxy A55s 50MP main camera. The device misses out on an aluminum frame. Stay tuned for its US release. Samsung has released its March update for the Galaxy S22 series in the US. The 2022 flagship lineup joins the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S23, and the past two generations of Galaxy foldables in this group. The company will update more devices in the coming weeks. Galaxy S22 receives Samsungs March update in the US As of this writing, the March 2024 update is rolling out to carrier-locked variants of the Galaxy S22 trio in the US. More specifically, the update is available for users on Verizons network. Samsung should soon cover other carrier variants and expand the rollout to unlocked units. International versions of the phones should also pick up the update over the next few days. Advertisement Advertisement The latest update for the carrier-locked Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 Ultra in the US comes with the firmware build number S90*USQS4DXBG. The official changelog confirms that it is all about this months security fixes. The current software update provides the most up-to-date Android security patches on your device, Verizon says in its release notes. So, dont go deep looking for anything else. While there arent any new features or functional improvements to look forward to, Samsungs March 2024 SMR (Security Maintenance Release) contains some critical security fixes for Android OS. So, you should install this update as soon as possible. The Korean firm has combined a total of 46 vulnerability patches in this release, including nine Galaxy-specific patches and 37 Android OS fixes from Google. If you are using a carrier-locked Galaxy S22 on Verizons network in the US, you should receive this update anytime now if you havent already. Users on other networks or with an unlocked unit can also look forward to it. Like before, you can check for updates from the Settings app. Go to the Software update menu and tap on Download and Install. You may also get a notification once Samsungs OTA (over-the-air) rollout hits your Galaxy device. Galaxy S22 series will get One UI 6.1 Samsung launched the Galaxy S24 series with One UI 6.1 out of the box. The new One UI version brings AI features, UI improvements, smoother animations, and more. The company plans to push these changes to compatible older models starting this month. The Galaxy S23 series will get it first, followed by other models. Samsungs recent foldables and older flagships may get this update in April. We will let you know when the rollout begins. Federal investigators conducted Monday a thorough search at the troubled Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Dublin, California, seizing computers and documents in an apparent escalation of a long-standing sexual abuse investigation. This latest development led to the removal of several key officials, including the warden, amidst mounting allegations of misconduct and retaliation against inmates, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke to Associated Press on condition of anonymity. FBI Probe at FCI Dublin Amid Allegations of Retaliation, Misconduct The search at FCI Dublin, undertaken by more than a dozen FBI agents, marks a significant turn in a yearslong probe into sexual abuse allegations at the facility. The removal of the warden, Art Dulgov, came amid allegations of retaliation against an inmate who testified in a lawsuit against the prison. Government lawyers revealed that Dulgov's staff had transferred the inmate to another facility in defiance of a court order, prompting his removal from office. While the FBI confirmed its presence at the prison, it refrained from providing specific details regarding the operation. This comes as the latest event to cast a shadow over FCI Dublin, following a series of controversies and scandals in recent years. An investigation by the Associated Press in 2021 revealed a pervasive culture of abuse and cover-ups at the facility, prompting heightened scrutiny from Congress and promises of reform from the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). The investigation resulted in charges against multiple employees, including former warden Ray Garcia, who was convicted in 2022 for sexually abusing inmates. The scandal at FCI Dublin has contributed to broader challenges within the federal Bureau of Prisons, which has grappled with staffing shortages, suicides, and security breaches. In response to the recent developments, the BOP confirmed a leadership change at the prison, with Deputy Regional Director N.T. McKinney appointed as the interim warden. Read Also: California Inmate Donates Salary for Relief Efforts in Gaza Calls for Reform Intensify Amid Ongoing Abuse Concerns Monday's search by the FBI follows a series of civil lawsuits alleging further abuse at FCI Dublin, highlighting ongoing concerns about the treatment of inmates and the management of the facility. The prison, located approximately 21 miles east of Oakland, has gained notoriety as a site of rampant staff-on-inmate sexual abuse, earning it the grim moniker of the "rape club." "They referred to it as a rape club," Former U.S. Representative Jackie Speier stated, as reported by ABC 7 News. "I wanted to speak with certain inmates there because I was told they had been raped and they had resisted letting me meet with them." Inmates at FCI Dublin have faced retaliation for reporting abuse, including solitary confinement and confiscation of belongings, according to Amaris Montes, a lawyer representing plaintiffs in lawsuits against the Bureau of Prisons. Since 2021, multiple employees at FCI Dublin have been charged and convicted of sexually abusing inmates. The prevalence of such abuse has raised significant concerns about the safety and well-being of inmates under the care of the federal prison system. The ongoing investigation at FCI Dublin reflects broader calls for reform within the federal Bureau of Prisons, with advocates and lawmakers urging comprehensive action to address systemic issues of abuse and misconduct. Related Article: Haiti Prison Break: Thousands of Inmates Reportedly Escaped After Gangs Storm Facility @ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Social media influencer Andrew Tate will be extradited to the UK after a British police force secured a European arrest warrant for allegations of rape and human trafficking. Bedfordshire Police said they are working with authorities in Romania as part of an investigation into the 37-year-old and his 35-year-old brother Tristan. The pair were detained on Tuesday and appeared at the court of appeal in Bucharest where it was ruled they would be extradited following the conclusion of legal proceedings in Romania. The allegations, which the two brothers unequivocally deny, date back to 2012-2015. Speaking to reporters outside court following the ruling, Andrew Tate told reporters he and his brother are very innocent men. He said: I want to give absolute credit to Romanian justice for making the correct decision today. Unfortunately I dont think many people in Romania understand, but in the West, in the countries that are owned by the satanists, when you get to a certain level of fame you either put on a dress or you go to jail and Im happy to make my choice which is jail every single time, my soul is not for sale neither are my principles. Were very innocent men and in time everybodys going to see that. We are excited to finish this judicial process and clear our names. A police officer escorts Andrew Tate from the Court of Appeal in Bucharest (Andreea Alexandru/AP) The pair were released from police custody following the hearing, their representative said. Lawyers representing four women who accuse Tate of rape and sexual assault said they wrote to UK police to request his detention over fears he would flee Romania. In response to the claims made by law firm McCue Jury & Partners, Tates spokeswoman said: We unequivocally deny any accusations that Andrew or Tristan Tate intends to abscond from Romania to evade the judicial proceedings. Our clients are fully committed to actively participating in the legal process and defending their reputation. We believe this rumour has originated from a popular online influencer who misconstrued a text message from our clients while streaming live. There is simply no truth to it. The law firm said the four British accusers were the subject of an investigation by Hertfordshire Constabulary. The Hertfordshire investigation was closed in 2019. Tate is accused alongside his brother Tristan (Andreea Alexandru/AP) In response to the court of appeals ruling on Tuesday, the Tate brothers lawyer Eugen Vidineac said: We appreciate the Bucharest Court of Appeals decision to postpone the extradition of Andrew and Tristan Tate. This ruling provides an opportunity for the brothers to participate fully in their defence and for the legal process to proceed in a transparent manner. Commenting on the Tate brothers being detained, Matthew Jury, managing partner at McCue Jury & Partners, said: Todays news is very welcome as it has been a significant concern to many that Tate would seek to avoid justice in Romania and abroad. We are grateful to the British authorities for taking our concerns seriously and issuing an arrest warrant. Mr Jury said Andrew Tate had spread a vast amount of disinformation about the criminal allegations he faces in the UK since his first arrest in Romania. The law firm said it welcomed the court of appeals decision on Tuesday. In a separate case, the Tate brothers are charged with rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women in Romania after being arrested in the countrys capital in December 2022 alongside two Romanian women. All four deny the allegations. Chic frontman Nile Rodgers and composer Esa-Pekka Salonen have been announced as recipients of the prestigious Polar Music Prize 2024 often described as the Nobel Prize of music. Each year the prize typically honours two figures, one contemporary and one classical, for significant achievements in music. The ceremony for the award, which was first handed to Sir Paul McCartney in 1992, will take place at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden, on May 21 in the presence of the Swedish royal family. Rodgers, who is the chairman of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, has produced stars including the late David Bowie, Madonna and Diana Ross, as well as creating disco hits including Le Freak and Everybody Dance with his band Chic. Nile Rodgers and Chic perform (Jane Barlow/PA) Reflecting on receiving the prize, the US musician told the PA news agency: Its amazing when people that are from other countries give you prizes like this because it shows you that this art form touches people all around the world. And maybe, and this is how Ive always felt, that communication was the most important part of being an artist, because it may be something that you create (in a) very solitary place but what you do after the form is completed, is you want to share it with the world. Reflecting on how the industry has evolved for the digital age, he said: The thing thats great about streaming is it gives artists access to the world, thats fantastic. But remuneration is nowhere near fair because the people who have the power in that scenario are the ones who own the physical masters, the record companies, and theyve gone in and made secret deals that were not even privy to. Their deals are non-disclosure deals so right now I cant tell you how much money Warner Bros makes from my own music but I did know when it was really based on a purchase. Rodgers said he feels there needs to be more transparency from record labels to ensure the musicians are being fairly compensated for their work. There has to be an entirely new paradigm when it comes to remuneration for artists, he added. Its funny that the people who create the music, write the songs, which is the basis of our modern industry, without the song you dont have an artist, you dont have a record, but were the lowest person on the financial totem pole. We should be somewhere in the middle, at least, if not the top, because youre creating the thing that everybodys making tonnes of money on. This has to be looked at differently. The music veteran also advised younger artists to embrace failure and to allow space for the what if moments when creating music. If youre in the art business, I guarantee you, there is no way everyone is going to love what you do, thats just not going to happen, he said. And if you worry about the few people who dont, and it could be thousands, it could be millions, but dont take these criticisms so personally because youre an artist, and youre trying to explore. The King with composer Esa-Pekka Salonen (Arthur Edwards/PA) Fellow recipient Salonen has established himself as an acclaimed composer and conductor over the years. The Finnish artist is currently the music director of the San Francisco Symphony and is the conductor laureate for Londons Philharmonia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic and Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Each recipient will receive prize money of one million Swedish kroner (76,197). The managing director of the Polar Music Prize, Marie Ledin, said they were delighted to welcome Rodgers and Salonen as the laureates for 2024. She added: In Nile Rodgers, we honour a ground-breaking pioneer whose legacy spans his work as co-founder of Chic and as record producer and creator behind so much of the worlds greatest music. Niles impact in pop culture is incomparable and his timeless songs will continue to delight, uplift and inspire for many years to come. Esa-Pekka Salonen is an innovator. His artistic curiosity, creativity and forward-thinking approach to composing and conducting paves the way in classical music. He is a master of tone, perfectly balancing sound and emotion to produce and lead music that deeply moves the listener. Previous recipients of the prize include Iggy Pop, Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, Chuck Berry, Ennio Morricone, Bjork, Led Zeppelin, Patti Smith, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Sir Elton John and Metallica. Motorists are being warned that tests for new electric cars significantly overstate how far they can travel on a single charge with real-world driving. An investigation by What Car? magazine found a shortfall of up to 38% in the range of electric vehicles (EVs) in low temperatures compared with official figures. Editor Steve Huntingford warned that the testing regime which manufacturers are required to put their vehicles through is completely unrepresentative of real-world conditions. The magazine stated that official analysis under the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) is conducted in laboratories with an ambient temperature of 23C, with each model undergoing an unrealistically gentle acceleration to record what distance they can cover before a battery with 100% charge goes flat. What Car? did its own range tests on 12 electric cars which were taken to a site in Bedfordshire, left in the open overnight in temperatures of between 6C and 10C, and driven in a way that simulated stop-start urban conditions and on motorways. The largest discrepancy was found with the Lexus UX 300e Takumi, which costs around 57,100 and has an official stated range of 273 miles. It was found to only be able to cover 170 miles, a 38% reduction. This was followed by the Lexus RZ 450e Takumi, which is advertised as having a range of 251 miles but was found to be able to cover just 159 miles, some 37% less. It costs around 74,000. The third biggest shortfall was for the Volkswagen ID 7 Pro Match (without heat pump), which costs around 51,600 and could only travel for 254 miles in the What Car? test, some 34% below the stated distance of 383 miles. Mr Huntingford said: Official testing of electric car ranges is completely unrepresentative of real-world conditions, potentially leaving drivers disappointed and with insufficient mileage. It is clear that the results obtained using WLTP methods are unsuitable. We need a new system that provides achievable summer and winter figures so that prospective EV buyers can be confident the car theyre looking at will suit their needs. Providing a single, overly optimistic figure doesnt help anyone. Mike Hawes, chief executive of industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said: Car makers are investing billions in developing zero emission vehicles, with improved battery performance, range and charging times, to make them a compelling choice for all drivers. As What Car? rightly acknowledges, car manufacturers are required by law to test all vehicles of all technologies to the same, repeatable official standard the WLTP test and publish these results within any advertising to help car buyers make comparisons between vehicles. What Car? also acknowledges that there will always be a difference between lab tests and real-world use due to variations in conditions, terrain, load and driving style. Cold weather in particular will have an impact on range, but this has not deterred consumers in countries such as Norway and Iceland, which have the worlds highest rates of EV ownership. A man on trial for biting and beating his model ex-partner claims it was impossible that he hit her as there were no marks on his hands, a court has heard. Instagram influencer Chloe Othen, 33, says she was punched in the head 30 times, strangled and dragged along the floor by her hair by Ricky Lawrence, 32. Lawrence is also accused of biting Ms Othen, taking her phone and stopping her from leaving his flat in Hans Crescent, Knightsbridge, after a text message row in the early hours of October 15 2022. Giving evidence on Tuesday, Lawrence told jurors he had not kidnapped Ms Othen as she claimed at the time, and instead said to Bora Guccuk: Theres no kidnap, this is my address. You come and pick her up, she wont leave. The defendant also said there was no way he bit Ms Othen and allegations that he punched her were impossible as he had no marks on his hands. He said he did not use any physical violence against her, but instead repeatedly asking her to leave the property. Chloe Othen says she was punched and bitten by Lawrence (Jordan Pettitt/PA) Lawrence, who part-runs tailoring and property development companies, had to leave his previous job with an alcohol wholesaler due to negative press from the alleged incident, the Nightingale Crown Court in Holborn, central London heard. Lawrence told jurors his relationship with Ms Othen began properly around the end of February 2022 and had started to disintegrate by the end of April, before ending very abruptly. Defence lawyer Tony Wyatt asked what Ms Othen had said to Lawrence about her previous boyfriend, Mr Guccuk, to which Lawrence replied: She told me that shed been in an abusive relationship, multiple times. Lawrence alleged that when he picked up Ms Othen from outside Mr Guccuks home around April 2022, she had a mark along the side of her face. Lawrence said he called police to his apartment on May 8 of that year as Ms Othen wouldnt leave. Asked by Mr Wyatt whether there was any truth that Lawrence bit or punched Ms Othen during that incident, Lawrence said: Absolutely not. Lawrence said he offered Ms Othen to stay with him in his flat in June 2022 after she revealed she was pregnant and wanted to keep it, before she changed her mind after several days and had an abortion. The defendant said he and Ms Othen bumped into each other frequently and slept together on numerous occasions between May and October 15 2022, despite her being involved in a money relationship with Mr Guccuk. He told jurors that Ms Othen regularly made allegations of stalking against him which he denied in court, adding: Anywhere I was, she seemed to be. Lawrence said he and Ms Othen exchanged messages between around midday and 2.30pm on October 14 before arranging to meet at 5.30pm that evening. Ricky Lawrence says he asked Chloe Othen to leave his home (Jordan Pettitt/PA) Ms Othen cancelled and Lawrence next heard from her at about midnight, he said, after which they then spoke every half an hour until the early hours of October 15. The jury was then shown WhatsApp messages exchanged between Lawrence and Ms Othen on October 15 from 04.17am onwards. These included messages from Lawrence which said You f***** up tonight. Watch what I do now you silly c***, and Ill do anything in my power to f*** up the rest of your life. Screenshot that. Lawrence told the court the messages were terrible and he was not proud of that. Asked by Mr Wyatt why he wrote them, the defendant said: When youve had the last couple of months Id had there comes a point when your language becomes more colourful than it might usually be. Referencing the Screenshot that part of one message, Lawrence said: She used to delete messages so I couldnt forward them to somebody else. Lawrence said he was going to tell Mr Gaccuk that he and Ms Othen were having an affair. He told the court he woke up at about 5.45am and answered the door to Ms Othen straight afterwards. Asked about Ms Othens condition at that time, Lawrence said she was clearly very, very drunk, or on something else and was slurring. Lawrence said he answered Ms Othens phone, which she had put on the coffee table, after he saw it was Mr Guccuk ringing to tell him she was at my house. He claimed Ms Othen then panicked and started saying, Hes kidnapped me whilst he was still on the phone, and that he put the phone back on the table once the short call ended. Lawrence denied all allegations that he threatened to kill or stab either Ms Othen or Mr Guccuk in the neck. The defendant said that after having the same, repetitive conversation with Ms Othen, he scooped her up and held her almost like a baby and took her to front door, again asking her to leave. Ms Othen re-entered the flat but did eventually leave of her own accord, Lawrence said, and he did not hear anything else until around 12.30pm later that day when police arrived at the property. Lawrence denies a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and the trial continues. George Galloway hit out at Labour and the Conservatives, claiming most people feel a wish for a plague on both their houses, in his first Commons speech on returning to Parliament. The leader of the Workers Party of Britain criticised the Chancellors Budget as an absolute nothing burger which would not help Rochdale, the town he now represents. In his first Commons outing since he swore the oath of allegiance to the King and took his seat, Mr Galloway also paid tribute to his Labour predecessor Sir Tony Lloyd, whose death from cancer triggered the by-election which led to his victory. Mr Galloway opened his speech by telling MPs: As I was saying Madame Deputy Speaker, even in Parliament you cant be a maiden twice. An MPs first speech is usually known as their maiden speech, but Mr Galloway has previously represented seats in Glasgow, east London and Bradford in the Commons, for Labour and later the Respect Party. The newly elected MP swept to victory in greater Manchester seat Rochdale in February, gaining almost 40% of the vote in a contest mired in chaos and controversy and dominated by the Gaza conflict. He described his Rochdale predecessor Sir Tony as a significant figure that should never be forgotten in this House and certainly will not be forgotten in the Greater Manchester arena where he was born and where he practised his sincere political artistry over so many years. As he continued his tribute to Sir Tony, Mr Galloway criticised the Labour Party, telling MPs: The Labour Party of course is not the party today that it was back then, and in this speech and later speeches I hope if God spares me and you (Madame Deputy Speaker) allow me to catch your eye but Tony Lloyd notwithstanding the very poor odour in which the Labour Party is held in the town of Rochdale, the only thing that unites the entire town of Rochdale is antipathy towards the Labour council in the beautiful, new, refurbished town hall. That is something we intend to change in just a few weeks from now at the local elections, he added, referring to Mays local elections, before finishing his tribute to Sir Tony by telling the Commons: But notwithstanding the poor odour of the Labour Party in the town, everyone respected and admired Tony Lloyd, Sir Tony Lloyd as he was to become. Mr Galloway went on to criticise the lack of public services in Rochdale, insisting it was not possible to either be born or die in the town due to lack of hospital facilities. He claimed Rochdale had become a subdivision of Oldham because its postcode began OL. In his first written parliamentary question to ministers tabled since his return, the Workers Party MP asked if ministers would have discussions with Royal Mail on the allocation of the RO postcode to Rochdale, but was told this would be an operational matter for the Royal Mail. New Reform UK MP Lee Anderson (top row second from right) sat next to George Galloway MP (top row right) on the opposition benches in the House of Commons (House of Commons/UK Parliament) He also hit out at the Budget, telling the Commons: Frankly all the spices in Rochdale could not give flavour to what can only be described as a nothing burger of a Budget. An absolute nothing burger and the response from the so-called Opposition in this House: equally vacuous. The shadow minister (Darren Jones) bridled when the SNP accused them of accepting the Tories spending limits, but he had no right to bridle because everything that is being said by the Leader of the Opposition, by the shadow chancellor of the exchequer, accepts the economic orthodoxies of the Conservative Government. Mr Galloway said he had garnered more votes than all of the main parties put together in the Rochdale by-election, adding: Proving my point that actually outside in the country most people feel a wish for a plague on both of their houses. Two cheeks of the same backside is the most popular phrase I have ever coined, because it so aptly describes not just the general political situation, but the debate on this very Budget itself. A judge has ruled that US actor Alec Baldwin will not have to give sworn evidence in a civil lawsuit until after his involuntary manslaughter trial. The lawsuit, filed by three crew members from the film set Rust, claims Baldwin and his production company El Dorado Pictures caused emotional distress as a result of negligence following the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. She was killed on the western film set in October 2021 after a prop gun held by Baldwin went off in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Alec Baldwin gestures while talking with investigators following a fatal shooting last year on a movie set in Santa (Santa Fe County Sheriffs Office via AP) On Tuesday, Judge Bryan Biedscheid partially granted a motion filed by Baldwins lawyers to stay the action meaning a temporary suspension of legal proceedings pending the resolution of his criminal case. There will be no depositions of Mr Baldwin individually or related to El Dorado Pictures between now and the conclusion of the criminal trial in this matter, the judge ruled, during the virtual hearing. However, the judge said he is not staying written discovery which moves the case forward and is appropriate under the circumstances, meaning parties can continue to gather evidence to use in this case. It comes after Baldwin was re-charged with involuntary manslaughter in January this year, and will face a trial beginning on July 10. Before the judges decision, Baldwins lawyer Robert Schwartz said lawyers for those bringing the civil action were trying to create a record in which a jury could draw negative inferences against Mr Baldwin if he gave his civil deposition. Alec Baldwin will face a trial in July (Ian West/PA) While Mr Baldwin is fighting for his freedom, here we are fighting over his money, he said. The hearing comes days after Rust armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter after a two-week trial. The charge in which she has been found guilty carries a maximum penalty of 18 months in prison and a 5,000 dollar (3,900) fine. Baldwin, who starred as lead actor and co-producer of the film, was pointing a gun at Ms Hutchins during a rehearsal when the weapon went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza. The US star previously said he pulled back the hammer, but not the trigger, and the gun fired. He was initially charged in January 2023, which was formally dismissed, before he was re-charged a year later. Manchester United midfielder Mason Mount has returned to training after four months on the sidelines. The 25-year-old has endured a difficult first season at Old Trafford, managing just 12 appearances in all competitions since joining from Chelsea over the summer. Mount has not played since coming off the bench in Uniteds 1-0 win against Luton in November, but a return from a calf complaint is finally in sight. The Premier League club confirmed on Tuesday that the England international is back in training, just days after Erik ten Hag offered a promising update on him. Mason Mount, I think he is in a good spell now and he will return shortly, the Dutchman said on Friday. I think after the international break. Mounts presence will be a welcome boost to a United side looking to push for Champions League qualification. The midfielder will also have an FA Cup semi-final to look forward to if the team can overcome Liverpool this Sunday. Our squad has been boosted by the return of @AWBissaka! #MUFC || #FACup Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 12, 2024 While the quarter-final clash may come too soon for Mount, Ten Hag expects Harry Maguire, Rasmus Hojlund and Aaron Wan-Bissaka to be available. The latter trained on Tuesday having been laid low for two months with an unspecified issue, but Lisandro Martinez, Anthony Martial, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia remain long-term absentees. Off the field, United have announced record second-quarter revenues of 225.8million thanks largely to their involvement in the Champions League group stage. The results up until December 31 showed net profit was up 6.3 per cent to 20.4m and reiterated previous revenue guidance for fiscal 2024 of 635m to 665m. Uniteds debt stands remains at 650m US dollars (509.6m), plus outstanding balance of the revolving credit facility as of 31 December 2023 was 260.0 million and total current borrowings including accrued interest payable was 266.8 million. Sir Jim Ratcliffe last month completed his deal to become co-owner at United (Peter Byrne/PA) Exceptional items amounting to 9.6 million were shown for Q2 related to an initial portion of expenses as part of the strategic review and the deal for Sir Jim Ratcliffe to become minority owner. The release says that further exceptional items have been recognised in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. Raine are being paid 31.5m US dollars (24.7m) for brokering the deal a fee paid by United rather than directly by the clubs majority owners, the Glazer family. Cliff Baty, chief financial officer, said: We delivered strong revenues during the first half of the fiscal year and have reiterated our guidance for record revenues for the full fiscal year. This is an exciting time at Manchester United following the completion of Sir Jim Ratcliffes investment, and we are all focused on working together with our new co-owners to drive the club forward and deliver success on the pitch. Michelle Donelan has apologised for publicly posting a letter on social media falsely suggesting an academic had expressed sympathy for Hamas. The Science Secretary later retracted her comments about Professor Kate Sang and agreed to pay her 15,000 in taxpayer money. She accepted there was no evidence the academic, who had recently been appointed to the UK Research and Innovations (UKRI) advisory group on equality, diversity and inclusion, was a Hamas supporter. Speaking at the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee on Tuesday, Ms Donelan said she should have privately written to UKRI raising her alleged concerns, instead of posting the letter on X, formerly Twitter. She also said that civil servants were aware that she was going to publish her letter on the platform. Ms Donelan told the committee: While I always err on the side of transparency, I am now clear that in this case, I could have sent the letter in confidence to the UKRI in order for them to undertake the investigations privately. And I do apologise for not having done so, and for any distraction that this decision has caused from this Governments positive agenda. She added: I highlighted it on the platform that the original tweet was done on Twitter, or X and that was something I have apologised for. With hindsight, I could have just sent it privately and if I had the ability to do it again, I would certainly just send it privately. Michelle Donelan has apologised for the tweet (Stefan Rousseau/PA) So Ive said that publicly as well as retracting the original comments, which I do think is important. In terms of advice, of course, with long-time precedent, we dont get into the actual nature of the advice. But what I can tell you here today, is that both policy and legal were not only cited but also cleared the approach taken. The letter written by Ms Donelan expressed disgust and outrage that Prof Sang and another academic, Dr Kamna Patel, had shared extremist views and, in Prof Sangs case, expressed sympathy for the terrorist group after the October 7 attacks in Israel. This followed a tweet by Prof Sang saying: This is disturbing. Suella Braverman urges police to crack down on Hamas support in UK with a link to an article by the Guardian describing the response to the Hamas attacks in the UK. Ms Donelan has since accepted that Prof Sangs comments referred to the story as a whole, and not just the headline. The Science Secretary told the committee she is a champion of academic freedom of speech and that the incident had to be viewed in the context of the recent Hamas attack at the time. Ms Donelan continued: And we have seen a great deal of hatred across online social media platforms something that I had addressed directly with the platforms themselves and we were very worried about potential violence on our own streets. She also told the peers: My actions were never motivated by any political desire. They were motivated by a concern around whether proper process and due diligence had been followed. And as I outlined at the very beginning, in my initial statement, the specific tweet, or X, that I saw I felt was concerning especially given the context at the time, and that is why I highlighted it for an investigation by UKRI. Ms Donelan also explained that there is no surveillance at all of academics and she had been alerted to the initial tweet by an official within the department. Asked how the damage caused by the incident can be repaired, the Science Secretary said there would be an internal review of processes to ensure that we learnt the lessons of this and that we dont ever repeat those. Responding to the apology, Peter Kyle, Labours shadow science secretary, said: Rishi Sunak said he would lead a government of integrity, but this squalid episode shows he has once again utterly failed on that promise. Donelan has now admitted that there was no need to publicly hurl abuse at an academic without evidence. Its an insult to hardworking families up and down the country that 15,000 of taxpayer money was wasted on unprofessional and libellous behaviour from a Conservative Cabinet minister. Michelle Donelan has not been able to show that she still has the support of our vital scientific community. Labour has been clear, Donelan still needs to answer whether civil servants helped to produce a dossier on the academic, and she must inform the public of the overall legal fees paid by the taxpayer. Open Arms, the ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, departed the port of Larnaca in Cyprus on Tuesday morning local time (Mar. 12), at the beginning of Ramadan this year in the midst of the Israel-Hamas War. According to World Central Kitchen (WCK), the non-profit organization organizing the supply run, it was the first civilian maritime shipment of humanitarian aid to the strip. "After weeks of preparation, our team in Cyprus loaded almost 200 tons of food onto the Open Arms boat that will deliver the desperately-needed aid," the group said in a statement. WCK said it had partnered with the United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, and the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms to coordinate the voyage. Read Also: Israel Could Witness PM Benjamin Netanyahu Being Ousted From Power as Coalition Faces Jeopardy, US Intelligence Report Claims Setting Sail for Gaza According to CNN, the voyage came after announcements that Cyprus, the European Commission, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the UAE were working to establish a maritime corridor to deliver aid to Gaza. It was earlier reported that Israel welcomed the sea deliveries and would inspect the cargo bound for Gaza before the ship left Cyprus. The ship would tow a large barge packed with pallets of food aid, including rice, flour, beans, lentils, and canned meats. A temporary jetty would also be built in an undisclosed location in Gaza, though the details of those efforts are unclear. On Sunday (Mar. 10), WCK Founder Jose Andres said that the jetty would be built with material and infrastructure in Gaza with the help of barges and amphibious vehicles. The pier would be built "with @openarms_fund serving as our logistics and command in the water...carrying the initial barge near the beach ... plus a big cargo boat for reloading," according to his post on X, formerly Twitter. WCK added that it had served more than 35 million meals in Gaza since October and was working with almost 400 locally hired staff. Related Article: Ramadan Dawns on Gaza's Desperate Struggle with Ceasefire, Hunger Crisis, Delayed Aid Relief @ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A minister has defended a major Conservative Party donor who reportedly said MP Diane Abbott made him want to hate all black women and that she should be shot. Energy minister Graham Stuart said on Tuesday that he would hesitate to describe Frank Hesters comments as racist. Labour and the Liberal Democrats branded Mr Hesters alleged remarks as clearly racist and abhorrent and urged the Tories to return the money he has donated to the party. He donated 10 million to the Tories last year, according to Electoral Commission records. Ms Abbott herself said the comments were frightening and alarming given two MPs Jo Cox and Sir David Amess have been murdered in recent years. Mr Hester, chief executive of healthcare software firm The Phoenix Partnership (TPP), has admitted making rude comments about Ms Abbott, the first black woman elected to Parliament, but claimed they had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin. The Guardian reported that he told a company meeting in 2019: Its like trying not to be racist but you see Diane Abbott on the TV, and youre just like you just want to hate all black women because shes there. And I dont hate all black women at all, but I think she should be shot. (The executive) and Diane Abbott need to be shot. In a statement released via his firm, Mr Hester said he had rung Ms Abbott on Monday to apologise directly for the hurt he has caused her. Frank Hester accepts that he was rude about Diane Abbot (sic) in a private meeting several years ago but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin, the statement said. He wishes to make it clear that he regards racism as a poison which has no place in public life. Diane Abbott is currently suspended as a Labour MP (Ian West/PA) Asked about Mr Hesters comments, Mr Stuart declined to describe them as racist or comment on hypotheticals. He told Times Radio: Im hesitating to call it that because I dont like to sit in judgment on these things. It was clearly a ridiculous thing to say, hes rightly apologised for it, and heres a man whos supporting the most diverse Cabinet weve ever had under this Conservative Party. Weve got a Hindu Prime Minister and hes our biggest donor, so I dont think this is a man who is a racist. On ITVs Good Morning Britain, Mr Stuart said: I dont comment on hypotheticals. It hasnt been verified. Clearly, whatever he said, it wasnt acceptable, he has apologised, he has sought to reach out to Diane Abbott, and quite rightly too. Pressed on whether the Tories should return Mr Hesters donations, Mr Stuart told Sky News: We cant cancel anybody from participation in public life, or indeed donating to parties, because they said something intemperate and wrong in their past. Its not my decision, but I do welcome those who support the Conservative Party. Cabinet minister Mel Stride also defended Mr Hester, saying that, while his alleged remarks had been inappropriate, they were not gender-based or race-based. The Work and Pensions Secretary added: He has apologised and I think we need to move on from that. But opponents have criticised the Tories reluctance to describe Mr Hesters reported remarks as racist and urged the governing party to hand back the money he and his company have donated. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been urged to return money donated by Frank Hester (Daniel Leal/PA) Ms Abbott said in a statement to ITVs Good Morning Britain: Its frightening. I live in Hackney and do not drive, so I find myself, at weekends, popping on a bus or even walking places more than most MPs. I am a single woman and that makes me vulnerable anyway. But to hear someone talking like this is worrying. For all of my career as an MP I have thought it important not to live in a bubble, but to mix and mingle with ordinary people. The fact that two MPs have been murdered in recent years makes talk like this all the more alarming. I am currently not a member of the Parliamentary Labour Party but remain a member of the Labour Party itself, so I am hoping for public support from Keir Starmer. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told ITVs Lorraine: The comments about Diane Abbott are just abhorrent This apology this morning that is pretending that what was said wasnt racist or anything to do with the fact shes a woman, I dont buy that Im afraid, and I think that its time the Tory Party called it out and returned the money. He added that former Labour MP Ms Abbott has been a trailblazer, she has paved the way for others, shes probably faced more abuse than any other politician over the years on a sustained basis. Labour MP Sarah Jones told Sky News: Of course the Conservative Party should be very quick to say these comments were racist and abhorrent, and of course we dont want money from this kind of person. Labour Party chairwoman Anneliese Dodds has written to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak highlighting that he accepted a personal gift of nearly 16,000 for a helicopter ride. She wrote: Accepting and using that money can only be treated as implicitly condoning and overlooking his deeply disturbing comments and the way he has run his business. Anything less than returning the money will be a stain on the Conservative Party. Lib Dem chief whip Wendy Chamberlain said: Graham Stuarts refusal to call out these racist comments was simply jaw-dropping. The Conservative Party has flat out refused to return these donations despite these comments being inexcusable. How low can you go? Rishi Sunak can bunker down and hide in Downing Street as long as he wants but every day he doesnt return this money is another damning blow to the Conservative Partys credibility. A Conservative spokeswoman said: Mr Hester has made clear that, while he was rude, his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor the colour of her skin. He has since apologised. Ms Abbott, first elected as MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington in 1987, has sat as an independent since April after the Labour whip was withdrawn following comments she made in The Observer suggesting Jewish, Irish and Traveller people are not subject to racism all their lives. She is awaiting the outcome of an independent complaints process set up by Labour to investigate her remarks. The Guardian reported that TPP has been paid more than 400 million by the NHS and other Government bodies since 2016, having been given responsibility to look after 60 million UK medical records. According to the TPP website, Mr Hester founded the company in 1997 as he worked on integrated care models. In 2015, the businessman was made a member of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to healthcare. Robert Hur listens to recorded remarks from Joe Biden during a hearing of the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday - NATHAN HOWARD/AP A report into Joe Bidens handling of classified documents made headlines in January over claims about the presidents memory. Robert Hur, the justice departments special counsel, was investigating whether Mr Biden should be charged for allegedly mishandling state secrets. However, the two men ended up discussing far more together. Over two days of interviews, and a transcript that covered 268 pages, Mr Biden discussed his time as president, vice-president, a senator, a law clerk and what he enjoyed doing in his free time. He frequently joked and teased justice department lawyers, and veered off into anecdotes, despite attempts by Mr Hur, who is facing questions in Congress on Tuesday over his final report, to steer the conversation back to the classified documents. Mr Biden also enthusiastically discussed his love of electric cars, architecture, and his wife, Jill who was said to have been exasperated by his chaotic filing system. The transcript of the interviews is 268 pages long - PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS/AP Slings and arrows Mr Biden surprised himself with an archery display on a trip to Mongolia in 2011, apparently striking a target from a hundred yards away. While not a bad archer, he told Mr Hur, hitting the makeshift target mounted on bales of hay with a bow and arrow was pure luck. I dont know if it was to embarrass me or to make a point, but I get handed the bow and arrow, he recalled. I turned to the prime minister and handed it to him and the poor son of a b couldnt pull it back. Those pictures... At one point, Mr Biden joked with interviewers about the FBI finding pictures of his wife in her bathing suit while they searched his home in Delaware. I just hope you didnt find any risque pictures of my wife in a bathing suit, which you probably did. Shes beautiful, he said, prompting laughter from the room. He then clarified that he was kidding. The US President often returned to the topic of FBI searches, claiming they knew his home better than he did. A frustrated architect Mr Biden sees himself as a frustrated architect, claiming to have designed his lake house in Wilmington, Delaware so the sun would always shine. Im a frustrated architect, and if you went through, you probably saw all those significant number of house plans that Ive drawn, he said. He claimed that his wife had offered to pay for him to attend an architectural school in a bid to persuade him against running for the Senate for the 19th time. Im deadly earnest, not a joke, he added. Electric cars Mr Biden repeatedly attempted to discuss cars with Mr Hur, at one point complaining he could only drive his vintage Corvette along his driveway. At another point, he tried to engage the prosecutor in a discussion about electric vehicles disregarding the special counsels attempts to regain control of the conversation. You know how it works? Its really cool, he said. You step your foot on the accelerator all the way down until it gets about six, seven grand. Then all the sudden it will say launch. All you do is take your foot off the brake. The transcript indicates that he then made a car sound. Its on my bucket list, Mr Hur promised. Disorganised filing system Jill Biden apparently despaired over her husbands filing system and urged him to be more like former Republican president Ronald Reagan. She wanted nothing to do with my filing system, Mr Biden said of his wife. At another point, he admitted: I wish I could say I was more organised. No, Im not being facetious. Im being deadly earnest. Jill used to say to me, you ought to be like Franklin Roosevelt or Ronald Reagan. I said, dont make me like Ronald Reagan, Id joke. Every night, hed come home and hed write a diary about what happened that day, who he spoke to, classified, unclassified, just everything hed write in it, and he kept it all. Presidential library Mr Biden indicated he had started thinking about where to locate his presidential library but had no idea where to put it. The library, which will contain records from his administration, is traditionally located in the presidents home state. Mr Biden said he was considering different locations, however. My recollection is theres people competing, Mr Biden said. Syracuse University would like it, University of Delaware would like it. They want to do it down here in Washington. Not made to be a lawyer Mr Biden decided against pursuing a career in law after representing a client who had lost part of their penis in a fire. He encountered the 23-year-old victim, who was injured working in an oil refinery because he was wearing the wrong pants, as a clerk in a Delaware law firm. This poor kid is down a hundred-foot vessel chimney, scraping the hydrogen bubbles off of the inside, he recounted. And he was wearing the wrong pants, wrong jeans a spark caught fire and got caught in the containment vessel and he lost part of his penis and one of his testicles. Looking at the mans family after the trial, he realised: Son of a b, Im in the wrong business, Im not made for this. Fax machine Mr Biden repeatedly forgot what a fax machine was called while describing the layout of the library in his Delaware home. At one point, Ed Siskel, the White House Counsel, supplied the word as the US President appeared to struggle and referred to his copy machine. Mr Biden said: The library has two filing cabinets in it, and it has built into the walls a space far a copy machine, for a what do you call it, when they send these? Fax machine, Mr Siskel interjected. Fax machine, Mr Biden confirmed. Staff found security footage of the cat fleeing from the plant The inhabitants of a city in Japan have been warned not to approach a cat after it tumbled into a vat of hazardous chemicals and then fled, leaving bright yellow paw prints in its wake. The discovery was made by a worker at a metal plating factory in the city of Fukuyama, after he found paw marks leading away from the vat. When staff checked their security cameras, they found images of the feline fleeing the plant. It is not known how the cat managed to climb out of the 10ft-deep vat after falling into it. In the black and white video footage, it appeared to be unharmed and scampered across a forecourt. But it may not have remained that way for very long the vat contained hexavalent chromium, an orange and brown chemical that is carcinogenic and can cause skin inflammation. The cat left bright yellow paw prints in its wake - AFP We immediately alerted police, the Fukuyama city authorities and neighbours near our factory, a representative from the company told Agence France-Presse. The spokesman added: The incident woke us up to the need to take measures to prevent small animals like cats from sneaking in, which is something we had never anticipated before. Officials advised locals not to approach or touch the cat if they came across it. Instead, they are asked to immediately call the police. I hope the cat is caught soon before it causes any harm, one local said. As of Tuesday evening, no sightings had been reported. There are an estimated nine million domestic cats in Japan, with the number growing steadily each year. Cat cafes are popular as well. These are coffee shops where customers can play with cats that roam freely around the premises. There are more than 600 cat cafes across the country, according to the Japan Times. Family protest of those affected by NHS Essex mental health services, opposite Downing Street in London, July 2021. Photograph: Picture Capital/Alamy Bereaved relatives have accused ministers of dragging their feet over an inquiry into the death of almost 2,000 patients across NHS mental health trusts in Essex. The inquiry has still not started more than eight months after the announcement that it would be relaunched with beefed-up powers. In June last year, the government gave in to pressure from families and the then chair of the inquiry, granting it legal powers to compel witnesses to give evidence. In December, the new terms of reference were sent to ministers, setting out what the inquiry will investigate. But the terms of reference have yet to be approved by ministers, leaving relatives frustrated, with another unnecessary death reported a few weeks ago. Melanie Leahy, whose son, Matthew, died at the Linden Centre in Chelmsford in 2012, said: I know that this inquiry, the first of its kind nationally, if carried out in a timely and comprehensively investigative manner, it has the power to prevent more deaths, not just in Essex but all over the UK. Why am I and all the other bereaved families and injured individuals still waiting? Worse, why are we being met with such callous and terrifying indifference? Why are our legal team being ignored? We can only conclude that our government simply does not care. If the government continues to drag its feet in this way then they must be held to account for their failings. If there are more deaths during this interminable wait, this government needs to be held responsible. The inquiry initially launched on a non-statutory basis in January 2021 to investigate deaths at the Essex partnership university NHS trust and its predecessors between 2000 and 2020. It was established after a 2019 investigation by the parliamentary and health service ombudsman that found numerous failings in the events surrounding the deaths of Matthew Leahy, 20, and another young man named only as Mr R. Priya Singh, a medical negligence senior associate at Hodge Jones & Allen, which is representing scores of families, called the delay shocking, saying: The terms of reference are still waiting to be finalised by the government. Why? Whilst waiting for meaningful progress, yet another unnecessary death occurred a few weeks ago of a loved one whist under the care of Essex partnership university NHS foundation trust. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson expressed sympathies to the bereaved families and said it took the investigation extremely seriously. They said: Baroness [Kate] Lampard has undertaken a consultation of its terms of reference, and this is now being considered. A protest in London in 2022 against a plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda. Photograph: Hesther Ng/SOPA Images/Rex/Shutterstock Civil servants have threatened ministers with legal action over concerns that senior Home Office staff could be in breach of international law if they implement the governments Rwanda deportation bill. The FDA union, which represents senior civil servants, have warned they could also be in violation of the civil service code and open to possible prosecution if they followed a ministers demands to ignore an urgent injunction from Strasbourg banning a deportation. It has sent a pre-action legal letter to James Cleverly, the home secretary, calling for clarity with a request to either amend the legislation or change the code. The safety of Rwanda (asylum and immigration) bill states that it is for ministers to decide whether to comply with decisions by the European court of human rights to temporarily halt a deportation. The concern of the FDA and many of its members is that if ministers instruct civil servants not to comply with an interim measures indication, they will be putting the UK in breach of international law, the letter said. With the bill due to return to the Commons next week, and the government expected to try to get the first flights off the ground within days of that, the FDA warned that it may require legal proceedings to clarify the matter. People who have been refused asylum could reportedly be offered thousands of pounds to move to Rwanda under a new voluntary scheme. The proposals, which are separate from the main scheme and are understood to have been agreed with Kigali, are designed to remove people who have no legal right to stay in the UK but cannot be returned to their home country, according to the Times. It will be aimed at individuals who do not have an outstanding asylum claim and are in a position to be relocated swiftly. An intervention by a Strasbourg judge last June stopped the only attempted deportation flight from taking off for Rwanda. Dave Penman, the FDAs general secretary, said in his letter that the government had acknowledged there was a problem and planned to issue draft guidance to make it clear that it was the responsibility of civil servants to implement the decisions of ministers. Sir Matthew Rycroft, the Home Offices top civil servant, said in a letter dated 17 January: Given the nature of removal flights, officials should be available to advise ministers at short notice and during evenings and weekends. Home Office officials shall proceed with removal if the relevant minister approves that course of action. But Penman said that while the FDA welcomed the governments recognition of the need to clarify civil servants responsibilities, it did not consider the guidance to be adequate. He cited advice from the attorney general, revealed last month, that it was beyond doubt that interim measures from the court to stop a deportation were binding for the UK under international law and that there was no respectable argument to the contrary. The letter goes on to say that difficulty arises because civil servants have personal legal obligations under domestic law not to act contrary to international law. That obligation is not capable of being over-written by any ministerial instruction or guidance. The civil service code states that officials must comply with the law, which the government has previously confirmed includes international law, meaning that any ministerial instruction to ignore a Strasbourg ruling would be a breach of their terms of service. Ministers do not employ civil servants and cannot unilaterally change or alter their terms of service, the letter adds. The guidance is erroneous in law and gives serious uncertainty for civil servants, and would foreseeably place them in an exceptionally difficult position. The FDA warned that given the implementation of the new Rwanda bill in coming weeks, its letter was acting as a pre-action notification of a potential claim for judicial review, in the event of ministers instructing officials to ignore a Strasbourg injunction. A government spokesperson said: Matters of international law are rightly a matter for ministers. In the event that the minister decides, in the light of full policy, operational and legal advice, not to comply with a rule 39 indication in an individual case, it is the responsibility of civil servants operating under the civil service code to implement that decision. Clive Palmer says Labors proposal to cap electoral spending would limit the diversity of ideas. Photograph: Darren England/AAP Billionaire businessman Clive Palmer has warned Labor against legislating electoral spending and donation caps, accusing it of attempting to silence the diversity of ideas in this country. The Albanese government is preparing legislation to cap political donations and electoral spending, citing the influence of Palmers hundreds of millions of electoral spending, backed by donations from his company Mineralogy to the United Australia party. Although the reforms are backed by an inquiry into the 2022 election by the joint standing committee on electoral matters (Jscem), Palmers intervention into the debate spells trouble for the government, which could face a high court challenge on the basis caps infringe the implied freedom of political communication. Guardian Australia first revealed in July 2022 that the special minister of state, Don Farrell, planned to legislate truth in political advertising laws and spending caps, an intention confirmed in June 2023 when he said the government cant allow our electoral system to be held hostage by rich people. It cant only be rich people who can afford to run and fund electoral campaigns, he said, citing Clive Palmers $117m spending at the last election. On Tuesday, Palmer responded to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald and Age suggesting the law would allow tens of thousands but not millions to be donated and spent. The more advertising dollars that are spent, the greater the chance of media surviving and journalists keeping their jobs, Palmer told Guardian Australia. Advertising allows all political parties to express their ideas. Limiting the flow of ideas reduces peoples ability to choose. It is worrying that Labor wants to silence the diversity of ideas in this country. In February 2023 the high court ruled that the New South Wales cap of $20,000 on electoral spending before a byelection was unconstitutional. The NSW government conceded the cap was set too low, after a state committee recommended the cap be raised to $198,750. In 2019 the high court struck down a NSW law which cut the amount third-party groups can spend on state campaigns from $1.05m to $500,000, ruling that it infringed the implied freedom of political communication. The Albanese government aims to introduce and pass the legislation by mid-2024 but may need Coalition support given warnings from the Greens that it would not support any attempt to rig the electoral funding system, making it harder for Greens candidates, or independents, to compete fairly. A spokesperson for the shadow special minister of state, Jane Hume, said we will wait for the government to put forward a response to the final report of [Jscem] and then consider our position through the normal party processes. The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, warned that unions must be included in spending caps or the reforms would amount to an effective gerrymander by the government. Littleproud told ABC TV if there is equity, then we are open to being constructive in those reforms, provided the package did not include expanding parliament. The independent MP Kate Chaney said no one thinks its good for democracy when one individual can spend $100m to influence the outcome of an election. But if taxpayers fund election campaigns instead, through an increase in public funding, it entrenches the status quo. Although senator David Pocock has given in-principle support for caps on political donations and spending, the Climate 200 fundraising group has raised concerns that caps may make it difficult for newcomers to compete against MPs. Australias federal electoral funding system provides MPs with literally hundreds of millions in public funding to help retain their seats but there are no arrangements to help outsiders have a fighting chance against this system, the Climate 200 executive director, Byron Fay, said in June. The release of a family portrait by the Princess of Wales has caused a backlash after she admitted digitally altering the photograph - Prince of Wales/Prince of Wales CNN is reviewing all photographs handed out by Kensington Palace after the Princess of Wales admitted editing a family portrait. The American broadcaster said the picture of the Princess and her three children had been distributed for editorial purposes and that media organisations expect those images to be accurate. The photograph was recalled by four of the worlds biggest picture agencies over fears it had been manipulated. The Princess then admitted editing the image after several inconsistencies were identified. She said that as an amateur photographer, she occasionally experimented and apologised for any confusion it had caused. An analysis of the furore published online by CNN said that, like most news organisations, they regard it as unacceptable to move, change or manipulate the pixels of an image as it would alter the reality of the situation the image is intended to document. CNN is now reviewing all handout photos previously provided by Kensington Palace, it added. A decision about any action will be taken when the investigation has concluded. Multiple images merged The digital fingerprint of the Princesss photograph, released to mark Mothers Day, suggests that she merged multiple images using Photoshop. Analysis of data embedded in the image indicates that a copy and paste function was used. Until this week, no such accusations have led professional photography agencies to raise questions about a Kensington Palace-issued image. But the growing use of artificial intelligence has prompted agencies to update their policies so that manipulated images are not distributed. The British Press Photographers Association (BPPA) applauded the swift and decisive actions of the agencies that killed the Princesss picture on Sunday evening, warning that public trust was paramount. Jamie Lorriman, chairman of the BPPA, acknowledged that while there might not have been anything sinister behind the Princesss actions, the furore had highlighted a much broader issue. The edits she made may well be inconsequential but it has highlighted a bigger problem, he said. These family moments used to be photographed by professional photographers and I hope we can get back to that. As press photographers, we have standards we have to adhere to. But as governments and royals increasingly insist on taking their own images, we are put in a position where we are simply handed a picture and told to trust the source. We should be independent rather than being spoon fed and when the subject is the one controlling the image this is even more concerning. Experts told Baroness Hallett the inquiry appears to have led to 'predetermined conclusions' - AFP The Covid Inquiry appears to be fundamentally biased and is failing to examine the costs of lockdown, leading scientists have warned. In a letter to Baroness Hallett, the inquiry chairman, the group of 55 professors and academics express their concerns that the process is not living up to its mission to evaluate the mistakes made during the pandemic, assess whether Covid measures were appropriate, and to prepare the country for the next pandemic. They warn that a lack of neutrality means the inquiry gives the impression of being fundamentally biased and appears to have led to predetermined conclusions, for example, to lockdown faster next time. In the letter published on Tuesday, the group states that the inquiry is neglecting to hear evidence from those who suffered from the negative effects of pandemic policy decisions, or scientists who disagree with choices made by the government. As the second module of the inquiry comes to a close, they call for this to be urgently addressed and greater focus to be placed on the economic and social cost of Covid policies to British society. The letter was organised by Dr Kevin Bardosh, an expert in infection medicine at Edinburgh University and Prof Sunetra Gupta, an epidemiologist at Oxford University. Worklessness worrying trend It comes as Richard Hughes, chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), warned on Tuesday that worklessness had become a worrying trend in the economy since the pandemic. Mr Hughes told the Treasury select committee that the economy had been growing as a result of net migration but now the economy was suffering from a reversal in its workforce amid rising levels of inactivity and a falling participation rate. He said: It looks as though persistently high levels of inactivity seem to be a feature of the post-pandemic environment and one which is worrying from the point of view of human welfare. So far the Covid Inquiry has examined the Governments resilience and preparedness, as well as decision making and political governance across the UK. The next set of inquiry modules include one on the Governments business and financial response, and another focussing on education, children and young people. Academics hope the cost of lockdown policies will be scrutinised more closely in these upcoming sections of the inquiry. The group includes academics from York, Durham, Bristol and Exeter universities as well as Imperial College London and Kings College London, in fields ranging from global health policy and medicine to ethics, law and statistics. Dr Bardosh, who is director of Collateral Global, a British think-tank which was set up to examine pandemic policies, told the Telegraph ahead of the publication of the letter that he wanted to write to Lady Hallett before the list of core participants is drawn up for the next set of modules. While anyone can submit evidence to the inquiry, core participant groups enjoy special status, including the right to representation and the ability to make legal submissions, suggest questions for witnesses and receive disclosure of documentation. Time to recognise their biases The letter is an attempt to get the inquiry to recognise that they have got some things wrong, they still have time to redirect it to be more impartial, Dr Bardosh said. It is really important that the inquiry recognises they have had these biases and shortcomings in Modules One and Two so they dont carry it over into the other modules. Previously, MPs have written to Lady Hallett to urge caution about the direction of the inquiry. But this is the first time that a group of eminent academics have raised concerns. The letter goes on to say that the inquiry is taking key assumptions for granted instead of examining and critiquing them. It states: The consensus position in pre-2020 pandemic plans was that non-pharmaceutical interventions, including lockdown, had weak evidence of effectiveness, and were predicted to cause substantial harm to society, especially if used for prolonged periods. This informed the initial response to Covid in early 2020. Yet, the Inquiry assumes that these measures are effective and appropriate. As a result, it downplays the harms to society caused by two years of emergency infection control mandates. The academics also note that the inquiry lacks impartiality in the selection and questioning of expert witnesses. It has given preferential treatment to scientific advisers on Sage, who have a vested interest in maintaining the justification for their policy recommendations, they say. Confrontational rather than inquisitorial Very few scientists with an alternative position have been asked to testify, and the Inquiry has been confrontational rather than inquisitorial in its questioning of these views. The Inquiry has not seriously questioned the hypotheses and assumptions offered to government, especially from government appointed modellers, which were used to justify Covid policies. Neither has it seriously examined the social and economic costs of lockdown. Sage is the Governments Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies. A spokesman for the inquiry said: The Inquiry was established in June 2022 and is entirely independent. Lady Hallett, chairman of the Inquiry, has said repeatedly that she will not reach any conclusions until she has considered all of the evidence; that includes the written evidence. The Inquiry does not act on assumptions and has called expert witnesses who question the use of lockdowns and other interventions, as well as experts who advised on the imposition of lockdowns. The Inquiry will consider important issues such as the impact of lockdowns, key scientific and policy questions as well as population health and wellbeing in forthcoming modules. Our modular approach is clearly set out on our website and we will report during the lifespan of the Inquiry, with the first report scheduled for this summer. Rishi Sunak on a visit to London Central Mosque on Monday. A spokesman said the PM was clear 'there is no place for racism in public life' - Getty Rishi Sunak has branded comments allegedly made about Diane Abbott by the Tories biggest donor racist and wrong. Frank Hester is alleged to have told colleagues in a 2019 meeting that looking at Ms Abbott, a former Labour MP who now sits as an independent, makes you want to hate all black women and that she should be shot. On Tuesday night, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said: The comments allegedly made by Frank Hester were racist and wrong. He has now rightly apologised for the offence caused and where remorse is shown it should be accepted. The Prime Minister is clear there is no place for racism in public life and as the first British-Asian Prime Minister leading one of the most ethnically diverse Cabinets in our history, the UK is living proof of that fact. Downing Street had previously declined to categorise the comments reported to have been made in 2019 by Mr Hester as racist, instead terming them clearly unacceptable. The latest reaction comes after Kemi Badenoch, the Business Secretary, broke ranks to call the comments racist. In a post shared on Twitter, Mrs Badenoch said: Hester's 2019 comments, as reported, were racist. I welcome his apology. Abbott and I disagree on a lot. But the idea of linking criticism of her, to being a black woman is appalling. It's never acceptable to conflate someone's views with the colour of their skin(1/2) Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) March 12, 2024 In a further post, she continued: MPs have a difficult job balancing multiple interests often under threats of intimidation as we saw recently in parliament. Some people make flippant comments without thinking of this context. This is why there needs to be space for forgiveness where there is contrition. Mr Hester gave 10 million to the Conservatives last year, Electoral Commission records show. On Tuesday, Ms Abbott responded to the comments in a statement. She did not describe Mr Hesters comments as racist or misogynistic, but said: It is frightening. I live in Hackney and do not drive so I find myself, at weekends, popping on a bus or even walking places more than most MPs. I am a single woman and that makes me vulnerable anyway. But to hear someone talking like this is worrying. Ms Abbott says 'to hear someone talking like this is worrying' - Guy Smallman/Getty Images She added: For all of my career as an MP I have thought it important not to live in a bubble, but to mix and mingle with ordinary people. The fact that two MPs have been murdered in recent years makes talk like this all the more alarming. Police are understood to have been contacted in relation to the original Guardian report into Mr Hesters alleged comments. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: On Monday, 11 March officers from the Parliamentary Liaison and Investigation Team were contacted in relation to a report about an MP that appeared in the Guardian. We are assessing the matter and are liaising with West Yorkshire Police as the alleged incident is believed to have taken place in Leeds. Officers from the Parliamentary Liaison and Investigation Team remain in contact with the MP. Ms Abbott has earlier said she was hoping for public support from Keir Starmer despite being suspended from the parliamentary Labour Party in 2023. The Labour leader went on to defend Ms Abbott several hours later, calling her a trailblazer and describing Mr Hesters comments as just abhorrent. Sir Keir also called on the Conservatives to hand back the money it had received from Mr Hester. He told ITVs Lorraine programme on Tuesday morning that he didnt buy assertions that Mr Hesters comments were not racist or misogynistic. He said: I am sorry, this apology this morning that is pretending that what was said wasnt racist or anything to do with the fact she is a woman, I dont buy that Im afraid. And I think it is time the Tory Party called it out and returned the money. Mr Hester said that he had personally phoned Ms Abbott on Monday to apologise for his comments. In a statement, a spokesman for the Tory donor said: Frank Hester accepts that he was rude about Diane Abbot in a private meeting several years ago but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin. The Guardian is right when it quotes Frank saying he abhors racism, not least because he experienced it as the child of Irish immigrants in the 1970s. He rang Diane Abbott twice today to try to apologise directly for the hurt he has caused her and is deeply sorry for his remarks. He wishes to make it clear that he regards racism as a poison which has no place in public life. Mr Hester said that he had personally phoned Ms Abbott on Monday to apologise for his comments - Christopher Pledger for the Telegraph Anneliese Dodds, the Labour Party chairwoman, has written to Rishi Sunak to tell him that anything less than returning the money will be a stain on the Conservative Party. Meanwhile, Wendy Chamberlain, the Liberal Democrat chief whip, claimed that every day he doesnt return this money is another damning blow to the Conservative Partys credibility. Conservative ministers have rebuffed demands that Mr Hesters donations be returned. Graham Stuart, the energy minister, defended Mr Hester throughout the Tuesday morning media round. He told Times Radio that while the comments made were ridiculous, he didnt think Mr Hester is a man who is a racist. Pressed on whether the Tories should return Mr Hesters donations, Mr Stuart told Sky News: We cant cancel anybody from participation in public life, or indeed donating to parties, because they said something intemperate and wrong in their past. Its not my decision, but I do welcome those who support the Conservative Party. Clearly unacceptable Ms Abbott, who has represented Hackney North and Stoke Newington since 1987, was the first black woman to be elected to parliament. She was shadow home secretary under former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Both have since been suspended under Sir Keirs leadership. In a post shared on Twitter, Mr Hester said that he had been asked by the Guardian to confirm another series of comments made at the same 2019 meeting. Mr Hester appeared to confirm that he had said: For me, racism is a hatred and a fear of the other. For me, it is exactly the same as homophobia - its not limited to the colour of your skin, it is not limited to religion, it can just be the country next door. It can be northerners and southerners, which we have here. He added: I can confirm that this is an accurate reflection of my view that hatred of others based on race, religion, gender, sexuality or geography is odious and disgusting and that racism - in particular - is a poison that has no place in public life. Mr Hester pointed out that his own parents had roots in another land and that we should celebrate those differences which have made us the worlds most successful multi-ethnic, multi-faith democracy. He went on to say that we should have the confidence to discuss our differences openly and even playfully without seeking to cause offence. IVF scandal From the day 35-year-old Isabelle* was first referred to the Homerton Fertility Centre, she knew something was wrong. It has been horrific, she says. I cant fully explain it, because it sounds like lots of the things have been so small. But it has been like a constant drip of chaos and confusion. There is a real power imbalance youll just do what they say, because, by this point, youre quite desperate. Weve waited so long, we cant just give up on it. In December, when Isabelle was waiting for a key IVF appointment one morning, feeling exhausted and vulnerable having been trying for a baby for three years, she received two devastating phone calls. One of her embryos had failed to defrost, a voice told her. A couple of hours later, they called back to say that another had, quite simply, been lost. Last week, the centres licence was suspended with immediate effect and it was reported to the police, days after The Telegraph contacted the regulator asking about concerns from whistleblowers that embryos were being destroyed or going missing. The regulator, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), said it had significant concerns about its practices, including the potential contamination of processes and botched experimental techniques used for embryo freezing. Documents seen by The Telegraph show that the clinic and the HFEA were aware that embryos were not surviving its freezing processes as far back as last June, but the unit continued to operate. Even further back, an inspection of the clinic in May 2023 found a litany of failings and multiple concerns such as failures to report incidents and near misses. At the end of December, regulators were warned of a risk that 153 frozen embryos may not survive and 45 patients had been affected. Whistleblowers fear the true number may be much larger. The fertility clinic is located within Homerton University Hospital in east London - Jordan Pettitt/PA Speaking now, Isabelle is able to tell the story of her experience at Homerton as if she is almost detached from it. But after two of her embryos were lost, she sunk into a situational depression. Memories from the weeks after that are a blur. She barely remembers Christmas. Isabelle and her husband, who are based in Hackney, east London, have been happily married for two years. I always knew I wanted kids, she says. We have loads of nieces and godchildren and we love them all. The couple started trying for a baby at the end of 2020, and when Isabelle wasnt pregnant by September 2021, they sought the advice of her GP. They expected a wait, but her GP was quick off the mark. The couple were referred to the Homerton Fertility Centre one of the leading units in London, which treats around 360 patients per year in the spring of 2022. Right from the start, there were issues. They were told there was a delay of about 18 months this they expected and that the clinic was understaffed. It was really chaotic, but Isabelle put this down to a post-pandemic backlog. Then, things started to unravel. The centre lost one of her husbands blood samples and also sent her garbled letters in broken English, littered with typos and spelling errors. One seen by The Telegraph refers to theur best qwuality enbryos. These incidents the kind that could perhaps be overlooked in isolation stacked up. Every test had come back clear, so Isabelle and her husbands struggle to conceive remained unexplained. After an 18-month wait, Isabelle was finally offered an egg collection in summer 2023, which was a success. She was told the clinic had six viable embryos. But that relief was short lived when the first of the couples embryos was implanted shortly afterwards, it was unsuccessful. Isabelle was booked in for another transfer two months later. Around six weeks before the appointment was due to take place, the couple received a call from the clinic saying they needed to come in for a meeting. The details were vague. They told us that there had been an issue with the freezing They said they didnt know if it would affect us, but obviously they did sort of know, she says. Despite these obvious alarm bells, Isabelle was told moving to a different hospital would be nigh-on impossible, so they persevered. On the cold winter morning Isabelle was due to have a second embryo transfer, she was travelling from work to the hospital when a clinician called. The first high-grade embryo had failed to defrost, as they had discovered that morning, and they were calling to say that a second couldnt be located. There was something already in the back of my mind, but when they called I just felt completely helpless. I had a panic attack on the street, she says. Her husband left work to come and pick her up. We just sat in silence in the Costa in the hospital, waiting to hear if another embryo would survive. The embryologist said, that happens. But Ive never heard of that happening, ever, she says. And since reading the news reports, Ive realised that there have been other incidents at Homerton, that [embryos] just couldnt be located They told us that it was an isolated incident. Isabelle (not her real name) has spoken to The Telegraph about her experiences receiving treatment at Homerton Fertility Centre - Paul Grover Whistleblowers say some of the problems at the centre relate to a botched technique of inverted straw freezing, which means that embryos are stored upside down in liquid nitrogen. This means that the embryos are exposed to the air more quickly on thawing, causing them to die. But it does not appear that this explains all cases, including others where the embryo could simply not be found, at the point of retrieval. After two unsuccessful transfers and the loss of two embryos, Isabelle and her husband have been left wondering whether the quality or viability of their surviving embryos have been affected by faulty freezing processes. Were left with questions about whether or not theyre not implanting because of us, or them, she explains. Staff at the clinic had said, you just need to trust us, Isabelle, trust your doctors, but as she points out: Its quite a lot when you are already quite vulnerable. Being told, you just have to trust us. And then two months later, the clinic is suspended. The situation might have been bearable had clinic staff treated Isabelle with more care. She had been booked in to have a non-medicated transfer, which means the embryo was due to be transferred based on her menstrual cycle. The day before her transfer date, she had the last in a long line of scans and blood tests. You go through quite a lot to get to that point Id had five scans that week and it had all been quite traumatic, she says. The doctor said: This blood test will say whether you can go ahead or not But dont worry, if we cancel it, you can just try naturally. Isabelle found the exchange upsetting given she was three years into trying for a baby. Her experience at the clinic sent her into a spiral of anxiety. I heard IVF is really tough, and I always assumed it was the physical stuff but the emotional toll and constant waiting has been awful, she says. Id been going into scans shaking. There have been a few times where Ive taken my partner to appointments, because I was like: Am I going crazy? Why am I finding this harder than it should be? Why am I so anxious? They are just really bad communicators. No consistency. The centre was apologetic about the loss of Isabelles embryos, she says, and offered a second collection for free. That took place a few weeks ago. Just last weekend, the couple received a call to say it had been successful and hoped this was the start of a new chapter. The first Isabelle heard of its suspension and the IVF scandal she had unwittingly become part of was on the news. They have still not been contacted. They dont know if they will be allowed to reopen in May Im torn. I want it to be successful, but at the same time, I want to get out of there, she says. Isabelle feels lucky to have the option of IVF on the NHS, given it is such a postcode lottery. But at what cost? Were really lucky to have this free round that people dont get. But it has come, for us, at a huge emotional cost. Is it worth it, for free, if youre completely traumatised by the end of it? I dont know. When contacted for comment, Homerton Fertility Centre said: We are very sorry to any patient who has had a poor experience with our fertility service. The Trust Chief Executive would be happy to discuss these matters with them. *Name has been changed (Photo : Pugliano/Getty Images) James Crumbley, father of Oxford High School school shooter Ethan Crumbley, exits the courtroom during his trial on four counts of involuntary manslaughter for the deaths of four Oxford High School students who were shot and killed by his son, on March 7, 2024 at Oakland County Circuit Court in Pontiac, Michigan. James Crumbley, the father of Michigan mass shooter Ethan Crumbley, failed to adequately secure firearms and ammunition, a detective alleged during Tuesday court proceedings from Crumbley's involuntary manslaughter trial. Detective Adam Stoyek testified that Crumbley kept his guns in a safe with the combination "0-0-0" - though Crumbley initially told police the combination was "0-0-0-0." Stoyek further alleged that Crumbley stored a box of .22 caliber ammunition under the gun case, along with two magazines and a holster, CNN reported. James and his wife Jennifer Crumbley were each charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter after their son killed four classmates and injured seven others at Oxford High School in a November 2021 shooting. Michigan prosecutors' decision to charge a school shooter's parents with homicide-level crimes is unprecedented but many advocates believe this could prove to be an effective strategy for combating the country's mass shooting epidemic. Jennifer Crumbley was found guilty on all four counts of involuntary manslaughter last month and could face up to 15 years in prison. During her trial, her attorneys argued that James was responsible for securing the family's firearms, ABC News reported. During Stoyek's testimony he described Crumbley as "cooperative" with the police. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Crumbley told Stoyek where the guns were stored in his home. "I'm completely open, and I want you guys to do what you have to do," he said in a filmed police interview. @ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Emanuela Fanelli (left) and Paola Cortellesi in Theres Still Tomorrow. Photograph: Filmitalia In a packed cinema in Rome, the casual cruelty of the slap stunned the audience into an uneasy silence. It was the opening scene of Ce ancora domani (Theres Still Tomorrow), the directorial debut by the comic actor Paola Cortellesi, which had just been released after opening at the Rome film festival. Lying in bed, the slap across the face was Ivanos response to his wife, Delia, played by Cortellesi, bidding him good morning. The gesture set the tone for the 1940s-set black-and-white films depiction of poverty, domestic violence, womens rights and a mothers determination to break the cycle of abuse in post-second world war Rome. Audiences are more accustomed to Cortellesi, who co-wrote the film, making them laugh rather than slapping them with hard-hitting themes, which made the phenomenal box-office success of Ce ancora domani it is among Italys Top 10 highest-grossing films ever a surprise, even for her. Im still struggling to get my head around it, Cortellesi told the Guardian before the films release in France on Wednesday, the first country in its international circuit. People keep saying: enjoy the present! But Im not able to its as if Im spinning inside a sort of hurricane that has taken me everywhere. This success is something which might never happen in a directors entire career. It happened to me with my first film you just hope that a lot of people will watch it. That hope certainly came to pass: Ce ancora domani, which picked up three awards at the Rome film festival including the special jury prize, has been watched by more than 5.3 million people in Italian cinemas. The film has drawn cinemagoers from across the generations and 45% of the audience has been male. After France, it is due for release in more than 17 other countries, including the UK on 26 April. The Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, praised Cortellesi for a courageous film. Headteachers have written to her saying they want to show it to their students. Ce ancora domani is set in 1946, the year Italian women were able to exercise their right to vote for the first time in a national election and a concurrent referendum on abolishing the monarchy on 2 June. Cortellesi said she wanted to make the film, partly inspired by her grandmothers stories of that period, in the past in order to raise issues that persist in Italian society amid a lingering toxic machismo. She believes the film has been successful because it touched a nerve among Italians, adding that the thirst for debate was instantly palpable during her talks with cinema audiences as she toured cinemas in the early days of its release. I understood that every Italian, young or elderly, recognised in the film a little piece of their own family, she said. Not necessarily violence, but certain attitudes towards girls and women. What struck her the most were the number of women who found the courage to raise their hands and share their stories. One said: I was Delia, but Im not any more. To say that in front of about 400 strangers in a multiplex was impressive it felt as if the cinema became a protected environment for sharing ones personal story, and this was a huge thing. The films themes further resonated after the murder in November of Giulia Cecchettin, a 22-year-old student, who was allegedly beaten by her former boyfriend. In reaction, thousands of people protested across Italy on 25 November, which was International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Cortellesi says there were more than 100 femicides in Italy in 2023 before Cecchettins death, and several more occurred by the end of the year. On average in Italy, a woman is murdered by a man, usually someone who cannot accept the end of a relationship, every three days. Italian newspapers often chronicle the deaths, but Cecchettins case stood out, partly because she and her ex-boyfriend came from well-off families, but also because her father and sister pushed Italians to react to a patriarchal society that supports unhealthy male jealousy. I dont know how they found the strength to urge people to react while living with such pain, but this made the difference, said Cortellesi. There is perhaps a belief that femicide only reigns in poor and desperate families, so that this happened within a normal, principled setting made people worried for the safety of their own daughters and the encounters they have. After Cecchetins murder, the Italian parliament approved a range of measures to clamp down on violence against women, including expanding protections for women at risk and toughening restraining orders and penalties against men guilty of domestic violence. It was a rare show of unity between the ruling and opposition parties. Toughening laws is a good thing but you need to tackle the source of the evil and to stop waiting for tragedies to happen before bringing about change, said Cortellesi. Changing the law is one thing, but changing the cultural mentality of an entire generation takes 30 or 40 years, and to do that you need education. Cortellesis film centres on a tough theme, but includes some comic moments and ends on a surprisingly optimistic, empowering note, an element of the film that also took audiences by surprise and perhaps played a role in its success. I wanted to set a realistic tone, and it is a very Italian thing to use humour even in the most tragic situations, she said. Life was very tough after the war, but there were also stories of hope. Critics of Jimmy 'Barbecue' Cherizier claim his nickname is inspired by his habit of setting fire to opponents' homes while they are still inside - Ralph Tedy Erol/REUTERS The Haitian warlord Jimmy Barbecue Cherizier claims that his nickname was inspired by his mothers grilled chicken street stand. But critics of the 46-year-old former police officer have another explanation: he has a habit of setting fire to his opponents homes while they are still inside. In one incident in 2018, 70 people were killed after he allegedly torched 400 houses in La Saline slum in the capital, Port-au-Prince. Either way, the nickname has stuck. Cherizier, a warlord who has unleashed a wave of bloodletting on Haiti, heads an alliance of brutal gangs that calls itself G9 Family and Allies. After nearly two weeks of his men storming government buildings, police stations and Haitis largest airport, he has now managed to force out the shattered nations last remaining government figure, Ariel Henry, the prime minister. Cherizier has been accused of multiple massacres, including while he was still in the notoriously corrupt Haitian National Police, from which he was fired in 2018. He is now the subject of United Nations sanctions for alleged human rights abuses. Typically sporting a beret, military camouflage and a machine gun, he likes to make public appearances posing as a Robin Hood-style figure fighting for the poor. That is despite leading a crime empire that preys on ordinary Haitians, routinely engaging in robbery, extortion, kidnapping and rape. Charismatic, brutal thug Part of Cheriziers carefully curated do-gooder image has hinged on his violent opposition to the deeply unpopular Mr Henry, who failed to live up to his promises to hold elections. He is a charismatic, brutal thug, says Dr Vanda Felbab-Brown, an expert on non-state armed actors, from US think tank the Brookings Institution. But Cherizier does have some legitimacy with some of the population, who have no choice about who rules over them at the minute. Unlike some other gang leaders, he does provide some social support to the poor. One of eight siblings born near La Saline and brought up singlehandedly by his mother after his father died when he was five, Cherizier claims to be a revolutionary seeking to overturn an unjust economic system based on apartheid. He has also cited Francois Papa Doc Duvalier, the ruthless dictator who ruled Haiti from 1957 to 1971, as an inspiration. Duvalier was notorious for his personality cult rooted in Haitian mythology and his Tonton Macoute death squads that crushed all dissent to his kleptocratic rule. In 2021, Cherizier told looters ransacking businesses in Port-au-Prince: It is your money which is in banks, stores, supermarkets and dealerships, so go and get what is rightfully yours. Long-term goals remain uncertain As his power grew in the past three years, Cherizier and G9 engaged in ferocious turf wars with a rival group of gangs calling itself G-Pep, while Mr Henry watched on ineffectually. It is that power vacuum that, ironically, allowed Cherizier to claim to be representing long-suffering ordinary Haitians by demanding Mr Henrys resignation, which he has now provided. The gang leaders long-term goals remain uncertain. He was, says Dr Felbab-Brown, an ally of Jovenel Moise, the president whose 2021 assassination triggered Haitis latest downward spiral, and probably wants to align himself with any new government. Under Moises administration, prosecutors were reported to turn a blind eye to G9s drug trafficking and other crimes provided they maintained order in Port-au-Princes slums, often using unremitting violence. But what is clear is that since founding G9 in 2020, Cherizier has at the point of a gun amassed significant power and wealth, which he now appears unwilling to relinquish. As he once again demanded Mr Henrys resignation last week, the gang leader, wearing a bulletproof vest, declared: Either Haiti becomes a paradise for all of us or a hell for all of us. For ordinary Haitians, living in constant fear of a random act of gang violence, the latter outcome must seem far more likely than the former. That is, in large part, thanks to Cherizier and his violent assault on Haitis collapsing state institutions. Frank Hester in 2019. Photograph: TPP/YouTube Labour has written to Rishi Sunak calling for him to hand back 10m in donations from the Conservatives biggest ever donor, after it emerged he told colleagues that looking at Diane Abbott made you want to hate all black women and said the MP should be shot. Anneliese Dodds, the chair of the Labour party, wrote to the prime minister calling for the money to be returned after the Guardian published details of Frank Hesters remarks from a meeting held at his company, TPP, in 2019. The businessman, who has given 10m to the Tories in the past year, said in the meeting that he did not hate all black women. But he also said that seeing Abbott, who is Britains longest-serving black MP, on TV meant you just want to hate all black women because shes there. TPPs lawyers, Carter-Ruck, said the comments were not a true or accurate characterisation of the company or Hester. Related: Frank Hester: computer programmer who made fortune from public sector contracts In a new statement on Monday night, a spokesperson for Hester said he accepts that he was rude about Diane Abbott in a private meeting several years ago but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin. The Guardian is right when it quotes Frank saying he abhors racism, not least because he experienced it as the child of Irish immigrants in the 1970s. He rang Diane Abbott twice today to try to apologise directly for the hurt he has caused her, and is deeply sorry for his remarks. He wishes to make it clear that he regards racism as a poison which has no place in public life. In parliament on Monday, Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, said Hester had used utterly revolting, racist and inciteful language, adding that it has no place in our politics and public life. In her letter to the prime minister, Dodds said the Conservatives should hand back the 10m as well as the value of a helicopter ride to the tune of 15,900 provided to Sunak by Hester. She wrote: While in good faith we assume that your party was not aware of Mr Hesters views at the time of receiving these donations, it is only right that you and your party take these new revelations into account seriously. Accepting and using that money can only be treated as implicitly condoning and overlooking his deeply disturbing comments and the way he has run his business. Anything less than returning the money will be a stain on the Conservative party. She also highlighted that, in February, Hester had spoken about his access to Sunak, claiming that Ive had some quite long conversations with Rishi about AI. Hesters remarks were criticised by some Conservatives. Sir Bob Neill, the Conservative MP and chair of the justice committee, told Times Radio: Its a stupid and offensive thing to say ... Thats not the sort of language that you should use about anyone that, frankly. Alistair Burt, the former Conservative minister, said: If true, and it appears to be, it is open and shut for the Conservative party. Return the donations, end the relationship and ask decent donors to make up the difference. With MPs under threat, and past murders, this is unacceptable. Many Conservative members will be watching. The Liberal Democrats also called for Sunak to rule out giving a peerage to Hester, as well as handing the donations back. Wendy Chamberlain, the Liberal Democrat chief whip, said: These comments are inexcusable and disgusting. Ultimately the buck stops with Rishi Sunak. He must reassure the public that the Conservative party does not tolerate these remarks. That means confirming that his party will return every penny of these donations and wont take any more from this donor in future. He must also rule out any future peerage for Frank Hester. Hester gave 5m to the Conservatives in May 2023 and announced a further 5m donation this month, which had been accepted by the party from his company in November last year. With months to go before the next general election, a party spokesperson confirmed he was now its biggest ever donor. The Conservatives told LBC: Mr Hester has made clear that while he was rude, his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor the colour of her skin. He has since apologised. Frank Hester preceded his remarks about Abbott by saying that he was trying not to be racist. Photograph: CHOGM Rwanda 2022/YouTube/PA After Frank Hesters comments about Diane Abbott were published, the businessman who is the Conservative partys biggest donor said in a statement that he accepted he was rude about her but the criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin. Despite direct references to both he said of Abbott that you just want to hate all black women because shes there the prime minister and ministers sent out on Tuesday mornings broadcast rounds in effect backed his stance by refusing to describe his comments as racist. They also rebuffed calls to hand back his 10m of donations. It was not until Tuesday afternoon that the prime ministers spokesperson said comments allegedly made by Frank Hester were racist and wrong. Shabna Begum, the interim CEO of the race equality thinktank the Runnymede Trust, said she found it shocking that there was any debate that what he said was racist and that it gave the lie to the Conservative narrative that the UK is a post-racial society. She said: That denial speaks volumes about where were at because theres this constant kind of littering of our public life with what are absolutely categorically racist language tropes being repeatedly used and then people kind of backtrack and say it had no racist intent. That is somehow supposed to kind of make it all right, and I think thats a real problem. She said that as an Asian woman she did not experience the same kind of racism as black women and it was vital to acknowledge how painful it is for black women and for the black community to see that happen. Notably, some senior Tories have spoken out, including the former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, who said Hesters comments are clearly racist and they are clearly sexist. Hester preceded his remarks about Abbott by saying that he was trying not to be racist. But Georgina Calvert-Lee, an employment and equality barrister at Bellevue Law, said assuming he had said what was reported that would provide no defence were he to face a civil claim for harassment, which she said he would have a really hard job disproving. She said even if he had genuinely not meant to be racist or sexist, that was irrelevant for harassment, which was about the effect it had on the person making the complaints. She added: A natural way of understanding his comments is that they overtly relate to Diane Abbott as a black woman. The very fact that hes bringing race and sex into the conversation makes them relevant. It makes it a comment about those protected characteristics. Him saying Im trying not to be racist, or Im trying not to be sexist, implies that hes doing the opposite because hes overtly bringing race and sex into account and saying hes trying not to, but blaming Diane Abbott for making it impossible for him not to be sexist and racist, which brings victim blaming into it as well. Sailesh Mehta, a barrister and founding member of the Bar Human Rights Committee, said Hesters comments, if as reported, were capable of fitting the ingredients of the criminal offence [of stirring up racial hatred] created by the Public Order Act. He said it was rarely prosecuted, except in the most compelling cases, because of free speech considerations, but added: Political leaders are increasingly using incendiary language, which appears to give licence to their followers to be ever more shrill in their rhetoric. It is only a matter of time before this worrying spiral triggers such violence or threat of violence that the police and Crime Prosecution Service will be forced to act. Begum compared the governments initial refusal to call Hesters comments racist to its recent refusal to label Lee Andersons description of Sadiq Khan and London being controlled by Islamists as Islamophobic, despite suspending him from the party. She also contrasted its response with what she said was the increasing criminalisation of black and brown people, citing the characterisation of people on marches calling for a ceasefire in Gaza as Islamic extremists and the recent trial of a black man on hate crime charges (he was acquitted) for sending a raccoon emoji an insult used by black people to describe someone they believe is black on the outside and white on the inside to a prospective Conservative MP. So weve got on the one hand, this really heavy-handed, very blunt approach toward black and minority ethnic groups in terms of what they can say when they are committing hate crimes versus here weve got this powerful white man making a really baldly racist statement about hating a black woman, wanting her to be shot and were still debating whether its racist or not. North Korea state television broadcasts will soon be available online and on smartphones Soap opera fans tired of Netflix can now tune in to the best dramas from the hermit kingdom of North Korea. For as little as 16 a month, subscribers can now binge watch the dictatorships unique brand of earnest singing, marching soldiers and weeping newscasters. Shiwani TV will broadcast state-run Korean Central TV and its radio station anywhere in the world from the second half of the year. Among the content available are soaps about soldiers weeding out disloyal class enemies and sitcoms from gleaming Pyongyang apartments. And there are also plans for an app for users to have all the latest news and gossip about Kim Jong-un, the supreme leader, beamed directly to their smartphones. The spread of North Korean propaganda is in stark contrast to the dire state of the countrys economy. Some Covid-era restrictions remain in place and borders are closed, prompting Britain to send inspection teams in recent weeks to its embassy shuttered since the pandemic Meanwhile, North Korea has been ramping up weapons tests and threatening war with the South, while moving closer to Russias orbit. Korean Central TV, North Koreas only legally accessible channel, shows a steady stream of missile launches, military parades and bad news about everywhere which isnt North Korea. The new venture is the brainchild of the Chollima Front, which describes itself as an independent initiative of friendship between Poland and North Korea. Chollima Fronts website says it aims to understand North Korea and its culture and to make verified information about the country available in the public space. The service will be made available worldwide, including in the United States and South Korea, where it could breach national security laws and be illegal to access. The channel said it will not pay fees to North Korea or have any contractual arrangement with the secretive Communist state. The North Korean embassy in Warsaw is reported to be supportive of the plan. The channel operates within the laws of Poland, Canada and Germany, and also respects certain relevant North Korean laws, a spokesman told The Telegraph. He said there were no subscribers yet because the service had not yet been launched. But I can gladly say that it is untrue to suggest that no one is interested, he added. Currently we have around 50 people that have requested to be informed when registration will be opened. These people are from all over the world, mainly Poland, the USA, Japan, the UK and South Korea. Viewers looking to swap Celebrity Big Brother for a taste of the real thing can look forward to the emotional commentary provided by Ri Chun Hee, a veteran newsreader, at moments of historical significance. Theres Our Neighbours, a sitcom centred around a modern and shiny apartment building in Pyongyang with the heartfelt message that those loyal to the regime will be rewarded with fashionable clothes and household appliances. Young Researchers follows a group of schoolchildren who use laptop computers and other advanced technology, including drones, to solve problems in the reclusive rogue state. Sport fans will be able to sample censored footage of world-famous events like Wimbledon, many months after they have been held. North Korean soap operas tell stirring stories of heroic soldiers and workers devoting themselves to the party and rooting out class enemies and now even include adverts. Dramas describe a protagonists gradual realisation of his duties towards the state or discover they are orphans, raised by the party. In these tearjerkers, a characters mother has bravely looked after him at great sacrifice, even foregoing the chance to get married, in adherence to the North Korean theory of the Socialist Grand Family. When The Telegraph tuned in to the state broadcaster, there was a lot of singing and soldiers staring meaningfully into the distance. There was also footage of fields, hopeful children and skyscrapers and trains, despite reports that North Korea is once again facing food shortages. The new service could fill the gap left after two state-run North Korean websites were shut down in January. As for the Chollima Front, it is reported to only have about 12 members, mostly Poles, but also Germans and Canadians. Chollima Front is a very small organisation whose members are a few young Polish people with communist political views, a Polish North Korea and East Asia studies scholar, who requested anonymity, told Radio Free Asia. No one in Poland is interested in North Korean culture, especially in comparison to South Korean culture, he said. The new HPV vaccine will bring down the countrys high rate of cervical cancer, which kills about 70,000 women a year in India. Photograph: Atul Loke/Serum Institute India It is a Wednesday morning and Sneha Neurgaonkar sits on a gurney in a private hospital in Pune, India. The 14-year-old is at the Lalwani mother and child care hospital to receive the first Indian-made human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which prevents cervical cancer. Unlike the 10-year-old girl who was given the vaccine before her, Sneha knows what cervical cancer is and the damage it is doing to women in her country. I researched cervical cancer on Google and its bad, she says. Protection is very important because females are the leaders of the future generation and without them, there is no world. Cervical cancer is the second biggest cause of cancer deaths among women in India, killing an estimated 70,000 a year a quarter of the global burden of the disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide, with about 90% of deaths from the disease occuring in low- and middle-income countries. Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by an infection from certain types of HPV. It takes 15 to 20 years for the disease to develop. The HPV vaccine has been shown to significantly reduce cases, but access to the vaccine in India has been extremely limited because the existing doses, sold by foreign pharmaceutical companies Merck and GSK, are expensive. Developed as a joint initiative between the Indian government and the Serum Institute of India (SII) the worlds largest vaccine manufacturer by dose Cervavac is the first vaccine manufactured in the country to receive approval from its drugs controller general. Last month, the government announced it would include the vaccine in the countrys immunisation programme, meaning it will be distributed for free to girls between nine and 14. Until this month it was only available in private healthcare settings at a cost of 2,000 rupees (19) for three doses. From March 8 it was offered at the hospital at the price of 1,500 rupees to those who had registered in advance. Adar Poonawalla, SIIs chief executive, says the vaccine will be available by December to the government at a cost of 300-400 rupees a dose. At some point it has to stop being an achievement when we get a low-cost indigenous vaccine 18 years after one in the west Achal Prabhala, AccessIBSA The SII, based in Pune, can currently manufacture 70m doses of the vaccine annually, but aims to at least double that by 2026. About 25 million children are born in India every year. Once demand in India has been satisfied, Poonawalla wants to export the vaccine. Well start with African countries, the Indian subcontinent, maybe South America, he says. Europe and the US probably wont be seeing this vaccine because theyre used to the 9-valent [vaccine]. Maybe in five or six years, well make the 9-valent and go to these countries. Umesh Shaligram, an executive director at SII, says the new HPV vaccine will have a huge impact. I always had a feeling that women in low- and middle-income countries are not well treated, he says. Its a mother who gives you energy and power. In Indian spirituality we have prayers, we have goddesses everywhere. If you ask me whether we pass on that respect, probably not. I always felt that lack. I was very happy we could do something for that particular aspect of life. This vaccine comes almost two decades after the first HPV vaccine was developed in 2006. Shaligram blames Covid for the delay in production, but some have criticised the delay. At some point it has to stop being an achievement when we get a low-cost indigenous vaccine that we can afford 18 years after one in the west, says Achal Prabhala, coordinator of the AccessIBSA project, which campaigns for access to medicines in India, Brazil and South Africa. Why cant SII challenge the environment to produce vaccines simultaneously to those in the west? Back at Lalwani, Sneha and her mother, Sonia, are happy she has been vaccinated with an Indian-made vaccine. If it is made in India, we have more trust, says Sonia. Sneha says she has been telling her friends about the vaccine. She doesnt think many of them know about cervical cancer. Currently theres not much awareness, she says. We have not been taught about it in school. Period awareness is now being implemented, but before it was considered taboo. Her doctor, Sunita Lalwani, a consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician, agrees: I dont think the government or families used to spend money on womens health. It was only in [childbirth] or if the lady really fell ill where women were taken care of. Vaccination was never considered. Womens health was very taboo. Despite the WHOs recommendation that all women over 30 attend a cervical cancer screening every five to 10 years, less than 2% of women in India aged 30 to 49 years have been screened. Lalwani faces problems in convincing women to attend appointments for cervical smears, a procedure in which a small brush is used to gently remove cells from the surface of the cervix and the area around it so they can be checked for cancer. Pap smears have always been available but where are the takers? I have to ring up my patients and send them SMS. Let me tell you, many dont turn up. Boris Pistorius, the German defence minister addresses the media after a special meeting of the Bundestag's defence ministry to discuss the leak - Annegret Hilse/Reuters A second senior Luftwaffe officer used an insecure line to join a sensitive phone call about Taurus missiles which was then leaked by Russia, Germanys defence minister has disclosed. At a special meeting of the Bundestags defence ministry to discuss the leak, Boris Pistorius revealed that another officer, Air Force Inspector Ingo Gerhartz, also incorrectly dialled into the phone call. Mr Pistorius insisted that no data leakage occurred as a result of Inspector Gerhartzs use of an insecure line, Spiegel magazine reported, and has suggested that no disciplinary action will be taken against him. I am not willing, I want to make this clear again, to fall for Putin here and expose my best officers, whether they made a mistake or not, Mr Pistorius said. [This is] exactly what Vladimir Putin expects of us. Air Force Inspector Ingo Gerhartz joined the German air force in the 1980s and trained as a fighter pilot - Maja Hitij/Getty Images Earlier in March, the state-backed Russian broadcaster RT released the audio and transcript of an intercepted phone call between German air force chiefs which discussed highly sensitive security issues. This included the possible deployment of British forces in Ukraine and the internal debate in Germany about whether Chancellor Olaf Scholz should supply the powerful Taurus missile system to Kyiv. The leak sent shockwaves across Nato member states and initially raised fears that one of its key members had been compromised. The German government says it has assured its allies that no secure communications networks were hacked, and that the root of the issue was an officer dialling in on an insecure line from a Singapore hotel which was then picked up by Russian spies. There is ongoing internal debate in Germany about whether Chancellor Olaf Scholz should supply the powerful Taurus missile system to Kyiv - SEBASTIAN PIEKNIK/AFP via Getty Images But the disclosure that a second officer used an insecure line for the phone call, which discussed potential Taurus missile deliveries to Ukraine, is an embarrassment for the German government which has sought to depict the leak as an isolated incident. It also raises questions as to whether there is a more widespread practice of using insecure lines to dial into sensitive phone calls in German military circles. Inspector Gerhartz, 58, joined the German air force in the 1980s and trained as a fighter pilot, with 2,500 flight hours logged on the Eurofighter, F-4F, MiG-29 and Tornado jets. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 and in 2022 received the Luftwaffen-Verdienstkreuz, or Air Force merit cross, for outstanding service to the military. The officer who inadvertently caused the leak by dialling in on an insecure line has been named as Brigadier General Frank Grafe. He also has the full support of Mr Pistorius, who said he has no plans to take disciplinary action against him, though the investigation is ongoing. The Telegraph approached the Bundeswehr, the German armed forces, for comment. Robert Hur, the justice department special counsel assigned to report on Joe Bidens possession of classified documents, told Congress he was just doing his job when he shook up the US election campaign by criticizing the presidents apparent inability to recall certain events. In his report released in February, Hur, a Republican former US attorney under Donald Trump, recommended Biden not be charged for possessing classified documents. But he infuriated the presidents Democratic allies by making repeated references to Bidens age and memory as one reason for not indicting him, saying jurors would see him as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory. My task was to determine whether the president retained or disclosed national defense information willfully, Hur said in his opening remarks to the House judiciary committee. I could not make that determination without assessing the presidents state of mind. For that reason, I had to consider the presidents memory and overall mental state, and how a jury likely would perceive his memory and mental state in a criminal trial. He defended his comments about Bidens recollections, saying: I did not sanitize my explanation. Nor did I disparage the president unfairly. I explained to the attorney general my decision and the reasons for it. Thats what I was required to do. Republicans are also unhappy with Hurs finding that Biden should not be charged, arguing it was evidence of double standards at the justice department. A different special counsel, Jack Smith, has indicted Donald Trump for allegedly taking government secrets with him after leaving the White House and, unlike Biden, conspiring to keep them out of the hands of investigators. The justice department also decided last year not to bring charges against Trumps former vice-president, Mike Pence, after classified documents were found at his home. Both men were appointed by Bidens attorney general, Merrick Garland, but operate independently, while justice department policy also prohibits the indictment of sitting presidents. The judiciary committees chair, Trump ally Jim Jordan, sought to focus public attention on Hurs conclusion that Biden willfully retained and disclosed classified materials after his vice presidency. Mr Hur produced a 345-page report, but in the end, it boils down to a few key facts. Joe Biden kept classified information. Joe Biden failed to properly secure classified information. And Joe Biden shared classified information with people he wasnt supposed to, Jordan said as the hearing began. Jerrold Nadler, the committees top Democrat, focused on how the special counsel cleared the president, and noted his cooperation with the investigation. The Hur report represents the complete and total exoneration of President Biden, Nadler said. And how does that record contrast with President Trump, the documents he retained and the criminal charges pending against him in Florida? Nadler continued, recounting the details of the former presidents alleged hoarding of classified materials at his Mar-a-Lago resort. Trump is facing charges not because of some vast conspiracy, not because the so-called deep state was out to get him, but because former president Trump was fundamentally incapable of taking advantage of even one of the many, many chances he was given to avoid those charges, Nadler said. Hur made clear later on that he does not consider his report to be an exoneration of the president, saying that is not a word that I used. A transcript of Hurs interview with Biden, which lasted for hours over several days, was released shortly before the hearing began, and shows the president fumbled occasionally with the sequence of events and certain dates, but otherwise was sharp throughout, and also corrected Hur and others when they made errors. The Democratic congressman Adam Schiff seized on Hurs insistence that he did not disparage Biden, saying he did just that by including details of the presidents ability to recalls details in his report. You chose a general pejorative reference to the president. You understood when you made that decision, didnt you Mr Hur, that you would ignite a political firestorm with that language, didnt you? Schiff asked. Congressman, politics played no part whatsoever in my investigative steps, Hur replied, saying he followed justice department policy in writing his report. Pedestrians pass the sign outside the headquarters of the Serious Fraud Office in London. Photograph: Russell Hart/Alamy The Serious Fraud Office has raided two sites and made three arrests as part of a new investigation into an alleged 76m fraud around investments into luxury care homes. The raids in St Leonards, in Dorset, and Aylesbury, in Buckinghamshire, form part of an investigation into a UK property developer called the Carlauren Group, which collapsed into administration in November 2019. Its demise forced some elderly residents to vacate their homes and left more than 600 private investors out of pocket, the agency said on Tuesday. Over four years, the Carlauren Group purchased 23 properties across the UK, mostly former hotels including the historic Windlestone Hall in Durham, offering an annual 10% return on investment in its renovation of these properties into high-end care homes. The SFO added that only nine of the properties were ever operational and some continued to be run as hotels, instead of homes. The property group also purchased a number of high-end motor vehicles purportedly for the company including two Lamborghinis, a McLaren 570GT, a private jet and two yachts details of which had previously emerged almost five years ago in the high court, when an application was made to take the company into administration. The moves by the SFO suggests that the agency is becoming increasingly interested in the sale of care home investments, as Carlauren is the second case relating to the business model opened by the agency. Three years ago the fraud agency launched an investigation into the business affairs of care home entrepreneur Gavin Woodhouse, which remains ongoing. Woodhouses empire had collapsed into administration during 2019 after a series of reports into its finances by the Guardian and ITV News. In the Carlauren case, the SFO said that more than 600 people and companies invested in the scheme via purchase of rooms, that were then to be rented out to elderly residents, in facilities that boasted swimming pools, room service and other luxury amenities. The investments in the rooms were advertised widely and sold with a guaranteed annual payout and the opportunity to resell the asset with up to a 25% profit after 10 years. Nick Ephgrave, director of the SFO, said: This companys abrupt collapse has created turmoil and enormous anxiety for many, with elderly people forced to vacate their homes and investors left with nothing. Todays arrests are a major development in our investigation and a step towards getting the answers so many people need. Efforts by the Guardian to contact Carlaurens founder were unsuccessful. NSW premier Chris Minns described his governments proposed new laws to address youth crime as a critical intervention. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP The New South Wales premier has ruled out raising the age of criminal responsibility to 14 as he announced sweeping new laws that would make it harder for teenagers to get bail and would criminalise posting and boasting about offences on social media. The Minns Labor government will this week introduce legislation to amend the laws along with a $26.2m package of initiatives it says will address youth crime in regional NSW. The proposed changes have been criticised as knee-jerk law and order responses that will see more children jailed and push the state further from its Closing the Gap targets. Related: Rapist officer should never have been employed to work in NSW prisons, scathing inquiry finds The attorney general, Michael Daley, said he was concerned the tougher bail laws would result in more young people being locked up but the government had no choice. If there was another option available to us today, to keep these children safe, wed take it. But there isnt, he said. The Bail Act would be changed to include an extra test for 14- to 18-year-olds charged with committing certain serious break-and-enter or motor vehicle theft offences while on bail for the same offences and seeking further bail. The changes would mean police, magistrates and judges would need a high degree of confidence that a young person would not commit a further serious indictable offence if they were granted bail again. The laws will then be reviewed after 12 months. Offenders could also have two years added to any prison term for posting material that advertises involvement in motor vehicle theft or break-and-enter offences online. Daley raised concerns about young people in regional NSW filming themselves driving at close to 300km/h or breaking into houses mostly to steal car keys while armed with machetes and knives. It is only a matter of time someone is injured or killed, he said. He also expressed concern over posting on social media, which he described as TikTok offences. Related: Lives are at stake. We need Australian governments to heed expert advice and raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14 | Liana Buchanan and Meena Singh The premier, Chris Minns, said the reforms were a critical intervention and there were already serious cases of life-threatening crimes being committed by young people. No one enters public life in the hope that youll introduce legislation like this and that includes myself, but we cant face a situation where we have a cycle of repeat offences, he said. The changes come amid a broader debate over whether the age at which a child can be charged, convicted and incarcerated should be lifted from 10 to 14 in NSW and other states. Minns on Tuesday said raising the age of criminal responsibility was not on the governments agenda. Were not proposing legislative change in relation to that. Self-evidently, it will fly in the face of the governments proposed changes right now, he said. The government will also invest $13.4m into a pilot program in Moree, with plans to build bail and support accomodation, improve the delivery of youth services and provide resources for the local and childrens court. Minns pointed to statistics showing break-and-enter offences in the town were 840% higher than the state average and motor vehicle theft offences were 680% higher than the state average. The proposed legislative reforms were heavily criticised by reform advocates including Greens justice spokesperson, Sue Higginson, who accused the premier of introducing knee-jerk law and order responses that would keep more children trapped in the criminal justice system. All of the evidence before us shows that tougher, punitive measures do not reduce the incidence of crime it just further traumatises the kids and damages social cohesion, she said. The chief executive of the NSW Aboriginal legal service, Karly Warner, said the political stunt was going to make things worse. This is a betrayal of everything that [Minns] and the NSW Labor Party said that you would do in partnership with us under Closing the Gap, she said outside parliament on Tuesday. Aboriginal children are going to bear the consequences of this. The president of the Law Society of NSW, Brett McGrath, welcomed the funding but warned the bail law changes were being introduced in the absence of any meaningful input from experts. Tightening the test for bail will result in more children being sent into custody, he said. In circumstances where youth justice centres are often many hours from child defendants families and communities, this change has the potential to do a great deal more harm than good. On Tuesday, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines spoke before a House of Representatives intelligence committee hearing and said he could not discredit the idea that China's ruling Communist Party would not use TikTok to influence elections in the United States when asked by Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi if they would do so. "We cannot rule out that the CCP would use it," he replied. Krishnamoorthi is the ranking Democrat on the House Select Committee on China. Last week he and Republican chair Mike Gallagher introduced a bill that would give TikTok's owner ByteDance six months to divest from the app which is used by over 100 million Americans. The House is slated to vote on fast-tracking rules that require two-thirds of members to vote affirmative for the measure to pass. FBI Director Christoper Wray would also speak at the House hearing and repeated his assessment that TikTok posed a risk to national security. "Americans need to ask themselves whether they want to give the Chinese government the ability to control access to their data," Wray said, adding that it could ultimately "compromise their devices." Last week, Joe Biden said he would sign the bill if it passed. But getting the measure passed by both the House and Senate could prove difficult. The 2024 Annual Threat Assessment released by the US Intelligence Community said TikTok accounts run by the Chinese Communist government's propaganda wing had targeted candidates from both political parties during the US midterm election cycle. U.S. lawmakers have long expressed concerns that the Chinese government could gain access to user data or influence what people see on the app, including content meant to foment political discord. TikTok denies any wrongdoing and has repeatedly stated that it has not and would not share the user data of U.S. citizens with the Chinese government. It is unclear whether the Chinese government would approve of such a sale or divestment. @ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Katherine Ryan has spoken frankly about her worries about her marriage to Bobby Koostra. (Getty Images) Marriage has long been a revered institution, a milestone that holds significance for many people even in the modern world. But, at the same time, the landscape of marriage has changed exponentially over the decades. Divorce is no longer as uncommon or taboo as it used to be, and fewer people in the UK are getting married. Recent statistics show that marriage rates for heterosexual couples have been steadily dropping. Earlier this year, the Office for National Statistics released figures showing that fewer than half of all UK adults are in a marriage or a civil partnership for the first time. Meanwhile, in 2022, more than 80,000 divorces were granted in England and Wales. Although this is a decrease of nearly 30% from 2021 figures and the lowest number of divorces since 1971, figures suggest that nearly half (42%) of marriages in the UK end in divorce. For couples who are recently married, these numbers can be daunting. Canadian comedian Katherine Ryan, who married her husband Bobby Koostra in 2019, recently expressed her own worries about the future of her relationship. (Statista) Speaking to The Sun, Ryan, 40, said: "Weve only been married five years, but 50 years? I dont know. "Everyones happy after the first five [years] whereas Im more about, Can we make it to 20 years and 40 years and 50 years?" She added frankly that her marriage has taken "a backseat" since she and Koostra welcomed their children Fred, two, and Fenna, 14 months. Ryan also shares 14-year-old daughter Violet with her ex-boyfriend Alex Edelman. Ryans fears about the longevity of her marriage are familiar to many. It could partly explain why fewer people are choosing to get married, alongside other reasons such as the astronomical cost of weddings and the fact that people are hitting major milestones later in life. But, for those of us who recently got hitched or who have marriage on the cards, is there a way to make sure they last a long time, for better or for worse? Is there a secret to a long marriage? What's the key to a happy, long-lasting marriage? (Getty Images) (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Unfortunately, the experts say theres no one secret that can guarantee a long-lasting marriage. And instead of focusing on how long your wedded bliss will last, focus instead on adapting and growing together - this will help your relationship stand the test of time. Laura Geige, psychologist from Glow Bar London, tells Yahoo UK: "Couples who embrace change and navigate lifes challenges as a team tend to have more resilient relationships. "Its also crucial to maintain a strong emotional connection and prioritise each others needs. Regularly expressing appreciation and gratitude can help keep the relationship strong and vibrant." Relationship expert Marina Lazaris, author of Men Need Love Too, adds that marriage should be based on "freedom not control". She believes that couples must "stay true to their own beliefs while respecting the others perspective", as well as give each other a "judgement-free space". "Connection and communication are really key to helping a relationship last," she says. "Its good to understand one anothers love language but at the same time, remember to tune into the person daily as a ritual, rather than putting their needs into a box. What they need and want can shift on a daily basis." Does worrying about the future make things worse? If your concerns about your marriage are too focused on the future and not whats going on in the present, this can create unnecessary stress and strain on your relationship, Geige warns. "Instead of worrying, focus on building a strong foundation in the present," she advises. "Practice mindfulness to stay grounded and appreciate the positive aspects of your relationship. Watch:Jessica Alba thinks "communication" is key to a happy marriage "Remember, every marriage goes through ups and downs, and seeking help from a therapist can provide valuable tools to navigate challenges and strengthen your bond." Nicky Wake, founder of dating app Chapter2, which is designed by widows for widows, adds that "nothing in life is ever guaranteed". Reflecting on the loss of her partner, who she married 20 years prior, she adds that its important to remember that some things are out of our control. "While you might have the picture-perfect marriage, this doesnt mean that you wont experience an unexpected loss, affair, or any type of marriage breakdown," she tells Yahoo UK. "Worrying about the future wont change what will or wont happen. If there are no red flags in your marriage, then take a step back and remember to enjoy today, remember you and your partner are the youngest youll ever be, so enjoy it while it lasts!" Talk, talk, talk Some of the most common problems that couples have include poor communication, lack of intimacy, financial stress and unrealistic expectations, Geige says. "Overcoming these challenges requires open and honest communication, empathy, and a willingness to work together. "Couples can benefit from setting aside time to connect regularly, seeking professional help when needed, and being open to change and growth." She adds: "A long and happy marriage is achievable when both partners are committed to nurturing their relationship, adapting to change, and supporting each other through life's challenges. "By focusing on the present, communicating effectively, and prioritising each other's needs, couples can build a strong and lasting bond." Read more about sex and relationships: Sharon Stone has said she never got a good part again after 1995s Casino and described herself as the invisible actress. The Basic Instinct star, 66, has since appeared in films such as Catwoman, Lovelace and Basic Instinct 2. Stone lost out on winning an Oscar for Martin Scorseses crime thriller Casino to Susan Sarandon in Dead Man Walking. Speaking on The Louis Theroux Podcast, Stone said The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola warned her in advance that this would be the case. I cant pretend Im not excited to play host to movie royalty on this episode of #TheLouisTherouxPodcast, with Sharon Stone joining remotely from her home in Los Angeles for a free-ranging and utterly uncensored chat. Please join us to hear Sharons blisteringly honest takes on pic.twitter.com/5Yt4lLyycp Louis Theroux (@louistheroux) March 12, 2024 She said: Francis put his hand on my shoulder and he said: I need to talk to you. Ive won the Golden Globe for Casino and I was nominated for an Oscar. And I said: Oh sure, whats going on? And he said: Youre not going to win the Oscar. And I looked at him and I said: Im not? And he said: No. And I thought I was going to cry and and he said: I want you to feel like youre going to cry now. I dont want you to cry in the room, and thats why Im doing this, and it feels so mean right now. But I didnt win for The Godfather and Marty didnt win for Raging Bull, and youre not going to win for Casino. And its because this room cant hear opera. They dont let us win because they dont want us to take over the system. Sharon Stone on the red carpet in 2002 (Myung Jung Kim/PA) This is not the level of films they want. And your performance will stand the test of time. And when you lose, Marty and I are gonna be in the room and youre gonna lose with us. And when you lose, were gonna be holding you when you lose.' Discussing attending the Oscars when she knew she was going to lose, she said: You have to pretend its fantastic and its not fantastic. And then I didnt get any good parts ever again for the rest of my entire life. When Theroux replied: That cant be true. Im sure there were other movies you did that were good, she replied: No, and guess what? I hate it. She continued: Its easier to say: Shes cold, or: I dont like her, or: Shes difficult, or: She must be sick, or: Shes too old, or that shes hard to cast, or: We dont know what to do with her. Then: What if she comes in and gives another performance and she gets nominated instead of Robert De Niro? Thats not what we want to have happen.' When Theroux followed up to ask if there is any movie after Casino that she feels proud of, she said: Take a look. Did anybody notice me? Did anybody notice me in Lovelace? That was a performance you could sharpen your knives on. Did anybody notice that? Nope. Do you see any acknowledgment for any of this stuff? Nope. Im the invisible actress. She added: I hate it. I could play Hamlet in the nude. I hate it. Theres just nothing. Stone also described her experiences with disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein, who is in prison for sex offences and with whom she she crossed paths at events for the Aids charity Amfar. Harvey Weinstein (David Mirzoeff/PA) She said: I had a long time of dealing with Harvey and Im really glad that hes in prison and I think he should stay there with the rest of the people who are like him. Harveys a pig. Hes an octopus and youre just always getting one of his tentacles off you. He always thinks that hes the boss of all things. I would be doing these auctions for Amfar and hed come out and put his arm around me and take the microphone and start trying to tell me that I was supposed to take the bid of one of his friends. Id have to unwind him off me and you know, say, like: I call the bids, Harvey, f*** off, get off the stage, and everybody would think it was funny. Id come off the stage and hed be backstage shoving me around or throwing me across the room. He was very violent and he was an anaconda, he was a disgusting pig. Asked if she was too powerful for him to try to coerce into sex, she said: He would say things to me like: You know, you think youre such a princess, Sharon, as I would unwind him off me. And Id say: Yeah, I think Im the queen of France. F*** off. But he was certainly comfortable with throwing me across the room. He was physically violent to me on more than one occasion because he was so angry at me because I wouldnt do what he wanted me to do. The Louis Theroux Podcast is a Spotify podcast, now available everywhere, with new episodes landing every Tuesday. A full investigation must be carried out into reports that Gazan medical staff were beaten and humiliated by Israeli troops, Andrew Mitchell has said. The BBC reported that staff at Nasser Hospital, in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, were blindfolded, forced to strip, and were repeatedly beaten by soldiers from the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). The IDF has not responded directly to accounts the BBC has put to it, but denies medical staff were harmed in its operation. Foreign Office minister Mr Mitchell said the British Government would be pressing for a full explanation and an investigation into the reports, after being asked about them in the Commons. Mr Mitchell, who acts as a deputy for Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron in the Commons, told MPs: We have seen these reports. I think that a full explanation and investigation is required and that is what the British Government is pressing for. Responding to a question from Labour MP for Cynon Valley Beth Winter about the shocking reports, the minister added: I would point out to her that when it comes to targeting operations there are lawyers embedded in the Israeli and the IDF command, just as there are in Britain, and that should ensure that the acceptance and honouring of international humanitarian law is kept, but I agree with her a full explanation is required. Speaking later in the House of Lords, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton said: These are very disturbing pictures and reports that have come out from this hospital and we need to get to the bottom of what exactly happened and we need answers from the Israelis about that. Elsewhere, Mr Mitchell was pressed to restore funding to UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees), the main United Nations aid agency in the Palestinian territories. The UK is among a group of countries which have halted funding to the agency amid allegations from Israel that some UNRWA staff members have colluded with Hamas. Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron, left, and Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell (James Manning/PA) An inquiry into the accusations is being led by French former foreign minister Catherine Colonna. Mr Mitchell said he hoped funding could be restored by April, but assured MPs that UNRWA has enough money to ensure adequate supplies are available as the UK awaits Ms Colonnas report, as well as the results of an internal UN probe. The view that we take is that when we have seen those, we very much hope we will have the reassurance to recommence funding, he added. Mr Mitchell also signalled that the UK wants to see illegal settlers in Palestinian territories arrested, tried and punished. Shadow Foreign Office minister Wayne David told the Commons: Last week Israel advanced plans for 3,400 new homes in the occupied Palestinian territory. As a two-state solution is the only path to a lasting peace, does the minister agree that a firm position must be taken now by the United Kingdom and the international community on these issues? Mr Mitchell said he was in broad agreement with Mr David, adding: The steps that Britain wants to see taken against illegal settlements and against those settlers who have committed crimes, we want to see them arrested, tried and punished for those crimes. In respect of the Palestinian Authority, we want to see the Palestinian Authority reinvigorated and with new leadership, and a strong approach to taking up the roles that it will need to do when the sky clears and theres a moment for the political track to begin. Irelands premier Leo Varadkar hopes to raise the issue of undocumented Irish people in the US with American President Joe Biden this week. The number of undocumented Irish citizens in the US is estimated to be in the tens of thousands. Mr Varadkar is due meet Mr Biden in Washington later this week as part of a series of traditional engagements marking St Patricks Day. Speaking in Boston on Tuesday, the Taoiseach said he did not know if the topic of undocumented Irish people would be specifically on the agenda as the key issues he wanted to raise were US-Ireland relations, the war in Ukraine and the crisis in Gaza. He said: I hope well have time to touch on other issues, including immigration. He added: There are a lot of Irish people here who are good people but are undocumented. Many working very hard, have children here, are contributing a lot to society here. What I say to [US officials] them is that we as [the Irish] Government put in place schemes to regularise people who became undocumented for various reasons. So for example, people who came to Ireland on a student visa, we had a system for them, to regularise their affair. And when I say in a totally balanced way the thing is that were not asking you to do anything we wouldnt do. We put in place schemes in Ireland to recognise people who are undocumented. Its not an amnesty, you know, its essentially somebody coming forward fronting up saying theyre undocumented, potentially having to pay back taxes, all of those things. And I think that approach to those lines would work very well in the United States. But I also appreciate the politics of the United States. Its a very difficult issue. The Taoiseach said he understands why the US could not have a special procedure for Irish citizens that did not apply to others who were undocumented. Disgraced British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell should never have been prosecuted due to a weird agreement drafted more than 15 years ago, her lawyers have told a court. The 62-year-old was found guilty in December 2021 of luring young girls to massage rooms for paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein to molest between 1994 and 2004. At an appeals court in the southern district of New York on Tuesday, her lawyer Diana Fabi Samson said a plea agreement Epstein reached with authorities in Florida in 2007, which promised his co-conspirators would not be prosecuted, should have prevented Maxwells prosecution. Maxwell was convicted of luring young girls to massage rooms for Epstein to molest (US Department of Justice/PA) Lawyers acting on behalf of the US Government contested that there was no affirmative intent for the non-prosecution agreement relied on by Maxwell to bind any districts other than Florida. The judge panel said it would reserve judgment in the case. Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison at the federal court in the southern district of New York in June 2022. Her legal team have previously submitted written arguments which claimed her victims had faded, distorted and motivated memories. During her three-week trial, jurors heard prosecutors describe Maxwell as dangerous, and were told details of how she helped entice vulnerable teenagers to Epsteins various properties for him to sexually abuse. But her legal team have previously submitted that she did not have a fair trial after it emerged one of the jurors, Scotty David, failed to disclose he had been sexually abused in his pre-trial questionnaire. The hearing on Tuesday solely focused on the plea agreement, and setting out her arguments, Ms Fabi Samson said: In the end Ms Maxwell was prosecuted for crimes that she, as a third party beneficiary to the plea agreement in Florida, should not have been prosecuted. In response to Maxwells lawyer, US Government attorney Andrew Rohrbach said: In general, the report provides no evidence and no support for a suggestion that there is any affirmative intent to bind the southern district of New York or any other districts in the nation. Epstein was found dead in his prison cell in Manhattan in August 2019 (US Department of Justice/PA) Ms Fabi Samson said Epsteins legal team had told those who drafted the agreement at the time that the paedophile financier wanted this co-conspirator clause so that no-one else would take the blame for what he did. She said: The prosecutors that were questioned had no recollection of what they were thinking when they agreed and actually edited this co-conspirator clause. One thing they did say though, was that Mr Epsteins counsel informed them that he wanted this co-conspirator clause so that no-one else would take the blame for what he did. They also said they had no interest in anyone else, no interest in prosecuting anyone else. Concluding her arguments, Ms Fabi Samson said: The other point I would make is that everyone who is interviewed says this is a weird agreement. Weird, unusual, very unusual. US government lawyers previously said Maxwells appeal arguments fall far short of establishing that sentencing judge Alison Nathan abused her discretion in her decision not to overturn the jurys verdict. They have also said her sentence was not unfair and that her arguments to the contrary are so cursory and undeveloped that they should be dismissed. Maxwell was convicted of five offences, including sex trafficking minors, conspiracy to entice a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, and conspiracy to transport a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. She has been incarcerated since July 2020, despite numerous attempts from her defence counsel to have her released on bail. Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. The death was ruled a suicide. Kate Middleton in September 2023. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images Kate Middleton admitted to editing an official royal photo of her and her children for Mother's Day. It's not the first time the royals have been called out for images that appeared tweaked. From missing fingers to odd lines, here are five times people thought royal pictures were altered. The royal family is in hot water again after Kate Middleton confessed to digitally editing an official royal portrait on Monday. The photo in question was of Kate surrounded by her three children, released by Kensington Palace to celebrate Mother's Day on Sunday. As rumors continue to swirl about the Princess of Wales' absence from the public eye following an abdominal surgery in January, it didn't take eagle-eyed social media users long to notice that a few details weren't quite right. Their suspicions were proven right when major agencies, including the Associated Press and Reuters, announced that they removed the photo on Monday because they believed it was digitally manipulated. Kate then shared a statement admitting she edited the image on Kensington Palace's social-media platforms. Confirming a photo-editing failure is a new development for the royal family but it's far from the first time the public has suspected them of being the subject of digitally-altered images. Buckingham Palace declined to comment, and Kensington Palace didn't immediately return a request for comment. Take a look. Prince Louis appeared to be missing a finger in the Wales' 2023 Christmas card photo. The Prince and Princess of Wales' 2023 family Christmas card. Josh Shinner/Kensington Palace via Getty Images In December 2023, Kensington Palace released a black-and-white photograph of Kate, William, and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, ahead of Christmas. The most contentious aspect was that 5-year-old Louis appeared to be missing the middle finger on his left hand. A few people pointed out that it could've been the result of him tucking it in, but most online commenters maintained that it was a botched photo-editing job. A photograph of Queen Elizabeth II surrounded by her great-grandchildren fueled photo editing rumors in 2022. Queen Elizabeth II and her great-grandchildren photographed at Balmoral Castle in 2022. The Princess of Wales Months before Queen Elizabeth II died, a photograph taken by Kate Middleton of almost all her great-grandchildren at Balmoral Castle sparked online chatter. Tech entrepreneur Christopher Bouzy said in April 2023 posts on X, formerly Twitter, that he suspected the image was digitally manipulated. Bouzy wrote that parts of the sofa had been "spliced" together and that pixelation around some of the royals' faces was proof of photo editing. The suspected editing wasn't necessarily a bad thing, added Bouzy, who was featured in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Netflix docuseries. "It isn't easy to get the perfect photo with 10 children. It appears they took multiple shots and then edited the photo to make it perfect. I would've done the same," he wrote. A line around the Queen's hand in an official portrait with Prince Philip made people think it might have been added in. Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle in 2020, ahead of his 99th birthday. Steve Parsons/PA Images via Getty Images To celebrate Prince Philip's 99th birthday in 2020, Buckingham Palace released a photograph of the Duke of Edinburgh standing next to Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle. Royal fans quickly spotted two things about the photo that were a little off the Queen's right hand was darker in tone than her left, and it also had an odd black line running across its edge. Some said it was evidence that the Queen's hand had been edited in from another photo. In 2014, people accused Vanity Fair of covering up Prince William's bald spot with extra hair. Prince William kisses Prince George at Sydney's Taronga Zoo on April 20, 2014. Chris Jackson/Getty Images In honor of George's first birthday in 2014, Vanity Fair shared a photo of the young prince with his parents that was snapped during their visit to a zoo in Sydney. Unfortunately for William, people noticed that the first-time dad's hair looked slightly more luscious than in other photographs from the visit. As the Telegraph reported at the time, the outlet appeared to have "thickened" up William's hair to make his bald spot seem smaller. "We did not Photoshop the cover to make Prince William appear to have more hair," a Vanity Fair spokesperson told E! News in July 2014. People suspected Princess Charlotte's face was edited into Kate and William's Christmas card in 2015. A new family photo - Merry Christmas from The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George and Princess Charlotte pic.twitter.com/8d472rlXFW The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) December 18, 2015 2023 wasn't the only year the Prince and Princess of Wales were accused of editing their Christmas card. In 2015, when William and Kate still went by their Cambridge titles, Kensington Palace shared a photograph of the family ahead of the holidays. There was online debate about whether the image of Charlotte, who was less than a year old, had been digitally altered. Social-media users noticed a discrepancy in how clear her face was compared to the blurriness around her neck and shoulders, leading some to believe her face was edited in from a different image. Read the original article on Business Insider Credit - Getty Images (7) Between the pandemic and the 2023 writers' and actors' strikes, the glamor of Hollywood has been largely on pause for the last few years. Which might explain why this awards season, the red carpet was back in a big way. During the run of awards shows over the last few months, stars showed up and showed out in looks that have run the gamut from strikingly elegant to boldly daring. Some, like Barbie's Margot Robbiewho's spent the better part of the year in Barbiecore pinkhave used the red carpet as a way to promote their films. Others have approached it more as an elevated extension of their personal style, like The Bear's breakout star Ayo Edebiri, whose cool, minimalist looks have earned her almost as many accolades as the awards she's swept up. The element that unites all the best red carpet looks this season, however, is an adventurous spirit that isn't afraid to have a little fun, be a little extra, or push the envelope. One need look no further than Rustin's Colman Domingo, a longtime triple threat who's having a leading man moment and absolutely dressing for the part with aplomb, donning tailored suits in playful colors and accessorizing with metallic coats and regal jewelry. With that in mind, we've rounded up the most memorable looks from the many ceremonies this awards season, from the show-stopping to the wonderfully weird, below. Read more: All the Best Looks From the 2024 Oscars Red Carpet Menswear MVP: Colman Domingo Colman Domingo at the Oscars, the Critics Choice Awards, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards Sarah MorrisWireImage/Getty Images; Frazer HarrisonGetty Images (2) When it comes to red carpet looks, suiting is often relegated to the sidelines. But in the dapper hands of Rustin's Colman Domingo, menswear has taken center stage this awards season. From a mustard Valentino haute couture suit paired with a textured metallic gold coat at the Critics Choice Awards to his Oscars look of a perfectly tailored Louis Vuitton tuxedo with flared legsaccessorized with David Yurman jewels and a pair of Louis Vuitton cowboy bootsDomingo's choices on the red carpet have easily made him one of the best dressed of awards seasons. Best commitment to a theme: Margot Robbie Margot Robbie at the Golden Globe Awards, the Screen Actors Guild Awards, and the BAFTA Film Awards Jon KopaloffWireImage/Getty Images; Frazer HarrisonGetty Images; John PhillipsGetty Images Margot Robbie's press tour outfits for Barbie were a study in the many iconic looks of the world's most famous doll, a theme she continued throughout the many awards shows this season. From a sparkling bubblegum pink Armani Prive gown and matching tulle boa that she wore to the Golden Globes to a dramatic black and pink Schiaparelli Couture mini dress she wore to the SAG Awards, Robbie remains the face of Barbiecore in Hollywood. Rookie of the year: Ayo Edebiri Ayo Edebiri at the Golden Globe Awards, the Emmy Awards, and the Critics' Choice Awards Jon KopaloffWireImage/Getty Images; Neilson BarnardGetty Images; Gilbert FloresVariety/Getty Images The undeniable breakout star of awards season, Ayo Edebiri swept multiple awards shows this year with her wins for The Bear, while capturing similar enthusiasm for her impeccable red carpet style. Among her best looks were a strapless red Prada sheath with a dramatic train, a sculptural black leather Louis Vuitton dress, and a cooler-than-cool white suit from The Row that paid homage to Whoopi Goldberg. Best Easter egg as an outfit: Beyonce Beyonce attends the 66th GRAMMY Awards in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy Though Queen Bey was only at the Grammys for part of the ceremonythat is, long enough to see her husband Jay Z call out the academy while accepting the inaugural Dr. Dre Impact awardshe sent tongues wagging with her Western-inspired look from the Louis Vuitton men's collectiona bedazzled black leather checkered suit accessorized with a ribbon tie and a white Stetson cowboy hat. The Beyhive correctly surmised that the cowboy chic look was a hint at her then-rumored upcoming album, which many believed could be a country project in keeping with her Houston, Texas roots. At the Super Bowl the next Sunday, Beyonce seemingly confirmed this by announcing a release date for her long awaited Act II and releasing two new undeniably country songs, "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages." Best coordinated looks: Aidy Bryant and Charles Melton Aidy Bryant hosts the Film Independent Spirit Awards Kevin WinterGetty Images Though it was considerably less formal than most of the awards show looks this season, there may have been no better coordinated outfit than Aidy Bryant and Charles Melton's collage shirts of each other at the Indy Spirit Awards. incredible stuff happening at the indie spirit awards pic.twitter.com/iM8aEP2UUE bethany (@savesthecat) February 25, 2024 Bryant, who was this year's host, used the shirts, which featured multiple pictures of each actor and their names, as part of a sketch during the show that paid homage to the May December starbut it also provided the most endearing fashion moment of awards season. Best sartorial risk taker: Greta Lee Greta Lee at the Golden Globe Awards, the Governors Awards, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards Kevin MazurGetty Images; Frazer Harrison/Getty Images (2) Of all the stars who have walked the red carpet of awards shows this season, none have raised the style bar quite like Greta Lee. The Past Lives star favors conceptual looks that skew more editorial than Hollywood glam, opting for outfits that are quietly striking and often sculptural. From a cream-colored Loewe gown with an elaborately draped open back to a bright red Bottega Veneta frock with a strong silhouette, Lee's looks brought a sense of daring and intellect to award shows this season. Best case for academiacore: Billie Eilish Billie Eilish at the Golden Globe Awards, the Grammy Awards, and the Oscars Monica SchipperGA/The Hollywood Reporter/Getty Images; Matt WinkelmeyerThe Recording Academy/Getty Images; JC OliveraGetty Images Billie Eilish has never been afraid to make a fashion statement and during this awards season, when she was up for (and won) several awards for her Barbie song "What Was I Made For?", she's sported a decidedly studious look, wearing lots of suiting, ties, and pleated skirts and usually accessorizing with a pair of eyeglasses. From an oversized Willy Chavarria getup that brought to mind a private school uniform to her vintage Barbie varsity jacket, paired with baggy trousers and a crisp button down and tie, Eilish makes a compelling case for trying academiacore. Most avant garde accessorizing: Doja Cat Doja Cat at the Grammy Awards Matt WinkelmeyerGetty Images for The Recording Academy; Frazer HarrisonGetty Images Leave it to Doja Cat to have the most show-stopping accessory of awards season: full body tattoos. The musical artist shocked fans when she appeared on the Grammys red carpet in a sheer dress that showed to great effect numerous tattoos that covered her body, from head to toe. The ink, which turned out to be temporary, appeared to be part of her look, which was created by the Turkish-British fashion designer Dilara Findikoglu. Doja also prominently sported a temporary forehead tattoo of Findikoglu's name as part of the outfit. Most colorful: Andrew Scott Andrew Scott at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, BAFTA Film Awards, and the London Critics' Circle Film Awards Kayla OaddamsWireImage; Stephane CardinaleCorbis/Getty Images; Gareth CattermoleGetty Images Throughout all of awards season, All of Us Strangers' Andrew Scott has made a case for ditching conventional black and white suiting, opting instead for technicolor options, like a lemon yellow Etro suit with matching shoes for the Indie Spirit Awards or an all-red ensemble by Berluti for the BAFTAs. Best integration of their film in a look: the Godzilla Minus One team Masaki Takahashi, Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, and Tatsuji Nojima at the Oscars Mike CoppolaGetty Images; Kevin MazurCritics Choice Association/Getty Images Director Takashi Yamazaki and the rest of his crew for Godzilla Minus One (Masaki Takahashi, Kiyoko Shibuya, Tatsuji Nojima) took promoting their film to the next level when they showed up to the 2024 Oscars with some monstrous accessories. The team members, who took home the prize for Best Visual Effects, all carried a different miniature toy Godzilla to the ceremony and donned shoes with metallic clawed heels shaped like the hands of the legendary kaiju, a terrifyingly good style statement. Write to Cady Lang at cady.lang@timemagazine.com. Some pets are angels others, well others are like a bird named Prince, who definitely had chaos on the mind when she flew into her mom's glassware cabinet recently. If that sounds bad, well, it was definitely not great. Thankfully the damage wasn't too bad. The bird's mama, Tamia, was furious when she found out that Prince had flown into the "forbidden cabinet." That's the cabinet where she keeps all of her special glass cups and glasses. "You need to get out!" she told her in the video after a shriek. Related: Craigslist Lovebird Falls Madly In Love with Black Labrador in Sweet Video Prince was taunting her mama the entire time. She did her little "happy dance," and chirped with glee as mom had a full-on freak out down below. At one point, the bird even broke one of her mom's shot glasses. "She literally got out of her cage and I didn't even have this open," she said. Prince didn't stop at casual destruction, she rattled all the glasses and kept diving in and out of cups. People in the comments section suspected this was no mere incident. "The fact that she KNOWS it bothers you," one person pointed out. "She is such a smart birdy. Unfortunately she uses it for evil," someone else joked. "She was having the time of her life," a third person pointed out. "Do they make rage rooms for birds?" another person joked. How to Keep Your Birds From Being Destructive Surely not every bird has the appetite for destruction like Prince does right? Well unfortunately pet birds can sort of get rowdy from time to time. If your bird loves to bang around in your breakables, there are ways to get them to stop. First, it's important to understand that birds don't mean to destroy things. It's just natural for them to use their beaks to interact with the world. They use them to eat, climb, and generally move around. They'll also chew on anything that's available to them. That being said, it's important to discourage your bird from chewing on things by setting up an a good environment. That means making sure there are plenty of things around that are safe for them to chew on, like good food and toys. Feeding your bird pelleted bird food will help. Other treats like carrots or apples can also satisfy that chewing instinct too. It's all about keeping your bird busy and out of trouble. They can be real stinkers otherwise just ask Prince's owner. Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips. A state legislator introduced a first-of-its-kind bill Tuesday that would ban seven additives from the foods that are served in Californias public schools. Assembly Bill 2316 would prohibit school cafeterias from offering foods containing six artificial food dyes that have been linked to hyperactivity and behavioral issues in some children. It would also outlaw titanium dioxide, a whitening agent used in candies and other products that is banned by the European Union because of concerns that it is potentially genotoxic, meaning it may damage DNA and cause cancer. The bill, which was first shared with NBC News, would affect certain cereals, condiments and baked goods, among other foods, and would make California the first in the nation to ban the additives from schools. It was introduced by Democratic Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel. "This legislation will not ban any specific foods or products," Gabriel said Tuesday at a virtual news conference. "The goal here is to encourage companies to make minor modifications to products sold in California if they want their products to be sold in California public schools." The necessary recipe tweaks would be as small as changing one ingredient, Gabriel told NBC News, adding that many products sold on grocery store shelves use natural substitutes such as turmeric, beet juice or pomegranate juice for coloring. Synthetic dyes are nonessential ingredients, Gabriel said in a phone interview before introducing the bill. These are chemicals that are added to food to make them appear more appealing. But for all of them, there are specific alternatives. In addition to titanium dioxide, the bill would ban Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1 and Blue 2, and Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 in foods served by schools. The Food and Drug Administration has said it has not established a causal relationship between behavioral problems and synthetic dyes for children in the general population who havent been diagnosed with conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. But Gabriel said a comprehensive assessment from the state of California showed otherwise. The 2021 evaluation found an association even in some children without ADHD diagnoses. Overall, our review of human studies suggests that synthetic food dyes are associated with adverse neurobehavioral effects, such as inattentiveness, hyperactivity and restlessness in sensitive children, the authors of the assessment wrote. The evidence supports a relationship between food dye exposure and adverse behavioral outcomes in children, both with and without pre-existing behavioral disorders. The bill comes as the number of ADHD diagnoses has risen nationally in recent years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Gabriel, whose son has ADHD, said he found it baffling that schools would serve foods that could increase symptoms of the disorder. It just totally harms these kids and undermines our investment in helping them when we expose them to chemicals that we know are going to exacerbate their challenges, he told NBC News. AB 2316 would go into effect at the beginning of 2025 if it is signed into law this year. The FDA had no immediate comment on the bill. The International Association of Color Manufacturers, a trade association, pointed to its past statements on food dyes, including one that rebutted the 2021 findings from California, in which it said that concluding that there may be an association between synthetic colors and negative health or behavior is based on insufficient scientific evidence. The International Food Additives Council, another trade group, condemned state-level bans on ingredients that have been determined to be safe by the FDA. FDA is the federal agency charged with safeguarding the food supply, and those advocating for state bans are undermining FDAs authority and causing unnecessary consumer confusion, the councils executive director, Robert Rankin, said in a statement, adding that the council stands behind the FDA in its mission to uphold the highest standards of food safety. But Melanie Benesh, vice president of government affairs at the Environmental Working Group, a research and advocacy health organization that is co-sponsoring Gabriels bill, argued that the FDA is asleep at the wheel. California shouldnt have to introduce this bill, she said. In an ideal world, we would have a credible federal regulator that would be taking aggressive action to make sure that the food chemicals that we are exposed to every day, and the foods that we eat, and the foods that we feed our family, are actually safe. An analysis by the Environmental Working Group found that if the bill passes, only a handful of items sold in California schools would be affected. Benesh said the group estimated that the additives that would be banned are only in about 4% of foods served in cafeteria lunch lines and less than 3% of items sold through a la carte lines. A la carte items are snacks and drinks that students can purchase separately from their school meals. There are some categories like cookies, chips, sugary breakfast cereals, that may be more likely to be tainted by these food chemicals and these colors, Benesh said. But even in those categories, theres plenty of alternatives. The proposed legislation follows last years passage of the California Food Safety Act, which was also introduced by Gabriel and banned four food additives linked to potential health problems. The law was the first time that a state had outlawed chemicals allowed by the FDA and means that, beginning in 2027, California will prohibit red dye No. 3, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil and propylparaben from being in any food sold in the state. Other states have since followed suit. Bills attempting to ban certain food additives have been introduced in Illinois, Missouri, New York and Washington state, among other places. Orcas are considered to be one of the most intelligent creatures on our planet. These massive mammals live in tight-knit social groups called pods, use a range of vocalizations to communicate with one another, and are capable of problem solving and emotional intelligence. A viral video that shows a captive orca that's absolutely fascinated by a couple's newborn baby is simply amazing to watch, but it's also an important reminder of why these incredible animals shouldn't be kept in aquariums. Just take a look. In the video uploaded to TikTok, the newborn baby girls mom can be heard saying Oh my gosh, that is the coolest thing ever! while the newborn's dad holds her up to the aquarium at the unnamed orca exhibit. The killer whale appears to be studying the baby before he goes up to the top of his enclosure to get air and returns down again to take another look. Related: Beloved Orca Whale's Death at Miami Seaquarium Sparks Outrage and Protest It's an incredible video, and something these parents will never forget, but hopefully it will be one of the last times that people can see these animals behind glass. Why Orcas Don't Belong In Captivity In 2013, the documentary film Blackfish showed the psychological toll of what killer whales go through when they live in captivity, through the story of a wild-caught orca named Tilikum who had killed two trainers at SeaWorld Orlando. Whether they're born in the wild or in captivity, all orcas born have the same innate drive to swim far and dive deep. This is what they do. They can't do this when they are kept in a tank, no matter how large the tank is, because orcas dive 100 to 500 feet, several times a day, every day, and they swim up to forty miles a day. National Geographic reports, "Artificial enclosures in captivity cannot offer that kind of range to orcas, contributing to boredom and stress. Orcas have been seen to develop stereotypies, also known as zoochosisrepetitive patterns of activity that have no obvious function, which range from self-mutilation to rocking and swaying. Usually related to stress and inappropriate habitats, stereotypic behavior has been documented in orcas in scientific research since the late 1980s." The Dolphin Project explains that captive orcas also display aggression towards each other, as well as self-destructive behavior. Rake marks and injuries inflicted are often observed on captive orcas, while it is also well-documented that captive marine mammals engage in harmful stereotypic behaviors such as gnawing on tank walls or gates. At least 160 orcas have died in captivity, even more if stillbirths are counted. In 2016, Orlando park SeaWorld announced that it would be ending its orca breeding program and that the current group of killer whales would be the last in their pools. In 2019, Canada outright banned the practice of keeping both whales and dolphins in captivity. If you would like to find out how you can help end the inhumane practice of these amazing creatures being held in captivity, you can learn more here. Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips. (Photo : MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images) US Rep. Ken Buck, R-CO, arrives for an intelligence briefing by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on February 15, 2024. Republican Congressman Ken Buck announced his resignation, effective next week, shrinking the GOP's already narrow control of the House to just two seats. "It is the worst year of the nine years and three months that I've been in Congress and having talked to former members, it's the worst year in 40, 50 years to be in Congress," the Colorado representative told CNN of his resignation. "This place has just devolved into this bickering and nonsense and not really doing the job for the American people." Buck is a member of the Freedom Caucus but has previously found himself at odds with MAGA Republicans. He was critical of attempts to impeach President Joe Biden, arguing that his fellow Republicans were "relying on an imagined history" in an op-ed published in the Washington Post. "People are not happy with Trump and they're not happy with Biden," he told CNN. "I am going to find the right organization to join and I'm going to start working on that issue. We have to have better candidates up and down the ballot." With Buck's resignation there will be four vacancies in the House of Representatives - leaving Republicans with just 218 seats compared to 213 Democrats. This razor-thin margin will leave Republicans room for just two defections on any vote. Democrats are expected to pick up one new House seat in April following a special election to replace Brian Higgins, who resigned in February. Republicans, meanwhile, could regain two seats once former Representatives Kevin McCarthy and Bill Johnson are replaced. @ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Hurry, it's only back for a limited time. Chipotle Chipotle is about to make your day. On Tuesday, the fast-casual restaurant announced it's bringing back its beloved Chicken al Pastor to its restaurants around the world. But if you want a bite of one, you better act quickly. The dish, which debuted in March 2023, marked Chipotle's first "global menu innovation," as it was released across the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, and Germany. The dish is a rather labor-intensive one for the brand as it's prepared daily in small batches and is made with grilled chicken slathered in a marinade made with seared morita peppers, ground achiote, pineapple, fresh lime, and cilantro. But fans quickly appreciated all the effort, making it an instant hit. Related: Chipotle Is Investing $100 Million in the Future of Food and Is Open to Your Ideas "About one in five transactions included Chicken al Pastor when it was featured on our menu last year," Chris Brandt, the chief brand officer of Chipotle, shared in a statement provided to Food & Wine. Sadly, the menu item was just a limited-time offering. But, as Chipotle noted, there have been three times more requests to bring back the Chicken al Pastor on social than any other limited-time offering. So, it's obliging. "Given the performance and the fans wanting its return so enthusiastically, we are thrilled to make this the fastest item to ever come back to Chipotle, Brandt added. Related: Chipotle's New Robot Will Make Burrito Bowls Alongside Human Employees Fans can also get the chicken in bowl form, which features white rice, black beans, tomato salsa, roasted chili-corn salsa, cheese, and, yes, guac. The rich flavor of our Chicken al Pastor shines in the fan-favorite bowl," Nevielle Panthaky, the vice president of culinary at Chipotle, added. "Each ingredient layers for the perfectly balanced bite with the right level of sweetness, acidity, and heat. It is simple, flavorful, unbelievably delicious, and has everything you crave. The bowl is available to order in the Chipotle app, Chipotle.com, and Chipotle.ca. Chipotle is also offering a $0 delivery fee on all Chicken al Pastor orders placed through the Chipotle app and website from March 14 through March 24 in the U.S. and Canada. Those in the U.K. will get the offer via Uber Eats orders of at least 15 from March 14 to March 28, and those in France can get the offer via Deliveroo over the same dates. But, again, order quickly. You never know when the bowl could disappear off menus again. For more Food & Wine news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Food & Wine. Former President Donald Trump speaks to a crowd of supporters during a rally at Dayton International Airport in 2022. Former President Donald Trump will return to Ohio on Saturday to boost his preferred U.S. Senate candidate just days before the primary. Trump will appear at the Dayton International Airport as part of a rally organized by Buckeye Values PAC, a group backing businessman Bernie Moreno. The former president is scheduled to speak at 4 p.m. on Saturday, and doors open at noon. Moreno is running against Secretary of State Frank LaRose and state Sen. Matt Dolan, R-Chagrin Falls, for the chance to take on Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown this fall. Republicans see an opportunity to flip Brown's seat in their quest to regain control of the Senate. Trump endorsed Moreno back in December, a move that many observers thought would make Moreno the clear frontrunner. Instead, polls suggest the race remains close with a week to go before the March 19 primary. The campaigns and outside groups are spending money accordingly, which means Ohioans can expect an onslaught of ads over the next week. Dolan, meanwhile, has trotted out endorsements from Gov. Mike DeWine and former Sen. Rob Portman. Trump's visit could provide some late momentum for Moreno, who's never held elected office and lacks the name recognition of his opponents. Before now, Moreno had campaigned with surrogates of the former president, including Donald Trump Jr. and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem. "I think (Trump) would love to come and support Bernie because he thinks everything about him, and what he stands for is what America's about," Noem said during an event in Columbus earlier Monday. Trump himself is on Ohio's March 19 ballot, but the Buckeye State won't have much of a role to play in the presidential primary. He and President Joe Biden are heading for a rematch after both men dominated Super Tuesday elections, which forced U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley to drop out of the Republican contest. Still, Moreno said he's confident that Trump's supporters will come to the ballot box in Ohio. "The people who support President Trump know that we have to send a signal, more than anything else, how much support he actually has," Moreno said Monday. Haley BeMiller is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Donald Trump to campaign for Bernie Moreno in Ohio Senate race Surfs up with school breakfast Mitchell School kicked off National School Breakfast Week #NSBW KITTERY, Maine To encourage more families to take advantage of the healthy choices available with schoolbreakfast, Kittery schools celebrated National School Breakfast Week March 4-8. Kittery schools offer nutritious school breakfasts, complete with fruit and low-fat or fat-free milk, to ensure studentsare fueled for learning every school day. Principal Allison Gamache and students at Mitchell School kicked off National School Breakfast Week #NSBW The NSBW campaign theme, Surfs Up with School Breakfast, reminds the entire school community that schoolbreakfast provides a healthy and energizing start to the day for students. Studies show that students who eatschool breakfast are more likely to: Reach higher levels of achievement in reading and math Score higher on standardized tests Have better concentration and memory Be more alert Maintain a healthy weight A healthy breakfast at the start of the day is a great way to ensure students are nourished and ready to learn,said nutrition director Wendy Collins. National School Breakfast Week helps us educate parents and studentsabout all the nutritious and delicious choices we offer. Applications open for Plan NH Scholarship and Fellowship Program PORTSMOUTH Plan NH announced the organization is currently accepting applications for its Scholarship and Fellowship Program. This program includes the Plan NH Fellowship Fund, the Alfred T. Granger Student Art Trust Fund, and the Paul and Ann Harvey Scholarship Fund, all of which support students who call New Hampshire home and are studying a field related to the Plan NH mission. Eligible fields of study include architecture, construction management, engineering, environmental studies, and more. In 2023, 13 students across the Granite State were awarded $29,500 by Plan NH to support their educational path. The application deadline for this years program is April 12, by 5 p.m. via the NHCF online portal here. Application questions can be directed to the NHCF at studentdocs@nhcf.org. Contact Plan NH at 603-452-7526 or info@plannh.org. Dover kindergarten registration DOVER Dover schools are reaching to parents of young children with kindergarten registration, screening and orientation coming up. Contact the elementary buildings at any time with questions. Online Kindergarten registration opened March 11. In person registration: April 2, from 3:15 to 7 p.m. Call: 603-516-6756 for appointment. In-person registration at Frances G. Hopkins Elementary School at Horne Street. April 3, from 3:15 to 7 p.m. Call 603-516-6700 for appointment. In-person registration at Woodman Park Elementary School. April 4, from 3:15 to 7 p.m. Call 03-516-6752 for appointment. In-person registration at Garrison Elementary School. Kindergarten screening: June 12 and June 13. Sign-ups will be sent to those who have completed Kindergarten registration (online or in-person). Kindergarten orientation: Aug. 29, 9-11 a.m. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Dover kindergarten registration, Surf's up with school breakfast Russia appears on track to produce nearly three times more artillery munitions than the US and Europe, a key advantage ahead of what is expected to be another Russian offensive in Ukraine later this year. Russia is producing about 250,000 artillery munitions per month, or about 3 million a year, according to NATO intelligence estimates of Russian defense production shared with CNN, as well as sources familiar with Western efforts to arm Ukraine. Collectively, the US and Europe have the capacity to generate only about 1.2 million munitions annually to send to Kyiv, a senior European intelligence official told CNN. The US military set a goal to produce 100,000 rounds of artillery a month by the end of 2025 less than half of the Russian monthly output and even that number is now out of reach with $60 billion in Ukraine funding stalled in Congress, a senior Army official told reporters last week. What we are in now is a production war, a senior NATO official told CNN. The outcome in Ukraine depends on how each side is equipped to conduct this war. Officials say Russia is currently firing around 10,000 shells a day, compared to just 2,000 a day from the Ukrainian side. The ratio is worse in some places along the 600-mile front, according to a European intelligence official. The shortfall comes at perhaps the most perilous moment for Ukraines war effort since Russia first marched on Kyiv in February 2022. US money for arming Ukraine has run out and Republican opposition in Congress has effectively halted giving any more. Meanwhile, Russia recently took the Ukrainian city of Avdiivka and is widely seen as having the initiative on the battlefield. Ukraine is struggling not just with ammunition but also growing manpower shortages on the front lines. The US and its allies have given Ukraine a number of highly sophisticated systems, including the M-1 Abrams tank and, soon, F-16 fighter jets. But military analysts say the war will likely be won or lost based on who fires the most artillery shells. The number one issue that were watching right now is the munitions, the NATO official said. Its those artillery shells, because thats where Russia really [is] mounting a significant production advantage and mounting a significant advantage on the battlefield. Russian war machine in full gear Russia is running artillery factories 24/7 on rotating 12-hour shifts, the NATO official said. About 3.5 million Russians now work in the defense sector, up from somewhere between 2 and 2.5 million before the war. Russia is also importing ammunition: Iran sent at least 300,000 artillery shells last year probably more than that, the official said and North Korea provided at least 6,700 containers of ammunition carrying millions of shells. Russia has put everything they have in the game, the intelligence official said. Their war machine works in full gear. A rough equivalent in the US would be if President Joe Biden invoked the Defense Production Act, a US official said, which gives the president power to order companies to produce equipment expeditiously to support the nations national defense. A Ukrainian serviceman holds an artillery shell near the town of Kreminna, Ukraine, March 4, 2024. - Inna Varenytsia/Reuters Russias ramp-up is still not enough to meet its needs, US and Western officials say, and Western intelligence officials do not expect Russia to make major gains on the battlefield in the short term. There is also a limit to Russian production capacity, officials say: Russian factories will likely hit a peak sometime in the next year. But its still far beyond what the US and Europe are producing for Ukraine especially without additional US funding. Competing with Putins managed economy European nations are trying to make up the shortfall. A German defense company announced last month that it plans to open an ammunition factory in Ukraine that it said will produce hundreds of thousands of 155mm caliber bullets each year. In Germany, the same company broke ground on a new factory expected to eventually produce around 200,000 artillery shells per year. US and Western officials insist that although Russia has been able to jump-start its factory lines, in part because it has the advantage of being a managed economy under the control of an autocrat, capitalist western nations will eventually catch up and produce better equipment. If you can actually control the economy, then you can probably move a little bit faster than other countries out there, Lt. Gen. Steven Basham, the deputy commander of US European Command, told CNN in an interview last week. But, he said, the West will have more sustaining power. The West is just starting their ramp-up of building the infrastructure to add in the munitions capability that is needed. When the money was still flowing, the US Army expanded production of artillery shells in Pennsylvania, Iowa and Texas. Russias output is 24/7. I mean, huge, immense, one European lawmaker said. We should not underestimate their will to outlast us with patience, and with resilience. Intelligence officials believe that neither side is poised to make any large gains imminently, but the overall math favors Moscow in the long run particularly if additional US aid does not materialize. Its not going well, but it all depends, said one source familiar with Western intelligence. If aid restarts and comes quick, all is not lost. Targeting Ukraines weapons production Russia has also recently targeted Ukraines domestic defense production with its long-range weapons. If we were talking about this last fall, we would have talked about how they were targeting critical infrastructure, the NATO official said. Now what we see is some critical infrastructure targeting, but also a lot of targeting the Ukrainian defense industrial base. According to the senior NATO official, Russia is producing between 115 to 130 long-range missiles, and 300 to 350 one-way attack drones based on an Iranian model provided by Tehran, each month. Although before the war, Russia had a stockpile of thousands of long-range missiles in its arsenal, today it is hovering around 700, the official said. The Russians have lately conserved those weapons to use in large volleys to try to overwhelm Ukrainian missile defenses. And they have compensated by increasing their use of drones, sending out on average four times as many drones per month as they did last winter. Destroyed Russian tanks near the village of Bohorodychne in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, on February 13, 2024. - Maxym Marusenko/NurPhoto/Reuters Perhaps Russias biggest challenge has been in tank and other armored vehicle production. It is churning out about 125 tanks a month, but the vast majority are older models that have been refurbished. About 86% of the main battle tanks Russia produced in 2023 were refurbished, the NATO official said. And although Russia has about 5,000 tanks in storage, probably a large percentage of those cant be refurbished and are only good for cannibalizing parts, the official said. Moscow has lost at least 2,700 tanks, more than twice the total number that they deployed initially to Ukraine in February of 2022, when the invasion began. Russias transformed economy Officials are also closely watching Russias economy for signs of how the interplay between a super-charged defense sector, Western sanctions, and Putins efforts to gird his economy for war impact Russias ability to sustain the conflict. The war has absolutely transformed Russias economy, the NATO official said, from the post-Soviet period when oil was the leading sector. Now, defense is the largest sector of the Russian economy, and oil is paying for it. That creates some long-term imbalances that will likely be problematic for Russia, but for now, its working, the NATO official and Basham, the US European Command official, both said. In the short term say, the next 18 months or so it may be unsophisticated, but its a durable economy, the NATO official said. The Pentagon is weighing whether to tap into the last remaining source of funding it has but it has previously been reluctant to spend any of that remaining money without assurances it would be reimbursed by Congress, because taking from DoD stockpiles with no plan to replenish that equipment could impact US military readiness, CNN has previously reported. If no more US aid coming, do the Ukrainians change how they feel about negotiating? the source familiar with Western intelligence said. CNNs Jennifer Hansler contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Amid a bitter election-year debate over illegal immigration, FBI Director Chris Wray told a Senate panel on Monday that dangerous individuals have entered the United States illegally at the southern border. "We have had dangerous individuals entering the United States have a variety of sources," Wray said at the annual "Worldwide Threats" congressional hearings at which the heads of U.S. intelligence agencies testify. "We are seeing a wide array of very dangerous threats that emanate from the border, " he said, citing drug trafficking in particular. "The FBI alone seized enough fentanyl in the last two years to kill 270 million people," he said. PHOTO: FBI Director Christopher Wray testifying during a Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on the 'Annual Worldwide Threats Assessment' in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Mar. 11, 2024. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) MORE: A 'rogue's gallery' of threats made against US since Hamas attack on Israel, FBI Director Christopher Wray says Wray, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, CIA Director William Burns, Defense Intelligence Agency Director Jeffery Kruse, NSA Director Timothy Haugh, and State Department Assistant Secretary Brett Holmgren testify before the House and Senate every year and detail threats the U.S. faces. While Wray said there is "no doubt" criminals have entered the United States at the southern border, he said there is no specific plot. "There is a particular network that has -- some of the overseas facilitators of the smuggling network have -- ISIS ties that we're very concerned about, and we've been spending enormous amount of effort with our partners investigating," Wray said. Overall, he said, threats from various groups have reached a "whole other level." "Even before October 7, I would have told this committee that we were at a heightened threat level from a terrorism perspective -- in the sense that it's the first time I've seen in a long, long time," he said. "The threats from homegrown violent extremists that is jihadist-inspired, extremists, domestic violent extremists, foreign terrorist organizations, and state-sponsored terrorist organizations all being elevated at one time since October 7, though, that threat has gone to a whole other level. And so, this is a time I think for much greater vigilance, maybe been called upon us," he said. PHOTO: Intelligence chiefs testify during a Senate Intelligence Committee on worldwide threats, in Washington, Mar. 11, 2024. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) The intelligence chiefs were asked about the threat from China, the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, as well as how artificial intelligence could influence the U.S 2024 election. CIA Director Burns said U.S. support for Ukraine against Russian President Vladimir Putin has the "very real possibility of cementing strategic success for Ukraine and a strategic loss of relative importance for Russia." Not providing that support, he said, would have widespread consequences. "Without supplemental assistance it seems to me lies a much grimmer future, Ukraine, is likely to lose ground and probably significant ground in 2024. A senior Ukrainian member of the government, Burns said, told him that their men "fought as long and as hard as they could" but they just ran out of ammunition. "I think the consequences of that are going to be felt not only by Ukrainians in European security, but across the Indo-Pacific," where he said the U.S. could be seen as walking away from support for Ukraine. "Not only is that going to feed doubts amongst our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, it's going to stoke the ambition, so the Chinese leadership in contingencies ranging from Taiwan to the South China Sea," he said. FBI director warns of 'dangerous individuals' coming across southern border originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Boeings tumultuous year went from bad to worse on Monday after a technical event led a 787-9 Dreamliner to nosedive, injuring 50 people on a flight from Sydney to Auckland, New Zealand. One passenger, Brian Jokat, told the BBC that the plane dropped unlike anything he had ever experienced before, causing some passengers to hit the roof and break the roof panels. After it landed, New Zealands Hato Hone St. John ambulance service treated about 50 people, said Anna Pownall, its area operations manager, in a statement. A total of 12 people were transported to the hospital, including one in serious condition and the remainder with moderate to minor injuries, according to Pownall. Latam Airlines, which operated the plane, told multiple outlets that the incident involved a technical event during the flight which caused a strong movement. Latam said in a press release that the plane experienced a strong shake whose causes are being investigated, and when reached for comment a spokesperson for the airline directed Fortune to its publicly available statement. A spokesperson for Boeing told Fortune in a statement that the company was working to gather more information about the flight. The Latam flight injuries are just the latest of a string of incidents involving Boeing-made planes since the start of the year. In the past week alone, a Boeing plane has veered off the runway, lost a tire, and shot flames from its engineall in separate incidents. Although the plane that lost a tire was not built recently and the flaming engine was reportedly caused by bubble wrap that was sucked into it, the proximity of the incidents to each other is a bad look for a company already under scrutiny. Boeings most recent troubles began in January when a door plug on a 737-MAX 9 operated by Alaska Airlines blew off while the plane was in midair, requiring it to turn back only 20 minutes after departure. Following the event, a preliminary investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board found that the door plug that blew off may have been missing bolts. The Federal Aviation Administration audited Boeing and a supplier, Spirit AeroSystems, after the door plug incident and found several noncompliance issues, according to a statement by the agency. The FAA gave Boeing 90 days to outline a plan to address the audits findings as well as previous concerns over its safety culture. The Justice Department has now opened a criminal probe into the door plug incident in January and a grand jury has been convened to examine the evidence, the Washington Post reported, citing a person briefed on the matter. The probe may not necessarily result in charges. Boeings stock has plummeted 23% since the start of the year thanks in part to the recent issues. The companys shares were down 3% as of market close on Monday. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Zhong Shanshan, Chinas richest person, knows the value of a corporate reputation. He built Nongfu Spring, his bottled water company, by arguing that he got his water direct from the source, making it better than that of his competitors. The reputation of a company in the market economy is greater than its fixed assets, he told Hong Kong television in 2015. If the reputation is bad, nothing can be sold. Nongfu Spring is getting a lesson in that now, as the brand is being targeted by nationalistic social media users in China, accusing the bottled water company of being pro-Japan. On Chinese social media platforms, users are filming themselves pouring Nongfu water into the toilet, or using it to clean the floor. Nongfus crime? Allegedly using Japanese-style images on its bottles. Nongfu, for its part, says the designs on its packaging are artistic creations based on the architecture of Chinese temples. The recent death of Zong Qinghou, the founder of competing brand Wahaha, could also be fanning the social media frenzy. Some accuse Zhong of undermining his former partner, Zong. (Zhong used to be a sales agent for Wahaha.) Two 7-Eleven stores in Jiangsu province said on Friday that they would pull Nongfus products from their shelves. Sales have fallen in the past two weeks, according to Bloomberg, citing domestic media. The social media furor over Nongfu Spring is helping its competitor Wahaha, as users share posts of themselves consuming Wahahas products with calls to support the brand over Nongfu. Nationalist shoppers have previously attacked foreign brands for allegedly slighting China. Chinese users assailed Dolce & Gabbana in 2018 for an advertisement featuring a Chinese woman eating Italian food with chopsticks; the fashion brand is still dealing with the repercussions today. Users also boycotted H&M in early 2021 following the fashion retailers decision to stop using cotton from Xinjiang. More recently, Chinese internet users were furious over a photo on Apples website, featuring a customer service agent with a pigtail hairstyle, which users believed played into anti-Chinese stereotypes. Nationalist Chinese users accused Apple of trying to insult Chinadespite the fact that Apple used the photo globally. Apple later confirmed to Chinese media that the employee in question was Native American and based in California. Chinese internet users also called for boycotts of Japanese beauty products and other goods from the country to criticize Japans decision to release treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Beijing suspended imports of Japanese seafood following the release of the treated wastewater. But the outcry over Nongfu Spring shows that domestic brands arent immune from nationalist criticism. Even Huawei, the countrys tech champion, faced social media questions as to why it named its homegrown smartphone processor Kirin, after the Japanese mythical creature, according to Nikkei Asia. The controversy is taking a toll on Nongfu shares. The drinks company lost about 30 billion Hong Kong dollars ($3.8 billion) in market value over the past two weeks, though shares have recovered slightly since the weekend. Who is Zhong Shanshan? Zhong has a net worth of around $63 billion, according to estimates from Bloomberg, making him Chinas richest person. (The second richest person in China, according to Bloomberg, is ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming with a fortune of $42.3 billion.) He got his start in journalism, working as a reporter in Chinese state-owned media in the 1980s. But he quickly pivoted to business, selling a variety of goods ranging from mushrooms to nutritional supplements. Zhong turned his attention to water in 1996, launching Nongfu Spring in his hometown of Hangzhou. His capitalized on the poor drinking quality of Chinas tap water to grow his business, positioning the brand as providing high-quality drinking water direct from the source. In addition to bottled water, Nongfu Spring also sells other products like ready-to-drink tea, fruit juices, and coffee. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com If youre dealing with loss or damage to your home, whether its due to a weather event, home burglary or other unexpected event, youre likely to feel overwhelmed. When it comes time to file a claim with your home insurance, you dont want to encounter more stress in the process. Navigating the claims process can be stressful, but it doesnt have to be. Bankrates insurance experts have outlined everything you need to know about filing a home insurance claim in the article below, from the types of claimable events to the steps for filing a claim. How to file a home insurance claim As soon as property loss occurs, you should consider contacting your home insurance company for help in filing your claim. Each insurer has its own home insurance claim process that policyholders need to follow. Regardless of how a home insurance claim is filed with your insurer online or over the phone its best to be prompt. Usually, the sooner you can initiate a claim, the earlier you may be able to resolve the issue. Help prevent further damage. Take measures to ensure your homes structure will not suffer further damage while you wait for repairs. File a police report, if necessary. If your property loss is theft or vandalism related, contact the police right away. Law enforcement will gather important information about the damage, and you can provide details and evidence of what happened to your insurance company. Contact your insurer. Youll learn whats covered under your insurance policy and the best way to initiate a claim. Document the damage and fill out claims form. Take pictures of the damage and reference your inventory list, then file a claim. Have your claim inspected. A professional claims adjuster will inspect and document the estimated cost of damage. Complete repairs. With knowledge of how much of the damage will be covered, make a plan for repairs. 1. Help prevent further damage While you are waiting for the situation to be resolved, you still have to manage your home. Experts suggest that you try to minimize further damage wherever possible. For example, if a tree fell on your home, make sure the parts of the home that are damaged are not likely to fall apart further. Check support beams and the roof to make sure they are secure until they can be repaired. John Butkus, director of property claims for Country Financial, shares a few tips for homeowners to mitigate further damage. These include keeping your home tidy, boarding up shattered windows and covering holes with tarp. Butkus also recommends saving any receipts from basic repairs made, including the items purchased to complete them. Nicole Shacket, a litigation attorney at Insurance Litigation Group, recommends that homeowners keep copies of any signed documents. If you sign an agreement, work authorization or any type of document with a contractor, take a picture of the whole document with your phone. Know what you signed, when you signed, with who and for what. 2. File a police report, if necessary When a home insurance claim involves a crime, such as theft or vandalism, its important that you get the police involved. Contact your local police department to find out how you can file a police report. While the police may not find the perpetrator of the crime, they can help gather important details about the damage. Insurance companies use the police report to get details about your claim and validate the information you give them. While most home insurance providers do not require that you file a police report, it can help shorten the claim process. 3. Contact your insurer Experts generally recommend that you file a claim quickly, as it could impact how smoothly the process goes. David Adler, president and owner of Adler Insurance Group an Allstate insurance agency in the Denver metro area adds that verifying your policys listed perils with your insurer could be an important step in the process. Ask them if this specific loss is covered under your policy, Adler says. Get an understanding of your policy limits too and what your deductible costs will be. If your deductible costs more than the loss, it is likely not worth filing a claim for. Many questions about specific losses and what to file under your homeowners insurance can be answered by speaking directly with your provider. 4. Document the damage and fill out claims form Document all damage thoroughly as soon as possible to give evidence of what has happened and what needs to be repaired. Documentation can include photos, videos and a list of items lost or damaged. Provide proof of ownership for any stolen items, if possible. Things like serial numbers, receipts of purchase or previous images of the items can help prove you owned the items. After filing your claim, your insurance provider may ask you to fill out certain forms documenting the damage to your home or belongings. You may need to provide the following information: Personal information, like your name and date of birth Policy number Location of the loss Date of the incident Cause of the loss Estimated loss amount Many insurance experts also recommend submitting photographic and video evidence to support your claim. 5. Have your claim inspected After your claim is submitted, the insurance company will usually send a claims adjuster to assess the situation in detail. John Espenschied, owner of Insurance Brokers Group in Chesterfield, Missouri, has been helping homeowners and business owners with their insurance needs for over two decades. He offers a friendly word of expert advice to homeowners at this stage. If there was any damage done, make sure that the adjuster inspects the property with you present before writing up an estimate for damages, Espenscheid says. Once they leave, their only source of information is going to be whatever paperwork they have from you. If anything was missed during their inspection, it could cause problems later on down the line when trying to get reimbursed for those items missing from their report. Espenschied also encourages his clients to make a list of any damaged items and dont be afraid to ask for a second opinion from an outside, independent appraiser. Adler advises having a contractor of your choice present for the adjusters inspection, as they might assist in voicing your concerns. In some instances, you may even want to hire a public adjuster. It usually takes a few days for your insurance company to reach out to schedule an appointment with its insurance adjuster, but if your area suffered widespread damage, the process could be slowed down. 6. Complete repairs After your appointment with the insurance adjuster, there may be a wait for the claim payout checks from your insurance company so you can complete your repairs. Your payout may be issued via multiple partial payments, allowing you to work in stages as you make temporary repairs, replace your belongings and complete the more permanent repairs. Things may get costly if you incur other expenses in the meantime, like moving out of your home. Fortunately, most homeowners policies include additional living expenses resulting from a covered loss, like for eating out or staying in a hotel. According to Butkus, some providers may even issue checks to policyholders on the spot. What events can be claimed on your homeowners insurance? There are several circumstances in which a homeowner may need to file a claim. Generally, consulting your policy and speaking with your insurer to know which perils are covered is a good first step to take. But what exactly does homeowners insurance cover? Below are some of the most common sources of loss you may encounter. Coverage type Details Standard policy Requires an additional policy or endorsement Liability If a guest is injured while on your property or you are found responsible for damaging someone elses property, your personal liability coverage is designed to pay if you are found negligent. Theft & vandalism Standard home insurance includes protections in case your home or belongings are vandalized or stolen. Fire Many causes of house fires are covered, as specified in your policy. Hail & wind A standard policy usually provides reasonable protections against hail and windstorms, but you may need additional coverage if you live in a high-risk area. Explosion If there is an explosion in or around your home, an average policy covers damages resulting from the blast. Falling objects Things like falling satellites, asteroids, meteors and space debris are all typically covered under the standard homeowners insurance policy. Flooding Flooding is handled differently than other water damage and requires a separate policy. Hurricanes Depending on where you live, hurricane coverage may be included on a standard home insurance policy or may need to be added by endorsement. Talk to your agent to see how your policy covers damage caused by hurricanes. Mold Mold is typically only covered if it is caused by a covered peril under your policy, so you may need to consider additional coverage if you live in an area or property that is prone to mold. *This table should only be used as a guide, as all policies are different and may differ in coverage. Protections can vary depending on which provider and policy you choose. For example, coverage for water damage may be tricky and is often defined with certain limitations. Talking to your agent or a representative from your company to make sure you understand your policys coverage before damage occurs may be a good idea. First-time homebuyers may also approach their policy differently given their specific needs. To be safe, always review your policy and discuss any questions you may have with an agent before purchasing. Tips for filing a home insurance claim There are a few things you can do to simplify the process of filing a home insurance claim, including: Keep an up-to-date home inventory: It can be difficult to remember even the most basic details related to your belongings after a covered event has occurred. Keeping a home inventory with purchase information, including identifying data like serial numbers and receipts, may make it easier to recoup the value of your items or buy replacements. Avoid throwing away damaged items: Although it can be tempting to clean up quickly after your home has sustained damage, doing so can hinder the insurance adjusters job when it comes to processing the claim. You should avoid throwing away damaged items until the claims adjuster can assess your home and contents, and keep receipts for reimbursement if you have to buy items as part of the clean up process. Maintain backup copies of important paperwork: Home inventories and other pieces of important paperwork can be destroyed or become unusable after the home has been damaged. It may also be helpful to consider storing copies of important paperwork away from the home, such as in a safety deposit box or digital copies on the cloud or computer server. Add photos or video to your home inventory: Many homeowners do not think to take photos until an actual incident occurs. However, taking photos or videos of your home and your belongings prior to any incidents can help with the claims process, especially if there are no other identifying factors, like serial numbers. Questions to ask before filing a claim Before filing a home insurance claim, it may be a good idea to consider your answers to the questions outlined below. Doing so may help you decide if it is worth filing a claim. What is the cost of repairs compared to my deductible? How will filing a claim impact my homeowners insurance rates? Will I lose discounts on my policy, like being claims free? How long will a claim stay on my record? Have I filed too many claims and could I be at risk of being nonrenewed or canceled? Was there any type of negligence on my part, such as poor maintenance, that contributed to the damage? How does a home insurance claim impact your premium? Filing a home insurance claim may result in a higher insurance premium. Generally, the insurance company sees you as more likely to file a claim in the future once you file a claim, and it may raise your premium to compensate for this risk. The likelihood of a higher premium increases if you make multiple claims. Additionally, the type of claim you make plays a role in the impact on your premium. Claims for theft, water damage, mold, fire and dog bites may lead to steeper increases. Terms to know when filing a home insurance claim When filing a home insurance claim, there are some common terms and phrases that you may see frequently. Homeowners insurance term Definition Actual cash value (ACV) Actual cash value is an items worth after depreciation. Replacement cost value (RCV) Replacement cost value reimburses the costs to repair or replace your home at current market value, excluding deductions for depreciation. Insurance to value Insurance to value refers to maintaining coverage amounts that match the value of your home as it changes. Additional living expenses (ALE) Additional living expenses provide homeowners with financial reimbursement should their property become uninhabitable due to a covered loss. Eligible expenses could include temporary lodging and laundromat services. Adjuster An insurance adjuster is another term for the insurance claims agent for your home insurance company. Endorsement An endorsement is an addition, modification or update that is made to an original home insurance policy. Market value The market value of your home is the amount you could sell it for. This will likely be different from the value your home is insured for. What to do if your insurance claim is denied Not every insurance claim that is filed will be approved. So what should you do if your insurance claim is denied? The insurance company should send you a letter of explanation detailing why the claim was denied. Depending on the reason, you may be able to appeal the decision. Lets say, for example, that your claim was denied because the insurance company decided that the loss was not a covered peril, but you feel the damage should be covered. In that case, you may be able to file an appeal yourself with the insurance company, or you could opt to discuss next steps with a public adjuster or attorney. If you choose to file the claim yourself, be sure to check the process your insurance company uses to provide your steps of action. Even if you appeal your claim denial, there is no guarantee the claim will then be approved. Frequently asked questions Oakland, California can add one more restaurant to the growing list of businesses making changes to how they conduct business amid rising crime in the city. Some Taco Bells are now closing dining rooms and only offering drive-thru service, according to reports. At least four Taco Bells, including locations at Hegenberger Road and 35th Avenue in Oakland, have shut the doors to the indoor dining rooms, the Daily Mail reported. While the inside portion of the fast-food restaurants will be closed, drive-thru service will continue to be offered to those craving bean burritos, breakfast crunch wraps, gordita crunches or anything else on the menu. ERIC SWALWELL CALLS OUT SOFT-ON-CRIME PROSECUTORS FOR LETTING DANGEROUS PEOPLE THREATEN OUR KIDS Sign for the fast food brand Taco Bell on 18th May 2022 in London, United Kingdom. Taco Bell is an American-based chain of fast food restaurants founded in 1962 by Glen Bell. Since November, the store at 35th Avenue and MacArthur has been robbed at least four times, the latest coming three weeks ago, the station reported. During the robbery, the perpetrators smashed through windows with a pickup truck and connected a cable to a safe before driving off. READ ON THE FOX BUSINESS APP Two of the robberies at the store even reportedly happened during business hours. Diversified Restaurant Group owns all four of the Taco Bell locations in Oakland that are putting a halt on indoor dining. Diversified Restaurant Group did not immediately respond to FOX Business about the matter. DENNY'S SHUTTERS ONLY LOCATION IN OAKLAND AFTER MORE THAN 54 YEARS DUE TO HIGH CRIME Taco Bell acknowledged changes were being made at the stores in Oakland. "Providing a safe environment for team members and customers is the priority at Taco Bell restaurants," Taco Bell said. "The franchise owner and operator has informed us that they are consistently evaluating and working to ensure a safe environment by implementing procedures, such as closing dining rooms, and hiring security guards, and they have taken extra measures to meet with local law enforcement." There is still one other Taco Bell in Oakland on Telegraph Avenue, where people can go inside to enjoy their meal, though they have reportedly stopped cash transactions to discourage robberies. OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA'S ONLY IN-N-OUT RESTAURANT CLOSING DUE TO CRIME Several Taco Bells in Oakland, California are reportedly no longer allowing people to dine inside the restaurant due to high crime. The changes come after other restaurants announced they would be closing in Oakland because of rampant violent crime and theft. In-N-Out announced in January it would be closing its Oakland location in March, marking the first time in the chains 75-year-old history that it has been forced to close one of its restaurants. Dennys also shuttered one of its Oakland locations after 54 years because of high crime in the city. The restaurant, also located on Hegenberger Road, said during its announcement in January that the safety and well-being of its team members and guests was the top priority. After weighing those factors, Dennys added, they decided to close the store. Local leaders and civil rights activists blame the citys policies for recent closures of restaurants and stores. Original article source: Oakland Taco Bells shutter indoor dining options in response to rising crime: report A man who says he worked at Mar-a-Lago is going public with his recollection of events leading up to the FBIs search of Donald Trumps Florida residence over the former president's alleged mishandling of classified documents. In an interview with CNN, Brian Butler said he helped Trump aide Walt Nauta load about 10 to 15 boxes onto the former president's plane at West Palm Beach airport near his Florida resort in June 2022, when representatives from the Justice Department were meeting with Trump and his attorneys about unreturned classified material. Butler, who CNN identified as Trump Employee 5 in an indictment filed by special counsel Jack Smith, said that the boxes were the boxes that were in the indictment, the white bankers boxes, referring to photos included in federal indictment. Butler, who told CNN that he had worked at Trumps Florida resort for two decades, declined a request for comment Monday. NBC News has not independently confirmed Butlers identity as Trump Employee 5, one of the unnamed employees in the indictment. This image, contained in the indictment against former President Donald Trump, shows boxes of records being stored on the stage in the White and Gold Ballroom at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla. Trump is facing 37 felony charges related to the mishandling of classified documents according to an indictment unsealed Friday, June 9, 2023. (Justice Department via AP) (Justice Department via AP) Butler said in the interview he was unaware that there were potentially classified material in the boxes. I had no clue. I mean, we were just taking them out of the Escalade, piling them up, Butler told CNN, adding that he told federal investigators about the movement of boxes. "I remember they were all stacked on top of each other, and then were lifting them up to the pilots. CNN reported that Butler spent months considering whether to go public, but ultimately wanted to share facts of the case with people who may have doubts. Three months after the FBI search, Butler left his job as a club valet and manager at Mar-a-Lago due in part to a desire to move on, CNN reported. The indictment alleged that in June 2022, Mar-a-Lago maintenance supervisor Carlos De Oliveira asked Trump Employee 5 not to tell anyone about a trip by Nauta because Nauta wanted the trip to remain secret. The indictment also alleged that De Oliveira told the employee that Nauta wanted De Oliveira to talk to Trump Employee 4 to see how long camera footage was stored. NBC News has previously reported that Employee 4 is Yuscil Taveras, and part of the superseding indictment suggests that Taveras may be cooperating with prosecutors. Prosecutors described a conversation where they said De Oliveira told Taveras that the boss wanted the server deleted. The superseding indictment accused the former president of being part of a scheme to delete security video at Mar-a-Lago. Neither De Oliveiras legal team nor the Trump campaign immediately responded to requests for comment Monday about Butlers interview. Nautas legal team and Special Counsel Jack Smith's office declined to comment. CNN reported that a lawyer for Trump declined to comment. A lawyer for De Oliveira told CNN, We look forward to hearing more about Mr. Butlers version of events when he is under oath and subject to penalty of perjury in the courtroom where that belongs, and we decline to try this case in the media. The charges against Trump include willful retention of national defense information. He and his two co-defendants Nauta and De Oliveira were also charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice. The indictment was based in part off of classified documents discovered when FBI agents searched Mar-a-Lago in August 2022. Trump, Nauta and De Oliveira have all pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. The judge presiding over the case originally set the trial to start on May 20, though it is expected to be delayed. Butler's interview with CNN comes a day before special counsel Robert Hur is set to testify before a Republican-led House panel in a separate classified documents probe. Hur last month declined to prosecute President Joe Biden over his handling of classified material. Walmart last week announced that it plans to open a milk processing facility just south of Waco in 2026, which will source most of its milk from Texas dairy farmers and supply more than 750 stores in the region. The company provided a rendering of the facility. Courtesy of Walmart Walmart, the nations largest grocer and the worlds top retailer, is expanding its presence in the Texas dairy landscape. The company, headquartered in Bentonville, Ark., says it plans to open and operate a milk processing facility in Central Texas in 2026. The plant, in Robinson, will create about 400 jobs and supply more than 750 Walmart and Sams Club stores in Texas and neighboring states with milk sold under the companys brands. Bruce Heckman, Walmarts vice president of manufacturing, said in a statement that the milk processed will be sourced mostly from Texas dairy farmers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This new facility continues our commitment to building a more resilient and transparent supply chain and ensuring our customers needs are met for this everyday staple, Heckman said. In addition to milk processing, the company said, it has opened facilities in Georgia and Kansas that produce prepackaged beef. In 2022 Walmart partnered with vertical-farming company Plenty to source leafy greens for its California stores. This will be Walmarts third milk-processing facility, following the opening of plants in Indiana in 2018 and Georgia in 2025. Robinson, site of the new facility, is south of Waco in McClennan County. State and local leaders have highlighted the regions Central Texas location in making food and beverage production a focus of its economic development efforts. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We are proud to welcome a company, which tops the Fortune 500, to McLennan County, County Judge Scott M. Felton said. Robinson Mayor Bert Echterling said the plant represents a landmark development for the community of 13,000. This monumental investment is the first of its kind in both size and value, signaling a transformative era for Robinson, he said. The Open Arms set sail from Larnaca on Tuesday morning, towing a barge filled with food aid A Spanish ship towing a barge loaded with 200 tonnes of desperately needed food supplies for Palestinians in Gaza has finally set sail from Cyprus. The Open Arms left Larnaca just before 09:00 (07:00 GMT) on a journey which could take as long as two days. Gaza has no functioning port, so the US charity behind the mission, World Central Kitchen, is building a jetty to receive the aid. The UN warns that massive aid shortages have left Gaza on the brink of famine. The quickest, most effective way to get aid into the territory is by road. But aid agencies say Israeli restrictions mean a fraction of what is needed is getting in. If the Open Arms successfully docks in Gaza, then other ships will follow as part of a European and Emirati maritime effort to get more aid into Gaza. Israel says it welcomes the creation of a maritime corridor and that it is facilitating the transfer of aid to Gaza while its forces continue to fight Hamas. The war began when Hamas gunmen attacked southern Israel on 7 October, killing about 1,200 people and seizing 253 hostages. More than 31,180 people have been killed in Gaza since then, the Hamas-run health ministry says. Map showing maritime route from Cyprus to Gaza World Central Kitchen (WCK) announced that its first maritime shipment of aid was on its way to Gaza on Tuesday morning after weeks of preparation. The Open Arms - a salvage vessel belonging to a Spanish charity of the same name - is towing a barge filled with rice, flour, legumes, canned vegetables and canned proteins. While it is at sea, Palestinians working for WCK will continue building a jetty at an undisclosed location on Gaza's coast, which will be used to offload the aid. They are using rubble from buildings and infrastructure destroyed over the last five months. If the jetty is ready in time, WCK says it will load the food on to lorries and distribute it to communities in need. The charity has a network of some 60 kitchens across Gaza and has provided more than 35 million meals to the estimated 1.7 million displaced Palestinians there. "Everyone thought was impossible, still many things are happening at once," WCK's founder, Spanish celebrity chef Jose Andres, wrote on X. "We need to finish the jetty that will allow us to download the food! Failure is not an option... North [Gaza] needs to be fed!" Later on Tuesday, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said it had managed to get an aid convoy into northern Gaza for the first time in three weeks. Enough food for 25,000 people was delivered to Gaza City, the agency added, before stating: "We need deliveries every day." The UN says at least 576,000 people in Gaza - one quarter of the population - are one step away from famine. It warns that time is running out for the estimated 300,000 people isolated in the north of the territory, which UN agencies have struggled to access for several months due to the ongoing hostilities and a breakdown of law and order. Gaza's health ministry says at least 25 people, many of them children, have died as a result of malnutrition and dehydration at hospitals there. On Tuesday, Palestinian media reported that nine people were killed by Israeli fire as they waited for aid lorries to arrive at Kuwait Square in Gaza City, which is in the north. The Israeli military said it was checking the reports. "We are being starved in two ways: food is scarce, and the little that is available is so expensive as to be beyond imagination," Yamen, a father of four whose family is sheltering in the central town of Deir al-Balah, told Reuters news agency on Tuesday. WCK says it is has another 500 tonnes of aid in Cyprus ready to be shipped and that its goal is to establish a "establish a maritime highway of boats and barges stocked with millions of meals continuously headed towards Gaza". The Open Arms is the first aid ship to set sail as part of a maritime corridor initiative by Cyprus, with the support of the European Union, the UK and US. Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides said its journey was "one of hope and humanity" and that it might become a "lifeline to civilians". The US has also launched a separate initiative which will see a military ship build a floating harbour off Gaza's coast, including a temporary pier to transport supplies to the shore. Western and Arab countries have also been carrying out airdrops, mostly over northern Gaza. However, they are considered ineffective and costly. Two senior UN officials welcomed the opening of a maritime corridor to Gaza but also warned that road routes were the only option to transport the large quantities of food needed. "For aid delivery at scale there is no meaningful substitute to the many land routes and entry points from Israel into Gaza," UN Humanitarian and Reconstruction Co-ordinator for Gaza Sigrid Kaag and UN Office for Project Services executive director Jorge Moreira da Silva said. "The land routes from Egypt, Rafah in particular, and Jordan also remain essential to the overall humanitarian effort." The UN is urging Israel to open its crossings with the north, which were closed after the 7 October attacks, and allow the use of the port of Ashdod, 37km (23 miles) from Gaza, as an aid route. Israel denies impeding the entry of aid or its distribution and blames UN agencies for failing to get the aid that is allowed in to the people who need it. "The UN wants you to think aid isn't reaching northern Gaza, because it's not reaching it... through the UN," government spokesman Eylon Levy wrote on X. "Far more aid trucks are reaching Gaza through Israeli co-ordination with the Gazan private sector - Palestinian business-people." About 500 lorries - suitable for carrying up to 20 tonnes of material - crossed into Gaza each day on average before the war. In the first 10 days of March, an average of 162 lorries entered Gaza daily via the Egyptian-controlled Rafah and the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossings, according to the UN. Guards at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge were so shocked that an 82-year-old Catholic nun had successfully broken into the facility in 2012 that many assumed she had received help from inside, interviews from the newly released FBI file show. In one of the most significant break-ins at a U.S. nuclear weapons facility, Sister Megan Rice and two fellow anti-nuclear weapons protestors Gregory Boertje-Obed, then 57, and Michael Walli, then 63 cut through multiple layers of fencing surrounding the nation's storehouse of bomb-grade uranium in the early morning hours of July 28, 2012. The trio evaded detection for hours as they defaced a large uranium storage building. Their mission was to protest the nuclear weapons components made at the facility, which was built to enrich uranium for the bomb dropped on Hiroshima during World War II. Exposing the weaknesses of its 21st-century security system was a side effect. As global media amplified the sensational story and the Obama administration scrambled to contain the embarrassment, Y-12 workers were plunged into an atmosphere of blame and gossip. In dozens of interviews with current and former employees in the months after the breach, many tried to explain the security failure as the work of an inside informant. They told the FBI that the breach seemed too convenient. For one, the peace activists entered the 811-acre complex right where a handful of broken security cameras and repeated false alarms had left an opening for trespassers. For another, dozens of security workers were facing layoffs, and their jobs were saved at the 11th hour as the complex beefed up its security after the breach. Were those coincidences? "There's always been a great deal of question as to whether or not they had any sort of inside knowledge," Howard Hall, director of the Institute for Nuclear Security at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, told Knox News. "No one saw any evidence of it, but some people thought there must be ... and then some people thought they got lucky." The activists, who called themselves "Transform Now Plowshares," spoke in the language not of luck, but of providence and miracles. They were part of a mostly Christian anti-nuclear weapons and pacifist movement called Plowshares. Boertje-Obed and Walli, who both live and volunteer at Catholic Worker houses, told Knox News they did not receive help from any Y-12 employees for their anti-weapons action. "We had no conversations with Y-12 employees," Boertje-Obed said on March 7. "If a company is doing something that is against God's will, they cannot protect it. They cannot guard it. Other people will be able to get in if you're doing something against God's will." The three spray-painted the tall white walls of the High Enriched Uranium Material Facility nicknamed the "Fort Knox of Uranium" with Biblical allusions like "Woe to the empire of blood" and "The fruit of justice is peace." They splashed the walls with human blood donated by a fellow peace activist. Like other anti-nuclear weapons activists before and after them, they were willing to risk their lives to infiltrate a complex where guards are authorized to use lethal force. The guard who found them recognized they were peaceful activists and did not draw his weapon. Boertje-Obed, Rice and Walli were convicted of trespassing and served two years in federal prison before their separate sabotage conviction was overturned and they were released. Rice died in 2021 at 91. The protest changed the way Y-12 handled its security and informed nuclear security curriculum. No Y-12 employee was charged in the case and the FBI concluded there was no solid evidence of an inside job. Walli, now 75, believes the facility is breaking international law on nuclear nonproliferation. He has his own idea about why Y-12 employees told the FBI they suspected the activists had inside help, a claim made about other Plowshares actions. "They wanted to appear that they had no misgivings about their participation in these criminal activities that continue to be conducted there," Walli told Knox News. "They wanted to shift the blame. They wanted to appear to be totally committed to the U.S. government criminal activities that have been continuing to go on to this very moment." Interviews, as well as Knox News clippings and evidence lists, make up the 463-page FBI file on Rice, which was unsealed in December 2023. Here's what the file says, and doesn't say, about the rumor of an inside job. From left, Greg Boertje-Obed, Sister Megan Rice, and Michael Walli infiltrated the Y-12 National Security Complex in 2012. Y-12 employees spill 'the talk at work right now' Though current and former Y-12 staff told the FBI the breach would have been possible without inside help, others said it was a "popular consensus" that the trio were somehow tipped off. One said, the talk at work right now is that someone helped them or told them where to go. Most of those interviewed thought the activists had gotten help, given the timing of the breach and its success. Their names are redacted in the FBI file. The security contractor at Y-12 had hired dozens of temporary personnel in April 2011 to help install a new central alarm system. These employees were set to be terminated, but were made permanent staff after the breach. As many as 51 jobs were saved when the activists broke through fencing on the north perimeter of the complex and got right next to but not inside the High Enriched Uranium Materials Facility, the prison-like fortress that holds the nation's main store of bomb-grade uranium. The incident "could very well be related to the proposed reduction in guard force," one staff member told the FBI. Others argued no employee would risk getting fired if they were found out. At the time, the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration was contracting B&W Y-12 to manage operations and WSI-Oak Ridge to manage security. One guard speculated B&W Y-12 had orchestrated the breach to make its counterpart look bad and win more contracts. Both contracts were terminated in the aftermath of the breach. Other Y-12 employees interviewed pointed fingers at leadership, citing broken cameras and a lack of razor wire on fencing around the protected area as signs that "higher-ups" didn't care about security risks. The newly installed central alarm system could get as many as 200 false alarms in a single night from small animals. The only thing every interviewee had in common was a lack of evidence about who the inside informant could have been. The FBI never got leads that singled out an individual, and the agency found no conclusive evidence of assistance from inside Y-12 or contact between employees and the activists. Inside job claims are 'ludicrous,' activist says If Y-12 employees truly thought there was inside help, Ralph Hutchison said they were either blind to the complex's security failures or they do not understand how Plowshares activists operate. The movement has staged dozens of similar breaches at U.S. nuclear facilities. Hutchison, who led the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance for decades, worked with other anti-nuclear weapons activists to protest operations at Y-12. "You have no possible way to know how ludicrous it is to think that they had inside help or to think that any Plowshares action in 30 or 40 years has ever had any inside help," Hutchison said. "That would be so deeply an anathema to them, such a fundamental violation of their principles, and they don't need it." Rice and her two fellow activists chose a building that was close to the perimeter and had plenty of room for them to broadcast their messages. If they had gone to Building 9212, a 1945 facility where Y-12 processes weapons parts, "all hell would have broken loose," Hutchison said though the building would have been more fitting for their cause. Even if there was no informant, some guards interviewed by the FBI said Y-12 contributed to the breach by sharing too much information with the public through tours during the annual Secret City Festival. One interviewee who worked closely on the festival said the tour guides would have informed him if tourists started asked suspicious questions about security. Ray Smith, Oak Ridge's official city historian and a retired Y-12 technician and manager, helped open the complex to public tours. He said tours of the facility, which do not go inside the high-security protected area, did not stop after the break in, though the festival has not returned after the pandemic. "I have no reservations about the protection of the equipment at Y-12, and I also have absolutely no reservation about us being able to properly handle visits by the public," Smith said. Spray-painted graffiti and human blood are seen on a building that stores bomb-grade uranium at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant after the July 28, 2012, intrusion by anti-nuclear activists Michael R. Walli, Sister Megan Rice and Greg Boertje-Obed. Smith worked at Y-12 for nearly five decades and said the staff there are not the kind to help a protestor or terrorist. The nun and her fellow activists didn't need the help anyway, he said. "The fact is, they came to the closest place they could get to from where they were walking. In other words, they only used what was convenient to them," Smith said. "I have absolutely no concern at all that there was anybody from inside Y-12 helping them. They didn't need the help." Y-12 made years of safety updates A facility that had been shown up by three retirement-age activists became more hawkish overnight. For more than two weeks, the complex shut down its nuclear operations and moved uranium into vaults. The Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration rushed to the scene to contain the damage, fire or rearrange staff, and train guards afresh. They increased security force and fixed the broken cameras. Thousands of Y-12 staff took refresher courses on nuclear security. Monthly camera checks became daily. Managers suddenly retired with little explanation. Two months after the breach, the NNSA terminated its contract with security contractor WSI-Oak Ridge, and a few months after that, with B&W Y-12. The two were replaced by Consolidated Nuclear Security, which combined security and operations management and continues to run Y-12 today. CNS upgraded the central alarm system and installed 2,900 feet of barbed wire around the perimeter of the protected area, said National Nuclear Security Administration spokesperson Steven Wyatt. It installed animal fencing to reduce the amount of false alarms and established a 24-hour repair standard. In the years since, the facility has added new lighting and digital cameras and has upgraded its perimeter intrusion detection system. The facility launched a multiyear security program in 2022, which will modify vehicle and pedestrian access to the highest security protected area. The Y-12 Protective Force now undergoes more rigorous training and thorough assessments, Wyatt said. The NNSA declined to comment on the size of its security force at Y-12 and how many guards are authorized to use lethal force, citing safety concerns. What's the legacy of the Y-12 breach? Howard Hall, professor and director of the Institute for Nuclear Security at UT, uses the 2012 breach as a teaching tool for his nuclear security students. He's one of a handful of UT faculty with joint appointments at Y-12, where he advises on issues of global nuclear nonproliferation. Nearly 12 years after the incident, Hall collaborates with Y-12 staff on an exercise that puts students in the shoes of security guards that night. What would they do if they got reports that activists had used bolt cutters to gain access to the heart of the facility? His students study the incident with a "fine-toothed comb," Hall said. As cleanup workers begin tearing down Manhattan Project era buildings this year and the complex continues work on its multibillion-dollar Uranium Processing Facility, a massive transformation is underway to the Y-12 skyline. That means changes to security, too. "They're clearly moving full steam ahead on newer, better facilities that are going to be sort of inherently more secure," Hall said. "Some of these buildings that were built in the '40s for the Manhattan Project were basically rushed because of the war effort and not necessarily easy to retrofit to meet modern security standards." The legacy of the breach is largely educational. Multiple journalists have written books about it, such as Dan Zak's "Almighty" and Eric Schlosser's "Gods of Metal." In an industry that talks about its perimeters like a national border or a maximum security prison, the breach was a wake up call that activists who hated nuclear weapons could outsmart the facilities that made them. "Their objective was not theft or sabotage. Their objective was political embarrassment," Hall said of the Y-12 nun and her fellow activists. "They certainly achieved that." Daniel Dassow is a growth and development reporter focused on technology and energy. Phone 423-637-0878. Email daniel.dassow@knoxnews.com. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Y-12 break in 2012: FBI unseals file from Oak Ridge breach DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) China, Iran and Russia have begun a joint naval drill in the Gulf of Oman, a crucial waterway near the mouth of the Persian Gulf, officials said Tuesday. Footage aired by Chinese state television and a video released by the Russian navy showed the ongoing drill, known as Marine Security Belt 2024. China sent the guided-missile destroyer Urumqi and the guided-missile frigate Linyi to the exercise. Russia's forces are being led by the Varyag, a Slava-class cruiser. More than 20 ships, support vessels and combat boats from the three countries, as well as naval helicopters, are involved in the exercise. A report by Iranian state television quoted the drills spokesperson, Adm. Mostafa Tajaddini, as saying the drill will take place in 17,000 square kilometers (6,600 square miles) of water. Tajaddini added that the three nations drill their fourth since 2019 was also meant to improve trade, confront piracy and terrorism, support to humanitarian activities and the exchange of information in the field of rescue, among other goals. Iran has stepped up its military cooperation with Beijing and Moscow in response to regional tensions with the United States, including due to supplying military drones to Russia now being used in Moscow's war on Ukraine. Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Oman, Pakistan and South Africa are observers of the drill. The Gulf of Oman has seen a series of attacks since 2019 that the U.S. has blamed on Iran, as well as ship seizures by Tehran, since the collapse of its nuclear deal with world powers. A fifth of all oil traded passes through the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf's narrow mouth. Displaced Palestinians gather for food donated by a charity on the first day of Ramadan in Rafah, Gaza - AFP Israel turned back a truck loaded with tons of aid for Gaza after it was found to contain scissors from childrens medical kits, a United Nations relief agency has said. The UN published a picture of the offending item as it criticised Israel for strict inspections it claims are exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the territory. Aid agencies have also raised the alarm about inspections by the Israeli military they say are excessive, claiming some trucks have been blocked for carrying dates, the stones of which could be thrown at soldiers. Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, the UN agency which handles most of the aid in Gaza, said the medical scissors were blocked because Israel ruled they had a dual use. A truck loaded with aid has just been turned back because it had scissors used in childrens medical kits, he said, publishing a picture of the item. UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini posted this picture on X, formerly Twitter - Philippe Lazzarini/X The clearance of humanitarian supplies and the delivery of basic and critical items need to be facilitated and accelerated. The lives of two million people depend on that, there is no time to waste, he added. Israel denied the incident happened, responding to Mr Lazzarini on social media saying that lying is a sign of desperation. Janti Soeripto, Save the Childrens US president and chief executive who visited the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing with a UN convoy in January, recently claimed other unusual items were blocking aid trucks. She told CNN that toys were rejected because they were in a wooden box rather than a cardboard box, sleeping bags were denied because they had zippers, and sanitary pads were turned back because they were in a hygiene kit that included a nail clipper. Chris Van Hollen, a US senator, recently described a massive warehouse at al Arish full of unused products, including water-testing kits, medical tools to deliver babies, oxygen tanks and even tents. A whole array of goods that had been turned back in what seemed like a totally arbitrary process From looking at these goods, there was no plausible argument that they were going to be used for weapons, he said. Aid ship sets sail On Tuesday morning, the first ship bringing aid to Gaza set sail from Cyprus, testing Washingtons plan to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza by sea. The charity ship, Open Arms, left the Cypriot port of Larnaca, towing a barge with 200 tonnes of ready meals, flour and rice. It is expected to reach Gazas Mediterranean coast in about two days, Cypriot officials said. If successful, the pilot mission will break Israels naval blockade, imposed on the territory in 2007, and pave the way for supplies from the US. Joe Biden, the US president, has announced plans to build a floating pier off Gaza to receive aid. Major rights groups, however, criticised the plan as too costly and inefficient and they urged the West to press Israel to open more land crossings to bring aid in by trucks. World Central Kitchen (WCK), the NGO behind the shipment, acknowledged the challenges but defended its decision to press on with the plan. The greatest failure right now would be failing to try, Jose Andres, WCKs founder, and Erin Gore, its CEO, said in a joint statement. They added that the aim was to establish a sea route to send barges with millions of meals continuously headed towards Gaza. Millions of people are suffering and food is the difference between life or death for many, they said. Mr Andres also posted a photo on social media, showing construction equipment apparently levelling the ground close to the shore in Gaza, saying WCK had hired people in the area to build a small jetty to receive the shipment. With no construction materials allowed to enter Gaza, Palestinians there are apparently building the jetty with the rubble of destroyed buildings, according to WCK. The organisation said it had a further 500 tonnes of aid in Cyprus ready for dispatch. Israels foreign ministry has welcomed Washingtons plan to establish a sea route to Gaza but insisted that all cargo heading there would need to be inspected by Israeli staff according to Israeli standards. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. (Photo Credit: Anita Kot | Getty Images) In a heartwarming turn of events, two precious kittens, Mitch and Marcus, were safely returned to a Florida Humane Society after being stolen. The Humane Society of Tampa Bay reported that robbers snatched kittens from their cages in an off-limits area of the shelter. Mitch and Marcus, vulnerable due to their young age, were in the shelters kitten nursery prior to the theft. Two kittens safely returned after being stolen from a Florida Humane Society A Florida Humane Society successfully recovered two irresistibly cute young kittens, Mitch and Marcus, as Fox News reports. They were stolen from the shelter by two individuals, according to the authorities. The Humane Society of Tampa Bay reported that the robbers unlawfully removed the kittens from a shelters restricted section. Mitch and Marcus, being underage and vulnerable, were residing in the shelters kitten nursery for their protection. In addition, images from the robbery show a young man and woman entering the shelter. Subsequently, they quickly put the kittens into their backpacks before hastily departing the scene. Owing to the collaborative efforts of the Tampa Bay community and the Tampa Police Department, the felines have safely returned to the shelter. Moreover, the organization expressed gratitude to Sgt. Scott Savitt, who supervises the District 1 Detective Squad. Also, they thanked Detective Jodie Maxim and another TPD officer. They showed exceptional work responding to community tips and going above and beyond to bring the kittens back. In a Facebook post, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay shared: We cannot thank every single person who shared, commented, and sent messages for Mitch and Marcuss safe return. Additionally, they confirmed that the examinations of the shelter kittens revealed that they are well and healthy. Authorities are currently in the midst of an ongoing investigation into the incident. For now, they are disclosing no further information regarding the suspects or impending charges. The post Police Return Kittens Stolen From Florida Animal Shelter appeared first on CatTime. All three children on a school bus were killed when it veered into oncoming traffic and collided with a tractor-trailer in western Illinois on Monday morning, authorities said. The drivers of the bus and truck also died, Illinois State Police said. The vehicles were engulfed in flames, and there were no survivors, Capt. Jody Huffman said at an afternoon news conference. "No one should have to go through this horrible situation," Huffman said. It's not clear why the bus veered into oncoming traffic about 11:30 a.m. on Route 24 in the small city of Rushville, she said. State police took over the investigation. The names of those killed have not been publicly released. Sheriff Bill Redshaw said the loss was quickly felt in the area of the crash, Schuyler County, which has a population of less than 7,000 and occupies 441 square miles on the west side of the state. "Its a close-knit family," he said, describing his community. "To have loss of life like this, its devastating." The bus was headed east, and the truck, transporting sand, was going west when the collision happened, according to Huffman and a state police statement. U.S. Route 24, a major thoroughfare for the county that ultimately connects it to Kansas City, Missouri, was the subject of an "extended closure" as authorities continued to investigate what caused the bus to move into oncoming traffic, the agency said. The weather was fair, with clear skies at the time of the crash, according to National Weather Service data. Controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan have appeared in a Romanian court after the UK issued warrants for their arrest. The internet personalities were detained by Romanian police on Monday night on arrest warrants over alleged sexual offences in Britain. Bucharest's Court of Appeal postponed a decision on the warrant. Andrew Tate, 37, and Tristan, 35, "categorically reject all charges", their representative said. The men remain in custody. Romanian Police said two arrest warrants were issued by British authorities for exploiting people in the UK. A representative for the Tate brothers said the court will make a decision on Tuesday whether to execute the warrant. They described the arrest warrant as a "bewildering revival of decade-old accusations" leaving the brothers "dismayed and deeply troubled". "They categorically reject all charges and express profound disappointment that such serious allegations are being resurrected without substantial new evidence," the statement said. "They are fully committed to challenging these accusations with unwavering determination and resolve." Their representatives claim the allegations cover 2012 to 2015. In December, the Tate brothers, who are dual UK-US nationals, were ordered by a Romanian court not to leave Romania after the brothers made a request to visit their mother in hospital in the UK. The brothers are being investigated by Romanian authorities over separate allegations of rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang - charges they deny. They are accused of exploiting women via an adult content business, which prosecutors allege operated as a criminal group. Two female Romanian associates were also named alongside the brothers in an indictment published in June, and seven alleged victims were identified. Mr Tate has repeatedly claimed Romanian prosecutors have no evidence against him and there is a conspiracy to silence him. He is a self-described misogynist and was previously banned from social media platforms for expressing misogynistic views. Online influencer Andrew Tate and his brother have been detained in Romania after arrest warrants were issued by UK authorities, his spokesperson has said. The brothers were detained on Monday evening and face allegations of sexual aggression that date between 2012 and 2015. Tate, 37, and his brother Tristan were held for 24 hours and informed of a European arrest warrant while an investigation is pending, with the two denying all allegations against them. Their spokesperson Mateea Petrescu said the Bucharest Court of Appeal is set to make a pivotal decision on Tuesday on whether to execute the warrants issued by the UKs Westminster Magistrates Court. (AP) Four women announced last year that they were preparing to sue Andrew Tate in Londons High Court, alleging that he had raped and coercively controlled them. Three of these women had previously reported Tate to the police for alleged sexual violence and physical abuse, but the Crown Prosecution Service decided against bringing charges in 2019. A fourth woman came forward after learning about their proposed legal action in a Vice World News article. We handed over our evidence about the horrific acts of violence we endured and waited for action. But four years later we were told the UK authorities would not prosecute him, they state on their campaign page. Its our one remaining route to hold him accountable. The alleged victims then turned to crowdfunding to cover their legal costs and began to pursue a civil case against them. The brothers are also facing human trafficking charges in Romania (AP) McCue Jury & Partners, the legal firm representing the four British women who have accused Tate, said in a statement they had urged British police to immediately seek a warrant for Tates detention and extradition after they received information last week that he might be planning to flee Romania. Todays news is very welcome as it had been a significant concern to many that Tate would seek to avoid justice in Romania and abroad, said Matthew Jury, a managing partner at the law firm. We are grateful to the British authorities for taking our concerns seriously and issuing an arrest warrant. Tate is accused of serious criminal offences against a large number of victims and he must be held accountable. In a statement, the brothers PR team said they categorically deny the allegations. It isnt immediately clear what Tristan Tate is accused of in the UK. Their Eugen Vidineac told journalists at the court on Tuesday that as far as we know, this investigation was already closed, we dont know if this investigation is re-opened, if there is any new evidence submitted by the authorities. A post appeared on Tates X account on Tuesday that read, The Matrix is afraid, but I only fear God. He uses the term Matrix to refer to what he sees as a wide-ranging conspiracy targeting men. Tate has gained millions of fans in recent years after styling himself as the king of toxic masculinity, and has previously claimed that women cannot drive, belong in the home and are a mans property. He has 8.9 million followers on X, formerly Twitter, but has been banned on several other platforms including TikTok for his misogynistic views, which have occasionally appeared to advocate violence against women. Both Andrew and Tristan Tate categorically deny the allegations (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) The social media influencer is also facing rape and human trafficking charges in Romania after he and his brother were detained alongside two women in December 2022. They are accused of foming an alleged organised crime group with the intention of sexually exploiting women and are awaiting trial. In August 2023, Tate won an appeal to be released from house arrest and is now able to travel anywhere within Romania, but is unable to leave the country. A Romanian court also overturned the decision in January to seize his assets, which saw him regain access to his properties, supercars and designer items. Among them included 14 designer watches, 15 luxury cards and more than 10 properties with the sezied assets believed to be worth 3.12m. President Biden on Tuesday said it initially appears unlikely that a missile that hit a rural town in Poland near the Ukraine border was fired from Russia, but he said a final determination is pending a full investigation into the incident. There is preliminary information that contests that, Biden told reporters when asked whether the missile was fired from Russia. I dont want to say until we completely investigate. Its unlikely in the minds of the trajectory that it was fired from Russia. Biden, who is attending the Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, spoke to the press after convening a meeting with the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Spain, Japan and the Netherlands. The leaders of the European Commission and European Union were also in attendance. Hours earlier, a missile struck a grain silo in a village about 15 miles from the Ukraine border. Polish authorities said the missile was Russian-made. Russias Defense Ministry has denied firing any missiles near the Ukraine-Poland border. Biden spoke with Polish President Andrzej Duda before meeting with other allies in Bali. We agreed to support Polands investigation into the explosion in rural Poland near the Ukrainian border, and Im going to make sure we figure out exactly what happened, Biden told reporters after the meeting. Then were going to collectively determine our next step as we investigate and proceed. There was total unanimity among folks at the table. Biden condemned Russia for escalating its war in Ukraine at a time when other world leaders were in Indonesia urging a de-escalation of the conflict. Russia invaded Ukraine in February and in recent days has fired missiles targeting Ukrainian cities. The U.S. and other NATO members have largely said they are still gathering information on the incident before deciding how to respond. The missiles landed in Poland amid a fierce Russian aerial barrage on Ukraine targeting energy infrastructure ahead of winter. The strike has set off a frenzy over the Western alliances mutual defense mechanism known as Article 5. That article says that any attack on a NATO member shall be considered an attack against them all. It was last invoked following the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the U.S. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. By Daphne Psaledakis and Sarah Morland KINGSTON, Jamaica (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday the United States would contribute an additional $100 million to a United Nations-backed multinational security force intended to help Haitian police fight gangs and $33 million in humanitarian aid. This brings the proposed U.S. contribution to the force to $300 million. As of Monday, less than $11 million had been deposited into the U.N.'s dedicated trust fund, a spokesperson for the world body said, with no new additions since March 3 when Haiti declared a state of emergency due to the worsening violence from gangs seeking to topple the government. Blinken, on a hastily arranged visit to Kingston, said this was a "critical moment" for Haiti and that he hoped "progress will be made." U.S. officials have been engaged in talks involving Caribbean Community (CARICOM) states and members of Haiti's political parties, private sector, civil society and religious groups aimed at establishing a transitional council that would pave the way to the first elections since 2016. Haiti declared a state of emergency early this month as clashes damaged communications and led to two prison breaks after Jimmy "Barbeque" Cherizier, a leader of an alliance of armed groups, said they would unite and overthrow Haiti's unelected Prime Minister Ariel Henry. Henry, who came to power after the 2021 assassination of Haiti's last president but is stranded outside of the country, was in virtual discussions with CARICOM on Monday, a State Department official said. His political allies also were taking part in the in-person talks in Kingston, the official said. Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley said Haitian "stakeholders" had largely agreed that a presidential council should be urgently installed to identify a prime minister, who would together with the council establish a government. A provisional electoral council should also be established excluding those who would be involved in future elections, Mottley added at a news conference. The United Nations estimates that over 362,000 people have been internally displaced, half of whom are children, and thousands have been killed in the overall conflict in Haiti, with widespread reports of rape, torture and ransom kidnappings since 2021. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Washington was looking to expedite the deployment of a multinational security mission, to be led by Kenya, intended to restore security to Haiti, it said. Countries have been slow to offer support for the multinational force, with some raising doubts over the legitimacy of Henry's unelected government amid widespread protests. Many in Haitian communities and abroad are wary of international interventions after previous U.N. missions left behind a devastating cholera epidemic and sex abuse scandals, for which reparations were never made. Mike Ballard, intelligence director at security firm Global Guardian, said if gangs completely take control of ports and airports, they would be in charge of humanitarian aid to the country, adding he did not believe Kenyan forces would effectively police or maintain peace. "Countries with actual stakes in the region will need to step up and help shore up security," he said, pointing to the United States, neighboring Dominican Republic and other CARICOM members. (Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis in Kingston and Sarah Morland in Mexico City; Additional reporting by Simon Lewis in Washington, Brendan O'Brien in Chicago and Michelle Nichols in New York; Editing by Bernadette Baum, Chizu Nomiyama, Aurora Ellis, Bill Berkrot and Richard Chang) We Are China Fighter jet soars into sky at night China Military Online) 10:46, March 12, 2024 Fighter jet attached to a naval aviation unit soars into the sky during a round-the-clock flight training exercise recently. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Li Yufei) Fighter jets attached to a naval aviation unit taxi out of the parking apron during a round-the-clock flight training exercise recently. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Li Yufei) Fighter jet attached to a naval aviation unit takes off for a round-the-clock flight training exercise recently. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Li Yufei) Fighter jet attached to a naval aviation unit soars into the sky at night during a round-the-clock flight training exercise recently. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Li Yufei) Fighter jets attached to a naval aviation unit taxi on the runway in formation during a round-the-clock flight training exercise recently. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Li Yufei) Fighter jet attached to a naval aviation unit takes off for a round-the-clock flight training exercise recently. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Li Yufei) (Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun) Claire Hao is a Hearst Fellow for the Houston Chronicle's business desk, where she is covering electricity, renewable energy and the Texas power grid. She also spends one day a week covering breaking and trending news. Claire can be reached at claire.hao@houstonchronicle.com. Claire spent her first-year fellowship rotation on the climate and environment team of The San Francisco Chronicle. She has previously interned on the news desks of Bloomberg Law and The Chicago Tribune as well as on the editorial board of The Washington Post. She is a 2022 graduate of the University of Michigan, where she was the 2021 editor-in-chief of her college paper The Michigan Daily. Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner A former Boeing employee known for raising concerns about the firm's production standards has been found dead in the US. John Barnett worked for Boeing for more than 30 years before retiring in 2017. In the days before his death, he had been giving evidence in a whistleblower lawsuit against the company. Boeing said it was saddened to hear of Mr Barnett's passing. The Charleston County coroner confirmed his death to the BBC on Monday. It said the 62-year-old had died from a "self-inflicted" wound on 9 March and police were investigating. Mr Barnett had worked for the US plane giant for more than 30 years, until his retirement in 2017 on health grounds. From 2010, he worked as a quality manager at the North Charleston plant making the 787 Dreamliner, a state-of-the-art airliner used mainly on long-haul routes. In 2019, Mr Barnett told the BBC that under-pressure workers had been deliberately fitting sub-standard parts to aircraft on the production line. He also said he had uncovered serious problems with oxygen systems, which could mean one in four breathing masks would not work in an emergency. He said soon after starting work in South Carolina he had become concerned that the push to get new aircraft built meant the assembly process was rushed and safety was compromised, something the company denied. He later told the BBC that workers had failed to follow procedures intended to track components through the factory, allowing defective components to go missing. He said in some cases, sub-standard parts had even been removed from scrap bins and fitted to planes that were being built to prevent delays on the production line. He also claimed that tests on emergency oxygen systems due to be fitted to the 787 showed a failure rate of 25%, meaning that one in four could fail to deploy in a real-life emergency. John Barnett was a former quality control manager at Boeing Mr Barnett said he had alerted managers to his concerns, but no action had been taken. Boeing denied his assertions. However, a 2017 review by the US regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), did uphold some of Mr Barnett's concerns. It established that the location of at least 53 "non-conforming" parts in the factory was unknown, and that they were considered lost. Boeing was ordered to take remedial action. On the oxygen cylinders issue, the company said that in 2017 it had "identified some oxygen bottles received from the supplier that were not deploying properly". But it denied that any of them were actually fitted on aircraft. After retiring, he embarked on a long-running legal action against the company. He accused it of denigrating his character and hampering his career because of the issues he pointed out - charges rejected by Boeing. At the time of his death, Mr Barnett had been in Charleston for legal interviews linked to that case. Last week, he gave a formal deposition in which he was questioned by Boeing's lawyers, before being cross-examined by his own counsel. He had been due to undergo further questioning on Saturday. When he did not appear, enquiries were made at his hotel. He was subsequently found dead in his truck in the hotel car park. Speaking to the BBC, his lawyer described his death as "tragic". In a statement Boeing said: "We are saddened by Mr. Barnett's passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends." His death comes at a time when production standards at both Boeing and its key supplier Spirit Aerosystems are under intense scrutiny. This follows an incident in early January when an unused emergency exit door blew off a brand-new Boeing 737 Max shortly after take-off from Portland International Airport. A preliminary report from the US National Transportation Safety Board suggested that four key bolts, designed to hold the door securely in place, were not fitted. Last week, the FAA said a six-week audit of the company had found "multiple instances where the company allegedly failed to comply with manufacturing quality control requirements". Boeing whistleblower John Barnett, 62, was found dead in his truck in a hotel parking lot in South Carolina over the weekend. Mr Barnett blew the whistle on alleged safety problems at the aircraft manufacturing giant and had been giving evidence in a lawsuit against the company in recent days. The Charleston city police department is investigating Mr Barnetts death, the office of Charleston C ounty coroner Bobbi Jo ONeal said. Mr Barnetts former employer, Boeing, has responded to his death, saying: We are saddened by Mr Barnetts passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends. Mr Barnett worked with Boeing for more than three decades until his retirement in 2017. He had voiced safety concerns about the airlines manufacturing facilities and gave his initial testimony just days before he was found dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Charleston County coroner told BBC News. In 2019, Mr Barnett alleged that Boeing intentionally used defective parts in its planes and warned that passengers on its 787 Dreamliner might face a lack of oxygen if a sudden decompression occurred. At that time, Boeing refuted his assertions, stating that the company follows the strictest safety protocols. On Saturday, US prosecutors initiated a criminal inquiry into an incident where a Boeing 737 MAX, flown by Alaska Airlines, experienced a mid-air fuselage rupture. According to reports by TheWall Street Journal and The Washington Post, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has been conducting interviews with witnesses, including the flight crew, as part of its investigation into the event that took place on 5 January, where part of the aircrafts body tore away during the flight. Boeing whistleblower found dead earlier today. John Barnett died of suicide. This clip is very interesting.pic.twitter.com/3xVHzXBwfc Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) March 12, 2024 Mr Barnett had been staying at a hotel while in town to provide a deposition in the case. His attorney Brian Knowles told TMZ that he had doubts about the circumstances of his death. Today is a tragic day, Mr Knowles wrote in an email to Corporate Crime Reporter. John had been back and forth for quite some time getting prepared. The defence examined him for their allowed seven hours under the rules on Thursday. Once you understand whats happening inside of Boeing, youll see why were seeing these kinds of issues, Mr Barnett told ABC News in Australia in late January. If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A former Boeing quality inspector who filed a whistleblower complaint over alleged plane safety flaws was found dead from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, officials in Charleston, South Carolina, said Monday. John Barnett, 62, of Louisiana, spent more than three decades at the aircraft manufacturing giant and sounded the alarm with aviation authorities in 2017 over what he said were potentially catastrophic safety failings. His family said in a statement Monday that he had tried to highlight serious concerns but was met with a culture of concealment that valued profits over safety. Charleston County Coroner Bobbi Jo ONeal said in a statement Monday that Barnett died from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, in the South Carolina city on Saturday. Charleston police spokesperson Sgt. Anthony Gibson said in a statement Monday that the department had "not received any indication from the coroners office that foul play is suspected in this case." In a later statement, he pointed to the coroners preliminary findings and added that detectives "are actively investigating this case and are awaiting the formal cause of death, along with any additional findings that might shed further light on the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Barnett." The statement from Barnett's family said he had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety attacks and that the hostile work environment at Boeing led to his death. Boeing whistleblower who warned of Dreamliner safety flaws found dead (Courtesy of the Barnett family) In a statement Monday, Boeing said: "We are saddened by Mr. Barnetts passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends. NBC News has asked Boeing for comment on the allegations in the Barnett familys statement. Barnett, known as Mitch to his family and Swampy to his friends, had worked at Boeings 787 plant in Charleston, South Carolina, since 2010, his family said. In 2019, The New York Times interviewed several former Boeing employees about their safety concerns. Barnett told the paper that metal shavings created when metal fasteners are screwed into nuts could potentially cut wiring that connects the flight controls. The FAA ordered Boeing to clear the shavings from the Dreamliners in 2017. Boeing said then that it was following the ruling and would look to improve the design of the nut, but also said it wasnt a flight safety issue. But Barnett told The Times: I havent seen a plane out of Charleston yet that Id put my name on saying its safe and airworthy. After his retirement in 2017, Barnett filed a whistleblower complaint to federal regulators about his experiences at the South Carolina plant. He also launched a separate legal action against Boeing, accusing the company of denigrating his character and hampering his career. Boeing denied the allegations. His case was up for trial this June, the family statement said, adding: He was looking forward to having his day in court and hoped that it would force Boeing to change its culture. While Barnett loved his work for most of his career, in Charleston he learned that upper management was pressuring the quality inspectors and managers to cut corners and not to follow legally-required safety processes, the statement said. He alleged that staff were pressured not to document defects because it would slow down the assembly line, it added. John told us that every day was a battle to get management to do the right thing, the family said. The statement added that Barnett and others who highlighted problems were labeled as trouble-makers, whereas previously the company had rewarded those who discovered defects. It caused John so much stress that his doctor told him that if he stayed, he would have a heart attack, the family said. Mitch was fun-loving, and totally devoted to family, especially his nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews, an obituary shared by the family said. It added that he is survived by his mother, Vicky Melder Stokes; brothers, Mike Barnett, Robbie Barnett, and Rodney Barnett; eight nieces and nephews and 11 great-nieces and nephews. The news comes as Boeing faces regulatory and public scrutiny over a series of incidents involving its planes. A Justice Department investigation has been opened after a door plug blew out on an Alaska Airlines flight in January which led to the temporary grounding of some Boeing 737 Max 9 airplanes, although they have since returned to the air. And on Monday, 50 people were injured on a Boeing Dreamliner plane after a sudden movement mid-air, on a flight from Sydney to Auckland, New Zealand. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources. Three more people at a migrant shelter in Chicago have been diagnosed with measles, bringing the city's total to five cases so far this year. The Chicago Department of Public Health reported on Monday that two adults at the shelter had been diagnosed and were in stable condition. That followed a Sunday announcement that a young child residing at the shelter had been hospitalized with measles but was in good condition. The child attends Philip D. Armour Elementary School, a public school. The health department advised school-aged shelter residents not to attend school on Friday or Monday. Once a students vaccination status has been verified, students with confirmed vaccinations will be notified of the date to return to school, Pedro Martinez, the CEO of Chicago Public Schools, said in a letter to families on Monday. The school system said it is working with the health department to respond to the possible measles exposures. "CPS provides multiple opportunities for vaccination as well as resources for community-based services and we work closely with families to help them be up-to-date on all vaccinations," it said in a statement. The initial measles case detected at the shelter was a young child, not school-aged, who has recovered and is no longer infectious, according to the health department. Chicago's first measles case this year, announced on Thursday, appears unrelated to the others: Health officials said the Chicago resident was not infectious as of Wednesday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it is sending a team of experts to Chicago to support efforts to control the disease's spread; they are expected to arrive on Tuesday. The cases are the first in Chicago since 2019, though Cook County (which includes Chicago) recorded five cases in an apartment building last year. Measles has spiked globally in recent months, partly due to a decline in vaccine coverage. The U.S. has recorded at least 45 cases this year, putting it on track to surpass 2023s total of 58. Pennsylvania tallied nine cases from December to January, and an outbreak in Florida swelled to 10 cases last month. However, the elementary school at the center of the Florida outbreak has not seen new cases since Feb. 16, according to the state health department. Three cases have also been reported in California, and one child in Sacramento may have exposed around 300 people to measles at an emergency department on Tuesday. The Chicago health department said vaccination teams have been screening people for measles at the migrant shelter, located in the city's Pilsen neighborhood, and administering vaccines since Friday. Over the weekend, nearly all the shelter residents were assessed and more than 900 got vaccinated, the department said. The migrant shelter in Chicago where four measles cases were detected. (Google Maps) Shelter residents who are still unvaccinated, were recently vaccinated or are unsure of their vaccination status were instructed to quarantine for 21 days. We have advised all unvaccinated and newly vaccinated residents of the quarantine period but some of those residents have left the shelter, and I want to acknowledge that, Dr. Simbo Ige, Chicago public health commissioner, said in a statement on Sunday. The health department said Monday that some shelter residents are being relocated to alternative sites or hotel spaces depending on their immunity status and quarantine requirements. Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines will also be available to migrants in other shelters, officials said, and to migrants arriving in Chicago as part of their intake process. If an unvaccinated person is exposed to measles and hasnt developed symptoms yet, an MMR vaccine can ward off infection if administered within 72 hours. A preventive injection called immune globulin can be given within six days of exposure. Measles is highly contagious: An infected person can spread the virus to up to 90% of the people close to them if those contacts arent immune, and people can remain contagious for roughly eight days. In his letter, Martinez advised Chicago parents to make sure their kids' vaccine records are up-to-date at their schools. The Illinois Department of Public Health's Vax Verify tool allows parents to check vaccination records for those immunized in the state from 2007 onward. Data from the Illinois State Board of Education indicates that hundreds of Chicago schools had less than 95% coverage for the MMR vaccine in the 2022-2023 school year. Vaccination rates in schools have declined nationwide. The share of U.S. kindergartners who had received two doses of the MMR vaccine was 93% in the 202223 school year, down from 94% in the 202021 year, and 95% for nearly 10 years before that. Children in the U.S. are expected to get their first measles vaccine between 12 and 15 months, and their second between 4 and 6 years old. One dose is 93% effective and two doses are 97% effective, according to the CDC. Measles symptoms include a high fever, cough, conjunctivitis (pink eye) and runny nose. Two to three days after symptoms start, people usually notice tiny white spots in their mouth. Between days three and five, blotchy rash often develops from head to toe. Symptoms typically last 10 days unless severe complications arise these can include swelling of the brain, pneumonia or secondary bacterial infections. Roughly 1 to 3 out of every 1,000 children infected with measles die from respiratory and neurological complications. In rare cases, measles can lead to blindness or long-term vision problems. Democrats on Tuesday sought to turn the tables on Republicans who zeroed in on special counsel Robert Hurs commentary on President Bidens memory, turning repeatedly to video clips of former President Trump mangling words, mixing up individuals or forgetting details. House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) opened the hearing with a video montage of past Trump statements in which he appeared to confuse Biden with former President Obama, mixed up former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) with GOP rival Nikki Haley and mistakenly called Hungarian leader Viktor Orban the president of Turkey. That is a man who is incapable of avoiding criminal liability, a man who is wholly unfit for office, and a man who at the very least ought to think twice before accusing others of cognitive decline, Nadler said. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) turned to the video board for a series of clips in which Trump stumbled over his words in speeches while he was president and at campaign rallies. And Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.), seeking to rebut claims about Bidens memory, used video clips to illustrate Trumps lapse in memory during a deposition. UNITED STATES DECEMBER 12: Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., speaks during the House Rules Committee hearing on the impeachment inquiry of President Joe Biden in the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, December 12, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) One clip featured Trump being asked what years he was married to Marla Maples, to which Trump said hed have to get the exact dates. Asked if it was correct he married his current wife in January 2005, Trump said he didnt know relevant to that day. And asked in another deposition about an associate named James Webb, Trump said he didnt remember the name. Scanlon noted Trump told lawyers he did not remember information 35 times during a lawsuit over Trump University, and he said he did not remember or could not recall information 27 times in response to questions from special counsel Robert Mueller. Hur testified before the House Judiciary Committee on his findings from an investigation into Bidens handling of classified documents. Hur concluded no charges were warranted against Biden, but his report garnered significant attention for repeatedly calling into question the presidents memory and ability to recall certain details. Top Stories from The Hill Republicans have harped on those descriptions to argue Biden was let off the hook because he has a poor memory, and GOP officials have more broadly cited Hurs report during the reelection campaign to argue Biden is unfit to serve another term. All I have to do when Im caught taking home classified materials is say, Im sorry Mr. Hur, but Im getting old, my memorys not so great, Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) said Tuesday in questioning Hur. This is the doctrine youve established in our laws now, and its frightening. Congressman, my intent is certainly not to establish any sort of doctrine, Hur responded. I had a particular task, I have a particular set of evidence to consider and make a judgment with respect to one particular set of evidence, and that is what I did. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. By Mike Stone, Idrees Ali, Patricia Zengerle and Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States will send a new military aid package for Ukraine worth $300 million, President Joe Biden's administration said on Tuesday, the first such move in months as additional funds for Kyiv remain blocked by Republican leaders in Congress. The White House has been scrambling to find ways to send more military assistance given the situation on the battlefield and the resistance to the funding from Republican hardliners. U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the funding was coming from unanticipated cost savings from Pentagon contracts and would be used for artillery rounds and munitions for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS). "This ammunition will keep Ukraine's guns firing for a period, but only a short period," Sullivan told reporters, adding it may only be helpful to Ukraine for a couple of weeks. "It is nowhere near enough to meet Ukraine's battlefield needs and it will not prevent Ukraine from running out of ammunition," Sullivan said. The new weapons package was first reported by Reuters earlier on Tuesday. Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder said the package included anti-aircraft missiles and artillery rounds. He said providing weapons to Ukraine through Pentagon contract savings was likely a one-time situation and not a sustainable way of funding Kyiv. The last drawdown was in December 2023 when funds to replenish stocks fell to zero. U.S. officials have also looked at options for seizing some $285 billion in Russian assets immobilized in 2022 and using the money to pay for Ukraine weaponry. The announcement came as Polands president and prime minister meet President Joe Biden at the White House later on Tuesday to talk about ways to bolster support for Ukraine. "Financial support for Ukraine is cheap considering what the other support could be," Polish President Andrzej Duda told reporters. Using the funds that have been returned to replenish stocks opens a narrow window to allow more aid to be sent from existing stocks as the Biden administration waits for supplemental funding to be passed by lawmakers. Biden, a Democrat, has backed military aid to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, while his likely Republican opponent in the Nov. 5 U.S. election, former President Donald Trump, has a more isolationist stance. Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, an ally of Trump, has so far refused to call a vote on a bill that would provide $60 billion more for Ukraine. The measure has passed the Democratic-run Senate, and both Republicans and Democrats in the House say it would pass if the chamber's Republican leaders allowed a vote. Leaders of U.S. intelligence agencies pressed members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday to approve additional military assistance for Ukraine, saying it would not only boost Kyiv as it fights Russia but discourage Chinese aggression. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday that the situation along the front of the country's war with Russia was the best in three months, with Moscow's troops no longer advancing after their capture last month of the eastern city of Avdiivka. Zelenskiy, in an interview with France's BFM television, said Ukraine had improved its strategic position despite shortages of weaponry, but suggested the situation could change again if new supplies were not forthcoming. He said earlier that Russia is preparing a new offensive against Ukraine starting in late May or summer. Zelenskiy has said 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since February 2022. Russia's capture of Avdiivka gave the Kremlin's forces breathing room in defending the Russian-held regional center of Donetsk, 20 km (12 miles) to the east. Earlier this month, a top military commander said Ukrainian troops were forced to leave several settlements neighboring Avdiivka due to Russia's continued offensive amid its own depleting stockpiles of munitions. Denmark will provide a new military aid package including Caesar artillery systems and ammunition to Ukraine worth around 2.3 billion Danish crowns ($336.6 million), the Danish Defence Ministry said on Tuesday. European Union countries are set to agree on a new 5 billion-euro ($5.46 billion) top-up to a fund used to finance military shipments to Ukraine, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing four officials briefed on the discussions. (Reporting by Mike Stone, Idrees Ali, Patricia Zengerle, Steve Holland, Jeff Mason and Phil Stewart in Washington; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Matthew Lewis and Daniel Wallis) The state of Florida settled a multi-year suit Monday against the so-called Dont Say Gay law, which limits how LGBTQ topics can be discussed and presented in schools. The settlement agreement clarifies language of the 2022 Parental Rights in Education Act, keeping it in place but toning down what LGBTQ advocates in the state warned could illegally limit their rights. Gov. Ron DeSantiss (R-Fla.) office celebrated the settlement as a victory for his policy agenda. We fought hard to ensure this law couldnt be maligned in court, as it was in the public arena by the media and large corporate actors, state general counsel Ryan Newman said in a statement. We are victorious, and Floridas classrooms will remain a safe place under the Parental Rights in Education Act. The law prevented educators from discussing LGBTQ topics with elementary students and was later expanded to high school students, raising concerns over censorship and civil liberties due to its vague language. Multiple LGBTQ rights groups sued the state over the bill when it was signed into law. The law sparked widespread backlash for DeSantis, including starting a feud with Disney that ultimately led to a legal fight over regulation. A federal court ruled last month that the remaining two plaintiffs did not have the standing to continue to sue, leading to a settlement Monday that fixes the concerns about vague language. The Florida Department of Education agreed to send a memo to Florida school districts specifying that the law does not completely ban all discussion of LGBTQ topics and figures in classrooms, and requires strict neutrality on the discussion of sexuality and gender identity. Plaintiff Cecile Houry told the Tampa Bay Times the settlement avoids another multi-year appeals process and improves the state of the law. Its going to make a huge difference because the law was so vague that people stayed away from everything, Houry said. Here it really defines what is not allowed, and everything else that is allowed. Its going to change students experience. She said the settlements changes relieve fears for her 7-year-old daughter. My kid is at an age that she doesnt stop talking about everything, she said. I feel better that I dont have to worry about everything that comes out of her mouth. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. BERLIN (Reuters) - The German military still lacks sufficient equipment and personnel despite a 100 billion euro special fund set up following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces said on Tuesday. In her 2023 annual report, commissioner Eva Hoegl said the "Zeitenwende" policy shift was on the right course with a total volume of 47 billion euros ($51 billion) in procurement projects approved by the Bundestag lower house of parliament. Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced the Zeitenwende, a new era of more assertive foreign policy backed by more military spending, on Feb. 27, 2022, just days after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. As part of the Zeitenwende, and as a first step to bring the military back up to scratch after decades of attrition following the Cold War, Germany in set up the fund to purchase modern weapons and pledged to reach NATO's target of spending at least 2% of the national GDP on defence from 2024. "Despite the remarkable efforts, it remains to be said that substantial improvements in personnel, equipment and infrastructure are still a long way off in the second year of the Zeitenwende," said Hoegl, who acts as an advocate defending the rights of the troops. Hoegl said the German military is facing an "enormous personnel problem", with its goal of increasing troop numbers to 203,000 by 2031 from the current 181,000 difficult to achieve. "In terms of equipment, the Bundeswehr is not yet fully operational," added Hoegl, citing a lack of ammunition, smaller items, such as night vision goggles, and large equipment like tanks and air defence systems. Hoegl also took aim at troops' "desolate" living quarters, saying a fundamentally new approach was needed to address mouldy showers and dilapidated accommodation. ($1 = 0.9148 euros) (Reporting by Alexander Ratz and Miranda Murray, Editing by Rachel More and Alison Williams) BUDAPEST (Reuters) -Hungary summoned the U.S. ambassador to protest over remarks by President Joe Biden at a campaign stop saying Prime Minister Viktor Orban was seeking dictatorship, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told a news briefing on Tuesday. In a statement after Szijjarto spoke, a U.S. Embassy spokesperson said: "Ambassador (David) Pressman always welcomes the opportunity to discuss the state of Hungarys democracy with our ally." Orban has openly supported former U.S. President Donald Trump's bid to return to the White House, and his nationalist government has often been at odds with the Biden administration including over Hungary's close ties to Russia. Orban met Trump in Florida last week and praised him as the only presidential election candidate who could end the war in Ukraine. After their meeting, Biden said during a campaign stop that Orban "stated flatly he doesn't think democracy works and is looking for dictatorship", U.S. media outlets reported. Hungary's foreign minister called Biden's statement a lie and a "very serious insult". "This way of thinking by the president and the Democratic administration is a heavy burden on our bilateral relationship," Szijjarto said in reply to a question at a news conference. (Reporting by Krisztina Than, Boldizsar Gergely and Anita Komuves; editing by Alexandra Hudson, Nick Macfie and Mark Heinrich) Evan MacDonald is a reporter for the Houston Chronicle, covering health. He can be reached at at Evan.MacDonald@houstonchronicle.com. A Boston native, he joined the Chronicle in 2022 from cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer in Ohio. He is a graduate of Emerson College and the Columbia University School of Journalism. Indianas top court ruled Friday that the states near-total abortion ban is constitutional and lifted a preliminary injunction that had been blocking the law from taking effect. Writing for three of the five Supreme Court justices, Justice Derek Molter said the Constitution protects a womans right to an abortion that is necessary to protect her life or to protect her from a serious health risk, but the General Assembly otherwise retains broad legislative discretion for determining whether and the extent to which to prohibit abortions. All five Indiana Supreme Court justices were appointed by Republican governors. With the new ruling, abortion will be banned in Indiana, with limited exceptions, as soon as Aug. 1. In a statement, Attorney General Todd Rokita (R) praised the ruling, saying it was morally justified. Thank you to all the warriors who have fought for this day that upholds LIFE. However, a second injunction remains in effect as a result of another lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana (ACLU) on behalf of Hoosier Jews for Choice. That suit claims the law violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) adopted in 2015 under then-Gov. Mike Pence (R), an ardent abortion opponent who is running for president. The plaintiffs in the religious case were granted class-action status, but its not clear how that immediately impacts abortion access given the Supreme Courts ruling. The ACLU contends the injunction applies to all Indiana residents who have sincere religious beliefs that they must be able to obtain an abortion, rather than just the specific plaintiffs in the case. That state is appealing both the class-action certification and the injunction. The case is set to be heard by the Indiana Court of Appeals in September. Indiana was the first state to pass an abortion ban after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022. The GOP-dominated Legislature passed the ban, and Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) signed it in August. The ban initially took effect Sept. 15 but was blocked a week later by a state circuit court following a lawsuit by abortion providers. The providers argued that a womans right to liberty under the Indiana Constitution encompassed a fundamental right to abortion. As a result of the injunction, abortion was allowed to continue up to 20 weeks gestation. The law bans abortion almost entirely and revokes the licenses of the states abortion clinics. The ban contains limited exceptions for serious risk to the health or life of a pregnant person, diagnoses of a lethal fetal anomaly, and rape or incest, before 10 weeks post-fertilization. In those cases, abortions are allowed only at hospitals and hospital-owned ambulatory surgical centers. The law also bans abortion drugs after eight weeks post-fertilization. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Since the October 7 Hamas assault on Israel, Irans allied militias and proxies have launched missiles and drones at international shipping and U.S. troops. Hezbollah, the crown jewel in the Islamic Republics ring of fire around the Jewish state, has dueled with the Israeli Defense Forces, driving nearly 100,000 Israelis from their homes. The Biden administration has responded with two aircraft-carrier groups on patrol (one has now departed), missile barrages and bombing runs against Iranian proxies, and a lot of peripatetic diplomacy, including multiple trips by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and envoys Amos Hochstein, Brett McGurk, and CIA Director William Burns.* All this activity has obscured the fact that Tehran is moving deliberately toward nuclear breakout. Based on International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) documents, Reuters reported late last year that Iran has enough uranium enriched to up to 60% purity, close to weapons-grade, for three atom bombs and is still stonewalling the agency on key issues. The clerical regimes large stockpile of 20 percent uranium, which can quickly be spun up by advanced centrifuges, keeps increasing. The Islamic Republics unconstrained progress toward nuclear-weapons capability and its continuing stonewalling of the IAEA raises the question of whether a nuclear-armed Iran would be more aggressive and prone to take risks that might ignite an escalatory spiral engulfing much of the Middle East. There is a theory that proliferation can ultimately lead to a relatively benign state of deterrence through fear of mutual assured destruction. The late Robert Jervis argued in his enormously influential book, The Meaning of the Nuclear Revolution, that crises will be rare, neither side will be eager to press bargaining advantages to the limit, the status quo will be relatively easy to maintain, and political outcomes will not be closely related to either the nuclear or conventional balance once states have accepted the notion of mutual vulnerability. This happy ending to nuclear proliferation rests on the idea, first articulated during the Cold War by political scientist Joseph Nye, that nuclear learning goes on among policymakers. Nye argued in his seminal 1987 article Nuclear learning and U.S.-Soviet security regimes that the initial beliefs and definitions of interest of both U.S. and Soviet leaders were altered as a result of new information and experience. This process of learning contributed to crisis stability even if the impact on arms race stability was less easy to discern. Scholars of nuclear proliferation have adopted and refined this idea to deal with emergent atomic powers suggesting that there is a good news-bad news story here. The good news: The Cold War suggests that nuclear learning happens. The bad news: Nuclear learning needs to take hold fast enough to foreclose the possibility of catastrophic escalation. There are several reasons to wonder whether this self-soothing narrative will apply to the Islamic Republic. At the core, Western politicians and analysts have failed to appreciate the importance of ideology to successive generations of clerical leaders. The Islamists in charge do not wish to move on or abandon their patrimony for the sake of commerce. The clerical regime has seen its legitimacy collapse at home; it explicitly seeks it abroad by creating and supporting radical Islamic groups. The saying goes that every revolution contains the seeds of its own destruction. After a spasm of overreach, the revolutionaries yield to the temptations of pragmatism. Like the French Revolution, all subsequent regimes have their Thermidorian Reaction. No nation can live on ideology alone, and the imperative of governance compels militants to soften their edges. The Islamic Republic has, so far, defied this pattern. Internally, it is more oppressive today than in the 1990s, when so many thought Thermidor was underway. In its willingness to torture and kill young women, the clerical regime may be more wicked than it was in the 1980s when revolutionary zealotry and conspiracies radiating from the Iran-Iraq war were white hot. Despite unending adversity (or perhaps because of it), the ruling clergy has remained loyal to the ideology of the founder of the revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who foresaw and ardently tried to abet the expansion of Islamic militancy beyond Irans borders. Both traditional and radical Islamic political thought recognizes no perimeter restricting Gods writ. Khomeinis disciples, particularly his successor, Ali Khamenei, divide the globe into two competing entities: states whose priorities are defined by Western conventions and Iran, whose purpose is to serve as an Islamic lodestar and paladin. Irans Islamist internationalism mandates a Western antagonist, a foil against which the Islamic Republic can define itself. Irans theocratic elite sees Western powersespecially the United Statesas rapacious imperialists determined to exploit the Muslim worlds wealth for their own aggrandizement. But Iranian Islamism sees a Christian-turned-secular West as seeking to subjugate believers by imposing its culture in the name of modernity and universal values. Most offensively, the Jewish state has displaced Muslims from their land, and its extinction is a religious obligation. In this worldview, Arab monarchies and military-led republics are usually treasonous accomplices. Iranian Islamists want to emancipate the Middle East from all this Westernizing wickedness. To do so, the Islamic Republic has constructed a multinational auxiliary force that it dubs the Axis of Resistance. This amalgam of militias has been remarkably successful, from helping to evict America from Iraq to sustaining the Assad regime in Syria, to Hamas daring attack on israel on October 7. If Hamas, a Sunni organization that blends militant Islamism and Palestinian nationalism, rises from the rubble, tying down a significant number of Israeli soldiers in Gaza for an indefinite period, Iran will reap benefits from its ally surviving. Which brings up the question of what added advantage Iran might glean from a nuclear weapon. Best guess: The bomb would likely make the Islamic Republic even more aggressive toward Israel and improve the regimes standing with Russia and China, granting Tehran perhaps more freedom of action in the Persian Gulf, especially against Saudi Arabia. For example, the Houthis in Yemen havent fired a missile at their northern neighbor since China brokered a deal restoring relations between Iran and the Saudis. An Iranian nuke would no doubt give Tehran more clout with its great-power patrons. Its hard to imagine a scenario, however, where Tehran would desire a nuclear exchange with Jerusalem. Israel has too many nuclear weapons (arms-control advocates often put it at 100, with at least another hundred possible) long-range missiles, and fighter-bombers that can successfully penetrate Irans airspace. Tehran has repeatedly avoided escalating directly against Israel even though Jerusalem has been killing, continuously, senior Revolutionary Guard commanders in Syria. Khamenei has stayed his hand even though Iran likely has enough ballistic-missile capacity to do real damage to Tel Aviv, at least temporarily. He may fear that Israels conventional strength is just too punishing, especially to a nuclear program that may not yet be sufficiently protected against aerial bombardment. Plus, the supreme leader is old enough that discussions about his succession are finally getting serious. So it would be unsurprising if Khamenei would rather not test Israel now: Israels devastation of Gaza reinforces the perception that Jews can go biblical in their wrath. Whether Tehran has ever pulled its punches, either directly or through its proxies because it feared Israels nukes, is unclear. The bomb might well change Iranian calculations, just as, on a smaller scale, Tehrans ever-increasing ballistic missile capacity has. Irans ring of fire strategy grew out of its impressive accomplishments in developing a wide array of ever-improving missiles and drones. While the West largely ignored or just sanctioned (Barack Obamas nuclear deal didnt cover ballistic missiles) those efforts, Hezbollahs huge stockpile of Iranian-supplied missilery has certainly affected Israeli policy on how to respond to the groups provocations. An Iranian nuke likely would make Tehran less fearful of Israeli escalation. The clerical regime could test the limits of whats possible through longer-range missiles fired from Lebanon and Syria, provided Iran can get those missiles into the Levant and Washington removes its forces near the Iraqi border. Donald Trump wanted those forces removed; only disobedient, obfuscating underlings kept them in place. If Trump wins in November, the odds are good he wont again let his subordinates deter him. Yet it still seems unlikely that Tehran will seek a potentially catastrophic confrontation. Iranian Islamists havent been nihilists since the early Iran-Iraq war, when tens of thousands of death-wish believers sought to martyr themselves upon the battlefield. That searing experience left the Islamic revolution intact, even fortified. But the Islamic Republics ruling elite became more cautious and surreptitious about how to defeat its enemies. Rather, a nuclear weapon is more likely to change Israeli and American calculations than it is to make Iran more aggressive. With an Iranian nuke aimed at Tel Aviv, Israeli leadership is bound to become more cautious. The low-intensity duel with Hezbollah, which would permanently depopulate the northern borderlands, could become acceptable since the likely alternative, a massive Israeli offensive, including ground troops penetrating deep into Lebanon, may become just too dicey given the possibility of Iranian nuclear escalation. As the former Iranian clerical major domo, Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, once half-joked, just one nuclear weapon on Tel Aviv could destroy the Jewish state. Israeli volition to strike Iran directly, which certainly appears already to have been checked by Tehrans and Hezbollahs missile stockpiles, would evaporate. A doctrine of mutually assured destruction works to the clerical regimes advantage: Israel bleeds and the most Jerusalem will do in response is to martyr Irans Arab proxies. Iranian nukes shouldnt fundamentally affect American calculations given the U.S.s overwhelming conventional and nuclear firepower. But the Iranian capacity to destroy Tel Aviv would. Under both Republicans and Democrats, Washington has for years been losing steam against the Iranian challenge. The increased use of sanctions under Trump and the assassination of Qassem Suleimani dont really negate that trend given Trumps constant rhetoric about forever wars and his unwillingness to intercede directly against Iran when it attacked shipping in the Persian Gulf and Saudi oil facilities. To put it simply: The Middle East matters more to the Iranian theocracy than it does to Washingtons foreign policy set and the populists and progressives who are very close to transforming the foreign priorities of both parties. The clerical regime is willing to kill and die for the cause; we seem unwilling to kill in sufficient numbers to make deterrence credible. To have clout in the Middle East now, Washington needs to duel, to escalate whenever and wherever necessary for as long as necessary until its enemies are either defeated or deterred. If Tehran adds a nuke to this equation, its a certainty in Washington that the voices of retrenchment and caution will gain strength. Non-proliferation was once a sacred, bipartisan religion in Washington. Its crystal clear that creed no longer has much, if any, hard power behind it. However, our Middle Eastern enemies, who grew to adulthood on conspiracies revolving round American power, arent educationally inert. We shouldnt be surprised when they show us what theyve learned. *Correction, March 12: This article initially misspelled Antony Blinkens first name. Read more at The Dispatch The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free. By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Monday demanded the United Nations Security Council "put as much pressure as possible" on Palestinian militants Hamas to release the people it took hostage during the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Katz addressed the 15-member council, which met to discuss a U.N. report that found there were "reasonable grounds to believe" sexual violence, including rape and gang rape, occurred at several locations during the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas. "We are asking you to condemn the sexual violence crimes these barbarians committed in the name of the Muslim religion," Katz told the Security Council, also urging the body "to put as much pressure as possible on the Hamas organization to release immediately and unconditionally all the kidnapped hostages." He called for sanctions to be imposed on Hamas, accusing the group of crimes "worse then the terror actions carried out by al-Qaeda, ISIS and other terror organizations" who had been targeted by the Security Council. The Security Council has called for the immediate, unconditional release of all hostages in resolutions adopted in November and December. It is currently considering a U.S.-drafted resolution that includes a condemnation of the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas "as well as its taking and killing of hostages, murder of civilians, and sexual violence including rape." U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield urged council members to condemn Hamas. "There can be no doubt about what happened on October 7th. The evidence before us is damning and devastating. Now, the only question is: How will we respond? Will this council finally, finally, finally condemn Hamas' sexual violence? Or will we continue to stay silent?" she asked the Security Council. Hamas killed 1,200 people and seized 253 hostages on Oct. 7, according to Israeli tallies. Israel has retaliated by launching an air and ground assault on Hamas in the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 31,000 people, health authorities in Gaza say. Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour accused Israel in the Security Council of pursuing the "forcible displacement of our people by making Gaza unlivable." (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; editing by Jonathan Oatis) In the pitched battle between TikTok and Washington, few people stand to lose more than Jeff Yass, an American billionaire options trader who has emerged in recent years as a major donor to Republican candidates and causes. Yass co-founded the Philadelphia-based trading firm Susquehanna International Group, which owns a 15% stake in TikToks China-based parent company, ByteDance. Yass personal share is 7%, worth roughly $21 billion. Yass investment is under threat today, and the typically press-shy billionaire is taking fire from both the left and the right. Critics accuse Yass of bankrolling an army of lobbyists and orchestrating a bare-knuckle pressure campaign to protect TikTok including by leveraging his nascent relationship with former President Donald Trump. Through a spokesperson, Yass declined to comment on this story. On Wednesday, the House is expected to pass bipartisan legislation that would force ByteDance to divest TikTok within a matter of months. President Joe Biden said that he would sign it into law if the bill wins Senate approval. It would be a gut punch to the valuation and future of TikTok if a ban and forced sale came to fruition, Dan Ives, a managing director and senior equity research analyst at Wedbush Securities, said in an email. This would be a nightmare for Yass, given the major investment in TikTok, if a forced ban hit the company under the Biden administration, Ives said. The impact would likely be a 25% hit to the overall valuation. Susquehanna first invested in ByteDance in 2012, long before the company created TikTok and then merged it with a short-form video app called Musical.ly in 2018. When the app exploded in popularity, Susquehannas investment paid off. Today, at least 150 million Americans use TikTok regularly, according to company data. Yet lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say TikToks soaring popularity is part of the reason it poses a grave threat to national security. They argue that ByteDances Beijing-based engineers and executives are amassing a dangerously large trove of data from tens of millions of Americans. The House bill is about ensuring were protecting the data of the American people, and making sure our foreign adversaries cant be targeting our people and using that data against them. Thats whats happening, we know that for sure, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, told NBC News on Monday. The company has said it stores U.S. users data securely and rejects the idea that it poses a threat to national security. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to visit Capitol Hill this week to meet with members of Congress, part of an 11th-hour lobbying campaign to halt the bill in the Senate. Behind the scenes, Yass may also be helping to shape the debate over TikTok. A major player Jeff Yass is not your average billionaire who wants something out of Washington. During the 2022 midterm elections, Yass donated $47 million to help Republican candidates and committees, making him the third-largest conservative political donor in America. Yass has described himself as a registered libertarian and served for decades as a trustee of the nonprofit Cato Institute, a libertarian Washington think tank. A media representative at Cato did not reply to a request for comment from CNBC. By all accounts, Yass No. 1 animating issue is school choice, the largely conservative movement that aims to give taxpayer dollars to families to help them pay for private schools. Yass and his wife have poured millions of dollars into federal and state elections, as well as nonprofits and initiatives, aimed at expanding alternatives to public schools. According to a person granted anonymity to discuss Yass political giving, the Pennsylvania-based billionaire makes decisions about supporting candidates based entirely on their school choice positions. The causes and candidates Yass gives money to have nothing to do with TikTok, the person said, at least not necessarily. For example, Yass donated $6 million in December in support of Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbotts re-election bid. Abbott sides with Yass on school choice issues, but in 2022 the governor signed an executive order banning TikTok from government-issued cellphones and computers. Overlapping interests In Washington, several prominent conservative political groups support school choice policies and also oppose the TikTok ban. The Club for Growth is one of them. A major supporter of school choice candidates and bills, the organization and its related groups have also worked hard to mobilize opposition to a TikTok ban on Capitol Hill. Giving the government the power to ban apps and pick and choose between competing apps is a huge restriction on phone freedom, Club for Growths David McIntosh wrote in an op-ed last March on Fox News website. Over the course of 2023, Yass gave $16 million to the Club for Growth Action, a political action committee affiliated with the nonprofit. On Friday, the group magnified a post on X from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in which he agreed with former President Donald Trumps unexpected announcement that he opposed the TikTok ban. Trumps about-face on TikTok came just a week after he briefly met with Yass and his wife. The former president told CNBC Monday that their conversation did not turn to TikTok, but rather covered education-related matters. The meeting took place at the Club for Growths donor retreat in Florida, the source familiar with the matter explained. At the retreat Trump delivered a speech praising Yass and McIntosh, according to Politico. Trumps flip-flop was especially surprising given that Trump was the first president to propose a ban on TikTok. There are a lot of people on TikTok that love it. There are a lot of young kids on TikTok who will go crazy without it, Trump told CNBC on Monday. Karl Wallinger of World Party during Day 1 of Bonnaroo 2006. (Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic Inc.) Karl Wallinger, the mastermind behind the neo-psychedelic pop classicists World Party who also played in the Waterboys during their early years, died Sunday at age 66. His family confirmed his death through his publicist. Unabashedly steeped in vintage sounds, World Party crackled with Wallinger's sonic invention and melodic craft, gifts evident on the modern rock hits "Ship of Fools," "Way Down Now," "Put the Message in the Box" and "She's the One," a song Robbie Williams took to No. 1 in the United Kingdom. Pop singles weren't explicitly part of Wallinger's purview, as far as the contemporary charts of the 1980s and 1990s went. Largely recording on his own at his Seaview Studios in the U.K., he synthesized elements of the Beatles he had a knack for splicing the melodicism of Paul McCartney with the gritty sneer of John Lennon, David Bowie and Bob Dylan, adding a significant dose of playfulness learned from Prince. Wallinger's hybrid of sumptuous pop, hippie mysticism and postmodern cynicism helped World Party carve out a niche on college rock radio and MTV with their 1987 debut "Private Revolution" and 1990 sophomore release "Goodbye Jumbo." Despite Wallinger working as the musical director for Ben Stiller's 1994 slacker romantic comedy "Reality Bites," World Party was among the artists swept away by the alternative rock explosion of the early 1990s. Too tuneful and idiosyncratic to compete with the grime of grunge, World Party evolved into a cult act, maintaining a faithful audience but rarely crossing over into the mainstream. Upon learning of Wallinger's death, Mike Scott, his old partner in the Waterboys, posted "You are one of the finest musicians I've ever known." Curt Smith of Tears for Fears mentioned, "I was a big fan of Karl's." Born on Oct. 19, 1957, in Prestatyn, Wales, Karl Wallinger developed a love for music in his early childhood, an interest that he continued to cultivate at Charterhouse, a public school that also called every original member of Genesis an alumnus; he later collaborated with Peter Gabriel on an eclectic project called "Big Blue Ball." Mastering several instruments, Wallinger initially started his professional career as a keyboardist, playing in a group called Pax, which featured Dave Sharp and Nigel Twist, both future members of the Alarm. Read more:Brit Turner, drummer for Blackberry Smoke, dies at 57 after brain cancer battle After serving as the musical director in a West End production of "The Rocky Horror Show," Wallinger joined the Waterboys, an ambitious Scottish rock band led by Mike Scott. Wallinger first appeared on 1984's "A Pagan Place," the group's sophomore set, but his collaboration with Scott flourished on "This Is the Sea," a majestic modern rock record anchored on the single "The Whole of the Moon" and propelled by Wallinger's lively piano. (The creation of "This Is the Sea" is documented in full on the recent box set "1985.") Wallinger's time with the Waterboys was brief. Courted by Chrysalis as a solo act during the making of "This Is the Sea," Wallinger left the group by the end of the album's supporting tour, releasing "Private Revolution" early in 1987. The caustic "Ship of Fools" wound up being a modern rock hit in the U.S., even crossing over to Billboard's Top 40, turning Wallinger into a hot commodity in the process. He helped Sinead O'Connor create demos for her 1987 debut "The Lion and the Cobra" and arranged "Black Boys on Mopeds" for its 1990 sequel, "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got." O'Connor returned the favor by singing on "Goodbye Jumbo," the second album from World Party. "Goodbye Jumbo" was the apex of World Party's popularity, generating a pair of modern rock hits in "Way Down Now" and "Put the Message in the Box," earning a Grammy nomination for best alternative music performance while placing 15 on the Village Voice's annual Pazz & Jop critics poll. Wallinger designed "Bang!," its 1993 sequel, as more of a band affair, adding drummer Chris Sharrock and guitarist David Catlin-Birch as official members. Despite the initial success of its melancholy lead single "Is It Like Today?," "Bang!" struggled to find an audience during the heyday of grunge. When World Party released "Egyptology" in 1997, the band was overshadowed by the clamor of Britpop, a scene as equally enamored of 1960s guitar-pop as Wallinger but skewing considerably younger. After releasing "Dumbing Up" in 2000, Wallinger suffered a brain aneurysm that necessitated a prolonged recovery period. He reemerged in 2006, playing a live show at South by Southwest, then appearing at Bonnaroo later that year. World Party continued to tour into the mid-2010s, releasing "Arkeology" a five-disc set of unreleased songs, covers and live material in 2012. At the time of his death, Wallinger was at work completing his first new song in 25 years, a composition with the working title of "Change." He also began planning for a new album and tour. Wallinger is survived by his wife Suzie Zamit, his son Louis Wallinger, his daughter Nancy Zamit and two grandchildren. Get notified when the biggest stories in Hollywood, culture and entertainment go live. Sign up for L.A. Times entertainment alerts. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Kate Beckinsale has revealed that shes been hospitalised while sharing a sweet tribute to her mother on Mothers Day. On Monday (11 March), the 50-year-old actor shared an Instagram photo of herself in a hospital bed. In the caption, she paid tribute to her mother Judy Loe in honour of Mothers Day, which falls on 10 March in the United Kingdom, and thanked her for her support. Beckinsales post began with a video of Loe popping open a bottle of champagne for her birthday, followed by selfies of the actors mother. She included two pictures of herself in a hospital bed, as she wore a large black headband with a bow on her head. The post also featured a snap of Beckinsales friend visiting her at the hospital. In the caption, the Underworld star wished her mother a happy birthday and Mothers Day, before describing how Loe has supported her throughout the last week. While Beckinsale went on to praise all the ones whove been supporting her while shes been sick, she didnt specify why she was hospitalised. Thank you to those that love us and support us when its s*** and try to make sure there are some bits that arent, she wrote. And for looking after our dogs when we cant, and lead us to remember happy things when we cant. And turn up when we are sick and sit with us... And send balloons and check in and pull us out of wells with love. After she noted that her mothers capacity for joy was so inspiring and beautiful, she concluded her caption by once again celebrating Loe. Happy everything mama, she wrote. Your fight for joy despite also welcoming tears is the experience of watching a warrior up close. I love you. In the comments, many fans sent messages of support to Beckinsale and questioned why she was hospitalised. They also applauded her tribute to her mother. Are you OK? Why are you in a hospital? Please get well soon, one wrote, while another commented: Hope youre OK! Happy moms day! Such a sweet post for your mama. I pray for your recovery, whatever it is you may be going through Kate, a third added. The Independent has contacted a representative for Beckinsale for comment. Over the years, Beckinsale hasnt hesitated to speak candidly about her physical health. In 2019, she revealed she was in the hospital after suffering a ruptured ovarian cyst. At the time, she shared a photo of herself from her hospital bed on Instagram, with a breathing tube in her nose. A second picture showed her lying in the hospital bed. Turns out a ruptured ovarian cyst really hurts and morphine makes me cry. So thankful to everyone who looked after me #wobbly, she wrote in the caption. According to the Mayo Clinic, ovarian cysts are sacs, usually filled with fluid, in an ovary or on its surface. While cysts are often harmless, thats not the case when it ruptures, as that can cause severe pain and bleeding inside the pelvis. In the comments at the time, Beckinsale also hit back at someone who criticised her taking a selfie in the hospital. After noting that her mother took the photo of her in the hospital, she then specified why she shared the post in the first place about her ruptured ovary. In fact I would not have posted it if we had not noticed someone in a car taking a photo of me leaving the hospital in a wheelchair, she wrote in the comments at the time, as reported by CNN. I have Instagram largely to have my own honest narrative and not have to always be ambushed by stories that come out that are invented. Id prefer to say what happened than endure speculation and so I chose to share. After acknowledging that its not a normal impulse for her to share such a personal picture of herself, she hit back at how the press initially photographed her outside of the hospital. But its not normal to be photographed in vulnerable situations by people you dont know either (if you were interested in knowing the provenance of this, which, you probably are not), she wrote. She concluded her comment at the time by praising her fans for their support, writing: Thank you so much to everyone who has wished me well and lots of love to all the girls here who have been through similar or worse. Love to all. A long-time ally of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been attacked outside his home in Lithuania. Leonid Volkov said his arm was broken and his leg hit 15 times with a hammer. Lithuanian intelligence said the attack was probably "Russian-organised and implemented" and Mr Volkov agrees. It was "an obvious, typical, gangster greeting from Putin, from bandit St Petersburg", he said, but gave no more details about his attacker. Police have begun an investigation into the attack, which took place as the activist arrived at home in Vilnius in his car. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said he hoped those behind the attack would be found, adding: "I can only say one thing to Putin - nobody is afraid of you here." Another member of the Navalny team, Ivan Zhdanov, posted pictures on social media showing Mr Volkov with a bloodied lower left leg and bruising to his head. Asked whether the assailant had shouted anything, Mr Zhdanov said: "Everything happened in silence... of course this is a clear political attack, there is no doubt here." Mr Volkov's wife, who is also part of the Navalny team, said her husband had returned home from hospital with a broken arm, adding that he was unable to walk because of the hammer blows to his leg. "We will all work even more. And with even greater anger," Anna Biryukova posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. Mr Volkov, 43, has lived outside Russia for some years for his own safety and served as Navalny's chief-of-staff until the opposition leader died suddenly in prison in the Russian Arctic last month. Navalny was serving a 19-year sentence after being convicted of charges that were politically motivated. Mr Volkov also faces various politically motivated charges in Russia. He was chairman of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation until last year, when he resigned following the revelation he had signed letters calling for the EU to drop some Russian sanctions. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said the "perpetrators will have to answer for their crime". The VSD state security department in Vilnius suggested the attack was an attempt at preventing Russia's opposition from carrying out "projects in connection with the forthcoming undemocratic Russian presidential elections". Voting takes place over three days from Friday, although no genuine opposition candidate has been allowed to run. In a video posted on social media on his return home, Mr Volkov, with his arm in his sling, revealed that his attacker had used a meat hammer and "literally wanted to make a schnitzel out of me". He vowed the attack would not stop his political activism and he called on voters in Russia to join a peaceful protest on Sunday, the final day of the presidential vote. He urged Russians to head for polling stations at the same time for an act that supporters are calling "midday against Putin". "We have to do something, right?" he concluded. Despite living outside Russia, Mr Volkov has made sure that the activism of Navalny and his team could continue. This has included anti-corruption investigations, YouTube videos and livestreams during protests and major events in Russia. Many more activists moved to join Mr Volkov abroad in 2021 after Navalny's entire political organisation was labelled "extremist" and banned in Russia. Several of Navalny's former team are now in prison, as well as some of his lawyers. Ahead of this weekend's election, Navalny's widow Yulia Navalnaya has also called on opponents of Vladimir Putin to join Sunday's protest, which was an idea supported by Alexei Navalny before he died. LGBTQ activist and political adviser David Mixner, perhaps best known for challenging then-President Bill Clintons dont ask, dont tell policy, died Monday, a close friend confirmed. He was 77. A champion for equality, longtime activist David Mixners unwavering voice spanned decades, Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, the nations largest LGBTQ advocacy group, wrote on X. From challenging discriminatory policies to influencing presidential campaigns, his work paved the way for a new political reality and will inspire generations. While Mixner spent decades advocating for LGBTQ rights, hes probably best known for challenging Clinton for whom he served as a campaign adviser on the controversial dont ask, dont tell policy. Mixner was the first openly gay man to hold a public-facing role on a presidential campaign, according to the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, a nonpartisan nonprofit advocacy group that Mixner co-founded in 1991. However, their relationship soured after Clinton enacted the dont ask, dont tell policy, which barred gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the military, in 1993. Mixner joined about 100 activists to protest dont ask, dont tell outside the White House that year, leading to his high-profile arrest. I just have to do what is right, he told The Washington Post at the time. I have buried too many friends to compromise. I owe it to them. I owe it to my partner, who died four years ago. He doesnt have a voice anymore, and I must speak for him, Mixner added. Thats what this is all about. The controversial policy would remain in place for another 17 years, until Congress and President Barack Obama repealed it in 2011. Bill Clinton and David Mixner (Reuters) Mixner rose to prominence for working with Clinton, but his political activism long predated the former president. As a teenager he volunteered for John F. Kennedys presidential campaign, according to an interview he gave to LGBTQ magazine Metro Weekly in 2004. Mixner and his partner, Peter Scott, were among those who led the opposition to a 1978 California ballot measure Proposition 6, also known as the Briggs Initiative which would have barred gay men and lesbians from teaching in the states public schools. Mixner said in the same interview that he met with Ronald Reagan, who had been governor from 1967-1975, and pushed him to publicly oppose the ballot measure. A closeted gay Republican got us a meeting, at great risk to his own political self, Mixner told the magazine at the time, referring to his meeting with Reagan. It was a delightful meeting I was treated in that meeting with more respect than almost any other elected official Ive ever met with. Voters later rejected the ballot measure. Mixner later became a prominent AIDS activist and was reportedly among dozens of protesters arrested outside of the White House in 1986, lambasting the Reagan administrations response to the epidemic. David gave his time, energy and money to building a new political reality in America having the foresight and dedication to see it through even in the most difficult of times, Annise Parker, president and CEO of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, which aims to elect LGBTQ people to public office, said in a statement. His legacy is the thousands of out LGBTQ+ people who now serve in elected and appointed positions all across the nation and the tens of thousands more to come. Many current LGBTQ public officials saluted Mixner following the news of his death, with Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., calling Mixner one of the greatest LGBTQ Civil Rights leaders of his generation. He leaves behind a fundamentally fairer world for LGBTQ Americans than the one he knew for most of his life, Torres said in a statement. David Mixner was a moral giant on whose shoulders we forever stand. New York state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal called Mixner a civil rights hero whose efforts improved the lives of millions of LGBTQ Americans. There are countless LGBTQ elected officials who counted David as a friend and role model, myself included, Hoylman-Sigal said in a statement posted on X. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre honored Mixner during a White House press briefing Tuesday. "Perhaps most importantly, he was deeply dedicated to mentoring the next generation of LGBTQ+ leaders fighting to create a better world," Jean-Pierre, who is the first Black and first openly LGBTQ White House press secretary, said. Those of us doing this work today, including myself, owe him a debt of gratitude. It appears that up until the day he died, Mixner was plugged into national politics. On Sunday, he posted a meme responding to Sen. Katie Britt of Alabamas GOP response to President Joe Bidens State of the Union address last week, which drew widespread criticism, even inspiring a Saturday Night Live skit. One of his last Facebook posts on Sunday simply stated: Sleepy Joe, my a--. A Chinese man has been charged with smuggling protected turtles after the small animals bound inside socks were intercepted in packages in Southern California, prosecutors said Monday. Sai Keung Tin, 53, was indicted Friday on four counts of exporting merchandise contrary to law, records show. The eastern box turtles, kept inside socks to keep them from making noise, were found in four packages at a U.S. mail facility in Torrance in 2023, which were addressed to Tins home, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Central District of California said in a statement. The turtles grow to around 6 inches, can live around 100 years and can have colorful shell patterns, the office said. The eastern box turtle is protected through an international convention, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna, as well as by U.S. federal law. That international convention was ratified in 1975, and China is a member of the pact. animal protection control (DOJ) Tin is charged in connection with 40 turtles found in four packages intercepted at the Torrance mail facility in June 2023, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service special agent wrote in an affidavit filed with the criminal complaint. One of the turtles was dead, but the rest were alive. Smuggled turtles are kept bound in socks to keep them from making noise by moving, and to protect their shells, the agent wrote in the affidavit. Tin is associated with Kang Juntao, who smuggled at least 1,500 turtles from the U.S. to Hong Kong in 2017 and 2018, according to the affidavit. The turtles value in the pet trade is around $2.25 million. Middlemen for Kang would send turtles to Tins address in Hong Kong, and from there they would be smuggled to mainland China, the affidavit says. Kang was arrested in Malaysia in 2019, extradited to the United States, and in October 2021 he was sentenced to more than three years in prison for money laundering, the Justice Department has said. Kang, through a nationwide network, smuggled five species of turtles, including the eastern box turtle, the DOJ said. Even though Kang was arrested and prosecuted, packages continued to be sent to Tin and intercepted in Torrance, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service special agent wrote in the affidavit. Tin was arrested in New York City on Feb. 25 after he arrived at John F. Kennedy Airport, officials said. Online court records did not appear to show an attorney for Tin in connection with the California case who could speak on his behalf Monday afternoon. A federal public defender was listed in New York, but the case has since been moved. That attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Meghan Markle is seen ahead of her visit with Prince Harry to the iconic Titanic Belfast during their trip to Northern Ireland on March 23, 2018 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. Credit - Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images A motion to dismiss has been granted to Meghan Markle in the defamation lawsuit filed against her by her half-sister, Samantha Markle. Markle was sued for defamation by her half-sister following a 2021 CBS interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which she said she was an only child and did not have a close relationship with Samantha, her half-sister from her father Thomas Markles first marriage. Samantha also alleged in the lawsuit that the couples 2022 Netflix documentary series Harry & Meghan contained 14 defamatory statements against her. In her complaint, Samantha argued that people around her turned against her, viewing her as an opportunist trying to cash in on her sisters success and fame, despite having no relationship with her. Samantha sought $75,000 in damages, according to the complaint. The lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice, meaning the same claim cannot be filed again, in an order issued March 12, with Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell ruling that Samantha was unable to provide significant evidence to prove defamation. In a statement, Meghan's lawyer, Michael Kump, said that they were "pleased with the Court's ruling dismissing the case." Samantha's lawyer called the decision "upsetting" in a statement via email, adding they "will be appealing this decision to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, and hope that the 3 judge panel sees it differently." In the motion to dismiss, Judge Honeywell said that the examples cited in the lawsuit are simply a matter of differing opinion. Plaintiff alleges that the statements painted her as 'a stranger, a liar, and a deceptive fame-seeking imposter with avaricious intentions, the motion to dismiss reads. She goes on to argue that the statements insinuated that [Plaintiff] has concocted a fictitious story to reap some inappropriate reward from [Defendant]s fame. These are quintessential examples of opinion that cannot be verified and therefore cannot serve as the basis of a defamation action. Samantha has tried twice before to sue Meghan for defamation, in cases that were thrown out in 2022 and 2023. "As a reasonable listener would understand it, defendant merely expresses an opinion about her childhood and her relationship with her half-siblings, Judge Honeywell wrote in 2023. Thus, the court finds that defendants statement is not objectively verifiable or subject to empirical proof. Write to Simmone Shah at simmone.shah@time.com. spring allergies Getty Images Oak trees line the trail along the Rice University walking path. Pollen counts have been high over the past few weeks in Houston, prompting spring allergy symptoms, experts said. Mark Mulligan/Staff photographer Pollen counts have been high over the past few weeks in Houston, prompting spring allergy symptoms. Getty Images Pollen counts have been high over the past few weeks in Houston, prompting spring allergy symptoms. Getty Images Its technically still winter, but spring allergy season is off to an early start in Houston. Pollen and mold counts have reached heavy or extremely heavy levels over the past week, according to data from the Houston Health Department. That may be an early sign of what is expected to be a robust spring allergy season, said Dr. David Corry, a professor of medicine in the section of immunology, allergy and rheumatology at Baylor College of Medicine. In general, were starting out with a bang this year, Corry said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Houstons allergy season is practically year-round due to the warm climate and vegetation in the area. A 2023 analysis by the nonprofit Climate Central also found that climate change is causing allergy season to arrive earlier, last longer and be more intense. Corry said the period from mid-February through June is typically the worst time of year for tree pollen. Houstons pollen count was heavy on Monday, according to the citys health department. Aisha Jangda, a CVS District Leader who oversees 25 stores in the Houston and Pearland areas, said shes already seen an increase in customers who are looking for medication to curb their allergies. If you suffer from spring allergies each year, Jangda recommends starting to use antihistamines or nasal sprays sooner rather than later. She said getting an early start on medication is one of the best ways to avoid suffering during spring allergy season. Advertisement Article continues below this ad If you know you have bad allergies every year around this time, be proactive, she said. Dont wait for those symptoms to start. What are over-the-counter allergy solutions? Over-the-counter medications, such as antihistamines, nasal sprays and decongestants, can help alleviate common allergy symptoms, experts said. But there are some things to consider. Some antihistamines can cause drowsiness, so Corry recommended switching to another type if youre experiencing too much of the side effect. Everyone's different, and it's not possible to predict whos going to have drowsiness to whatever antihistamine, he said. Try them out and just figure out which ones are best for you. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Experts previously told the Chronicle that anyone with high blood pressure or a heart condition should avoid taking a decongestant. Those medications can raise blood pressure or prevent blood pressure medication from working properly. READ MORE: Avoid these allergy medications if you have high blood pressure or a heart condition Corry said you should avoid using a nasal spray that contains a decongestant for more than a few days because he believes it can do more harm than good over time. Using them too much can lead to dependence, he said. Then, if you stop using these decongestant sprays, that congestion can rebound and be much worse than it started out, he said. Nasal sprays containing steroids, such as Nasonex and Flonase, can also help to alleviate symptoms. However, experts caution that you should avoid using them if you have heart failure or coronary artery disease. Corry also recommends using steroid nasal sprays only as needed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad If over-the-counter medications are not effective, Corry said, you should consider seeing an allergist who could prescribe immunotherapy or other treatments. How to rinse your nose to help with allergies Using a saline nasal spray or a nasal rinse, such as a Neti pot, can prevent pollen from building up in your nasal passages. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology offers a recipe for mixing a saline nasal rinse at home. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises using only distilled, sterile or previously boiled water in a Neti pot or other nasal rinses. Some tap water contains low levels of organisms, such as parasites or bacteria. Its safe to drink because stomach acid kills them, but they can stay alive in nasal passages and potentially cause an infection. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its a great resource, but you have to make sure that you are using it correctly, Jangda said. How to avoid allergens The best way to prevent allergies from flare-ups is to take precautions when pollen and mold spore counts are high. The Houston Health Departments daily pollen and mold spore counts provide a valuable forecast for when youre at high risk for symptoms. Corry recommends staying indoors when those counts are high. This may not be the right week to be running in the park and getting extra exposure to that pollen, he said. If you know its going to be in the air, you may need to do that exercising indoors. If you go outdoors, wearing a high-quality mask, such as the N95 masks used to prevent the spread of COVID-19, could reduce your exposure to allergens. You should also avoid touching your face, Jangda said. On Ocean Drive this past weekend, it seemed everyone had seen the video. Young visitors may not have read about Miami Beachs spring break crackdown in the local newspaper. They certainly hadnt watched the City Commission meetings where elected officials voted for draconian measures, including $100 parking fees and 6 p.m. beach closures. But the viral video in which the city announced it was breaking up with spring break had come across their timelines on TikTok, Instagram and other social media platforms. Of course we did, Josh Pryor, 21, a senior at Georgia State University visiting for spring break, said Friday when asked if he and his friends had seen the video. Its everywhere. Melissa Berthier, the citys marketing and communications director, said the broad spring break breakup campaign, including the video, had an estimated 220 million social media impressions. The city collaborated with the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau on the campaign, which also included the purchase of two billboards in the Miami area. So far, the citys messaging along with measures like a DUI checkpoint and license-plate readers on major causeways seems to be having the desired effect. Unlike in past years on weekends around the same time in March, large crowds havent gathered on the beach during the day and flooded Ocean Drive at night. There havent been impromptu parties along side streets. The iconic South Beach strip was still buzzing with activity this past weekend but aside from the spring break restrictions and massive police presence, it felt much like a typical weekend in South Beach. City Commissioner Alex Fernandez, who pushed for the city to preemptively announce this years spring break measures, like parking restrictions and the possibility of curfews, said the messaging campaign is working. Thats the big difference, Fernandez said in an interview. A lot of the things we had already done in the past, but they were just not communicated in the robust, proactive way we did now. On Monday morning, Fernandez sent an email to constituents celebrating the calm start to spring break this past weekend, the first weekend in which the citys strictest measures were in place. They will be enacted again next weekend. No shootings. No stampedes. No fatalities. What a difference! Fernandez wrote. An unprecedented law enforcement presence, with dozens of officers from 18 local, state and federal agencies, is patrolling the area this month. Among them are police from Miami Beach, Miami and Miami-Dade County, Florida Highway Patrol troopers provided by Gov. Ron DeSantis, and even FBI officers. Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner, who was elected in November on a law and order platform, greeted officers on Ocean Drive Saturday night. Safety is our top priority and were extremely grateful for law enforcements presence, Meiner wrote that night on Facebook. Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner visits with police officers along Ocean Drive during spring break in Miami Beach, Florida, on Saturday, March 9, 2024. But not everyone has been supportive of the citys messaging. At a March 5 meeting, members of the citys Black Affairs Advisory Committee said that, while they appreciated efforts by police and volunteer goodwill ambassadors to keep spring breakers safe, they hadnt been consulted on the media campaign, which they believe sends an unwelcoming message to Black visitors. The group asked one of its members, attorney and former Miami-Dade State Attorney candidate Melba Pearson, to draft an op-ed on behalf of the committee to express its opposition. Glendon Hall, who leads the committee, said Sunday in an interview with WPLG that he believes the messaging is toxic and negative, rather than encouraging people to visit Miami Beach in a safe way. If you want to encourage people to come and do things safely, that has to be part of the mix, he said. You cant have the message be negative and then not emphasize safety. We want to make sure everyone is safe. That should have been the message. Third weekend in March has caused problems Miami Beach officials know its too soon to declare their breakup with spring break a success. In each of the past three years, the city has implemented curfews during the third weekend in March to quell large, unruly crowds. Last year and the year before, those curfews were prompted by shootings on Ocean Drive. Still, Fernandez said, the relative quiet of this past weekend is a good sign for the days to come. Usually when weve had issues during the third weekend in the past, the problems started the second weekend, he said. I am cautiously optimistic that the very controlled environment of heightened public safety will continue into the third weekend. Miami Beach police spokesperson Christopher Bess said Monday that, since March 1, police have made 153 arrests related to spring break activities. By the same time last year, he said, police had made 178 such arrests. Bess said officers check a box in the departments reporting system to indicate whether an arrest was related to spring break. It wasnt immediately clear what factors go into that determination. A report summarizing the arrest data through this past Saturday indicated that about 80% of arrests deemed spring break-related have been of Miami-Dade County residents. That number was around 70% at the same time last year. The city has also impounded 22 guns and issued 148 boating citations. The arrests included one aggravated assault. On Friday night, a 37-year-old man faced that charge after he allegedly pointed a gun at someone during an argument at a Burger King on Washington Avenue and 11th Street, according to WSVN. It wasnt clear whether the incident was included in the citys spring break arrest data. Last week, a Miami Beach police officer shot a fellow officer on the Venetian Causeway during a scuffle with an unarmed man who appeared to be experiencing a mental health crisis. Police said the incident was unrelated to spring break. Meanwhile, a DUI checkpoint on Fifth Street and license-plate readers on the eastbound Julia Tuttle and MacArthur causeways which caused lane closures and significant traffic backups entering Miami Beach this past weekend have resulted in hundreds of traffic citations, according to the summary report. On Saturday night alone, police said those measures led to more than 500 citations, 59 of which were criminal. At a press conference last month, Meiner, the citys mayor, said a successful spring break would mean having a March without violence. A city of Miami Beach police patrol vehicle is seen driving along the beach during spring break in Miami Beach, Florida, on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Complications for residents, business owners The citys parking restrictions and other efforts to keep spring breakers away have caused headaches for locals. Most public parking garages and lots below 42nd Street were closed entirely this past weekend, except for Miami Beach residents and employees in the area who were able to show identification. One public garage on 42nd Street charged a $100 flat fee. The measures led to complications for some people with appointments in the Mid-Beach neighborhood. A dermatologist with an office on 41st Street wrote to the citys parking director Thursday morning, when the rules took effect, to say that his patients, including those scheduled for urgent skin cancer surgeries, rely almost exclusively on the 42nd Street garage. I understand the Citys objective to reduce Spring Break malfeasance, wrote Dr. Edward Gross. However, there is no reason that extending the exception to the $100 fee to medical patients would conflict with that objective. The same measures will be in place next weekend. Smaller crowds in South Beach this past weekend meant a loss of business for some bar and nightclub owners, although some of them are on board with the citys approach anyway. Fernandez said one business owner on Washington Avenue messaged him this past weekend to say that business was down 50%, but if this is what it takes to finally rid ourselves of the violence, then it was well worth it. Another city commissioner, Laura Dominguez, said she had received positive feedback from multiple Ocean Drive business owners who understand it could be a couple-year sacrifice to bring order in the future. She noted that the owners of Palace, known for its popular drag brunches that spill onto the sidewalk, were worried the citys temporary ban on sidewalk tables and chairs would hurt their business. But overall, Dominguez said, the citys approach seems to be working. A decision to keep Ocean Drive open to cars prevented the block party atmosphere of years past, she said. And abandoning concerts and other programming during spring break has allowed police to focus squarely on the partying in South Beach. I was very pleased with the outcome of this past weekend, Dominguez said, and I am hopeful for the upcoming weekend, as well. Joshua Wallack, chief operating officer of Mangos Tropical Cafe on Ocean Drive, said business may be down from typical spring break weekends, but its preferable to violence and curfews that shut down nightlife entirely. People are seeing a much safer and quieter South Beach, Wallack said. Were open and not in the middle of an emergency situation. At the same time, he noted that the measures enacted this spring break have all been defensive and are not long-term solutions. Its no silver bullet, but its a start, Wallack said. Wed like to see a plan that makes March the best month of the year in Miami Beach. Miami Herald staff writers Vinod Sreeharsha and Omar Rodriguez Ortiz contributed to this report. By Andrius Sytas VILNIUS (Reuters) -Late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny's long-time aide Leonid Volkov was assaulted with a hammer in the Lithuanian capitol Vilnius on Tuesday, former Navalny spokesperson Kira Yarmysh said. "Volkov has just been attacked outside his house. Someone broke a car window and sprayed tear gas in his eyes, after which the attacker started hitting Leonid with a hammer," she wrote on social media website X. She posted images showing Volkov with a bruise on his forehead, blood coming from a leg wound, and a vehicle with damage to the driver's door and window. Lithuania's Foreign Affairs Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, who also leads Homeland Union, the ruling party, called the assault "shocking". "Perpetrators will have to answer for their crime", he wrote on X. Lithuanian police said they had been informed a man was beaten outside his home, and were investigating. Police fenced off a pine forest near Volkov's house on Vilnius' northern outskirts, and officers with dogs and flashlights were seen searching it late on Tuesday night. A large part of Navalny's political group, the Anti-Corruption Foundation, which includes Volkov, are residing in European Union and NATO member Lithuania after fleeing Russia. (Reporting by Andrius Sytas in Vilnius; Editing by Stephen Coates and Lincoln Feast.) A Nash County sweet potato farm has been fined over $187,000 following the death of one of its workers last year, the N.C. Department of Labor reported Monday. The DOL began an inspection of state Occupational Safety and Health standards on Sept. 6, 2023, after Jose Alberto Gonzalez Mendoza died. The 30-year-old had passed out from apparent heat exhaustion while picking sweet potatoes the day before. Barnes Farming Corp., located in Spring Hope, was cited with the maximum penalties for three serious violations one of them designated as willful of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of North Carolina, according to a news release. The total penalty is $187,509. Through an attorney, the company said Tuesday that it plans to appeal the citations, which it said are based on merely allegations. Barnes Farming defended its workplace protections, saying in a statement that it takes the health and safety of each one of its team members extremely seriously, has prioritized health and safety since the farm started, and continues to do so. The OSHA citation and penalty documents detail that the alleged willful serious violation was due to the following reasons: Workers were exposed to heat-related hazards, including working in 91-degree heat without an established work/rest schedule for high-heat conditions. Workers were only allowed to take one five-minute break in a six-hour workday. There was not an adequate supply of drinking water for workers. The employer did not allow the migrant H-2A workers an acclimatization period so that they could get used to the heat. Workers were not trained on reporting emergencies, first-aid procedures and procedures for dealing with symptoms of heat-related illnesses. Gonzalez Mendoza came to the farm from Mexico with a seasonal H-2A visa less than 14 days before his death, according to Barnes Farming. He died at the farm before EMS could arrive, according to the DOL. He and other workers worked a full shift on their first day of work without an acclimatization process. Money was raised last year through a GoFundMe to repatriate Gonzalez Mendozas body to his home in the state of Guanajuato. On the morning of Sept. 5, Gonzalez Mendoza and others were working on a hot day. Both the days high temperature of 94 degrees and the average temperature that day were the highest recorded for Sept. 5 since 2000, The News & Observer reported previously. These numbers topped the averages by about 9 degrees and 6 degrees, respectively, according to the National Weather Service. Barnes Farming, about 40 miles east of Raleigh, said in a statement last year that it makes every effort to comply with all regulatory requirements and we follow well-established policies concerning workplace safety and environmental conditions. The company also said through an attorney that workers were empowered to take breaks when needed, and [the company] does not limit these breaks to specific times. Barnes Farming cited by Labor Department A willful serious violation has a maximum penalty of $156,259. The maximum penalty for each serious violation is $15,625, the department said. The two other citations for serious violations were due to the following conditions: No first aid or professional health care services were summoned when Gonzalez Mendoza first reported feeling ill and showed signs of heat-related illness. Another worker called 911 50 minutes after he first reported feeling ill. There was a lack of drinking cups provided to 32 workers harvesting sweet potatoes and cutting tobacco in high-heat conditions. In an audio recording from a 911 call requesting an ambulance after Gonzalez Mendoza passed out, a worker told the dispatcher I have a guy that ... he just passed out. Were picking sweet potatoes, and its hot out here, according to records previously requested by The N&O. The Labor Department has to consider various factors, such as the size of a company, employer violation history, and the gravity of the violations, when issuing citations. The penalties are in no way designed to make up for the loss of life, DOL spokeswoman Erin Wilson said in a statement. Farm owned by Sen. Barnes family The family of North Carolina Sen. Lisa Barnes, a Nash County Republican, owns and operates the company. Its president is her husband, Johnny Barnes. The N&O has reached out to the office of Sen. Barnes for comment. Barnes Farming has 15 working days from receipt of the citations to appeal and contest the findings of the DOLs OSHA inspection, or pay the penalty. The appeal would be heard by the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission of North Carolina, an independent board appointed by the governor. The civil penalties collected by the DOL are eventually distributed to the public school system. By Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea has shipped about 6,700 containers carrying millions of munitions to Russia since July to support its war against Ukraine, in a sign of ongoing arms transfers, South Korean media reported on Tuesday, citing the defence minister. At a briefing on Monday for local media, Minister Shin Won-sik said the containers might carry more than 3 million 152 mm artillery shells, or 500,000 122 mm rounds. "It could possibly be a mix of the two, and you can say that at least several million shells have been sent," Shin said, according to the Yonhap news agency. Hundreds of North Korean munitions factories are running at around 30% of their capacity due to a lack of raw materials and electricity, but those producing artillery shells for Russia were operating "at full swing," he added, without elaborating on the source of the information. Seoul and Washington have accused Pyongyang and Moscow of trading arms and condemned the North for supplying weapons to Russia for use against Ukraine. Both countries have denied it even as they pledged to strengthen military cooperation. The U.S. State Department, in a fact sheet released on Friday, said that North Korea has delivered more than 10,000 containers of munitions or related materials to Russia since September. In exchange, North Korea has received some 9,000 containers mostly containing food supplies, which Shin said has helped stabilise prices there. An official at Seoul's defence ministry said it could not confirm the numbers, but quoted Shin as saying that Russia has sent nearly 30% more containers since July to North Korea than the has North shipped. Shin said North Korea could fire another satellite as early as next month as Moscow continued to provide technical aid, and Pyongyang has also asked for assistance with aircraft and ground mobility equipment technology. "It is unclear how much Russia will give, but the more dependent Russia gets on North Korean artillery shells, the greater the degree of Russian technology transfers will be," he said, according to Yonhap. (Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Sharon Singleton) OSLO (Reuters) -Norway's King Harald received a pacemaker implant on Tuesday in a scheduled operation to help compensate for a low heart rate, the royal court said. The 87-year-old was hospitalised late last month for an infection while on holiday in Malaysia, and received a temporary pacemaker at a hospital there on March 2. He was later transferred to Norway for further treatment, where his doctors said a permanent device would be implanted. "The operation was successful, and the king is doing well," the palace said in a statement. He will remain in hospital for a few days, the royal court said. King Harald, Norway's ceremonial head of state since 1991, is Europe's oldest living monarch. He has repeatedly been hospitalised with infections in recent years and has undergone heart surgery. Crown Prince Haakon has been carrying out his father's duties in the latter's absence. (Reporting by Terje Solsvik, writing by Louise Breusch Rasmussen; Editing by Bernadette Baum) GRANTS PASS, Ore. For more than five years, Helen Cruz lived on the streets of Grants Pass. A small, rural town of roughly 40,000 people, the city has now found itself at the center of a homeless crisis plaguing major cities across the U.S. Were in this situation not because we want to be. Were in this situation because we dont have a choice right now, Cruz, 49, said in an interview. For years, Grants Pass has been embroiled in a contentious lawsuit with homeless residents like Cruz, who argue that anti-camping ordinances enacted by the city including fines for sleeping in any park or public space violate their constitutional rights. Helen Cruz (Dan Dvorak / NBC News) The legal battle has now gone all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is scheduled to hear arguments in the case on April 22. The decision could affect how cities nationwide address homelessness in their communities. Cruz, who couldnt afford rent, said she often slept in a tent in a city park. Although she is no longer homeless working and living at a small local church she said she still has more than $6,000 in tickets and fines. My credit is shot. I have no credit. None, Cruz said. Anything they want to write a ticket for, they do. Cruz and other residents say that because Grants Pass has no low-barrier, full-time homeless shelter, they have no alternative but the street. Its for that reason they argue the city has violated the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution, barring cruel and unusual punishment. They are saying because we dont have that white picket fence that were not allowed to live, Cruz said. And we dont have any place to go. The flip side, local officials say, is a city dotted with tents and frustrated residents who feel they cant use their public parks. I think there is a lot of crime happening in these parks, Police Chief Warren Hensman said. And I think our city it deserves to have the ability to hold people accountable to bad behavior. ... I dont think I or anybody else wants to make it difficult for somebody. Pointing to a nearby row of tents, he said: We want to support, we want to help people, but the reality is, this in and of itself is inhumane. Grants Pass, like many cities, is also dealing with a housing shortage. Over the past two decades, as more people moved in, housing costs went up, forcing a growing number of people onto the streets. According to the U.S. census, the population of Grants Pass was nearly 23,000 in 2000. Its now nearly 40,000. I would be surprised if there are very many apartments that you could find for less than $1,200 a month in Grants Pass, Ed Johnson, an Oregon Law Center attorney representing the citys homeless residents, said in an interview. Its very difficult to find housing. The Grants Pass case arrived at the Supreme Court after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the citys homeless residents. The appeals court ruled 2-1 that the city, which is about 250 miles south of Portland, cant enforce its anti-camping ordinances against homeless persons for the mere act of sleeping outside with rudimentary protection from the elements, or for sleeping in their car at night, when there is no other place in the city for them to go. The decision applies only in situations in which homeless people are engaging in conduct necessary to protect themselves from the elements when there is no shelter space available, the court added. Grants Pass appealed, and the Supreme Court decided to take it up. Among those watching the outcome: California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is among several Democrats who have called on the court to side with the city and against those arguing against any limits on outdoor camping. Encampments are dangerous period. California is investing billions to build housing and provide the services needed to get people out of tents and into safer situations, Newsom said in a statement. However, our best efforts are being blocked because of sweeping injunctions that delay progress and fail to provide any consistent guidance for local authorities to abide by. Newsom filed an amicus brief supporting Grants Pass and arguing that rulings in other courts that have banned anti-camping ordinances have paralyzed cities and effectively blocked them from moving people off public streets. Officials in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix are also among those asking the Supreme Court to overturn the appeals court ruling. San Francisco, for instance, is embroiled in its own lawsuit over the clearing of homeless encampments. Mayor London Breed is asking a judge to freeze the lawsuit until the Grants Pass case is decided. It is a unique twist that this ruling is going to go to the Supreme Court, which is very conservative, Sachin Agarwal, a co-founder of GrowSF, a group working to elect more moderate Democratic candidates in San Francisco, said in an interview. We hope that they side with Grants Pass and that we are able to move people to shelter so we can have clean streets, which is good for families, its good for business, its good for the city. Johnson disagrees. He said lawmakers like Newsom and Breed are deflecting blame and siding with Grants Pass for political reasons under pressure from voters who are fed up with rising homelessness in their neighborhoods. Camping site (KOBI) Grants Pass wants to make it illegal on every inch of property, 24 hours a day, Johnson said. The problem is if thats allowed, many cities will simply try to run all of the homeless people out of their community, and they have to go somewhere, so theyre going to go somewhere else, and theyre still going to have to live outside because of the affordable housing shortage. Johnson said that people are being punished for simply existing and that if more cities enact strict anti-camping ordinances like Grants Pass, it could make the homelessness crisis worse. If we go down this line of spending money on criminalization and banishing people from their hometowns, were going to wake up in a year or two years or five years and were going to have twice as many of our neighbors living outside, he said. The city, however, argued that the anti-camping ordinances can help get people into shelters. The status quo is cruel. It is cruel and inhumane to allow encampments to proliferate, said Grants Pass attorney Theane Evangelis, who will argue the case in front of the Supreme Court. When cities are unable to address the situation, theyre unable to cite basic ordinances that can be used as a tool to help get people the services that they need, the help that they need, to break the cycle. A specific point of contention in Grants Pass is the lack of shelters. The city directs people to the Gospel Rescue Mission, but the religious organization, which requires residents to work there, has a complicated list of rules that makes it unappealing for many, including those who are already employed. In a statement to NBC News, Grants Pass Mayor Sara Bristol said the city has had to rely on nonprofits to offer shelters. We simply lack the financial resources to support a full-time shelter, she said. Residents like David Wilson, a veteran who is homeless in Grants Pass, said he cant find a stable job or housing and has even been rejected by fast-food restaurants where he has applied. Wilson said he once was fined $1,000 in three days for sleeping in his tent. He said he tried to use a housing voucher but no one would take it. I understand the problems theyre having. I just think theyre going about dealing with it in the wrong way, he said. So, fine, you get rid of me, you know, you drive us all out of town. Theres another wave coming. Cruz counts herself as one of the lucky ones. After she connected with a local pastor, she now lives at the small church across the street from the park where she once pitched her tent and found work cleaning homes. But she said she never forgets where she came from. Her late friend Deborah Blake was one of the first homeless residents to challenge the city. One of the reasons that I stand up now is because I dont want to see what she started I want to see it finished in the right way, Cruz said. I believe whats right is right and whats wrong is wrong ... and whats going on in this town right now is not right by any means. Wiping tears away, she paused and added: If they side with the city of Grants Pass, I dont really want to think about whats going to happen. Its an uncertainty that nobody wants to think about. A private jet that crashed in Virginia Sunday afternoon killing five people took off from Fort Lauderdale, according to federal investigators. The twin engine Israel Aircraft Industries 1125 Westwind Astra went down around 3 p.m. as it approached Ingalls Field Airport in Hot Springs, Virginia, according to the National Transportation Safety Administration, one of the agencies investigating the crash. A Virginia State Police spokesman told the Associated Press that the plane exploded upon impact. Small crash site, everything is burnt, meaning the tail numbers are unidentifiable, Sgt. Rick Garletts said. Garletts told the Herald there were no survivors. He said five people were killed: the pilot, first officer (co-pilot), and a man, woman and a young boy. The victims had not been identified as of Monday night. Hot Springs is about 160 miles from Richmond, Virginias capital. The crash is also being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Virginia State Police. Garletts said in an email that the passengers were supposed to attend an event at the Homestead Resort in Hot Springs. Police received that information from the attorney of the planes owner, who is a family friend, Garletts said. The plane was short on its approach to the runway, struck trees, then a hillside, Garletts said. The remains have been sent to the Virginia Office of the Medical Examiner, Western District for positive identification, Garletts said. There will be no further updates from the Virginia State Police until such a time when the remains have been identified and family notification has been made. This story will be updated as more information becomes available. The Carolina Panthers have traded away another one of their homegrown standouts for a haul of draft picks. On Monday, the Panthers agreed to trade pass rusher Brian Burns to the New York Giants, a league source confirmed. According to the same league source, the Panthers will receive a 2024 second-round pick (39th overall) and a 2025 fifth-round pick in exchange for Burns. The teams will also swap 2024 fifth-round picks, with the Giants exchanging the 141st overall pick with the Panthers for the 166th overall pick. NFL Networks Ian Rapoport was the first report the trade agreement between the Panthers and the Giants. ESPNs Jordan Raanan was first report the full trade compensation. According to Rapoport, the Giants have agreed to terms with Burns on a five-year deal worth a maximum value of $150 million with $87.5 million in guaranteed money. Carolina placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Burns earlier this month. Trading Burns to the Giants not only adds two picks to the Panthers draft selection inventory, but it also wipes out the $24 million cap charge put on the books by the franchise tag. Burns now joins DJ Moore and Christian McCaffrey as former Panthers first-round picks with high-dollar contracts who were traded away in their prime. Both Moore and McCaffrey have since brought their games to new heights with the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers, respectively. The Panthers will hope that Burns doesnt follow suit. Burns, who turns 26 in April, is coming off a down season statistically. In his lone season with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Burns produced just eight sacks in 16 games. In 2022, Burns made his second Pro Bowl after posting a career-high 12.5 sacks. Carolina Panthers linebacker Brian Burns looks up during a timeout against the Indianapolis Colts at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., on Sunday, November 5, 2023. Burns, the 16th overall pick in the 2019 draft, will now be one of the faces of the Giants defense, along with Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and fellow pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux. He will look to bounce back after an underwhelming final campaign by his standards in Carolina. New York will likely look to extend Burns as a follow-up transaction to the big haul sent to the Panthers for the pass rusher. The Panthers failed to reach a contract extension with Burns during the final year of the Scott Fitterer era in 2023. In 2022, the organization led by Fitterer, the former general manager turned down a trade offer from the Los Angeles Rams for two first-round picks in 2024 and 2025 and more, as reported by The Charlotte Observer and several other outlets. Despite the Panthers desire to make Burns a fixture of the team for the foreseeable future, the team and player failed to find common ground on a long-term contract. That conflict eventually led to the blockbuster trade that sent Burns to New York. First-year GM Dan Morgan will now look to make up for Burns absence on defense. Morgan has seven draft picks to make the most of a youth movement thats been brewing following a disastrous 2-15 season. Here is a look at the Panthers updated draft pick inventory: Second round (2): 33rd overall (first pick in round), 39th overall (via NYG; seventh pick in round) Third round (1): 65th overall (first pick in round) Fourth round (1): 101st overall (first pick in round) Fifth round (2): 141st overall (via NYG; sixth pick in round), 142nd overall (via TEN; seventh pick in round) Sixth round (1): 178th overall (via AZ; second pick in round) WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Republican U.S. Representative Ken Buck will leave Congress at the end of next week, he said on Tuesday, blaming a "breakdown of civility" in a chamber led by his party's slim and fractious majority. The earlier-than-planned exit of the 65-year-old Colorado lawmaker will reduce Republicans' majority in the House of Representatives to 218-213. That narrow margin has already posed problems for Speaker Mike Johnson, as it did for his ousted predecessor, Kevin McCarthy. Buck told reporters he had seen heightened dysfunction in U.S. politics for a while. "I have witnessed this for a while and I think that we are seeing a breakdown of civility, a breakdown of, really, priorities in terms of what the American people want," Buck said, without blaming his own party. Asked if his exit would make it harder to manage the chamber, he replied, "What could be harder?" Republican hardliners have repeatedly bucked their leadership on votes, leaving Johnson to lean on a maneuver called suspension of the rules to pass critical legislation like bills averting government shutdowns, relying on Democratic support. Buck himself has broken with his party on key votes, including on the impeachment of Alejandro Mayorkas, the top border official in President Joe Biden's administration. The House's first vote on that matter failed, an embarrassment for Johnson. Buck had said on Nov. 1 that he would not seek reelection at the end of his term. (Reporting by Makini Brice, Eric Beech and Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Scott Malone and Deepa Babington) Boarding the plane to head to another country alone is often an emotional experience theres the excitement, the anxiety, the anticipation. It can also be totally nerve-wracking. When Angie Orth made the bold choice to leave her job and embark on a solo yearlong journey around the world in 2011, her friends and family cautioned her about safety concerns. Everyone was horrified, the Florida native told USA TODAY. The fear was all I heard. The then New York City-based Orth kicked off her 12-country solo trip in Fiji before making her way to New Zealand, Australia, and Southeast Asia. Then she trekked through Europe, including Greece, Spain and England, and stopped in Turkey and Egypt before ending in Kenya and South Africa. Stay safe while traveling: Here are 17 CIA tips, advice to think like a spy on vacation It wasnt always smooth traveling. At times, Orth said she survived by the skin of my teeth. Orth was in Egypt during the Arab Spring, got unbelievably sick in Thailand, and had a bike accident in Bali. She was also robbed of 400 euros. I was in Greece for a half an hour and had already been pickpocketed, she said. Still, to Orth, the solo journey was invaluable. Its a confidence that I don't think theres any other way to get that confidence than by solo travel, she said, referring to the problem-solving that inherently comes with navigating travel on your own. Then theres also the compassion you gain from meeting and experiencing other cultures. Now more than ever, more people are deciding to forgo travel companions and embark on their trips alone. Solo vacation package searches on Google shot up by more than 200% over the past 90 days as of Feb. 2. Increased connectivity on our phones makes it easier to feel secure and social media shows more people especially women traveling the world alone. Women are not waiting for permission or their 401(k) to mature. If my husband doesnt want to go, fine. Women are having more confidence, said Orth, who is also the author of the upcoming book Flirting with Disaster, which chronicles her yearlong solo trip. Heres everything you need to know about solo travel. How to safely travel alone Angie Orth went on a year-long solo adventure in 2011, back when it was less mainstream. Safety is always top of mind when traveling, and its especially important for solo travelers who have to look out for themselves. 'It's like your local bestie': This startup helps make solo travel as a woman feel safer Isnt it fun to meet a person in a hostel and say yes, lets go hiking right now? Thats fun, but its risky, Orth said. Its about balancing it out and researching ridiculously. Start your research by heading to the State Department website to see if there are any travel advisories for the destination youre interested in. These advisories are based on changing conditions and also inform you about the specific region youre visiting. For the most direct updates, enroll in the agencys Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), a free service that sends you the most up-to-date information on the destination. It can also help connect you to the nearest U.S. embassy and consulate if traveling and something happens. One thing Orth always searches for is the destination plus scams to see what she has to look out for when in that place. Many European cities are notorious for petty theft, like pickpocketing in popular tourist hotspots like the Trevi Fountain or public transportation. When doing research, it may feel like an information overload. "There is so much information now, you could read 1,000 reviews and get so many sources of conflicting information," Orth added. "Its hard to wade through all that and find trusted sources." To help sift through everything, Orth recommends reaching out to others who have traveled to your ideal destination. She also recommended cleaning out your feed and only following travel content creators who give you the good and the bad. You dont want the glossy, glossy, oh, its so magical because travel isnt always so magical, she said. At your destination, youll also need at least a basic understanding of the language used there. Translation plays a big role in safety, just being aware of your surroundings, said Craig Ewer, Google Communications Manager for Search. Besides direct translation between 133 languages, the Google Translate app offers pronunciation help such a lifesaver, according to Rose Yao, vice president of product management at Google. You can also snap a picture of a menu and have it translated in real time. The Google app also has a feature called Lens that allows users to search using a picture of something like a sign. Youd be surprised at what you can Lens: menus, what is that building or what is that statue, Yao said. You can also capture a screenshot of your social media feed and then search for it on Google to incorporate it into your travel plans. The Google app offers a variety of tools useful to solo travelers. Staying healthy on your travels To safeguard yourself and others against preventable illnesses while exploring new places, look up any recommended vaccinations for the countries you plan on visiting. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website is a good starting point, with in-depth travel health notices and recommended vaccines and medicines posted. The CDC website also offers travel advice on managing nonpreventable illnesses, like preventing bug bites to reduce the risk of contracting diseases like dengue or Zika. Typically, youd want to give yourself at least a month before departing on your trip to get everything you need from your doctor. And if you dont know who to go to, the CDC can help you find a clinic as well. Orth recommends having a doctor help you put together a medical kit with some necessities and medications, such as for food poisoning. Its helpful to have some things on hand so youre not scrambling on a remote island and no one knows what youre talking about, she said. As youre making the big purchases for your trip, dont forget about travel insurance for the unexpected. Orth said she never travels without this layer of protection. Travel insurance not only helped with her medical costs from her bike collision but also replaced her camera, which was smashed in the accident. She also recommends a service called MedJet, which offers worldwide security crisis and medical transportation assistance for its members. Learn more: Best travel insurance What are the most popular solo travel destinations? According to Google, the top-searched destinations for American solo travelers are: London Alaska Hawaii Puerto Rico Italy Tips for solo travelers The Google apps generative AI search allows you to ask really detailed questions like you would ask a friend, Yao said. Ask whats off the beaten path, whats not crowded. Whats a great time to visit the Louvre thats not super crowded? For your first trip alone, its OK to start small and dip your toes in the solo travel pool. Start in an easier destination, something more familiar where you speak the language or you don't have to fly far away, Orth said. A lot of folks see Eat, Pray, Love and travel content creators trekking in Borneo for it to count but it doesnt. It wont always be rainbows and butterflies, despite what you see on social media. Expect decision fatigue from having to make many micro-decisions, like if this taxi driver seems safe. I think this probably hits women a lot harder than it hits men because we are never not thinking about our safety, and thats if were going to Target in our hometown or hopping on a plane to a remote island, Orth said. Make an itinerary for yourself with at least one thing planned every day, so you dont feel aimless but still have space for flexibility, said Madison Pietrowski, U.S. brand director at GetYourGuide, a marketplace for travel experiences, where each company listed is thoroughly vetted. It can be as casual as wanting to eat at a certain restaurant for dinner or more intensive like a whole-day tour. (On that note, make sure to read the fine print and be aware of cancellation policies for your excursions.) Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at kwong@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Solo travel tips: How to get started traveling alone Harris County announces Bridgeland High School student as first winner of bus design contest. Harris County Precinct 4 Harris County announces Bridgeland High School student as first winner of bus design contest. Harris County Precinct 4 Harris County announces Bridgeland High School student as first winner of bus design contest. Harris County Precinct 4 Harris County announces Bridgeland High School student as first winner of bus design contest. Harris County Precinct 4 Harris County announces Bridgeland High School student as first winner of bus design contest. Harris County Precinct 4 Harris County announces Bridgeland High School student as first winner of bus design contest. Harris County Precinct 4 Bridgeland High School student Emma Cardenas was surprised by Pct. 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones as she became the first winner of the "From Palette to Pavement" bus design contest. The contest allows artists from schools across the Harris County such as Alief ISD, Cypress Fairbanks ISD, Houston ISD, Katy ISD, Spring Branch ISD, Waller ISD, and Tomball ISD to submit a bus design with artwork that reflects the community. Winning artwork will be placed on Pct. 4 fleet bus services that are dedicated to transporting the senior community. The buses offer free day trips for recreational and educational activities and have offered residential assistance during disasters. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a video released by Pct. 4, Cardenas said she has always been inspired by art, thanks to all the animated movies she watched as a kid. She also said her bus design is dedicated to nature and different aspects of the community. Cardenas' bus design features birds, bright colors, and different color hands that she says represent the community with love. After high school Cardenas said that she wants to get into working in animation, as it has always been her dream to work in the creative industry. This contest was created to showcase the rich history and diversity culture throughout Harris County through students eyes. Students in all grades from kindergarten to high school are allowed to submit their designs. A woman who fled her home in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with her three young children says her family has been forced to move into a nearby church made of sheet metal because of the escalation of violence in the capital, where gangs have taken over about 80% of the streets. Thats where we sleep now, Fabiola Luma, 35, said Monday by phone, referring to a small building, a church without a proper door. She described the constant sound of shootings, including incidents in which people were shot inside their own homes. Things were never good before, Luma said, describing the deteriorating situation in her neighborhood, Bon Repos, where the church is also located. Theyve been in the Protestant church since January of last year. Now, with the gangs, life is worse. According to a United Nations report, at least 15,000 people in Haitis capital were displaced in just one week because of rampant gang violence that erupted again on March 2, when more than 4,000 inmates escaped from prison under the command of gang leader Jimmy Cherizier. Fabiola Luma and her three children (Courtesy Fabiola Luma) Luma, who used to work as a house cleaner, said her employers left town over a year ago, leaving her without an income. At the beginning of the gang violence in Port-au-Prince, she said, people were running away, and I didnt have any place to go. Many residents have fled, but those who cannot afford to leave, like Luma, have remained. Luma said life in Port-au-Prince has long been a battle for survival, as rival gangs fight one another and leave behind a trail of blood and despair. In Bon Repos, gunshots ring out daily, and the threat of violence looms large, she said. I can sit inside and hear gunshots being fired, she said. At night, when I sleep in the church, I can see the fire lights from the gunshots through the sheet metal. Luma recounted a terrifying incident in which she and her children were held at gunpoint in January of last year. She and her family were trying to leave for Mirebalais, about 40 miles north of Port-au-Prince, where a distant relative had a place for them to stay. But on the way, a gang member approached them and shot two bullets over my head, forcing them to return. Lumas life has been marred by hardship from a young age. Orphaned at 12 and with no family to turn to, she took work as a maid, barely surviving, often relying on strangers for food and shelter. Now she is the sole provider for her 13-year-old son, Richecarde; her 5-year-old daughter, Ketcheida; and her 1-year-old son, Twins. Her children have been unable to attend school for two years because, she said, she does not have money to send them. I am the one who is doing everything, she said. Richecarde described their living situation as terrible. He said he avoids playing outside because the gangs are shooting in the neighborhood. They are walking with guns. I cant eat. I am barefoot. I cant go to school. My mom doesnt have money to buy me clothes, he said. The dire situation has left Luma and her children on the brink of starvation. With no stable income, they often go days without food. Sometimes, I would spend a week without eating, she said. Luma said she sometimes has to resort to desperate measures like mixing water with sugar to curb her childrens hunger. In the church, theres no food. We cant help each other, Luma said. They are living there with another family, a mother and her eight children. All my clothes are too big for me. I only have bones left in my body, because I dont have food. Sometimes, I feel lightheaded. I always have a headache its probably from malnourishment. Luma said her daughters health is deteriorating quickly. My daughter almost died, her stomach bloated, and doctors said she was malnourished and she lacked food, Luma said. The violence has left Luma and her children without basic supplies, like toothpaste or soap. Sometimes, I brush their teeth with just water, she said. A lucky day for Luma is when she can buy a bar of soap to bathe her children. She continues to hide her children in the church to keep them away from gangs, she said. Not just for their safety, but to secure any future they may have. When kids are young and they have nothing going on, they get recruited to join gangs, they give them guns, she said, noting that that is one of her worst fears. For more from NBC BLK, sign up for our weekly newsletter. By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Canada and the United States have agreed to review a long standing cross-border dispute that involves pollution from coal mines in the Canadian province of British Columbia flowing into U.S. waters, the two countries said on Monday. The deal was announced in a joint statement by U.S. ambassador to Canada David Cohen and his Canadian counterpart Kirsten Hillman. It includes the American and Canadian governments working with British Columbia, the U.S. states of Idaho and Montana, and six indigenous communities on both sides. Canada and the U.S. asked the International Joint Commission to establish a formal governance body by June 30 to develop options for the future, according to the joint statement. The IJC is a treaty-based group mediating water disputes. The two countries said they have asked IJC to establish "a two-year Study Board to convene experts and knowledge holders to conduct transparent and coordinated transboundary data and knowledge sharing." The research panel is tasked with finding ways to decrease contamination from coal mines in British Columbia's Elk Valley, flowing into Lake Koocanusa, a reservoir in British Columbia and Montana, and into American rivers. The actions will help in "understanding and taking steps to reduce and mitigate the impacts of pollution," the U.S.-Canada joint statement added. A recent study by the U.S. Geological Survey and cited by CBC News said contamination came from mines in British Columbia and that efforts by Canadian miner Teck Resources to slow those releases were not making much difference to the amount flowing south. Teck Resources said it looked forward to learning more about the announcement by the U.S. and Canada on Monday, adding the company would cooperate with the concerned parties and continue with a plan to improve water quality in the region. Teck last month said it plans to close the sale of its steel-making coal unit to Glencore no later than the third quarter of 2024. The Glencore-led consortium's $9 billion bid for Teck Resources' steelmaking coal unit has faced environmental scrutiny in the U.S. and Canada due to water pollution from the mines. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; additional reporting by Divya Rajagopal; Editing by Bill Berkrot) VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -The first condition for any negotiations to end the war in Ukraine is that Russia should halt its aggression, the second in command to Pope Francis said in a newspaper interview on Tuesday. Ukraine's foreign ministry summoned the papal nuncio on Monday to express "disappointment" with previous comments by Francis that Ukraine should "show the courage of the white flag" and open talks with Russia to end the two-year-old war. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state, told Corriere della Sera daily on Tuesday that the Vatican was pressing for a ceasefire and "first of all it should be the aggressors who stop firing." Francis' comments, part of an interview recorded last month but made public only on Saturday, triggered very different reactions from NATO and Moscow. The Kremlin said the pope's call to end the war was "quite understandable", but the boss of the Western military alliance said now was not the time to talk about "surrender." Attempting to defuse the situation and clarify Francis' remarks, Parolin said the pontiff wanted "to create the conditions for a diplomatic solution in the search for a fair and lasting peace." To do this, Parolin said it was "obvious" that both sides must come to the negotiating table and the first condition must be "putting an end to the aggression." Making clear that he considered Russia the aggressor, Parolin said "the war unleashed against Ukraine was not the effect of a natural disaster," but of human choices. "The same human will that caused this tragedy also has the possibility and the responsibility to take steps to end it and to open the way to a diplomatic solution," he was quoted as saying by the newspaper. (Reporting by Gavin Jones, editing by Cristina Carlevaro) A granddaughter has launched an effort to try and help her 82-year-old grandmother keep her longtime San Francisco business open. (GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-save-my-grandmas-local-shop-in-san-francisco / Amy Luong) SAN FRANCISCO - The granddaughter of a San Francisco store owner has launched an effort to help her grandmother keep her nearly 30-year-old business open. Amy Luong said her grandmother's business has been struggling since the COVID-19 pandemic. The 82-year-old business owner, Kao Chung, was forced to close down two of her three Gold Star Discount Store locations. Chung told KTVU that with the remaining store, she had to downsize and relocate to a nearby, smaller space on Eighth Avenue and Clement Street in the citys Richmond District. SEE ALSO: Chinatown, Sunset District receive new grants to hold night markets and revitalize city On social media, her granddaughter shared that the grandmother of 10 opened the business after immigrating to the U.S. from Vietnam with her husband. Over the years, the business not only helped her grandmother raise a family of 21 people under one roof, it was a breeding ground for cherished childhood memories for Luongs siblings and her cousins. "We celebrated our birthday here on cardboard boxes," Luong said in a video posted last month, explaining that for the family, the store also came to symbolize what it meant to build a life in America. "From one generation to next, each of us grew up with our grandmas hopes and dreams of being in America," Luong shared. The business, described as an Asian variety store, carries a wide range of items, from pots and pans to slippers, soaps, decorations, as well as kitchen supplies and even chairs. "Its a neat little shop, and you can find so many things that you might not even know you needed," Luong said. In addition to taking a hit from the pandemic, the business has had a difficult time competing with bigger retailers and online outlets like Amazon. "She mentioned that new larger shops have opened and have made it more difficult for her smaller shop to stay open," Luong shared on a GoFundMe that she started last month. "I've had many of you ask me if she has an online website, unfortunately she is just a small locally owned business without any online presence," she said. The granddaughter said she launched the fundraising effort after many inquiries from people who wanted to help. Luong said all donations would go straight to keeping the store going. She said her grandmother told her that if business remained slow, she would be forced to shut down after this year. "But she's still trying her best to go strong!" Luong said. SEE ALSO: Historic kosher bakery in Oakland sold for $1 Chung told KTVU that she had no desire to stop working or "stay at home" and that she wanted to continue to run her business as long as she could. To help her accomplish that goal, Luong invited folks to stop by, check out the store, and even take a moment to say hello to her grandmother and role model. "She is over 80+ years old and runs the shop herself out of pure love and is the hardest working person I know," Luong shared. And when shoppers stop by the Gold Star Discount Store, and perhaps find those items that they didnt even realize they needed, they might also find a warm place of business that was a dream fulfilled for the owner and for her grandkids, a place where love grew. "We didn't know it then, but our grandma created a home, a safe place where we could play, laugh, enjoy time with little to nothing," Luong reflected. "It was our home. And it was my grandmas version of the American dream." By Alasdair Pal and Cordelia Hsu SYDNEY (Reuters) -New Zealand's Transport Accident Investigation Commission said on Tuesday it was seizing the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder of a LATAM Airlines Boeing 787 after an incident that left more than 50 people injured. The airline and passengers aboard the Sydney-Auckland flight on Monday said the plane with 263 passengers and nine crew members on board dropped abruptly mid-air. "My neighbour who was in the seat two over from me, there was a gap in between us, as soon as I woke I looked and he was on the ceiling and I thought I was dreaming," Brian Adam Jokat, a Canadian citizen residing in the UK who was travelling on the plane, said on Tuesday. Photos taken by Jokat after the incident showed damage sustained to the ceiling of the airplane where he said fellow passengers had hit it. The New Zealand accident investigator said Chilean authorities had confirmed they had opened a probe into the flight, and it was assisting with their enquiries. A spokesperson for TAIC said because the incident occurred in international airspace it fell to Chilean accident investigation authority Direccion General de Aeronautica Civil (DGAC) to open an inquiry. LATAM is based in Chile and the flight was due to continue on to Santiago after stopping in Auckland. "TAIC is in the process of gathering evidence relevant to the inquiry, including seizing the cockpit voice and flight data recorders," the New Zealand agency said, referring to the so-called "black boxes" that will provide more information on the flight's trajectory and communications between pilots. DGAC said in a statement it was working with TAIC on the investigation. LATAM did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether it had given the black boxes to TAIC. The airline said earlier on Tuesday it would assist the relevant authorities on any investigation into the "strong shake" during the flight. The cause of the apparent sudden change in trajectory of the flight is currently unexplained. Safety experts say most airplane accidents are caused by a cocktail of factors that need to be thoroughly investigated. New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement it would also assist in the investigation if required. There has been renewed debate over the length of cockpit recordings in the aviation industry since it was revealed voice recorder data on the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet that lost a panel mid-flight in January was overwritten. (Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Jamie Freed) Benjamin Netanyahu said Israels military is not getting off the gas with its assault in southern Gaza where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are sheltering, despite President Joe Bidens warning that an attack on Rafah is a red line in its war on Hamas. Ultimately, its Israel that has to decide, Israels prime minister told Fox & Friends on Fox News on Monday. Im telling you that were not getting off the gas, he added. Im telling you that we have to take care of Israels security and our future and that requires eliminating the terrorist army. Thats a prerequisite for victory. Mr Netanyahus remarks, on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan, follow more public criticism from President Biden within the last week, including the presidents message to Israel for humanitarian assistance during his State of the Union address and recent remarks that his ally is hurting Israel more than helping by disregarding innocent lives being lost in Gaza. After months of international demands for US support for a ceasefire, the Biden administration has now supported a six-week pause in fighting to allow for the flow of aid. The president has also proposed an emergency seaport to expedite aid delivery that could take up to two months to construct. US military planes have air-dropped more than 27,000 meals and more than 25,000 bottles of water into northern Gaza in recent days, according to US Central Command. Palestinians walk past kiosks set up next to destroyed buildings along a street on the first day of Ramadan in Al Nusairat refugee camp in Gaza on 11 March (EPA) Israels government has not presented its most powerful ally supplying tens of billions of dollars in military support with any plan for allowing humanitarian assistance or for an attack of Rafah, according to US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller. Mr Miller told reporters on Monday that the US has made clear both in the private conversations and publicly that it is our judgment that they cannot or should not go into Rafah without a humanitarian assistance plan that is credible. In an interview with MSNBC on Saturday, President Biden said an operation in Rafah constitutes a red line but insisted that the US will continue to support Israel. Neither the administration nor Congress has placed any apparent conditions on its ongoing military support for Israel despite pressure from progressive lawmakers and global aid groups. Asked what a red line means for the president, White House deputy press secretary Olivia Dalton said it would not be productive to assign a red line sort of terminology to what is a very complex set of policies. The last time the two leaders last spoke was in mid-February, Ms Dalton told reporters on Monday. She told reporters on Monday that their relationship remains clear and consistent and allows them to be direct and honest when needed. Israels right to protect itself needs to be in a manner that is consistent with the laws of war and must pay greater attention to the level of humanitarian suffering and the unacceptably higher number of civilian casualties that were seeing, she said. No military operation should take place in Rafah, if there is not a credible and implementable plan to take care of the safety and security needs of the more than 1 million civilians who are sheltering there, and weve seen no such plan, she added. More than 30,000 Palestinians, including 14,000 children, have been killed in Gaza since the launch of Israels retaliatory campaign in the wake of Hamas attacks that killed 1,200 on October 7.On Monday, the head of the United Nations once again called for a ceasefire in Gaza and to allow for aid to flow into the strip. In the spirit of Ramadan, I appeal to all those involved in conflict everywhere to silence the guns and return to the peace table, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday. I call on political, religious and community leaders everywhere to do everything in their power to make this holy period a time for empathy, action and peace, he said. Jim Pomraning, 74, of Brookfield wrote to our "What the Wisconsin?" team to find out whether or not monkeys from the Menominee Park Zoo roamed Oshkosh's Monkey Island in the summers of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Jim Pomraning and Roger Simon grew up together in Oshkosh, back when kids could spend all day playing in the park so long as they promised their mothers they'd "be home for lunch." "There were lots of boys in my neighborhood back in the day," Simon said. "In those days ... you didn't have to worry about safety or anything like that, so I spent a lot of time with my compatriots over in the park doing all kinds of stuff, just roaming around." Now in their mid-70s, Pomraning lives in Brookfield, while Simon still calls Oshkosh home. They talk on the phone almost every day. Both men fondly remember their childhood adventures, especially summers exploring Menominee Park, just about a block from Simon's childhood home on Oak Street. However, these pleasant recollections of their preteen years differ in a major way when it comes to one topic the lifelong friends often discuss: Monkey Island, the man-made, sort-of-ring-shaped island in the southern half of Lake Winnebago's Miller's Bay, which served as a breakwater for the local yacht club and later a pre-treatment basin for the city's water treatment facility. Simon swears that for a few summers between about 1958 and 1960 when the men were between 10 and 12 years old the Oshkosh Parks Department released about a half dozen monkeys from the Menominee Park Zoo onto the island to frolic among the trees until the fall, when they were returned to captivity. Pomraning is certain this is an "implanted memory." In fact, he recalls his surprise when Simon first brought it up: "I said, 'Roger, you're as full of (it) as a Christmas tree, that just never happened.'" Simon, meanwhile, says he'll "go to (his) grave" certain he saw monkeys "flipping around in the trees" on the island, though he admits he has no photographic proof, "only recollection." "I remember a lot of things; it's like my head's got movies," Simon said. "Jim doesn't have that ability." Simon recalls that the island had "tall trees I don't know what kind. Not beautiful oak trees or anything, but tall trees, probably 50 feet high, and a lot of bushes. And (the monkeys) were just doing their thing, jumping around the trees and picking berries ... just playing. It wasn't like they were right there on the shoreline and you could watch them like it was a cage; they were just living on the island." Hoping to settle this good-natured debate once and for all, Pomraning contacted the Journal Sentinel's "What the Wisconsin?" team. "What the Wisconsin?" is our series where reporters take on questions about our state, our communities and the people in them. After talking to Oshkosh experts ranging from local librarians to the city's parks and public works departments, as well as the Oshkosh Northwestern archives (which, as far as we could find, are only accessible with an Oshkosh Public Library card), here's what we uncovered about Monkey Island. Where is Oshkosh's Monkey Island? Monkey Island is in the southern half of Oshkosh's Miller's Bay. The bay is located in Lake Winnebago and stretches from Doemel Point to about Menominee Park's Pratt Trail. Menominee Park is also home to the Menominee Park Zoo, which was founded in 1945. A lithographic postcard dating back to the 1910s depicts Oshkosh's tree-covered Monkey Island. Why was Oshkosh's Monkey Island created? Monkey Island was constructed by the Oshkosh Yacht Club in 1913 as a breakwater for boats docked in Miller's Bay, according to Oshkosh Daily Northwestern records. A breakwater is a barrier built out into a body of water to protect a coast or harbor from the force of waves. Trees were planted on the island sometime before 1915, according to the Oshkosh Public Museum. A postcard from the museum's collection dates back to the 1910s and depicts a tree-covered Monkey Island, along with Menominee Park. Monkey Island in 1937 (left) and 2015, before and after the island was expanded for use by Oshkosh's water treatment plant. The Monkey Island of Pomraning and Simon's youth was a fraction of the size of today's island. The island is currently about 1,800 feet long and 800 feet wide. Before the 1960s, only a small portion of what's now the westernmost part of the island existed. In August 1955, the Northwestern reported that, at a meeting of the Oshkosh Common Council's finance and public works committee, the water board proposed extending the breakwater to create a pre-treatment basin for the city's water department. Boating enthusiasts objected to the construction of the basin, arguing it would interfere with Miller's Bay's ability to be used as a boat harbor. However, construction proceeded. Excerpts from the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. The Aug. 19, 1955, excerpt (left) reports on the water board's proposal for a pre-treatment basin. The July 19, 1956, excerpt previews a meeting between boating leaders and city officials regarding the pre-treatment basin. In June 1958, the Northwestern announced that the island, which it referred to as "Government Island," had been briefly turned into a peninsula after workmen temporarily filled in the channel separating it from the mainland in order to begin work on the pre-treatment basin. The Oshkosh Water Filtration Plant, located just south of Menominee Park, used the basin in its treatment process from the early 1960s until the early 2000s, when a new Water Filtration Plant intake pipe was installed, rendering the basin no longer necessary, said current Oshkosh director of public works James Rabe. An Oshkosh Daily Northwestern photo from Aug. 21, 1953, of a boy visiting the monkey cage at Menominee Park and a March 14, 1963, Northwestern article on a new breed of monkeys coming to the park's exhibit. Monkeys definitely lived near Monkey Island in Oshkosh In the mid-20th century, Menominee Park was home to a monkey exhibit that was part of the Menominee Park Zoo. Pomraning and Simon remember it, and Northwestern records confirm it. A March 1953 article called the monkeys "the most popular animals in the city's small zoo." Simon recalls a smaller, more casual zoo than exists today; residents included a bear, peacocks and, of course, monkeys. "It was basically just a fence with fenced-off little areas for these animals," he said. "But, it also had a cage, maybe 15-by-15-feet, 10-feet high, for monkeys." Residents of the cage included rhesus monkeys and, later, sooty mangabey monkeys after the rhesus monkeys were deemed unreliable by the city in 1963, according to Northwestern archives. "They'd be hopping around and doing their thing ...," Simon recalled. "It was always so fun to watch because they were so cute and so small." An Aug. 19, 1952, archival photo from the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern shows an escaped monkey sitting outside of its cage at Menominee Park. Three monkeys escaped after vandals cut a hole in the cage with pliers. The monkeys were returned to their cage in a matter of hours. Monkeys once swang among the trees in Menominee Park ... for a few hours Early on the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 19, 1952, Oshkosh resident Philip Lyman and his two children were taking a walk when they noticed monkeys swinging through the trees near the Menominee Park cage. Three of the park's four monkeys had escaped after vandals cut a hole overnight in the wire cage using pliers. The Aug. 19 evening edition of the Northwestern reported that the escapees were lured back into their cage in about two hours using lettuce and bananas. "The vandals, unlike the monkeys, were not behind bars at presstime," the paper quipped at the end of the front-page story. An Oshkosh Daily Northwestern article from Aug. 19, 1952, reporting on the escape of three of the four Menominee Park monkeys after their cage was cut by vandals. The monkeys were returned to their cage within a few hours. But, were there monkeys on Oshkosh's Monkey Island? Despite consulting extensive Northwestern records and contacting the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and the city's public museum, public library, Convention & Visitors Bureau, parks department and public works department, we were unable to confirm whether the rumors of monkeys on Monkey Island are true. Today, other animals certainly call the island home. It's a natural habitat and nesting grounds for various wildlife, including cormorants, ducks and Canadian geese, said Oshkosh assistant parks director Chad Dallman. But, just because we couldn't confirm Simon's story doesn't mean it couldn't be true. Even Pomraning admitted, "It's difficult to prove something didn't happen." In their quest to settle the Monkey Island debate, Pomraning and Simon joined a private Facebook group for people who grew up in Oshkosh. When Pomraning asked if any other group members could corroborate Simon's story, "a bunch of people" said it never happened, but others claimed they "went out there in a boat" and played with the free-roaming primates. Simon said one woman in the group said her grandmother used to talk about the monkeys on the island. He also shared that his friend's ex-wife's father, who worked for the Oshkosh water department in the 1970s before becoming an Oshkosh police officer in the '80s, used to tell stories about the monkeys he claimed were told to him by more senior city employees who worked there in the late '50s. "He remembers them talking about having to, in the spring, take the monkeys to the island and, in the fall, catching them and bringing them to safety," Simon said. "Now, again, I have nothing in writing (to prove this)." Still, Simon contends that this story and those of the Facebook group members support his childhood memories. "I would say my friend probably considers that it's true because of what his father-in-law said; I mean, the guy was competent, a cop. And I'm sure the lady that was talking about her grandmother ... she probably believed her but thought it was a little strange." Why is it called 'Monkey Island'? This is another question that does not appear to have a definitive answer. One Reddit user told r/GoogleMaps that the island was named by "the children of Oshkosh." Growing up, Pomraning heard a similar story: "(T)he Oshkosh Yacht Club, they polled their members, and the kids of the members thought that would be a funny name." Facebook user Luna Tammy Fields said in the Facebook group "People Past and Present of Oshkosh, Wisc." that the name comes from an "old town joke" because kids used to "swim across the lake" to climb trees and "monkey around." "I was told it's called Monkey Island because all the seagulls that inhabit it; their calls make it sound like a colony of flying monkeys from 'The Wizard of Oz' movie," another Facebook group member, Jessica Lynn, wrote. "Could just be an old fable I grew up being told, but definitely agree it sounds like that!" At least one other group member, Ethan McGinness, shared a similar explanation, saying "All the seagulls that stay there sound like a ton of monkeys." Today, Monkey Island hosts Fourth of July fireworks Nowadays, Monkey Island is primarily used as a launch site for Oshkosh's Fourth of July fireworks, said city parks director Ray Maurer. "I think it's accessible to people," Maurer said when asked why the city chooses to shoot off fireworks from the island. "It's in our major city park, so there's plenty of space, and boaters on the Lake Winnebago system are able to view them." Those viewing the fireworks do not watch on Monkey Island but from nearby Menominee Park, where, last year, they could enjoy food trucks; boat, aqua bike and paddleboard rentals; and other festivities. Monkey Island also made the news in January 2017, when police rescued a juvenile who was stranded on the island after walking to it over the frozen lake. The juvenile was uninjured and brought to shore, where they were evaluated and released. Negai snuggles with her newborn son at the Milwaukee County Zoo on June 20, 2019. The male macaque monkey is the first healthy snow monkey born at the Zoo in 26 years. The mother and son live on a "Monkey Island" at the Milwaukee County Zoo, according to a 2019 Journal Sentinel article. There have been other 'Monkey Islands' at zoos throughout Wisconsin While it remains a mystery whether primates ever called Oshkosh's Monkey Island home, we do know that several other "Monkey Islands" throughout Wisconsin have housed animal residents consistent with their namesakes. Perhaps the most interesting was in La Crosse. According to the La Crosse Public Library's archives, this "Monkey Island" was constructed in 1929 as part of the Myrick Park Zoo, which closed in 2007. The original exhibit featured an island in a pond surrounded by a wall 2 to 3 feet above water. The attraction, which began with a dozen monkeys, attracted tens of thousands of people a year throughout the 1930s. However, the monkey herd struggled with inbreeding and violence ... against zoo staff and each other. The most memorable story involving La Crosse's Monkey Island occurred in 1937. On Nov. 24, 15 monkeys escaped from the La Crosse Animal Hospital, where they were staying for the winter, and spent the night on the roof of a nearby business. They evaded capture until the morning of Nov. 26, attracting onlookers and blocking traffic as they made their way through the city. Milwaukee has also had a "Monkey Island." Journal Sentinel archives include multiple stories about a "mobster" rhesus monkey named Joe who ruled the Monkey Island exhibit at the old Washington Park Zoo with a "furry fist" from 1948 until he was overthrown by younger monkeys in 1962. Some modern-day reports, such as a 2019 Journal Sentinel article on the birth of a new snow monkey, still refer to the zoo's monkey exhibit as "Monkey Island." Historical images can also be found of a "Monkey Island" enclosed exhibit at the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison. According to newspaper records, in August 1960, 38 primate residents escaped from this exhibit, and after two days, 36 were still on the run, swinging through the nearby treetops. What's 'What the Wisconsin'? Is there something about Milwaukee or Wisconsin that's been puzzling you? We've got experts who know how to find answers to even the smallest (and sometimes the most interesting) questions. When we can, we'll answer with stories. Submit your question at bit.ly/whatthewisconsin. Do you have a story or memory about Oshkosh's Monkey Island that you'd like to share?Better yet, do you have proof that primates once roamed the island? Contact Journal Sentinel reporter Claire Reid at CEReid@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Was Oshkosh's Monkey Island ever home to free-roaming primates? A pair of Palm Beach County elected officials are calling for more action to stem escalating violence and instability in Haiti, where some U.S. embassy staff members were airlifted out of the country Sunday amid ongoing chaos. U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-West Palm Beach, has said Haiti's unelected prime minister, Ariel Henry, should establish a transition process that leads to elections. "We need a transition government right now," said Cherfilus-McCormick, who is Haitian-American, told CBS Miami. "We have to secure the island for the people. They deserve to live in peace. They deserve to live in dignity." Palm Beach County Commissioner Mack Bernard, also Haitian-American, said security should be the top focus, calling it the country's "most urgent and pressing" need. A woman rush past the bodies of inmates outside the National Penitentiary after the prison was attacked by armed gangs on Saturday, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday, March 3, 2024. Hundreds of inmates have fled Haiti's main prison after armed gangs stormed the facility overnight. Political instability in the years after the 2021 assassination of Haitian president Jovenel Moise and an explosion of gang violence has made life hellish in the nation and led to international calls for action. Haiti's travails it is among the poorest nations in the world are of particular concern in South Florida, where thousands of Haitians and Haitian-Americans live. The nation's capital of Port-au-Prince is about 700 miles southeast of Miami and about 750 miles from West Palm Beach. Haiti's history: How did the turmoil escalate? Black slaves in Haiti rebelled from France and established an independent nation in 1804, history that remains a source of pride for many Black Americans in general and Haitian-Americans in particular. But that independence came at a huge cost in terms of lives and in financial terms, as France extracted some $32 billion from the nation in payments that lasted into the mid-20th century and siphoned off a significant portion of the nation's gross-domestic product. Haiti's economic problems have been exacerbated by political turmoil and natural disasters, including a 7.0 earthquake in 2010 that the Haitian government reported killed an estimated 220,000 to 316,000 people. U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-West Palm Beach Thousands of Haitians left for the United States and were allowed to stay through a grant of temporary protected status by the U.S. government. About 1.1 million people of Haitian descent live in the U.S., according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Florida, with a Haitian-American population of about 544,000, has the largest population of Haitian-Americans in the country. And most Haitian-Americans in Florida live in South Florida. The temporary protected status has been repeatedly extended for displaced Haitians in the U.S. The Trump administration announced in 2017 that it was ending it and that Haitians in the U.S. needed to prepare to return to their home. A federal judge blocked enforcement of that status change, an injunction that remained in place until the Biden administration reaffirmed TPS for Haitians in the U.S. The Biden administration's most recent extension of TPS for Haitians, issued in December, allows them to stay in the U.S. until Aug. 3, though the ongoing catastrophic violence and political unrest will likely lead to calls for another extension. Gangs have taken control of Haiti after a political assassination FILE - In this Feb. 7, 2020 file photo, Haitian President Jovenel Moise arrives for an interview at his home in Petion-Ville, a suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Moise was assassinated in an attack on his private residence early Wednesday, July 7, 2021, and first lady Martine Moise was shot in the overnight attack and hospitalized, according to a statement from the country's interim prime minister. Haiti's most recent problems date to Moises' assassination in 2021. No elected leader has governed the nation since, and, in February, Moise's widow Martine Moise who was shot multiple times in the attack that killed her husband was charged with complicity in the assassination. Martine Moise, who was flown to Florida for treatment after the attack, has denied involvement. Armed gangs have essentially taken over significant swaths of the country in the years after the assassination. Gangs control about 80% of Port-au-Prince, according to United Nations estimates. This month, armed gang members tried to take over the nation's international airport. RELATED: Port of Palm Beach to once again ship cars to Haiti; why is the business so lucrative? On Sunday, U.S. military personnel airlifted some Americans out of the country's embassy. At the request of the Department of State, the U.S. military conducted an operation to augment the security of the U.S. Embassy at Port-au-Prince, allow our Embassy mission operations to continue, and enable non-essential personnel to depart, U.S. Southern Command said in a statement to USA TODAY. The U.S. State Department has asked Henry to begin a process that would lead to elections. Gang members have called for his resignation. For the past week, Henry has been stuck in Puerto Rico, where his plane was diverted after armed gangs laid seige to Haiti's international airport. Henry had been traveling to Kenya in a bid to secure from that country participation in a U.N.-backed police force. Deployment of that force has been tied up by legal battles, and gangs used Henry's absence Haitians did not know for an extended period of time where he was to escalate violence dramatically and expand their foothold in the country. Mack Bernard has many ideas on how to bring peace to his native country Palm Beach County Commissioner Mack Bernard Bernard, who was born in Haiti and still has relatives there, said he wants to see action on a variety of fronts, starting with security. The U.S., he said, should work with the international community to establish that Kenyan-staffed U.N. police force. It should fight harder and more efficiently against the international drug trafficking that is fueling the gangs, and the federal government should work with Florida to stem the flow of weapons and ammunition from the Sunshine State to Haiti. Bernard also joined calls for some sort of transition process that can lead to elections. Calls for U.S. involvement in the affairs of other nations, even ones as close geographically as Haiti, are sometimes met by complaints that the problems of those nations are not the concern of the U.S. Bernard, however, said the problems beseiging Haiti are not and will not stay there. "If you're not assisting them, these problems come to the United States," he said. Wayne Washington is a journalist covering West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach and race relations at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at wwashington@pbpost.com. Help support our work; subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach County's Haitian leaders call for action to stabilize Haiti Robert Hur on Tuesday will face lawmakers eager to question the findings of his yearlong probe into President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents, an investigation that ultimately absolved the president of legal culpability but left him with a trail of political liabilities. Hur wrote in a 388-page report published last month that he would not recommend charges against the president despite uncovering evidence that Biden "willfully retained" classified materials. In the course of explaining his rationale for that conclusion, Hur also included language critical of Biden's mental acuity, saying that a potential jury would likely find him to be a "sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory." President Biden and his allies welcomed Hur's decision not to bring charges, but forcefully pushed back on his characterizations of the president's age and memory. MORE: A closer look at the Biden special counsel report: Do the headlines match the evidence? Biden himself slammed prosecutors for including an anecdote about his failure to recall when his son, Beau Biden, passed away. And Bob Bauer, an attorney for Biden, called the report a "shoddy work product" that presented its conclusions in a "very misleading way." According to sources close to Hur, he is expected to address his decisions to include the specific anecdotes about Biden's memory and dispute any suggestion that he violated DOJ policies by doing so. Hur's position was bolstered by a senior career official at the Justice Department, who -- in a letter sent to Biden's personal attorneys last month -- pushed back on accusations that the language used by Hur was "gratuitous" and violated DOJ's norms of not discussing the conduct of uncharged individuals. "The identified language is neither gratuitous nor unduly prejudicial because it is not offered to criticize or demean the President," Associate Deputy Attorney General Bradley Weinsheimer wrote to Biden's legal team. "Rather, it is offered to explain Special Counsel Hur's conclusions about the President's state of mind in possessing and retaining classified information." PHOTO: Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Robert Hur speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, July 27, 2017. (Alex Brandon/AP, FILE) Rod Rosenstein, a former deputy attorney general and Hur ally who spoke with Hur in advance of Tuesday's hearing, said he expected the special counsel's commentary during the hearing "will be tied pretty closely to the substance of his report." "My advice to Rob was, just tell the truth and let the chips fall where they may," Rosenstein said. "And these congressional hearings are partly directed at uncovering relevant information, but they're mostly for show, and you need to recognize that you're going to be criticized and might not have a fair opportunity to respond. And that's just the way the process works." Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee summoned Hur to testify in a public setting to examine his findings. The panel also subpoenaed the Justice Department for recordings, transcripts, notes, and other documents pertinent to the investigation. Hur and his team of investigators interviewed 147 witnesses and collected more than seven million documents as part of their probe. Investigators interviewed Biden for approximately five hours over the course of two days in early October, the same weekend of Hamas' invasion of Israel. Investigators ultimately found evidence that Biden knowingly retained classified documents -- including military records about Afghanistan and personal notebooks with entries about sensitive intelligence matters -- and relied on those records to pen his 2017 memoir, "Promise Me, Dad." At one point, Hur wrote, Biden told the ghostwriter who helped him craft his memoir, that he had "just found all the classified stuff downstairs." MORE: Special counsel won't charge Biden in classified docs probe, despite evidence he 'willfully retained' materials Hur's report said investigators found documents marked classified from as far back as the 1970s, including a box labeled "International Travel 1973-1979" containing materials from Biden's trips to Asia and Europe that included "roughly a dozen marked classified documents that are currently classified at the Secret level." According to the report, among the classified documents Biden retained were materials documenting his opposition to the troop surge in Afghanistan, including a classified handwritten memo he sent then-President Barack Obama over the 2009 Thanksgiving holiday. The materials were found in "the garage, offices, and basement den in Mr. Biden's Wilmington, Delaware home," the report said. Despite his critical language about Biden's ability to recall some basic details, Hur drew a "several material distinctions" between Joe Biden's conduct and that of former President Donald Trump, who has pleaded not guilty to a 40-count indictment filed by special counsel Jack Smith over his handling of classified materials after leaving the White House. "Most notably, after being given multiple chances to return classified documents and avoid prosecution, Mr. Trump allegedly did the opposite," Hur wrote in his report. "In contrast, Mr. Biden turned in classified documents to the National Archives and the Department of Justice, consented to the search of multiple locations including his homes, sat for a voluntary interview, and in other ways cooperated with the investigation." Special counsel set to testify about Biden's handling of classified documents originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Robert De Niro and Donald Trump. Eric Charbonneau / Getty Images for Apple TV+ / KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI Robert De Niro questioned Trump's intelligence on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" The actor said the former president was "dangerous" and told people not to vote for him. Trump and De Niro have been feuding since 2016 when the actor said he wanted to punch him in the face. Robert De Niro called Donald Trump a "fucking moron" in his latest comments amid their public feud. De Niro and Trump have fired barbs at each other for several years after the actor criticized Trump's presidential election campaign in 2016 and said he wanted to punch him in the face. Their feud has been reignited as Trump campaigns for the 2024 presidential election. On Monday's episode of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" De Niro responded to two of Trump's social media posts about him, where the former president said De Niro had a "low IQ" and his acting had "greatly diminished." "He's so fucking stupid," De Niro said. "Look at the lame, inane things that he said. He's so stupid he can't even say anything clever. He's a fucking moron." De Niro encouraged the audience to vote to make sure Trump is not re-elected as president later this year. De Niro also said he was confused by why many US citizens still trust Trump. "I just don't understand people could buy it. I just don't know. It's all an act in a certain way. It's all out of insecurity," De Niro said. "He is a malignant narcissist. He's a socio-psychopath." He added: "It's so frightening and scary, and he's dangerous. We got to get rid of him." De Niro was also critical of the Republican Party members who have supported Trump. "Shame, shame, shame on those Republicans that don't have the nerve, the balls, to go after him. What do they tell their kids? What do they tell their grandkids?" he said. "He's like an outright fucking criminal." De Niro isn't the only Hollywood star targeted by Trump's recent social media rants. The former president, estimated to be worth $2.5 billion, spent Sunday night mocking the Oscars and the event's host, Kimmel, on Truth Social. "A really bad politically correct show tonight, and for years Disjointed, boring, and very unfair," Trump wrote of the ceremony. "Has there EVER been a WORSE HOST than Jimmy Kimmel at The Oscars," Trump wrote in another post. Jimmy Kimmel said that he was told not to read President Donald Trump's post about him during the Oscars. Kevin Winter/Getty Images; Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images Near the end of the ceremony, Kimmel read Trump's post and said: "Thank you, President Trump. Thank you for watching. I'm surprised you're still ah isn't it past your jail time?" Trump is facing multiple civil lawsuits and four criminal cases, three of which are related to the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. In February, Business Insider reported that Trump had spent over $52 million of his PAC donor money on legal fees. Although many of Trump's supporters donated the money for his presidential run, only about $861,000 was spent on law firms working on political issues. Nearly $40 million was spent on personal legal problems. Last month, New York judge Arthur Engoron ruled against Trump in one of his civil fraud cases, barring him from running any New York-based corporation for three years and ordering the former president to pay penalties of $355 million, which will rise due to daily interest. Trump plans to appeal the decision. Trump's representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Read the original article on Business Insider Breaking news Houston Chronicle Law enforcement arrested a Pasadena man accused of killing a 12-year-old in his Cloverleaf apartment at the U.S.-Mexico border. Terry Bryan Rivera, 27, was arrested after being on the run for allegedly shooting and killing Carlos Fernandez at an apartment complex on March 4. Rivera was arrested at a Brownsville point of entry and is currently being held in Cameron County, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said Monday evening in a social media post. Rivera was arrested on the Gateway International Bridge, which connects the U.S. and Mexico, according to the Cameron County Sheriffs Office. Rivera was stopped by Customs and Border Protection Agents after they checked his ID and found he was wanted for murder, according to the sheriffs office. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Late Tuesday, Gonzalez said Rivera was arrested Monday as he attempted to cross back from Mexico into the U.S. Riveras mother, Alva Cornejo, 51, made her first court appearance Monday after being arrested and charged with the felony of hindering apprehension or prosecution in the search for Rivera. Rivera was last seen with his mother, who claimed to have told her son to turn himself in before he fled. At the time, Cornejo said she had not heard from her son since his disappearance, said John Donnelly, a spokesperson with the Harris County District Attorneys Office. However, investigators showed evidence at Cornejos court appearance Monday that she allowed Rivera to use her phone to contact people to help him flee texting and then deleting the texts before giving her phone back, Donnelly said. Investigators also discovered that Cornejo was researching how to get to the Mexican border on the internet, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Cornejo is currently being held at the Harris County Jail with a bond set at $25,000. Ashley Rostro, Fernandezs mother, told ABC 13 that Rivera had been abusive in the past, breaking into her apartment March 1 three days prior to the shooting. Rostro claimed Rivera entered the apartment through a window, stole a gun she owned and later threatened her and her family with it, grabbing her by the neck and pushing his way into the apartment. Rostro told deputies her gun was stolen by Rivera in passing, but it wasnt mentioned in the initial report, said Harris County Sheriffs Office senior deputy Thomas Gilliland. Rostro believed her gun was taken by Rivera, but had no evidence to support it, Gilliland said Rostro inquired about getting a restraining order against Rivera three days before her son was killed, Gilliland said. A restraining order was not made before the shooting. Advertisement Article continues below this ad On the day of the shooting, Rostro told ABC reporters that Rivera entered the apartment through a window and began to threaten her. Fernandez ran into the room after hearing the commotion and was shot four times, she said. Hes my protector, Rostro said to reporters. He ran in there trying to save me. SPRING TEEN ACCUSED OF MURDER: Spring teen accused of murder in 2022 wrong-way crash in Cypress Rivera has been charged with capital murder in Fernandezs death. He has an appointed defense attorney. The attorney didnt immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday morning. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Scott Peterson, who was convicted of killing his wife and their unborn son 20 years ago, is scheduled to appear in court virtually on Tuesday after the LA Innocence Project picked up his murder case earlier this year. Laci Peterson, who was 27 years old and eight months pregnant, disappeared on Christmas Eve in 2002. Her body was found in San Francisco Bay in April 2003. MORE: Scott Peterson case taken up by Los Angeles Innocence Project Scott Peterson, 51, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife and second-degree murder in the death of their unborn son. He was convicted in 2004 and sentenced to death in 2005. He was later sentenced to life in prison without parole. Attorneys with the LA Innocence Project claimed that Scott Peterson's state and federal constitutional rights were violated, including a "claim of actual innocence that is supported by newly discovered evidence," according to court documents filed in January. The group is seeking evidence from the original trial. PHOTO: Scott Peterson listens to Stanislaus County Deputy District attorney Dave Harris speak during a hearing at the San Mateo County Superior Court in Redwood City, Calif., Dec. 8, 2021. (Andy Alfaro/The Modesto Bee/TNS via Getty Images) His case is scheduled to be presented in court in San Mateo County on Tuesday at 9 a.m. PT. He will appear remotely, the court said. San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Hill granted the hearing last week. Scott Peterson, who pleaded not guilty, has long maintained his innocence. His previous attempt for a new trial was denied in December 2022. In 2020, the California Supreme Court overturned Scott Peterson's death sentence, citing that during the penalty phase his jury was improperly screened for bias against the death penalty, according to court documents. MORE: Scott Peterson resentenced to life without parole for 2002 murder of wife, unborn child He was resentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in December 2021 and moved off death row, from San Quentin State Prison to Mule Creek State Prison, in October 2022. The LA Innocence Project -- which provides pro bono legal services to people incarcerated in Central and Southern California who may have been wrongfully convicted -- previously said in a statement that it is representing Scott Peterson and "investigating his claim of actual innocence." Scott Peterson's attorney, Pat Harris, previously said in a statement to ABC News that they are "thrilled to have the incredibly skilled attorneys at the LA Innocence project and their expertise becoming involved in the efforts to prove Scott's innocence." ABC News' Alex Stone contributed to this report. Scott Peterson to appear in court virtually as LA Innocence Project takes up case originally appeared on abcnews.go.com A Seattle area woman who went missing in February was found dead in a cemetery on the side of a highway in Mexicali, Mexico, police in Washington state said. A suspect in the case, a 61-year-old Renton resident, was arrested by Mexican authorities on charges unrelated to the death of Reyna Hernandez, according to a Facebook statement Monday from the Renton Police Department. If it is determined that Hernandez was killed in the U.S., authorities would seek to have the suspect extradited, Renton police said, noting that once the manner and time of death are confirmed, detectives can determine if a homicide was committed. Hernandez, 54, was found dead after the Renton police were alerted to a Mexicali news article Friday about an unidentified body at a cemetery on the Tijuana Highway. A Seattle area woman who went missing in February was found dead in a cemetery on the side of a highway in Mexicali, Mexico, police in Washington state said. (Renton Police Department) Investigators contacted Mexican authorities and "were able to provide enough information to identify Hernandez," Renton police said. Her vehicle was also found in Mexico. The discovery was made about a week after friends reported Hernandez missing on Feb. 28 when she did not return home from running errands and failed to open her salon in Renton Highlands, police said. Authorities believe she disappeared from a home two days prior. A friend of Hernandez told police that he last spoke with her on Feb. 26 and she said she was out running errands and was going to a home in South Renton, according to the police department's initial news release. Investigators served multiple search warrants and followed up on dozens of leads. Evidence showed that Hernandez "was taken against her will," police said. Authorities have released very few details about the case, including how long they believe Hernandez was in Mexico and her connection to the suspect. Renton police said they believe it was a "domestic violence crime." "This is the worst possible outcome, and our hearts go out to Reynas family and friends," Investigations Commander Chandler Swain said in a statement. Swain said they are working with Mexicali police and U.S. federal partners to determine when and where Hernandez was killed. Renton is a suburb of Seattle located about 12 miles southeast of downtown. Ever since her 2020 birth, Fu Bao has been one of South Koreas biggest celebrities, with fans eagerly following every milestone of her life at Everland Resorts Panda World, a theme park in Yongin city. But the countrys most famous and beloved giant panda is set to bid South Korea a final farewell in April, with preparations now underway for her journey to her new home in China. During the last week of Fu Baos public viewing earlier this month, visitors reportedly endured wait times of 5-6 hours just to catch a glimpse of the celebrity bear for a mere five minutes, as the park restricted viewing times to manage the influx of visitors, according to park officials. On Fu Baos last day of public viewing on March 3, she received farewell gifts, including a panda family doll crafted from bamboo, a bouquet of flowers and heart-shaped pieces of bread from her dedicated keepers at Everland. Fu Bao fandom Born to parents Ai Bao and Le Bao in July 2020 as part of Chinas panda diplomacy program, Fu Bao is South Koreas first naturally-bred panda. In the days following her birth, Everlands social media channels offered fans a steady diet of Fu Bao videos, with its YouTube channel pulling in more than 1.2 million subscribers and, as of February, surpassing 500 million cumulative views, according to the park. A two-hour video chronicling Fu Baos journey from birth to childhood added to the Everland YouTube channel eight months ago has garnered 1.6 million views. The most recent videos on the channel are now filled with warm and heartfelt messages from viewers, including the beloved cubs self-proclaimed online aunties. Fu Bao, youre a happy treasure that came to us like a miracle during the difficult Covid pandemic, reads one Youtube comment. Some South Koreans said Fu Bao provided them with moments of joy during the pandemic. - Courtesy Everland Your aunties been so happy to have known you and you made me smile so much. Youre a clever one so Im so sure youll do well in a new environment! Another commented that they cant believe how time passes so quickly and that we have to let Fu Bao go. Im so sad to let her go I support our Fu and love you. Every moment knowing you has been a great joy with laughter. Thank you. Thanks to Fu Baos widespread popularity, her dedicated zookeeper has also found himself in the spotlight, becoming a bit of a social media star himself. Often referred to as her grandpa, Kang Chul-won offered his own farewell message for Fu Bao, noting that the Korean peoples special love for her all began with social media videos shared during the Covid pandemic when the zoo was closed. She brought help and happiness to a society in many ways that was having a difficult time due to the coronavirus, Kang said in a video posted to YouTube. During remarks to the press earlier this month, he said people visited the social media sites every day so it felt like he was raising her together with them. Of course there are aspects of her cuteness and playfulness, but they cared so much for her and they shared the same emotions of raising a cub together during such difficult times, Kang said. Though one could argue its impossible to identify a single social media moment that catapulted Fu Bao to stardom, there are a couple of standout videos that have been particularly popular with viewers. In one video, Fu Bao clings tightly to Kangs leg, unwilling to let go, as he spins gently around the room. After many attempts to uncoil her strong arms, he finally separates himself from her. The other short video shows Fu Bao clinging to Kangs arm while relaxing on a wooden bench. As the zookeeper gently pushes her arm so he can take his phone out of his pocket, the panda links her arms tightly around his left arm. After he motions to show something on the phone to her, she rolls onto her back. Fu Baos next chapter In an announcement from Everland, the company says Fu Bao will be transferred to the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Sichuan Province in early April. Everland said that it will keep her in a separate space at Everland Panda World for a month to prepare her to adjust to her new environment before her overseas transfer, which will be carried out in accordance with international regulations. According to the agreement between Samsung C&T, the parent company of Everland, and the China Wildlife Conservation Association, mature pandas must be returned to China before they turn four years old. Once Fu Bao departs for China, there will be four giant pandas left at Everland Fu Baos mother Ai Bao, father Le Bao, and their twin babies Rui Bao and Hui Bao, who were born last July. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Robert Hur, who as special counsel conducted the yearlong probe into President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents that ultimately absolved the president of legal culpability, will face questions today from members of the House Judiciary Committee. MORE: Transcript from documents probe contradicts Biden's account of exchange with Hur over son's death Hur, who was previously nominated by then-President Donald Trump as U.S. attorney for the District of Maryland, wrote in his 388-page report published last month that he would not recommend charges against President Biden despite uncovering evidence that Biden "willfully retained" classified materials. MORE: Robert Hur poised to defend findings of probe into Biden's handling of classified docs In the course of explaining his rationale for that conclusion, Hur said that a potential jury would likely find Biden to be a "sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory." Latest Developments Mar 12, 12:22 PM Schiff accuses Hur of politically 'shaping' report Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., picked up where his fellow Democrat Rep. Hank Johnson left off, accusing Hur of shading his report with his own "personal, prejudicial, subjective opinion of the president when you knew it would be amplified by his political opponent." "You were not born yesterday," Schiff said. "You understood exactly what you were doing." A visibly agitated Hur -- taking deep breaths, raising his voice, and attempting to speak over Schiff -- fired back, saying, What you are suggesting is that I shape, sanitize, omit portions of my reasoning and explanations to the attorney general for political reasons--" "No, I suggest that you not shape your report for political reasons and that's what you did," Schiff shot back. "That did not happen, Congressman," Hur replied. "That did not happen." Mar 12, 12:16 PM Democrats accuse Hur of seeking to damage Biden Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., lambasted Hur for his references to President Biden's age and memory, and Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., quickly followed suit, appearing to catch Hur off guard and even flustering him as he defended his handling of his investigation and the language he included in his final report. "You use your report to trash and smear President Biden because he said and in response to questions over a five-hour interview that he didn't recall how he got the documents, and you knew that that would play into the Republicans' narrative that the President is unfit for office because he's senile," Johnson said. "Congressman, I reject the suggestion--" Hur attempted to respond before Johnson cut him off. Johnson then asked whether Hur was a member of the Republican Federalist Society, which Hur denied. Hur did answer affirmatively to whether he was a Republican, which drew applause from one of the Republicans on the committee, Ken Buck. Johnson then went further, suggesting that Hur wrote his report in order to damage Biden and evoke sympathy from former President Trump so he could secure a high-level appointment in his administration, should Trump be reelected. "And you're doing everything you can do to get President Trump reelected, so that you can get appointed as a federal judge or perhaps to another position in the Department of Justice. Isn't that correct?" Johnson asked. "Congressman, I have no such aspirations," Hur replied. "I can assure you and I can tell you that partisan politics had no place whatsoever in my work. It had no place in the investigative steps that I took. It had no place and the decision that I made, and it got no place in a single word of my report." Mar 12, 11:44 AM Hur testifies Biden never said documents were 'his' Special counsel Robert Hur said that President Biden did not say that he believed any documents -- other than his own handwritten notes -- were his personal property, in contrast to former President Trump who has claimed multiple times that he held onto hundreds of classified documents because they were "my documents." We did not hear that from the president during his interview, Hur said, responding to Rep. Zoe Lofgren who asked if Biden believed any of the documents turned over to investigators were, in fact, his own. Rep. Jordan then began his line of questioning to Hur by pressing him over whether he ever determined what President Bidens motive was in the evidence that he uncovered that he possessed classified documents. Congressman, the conclusion as to exactly why the president did what he did is not one that we explicitly address in the report, Hur answered. The report explains my decision to the attorney general that no criminal charges were warranted in this manner. Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, then sought to draw a connection between Bidens efforts to secure money for a book deal following his vice presidency and Hurs findings regarding his possession of classified documents. Pride and money is why he knowingly violated the rules, Jordan said. The oldest motives in the book, pride and money. Hur confirmed that his investigation found evidence supporting those assessments and also confirmed details from his report that the ghostwriter tasked by Biden with writing his book attempted to delete the audio recordings of his conversations with Biden. Mar 12, 11:34 AM Hur stays measured as he's challenged by both sides More than an hour into his testimony, Robert Hur appears poised under intense questioning from both sides -- swatting away lawmakers seeking to leverage his testimony in order to incriminate the other party's leader. As lawmakers invoke fascism and level accusations of a two-tiered justice system, the former special counsel is striking a decidedly measured posture. He has not indulged Democrats' attempts to draw him into comparisons between Biden and Trump -- at times appearing to frustrate some members, including Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler. And he has not taken the bait from Republicans seeking to draw out details that could paint Joe Biden's conduct in a more negative light. As he promised in his opening statement, Hur has restricted his testimony to the confines of his report. Mar 12, 11:23 AM Hur pressed on whether it's 'OK' to keep secret documents Rep. Tom McClintock, R-CA, used his line of questioning to press Hur over whether it was "OK if I take home top secret documents, store them in my garage and read portions of them to friends or associates?" "Congressman, I wouldn't recommend it," Hur said dryly. "But I don't want to entertain any hypotheticals." "But you've essentially said so in your report!" McClintock responded. "And certainly it would be exculpatory if I simply told you, 'Hey, I'm getting old. I don't remember stuff the way I used to.'" McClintock then argued that Hur had decided not to prosecute Biden "for the same offense" Trump has been charged with in his case involving unlawful retention of classified materials and efforts to obstruct the government's investigation -- even though Biden was not accused of obstruction. "Congressman, I do address as I was required to as a prosecutor a relevant precedent in the form of the allegations in the indictment against former President Trump," Hur said. "I set forth my explanation in my assessment and comparison to those precedents in my report, and I am not here to comment any further." Mar 12, 11:14 AM Under questioning, Hur stands by not charging Biden Under questioning from lawmakers, Republicans pressed Hur on how the evidence he gathered failed to indicate criminal behavior, while Democrats pressed him on comparisons between Biden's conduct and Trump's. Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-ND, began by outlining some of the underlying facts of Hur's investigation into Biden's handling of classified documents -- probing his determination that Biden shouldn't be charged with "willfully retaining national defense information," even as his report outlined evidence of various instances where he said Biden either knew he had classified materials or discussed having it with his ghostwriter. "Congressman, part and parcel of a prosecutor's judgment as to whether or not a conviction is the probable outcome of trial is assessing how the evidence identified during the investigation lines up with the elements and what proof can be offered to a jury during a trial," Hur said. PHOTO: Former special counsel Robert K. Hur prepares to testify to the House Judiciary Committee, Mar. 12, 2024, in Washington. (Win McNamee/Getty Images) "Sure, but this well-meaning elderly old man has nothing to do with the underlying elements of the crime?" Armstrong asked. "It certainly has something to do with the way that a jury is going to perceive and receive and consider and conclude -- make conclusions based on evidence at trial," Hur responded. Hur swatted away questions from Rep. Jerry Nadler, the ranking Democrat on the panel, who multiple times looked to have the special counsel comment or compare Biden's handling of documents to Trump's own legal issues. Hur replied when specifically about allegations against Trump, "I am not intimately familiar with the facts relating to former President Trump." Mar 12, 10:58 AM Hur defends his characterization of Biden's memory In his opening statement, former special counsel Robert Hur defended how he characterized Joe Biden's memory in his report on the president's handling of classified documents released in February. "My assessment in the report about the relevance of the president's memory was necessary and accurate and fair," Hur said. "I did not sanitize my explanation." Hur addressed his criticism of Biden's memory in the report head on, saying, "I understood that my explanation about this case had to include rigorous, detailed, and thorough analysis. In other words, I needed to show my work." PHOTO: Special Counsel Robert Hur testifies during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on his probe into President Joe Biden's alleged mishandling of classified materials after serving as vice president, in Washington, Mar. 12, 2024. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) Hur added, "I knew that for my decision to be credible, I could not simply announce that I recommended no criminal charges and leave it at that. I needed to explain why." Hur went on to argue that purpose of his investigation was to determine whether or not Biden "willfully" retained or disclosed classified information, and that he "could not make that determination without assessing the President's state of mind." "These are the types of issues prosecutors analyze every day," Hur said. "And because these issues were important to my ultimate decision, I had to include a discussion of them in my report to the attorney general." Mar 12, 11:26 AM Hearing opens with dueling videos of Biden, Trump "Did Joe Biden unlawfully retained classified information? The answer? Yes, he did," House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said in opening the hearing. "Page one of Mr. Hur's report he says this: 'Our investigation uncovered evidence that President Biden willfully retained and disclosed classified materials after his vice presidency when he was a private citizen.'" Yet while it's true that Hur's report stated he found evidence that Biden retained classified information, he stopped short of concluding Biden knowingly violated the law and determined he would not be able to prove Biden's guilt to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt. Jordan then played out video clips of Biden responding to the findings in Hur's report, saying he expects today's hearing will give Hur a chance to respond to Biden's statements that either downplayed Hur's findings or attacked him directly. Rep. Jerry Nadler, the ranking Democrat on the panel, sought to highlight discrepancies in Biden's conduct compared with former President Donald Trump's, saying, "Simply put, President Biden had the mental acuity to navigate this situation. President Trump did not." PHOTO: Former special counsel Robert K. Hur testifies alongside a video of former President Donald Trump to the House Judiciary Committee, Mar. 12, 2024, in Washington. (Win McNamee/Getty Images) Nadler then played a lengthy clip reel of Trump's perceived verbal slips on the campaign trail, saying. "That is a man who is incapable of avoiding criminal liability. A man who is wholly unfit for office, and a man who, at the very least, ought to think twice before accusing other of cognitive decline." At the end of the Trump clip reel, some lawmakers, including some Republicans, were observed snickering at his remarks. Mar 12, 10:40 AM Numbers refute Trump's claim that Biden had 'more documents' Former President Donald Trump is again making claims about President Biden's handling of classified documents while defending his own handling of classified materials. On his social media platform, Trump claimed Biden had "more documents, including classified documents" that were left unsupervised, again saying Biden wasn't covered under the Presidential Records Act. Trump, however, was found to have roughly 340 documents with classification markings at his Mar-a-Lago estate, while President Biden had 88 documents with classification markings in his home. Trump also said that the documents he had were secure compared to the Biden documents that Trump said had "ZERO supervision or security." But special counsel Jack Smith, who is overseeing the Trump classified documents probe, has noted in public court filings that "Whatever risks are posed by storing documents in a private garage ... are dwarfed by the risks of storing documents at 'an active social club' with 'hundreds of members" and 'more than 150 full-time, part-time, and temporary employees,' which, between January 2021 and August 2022, 'hosted more than 150 social events ... that together drew tens of thousands of guests.'" Hur himself said in his report that, "Most notably, after being given multiple chances to return classified documents and avoid prosecution, Mr. Trump allegedly did the opposite. According to the indictment, he not only refused to return the documents for many months, but he also obstructed justice by enlisting others to destroy evidence and then to lie about it." "In contrast, Mr. Biden turned in classified documents to the National Archives and the Department of Justice, consented to the search of multiple locations including his homes, sat for a voluntary interview. and in other ways cooperated with the investigation," Hur's report said. Mar 12, 10:17 AM Hur arrives at hearing Former special counsel Robert Hur has arrived at the hearing and is seated in front of the House Judiciary Committee. There are a handful of protesters in the hearing with what appears to be fake blood on their hands. One is wearing a shirt that reads, "Congress funds Israel genocide." Click here to read the rest of the blog. BANGKOK (Reuters) -Thailand's Election Commission on Tuesday said it would ask a court to dissolve the opposition Move Forward party over concerns the party's campaign to change a law against insulting the monarchy undermines the country's system of governance. The commission's decision followed a ruling by the Constitutional Court in January that said Move Forward, which won last year's general election, had violated the constitution with its plans to change the lese majeste law. The court ruling found the party's proposed amendments to article 112 of the criminal code constituted an attempt to destroy Thailand's constitutional monarchy. "There is evidence that Move Forward undermines the democratic system with the king as the head of state," the Election Commission said in a statement on Tuesday. "The Election Commission has considered and analysed the Constitutional Court verdict and has decided unanimously to ask the Constitutional Court to dissolve the Move Forward party." Move Forward's progressive agenda has resonated among millions of young and urban voters and it won a stunning victory over military-backed parties in a May election. But its plan to change lese majeste laws outraged conservative lawmakers allied with the royalist military who torpedoed the party's attempts to form a government. If the party is dissolved, its leaders could be banned from politics for 10 years. Thailand's lese majeste legislation carries punishment of up to 15 years jail for each perceived insult or defamation against the king, queen, heir and regent. Thailand's monarchy is enshrined in the constitution to be held in a position of "revered worship," and many royalists see the lese majeste law as sacrosanct. The palace typically does not comment on the lese majeste law. Rights activists say the law has been abused by conservative politicians to smear liberal opponents and stifle institutional reforms. More than 260 people have been prosecuted under the legislation since 2020, including a man facing a record 50 years jail time over Facebook posts critical of the monarchy. Move Forward party has argued its campaign to change article 112 was aimed at strengthening the constitutional monarchy and preventing the law from being misused. "We have no intention to overthrow the democratic system with the king as the head of state," Move Forward party spokesperson Parit Wacharasindhu told Reuters on Tuesday. "We will prove our innocence at the Constitutional Court," he said. Pita Limjaroenrat, who led the party to its 2023 election victory, told Reuters in an interview last month Move Forward had a succession plan if it was dissolved and the party's ideology would live on. Move Forward's anti-establishment platform, which includes plans to tackle business monopolies and to keep the military out of politics, is popular with voters but has put the party on a collision course with the interests of powerful conservatives. The party's predecessor, Future Forward, had championed similar policies and was disbanded in 2020 for violating campaign funding rules. (Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor and Ros Russell) A shareholder agreement prevents 'critical, adverse, or disparaging' comments about TikTok, according to a report by Fortune. NurPhoto Speaking ill of TikTok reportedly comes at a cost for its workers. Restricted stock unit holders could lose their shares for disparaging TikTok, Fortune reports. The company is facing fresh scrutiny and a bill calling for it to be sold or banned. Bad-mouthing TikTok could come at a steep cost for current and former staffers. While the company offers restricted stock units (RSU) to employees shares in the business as a type of compensation a provision in a TikTok shareholder agreement states that the shares can be taken away, Fortune reports. The agreement bans RSU holders from making "critical, adverse, or disparaging" comments about the company, its affiliates, or employees. If they do, "all of the participant's restricted share units will be immediately forfeited," according to Fortune, which obtained a copy of the contract. TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. One former employee told Fortune he thinks he's in the company's crosshairs. Patrick Spaulding Ryan said TikTok didn't include him in its latest buyback offer for current and former employees on March 4, Fortune reports. He believes it's because he criticized the disparagement clause on LinkedIn, according to Fortune. There's growing support for a TikTok ban It's a tough time for TikTok. A bill calling for the app to be sold off or shut down is gaining steam. Lawmakers are worried about the security of users' data saying the info could be fed back to TikTok's Chinese owners. The bill is set to be voted on by the House on Wednesday. If passed, it would move to the Senate and President Joe Biden has said he'd sign it. (Donald Trump, for his part, had once tried to ban the app as president but now is backtracking, calling Facebook the real "enemy.") In the meantime, TikTok has urged users to call their representatives to contest the bill. But that campaign may have backfired with exasperated lawmakers flooded by calls. Read the original article on Business Insider A group of countries, including the United States, Canada and several Caribbean nations, met in Jamaica on Monday and over a video conference with Haitian political and civic leaders came up with a plan to move the crisis-ridden country forward to elections. The plan, which takes pieces from seven different proposals by Haitian leaders presented to leaders of the 15-member Caribbean Community regional bloc known as CARICOM, would set up a seven-member presidential panel that would appoint a new interim prime minister. Both the prime minister and the panel, which will also include two observers, will preside over the day-to-day governance of Haiti, a transition to elections and prepare for the arrival of a multinational security support mission. I think we can all agree that Haiti is on the brink of disaster, Mohammed Irfaan Ali, the president of Guyana and chairman of CARICOM, said Monday during a break in the discussions with Haitian leaders. We must take quick and decisive action here in this room to bring the situation under control and to return the country to the Haitian people. Representatives of the countries in attendance, he said, spent the entire day in meetings with the goal of presenting options and ideas to the people of Haiti so they can refine and own the solutions that will be presented. The difficult decisions we make here today will have to be in the interest of the Haitian people, Ali added. The panels makeup would not include any of the leaders of the violent street gangs that have been carrying out an armed rebellion in Haiti. In control of large swaths of Port-au-Prince, armed groups now estimated by the United Nations to number 300 throughout the country have forced more than 340,000 people from their homes, and are exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation. We had no engagement with any gang or gang leaders ...to the best of our combined knowledge, Ali said, acknowledging that the gangs make up Haitian society and that has posed a challenge on how to address them. Since the end of February, gangs have been waging war on key government institutions, overtaking police stations, orchestrating two massive prison breaks and targeting the airports, main port and the National Palace. Their coordinated attacks have forced the suspensions of flights, prompted the departure of staff at foreign embassies in Port-au-Prince and led to the escape of thousands of inmates. Among the escapees are murderers, kidnappers, several notorious gang chiefs and the former head of President Jovenel Moises presidential security detail, who was indicted last month in his July 7, 2021, assassination. Insisting that Prime Minister Ariel Henry must resign, gang leaders are threatening civil war if he doesnt. Henry, who has been locked out of Haiti amid the civil unrest, did not attend the Jamaica meeting. Late Monday, he released a video announcing his intentions to resign, along with his government, after the presidential panel is installed. Caribbean leaders and the U.S. had been pressuring him to step down, citing his inability to craft an agreement that would have led to a political transition. On Monday gang leader Jimmy Cherizier, a former police officer who goes by the alias Barbecue, announced that he will soon attack the capitals hotels, accusing them of harboring Henrys government ministers. The U.N. Security Council said Monday that the threats of violence against the police and members of the government are unacceptable. Urging the gangs to lay down their arms, the Security Council has called for the perpetrators of these abhorrent acts to be brought to justice. In October, the Security Council endorsed the Multinational Security Support mission after Kenya volunteered to lead it with 1,000 law enforcement officers. But the deployment has been stalled by a legal challenge in Nairobi and a lack of funding. The U.N. said Monday that despite pledges, a trust fund to pay for the force only has $10 million. The U.S., meanwhile, is having trouble accessing the first $50 million out of $200 million it has pledged, amid questions from Republican lawmakers in Congress about the mission. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was in Kingston on Monday, said the U.S. plans to contribute another $100 million. Without providing details, he touted the creation of the presidential panel to lead Haitis transition, saying it would take concrete steps to identify the needs of the Haitian people and enable the deployment of the Kenya-led mission. What weve seen in recent days, again, should remind us that the already challenging and difficult security situation has now deteriorated even further, and makes the multinational support mission even more important than ever, Blinken said. Im announcing today that the U.S. Department of Defense is doubling its approved support for the mission, from $100 million to $200 million, and that brings the total U.S. support to $300 million for this effort. Last week as Henry attempted to return to Haiti after traveling to Kenya to shore up an agreement for the deployment of the Kenyan police officers, the Biden administration asked him to resign. The policy shift came after State Department officials attended a summit of Caribbean leaders days earlier in Guyana. The administration had put the Caribbean Community at the forefront of trying to broker a political consensus in Haiti. After holding a series of meetings last week, Ali, the CARICOM leader, said Friday that while considerable progress had been made, Haitis political and civic leaders were still not yet where they need to be and that there was an urgent need for a consensus to be reached. By the time he and six other Caribbean leaders began their meeting on Monday in Kingston, joined by Blinken, Canadian U.N. Ambassador Robert Rae Rae and others, including a high-level U.N. delegation, Haitis disparate political and civic leaders had not been able to come with a unified plan. Instead, they offered seven. The Caribbean leaders and international representatives spent several hours meeting among themselves before getting on a Zoom call with the Haitians, who were unable to fly to Jamaica due to the suspended flights. Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley opened the discussion. She laid out some of the key criteria for being a member of the panel that will have presidential powers: They cannot run in the next election. They cannot have been indicted or convicted of a crime in any jurisdiction. They cannot be under U.N. sanctions. And they must support the multinational security support mission to Haiti. Those serving on the presidential counsel will vouch to support the U.N. resolution for the mission to allow stability and security in Haiti, Mottley insisted. After asking for input from the Haitian leaders and hearing concerns from Canada about the lack of mention about those who have been sanctioned by Ottawa, Washington and others, Mottley moved onto the powers of the presidential panel and its configuration. This meeting is a work in progress, Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness said during a break. Strong and decisive action, owned by the people of Haiti, must be taken to stem the seed of lawlessness and hopelessness before it is too late. The fear of the situation in Haiti worsening to become a civil war is now a real one, he added. At the conclusion of the meeting, which spanned nearly eight hours, Haitian leaders were told to provide names within 24 hours of people to serve on the panel. Among the groups to be represented are three political parties: Fanmi Lavalas, Pitit Dessalines and Engages pour le developpement, or EDE. There is also the Montana Accord, the coalition of civic groups and political parties; the December 21 Accord, which had backed Henry, and an alliance that includes the political party of former President Michel Martelly. Civic leaders and the religious communities will be observers. The U.S, Canada and Caribbean leaders have insisted for more than two years that the solution to Haitis crisis, which has exploded into the unprecedented attacks by armed groups, should be led by Haitians. And although there were Haitians involved in the discussions, some critics said it was also clear that the solution is being put together by the United States and CARICOM. The dream of a Haitian solution to Haitian problems is dying today, and it may never have had a chance given the internal and external constellation of power, said Robert Fatton, a Haiti-born expert and professor of political science at the University of Virginia. Since the fall of the Duvalier dictatorship in 1986, all the Haitian actors have claimed their sovereignty only to accept the solutions of the international community, he added. Fatton also questioned whether a presidential coalition to move Haiti toward elections can succeed in the midst of the violence and chaos: Do they expect the gangs to abandon their guns? U.S. intelligence leaders warned Monday that the country faces an "increasingly fragile world order" as it navigates a range of global threats exacerbated by adversaries' use of emerging technologies like AI. "The threat of malign actors exploiting these tools and technology to undercut U.S. interests and democracy is particularly potent as voters go to the polls in more than 60 elections around the globe this year," Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told the Senate Intelligence Committee at its annual hearing on the top threats to the nation. U.S. intelligence agencies are focused on China's efforts to manipulate the 2024 presidential election and the potential for bad actors to use AI tools to create and amplify disinformation campaigns. The U.S. is facing "an ambitious but anxious China, a confrontational Russia, some regional powers such as Iran, and more capable non-state actors [who] are challenging longstanding rules of the international system as well as U.S. primacy within it," the intelligence community said in its new 40-page unclassified report on worldwide threats. Read More: Why Spy Agencies May Lose Sweeping Surveillance Powers. The hearing represents an annual opportunity for lawmakers to publicly question the countrys top intelligence chiefs. In addition to Haines, CIA Director William Burns, FBI Director Christopher Wray, State Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research Brett Holmgren, National Security Agency Director Gen. Timothy Haugh, and the head of the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency, Lt. Gen Jeffrey Kruse, appeared before the Senate panel. Here are some of the threats covered in the hearing and report. China may target the 2024 U.S. elections Intelligence officials assess that China "may attempt to influence the U.S. elections in 2024 at some level because of its desire to sideline critics of China and magnify US societal divisions," according to the report. Under President Xi Jinping, "Chinese leaders believe it is essential to project power globally in order to be able to resist U.S. pressure," Haines said. But she also noted that Xi's focus on boosting Chinas economy may temper any election interference, which would jeopardize the relationship with the U.S. and potentially damage Chinas ability to attract foreign investment. TikTok under fire Lawmakers from both parties raised concerns about the popular social-media app, which is mentioned briefly in the intelligence report. "It uses the data of Americans to basically read your mind and predict what videos you want to see," Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida said. "The problem is the algorithm that powers it is controlled by a company in China that must do whatever the Chinese Communist Party tells them to do." In the report, U.S. spy chiefs note that China is demonstrating a higher degree of sophistication in its influence activity, including experimenting with generative Al. TikTok accounts run by a Chinese propaganda arm reportedly targeted both Democrat and Republican candidates from during the 2022 U.S. midterm elections. There is bipartisan agreement that the video-sharing app, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, poses a national security threat. A bill that would require the company to divest from the massively popular platform, which has about 170 million U.S. users, or face a ban is expected to come to a vote in the House of Representatives this week. It would require ByteDance to sell TikTok within six months or be banned from Apple, Google, and other U.S. app stores and web-hosting services. The measure was sponsored by Republicans, but has significant bipartisan supportCK. President Joe Biden, whose campaign recently created its own TIkTok account, has told reporters: If they pass it, Ill sign it." "High" risk of escalation in the Middle East The war in Gaza and the resulting humanitarian crisis has galvanized Arab countries in the region, where there is rising "public sentiment against Israel and the United States for the death and destruction," U.S. intelligence officials say in their report. "While it is too early to tell, it is likely that the Gaza conflict will have a generational impact on terrorism," Haines told lawmakers at the hearing, which was repeatedly interrupted by anti-war protestors. Inspired by Hamas, terrorist groups including al Qaeda and ISIS have directed supporters to conduct attacks against Israeli and American interests as the war drags on, Haines said. Read More: Inside the Israel-Hamas Information War. While the report states that the U.S. intelligence community assesses that Iranian leaders did not orchestrate nor had foreknowledge of Hamas Oct. 7 assault on Israel, attacks by Iranian-backed groups are threatening to destabilize Lebanon, Iraq, the Gulf, and the Red Sea. "The risk of escalation into direct interstate conflict, intended or otherwise, remains high," the intelligence report says. U.S. support for Ukraine is critical As the war in Ukraine enters its third year, U.S. intelligence chiefs emphasized the importance of continued U.S. military support. "The Ukrainians are not running out of courage and tenacity, they're running out of ammunition, Burns told lawmakers. And we're running out of time to help them." If the U.S. is seen as walking away from support for Ukraine, not only is that going to feed doubts amongst our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, it's going to stoke the ambition of Chinese leadership, the U.S. spy chief said. Intelligence leaders noted the challenge posed by Russia's strengthening ties with China, Iran, and North Korea, which they said was bolstering its defense production and economy. "Putin's strategic goals remain unchanged," Haines told the Senate panel. "He continues to see NATO enlargement and Western support for Ukraine as reinforcing his long-held belief that the United States and Europe seek to restrict Russian power and undermine him." Read More: Russias Space-Based Weapon Raises Fresh Fears About an Old Threat Intelligence chiefs also warned that Moscow could "put at risk long-standing global norms in the use of asymmetric or strategically destabilizing weapons, including in space and in the cyber domain." Last month, the White House said that Russia was pursuing a "space-based" anti-satellite capability that poses a serious national security concern. Write to Vera Bergengruen at vera.bergengruen@time.com. A family is pleading for answers in the search for a University of Missouri student who has been missing since Friday after leaving a bar in Nashville. Riley Strain, a 22-year senior, was last seen Friday night by friends at a bar in Nashvilles bustling Broadway area, known for nightlife, Metropolitan Nashville Police said. He was visiting town with his Delta Chi fraternity brothers for their spring formal, The St. Louis-Post Dispatch reported, but got separated after he was asked to leave country singer Luke Bryan's bar, Lukes 32 Bridge Food + Drink, his family told NBC affiliate WSMV of Nashville. At approximately 9:45 p.m., he was asked to leave Luke Bryans bar, Strains stepfather, Chris Whiteid, told the station. They got separated. The boys called him, and he said. 'Im walking back to my hotel.' They didnt think anything about it. When his friends returned to Tempo Hotel, about a half mile away from the bar, they saw Strains room key, but no sign of him. When they tried to call him, his phone was dead. The boys went out to search for him, checked his Snapchat locations, and went through the other fraternity brothers rooms, but did not find him and called his parents. Whiteid, along with his wife, Michelle Whiteid, traveled from Springfield, Missouri, to Nashville to search for him. We talk every day, multiple times a day, Michelle Whiteid said. This is the longest Ive ever gone without talking to him. Were in a bad dream. Can we wake up? Please, just let us wake up, her husband told WSMV. Riley Strain (Metropolitan Nashville Police Department) Chris Whiteid told The St. Louis Post-Dispatch that according to surveillance footage, it appeared that Strain was heading back to the hotel but took a wrong turn. It's not clear where that footage was from. Searches took place Monday including a helicopter search of Gay Street, the area where Strain was last seen, the riverbank and a ground search, but to no avail, police said. On Tuesday, police shared surveillance footage showing Strain, wearing a two-tone shirt, crossing 1st Avenue North to Gay Street at 9:47 p.m. on Friday. That cross section is about 0.7 miles from the bar he was at earlier. TC Restaurant Group, the operator and owner of Lukes 32 Bridge, said it too was working with police to provide security camera footage and other potentially helpful information to aid in the search for Strain. Strain is described as 6-foot-5 with a thin build, blue eyes and light brown hair. A news release from the University of Missouri Monday said that school officials were alerted this weekend that Strain was missing after traveling to Nashville to attend a private event. The school has been in touch with his family and Nashville authorities. The school said counseling resources are available to the campus community. The safety of our community is our highest priority, interim vice chancellor for Student Affairs Angela King Taylor said in a statement. Our thoughts are with Rileys family as the search continues. We will be offering any support to them that we can, and we encourage anyone who needs help to reach out to our counseling resources. The Delta Chi Fraternity said in a statement Monday it was aware that Strain was reported missing and the fraternity is actively engaged with university officials. Delta Chi is hopeful for Rileys safe return; our thoughts are with his family and the members of the Missouri Chapter during this time, the organization said. Anyone who has seen Strain is urged to call Metropolitan Nashville Police at (615)-862-8600. The United States wants to reopen an embassy in Libya - a decade after suspending operations there as Russia maintains an influential foothold in the country. In the State Departments fiscal year 2025 request, the agency asks for $12.7 million to enable a potential resumption of embassy operations in Libya, providing operational expenses for a planned Diplomatic Travel and Support Operations Facility as well as increased utilization of dedicated aircraft stationed in Malta for flights to Tripoli. With Russias influence rising on NATOs southern flank, U.S. presence with trips into Libya is vital to preserving our long-term security interests, the budget request states. A State Department official said Monday that the US is in active negotiations for an interim facility that would provide appropriate security and staffing support in the capital city of Tripoli. The move to reopen a US diplomatic compound in Libya comes as Moscow holds significant influence in the country. [A] number of countries are at the tipping point of actually being captured by the Russian Federation as they are spreading some of their false narratives across Libya and from a strategic answer piece, access and influence across the whole Maghreb, Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, the head of US Africa Command, warned last week. That is NATOs southern flank. We need to be able to have maintain access and influence across the Mahgreb, from Morocco all the way to Libya. Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted in a statement Monday that the budget also requests $3.9 billion for Diplomatic Security and related programs will protect U.S. diplomatic operations abroad, including our expanded presence in the Indo-Pacific, Libya, and Eastern Caribbean. The embassy in Tripoli suspended operations in July 2014 due to civil unrest, roughly two years after the attack on US facilities in the Libyan city of Benghazi. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed in that attack. The US continues to advise citizens not to travel to Libya due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed conflict. CNNs Haley Britzky contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com HPD Chief Troy Finner leads a news conference in Montgomery County following a fatal shooting of a robbery suspect Monday night, March 11, 2024. Houston Police Department via X Five officers from three different law enforcement agencies were placed on administrative duty Monday night after fatally shooting a man fleeing after he had robbed a liquor store at gunpoint, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said. The shooting happened just after 8 p.m. Monday near the Shoppes at Oak North North strip mall in Oak Ridge North, a small Montgomery County city about 30 miles north of downtown Houston. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office identified the man, who was pronounced dead after being taken to the hospital, as Houston resident Roosevelt Overton Jr., 44. Finner was joined by members of the Harris County Sheriff's Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Oak Ridge North Police Department and the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office during a Monday night news conference about the shooting. The agencies were tracking Overton, who was a suspect in multiple armed robberies in Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties, Finner said. Overton was seen looking into businesses before entering the liquor store and robbing it, Finner said. The officers attempted to stop the him after he left the store, but he ran, leading the officers into a nearby bayou, Finner said. Overton was carrying a gun while he ran and didnt listen to the officers commands to drop the weapons, Finner said. The officers opened fire because they feared for their own lives, Finner said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The officers who fired their weapons included a Houston Police Department sergeant and two officers, a Harris County Sheriffs Office deputy and a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper. None of the officers were wounded. Multiple agencies are investigating the robbery and whether the use of force by the officers was justified. It was not clear if Overton fired his weapon at the officers, but Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon said he brandished a gun. The shooting was caught on video cameras, Ligon said. The details of the shooting investigation will eventually be presented to a grand jury, which will decide if any charges should be brought against the officers, Ligon said. The suspect was given several opportunities to stop, Ligon said. The robbery and the shooting were both recorded, Ligon said, indicating the shooting appeared justified. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Were not going to act like something special happened here, he said. The shooting is the fourth time since February that Houston Police Department officers have been involved in the shooting deaths of criminal suspects. Actor Bradley Whitford, known for his role as deputy White House chief of staff on the show, The West Wing, spoke at Miami University on the effect of the show on political discourse today, OXFORD, Ohio Bradley Whitford spoke to a Miami University audience Monday night about his role in "The West Wing" and the "desperate" way people cling to the decades-old TV series today. Whitford played Josh Lyman, a White House deputy chief of staff, in the political drama which aired from 1999 to 2006. Several Obama White House staffers told Vanity Fair in 2012 that "The West Wing" prompted their interest in politics; former White House press secretary Jen Psaki said binge-watching the show brought her back to politics after leaving the Obama White House. Whitford is also a political activist who hosted a fundraiser for Pete Buttigieg's presidential campaign in 2019 and came to Cincinnati in 2018 to support Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval when he ran for Congress. In a discussion with, John Forren, a Miami University professor and executive director of the Menard Family Center for Democracy, Whitford said The West Wing has become "soothing progressive porn" with its depiction of well-intentioned, bright people trying to solve problems. Asked about the new generation of West Wing fans, Whitford said people hold onto the show in a different, more "desperate" way now. Whitford described his character on The West Wing as "heroically pragmatic" and said in a political system where you have to find a compromise with people you disagree with in order to get anything done, the main question Josh wrestled with is "How dirty do your feet have to get without you disappearing in the mud?" Whitford said he's proud that the show was not cynical about public service, but that he thinks people in progressive circles too often look to culture rather than politics for a moral vision. "The West Wing was a big hit, but it won't help you if you have a pre-existing condition and The Handmaid's Tale is doing very well, but it won't help you if you're a 13-year-old rape victim. The show was telling the story of how important politics are, especially following through politically, especially for our most vulnerable citizens," he said. He said he gets frustrated with progressives' need to fall in love with a candidate. "Voting isn't Tinder, you know. It's public transportation. It's ... to get you closer to where you want to go," he said. Erin is the watchdog reporter for Butler, Warren and Clermont counties through the Report For America program. The Enquirer needs local donors to help fund her grant-funded position. If you want to support Erin's work, you can donate to her Report For America position at this website or email her editor Carl Weiser at cweiser@enquirer.com to find out how you can help fund her work. Do you know something she should know? Send her a note at eglynn@enquirer.com and follow her on Twitter at @ee_glynn. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: West Wing star Bradley Whitford talked progressive politics at Miami San Diego Padres starting pitcher Blake Snell (4) reacts after being called for a balk during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park. The never-ending saga continues. As the MLB regular season continues to draw nearer, two game-changing southpaws remain unsigned: reigning National League Cy Young winner Blake Snell and 2023 World Series champion Jordan Montgomery. Although both players have been linked to countless teams throughout the offseason and many have speculated that deals with both players could happen at any moment, the pair remain without a team with just over two weeks left until the start of the regular season on March 28. Surely, many teams are interested in each player. After all, they are game-changing talents with the skill set to take any team's pitching staff to the next level. However, it's clear that their agent, Scott Boras, is looking to earn Snell and Montgomery larger paydays than any team is willing to offer. Eventually though, someone should break, whether it's the players themselves, Boras, or any GM looking to bolster their squad ahead of the 2024 season. Here are the latest rumors surrounding both Snell and Montgomery. MLB News: Aaron Judge undergoes MRI on his abs and gets results. What's next for Yankees' captain? Yankees still not interested in Snell after Cole injury Despite the New York Yankees offering a deal to Snell earlier this offseason, the team now seems uninterested in reigniting conversations with the reigning Cy Young winner even after their own reigning Cy Young winner, Gerrit Cole, underwent an MRI on his throwing elbow. According to SNY's Andy Martino, "the Cole news has not reignited the Yankees onetime pursuit of free agent ace Blake Snell." Even more, Martino made it clear that the team was not interested in trading for White Sox ace Dylan Cease either. The Yankees were reportedly interested in Cease at the start of 2024, but interest in the former Cy Young finalist has dropped off as the team has made other moves to shore up their starting rotation. Gerrit Cole's injury has not changed the Yankees' stance on signing Blake Snell, and a trade for Dylan Cease is also unlikely. More from @martinonyc: https://t.co/G5khhxvheA pic.twitter.com/xY5AAuWVn1 Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) March 13, 2024 Martino reports that "preliminary imaging [from Cole's MRI] did not show any ligament tears." However, Martino continues to say that there is enough concern surrounding Cole that he "will fly to Los Angeles for a visit with renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache." Martino claims that the best case scenario for the Yankees at this point is that they will be without Cole for only a month or two as, even if the diagnosis of "no ligament tear" holds up, Cole will need time to build back up to strength equal to the amount of time he was shut down. Despite all this though, "Coles injury has not inspired the Yankees to change their stance on signingBlake Snell. A trade for Chicago White Sox aceDylan Ceaseis also unlikely," Martino says. This news likely means one of two things. Either the Yankees are fairly certain that Cole's injury will not be season-ending, which could be the case given that Yankees manager Aaron Boone called the MRI "precautionary," or the team is content with the current situation with the starting rotation (even without Cole) after signing Marcus Stroman to a two-year, $37 million contract in January. Regardless of the reasoning, it appears the pool of teams interested in Snell is diminishing by the moment, even as teams endure spring training injuries, it appears Snell's price tag is so exorbitant that teams are willing to look elsewhere than at the pitcher voted best in the National League just a season ago. Angels are favorites to sign Snell Although the Los Angeles Angels were always in the running to land reigning NL Cy Young winner Blake Snell, the team has recently surged ahead as the runaway favorites. Bob Nightengale reports that Snell is now much more willing to sign a short-term contract with opt-out clauses, which should be more attractive to other teams. The only drawback with the Angels seems to be Arte Moreno's willingness to approve a big-name free agent purchase. The Angels have been burned by free agents in the past, most notably the acquisition of former Washington Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon. Even further back, the acquisitions of Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson, Joe Blanton, Justin Upton, Zack Cozart, and Josh Hamilton did not turn out as well as the team hoped. Since 2010, the Angels have only reached the playoffs only once, 2014, when they were promptly swept in the ALDS by the Kansas City Royals. So, perhaps, big name free agent signings are not the appropriate path to victory for the Angels. Jordan Montgomery looking for a long, long, long-term deal When thinking about a long-term deal, most people would consider four years a decent contract with some decent length offering some confidence that the player will maintain a sizable role in the organization for years to come. That would be an especially great deal for a player entering his age-31 season, right? Well, apparently not for Jordan Montgomery. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Montgomery is seeking a seven-year deal, which would keep him a member of the Red Sox through his age-37 season. The Red Sox, who have been linked to Montgomery all offseason are still the favorites to land the southpaw, but Montgomery's insistence on a long-term future with the team seems to be the main reason why a deal hasn't been reached. Although Montgomery has been a very solid pitcher over the last three seasons, having thrown 524.1 innings with a 3.48 ERA, the Red Sox do not seem inclined on making a splash this free agency period. Even with the addition of Montgomery, the Red Sox would still be far and away the weakest team in the AL East, unready to compete for a division title, let alone a World Series. Without faith that the current team can compete, the addition of Montgomery would simply be putting a bow on an otherwise insignificant squad. With that in mind, the idea that talks between Montgomery and the Red Sox could fall through without a deal being reached is becoming more and more likely. Injury News: Gerrit Cole MRI: Results of elbow exam will frame New York Yankees' hopes for 2024 This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB Rumors: Latest on Snell, Montgomery as MLB regular season nears Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics teams latest reporting and analysis from the campaign trail, the White House and Capitol Hill. In todays edition, senior national politics reporter Alex Seitz-Wald explains why neither party got what it wanted from former Special Cousel Robert Hur's testimony. Plus, national political correspondent Steve Kornacki breaks down whether the Joe Biden-Donald Trump rematch will be the longest general election campaign ever. A prosecutor meets politicians, and no one leaves happy By Alex Seitz-Wald In an election that is testing the political independence of the judiciary like never before, with one candidate facing prosecution overseen by his rivals Department of Justice, former special counsel Robert Hurs congressional testimony today showed how precarious it can be to try to enforce the law without appearing partisan. Hurs report last month delved into some of the critical questions of the 2024 election, including President Joe Bidens mental faculties and former President Donald Trumps alleged crimes. But during his roughly four-hour appearance before the House Judiciary Committee, Hur himself seemed to have no interest in answering those questions beyond the narrow scope of his probe. His testimony often felt more like a book report on his investigation into Bidens handling of classified documents. Do you have a news tip? Let us know Going into the hearing, Republicans were hoping for some bombshell revelations to revive their Biden impeachment effort, which appears to have stalled out after their star witness was arrested for allegedly lying about his claims. But Republicans did not get what they wanted. Hur offered no new evidence against the president, despite GOP fishing attempts for dirt on Bidens alleged influence peddling. Democrats, meanwhile, have spent the past several weeks crowing about the fact that Hur decided against charging Biden, while also lambasting him for what they say were gratuitous and inaccurate comments about Bidens faulty memory. Hur is a Republican who was appointed by Trump to be a U.S. attorney, some liberals have noted. But Democrats also did not get what they wanted from the hearing. Hur explained that his understanding of Bidens state of mind was not a side question, but a critical part of his job. My task was to determine whether the president retained or disclosed national defense information willfully meaning, knowingly and with the intent to do something the law forbids, he said. And he affirmed hearing memory lapses. And transcripts of Hurs two-day interview with Biden, released just before the hearing started, show several examples of the president struggling to remember a date or name, but also did not confirm some Republicans wilder claims about Bidens alleged cognitive decline. Nor did Hur fully exonerate Biden on the classified documents question, as some Democrats have claimed. In fact, Hur noted, he concluded that Biden did willfully mishandle classified material, but that he was unlikely to secure a jury conviction based on the evidence, so charges were not advised. But not-guilty-but-not-quite-innocent doesnt fit on a bumper sticker or a hashtag, and neither does Hurs more nuanced take on Bidens memory. In the end, both parties will inevitably salvage something from the hearing to use in the campaign, but no one really got what they wanted except perhaps for Hur, whose restrained testimony will likely be studied by other presidential prosecutors who will inevitably be asked to testify before Congress. Will 2024 be the longest general election campaign ever? Analysis by Steve Kornacki With perhaps the most suspense-free primary season in history winding down, it sure feels like the 2024 general election campaign will be the longest ever. And by one metric it could well be but just barely. Thats because todays primaries and caucuses in Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi and Washington state are set to give both Biden and Trump enough delegates to reach the magic number needed to clinch their parties nominations. Biden, now just 99 delegates short of the mark, figures to do so early probably in the 7 p.m. ET hour, when polls close in Georgia. For Trump, it will take a bit longer. Potentially, he could do it once Washingtons polls close at 11 p.m. ET. If that happens, then today, March 12, will be the day that both candidates clinch. And that would then leave 240 days until the Nov. 5 election, which would indeed set 2024 up to feature the longest general election campaign in the modern era. But vote tabulations and delegate allocations can sometimes take a while, so its possible Trump wont clear the number until after midnight, and maybe not even until Hawaiis results come in around 2 a.m. ET. Under this scenario, it would technically be tomorrow that both candidates clinch, which would leave 239 days until Nov. 5. And that would tie the record set in both the 2004 election between George W. Bush and John Kerry, and the 2000 election between Bush and Al Gore. Of course, this is just one metric to measure the length of a campaign, and it has its flaws. Four years ago, for instance, Biden crossed the Democrats delegate threshold on June 6. But that was a mere formality; Bernie Sanders had dropped out two months earlier and Biden had long since shifted his attention to Trump. So for all intents and purposes, the 2020 general election campaign was a lot longer than the 151 days shown above. On the other end of the scale, theres 1980, when Jimmy Carter obtained the needed delegates on June 3. But his Democratic primary opponent, Ted Kennedy, battled all the way until the August convention, pursuing a rules change that would free delegates from their existing commitments and allow them to vote for him instead. (The effort failed, of course.) It could be argued, then, that the Carter-Ronald Reagan campaign was much shorter than 155 days. Similarly subjective issues arise in other election years too, including the current one. While the formal delegate thresholds will be met tonight or early in the morning, media outlets (including NBC News) already declared Trump the presumptive Republican nominee last week after Nikki Haley dropped out. Was that the real start of the general election? Or was it even earlier than that? Even as Haley continued to campaign after Trumps Iowa and New Hampshire victories, it was taken as a given that hed be the GOP nominee, and the Trump and Biden teams were already aiming their fire at each other. Ultimately, calculating the precise length of a campaign is an art, not a science. Thats all from The Politics Desk for now. If you have feedback likes or dislikes email us at politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com And if youre a fan, please share with everyone and anyone. They can sign up here. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Galveston firefighters respond to a fire in the 700 block of 39th Street on Feb. 29, 2024. Coutesy/i45now A fatal Galveston fire last month was started by a man possibly seeking retribution over an unpaid drug debt, according to court documents related to a capital murder charge filed Monday. Courtney Thompson, 20, of Dickinson, was charged with capital murder and three counts of aggravated assault in connection to the Feb. 29 fire that killed Renita Hawthorne. HOUSTON AREA CRIME: Two Lamar CISD teachers found dead inside Richmond home Advertisement Article continues below this ad The fire ripped through a home in the 700 block of 39th Street, in a heavily residential area just north of Broadway. Hawthorne, 55, was a mother of six children. She died trying to get people out of the house, her family told ABC 13 in the aftermath of the early morning fire. Three people escaped the house after the fire began, police said. Island authorities were quick to say they suspected arson, but didnt immediately provide more details. Charging documents released Tuesday show that hours after the fire, Hawthornes son began receiving texts from a person claiming to be responsible for the fire, according to a criminal complaint. The son told police that he was being threatened because he had bought marijuana from a man and had been unable to pay his debt. The son wasnt in the house at the time of the fire, according to the complaint. Police connected Thompson to the fire through a group of videos collected near the scene and sent in by informants. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Thompson was seen buying two gas cans, cigars and gas the afternoon before the fire, according to police. He was also known to carry a retractable lighter, according to the complaint. Fire investigators believe that a fire was lit on two sets of stairs that lead into the house, which was raised on stilts, like many houses in the flood-prone part of the island. Hawthorne died due to burns and smoke inhalation, according to the charging documents. Thompson was seen walking toward the house with gas cans before the fire, and running away from the home after it began, according to the complaint. Thompson was arrested on Friday, according to the Galveston Police Department. The complaint names two other men as being involved in the threats or the gas purchase. Neither has been charged in connection to the fire as of Tuesday, according to Galveston County court records. Advertisement Article continues below this ad YEREVAN, MARCH 12, ARMENPRESS. Haiti's prime minister, Ariel Henry, will step down once a transition council and temporary replacement have been appointed, he said on March 11, Reuters reports. Ariel Henry was sworn in, unelected, after Haiti's President, Jovenel Moise, was assassinated in 2021 by Colombian mercenaries. Under a political deal, Haiti was supposed to hold elections and Henry cede power by 7 February, but that did not happen, sparking protests. Armed gangs massively grew their wealth, influence and territory under his administration, prompting Henry to travel to Kenya in late February to secure its support for a United Nations-backed security mission to help police. Violence in Haiti has spiralled in his absence and his plane was denied entry to Haiti. "The government that I am leading will resign immediately after the installation of (a transition) council," Henry said in a video address. "I'm asking all Haitians to remain calm and do everything they can for peace and stability to come back as fast as possible." Videos distributed on Haitian social media showed celebrations in the street, with people dancing to music in a party atmosphere and fireworks launched into the night sky. According to Reuters, regional leaders met on March 11 in nearby Jamaica to discuss the framework for a political transition, which the U.S. had urged last week to be expedited as armed gangs sought to topple his government. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had earlier Monday said the council would be tasked with meeting the "immediate needs" of Haitians, enabling the security mission's deployment and creating security conditions necessary for free elections. YEREVAN, MARCH 12, ARMENPRESS. Armenian border guards have enough experience to carry out service at Zvarntots Airport, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at a press conference Tuesday. "The border guard troops of Armenia sent a letter to the border guard troops of the Russian Federation in Armenia, thanking them for the support and service provided in the Zvartnots Airport since Armenia's independence, providing security and border control. They informed that the border guard service of Armenia, particularly at Zvartnots Airport, has already acquired sufficient experience, skills, and capabilities to carry out border guard control at Zvartnots without the assistance of the Russian side, Pashinyan said. YEREVAN, MARCH 12, ARMENPRESS. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, assured during a press conference Tuesday that there has never been any discussion and there can be no question about handing over any village in the Tavush region to Azerbaijan. He made this statement in response to questions about Azerbaijan's continued territorial claims against Armenia, specifically Azerbaijan's demand to hand over four villages in the Tavush region. According to Nikol Pashinyan, there is a certain misunderstanding about this issue. "The names of the villages being raised in the Azerbaijani press have never existed in the territory of the Republic of Armenia; moreover, not only during Soviet times but even afterward," Pashinyan clarified. During the past two years, Virtual IT Group (VITG) has made several strategic acquisitions, building itself into a business with more than 250 employees and an annual turnover of more than $80 million. VITG was founded in Shellharbour in 2015 by Christian Pacheco and has grown both organically and through acquisition, collecting many key vendor relationships along the way, which it is in the process of consolidating. Its 1,400 customer base spans legal, financial, medical and not-for-profit sectors across Australia, New Zealand, the US and Singapore. The purchase of Greenlight ICT in December 2022 placed the organisation in a position of being one of two Premier WatchGuard partners in Australia, a significant move that has seen it branch further into the cyber security services arena. "As a managed services provider, there was always a cyber element in our offering but it's become a heavy focus for us in recent times," VITG chief customer officer Chris Troncone said. "Managed IT support is our bread and butter but we've had weve had to pivot as an organisation in the last few years. In the last few months weve got cyber security teams and managed security services has become a core focus of our business. "Safeguarding against cyberattacks and data theft is a high priority for our customers and we've worked hard to develop product and service offerings that provide comprehensive, cost effective protection." Chris Troncone (Virtual IT Group) One of VITG's primary offerings in its go-to-market strategy is cyber security as-a-service, Troncone explained. "We do manage cyber security and weve got multiple vendors around the hardware space and firewall areas, which WatchGuard is one of our key partners. Were growing as an organisation and were currently standardising our product stack," he said. WatchGuard's firebox firewalls, secure Wi-Fi access points and secure SD-WAN solutions make up an integral part of VITG's cyber offering due to the earlier acquisition of WatchGuard partners Combo and ITelligent Consulting Services in 2019 and 2021, respectively. This excelled further with the Greenlight ICT purchase. "The performance and price point of WatchGuard's solutions make them very appealing to our customers and to us," Troncone said. "Essentially, we're able to offer them enterprise-level protection without the enterprise-level price tag." Being able to obtain a bird's eye view of the customer's perimeter, encompassing every office and remote site, through a single solution creates an element of efficiency for VITG to monitor and manage customer networks. "Using WatchGuard technology allows us to turn incidents and issues around quicker than with solutions from previous security vendors," Troncone said. "In the managed services and consultancy space, time is money so our focus is on partnering with vendors that enable us to deliver efficient services and support to our customers." Representing a steady source of revenue, WatchGuard's products have helped the VITG sales team get a foot in the door with customers that are looking to strengthen their cyber security posture. "Being able to supply customers with high performing cyber security solutions like WatchGuard doesn't just allow us to win business; it can also create opportunities to upsell and expand the relationship," Troncone said. Accessing WatchGuard's team of pre-sales specialists also add to the benefits of the partnership. "They're always willing to jump on customer calls and that's been very helpful in terms of getting new business over the line," Troncone said. Once won, implementations are typically conducted swiftly, with minimal disruption - a bonus for both client and service provider, in an era when every minute of downtime matters. "We find projects just get done quicker when WatchGuard is involved," Troncone said. "If we're putting in new internet services for clients and we have to install a new firewall, we always see the ones with WatchGuard go in faster." Receiving responsive service when they encounter technical difficulties has made WatchGuard one of the VITG engineering team's preferred vendors too. "Our people know they can jump on a call and get the answers they need straightaway," Troncone said. "Having 24-hour access to that deep technical support can come in very handy." As a WatchGuard Platinum Partner, VITG has access to co-marketing funds and digital marketing campaigns. WatchGuard Australia and New Zealand (A/NZ) and Pacific islands regional director Anthony Daniel said his aim is to have a go-to-market strategy together. "We're working together and understanding what do partners need from us to help go-to-market and to grow your business; that's number one. What resources or tools do you need from us? We have local presence, account managers [and] a sales teams that can also engage with end users to help get those opportunities across the line as well," Daniel said. "From a technical perspective and having engineers assist them, we have qualified opportunities and for us to get the fundamentals right is understanding what do we need to do together to help us grow the business? How do we do it and target the market, strategically? "We want to be seen as not only a vendor that pushes products out, but how do we support partners to try and sing that cyber security message to make sure that customers are protected, and educated in the right way?" Small businesses are at an overwhelmingly higher risk of cyber and ransomware attacks than their enterprise peers, CrowdStrike says. About 70 per cent of cyber attacks target small -to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs), with about 63 per cent facing ransomware and advanced threats, according to a recent report. This leaves the market wide-open for opportunities for managed services providers (MSPs) and managed security services providers (MSSPs) to play a central role in an SMB's security environment. In Australia, the SMB market contributes half a billion dollars to the economy in gross domestic product (GDP), making up about 2.5 million businesses, according to the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO). Cythera services director Ben Cuthbert said SMB IT teams are struggling with budget constraints and with having to deal with a wider range of tasks, particularly in managing cloud environments. "Theyre maintaining software-as-a-service (SaaS) platforms with critical data and business information," Cuthbert said. "Theyre having to do more with less, more than they ever have been and I think security is becoming a second or third priority for a lot of these teams." Cuthbert said it was often brought in post-breach, addressing the incident response for a lot of SMB clients, which is often a crippling business event. "It doesnt matter whether youre a small, one or two person shop all the way up to 1000-seat multinationals, were all having to deal with the same security problems and arguably for SMBs, these security events are actually much more business crippling because they literally shut you down and you just cant trade," Cuthbert said. "One thing that were seeing is just a lot like clients are a lot savvier about buying managed services and a lot of clients are realising that they cant have everything in-house." Security monitoring, alert triage, incident response, were a few of the services clients were requesting. Cuthbert said Cythera uses automation to enrich alerts and bring events together as analysts need to make quick decisions when looking at an incident and need all the key information at hand, on top of using the CrowdStrike Falcon platform. "Thats an area where we feel were a bit ahead of the curve where we invest heavily both in people in terms of development, but also in some of the platforms," he said. "Were a very DevOps heavy team because to scale security you really need to invest heavily in automation and orchestration and that's where we're focusing. "We've been doubling in size every year since we've been trading for the past five years," he said. For National IT Solutions technical director Paul Maranzano, the biggest hurdle for SMBs was the resourcing and costing that comes with securing their business environment. "It comes as a bit of a shock to them," Maranzano said. Taking stock of the CrowdStrike Falcon Complete platform, Maranzano said it was always seen as an enterprise product, out of reach for its clients, until recently. "CrowdStrike has MSP and an MSSP offering, which was actually quite affordable for us to sell to our clients and something that clients could digest. We've reached the point of bringing enterprise solutions into our clients," Maranzano said. "Were investing in utilising the CrowdStrike platform to demonstrate the threats that are being detected and what else can be done to prevent them. "We have an obligation to lead by example and take our own cyber security training very seriously." CrowdStrike Asia Pacific vice president of channels and alliances Jon Fox said most of its business has been heavily focused on the enterprise side of the market but it has started to scale down into the SMB segment. This has also filtered into its partner ecosystem: while it's traditional focus has been fully on MSSPs, the vendor is turning its attention towards smaller MSPs on the Falcon platform. "MSPs are trying to decrease their cost of sale so they can provide a more comprehensive and cost-effective solution to customers because SMBs arent exactly rolling in money and don't have multi-million dollar budgets to spend on security, Fox said. CrowdStrike launched Falcon Complete for Service Providers in September last year, aiming to reward MSSPs, MSPs and system integrators to help them expand their security portfolios, close skills gaps and strengthen internal teams. Partners can tap onto Falcon Complete's existing team and offerings to create co-branded or white-labelled managed security services. Fox pointed out that SMBs typically do not have the resources, funds or skills to address cyber security properly within their own organisation. "Equally, the MSPs who are doing the traditional break-fix, theyre doing a lot of infrastructure, services and they dont necessarily have a huge depth skill set around security either, and to go and build that themselves is incredibly expensive. Especially if you can even find the people to be able to do that to begin with," Fox said. "This is where we can let our MSPs leverage our Falcon Complete service, and then white label that to their customers, and they also then can wrap other services around that." "Falcon Complete is a great service, but its not all things to everything. Its not designed to be that and theres an opportunity for partners to wrap additional services around Falcon Complete and white label that to SMBs." Fox explained its focus was not just giving the MSPs an endpoint solution, but the chance to bolt services such as identity, cloud, vulnerability management, and so on. "All these additional modules help the MSP protect the SMB, but also as an MSP, youre your profitability comes from the efficiency that you have in your business," Fox said. Fox said the vendor currently has more than 500 integrations into its alliances ecosystem and it will continue to expand that. "We'll continue to build more automation around billing and provisioning, all those kinds of things that MSPs need day-to-day," he said. Aldine residents hold up signs in opposition to a proposed concrete batch plant during a public meeting by TCEQ at the East Aldine Management District building on Thursday, April 7, 2022, in Houston. Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer A drone photo of workers putting on the final touches on an all inclusive playground at James Driver Park in Aldine on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Workers put on the final touches on an all inclusive playground at James Driver Park in Aldine on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer A slide is one of the features at the all-inclusive playground at James Driver Park in Aldine on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer A drone photo of workers putting on the final touches on an all inclusive playground at James Driver Park in Aldine on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Workers put on the final touches on an all inclusive playground at James Driver Park in Aldine on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer At the grand reopening of James Driver Park in East Aldine, County Commissioner Adrian Garcia got emotional addressing the crowd of excited residents and children in wheelchairs, ready to roll across the park transformed for kids of all abilities thanks to a $7.6 million yearlong project. Ive got your back here, this is your park, Garcia said on a blustery Saturday in December 2021. You will be protected here, he promised. This is your home. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Just a few months after, however, the community learned that yet another concrete batch plant would be opening. The eighth in the community. This time, right next to the park where children in wheelchairs now zoom around and physical therapists use the equipment to help their clients grow stronger and more confident. Residents worried not just about the noise and truck traffic but the health effects of the dust that can come from the facilities that create ready-mix concrete. The community held a meeting to voice their disapproval. Representatives from the state's environmental agency that issues industry permits even attended. But it was only for residents to later discover that their opportunity to challenge the permit had passed. That was just a slap in the face, resident Shirley Ronquillo told the Houston Chronicle. Its an all-too-familiar frustration for certain parts of the county, which has more than 100 concrete batch plants, largely concentrated in Black and Hispanic neighborhoods. Plants with a standard permit can operate all day and night, emitting crystalline silica dust and fine particulate matter that have been linked to all manner of lung disease and cardiovascular problems. Advertisement Article continues below this ad All of this weighed on Garcia during the back-and-forth with the state. Even today, that moment that the community realized there was nothing they could do to stop the permit moving forward still stings. "It is something I am never going to forget," Garcia said. The park was transformational for a community that had long "accepted just crumbs," he said, from local government and with some of the lowest life expectancy rates in the county. Garcia had to find another way to make good on his promise. Unable to halt the permit, Garcia has instead been negotiating to buy the land. "It's the right thing to do," he said. We hope Garcia's persistence pays off. While the lack of zoning in Houston can be a good thing, allowing owners to quickly adapt and reuse their properties, our most vulnerable communities deserve better than industrial polluters popping up with limited warning at their fence line. Even if Garcia's one-time intervention works, it won't address the wider problem. In lieu of such drastic intervention, vulnerable communities deserve more protection. Which is why the new state permit requirements that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality adopted in January of this year were such a victory. After legal fights with the county and a revealing review by the state, the new requirements would lessen the impact of the plants by requiring, among other measures, better dust management and greater machinery setbacks from the property line as well as setting stricter production limits. Advertisement Article continues below this ad That victory, however, doesn't help residents who want change now. The problem was that facilities would have either two years to meet the new requirements or until their 10-year permit is up for renewal, whichever is longer. At least 50 facilities in the county have more than five years on their current permits, according to the county attorneys office, which is now suing the state to speed up the implementation timeline. If the TCEQ, by its own modeling, has decided that the previous permit was not protective of human health and the environment, they should require companies to comply with the updated permit as soon as reasonably possible, said County Attorney Christian Menefee. This is stuff that every single company could do tomorrow. Industry leaders, apparently, agree that the new regulations at least are reasonable. They have been largely supportive of the new requirements, at least on paper. I think its a good update to the standard permit, Josh Leftwich, president of the Texas Aggregates and Concrete Association, told the Chronicle in January. Advertisement Article continues below this ad READ MORE: Baytown residents slam Exxon over petrochemical facility operations at TCEQ hearing He reiterated his support in a statement to the editorial board this week: TACA members are committed to abiding by the rules and regulations of the agencies that oversee them, as they continue to deliver the vital construction materials to a growing Texas. Slow-walking change doesn't necessarily help businesses. "This isn't an anti-industry approach," Garcia said. "Industry wants a level playing field where everyone is held accountable." That wouldn't be the case if some companies have a decade to modernize and others have to do so now. So whats the holdup? TCEQ hasnt filed its official response to the lawsuit, and a spokesperson declined to comment on the pending litigation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Surely, the state agency can move quickly and adopt an approach that truly honors the urgency of protecting the health and environment of our overburdened communities. The county has already had to step up where the state doesnt. Between January 2020 and June 2023, its pollution control division conducted 313 concrete batch plant investigations, issuing 172 violation notices. In the case of one north Houston facility, the county said it found repeated violations over the course of 12 inspections, including poor reporting, emissions above the maximum limit, unpaved entry and exit routes, stockpiled material kept too close to the property line and, worst of all, dust that had floated into the surrounding neighborhood, accumulating in ditches and creating "slurry-like solids," which were discharged into drains. With its latest lawsuit, the county continues to fill a regulator role. "We are becoming the de facto state enforcement arm," said Garcia. Houston has long relied on the ready-mix cement that the industry supplies we all use the roads and buildings made from that cement but the prosperity of some Houstonians shouldn't sicken others. Our communities deserve immediacy, said Menefee. Our state environmental regulators should not be negotiating with industry on a delayed timeline to implement necessary measures that we all agree will protect people who live by polluting facilities. TACA later clarified that while the industry group offered input to the state on the new permit regulations, it did not work with the state on the timeline on implementation. In this state, unfortunately, it takes a lawsuit to get some urgency. Editor's note: This editorial has been updated in two places with clarification from the Texas Aggregates and Concrete Association. Indian Navy must prepare to expand and strengthen its teeth by upgrading all its bases Is India taking note of the crucial role which naval forces are playing in the land wars of Europe and the Levant? Or the unprecedented rise in Chinese naval aggression, which is constantly hunting anyone and everyone in the seas around the South Asia coastline? Isnt India feeling the heat of the Communist Party of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army and Navys hostile acts in and around Indias Exclusive Economic Zone and over islands adjacent to New Delhis 4,104 nautical mile coastline? Its time for Indias establishment to recognise the emergency-like situation that requires restructuring of the command, control and forward deployment of naval forces in its own region. There is no other non-Western Navy like India that could be peacefully deployed or is qualified to help at least 20 Indian Ocean rim states in the way Indias seamen are operating across the Bab el Mandeb, Arabian Sea and the Red Sea waters. In the Middle East, while India has good relations with the Jewish state and friendly ties with most of its neighbours, as well as the Gulf emirates, all of which have a large Indian diaspora, the erratic behaviour of the Houthi rebels in the Red Sea and terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas bring the unpredictability factor, even though they may not have any serious issues with India or its professional Navy. The great unknown factor that might affect the sea routes between Europe and Asia are the activities of the PLA Navy -- should it extend its domineering conduct around the South China Sea to the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean! The geopolitical scenario for India indeed is becoming more complicated, with the conventional land and territorial issues spilling over water with far-reaching consequences. The latest grave provocations originate from a shaky, erratic and misguided Maldives establishment. In its eagerness to demonstrate its strategic importance and play a larger than life role in the sea, it has unwittingly stirred the beehive. China has clearly got a willing and pliable Lilliput inside Indias EEZ. The Indian Navy will now have to get more assertive in these waters, as it cannot allow such arm-twisting at the behest of an outside power. The need for a restructuring of the Indian Navys command and control, and of modifying its fleet deployment, has become extremely urgent. The Navy has three regional Command, Visakhapatnam (East), Mumbai (West) and Kochi (South). Effectively, however, only the East and West are operational commands, with the South in charge of training. This writer believes that the Navy must prepare to expand and strengthen its teeth by upgrading all its bases. Let Kochi be the Training, Ship Building and Maintenance Command. Besides Vizag and Mumbai, Laccadive and Minicoy can be made the new South-West Naval Command, with long-range and offensive capable ships, submarines and air wing. The Andamans Tri-Services Command must be expanded further to make it a full-fledged self-sufficient command. Two frontier states in the west and east -- Gujarat and West Bengal must be urgently upgraded with two fleets (though not necessarily under a three-star vice-admiral), with independent operational responsibility and capability. The Chinese, one must remember, have already penetrated deep into all three neighbouring navies -- of Myanmar, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Submarines, frigates, destroyers and corvettes are all sourced by Dhaka, Naypitaw and Islamabad from Beijing, thereby banking on spares, logistics and maintenance; all influenced by Chinese naval doctrine on ops against India, the biggest naval power in South Asia. True, Indias targets are not Bangladesh or Myanmar, but the Chinese PLA Navys vessels are brazenly lurking in the vicinity, using these countrys ports. On Pakistan, its a different ballgame owing to the congenital defective psyche and inferiority complex of Islamabads Army generals born out of the surrender in Dhaka in December 1971. Both Bangladesh and Pakistan today have four naval bases each with small shoreline of 367 nautical miles (Dhaka) and 567 nautical miles (Islamabad), in comparison to Indias 4,104 nautical miles along with mid-ocean islands. The Chinese are cunningly eyeing Indias South Asian neighbours ports and naval bases under the garb of the Belt and Road Initiative. Also, while Indias seven Army and seven Air Force Commands have to keep vigil over 32.88 lakh sq km of territory, the Navy, with two operational commands, has to survey and do surveillance of 7,05,40,000 sq km of Indian Ocean and the two comparatively smaller water bodies of the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. The waters around India are now becoming choppier by the day. Todays Black Sea and Red Sea hostilities clearly show that the mightiest of warships have vulnerabilities, and are often shaken by small, minuscule boats with agile sailors operating small arms like drones and missiles. The Russian fleets repeated failures in the Black Sea and the US aircraft- carrier strike groups facing trouble handling the non-state Houthi rebels are a clear warning to all conventional navies. The problem arises due to big ships operating in small seas, shallow waters and restricted spaces, which make it hard to manoeuvre. The dispersal of fleets, sailors and command structures is thus the preferable way out. The concentration of too many ships in a single port or single command can spell disaster. Pearl Harbour in December 1941 is a classic example, so is the Pakistan Navys treatment in Karachi port in December 1971. Since then, Pakistan has dispersed its fleet across 567 nautical miles, while Bangladeshs 386 nautical miles also has four naval bases. The naval infrastructure of each of Indias neighbours has fallen into Chinese hands. Therefore, it is vital for the Indian fleet to disperse, deploy and destroy with multiple commands with different types of combat vessels. Indias unique advantage is its ability to do forward deployment without being 10,000 km away from its forward bases, unlike the US and British navies in relation to Guam, Guadalcanal, Okinawa or Falklands. Indias own islands are there for our Navy to dock, develop and deploy to take on all those sailing down the adjacent sea lanes. Indias islands, both west and east, are natural runways for long-range maritime patrol, reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare and very low frequency (VLF) listening posts for sub-surface adversary flotillas with bases in the strategic mouths of waterways. In addition, satellite communications and high-altitude aerial photos in mid-ocean islands will add to overall preparedness of the Navys mission. Its time, therefore, for India to push for a radical expansion and upgrade of command/combat preparedness around all its bodies. Any delay could lead to a future disaster like 1962. (The writer is an alumnus of the National Defence College, New Delhi. The views expressed here are personal) Critics argue that the CAA violates India's foundational principles The decision of the Union government to notify the Citizenship Amendment Rules, 2024, which makes operational the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, days before elections to the 18th Lok Sabha are to be announced could trigger legitimate questions about the intentions of the government. The law, and the rules, would enable unaccounted people from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who belong to any of the six religions Hinduism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Jainism and Christianity to gain Indian citizenship if they had migrated to India before December 31, 2014. They can produce any one of the listed documents birth certificate, tenancy records, identity papers, licence or educational certificate issued by a government authority in the three countries for the purpose. On the face of it, the rules are meant to help minorities persecuted on religious grounds in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, as Union Home Minister Amit Shah has promised. Mr Shah would go one step further and claim that it is the realisation of the promise of the makers of our Constitution to the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians living in those countries. But those who have a different opinion about the Constitution and the process of its drafting would argue that the CAA violates its foundational principles, most importantly, Article 14, which mandates that the state shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India. By excluding Muslims from these regions, the government is denying them equality before the law and equal protection of the law. Another argument forwarded by them is that the law has introduced religion as a criterion for the government to take a decision undermining both the Constitution and the secular character of the republic. It is to be noted that the Supreme Court has not yet found time to hear a plethora of petitions submitted before it questioning the constitutionality of this now-four-year old law. The CAA would be the piece of legislation that faced the most criticism and opposition in the country, not counting the three agriculture laws that were repealed by the government. The Act, along with the stated objective of the Union government to implement a National Register of Citizens (NRC), sowed suspicion in the minds of people that the government was targeting the Muslim community. Instead of sitting with the protesters and explaining its intentions, the government took them on with all the might at its command, further exacerbating their doubts and the sense of alienation. The BJP which is targeting 370 seats for itself and 400 for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) it heads in the Lok Sabha elections would presume the reignited discussion on the CAA at this juncture would project itself as the custodians of nationalism. Presumably, it is not worried about critics taunts such as the one from Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK president M.K. Stalin who asked why the BJP is opting for this measure if it was so sure of the results of the election. Several Opposition parties have already raised their objection to the notification and its timing, holding the government guilty of introducing a divisive agenda ahead of the election. Coming days will go to show as to whether the government is serious about its stated objective behind the law or merely wants to use the rules as a political tool. Bank gives raw data to EC; poll panel races to place the details on its website today The Supreme Court on Monday had ordered the SBI to disclose the details of electoral bonds to the election commission by Tuesday evening. New Delhi: Complying with the Supreme Courts order, the State Bank of India on Tuesday submitted the data pertaining to electoral bonds to the Election Commission (EC). The data is voluminous and is learnt to be in raw format. Sources in the EC said the poll body is working on a war footing to meet the March 15 deadline to upload the entire data pertaining to who donated how much to which party through electoral bonds on its website. In compliance with the Supreme Court's directions to the SBI, contained in its orders dated February 15 and March 11, data on electoral bonds has been supplied by the SBI to the election commission, the EC spokesperson said. Sources in the EC said their team is on the job to meet the Supreme Court deadline and the pre-2019 data is in the process of being uploaded in a phased manner. Possibly this data, along with the new data, will be published simultaneously by the evening of March 15. The Supreme Court on Monday had ordered the SBI to disclose the details of electoral bonds to the election commission by Tuesday evening. As per the order, the election commission will have to publish the details shared by the bank on its official website by 5 pm on March 15. However, much drama happened before the SBI handed over the electoral bond data to the EC. On Monday, the SBI urged the Supreme Court to give it time till June 30 to collate the voluminous data. Rejecting the SBI's request, the apex court ordered the bank to submit all details by Tuesday evening or it will take contempt of court action against SBI chairman Dinesh Kumar Khara. Meanwhile, the president of the Supreme Court bar association (SCBA) shot off a letter to President Droupadi Murmu seeking a presidential reference and adding that the Supreme Court judgment in the electoral bonds case should not be implemented till the reference is heard. Now, the president of the SC bar association seeks a rehearing of the electoral bond case through a presidential reference under Article 143. This move, if pursued, will fraudulently convert an advisory jurisdiction into an appellate one. What scares the Modi government, the nation wants to know, wrote CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury on X. The SBI has issued electoral bonds worth Rs 16,518 crores in 30 tranches since the inception of the scheme in 2018. The Supreme Court, however, on February15, scrapped this scheme that allowed anonymous political funding, calling it "unconstitutional" and ordered disclosure by the EC of donors, the amount donated by them and recipients. During the hearing, the attorney-general R. Venkataramani submitted that the citizens do not have the right to information under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution regarding the funding of a political party. by Dario Salvi Over the weekend, the bells at Ibrahim Al-Khalil Church chimed for the first time. Its inaugural Mass will take place by Easter. Speaking to AsiaNews, the engineer who conceived and financed its construction calls for peace in Gaza, saying that the Church will be a place full of symbolism to "show the world" our Christian "identity. Many now hope that it will draw pilgrims to rediscover their land. Milan (AsiaNews) Last weekend the bell chimed for the first time at the Ibrahim Al-Khalil Church, in Ur, Iraq. Its first Mass is expected during the Easter holidays, inaugurating the place of worship and its entire complex. This is designed to lure back pilgrims to a place that made the history of religions and humanity, and encourage Christians to return to Iraq as well as mark Pope Franciss visit three years ago. The construction of the Church of Abraham, the father of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, is about to be completed, part of a much larger, pyramid-shaped complex rising in the desert. In early March, a large polished clay bell was installed in the tower, while workers were busy putting the last touches to the building and cleaning its large windows. In addition to being a symbol of interfaith dialogue, the church seeks to encourage Iraqi Christians whose numbers dropped considerably from around 1.5 million more than 20 years ago to a few hundreds of thousands today. Ur is a holy place, because of the birth of the prophet and it unites us to God, said Adour Ftouhi Boutros Katelma, promoter of the project, speaking to AsiaNews from his office in Baghdad. Abraham is the father of all prophets, he is the shared by Christians, Jews and Muslims. Ur is also the place where one of the earliest civilisations was born, where many of the sciences such as mathematics, physics, even music were born. This explains the choice to build a church [after the pope's visit], because it is the place of Abraham and because we wanted to erect a building to show the world our identity." Abrahams church Boutros Katelma, 79, is an engineer. A Christian originally from Mosul, he now lives permanently in Baghdad; he is the heart and soul of the church, the result of Pope Francis' visit to Iraq in March 2021, the first international trip after the lockdowns imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, the papal visit appeared to deliver a courageous message of hope to a world that was struggling to reopen amid the global health emergency, as well as a courageous call to follow the path of interfaith dialogue. It was a show of support for the Arab country as it started the slow process of rebirth after the war and sectarian violence triggered by the US invasion of 2003, such as the rise in 2014 of the Islamic State (IS) with its legacy of blood, deaths, and destruction. The Church of Abraham is not only a place of worship, but also a religious, social, and cultural centre closely linked to Francis and his message on the shared affiliation of believers to the prophet of the three great monotheistic religions. It is a further step in interfaith dialogue after the signing of the document on brotherhood in Abu Dhabi in 2019 with the Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb of al-Azhar, a spiritual leader of Sunni Islam, and the meeting, in Iraq, with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the country's highest Shia authority. The complex has a round shape that "encloses" history facing east. Its three parts symbolise the Trinity, while the interior is accessed through a large staircase similar to a ziggurat according to a model inspired by transcendence, elevation, and the upward search for purity. White stone, a symbol of purity, was used in the construction to strengthen the message of spirituality. Pilgrimage to Ur The church will not only serve the local Christian community, but is also meant to attract tourists from all over the world, especially Christian pilgrims. "The Pope's visit to Iraq, especially to Dhi Qar Governorate and the ancient city of Ur, was of historical importance," said Shamil al-Rumaidh, director of antiquities in Dhi Qar province, where the ancient city of Ur is located. The new church can become one of Iraqs main tourist attractions, because it was built... near the archaeological sites of the ancient city of Ur. People will be able to learn and discover the past, as well as pray in a place of worship that refers to the present and the papal visit. The complex includes a meeting hall for Christian pilgrims visiting the land of Abraham, created thanks to the personal commitment of the Chaldean engineer who oversaw the project and provided the necessary funds for its realisation. The first chime of the bells last weekend was a test to see if it works properly, said Adour Ftouhi Boutros Katelma. It was truly a fantastic, exciting moment, so much so that I cannot even express in words how happy I was. At the same time, I was also very proud to have completed the work. From Ur to Gaza, peace, and dialogue With the church in Ur, we wanted to remind everyone that Christians are originally from Iraq, so that they can return and discover their land, their past, their roots, said the Chaldean engineer. Iraq has lost most of its Christian population, but there are many opportunities, especially in terms of business and development, above all in infrastructure, because much has been destroyed by the war. One can build and do business here. Still, at the social level, we must work for mutual understanding, and this is the right time to rebuild. This rebirth must be based on dialogue, people-to-people relations, on breathing new life into the social fabric that binds Muslims, Christians, and members of other minorities, whose ideal starting point was the pope's visit in March, three years ago. The pope's visit had great effect and represented the highest point in the history of Christianity in Iraq. It also was of great significance for the entire Middle East region, said Adour Ftouhi Boutros Katelma. Even today it is talked about in the media and society. In Baghdad, for example, when talking about the Church, it is natural and automatic to associate her to the pontiff and his trip to Iraq with his message of peace, dialogue, and outreach. The latter is very topical given what is happening in Gaza, a conflict that worries because there is great fear that it could spread to the entire region, laments the Christian Iraqi. Everyone wants to avoid such an escalation. "This is why the Ibrahim Al-Khalil church carries a message of peace for all religions, for all places, including Gaza. No more conflicts, there is no reason to wage war, everyone (Palestinian or Israeli) has the right to live in their own land and do so in peace. GATEWAY TO THE EAST IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO MIDDLE EAST. TO RECEIVE A WEEKLY UPDATE EVERY TUESDAY, CLICK HERE. Inaugurated by Modi in the foothills of the Himalayas, it will facilitate connections in Arunachal Pradesh, including military links to the de facto border with the People's Republic of China. Claiming sovereignty over the region, Beijing issued an official protest. New Delhi (AsiaNews) The new Sela tunnel, inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Modi on Saturday, is once again raising tensions between New Delhi and Beijing in the foothills of the Himalayas. The new structure completes a project that began in 2019. Of strategic importance, the Sela tunnel consists of two tunnels and 8.7 km of access road for a total length of about 12 km. It was dug under the Sela Pass, which is 4,200 metres high and connects Tawang district to the rest of Arunachal Pradesh. From an engineering point of view, it is the highest double-lane tunnel in the world and will replace a road that is often closed due to snowfall and landslides. Above all, the area is important from a strategic point of view because of its proximity to the Line of Actual Control, Indias de facto border with the People's Republic of China. The lack of viable roads and rail links in Arunachal Pradesh has always been considered a distinct disadvantage for India vis-a-vis China along this border. In recent years, the Modi government invested heavily in infrastructure in the countrys northeast region, with the construction of new airports and rail links. This is also why Beijing's reaction was not long in coming. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin stated that his government had officially protested to New Delhi. "The area of Zangnan is Chinese territory," he said, using the Chinese name for Arunachal Pradesh. The China-India boundary question has yet to be solved. India has no right to arbitrarily develop the area of Zangnan in China. Indias relevant moves will only complicate the boundary question and disrupt the situation in the border areas between the two countries. According to a report by the Bloomberg agency, New Delhi has deployed 10,000 soldiers in recent months to strengthen the disputed border area with China, thus adding further stress to the already sour relations with Beijing. by Vladimir Rozanskij After years of calling politics 'the empire of evil', the publisher Ermurat Bapi - a long-standing antagonist of former president Nazarbayev - from Mazilis now fights for the return of assets stolen abroad and participates in the drafting of the new media law. Explaining: 'We must open gaps and create bridges, bringing the upper echelons closer to the masses'. Astana (AsiaNews) - MP Ermurat Bapi has intervened in the debate on reforms and changes in Kazakhstan, the largest country in Central Asia. For many years, he has published a magazine opposing the eternal regime of Nursultan Nazarbaev , and still today from his seat at Mazilis he tries to defend civil society and the independence of the media, in a crucial confrontation for the future of the country. Bapi entered parliament for the first time in last year's elections, and so far he says he is "still trying to get used to it, given that I have spent the last 25 years with a way of life free from any conditioning", while in fact he was publisher and the protagonist of the independent press. In journalistic work "there are no timetables, the important thing is that the newspaper comes out on time with everything you need", not like the obligatory scans of working as a deputy. So far the most important result of this legislature, in his opinion, is the approval of the law on the return of goods taken abroad, in the drafting of which he himself participated with great passion. Our projects and desires clash with reality, where the possibilities are very limited, and personal initiatives are not enough, it is a collective body with many levels of comparison, we must learn to act in such a way as to reach the point together end". However, the most charismatic representative of the opposition states that he is "not particularly disappointed", and that he has been convinced since the tragic events of January 2022 that "direct and radical opposition does not lead to any results", and for this very reason he has decided to run to the elections. Bapi believes that it is important to "work on the buffer zones" between power and society, because the opposition movements alone will not be able to build a "new Kazakhstan" without involving the whole of society. We need to open gaps and create bridges, bringing the upper echelons closer to the masses, and perhaps we are starting to see results: We have demonstrated to those in charge that society is ready for changes. In the past Bapi supported the Republican People's Party of Kazakhstan, founded in 1998 by former Prime Minister Akezan Kazegeldin, which had played a very hard opposition role until its dissolution in 2001, and then joined the "Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan" movement . The current Alga, Kazakhstan! was not admitted to the electoral competitions, and the current moderate choice derives from the fact that "all these initiatives have not produced any change". As late as 2020, Bati maintained that "politics is the empire of evil, where only cynicism dominates", after being ousted from yet another attempt to "bring the voice of the Kazakh people into parliament". Today he insists that we must not give up our principles, but try to use the opportunities still available, given that in any case "the regime in power controls everything", including the possibility of supporting the free press. His magazine Dat has agreed to apply for public funding, and according to its founder "all newspapers and magazines should do so, because independence does not depend so much on money, but above all on what you write". The deputy is part of the parliamentary working group for a new law "On the mass media", the project of which also provides for the extrajudicial closure of the media "in the event of a threat to national security". Bati comments that "the discussion will still be long", and in any case national security "is defined by laws and entrusted to the competent bodies", it cannot be dependent on the discretion of one or more people. The deputy journalist himself has been called upon numerous times to answer for his writings at a civil and administrative level, but "never for criminal offences, you have to know how to express yourself in the context in which you live". He is confident that the new law "will not be repressive", and that there are genuine possibilities to truly build the new Kazakhstan. Police Chief Troy Finner speaks to the media at Houston police headquarters on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. Finner has come under fire for a scandal involving thousands of cases that were suspended using a code he directed HPD to get rid of three years ago. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer Two years ago, a woman contacted the Houston Police Department to report that she was raped. The woman gave the officers as much evidence as she could muster: the alleged rapists name, Jose Luis Reyes-Martinez, as well as his address and license plate number. She agreed to go to the hospital and have physical evidence taken from her body to corroborate the assault. She even detailed a harrowing, highly disturbing account of the incident: she had known Reyes-Martinez for a year and asked him if she could crash at his place for a night. She told the officers she fell asleep on a mat in his bedroom and woke up hours later in another room, with her clothing disheveled. She told police she had no memory of the alleged assault and that when she questioned Reyes-Martinez about what happened, he kicked her out. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Fewer than 10% of sexual assault incidents are ever reported, according to the Houston Area Womens Center. That a woman not only had the courage to make this report to the police and provide ample details, but also allow her body to be examined in order to put her rapist behind bars, shouldve made this case a top priority for HPD investigators. Instead, as the Chronicles Nicole Hensley reported, it appears police made a perfunctory effort to pursue Reyes-Martinez. Police matched the license plate number to a vehicle registered to his mother, but when they couldnt find him they shelved the case, using the same faulty code suspended lack of personnel that is now the subject of a sprawling internal HPD investigation involving hundreds of thousands of cases dating back eight years. That probe, which is still ongoing, has already led to HPD Chief Troy Finner demoting two police chiefs and a panel convened by Mayor John Whitmire to further review how the department handled the suspended cases. Yet while the shoddy police work in this case is troubling on its own, what happened afterwards is even more disturbing. More than a year after the woman reported that Reyes-Martinez assaulted her, he was arrested for another rape. In this instance, Reyes-Martinez allegedly robbed a Fiesta Mart, escaped on bicycle, then forced his way into a home where he surprised a woman who was getting ready for work, tied up her husband and raped her. He then stole their Apple watches, jewelry and vehicle. Police tracked the vehicle using the GPS on the couples watch and arrested Reyes-Martinez in October. He is currently in federal custody, charged in connection with the rape and for returning to the U.S. after he was deported to Mexico in 2012. These two sexual assaults connected to one suspect underscore the gravity of HPDs suspended case scandal. Despite having seemingly enough evidence to at least charge Reyes-Martinez with a crime for the initial 2022 assault, HPD instead shelved the incident report and allowed him to allegedly rape another woman. Advertisement Article continues below this ad That isnt just policing malpractice; its an utter failure to uphold a basic standard of protecting the public from the worst criminals. Its horrifying. And its a breach of the trust we put in public servants. Two weeks ago, when we first learned of the suspended cases, we called for a truly independent state or federal investigation. An internal probe doesnt cut it, and neither does a mayoral task force even if it is dubbed independent. When investigators find suspended cases that resulted in new violent crimes being committed we expect anyone responsible for this malfeasance or negligence to be held accountable and fired. The misclassified incident reports continue to raise serious questions about the accuracy of HPDs crime statistics, namely that the suspended cases were reflected as dismissals in crime data. The fact that the 2022 sexual assault report allegedly involving Reyes-Martinez was not included in the National Incident Based Reporting System data that HPD typically publishes on its website adds another layer to our concern. The NIBRS data is shared with the FBI and compared with other law enforcement agencies across the nation, data that often is cited in academic studies and disseminated in public information about crime numbers. It appears increasingly possible that the faulty code was used to whitewash departmental clearance rates as well as city crime rates. The timeline of the rape cases in question certainly puts Finner on notice. It was bad enough when Finner said he knew about the suspended cases code three years ago and only learned last month that some divisions had defied his orders to stop using it. Now that we have a concrete example of the horrific consequences that come from suspending cases that shouldve been pursued while he was chief, its more imperative than ever that Finner come clean with the public about who is responsible for creating this code, what he supposedly did to stop it and why certain divisions continued using it. While Finner is not solely to blame for the codes origins if, as he says, it dates back to 2016, former chief Art Acevedo also bears responsibility hell have to show hes taking this a lot more seriously than what weve seen so far. Simply demoting a couple of assistant chiefs is not what accountability looks like. Meanwhile, Gov. Greg Abbott posted to social media that the state must impose consequences for the suspended cases. Rather than cynically compounding this scandal by leveraging it in a partisan battle over local control, if Abbott wants to make himself useful he could simply direct the Texas Rangers to investigate HPDs mishandling of these cases. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Whitmires review panel is well-intentioned but as a new mayor who was elected in part because of his commitment to public safety, he, of course, has every reason to want this scandal to go away as quickly as possible. During a Monday press conference, Whitmire said, We cannot have fewer officers today than we had 25 years ago. I want this sexual assault response team, I need resources to make that be the team that Houstonians and survivors deserve. He said hell do whatever it takes and alluded to lifting the revenue cap on property tax revenue. Theres no free lunch, he said. Taxpayers deserve more answers they can trust before they cough up more money. Thats all the more reason for the mayor to invite the Texas Rangers or FBI to Houston to get to the bottom of this scandal. Cambodian police detained hundreds of local and foreign nationals over the weekend. Despite a crackdown more than a year ago, online scams continue to flourish in Southeast Asia. Observers note that the recent repatriation of Chinese nationals from northern Myanmar has forced operators to move. Phnom Penh (AsiaNews) More arrests have been made in connection with online scam centres in Cambodias Sihanoukville province. Over the weekend, the General Department of Immigration (GDI) announced that 205 foreign nationals and 279 Cambodian citizens were taken into custody. The first operation took place at the former Paradis Island Casino with 172 foreigners detained, including 109 Vietnamese, 54 Thais, and nine Chinese. Of these, 167 will be deported, the GDI stated. A second operation netted 279 Cambodians (mostly women) and 28 foreigners from China and Myanmar. The two operations in Sihanoukville are part of the government's policy of shutting down illegal gambling centres so as to allow the development of the provinces tourist sector, said Sok Phal, chairman of the ministerial commission to combat cybercrime, at the press conference. More than 3,000 illegal gambling sites have been raided in the last three months, the official said, and more than 10,000 people have been investigated. Sihanoukville province is known for its tropical beaches but also for human trafficking and modern slavery, with people forced to work as online scammers at call centres to defraud foreign Internet users. The problem involves several Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines, Myanmar, and Thailand. According to a report issued last year by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, at least 120,000 people are being held at online scam centres in Myanmar and another 100,000 in Cambodia. Despite attempts by the Cambodian government to tackle the problem more than a year ago, online scams have not decreased, human rights groups report. In fact, after the Cambodian government announced its operation in September 2022, many call centres simply relocated elsewhere in the country. Other operators moved to Myanmar, where, due to the civil war that broke out in 2021, it is often easier to bring in foreigners and carry out online scams, said some victims who have been freed. After brokering a ceasefire between ethnic militias and Myanmars regular army in Shan State, China tried to crack down on the activity in the border region and repatriate its citizens, who can be victims and perpetrators. In recent months, several Chinese bosses involved in the online scam business have been arrested. However, some experts note that recent repatriations have simply driven the activity elsewhere in northern Myanmar on the border with Thailand, as well as to Laos and back to Cambodia. Reports from numerous sources on the ground in Sihanoukville confirm that the industry there is surging, said Jacob Sims, senior technical adviser for the anti-trafficking organisation International Justice Mission. Residents of Sihanoukville said that they saw the arrival of hundreds of foreigners, moved in large buses directly from the airport into previously abandoned call centres. "It's a multibillion-dollar industry," Sims added, suggesting that the problem will not be easy to solve. Today's news: India wants to implement anti-Muslim citizenship law Pakistan police clashed with supporters of Imran Khan's party. In China, arrests increased by 47% in one year. Indonesia underestimates its methane emissions from coal production. Malaysia will reduce the number of migrant workers. RUSSIA SOUTH KOREA A South Korean citizen accused of providing classified information to foreign intelligence agencies has been arrested in Russia. According to South Korean media, he is a missionary who supported North Korean workers living in the Russian Far East. The man, named Baek Won-soon, 53, was transferred from Vladivostok to Moscow, and had moved to Russia via China. INDIA India plans to implement the controversial law called the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which will allow non-Muslim religious minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to apply for Indian citizenship. The Home Minister, Amit Shah, yesterday announced that an online portal for receiving applications has already been set up. Several protest demonstrations were held in different states of the country. PAKISTAN Pakistani police have been accused of attacking supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), the opposition party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been protesting against the election results for weeks. A demonstration in Lahore, where PTI members raised slogans against the government and called for its resignation, turned violent, with police officers attacking demonstrators with sticks and pushing people into cars. CHINA Chinese authorities arrested 726,000 people in 2023, marking an increase of 47.1% compared to the previous year, the country's chief prosecutor Ying Yong told the National People's Congress. Ying added that 2.4 million people have been "arrested or prosecuted" for crimes related to "national security", explaining that "hostile foreign forces" are behind many crimes. INDONESIA According to an analysis by a think-tank, Indonesia underestimates methane emissions caused by coal by up to six or seven times, of which the country is the third largest producer in the world after China and India. According to the study, emissions from underground reserves were not counted, thus jeopardizing commitments to reduce gas emissions by the end of the decade. MALAYSIA - BANGLADESH Malaysia will reduce the number of migrant workers allowed into the country, the Economy Ministry has said, amid growing intolerance and scams in the labor market. Workers from Bangladesh, in particular, have become the scapegoat for the country's economic and social ills but according to human rights groups, tens of thousands of Bangladeshis were tricked into Malaysia for job positions. non-existent jobs. INDIA - ARMENIA The IADN agency, which deals with air and cosmic defense, has released the news that India will open a special air corridor towards Armenia to guarantee the security of exports of strategic importance, and for the delivery of armaments, operated by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited with the support of a logistics group. by Arundathie Abeysinghe Climatologists do not expect significant rainfall until May, and already last month the weather was very dry due to the impact of El Nino in the Asia-Pacific region in late 2023. Officials have urged the population to use water sparingly. Colombo (AsiaNews) - The risk of a water crisis is growing in Sri Lanka due to the dry climate experienced in recent weeks. While the population has started to consume more water on the advice of health officials, the National Water Supply and Drainage Board has urged them to use the resource sparingly because, according to the meteorology department, rainfall could last until May this year. year. Several local authorities have requested the construction of wells to tap groundwater. Some areas, such as Gampaha and Kalutara in the Western Province, and Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu in the Northern Province, are already facing water shortages. According to Neil Leelarathna, coordinator of the Water Supply Professionals Trade Union Alliance, Sri Lanka is struggling to manage its water resources with increasing demand for water for electricity generation, agriculture and drinking purposes. This is why it is necessary to use water sparingly." Climatologists Dinusha Wijeratna and Sajith Tennakoon, currently living in Australia, explained to AsiaNews that "between 2016 and 2017, when El Nino hit Sri Lanka, over two million people were affected by a drought, with 19 districts out of 25 in serious pain. Two harvest seasons had been lost. Due to the impact of El Nino in late 2023 in the Asia-Pacific region, in Sri Lanka the consequences will be felt from January to May this year, and will have a direct impact on communities." About 35.6% of Sri Lankans - the experts continued - are vulnerable to water scarcity, which aggravates the impact of this multi-faceted crisis. According to forecasts by the FAO and the United Nations World Food Programme, the drought will increase food insecurity towards the latter part of the year." Academics Sampath Malalasekera and Nishantha Senanayaka argue that water is at the heart of the way of life in Sri Lanka, where villages and communities have developed around water sources. In most rural areas, water-related civilizations have flourished with efficient and equitable methods of managing the resources on which communities and livelihoods depended. Instead today about a third of the population is vulnerable to water scarcity, particularly those who live in the dry zone." Sri Lanka ranks very high on the global climate risk index. According to FAO data, Sri Lanka is currently subjected to 90.8% water stress: this means that water consumption is equal to 90.8% of available freshwater resources. According to officials of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, last year, water was distributed to 55,000 families in 52 areas of the Divisional Secretariat due to dry weather. Similarly, this year too, several provinces will be negatively affected and people may have to travel long distances in search of water for cooking and drinking." As water levels have fallen, particularly those in the Kelaniya and Kalu Ganga rivers, water quality has also worsened, experts further point out, because seawater enters and increases the salinity of the river water. Additionally, when water levels drop, sediments begin to build up in reservoirs and mix with drinking water leading to health problems. Who said that tiny homes equipped for off-grid living can only be rough and rugged? The gorgeous Luan tiny looks every bit as stylish and modern as its more conventional counterparts, and even exudes a luxurious vibe despite being a low-budget model. Photo: Elite Tiny Homes/Instagram Photo: Elite Tiny Homes/Instagram Photo: Elite Tiny Homes/Instagram Photo: Elite Tiny Homes/Instagram We live in an era when the concept of luxury is gradually being redefined."Eco-awareness" and proactive environmental support are no longer the opposite of a luxurious life; being close to nature, enjoying the outdoors, and contributing to a greener future are all part of what true luxury is about. At the same time, the latest technological advancements and smart solutions can elevate our comfort level while also supporting a more sustainable lifestyle.The Luan tiny embodies this philosophy to a great extent. Designed and built by the New Zealand-based Elite Tiny Homes, this elegant abode blends off-grid capabilities with the ultra-popular characteristics of Kiwi home design. It offers a fresh perspective on sustainable living, one that keeps the bar high in terms of style, elegance, and comfort. What you get is a spectacular take on contemporary tiny living with an expected infusion of luxury.There's absolutely nothing rustic or old-fashioned about this purely modern house on wheels. It would look right at home in a posh urban environment, yet it was specifically equipped for a rugged lifestyle. The Luan Tiny is, first and foremost, a green abode. In addition to being entirely solar-powered, it includes a composting toilet and dedicated water tanks as part of its off-grid setup. This type of setup is the first step towards a more affordable, simple lifestyle with a minimal environmental footprint.A compact structure is another key piece of the puzzle. Many oversized homes on wheels out there seem to defeat the purpose of tiny living, but not Luan. This Kiwi-designed abode boasts only 24 square meters (258 square feet) of floor space and a single-loft layout, meaning it can only accommodate one or two guests. Still, as soon as you step inside, you'll feel that Luan is much bigger than you expected.This is what clever, contemporary design can achieve. Although compact and sustainable, the Luan tiny is outstandingly stylish and comfy. The open-plan layout features massive sliding French doors and oversized windows throughout, flooding the entire ground level with natural light. Feeling totally immersed in the natural surroundings is another powerful effect of this particular design. The heightened luminosity, in turn, accentuates Luan's airy and clutter-free living spaces.First, the lounge was set up as an indoor/outdoor sanctuary in true Kiwi fashion. The big, comfy sofa is almost surrounded by spectacular views, while the extensive glazing creates a sense of transparency that blurs the line between the inside and the outside. This relaxation corner connects seamlessly to the kitchen area, which was also designed to be as open to the outdoors as possible.This isn't your classic, farmhouse-style kitchen. The modern, fresh design centers around an ingenious, multifunctional countertop. More than offering a generous surface for preparing meals, this countertop extends to one side, where it doubles as a compact snack bar, and also integrates a center dining setup with bar stools instead of cabinets.Placed in front of huge windows, this smart, functional setup is just as perfect for dining as it is for cooking. Plus, it's versatile enough to become a bar area for guests during BBQ get-togethers. When the weather allows it, the Luan tiny's doors can stay open, allowing this lounge/kitchen area to spill over the exterior deck and beyond.Modern also means fully equipped and functional, and Luan boasts all the basic kitchen appliances, including a full-size fridge wedged between the staircase and the bathroom. The bathroom also reveals a fresh, contemporary design with a glass shower cabin and elegant storage solutions.Luan's contemporary elegance is reflected in the absence of any details that don't serve a purpose. Minimalist and versatile , this interior reveals a surprisingly modern take on the classic loft bedroom design. It starts with the staircase instead of the typical closed cabinets, this one boasts extra-large, fully open storage spaces of different sizes.Combined with the absence of any kind of handrail, this creates a sense of maximum openness with zero clutter. If you look carefully throughout the home, you'll see that there are no separating or dividing elements other than the bathroom door. This is why Luan feels so spacious on the inside.Plus, the classic loft separation wall is ditched in favor of one that's made entirely of glass another modern, stylish element that makes a huge difference. It not only continues the openness theme through its transparency but also looks much more sophisticated than classic versions. Since it's made of glass, this modern protection wall can also cover the entire bedroom width without obstructing the view whatsoever. The matte black bedroom carpeting, matching the staircase tops and some of the furniture items, is another sophisticated accent.Although truly tiny, Luan finds clever ways to add storage. Its spacious and luminous loft bedroom with two windows boasts enough space for additional storage even though it comes with a generous bed, and the staircase's open compartments include additional kitchen storage.Despite its luxurious interior style and off-grid capabilities, the Luan tiny was built as a low-budget, under NZD 100,000 ($62,000) home. The only bad part is that it's no longer part of the Kiwi brand's range, but those who felt inspired by this modern take on sustainable living can certainly find something similar at Elite Tiny Homes Photo: SH Proshots HVAC kW We first laid eyes on the new generation Kia Forte , which is rumored to be rechristened the K4, back in January, and more recently, our spy photographers nabbed another prototype while it was being tested in Sweden.The fastback design is very clear, as it has a different back end with a more angular rear windscreen and likely a tailgate instead of a trunk lid, which would allow it to haul larger items. The front and rear overhangs are also longer than before, and from what we can tell, the space between the axles was slightly elongated, thus translating into a more spacious cabin.Due to the thick camouflage, it is still hard to make out the front and rear design, but it will feature everything new, from the headlamps and taillights to the bumpers, hood, fenders, and so on. Another interesting novelty is the placement of the rear door handles, which can be seen in front of the rear quarter windows. The wheels are also new, and we think the company will give it fresh colors, too.This prototype of the upcoming Forte/K4 was kind enough to open its cockpit to the camera in a premiere. Although kind of blurry, the interior shot reveals the new infotainment system and digital dials sitting behind a single pane of glass. The wide display will be the centerpiece here, and it's great to see that the Korean automaker has given it many physical buttons, including for thesystem. The center console, which is still home to the gear shifter, is new, and so are the steering wheel and other components.Details surrounding the powertrain family are currently scarce, but we expect it to feature at least one gasoline unit. Rumors also speak of a partially electrified unit, and the offering might be completed by a battery-electric derivative that could arrive later on. This would be the most logical move, and if correct, then it will keep the K4 (name unconfirmed) on the versatile side of the compact sedan segment.Reports speak of a possible unveiling in the next few months, with the first copies of the all-new Forte/K4 likely arriving in the United States for the 2025 model year. The 2024 Forte comes in the LX, LXS, GT-Line, GT, and GT manual trim levels. The most affordable starts at just under $20,000 before destination, whereas the range-topping variant exceeds $25,000. The first three use a 147 hp (149 ps/110) 2.0L unit, and the latter two pack a 201 hp (204 ps/150 kW) 1.6L turbo. Rumors about Jaguar scaling down its operations started to emerge last year, with new rumors making waves recently. The British luxury carmaker announced a major overhaul, but all the information points to the carmaker's operations being halted across the globe. The most likely outcome is that the Jaguar brand will be sold to a Chinese company. EV Wild if true. Looks like Jaguar is officially done. (via John Clay Wolfe) pic.twitter.com/lDM1Y7IjDx Car Dealership Guy (@GuyDealership) March 12, 2024 Earlier this month, Jaguar announced a major overhaul, with all current models being scrapped from June, starting with the combustion vehicles. The official line is that Jaguar will be reborn as an electric-only carmaker with an entirely new vehicle lineup in 2025. However, rumors indicate that the brand will be sold to a Chinese company that doesn't need the current models. MG, another British company, had a similar fate and is now owned by China's SAIC.Jaguar's decline was long in the making, with dwindling sales finally convincing Tata Motors, its parent company, that it was no longer viable. Early last year, reports emerged about a massive overhaul, with an entirely new lineup and a streamlined dealer network. Jaguar dealers in the US were convinced to give up the Jaguar franchise in exchange for extra allocations of hot-selling Land Rover models. The move paid off for them since most dealers sold both Jaguar and Land Rover in dual showrooms.The move in the US mirrors a similar one in Europe, where Jaguar also wants to significantly reduce its dealership footprint. However, not all dealers are happy, as some recent reports show. Those who only sold Jaguar saw their business wiped out, with a very limited number of vehicles offered for sale. You can't turn a profit when you have less than 10 cars allocated to your dealership each month. This cascaded to customers' orders being canceled, as some shared on social media.Jaguar dealers already talked about the overhaul plans pushed back to 2026. The production of all current models is planned to shut down in June , practically confirming that Jaguar will stop operations somewhere this year. This contradicts Jaguar's official statement that enough vehicle inventory exists until 2025 when the newmodels will start production.However, new information paints a bleaker picture, as Jaguar announced shutting down its My Jaguar online customer portal. The My Jaguar portal will close on March 25, 2024, after which owners can access their Jaguar InControl account and Connected Services through the Jaguar InControl website. Everything points to Jaguar transitioning into an asset-light car brand, probably in light of an upcoming spin-off and sale.Even if the Jaguar survives as a carmaker, it will likely abandon the US market. The brand failed to attract enough customers here, and the limited production estimates of its EV-only plan will not be able to support a dealer network or even become cashflow positive. Since Tata Motors, the parent company of Jaguar Land Rover, is also restructuring its operations in India, it would be interesting to see how the brand will evolve in the coming month. kW Photo: Kolesa Set to be unveiled on March 20, with its public debut scheduled for the New York International Auto Show, the all-new 2025 Infiniti QX80 will no longer feature its predecessor's naturally aspirated 5.6-liter V8.Instead, the company will give it a twin-turbo V6. The 3.5L mill is already found in other models, kicking out 450 hp (456 ps/336) and 515 pound-foot (598 Nm) of torque. If the output and thrust are identical, then it will be 50 hp (51 ps/37 kW) and 102 pound-foot (138 Nm) punchier than the outgoing QX80.The lump works in concert with a nine-speed transmission, which will mark the end of the seven-speed unit. Moreover, the SUV will boast new air suspension with adaptive damping, active grille shutters for improved aerodynamics, and a few other bits and bobs.We have a good idea of what it will look like, given the scooped prototypes and the fact that the QX Monograph Concept previewed it last year. And we can boldly claim that it won't be ugly anymore, resembling an old school bus. Thus, the new QX80 has an elegant styling and kind of looks like a Range Rover from certain angles. It comes with a split headlamp arrangement, new taillights linked together by a thin light strip, flush-mounted door handles, and so on.In essence, it should be very close to the renderings pictured in the gallery above. The digital illustrations came from the peeps at Kolesa, and they are realistic. The vehicle looks like a proper rival to the likes of the BMW X7, Mercedes GLS, and other similarly-sized high-riders that boast a premium flair. We have yet to spot the interior, but it should be all about new tech, fresh and large screens, enhanced comfort, and more safety gear.The Japanese automaker has managed to keep its highlights secret for now, but everything will unravel next week during the grand premiere. As we already told you, the new QX80 will debut on March 20, with the event set to commence at 7:00 PM EST (March 21, 1:00 AM CET). The car manufacturer will live stream the unveiling, and the autoevolution team will cover it.We expect it to go on sale shortly after the presentation, likely with a small price bump. The current one kicks off at $74,150 with two-wheel drive, with the all-wheel drive system being a $3,150 option. So, would you pick it up over the competition if it looks just like the one in these renderings? Mayor John Whitmire stands in Houston City Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024, in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Marsha Murray, director of Houston's Office of Business Opportunity, will soon step down, and Mayor John Whitmire is searching for a new department head to replace her. The Office of Business Opportunity runs Houston's program to help small businesses and historically marginalized groups such as women, racial minorities and people with disabilities secure more city contracts. The office monitors city projects to ensure a certain portion of the work is allocated to certified minority vendors. It also works to ensure project managers pay fair wages to their workers and comply with other labor regulations. NEW LEADERSHIP: All the major leadership changes made by Houston Mayor Whitmire as he shakes up City Hall Advertisement Article continues below this ad Murray was appointed by former Mayor Sylvester Turner to lead the department in 2020. She previously served as the chief administrative officer for Houstons Legal Department and deputy director for the Office of Business Opportunity. Before joining the city of Houston, she worked as a legal counsel for New York Citys government for about a decade. Mary Benton, a spokesperson for the mayors office, confirmed Murray has submitted her resignation and will leave her post on March 29. The administration will announce an interim director in the coming weeks, she said. "Based on public discussions and feedback from city council members who were in office during the previous administration, there are concerns that the department can do better," Benton said. "Mayor Whitmire will improve the department and meet the publics expectations." The Office of Business Opportunitys minority enterprise program has often sparked debates at City Council. Members have repeatedly raised concerns about the lack of a robust enforcement mechanism to hold prime contractors accountable when they do not follow through on their preset goal to hire minority subcontractors. Last month, several members sounded the alarm about a construction project where the contractor failed to make good faith efforts to meet its minority business and small business enterprise goals, according to the agenda of a February City Council meeting. Advertisement Article continues below this ad There is little the city can do to penalize the contractor because refusing to pay the contractor would not only open the city up to a potential lawsuit but also affect payments to the subcontractors, council members said during the council meeting. LEGAL WOES: Federal lawsuit challenges Houston program supporting minority-owned businesses Whitmire promised then to work with the Business Opportunity director, City Attorney Arturo Michel and council members to reform the current process. He also vowed to take a more holistic look at what is covered by the program, floating, for example, the possibility of expanding the program to include Native American business owners as well. Obviously this council needs to address it and probably (create) a working group, taking the advice of our legal counsel, Whitmire said during the meeting. We are willing to tackle it. Advertisement Article continues below this ad User data is as valuable as gold, and some companies, including advertisers, are willing to pay big bucks to get their hands on certain information. Photo: Florin Profir/autoevolution Photo: Florin Profir/autoevolution Photo: Florin Profir/autoevolution Photo: Florin Profir/autoevolution Personal and sensitive information is more important than most people think, and while some don't even care that their names and addresses leave their devices, others have become obsessed with methods to protect their details.The smarter cars are getting, the more information they collect . It's safe to assume that after smartphones, cars are becoming a major data resource, especially because they can collect everything from driving habits to addresses, phone numbers, garage door codes, and even conversations.New Jersey has recently adopted a bill that requires dealerships to wipe everything from the infotainment system , therefore protecting the owner and their sensitive details.Here's everything you must know about the new regulations.The Governor of New Jersey signed Bill A4723 in January, regulating how dealerships must handle personal information in vehicles received from customers "for the purpose of resale or lease." It means the bill doesn't cover vehicles you bring to the dealerships for repairs or maintenance, so your data will stay where it is in these cases.However, if you decide to sell or lease your car through a dealer, they are now obliged to delete all data from the infotainment system. The personal information can include everything from navigation history to paired phones and garage door codes.The bill explains that dealerships must conduct the data removal according to Guidelines for Media Sanitization using tools provided by the carmaker or simply the option to reset the infotainment system to the original factory settings.One thing you must know is that the bill doesn't cover rentals or courtesy vehicles, so in these cases, you must conduct the data removal yourself if you don't want to leave anything behind.Media sanitization shouldn't be a difficult operation, especially because most cars already come with options to reset infotainment systems to factory settings. However, the bill states that dealerships "shall advise the consumer that they may attempt to delete the personal information themselves." In plain English, you can do the whole thing on your own without involving the dealership.Why bother? The reason is simple enough to make you care. The bill explains that dealerships are not obliged to offer the operation free of charge, so you might be charged for having the data removed from your car. The dealership can decide how much it charges for the operation, as the bill doesn't mention a specific value but only defines a "reasonable fee." However, any fee higher than $10 would already be expensive, as factory resetting an infotainment system takes only a few seconds and doesn't require advanced skills.If more advanced media sanitization knowledge is involved, mainly if the car doesn't come with dedicated data removal tools, it makes sense for the dealer to charge "a reasonable fee for the services performed."However, the dealership must inform you about everything related to the data removal. It must tell you about the process itself, the involved fees, and your options, as you can always contact another vendor for the operation.The bill also includes the penalties for dealerships violating the new regulations. A dealer will get a $500 fine for a first offense and $1,000 for subsequent violations.You can find the full bill in the attachments section below.The new law has already come into effect, so if you sell or lease a car, you must be informed about your options regarding the data stored in the car.I can't help but remind everybody that most cars come with options to restore the infotainment system to factory settings, in which case you can remove your data before even going to the dealership. Such options typically wipe everything stored on the car's computer, including your personal information, the synced phonebook, and addresses in the navigation system, and install applications (which themselves might include additional personal details, such as names, phone numbers, addresses, and credit cards for payments).If you use Android Auto and CarPlay , all personal information is stored on the mobile device. Both systems are phone mirroring platforms, meaning that what you see on the infotainment screen is powered by your mobile device. The data doesn't leave your smartphone, though you're still recommended to factory reset the infotainment unit before going to the dealership to remove any traces and data that might otherwise be left behind. The process shouldn't take more than a minute, and you can find the instructions in the owner's manual.New Jersey is the first state to regulate data wiping in cars sold or leased to dealerships, and I wouldn't be surprised to see others adopting similar regulations, especially because carmakers are slowly but surely becoming obsessed with the driver's data, including driving habits (which can be used by insurers) and navigation for serving ads. As far as performance-oriented vehicles are concerned, nothing can match the sheer age of the R35. Deliveries for the Japanese market kicked off in December 2007, meaning that Nissan's halo model is 16 going on 17 years old. Insane, isn't it? Photo: Nissan / edited One has to wonder if Nissan actually has an R36 lined up for debut by 2030, and one has to wonder if the Yokohama-based automaker will use an evolution of its front-midship architecture rather than a completely new rear-biased platform. The FM architecture premiered in the V35-series Nissan Skyline back in 2001, whereas the FM-derived PM architecture is exclusive to the R35 Nissan GT-R.According to MAGX, the R35 will be allegedly discontinued after the 2025 model year. The cited publication further states that dealers were informed of many parts that will no longer be able to be manufactured, whatever that's supposed to mean.As with every rumor coming from a Japanese motoring publication, take it with a sizeable grain of salt. Looking at the bigger picture, remember that Nissan's fastest and quickest series-production car emits a lot of carbon dioxide. As if prohibitive regulations weren't bad enough for the R35, the GT-R was discontinued in Europe and the UK in the spring of 2022 due to drive-by noise regulations.That's not all, though, because Nissan barely moves the R35 in lucrative markets. Over in the US, for example, a meager 390 examples of the breed were sold last year. With Porsche selling more Neunelfers, including 911s that cost way more than the GT-R NISMO, you know that something has gotta give.Nissan's domestic market website reads that Nissan has temporarily stopped accepting orders for the 2024 model, which marks the R35's third facelift. According to the Japanese manufacturer, the R35 for Japan has reached the planned sales volume.Emphasis on Japan. The 2024 GT-R is available to configure states at press time, and retailers currently have plenty of 2024s waiting to be sold. On March 14, the Japanese automaker is reportedly going to confirm the imminent canning of the R35 with a special run of 1,500 units, of which 300 will be NISMOs.MAGX couldn't be bothered to explain whether it's referring to the Japanese market exclusively or worldwide availability. Based on the poor demand for R35s, the cited publication likely refers to worldwide availability. In any case, we'll find out what's what from the automaker on March 14.Regarding the long-awaited R36, it appears that Nissan will take inspiration from the 1,341-horsepower Nissan Hyper Force concept shown at the Japan Mobility Show 2023. Its circular taillamps and blurred GT-R badge up front certainly pour gasoline on the proverbial fire, and Nissan program design director Giovanny Arroba has alluded to a completely electric GT-R as well. Tesla is not just going to sit and watch Cybertruck owners make a profit out of selling their EVs online for staggering prices. A customer who tried to sell his pickup truck has just been blacklisted. It was just a matter of time before Tesla would go out there chasing Cybertruck flippers and punish them according to the purchase contract. There is a clause in the contract that prohibits the resale during the first year of ownership and threatens with financial penalties.However, now they have switched the strategy of their no-resale policy during the first year of ownership and go for blacklisting customers who sell the long-awaited Cybetruck that they are building at the Giga Texas. Deliveries started on November 30, 2023, with the first ten customers receiving their vehicles.A new thread on the Cybertruck Owners Club forum, started by user "malinecentral," refers to a penalty for listing the vehicle for sale "literally everywhere," meaning that they uploaded sales announcements on several websites. However, they do not mention any financial penalty and say they were blacklisted instead.The owner of the Cybetruck says they received an email from Tesla that warned them that any future orders would be canceled without a refund of the $100 reservation fee or $250 order fee. Tesla points out that the customer has already been informed of the matter. This means that they will never be able to order any vehicle from the carmaker ever again. According to the conversation on the Cybertruck Owners Club forum , they had several orders pending.The attempt to sell is also mentioned in the purchase contract, and customers are informed of the no-resale policy from the very beginning. There are, though, exceptions that Tesla is willing to make, but on its own terms.First, the owner of the Cybertruck must first notify Tesla of the resale intention and give the carmaker time to buy back the vehicle "at the purchase price listed on your Final Price Sheet less $0.25/mile driven."In case Tesla refuses to buy the Cybertruck that the owner wants to get rid of, they must first wait for Tesla's written consent before listing it for sale.If it happens otherwise, the contract shows, Tesla may seek injunctive relief to prevent the transfer of title of the Vehicle or demand liquidated damages from you in the amount of $50,000 or the value received as consideration for the sale or transfer, whichever is greater. Tesla may also refuse to sell you any future vehicles. And this is exactly what the carmaker is doing right now.The owner of the Cybertruck has not sold the vehicle yet. They just listed it on several online auction platforms. Others did manage to sell their EVs for staggering prices. For instance, a Porsche dealership from Orlando paid $244,000 for a brand-new Cybertruck and decided to re-flip it for $269,000.Days later, a Ford dealership paid $250,000 to buy a Cybertruck but has not yet put it back on the market. Instead, it is testing the vehicle on its proving grounds near Detroit.A Cybertruck has also made it to Dubai, even though the model has not been officially launched in the United Arab Emirates yet, and it won't happen before later this year. But the example that arrived in Dubai i s almost half the price that these vehicles usually go for in America. One of the few eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing) supported through the collaboration of an aviation tech company with an automotive giant is ready to go far beyond the borders of its home country and show its prowess in one of the most luxurious, promising AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) markets. Archer Aviation is not only doing great in the US but also acting as an electric aviation pioneer in the UAE and the extended MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. The highly-anticipated Midnight air taxi is ready to launch regular commercial flights between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. According to Archer, it will happen as soon as next year.This is an outstanding achievement in many ways. First, it will mark Midnight's first flight outside the US. Second, it's believed to be the first eVTOL commercial flight to connect Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Thirdly, these are two of the busiest cities in the world from a touristic standpoint, which makes them much more challenging than any other location. In other words, this isn't a modest, small-scale project by any means.It's also gearing up to be a spectacular flight experience. Throughout the largest portion of the flight, the Midnight eVTOL will operate over water, delighting its passengers with unique views of these two mega-popular locations. Beyond the flashy, impressive aspect of this project, it all boils down to efficiency. The ultimate goal is to offer locals and tourists a much faster and more comfortable transport alternative that can bypass traffic gems and minimize the environmental footprint.Another pioneering aspect of this all-electric commute is that it involves operating vertiport infrastructure at both ends. This is where Falcon Aviation comes in this UAE-based aviation operator is taking a bold leap from classic helicopter rides to trailblazing eVTOL commutes. Two of its locations, the Falcon Heliport at Atlantis, the Palm in Dubai, and the Marina Mall Heliport in Abu Dhabi, will house the future vertiports. Archer and Falcon are both currently working to build and develop these vertiports for the Midnight air taxi.Archer's expansion to the Middle East hit its first milestone last year when it secured one of the most impressive deals in the entire industry. Air Chateau, one of the biggest aviation players in the Middle East, committed to purchasing up to 100 Midnight aircraft, which adds up to a whopping $500 million. Archer also secured support from the Abu Dhabi Investment Office in the form of a preliminary deal connected to Abu Dhabi's Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI) Cluster.This impressive Middle East debut is at least equally important as Archer's domestic commitments, which include a hefty pre-order from United Airlines. With the Middle East set to become its first international market, the Santa Clara-based air mobility company is in for a challenging but also rewarding ride. Ever since the war in Ukraine started more than two years ago, a variety of acronyms and military terms have constantly made the headlines. And that is because all the parties involved in the conflict are using the best weaponry at their disposal to make gains on the battlefield. One of the terms that is constantly in the news is GMLRS. Short for Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System it is also a term that inspires fear in both warring parties because of the capabilities of these systems.Made by strike deep behind enemy lines, GMLRS systems vary in range and punch, and constant efforts are being made to improve both of these capabilities. And the most recent news in this respect comes from Lockheed Martin, a company heavily involved in the production of rockets of this kind.At the time of writing the Lockheed offering in the GMLRS segment includes a 200-pound (91 kg) unitary warhead that can strike targets located 43 miles (70 km) away and a 200-pound class fragmenting warhead with the same range. For a while now, however, the company has been working on bettering the reach of its weapons with an extended-range variant.We have known of this improved variant of the GMLRS for several years now. Back in 2021, a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launcher from the U.S. Army fired the ER GMLRS, as it's called, to a distance of 50 miles (80 km).The gain may not seem all that much at first glance, but on the battlefield it could mean the difference between a successful military operation and a failed one. Tests have been ongoing ever since, culminating with an announcement made last week about another one being completed at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.It is there where the Army once again fired the weapon from a HIMARS. In fact, two of these extended-range rockets were unleashed against unspecified targets at the range. The test was meant to put the rockets through their paces when it comes to flight trajectory, range and accuracy.No specific details were provided on how much of a distance the rocket was able to cover or what type of warhead, if any, it had on. The main photo of this piece does however come with a caption saying "Lockheed Martins ER GMLRS doubles the range of the current munition."The procedure conducted recently was, by all accounts, an operational test, meaning the ER GMLRS is now closer than ever to mass production and use on the battlefield. No mention is made as to when we are to actually expect the rockets in large numbers in the real world, but we do know they will be assembled in the same place where Lockheed Martin produced more than 70,000 GMLRS rounds over the years for both domestic and international partners: the Precision Fires Center of Excellence in Camden, Arkansas. Russian border guards have for decades been stationed at Zvartnots as well as along Armenias borders with Turkey and Iran as part of close Russian-Armenian military ties. A senior official announced on March 6 the Armenian governments decision to remove them from the airport. It came amid a continuing deterioration of Yerevans relations with Moscow. Pashinian said that the demand was formally communicated to the commanders of the Russian border guards in Armenia. They were informed that the Armenian border guard service at Zvartnots has gained enough experience and skills to carry out border controls at the airport without the help of the Russian side, he told a news conference. The deadline there is set for August 1, 2024. From August 1, we will perform the service on our own, he said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the Armenian side notified the Russians about its decision in a letter. He said that relevant Russian and Armenian are now engaged in contacts on the matter. I can't say more now, Peskov told reporters. Naturally, contacts at all possible levels will continue. On March 7, a senior member of Russias upper house of parliament, Viktor Bondarev, described the demand for Russian withdrawal from the Yerevan airport as the Pashinian governments first major unfriendly step against Russia. Bondarev suggested that Yerevan may also seek the withdrawal of all Russian border guards and military forces from Armenia. He said he would not recommend that the Armenian authorities even think about doing that. Pashinian has signaled no such plans so far. His foreign minister, Ararat Mirzoyan, stressed last week that the Armenian government wants the Russian border guards to leave only the airport. There have never been villages with such names in the territory of Armenia Not only in Soviet times but also after Soviet times, he told a news conference. Baku publicly reiterated its demands following last weeks fresh round of Armenian-Azerbaijani talks on the delimitation of the border between the two South Caucasus states. The ruined villages claimed by it are among eight border areas, most of them enclaves inside Armenia, which were controlled by Azerbaijan in Soviet times and occupied by the Armenian army in the early 1990s. For its part, the Azerbaijani side seized at the time a bigger Armenian enclave as well as large swathes of agricultural land belonging to this and several other border communities of Armenia. It occupied more Armenian territory during border clashes in 2021 and 2022. The four former villages are inside Armenias northern Tavush province bordering western Azerbaijan. They are strategically located along one of the two main Armenian highways leading to Georgia as well as the pipeline supplying Russian natural gas to Armenia via Georgia. Pashinian declared that local sections of that transport and energy infrastructure going beyond Armenias de jure territory should be rerouted so that they pass through Armenias de jure territory and so that we don't have problems in that area. He said he has already issued relevant instructions to Armenian government bodies. Pashinians government has until now linked potential Armenian territorial concessions to Azerbaijan with the liberation of some 240 square kilometers of Armenian territory occupied by Azerbaijani forces in the early 1990s and 2021-2022. Pashinian on Tuesday did not insist on that linkage or demand any Azerbaijani concessions in exchange for the Armenian withdrawal from the four villages. Representatives of Armenias two main opposition groups portrayed his statements as the clearest indication yet that he is planning to cede them to Azerbaijan without getting anything in return. They voiced serious concern about such a prospect, saying that it would not only place strategic Armenian infrastructure under Azerbaijani control but also cut off other Tavush villages from the rest of the country and leave the province far more vulnerable to further Azerbaijani advances. He is giving the enemy our best defensive positions, the main highway and pipeline running from Yerevan to the Georgian border and so on, said Anna Grigorian of the Hayastan alliance. By unilaterally giving in, not only do you not create a guarantee that Azerbaijan will not attack, but on the contrary, you give them better conditions to attack you from those positions, she told RFE/RLs Armenian Service. Tigran Abrahamian, a senior lawmaker from the opposition Pativ Unem bloc, said that even if Yerevan does not agree to Bakus territorial demands Pashinians remarks legitimize a possible Azerbaijani attack on the Tavush border areas. Pashinian had already ordered unilateral Armenian troop withdrawals from contested border areas in the southeastern Syunik province in the wake of the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh. That did not stop Azerbaijani forces from attacking Syunik and making territorial gains there in 2021 and 2022. 12 March 2024 08:30 (UTC+04:00) Elnur Enveroglu Read more Historical, cultural, economic and political relations between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have developed at a high level as ever. In modern era, these relations are advancing to a high level in both traditional and strategic ways. Besides, Azerbaijanis and Kazakhs are both Turkic-speaking people and share close historical, religious and cultural ties. Both are littoral states of the Caspian Sea and possess a common maritime border. During the great purge in the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan has been a home for over 150K Azerbaijanis who immigrated or were deported. Moreover, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan see each other as main allies and partners in Central Asia and Transcaucasia. Both countries are members of Turkic Council and Joint Administration of Turkic Arts and Culture. Development of political ties The development of political relations between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan existed even during the Soviet era. The founder of independent Azerbaijan, the national leader Heydar Aliyev was a close friend of the former head of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, and did not spare his support for Kazakhstan even for a moment. Even Nursultan Nazarbayev noted in his memoirs: We knew each other for decades. When Heydar Aliyev was working in Kremlin, I was visiting him regularly for to get support. I was one of the first persons who visited him when he was in hospital in Moscow. When he had a great loss - in the funeral of his wife, I was there too. I think Azerbaijani people did the right choice with choosing him for a president. He was my friend and a politician that I was respecting a lot. He had carried out number of works aimed to the strengthening of the many-centurial friendship between Kazakh and Azerbaijani nations, development of the Republic of Azerbaijan, CIS. Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan both reached an agreement on the legal status of Caspian Sea in a short time. The heads of both states used to visit each other regularly. During the Heydar Aliyevs presidency, Azerbaijani-Kazakh relations mostly covered the legal status of the Caspian Sea and the fields of agriculture and energy. These relations still continue, and President Ilham Aliyev, the successor of the National Leader, continues this path effectively. In 2004, when President Ilham Aliyev started his new presidency, he laid the foundation of the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan with his first visit. A number of bilateral instruments, including the "Strategic Partnership and Allies' Relations Treaty", were signed. Both countries closely participated in a number of large-scale projects, including the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project. Of course, strategic relations are continued, and the visit of Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Azerbaijan can be considered exceptionally important in this regard. Today we have had extensive discussions on what has already been done to strengthen our cooperation, and also discussed in detail our future plans. We attach great importance to the state visit of the President of Kazakhstan, our brotherly country, our strategic partner and ally, President Ilham Aliyev said during his meeting with the Kazakh President. The Republic of Kazakhstan, in addition to being an important country in the economic life of Azerbaijan, can also be considered a country that supports it in its political and social life. So Kazajhstan is the founder of the first children's creative center to be opened in liberated Fuzuli, Garabagh, after the Patriotic War. First of all, I would like to once again express my gratitude to Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich for his initiative to build the Kurmangazy Children's Creativity Center in Fuzuli, which has been liberated from occupation. This is the decision of the President personally, and although very little time has passed since this decision was made, we will open this center together tomorrow. Along with the fact that children of former IDPs will study there, it will also be the center of our friendship and brotherhood. This is Kazakhstans brotherly help to Azerbaijan, it is a gift of Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan and its support for the restoration of liberated territories, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said this as he expressed his deep gratitude to brotherly Kazakhstan for such a generosity of Kazakh people. The head of state also expressed his gratitude to the leadership of Kazakhstan for their support in restoring the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. As a member of the Union of Multilingual States, Kazakhstan is one of the countries interested in the signing of a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the full restoration of security in the region very soon. Further to the discussions between President Ilham Aliyev and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the sides also mulled other issues of interaction, including joint activities in international bodies, first of all, the UN and the Organization of Turkic States. Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are aligned in the view that it is necessary to further strengthen interaction within the framework of the Organization of Turkic States, as it is an organization that unites close, friendly and brotherly countries and has a very great potential most importantly, the potential for growth. Trans-Caspian transport corridor largely determines level of regional cooperation President Ilham Aliyev during his meeting also touched on the aspects of interactions within the framework of the first meeting of the High-Level Intergovernmental Council. Having mentioned the sphere of trade and economic interactions, President Ilham Aliyev underlined the importance of the Trans-Caspian transit corridor. Matters related to the transit and transport sector were discussed in detail, and we took part in the symbolic welcoming of the container train, which made its way from the People's Republic of China through Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan. This is a symbol of the fact that the Trans-Caspian transport corridor is already a reality, which itself will largely determine the level of regional cooperation, because it is impossible to become a transit country without good relations with your neighbors. In this case, both Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have demonstrated their commitment to regional cooperation and strengthening of relations with neighbors, President Ilham Aliyev said. Azerbaijan has great expectations from cooperation in the field of COP29 in its relations with Kazakhstan. The situation related to cooperation in the oil and gas sector was also analyzed in detail and new specific projects were outlined. We discussed preparations for the COP29 climate conference, and we offered our Kazakh brothers cooperation in preparing and holding of this most important international conference, the head of state added. As mentioned, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are taking parallel steps in the field of energy, especially green energy. The Trans-Caspian transport line is in the foreground for both countries in terms of transportation and logistics. Both countries are extremely satisfied with the rapidly and continuously developing cooperation. This is, of course, a bright result of a visionary policy and an unshakable unity based on deep historical roots. --- Elnur Enveroglu is AzerNews Deputy Editor-in-Chief, follow him on @ElnurMammadli1 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 March 2024 18:09 (UTC+04:00) Fatime Letifova Read more It is an undeniable fact that Armenia has been a tool of Western patrons in the South Caucasus for many years. And it is no coincidence that the Armenian authorities constantly make sudden and illogical decisions, and state officials try to come up with baseless speeches. Nowadays, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan makes many attempts to distance itself from Russia and has opted for disintegrating his government from the pro-Russian alliance. Realising that he had provoked anger with his harsh speeches and moves, the Armenian PM used a different strategy by sweetening his tongue. He subtly asks the Russian troops in Armenia to leave the country more gently. At his press conference, he thanked the Russian soldiers and said that the Armenian army already has enough experience and that there is no longer a need for Russia's military base in the country. We should not forget that since September 1992, Armenia has entrusted the protection of 345 km of its borders with Turkiye and 45 km with Iran to the border management of the Russian Federal Security Service. Besides, the 102nd Russian military base established in Armenia in 1995 is of great importance in the relations between the two countries. In 2010, the term of the base's location on the territory of Armenia was extended until 2044. To this day, that base is considered an important element, enabling Armenia's territory to be under Moscow's control. Currently, Russia also uses border detachments located in Gyumri, Armavir, Artashat, and Megri for these purposes. At the same time, the departure point of the "Zvartnots" international airport and the "Agarak" departure point on the highway on the border with Iran are also under Russian control. In total, about 5,000 Russian soldiers protect Armenia's borders. It seems that Nikol Pashinyan has decided to break this long-term contract immediately and is using every opportunity to get what he wants. Armenia's desire to leave the CSTO also indicates that he wants to cut ties with Russia and become a part of the West. However, we should not forget that Armenia tried to create a so-called state for itself on the Azerbaijani lands by relying on, especially, Russia. It is interesting that the Pashinyan's government, which thinks that it no longer needs Russia and its army has enough experience, was unable to withstand the blow of the Azerbaijani Army back in 2020 and quit the territories once under its occupation. It is clear that Armenia is carrying out the task of its patrons in the West when it comes to its decision to dismember itself with the CSTO. However, Pashinyan's acts are considered ridiculous and illogical given the real situation among other CSTO members. The CSTO Secretary General - Tasmagambetov Imangali Nurgalievich, urges Armenian authorities to show political sobriety on this issue. In an interview with TASS, he emphasised that the logical thing for Armenia at the moment is to remain within the CSTO. However, Armenia, immersed in the sweet promises of the West, seems to be quite unchanged in its decision. This makes it a dangerous side, even in the South Caucasus. Especially in the matter of peace negotiations with Azerbaijan, Yerevan is starting to lose its credibility completely. It's no secret that since 2020, Pashinyan's government has been deliberately slowing down the peace process. Realising that Armenia is not strong enough to face Azerbaijan on the battlefield, Pashinyan's government resorts to provocations every time by faking an excuse. For example, the news that has been circulating in the Armenian media for the past few days is especially related to the Armenians who left Garabagh in 2023 on their own volition. In fact, Armenia tried to repeat its policy of ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis in Garabagh in the 1990s in the name of Azerbaijan. However, on September 19, 23-hour anti-terrorist measures were carried out at such a professional level, so Armenia's aspirations were completely wasted. Even the UN organisations, which Armenia often turns to for unnecessary reasons, stated in their official reports that no civilians were harmed in Garabagh. At the same time, Armenia's claims did not end - the voluntary departure of Armenians who did not want to stay in Karabakh because of their crimes became a separate excuse for Armenia. However, most of those who appeared in Karabakh knew that after the war, they would be prosecuted by Azerbaijan for illegal armed support to separatist groups - of course, this does not apply to everyone. Armenia put forward the claim of ethnic cleansing by giving it a new name before some pro-Armenian international organisations. Let's recall that until September 19, the Azerbaijani government had repeatedly stated that Armenians who were born and lived in Garabagh could live in this region by obtaining Azerbaijani citizenship. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan officially guaranteed that Armenians who have received citizenship will not be distinguished from ethnic groups living in Lankaran, Baku, Ganja, Gusar, and other regions of Azerbaijan, and their rights will be protected. However, apparently, Armenia did not agree with this. While Azerbaijan was sending food to the Armenians in Garabagh, a group of separatists in Asgaran chanted, "we will not eat the Turk's bread" and rebelled. The 100,000 Armenians mentioned by Nikol Pashinyan were even less than some 20,000 as counted at the state border control in Lachin, and in a few days they left the territories of Azerbaijan and went to Yerevan. It is good that not a single civilian was harmed in Garabagh during the anti-terror measures. Otherwise, Yerevan would have blamed Azerbaijan for the fact that 80% of Armenians have been eliminated and would have shed tears in front of the International Court of Justice, saying, "Where are our eighty thousand Armenians?" It should be noted that, unlike them, Azerbaijan promised and kept its promise that no Armenian would be harmed. However, Armenia should always remember that 32 years ago, they gave Azerbaijanis a corridor to leave Garabagh and killed them in the forest. This is our difference with them. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 March 2024 10:02 (UTC+04:00) Ulviyya Shahin Read more Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan plan to establish a $300 million investment fund, Azernews reports, citing Nurlan Jakupov, Chairman of Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund. He disclosed that the investment fund will finance projects of interest to both countries. "The fund will also ensure the financing of priority projects in various sectors of the economies of Central Asian countries, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Turkiye. This will strengthen Kazakhstan's partnership with Azerbaijan and bring income. Because this will be solely a commercially based investment fund," Jakupov emphasized. It is worth noting that today in Baku, Ruslan Aliyev, CEO of the Azerbaijan Investment Holding, and Nurlan Jakupov, Chairman of Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund, signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement . It should be noted that direct investments from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan amounted to $114 million, while investments from Azerbaijan to Kazakhstan amounted to $215 million. Currently, over 200 companies with Kazakh capital operate in Azerbaijan. More than 50 Kazakh companies have applied to operate in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Shadow puppet artist captures essence of Michael Jackson's dance moves People's Daily Online) 11:15, March 12, 2024 A video of a shadow puppet show performing the iconic dance moves of U.S. pop music icon Michael Jackson recently went viral. In the video, a shadow puppet figure resembling Michael Jackson was maneuvered by several artists to perform his classic moonwalk and robot dance, accompanied by lively music. The artists in the video are Xue Hongquan, an inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of shadow puppetry from northwest China's Shaanxi Province, and his two apprentices. Shadow puppetry is a traditional form of folk drama that utilizes animal skin or cardboard cutouts to narrate stories. Huazhou district in Weinan city, Shaanxi, is one of the key birthplaces of this art form. In recognition of its cultural significance, shadow puppetry was included in the inaugural batch of the national intangible cultural heritage protection list in 2006. Three artists operate a shadow puppet to perform Michael Jacksons dance moves. (Photo/Beijing Youth Daily) Xue said the first official presentation of this performance took place on a China Central Television (CCTV) program in 2016. Xue's team passed the programs audition. The judges were impressed by their shadow puppetry performance, and one of them even suggested including additional elements, such as Michael Jackson's dance, into their show. Through interactions with young people, Xue sought to revitalize and develop the traditional art form. As a result of his creative efforts, the shadow puppetry piece, "Resurrected Michael Jackson, was born. In 2016, Xue showcased his talent on a CCTV program, where he ingeniously made shadow puppets perform Michael Jackson's iconic dance moves. The performance generated immediate acclaim. Xue said that "Resurrected Michael Jackson" is different from traditional shadow puppetry in many innovative ways. "The design of the shadow puppet characters is more intricate, with more joints and control rods added to better portray Michael Jackson's dance moves such as gliding, hip thrusts, and knee lifts. Traditional shadow puppets usually have only three control rods, but the Michael Jackson shadow puppet has six," said Xue. To enhance the dynamism of the shadow puppets' movements, Xue began by cutting the cardboard into the shape of a miniature person and assembling it for testing. He then focused on establishing precise joint connections. "We meticulously analyzed the joints of the Michael Jackson puppet, ensuring they closely resembled the skeletal joints of a real person," he explained. For instance, they divided the shadow puppet's feet into ankle, sole, and toe joints. By using steel wires to connect the soles and toes, they enabled the shoes to deform realistically when stepped on. They also designed the hat to be detachable, allowing it to be thrown or even appear to fly back. Xue explained that the intricate and precise nature of the shadow puppet characters posed a greater challenge for the performers. What was once a task for a single operator now required the coordination of three people. Any mistake from one person would disrupt the entire figure. "Michael Jackson's dance moves demand a strong sense of power and rhythm, necessitating the shadow puppet performers to execute their actions with crispness, decisiveness, and the appropriate force, without any hesitation," said Xue, adding that to achieve the desired performance effect, they rehearsed tirelessly, to the extent that some performers even developed blisters on their hands. Xue said that apart from Michael Jackson, they are currently inviting experts to create a large-scale production that differs from traditional shadow puppetry. This production uses digital lighting for projection, eliminating the need for control rods and the shadows of performers on the screen, resulting in a cleaner visual presentation. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) National Guardsmen are seen apprehending a small group of migrants who crossed the US/Mexico border from Piedras Negras, MX into Eagle Pass, TX as seen from Piedras Negras, MX on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024 . Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Rafael Martinez pours a cup of soda for Litzy Segovia, 11, at a migrant encampment near the international bridge connecting Brownsville, Texas and Matamoros, Mexico on Friday, March 1, 2024, in Matamoros . Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Mauricio Martinez, 37, cuts his hair at a migrant encampment near the international bridge connecting Brownsville, Texas and Matamoros, Mexico on Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Matamoros . Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Migrants are taken into custody by officials at the Texas-Mexico border, Jan. 3, 2024, in Eagle Pass, Texas. Eric Gay/AP Texas Gov. Greg Abbott greets National Guardsmen and women ahead of the press conference he and fellow Governors organized along the Rio Grande at the U.S.-Mexico border to discuss Operation Lone Star and border concerns on Sunday, February 4, 2024 in Eagle Pass, TX. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer FILE - Migrants are taken into custody by officials at the Texas-Mexico border, Jan. 3, 2024, in Eagle Pass, Texas. The Supreme Court on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 extended a stay on a new Texas law that would empower police to arrest migrants suspected of illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. The order puts the law on hold until at least Monday while the high court considers a challenge by the Justice Department, which has called the law an unconstitutional overreach. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, file) Eric Gay/Associated Press EAGLE PASS, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 4: U.S. Border Patrol agents guard migrants that crossed into Shelby Park as they wait to be picked up for processing on February 4, 2024 in Eagle Pass, Texas. The Eagle Pass Police Department has barricaded all immediate streets leading to Shelby Park since Friday and only allows media or law enforcement to enter. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered the Texas National Guard to defy a Supreme Court ruling allowing federal Border Patrol agents complete access into the area which has seen high numbers of illegal crossings. (Photo by Michael Gonzalez/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX *** Michael Gonzalez/Getty Images WASHINGTON The Supreme Court on Tuesday further delayed a new Texas law empowering state authorities to arrest and deport migrants that would transform immigration enforcement long left to the federal government. Justice Samuel Alito extended an administrative stay set to expire Wednesday until Monday at 4 p.m., giving the Supreme Court more time to consider whether to stop the law, known as Senate Bill 4, from taking effect at all as the ongoing legal battle between the Biden administration and the state plays out. Texas argued in new filings this week that the high court should let the law take effect while the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals weighs legal arguments against it. The appeals court has a hearing scheduled next month. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Texas is the nations first-line defense against transnational violence and has been forced to deal with the deadly consequences of the federal governments inability or unwillingness to protect the border, the state argued. Meanwhile, the law drew a fresh legal challenge Wednesday as immigrant rights groups sued on behalf of four Texas residents who could face arrest and removal under the law. The lawsuit, the first filed by individuals who could be targeted under Senate Bill 4, argues the law deprives them of the rights and protections afforded by the federal immigration system, including the right to seek asylum and withholding of removal. The individual plaintiffs are unnamed, but they include a Harris County resident who is a lawful permanent resident from Honduras and was granted a visa as a victim of human trafficking. Texas Republicans, who passed the law last fall, say its necessary to protect the state against an invasion of asylum seekers and Mexican drug cartels. The law would make it a crime to enter the state from Mexico without permission, and it would allow any law enforcement officer in Texas to arrest migrants they suspect of entering illegally and empower judges to order their removal. The Justice Department and civil and immigrant rights groups sued to block the law last year, and federal Judge David A. Ezra issued an order in February granting their request, calling the law patently unconstitutional. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Ezra wrote that immigration enforcement is left to the federal government, and the law conflicts with key provisions of federal immigration law, to the detriment of the United States foreign relations and treaty obligations. The Ronald Reagan appointee was especially critical of the states argument that it is defending against an invasion, writing: To discuss 'invasion' at length is to take the argument more seriously than it deserves. Even accepting that some small number of immigrants do traffic drugs or have cartel affiliations, he wrote, Texas cannot genuinely maintain that noncitizens crossing the border are an organized military force aimed at conquest or plunder. The 5th Circuit later tossed out the lower court ruling, teeing up the pending decision by the Supreme Court. The Justice Department has urged the justices to intervene, arguing that if they dont, Senate Bill 4 would take effect, profoundly altering the status quo that has existed between the United States and the States in the context of immigration for almost 150 years. Texas reiterated the invasion arguments in its filing before the high court, pointing to periods in history when militias were used to fight against Native American tribes, thieves and marauders and Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The United States sent forces into Mexico to pursue non-state actors because the Mexican government 'was incapable of policing' the border and tracking down Pancho Villa, who repeatedly crossed over the Rio Grande into Texas to kill and plunder, the state wrote. States have also exercised their power to repeal invasion. Of particular significance, Texas repeatedly responded with force against marauders who crossed into Texas from Mexico, both before and after Texass statehood. The state argued that the plaintiffs in the case do not have standing because Senate Bill 4 only authorizes actions against migrants, none of whom have yet been arrested or ordered removed under the law. The state also argued that the law does not directly authorize deportations by state and local officials, provisions of the law that Ezra found conflict with federal immigration enforcement. The law requires judges to issue return orders for those convicted of illegal entry, for which refusal to comply would trigger a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. A return order merely requires that an alien be transported to a port of entry, at which point the aliens potential removal is a question for federal immigration officers, the state wrote. 12 March 2024 16:41 (UTC+04:00) Fatime Letifova Read more The main goal of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) is to attract as much of the private sector as possible to finance measures to combat climate change, Azernews reports, citing the minister of ecology and natural resources of Azerbaijan, incoming President of COP29 Mukhtar Babayev, as he said in an interview with The Guardian. At Cop29, one of the key issues is likely to be climate finance, as poor countries struggle to find the funding they need to invest in clean energy and move away from fossil fuels. Babayev called on the private sector to step up with funding for a green transition in the developing world, as well as publicly funded banks such as the World Bank. Our task is to invite as much as possible the private sector for climate finance its a very good source for new initiatives, new formats, and new mechanisms for finance, he said. Babayev insisted the 1.5C goal must still be the central focus of the UN framework convention on climate change talks. We need to consolidate our efforts to 1.5C, he said. Im not pessimistic on this issue. We have to move on to the target and the implementation of the program [to reduce global emissions]. If we start the action, start the implementation of the agreements made at previous Cops, we have a chance. We will do our best. The 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) will be held in Azerbaijan in November this year. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 March 2024 20:53 (UTC+04:00) An Azerbaijan-Croatia business forum has been co-organized here today by the Export and Investment Promotion Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (AZPROMO), and the Croatian Chamber of Economy, Azernews reports. The function was graced by dignitaries including the government officials, representatives of more than 40 companies operating in the food industry, construction, trade, and energy. Highlighting the evolving political relations between Azerbaijan and Croatia based on friendship and common interests, Deputy Culture Minister Farid Jafarov emphasized the importance of establishing connections between entrepreneurs to bolster economic ties. He expressed optimism that the forum would facilitate progress in promoting mutual investments. Croatian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Branko Zebic and Azerbaijani Ambassador to Croatia Anar Imanov highlighted the potential for cooperation between the two countries in various domains, including trade, investment, agriculture and energy. They underscored that the meetings and events held in various formats would considerably contribute to strengthening interaction between business communities. The forum participants explored opportunities for developing trade and investment partnerships between the countries. Furthermore, AZPROMO Executive Director Yusif Abdullayev, KOBIA Chairman Orkhan Mammadov, and Director of the Business Internationalization Center at the Croatian Chamber of Economy Silva Stipic Kobali highlighted the business and investment potential of the two countries, as well as the feasible areas of cooperation. The forum, then, continued with meetings in a B2B format. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 March 2024 11:37 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more The Azerbaijani Cultural Centre in Vienna has celebrated Novruz within Mother Language weekend classes. The head of the Cultural Centre, Leyla Gasimova, who opened the event, spoke about the importance of the native language and the place that these courses occupy in the activities of the centre, Azernews reports. It was noted that the event, organised on the eve of Novruz, the favourite holiday of everyone, from children to adults, is a gift from children participating in the courses to adults. Preparing for the holiday with special enthusiasm, the children learned poems and songs in their native language, as well as various national dances. Then the head of the course, Yegana Balamadova, spoke about the holiday program and invited Azerbaijanis living in Vienna to more actively enrol their children in weekend courses and art and dance clubs at the Cultural Centre. Children took to the stage, performed songs and poems dedicated to Novruz, and performed national dances. After the concert, the center`s employees, Rashid Asgarli and Gular Azizova, presented a puppet show based on the fairy tale "Tik Tik Khanum" by Azerbaijani writer Abdulla Shaig. After the artistic part, children and parents were invited to the festive table, and various games were played for children. Language courses at the Azerbaijan Cultural Centre operate in two directions. Classes on the Azerbaijani language and literature, history and cultural heritage of Azerbaijan are held at weekend courses for the children of our compatriots living in Austria. The Azerbaijani language is taught as a foreign language in courses led by Doctor of Philology Yagut Abdalla. Azerbaijani language courses for foreigners have been operating since 2013, when the Cultural Centre was founded. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The Azerbaijan Cultural Centre in Uzbekistan has hosted the event "Cultural heritage and monuments created by the Azerbaijani people in Western Azerbaijan". The photo exhibition "Cultural Heritage and Monuments Created by the Azerbaijani People in Western Azerbaijan" opened its doors to centre visitors as part of the event, Azernews reports. The photo exhibition reflects the historical and religious monuments of Azerbaijan in Yerevan, Goycha, Zangazur, Darelayaz, etc. Director of the Azerbaijan Cultural Centre in Uzbekistan, Samir Abbasov, spoke about the great culture and national heritage of the Azerbaijani people for thousands of years in Western Azerbaijan. It was noted that over a hundred-year historical period, the Armenians carried out several deportations of Western Azerbaijanis from their ancestral lands, which is a historical injustice. "Their rights must be restored, and they must return to their homeland. We want to ensure these rights peacefully, and all international conventions recognise this right," he said. Samir Abbasov also expressed confidence that our compatriots will sooner or later return to their native lands. Next, the creative team of the documentary film "Tree of Generations" addressed the event. The documentary is dedicated to the theme of the return of Western Azerbaijanis to their native lands and was filmed by the Network of the Azerbaijani Journalists Public Association. The film's screenwriter, Ayaz Mirzaev, and producer, Elnur Niftaliev, expressed gratitude to the creative team for organising the screening of the film. After the screening of the documentary, representatives of the Western Azerbaijan Community in Uzbekistan noted that Azerbaijanis have the right to return to their ancestral lands and that Azerbaijanis have created a great cultural heritage by living in these territories for thousands of years. Representatives of the community emphasised that they believe in returning to their native lands. There was also a meeting with the creative team of the documentary film at the Uzbekistan Union of Journalists and the National Association of Non-Governmental Non-Profit Organisations of Uzbekistan. The film "Tree of Generations" was shot as part of the documentary film project "We want to return to our homeland", implemented with the financial support of the Azerbaijan Agency for State Support to NGOs. The film aroused great interest among viewers. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 March 2024 17:40 (UTC+04:00) Fatime Letifova Read more Plans are underway for the holding of Azerbaijani culture days in Croatia next year, Azernews reports, citing Deputy Culture Minister, Farid Jafarov as he said at the Azerbaijan-Croatia business forum held in Baku today. The deputy minister mentioned that the cultural days are expected to align with the next meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission between Azerbaijan and Croatia, set to take place in Croatia in 2025. The economic ties between our countries are strong, but we also seek to deepen our cultural and humanitarian connections, said Jafarov. "These cultural days will serve as a bridge for the integration and rapprochement of our peoples. The significance of this business forum cannot be overstated, as it paves the way for new projects and programs between our private sectors." --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 March 2024 15:43 (UTC+04:00) Fatime Letifova Read more The Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, has met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Azerbaijan to Georgia, Faig Guliyev, Azernews reports, citing the official portal of the Georgian government. During the meeting, the participants emphasised the strategic partnership and close friendly relations between the two countries, as well as the importance of further developing cooperation in various fields. Attention was paid to the prospects for the development of economic, transport, and energy partnerships. Important strategic projects were also discussed. During the conversation, the situation in the region was touched upon, and the importance of peace and stability was emphasised. Political, economic, and cultural relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia, the most strategic states of the South Caucasus, date back to the beginning of the 20th century. Post-Soviet countries Azerbaijan and Georgia continued these relations even after gaining independence. In addition to partnering mostly with Azerbaijan in the oil and gas sector, Georgia also plays the role of the main transit country in Azerbaijan's energy exports to Turkiye and Europe. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 March 2024 16:22 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Israel's National Water Agency - Mekorot company has proposed a project on artificial rain to prevent water shortages in Azerbaijan, Azernews reports, citing Diego Berger, director of the company's international relations department, as he said in an interview with local media outlets. According to him, the project was presented to Azerbaijan Melioration and Water Management. "Among our proposals is artificial rain. There are aerosols in the clouds. When silver iodide crystals are sprinkled in the aerosols, they become heavier, and it rains. This is done in the north and south of the country. It can be implemented. We used this method in Israel from 1972 until last year. We don't need it now. This project requires a lot of money, but in the future, it will not cost much. The planning for the said project should be done properly. There should be radars, and the points to be sown should be calculated," the company director added. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 March 2024 17:57 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more The Azerbaijan Theatre Workers Union has celebrated National Theatre Day. First, a video depicting the past and present of Azerbaijani theatre was shown at the event, Azernews reports. Acting Chairman of the Union, People's Artist Haji Ismayilov, reviewed the historical path of Azerbaijani theatre in his speech. In his speech, Haji Ismayilov noted that March 10 is celebrated as National Theatre Day in Azerbaijan in accordance with the presidential decree dated March 1, 2013. He underlined that state care for workers in this field is increasing day by day. "Theatre buildings are repaired and restored, equipped with equipment according to world standards," he added. During the event, a group of cultural figures were awarded the Order of Honour, the Artist Medal, and the Kizilgul Award. Also, the winners of the Bakhish-4 Festival received certificates. In their remarks, the cultural figures hailed the successes of the Azerbaijani theatre. People's Artist Heydar Anatollu, actors of the Azerbaijan State Academic Musical Theatre Huseyn Alili and Gultaj Alili delivered magnificent musical numbers. At the same time, the actors of the Azerbaijan State Youth Theatre presented their congratulations with a short play. History of Azerbaijani theatre art The National Theatre was created in the 1870s at the initiative of prominent playwright Mirza Fatali Axundov. Adventures of the Lankaran Khanate Vizier was the first dramatic work played on the stage of the Azerbaijani theatre. Its premiere took place on March 10, 1873, at the initiative of Azerbaijani print media founder Hasan-bay Zardabi and dramatist and public figure Najaf-bay Vazirov. Eminent cultural and public figures, like Hasan bay Zardabi, Najaf bay Vazirov, Jalil Mammadguluzada, Jafar Jabbarli, Ilyas Afandiyev, Huseyn Arablinski, and many others played an invaluable role in the formation and development of the Azerbaijani theater. So, March 10 is traditionally celebrated as National Theater Day in Azerbaijan. In the 1980s, the Azerbaijani theatre experienced a period of remarkable artistic development. This era witnessed significant advancements in terms of stylistic and genre diversity, contributing to the theater's overall artistic growth. In the 1980s, Azerbaijani theater underwent a period of significant artistic growth, characterized by advancements in stylistic and genre diversity. This era saw the introduction of plays by both modern and classic Azerbaijani writers, as well as works by Russian and international dramatists, leading to a broader repertoire for Azerbaijani theaters. Azerbaijani theaters expanded their reach by showcasing their productions in countries such as the USA, Turkey, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Estonia, and Bulgaria. The country has also been hosting numerous theater festivals and cultural events to highlight the importance of theater art in Azerbaijani cultural life. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 March 2024 18:30 (UTC+04:00) Fatime Letifova Read more The 9th trilateral meeting of foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkiye will be held on March 15 in Baku, Azernews reports, citing Azerbaijan's Foreign Affairs Ministry. Within the framework of the trilateral meeting, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov will hold one-on-one meetings with his counterparts. As well, the foreign ministers will hold a joint press conference. It is worth noting that the eighth trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkiye has been held in Tbilisi in 2019. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 March 2024 20:34 (UTC+04:00) Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, held a meeting with visiting Secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ramil Usubov, where they discussed cooperation between their countries in both bilateral and multilateral formats, Azernews reports. Both parties highlighted the significance of stability and lasting peace in the region, with a focus on the strong strategic partnership and regional projects between Georgia and Azerbaijan. Irakli Kobakhidze expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan for its continuous support of Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and reaffirmed Georgia's strong support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity as well. (Azertag) --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz (Photo : Unsplash/Melinda Gimpel ) The British beauty and cosmetics brand The Body Shop has ceased operations and is closing many stores in Canada after filing for bankruptcy. Store Closures in the Next Five Weeks According to a court filing, the store closures are spread across cities such as Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, and Saint John. The company is indebted to unsecured creditors for over three million three hundred thousand dollars and to secured creditors for approximately $16,400. On Friday, the Body Shop Canada announced that its US division has halted operations. This decision follows the recent filing by the company's parent, The Body Shop International Ltd., in the UK for administration, a legal procedure enabling companies to reorganize or cease operations without immediately settling their debts. A spokesperson for FRP, the administrators hired by The Body Shop International, announced on Monday that they also plan to close 82 out of 198 stores in the UK, which are scheduled to happen within the next five weeks. FRP does not manage The Body Shop's US or Canadian branches. A spokesperson for The Body Shop North America did not respond for more details on Monday. British media outlets reported that 75 of the brand's stores in the UK would shut down, and approximately 40% of its headquarters staff would face layoffs. In Canada, the company aimed to retain most of its stores and expressed in a statement its desire for "breathing room" through Ontario court proceedings. At the same time, it assesses strategic options and implements restructuring efforts. The Body Shop's Chapter 11 Filing In a March 1 announcement, The Body Shop Canada stated that it filed for a notice of intention under Canada's Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act to pause its parent company's administration proceedings in the UK and allow time for evaluating strategic options and implementing restructuring measures. READ ALSO: The Body Shop "Brutally" Mass-Firing Hundreds, Now Questioned for Prioritizing Creditors Over Employees At that time, The Body Shop Canada mentioned that all of its 105 stores were still operating, but 33 stores were closing, and the online sales through Canada's e-commerce platform discontinuation would happen soon, although the details regarding when the closures and liquidation of US locations were not given immediately. The Body Shop's Legacy The Body Shop, founded in 1976 by Anita Roddick and her husband, was known for selling soaps, creams, and makeup. As stated in the announcement, it describes itself as a formerly pioneering beauty brand recognized for its cruelty-free heritage and ethical beauty products. The brand gained immense popularity in the 1980s after being listed on the London Stock Exchange and expanding globally. It now has stores in about 80 countries, including many run by franchisees. Roddick and her husband sold The Body Shop to L'Oreal in 2006, which was later acquired by Brazilian cosmetics Natura in 2017. Last year, it was sold to Aurelius, a private equity firm specializing in revitalizing struggling companies, in a two hundred sixty-one million dollars deal. By 2023, the company had grown its presence to 2,500 retail locations, including owned and franchised outlets in more than 80 countries. RELATED ARTICLE: Macy's Grapples with Declining Sales, Shutting 150 Underperforming Stores to Step Up Its Luxury Brand 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. 12 March 2024 10:30 (UTC+04:00) Ulviyya Shahin Read more In January-February of this year, Azerbaijan produced 8.2 billion cubic meters of gas, with an increase of 240 million cubic meters, of which 4.1 billion cubic meters were exported, Azerbaijan Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov posted on his X account, Azernews reports. The post reads that in January-February 2024, the production of oil condensate amounted to 4.8 million tons, while the volumes exported reached 3.9 million tons. During this period, 4.1 billion cubic meters of gas, with an increase of 240 million cubic meters, were exported. In January - February 2023, 1.9 billion cubic meters of gas were sold to Europe, 1.7 bcm to Turkiye, and 0.7 bcm to Georgia. It should be noted that, during this period nearly 0.9 bcm gas was exported to Turkiye through TANAP. Since the commissioning of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli and Shah Deniz till 1 March 2023, about 206 bcm of gas was produced from Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli and more than 187 bcm of gas from Shah Deniz. During this period, more than 131 bcm gas were exported from Shah Deniz. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 March 2024 11:55 (UTC+04:00) The Southern Gas Corridor is the most important route for diversifying gas supplies to the EU and neighbouring countries, Azernews reports, citing the article published on Euronews. The publication notes that at the tenth meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the second meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council, the issue of expanding this corridor was raised. Azerbaijan is a country with large oil and natural gas resources. Last year, it increased its gas exports by 9%, taking them up to 22 billion cubic metres. Currently, the main buyers in Europe include Italy, Greece, Romania, Hungary, and Bulgaria, and this list looks like it could be extended, reads the article. There are many new partner countries who are willing to receive even additional volumes of natural gas, despite the fact that we are transitioning away from fossil fuels. But this takes some decades. Now we also want to establish future-proof cooperation, said Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy. One way that Azerbaijan is looking to get behind this change is via wind farms in the Caspian Sea. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 March 2024 14:22 (UTC+04:00) Fatime Letifova Read more On March 11 in Baku, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstans KazMunayGas JSC (KMG) and the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) signed the Agreement on Phased Increase in the Volumes of Kazakh Oil Transit across the Territory of the Azerbaijan Republic and the Memorandum of Strategic Cooperation in Sale and Purchase of Kazakh Oil, Azernews reports. The bilateral documents were signed by Magzum Mirzagaliyev, Chair of KMG's Management Board, and Rovshan Najaf, President of SOCAR, in the presence of Presidents of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Azerbaijan Republic. The Agreement on Phased Increase in the Transit Volumes of Kazakh Oil across the Territory of the Azerbaijan Republic provides for an increase in the volumes of Kazakh oil shipments along the Aktau-Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan route to 2.2 million tons annually. Under this agreement, the parties will continue discussing the matter of decreasing the tariffs of transportation along the Aktau-Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan route, as well as transporting Kazakh oil along the Baku-Supsa route. In 2022, KMG and SOCAR entered into an Agreement on Oil Transit along the Aktau-Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan route with an annual volume of 1.5 million tons. The Memorandum of Strategic Cooperation in the Sale and Purchase of Kazakh Oil establishes general conditions and principles for the sale and purchase of Kazakh oil for further processing at SOCAR Group's refineries, as well as subsequent trading on the regional and global markets. The documents that we have signed today make an additional contribution to the strengthening of the strategic partnership between our companies in terms of Kazakh oil transportation to global markets, Mirzagaliyev noted. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 March 2024 20:40 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva A Buddhist temple dating back to the time of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534 AD) was found in Shanxi Province in northern China, Azernews reports, citing foreign media outlets. According to the Shanxi Archaeological Institute, an ancient monument, presumably a royal temple, was discovered about 300 meters from the ruins of the palace of the Northern Wei Dynasty. The researchers found a square hole with pearls and copper rings in the center of the temple. At the same time, there were more than 200 Buddhist statues inside, some of which were painted and some decorated with gold. It is believed that the walls of the temple were painted with paintings. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 March 2024 22:15 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva Turkiye exports coffee to 146 countries around the world. Over the past five years, the supply of products abroad has increased approximately threefold, Azernews reports, citing the Turkish Statistics Office (TUIK). According to TUIK, by the end of 2023, 8,652 tons of coffee worth $57m were exported from Turkiye, whereas in 2019 this figure did not exceed $19.3m. The greatest demand for coffee from Turkiye is shown in Syria. Belarus and Russia are also in the top three. Along with the coffee itself, exporters pay attention to the supply of Turks made of copper, cups and other accessories, which are considered an important component of the tradition of making Turkish coffee. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 March 2024 23:20 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva Boeing failed to pass 33 out of 89 inspections by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) caused by the January incident with the loss of part of the fuselage of an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX aircraft, Azernews reports, citing foreign media outlets. According to the FAA, the inspections went on for six weeks and affected both Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems, which manufactures the fuselage for the Boeing 737 MAX. It is noted that Boeing has passed 56 out of 89 inspections. The auditors focused on "many parts of the 737 MAX, including wings and a number of other systems," as well as employees' understanding of the principles of product quality control. Inspections revealed 97 cases of non-compliance with production standards. Spirit AeroSystems failed 7 out of 13 inspections. FAA documents show that its representatives saw how Spirit AeroSystems mechanics used a hotel key card to check the door seal, as well as how liquid soap was used "as a lubricant during the fitting process" when working with the seal. The Boeing 737 is a family of narrow-body short- and medium-haul passenger and transport aircraft. The aircraft has been manufactured by Boeing Corporation since 1967. The Boeing 737 has become the most massive passenger aircraft in the history of civil aviation, with the ten thousandth aircraft delivered on March 13, 2018. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 12 March 2024 23:55 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva Italy is going to build the largest underwater tunnel in Europe, which will connect Western Genoa with Eastern Genoa. The launch of the tunnel will make Genoa more environmentally sustainable, as the city will receive up to 10 hectares of green areas, Azernews reports, citing foreign media outlets. The construction of the tunnel marks the beginning of a complete reconstruction of the port city, as well as the transport system. According to the Italian government, the 3.4-kilometer tunnel will be laid at a depth of 45 meters. Its diameter will be about 16 meters, and it will become the fourth largest in the world. One billion euros will be allocated for the construction of the tunnel, and, according to those responsible for the project, the work is scheduled to be completed in 2029. The construction of the tunnel will create more than 5,000 new jobs, and its commissioning will allow citizens to save more than a million hours of travel annually and reduce the negative impact on the environment. This will happen by reducing carbon dioxide emissions from road transport. The longest underground channel in the world today is the underwater road tunnel in Norway Ryfylketunnelen, 14.4 kilometers long. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz (Photo : Unsplash/Tyson) Tyson Foods, headquartered in Arkansas, has announced the permanent closure of its pork packing facility in Perry, resulting in the loss of jobs for the 1,276 employees. In an email on Monday, a company spokesperson announced the difficult decision to permanently close their pork facility in Perry, Iowa, following careful consideration. Perry, a community of approximately 7,930 residents, has suffered another significant setback this year, in addition to grappling with a school shooting in January that resulted in three fatalities and six injuries. Tyson's Part in Perry's Economy The pork plant in Perry, Iowa, which employed around 1,200 workers in a town with roughly 8,200 residents near Des Moines, is scheduled for closure on June 28, described by Cavanaugh as a significant setback for the community, being the largest employer in the area. Mayor Dirk Cavanaugh emphasized the Tyson plant's importance to Perry's economy, noting that relocating to nearby plants may not be feasible for workers to remain in the area. According to Cavanaugh, the closure is expected by late June. While not all Tyson employees reside in Perry, their patronage supports local businesses. Cavanaugh expressed his commitment to collaborating with officials to find a new employer for the plant space. After enjoying substantial profits due to soaring meat prices during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company now faces a downturn and reduced demand for certain products. This has led Tyson to close six chicken plants and implement layoffs for corporate staff over the past year in the United States. Tyson's Support for Affected Workers After thorough deliberation, Tyson permanently shut down its pork facility in Perry, Iowa, underscoring its commitment to enhancing operational efficiency to better meet customers' needs. Iowa remains integral to Tyson Foods, employing over 9,000 team members across various facilities in the state. Tyson employees, the Perry community, and Iowa pork producers will receive support from the state during and after the plant closure. The Iowa Economic Development Authority and Iowa Workforce Development are actively assisting. The state is prepared to help affected employees secure new jobs locally. IowaWorks.gov currently lists over 60,000 job openings, and the Iowa Workforce Development offers personalized career counseling to those seeking employment, said Governor Kim Reynolds in response to the announced closure. READ ALSO: Macy's Grapples with Declining Sales, Shutting 150 Underperforming Stores to Step Up Its Luxury Brand Tyson Pork's Downturn Tyson's pork division experienced an adjusted operating deficit of one hundred twenty-eight million dollars in the fiscal year ending September 30, contrasting with a profit of one hundred ninety-eight million dollars the prior year. Sales volumes declined by 2.2%, accompanied by a 7.9% decrease in average prices. As Steve Meyer, chief livestock economist at Ever.Ag stated that the Perry plant processes about 9,000 pigs daily, constituting below 2% of the pork production in the U.S. Smithfield Foods announced the termination of contracts with 26 hog farms in Utah in December, citing an oversupply of pork in the industry and decreased consumer demand. In October, Smithfield disclosed plans to close a pork plant in North Carolina following the confirmation of the closure of 35 hog farm sites in Missouri. RELATED ARTICLE: The Body Shop Initiates U.K., Canada Store Closures, Winds Down Operations Amid Fiscal Strains 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Cuteness Overload: Tufted Puffins Returning, Cannon Beach and N. Oregon Coast Celebrations Published 3/07/24 at 6:25 p.m. By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Cannon Beach, Oregon) Cute, cute, cute and more cuteness: that's what's coming to the north Oregon coast town of Cannon Beach soon, as dozens of tufted puffins will start returning in April. The colorful and charismatic seabird that nests on soil-topped islands and cliffsides will again be putting on their charms, along with their little ones. (Photo courtesy Barb and Larry Hauser) Haystack Rock Awareness Program (HRAP) will be hosting its annual Puffin Welcome Celebration on April 13th, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Cannon Beach's Haystack Rock. We celebrate the return of the tufted puffins to Haystack Rock for nesting season, said HRAP. This event offers a day packed with educational activities, talks, and a chance to witness the beauty of these iconic sea birds. Whether you're a seasoned birder or a curious beachgoer, there is something for everyone. Event Schedule 8:00-12:00 PM: Open House Learn more about the Haystack Rock Awareness Program, the Wildlife Center of the North Coast, and Friends of Haystack Rock. 9:00 - 9:30 AM: Puffinology 101: Exploring the world of Tufted Puffins Join us for a 30-minute discussion on tufted puffins! (Available on Instagram/FB live) 10:00 - 10:30 AM: Puffin Pursuit: Master the art of spotting tufted puffins Learn the best tips and tricks for spotting tufted puffins. Scopes and binoculars will be provided. 10:45 - 11:00 AM: Feathered Journey: The Challenges in a life of a Tufted Puffin. Become a tufted puffin! Learn the challenges our feather friends face through this interactive game. 11:30: Tufted Puffin Costume Contest Don your finest tufted puffin costume for a chance to win swag generously donated by Friends of Haystack Rock and Salty Raven. All participants must check-in at the main table by 10:00 AM. The winner will be announced at 11:30 AM. The upper latitude of the North Pacific Ocean is where the famed and beloved tufted puffins (Fratercula cirrhata) live. They breed in a wide range of areas, from California to Alaska, and from Japan to Siberia. Tufted puffins are seabirds that live on the open ocean, about 150 to 200 miles away from shore. Photo courtesy Friends of Haystack Rock Only returning to land when it is time to breed, this is when they can be spotted along the Oregon coast. From April to August, tufted puffins can be seen at Haystack Rock - the largest publically visible colony of these birds in the state. Photo courtesy Friends of Haystack Rock At Bandon's Face Rock area is another spot they show up but they are more difficutl to see. South Oregon coast experts hold a puffin watching day there as well stay tuned to Oregon Coast Beach Connection for that date when it comes up. Here in Cannon Beach, the lovely creatures make their nests in the grassy field on the rocks north and west side, by digging burrows. Their numbers have dropped much in the last twenty years, especially in the southern portion of their range. Some of the reasons why tufted puffins are declining are climate change, loss or damage of their habitat, more predators, and less food. For more information, please visit www.haystackrockawareness.com or contact Mylasia Miklas, Haystack Rock Awareness Program Communications Coordinator, at 503-436-8079 or email hrap@ci.cannon-beach.or.us Hotels in Cannon Beach - Where to eat - Cannon Beach Maps and Virtual Tours STAYING HERE FOR THIS MORE PHOTOS BELOW More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast. LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Rockaway Beach Begins Improvement Program, Sprucing Up the N. Oregon Coast Published 3/06/24 at 5:15 a.m. By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Rockaway Beach, Oregon) Rockaway Beach has been one of the few Oregon coast towns with a richly-layered historic feel as you drive through it but not one that's immediately recognizable. It takes maybe a few times to notice: this place has a bit of an Old West look to it in the spryly-painted buildings. There's an interesting vibe of retro yet boldly colorful. (Photos Oregon Coast Beach Connection) Now, the City of Rockaway Beach has expanded its tourism grant program and is including a facade improvement effort in its tourism-related funding, announcing last week that some $105,883 had been approved by the city council. These funds will go for upkeep on those buildings, keeping the original architectural lines intact, while also upgrading and buffing them up where needed. Some of these upgrades include more accessibility, efforts that Visit Tillamook Coast is spearheading all around the county in various ways. The first round of $102,951 for north Oregon coast businesses went to Beach Bakeshop, Rockaway Snack Shack, Rockaway Mercantile/SAI Design Build, Sand Dollar Restaurant, Trash and Treasures, Upper Crust Pizza and Lakeside Hideaway. A total of $200,000 was set aside for the fiscal year 2023-24. Some of the fund goes to keeping the beachgoing public safer. In addition, a $2,932 marketing grant was awarded to Rockaway Beach Community Education for brochures to inform visitors of safety issues on the beach, said Visit Tillamook Coast in a press release. The facade improvement grant was launched in October, 2023 and comes from transient lodging tax. Businesses on the Oregon coast that rely on visitor spending are considered tourism-related facilities, as defined by Oregon Revised Statutes 320.300. Luke Shepherd, city manager of Rockaway Beach, said this local tourist economy provides funds for city services on which many residents depend. By improving our buildings and making them more accessible, we can help build stronger economic development, he said. Were already seeing that in numerous new tourism business investments here. Rockaway Beach has been a destination for six generations, originally developed during the early 1900s as several separate little resorts, which eventually became one Rockaway Beach. These sprouted up not long after the widely-marketed Bayocean resort to the south, on the spit surrounding Tillamook Bay. Other land developers soon joined the Oregon Coast development wave, and when access by railroad became available, Rockaway Beach became a favorite getaway for Portland area families, said Visit Tillamook Coast. While Bayocean was sadly swept out to sea after a jetty was built that changed ocean currents, Rockaway has grown into a lively town with seven miles of broad, sandy beach. Tillamook Coast Visitors Association (Visit Tillamook Coast) manages the grant programs for Rockaway Beach. For more information, contact Nan Devlin, nan@tillamookcoast.com Hotels in Rockaway Beach - Where to eat - Rockaway Beach Maps and Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast. LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Velella Velella Return to Oregon Coast: Oddities and Space Junk? Published 3/07/24 at 3:25 p.m. By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Oregon Coast) From weird to wacky, to kind'a sad and potentially smelly: the Oregon coast has been tossing a lot of oddities up lately. West winds have been quite active, resulting in a wide array of interesting beach finds. (Photo Seaside Aquarium) It's a good time to go beachcombing, both here and on the Washington coast. That area has also seen some unique stuff look for an article on that on Oregon Coast Beach Connection soon. Those colorful yet sometimes stinky velella velella have returned, and the reports differ in numbers depending on location. West winds have been bringing them in as well. Around the Gold Beach area, Curry County Aquatic Safety reports seeing millions of them on the beach, but it is not clear which part of Oregon's Curry Coast that is. Oregon Coast Beach Connection was not able to confirm by deadline. Others like CoastWatch and Seaside Aquarium report seeing large amounts but not those numbers. On March 1, a CoastWatch volunteer spotted quite a few, still with their colors intact. Photo Seaside Aquarium Seaside Aquarium's Tiffany Boothe sent out more photos earlier today of the Seaside area. They show the little critters drained of their color, a sign the jelly-like creatures have been around a bit. In 2017, there were enormous numbers of these washing up all over the Washington coast and Oregon coast, so often that even tiny baby ones began showing up late in the year. Boothe said there are not those kinds of numbers now. But just wait....maybe.... Nothing like 2017 but we have been seeing quite a few, she told Oregon Coast Beach Connection. They vary in size from a grain of rice to about 2 inches. As the wind continues to come out of the west, I suspect we will be seeing more. Also known as by-the-wind sailors, among other things, they are not jellyfish. According to Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, they're closer to different creatures altogether. By-the-wind-sailors are hydrozoans, a class of predatory animals, distantly related to corals, sea anemones and jellies, the aquarium said. They range in size from a few millimeters across to seven centimeters and appear brilliant blue and purple when at sea or freshly washed ashore. After time in the sun, the Velella dry out and lose their pigmentation. Beachgoers will often mistake the dried animals for thin, clear pieces of plastic. Unfortunately, they start to stink really badly if the sun hits them for a bit. This was an intense problem around 2007 and periodically afterwards. Youll notice the clear, triangular sail at the top of the creature, which is strangely enough its only means of moving around. These creatures begin popping up when west winds kick in and the right currents have brought them closer to shore. They have no real means of propelling themselves, so they are at the mercy of the winds. Courtesy Curry County Aquatic Safety West winds have been working overtime lately. One of the latest curiosities was spotted in recent days near Gold Beach at Pistol River State Scenic Viewpoint. Both CoastWatch and Curry County Aquatic Safety noted this bit of wacky stuff that looked like space junk. Both organizations agreed it was likely part of a buoy, however. It is approximately 8 to 10 feet in diameter and 12 feet tall, which is bigger than it looks in photos. The bottom is open and large styrofoam tubes are exposed, reports CoastWatch's Shari Botermans, who took the photo. Photo CoastWatch / Michelle Schwegmann Both organizations have already reported it to authorities on a federal and state level. About a month ago on Manzanita's Neahkahnie Beach, CoastWatch's Michelle Schwegmann found something rather disturbing on a variety of levels: a giant plastic dwelling-like object which turned out to be a veal crate. This is how they raise young calves to make veal. Oregon Coast Hotels for this event - South Coast Hotels - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast. LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted (Photo : Unsplash/ Herlambang Tinasih Gusti ) The UN's leading organization advocating for women's rights began its yearly gathering on Monday, featuring five consecutive male speakers, which made some men uneasy and puzzled many of the hundreds of women in the crowded General Assembly chamber. Five Male Speakers Opening the Floor Achim Steiner, the head of the UN Development Program and the final male speaker, acknowledged his gender when he approached the podium, saying he was very aware that another man was standing at the podium addressing the previous male speakers. Steiner highlighted his dilemma: either remain silent or favor gender equality. Croatia's UN Ambassador Ivan Simonovic, speaking as the third male representative of the UN Economic and Social Council, apologized for the absence of the council's female president due to a family emergency and acknowledged the imbalance in the agenda's opening. A Call for Investment that Addresses Poverty Chetna Gala Sinha, the first woman to address the assembly, took the stage sixth, representing civil society. Thirty years ago, Sinha relocated to a drought-affected village in Maharashtra, India, from Mumbai and empowered local women to establish a bank. She emphasized the transition from microcredit to micro-enterprise for women, highlighting the importance of investing in women. This resonates with the focus of this year's UN Commission on the Status of Women, which also addresses poverty. A Call Promoting Women's Rights and Gender Equality Following a speech by a young woman from Malawi representing youth, Philippines UN Ambassador Antonio Lagdameo invited the head of the UN agency promoting women's rights and gender equality to join him on the podium. Sima Bahous, the head of UN Women, expressed enthusiasm, noting the growing presence of women on stage, which was met with loud applause from the audience. A Call for Solidarity and Peace Efforts in Conflict Zones Almost every speaker, regardless of gender, talked about the difficulties faced by women and girls in conflict, particularly the Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza. Lagdameo, chairing the commission, urged attendees to support women and girls in conflict zones and expressed solidarity with peace efforts. READ ALSO: Women in the Workplace: Are Females Becoming Less Ambitious Due to Persistent Barriers? UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, being the second speaker, stressed the disproportionate impact of conflicts on women and girls in Gaza. Guterres highlighted the difficulties faced by families during Ramadan in Gaza and renewed his call for a humanitarian cease-fire, as well as an end to violence in all conflict regions, including Sudan. The Resurgence of Patriarchy Last week, Guterres highlighted the daunting prospect of achieving legal gender equality, estimating it could take 300 years. On Monday, he pointed out two troubling developments: the resurgence of patriarchy amid attacks on women's freedoms and reproductive rights by autocrats and populists and the neglect of women's needs and rights in the realm of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, which men predominantly dominate. Making Gender Equality a Core Value Bahous expressed concern to the commission about the escalating backlash against gender equality, describing it as "Peace feels painfully distant, war painfully prevalent, suffering painfully ubiquitous." She proposed that if financial commitments matched verbal pledges to gender equality, more than 100 million women and girls could be lifted out of poverty. Additionally, closing gender gaps in employment could potentially increase gross domestic product per capita by 20%. Steiner from the UN Development Program addressed the commission, acknowledging the systemic failures perpetuating gender inequality and poverty. He emphasized the importance of making gender equality a core value in public financing to address the plight of over 300 million women and girls living in extreme poverty. RELATED ARTICLE: The AI Landscape: Potential Job Displacement for Asian American and Women Workers 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. FBI Director Chris Wray, usually a Biden regime flunky, has warned in Congressional testimony of Muslim jihadist terrorists being inserted into the US for the purpose of terrorism as part of the migrant stream. Wray revealed that the Muslim terrorist organization ISIS has ties to human smuggling cells in Mexico to get their operatives into the US. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13184623/fbi-director-wray-border-crossers-terror-attack-isis.html Muslim terrorist groups have boasted for years of using the migrant stream into Europe to insert their operatives, so this is a known strategy of these terrorist groups. Meanwhile, the exremely violent El Salvador-based criminal gang MS13 is openly selling counterfeit green cards, birth certificates and other documents in New York City and elsewhere to illegal aliens, allowing them to establish a fake US identity. https://www.breitbart.com/crime/2024/03/09/were-just-waiting-another-9-11-migrants-buy-fake-green-cards-social-security-id-nyc-gangs/ And the Biden regime facilitates all of this with its open borders policies. Optum, parent company of ASC chain SCA Health and the country's largest employer of physicians, is aiming to fast-track its proposed purchase of the physician-owned Corvallis (Ore.) Clinic. An emergency application was filed March 7 so the clinic "can continue serving their patients and communities with the care they need. As outlined in numerous filings and discussions with the state since December 2023, the Corvallis Clinic has significant longstanding financial issues that have come to a head, necessitating this emergency filing," a spokesperson for Optum told Becker's on March 12. Because of a lack of cash stability, the clinic does not have time to undergo more regulatory review without more cost-cutting measures that would impact care, Corvallis Clinic's attorneys wrote in the emergency application filed with the Oregon Health Authority. The clinic could be forced to close, the application added, as the financial condition has worsened. The Optum spokesperson said the clinic's financial issues existed before the cyberattack on Optum's Change Healthcare in late February. However, because Corvallis Clinic uses Change to process medical claims, the organization has been left lower on funds following the attack, The American Prospect reported March 10. Hundreds of people, including physicians, patients and politicians, have urged the Oregon health department to block the proposed acquisition. Citing clinic closures associated with Optum's parent company, UnitedHealth Group, state Sen. Sara Gelser Blouin said in comments submitted to the Oregon Health Authority that Optum is "a massive organization that is not shy about repeatedly cutting corners, skirting the law and putting the well-being of patients at risk.". Optum has seen soaring growth in the last year, adding nearly 20,000 physicians in 2023 and inking deals with physician groups, hospitals and even Uber. The group's rapid growth is "raising antitrust and noncompete concerns as more payers and private equity firms pursue medical practice acquisitions," according to a December report from Medscape. Corvallis Clinic, which operates 11 locations and an ASC, is the largest multispecialty medical group in the mid-Willamette Valley, according to its website. A Sanford Health location in Fargo, N.D., has added Medtronic's GI Genius for artificial intelligence-assisted colonoscopies, Valley News Live reported March 11. This is the first facility in the state to use the technology. "Early detection plays such a critical role in detecting and beating colon cancer," John Bassett, MD, a Sanford Health gastroenterologist at the Sanford Center for Digestive Health, told Valley News Live. "Colorectal cancer is the second deadliest cancer in the United States, but it doesn't have to be. This new technology can help detect colorectal cancer early when treatments are most effective." Daviess Community Hospital in Washington, Ind., will close its inpatient behavioral health unit May 1 as it looks to put more resources into outpatient mental health services. "The decision comes after a thorough review of healthcare data and patient needs," the hospital said in a news release shared with local news outlets. "Other healthcare providers in the region will assist in ensuring continuity of care for current inpatient behavioral health patients." The unit's closure is part of plans to expand outpatient services, which the hospital said aligns more closely with community health needs, based on assessments from the past decade. Daviess Community Hospital is a 74-bed county-owned hospital and is an affiliate of Ascension St. Vincent. Counterfeit versions of Novo Nordisk's Ozempic are becoming more of a concern, both for the company and to global authorities. Lars Fruergaard Jrgensen, the Danish drugmaker's CEO, told Reuter's the company is currently working alongside authorities in multiple countries to navigate the issue. Counterfeit Ozempic has been found in at least 16 countries, according to the antidrug-counterfeiting group Partnership for Safe Medicines. They are: Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Egypt, Germany, Iraq, Ireland, Jordan, Lebanon, Nigeria, Russia, Turkey, the U.K., the U.S. and Uzbekistan. Adverse events related to counterfeit Ozempic and its effects on patient safety were reported in 2023 in Belgium, Iraq, Serbia and Switzerland, Reuter's reported. Robert Califf, MD, the FDA commissioner, has detailed his concerns over increasing online sales of counterfeit versions of the drug in recent weeks. Ozempic shortages are likely contributing to the rise of counterfeit ones, the World Health Organization warned in January. The FDA issued a warning in December 2023 to consumers regarding fake Ozempic in the U.S. Five adverse events were linked to the counterfeit injections at that time. The American Academy of Dermatology has rejected a proposal to end its diversity, equity and inclusion programs, NBC News reported March 11. Dermatologists had recently introduced a resolution to end the AAD's current DEI efforts with the intention of adopting a more inclusive policy in its place citing concerns about the politicization of DEI work and increased antisemitism. The medical association's advisory board voted to reject the resolution and expand DEI efforts at its annual meeting in San Diego on March 10. "We celebrate diversity in all forms including, but not limited to, religious, ethnic, cultural, gender, and racial identities and aim to improve disparities in healthcare," academy President Terrence Cronin Jr., MD, told NBC News. "We are ardent opponents of any form of antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Asian hate, and racism of any kind." Dermatology is the second-least diverse medical specialty behind orthopedics, according to a 2020 study published in Clinics in Dermatology. As part of its DEI efforts, the AAD runs a mentorship program for medical students from underrepresented groups. The association has also partnered with Johnson & Johnson to more than double the number of dermatology residents from Black, Latino and Indigenous communities by 2027. Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare appointed Monique Butler, MD, president of graduate medical education, effective March 1. Dr. Butler succeeds Bruce Deighton, PhD, who will retire from HCA later this year. Under Dr. Deighton's leadership, HCA's GME platform grew to 5,185 residents at 72 hospitals. In her new role, Dr. Butler leads HCA's GME strategy, quality and operations, including the growth and development, program accreditation and clinical performance of more than 300 residency and fellowship programs across 16 states. For the past three years, she served as chief medical officer for HCA's North Florida division. She joined HCA in 2018 as chief medical officer of Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, Colo. Dr. Butler previously served in a variety of clinical leadership roles, including chief operating officer at Children's Hospital of Michigan, chief medical officer at Detroit Receiving Hospital and chief medical officer at Sinai-Grace Hospital, all in Detroit. In each of these roles, she was responsible for the strategy, development, operations and quality of GME programs. Dr. Butler has a master's in business administration from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. She maintains faculty assignments at UT Haslam College of Business as well as the University of Central Florida School of Medicine in Orlando. Peggy Norton-Rosko, DNP, RN, has been selected as the chief nurse executive for the University of Maryland Medical System in Baltimore, according to a March 12 announcement. She will join the health system after departing a role as the regional chief nursing officer for Livonia, Mich.-based Trinity Health's Illinois and Indiana regions. Collectively, throughout her career, Dr. Norton-Rosko has acquired more than 30 years of nursing and leadership experience. Dr. Norton-Rosko will assume the role May 20. There's a gendered assumption that women CEOs are more risk-averse than men, but recent research suggests that isn't always the case. The study, published in the Strategic Management Journal, analyzed 1,700 S&P 1000 firms in Execucomp from 2006 to 2013. The final sample yielded 10,351 observations on firms' acquisition activity and the gender of their CEO, along with industry dynamism, media coverage and relative board power over the CEO. Researchers from the University of Alberta (Canada), Athens-based University of Georgia, Blacksburg-based Virginia Tech University and Boise (Idaho) State University participated. The researchers found that female CEOs of major firms do make fewer acquisitions than their male counterparts, on average. But in high-scrutiny contexts (where there is substantial industry dynamism, media coverage and relative board power), the difference disappears, and women acquire as much as men. Under less scrutiny, women CEOs engage in "more detailed and effortful consideration of the data," according to the study. If they have the time and mental energy, they are more careful with acquisitions, finding reasons to block or slow transactions. When the pressure is on, their evaluation processes become less calculated, more akin to men's. Timothy Hannigan, PhD, a co-author from the University of Alberta, said this may not be seen in a positive light in North America, where men helm the majority of big companies. However, some business observers are questioning whether high acquisitions are always a good thing; women's careful handling of complex transactions "might actually be a benefit when it comes to shareholder value," Dr. Hannigan said in a March 6 university article. "To say that women are conservative, and that's just how they were born, is not very helpful," Dr. Hannigan said. "The fact that their behavior shifts depending on conditions speaks to the dynamism of female CEOs and how they act." Worcester, Mass.-based Saint Vincent Hospital has been cleared by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health after nurses filed more than 600 staffing and safety reports with state and federal agencies. The public health department conducted a five-day on-site survey in response to the nurses' concerns, and ruled that five of the six complaints investigated were "unsubstantiated," according to a March 12 news release the hospital shared with Becker's. It did not uncover any issues related to staffing or care quality. The survey did reveal that the hospital's telemetry monitoring equipment could be improved; the hospital was already in the process of correcting the issue and has now fully corrected it, per the release. The Massachusetts Nurses Association, which represents more than 500 registered nurses at the hospital, alleges that union-associated nurses were denied the opportunity to meet with DPH investigators privately. The nurses allege that managers with Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare Saint Vincent's parent company selected others to speak with investigators, and that some, fearing retaliation, did not speak honestly. Marlena Pellegrino, RN, co-chair of the nurses local bargaining unit with the MNA, said via news release that the union and its nurses stand by "every claim made in their complaints." The union says it has been in contact with Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healy's administration to urge the placement of DPH monitors on-site at the hospital. DPH's findings contrast those of another recent review. In mid-February, The Joint Commission visited Saint Vincent Hospital and found it "non-compliant with applicable Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services Conditions," according to an email correspondence obtained by Becker's. The Joint Commission's public information policy prohibits it from sharing specific findings or the complete report. However, the email said that Saint Vincent Hospital "will need to demonstrate evidence of standards compliance to maintain accreditation by The Joint Commission." Tenet did not return Becker's request for comment on The Joint Commission's review. However, Carolyn Jackson, CEO of Saint Vincent Hospital and Tenet's Massachusetts Market, provided a statement on DPH's findings via news release. "To have no negative findings for staffing and quality of care from the DPH is a reflection of the consistent collaboration and dedication to patient care that our staff and physicians demonstrate every day," Ms. Jackson said. "We appreciate DPH's thoughtful approach to the detailed survey that was completed. Our team was proud to show them the inner workings of our high-quality organization." The MNA said it will "exercise any and all means" to hold Tenet and Ms. Jackson accountable for alleged oppressive policies and neglect of care quality. Read more about the grievances here. By Kwon Mee-yoo Celebrated for her exquisite artistry, Son Yeol-eum stands out as a leading pianist in Korea. Son excels not only as a solo pianist but also shines in chamber music, demonstrating a remarkable ability to forge deep musical connections. Teaming up with Bulgarian-born violinist Svetlin Roussev, Son is set to showcase their latest project, "Love Music," at The Korea Times Spring Concert at Lotte Concert Hall on March 25. As they prepare to grace the stage, Son sat down with The Korea Times to offer a glimpse into her musical universe and the creative process behind the "Love Music" album. The "Love Music" album was the result of an unexpected moment of inspiration when Son stumbled upon Franz Waxman's "Love Music," a piece inspired by Wagner's opera "Tristan & Isolde." "The idea came accidentally," Son said during an interview with The Korea Times at Art Corner H in central Seoul, Tuesday. "Svetlin had this handwritten score, quite a rare find, and despite my familiarity with Waxman's work, this particular piece was new to me. It felt like uncovering a hidden gem, so we decided to bring it to light through this album." Son and Roussev embarked on a journey to assemble a repertoire that would echo the romanticism of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with a particular emphasis on compositions from Germany and Austria. "I began collecting music from that time and region, seeking pieces that would resonate with the overarching theme of romanticism," Son said. Son highlighted the significance of composers like Waxman and Korngold, who transitioned from classical music to Hollywood, pioneering innovative musical styles that formed the basis of film music and influenced popular culture. "I want people to feel that classical music is relevant to their lives," she said, highlighting her aspiration for the album to bridge the gap between classical music and contemporary audiences. As the "Love Music" album captivates audiences throughout Korean cities, including Miryang, Daegu, and Incheon, its Seoul debut is a collaborative effort with The Korea Times, marking a significant contribution to the English-language daily's social responsibility endeavors. "We questioned whether to play the album as is, but decided to deepen the narrative," Son said of the concerts program. Highlighting the event is Strauss' centerpiece, complemented by Gabriel Faure's Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1, marking the centennial of the composer's death. "Faure was a contemporary of Strauss, but he was based in France," Son explained. "Living in Paris and fluent in French as his second language, Svetlin brings a unique perspective to French compositions. Playing French music with Svetlin is always a learning experience for me." Son described Roussev as a relaxed and easygoing musician, a trait that seamlessly complements her own style. "Svetlin is like an encyclopedia, brimming with knowledge. I enjoy drawing out and curating ideas from his vast reservoir of knowledge. That's the essence of our harmonious collaboration," Son said. The violinist also expressed deep appreciation for his collaboration with Son, emphasizing the emotional depth and discovery inherent in their joint performances. Her sensitivity, flexibility, her ability to really listen to her partners is in one word, incredible. For me, it was obvious that Id be blessed to be able to continue making music with her and destiny made it possible, so we continued on a regular basis ever since, he said in a written interview with The Korea Times. Bringing classical music closer Son is dedicated to broadening the reach of classical music, a mission that gained additional momentum when she was appointed as the ambassador for Apple Music Classical in Korea in January. In her efforts to share the beauty of classical music, Son has not only curated a playlist, but also released a special EP for Apple Music Classical. Son revealed that she refined to her playlist "Meno mosso five times to achieve the perfect balance between piano and orchestral music. "Without strict guidelines, curating the playlist was a challenge, but it allowed me to create a diverse and balanced playlist," Son said, adding that she hopes it would encourage listeners to explore more classical music. The special EP "Classical Session: Yeol Eum Son" is a heartfelt tribute to her musical roots, featuring pieces by Hanon, Czerny and Doucet. "I wanted this project to have a deeper significance," Son said, explaining why she chose Hanon and Czerny pieces, staples in Korean piano education, to resonate with listeners familiar with their foundational role in learning piano. "Chopinata" by Doucet adds a personal touch to the EP. "I vividly recall playing Doucet's waltz when I was just six years old," Son reminisced. "There was this particularly wide octave chord and with my small hands, reaching across eight keys seemed impossible. Yet, as I stretched my fingers, I managed to bridge that octave for the first time. That moment is etched in my memory." Overcoming barriers While establishing her career in Europe when she was in her 20s, Son encountered challenges that stemmed not just from her youth, but also her ethnicity and gender. "There were moments when I felt the unfairness of being a young Asian woman in a predominantly Western field," Son said. She sensed a dismissive attitude from some peers and industry professionals who underestimated her, viewing her as a transient figure in the classical music scene, possibly due to stereotypes or prejudices that assumed her career would take a backseat to personal life choices like marriage. "It felt as though they viewed me as a transitory figure rather than a serious artist," she said. Since then, the pianist has noticed a significant change in the global perception of Korean culture, particularly in the aftermath of the pandemic. "It's like stepping into a different world," she said, reminiscing about an encounter with a Finnish orchestra where the PR personnel communicated with her in Korean and another in Spain where musicians showed a keen interest in learning the Korean language. "The global spread of Korea's pop culture appears to be advantageous for me as well." Following her "Love Music" concert in March, Son is poised to captivate her homeland audiences in May, gracing the stage with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of its new music director, Jaap van Zweden. In July and August, she will lead her personal initiative, "Going Home," a project that embodies her directorial acumen, cultivated during her tenure as the artistic director of Music in PyeongChang from 2018 to 2022. Launched in 2023, "Going Home" unites Korean musicians residing abroad, fostering a sense of community and belonging. "The project emerged spontaneously, yet it brims with the joy of pursuing an endeavor driven purely by passion," Son said. "Since our inaugural concert last year, the response has been overwhelming, with many musicians reaching out to participate. 'Going Home' aims to create a network and a sense of home for Korean musicians worldwide." The CDC has deployed a team to help address an ongoing measles outbreak that originated at a temporary migrant shelter in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, The Hill reported March 12. Two additional cases were confirmed March 11 by officials with the Chicago Department of Public Health related to the outbreak, bringing the total case count to four. Through a partnership, the city health department worked alongside Cook County Health, Rush University Medical Center and the University of Illinois-Chicago March 9 and 10 to assess other residents of the shelter to understand their vaccine history and administer measles-mumps-rubella vaccines to individuals who wanted it. In total, 900 vaccinations were given to residents at the shelter, according to the release. Now, the CDC will step in to provide additional support to city and county health officials, according to The Hill. "CDC is sending a team of experts to support the local response to the recent measles cases, with arrival expected tomorrow," a CDC spokesperson told The Hill. "CDC continues to recommend the safe and effective MMR vaccination as part of the routine immunizations schedule for all children and adults, with special guidance for international travel." While the city health department has noted a majority of Chicago residents are vaccinated against measles and there is low risk to the public at large, nationwide measles cases have been popping up more frequently in recent months. Not accounting for these newly detected cases, per the CDC, there have been 45 confirmed cases across 17 states already in 2024 as of March 7. Bradley Grigg, former chief behavioral health officer at Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau, Alaska, has accepted a plea deal that allows him to avoid prison time, local news outlet KTOO reported March 11. Mr. Grigg was arrested in August 2022 for allegedly stealing $108,000 from the hospital, according to the Alaska Beacon. The city and borough of Juneau, which owns the hospital, conducted an internal investigation that led to the arrest. He was charged with two counts of first-degree theft for allegedly making fraudulent travel claims and online purchases over multiple years, according to KTOO. The felony charges each carried jail time of up to 10 years. Mr. Grigg became chief behavioral health officer of Bartlett Regional in 2017 and resigned in 2021 hours after the resignation and firing of former CEO Rose Lawhorne, MSN. Last month, Mr. Grigg was sentenced to three years in prison with two years suspended and was also ordered to pay $108,844 in restitution, according to the report. He received a year's credit for house arrest and is out on probation in supervised custody. Female orthopedic surgeons at Northern Light Orthopedics in Bangor, Maine, are encouraging women to join the field, CBS affiliate WABI reported March 11. Orthopedics is the most male-dominated physician specialty, according to the American Medical Association. "I think the key is visibility," Jessica Aronowitz, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Northern Light Orthopedics, told WABI. "I think the key is mentorship and really encouraging medical students when going into medical school, orthopedics is a great field. It just, you know, it's slowly changing, but it's slow. So, there has not been a lot of movement on the percentage of women in orthopedics despite now the majority of medical students being women. For me, it's just about other people. Seeing people like you doing something you want to do. Follow your passion, follow your path." There are four female orthopedic surgeons at Northern Light Orthopedics. A business headed up by former Tyrone GAA captain Peter Canavan has announced it will take over a restaurant and bar near Ballygawley just yards from his old teams training grounds. In a post on social media, Canavans said it would be taking over Kellys Inn and paid tribute to the previous owners for their exceptional service and hospitality. As we begin our new venture, as we now know it, its only fitting and proper that we give a message of our gratitude to The Kelly Family, reads the post. Kellys Inn has been a long standing pillar in our community and the Kelly familys dedication in running the venue since 1937 has been nothing short of remarkable. Their commitment to providing warmth, comfort and hospitality to countless guests over the years has left an indelible mark on the people of Garvaghy and much further beyond. To the Kelly Family, thank you for years of exceptional service and hospitality, we hope you enjoy the well-earned rest. Kellys Inn is located just minutes away from Garvaghey Centre, the home of Tyrone GAA. On Monday, Kellys Inn social media accounts were renamed Canavans. Triple All Ireland winner Canavan played for Tyrone from 1989 to 2005. He went on to manage Fermanagh GAA from 2011 to 2013. Two men were charged following the 500,000 drugs haul in Belfast as part of a cross-border policing operation. A student took part in a 500,000 cannabis exchange in south Belfast under death threat from a Chinese Triad known as Big Brother, a court has heard. Yilin Xie (23) claimed the unidentified gang member instructed him to take the drugs to a meeting with his 43-year-old co-accused Siong Shok Goh. Both men were arrested after police stopped and searched their two Mercedes cars earlier this month. Details emerged as they were refused bail over their alleged roles in the handover of a consignment of herbal cannabis. Xie, with an address on Belfasts Lisburn Road, and Goh, of Fairview Strand in Dublin, are jointly charged with possessing Class B drugs with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of a Class B drug. Belfast Magistrates Court heard police spotted the exchange taking place at Osborne Park on March 1. Xie was allegedly observed wearing forensic gloves and moving a cardboard box from his car to Gohs vehicle. Officers intervened at the scene and recovered up to 20 kilos of vacuum packed herbal cannabis. A further quantity was seized during follow-ups searches at Xies apartment, along with scales, vacuum-packing material and cling-film. Gardai also provided assistance during the cross-border operation, confiscating 5,560 in cash and other suspected drug-related equipment from Gohs home in Dublin. Xie, a finance student at the University of Westminster in London, told police he had been invited to Belfast for a holiday by a friend he would only refer to as Big Brother. That unnamed individual is a member of a Chinese Triad gang with access to guns, it was claimed. According to Xies account, packages were delivered to his apartment with instructions to take them to the meeting point. An investigating detective told the court: It was at this point he realised the parcels contained cannabis Mr Xie said Big Brother threatened him with death if he did not carry out the exchanges on his behalf. Goh denied any involvement in the supply of cannabis. He claimed a friend offered him 300 to go to Belfast to collect two bags of clothes. Opposing bail, the detective claimed detention was necessary for the defendants own protection. Mr Xie has stated that he carried out the exchange in fear of serious violence at the hands of someone he told police was a triad and had access to firearms, he said. The defendants have lost a significant amount of controlled drugs with a value of 500,000, and it is believed this investigation involves an organised crime network. Defence barrister Joel Lindsay argued that both accused could be safely released from custody. Counsel said Goh is adamant that his fingerprints will not be found on any of the boxes seized at the meeting point where he remained in his car. Denying the defendants applications for bail, District Judge Steven Keown cited the risks of re-offending and interfering with the investigation. He added: This is clearly a large-scale operation involving organised crime with an international element. Paddy Jenkins (centre) as Pastor Begbie with Ciaran Nolan as Sandy and Marty Reid as Uncle Andy on Give My Head Peace Paddy Jenkins broke his leg after falling down the stairs at his daughters house. Picture: Peter Morrison Paddy Jenkins, who has won thousands of fans for his comic portrayal of firebrand cleric Pastor Begbie in Give My Head Peace, certainly isnt seeing the funny side of the theatrical saying break a leg. The Finaghy man has taken the idiom too much to heart by shattering his left leg in three places in a fall. Paddy, who played a priest in the Academy Award-winning short movie An Irish Goodbye, has now had to say farewell to the latest Give My Head Peace tour. He said: Im gutted to be out. I was doing a bit of painting at my daughters house when I fell on a shoe box on the stairs. My left leg went underneath me and the pain was excruciating. However, being the real trouper that he is, Paddy was more concerned about his commitments with the tour than about himself. He immediately rang Tim McGarry, who plays Da, to tell him that the show couldnt go on that night in Omagh. Paddy Jenkins (centre) as Pastor Begbie with Ciaran Nolan as Sandy and Marty Reid as Uncle Andy on Give My Head Peace For the first time in 25 years, a touring production of the show had to be pulled, with McGarry sending out a message on social media that Pastor Begbie had kneecapped himself. Producers have enlisted one of Belfasts most versatile actors, Marty Maguire, to fill in for Paddy, playing Begbies brother. I have been in touch with Marty, whos a close friend, to wish him all the best for the rest of the run, added Paddy, who after he was rushed to A&E at the Royal Victoria Hospital, told staff he thought he might only have suffered a sprain. But a nurse told him that he had to be joking and that she admired his optimism. Fracture specialists confirmed that Paddy had broken his leg and would need emergency surgery, with pins being inserted into his shattered limb. Now that hes home, he is coming to terms with his new life on crutches. He said: Ive been warned by the medics that it could be six or seven weeks before the fractures are healed. I am trying to content myself with the prospect of being laid up for the duration. I am devastated to be missing the Give My Head Peace tour, but I hope I will be able to do a few radio shows in a while. Luckily, the latest series of Blue Lights, in which I play Happy Kelly, is in the can. I also have my fingers crossed that I will be on my feet again in time for a big family holiday in Spain in a couple of months. Paddys luck was also out a year ago when he discovered he wouldnt be able to attend the Oscars ceremony in California because it clashed with a theatre engagement in Strabane. The biggest night of the showbiz year has come and gone in a flurry of sequins, dresses, skits and one liners. This years Oscars was relatively tame by the standards of previous years lest we forget The Slap of 2022 but Hollywoods glitzy do still showed how an awards ceremony should be done with a consumate host, strong performances and actual good jokes. Heres our roundup of the highlights. Hes just Ken Ryan Goslings Kenergy was off the charts last night. Clad in a hot pink sequined suit, he took to the stage for a one-off performance of his bonkers Barbie single that had Billie Eilish cracking up from the first line. The details read like a fever dream: there was a homage to Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, a melee of dancing Kens, karate-chopped woodblocks, spinning Barbie face cutouts and, bizarrely, the Guns N Roses guitarist, Slash. Gosling gave it all he had: so much so, in fact, that Emma Stones (with whom Gosling duetted in the crowd) custom Louis Vuitton dress did not survive the performance accepting her award later, Stone said she was pretty sure the zip had burst. Prize-winning pooch Cillian Murphy who? The award for best boy clearly has to go to Messi, the canine star of Anatomy of a Fall who also happens to appear in one of the films most harrowing scenes. Messi has an overdose scene, Kimmel joked, adding: I havent seen a French actor eat vomit like that since Gerard Depardieu. Messi, complete with bow tie, duly got his own seat on the big night. He was also spotted peeing on Matt Damons Walk of Fame star. Is this the start of a new rivalry? John Cen-it all Well take any opportunity to marvel at John Cenas chiselled abs, but the wrestler gamely went the whole hog (as it were) to deliver an award stark naked with nothing except an oversized envelope covering his manhood. And the former wrestler managed to pull it off, before pulling on a Roman emperor-style toga to deliver the award. For best costume, obviously. John Cena Happy Mothers Day to all the mums, of course, but Yoko Ono got a shout-out from the Oscars, as son Sean picked up his award for best animated short. My mother turned 91 this February and today is Mother's Day in the UK, so could everyone say Happy Mother's Day, Yoko, he told the crowd, who duly obliged. Much better than a bunch of tired daffs from the local petrol station. Putting Trump in his place The big job of presenting went to veteran Jimmy Kimmel, who managed to keep things (more or less) on the rails. The jokes landed, the monologue was pleasingly quippy and he even managed to make a joke at Trumps expense as the former US President criticised Kimmels performance on his Truth Social app. Isnt it past your jail time? he responded. Zing. Pink vs Black The Barbenheimer rivalry clearly still burns bright: so bright that Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling couldnt resist a few jibes as they took to the stage together. Im just happy that we can finally put this Barbenheimer rivalry aside, Gosling told Blunt, who quipped back, it wasnt that much of a rivalry. Things jokingly went downhill after Blunt then accused Gosling of Ken-splaining and called him Mr. I Need to Paint My Abs to Get Nominated. A mic-drop if ever there was one. Speeches How could we forget the speeches? Robert Downey Jr thanked my terrible childhood and the academy, in that order, as he accepted the Oscar (his first) for best supporting actor, but the award for biggest tear-jerker surely goes to DaVine Joy Randolph, who won best supporting actress for her role in The Holdovers. I didnt think I was supposed to be doing this as a career, she told the crowd, opening weeping. For so long I have always wanted to be different. And now I realise, I just have to be myself. C Evening Standard Belgian artist's 'I Want to Eat Mangos in the Bathtub' unfolds at Art Sonje Center, Space ISU By Park Han-sol How can a 21st-century visual artist, who seldom leaves the confines of his studio, become a 19th-century plein-air painter who seeks out his subjects in the great outdoors? Well, through the power of imagination, of course, says Rinus Van de Velde. Theres a reason the Belgian artist is nicknamed as the armchair voyager. The 41-year-old collects photos and news clips, listens to radio, watches films and reads artists biographies, drawing inspiration for his endless hours of quiet daydreaming. When he feels ready, he transforms these disparate images and texts into his own batch of surrealistic universe, often populated by his own doppelgangers leading lives he himself has never had. Then, what draws Van de Velde to the lives of plein-air painters, of all things? Pleinairism is interesting to me because it is about the furthest thing from my reality, he said in an interview with curator Cho Hee-hyun of Art Sonje Center. It is in this museum in central Seoul that viewers are offered a glimpse into the role-shifting artists fantastical world of fictional autobiography. His solo show, I Want to Eat Mangos in the Bathtub, unfolding simultaneously at Art Sonje Center and Space ISU, derives its name from a quote by Henri Matisse (1869-1954) when the fauvist painter traveled to southern France in search of the best natural light for his art. The phrase, while allowing Van de Velde to liken himself to the iconic French master, also paradoxically suggests that he can embark on an imaginary adventure to exotic worlds from the comfort of his own bathtub at home. What connects his hyperrealistic black-and-white charcoal drawings, oil pastel drawings reminiscent of abstract comic strips with handwritten captions and life-size cardboard installations, all on display throughout the musuem's two floors, are two bizarre short films A Life in a Day and La Ruta Natural. Playing in an endless loop, without a recognizable beginning or end, these two movies invite the audience to jump into the dreamlike story at any moment. The featured characters all wear masks resembling the artists own face, creating a peculiar universe that hovers between reality and fantasy. A Life in a Day tracks the journey of a plein-air painter over the course of a day as he traverses a tropical jungle, survives a flood in a swimming pool conjured in David Hockneys style, gathers fragments of his creative inspiration in a briefcase and stores them in his secret vault. La Ruta Natural seems more disjointed, transporting viewers to an underwater vista, a deserted mountain, a fruit stall, a mysterious mechanical room and even the scene of a doppelganger murder. Every prop that appears in Van de Veldes moving images is handmade from cardboard and plywood in his Antwerp studio. From a full-sized car to a scaled-down model of a swimming pool, the sets that form the material backdrop of his cinematic works have been brought to the museum. These installations, while meticulously handcrafted with great attention to detail to look convincingly real inside the film, do not conceal their artificial nature when observed in real life. Viewers can easily discern the four wheels placed under the car to mimic its engine movement, the crinkled edges of cardboard coral reefs and the half-painted, flimsy surface of a miniature building. By inviting the audience to immerse themselves in this deliberately constructed world, the artist reminds us of how easily our perception of reality can be shaped by cinematic illusion and imagination. I am convinced that our imagination is a gift we have been given as human beings and that we should use it to the fullest. It is often more interesting to imagine something than to experience it ourselves in reality, he said. The daydream is a powerful tool, and we can use it to reflect on reality. I Want to Eat Mangos in the Bathtub will be on view until May 12 at Art Sonje Center and Space ISU. Following its run in Seoul, the show will travel to the Jeonnam Museum of Art in South Jeolla Province in late May. Multimillion-pound investment to create 40 jobs in Belfast The site of the original Harp Bar in Belfasts Cathedral Quarter is undergoing a multimillion-pound redevelopment, which will see it become a bar, restaurant and hotel. It will be called The Foundry a homage to the original street name, now known as Hill Street and will open this summer, creating 40 jobs. This Ducales Groups investment will see the launch of a 350-capacity bar and restaurant, as well as 20 boutique hotel rooms across three floors. Foundry general manager Jim Crawford-Smyth, said: We have spent a lot of time curating the concept of the hotel, while still ensuring the site itself retains its legendary status. It is our hope that the new bar and restaurant will present the perfect hangout space, with a relaxed, sophisticated atmosphere with good food and drinks on offer. Gordon Devenney, of ODonnell ONeill Designs Belfast studios, will design the buildings interior. But motoring group denies its pulling out of local market The AA has cancelled an elderly motorists car insurance because he lives in Northern Ireland, but has denied it is pulling out of the Northern Irish market. Almost a month ago, a Belfast Telegraph reader in his 80s was told by the motoring association his policy would be ended this week, but yesterday the AA contradicted what it told him, and said it was committed to offering insurance in Northern Ireland. A 25-year-old Belfast man has been handed a 12-month sentence for two charges arising from a police search of his home. Curtis Jay Blacks sentence was divided between three months in prison followed by nine months on licence by Judge Donna McColgan KC. The father-of-two, from Montreal Street, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis between January 5, 2020 and January 31, 2021 and possessing criminal property on February 4, 2021 in the form of 625. Belfast Crown Court heard that on February 4, 2021 Blacks former home was searched by the PSNI under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Both Black and another male were present and police seized a number of items including drugs paraphernalia as well as Blacks mobile phone. Cash amounting to 625 was found on Blacks person and following his arrest, his phone was examined. Messages located on the device indicated he had been involving in supplying cannabis. These messages included references to collections, deliveries, menus, prices and images with one message from a customer asking Black: Any chance you can do me another wrap? Judge McColgan said from these messages it was quite clear that the defendant was dealing on a personal level. Following his arrest, Black was interviewed and gave a no comment response to questioned asked by police. Judge McColgan noted that despite the charge sheet, it appeared that Blacks offending regarding the cannabis was shorter than the period charged and covered a two-month period from December 2021 to January 2022. This, she said, was evident from the messages located on Blacks phone. Branding Black as an individual retailer selling for commercial gain, the Judge said he had a relevant criminal record including nine previous convictions for drugs. Regarding defence submissions made on behalf of Black, Judge McColgan said she had taken into consideration his addiction issues and the steps he is taking to tackle these. Also taken into account was Blacks expressions of remorse and regret made to a Probation Officer and claims he made that he was selling cannabis to pay off a drugs debt he incurred. Judge McColgan imposed the 12-month sentence and ordered that the 625 seized from Black be handed over to Addictions NI. Fr Patrick MacEntee who was arraigned today at Dungannon Crown Court on historic sex abuse charges. (Pic: Alan Lewis) A Co Tyrone priest is to stand trial on historic sexual abuse charges against two males. Canon Patrick McEntee requested a leave of absence last year while a serious safeguarding investigation was carried out. The 69-year-old, from Esker Road, Dromore, is charged with four counts of indecently assaulting one complainant on dates between 1988 and 1989. There is also a single count of indecently assaulting another complainant between 1980 and 1981. No details surrounding the circumstances of the alleged offences were disclosed during the short hearing, although it is understood they relate to McEntees time in Co Fermanagh. McEntee appeared in the dock of Dungannon Crown Court, pleading not guilty to each charge in turn. Defence counsel said a number of pieces of additional evidence are to be sought, which should be available in the coming months. Judge Fiona Bagnall remanded McEntee on continuing bail of 500 and ordered him to return for trial on September 23, which is expected to last around one week. As part of bail conditions, McEntee is to reside at his current address, and no other, and is also banned from all contact with the complainants and any person aged under 16. Originally from Monaghan, McEntee joined the staff of St Michaels College, Enniskillen, in 1977, teaching religious studies and sitting on the Board of Governors. He was also college president between 1994 and 2000, moving on to take up the post of Parish Priest at St Davogs church in Dromore, in 2001, where he has remained until his recent leave of absence. Previously, the Diocese of Clogher confirmed: Canon Patrick McEntee PP, Dromore, Co Tyrone, has asked for a period of leave to allow a safeguarding matter to be addressed. "The Diocese of Clogher has robust safeguarding policies and practices in place. The Diocese of Clogher takes seriously all allegations, suspicions or concerns of abuse. Asked about McEntees current status given the charges he faces, a spokesperson replied: Canon Patrick McEntee is on leave while a safeguarding matter is dealt with and will continue to be on leave from ministry until all due processes have been completed. An alcoholic drug addict who admitted stealing a Poppy Appeal collection box three days before Armistice Day was handed a four-month jail sentence today. Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, heard that on November 8 last year, at around 7am, Scott McKeown (28) went into the Vivo shop on Antrim High Street and while he paid for goods at the first till, he walked towards the second till and lifted a Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal collection box while the staff member was distracted. A prosecuting lawyer told the court that although there was no official confirmation as to how much was in the box, it had been in place for about three weeks and so was estimated to contain 80. Based on CCTV footage and staff recognising McKeown, the defendant was arrested. Although he denied stealing the box, he later entered a guilty plea to a charge of theft. In a separate case, the court heard how police officers were called to McKeowns house at Thyme Park in Antrim due to an ongoing altercation, but, as a result of enquires, he was arrested for breaching bail conditions. On the way to custody, McKeown became aggressive and spat in the back of the cell van numerous times. He later entered a guilty plea to criminal damage. Defence counsel Brendan Kearney conceded that the theft case is the most concerning but emphasised that McKeown had entered guilty pleas to both matters at the earlier opportunity. Jailing McKeown, District Judge Nigel Broderick said the probation report makes for very poor reading, given the assessment that, being addicted to drugs since his teenage years, he is not suitable for probation, theres a lack of motivation and a chaotic lifestyle. District Judge Broderick imposed sentences amounting to four months. An American man wanted over a drugs-related killing in Florida has lost a last-ditch legal bid to avoid extradition from Northern Ireland. Jonah Horne, 28, faces a charge of second degree murder over the fatal shooting of another man nearly eight years ago. He has remained in custody at Maghaberry Prison since being arrested in Lisburn, Co Antrim back in March 2017. But his final appeal against extradition to the United States has now been dismissed by the European Court of Human Rights. Judges sitting in Strasbourg rejected Hornes claims that, if convicted, he would be exposed to the real risk of life imprisonment without parole. With all attempts to block extradition now exhausted, he is expected to be flown back to the US within the next 28 days. Horne is alleged to have shot 25-year-old Jacob Walsh at close range while the victim sat in a car during a drug deal at North Military Trail, Boca Raton on June 7, 2016. In a seven-year battle against extradition, his lawyers claimed it would breach Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibits inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Along with fears that he could receive a whole life sentence or even the death penalty, further concerns were raised about the state of Floridas prisons. During earlier hearings at the High Court in Belfast, assurances were provided that prosecutors would not seek more than 40 years imprisonment on conviction. Horne's legal team argued those pledges would not be binding on any sentencing judge. In 2021 the Strasbourg Court imposed an interim stay on extradition. However, that injunction has now been lifted after Hornes arguments were held to be unsubstantiated. Judges declared: The applicant cannot be said to have adduced evidence capable of showing that his extradition to the United States would expose him to a real risk of treatment reaching the Article 3 threshold on account of the risk that he would be sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. In a statement following the ruling, Hornes barrister and solicitor for the appeal, Ben Keith and Roger Sahota, vowed to closely monitor his treatment in the US. Mr Keith said: It is difficult to see how anyone will be able to show that they will receive a life without parole sentence. The evidential test has become much higher with recent cases. According to Mr Sahota, the lack of parole in most US states and federal cases has yet to be grappled with. The evidence is that there is no effective parole system, he said. But it has not been tested as the Court consistently finds that there is no real risk. Anna Kernahan and Glen McAuley from Fridays For Future pictured at the protest. Photo by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye Mary and Ricky Holmes who are helping organise the Save Our Shores action group Swans covered in green algae at Lough Neagh (Photo by Martin Hardy / Save Our Shores! Protect Lough Neagh and our inland waterways) Residents of Cabragh (Co Tyrone) join campaigners in protesting against DAERA and DfI outside Stormont 12/03/2024 'Save Lough Neagh' protest at Stormont 12/03/2024 - Campaigners call for an independent Environmental Protection Agency in Northern Ireland to regulate pollution and waterways A number of environmental groups and activists conducted a public protest outside Stormont on Tuesday to highlight issues facing Lough Neagh. All local community groups were encouraged to join the demonstration, which was organised primarily by the Save Lough Neagh collective. The collaborative campaign is made up of volunteers from organisations such as Save Our Shores, Friends of the Earth, Surfers Against Sewage, trade union Unison, the Green Party NI, and Queens University Belfast. We have always talked about protesting at Stormont and we have already had two confirmed reports of blue-green algae showing up in Lough Neagh this year, said Mary OHagan from Save Our Shores. Mary runs the Ballyronan Bluetits, one of three open water swimming groups at the lough. She became part of the wider Save Lough Neagh initiative after the toxic algae began forcing swimmers out of the water last summer. In February, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) confirmed two reports of cyanobacteria - also known as blue-green algae - at Cranfield Point on the north shore of the lough and Reas Wood in Antrim. Last summer, farmers and pet owners were warned to keep their animals away from affected waters, with a number of dogs dying after coming in contact with the blooms. The toxic algae appeared at levels not seen since the 1970s. Last month, the Rivers Trust charity described Lough Neagh which supplies 40% of Northern Irelands drinking water as an ecological disaster and published a report which reveals that not one stretch of river in Northern Ireland has managed to meet good overall status, Mary and Ricky Holmes who are helping organise the Save Our Shores action group Mary continued: We still havent got this 130-point plan that has been talked about by DAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs). It still hasnt been forthcoming, nor has there been any sort of consultation or input into that by the communities that are living around the lough shore, or from campaign groups such as ourselves. She added that Save Lough Neagh members have written to DAERA and the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) requesting meetings with the relevant ministers over pollution and sand dredging issues, but that they have heard nothing back as of yet. Were told everything is coming, but nothing is happening. We wanted to protest when the ministers are sitting at Stormont, hence why its a Tuesday afternoon. Obviously a lot of folks will be working, but theres no point of us protesting when theres not going to be anybody there. Save Lough Neagh campaigners gathered at Stormont in Belfast. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press The protest began at 12.30pm outside Stormont today. Members of the Cabragh Concerned Residents Association (CCRA) from Co Tyrone, who recently protested over departmental inaction regarding foul odours being emitted from a mushroom compost factory, also attended. It is so important that the departments in Stormont are aware that there are so many environmental issues that need to be addressed across Northern Ireland, including our own, said a CCRA spokesperson. CCRA participants held signs which read: Stop The Stink while other environmentalists waved posters calling for an independent Environmental Protection Agency. Residents of Cabragh (Co Tyrone) join campaigners in protesting against DAERA and DfI outside Stormont 12/03/2024 A DAERA spokesperson said: The situation in Lough Neagh is extremely concerning, the Minister shares the worries of many across Northern Ireland. Minister [Andrew] Muir is determined to provide the leadership needed to address the issues in Northern Irelands waterways but has been clear we need collective action and investment across government, private and public sector and in the community. "The Minister responded to Save Lough Neagh members on 17 February and offered to meet once a suitable date can be found for both parties. The Minister is working at pace with officials on actions needed informed by science and evidence. Conscious this is a problem which has built up over decades where no quick fixes exist, long term difficult decisions will be needed from many, to turn things around. The starting point for Lough Neagh is the Environment Strategy and Northern Irelands first Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP). The blue-green algae issue, most notably seen in Lough Neagh but also across various other water bodies in Northern Ireland, cannot be seen in isolation from the natural environment more generally and we cannot tackle its problems in isolation either. The EIP, which is a plan for significantly improving our natural environment, will contain actions, setting direction of travel for the coming decades, relevant to improving water quality, including at Lough Neagh. The Minister intends to bring the draft EIP to his Executive colleagues later this month. Anna Kernahan and Glen McAuley from Fridays For Future pictured at the protest. Photo by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye Once the EIP has received Executive agreement, a further and more specific Lough Neagh paper developed by the joint DAERA / DfI Water Quality Steering Group, will be presented shortly thereafter to a subsequent Executive meeting. The Minister has been clear since he took up the role just over a month ago and visited Lough Neagh, that the scenes witnessed in 2023 are likely to reappear this year, indeed two reports or blue green algae blooms have already been received thus far. Acknowledging this, the Department is currently leading on the production of an Inter-Agency Monitoring Protocol should we experience similar blue-green algae issues in the 2024 season. This will provide guidance for councils and water-based businesses on how to consider blue-green algae risks. The DfI has been contacted for further comment also. The bulk of evidence has already been heard in the Coagh inquest, apart from Soldier Fs testimony (PA) Legal efforts to compel a former British soldier to give evidence to an inquest into the shooting of three IRA men have probably reached the end of the line, a coroner has conceded. Mr Justice Michael Humphreys had attempted to force the veteran, known as Soldier F, to testify in the inquest into the deaths of Peter Ryan, Tony Doris and Lawrence McNally in Coagh, Co Tyrone, in June 1991. The ex-soldier was recently sentenced to six months in prison in Scotland for contempt of court for refusal to comply with a subpoena to give evidence. His lawyers cited mental health issues in arguing why he should not be compelled to give evidence. The proceedings in Scotland came after Justice Humphreys took legal action in a bid to secure Soldier Fs attendance. The former serviceman is not the same person as the Soldier F who is facing two counts of murder over the shooting of 13 civil rights protesters in Londonderry in 1972, an event known as Bloody Sunday. The men at Coagh were intercepted on June 3 1991 as they drove in a stolen car by SAS soldiers who suspected they intended to murder a member of the security forces. All three were shot dead in a hail of gunfire. Previous inquest hearings were told up to 150 rounds were fired. An inquest review hearing in Belfast on Tuesday was told that the proceedings in Scotland were now subject to an appeal that was listed for April. Under the Governments Legacy Act, legacy inquests in Northern Ireland need to conclude hearing evidence by a deadline of May 1 this year. The bulk of evidence has already been heard in the Coagh inquest, apart from Soldier Fs testimony. Counsel for the coroner Ian Skelt KC said that there was now no prospect of Soldier F giving evidence. Justice Humphreys said the timescales involved meant that the inquest would have to conclude without hearing from the veteran. As far as the position with Soldier F is concerned I think weve probably reached the end of the line, he said. Every opportunity has been afforded to him. Obviously, action has been taken with the hope of a change of mind. That hasnt been forthcoming and given the timescales that were working to I think its necessary for us to bring the evidence to a conclusion in this inquest. Thats regrettable. The coroner said it would have been helpful to hear from Soldier F. But my powers, whilst they are in one sense draconian, they dont extend to forcing people into the witness box from outside the jurisdiction, he added. A previous statement given by Soldier F will now be read into the inquest record next week. The coroner said he anticipated to deliver findings in the case on April 11. A series of meetings held recently are to express opposition to an Irish sea border, and not TUV rallies, it has been insisted. DUP MP Sammy Wilson previously ruled out attending a gathering in Carrickfergus on Tuesday evening contending they were creating a poisonous atmosphere and were TUV electioneering. A number of events have been organised by TUV leader Jim Allister and campaigner Jamie Bryson since the DUP struck a deal with the Government over post-Brexit trading arrangements and returned to devolved government. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said the Safeguarding the Union document has effectively removed the so-called Irish Sea border for goods moving from Great Britain to, and staying in, Northern Ireland. Addressing the meeting in Carrickfergus, campaigner Jamie Bryson claimed a large percentage the DUP oppose the deal and challenged Sir Jeffrey to a public debate on it. He also said the events are not TUV rallies. These are anti Irish Sea border meetings against the Surrendering the Union deal, he said. It isnt the TUVs fault that they are the only party with a cohesive collective party stance against the Irish Sea border, alongside the PUP who, to be fair, have also rejected the deal. The only people who divided unionism were the DUP leadership who broke the central pledges which held unionism together, and who abandoned the Ulster Day 2021 joint-unionist declaration. I am confident that, in the fullness of time, there is only one outcome here, and that is that every reasonable unionist will realise they have been fundamentally misled and that the Surrendering the Union far from removing the Irish Sea border, in fact, embeds it. David Foster was last seen in the Lisburn area almost 38 years ago (Photo: PSNI) Police investigating the disappearance of a man last seen nearly 38 years ago have appealed for information on his 61st birthday. David Foster from the Glenbyrn area of north Belfast was last seen in the Ballymacash Park area of Lisburn when he was 23 years old. Tuesday marks his 61st birthday. In a new statement, Detective Inspector Bell said the years since his disappearance have been difficult for his family. It is now coming up on 38 years since David went missing and he would turn 61 today. This period has been understandably difficult for his family and friends and our thoughts remain with them, he said. Last year the PSNI reopened the investigation into his disappearance, with his relatives aiding the search by providing DNA samples. The family regularly post information about David in missing persons support groups on social media in the hopes of new details coming forward. "David had been staying with his grandmother in Ballymacash in the days leading up to his disappearance and is described as being 5 10 tall, of slim build, with brown hair and brown eyes at the time, Inspector Bell added. David also has a scar on the palm of his left hand. "We are appealing for anyone who believes they may have information about David, his disappearance or his whereabouts to come forward. Call Police on the non-emergency number 101 and quote reference 384 of 30/12/14 or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111." The head of the financial regulator said Tuesday there is a need for financial firms to improve their practices to sell risky products, a day after authorities found wrongdoings in selling derivatives linked to Chinese stocks. "We continue to see mis-selling despite the enactment of the financial consumer protection act following the 2019 derivatives-linked fund (DLF) products incident," Kim Joo-hyun, chairman of the Financial Services Commission, told reporters. Kim said the commission will announce plans to address concerns about mis-selling of such risky financial products. On Monday, financial authorities unveiled a set of proposals advising local banks and brokerages to compensate losses from equity-linked products tracking Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index. Authorities said the outstanding value of such products stood at 18.8 trillion won ($14.3 billion) as of end-December 2023, while the consumers stand to lose up to 5.8 trillion won if the products are sold at end-February value. (Yonhap) The Public Health Agency (PHA) has issued an alert to people in Northern Ireland following a confirmed case of measles in a resident of the Republic of Ireland. The person who contracted the infection travelled on a flight from Abu Dhabi to Dublin, which arrived on Saturday (March 9). The PHA is asking any residents of Northern Ireland who were on that Etihad Airways flight EY045 from Abu Dhabi to Dublin to be aware of the signs and symptoms of measles and for those who are at greatest risk of severe illness from measles to please contact the PHA on (028) 9536 8300 as they may be eligible to access appropriate treatments. These treatments will work best if given within the next few days. This follows a risk assessment with public health colleagues in the Health Service Executive (HSE). The people at greatest risk are those who were on Etihad Airways flight EY045 and are: children under 12 months old; pregnant women; people who are immunocompromised If you are in one of the at-risk groups listed above and were on the flight, call (028) 9536 8300 Phone lines are open on Wednesday 13 March from 9am to 8pm and Thursday 14 March from 9am to 8pm. Measles is on the rise what do you need to know? It is anticipated that the number of Northern Ireland residents who were on the flight and are in these at-risk groups may be small. However, with a growing number of measles cases across the globe, it said it is important that all those on the flight and the general public stay alert to the signs and symptoms to help stop the spread of the measles. The initial symptoms of measles can include: a high temperature (fever); a runny or blocked nose; sneezing; a cough; sore, red eyes that may be sensitive to light; a few days later, a red-brown blotchy rash will appear. This may start on the head or upper neck, before spreading outwards to the rest of the body. Most childhood rashes are not measles but you should consult your GP without delay if: you suspect it is measles; symptoms worsen; temperature increases to above 38C; temperature stays high after other symptoms have gone. As measles is very infectious, it is important that anyone with suspected measles avoids situations where they can spread the disease, such as nursery or childcare, school, work, a GP waiting room or an emergency department. People should phone in advance and get advice rather than turning up to a healthcare setting. The PHA is currently rolling out a mass vaccination drive in collaboration with health trusts and GP surgeries for all those aged between 12 months and 25 years who missed getting one or both of their MMR (mumps, measles and rubella) vaccines first time round. The PHA is urging children and young adults who have not received both doses of the MMR vaccine to do so as soon as possible, to reduce their risk of catching and spreading measles. A mural painted over by vandals has been re-painted A mural painted over by vandals has been re-painted A vandalised pro-Palestinian mural criticising Sinn Fein and US President Joe Biden has been repainted in west Belfast. It was placed at the lower end of the Falls Road and is a recreation of a cartoon by Brazilian artist Carlos Latuff. It depicted the leaders of Sinn Fein, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael meeting Mr Biden, with the caption: Ireland says no to genocide Joe alongside. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Earlier this week it was covered by black paint. In a social media post Mr Latuff criticised the vandalism: Ive already had graffiti about police brutality defaced in Brazil. My cartoons are banned in Turkey, Egypt and Bahrain. But in Northern Ireland under the Sinn Fein government? Usually only dictatorships see cartoons as a threat. Isnt Northern Ireland a democracy? The mural has since been restored and Mr Latuff praised those who repainted it. A mural painted over by vandals has been re-painted It comes amid criticism from some quarters over Sinn Feins decision to visit the White House over St Patricks Day. The party is visiting Washington as part of the annual trip by political leaders, despite criticism of the USs ongoing support for Israel as it pursues its offensive in Gaza. First Minister Michelle ONeill confirmed Sinn Fein will attend St Patricks celebrations in the White House, as will the Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly. Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald is also set to attend. The decision to travel to the United States has been criticised by People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll who said it was wrong for Sinn Fein to go to Washington. Speaker Edwin Poots and Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw, who chairs the Executive Office committee, will also travel to Washington for St Patricks engagements as officeholders, the Assembly Commission said. The SDLP said it will boycott White House events. Stormont Ministers will attend the NI Bureau Breakfast, Ireland Funds Gala, a meeting with the US Chamber of Commerce, an event at Georgetown University and a number of other engagements. Speaking ahead of the visit, Ms ONeill said: I am ambitious for a brighter future for our people and I want to harness the benefits of the special connection between ourselves and the US. This relationship was crucial to our peace process and continues today through investment, knowledge sharing and support. Now that government here is back up and running it is vital that we seek every opportunity to attract investment, grow our economy and deliver for our citizens. Deputy First Minister Ms Little-Pengelly said: We have a strong relationship with the US and this week, our focus will be on showcasing Northern Ireland as a compelling investment opportunity and highlighting the many benefits of doing business here. These events give us the opportunity to engage with some of the most influential decisions makers at a senior level. I am confident they will see the potential we have to offer and recognise our commitment to doing everything we can to ensure Northern Ireland thrives. A TUV representative has slammed the republican abuse of [Belfast] City Hall after politicians and local residents gathered for an annual Easter Lily launch on Tuesday afternoon. The event was organised by the National Graves Association and it is the second time the launch has been held at Belfast City Hall the first time being just last year. Lord Mayor of Belfast Ryan Murphy was one of those in attendance, alongside his Sinn Fein party colleague Paul Maskey MP, who said he was delighted to be there. "This Easter, we remember all those who have played their part in the struggle for Irish freedom, he stated. Honour Irelands Patriot Dead Wear an Easter Lily. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Court councillor and TUV deputy leader Ron McDowell said that it is totally unacceptable for a function room in City Hall to be used for the launch of something which is clearly linked to the slaughter of many citizens in Belfast. He added: Lets not beat about the bush here. The Easter Lily is worn to remember Republican terrorists who died when engaged in activities which robbed innocent people of their lives. As a representative of Court, I am particularly disgusted that an event which commemorates Thomas Begley who died in the act of murdering innocent Protestants should be held in a function room in City Hall. "There are many within City Council who offer platitudes about wanting to build a city for all but let's face the facts. The unveiling of a uniform clad gunwomen of Cumann na mBan as a City Hall statue on Saturday was not an inclusive gesture. This commemoration of terror is not an inclusive gesture and forcing a motion to light City Hall in colours of green, white and orange is testimony of the truth lurking beneath the surface that Unionists or victims of terror are simply not welcome. What Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will mean for Northern Ireland The Easter Lily has previously proven controversial during discussion on its wearing in other public spaces in Northern Ireland. It is a republican symbol based on the lily flower and worn around Easter time to commemorate those killed in the 1916 Rising and subsequently conflicts. Former newsman became the Provisional IRAs media contact during latter years of the Troubles Former RTE correspondent Charlie Bird has been remembered as an inspirational campaigner following his death aged 74 after a high profile battle with motor neurone disease. The veteran broadcaster covered many of the biggest stories in Ireland and abroad during a long career. The primary media contact for the Provisional IRA in the Irish Republic, Bird reported on the many developments in the Northern Ireland peace process. He revealed the end of the IRA ceasefire just before a bomb at Canary Wharf exploded in London in February 1996, killing two men and causing millions of pounds worth of damage. More recently he had been vocal about his terminal diagnosis and continued to champion many charitable and social justice causes despite his deteriorating condition. Bird helped raise more than 3.3m (2.8m) for motor neurone disease and mental health charities in the Climb With Charlie campaign that saw him hike up Croagh Patrick mountain in Co Mayo in 2022. Irish President Michael D Higgins described Bird as an "exceptionally talented broadcaster" and "one of the outstanding journalists of his generation". Born in Sandymount, Dublin, in 1949, Bird was a fixture on Irish TV screens, becoming the broadcasters chief news correspondent. He covered the 1981 Stardust fire in which 48 young people died, and major news events ranging from the Haiti earthquake in 2010 to the September 11 attacks in 2001. Bird worked as the Irish state broadcasters Washington correspondent during the first presidency of Barack Obama, before retiring from RTE in 2012. Charlie Bird with his wife Claire Mould and their dog Tiger. Photo: Owen Breslin In 2022, he was the subject of an RTE documentary Charlie Bird: Loud and Clear and his book Time and Tide was named Biography of the Year at the An Post Book Awards. Since his diagnosis with MND, Bird kept followers updated on his fundraising efforts and his health on social media, frequently sharing videos of himself and his beloved dog Tiger. In his final message on the X social media platform on February 29, the journalist continued to extend the hand of friendship to carers. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content In his tribute, Mr Higgins described Bird as a "truly remarkable man". Mr Higgins said the "dignity, strength, hope and inspiration" with which he carried the burden of his illness was "remarkable". Irish deputy premier Micheal Martin said he was deeply saddened, adding Bird had inspired so many with the courage, generosity of spirit and dignity he faced his battle with Motor Neurone disease. "As a journalist and broadcaster for RTE, Charlie had few peers. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content RTE director general Kevin Bakhurst said Bird had left a "unique legacy". "He was a leader in Irish journalism, dedicated, ferocious in his pursuit of the truth and trusted by the public," he said. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said: "His dedication to pursuing news stories, his involvement with the people affected by those stories, his good humour and his impressive bravery in the face of illness, is what we will remember most about Charlie Bird. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood described Bird as an inspirational campaigner, fearless journalist and a good man. I think we all felt part of his story, especially in the last few years, he said. Patrick Corrigan from Amnesty NI said he was a giant in journalism, but more importantly, a giant in life. Skys Ireland correspondent David Blevins said: On screen and off, he epitomised determination. Campaigners for the victims of Stardust nightclub fire thanked Bird for his support for their cause. Antoinette Keegan, who lost her two sisters, Mary and Martina, in the 1981 blaze in Artane, told RTE Radio One: "He always regarded us as his heroes - we all regard him as our hero." Seamus Dooley, the Irish Secretary of the National Union of Journalists, said Bird's life "should not be defined by his illness". Bird died yesterday. He is survived by his wife Claire, daughters Orla and Nessa, grandchildren Abigail, Charlie, Edward, Harriet and Hugo, and his three brothers. Former RTE presenter Charlie Bird reported on issues including the Stardust fire in 1981 (Niall Carson/PA) Former RTE correspondent Charlie Bird has died aged 74 after a long battle with motor neurone disease. The veteran broadcaster, who reported on a variety of issues from the Stardust fire tragedy in 1981 to the Northern Ireland peace process, has been vocal about his terminal diagnosis. He helped raise more than 3.3 million euro for charity in a campaign that saw him climb Croagh Patrick in 2022. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Irelands deputy premier Micheal Martin said Charlie Bird represented public service broadcasting in Ireland at its very best. I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Charlie Bird, who inspired so many with the courage, generosity of spirit and dignity he faced his battle with motor neurone disease, said the Tanaiste. As a journalist and broadcaster for RTE, Charlie had few peers, memorably covering national and international events such as the peace process, the September 11 attacks on New York, the Gulf War and the National Irish Bank scandal. Personable and engaging, Charlie always had the public interest at heart. He represented public service broadcasting in Ireland at its very best. Over the past few years, Charlie captured the public imagination, nurturing a true spirit of solidarity through his Croagh Patrick Climb With Charlie. His message of generosity, friendship and simply looking out for each other will long be remembered. Mr Bird was hailed for his work in journalism and for his later fundraising efforts (Brian Lawless/PA) My sincere condolences to his wife Claire, children, wider family and many friends and colleagues. Seamus Dooley, the Irish Secretary of the National Union of Journalists, said Mr Birds life should not be defined by his illness. He said: Supported by his wife Claire, Charlie lived his battle with Motor Neurone Disease in the public gaze, with characteristic determination and searing honesty. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content The qualities he has manifested during his illness grit, fierce determination and generosity of spirit, were the same qualities which marked Charlie Bird as a journalist. Mr Dooley added that Bird, who was a former chair of the NUJ Dublin Broadcasting branch, was passionate about news and had a unique ability to develop relationships. He was stubborn and relentless in pursuit of whatever he set out to achieve. His life should not be defined by his illness but by the remarkable qualities he displayed in the face of adversity. He leaves a remarkable legacy. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (centre) is greeted by Joe Kennedy III (second left) and Jack Schlossberg, the only grandson of John F. Kennedy (Niall Carson/PA) Leo Varadkar is a radical who transformed Ireland, the US economic envoy to Northern Ireland has said. Mr Varadkar is on a week-long visit to the US where he will meet President Joe Biden in Washington after first exploring Irelands economic and cultural ties to Boston. The Irish leader met Joe Kennedy III, the grandnephew of US President John F Kennedy, in Boston on Monday. Mr Kennedy was appointed as the top US diplomat for encouraging economic development in Northern Ireland in December 2022. Joe Kennedy III speaks at the President John F Kennedy library in Boston, Massachusetts (Niall Carson/PA) During a speech at the John F Kennedy Presidential Library, he thanked the Taoiseach for choosing Boston as the first stop on his US tour. Outlining an anecdote in which his six-year-old son misheard the Taoiseachs name as Leo the Radical, Mr Kennedy praised Mr Varadkars role in the Irish government throughout constitutional referenda which repealed legislative bans on abortion and extended marriage equality to gay couples. It actually made me think for a second because Taoiseach, in the best sense of the word, it fits, he said. The Taoiseach has, in fact, been an extraordinary force in challenging what it means to be Irish. What it means to offer a right to choose, what it means to be able to embrace the one you love. The changes ushered in under his watch have transformed Ireland and altered its perception in the world. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, touches a piece of the Giants Causeway, which was given to President John F Kennedy by the Mayor of Galway, Patrick Ryan during a state visit to Ireland in June 1963 (Niall Carson/PA) He said the Irish premier had negotiated challenging political terrain to forge a new path for his own nation. He added: Thank you for all youve done to advance the cause of tolerance, for all youve done to secure peace and prosperity on the island of Ireland and for your efforts to carry the message of peace for all. Mr Kennedy III earlier hosted Mr Varadkar in the Presidents Room of the library, which is used by visiting members of the political family. Mr Varadkar was shown paraphernalia relating to President Kennedys term in office and connections with Ireland, including a green tie and a dish that was used to gift shamrock to the president. The Taoiseach also gave a speech at the presidential library where he said the US has been a true friend to Ireland. Mr Varadkar particularly recognised the contributions of the Kennedy political family, adding the US had played more of a role than any other country in bringing about peace and reconciliation in the island of Ireland. He has also said he will thank Mr Biden for the USs commitment to the Good Friday Agreement and the restoration of Northern Irelands institutions. Speaking to reporters in Boston, Mr Kennedy reflected on his role as economic envoy to Northern Ireland and said: Its been a real pleasure to spend as much time in Northern Ireland as Ive had, Ive got to know the region very well. If you spend any time over there, you realise how extraordinary a place it is and that starts with the people. Mr Kennedy said that while a lot has been written about Northern Irelands history, progress in the region does not get the same attention. He highlighted that there are nearly 250 American companies employing more than 30,000 people in Northern Ireland, as part of 1,200 international companies overall. Mr Kennedy said Belfast is the safest city of its size in the entire United Kingdom and Northern Ireland has a unique quality of life and standard of living on the island of Ireland. He also said the Windsor Framework, negotiated with the EU following the UKs exit from the union, provides trade advantages to Northern Ireland. Irish premier Leo Varadkar has said it is not the policy of his government to engage in boycotts. The Taoiseach and a number of other ministers are currently attending events in the United States ahead of St Patricks Day. Mr Varadkar visited the home of the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Tuesday among other engagements. On Monday he met Massachusetts governor Maura Healey and the US special economic envoy to Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy. Leo Varadkar during a visit to the home of the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston (Niall Carson/PA) The Taoiseach also gave a keynote address at the John F Kennedy Library where he said the US and Ireland must dedicate themselves to peace in Gaza. It has been indicated that Mr Varadkar will raised the Israel-Palestine conflict during high-level engagements in Washington DC starting on Wednesday. He is set to meet US President Joe Biden, vice president Kamala Harris and speaker Mike Johnson. Speaking to journalists at Fenway Park, Mr Varadkar was asked about the decision by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media of Ireland Catherine Martin to attend the South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival in Austin, Texas, despite a boycott of the event by a number of Irish artists. Leo Varadkar at the John F Kennedy Library in Boston (Niall Carson/PA) The artists pulled out over the events association with the US military and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Mr Varadkar said he had not spoken to Ms Martin about it. I fully appreciate that people have the right to boycott events should they choose to do so, and I totally respect that but its not the policy of the Irish Government to engage in boycotts, he said. Its one thing to exclude a country from an event or a competition or a sporting event, or a film festival for example, its another thing to exclude yourself because they werent excluded, and its not our policy to boycott. Its our policy to engage. But I absolutely appreciate that other people have a different view, and as long as they are consistent in their boycotts. Mr Varadkar added: I look forward to my engagement with President Biden later in the week and also vice president Harris, and the speaker and other congressional leaders. On Ukraine, what I am going to say to them is thank you for your support so far but please stick with us. We need to remember the lessons from the 1930s, you cant appease a dictator. Putin will come back for more and Europe and America must stand together on this and put forward a funding package. When it comes to the situation in Palestine and Gaza, Id be very keen to push the case for a ceasefire and more importantly to ask America to get involved once again in the drive for peace. It happened before with president Carter, it happened before with president Clinton and I think hopefully President Biden can take the lead on this. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar speaks to the media outside the Boston Harbour Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts, US, during the Taoiseachs visit to the US for St Patricks Day. Picture date: Tuesday March 12, 2024. The Irish premier has said he will use the special platform of St Patricks Day to press US President Joe Biden to back a ceasefire in the Middle East. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he will impress upon Mr Biden, as well as vice president Kamala Harris, speaker Mike Johnson and congressional leaders the view of Irish people that they want the killing in Gaza to stop. Mr Varadkar and a number of other ministers are currently attending events in the United States around St Patricks Day. Speaking to media during a visit to Boston, Mr Varadkar said the day of Irelands national saint gives it a very special platform around the world, not least in Washington DC. Ill meet with the president, the vice president, the speaker of Congress and congressional leaders, and Ill use that opportunity to put across Irelands perspective on this, and tell them how Irish people feel, and that is that we want to see a ceasefire immediately, for the killing to stop, the hostages to be released without condition, food and medicine to get into Gaza and we also want to see a new peace process, he said. There isnt going to be a military solution to the conflict in the Middle East, its 100 years now that we have had Jews and Arabs fighting over land in that part of the world. We have to try for peace again. I think America, as the most important political military power in the world, can take the lead on that, and I hope they will, and of course in any small way that we can help from Europe, from Ireland we will as well. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar speaks to the media outside the Boston Harbour Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts (Niall Carson/PA) Mr Varadkar said Ireland has a really good relationship with the US and with President Biden. I dont think Ive ever felt a president to be on our side so much as President Biden so very keen to meet him again, Ive met him many times down the years, and hes a real supporter of Ireland and always wants to know what he can do to help, he said. What he has said in relation to Gaza in the last couple of weeks has been very encouraging. I believe he is somebody who wants to see the violence stop, someone who wants to see us develop on a pathway to peace. Im not here to tick him off, Im here to talk to him, to understand the American position and see if we can influence in a positive way. I think he is working towards a ceasefire, in fact I know it. The US administration has been involved in trying to put together the conditions for a ceasefire. For a ceasefire to happen, it has to be Israel and Hamas. Ive been clear on that too, I havent called for a unilateral ceasefire, Ive called for Israel and Hamas to agree to ceasefire and while a small country like Ireland can use our voice to call for a ceasefire, the US being a powerful country has a different role, and that is to engage in negotiations to actually make that happen, and that is what they have been doing in fairness, with the Egyptians and the Qataris. Its clear to me that he wants there to be a ceasefire otherwise why would they be involved in negotiations to try and make it come about. US President Joe Biden (left) is greeted by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Ireland last year (PA) Earlier Mr Varadkar said it is not the policy of his government to engage in boycotts. He was asked about the decision by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media of Ireland Catherine Martin to attend the South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival in Austin, Texas, despite a boycott of the event by a number of Irish artists. The artists pulled out over the events association with the US military and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Mr Varadkar said he had not spoken to Ms Martin about it. I fully appreciate that people have the right to boycott events should they choose to do so, and I totally respect that but its not the policy of the Irish Government to engage in boycotts, he said. Its one thing to exclude a country from an event or a competition or a sporting event, or a film festival for example, its another thing to exclude yourself because they werent excluded, and its not our policy to boycott. Its our policy to engage. But I absolutely appreciate that other people have a different view, and as long as they are consistent in their boycotts. Leo Varadkar at the John F Kennedy Library in Boston (Niall Carson/PA) Mr Varadkar also said the war in Ukraine will feature in his discussions with Mr Biden. On Tuesday the Taoiseach visited the home of the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park among other engagements. On Monday he met Massachusetts governor Maura Healey and the US special economic envoy to Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy. He also gave a keynote address at the John F Kennedy Library where he said the US and Ireland must dedicate themselves to peace in Gaza. A move to potentially allow prisoners to shave two months off their jail time is the most drastic form of early release ever witnessed in England and Wales, according to Labour. Justice Secretary Alex Chalk on Monday announced an extension to the end of custody supervised licence (ECSL) scheme, taking it from 18 days to a maximum of 60 days in a bid to ease overcrowding pressures in prisons. The Conservative UK Government has insisted the measure will be temporary and only apply to so-called low-level offenders. Mr Chalk made the announcement via a written ministerial statement to Parliament after 8pm, a situation Labour branded plainly inadequate given the gravity of the situation, before attending the Commons in person on Tuesday to update MPs. (PA Graphics) Shabana Mahmood, the shadow justice secretary, said the extension was unprecedented. Replying to Mr Chalks statement in the Commons, she said: Let us be in no doubt, this is the most drastic form of early release for prisoners that this country has ever seen, and in his 11-page and 10-minute long statement today, it merited one paragraph. This is a measure which will cause shockwaves and deep concern across our country, and the Secretary of State seems to think a quiet written ministerial statement published late last night and one paragraph today is good enough it is not. The Labour MP posed a number of questions for her opposite number, including how many people had so far been released via the scheme, what prisons are making use of it and whether convicted domestic abusers and stalkers are eligible under its terms. Ms Mahmood added: The Government has refused all requests to be transparent about the scale and the impact of this scheme, this is no way to run the criminal justice system, or indeed the country. The Justice Secretary said a gold command veto would allow prison governors to prevent an early release (Michael Cooper/PA) Mr Chalk did not provide answers to her questions but assured that the Government would take every step to protect the public. The Cabinet minister said there would be safeguards in place, including a gold command veto that would mean if a prison governor has concerns about safety, then that person will not be released. The Justice Secretary announced in October that the Government would use the powers it has to allow the prison service to let some prisoners out of jail up to 18 days early to ease overcrowding. But with recent Ministry of Justice (MoJ) statistics showing that prisons in England and Wales are still nearing capacity, Mr Chalk opted on Monday to extend ECSL measures to around 35-60 days. The MoJ said that prisons would have licence to release eligible offenders up to 35 days before their prison tenure is due to end, with the provision to extend that further to 60 days if necessary in the future. Downing Street said the scheme would be temporary but refused to set a deadline for when it would be wound down. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Asked how long it could be in place, Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks official spokesman said: I cant offer a projection but it is very clearly a temporary measure. It is up to governors to use it operationally, depending on their circumstances. According to MoJ figures, the prison population stood at 88,220 as of March 8. The operational capacity is a little over 89,000. Prisons charity the Howard League states that the prison estate should not hold more than 79,597 people. Labour MP Andy Slaughter told the Justice Secretary that, on a visit to HMP Wormwood Scrubs in west London with prisons minister Edward Argar, they saw doubling up in single cells with unshielded toilets and overcrowding affecting time out of cell and access to work. Mr Chalk blamed overcrowding on a mix of factors, including criminals serving longer sentences under tougher punishment laws and the refusal to follow other countries lead by freeing low-risk prisoners during the coronavirus pandemic. He said other policies being enacted by ministers to tackle prison numbers included deporting more foreign criminals and increasing the availability of bail hearings. The senior Tory said the Government would radically change the way it deals with foreign national offenders (FNOs) to free up space in prisons, with 400 additional caseworkers appointed to prioritise these cases. The Justice Secretary said he was building on reforms he set out in the autumn, including extending the early removal scheme from a maximum period of 12 months to 18 months so that eligible FNOs can be deported up to six months earlier. Mr Chalk said almost 400 FNOs have already been removed from the UK since January as a result, adding that a robust new agreement with Albania and plans in the Criminal Justice Bill to rent prisons overseas would also help. According to Mr Chalk, there are more than 10,000 foreign criminals in the prison system, making up 12% of prisoners in England and Wales and costing the taxpayer on average 50,000 per year. Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson said there was no money exchanged as part of his defection to Reform (Lucy North/PA) Former Conservative deputy chairman Lee Anderson said he is no mercenary after joining Reform UK as he denied being paid to switch allegiances. Mr Anderson also told GB News the Conservative Party had not contacted him ahead of being unveiled as Reforms first MP. The MP for Ashfield in Nottinghamshire had been forced to sit as an independent after being stripped of the Tory whip last month for suggesting London Labour mayor Sadiq Khan was being controlled by Islamist extremists. He refused to apologise for the remarks that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak branded wrong, effectively blocking off any route to being brought back into the Tory fold. On Monday evening during an appearance on GB News, which pays him 100,000 a year for hosting a show, on top of his 86,584 pay as an MP, Mr Anderson denied any money exchanged hands ahead of his Reform defection. He told the broadcaster: No, absolutely not. One hundred per cent, dont be so ridiculous Im not a mercenary. Ive had no money. Some Tories see Reform UK as a challenger at the general election expected this year with signs of growing support for the party as it polls at around 10% of national voting intention. Arch Brexiteer Nigel Farage is the honorary president of the party, which is seeking to attract disillusioned Conservative voters, mainly over the issues of immigration and net zero. Reform finished in third place in two recent by-elections, although its candidate in the Rochdale contest former Labour MP Simon Danczuk had a poor showing. Party leader Richard Tice has ruled out standing aside to avoid splitting the Leave vote in some seats, as the party did under its Brexit Party name in 2019. Mr Anderson, who had been seen as the voice of the so-called red wall the traditional Labour areas that voted for Boris Johnson in 2019 suggested there had been no last-ditch efforts by the Tories to prevent his defection. He said: The news broke this morning on social media, my phone was pinging from about six oclock this morning. Ive had no contact from the party at all. Id have thought, at that stage, maybe someone would have given me a call to say, hold on, Lee, what you doing? Have a think about it, nobody. Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, a former business secretary, said that while he believed the Tories erred in suspending Mr Anderson, he felt it was a mistake for him to join Reform because divided wings of politics lose. We know Reform wont win the election, but they can make it harder for the Conservatives, he told GB News. That is why I think Lee made a mistake in going. I think he should have stayed within the Conservative Party to bolster the forces arguing for what he believes in. Jacob Rees-Mogg said Lee Anderson had made a mistake joining Reform (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Tory MPs Miriam Cates and Danny Kruger, leaders of the right-wing New Conservatives faction that Mr Anderson had previously been aligned with, said in an article for The Daily Telegraph that his decision to join a rival made a substantial Labour majority significantly more likely in this years general election. Mr Sunaks party is considerably behind Sir Keir Starmers outfit in opinion polls, with some surveys putting Labour as much as 20 points ahead. Mr Anderson lost the Conservative whip last month after claiming Islamists had got control of Mr Khan and London. At a press conference announcing his defection to Reform on Monday, Mr Anderson who previously represented Labour as a councillor before jumping ship to the Tories in 2018 accused the Conservatives of stifling free speech by suspending him. (PA Graphics) Mr Tice said he absolutely stood by the MPs remarks about the London Mayor. As recently as January, Mr Anderson had branded Mr Tice a poundshop Nigel Farage and said Reform was not a proper political party. Asked what has changed, Mr Anderson told reporters he had been on a gradual journey. He said: When I find myself suspended for speaking my mind and, by the way, speaking up on behalf of millions of people up and down the country who agree with me that for me is unpalatable. Its a shocker, if Im honest. By Park Jin-hai Fama Ndiaye, the CEO of AGASKIN, a Seoul-based agency specializing in assisting Korean beauty companies expand their global presence, proudly identifies herself as a champion of K-beauty. The Senegal-born French entrepreneur said it was a single experience involving a sheet mask that launched her journey. Reflecting on her introduction to Korean beauty products in 2008, she recounted, "My Korean American friends in New York took me to Koreatown, where I tried Face Shops sheet mask and was absolutely amazed." This revelation came during an interview with The Korea Times, held at the Pullman Ambassador Hotel in Seoul on Thursday. Next door there was Macy's and also Sephora a block away. But none of them had a sheet mask. I wondered why they didn't have sheet masks. Then I started getting really interested in K-beauty, she said. Ndiaye delved deeper into her studies and exploration of skincare. "I was just like, oh, wow, that really works," she said. This newfound interest sparked a desire within her to travel to Korea and personally observe the intricate workings of the beauty industry. Her fervent passion for K-beauty led her to journey to Korea in 2016. Since then, she has dedicated herself to raising awareness about Korean beauty products and facilitating the entry of brands into European markets. AGASKIN hosted a gala dinner, Friday, attended by approximately 100 influencers, beauty professionals, and industry insiders. The event aimed to foster the globalization of K-beauty and celebrate the collective passion for beauty, coinciding with International Womens Day. Ndiaye said the strength of Korean cosmetics lies in their innovation, citing Kahi's multi-balm stick as a prime example. The environment of the Korean industry makes it so competitive that cosmetic brands always look for what is going to be the next big thing. So they're always very creative and looking for what is going to be very new, out of the ordinary or something that nobody has seen before. And that's something you don't see in other beauty industries, to the point where even a company like L'Oreal comes to Korea to have their innovation center. So that says it all. Last year, AGASKIN organized a pop-up at Galeries Lafayette Champs-Elysees in Paris featuring five Korean brands Dear Klairs, Rom&nd, Urang, SKIN1004, and Mixsoon. Reflecting on the event, Ndiaye acknowledges that while she anticipated success, the experience served as a major eye-opener, reaffirming the immense potential of Korean cosmetics brands. For the French luxury department store chain, the pop-up served as a test. But Ndiaye was confident in its potential for success. Her strategy was to offer visitors a chance to use Korean beauty products. The company offered K-beauty classes throughout the 12-day event. Everybody was shocked because after we announced the classes, every class was booked within 24 hours, she said, adding that the event was a pleasant surprise for the department store, highlighting the substantial demand and potential for Korean cosmetics products. Now, AGASKIN has secured a permanent store, rather than a pop-up, within the flagship shop of the department store chain on Boulevard Haussmann, selling the five Korean brands that participated in last year's pop-up event. She expressed her admiration for the philosophy of K-beauty. Its really like taking care of yourself. You learn from a very young age to really take care of yourself. And I love this philosophy, she said. The gala event on International Women's Day isnt really about makeup. Its more about beauty. K-beauty places a strong emphasis on skincare and embracing natural beauty. I believe that prioritizing self-care and nurturing your skin go hand in hand. Police Scotland are continuing to investigate the murder of 65-year-old Brian Low in rural Perthshire (Andrew Milligan/PA) Detectives have issued a renewed appeal as they investigate the murder of a man shot dead in rural Perthshire as they suggested neighbours may have the answers. Brian Low, 65, was found dead on Saturday February 17 on a rural path in Pitilie, on the outskirts of Aberfeldy, accompanied by his black Labrador. Emergency services were alerted after Mr Low was found at around 8.30am, but his death was initially attributed to natural causes. During a post-mortem examination six days later, it was discovered Mr Low, who retired from his job as a groundsman at the Edradynate Estate last year, had been shot. Police Scotland defended their initial treatment of the death as non-suspicious but admitted evidence may have been lost in the delay setting up a crime scene, which happened on February 21 as soon as concerns were raised about the cause of death. On March 9, officers spoke to 145 people in the space of two hours, as they stopped 18 pedestrians and 118 vehicles at the scene, in the town centre and on the A827 north of Aberfeldy. Investigating officers said they are open-minded about the motive and confident the answer lies in the local community. Mr Lows family are being given support by specialist officers. Detective Superintendent Lorna Ferguson, of the Major Investigation Team, said: Extensive inquiries into Brians death are continuing and I would urgently appeal to anyone with information who has not already spoken with us to please do so. Police at the scene in the Pitilie area on the outskirts of Aberfeldy (Andrew Milligan/PA) We have carried out a number of additional lines of inquiry in the last few days and its important we remain open-minded about a possible motive in this case. Incidents like this are thankfully extremely rare and we understand the significant impact this has had on the people of Aberfeldy. We are confident the answer to this investigation lies within the local community. Somebody knows something. Even if you feel the information you hold is not important, we would still ask you to contact us. It could be crucial to getting the answers we need for Brians family. Anyone in the surrounding area with dashcam, private CCTV or doorbell footage from near the time of his death is asked to speak with the inquiry team. We are fully committed to tracing whoever is responsible as soon as possible. There will continue to be a significant police presence in the area while our investigation is ongoing. This includes uniformed and plain-clothed officers from division and the Major Investigation Team. We are still carrying out door-to-door inquiries and speaking with local business owners. Anyone with concerns or questions is encouraged to approach these officers or call 101 for advice. Brians family are obviously completely devastated and heartbroken by what has happened. They are still being supported by specialist officers and wish their privacy to be respected. Its absolutely vital we find who did this, and we need the ongoing support of the public as our inquiries continue. If you know anything that could help, please get in touch. The public can submit information online, call 101, quoting reference number 0884 of February 17, or contact Crimestoppers. Shells from Captain Cooks third voyage, which were feared lost for 40 years, are going back on public display after being rescued from a skip (Phil Wilkinson/English Heritage/PA) An 18th century shell collection from Captain James Cooks third voyage, thought lost for more than 40 years, has been returned to English Heritage after being saved from a skip in nothing short of a miracle. The collection, containing more than 200 specimens including an extinct species and several believed to have been sent back from Cooks ill-fated voyage, is to go on public display for the first time in more than 100 years. The items had been thrown out by a university, but were rescued from the skip by a retired scientist. The collection, which serves as a record of Britains role in global trade and its colonial reach in the late 18th century, was the passion of Bridget Atkinson (1732-1814). She never left Britain, and rarely left Cumbria, but amassed more than 1,200 shells from across the globe. The Clayton Collection is to go back on public display for the first time in more than 100 years at Chesters Roman Fort and Museum in Northumberland (Julian Worker/AlamyPA) The collection was inherited by her grandson, John Clayton (1792-1890), before being sold along with the Clayton estate in 1930. Some 200 of the artefacts remained on display at Chesters Roman Fort and Museum in Northumberland and were subsequently loaned to the zoology department of Armstrong College, now Newcastle University. But, in the 1980s, the shells were thrown out during an office clear-out at the university. It was feared they had been lost forever, but it has now been revealed that a passing lecturer, Dr John Buchanan, rescued them from a skip. They have now been donated to English Heritage by the Buchanan family and returned to the museum, where they have been reunited with a giant clam which was previously the only remaining piece in the collection. Dr Buchanans family said: Our father was a marine zoologist and senior lecturer from 1958 until his retirement, based at the Dove Marine Laboratory in Cullercoats. He rescued the collection as he believed in conservation, and the shells remained in our family home for 35 years. Following the death of our mother, we discovered that the shells were part of the Clayton Collection. We were delighted to return the collection to English Heritage for future generations to enjoy. The memorial statue to Captain James Cook in Whitby, North Yorkshire (Owen Humphreys/PA) Among the shells is a thorny oyster (Spondylus americanus). In an 1804 letter, Mrs Atkinson begged her son Matthew, who was based in Jamaica, to get the shell for her. Found along the Atlantic coast, from North Carolina down to the Caribbean and as far as Brazil, it is decorated with spines nearly 2in (5cm) long. Others include a sunburst star turban or circular saw shell, Astraea heliotropium, endemic to New Zealand, which was sent back to Mrs Atkinson by George Dixon while he was serving as armourer under Cook during his third voyage on HMS Resolution. Another shell is that of the giant clam, Tridacna gigas, the largest bivalve in the world, which is now protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites). The chambered nautilus (Nautilus pompilius) shell also features in the collection. According to English Heritage, it is among the most coveted of natural history items for collectors. The animal that lived inside this shell had around 90 tentacles. It lived in the outer chamber of the shell and, as it grew, it created larger chambers, each time sealing off the vacated one. Dr Frances McIntosh, English Heritages collections curator for Hadrians Wall and the North East, said: Weve always known about Bridget Atkinsons collection but had believed it completely lost. To discover that the shells have not only survived but been kept safe and loved all this time is nothing short of a miracle. Bridget Atkinson was a remarkable woman, with a real curiosity about the natural world. At a time when women generally collected shells to decorate their furniture and grottos with, Bridget was collecting them for their scientific and geographical interest rather than their aesthetics. As well as being a testament to Bridgets character and contacts, this collection is also a superb record of Britains role in global trade in the late 18th century, not to mention human impact on the natural world. Dr Tom White, principal curator of non-insect invertebrates at the Natural History Museum, who has been helping English Heritage to identify and catalogue the shells, said the collection includes numerous rare species, including the now-extinct Distorsio cancellina and others. He said: These would have been extraordinarily sought-after in 18th century Britain, during the golden age of shell collecting when single specimens could sell for thousands of pounds. The collection will go on display, for the first time in more than 100 years, at Chesters Roman Fort and Museum in Northumberland from Wednesday March 13. The UKs priority in terms of rising violence in Haiti is to secure the nearby Turks and Caicos Islands, Foreign Secretary David Cameron has said. Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton told peers in Westminster that the focus should be on these islands, as they are a British Overseas Territory and there are concerns over their borders and security. He added that Britain does not lead on issues relating to Haiti, but that the Government would support Caricom, a political and economic union in the Caribbean, in helping resolve the situation. Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Lord Cameron told the House of Lords during ministerial questions: The UK is concerned about the worsening violence in Haiti and the impact on the neighbouring Turks and Caicos islands I think our priority should be to focus on the Turks and Caicos Islands, they are an overseas territory. We are looking to deploy a reconnaissance team there, because there are concerns about their borders and their security and I think that should be our focus immediately, while offering help, assistance and advice to the people of Haiti and to the Caricom nations that are coming together to try and help. He added: We will work very closely with the Turks and Caicos Islands government. Were currently funding police officers there, were currently helping with border security were going to be sending this reconnaissance mission to help them in terms of their border security. If there are additional burdens and additional needs, Im sure that we will entertain those. His comments came after the Haitian prime minister Ariel Henry resigned amid a breakdown in law and order in the country. Haitian prime minister Ariel Henry resigned amid a breakdown in law and order in the country (Andrew Kasuku/AP) Haiti, which has become overwhelmed by gang violence, has seen thousands of inmates broken out of its prisons. While the UK has no bilateral deal with Haiti, it contributes around 30 million a year through international agencies. Lord Cameron continued: Haiti is not where Britain has tried to lead. We have many countries and places where we feel we either have special knowledge or a special relationship or existing partnerships. This has always been somewhere where we contribute, I think our contribution is 30 million (235 million) a year through the international bodies, but its not one where weve chosen to lead. Weve left that to the Canadians and the Americans and others who have more expertise. A demonstrator holds up a Haitian flag during protests earlier in the month (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph) He added: As they say, if everything is a priority then nothing is a priority. It is understood that the US will contributed 300 million US dollars to a multinational security mission to Haiti, with 1,000 troops from Kenya. Lord Cameron said of the US-funded, Kenyan-led mission: Its not something that Britain will contribute to in terms of personnel, but we are happy to make a small contribution in terms of finance. Former Foreign Office minister Lord Bellingham warned that the Turks and Caicos Islands could see an influx of refugees, as was seen after the Haiti earthquake in 2010. He told peers that the earthquake triggered at least 2,500 refugees coming from Haiti to the Turks and Caicos Islands and many of them were indeed refugees who arrived illegally. He added: While the Foreign Secretary is obviously going to put emphasis on helping the Turks and Caicos Islands with security and their borders, some refugees will need help on the ground. Labour peer Lord Griffiths of Burry Port, who was ordained as a Methodist minister in Haiti and lived there in the 1970s, said: I cant bear to think of the kind of suffering that the people of Haiti are undergoing at this time. The Vatican secretary of state is seeking to defuse outrage after Pope Francis comments that Ukraine should have the courage of the white flag to negotiate an end to the war. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vaticans chief diplomat, insisted in media interviews that a primary condition for negotiations to end the war in Ukraine is an end to Russias aggression and that any peace must be a just peace. Cardinal Parolin made the rounds with friendly Italian media the same day Kyiv summoned the Holy See ambassador to complain about the Popes comments. The Pope has repeatedly expressed solidarity with the martyred Ukrainian people but refused to call out Russia or President Vladimir Putin by name (Alessandra Tarantino/AP) Pope Francis remarks to Swiss broadcaster RSI, recorded in early February but only aired on Saturday, elicited immediate criticism from Ukraine and its allies, even after the Vatican press office tried to redirect attention to his other remarks in the interview that negotiation is never a surrender. The ruckus once again put the Vaticans diplomatic corps in the position of having to smooth over the Popes informal, off-the-cuff way of speaking, providing a more articulated position in line with the Holy Sees tradition of calibrated diplomatic neutrality. In an interview with leading Corriere della Sera published Tuesday, Cardinal Parolin noted that Pope Francis in another speech last month had called for a diplomatic solution in Ukraine and the search for a just and lasting peace. In that sense, it is obvious that the creation of such conditions arent just for one side, but both sides, and the first condition would be that of putting an end to the aggression, Cardinal Parolin said in comments that also were reported by the Vaticans in-house Vatican News portal. Cardinal Parolin noted that Francis white flag comments were in response to a question that used the term, and that the pontiff subsequently insisted that negotiation is never a surrender. The cardinal made similar comments to Italys state-run RAI, saying: Peace in Ukraine will have to be a just peace. It means recognising mutual rights and also mutual duties, above all, taking into account the dignity of people. It is not the first time Pope Francis sometimes imprecise way of speaking, which is often appreciated in other contexts because of its simplicity, have created a diplomatic headache for the Holy See and angered one or the other side in the war. He has repeatedly expressed solidarity with the martyred Ukrainian people but refused to call out Russia or President Vladimir Putin by name. He has seemingly expressed understanding for the invasion Putin ordered by saying Nato was barking at Russias door by expanding east, but then earned a formal protest from Moscow when he blamed most of the cruelty on Chechens and other minorities. In September, Pope Francis again courted the displeasure of Ukrainians, including its Greek Catholic bishops, when he praised Russias imperial past during a meeting with Russian youths. After Ukrainians voiced their sense of betrayal, the Pope later acknowledged his words were perhaps not happy and that he in no way meant to justify Russias invasion. Despite Jon Boutchers good intentions, Stakeknife inquiry was hamstrung from the outset But Jon Boutcher did his best in face of repeated delays and resistance to prosecution Jon Boutcher Malachi ODoherty Tue 12 Mar 2024 at 07:30 What do you make of this? In October 2019, Jon Boutcher was planning to visit the office of Stephen Herron, the director of public prosecutions for Northern Ireland. A dump truck carrying coal navigates its way near a coal mining pit in Sanga-Sanga, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, Dec. 20, 2022. Methane emissions from Indonesias coal mines are significantly underreported, potentially undermining its international pledges on climate change, according to a report released Tuesday. The findings by Ember, a London think-tank, suggest that emissions from coal mine methane (CMM) in Indonesia are nearly seven times underreported because Southeast Asias largest country uses outmoded measurement methods and excludes emissions from underground mines. The use of outdated methane estimation methods risks undermining the scale of Indonesias coal mine methane problem, said Dody Setiawan, Embers senior Indonesia climate and energy analyst. Consequently, Indonesia could jeopardize its international standing as it is committed to slashing methane globally, he said in the report. Independent analyses of satellite and mine-level data indicate CMM emissions ranging up to 875 kilotons, significantly higher than the official Indonesian figure of 128 kilotons in 2019, the report said. Official estimates have overlooked CMM emissions from several underground mines, Ember reported, adding that such methane leaks are seriously hazardous because of explosion risks. Indonesia has 15 companies involved in underground coal mining, the study said, although in 2021 it reported to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate that it had none. The convention is a multilateral treaty adopted in 1992 to stabilize greenhouse gases. BenarNews contacted Dadan Kusdiana, the secretary-general at the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, to seek the governments response to the report. I need to study the report first, Kusdiana said. Other officials at the ministry could not be immediately reached for comment. This underreporting could cast Indonesia in a negative light on international climate efforts, because the country is a signatory to the Global Methane Pledge, which aims to reduce methane emissions by 30% from 2020 levels by 2030, the report said. Indonesia is the worlds largest thermal coal exporter by volume, and the third largest coal producing country after China and India. Thermal coal is used to produce electricity, while coking coal is an ingredient in iron and steel production. The countrys Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources reported a 13% increase in coal production in 2023 from the previous year, reaching an all-time high. Methane, the second-highest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide, is a potent greenhouse gas with more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. Considering all adjustments for measurements and the expected increase in coal production, Indonesias future coal mine methane emissions could escalate to approximately 1,007 kilotons annually, the Ember report said. This amount is 30 million tons of CO2 equivalent, surpassing the emissions from forest and land fires over 200,000 hectares in 2022, it said. Rescuers and workers wait at the entrance of a coal mine during the search for victims after a deadly explosion in Sawahlunto, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Dec. 9, 2022. [Devanya Zianisa/AP] Dorothy Mei, project manager at Global Energy Monitor (GEM), said Indonesias active participation in methane reduction was essential to reduce global emissions. Indonesia must plan to monitor its emissions and improve the accessibility of its coal mining and methane data, to help fully achieve the goals of the Global Methane Pledge, she said in the report. However, Indonesia is not alone in underreporting CMM emissions, according to a November report by Ember. Citing independent studies, it warned that such emissions could be more than twice as high as reported by governments. Many countries dont report [CMM emissions] regularly, and some have never reported CMM, Embers November report said. Independent studies have found that 22 countries could be emitting double the emissions they currently report, including South Africa, Germany and Indonesia. For instance, the International Energy Agencys 2023 Methane Tracker estimated that Australia had underreported its CMM by 82% in 2022. Indonesias coal reserves, primarily consist of lower-quality lignite and subbituminous coal, span across seven major coal basins including in Central and South Sumatra and Kalimantan. Higher-quality coals are found in the Barito basin and the Ombilin Basin in West Sumatra. Different coal types, ranging from high-energy anthracite to the lowest-energy lignite, emit different levels of methane during extraction. Higher-ranked coals emit more methane and lower-ranked coals, like those predominantly mined in Indonesia, release less methane. Despite primarily using surface mining methods, Indonesia has reported a rapid increase in coal-mine methane emissions, growing by an average of 12% annually since 2000, the report said. This trend positions coal mine methane as the fastest-growing source of emissions within the energy sector, set to become the major methane emitter, it said. Yayan Satyakti, an economist at Padjadjaran University in Bandung, said methane was more challenging to measure without accurate methods. However, high-frequency satellite technology, like that of NASA, has made measurement possible and relatively accurate, although national-level analysis can be debatable due to less detailed satellite database parcels if not calibrated with national data, he said. Yayan expressed concern over the accuracy of environmental indicators released by the government, citing issues with sampling and monitoring systems. He also highlighted the uncertainty surrounding Indonesias Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) targets and environmental policies, which are gradually shifting due to investment interests, potentially reducing the countrys commitment to sustainable development. U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo (right) gestures beside Philippine Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual during a press conference at Paranaque city, Philippines, March 11, 2024. The United States is going all in on the Philippines and its semiconductor sector in a bid to diversify the global chip supply chain amid growing tensions with China, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said Tuesday. Raimondo made the announcement during a two-day trade mission to Manila in which she was joined by 22 American business executives from companies including Alphabets Google, Visa and Microsoft. This is historic. The message is: We are all in on the Philippines, Raimondo said at a meeting with U.S. and Philippine business associations in Makati City, the citys financial hub. She also announced that American companies would invest U.S. $1 billion in the Philippines, spanning solar energy, electric vehicles and digitization. The U.S. delegation, the first of its kind to the Southeast Asian nation, comes as the battle for semiconductor supremacy heats up between the worlds two largest economies. Washington has stepped up sanctions to limit Chinas access to the tiny electronic devices that power the modern economy, while encouraging American firms to diversify hi-tech supply chains. U.S. companies have realized that our chip supply chain is way too concentrated in just a few countries in the world. Forget about geopolitics; just add that level of concentration. Its the old adage: Dont put your eggs in one basket, Raimondo said without referring to China directly by name. The Philippines has thirteen semiconductor assembly, testing, and packaging facilities. Lets double it, she added, without providing details on how that would be achieved. Raimondo said the Philippines was rich in critical minerals, which are more important than ever. So as companies are thinking about how to make their supply chain more resilient, they are looking for countries in the world where they can establish an operation. I believe you are at the top of the list, she said. Semiconductor chips are seen on a printed circuit board in this illustration picture taken Feb. 17, 2023. [Reuters] U.S. engagement with the Philippines has increased since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office in June 2022, especially on security matters. At the same time, Washington has done more to cultivate economic ties with nations in the so-called Indo-Pacific region, which comprises 40% of the global economy, in a bid to counter Chinas expanding influence. In May 2022, the U.S. launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) with a focus on four pillars: Trade, supply chains, the clean economy and the fair economy, the latter of which covers tax and anti-corruption. Aside from the U.S. and the Philippines, IPEF partners include Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. However, the initiative is not a traditional free-trade agreement and has faced criticism for not providing any market access. On Monday, Raimondo met with Marcos at the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila before the president departed for a trip to Germany. Todays gathering not only signifies a meeting of officials, but also celebrates the enduring relations between the Philippines and the United States ties that have been built on shared sacrifices, mutual support and unwavering respect, Marcos said. In 2023, the U.S ranked as the Philippines third biggest trading partner, its largest export market and fifth highest source of imports, according to data from the Philippine government. In the same period, total bilateral trade amounted to $19.96 billion, with exports valued at $11.54 billion and imports at $8.41 billion. The Philippines top bilateral trade partner last year was China, with which it had a deficit of about $2 billion. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo (center) speaks during a meeting with business executives at a hotel in Manila, March 12, 2024. [Ted Aljibe/AFP] Most of the Raimondo-led trade delegation was from the technology, artificial intelligence, renewable energy and information and communications sectors. Tech giant Microsoft said Tuesday it would partner with the Philippines Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to train 100,000 Filipino women on AI and cybersecurity. Ted Osius, president and CEO of the non-profit US-ASEAN Business Council, said the U.S. commitments were good for the region. Its in our national interest as well as in our economic interest to invest in the Philippines, to be involved in the Philippines, to support the Philippines growth and prosperity, he told reporters after Raimondo's address. Resilient supply chains were important not just because of challenges with China, he said. We found during the COVID-19 pandemic that supply chains are more fragile than we expected. Even right now, theres action in the Red Sea that is causing delays in shipping, causing delays in parts, needed parts, getting goods, he said. Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho said Tuesday continued efforts to improve North Korea's human rights situation could bring a positive change to North Koreans suffering from Pyongyang's human rights records. Kim made the remark at the first meeting of an advisory committee on improving North Korea's human rights situation that began its one-year second term earlier in the day. The committee was launched in March last year. "If we accurately know the North's situation and continue to call on North Korea to improve its human rights situation while maintaining solidarity with the international community, these efforts could bring hope and a positive change to North Koreans," Kim said. The committee will play an important role in addressing key issues related to North Korea's human rights, such as access to information and accountability, he added. The advisory committee was launched as the North Korean Human Rights Foundation has not set sail yet due to the main opposition party's reluctance to recommend its board members. The North Korean Human Rights Act, which came into force in 2016, stipulated the creation of the foundation. The yearslong delay in the establishment prompted the ministry to launch the advisory committee last year to address the North's dire human rights situation. North Korea has long been accused of grave human rights abuses, ranging from holding political prisoners in concentration camps to committing torture and carrying out public executions. (Yonhap) Human rights campaigner Angkhana Neelaphaijit stands in front of the Department of Special Investigation while participating in the commemoration of the 17th anniversary of her husband Somchai Neelapaijits disappearance, Bangkok, March 12, 2021. Two decades after the disappearance of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit, his case continues to reverberate in Thailand. Somchais abduction from a Bangkok street sparked a long campaign for stricter anti-torture legislation which was finally passed in 2022 while his wife, Angkhana Neelapaijit, has emerged as a prominent human rights advocate. However, his family has failed to get justice over the last 20 years for Somchai, who is believed to have been killed after he was taken, although his body was never recovered. I did not think that my life would change so dramatically. It was a traumatic period for our family, as we were suddenly in the middle of police and media attention, Angkhana told BenarNews, recalling the period immediately after Somchai disappeared. I did not have time to process it with my children. It was indeed a difficult time. Back in 2004, Somchai served as chair of a Muslim lawyers group and held a key position on the human rights committee of another lawyers group. He was also heading a high-profile lawsuit alleging torture of Muslim suspects by police in Thailands restive Deep South. In the predominantly Malay Muslim southern provinces, a separatist insurgency that originally began in the 1960s against mainly Buddhist Thailand, had reignited in January 2004. On March 12, 2004, he was pulled out of his car in broad daylight on Ramkhamhaeng Road, a busy Bangkok street, never to be seen again. Somchai was 52 at the time. According to rights watchdog group Amnesty International, five police officers were arrested soon after Somchais disappearance for allegedly forcing him into their car on that day. The Supreme Court acquitted them in December 2015. Human Rights Watch said that the alleged abductors were police officers acting in retaliation for Somchais involvement in the lawsuits that alleged widespread police torture of Muslim suspects in the Deep South. HRW said in a statement on Monday that the United Nations had recorded 76 enforced disappearance cases in Thailand since 1980. None have been resolved, and no one has ever been punished for these crimes, even after Thailand adopted a law in 2022 recognizing enforced disappearance as a criminal offense, the New York-based group said. Amnesty International was scathing about the law, called the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act and that criminalizes enforced disappearances. It was passed in 2022, and was supposed to take effect in February 2023, with the Thai police requesting a delay in enforcing it. [W]ith a lack of cases on enforced disappearance reaching the court, the law is quickly becoming no better than the paper it is written on, the London-based human rights group said in a statement Monday. Adilan Ali Ishak, a human rights lawyer and former MP from southern Yala province is more optimistic about the law. This law will ensure peoples rights to justice are protected, he told BenarNews. It allows for a check and balance between officials and it helps encourage the officers to be more mindful of the peoples rights. BenarNews attempted to contact the Ministry of Justice spokesperson for comments about the anniversary but did not hear back. A lighted sign displays an outline of the image of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit on Ramkhamhaeng road, from where he disappeared 20 years ago, Bangkok, March 11, 2024. [Courtesy Amnesty International] Somchais disappearance motivated his wife, Angkhana, to also work in defending human rights. In the process, she has become a leading activist in the country. I want to create a legal system to prevent such a thing from ever happening again and bring the wrongdoers to justice, Angkhana said. She founded the Justice for Peace Foundation, an organization that helps victims of human rights abuses, and served as the national human rights commissioner. Angkhanas work has won her the prestigious Gwangju Prize for Human Rights in 2006 and the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2019. In 2022, she became the first Asian woman member of the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. Apart from his wife, Somchai inspired other lawyers to fight for human rights and defend the people in the Deep South, said Abdulkohar Awaeputeh, chairman of the Muslim Attorney Centre Foundation in Pattani. Somchai was an ordinary lawyer who lived a simple life. But what he did was encourage others to be dignified lawyers, who adhere to the principles of the law and give people access to the justice process, he told BenarNews. Vaison Baneng, who works in the Thai Deep South as a human rights lawyer, said that Somchai had inspired him. When I was in school, I learned about what kind of cases Somchai was working on and how he disappeared, he told BenarNews. When I engage in such cases myself, it makes me want to continue the work that Somchai left unfinished. Meanwhile, Thailands Minister of Justice, Tawee Sodsong, was a no-show at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, which had invited him to a seminar to mark 20 years of Somchais disappearance. The minister did not cite a reason for his non-attendance. The new government of Srettha Thavisin has promised to ratify the International Convention on Enforced Disappearance, which Thailand signed in 2012, Human Rights Watch said in its Monday statement. But as we mark 20 years since Somchais disappearance, that promise remains unfulfilled. Another year should not pass without justice for Somchai and the other victims of enforced disappearance, HRW said. The Thai government needs to deliver justice for them and their families, and for all Thais. Indonesians arrive at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta for the special evening prayer to mark the start of Ramadan, March 11, 2024. Hundreds of millions of Muslims in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Thailand among over 2 billion globally marked the beginning of Ramadan with Tarawih prayers on Monday night followed by daytime fasting that began Tuesday. Along with prayers and fasting where the faithful refrain from eating, drinking and smoking between dawn to dusk, Muslims recite the Quran to draw closer to God. Ramadan marks the ninth month in the Islamic year and commemorates the first revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad. The month begins with sighting of the crescent moon and will conclude on the night of April 10, followed by the day-long Eid al-Fitr holiday that celebrates the end of Ramadan. In Saudi Arabia, the home of Mecca, and some other Muslim countries, Ramadan began a day earlier this year. Muslims worldwide greet the arrival of the fasting with Tarawih, a special prayer that they perform during the other 29 nights of Ramadan. Each evening during the month, worshipers break their fast with dates and other fruits before eating meals. In Bangladesh, prices for staples including dates, raisins and fruit have increased by 17% to 55% in recent days. In the Philippines, a Catholic-majority country, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Ramadan represents a demonstration of faith that creates stronger bonds in communities. Ramadan holds special significance as it reminds us of the rich diversity to our cultural and religious tapestry in the Philippines, he said in the statement issued Sunday. It is with no doubt that our Muslim brothers and sisters have made invaluable contributions to our nations history and heritage, shaping our beloved motherland into the diverse and united country that it is today, he said. This year, Ramadan occurs as international calls for a ceasefire in Gaza so far have fallen short. Israeli strikes have killed more than 30,000 people and left nearly 600,000 starving, five months after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks against Israelis by Hamas. This pain is felt acutely by Muslims around the world, and so this year, Ramadan feels different, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Biden said in a statement on Tuesday. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is heartbreaking. As we deliver additional aid to Gaza, we will continue to work non-stop to establish an immediate and sustained ceasefire for at least six weeks as part of a deal that releases hostages. Despite reports about negotiations for a possible ceasefire during Ramadan, the United States, Israels closest ally, has previously blocked several previous U.N. resolutions calling for a truce in Gaza. The Biden administration has also continued to send military aid to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government despite the humanitarian crisis and threat of famine looming over the Palestinian enclave. We will also continue to pursue a two-state solution to ensure Palestinians and Israelis share equal measures of freedom, dignity, security, and prosperity. Peace is possible, it is necessary, and it is urgent, Blinken said. People walk toward the Sri Sendayan Mosque in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, to perform the special Tarawih prayer, March 11, 2024. [S. Mahfuz/BenarNews] Muslims offer the Tarawih prayer at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, March 11, 2024. [Eko Siswono Toyudho/BenarNews] A member of an Islamic committee checks for the crescent moon from atop of the Kuala Lumpur Tower to determine the start of Ramadan, March 10, 2024. [S. Mahfuz/BenarNews] Filipina Muslims conduct evening prayers at the Blue Mosque in Taguig City, Metro Manila, March 12, 2024. [Gerard Carreon/BenarNews] This boy could not stay awake during the special evening prayer at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, March 11, 2024. [Eko Siswono Toyudho/BenarNews] Thai Muslims prepare to return home after the Tarawih prayer at the Raya Fathoni Mosque in Pattani, March 12, 2024. [Yostorn Triyos/BenarNews] People purchase food at the traditional Iftar market in Old Dhakas Chowkbazar on the first full day of Ramadan in Bangladesh, March 12, 2024. [Sabrina Yasmin/BenarNews] Muslims buy durians for Ramadan at the Pattani Central Mosque in southern Thailand, March 12, 2024. [Yostorn Triyos/BenarNews] If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom. Medical professors move to support trainee doctors on strike By Jun Ji-hye The government on Monday began deploying 158 military and public health doctors to hospitals affected by a nationwide walkout staged by thousands of trainee doctors, in a bid to make up for the shortage of medical staff and minimize disruptions to medical services. The latest measure came about three weeks after nearly 12,000 interns and resident doctors at major hospitals across the country left their worksites in protest of the governments policy to increase the number of medical students next year, causing cancellations and delays in surgeries and other medical procedures as well as increased workloads for other medical professionals who have continued their duties. The Ministry of Health and Welfare said 20 military doctors and 138 public health doctors began working at 20 affected hospitals to assist in surgery for patients in emergency or critical condition. Military doctors are commissioned officers who have licenses to work as physicians or dentists, while public health doctors are conscripts for the supplementary service a category of mandatory military service in Korea that requires them to work in underserved areas for three years. The country has about 2,400 military doctors and 1,400 public health doctors. The health ministry decided to deploy these doctors to the affected hospitals for the next four weeks, but is planning for an additional deployment in case the collective action of the trainee doctors continues. We will consider concerns over a possible medical service vacuum in underserved areas to be caused by the additional deployment of public health doctors before making a relevant decision, Jeon Byung-wang, in charge of health care policy at the ministry, said during a media briefing. According to the ministry, 11,994 trainee doctors, or about 92.9 percent of the total, have walked out of hospitals as of Friday, despite the governments threat to suspend their licenses as a punitive measure for what the government described as their illegal collective action. The ministry has already given 4,944 of them prior notice about their violation of the Medical Service Act to offer them an opportunity to state their opinions before their licenses are suspended. Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong stressed that the government will take lenient measures if the trainee doctors return to work before these administrative procedures to suspend their licenses are completed. We encourage trainee doctors to promptly come back as we plan to proactively extend leniency to those who return to work before the conclusion of administrative procedures, Cho said in a KBS radio interview. But tensions between the government and the medical community are expected to grow further, as professors at medical schools are moving to support the junior doctors in response to the governments move to suspend their licenses. Medical students applications for a leave of absence en masse in protest against the government have also served as a catalyst for medical professors to raise their voices. The emergency response committee at Seoul National University's medical school said later on Monday that all professors would tender their resignations the following Monday if the government failed to propose what they called "rational measures" to address the ongoing situation. The Medical Professors Association of Korea (MPAK), for its part, will hold a meeting on Thursday to discuss their future plans, including a possible collective action. Medical professors hold the responsibilities of treating patients and teaching students, said Kim Chang-soo, who heads the MPAK. We are taking the ongoing situation very seriously, as the existence of professors is meaningless if there are no students. He noted there have been growing calls for collective action, but nothing has been decided yet. Berkshire Community College professor of environmental studies Thomas Tyning led a 12-day trip deep into the Peruvian Amazon one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. Here's what the local students saw. The Latest | Ship with food aid leaves for war-torn Gaza; Israel says 100 rockets fired from Lebanon A ship carrying 200 tons of food is on its way to the war-devastated Gaza Strip from the island of Cyprus Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. PITTSFIELD One city councilor called a proposed rent increase at Lake Onota Village on Valentine Road "outrageous." Ward 7 City Councilor Rhonda Serre joined her constituents and residents of the 131-unit manufactured housing community last week to raise their concerns over a proposed rent hike in front of the Mobile Home Rent Control Board. The hearing, held last Thursday night in the City Council chambers, drew numerous residents from the park. They pointed to illegal dumping by nonresidents, a number of vacant or abandoned homes in the park, poor lighting and less-than-thorough plowing and potholes, as the reasons why such an increase was uncalled for. After hearing from residents, Serre and the parks co-owners and attorneys in attendance, the board proposed that ownership return on April 4 with a more modest rate increase. Board members also want to see supporting documents and a capital improvement plan to which a second year of rent increases would be tied to. The owners, MH Communities, a limited partnership incorporated in Nashua, N.H., originally sought an increase of up to 64 percent, the first at the park in 12 years. As the hearing opened, they presented revised calculations based on city bylaws stipulating an allowable fair rate of return that would reduce the increase from $210 over three years to $153 over three years. That would bring rents to $483 at the low end, and $533 at the high end. Both figures are lower than the $532.86 MH Communities said they could charge under the formula in the city charter. Current rents at the park range between $330 and $380 a month. In a manufactured housing park, residents own or mortgage their housing unit, and rent the plot of land it sits upon. Co-owner Rick Baldwin explained the math that led to the revised request and answered questions from the five-member board after residents testified. Board chair Alisa Costa suggested that a deal could be reached in which second-year increases could be tied to the owners' success in making promised improvements. It would better for everybody, member Maria Liccardi said. If there was a list of proposed projects and we can circle back, that would be beneficial to everybody. Several residents said they respected the need for a rent increase, given that prices have increased since the last one dozen years ago. But they said that increase should be smaller, citing questions about the owners expense report and their own experience with poor drainage, tree removal, vacant units, road conditions and trash disposal. It was also pointed out that many residents live on limited incomes or have a disability and are not able to afford a steep rent increase. A lot of these people can't afford it, resident Kristen Phillips said. There has to be a lot of changes before we do this. I can't pay this rent increase at all, she added. I'll have nowhere to go. A number of residents reported seeing trucks with New York license plates dumping trash at the park. I feel bad for people who live next to [the trash container] its gross, Phillips said. The illegal dumping is out of control, resident Amy Booth said. Every summer, couches are just dumped next to the dumpster. I look out my front window and I look at a rotted couch. As for the $16,000 the owners said they paid for plowing? Im sorry but youre getting ripped off. They are not plowing, Booth said. I have literally missed work because I cant get up the hills theres no sanding, no salt. Fellow resident Michael Hubbard wanted to know why residents were being asked to help the owners make up for lost revenue owed to some of the 131 units being abandoned or vacant. Based on what weve heard tonight in complaints and concerns I dont think theyre entitled to additional income, Hubbard said. If they get rid of the abandoned trailers and the three vacant lots theres revenue theyre not getting they should be taking affirmative steps. Thats a revenue loss to them we are absorbing in this request. Attorney Jeff Scrimo of Lenox, who represents the owners, told board members that getting rid of abandoned manufactured housing is a time-consuming legal process, one that requires obtaining tax liens, filing lawsuits and meeting public notice requirements, in addition to several other hoops. He said he has begun that legal process. Speaking after residents, Serre, whose constituents includes the park, spoke strongly against the proposal and said an increase closer to the national average of 4.2 percent was more reasonable. If theyre short $21,000 for vacancies yet have abandoned properties and are making absolutely no movement on cleaning properties up and reselling that space, thats on them, not on their tenants, Serre said to applause from residents. In summary this increase request is outrageous." You are the owner of this article. Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data. Chinese scholar introduces nations human rights protection of the disabled at Human Rights Council Global Times) 13:23, March 12, 2024 Zhang Mingkai gives a health and fitness lecture for residents with disability at a fitness center at Changqiao subdistrict in Shanghai. Photo: Courtesy of Zhang Mingkai More than 7.1 million disabled people in rural China have been lifted out of absolute poverty, making a historic leap from the pursuit of subsistence poverty to the promotion of common prosperity, and China's protection and services for persons with disabilities have achieved institutionalized protection and systematic services, a Chinese scholar detailed at the annual interactive debate on the rights of persons with disabilities at the 55th session of the Human Rights Council on Monday. The rights of persons with disabilities refer to the rights that this group should enjoy in all aspects of social life, including but not limited to education, employment, cultural life, social welfare, and environmental friendliness. The purpose is to ensure that persons with disabilities can participate in social life equally, realize their self-worth, and enjoy the same dignity and rights as other citizens, Zhou Lulu, vice dean of Guangzhou University Research Institute for Human Rights, said at the interactive debate. In order to protect the rights of persons with disabilities, China has formulated a series of laws, regulations and policies, and has made positive practices in inclusive education, inclusive employment, and barrier-free environment construction, said Zhou. During the speech, the Chinese scholar explained the achievements China has made in the field of protecting the human rights of the disabled. For example, a special welfare system has been established nationwide, including two subsidies for disabled people and rehabilitation assistance for disabled children. The protection and services for persons with disabilities have changed from covering only some disabled people to full coverage of the disabled population, from temporary assistance to institutionalized protection, and from individualized assistance to regular services, said Zhou, noting that China's protection and services for persons with disabilities have achieved institutionalized protection and systematic services. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun) Three incumbent and former officials of the Korea Medical Association (KMA) appeared before police Tuesday for questioning over allegations that they instigated the mass walkout by trainee doctors. Upon arriving at the public crime investigation unit at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency at 9:50 a.m., Kim Taek-woo, chief of the KMA's emergency committee, and Park Myung-ha, chief of the KMA emergency committee's organizational affairs, outright denied the charges. "The voluntary stepping down of our fellow trainee doctors did not occur due to someone's incitement," Park said. "As young health care workers, they are defying what will ruin this country's long-term medical plans based on professional knowledge and conscience." We strongly urge the government to come to the negotiating table now, the KMA executives added. The questioning came after the health ministry filed a complaint last month against five current and former leaders of the KMA on suspicions of instigating the ongoing mass walkout by thousands of trainee doctors. Lim Hyun-taek, the president of the Korean Pediatric Association who was also brought in for questioning Tuesday, denied the role of some doctors, including himself, in causing the collective action. "The resignation of trainee doctors is not a crime," Lim said. "It is the exercise of the freedom to choose an occupation as a citizen." (Yonhap) Temperatures have been above normal for three weeks, but the next few days will feel more like mid-March as astronomical spring (the vernal equinox) arrives on Tuesday night. BillOReilly.com is not available in this country. We apologize for any inconvenience. To advance the boundaries of robotics and artificial intelligence Telangana-based Movate, formerly known as CSS Corp, a digital technology and customer experience (CX) services provider, has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Loyola College in Chennai to set up an Advanced Robotics Lab. This advanced facility will be equipped with cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) and IoT technologies, aiming to empower students with the latest tools and skills in the dynamic field of robotics. The laboratory will encompass a total area of 750 square feet, with 600 square feet designated for real-time testing and an additional 150 square feet reserved for storage. The lab will house well-equipped robotic kits, a drone kit, 3D printers, projectors, and the necessary computing power to support students' endeavours. It will provide students with a platform to gain practical experience with advanced technologies. Additionally, Movate is also investing in specialised training for the faculty to ensure that the lab's resources are leveraged effectively to empower students and make them future-ready. Movate has entered into a partnership with Yagen Robotics, a company that specialises in manufacturing educational robotics kits for various age groups and expertise levels. It also holds recognition from the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion and the Ministry of Commerce & Industries, Government of India. An Initiative to half the snakebite deaths by 2030 through One Health approach Apurva Chandra, Union Health Secretary, has launched a National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming (NAP-SE) in India. With a vision to reduce snakebite deaths by half by 2030, NAPSE provides a broad framework for states to develop their own action plan for management, prevention and control of snakebites through the One Health approach. The activities envisaged under human, wildlife, tribal and Animal health component will be undertaken by concerned stakeholders at all levels. It was informed that a Snakebite Helpline no (15400), a vital resource that provides immediate assistance, guidance, and support to individuals and communities affected by snakebite incidents will be piloted in five States (Puducherry, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi). This initiative aims to ensure prompt access to medical care and information to general public. A National Rabies Control Programme Website was also launched on the occasion. It is a comprehensive online platform dedicated to providing resources, updates, and insights on rabies. This website will serve as a digital platform for States/UT for entering information related to animal bite and rabies. This will also help the community to assess the nearest Anti Rabies Clinic and infectious disease hospital for management of animal bite and rabies cases. The website will also help in send the reminder SMS for vaccination follow up. Addressing Annual Conference of Association of Physicians of India (APICON-24) in New Delhi Addressing the Annual Conference of Association of Physicians of India (APICON-24) in New Delhi, Dr Ajay Kumar, renowned Urologist & Past President of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) dispelled fears of artificial intelligence (AI) displacing doctors, instead highlighting its potential for collaboration. Dr Kumar envisions a future "Trimurti" of medicine a three-pronged approach combining Allopathy, Ayurveda, and other complementary practices, all guided by AI. He believes that Trimurti (Allopathy, Ayush & CAM) shall be healer of mind, soul, and body under the influence of AI, illuminating the potential for a harmonious coalescence of tradition and innovation in healthcare. CAM stands for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. He called it Vision 2047. He emphasised that AI is not a threat, but a powerful tool poised to revolutionise healthcare delivery, suggesting the doctors to embrace AI. He also shed light on the imminent transformation of the healthcare landscape with the inevitable integration of AI. According to Dr Kumar, AI is poised to reinforce healthcare delivery worldwide, with its influence extending to disease detection, diagnosis, robotics in surgery, drug discovery, remote patient monitoring, and personalized treatment approaches. Dr Rajesh Upadhyay, Organising Secretary of APICON-2024, said, Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming every aspect of healthcare, from diagnostics to treatment. At APICON, we have seen how physicians from across the country have deliberated upon how AI can empower them. Imagine leveraging AI for faster, more accurate diagnoses, or even personalising treatment plans for individual patients. This conference has brought together the medical minds who have unravelled the potential of AI and how it has revolutionized patient care and equipped doctors with the tools to excel in this new era of medicine. In a bold declaration, Dr Kumar emphasised, "AI may not replace doctors, but doctors who do not know how to use AI will be replaced for sure." Yoon urges swift action on medical school quota hike, emphasizing principles By Jun Ji-hye Medical professors across the country are threatening to tender their resignations en masse as doctors continue to resist the government's plans to increase medical school enrollment quotas to address an apparent shortage of physicians in rural regions. Professors from medical schools, including those at Seoul National University (SNU), have warned of collective action, raising concerns that striking trainee doctors may face repercussions. The government has labeled the walkouts illegal and is taking steps to suspend their licenses. Over 90 percent of the countrys 13,000 trainee doctors, comprising interns and resident doctors, have embarked on a mass resignation for more than three weeks to protest the governments decision to increase the number of medical students from the current 3,058 to 5,058 next year. Many medical students have also applied for leaves of absence or boycotted classes in protest. Medical professors at SNU have unanimously decided to submit resignations en masse next Monday unless the government presents what they called rational measures to address the ongoing situation. On Tuesday, these professors hinted at what they consider rational measures, proposing that the government postpone the decision on the medical school quota hike until next year. Additionally, they suggested forming a panel composed of government officials, politicians, professors, doctors and public representatives to generate more ideas aimed at revitalizing essential treatment fields such as pediatrics and emergency medicine. We call on the government to commission a credible foreign institution to analyze Koreas health and medical indicators and make a decision on the quota hike after a year, based on the results of this analysis, Bang Jae-seung, who heads the emergency response committee of the council of SNU's medical professors, said during a press conference at the National Assembly. The Medical Professors Association of Korea (MPAK), representing professors from 33 medical schools nationwide, also vowed to "hold the government responsible if the ongoing situation causes harm to trainee doctors and medical students." MPAK said in a statement, An increasing number of medical professors will voluntary resign, and this will lead to the collapse of the countrys health care system and medical education, urging the government to open dialogue without imposing any conditions. On March 7, medical professors at the University of Ulsan agreed to tender their resignations en masse to protest the governments administrative measures targeting striking doctors. Despite escalating concerns over the prolonged standoff between the government and the medical community, President Yoon Suk Yeol, later on Tuesday, directed government officials to "adhere to principles and promptly advance medical reform measures," which include the medical school quota hike, according to spokesperson Kim Soo-kyung. During a meeting with senior secretaries, Yoon also emphasized the importance of thorough preparations to ensure that patients in emergency and critical condition can receive proper treatment. In response to the possibility of collective action by professors, Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong expressed deep concern, stating that such action "will put the lives of patients at risk." "Another mass resignation will not be able to gain the support of the public," Cho said during a government meeting on the issue. The minister reiterated that the government will maintain a firm stance, emphasizing that the principle to hold trainee doctors accountable "for their wrongful behavior" remains unchanged. He said the ministry has issued prior notice to 5,556 striking doctors regarding their violation of the Medical Service Act. This procedure aims to provide them with an opportunity to express their opinions before their licenses are suspended. Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo noted that medical professors are part of the entire body of medical professionals, thus the government, according to the Medical Service Act, can issue an order to them to maintain their duties, if they too stage a walkout. We are reviewing that, although its not the right time to say whether we will issue such an order, Park said during a media briefing. Regarding the SNU professors proposal to delay the decision on the medical school quota hike, the health ministry said the policy cannot be put off any longer. Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute. Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno. Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi. Korea Times Global Business Club highlights development projects in Saudi Arabia By Kim Hyun-bin Saudi Arabia's growing partnership with Korea will create more opportunities for Korean investors in the Middle Eastern country's development projects centering on the groundbreaking NEOM city project, Saudi Arabian officials said, Tuesday. The officials highlighted the projects and potential cooperation with Korean companies during the Global Business Club, an event hosted by The Korea Times in Seoul at the Korea Press Center. The exclusive business club-style event was designed to offer networking opportunities between Korean companies and decision-makers outside Korea. The event, focusing on Saudi Arabia, was attended by officials representing the country, including Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Korea Sami M. Alsadhan, as well as some 70 officials from Korea's construction, refinery and financial sectors. NEOM's Deputy CEO Rayan Fayez took part through video livestreaming. Saudi Arabian officials emphasized that Saudi Vision 2030, a strategic roadmap outlining the kingdom's future trajectory, is geared toward economic diversification and reducing dependency on oil. They highlighted Saudi Arabia's youthful, well-educated population exceeding 34 million and strategic location at the crossroads of major trade routes, offering a compelling investment landscape, adding that NEOM is at the core of the roadmap. "We've identified 14 sectors to be the economic engine of NEOM and many of these sectors have already begun activation," Fayez said. "From energy and water to mobility tech and digital infrastructure, NEOM is spearheading unprecedented initiatives aimed at redefining livability, conservation and business practices for the future." The deputy CEO said key to NEOM's vision is the commitment to sustainability, particularly in energy generation. "There's a significant energy infrastructure being built to deliver 100 percent renewable energy, a feat never before achieved on this scale," Fayez said. "We benefit from an ideal mix of sun and wind, positioning NEOM as a global leader in sustainable energy production." As NEOM continues to evolve, Fayez remains optimistic about the project's transformative impact. "NEOM represents not just a city, but a vision for the future a blueprint for sustainable, inclusive growth that aligns with the goals of Vision 2030," he said. At the core of the NEOM project lies "The Line," an ambitious engineering marvel stretching 170 kilometers above ground, aimed at establishing an environmentally sustainable city in the heart of the desert. "Saudi Arabia holds exciting potential and opportunity for investors," Alsadhan said. "As part of Saudi Vision 2030, a wide range of economic reforms has succeeded in creating new business opportunities, leveraging Saudi Arabia's key strategic assets, and driving economic growth and diversification." The ambassador highlighted the expanding cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Korea, extending beyond traditional sectors like construction and energy to advanced fields such as smart infrastructure, digital transformation, hydrogen economy and other emerging industries. He outlined several mega projects under Saudi Vision 2030, including the Red Sea project, Qiddiya, Diriyah Gate, King Abdullah Financial District, Roshn and Al Ula, which offer significant investment opportunities. These projects aim to transform Saudi Arabia into a leading global economic power and attract millions of tourists and foreign investors, he said. Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin highlighted the Middle East as the current hub of global business activity, with Saudi Arabia leading the charge in transformative endeavors. He noted that while the region has experienced economic booms in the past, driven by oil in the 1970s and 80s, the current wave is propelled by imagination rather than natural resources. "The driving force behind this transformation is imagination. And its scale is incomparable to 50 years ago," Oh said. "Imagination is nothing but fiction if it cannot be realized. However, Saudi Arabia's dream is based on the power and ability to make it a reality." Oh added that The Line project is a testament to Saudi Arabia's unwavering commitment to realizing ambitious dreams. Following introductions of the development projects in the first session of the event, the second session focused on economic cooperation between Korea and Saudi Arabia. Panelists in the discussion session included Kim Jong-chul, director general for international trade relations at the Ministry of Trade Industry and Energy, Woo Jong-ha, a director at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and Ryou Kwang-ho, senior researcher at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy. The third session touched upon tourism, with Saudi Tourism Authority highlighting the nation's tourism resources and strategy. Tuesday's event was the fourth of its kind after its inaugural edition with Indonesia in February 2023, the second with Vietnam in May and the third with India in October. Oscar-winning actor Al Pacino is set to release a memoir titled Sonny Boy. Veteran film star Pacino, 83, made his name as Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppolas mafia trilogy The Godfather, alongside stars including Marlon Brando, James Caan and Diane Keaton. Advertisement The book, set for release on October 8th, is billed as the memoir of a man who has nothing left to fear and nothing left to hide, a statement from publisher Penguin Random House UK said. Sonny Boy is set for release on October 8 (Penguin Random House/PA) I wrote Sonny Boy to express what Ive seen and been through in my life, Pacino said. Advertisement It has been an incredibly personal and revealing experience to reflect on this journey and what acting has allowed me to do and the worlds it has opened up. My whole life has been a moonshot, and Ive been a pretty lucky guy so far. Advertisement The book announcement comes the day after Pacino took to the Oscars stage to present the best picture prize, the final trophy of the night. The actor, who won an Oscar for best actor in 1993 for his role in Scent Of A Woman, announced the winner in an unconventional manner without the customary fanfare. Advertisement Al Pacino presents the award for best picture during the Oscars (Chris Pizzello/AP/PA) After landing a role in 1971s Panic In Needle Park, Pacino was Oscar-nominated for his roles in The Godfather and its first sequel, as well as Serpico and Dog Day Afternoon in which he played a bank robber named Sonny Wortzik. The memoir encompasses all the great roles, the essential collaborations, and the important relationships in his life, which are given their full due, as is the vexed marriage between creativity and commerce at the highest levels, the publisher said. Advertisement It is also about the spirit of love and purpose, while the publishing director of Century, Ben Brusey, described it as literary dynamite. Al Pacinos iconic performances have defined cinema for over five decades, Brusey said. From The Godfather films to Scarface, Heat to The Irishman, audiences and critics alike have been mesmerised by his generational talent. Now, with the long-awaited publication of his memoir, Sonny Boy, Al Pacino reveals himself to be a master storyteller. Advertisement Advertisement Hard-fought, hard-lived and at times hard to believe, Al Pacinos astonishing journey from poverty in the South Bronx to Oscar-winning success is every bit as dramatic, as intense and as heartfelt, as his greatest performances. Pacino grew up in New York City before studying acting at the Herbert Berghof Studio. He has been nominated for nine Academy Awards, his first nomination being for The Godfather in 1973 and his most recent in 2020, for his role as union boss Jimmy Hoffa in The Irishman. He has also been nominated for 19 Golden Globe awards, taking home four gongs. Legal efforts to compel a former British soldier to give evidence to an inquest into the shooting of three IRA men have probably reached the end of the line, a coroner has conceded. Mr Justice Michael Humphreys had attempted to force the veteran, known as Soldier F, to testify in the inquest into the deaths of Peter Ryan, Tony Doris and Lawrence McNally in Coagh, Co Tyrone, in June 1991. Advertisement The ex-soldier was recently sentenced to six months in prison in Scotland for contempt of court for refusal to comply with a subpoena to give evidence. His lawyers cited mental health issues in arguing why he should not be compelled to give evidence. The proceedings in Scotland came after Justice Humphreys took legal action in a bid to secure Soldier Fs attendance. Advertisement Advertisement The former serviceman is not the same person as Soldier F, who is facing two counts of murder over the shooting of 13 civil rights protesters in Derry in 1972, an event known as Bloody Sunday. The men at Coagh were intercepted on June 3rd, 1991, as they drove in a stolen car by SAS soldiers who suspected they intended to murder a member of the security forces. Advertisement All three were shot dead in a hail of gunfire. Previous inquest hearings were told up to 150 rounds were fired. An inquest review hearing in Belfast on Tuesday was told that the proceedings in Scotland were now subject to an appeal that was listed for April. Under the British governments Legacy Act, legacy inquests in the North need to conclude hearing evidence by a deadline of May 1st this year. The bulk of evidence has already been heard in the Coagh inquest, apart from Soldier Fs testimony. Advertisement Counsel for the coroner, Ian Skelt KC, said that there was now no prospect of Soldier F giving evidence. Advertisement Justice Humphreys said the timescales involved meant that the inquest would have to conclude without hearing from the veteran. As far as the position with Soldier F is concerned I think weve probably reached the end of the line, he said. Advertisement Every opportunity has been afforded to him. Obviously, action has been taken with the hope of a change of mind. That hasnt been forthcoming and given the timescales that were working to I think its necessary for us to bring the evidence to a conclusion in this inquest. Thats regrettable. The coroner said it would have been helpful to hear from Soldier F. But my powers, whilst they are in one sense draconian, they dont extend to forcing people into the witness box from outside the jurisdiction, he added. A previous statement given by Soldier F will now be read into the inquest record next week. The coroner said he anticipated to deliver findings in the case on April 11th. By Jon Dunbar Somebody posts on a quiet Facebook group that it's time for another old-time jam session. Usually, there's no more than a week's notice, and at the anointed time and place, a group of musicians versed in various folk traditions come together to make music. There are core participants who show up almost every time, but they're welcoming of newcomers, and each time is a little different. Guitarist Sean Og McKiernan told The Korea Times they always keep things informal. "We do this for the love of it not just the music but the comradeship," he said. "It's just a lot of fun hanging out with people from different walks of life through a common interest. It gives us a good excuse to have a few drinks and unwind a bit, too. I think it's hard to put a price on that, so we generally don't play for money. We never formally rehearse but just get together and learn and exchange tunes on the fly or through our group chats." "Old-time" is most often described as a collection of North American folk traditions. But it's much more complex than that, according to Daniel Daugherty, who founded the group about a decade ago. "When we say 'old-time,' we usually mean the traditional music from the southern Appalachians. However, old-time is actually much bigger," Daugherty said. "The U.S. is an immigrant country, and as new ethnic groups joined the mix and spread throughout the continent, they developed their own versions by mixing their music into the new American style. Midwestern old-time has wholly different lists of tunes and songs that aren't played in Appalachia or New England. Canada also has old-time music. Old-time includes just about everything in the American music traditions ... Murder ballads and songs from Britain and Ireland, African American spirituals, blues, songs for children, cowboy songs, etc. It's an ethnic music made up of many different ethnic musics." That holds true for the group in Seoul, too. "We all come from different musical backgrounds and experiences, and old-time is kind of the genre where most of us meet in the middle," McKiernan, who comes from an Irish traditional and bluegrass background, said. "Our sessions are not strictly old-time or bluegrass, but there are tangible connections between all of the songs and tunes we play." According to Daugherty, old-time was just a catch-all name used by the recording industry in its early days to market various genres of music that had already existed. Old-time music commonly features the fiddle and banjo as well as other stringed instruments, but can also feature harmonicas, accordions, flutes and whistles. "In old-time, the players want to tap into the groove together. While we generally play the melody together, rhythmic accompaniment is welcome, and some improvisation is also part of the process. Just don't bust the groove. Nobody really takes solos," Daugherty said. Old-time can often be confused with bluegrass, which Daugherty refers to as "radio-friendly old-time music." "Old-time is much more participatory. It's for anyone to join in any way they can, whether that's dancing, playing their bodies as an instrument, singing, etc. The purpose is danceability, so it's slower than bluegrass, but also, for the players, it's a meditative experience," he said. "Tommy Jarrell, the patron saint of modern old-time music, once described fiddle tunes as a circle with no beginning and no end." Daugherty, who originally lived in Korea from 2010 to 2017, founded the old-time jam group about a decade ago, hoping to hone his improvisational skills. "I've been playing music my whole life, including oboe and guitar, but I have been on a journey of exploration since 20ld-timhen I was inspired by longtime Seoul-based musician Seth Martin. Since then, I've been learning and appreciating American traditional music through the mandolin. I started learning old-time fiddle (violin) in 2019, and I wish I'd started 20 years ago," he said. He started going to Irish music sessions at the Wolfhound in central Seoul's Itaewon, where he found himself drawn to the old-time style, which leaves more room for improvisation than Irish folk music. Around 2014, he started jamming at his apartment with banjo player Roger Peacock, and shortly after that, they decided to start having their jams in public spaces. Early on, Korean fiddler Koh Hae-young started coming regularly. "There was a rocky start, often we were the only two to show up, and it was hard to find a good venue," he said. "We had some support from local bars and cafes in HBC, but things really settled in once we got our regular venue at Hair of the Dog. I would say that without their bar, our jam would never have found its footing." But the group went into hiatus in 2017 when Daugherty moved away. He left for Albania and later China. "When I left Korea in 2017, I didn't really expect the group to stop meeting," he said. "It'd be rather narcissistic to say I was the reason that people came to play music together, but I think any community suffers when losing a core member." It was in China that Daugherty and McKiernan first met, albeit online and never in person due to the pandemic. "As is the case with lovers of genres like old-time, bluegrass and Irish music, you end up getting connected through mutual friends or through group chats, etc.," McKiernan said. "Daniel and I had connected through a Chinese social media platform, though we never actually got the opportunity to meet in China." Living through pandemic lockdowns in China, Daugherty and McKiernan each individually decided to leave for Korea. "I think COVID is actually responsible for bringing the jam back," Daugherty said, adding he spent the lockdowns in China learning to play the fiddle. Both of them found themselves living in Korea in 2022, although Daugherty lives on Jeju Island this time, a little far away to participate regularly in Seoul events. Everyone seems to agree Daugherty's return to Korea precipitated the revival of the old-time sessions, even if he can't participate directly. However, he added that he invited the others down to Jeju for a jam there once, and he's hoping to create an old-time community on the island. Although the players communicate via messenger, they maintain a group on Facebook, itself an old-timey social media platform, in order to find new talent. Many of the current regulars found it through there, and they've even met several visiting musicians that way. "I always try to maintain the facebook group so that it looks active and shows that there are old-time players in Seoul, even if we aren't meeting up," said Daugherty, who's also a member of the band Boss Hagwon. "These kinds of sessions are where bands and collaborations are formed," McKiernan said. "We've all kind of collaborated independently on different projects, and some of us are working on original material and have enlisted help, input, or feedback from various members of the group at different times. I think there'll be a lot more of this happening in the future as the group expands." Since resuming, the jam sessions have been held at Hair of The Dog, as well as Casa Amigo in Itaewon and Baekusaeng Makgeolli in western Seoul's Ahyeon Market. The next one will be at the Craic House in Itaewon on Sunday for St. Patrick's Day. Daugherty will fly in for the weekend for that event, as well as to perform a couple shows with Boss Hagwon. "Living overseas, [old-time music] helps me feel connected to my home culture in a way that is deeper than going out for a burger or celebrating Thanksgiving," Daugherty said. "It has affected my understanding not only of music but of art and performance and of community and fellowship. The true values of these things are deeper and more important to society than their profitability. Sorry, that's a really academic way of saying: Old-time is music for anybody who wants to make it, so come join the circle!" Visit the Korea Old-Time Jam group on Facebook for more information. The Minister for Culture has defended attending a festival in the US that has been boycotted by some Irish artists over Gaza. Catherine Martin said she would use her trip to South by Southwest (SXSW) to coincide with St Patricks Day to make clear her revulsion at the devastation that has been unleashed on Gaza. Advertisement Artists including Soda Blonde, Mick Flannery and Belfast group Kneecap have withdrawn from the festival over opposition to the US Army being a sponsor, citing US support for Israels military operation in Gaza. An Enterprise Ireland-led delegation is taking part in the arts festival which is running this week in Austin, Texas. Advertisement In a statement, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media said the minister would be representing Ireland at a number of events in Austin as part of the St Patricks Day programme, some of which are part of SXSW. Advertisement The Minister spoke this morning to many of the musicians who have withdrawn from the SXSW Festival, a statement said. She outlined that she has the utmost respect for their freedom of expression as artists and reassured them that she will use every opportunity available to her to make clear her revulsion at the devastation that has been unleashed on Gaza. Advertisement This includes the St Patricks Day consular reception in Austin tonight where she will outline to attendees the Irish Governments calls for an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and a massive and sustained increase in humanitarian aid, food and medicine to the people of Gaza. The statement from the department added that the events aim to promote Irelands creative industries and film industry, and are supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Screen Ireland, IDA, Tourism Ireland and Music from Ireland. The Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement to PA: South by Southwest is a combination of festivals and events that includes film, interactive media, music and conferences on a range of subjects, and takes place in March each year in Austin, Texas. In 2023, over 345,000 people from 127 countries attended. Advertisement Ireland House at SXSW running from 11-15 March is providing an opportunity for a wide range of Irish companies, agencies and artists to showcase the best of Irish creativity in the fields of science, innovation, technology, culture and the arts. Advertisement The department is aware that a number of artists due to participate in Music From Ireland at SXSW have withdrawn from the event. The department supports artists rights to freedom of expression and does not advise artists in relation to choices they make on where to perform. In relation to the war in Gaza, Ireland has strongly argued for an upholding of international humanitarian law, a humanitarian ceasefire and sustained humanitarian assistance. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said it is not the policy of his Government to engage in boycotts. The Taoiseach and a number of other ministers are currently attending events in the United States ahead of St Patricks Day. Advertisement Mr Varadkar visited the home of the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Tuesday among other engagements. On Monday he met Massachusetts governor Maura Healey and the US special economic envoy to Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy. Leo Varadkar during a visit to the home of the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston (Niall Carson/PA) Advertisement The Taoiseach also gave a keynote address at the John F Kennedy Library where he said the US and Ireland must dedicate themselves to peace in Gaza. It has been indicated that Mr Varadkar will raise the Israel-Palestine conflict during high-level engagements in Washington DC starting on Wednesday. He is set to meet US president Joe Biden, vice president Kamala Harris and speaker Mike Johnson. Advertisement Speaking to journalists at Fenway Park, Mr Varadkar was asked about the decision by the Minister for Culture, Arts, and Media, Catherine Martin, to attend the South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival in Austin, Texas, despite a boycott of the event by a number of Irish artists. Advertisement Leo Varadkar at the John F Kennedy Library in Boston (Niall Carson/PA) The artists pulled out over the events association with the US military and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Mr Varadkar said he had not spoken to Ms Martin about it. Advertisement I fully appreciate that people have the right to boycott events should they choose to do so, and I totally respect that but its not the policy of the Irish Government to engage in boycotts, he said. Its one thing to exclude a country from an event or a competition or a sporting event, or a film festival for example, its another thing to exclude yourself because they werent excluded, and its not our policy to boycott. Its our policy to engage. Advertisement But I absolutely appreciate that other people have a different view, and as long as they are consistent in their boycotts. Mr Varadkar added: I look forward to my engagement with President Biden later in the week and also vice president Harris, and the speaker and other congressional leaders. Advertisement On Ukraine, what I am going to say to them is thank you for your support so far but please stick with us. We need to remember the lessons from the 1930s, you cant appease a dictator. Putin will come back for more and Europe and America must stand together on this and put forward a funding package. When it comes to the situation in Palestine and Gaza, Id be very keen to push the case for a ceasefire and more importantly to ask America to get involved once again in the drive for peace. It happened before with president Carter, it happened before with president Clinton and I think hopefully President Biden can take the lead on this. The Taoiseach has said he will use the special platform of St Patricks Day to press US President Joe Biden to back a ceasefire in the Middle East. Leo Varadkar said he will impress upon Mr Biden, as well as vice president Kamala Harris, speaker Mike Johnson and congressional leaders the view of Irish people that they want the killing in Gaza to stop. Advertisement Mr Varadkar and a number of other ministers are currently attending events in the United States around St Patricks Day. Speaking to media during a visit to Boston, Mr Varadkar said the day of Irelands national saint gives it a very special platform around the world, not least in Washington DC. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar speaks to the media outside the Boston Harbour Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts (Niall Carson/PA) Advertisement Ill meet with the president, the vice president, the speaker of Congress and congressional leaders, and Ill use that opportunity to put across Irelands perspective on this, and tell them how Irish people feel, and that is that we want to see a ceasefire immediately, for the killing to stop, the hostages to be released without condition, food and medicine to get into Gaza and we also want to see a new peace process, he said. Advertisement There isnt going to be a military solution to the conflict in the Middle East, its 100 years now that we have had Jews and Arabs fighting over land in that part of the world. We have to try for peace again. I think America, as the most important political military power in the world, can take the lead on that, and I hope they will, and of course in any small way that we can help from Europe, from Ireland we will as well. Advertisement US President Joe Biden (left) is greeted by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Ireland last year (PA) Mr Varadkar said Ireland has a really good relationship with the US and with President Biden. I dont think Ive ever felt a president to be on our side so much as President Biden so very keen to meet him again, Ive met him many times down the years, and hes a real supporter of Ireland and always wants to know what he can do to help, he said. What he has said in relation to Gaza in the last couple of weeks has been very encouraging. I believe he is somebody who wants to see the violence stop, someone who wants to see us develop on a pathway to peace. Advertisement Advertisement Im not here to tick him off, Im here to talk to him, to understand the American position and see if we can influence in a positive way. I think he is working towards a ceasefire, in fact I know it. The US administration has been involved in trying to put together the conditions for a ceasefire. For a ceasefire to happen, it has to be Israel and Hamas. Ive been clear on that too, I havent called for a unilateral ceasefire, Ive called for Israel and Hamas to agree to ceasefire. "While a small country like Ireland can use our voice to call for a ceasefire, the US being a powerful country has a different role, and that is to engage in negotiations to actually make that happen, and that is what they have been doing in fairness, with the Egyptians and the Qataris. Its clear to me that he wants there to be a ceasefire otherwise why would they be involved in negotiations to try and make it come about. Advertisement Earlier Mr Varadkar said it is not the policy of his government to engage in boycotts. He was asked about the decision by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media of Ireland Catherine Martin to attend the South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival in Austin, Texas, despite a boycott of the event by a number of Irish artists. Advertisement Leo Varadkar at the John F Kennedy Library in Boston (Niall Carson/PA) The artists pulled out over the events association with the US military and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Mr Varadkar said he had not spoken to Ms Martin about it. I fully appreciate that people have the right to boycott events should they choose to do so, and I totally respect that but its not the policy of the Irish Government to engage in boycotts, he said. Its one thing to exclude a country from an event or a competition or a sporting event, or a film festival for example, its another thing to exclude yourself because they werent excluded, and its not our policy to boycott. Its our policy to engage. But I absolutely appreciate that other people have a different view, and as long as they are consistent in their boycotts. Mr Varadkar also said the war in Ukraine will feature in his discussions with Mr Biden. On Tuesday the Taoiseach visited the home of the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park among other engagements. On Monday he met Massachusetts governor Maura Healey and the US special economic envoy to Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy. He also gave a keynote address at the John F Kennedy Library where he said the US and Ireland must dedicate themselves to peace in Gaza. The US and Ireland must dedicate themselves to peace in Gaza, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said during an address in Boston. Mr Varadkar made the comments as part of his first public speech during a week-long visit for St Patricks Day celebrations in the US. Advertisement Speaking at an event at the JFK Presidential Library in Boston, he said: The cries of innocent victims of the conflict in Gaza will haunt us forever if we stay silent. Mr Varadkar said Hamass attack on October 7th was an act of pure evil and hatred which could never be excused. Advertisement However, he said Palestinians could not be subject to collective punishment as he reiterated Irelands call for a ceasefire. Mr Varadkar said: We all know that there are guilty people who perpetrated unspeakable acts of terrorism. Advertisement But there are innocent men, women and children suffering for their sins. They should not be subject to collective punishment. Advertisement He told the audience that no-one can avert their eyes from the deaths of thousands of children in Gaza. Mr Varadkar said it was unconscionable that children were dying due to bombing, hunger, thirst and lack of medical care. He added: We must dedicate ourselves to freedom and peace in Gaza as well as in the rest of the world. Mr Varadkar said there needed to be consistent application of international humanitarian law, adding: Ireland will continue to call for an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and a massive and sustained increase in humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. Advertisement We will also continue to call and to work for a meaningful political pathway leading to self-determination for the Palestinian people. Advertisement He said Irish people knew from their own painful history that a ceasefire does not mean surrender, weakness or forgiveness. However, Mr Varadkar added: A ceasefire means hope. It means breaking free of the perpetual cycle of violence, recrimination and retaliation. The Taoiseach paid tribute to Bobby Kennedy, noting he had been assassinated by a Palestinian blinded by hate in 1968. Advertisement However, he recalled that Mr Kennedy had prayed for compassion and understanding instead of revenge in the wake of Martin Luther Kings killing. Attendees at the Boston event were gathered from the fields of business, politics and technology across New England as well as local community organisations. The Taoiseach had opened his address with a reference to an Irish legend, where a dying king bestowed a field of gold to an adviser who had always told him what he needed to hear rather than what he wanted to hear. He said this was an example of true friendship a theme that permeated the speech. Mr Varadkar said: Ireland has always been a true friend to the United States. Throughout our shared history, we have celebrated your greatest triumphs. And we have shed tears with you when you have endured the darkest of tragedies. Particularly recognising the contributions of the Kennedy political family, Mr Varadkar added that the US had played more of a role than any other country in bringing about peace and reconciliation in the island of Ireland. He said former US president John F Kennedy was a true friend to Ireland. He said the then-president had laid down a challenge to the country of his ancestors during a 1963 speech to the Irish parliament. Advertisement His stirring words suggested that Irelands destiny was to play a part in world affairs, as the protector of the weak and the voice of the small. Reflecting those comments, Mr Varadkar said Ireland is determined to speak out against injustice without fear or favour. He said Ireland had its own history of invasion and oppression and therefore stood publicly against Russias imperialist invasion of Ukraine. Mr Varadkar told the Boston crowd that he will tell US President Joe Biden that the EU appreciates American leadership against Russias aggression. The Taoiseach warned against Ukraine fatigue as he said commitment to the region must remain steadfast and assured. Mr Varadkar reflected: Courage in the face of crisis, unshakeable optimism in the darkest of times, faith in the future that is the Kennedy story. The Taoiseach also used the speech to highlight economic, social and cultural ties between Ireland and the state of Massachusetts, where, he said, one in five people claim Irish heritage. He held a meeting with Massachusetts governor Maura Healey earlier on Monday. Mr Varadkar will hold further engagements in Boston on Tuesday before meeting President Biden in Washington later in the week. Motorists are being warned that tests for new electric cars significantly overstate how far they can travel on a single charge with real-world driving. An investigation by British motoring magazine What Car? found a shortfall of up to 38 per cent in the range of electric vehicles (EVs) in low temperatures compared with official figures. Advertisement Editor Steve Huntingford warned that the testing regime which manufacturers are required to put their vehicles through is completely unrepresentative of real-world conditions. Advertisement The magazine stated that official analysis under the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) is conducted in laboratories with an ambient temperature of 23 degrees Celsius, with each model undergoing an unrealistically gentle acceleration to record what distance they can cover before a battery with 100 per cent charge goes flat. What Car? did its own range tests on 12 electric cars which were taken to a site in southern England, left in the open overnight in temperatures of between 6 and 10 degrees, and driven in a way that simulated stop-start urban conditions and on motorways. Advertisement The largest discrepancy was found with the Lexus UX 300e Takumi, which has an official stated range of 439km. It was found to only be able to cover 273km, a 38 per cent reduction. Advertisement This was followed by the Lexus RZ 450e Takumi, which is advertised as having a range of 403km but was found to be able to cover just 255km, some 37 per cent less. The third biggest shortfall was for the Volkswagen ID 7 Pro Match (without heat pump), which costs around 66,000 and could only travel for 408km in the What Car? test, some 34 per cent below the stated distance of 616km. Mr Huntingford said: Official testing of electric car ranges is completely unrepresentative of real-world conditions, potentially leaving drivers disappointed and with insufficient mileage. It is clear that the results obtained using WLTP methods are unsuitable. Advertisement We need a new system that provides achievable summer and winter figures so that prospective EV buyers can be confident the car theyre looking at will suit their needs. Advertisement Providing a single, overly optimistic figure doesnt help anyone. Mike Hawes, chief executive of industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said: Car makers are investing billions in developing zero emission vehicles, with improved battery performance, range and charging times, to make them a compelling choice for all drivers. Advertisement As What Car? rightly acknowledges, car manufacturers are required by law to test all vehicles of all technologies to the same, repeatable official standard the WLTP test and publish these results within any advertising to help car buyers make comparisons between vehicles. What Car? also acknowledges that there will always be a difference between lab tests and real-world use due to variations in conditions, terrain, load and driving style. Cold weather in particular will have an impact on range, but this has not deterred consumers in countries such as Norway and Iceland, which have the worlds highest rates of EV ownership. Online influencer Andrew Tate was detained in Romania and handed an arrest warrant issued by British authorities, his spokesperson has said. Tate, 37, and his brother Tristan Tate were detained on Monday evening on allegations of sexual aggression in a UK case dating back to 2012-2015, said spokeswoman Mateea Petrescu. Advertisement She said the Bucharest Court of Appeal is set to make a pivotal decision on Tuesday on whether to execute the warrants issued by Westminster Magistrates Court. Tate is charged in a separate case in Romania with rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. He was arrested near Bucharest in December 2022 along with Tristan and two Romanian women. Romanian prosecutors formally indicted all four in June last year and they have denied the allegations. Advertisement Two bodies have been found in a migrant boat making the voyage from West Africa to Spains Canary Islands, and survivors said five other people died and were put overboard, maritime rescuers and the Red Cross said. There were 38 survivors. The migrants had departed from Nouakchott, Mauritanias capital, 10 days earlier, according to Jose Antonio Rodriguez Verona, a Spanish Red Cross coordinator. Advertisement A merchant vessel spotted them drifting on Monday evening 76 nautical miles south of Gran Canaria. Twelve survivors were taken to a hospital on the island including four in critical condition, Spains Maritime Rescue Service and the Red Cross said. The survivors came from Mauritania, Mali and Ivory Coast and included seven women, Mr Rodriguez Verona said. They told rescuers another five people died during the voyage and were put into the ocean, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Spanish authorities have been grappling with a surge in migrants and refugees fleeing poverty, conflict and instability in West Africa heading to the archipelago, which is used as a stepping stone to continental Europe. The increase prompted the European Union to announce a new migration partnership with Mauritania in February including 210 million euros for the nation to crack down on smugglers and stop departures. Nearly 12,000 people landed in the Canaries in the first two months of the year, according to Spains Interior Ministry, more than six times the number for the same period last year. Most migrants have departed from Mauritania on small fishing boats known as pirogues and navigated for several days in strong winds and Atlantic currents. Advertisement While thousands have survived the journey, many die or disappear along the way, with remains sometimes washing up on the other side of the Atlantic. Last week, two pirogues that had left Mauritania were found drifting hundreds of miles away near the archipelago nation of Cape Verde, police said. Eleven survivors were rescued from one boat and five from the second, though one person died later. Five bodies were recovered and dozens more were believed to have been lost at sea. Former US president Donald Trump praised authoritarian leaders such as Adolf Hitler and Russian president Vladimir Putin on a number of occasions, according to a former chief of staff. John Kelly, Mr Trump's former chief of staff, and John Bolton, who served as one of his national security advisers, made the comments to CNN's Jim Sciutto for his book The Return of Great Powers. Advertisement The former president allegedly said Nazi leader Hitler had done "some good things". "He said, 'Well, but Hitler did some good things.' I said, 'Well, what?' And he said, 'Well, [Hitler] rebuilt the economy.' But what did he do with that rebuilt economy? He turned it against his own people and against the world. And I said, 'Sir, you can never say anything good about the guy. Nothing,'" Mr Kelly told the author. Advertisement In an interview for the book, Mr Bolton told Mr Sciutto that Mr Trump believed Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un were "OK" guys. "He says to the press as he goes out to the helicopter, 'I think the easiest meeting might be with Vladimir Putin. Who would ever think that?'" Mr Bolton said. "There's an answer to that question. Only one person. You. You are the only person who would think that. The shrinks can make of that what they will, but I think it was 'I'm a big guy. They're big guys. I wish I could act like they do.'" Advertisement Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung accused Mr Trump's former advisers of "spreading lies". "John Kelly and John Bolton have completely beclowned themselves and are suffering from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome by spreading lies," Mr Cheung told the Washington Examiner. "They need to seek professional help because their hatred is consuming their empty lives." Kemi Badenoch has broken ranks with UK prime minister Rishi Sunak by branding comments reportedly made by a major Conservative Party donor about MP Diane Abbott as racist. Frank Hester is alleged to have said Ms Abbott, Britains longest-serving black MP, made him want to hate all black women and that she should be shot. Advertisement Downing Street described the reported remarks as unacceptable but has refused to say whether they were racist. Hesters 2019 comments, as reported, were racist. I welcome his apology. Abbott and I disagree on a lot. But the idea of linking criticism of her, to being a black woman is appalling. Its never acceptable to conflate someones views with the colour of their skin(1/2) Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) March 12, 2024 Advertisement British business secretary Ms Badenoch became the first UK cabinet minister to call Mr Hesters alleged words out as such. Advertisement She tweeted: Hesters 2019 comments, as reported, were racist. I welcome his apology. Advertisement Abbott and I disagree on a lot. But the idea of linking criticism of her, to being a black woman is appalling. Its never acceptable to conflate someones views with the colour of their skin. UK health minister Maria Caulfield earlier told the BBC she considered the alleged comments to be racist and were not something we should be kind of excusing in any way. Advertisement But in a sign of divisions within the Tory Party over the issue, ministers sent on the morning media round defended Mr Hester. British energy minister Graham Stuart said that, while the alleged remarks were ridiculous, he would hesitate to describe them as racist. Advertisement UK cabinet minister Mel Stride argued that Mr Hesters reported words were not gender-based or race-based, adding: He has apologised and I think we need to move on from that. The British prime ministers official spokesman told reporters: I wouldnt usually comment on alleged words, second-hand accounts etc. But, as Minister Stuart said this morning, what is alleged and reported to have been said is clearly unacceptable. Diane Abbott said Frank Hesters alleged comments were frightening (Ian West/PA) He refused to say whether they were racist or why they were unacceptable, insisting: I dont have anything to add beyond what Minister Stuart said this morning. Advertisement Pressed on whether Mr Sunak had spoken to Mr Hester to find out whether he uttered the remarks, a No 10 spokeswoman declined to get into private conversations. Ms Abbott herself said the reported comments were frightening and alarming given that two MPs Jo Cox and Sir David Amess had been murdered in recent years. The former Labour MP had reported Mr Hesters deeply offensive and threatening remarks to the police, according to the Independent. Labour and the Liberal Democrats branded Mr Hesters alleged comments as clearly racist and abhorrent and urged the Tories to return the money he had donated to the party. Having quoted me accurately saying I abhor racism @guardian newspaper has just asked me to confirm that I made these following remarks at the same meeting 5 years ago that they reported on yesterday. They claim that I told staff: For me, racism is a hatred and a fear of the Frank Hester OBE (@HesterObe) March 12, 2024 Mr Hester, chief executive of healthcare software firm The Phoenix Partnership (TPP), has admitted making rude comments about Ms Abbott, but claimed they had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin. The Guardian reported that he told a company meeting in 2019: Its like trying not to be racist but you see Diane Abbott on the TV, and youre just like you just want to hate all black women because shes there. Advertisement And I dont hate all black women at all, but I think she should be shot. In a statement released via his firm, Mr Hester said he had rung Ms Abbott on Monday to apologise directly for the hurt he has caused her. Frank Hester accepts that he was rude about Diane Abbot (sic) in a private meeting several years ago but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin, the statement said. Energy minister Graham Stuart defended the Conservative Partys biggest donor (Stefan Rousseau/PA) He wishes to make it clear that he regards racism as a poison which has no place in public life. Asked about Mr Hesters alleged comments, Mr Stuart told Times Radio: Im hesitating to call it that because I dont like to sit in judgment on these things. It was clearly a ridiculous thing to say, hes rightly apologised for it, and heres a man whos supporting the most diverse Cabinet weve ever had under this Conservative Party. Weve got a Hindu Prime Minister, and hes our biggest donor, so I dont think this is a man who is a racist. But Ms Abbott, the first black woman elected to UK parliament, said the situation was frightening. Advertisement I live in Hackney and do not drive, so I find myself, at weekends, popping on a bus or even walking places more than most MPs. I am a single woman and that makes me vulnerable anyway, she said. But to hear someone talking like this is worrying The fact that two MPs have been murdered in recent years makes talk like this all the more alarming. I am currently not a member of the Parliamentary Labour Party but remain a member of the Labour Party itself, so I am hoping for public support from Keir Starmer. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told ITVs Lorraine: The comments about Diane Abbott are just abhorrent This apology this morning that is pretending that what was said wasnt racist or anything to do with the fact shes a woman, I dont buy that Im afraid, and I think that its time the Tory Party called it out and returned the money. Labour Party chairwoman Anneliese Dodds accused the Tories of being in a mess, saying They havent called out Islamophobia in their ranks. They cant condemn racism. They wont challenge wild conspiracy theories. You cant solve a problem until you can face up to it. Advertisement Ms Dodds wrote to Mr Sunak highlighting that on top of the 10 million the Tories had received from Mr Hester, the prime minister had accepted a personal gift of nearly 16,000 for a helicopter ride. She wrote: Accepting and using that money can only be treated as implicitly condoning and overlooking his deeply disturbing comments and the way he has run his business. Anything less than returning the money will be a stain on the Conservative Party. A Conservative spokeswoman said: Mr Hester has made clear that, while he was rude, his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor the colour of her skin. He has since apologised. Patients are often advised against googling symptoms but new research suggests online search data may help spot ovarian cancer cases up to a year before GP referrals. Google data from 235 women has shown that many of them were looking up symptoms online such as weight loss, bladder problems and bloating as early as 360 days before being issued referrals for suspected cancer. Advertisement The researchers said this data was able to differentiate between those who did, and did not, have cancer. They added the findings, published in the journal BMC Medicine, challenge the view that ovarian cancer is a silent killer where most women are asymptomatic. Advertisement Dr Jennifer F Barcroft, lead author for the study, from Imperial College Londons Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, said: Our results show that it is possible to use search engine data to understand how conditions present, and that this may have use in early disease detection. Advertisement She added: Online search data offers enormous potential within health and disease screening, given the widespread use of the internet worldwide. We hope that our research will drive interest in this novel area of research. Advertisement Ovarian cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the UK, with about 7,400 women diagnosed each year and more than 4,000 yearly deaths. It is often diagnosed late because symptoms are vague and can include bloating, indigestion, pelvic or abdominal pain, loss of appetite, constipation, and needing to urinate more often. Around 93% of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer can survive for five years or more if diagnosed at stage one the earliest stage compared with just 13% when diagnosed at the latest stage stage four. Previous research has shown women often buy medication to alleviate these symptoms and avoid visiting their GP until it is too late. Advertisement Dr Srdjan Saso, senior author and chief investigator for the study and gynaecological cancer surgeon from Imperials Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, described ovarian cancer as one of the most lethal cancers for women. Advertisement He said around 70 per cent of cases present when the disease has progressed to an advanced stage where prognosis can be poor, even with extensive surgery. Advertisement Dr Saso said: The focus, therefore, remains on facilitating early disease detection. However, we do not have a screening programme in place to enable this. He said the lack of a viable screening programme prompted the team to think outside of the box by looking at search engine data. Dr Saso said the results appear very promising, but further research is needed to validate the findings. For the study, the team looked at Google search data for women, with an average age of 53, between December 2020 and June 2022. This data was obtained with consent using Google Takeout, a tool which allows people to download a copy of their data stored within Google products. Using health search filters on Google Takeout, the researchers were able to see the differences in googled searches between women who did, and did not, have ovarian cancer. The predictions became more accurate around 60 days in advance of a GP referral, they said. Among those who had cancer, the researchers noted a spike in urinary symptoms up to 140 days before the GP referral, while pelvic pain symptoms presented 70 days in advance. Professor Ingemar Cox, senior author for the study from UCL Computer Science, said the findings raise important ethical and privacy concerns, which need to be resolved. Advertisement Meanwhile, Dr Saso envisions a future where there could be a triaging tool or a system that could automatically alert patients to see their GP when they are searching for certain symptoms online, but added any further investigations would depend on more funding. An appellate court ruled in favor of leader Lee Jae-myung of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea on Tuesday in a lawsuit that the family of those killed by one of his nephews filed against Lee for referring to the killings as "dating violence." Lee's nephew, surnamed Kim, stabbed his girlfriend and her mother to death in 2006 after she told him she was breaking up with him. Kim was sentenced by the top court to life in prison, with Lee, a lawyer by profession, defending his nephew during the first two court rulings. As the history became controversial during the previous presidential race, then candidate Lee wrote online that a relative committed serious "dating violence" and he was forced to defend him in court because of the economic difficulties facing the relative's family. The victims' bereaved family filed the suit seeking 100 million won ($76,310) in compensation, accusing Lee of describing "abominable serial murders as dating violence." A district court ruled in favor of Lee, concluding that his expression neither distorted the damage caused by his nephew's crime nor unjustly infringed upon the bereaved family's commemoration of the victims. The appellate bench of the Seoul Central District Court on Tuesday upheld the previous ruling but provided no detailed reasoning for the decision. Lee did not attend the court session as neither the plaintiff nor the defendant are required to do so in a civil case. (Yonhap) As officials investigate what caused a strong shake before a plane traveling between Australia and New Zealand suddenly plunged, a passenger described a wild ride, with people without seatbelts thrown from their seats and some crashing into the planes ceiling. At least 50 people were injured by what LATAM Airlines described as a strong movement on the Chilean plane traveling from Sydney to Auckland, New Zealand on Monday. Advertisement The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner later landed at Auckland Airport as scheduled and was due to continue on to Santiago, Chile. Passenger Larry Reef prepares to check in at Auckland, New Zealand airport for a LATAM Airlines flight to Santiago, Chile on March 12 (Dean Purcell/AP) Passenger Brian Jokat told ABC news in Australia on Tuesday: The plane, unannounced, just dropped. Advertisement I mean it dropped unlike anything Ive ever experienced on any kind of minor turbulence, and people were thrown out of their seats, hit the top of the roof of the plane, thrown down the aisles. Advertisement Some of the roof panels were broken from people being thrown up and knocking through the plastic roof panels in the aisle ways. And there was blood coming from several peoples heads. LATAM Airlines said in a statement that there was a technical event during the flight which caused a strong movement. In a later statement, the airline said that the plane experienced a strong shake during flight, the cause of which is currently under investigation. Advertisement The airline said it was working with officials to support an investigation into what happened. Ambulances leave Auckland International after the incident (Dean Purcell/AP) Passengers were met by paramedics and more than 10 emergency vehicles when the flight touched down in Auckland. Advertisement About 50 people were treated at the scene for mostly mild injuries, while 13 were hospitalised, an ambulance spokesperson said. LATAM said that of the 13, the majority were discharged soon after, and only one passenger and one cabin crew member needed additional attention, but without any life-threatening risks. Passengers said a number of people werent wearing seatbelts when flight LA800 suddenly dropped. If you were in your seat, you went straight up to the ceiling and bounced off the roof. I just happened to be one of the lucky ones who was strapped in for that incident, Mr Jokat told ABC. Advertisement Advertisement He said that he woke up suddenly during the drop and found the passenger whod been next to him on the roof of the plane. The airline said that it regrets the inconvenience and injury this situation may have caused its passengers, and reiterates its commitment to safety as a priority within the framework of its operational standards. US President Joe Biden is hosting Polands president and prime minister for White House talks as the leaders look to press Washington to break its impasse over replenishing funds for Ukraine. Ahead of the visit, Polish President Andrzej Duda called on other members of the Nato alliance to raise their spending on defence to 3% of their GDP as Russia puts its own economy on a war footing and pushes forward with its plans to conquer Ukraine. Advertisement Poland already spends 4% of its own economic output on defence, double the current target of 2% in Nato. Ahead of the visit, Polish President Andrzej Duda called on other members of the Nato alliance to raise their spending on defence to 3% of their GDP (Czarek Sokolowski/AP) The war in Ukraine has clearly shown that the United States is and should remain the leader in security issues in Europe and the world, Mr Duda said in an address to Poland on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement However, other Nato countries must also take greater responsibility for the security of the entire alliance and intensively modernise and strengthen their troops. In a Washington Post opinion piece to spotlight his call for greater Nato spending, Mr Duda argued that Russia was switching its economy to war mode, allocating close to 30% of its annual budget to arm itself. This figure and other data coming out of Russia are alarming, Mr Duda wrote. Vladimir Putins regime poses the biggest threat to global peace since the end of the Cold War. Mr Biden invited Mr Duda and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk for meetings to mark the 25th anniversary of Polands accession to Nato, a historic step Poland took into the West after breaking free from Moscows sphere of influence after decades of communist rule. Advertisement The visit also comes amid a standoff in Washington between Mr Biden, a Democrat, and House Republicans on Ukraine funding. The visit also gives Biden another opportunity to showcase how his view of Nato contrasts with that of the likely 2024 Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump (AP) House Republicans have blocked a 118 billion dollar bipartisan package that includes 60 billion dollars in Ukraine funding, as well as funds for Israel, Taiwan and US border security. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking to reporters before boarding his plane in Warsaw, Mr Duda said while the talks in Washington would celebrate an anniversary, they would above all focus on European security going forward and about Russian imperial policy, which has returned. The visit also gives Biden another opportunity to showcase how his view of Nato, a 32-member transatlantic military alliance, contrasts with that of the likely 2024 Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump. Trump has said that when he was president, he warned Nato allies that he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to countries that are delinquent in meeting the alliances defence spending target. It is the first time in a quarter-century for a Polish president and prime minister to be in Washington at the same time and the first for both leaders to be welcomed at the White House at the same time, according to Polish media. Advertisement The gesture is widely seen as an acknowledgment of the seriousness of this historical moment, with Russian strength growing as that of Ukraine wanes. A major Conservative Party donor said he is deeply sorry after reportedly saying former Labour MP Diane Abbott made him want to hate all black women and that she should be shot. Frank Hester, chief executive of The Phoenix Partnership (TPP), has admitted making rude comments, which were first reported by The Guardian, but said they had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin. Advertisement Labour and the Liberal Democrats are calling on the Tories to return the money Mr Hester has donated to the party. Mr Hester donated 10 million to the Tories last year, according to Electoral Commission records. Advertisement He individually donated 5 million to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks party in May and gave another 5 million via his healthcare software firm in November. The Guardian reported that Mr Hesters remarks about Ms Abbott were made in 2019, meaning that they likely occurred when she was shadow home secretary under former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Advertisement The newspaper reported that during a meeting at his Leeds company headquarters, Mr Hester, having previously criticised an executive at another organisation, went on to discuss Ms Abbott, the first black woman elected to Parliament. Advertisement He reportedly said: Its like trying not to be racist but you see Diane Abbott on the TV, and youre just like you just want to hate all black women because shes there. And I dont hate all black women at all, but I think she should be shot. (The executive) and Diane Abbott need to be shot. In a statement released via his firm, Mr Hester said he had rung Ms Abbott on Monday to apologise directly for the hurt he has caused her. Advertisement The statement said: Frank Hester accepts that he was rude about Diane Abbot in a private meeting several years ago but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin. UK prime minister Rishi Sunak has been urged to return money donated by Frank Hester. Photo: Daniel Leal/PA. The Guardian is right when it quotes Frank saying he abhors racism, not least because he experienced it as the child of Irish immigrants in the 1970s. Advertisement He rang Diane Abbott twice today to try to apologise directly for the hurt he has caused her, and is deeply sorry for his remarks. Advertisement He wishes to make it clear that he regards racism as a poison which has no place in public life. But Tory opponents have seized on the remarks and urged the governing party to give back the cash Mr Hester and his company have donated. Anneliese Dodds, Labour Party chairwoman, said: These comments are reprehensible. Frank Hester is the Conservative Partys biggest ever donor, as well as a personal donor to the Prime Minister, it is therefore vital that Rishi Sunak and the Tories return his donations, in full without delay. Rishi Sunak has claimed that words matter, and he must know that holding on to that money would suggest the Conservatives condone these disturbing comments. Sunak must return every penny. The Lib Dems made the same call, with Wendy Chamberlain, the partys chief whip, also urging Mr Sunak to rule out any future peerage for Mr Hester. Wes Streeting, Labours shadow health secretary, went further with his criticisms during remarks in the Commons, saying Mr Hester had used utterly revolting, racist and inciteful language. Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting was critical of Frank Hesters remarks. Photo: Jordan Pettitt/PA. Addressing MPs, Mr Streeting called on the UK prime minister to also apologise to Ms Abbott. A Conservative spokeswoman said: Mr Hester has made clear that while he was rude, his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor the colour of her skin. Advertisement He has since apologised. James Daly, deputy chairman of the Tory Party, told Times Radio the remarks were not words I would have used and that he was pleased Mr Hester had apologised. Downing Street directed questions about Mr Hesters comments to the Conservative Party. Ms Abbott, first elected as MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington in 1987, has sat as an independent since April after the Labour whip was withdrawn following comments she made in The Observer suggesting Jewish, Irish and Traveller people are not subject to racism all their lives. She is awaiting the outcome of an independent complaints process set-up by Labour to investigate her remarks. The Guardian reported that TPP has been paid more than 400 million by the NHS and other Government bodies since 2016, having been given responsibility to look after 60 million UK medical records. According to the TPP website, Mr Hester founded the company in 1997 as he worked on integrated care models. TPP describes the firm as providing leading software that is transforming healthcare worldwide. In 2015, the businessman was made a member of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to healthcare. Mr Hester has been invited on several government trade missions in the past, including visiting India with then-prime minister David Cameron in 2013. Advertisement He appeared at number 321 on the 2023 Sunday Times Rich List, with the newspaper estimating his wealth at 415 million. The Rich List said Mr Hester spotted an opportunity to build IT software for the NHS when his GP wife grumbled about her computers at work. The Vatican secretary of state is seeking to defuse outrage after Pope Francis comments that Ukraine should have the courage of the white flag to negotiate an end to the war. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vaticans chief diplomat, insisted in media interviews that a primary condition for negotiations to end the war in Ukraine is an end to Russias aggression and that any peace must be a just peace. Advertisement Cardinal Parolin made the rounds with friendly Italian media the same day Kyiv summoned the Holy See ambassador to complain about the Popes comments. The Pope has repeatedly expressed solidarity with the martyred Ukrainian people but refused to call out Russia or President Vladimir Putin by name (Alessandra Tarantino/AP) Pope Francis remarks to Swiss broadcaster RSI, recorded in early February but only aired on Saturday, elicited immediate criticism from Ukraine and its allies, even after the Vatican press office tried to redirect attention to his other remarks in the interview that negotiation is never a surrender. Advertisement Advertisement The ruckus once again put the Vaticans diplomatic corps in the position of having to smooth over the Popes informal, off-the-cuff way of speaking, providing a more articulated position in line with the Holy Sees tradition of calibrated diplomatic neutrality. In an interview with leading Corriere della Sera published Tuesday, Cardinal Parolin noted that Pope Francis in another speech last month had called for a diplomatic solution in Ukraine and the search for a just and lasting peace. In that sense, it is obvious that the creation of such conditions arent just for one side, but both sides, and the first condition would be that of putting an end to the aggression, Cardinal Parolin said in comments that also were reported by the Vaticans in-house Vatican News portal. Cardinal Parolin noted that Francis white flag comments were in response to a question that used the term, and that the pontiff subsequently insisted that negotiation is never a surrender. Advertisement The cardinal made similar comments to Italys state-run RAI, saying: Peace in Ukraine will have to be a just peace. It means recognising mutual rights and also mutual duties, above all, taking into account the dignity of people. Advertisement It is not the first time Pope Francis sometimes imprecise way of speaking, which is often appreciated in other contexts because of its simplicity, have created a diplomatic headache for the Holy See and angered one or the other side in the war. He has repeatedly expressed solidarity with the martyred Ukrainian people but refused to call out Russia or President Vladimir Putin by name. Advertisement He has seemingly expressed understanding for the invasion Putin ordered by saying Nato was barking at Russias door by expanding east, but then earned a formal protest from Moscow when he blamed most of the cruelty on Chechens and other minorities. In September, Pope Francis again courted the displeasure of Ukrainians, including its Greek Catholic bishops, when he praised Russias imperial past during a meeting with Russian youths. After Ukrainians voiced their sense of betrayal, the Pope later acknowledged his words were perhaps not happy and that he in no way meant to justify Russias invasion. Disgraced British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell should never have been prosecuted due to a weird agreement drafted more than 15 years ago, her lawyers have told a court. The 62-year-old was found guilty in December 2021 of luring young girls to massage rooms for paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein to molest between 1994 and 2004. Advertisement At an appeals court in the southern district of New York on Tuesday, her lawyer Diana Fabi Samson said a plea agreement Epstein reached with authorities in Florida in 2007, which promised his co-conspirators would not be prosecuted, should have prevented Maxwells prosecution. Maxwell was convicted of luring young girls to massage rooms for Epstein to molest (US Department of Justice/PA) Lawyers acting on behalf of the US Government contested that there was no affirmative intent for the non-prosecution agreement relied on by Maxwell to bind any districts other than Florida. Advertisement The judge panel said it would reserve judgment in the case. Advertisement Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison at the federal court in the southern district of New York in June 2022. Her legal team have previously submitted written arguments which claimed her victims had faded, distorted and motivated memories. During her three-week trial, jurors heard prosecutors describe Maxwell as dangerous, and were told details of how she helped entice vulnerable teenagers to Epsteins various properties for him to sexually abuse. Advertisement But her legal team have previously submitted that she did not have a fair trial after it emerged one of the jurors, Scotty David, failed to disclose he had been sexually abused in his pre-trial questionnaire. The hearing on Tuesday solely focused on the plea agreement, and setting out her arguments, Ms Fabi Samson said: In the end Ms Maxwell was prosecuted for crimes that she, as a third party beneficiary to the plea agreement in Florida, should not have been prosecuted. In response to Maxwells lawyer, US Government attorney Andrew Rohrbach said: In general, the report provides no evidence and no support for a suggestion that there is any affirmative intent to bind the southern district of New York or any other districts in the nation. Advertisement Epstein was found dead in his prison cell in Manhattan in August 2019 (US Department of Justice/PA) Ms Fabi Samson said Epsteins legal team had told those who drafted the agreement at the time that the paedophile financier wanted this co-conspirator clause so that no-one else would take the blame for what he did. Advertisement She said: The prosecutors that were questioned had no recollection of what they were thinking when they agreed and actually edited this co-conspirator clause. One thing they did say though, was that Mr Epsteins counsel informed them that he wanted this co-conspirator clause so that no-one else would take the blame for what he did. Advertisement They also said they had no interest in anyone else, no interest in prosecuting anyone else. Concluding her arguments, Ms Fabi Samson said: The other point I would make is that everyone who is interviewed says this is a weird agreement. Weird, unusual, very unusual. US government lawyers previously said Maxwells appeal arguments fall far short of establishing that sentencing judge Alison Nathan abused her discretion in her decision not to overturn the jurys verdict. They have also said her sentence was not unfair and that her arguments to the contrary are so cursory and undeveloped that they should be dismissed. Maxwell was convicted of five offences, including sex trafficking minors, conspiracy to entice a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, and conspiracy to transport a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. She has been incarcerated since July 2020, despite numerous attempts from her defence counsel to have her released on bail. Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. The death was ruled a suicide. Britain's Prince of Wales has joined mourners at the private funeral of Lady Gabriella Kingstons husband Thomas Kingston. About 140 close friends and family of the financier, whose sudden death left the British royal family in shock, gathered at the Chapel Royal in St Jamess Palace in London on Tuesday. Advertisement Lady Gabriella was joined by her parents Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and Mr Kingstons family. Lady Gabriella Kingston with Thomas Kingston (Alexandra Diez de Rivera/Buckingham Palace/PA) Heir to the throne William, the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra were among the members of the royal family who attended. Advertisement Britain's King Charles Lady Gabriellas second cousin and Queen Camilla were not present. Charles is not attending public-facing events while he undergoes treatment for cancer, and the queen was hosting a WOW (Women of the World) reception at Buckingham Palace. Advertisement Mr Kingston, 45, died on February 25th at his parents home in the Cotswolds from a catastrophic head injury and a gun was found near his body in an outbuilding, the opening of his inquest heard. Advertisement Thomas Kingston and Lady Gabriella Kingston on their wedding day in 2019 (Victoria Jones/PA) Mr Kingstons coffin was brought from the chapel of Kensington Palace, accompanied by close family for the hour-long service which began at 11.30am. The service was led by the Sub-Dean of the Chapels Royal, the Rev Canon Paul Wright, with a sermon by the former Bishop of London, the Rt Rev Richard Chartres. The funeral was followed by a reception in St Jamess Palace and a private cremation, but no details have been shared of Mr Kingstons final resting place. Advertisement A larger scale memorial service is expected to be held in honour of Mr Kingston in due course. Lady Gabriella, known as Ella, married Mr Kingston at St Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle, in 2019 with Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, among the guests. A photo of Thomas Kingston by Lady Gabriella released by Buckingham Palace following the announcement of his death (Lady Gabriella Kingston/Buckingham Palace/PA) Advertisement She paid tribute to her husband in a joint statement with his family following his death, describing him as an exceptional man who lit up the lives of all who knew him. Advertisement Mr Kingston was a director of Devonport Capital, which specialises in providing finance for companies in frontier economies. The Bristol University graduate had also worked in Baghdad, Iraq, working to procure the release of hostages after joining the Diplomatic Missions Unit of the British Foreign Office. Mr Kingston is survived by his father, former barrister Martin Kingston; his mother, Jill Kingston; and his sisters, Joanna Connolly and Emma Murray. The Prince of Wales attending the annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey on Monday (Henry Nicholls/PA) Although Lady Gabriella is not a working member of the royal family, she and Mr Kingstons family are being supported by the royal household. William is Lady Gabriellas second cousin once removed and they were both godchildren of the late King Constantine of Greece. If theres one thing that unites an otherwise bitterly divided US Congress, its China. Thats why a planned vote this week that would force Chinas ByteDance to either divest its US TikTok business or be banned from operating in the US has a reasonable prospect of being passed. The congressional House energy and commerce committee approved the bill unanimously, 50-0, last week after receiving classified briefings on the security risks to Americans of the popular social media platform, owned by the Beijing-based ByteDance. The US is concerned about the potential of a Chinese entity to exploit its user base about 170 million of TikToks billion-plus monthly users are Americans to try to influence US government policy. Credit: AP Thats despite its US data being hosted on Oracle servers in Texas, being majority owned by non-Chinese investors, including US investors, and many of its most senior executives being based outside China. The likelihood of the House approving the legislation was strengthened by a furious lobbying campaign by ByteDance, with TikTok users flooding congressional phone lines after being urged to by messages on the platform, which used their postcodes to connect them to the phone numbers for their congressional representatives. Former federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg has urged the Albanese government to take a more direct and personal approach in negotiating with Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg over the social media giants commercial deals with Australian news publishers. Frydenberg, who as treasurer installed the news media bargaining code three years ago during the pandemic, said Metas decision to pull out of its agreements with news organisations would leave a billion-dollar black hole in public interest journalism. Now chairman of Goldman Sachs Australia, Frydenberg also echoed the comments of another former Coalition treasurer, Nine chair Peter Costello, who on Monday said the media faced an existential moment. Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg, now the chairman of Goldman Sachs Australia, on Tuesday. Credit: Michael Quelch You need to talk to the heads of these organisations, Frydenberg told the Australian Financial Reviews business summit in Sydney on Tuesday. Brokering the deal involved a lot of one-on-one conversations, he added. I was able to negotiate with Zuckerberg and [Google chief] Sundar [Pichai] to get these deals. The amount of illicit drugs used in Australia has jumped over 12 months. Wastewater testing showed a 19 per cent surge in cocaine consumption and a 17 per cent increase in the use of methylamphetamine in August 2023 when compared with the previous year. Australians spent an estimated $12.4 billion on methylamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA and heroin during that time, according to the Criminal Intelligence Commission that carried out the testing. MDMA use jumped by one-third but that was coming off a low base, the commissions chief executive Heather Cook said. Loading Heroin consumption dropped by 7 per cent. Cook said the rise in methylamphetamine consumption was particularly worrying, with the drug now costing Australian an estimated street value of $10.5 billion a year. The 1.5 tonne increase in national methylamphetamine consumption is concerning, because of the significant community harms it causes, she said. People in capital cities consumed the most cocaine, heroin, MDA and ketamine, while regional residents used the most alcohol, nicotine, oxycodone, fentanyl, MDMA, methylamphetamine and cannabis. The commission started testing wastewater seven years ago, with alcohol and nicotine consumption well ahead of all other substances. But alcohol use has dropped nationally during the past two years. AAP Mick fought a losing battle over the use of wide combs, but one which is still taught in the modern AWU. The union now regards the dispute as an example of right values, right heart, wrong fight, and no one could ever question Micks values or heart. Michael OShea, former NSW secretary of the AWU, who led the union through the wide comb dispute in Mudgee, 2006. The wide comb dispute of 1983 was a landmark Australian industrial dispute. Australian sheep shearers, represented by the AWU, opposed the alteration of the Federal Pastoral Industry Award to allow the use of shearing equipment that used combs wider than 2.5 inches. Michael Mick OShea, former NSW Secretary of the Australian Workers Union, was a leader of the bitter and now legendary wide comb shearers dispute, which has since been the subject of books, movies and television documentaries. Born into a working-class Irish Catholic family in Coonamble in 1933, the death of his father forced Mick to leave school at 15 to support his mother Lilian and his siblings, Patricia, Noreen, and Brian. He found paid work on farms in the local area and by the age of 16 he was shearing across country NSW and a proud member of the AWU. A 19-year-old Michael OShea at a Coonamble local dance. In 1974 Mick became an official of the AWU, then and now the only union for agricultural workers. The industrial relations system he entered as a workers advocate has since been legislated out of existence. Wages were centrally fixed by awards across industries, enterprise bargaining was illegal, and the majority of workers were union members. The past is indeed a different Australia. For much of his working life Mick worked out of the AWUs Oliver House in Dubbo, surrounded by a team of union officials, all of them former shearers. The unions impressive five-story headquarters, the first building in that regional centre to have an elevator, long towered over central Dubbo as a symbol of the unions power and influence. However, the union recently sold it and it is soon to be demolished for housing that will likely be sold to young professionals servicing a modern regional city that a young Mick OShea would barely have recognised. By Kwak Yeon-soo Incheon Metropolitan City signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Shinhan Bank on Monday for a partnership to win the right to host the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the western port city. The MOU signed between Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok and Shinhan Bank CEO Jung Sang-hyuk, will pave the way for information exchanges and joint efforts to seek support from residents to bring the world's largest economic forum to the city next year. "The city government will make an all-out effort to host the 2025 APEC summit in Incheon until the final selection of the host city," Yoo said. The summit is scheduled to take place in November 2025. He also called for united support from residents to host the event in the international business city. Incheon is an investment hub with Korea's largest free economic zone. It is recognized as a center for biotechnology and semiconductor post-processing. It is home to Incheon International Airport, international organizations and foreign universities. The port city previously hosted various international events, such as the 2014 Asian Games, the 2018 OECD World Forum and the 2023 Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank. Aside from Incheon, other cities in Korea, including Busan, Jeju and Gyeongju, announced their bids to host the APEC summit last year. Busan hosted the APEC Summit in 2005. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will decide on the host city in the first half of this year. APEC is an annual forum of 21 Asia-Pacific economies. APEC's member economies make up over 60 percent of global GDP and 50 percent of the world's trade. It is expected to attract heads of state from 21 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including the United States, China and Japan. Olympic powerbroker John Coates has declined to offer his view on Brisbane 2032 venues ahead of a review being delivered to the Queensland government on Monday. There has been speculation the review, headed by former Brisbane lord mayor Graham Quirk, will recommend the Gabba rebuild be scrapped, in favour of a new oval stadium being built at Victoria Park. Loading Speaking to journalists in Sydney, Coates said there were also two existing athletics venues, in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast, and a desire to use existing infrastructure wherever possible. But Coates said he would not pre-empt the review. Im pleased weve had an opportunity to perhaps educate he and his committee on some of the intricacies of the sports that they didnt quite understand. And theyve been very open to all that, he said. I dont think theres going to be too many surprises. Coates also reiterated that the government would be the first to respond to the review. Premier Steven Miles said yesterday even if we take some time to consider it, we wont be sitting on it for a long time. A couple who were murdered by their son with a sledgehammer have been remembered in court as compassionate and supportive, as their killer was sentenced to life in prison. Last month, Christopher Puglia, 31 at the time of the killings, pleaded guilty to murdering his parents Franco and Loris Puglia at their home in Joyner, north of Brisbane, in 2020. Christopher Puglia (left) with slain parents Frank and Loris Puglia, killed in their Joyner home. Credit: Nine News Queensland Puglia had struck the pair several times in the head and face with the sledgehammer, Crown Prosecutor Mark Green told the Supreme Court in Brisbane on Tuesday. The defendant dragged both bodies a short distance and attempted to place Franco Puglios body in a wheelbarrow, he said. A man who was fatally stabbed in the car park of a Gold Coast shopping precinct on Monday afternoon had been allegedly attacked during a drug deal gone wrong, police believe. Police on Tuesday morning charged a 23-year-old Redbank Plains man with the alleged stabbing of Surfers Paradise man Will Swinbourne, 21, near the Hope Island Shopping Centre. The man fatally stabbed in a Hope Island car park on Monday has been named as Will Swinbourne. Credit: Instagram Detective Inspector Mark Mooney said police believed Swinbourne had arrived at the complex to sell drugs. He said his alleged attacker then attempted to rob him. We believe the altercation commenced inside the car and obviously he got out at some point in time because he was found on the ground, Mooney said. The concept holds enormous promise. But there are also enormous problems underpinning the technology, and many scientists question whether these crystal balls are true fortune-tellers or circus tricks. One Australian researcher, however, is staring down these challengers. Predict and prevent Associate Professor Loic Yengo, who leads the Statistical Genomics Laboratory at the University of Queensland, scrutinises genomes to tease out the complex relationship between our DNA and how our lives unfold. An $8 million fellowship announced on Tuesday from the Snow Medical Research Foundation, a not-for-profit that grants long-term funding to biomedical research, will turbocharge Yengos work. Over the next eight years hell lead an analysis of millions of DNA sequences to strengthen the genomic data that underpins our ability to predict future onset of diseases, including two of Australias biggest killers cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. For coronary artery disease or type 2 diabetes, between 30 and 50 per cent of the risk can be accounted for by genetic factors, Yengo says. And about a third of heart attacks strike unexpectedly, he adds, partly because interventions are offered only to those who are already displaying risk factors such as obesity, smoking or hypertension. Associate Professor Loic Yengo is analysing millions of DNA datasets to improve our ability to predict which diseases could strike us decades down the track. Credit: University of Queensland Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who dont have any of those risk factors, but are still very highly genetically at risk. Yengo hopes to build and improve tools such as polygenic risk scores to detect peoples genetic susceptibility to disease 10, 15 or 25 years before symptoms strike. A person who discovers theyre at high genetic risk of heart disease, for example, might put extra effort into staying trim or consider taking cholesterol-slashing statins well before any sign of disease arises. Cracks in the crystal The most glaring issue facing the rollout of polygenic scores is that the genomic data that underpins the tests is utterly unrepresentative of society. At least 78 per cent of genomic data studied by scientists across the world comes from Europeans. And 72 per cent of that data is from just three countries the US, the UK and Iceland. One cannot blindly apply findings from ancestrally European groups to everyone else, a group of scientists studying the problem warned in The Conversation. For example: Gene variants predicting high cholesterol in white populations do not lead to the same heart problems in people from rural Uganda. The skewed genomic data means that if polygenic testing was rolled out now it would be all but useless for non-Europeans. Loading Were losing about 50 per cent of the accuracy of the scores in Asian populations, and up to 75 per cent of the accuracy is completely lost in African populations, Yengo says. We essentially wont be able to classify [an African] person at all. Thats terrible. Because if they are really at high risk of a certain disease, you want to know as soon as possible. Thats why Yengo and his team will focus on DNA from non-white people including sequencing DNA from half a million African participants to balance out the skewed genomic data. Do the tests work and should we use them? Private companies are already selling polygenic risk scores for a range of diseases from Parkinsons and cancer to coeliac disease, and there are several clinical trials under way, including a University of Melbourne study into whether mouth swab DNA tests at the GP could pinpoint genetic vulnerability to common cancers. But a paper in BMJ Medicine last year poured cold water on the polygenic testing hype and the technologys purported potential to revolutionise healthcare. The authors reviewed 926 polygenic risk scores and found the tests identified only 12 per cent of eventual coronary artery disease cases and 10 per cent of breast cancer cases. The tests average hit rate across 310 diseases was 11 per cent. Loading An analysis in the same journal predicted polygenic risk scores would never reach a point where they can accurately predict who will and will not develop disease because non-genetic and environmental factors are more influential than a patients DNA in most diseases. Yengo is more optimistic. With larger studies, we can discover more genetic factors, and thereby improve the accuracy of the scores, he says. Boosting the diversity of genomic data will also improve the tests. Im really excited and confident that we have a shot. But thorny moral questions remain. Whats the point of telling someone theyre at high risk of Alzheimers or ALS, afflictions with no cure? Desikan, for his part, made it clear he would have preferred knowledge to obliviousness. As his muscles deteriorated, he lost his faith in God. But his faith in science redoubled as he hunted for ways to divine the future from DNA helixes, right until the end. Rocco went for a walk and didnt come back, he said coolly. Perhaps noting the surprise register on my face, this man then followed up with what he considered to be a joke. Dont worry, he said. No journalists have ever disappeared ... yet. Latorre responded to this by shutting down our discussion. We are here to talk about facts, he said over coffee, implying my questions were founded on falsehoods. Whatever he knew about the Calabrian mafia, Latorre who was executed in the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday morning wasnt about to breach the mafias infamous omerta, or code of silence, and tell me. He was a man who had encountered more death than most and knew how to keep secrets. Alfonso Muratore was killed in 1992. Credit: Fairfax Media The best man at John Latorres wedding, as well as his former boss at Melbournes wholesale fruit market in Footscray, was Alfonso Muratore, who was gunned down in Hampton in 1992. Prior to this still unsolved execution, Muratore was a candidate to take over the Melbourne arm of the mafia. When police interviewed Latorre after Muratores killing, he told them he knew nothing about who pulled the trigger. Latorre did let on that he worked for Frank Benvenuto, another reputed Calabrian mafia leader who was shot dead in 2000 in what police suspect was a killing to avenge Muratores death eight years earlier. This murder, too, remains unsolved. In the years before his own death on Tuesday, federal and state police intelligence which is unproven and can be unreliable sporadically linked Latorre to violence and drug trafficking, including the financing of a 500-kilogram black-flight cocaine load which was seized by police in Papua New Guinea in 2020 when the Cessna carrying the drugs crashed. The cocaine police seized in PNG in 2020. The Calabrian mafia is regarded by Western police authorities as one of the most resilient and powerful global crime gangs, with entrenched networks stretching across Europe and the Americas. Loading In Australia, the organisation has been the subject of sporadic police investigations over decades, including Operation Inca in 2008 and Operation Ironside in 2021. The Australian Federal Police currently has a dedicated investigative focus on Italian organised crime. The most recent police intelligence assessments, sighted by this masthead, describe Latorre as part of the leadership/older generation group of Ndrangheta clan figures. On Tuesday, a close friend of Latorre, who spoke to him last week, dismissed suggestions he was involved in organised crime, describing him as a popular and loyal fruiterer who, if he ever was involved in crime, had left it long behind. He didnt seem worried about anything, said the friend, who mentioned as an aside that Latorre had recently intervened in a matter involving a suspected criminal identity stealing from a well- known fruit store. I saw him a fortnight ago and spoke to him twice last week. If there was any stress in his life, he didnt mention it. I was proud to call him a friend. My interest in Latorre was sparked after I uncovered $10,000 in donations he contributed to the Liberal Party between 2003 and 2006. Latorre was one of several mafia-linked figures who had donated large sums to the Liberals as part of a lobbying effort targeting then immigration ministers Philip Ruddock and Amanda Vanstone and aimed at getting a visa for Latorres close friend, convicted mafia figure Francesco Madafferi. Francesco Madafferi in the back of a police car in 2009. Credit: Paul Rovere Ruddock rebuffed the lobbying, but Vanstone approved the visa on the basis of an argument that deportation would have an unfair impact on Madafferis children and wife. After getting his visa reprieve, Madafferi was charged with drug trafficking. Latorre would later seek to again look out for his friend, testifying in Madafferis trial in an attempt to shore up what would ultimately be a failed defence that police had confused drugs with pumpkins. This mastheads expose of the mafia-linked donations and lobbying sparked another federal police investigation (it produced no charges) and ultimately led me to meet Latorre. The reason Latorre wanted to meet me was to do more lobbying. He wished to push the case that his brother, Vince, had been framed by police in an extortion trial that resulted in Vinces jailing in December 2009 for more than ten years. John had no evidence to back up his claims, offering only innuendo. I absorbed it, and then took a punt, asking him why he had donated to the Liberals and what he knew of the mafia. Latorre nonchalantly recalled his donations, as well as the fact that he had made one of them worth $5000 at a 2004 function in which Vanstone was the guest speaker. He made no secret of the fact that the donations were given to influence the visa decision (there is no suggestion Vanstone acted improperly), but shrugged this off as nothing more than a case of reputable businessmen, once again, looking out for a friend. On Tuesday morning, some of Latorres reputed Calabrian mafia associates and friends met at the Melbourne fruit and vegetable wholesale market in Epping, where Latorre ran a thriving business. John Latorre with co-workers at his wholesale fruit and vegetable shop at the Melbourne Market in Epping. Credit: Instagram A source close to Latorre said it was likely they were discussing his death, but conceded this was speculation. Detectives also told this masthead on Tuesday that if there was no retribution for Latorres killing, it may indicate it was an execution sanctioned by the mafia. But this, too, was speculation. Police have expressed grave concerns for seven people missing in Western Australias remote outback, as the search effort continues to be hampered by heavy rainfall which has cut the state off from the rest of the nation. Authorities say the group, which includes several children, were travelling in two vehicles which left Boulder on Sunday, March 10, bound for the Tjuntjuntjara community, situated about 700 kilometres north-east of Kalgoorlie. The travellers, who are understood to have been making the trip on a dirt track, have not been seen since. Police and family members have been unable to make contact. When you look at the track record of Adrian Fini I find it hard to fathom how there could be any opposition to this development, says Booth, who is also community development lead at Finis Hesperia. The West End of Fremantle cannot be preserved as a museum with everyone shoehorning themselves into buildings that are badly in need of repair. They are cracking and splintering and the basements are flooding, says Booth as she shows me through the Robert Harper Building and introduces me to her temporary residents, who are enjoying the cheap rent until work begins. The streets of Fremantle. I understand wanting to keep them as they are, but it is simply not practical or financially viable. Look at what Adrian did with the Treasury building in the city and what he and Nic are doing in Fremantle. Their work is always the highest quality. Fini Group development director Jo Bennett says that restoring and repurposing an individual building such as the Robert Harper does not make much sense financially because they have such low margins and there is so much risk attached to it. Its a labour of love, says Bennett. Adrian and Nic are prepared to invest into this venture because theyre deeply committed to Fremantle and want to make it a vibrant place to live and work and visit. So we dont think of this as investing in just one building. Its investing in a neighbourhood and a community. Its all part of an ecosystem with a long-term benefit, Bennett says. Bennett argues that in some cases the best way to regenerate heritage-listed buildings is to add to the top, even though this is what triggered the Freo councillors who sit on the JDAP, Andrew Sullivan and Ben Lawver, to vote against the proposal. In the past those who have tried to make heritage buildings more financially viable have added extra floors into the existing space. In our opinion this really impacts on the integrity of the building. We wanted to maintain the heritage building floor-to-floor, so with the Robert Harper building we proposed a rooftop addition, which we believe is appropriate for this particular site. Fini and Trimbolis architect, Fremantle-based Michael Patroni, says the sustainability demanded of newly restored buildings goes beyond access and compliance. They also need to be made financially sustainable. There is a short supply of A-grade offices in Fremantle, so creating something for tenants who are prepared to pay more for space will ensure the building is set up for another half-century of life, Patroni says. Most of the renovations that have been done in Fremantle since the 1970s are largely a coat of paint, which has enabled them to have 30 or 40 years of life. But now they have deteriorated to such a point where you have to say, where do we go from here? Fremantle architect Michael Patroni and Fini Group Development Director Jo Bennett. Credit: Mark Naglazas Patroni admits his additions do break the period mould, but says they will add visual appeal. Its the kind of thing they do in heritage cities around the world. Its very exciting, Patroni says. While the Fini/Trimboli proposal has received plenty of support, not the least from building owners in the area, the Fremantle Societys John Dowson is devastated. Its a precedent that will destroy the West End, says an outraged Dowson. The Robert Harper building is classified as exceptional. Thats exceptional in its own right. Its no longer exceptional when you stick two storeys on top of it. The message is now clear: anyone can stick two storeys on the top of a building in the West End. Curtin Universitys world-renowned urban design and sustainability expert Peter Newman was one of those legendary 1970s activists who stopped developers turning Marine Parade into a freeway and ripping the historic heart from the port city. He has taken the side of those who want to see development guidelines relaxed. Ive lost a few friends because of my point of view, laughs Professor Newman. Mining billionaire Clive Palmer is actively considering a High Court challenge to Labor laws that would limit the amount of money a donor can give to a political party. A spokesman for the one-time federal MP said he was absolutely considering a legal challenge. Clive Palmers business gave $117 million to the United Australian Party before the last election. Credit: Scott McNaughton Labor has cited Palmers donations, including $117 million to the United Australia Party before the last federal election, as grounds for its move to clamp down on money in politics. The move has been backed by many civil society groups and will mirror changes in parts of Europe and Canada. Under the proposed changes, an individual, company or third-party group who could currently contribute an unlimited amount to a campaign would be banned from giving large sums to parties. The government has not yet landed on a precise figure for the cap, but it is likely to be in the tens of thousands of dollars. Budapest: Former US president Donald Trump will not give money to help Ukraine fight Russia if he wins the presidency again and that will hasten an end to the war, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said after meeting him. Nationalist leader Orban, who is backing his long-time allys bid to return to White House, met Trump in Florida on Friday. He will not give a penny into the Ukraine-Russia war and therefore the war will end, Orban told state television late on Sunday. As it is obvious that Ukraine on its own cannot stand on its feet. Hungarys Viktor Orban and ex-US president Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago last week. Credit: @orbanviktor If the Americans do not give money and weapons, and also the Europeans, then this war will be over. And if the Americans do not give money the Europeans are unable to finance this war on their own, and then the war will end. Washington: The US prosecutor who sparked a political storm after describing Joe Biden as an elderly man with a poor memory is standing by his description, saying it was central to his decision not to charge the president over his handling of classified documents. Two months after delivering an explosive report that put the 81-year-old presidents age and mental acuity under renewed spotlight, Special Counsel Robert Hur testified before a House of Representatives committee to explain his work in assessing whether Biden wilfully retained top secret material. Special Counsel Robert Hur arrives at the committee hearing. Credit: AP I could not make that determination without assessing the presidents state of mind, Hur told the judiciary committee during a four-hour hearing on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT). For that reason, I had to consider the presidents memory and overall mental state, and how a jury likely would perceive his memory and mental state in a criminal trial. Because these issues were important to my ultimate decision, I had to include a discussion of them in my report. Candidates have no time to make pledges before April 10 elections By Nam Hyun-woo Rival parties have selected their candidates for over 80 percent of 254 constituencies for the April 10 general elections through their self-professed fair nomination process, but the finalists do not live up to expectations, falling short of wowing voters. Analysts said the parties have become narrow-sighted due to their own political conflicts, failing to bring in fresh faces or come up with policies that can actually affect the people's livelihoods. As of Monday morning, the ruling People Power Party (PPP) fixed its lawmaker candidates for 233 out of 254 constituencies and is expected to soon finish candidate selections for the rest. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has named candidates in 213 constituencies, and its candidate recommendation committee has already finished reviewing preliminary candidates in 244 constituencies. The two parties nomination processes showed stark differences but reached similar results, as their loyalists who stand at the pinnacle of their respective blocs have survived their primary elections. The DPK suffered extreme internal factional divisions over the fairness of its nominations, as Chairman Rep. Lee Jae-myungs reform drive ended up sidelining party members critical of him. Though Lee said in a press conference on Sunday that his partys candidate nomination is bringing out revolutionary results through its fair and crystal-clear process, the liberal main opposition has already seen a number of heavyweights defecting from the party to join new liberal parties created in protest of Lees monopolization of power. Im Hyug-baeg, the head of the DPKs candidate recommendation committee, said the party will replace a record-high 45 percent of serving lawmakers in the nomination process, but most of those snubbed were figures hostile to the pro-Lee faction. Except for Rep. Ko Min-jung, who is a former spokesperson for previous President Moon Jae-in, all of the DPKs leadership members at least got their chance to compete in the primaries. The PPP also had a similar outcome. The ruling partys candidate nomination process has been proceeding without major controversies, as the party has favored serving lawmakers. The partys candidate recommendation committee assumes that 35 percent of serving lawmakers will be replaced when the nominations are completed. It will be 7 percentage points lower than that of four years ago, when the PPPs predecessor, the United Future Party, replaced 43 percent of serving lawmakers during its nomination process. In doing so, the partys loyalists to President Yoon Suk Yeol took the mainstream of the roster. Reps. Kweon Seong-dong, Yoon Han-hong and Bae Hyun-jin, who served in key posts in the presidents presidential election camp in 2022, earned their candidacy without primaries. Former Deputy Prime Minister Choo Kyung-ho and former Unification Minister Kwon Young-se also easily punched their ticket to the elections, skipping their respective primary elections. "We have replaced approximately 30 percent to 35 percent of serving lawmakers in successful general elections in the past, seeking balance between reform drive and stability," Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok, the PPP secretary-general, said. As the DPK is dragged down by factional infighting, the PPPs stability is becoming a windfall in polls, but there is also criticism that the party is not being aggressive enough in recruiting fresh faces. In a Korea Times survey released on Wednesday, voters showed negative responses to the rival parties candidate nomination processes. In the poll conducted by Hankook Research from March 4 to 5, 56 percent of 1,002 respondents said the DPK is not doing well with its nominations, while 36 percent responded positively. Negative responses also outnumbered positive ones in the same question for the PPP 48 percent to 43 percent. Further details are available on the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission's website. The biggest problem observed in the rival parties candidate nomination processes is that they are too slow, said Cho Jin-man, a politics professor at Duksung Womens University. With less than a month left until the general elections, the parties are yet to finish naming their candidates due to their own political conflicts. Is there any time for candidates to set up their policy promises for their constituencies? Cho criticized the DPK for spending its time on its internal conflicts over Chairman Lees leadership, but the PPP, which has already established the pro-Yoon factions dominance months ago, also wasted its time while butting heads with the DPK over electoral rules. This left very little time for candidates to explore ideas to improve the public livelihood of their constituencies. For example, the National Election Commission (NEC) plans to publicize each partys top 10 policies in official documents on Thursday, but the PPP only revealed its top 10 policy pack on Monday, while the DPK has yet to do so. Their policy packs are also similar, both setting Koreas low birthrate as the top priority. Candidate nominations may create controversies, but they will be forgotten when the elections near, Cho said. "The real question is whether those candidates have serious considerations for issues of their constituency and are ready to fight for the interests of their region in the next four years. If the rival parties stay narrow-sighted and obsessed with their political battle of who is judging who, the room of policies will continue to shrink by the partisan rationale." Washington: The US Navy is cutting a Virginia-class submarine from its latest budget in a move that critics fear could send a troubling signal to Australia and other nations about Washingtons commitment to the AUKUS military pact. Three months after a divided US Congress finally passed legislation to help Australia acquire nuclear-propelled submarines, the US Navy has proposed removing an attack submarine from its 2025 spending plan, in a tacit recognition that American shipbuilding yards are struggling with the pace of keeping its local fleet healthy. Anthony Albanese, Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak at an AUKUS announcement in San Diego in March 2023. Credit: AP Democratic congressman Joe Courtney said if approved, the navys proposal could have a profound impact on it and the Australian Navy, and make it harder to assuage concerns about Americas ability to deliver on AUKUS while maintaining its own industrial base. One of the big questions with AUKUS was: will it provide enough submarines to keep the US fleet at an adequate level and will it produce enough submarines to satisfy the three boats that we agreed to sell? Courtney told this masthead. Whether its for an alt doc loan under our ultimate product range, or a commercial loan specialising in alt doc, lease doc, and SMSF Easy Refi, we have always been the go-to for brokers looking for an alternative loan solution, Bakker said in an emailed statement. "Together with my boys, George and Alexander, were ditching the hair gel and getting razors out to take part in the Worlds Greatest Shave, he said. Shaving our heads symbolises our commitment to stand in solidarity with those battling cancer, showing our support for their courage and resilience. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the Dialogue with BRICS Business Council & New Development Bank (Photo: Reuters / Adriano Machado) Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government on Monday announced rules to implement a 2019 citizenship law that excludes Muslims, just weeks before the Hindu nationalist leader seeks a rare third term in office. The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) provides a fast track to naturalization for Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Christians who fled to Hindu-majority India from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan before December 31, 2014, but excludes Muslims, who are a majority in all three nations. The law, approved by the Indian Parliament in 2019, sparked deadly protests in the capital New Delhi and elsewhere, with scores killed during days of clashes. Modi's government had held off on implementing the law until now, as the nationwide protests drew people of all faiths who argued that the law undermines India's foundation as a secular nation. Muslims, in particular, were worried that the government could use the law, combined with a proposed national register of citizens, to marginalize them. Home Minister Amit Shah, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), defended the CAA, stating that it "will now enable minorities persecuted on religious grounds in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to acquire citizenship in our nation." The Modi government has maintained that the law is a humanitarian gesture meant only to extend citizenship to religious minorities fleeing persecution and would not be used against Indian citizens. However, critics, including the main opposition Congress party, have questioned the timing of the announcement, with a spokesperson stating that it is "evidently designed to polarise the elections." Human rights watchdog Amnesty India called the law "discriminatory" and said it "goes against the constitutional values of equality and international human rights law," legitimizing "discrimination based on religion" and being "exclusionary in its structure and intent." India is home to 200 million Muslims, making up a large minority group in the country of more than 1.4 billion people. Under Modi's rule, critics say that Muslims have been targeted in a series of attacks, and the Prime Minister's silence over anti-Muslim violence has emboldened some of his most extreme supporters, enabling more hate speech against the community. Modi, who has increasingly mixed religion with politics in a formula that resonates deeply with India's majority Hindu population, opened a Hindu temple in January at the site of a demolished mosque in the northern city of Ayodhya, fulfilling his party's long-held Hindu nationalist pledge. This move, along with the implementation of the CAA, has raised concerns about the erosion of India's secular and democratic founding ethos. The BJP, which has its roots in India's Hindu right-wing movement, has been accused of pushing an agenda of Hindu nationalism onto secular India at the expense of the Muslim population. Critics argue that since Modi's rise to power nearly a decade ago, minorities have felt persecuted under the BJP's majoritarian policies, and any criticism of the government faces censorship and punishment. The announcement of the CAA's implementation comes on the heels of two mosque demolitions in Uttarakhand state and Delhi within days of each other, leading to clashes and local curfews. These incidents have further heightened tensions between the Hindu majority and Muslim minority in India. As the country gears up for the general election scheduled to be held by May, most poll surveys suggest that Modi will win a majority. The implementation of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act is likely to be a polarizing issue during the campaign, with critics viewing it as another example of the BJP's Hindu nationalist agenda and supporters seeing it as a fulfillment of the government's promise to protect persecuted religious minorities. Robert Hur to Testify as Private Citizen, Surrounded by Trump-Linked Figures, Raising Concerns Among Democrats (Photo: United States Attorney's Office/Public Domain) Robert Hur, the former Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney who declined to prosecute President Joe Biden after classified materials were found in his Delaware home and a former office in Washington, D.C., will appear before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday as a private citizen. Hur's decision to surround himself with Republican partisans and notorious figures linked to former President Donald Trump has raised alarms among Democrats on the panel. According to multiple sources familiar with Hur's plans, the special counsel has arranged his departure from the Department of Justice to be official as of Monday, March 11, one day before he is scheduled to appear on Capitol Hill. By appearing as a private citizen, Hur will not be bound by the ethical guidelines that govern the behavior of federal prosecutors. A Judiciary Committee source said Hur's departure from government service the day before he testifies is a major red flag for Democrats on the panel. "That makes it even more problematic from our perspective ... if he was still a federal employee, DOJ would have to approve his testimony and they'd be involved in his appearance tomorrow," they said. In preparing for the hearing, Hur has turned to William Burck, a veteran Washington lawyer with deep ties to the Republican political establishment, to serve as his counsel. Burck, a former federal prosecutor and White House official under President George W. Bush, has represented several Trump White House officials during the Mueller investigation and has served as a board member of the Fox Corporation since 2021. Hur and Burck do not appear to have worked together directly, but on Burck's LinkedIn page, Hur is listed as having endorsed his litigation skills. A Judiciary Committee source noted that both men have long histories as Republican partisans, citing Hur's work as Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General during the Trump administration and Burck's efforts to block Senate Democrats from viewing Bush-era documents related to now-Justice Kavanaugh. The source also revealed that Hur's legal team has not been particularly communicative with the Democratic side of the panel during the run-up to the former special counsel's testimony. Combined with Hur's decision to seek advice from former Trump-era DOJ spokesperson Sarah Isgur, Democrats are quite alarmed about his upcoming appearance. Hannah Muldavin, a spokesperson for the Congressional Integrity Project, told The Independent that Hur's choice of associates marks him as a player on Trump's team instead of the nonpartisan prosecutor he is supposed to be. "Despite recommending no criminal charges against Joe Biden, Robert Hur decided to make unnecessary, partisan, political attacks against the President in his report. The partisan political operatives Hur has enlisted to help him prepare for his testimony only underscores how this Trump-appointed, lifelong Republican is yet another player in the MAGA effort to aide Donald Trump and hurt Joe Biden in the 2024 election," she said. Another source told The Independent that committee members have taken note of Hur's team and are expecting him to attempt to inflict as much political harm on Biden as he possibly can. "Where people like Isgur and Bill Burck come in is to help him weaponize the report he wrote in order to damage the president," they said. Republicans, on the other hand, see Hur's testimony as an opportunity to keep scrutiny of Biden's memory in the spotlight for as long as possible, with the hearing offering a high-profile opportunity to re-litigate the politically damaging findings. GOP-led committees have demanded the Justice Department turn over any transcripts, video, or audio from Biden's interview with Hur, in which the president reportedly couldn't recall certain facts about his life. The situation has drawn comparisons to the testimony of former special counsel Robert Mueller, who, like Hur, did not recommend criminal charges against the sitting president. However, at the time, top House Republicans argued that asking Mueller to testify was a purely political exercise by Democrats. Cho Kuk, a scandal-tainted former justice minister who recently launched a new political party, said Tuesday the party will propose a special counsel investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol and ruling People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon after a new National Assembly comes into office. Cho, who fell to disgrace following an investigation into academic fraud involving his children when President Yoon was prosecutor-general, launched the Korea Innovation Party last month with calls for ending the Yoon administration. Last month, an appeals court upheld a two-year prison sentence for Cho for those charges. "This is for an early ending of the prosecution dictatorship administration and realizing judicial justice," Cho told reporters at the National Assembly, announcing his plan to proposed the special counsel proposal as the party's first bill in the new Assembly. The proposal calls for an investigation into various allegations involving Yoon and Han, including suspicions that a prosecutor under then Prosecutor-General Yoon had the then opposition party, now the PPP, to file complaints against figures of the then ruling party during the previous Moon Jae-in administration. "The law should apply equally to everyone. No exceptions should be made just because someone is a prosecutor-turned-president or a prosecutor-turned-ruling party leader," Cho said. PPP leader Han is also a prosecutor-turned-politician. Belying widespread expectations, recent surveys have shown that Cho's party would receive larger-than-expected support in next month's general elections. Should the current trends hold, Cho is expected to be elected to the Assembly as a proportional candidate of his party. But even if he is elected, he will lose the seat if his prison term is upheld by the Supreme Court. (Yonhap) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for a last ditch effort against the virus. (Photo: Emil Salman/Pool via REUTERS/file photo) The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out two waves of airstrikes deep in Lebanon, late Monday and on Tuesday morning, targeting several sites belonging to the Hezbollah. The strikes were in response to the Lebanon-based group's recent launching of explosives-laden drones toward the Golan Heights and a barrage of over 100 rockets fired at northern Israel on Tuesday morning. Hours after the first wave of IDF strikes in northeastern Lebanon's Baalbek, Hezbollah launched a barrage of some 70 rockets at the Golan Heights, marking one of the largest barrages fired by Hezbollah amid the ongoing war. A short while later, a further 30 rockets were fired at the Golan Heights, the IDF said. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the barrages, saying it targeted two Israeli army bases in the Golan Heights with more than 100 Katyusha rockets. The group said the rocket barrage came in response to recent Israeli attacks, including Monday night's strike in northeastern Lebanon's Baalbek, which reportedly killed a civilian. There were no reports of damage or injuries from the Hezbollah rockets, with footage showing some of the projectiles being intercepted by the Iron Dome air defense system. Sirens had sounded in several communities in the northern Golan Heights and the Galilee Panhandle. After the barrages of 100 rockets, the IDF said fighter jets struck three rocket launchers in southern Lebanon used in the attack. According to the IDF, the airstrikes on Monday night in the area of northeastern Lebanon's Baalbek targeted facilities belonging to Hezbollah's "aerial unit." Baalbek, an area identified in the past as a Hezbollah stronghold, is nearly 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the Israeli border. The IDF said the strikes were in response to Hezbollah's recent launching of explosives-laden drones toward the Golan Heights. Two security sources and the Baalbek governor, Bashir Khader, told Reuters that at least one civilian was killed and several others were injured in the Israeli strikes. Later Tuesday, in response to the barrages of 100 rockets, the IDF said it targeted two Hezbollah command centers in the Baalbek area, as well as buildings used by Hezbollah and additional infrastructure in Khiam, Bint Jbeil, Odaisseh, and Ayta ash-Shab. The IDF previously struck in Baalbek last month, after Hezbollah downed a military drone over Lebanon. At the time, it marked the deepest confirmed Israeli strikes in Lebanon in years. Since October 8, Hezbollah-led forces have attacked Israeli communities and military posts along the border on a near-daily basis, with the group saying it is doing so to support Gaza amid the war against the Hamas there. On Sunday alone, Hezbollah fired some 80 rockets at northern Israel. So far, the skirmishes on the border have resulted in seven civilian deaths on the Israeli side, as well as the deaths of ten IDF soldiers and reservists. Hezbollah has named 242 members who have been killed by Israel during the ongoing skirmishes, mostly in Lebanon but some also in Syria. In Lebanon, another 40 operatives from other groups, a Lebanese soldier, and at least 30 civilians, three of whom were journalists, have been killed. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned senior White House envoy Amos Hochstein during a meeting in Tel Aviv last week that Hezbollah's ongoing aggression was pushing Israel to a "critical point." His remarks echoed his warning back in November that Hezbollah was dragging Lebanon into a war, and that Lebanon's civilian population would end up paying the price. As tensions continue to escalate between Israel and Hezbollah, the international community remains concerned about the prospect of a wider conflict in the region. The recent exchange of rocket fire and airstrikes underscores the fragility of the situation and the need for diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation and loss of life on both sides of the border. Big Tech firms such as Google, Apple, Flipkart, Amazon, and Uber have opposed ex-ante regulation while responding to the suggestions of the expert committee on digital competition law. While Twitter and Paytm are among those in favour, the latter in its stakeholder submission said it was in favour as long as only large digital enterprises with a critical mass were subject to the regulations. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs had invited public comments on the expert committee report and the draft Bill. While stressing that ex-ante regulation for the e-commerce sector may be untimely and excessive and may lead to over-regulation, Amazon said in its stakeholder submission that it was already heavily regulated by the foreign direct investment policy, which mandates that it can only act as an online marketplace and not as a seller, and that it should provide fair terms to all sellers. Apple India, while batting for a light touch regime that promotes innovation, said CCI should also consider opening a regional office in Bengaluru in order to get easy access to the technology ecosystem of the country. Flipkart, on similar lines, has said that the existing ex-post regime in India is well-equipped to effectively regulate digital markets in India. A one-size fits-all approach similar to the DMA model would be unsuitable for effective regulation of digital markets since it remains untested, Flipkarts response to stakeholders comment said. The etailer was referring to the European Digital Markets Act. MakeMyTrip said that it was in favour of ex-ante regulation only to the extent that they were made applicable to select large horizontal platforms that have created economy-wide ecosystems. The expert committee has recommended that the draft Bill should only regulate enterprises that have a significant presence in the provision of a core digital service in India and the ability to influence the Indian digital market. The discussion around the digital competition law comes amid a global scrutiny of Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and others for allegedly abusing their market position using chunks of user data. Last year, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) slapped Google with penalties of Rs 936.4 crore and Rs 1,337.8 crore in two separate cases. The proposed Bill requires digital companies to notify the Competition Commission of India that it fulfills the criteria to qualify as a Systemically Significant Digital Enterprises (SSDE) based on the criteria set in the Bill. Such enterprises would have to establish transparent and effective complaint handling and compliance mechanisms and report and operate in a fair, non-discriminatory, and transparent manner with end users and business users, according to the draft Bill. SSDEs cannot directly or indirectly favour its own products, services, or lines of business, or those of related parties and also not use or rely on non-public data of business users operating on its core digital service. Key criterion Systemically significant digital enterprises would be those with: Turnover in India of not less than Rs 4,000 crore Such ex-ante regulation could potentially stifle innovation by imposing burdensome regulations on tech companies. This could lead to unintended consequences, such as reduced consumer choice and higher prices, said Vaibhav Choukse, partner, JSA Advocates & Solicitors..Systemically significant digital enterprises would be those with: Global turnover of not less than $30 billion Gross merchandise value in India of not less than Rs 16,000 crore Global market capitalisation of not less than $75 billion At least 10 million end users for its core digital service 10,000 business users for its core digital service Union Tourism Minister and Telangana BJP chief G Kishan Reddy and OBC Morcha president and Rajya Sabha member K Laxman will attend the meeting | File image | Photo: PTI Ahead of the general elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be addressing a meeting of BJP polling booth workers at the LB Stadium here on Tuesday afternoon, party sources said. Titled the 'Polling Booth Sammelan', Shah will head to the meeting after offering prayers at the Bhagyalakshmi temple in Charminar here. He is also slated to address BJP's social media warriors meeting at 1 PM, the sources said. Union Tourism Minister and Telangana BJP chief G Kishan Reddy and OBC Morcha president and Rajya Sabha member K Laxman will attend the meeting. This is Shah's second visit to the state after the Assembly polls on November 30 last year. During his earlier visit on December 28 last year, the senior BJP leader had set the party a target to win at least 10 seats and secure 35 per cent vote share in Telangana in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, party sources had then said. This directive was to better BJP's showing in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, where they had won four of the 17 seats in Telangana. At a meeting of 'mandal' presidents of the party from across Telangana then, he had claimed that while the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is a "sunken ship", the state's ruling Congress is a "sinking ship" and the BJP is the state's future. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said his government undertakes developmental works as a part of its mission to build the nation and not to win elections as perceived by some people. The PM launched Rs 1,06,000 crore development projects for the country at an event in Sabarmati area of Gujarat's Ahmedabad city after visiting the Dedicated Freight Corridor's (DFC) Operation Control Centre near the venue, ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. These comprise Rs 85,000 crore railway projects, including the launch of 10 new Vande Bharat trains, and a petrochemicals complex coming up at Dahej in Gujarat's Bharuch district with an investment of Rs 20,600 crore. "Some people try to look at our efforts through the electoral lens. Let me tell you that we undertake developmental works as part of a mission to build the nation, not to form a government (by winning elections). We want to ensure that our youth do not suffer what their past generations had suffered. This is Modi's guarantee," the PM said. Modi said that in the last 10 years, his government spent around six times more amount for the development of Railways than was done earlier. In just two months of 2024, his government inaugurated and laid the foundation of Rs 11 lakh crore projects, he added. The PM said the railway sector in the country suffered heavily after the country's independence because the past governments prioritised "political motives" rather than development. "Earlier, lawmakers used to clap in Parliament over the railway minister's announcement of giving stoppage to a train or increasing the number of coaches. This was the thinking back then. What would have happened if such an attitude persisted in the 21st century too? That is why the first thing I did was to merge the railway budget with the main Union budget so that the Centre's fund is made available for the development of Railways," he said. Earlier, it was very common for trains to get late. Everything was left on the fate of the passengers, he said. Till 2014, only 35 per cent of the railway lines were electrified. The common people were suffering due to long queues, agents demanding commission and hours of waiting to get train reservation, the PM said. "I know this very well because I started my life on railway tracks," he said. Modi said his government has shown a strong willpower to pull the Railways out of a "hell-like situation" and this sector's development is among their topmost priorities. The previous governments did not give priority to the doubling of railway tracks, he said. Referring to the DFC, Modi said that for decades, there was a demand of separate tracks for goods trains. It would have increased the speed of both passenger and goods trains and was also necessary to boost agriculture, trade and export activities, he said. "But under the Congress regime, this project was either delayed or hit roadblocks. Today, we are inaugurating the freight corridor having a length of 650 km,' said the PM. At the venue, PM Modi laid the foundation stone of railway workshops, loco sheds, electric traction system upgradation work and dedicated to the nation two new sections of the Dedicated Freight Corridor and Western DFC's Operation Control Centre in Ahmedabad. He flagged off 10 new Vande Bharat trains between Ahmedabad-Mumbai Central, Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam, Mysuru- Dr MGR Central (Chennai), Patna- Lucknow, New Jalpaiguri-Patna, Puri-Visakhapatnam, Lucknow-Dehradun, Kalaburagi-Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal Bengaluru, Ranchi-Varanasi and Khajuraho- Delhi (Nizamuddin). The PM also flagged off the extension of four Vande Bharat trains. The Ahmedabad-Jamnagar Vande Bharat is being extended till Dwarka, Ajmer- Delhi Sarai Rohilla Vande Bharat till Chandigarh, Gorakhpur-Lucknow Vande Bharat till Prayagraj and Thiruvananthapuram- Kasargod Vande Bharat till Mangaluru. He also flagged off and two new passenger trains between Asansol and Hatia & Tirupati and Kollam stations. The PM dedicated 51 Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminals to the nation. These terminals will promote seamless movement of goods between different modes of transportation, said a PIB release. Other projects which were launched by the PM included digital controlling of railway stations at 2,646 stations, 35 rail coach restaurants, 1,500 'One Station One Product' stalls to promote local products and generate income for local artisans and businesses and solar-powered stations and buildings at 975 locations. Modi also laid the foundation stone of the petrochemicals complex of Petronet LNG, including ethane and propane handling facilities of more than Rs 20,600 crore, at Dahej in Gujarat. The setting up of the petrochemicals complex in proximity to the existing LNG regasification terminal would result in significant savings in the capex (capital expenditure) and opex (operating expenses) cost of the project, said the release. The project implementation is likely to create direct and indirect employment opportunities for 50,000 persons during the execution phase and job opportunities for more than 20,000 persons during its operational phase, ushering in huge socio-economic benefits in the region, it said. On the occasion, the PM also laid the foundation stone of Rs 400 crore Ekta Malls in Gujarat and Maharashtra, aiming to support the rich and diverse heritage of Indian handlooms, handicrafts and traditional products. Chinese Defence Spokesperson Senior Colonel Wu Qian on March 9 said that Beijing's "defence spending is transparent and moderate", even as China's national defence Budget in 2024 grew by 7.2 per cent, well above its economic growth target of "around 5 per cent". While the 2024 defence outlay will continue to focus on equipment modernisation and procurement, there is also deliberate focus this year on improving the human resources -- from senior officers to common soldiers -- that make up the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). In fact, an analysis of commentaries from the PLA's mouthpiece and official remarks in the wake of the increased defence outlay betray serious concerns in Beijing about the war-fighting capacity of its soldiers. China's Ministry of Finance had submitted its annual Budget plan to the National People's Congress, which is the top lawmaking body of the People's Republic of China, on March 5. This increase brings China's defence Budget for 2024 to nearly 1.67 trillion yuan, or $232 billion, which is triple India's defence allocation of Rs 6.21 trillion, or about $75 billion, for FY25. According to Nikkei Asia, this is also the third year in a row that China's defence Budget has grown more than 7 per cent. India's defence Budget also saw a 'moderate' rise DYAGILEVO, RYAZAN, RUSSIA - AUGUST 1, 2019: Chengdu J-10A jet fighter of People's Liberation Army Air Force seen at Dyagilevo airfield during Aviadarts contest. Image credit: Shutterstock Meanwhile, India's defence allocation rose from Rs 5.93 trillion in FY24 to Rs 6.21 trillion in FY25, up 4.75 per cent. A recent Business Standard analysis revealed that this rise is insufficient to even cover the Reserve Bank of India's consumer price index inflation, which stands at 5.4 per cent this year. The FY25 outlay also does not cover the rise in the cost of forex, a crucial detail for India's armed forces which still depend on imports for various defence platforms. According to the analysis, the cost of the US dollar has gone up by 1.2 per cent in FY24. China worried about 'peace disease' Apart from modernising its arsenal and investing in new defence technologies, Beijing's chief military challenge, which its increased defence outlay will seek to address, is what it calls the "peace disease". Unlike development and procurement of weapons, this is a human resource challenge. ALSO READ: AMCA: India scrambles as China builds up 200-strong stealth jet fleet Writing for The Diplomat, Robert Rust, a China analyst with the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, explained that Chinese analysts and leaders have been open about the shortcomings of their armed forces while addressing domestic audiences. They have been calling on the army to overcome the "peace disease", a term they use for the perceived lack of discipline and reliability among China's military personnel, caused by the ostensible lack of actual combat operations in decades. Evidently, the deadly clash between the militaries of India and China at Ladakh's Galwan Valley in June 2020, and the following build-up of forces by both sides, does not count as a major military operation. While addressing the delegation of the People's Liberation Army and the Armed Police Force in 2018, Chinese President Xi Jinping had called for vigorously correcting the "peace disease", which would have a bearing on how China would fight its future wars and train its troops. Stating that correcting this "peace disease" would be a top priority, Xi had described it as a fatal corrosive to combat effectiveness and the number one enemy in military training and preparation for war. In line with this goal, President Xi has made combating corruption, especially in the PLA, a key plank of his tenure. Xi has approached the problem from two fronts -- removing higher-level officials to set examples and building a culture of increased discipline and fighting corruption among the rank and file. PLA will enhance discipline in 2024 ALSO READ: Defence budget grows nominally, but fails to beat rising inflation An editorial published by the PLA Daily on January 1, which provides an outlook for PLA's goals in 2024, reinforced the message: Improved discipline and fighting corruption would be the main goals for the year. Highlighting that 2024 marked the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the editorial said that the military's tasks would be "arduous and onerous", adding that the military would "carry out in-depth educational and practical activities" to strengthen the military, "build a solid ideological foundation" for "obeying commands", adhere to a "strict tone, strict measures, and strict atmosphere", "unswervingly uphold integrity and discipline", and "fight a tough and protracted battle against corruption". The editorial also said that the Chinese military would "implement the standards for good military cadres, focus on selecting and employing personnel in preparation for war, and ensure that the guns are always in the hands of those who are loyal and reliable to the Party (Communist Party of China)". One of the key goals it set out for the military was: Strengthening military training and preparation for war. Stating that training was the most important factor in military preparation, the editorial said that the Chinese military must prepare for war, accelerate the supply of advanced combat capabilities, undertake actual combat training, come up with innovative training methods, "strengthen practical confrontation training", and improve "actual combat capabilities". China's 2024 defence Budget focuses on training and military governance University students take part in military training in Xiangyang, Hubei province, China on Sep 7, 2015. Image credit: Shutterstock The goals outlined in PLA Daily editorials and articles coming from the Communist Party of China's official mouthpieces also found prominent mention during the March 9 media briefing on China's national defence Budget for 2024 in Beijing. During the briefing, the Chinese defence spokesperson mentioned earlier, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, said that the increased defence expenditure in 2024 was primarily allocated to four specific areas. Of these, at least three explicitly dealt with strengthening military training and combat preparedness of the troops, deepening defence and military reforms, and establishing a modern military governance system. The other targets to be met were advancing the implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan for military development, ensuring the implementation of major military projects and programmes, and accelerating innovation and development of defence-related science and technology. Purge at the top In a recent piece, Lyle J Morris, Senior Fellow for Foreign Policy and National Security at the Asia Society Policy Institute's Center for China Analysis, highlighted that in December last year and February this year, at least 10 senior Chinese military officers were removed from the country's national legislative body, in what external observers have described as a purge. Overall, three generals, five lieutenant generals, and two commanders have been dismissed. This is further indication of President Xi's dual approach to increasing discipline in the PLA. In January, Bloomberg News had reported that according to US intelligence, President Xi's military purge was in response to widespread corruption in the Chinese armed forces. Citing sources, the report also said that US officials were of the belief that corruption inside China's armed forces was so extensive that Xi was less likely to engage in major military action in the coming years than would otherwise have been the case. Taken together, official commentary surrounding 2024's defence outlay, recent developments in the Chinese military, and open source information from Chinese military publications show that China is attempting a holistic modernisation of its armed forces, where the quality of its manpower will be just as important as the quantity of its firepower. Amid protests by Opposition parties over the notification of the rules of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019, the Union Home Ministry on Tuesday issued a statement titled positive narrative on the law, which said that Indian Muslims need not worry because of the notifying of the CAA. The statement has come in the context of the Centre notifying them of the CAA rules on Monday evening. The country witnessed widespread protests after Parliament passed the CAA Bill in December 2019. To concerns that the government could repatriate illegal Muslim migrants to Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, the MHA said: India does not have any pact or agreement with any of these countries to repatriate migrants back to these countries. ALSO READ: Most tribal areas in northeastern states kept out of purview of CAA rules It said the CAA doesn't deal with the deportation of illegal immigrants and therefore the concern of a section of the people including Muslims and students that CAA is against Muslim minorities is unjustifiable. The MHA said there is no bar on Muslims from anywhere in the world to seek Indian Citizenship under Section 6 of the Citizenship Act, which deals with citizenship by naturalization. In its statement, the ministry said the CAA has not made any provision to impact the citizenship of Muslims and it has nothing to do with the present 180 million Indian Muslims, who have equal rights like their Hindu counterparts. No Indian citizen would be asked to produce any document to prove his citizenship after this Act. A day after the rules for the implementation of the CAA were issued, the MHA launched a portal for submitting applications for eligible people to get Indian citizenship under the CAA. The portal has answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the submission of applications for the grant of citizenship under Section 6B of the Citizenship Act 1955. Applicants must apply online to the Empowered Committee through the District Level Committee (DLC) headed by the Designated Officer (DO). CAA , pic.twitter.com/1Qximb8GR4 March 12, 2024 Addressing a BJP social media volunteers meeting in Hyderabad, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the CAA had no provision to strip anyone of their citizenship. He accused Opposition leaders of lying that minorities in the country would lose their citizenship with the implementation of CAA. In Shillong, Meghalaya CM Conrad K Sangma said the CAA would not have any impact in the state since the sixth schedule areas had been exempted from its purview even as several organisations, including the North East Students Organisation, burnt copies of the CAA notification to protest its implementation. According to a Trinamool Congress statement, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee will lead a roadshow in Siliguri on Wednesday against the CAA implementation. Addressing an official programme at Habra in North 24 Parganas, Banerjee maintained she would not allow the implementation of the CAA in West Bengal, and urged people to think several times" before applying for citizenship under the law. Activists, political workers, and students organisations protested the notification of the CAA in the northeast states and also Kerala. The MHA said the CAA reduces the qualification period of application for citizenship from 11 to 5 years for Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians persecuted on religious grounds in Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan and who had entered India on or before December 31, 2014. The MHA said because of the persecution of minorities in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, the name of Islam was badly tarnished all around the world. However, Islam, being a peaceful religion, never preaches hatred, violence or persecution on religious grounds, and the Act protects Islam from being tarnished in the name of persecution, it said. This Act does not prevent any Muslim, who is persecuted in those three Islamic countries for practising their version of Islam, from applying for Indian citizenship under the existing laws, it said. Addressing the function, he said the country is witnessing all-round development under the leadership of PM Modi Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Tuesday launched 'Krishak Unnati Yojna' to provide input assistance to farmers and released Rs 13,320 crore to 24.72 lakh cultivators. The scheme was launched at a function at Saryu Prasad Agrawal stadium in Balod district. Speaking on the occasion, Sai said another guarantee of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been fulfilled with the launch of this scheme. Input assistance worth Rs 13,320 crore was transferred to the bank accounts of 24.75 lakh farmers under the Krishak Unnati Yojana, he said. Of these cultivators, 24.72 lakh sold paddy this year in the kharif marketing season 2023-24 at minimum support price, and they were paid the difference amount of Rs 13,289 crore, the chief minister said. Similarly, more than Rs 31 crore was paid to 2,829 farmers producing paddy seeds through the seed corporation, he said. "The state government fulfilled its promise to farmers, by disbursing pending paddy bonus of two years (2014-15 and 2015-16) worth Rs 3,716 crore to them on Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji's birthday in December last year. More than 13 lakh farmers benefited from this," he said. Sai said Prime Minister Modi had given a guarantee to launch the 'Mahtari Vandan Yojana' for women, and on March 10, he virtually transferred Rs 655 crore to the bank accounts of more than 70 lakh (married) women in the state. "The prime minister had promised forest dwellers that remuneration for tend leaf collection would be hiked from Rs 4,000 per sack to Rs 5,500 per sack. This scheme will also be launched on Tuesday," he said. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who attended the launch in Rajnandgaon, was also virtually linked to the main programme in Balod. Addressing the function, he said the country is witnessing all-round development under the leadership of PM Modi. "The development of Chhattisgarh will now take place at jet speed. In just three months of the formation of the new government, development works have progressed a lot in the state. It seems like it is raining money in Chhattisgarh," Yadav said. Notably, the BJP had promised to procure paddy at Rs 3,100 per quintal from farmers during the assembly polls last year. The paddy procurement for the Kharif season took place between November 1 and February 4, and around 145 lakh metric tonnes of paddy was procured from more than 24 lakh farmers at the minimum support price (MSP). The MSP for common grade paddy was Rs 2,183 per quintal and Rs 2,203 for Grade A paddy. According to officials, the difference amount over the MSP was given to farmers as input assistance at Rs 917 per quintal paddy under the Krishak Unnati Yojna. The programme to disburse the assistance was held in every district and development block headquarters, they said. A Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) of the Indian Air Force crashed in Jaisalmer in Rajasthan on Tuesday during an operational training sortie, the first such incident involving the indigenously-built jet. The pilot ejected safely and there were no casualties, officials said. Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel In a brief statement, the IAF said a court of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident. The crash took place around 100 km from the Pokhran desert where a mega war game 'Bharat Shakti' witnessed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top military brass was underway. Military sources indicated that the Tejas jet was to be part of the exercise. ALSO READ: Tejas flies with India-made digital flight control computer for first time Jaisalmer Additional Superintendent of Police Mahendra Singh said that there was no loss of property or human life in the crash near Kalla residential colony. Thick black smoke was seen billowing out from a single-storey brick structure where the aircraft crashed. Officials said it was the first Tejas jet involved in an accident. "A Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas of the Indian Air Force crashed near Jaisalmer today during an operational training sortie. The pilot ejected safely," the IAF said. "A court of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident," it said. Manufactured by state-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the Tejas aircraft is a potent platform for air combat and offensive air support missions while reconnaissance and anti-ship operations are its secondary roles. Tejas aircraft are set to be the mainstay of the IAF. It has already inducted nearly 40 Tejas of initial variants. In February 2021, the defence ministry sealed a Rs 48,000 crore deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd for the procurement of 83 Tejas MK-1A jets for the IAF. In November last, the ministry accorded an initial approval to procure an additional batch of 97 Tejas jets for the IAF. Ruling party interim head Han to lead campaigns as well By Nam Hyun-woo The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is set to mend its factional squabbles over candidate nominations for the April 10 general elections as its campaign, launched on Tuesday, will be co-headed by the party's chairman Rep. Lee Jae-myung and two senior party members. The two standing co-chairs are former Prime Ministers Lee Hae-chan and Kim Boo-kyum, who were appointed Monday. "For the people, the nation and the party, the DPK has collected all of its capabilities, including former Prime Ministers Lee and Kim," Lee said during the committee's first meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul. "The upcoming general elections will be a critical showdown, passing judgment on the Yoon Suk Yeol administration for devastating the economy and undermining democracy. It will be a historic moment that will decide the fate of the country." The co-chairmanship comes as the DPK has been losing public support due to infighting between factions close to Lee Jae-myung and ones who are not. Those critical of Lee have objected to their exclusion from the party's candidate roster, and a number of party heavyweights have defected from the DPK to join new liberal parties created in protest of Lee's monopolization of power. Against this backdrop, former Prime Minister Kim's participation in the DPK's election camp is seen as an effort to heal the wounds of the internal feud, as Kim has been critical of Lee's excessive grip on party affairs. "I hope there will be heartfelt conversations between those nominated as candidates and those who have not had the opportunity so that they can work together for a better future," Kim said during the meeting. "In the past, our seniors joined forces during times of feuds, and I believe that has led the DPK here today. We should all be one team to collect the people's minds and energy." Kim, a former four-term lawmaker widely described as a moderate politician, served as prime minister from 2021 to 2022 during the previous Moon Jae-in administration. He had initially announced his retirement from politics but released a statement last month that "the democratic principles and the objectivity of the DPK's candidate nomination process are being undermined." Due to this, he was initially rumored to join forces with former DPK Chairman Lee Nak-yon, who quit the party to create the Saemirae Party after clashing with Lee Jae-myung, but decided to remain within the fold. Former Prime Minister Lee is also a respected senior party member in the DPK with an illustrious career. Formerly a seven-term lawmaker, he has been a central figure in Korean politics for over 30 years, serving key roles for the country's progressive bloc. He served as prime minister from 2004 to 2006 for former President Roh Moo-hyun and spearheaded the DPK's resounding victory in the previous general elections, four years ago as co-chairman of the election campaign. He also announced his retirement from politics in 2020. Given that the two former prime ministers are both distant from the DPK's current factions, their participation in the DPK's election camp is interpreted as the party's efforts to move past the wounds of internal feuds. "The conflicts over candidate nominations are just processes that have all passed," former Prime Minister Lee said. "Fortunately, those who lost in recent primaries have shown their willingness to stay with the party, so there won't be any new divisions." Former Prime Minister Kim also said that the party is now employing a "full-court press" strategy to win the elections, adding, "It is regrettable to question whether the previous strategy was right, as the nature of elections is that you cannot dwell on the past." On the other side of the political aisle, the ruling People Power Party (PPP) is seeking to have its interim leader Han Dong-hoon, spearhead the entire election campaign as the only standing election committee chairman. Instead, the partys floor leader Rep. Yun Jae-ok, Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, former Transport Minister Won Hee-ryong and Na Kyung-won, a former four-term lawmaker, will assist Han as co-chairs. Since there are 254 constituencies, Han may have difficulties handling all of them, so we can appoint co-chairs to share the burden, PPP Secretary-General Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok told reporters on Tuesday. Though the expression of co-chairs may be confusing, the idea of having Han as the only comprehensive leader of the PPPs election campaign has never changed. Stage is set in the arid terrain of Rajasthan's Pokhran for the mega exercise 'Bharat Shakti' on Tuesday, which will demonstrate the prowess of indigenously manufactured defence equipment of the three services. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to witness the integrated tri-service firepower and manoeuvre exercise that will be held for about 50 minutes. The country's top military brass will also be present on the occasion. LCA Tejas, ALH Mk-IV, LCH Prachand, mobile anti-drone system, BMP-II and its variants, NAMICA (Nag Missile Carrier), T90 tanks, Dhanush, K9 Vajra and Pinaka rockets are among the platforms that will be demonstrated. 'Bharat Shakti' will demonstrate the prowess of indigenously manufactured defence equipment of the three services, Additional Director General, Army Design Bureau, Major General C S Mann had told reporters here on Saturday. It will showcase the "shock and awe" impact that the armed forces seek to achieve in an operational situation with manoeuvre and fighting capabilities, he had said. "Synergised joint operations will be decisive in the Indian context. Through live firepower and manoeuvre demonstration, it is endeavoured to showcase the tri-services' operational capabilities to counter any threat leveraging indigenous capability and the ability to undertake conflicts in the face of global upheavals," Major General Mann had earlier said while announcing the details of the exercise. The first-of-its-kind exercise on such a scale is "not tailored towards any direction (northern or western border) or any adversaries", sources in the defence establishment said. The exercise at Pokhran in the Jaisalmer district will also showcase systems and platforms integrated with the use of artificial intelligence (AI). "It will showcase live integrated multi-domain operations of the three services in offensive operations using indigenous equipment," as also "high synergy, multi-service, multi-domain capability, thereby demonstrating inter-Service synergy," an official said. The event, being conducted at Pokhran, imposes terrain restrictions on depicting naval manoeuvres. However, such equipment will be showcased as part of the static display that will follow the live demonstration. In this demonstration, "the latest indigenous equipment of all three services...what impact they will have on adversaries, on their physical capabilities and their mental state, the 'shock and awe' will be showcased," he added. The proceedings will commence with the Army's Special Forces, MARCOS of the Indian Navy and GARUDS of the Indian Air Force "infiltrating by all-terrain vehicles and slithering operations, while surveillance of the battlefield will be carried out by remotely piloted aircraft and drones. This will be followed by the degradation of targets by long-range vectors and artillery guns," he said. The IAF will achieve a "favourable air situation by engaging strategic targets in depth, whereas the Navy will undertake maritime operations for strategic effects," the senior officer said, some part of the naval segment (happening at sea) of the exercise will be displayed digitally on screen. Besides firepower and ammunition, logistic capabilities for transporting equipment and evacuation of injured and casualties using the latest technologies will also be demonstrated. Various types of Radar, UAV-launched precision-guided munition, Quick Reaction Fighting Vehicles, and drones of various types, including logistic drones and swarms of drones, and 3D-printed bunkers will be part of the exercise. The aspects of India's cyber and multi-domain operations capabilities are also being dovetailed along with the operations of the three services. The exercise will also underline India's growing emphasis on 'Atmanirbharta' (self-reliance) in defence. How individual communication systems of the tri-services are integrated, 'e-Tarang' software tool, GIS-related systems, topographical maps, hydrographic charts and air navigation charts with analysis and operational planning capabilities will also be showcased. At closing bell, the benchmark Hang Seng Index advanced by 505.93 points, or 3.05%, to 17,093.50, its highest since November 28. its highest since November 28. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index added 200.63 points, or 3.49%, to 5,949.52. Chinese property stocks jumped on expectations that Beijing will ramp up funding support to rescue the bigger players in the troubled sector. Expectations are mounting that Chinas state-owned banks will raise as much as 80 billion yuan in syndicated loans to support China Vanke, the nations second-largest developer by market value. Longfor Group Holdings and China Resources Land led the rally among Chinese developers, rising at least 10%. Drug maker Wuxi AppTec climbed 5.6% to HK$51.75 after saying it spent 50 million yuan (US$7 million) repurchasing its onshore shares trading in Shanghai on Monday. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content Hong Kong share market finished session at highest in three months on Tuesday, 12 March 2024, as investors chased for bottom fishing across the board on expectation of corporate buy-back offers after e-commerce giants Wuxi AppTec, Alibaba Group Holding, and JD.com unveiled such plans in recent weeks. An aid ship loaded with some 200 tons of food set sail for Gaza on Tuesday in a pilot program for the opening of a sea corridor to the territory, where the five-month-old Israel-Hamas war has driven hundreds of thousands of people to the brink of starvation. The food was gathered by World Food Kitchen, the charity founded by celebrity chef Jos Andrs, and is being carried on a barge attached to a ship belonging to the Spanish aid group Open Arms. It is expected to arrive at an undisclosed location on the Gaza coastline in two to three days. Andrs and the Open Arms boat captain, Oscar Camps, confirmed the food was destined for northern Gaza. On Saturday evening, Andrs told The Associated Press in a brief interview they wanted to keep the location under wraps to avoid a repetition of the Feb. 29 incident that saw Israeli troops firing on a large crowd of Palestinians racing to pull food off an aid convoy in Gaza City, killing over 100 people, according to the Gaza health ministry. The United States has separately announced plans to construct a sea bridge near Gaza in order to deliver aid, but it will likely be several weeks before it is operational. Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides posted on X social media platform X that the inaugural voyage was one of hope and humanity and that food being delivered is a lifeline to civilians. The Cypriot government initially pitched the idea of using the east Mediterranean island nation as a base to send aid to Gaza by ship. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen thanked the Cypriot president and wrote on X that the ship's departure wasa sign of hope, and vowed to "do everything in our power for aid to reach Palestinians. The war, triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7 attack into Israel has killed over 30,000 Palestinians and driven some 80% of Gaza's 2.3 million people from their homes. The U.N. says a quarter of the population is starving. The U.S., Qatar and Egypt had tried to broker a cease-fire and hostage release ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which began on Sunday, but the talks stalled last week as Hamas demanded that any temporary pause in the fighting come with guarantees for ending the war. Aid groups say it is nearly impossible to deliver aid in much of the territory because of Israeli restrictions, ongoing hostilities and the breakdown of law and order after the Hamas-run police force largely vanished from the streets. The planned sea route has the support of the European Union, the United States, the United Arab Emirates and other countries. The U.S. and other countries have also launched airdrops of aid in recent days, but aid groups say those efforts are costly and unlikely to meet the mounting needs. Once the ship nears Gaza, two smaller vessels will tow the barge to a jetty that World Central Kitchen is building at an undisclosed location, organizers said. The food charity then plans to distribute it through the 60 kitchens it operates across Gaza. Israel says it supports the effort and will be inspecting all cargo before it sets sail for Gaza. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel in a surprise attack on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostage. Hamas is still believed to be holding around 100 hostages, and the remains of 30 others, after releasing most of the rest last year in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Gaza's Health Ministry says the Israeli offensive launched in response to the attack has killed at least 31,112 Palestinians. The ministry doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but it has said women and children make up two-thirds of the dead. Israel blames the civilian death toll on Hamas because the militants fight in dense, residential areas and position fighters, tunnels and rocket launchers near homes, schools and mosques. The military has said it has killed 13,000 Hamas fighters, without providing evidence. Buttigieg said Boeing must go through a serious transformation here in terms of their responsiveness, their culture and their quality issues | File image | Photo: Bloomberg With Boeing facing multiple government investigations, the company needs to make a serious transformation around its safety and manufacturing quality, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Monday. The comments came one day after Buttigieg said the aircraft builder is under enormous scrutiny by his department since a panel blew off a Boeing 737 Max jetliner in midflight. Over the weekend, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Department of Justice launched a criminal investigation into the Jan. 5 blowout on an Alaska Airlines jet. That followed the company's admission that it couldn't find records that the National Transportation Safety Board sought for work done on the panel at a Boeing factory. The Federal Aviation Administration, part of Buttigieg's department, is also investigating Boeing. Obviously we respect the independence of DOJ (the Department of Justice) and NTSB (the National Transportation Safety Board) doing their own work, Buttigieg told reporters Monday, "but we are not neutral on the question of whether Boeing should fully cooperate with any entity NTSB, us, or DOJ. They should, and we expect them to. Buttigieg said Boeing must go through a serious transformation here in terms of their responsiveness, their culture and their quality issues. Boeing gave a one-sentence response. ALSO READ: FAA audit finds issues in Boeing 737 MAX production after midair blowout We will continue to cooperate fully and transparently with all government investigations and audits, as we take comprehensive action to improve safety and quality at Boeing," the company said. Alaska Airlines said it is cooperating with the Justice Department investigation. In an event like this, it's normal for the DOJ to be conducting an investigation, the Seattle-based airline said in a statement. We are fully cooperating and do not believe we are a target of the investigation. The New York Times reported Tuesday that Boeing failed 33 of 89 FAA audits during an examination following the blowout on the Alaska Airlines jet. The wide-ranging, six-week audit found dozens of problems in various parts of the 737 Max, the newspaper reported, citing a slide presentation on the audits of aspects of the production process. The report said seven of 13 audits that focused on Spirit AeroSystems, which makes the body of the aircraft, also failed. One example cited was the use of liquid Dawn dish soap to lubricate a door seal during a fit-up process. The audits dealing with the door plug, the part that blew off the Alaska Airlines jet, found issues at both Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems. Last week, Boeing, which is based in Arlington, Virginia, came under withering criticism by NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy over the missing work records on the Alaska jet. She told a Senate committee that Boeing had repeatedly rebuffed her agency's attempts to get information ever since the blowout. Boeing disputed some of Homendy's claims; NTSB stood by her testimony. The FAA has barred Boeing from boosting production of Max jets and gave the company 90 days to come up with a plan to fix quality-control issues. The same year, he told the BBC that under-pressure workers had been deliberately fitting sub-standard parts to aircraft on the production line | Photo: Bloomberg By Peter Vercoe A former Boeing Co. worker who raised concerns about the planemakers production standards at its North Charleston 787 Dreamliner factory has been found dead, the BBC reported. John Barnett, who worked at Boeing for 32 years until his retirement in 2017, died March 9 from a self-inflicted wound, the BBC said. His death was confirmed by the Charleston County Coroner, the report said. In a statement to the BBC, Boeing said it was saddened to hear of Barnetts death. In the days before his death, Barnett had been giving evidence in a whistleblower lawsuit against Boeing, the BBC said. He had been due to undergo further questioning on Saturday, and when he didnt appear, inquiries were made at his hotel. He was subsequently found dead in his truck in the hotel car park, the report said. In 2019, Barnett was cited in a New York Times story saying that the North Charleston factory, one of two plants that makes the 787 Dreamliner, had faced problems with production and oversight that created a safety threat. Faulty parts had been installed in some of the planes, and metal shavings were often left inside the jets, the NYT reported. Barnett said he found clusters of metal slivers hanging over the wiring that commands flight controls, the report said. The same year, he told the BBC that under-pressure workers had been deliberately fitting sub-standard parts to aircraft on the production line. Boeings safety record is back in the spotlight after the Jan. 5 blowout of a door plug on a 737 Max 9 operated by Alaskan Airlines shortly after takeoff. No one was injured and the plane landed safely. Boeing has confirmed it cant locate any records of the work performed on the panel that failed and suggested company procedures werent followed, according to a letter sent to a US senator who leads the committee overseeing aviation issues. US regulators last month gave the company 90 days to devise a plan to fix what it called systemic quality-control issues, while the Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into the Alaska Air incident. ICRIER News Summary The Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP), is hosting the 1st Asia Pacific E-Commerce Policy Summit. Set to take place on March 14, 2024, at the India Habitat Centre in Delhi, the summit aims to facilitate open dialogue around a more conducive policy making approach to foster cross-border e-commerce and facilitate MSMEs linkages to global value chains. Cho Kuk's party vows to introduce investigation bill targeting PPP leader By Lee Hyo-jin Two opposition parties are intensifying their offensives ahead of the April 10 general elections, threatening to launch separate special counsel probe bills targeting the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. Cho Kuk, leader of the Korea Innovation Party, confronted the PPP interim leader Han Dong-hoon, Tuesday, pledging to introduce a special probe bill against Han as the No. 1 aim of his party in the upcoming National Assembly. "In our first action in the 22nd Assembly, the Korea Innovation Party will propose a Han Dong-hoon special counsel probe bill in order to put an early end to prosecutorial tyranny and achieve justice," Cho said during a press conference at the Assembly in Seoul. He stressed that the action is a response to the public's demand for a fair investigation into Han. Cho stated that the PPP leader, due to his prosecutorial background, has so far evaded scrutiny into his numerous crime allegations. Cho said that the special probe bill will specifically target allegations related to Han's daughter, such as plagiarized academic papers and inflated credentials. Last year, Han faced speculation regarding his daughter's academic misconduct and the exaggeration of awards that she has received, which were used to gain admission into the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The bill will also look into allegations that Han conspired with a right-wing reporter to force the businessman into providing false information about a liberal political commentator in 2020, during Han's tenure as a senior prosecutor. "The law must be fair to everyone, with no exception. In particular, being a prosecutor-turned-president or the leader of the ruling party with a prosecutorial background should not grant any special privileges," Cho said, in an apparent message targeting both President Yoon and Han. Cho's announcement comes as his party has been enjoying popularity among liberal voters who resonate with its commitment to "challenge the Yoon administration's 'prosecutor dictatorship.'" Recent polls indicate that the party has the highest approval rating among satellite parties, heightening expectations that his party may secure up to 10 proportional representation seats. Meanwhile, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) submitted a special probe bill against Lee Jong-sup, the newly appointed ambassador to Australia, also on Tuesday, aimed at revealing the entire process of Lee's recent appointment and his suspicious departure overseas. "The investigation will primarily focus on the presidential office, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which are believed to have been deeply involved in the former defense minister's suspicious overseas departure to avoid legal scrutiny," said Rep. Park Joo-min, the party's deputy floor leader. The opposition lawmakers believe that the presidential office has exerted influence in the appointment of Lee, a former defense minister, to the envoy role, in order to help him avoid ongoing investigations by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) regarding the death of a young Marine. "Our goal is to pass this bill, and since there is a period when the National Assembly continues to operate even after the general elections, we will make our utmost effort (to pass the bill) during that time," Park said. On the same day, DPK floor leader Rep. Hong Ihk-pyo said that the party was reviewing the impeachment of Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Justice Minister Park Sung-jae. "We have decided to proceed with filing a complaint and subsequently conduct a legal review on the possibility of impeachment," Hong said. "We will not let go of this issue without proper scrutiny. These are not empty words." China's top legislature concludes annual session Xinhua) 08:03, March 12, 2024 Chinese leaders Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng attend the closing meeting of the second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) BEIJING, March 11 (Xinhua) -- The 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, concluded its second session Monday. Chinese leaders Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng attended the closing meeting of the session at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Zhao Leji, executive chairperson of the session's presidium, presided over the meeting attended by 2,900 NPC deputies. Lawmakers adopted a revised Organic Law of the State Council. President Xi Jinping signed a presidential order to promulgate the law. Lawmakers approved the government work report and the work reports of the NPC Standing Committee, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate. They approved a report on the implementation of the 2023 plan for national economic and social development and on the draft plan for 2024, as well as the 2024 plan. They also approved a report on the execution of the central and local budgets for 2023 and on the draft central and local budgets for 2024, and approved the central budget for 2024. Addressing the meeting, Zhao Leji said that the annual session has successfully completed its agenda. The outcomes of the session have demonstrated the great strengths of China's whole-process people's democracy and the country's foundational political system, he said. Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Zhao urged lawmakers to act in line with the people-centered philosophy of development, develop whole-process people's democracy, and contribute to Chinese modernization. Zhao, also chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over a presidium meeting and an executive chairpersons meeting on Monday before the closing meeting. The closing meeting of the second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over the closing meeting of the second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 11, 2024. Zhao delivered a speech at the meeting on Monday. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) Zhao Leji, executive chairman of the presidium of the second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), presides over the fourth meeting of the presidium at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) Zhao Leji, executive chairman of the presidium of the second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) and chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presides over the third meeting of executive chairpersons of the presidium at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Interview: China's green growth leads global green transition, says Ethiopian expert Xinhua) 13:24, March 12, 2024 ADDIS ABABA, March 12 (Xinhua) -- China's keen commitment to and successes in green development serve as an instructive model in promoting global green transition, said an Ethiopian expert. China's green energy targets are driving the global energy transition momentum, eventually mitigating the adverse effects of climate change, Costantinos Bt. Costantinos, a professor of public policy at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, told Xinhua in a recent interview. Noting the urgent need to exert concerted efforts toward the development of clean energy alternatives on a global scale, the expert commended China's leading role and its extensive efforts to fast-track its transition to clean energy. "Definitely, there is going to be a transition, and the one country that is ready to push this development and retiring fossil fuels and coming into alternative green forms of energy is China. I see the blueprint in the Chinese economic development and the efforts that are being undertaken," said Costantinos. The United Nations recommended countries accelerate the transition to an affordable, reliable and sustainable energy system by investing in renewable energy resources, prioritizing energy-efficient practices, and adopting clean energy technologies and infrastructure. "The drive that I see (in China's push for clean energy development) is what an intelligent state would do in terms of a very deliberate way of transitioning from fossil fuels to green energy. This will go a long way in meeting the targets that the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has put in place," he said. Chinese enterprises and startups are currently making great steps in delivering clean energy technologies to the world, such as new energy vehicles and affordable solar panels, said the expert. "China's leadership in electric vehicles will have a lot of contribution to green development," he said. Costantinos also underscored China's ever-growing and leading role as a positive impetus in realizing the global quest for a low-carbon, resilient and sustainable future. "More importantly, China, with a population of 1.4 billion, is creating a huge market for renewable energies globally, which means that now solar panels become cheaper as they are being produced in masses, and electric vehicles have become a new vision, especially in countries like Ethiopia where we have abundant electricity potential," he said. The expert called on the international community, particularly countries in the Global South, to emulate China's constructive experience in energy transition in particular and its sustainable development endeavors in general. "All these (China's successes) are going to change the world economy in a big way, and I am sure the Global South will be beneficiaries in this," he said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) By Choe Chong-dae My old residence in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, is affectionately referred to as "Silla University," thanks to my father's pioneering work in the field of Korean archeology. From the early 1960s until in 1980, numerous foreign individuals, including scholars, students, researchers, diplomats and American Peace Corps members, made pilgrimages to my old home in Gyeongju. There, they immersed themselves in Korean customs, culture and history, forging enduring bonds with the heritage of this remarkable place. In particular, Peter Rule, chief of the New Zealand's military liaison officer to the United Nations Command, a squadron leader, visited there in the summer of 1968, during my high school days. Although my old home was inconvenient for Westerners to stay at the time, he stayed there with my family for 10 days and explored numerous ancient Silla cultural sites. He was widely accepted as a diplomatic representative, carrying out a variety of functions that would later play a pivotal role in establishing the New Zealand Embassy in Seoul in 1971. He recommended Hunter Wade, New Zealand ambassador to Japan, who concurrently served as ambassador to Korea from 1969 to 1972, to visit my home in Gyeongju to meet my father in 1969. Although my English was very limited then, Rule and Wade alluded to "Pokarekare Ana," a Maori love song, fostering cultural exchanges that transcended linguistic barriers. The ambassador graciously presented my family with Maori-themed wooden artwork as a token of good friendship. Pokarekare Ana," meaning "Rippling Waters," tells the tale of a woman journeying across waters to reunite with her beloved. This romantic melody evolved into a Korean version called "Yeon-ga," cherished among older adults, including my generation, who reminisced about their youths in the 1970s and 1980s. Its popularity also reached schoolgirls, who frequently sang its tunes and lyrics. Even today, "Yeon-ga" remains a favorite for social gatherings among older Koreans. Both "Pokarekare Ana" and "Yeon-ga" still hold significant places in the cultural heritage of New Zealand and Korea, respectively. The melodic resemblance between the two has captivated Koreans for over half a century, with "Yeon-ga" becoming a cherished part of the Korean musical tradition. Originally introduced to Korea by New Zealand veterans during the Korean War (195053), the song reflects the essence of "Pokarekare Ana," originating from New Zealand's Maori people. The Maori people are the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand, known for their rich culture and traditions, and this exchange underscores the power of music to transcend borders. This cultural exchange highlights how music can bridge diverse communities. During the Korean War, New Zealand deployed around 6,000 troops to Korea under the United Nations Command. Despite its enduring popularity, many Koreans are unaware of its origins in New Zealand and its reflection of Maori influences. The adaptation of "Pokarekare Ana" into "Yeon-ga" highlights how music serves as a universal language, in this case, fostering cultural exchange between Korea and New Zealand. New Zealand's Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro, who is of Maori descent, paid a courtesy call to President Yoon Seok Yeol at the end of July 2023. During the meeting with Yoon, Kiro mentioned that she observed Yoon singing "American Pie" at the White House dinner hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden in April 2023. She explained that the Korean song "Arirang" is akin to a traditional folk song of the Maori people. She then performed "Pokarekare Ana" with her delegation in the Maori language, drawing a relation between the Korean song "Arirang" and traditional Maori folk songs. This exchange highlights cultural connections and diplomatic gestures between Korea and New Zealand. From historical ties during the Korean War to contemporary diplomatic engagements, these songs represent shared heritage and mutual understanding. I hope they continue to resonate beyond borders, forging connections that transcend linguistic and geographical boundaries. Choe Chong-dae (choecd@naver.com) is a guest columnist of The Korea Times. He is president of Dae-kwang International Co., and director of the Korean-Swedish Association. Hayao Miyazaki came out on top tonight in a highly competitive Oscar race for best animated feature. Miyazakis The Boy and the Heron was one of the two frontrunners in the category, alongside Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, yet it was hardly a foregone conclusion that the Japanese filmmakers introspective and philosophical story would come out on top. Besides the fact that the film is an unlikely fit for this oft-disrespected category, Miyazaki himself made no zero effort to participate in the awards campaigning, which typically hurts a films chances. But tonight proved to be a rare moment when the Academy didnt base the animation award on any external factors like the personality of the filmmaker, the buzz surrounding the project or the celebrities attached to it this was a year that truly honored the quality of the filmmaking itself. And thats as it should be a richly deserved honor for a living master of our art form. Some key notes on the award: * The Boy and the Heron marks only the second time in the history of this category that a hand-drawn 2d film has won the honor. The first time was 21 years ago, when Miyazaki won for Spirited Away. * It marks only the second time in the history of this category that a fully-foreign production has won the Oscar. The first time was, again, 21 years ago, when Spirited Away won. * At age 83, Miyazaki is the the oldest person to win the animated feature Oscar. The previous oldest person was also Miyazaki, who was 62 years old when he won for Spirited Away. * The Boy and the Heron is the first PG-13-rated film to win the animated feature Oscar. All previous winners were rated either G or PG. * This is lucky number 13 for U.S. distributor GKIDS. The company has been nominated an amazing 13 times in the feature animation category, but had not won the prize until tonight. Neither Miyazaki nor producer Toshio Suzuki attended the ceremony to accept the award. Miyazaki didnt attend the Oscars for his first win either. He later told the LA Times that the reason he didnt attend in 2003 was over opposition to Americas attack on Iraq: The reason I wasnt here for the Academy Award was because I didnt want to visit a country that was bombing Iraq. At the time, my producer shut me up and did not allow me to say that, but I dont see him around today. By the way, my producer also shared in that feeling. Miyazaki has not made a public statement about whether he didnt attend this years ceremony for any particular reason. However, the following message from producer Toshio Suzuki was offered to the press: As producer of The Boy and the Heron, I am extremely honored to receive the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Academy. I would also like to give my thanks to those who were involved in the production of this film, and to all those who worked to distribute the film worldwide. This film began with director Hayao Miyazaki retracting his retirement statement. Following that, we spent seven years in the production of this work. It has been ten years since Hayao Miyazakis previous film, The Wind Rises, during which time there have been dramatic changes in the environment surrounding films. This film was truly difficult to bring to completion. I am very appreciative that the work that was created after overcoming these difficulties has been seen by so many people around the world, and that it has received this recognition. Both Hayao Miyazaki and I have aged a considerable amount. I am grateful to receive such an honor at my age, and taking this as a message to continue our work, I will devote myself to work harder in the future. In the animated short category, Dave Mullinss War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko took the top prize. No major studios produced any of this years nomineees, but War is Over! offered big-studio production values as well as celebrity backing from Sean Ono Lennon and Yoko Ono. Mullins himself was previously nominated for the Pixar short Lou. War is Over! is the first production from Electroleague, the studio that he co-founded with Brad Booker, who produced the film. The cg production on the film was handled by Weta FX in New Zealand. Capping off the animation categories, Godzilla Minus One pulled off an underdog win in the visual effects category. The award was shared by Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi, and Tatsuji Nojima. One of those people Yamazaki is also the director of the film, making him the first filmmaker to win the vfx honor since Stanley Kubrick did so in 1969 for 2001: A Space Odyssey. The low-budget Japanese film, whose vfx were made by a small group of around three dozen people, bested tentpoles with hundreds of vfx workers, including Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One. Cementir announces 2% drop in revenue in 2023 ICR Newsroom By 12 March 2024 Cementir has announced that its 2023 group revenues from sales and services have dropped 1.7 per cent to EUR1694.2m (US$1852.02m) after a record year of EUR1723.1m in 2022. The slight fall in revenues has been attributed to a reduction in volumes sold and weak local currencies, against a moderate increase in prices. Cementir added, in their press release that, had exchange rates remained constant from 2022, revenues would have increased 10.5 per cent to EUR1901.5m. This drop in revenues is, in part, due to the reduction in sales volumes across all of Cementirs products. Sales of grey, white cement and clinker (the companys flagship products) fell to 10.674Mt, down 1.6 per cent from 2022. The company has attributed this decline to market slowdowns in Denmark, Belgium, the USA, Egypt and Malaysia. Sales of aggregates and ready-mixed concrete fell 10.1 and 11.1 per cent, respectively. Their drop in sales volume was offset slightly due to the fact that revenues in Turkey rose 142.3 per cent from EUR30.88m to EUR74.834m. Despite the significant reduction in total sales volumes, Cementirs 2023 EBITDA reached EUR411.1m, up by 22.6 per cent from EUR335.2m in 2022, marking two consecutive years of record-level EBITDA for the company. Profit before taxes for 2023 was EUR290.7m, a 23 per cent increase on EUR236.4m in 2022. The group made investments of approximately EUR147.9m, showing a substantial increase of 20.6 per cent from EUR122.6m in the previous year. At EUR1315.8m, operating costs fell 7.8 per cent compared to 2022 (EUR1427.7m). Raw materials costs amounted to EUR728.9m, which is a 10.8 per cent decrease on the EUR817.2m in 2022. This decrease is likely caused by lower production and the local currency dynamics previously mentioned. Cementirs net financial debt amounted to -EUR217.6m, down from -EUR95.5m in 2022. This negative financial debt mean that the companys net cash position increased by 127.9 per cent in 2023. Geographical breakdown The groups EBITDA in Denmark has increased, by 19.3 per cent, from EUR141.1m in 2022 to EUR168.3 in 2023. This return to pre-COVID average levels of profitability is due to lower energy usage, lower CO 2 usage and capital gain on the sale of land (in the amount of EUR6.8m). In Norway and Sweden, the groups EBITDA fell by 57.5 per cent, from EUR20.8m in 2022 to EUR8.8m in 2023. This is due to higher variable costs in the region, lower sales volume and the devaluation of local currencies. However, these factors were slightly offset by higher sales prices and lower fixed costs. Cementirs EBITDA in Belgium increased by 27.5 per cent, from EUR76.5m in 2022 to EUR97.6m the following year. This increase is due to a sales revenue increase of 7.6 per cent as well as careful management of operating costs, selling prices and CO 2 consumption throughout the period. In the North American region, the companys EBITDA fell 9.2 per cent from EUR28.9m to EUR26.3m, in the period 2022-23. This was because of a 6.9 per cent reduction in sales revenue which only reached EUR182.8m in 2023, compared to the EUR196.4m of the previous year. This was also affected by higher variable costs for cement purchases and distribution costs. In Turkey Cementirs EBITDA rose by 142.3 per cent, from EUR30.8m to EUR74.8m. This was as a consequence of a 21 per cent increase in revenues in the country, with ready-mix concrete and aggregate sales rising seven per cent and 11 per cent, respectively. The growth in Turkey was partly attributed to an increase in demand for cement, in response to resources being allocated for post-earthquake construction. The groups EBITDA in Egypt has risen by 6.3 per cent, from EUR11.8m in 2022 to EUR12.5m the following year. This increase was achieved despite the significant devaluation of the Egyptian pound, thanks to carefully managed production costs and selling prices. EBITDA rose 8.4 per cent in China, from EUR17.1m in 2022 to EUR18.5m in 2023. This came as a result of higher sales volume and saving on energy and raw materials costs. This increase was achieved notwithstanding the yuan being depreciated by 8.2 per cent against the euro in 2022. Sales revenue in Malaysia decreased by seven per cent, from EUR58.3m in 2022 to EUR54.2m in 2023. However, the companys EBITDA increased by 49.6 per cent from EUR5.6m in 2022 to EUR8.3m the next year. This drastic increase in profitability was due to careful management of distribution costs. Cementirs economic outlook Cementirs economic outlook is one of uncertainty, with geopolitical tensions and economic downturns being faced by many of its major trading economies. The group forecasts that it will achieve consolidated revenues of roughly EUR1.8bn in 2024. It further expects to achieve an EBITDA of approximately EUR385m, which would mean a YoY decrease of 6.3 per cent on 2023. Cementir also expects to have a net cash position of EUR300m by the end of 2024, which would be a 37.9 per cent increase on the previous year. Therefore, despite the expected reduction in consolidated revenues for 2024, the company does not foresee the need to pursue external financing. This is due to the cash generation and net cash position that is expected by the end of the year. Published under By Min Seong-jae A while ago, I visited a doctor for some discomfort. The nurse told me there was a long wait because I walked in without an appointment. I asked how long, and she said, 30 minutes, to which I rejoiced quietly. The treatment and care I received that day was excellent. And I paid only a modest amount fee even though I was not covered by Koreas national health insurance system. In many other countries, you can go see a doctor mostly on an appointment basis only, and still the wait time is unbearably long. Securing an appointment in the first place is a circus job. Once you go, the quality of care varies a lot from doctor to doctor and hospital to hospital. Most of all, the medical and insurance fees are outrageously high, especially in the United States. The Korean health care system is a pleasant mystery. Getting care is easy and quick. Clinics and hospitals are equipped with the latest medical technologies. The quality of service is superb overall and exceptional, especially in the areas of dentistry and plastic surgery. And the cost patients bear is low because of the tightly managed national health insurance system. I know some Koreans complain about the countrys health services, but they havent experienced the slow, inefficient and greed-stricken health care systems in other parts of the world. Now, I am worried about the brewing troubles in Koreas health care system. The country is in commotion due to the doctors strikes, protests and resignations against the governments measure to raise the enrollment quota at medical schools. The Korean government has been trying to raise the quota to address the growing shortage of doctors in rural areas and to prepare for the rapidly aging population. The doctors and their interest groups, however, are vehemently opposed to the measure, saying that an increase in the number of doctors would lead to greater competition and excess treatments in the medical market. They also say that an increased number of medical students will only choose to study popular specialties like cosmetic surgery and dermatology, making ineffective the governments plan to improve medical services in essential fields like emergency medicine. I am no expert in health care policy, and I speak mostly from the perspective of a consumer and patient who has experienced medical services in several other countries. I think Koreas excellent and consumer-friendly health care system mostly comes from skilled and hard-working doctors and the countrys national health insurance that strictly controls medical prices. I think many doctors in Korea deserve raises, and this is the issue that I suspect lies at the heart of the current protest. But it is also true that Korea is increasingly suffering from a shortage of doctors. The quick and easy care Koreans receive mostly applies to those who live in the Seoul metropolitan area. In smaller cities and rural areas, it is not easy to find qualified doctors. Furthermore, doctors in vital specialty areas like emergency medicine are too few compared to other medical specialties, and the short waiting time does not apply to emergency rooms. In fact, horror stories abound in which critical condition patients had to travel from one emergency room to another because of a shortage of doctors. And the Korean population is growing older, potentially requiring a lot more doctors and medical professionals in the near future. Increasing the number of doctors would help ease the current and rising problems in the system, particularly if they are directed to essential services across the nation. The doctors protest is already causing a crack in the system, delaying surgeries for urgent patients. The government upped the ante issuing a legal ultimatum against the doctors. Doctors responded with an even stronger protest. In this struggle, who suffers the most are the citizens and patients. The fight cannot come at the expense of patients and their lives. I hope the government and the doctors come to a settlement soon through constructive dialogue. Min Seong-jae (smin@pace.edu) is a professor of communication and media studies at Pace University in New York City. He is a 202324 Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Korea. By Peter K. Lee When the Yoon administration hosts the third Summit for Democracy in Seoul later this March, it will be a timely reminder to the world of the contrast between South Koreas vibrant democracy and North Koreas totalitarian hereditary dictatorship. Democracy is under threat everywhere, especially in this year of elections, when half of the worlds population will go to the ballot box. Freedom House, an American non-profit organization, reports that global freedom has declined for the 18th consecutive year. In recent years we have seen the hitherto tacit and opportunistic coordination between non-democratic regimes like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran become increasingly brazen and systematic. These regimes are helping each other to destabilize their neighbors through disinformation campaigns, political interference, arms transfers, and diplomatic cover. Democracies are also being undermined from within. A recent joint statement by a network of democratic thought leaders known as the Sunnylands Initiative that I attended stated, the assault on democratic values around the globe continues unabated, exacerbated by economic instability and injustice that undermine democratic resilience and erode the social fabric of democracy. The Biden administration first announced the Summit for Democracy in December 2021 to foster cooperation among the worlds democracies. By volunteering to host the third Summit in Seoul, the Yoon administration is signaling that South Korea is prepared to include democracy promotion and democratic solidarity in its foreign policy. This is a departure from previous South Korean administrations, both progressive and conservative, who avoided a values-based foreign policy. There were notable exceptions, of course, such as former President Kim Dae-jungs decision to send a battalion of soldiers to help Timor Lestes democratic transition despite Seouls close ties with Jakarta. But South Korean leaders, if not the public, have mostly stayed silent when it came to the suppression of democracy and violation of human rights in other countries if it might antagonize powerful authoritarian regimes or trade with non-democratic partners. South Korean strategic thought is generally assumed to prioritize geopolitical realism over ideological idealism. Economic and military power are considered more vital than normative influence or regime type. The Yoon administration foreshadowed that it would break from this timid tradition of strategic ambiguity prior to its election. At the 2022 Summit for Democracy, it pledged to spend $100 million by the end of its term on democracy promotion, with a particular focus on leveraging South Koreas advanced technologies. The Summit also serves another purpose, which is to strengthen South Koreas alliance with the United States on the basis of shared democratic values, as opposed to just common strategic aims. The Yoon administration has adopted strategic clarity as part of its efforts to strengthen the ROK-US alliance. It is supporting Ukraine with humanitarian and non-lethal military aid, released an Indo-Pacific strategy, criticized North Koreas human rights violations, and repaired trilateral cooperation with Japan and the United States. It has also signed up to new U.S.-led partnerships on regional trade, semiconductors, minerals, Pacific Islands cooperation, and more without fear of Chinese intimidation. Democratic solidarity is the latest addition to this portfolio of alliance cooperation. And so, the Summit for Democracy is both a reflection of South Koreas commitment to democracy promotion and its commitment to the ROK-U.S. alliance. But this strategy ultimately depends on the United States also remaining committed to a democracy agenda that privileges shared values over material self-interest. Despite rhetoric to the contrary, periods of intense security competition tend to invite strategic opportunism by even the most principled of states. The Summit for Democracy is a flagship initiative of President Biden. If Biden is re-elected, the Yoon administrations efforts will pay strong dividends. But if former President Trump is re-elected, it is unlikely that the Summit for Democracy will continue. Trump has made clear his respect for authoritarian leaders as more capable and effective than what he considers feeble, free-riding democratic governments. In that case, the Yoon administration may find itself exposed while the United States shifts back to a great power balancing strategy that has little regard for democratic values. This raises the question of whether South Korea should continue to pursue a values-based foreign policy, even in the event that the United States shirks its responsibilities. It should. South Korea and other U.S. allies must carry the torch of democratic solidarity, especially if the United States falters come November. That should be the message of the Summit for Democracy in Seoul. Dr. Peter K. Lee is a research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies and a non-resident fellow at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. He is on X @pklee27. This service is a courtesy for our print subscribers to give them access to our online edition at no additional cost - if you haven't registered on the new site, you must do it now before you do anything else. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. K9 Krino assisted his human partners locate narcotics in a vehicle during a traffic stop in the 5900 block of Reagan Lane. The driver was charged with driving on a revoked license, being in possession of schedule VI and II narcotics, as well as unlawful drug paraphernalia. Police and the fire department responded to the 5900 block of Elementary Way for a commercial fire alarm. The alarm was determined to be accidental due to construction. Police removed several large items from the roadway way which were obstructing the flow of traffic in the 5700 block of Main Street. An individual came to the police department to report that an over the phone scammer had convinced them to give up their debit card number. Afterwards it was discovered that they were missing $1700 from their account. Police responded to a noise complaint in the Robinson Farm neighborhood after a resident complained that a neighbor had been revving their engine and playing loud music. Chief Sapp responded to the 4700 block of Wellesley Drive after a caller reported that a vehicle had been parked there for two months. The vehicle was parked in the wrong direction with a flat tire. Contact was attempted with the owner but with no success. A 72-hour abandoned tow notice was placed on the vehicle. Collegedale police assisted sheriffs deputies who were making a traffic stop in the 9000 block of Lee Highway of a vehicle suspected of being involved in an alleged kidnapping. No kidnapping victim was found. A Collegedale fugitive was transported from the Bradley County Jail to the Collegedale Police Department where they were booked and released on bond. A traffic stop on the 10100 block of Lee Highway resulted in the driver being charged with driving on a revoked license. A vandalism report was taken after it was reported that three lights had been busted underneath the bridge in the 9300 block of Apison Pike, near the Imagination Station playground. A resident in the 5000 block of Chestnutt Creek Road reported a suspicious vehicle they had never seen before at a neighbors home. Everything checked out ok. Officers responded to a verbal disorder between two juveniles at the Little Debbie Park. A traffic stop in the 5000 block of Ooltewah Ringgold Road led to the driver being charged with driving on a suspended license and a passenger charged with possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia. Officers responded to a domestic disorder in the 5300 block of High Street. Southeast real estate development group Urban Story Ventures plans to break ground this month on a state-of-the-art Class A industrial building. The $28 million Riverport development is an expansion situated on 19 acres within the Centre South Riverport Industrial Park located in the bustling industrial corridor along Amnicola Highway and the Tennessee River.Officials said, "With a 3 percent industrial vacancy rate as of Q4 2023, Chattanooga's market for industrial employers is strong yet struggling to meet the demands of more businesses eyeing the Scenic City for their expansions and relocations."Jimmy White, co-owner and developer of the Riverport property, says the new build is a solution to Chattanoogas immediate need for more Class A industrial space.A decade ago, we made our first investments in the industrial market at a time when just about everyone else, including most financial institutions, turned away.Several years and over a million and a half square feet later, were making another significant investment to attract one of Chattanoogas next big employers, said Mr. White.Urban Story Ventures has recruited several industrial tenants to the market, such as Novonix, Lincoln Electric, HEF USA and Micronics at the Bend and Fortis Products, LLC, at Riverport, where the company is developing the 19 acres that stretch from the back of Fortis existing facility to the river.We purchased the Riverport site back in 2020 when Mahindra, who was manufacturing tractors, exited the market, said Mr. White. We leased a portion of the site to Fortis, which was looking to expand their modular wall system business.Officials said, "Fortis has over 60 employees today and brought in $9.6 million in sales last year. With their exponential growth in recent years and need to expand their footprint, Urban Story Ventures sold the space they previously leased, as well as the adjacent developed grounds, to Fortis owners at the end of 2023. The new Class A building construction will start where Fortis pavement ends."Design highlights for the new industrial/flex facility include at least 185,000 square feet of light to heavy industrial or logistics space, potential for 40,000 square feet of mezzanine space, several loading docks, ample parking and gated entry. Lead partners include general contractor Grace Construction and architect Method Architecture.The site sits within a major Southeast industrial corridor running along Amnicola Highway in Chattanooga. The new Riverport building is a part of the Centre South Riverport Industrial Park near the Southeastern Champion Tray $60 million expansion.Hamilton County continues to be a prime destination for dynamic employers to establish roots, said Hamilton County Deputy Mayor of Economic and Community Development Cory Gearrin. The Riverport development is in the heart of our communitys industrial corridor, and I commend Jimmy White and Urban Story Ventures for leveraging our countys strengths and investing in this property to become home to Hamilton Countys next great employer.Officials said, "Urban Story Ventures is open to leasing the space to one or multiple tenants and is focused on prospects looking to expand their business or relocate from another market. With the Riverport expansion and recent acquisition of Arcade Beautys former Amnicola Highway property added to the existing portfolio, Urban Story Ventures continues to grow their footprint in Chattanooga, where they own or have developed several million square feet in the marketplace."The groundbreaking ceremony is set to take place on Thursday, March 21 at 2 p.m. Contact https://urbanstoryventures. com/rsvp/ for event details. Guests visiting McLemore on on Lookout Mountain on St. Patricks Day wont need the luck of the Irish to enjoy a great meal at The Creag, but they will need a reservation. With the addition of Cloudland Hotel at McLemore Resort, more guests are coming to the regions newest destination. There are several restaurant options at the recently opened hotel nearby to The Creag. McLemore is inviting guests to join them at The Creag located inside the McLemore Clubhouse for St. Patricks Day beginning with lunch service from 11- 5 p.m. to enjoy a meal from the restaurants winter menu. Chef Patrick Asconi has offerings ranging from The Creags signature aged cheddar and jalapeno hushpuppies with Russian dressing and sweet jalapeno syrup to their blackened red fish sandwich, Cuban sandwich and many more offerings that are making the restaurant popular with members and guests alike. Dinner service includes choices of roasted scallops, smoked lions mane mushroom, flat iron pork and a guest favorite, steak frites. In addition, Chef will have special menu items available for St. Patricks Day dining. We encourage guests of The Creag to take some time to explore Cloudland, said Mike Burton, Cloudland General Manager. McLemore is providing experiences for everyone to enjoy and we hope guests will take advantage of our winter menu while it lasts. Reservations are available thru Open Table. By Baek Byung-yeul POSCO International signed contracts worth around 1.16 trillion won ($885 million) to supply rare earth permanent magnets to carmakers in North America and Europe, the trading and energy arm of POSCO Group said, Tuesday. The company also emphasized the permanent magnets will be manufactured using raw materials sourced from the United States, Australia and Vietnam, not China, highlighting its efforts to establish an independent supply chain breaking away from Chinas monopoly in the rare earths market. POSCO International said its U.S. subsidiary recently secured a contract to supply about 900 billion won worth of permanent magnets to a global carmaker in North America, with deliveries scheduled from 2026 to 2031. The company added that the supplied permanent magnets are expected to be installed in the drive motors of the company's new medium-sized to large electric vehicles (EVs). Furthermore, the company's German subsidiary signed a contract to supply about 260 billion won worth of permanent magnets to a premium European automotive brand from 2025 to 2034. The production of the permanent magnets will be handled by Star Group, the only Korean manufacturer of rare earth permanent magnets. "This order is particularly meaningful as it represents the entry of domestic companies into the global market through collaboration, in a market essentially monopolized by China," a company spokesperson said. "The company is currently in discussions for additional orders with several carmakers and motor manufacturers, and we are expecting good news for future business expansion." One Democrat and five Republicans are now contending for Catoosa County, Ga., Commission chairman after a judge ordered several candidates to be on the ballot. Current Commission Chairman Larry Black, Commissioners Jeff Long and Vanita Hullander and former Commission Chairman Steven Henry had filed suit after the Catoosa County Republican Party had intended to omit them. The order was from Superior Court Judge Don W. Thompson. The race for Catoosa County Commission chairman now includes Republicans Black and Henry, Mickey E. Headrick, Kay Helton Provonsha and Nick Ware, along with Democrat Greg Bentley. Gary Sisk is unopposed for a new term as sheriff. Also unopposed are Tracy Hullender Brown for Superior Court clerk, Gary Wayne Autry for tax commissioner, James T. "Jimmy" Spurling for coroner, John David "Johnny" Gass for Chief Magistrate judge and Jeffrey D. Hullender for Probate judge. Dennis M. Forster is running against Commissioner Long in District 1. Commissioner Vanita Hullander is opposed by James Elwood Gray Jr. and Richard Tharpe for Commission District 3. Alex Brady is running as a Democrat. Mr. Brady said, "I am excited and honored to be running to represent District 3 on the Catoosa County Board of Commissioners. I was raised in northwest Georgia and have recently returned to settle with my young family in Catoosa County. Our county has faced and will continue to face challenges as we continue to grow and establish a new identity. An identity that is shaped by a long rural tradition, a suburban retreat for workers of Chattanooga, but one that is now ready to take on its own unique form. I desire for that new identity to be one that enhances the lives of all residents, not just some, and one that has a government by the people that works for the people. For too long, voters casting their ballots have had one choice in November for local elections. Im running to allow voters to have a choice. While I am running on the Democratic party ticket, I invite all - Democrats, Republicans, and independents - to join me in ushering in a new era of local politics." County Commission Chairman candidate Provonsha said, "I have a business background and one of great ethics. I would make sure of strict compliance which Is only a good business practice if it is government or not. The honesty and welfare of Catoosa County residents would be my priority. I would not have a personal interested for personal gain in any way or in any vote. I believe commissioners should not be able to vote on any issue that could reflect personal gain. I would give alloyed time to anyone in the county to speak to us, their council and show respect to all and address their concerns. I would never ask for removal of anyone from a presentation to the council unless our lives were endangered. I own no business. I would experience no personal gain. I do not need health insurance paid for by the county or any other benefits. I would bring years of business experience and board experience to the table." School Board candidates are: Matthew Damon Hairston Board of Education at Large Matthew Cowart Board of Education at Large Suzan Gibson Board of Education at Large Gloria Hunt Board of Education District 1 Denia Darlene Reese Board of Education District 3 Megan Schrader Board of Education District 3 The Chattanooga Engineers Club will celebrate its 100th anniversary March 25. Session 1 will be available from 4-6 p.m. at the Tennessee Challenger Center (UTC campus) where participants can tour, eat and talk with one of the original Mission Engineers, Mike Holman. Reservations are required (tickets at $20 plus online fee include food and parking). Bring a middle school or high school student for free to expose them to the field of Engineering. Session 2 follows at 6:30 p.m. in the UTC Engineering building right across the street (no charge or reservations needed). A recalling of the first 100 years will lead into a prediction of the next 100 by Jacinda Woodward (TVA vice president of Power Operations). Then they will look ahead to some special efforts planned to energize the CEC in its next century. Organizers of the acclaimed Chattanooga Film Festival take their Spinal Tap references seriously and have fired off an opening salvo of films that, much like the fictional metal titan's amps, goes to 11. There's a method to the festival's madness. There are 11 films, one for each of the festival's years. This eclectic mix, when Voltron-ed together and seasoned liberally with the events (virtual and in-person) the festival is known for, comprises the festival's first full wave of 2024 programming. Review for the festival and the films: Hot on the heels of announcing a massive salute to The Twilight Zone and its creator, Rod Serling, in honor of Rod's 100th birthday and a 60th-anniversary screening of Russ Meyer's mother of all cult classics Faster, Pussycat! Kill Kill! The CFF's first wave of features is led by a World Premiere filled with the kind of VHS-worship practically guaranteed to worm its way into the hearts of the festivals loyal fans. In filmmaker Michael Turney's RetroTech Romance Video Vision, a woman unlocks a dark dimension through an old VCR, combining romance, horror, and analog technology in unique and spellbinding ways. Video Vision in both vibes and execution perfectly embodies the genre-blending spirit of the Chattanooga Film Festival and serves as its opening night film selection for the year. Because of the festival's ongoing commitment to accessibility for its 2024 edition, the CFF team endeavored to find filmmakers and partners who understand the importance of this issue, and audience members will have the option of tuning into this world premiere on-site and virtually (US residents only). This theme of accessibility extends to the festival's other programming. The CFF team has also ensured that an equal number of exclusive films and events are available to their attendees whether they are joining in on the fun in person at the festival's elegant haunted hotel home, The Read House, or attending virtually. The festival's first wave also includes the return of several fan favorites, the first of which is critically acclaimed author Clay McCleod Chapman, whose yearly appearance and wild live storytelling and readings known as The Pumpkin Pie Show are an unmissable and sacred CFF tradition and an annual highlight. This year's event will feature readings from Chapman's novel What Kind of Mother and other tales Next up is a multi-time alumnus and multi-talented filmmaker/author beloved to the festival's fans, Izzy Lee, who will be on hand signing copies of her new novella I Can See Your Lies. Continuing its tradition of partnering with forward-thinking companies that are curating and releasing some of the world's best genre cinema, CFF is honored to once again work with Art Brut Films, which will be presenting a special screening of a unique take on the slasher genre: filmmaker Nick Verdi's Sweet Relief, a film that feels more than a little infused with the hangout DNA of early Richard Linklater films while still delivering a story that will resonate with genre fans. Presenting another buzzed-about special screening for attendees is Dread. Dread will bring the thrills of another longtime fan-approved CFF alum filmmaker, Jill Gevargizian's (The Stylist) latest feature, Ghost Game, to the festival. The film also boasts a screenplay by previously announced guest author/screenwriter Adam Cesare. Because CFF tends to lean into the eerie grandeur of its haunted home at The Read House Hotel with events uniquely suited to the vibes, the festival has also announced Poe Things: An edgar Allan Show, an event that will explore the death and life of Poe, contain a secret screening of one of the greatest film adaptations of Poe's work, a live Poe-formance and even another opportunity for guests to get a book they'll surely love signed by the author, Poe biographer Mark Dawidziak and his essential A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe. The book was recently chosen by Barnes & Noble as its March non-fiction title of the month. Also back, after playing a pivotal role in the festival's 2023 salute to Tales From the Crypt are some of CFF's favorite fathers, the Dads From the Crypt, who'll take part in this year's Twilight Zone celebration with a special live episode of their show. If all these films weren't enough, CFF has announced that one of the undisputed hits of its 2023 edition returns. The delicious maximalism of the RED EYE block features a seven-night series of secret screenings that are exclusive to the festival's virtual platform. Guests can expect forgotten gems, special anniversary screenings of cult classics, and indie rarities that won't come to a streaming service near them anytime soon. And now the 11 films of CFF 2024's First Wave, which contain everything from a hauntingly beautiful ghost story to a mid-life crisis in documentary form to funny and artfully inventive new takes on vampire stories, modern fairytales, and at least one film that features what could be described as a teleportery, witchcrafty, kidnapping adjacent butterfly knife comedy... with time travel. In other words, all the hallmarks the festival knows are adored by the warm-hearted and open-minded fans who have turned the Chattanooga Film Festival into a Summer Camp For Cinephiles. Features: A Guide to Becoming an Elm Tree Directors Adam Mann, Skye Mann | Canada 2023 Padraig embarks on a journey to turn a living tree into a coffin for his already dead and buried wife. He bargains his way into an eccentric carpenter's shop. What starts out as an act to help alleviate grief and guilt slowly descends into a harrowing selfish game of discovery; as John pulls Padraig deeper into the world of Irish folklore and ancient magic. *Hybrid Flipside Director Christopher Wilcha | United States 2023 When filmmaker Chris Wilcha revisits the record store he worked at as a teenager in New Jersey, he finds the once-thriving bastion of music and weirdness from his youth slowly falling apart and out of touch with the times. FLIPSIDE documents his tragicomic attempt to revive the store while revisiting other documentary projects he has abandoned over the years. In the process, Wilcha captures This American Life icon Ira Glass in the midst of a creative rebirth, discovers the origin story of David Bowies ode to a local New Jersey cable television hero, and uncovers the unlikely connection between jazz photographer Herman Leonard and TV writer David Milch. This disparate collection of stories coheres into something strange and expansive a moving meditation on music, work, and the sacrifices and satisfaction of trying to live a creative life. *In-Person Only Ganymede Directors Coby Holt, Sam Probst | United States 2023 When the son of a small town politician develops a crush on his openly gay classmate, he finds himself stalked by a grotesque creature that increasingly inhabits his thoughts and threatens physical harm. *Hybrid Ghost Game Director Jill Gevargizian | United States 2024 Presented by DREAD - Participating in an internet challenge that requires breaking into homes and living undetected alongside the residents, a thrill-seeking couple target an infamous haunted house and endure a series of chilling incidents as they witness a family descending into madness. *In-Person Only Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person Director Ariane Louis-Seize | Australia 2024 Sasha is a young vampire with a serious problem: she's too sensitive to kill. When her exasperated parents cut off her blood supply, Sasha's life is in jeopardy. Luckily, she meets Paul, a lonely teenager with suicidal tendencies who is willing to give his life to save hers. But their friendly agreement soon becomes a nocturnal quest to fulfill Paul's last wishes before day breaks. *In-Person Only Sleep Director Jason Yu | South Korea 2023 A young, expectant wife must figure out how to stop her husband's nightmarish sleepwalking habits before he harms himself or his family. *In-Person Only Someone Dies! Director Justin Petty | United States 2023 *North American Premiere A deadbeat detective investigates a cryptic note that leads to the discovery of an incomprehensible kitchen sink. *Hybrid Sweet Relief Director Nick Verdi | United States 2023 Presented by Art Brut Films - A woman's dangerous inclinations, a sadistic child killer, and a panic surrounding an online murder challenge reveal the insidious violence of a small New England town. *Hybrid The Vourdalak Director Adrien Beau | France 2023 Lost in a hostile forest, the Marquis d'UrfA, a noble emissary of the King of France, finds refuge in the home of a strange family. *In-Person Only Video Vision *World Premiere Director Michael Turney | United States 2023 When an old VCR mysteriously shows up at digitizing facility Video Vision it starts affecting employee Kibby (Andrea Figliomeni) in strange ways. Meanwhile an unlikely romance with a trans man (Chrystal Peterson) has Kibby's head in the clouds until she's brought to her knees by the supernatural force that's slowly taking control of her body and mind. When Kibby and Gator investigate the VCR's origins they discover she has unwittingly unlocked the dark dimension of Dr. Analog. *Hybrid The Wheel of Heaven Director Joseph Badon | United States 2024 In this genre-hopping cinematic mixtape a woman caught up in predatory relationships is thrown into a multi-layered world of choices after she discovers a mystical book in a thrift store. *Hybrid Until March 18 film fans can take advantage of the festival's generous Early Bird discounts by visiting the festivals site at chattfilmfest.org or via this link. 'McBee Family Dynasty' premiered on March 11 on Peacock and USA Network. The reality TV series came about after one of Steve McBee's sons appeared on 'Joe Millionaire: For Richer or Poorer' Peacock and USA Network are ready to introduce reality TV fans to a brand new family. On The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys, fans will get an in-depth look at the life of a ranching family. The series is being called the real-life Yellowstone. While it makes sense that a show about a ranching family would happen, the McBees arent the only successful ranchers in the country. So, why were they tasked with sharing their lives with the world? Apparently, the idea for the show only took root after a family member appeared on a dating show. Joe Millionaire: For Richer or Poorer helped the McBee family get their show. What is The McBee Dynasty about? The McBee Dynasty docuseries follows a ranching family from Gallatin, Missouri. The McBee family, including patriarch Steve and his sons, Steven Jr., Brayden, Jesse, and Cole McBee, are dedicated to the same business, but there is plenty of family drama. The cameras caught it all. Steven McBee Jr., Cole McBee | Emerson Miller/PEACOCK via Getty Images Season 1 of McBee Dynasty will cover a potentially lucrative business deal for the family business. According to USA, the deal could turn the company into a $1 billion payday or ruin the family farm. Business dealings arent the only issues fans will see play out on TV. The series will also feature family angst and the McBee mens love lives. Steve Jr.s love life will interest fans who caught him on Joe Millionaire: For Richer or Poorer, the show that helped the family snag their new series. After the series, Steve Jr. waffled between two women that he met on the series. It appears hes still with the original winner, Calah Anderson. The series will be available to stream on Peacock starting March 11. The premiere will also air on USA at 11 pm on March 11. The series came about after Steven McBee Jr. appeared on Joe Millionaire In a chat with TV Insider, Steve McBee revealed exactly how the idea for the show came about. Steve told the publication that his sons involvement in Joe Millionaire: For Richer or Poorer got the ball rolling. He said the production company involved with Steven Jr.s season of Joe Millionaire was at the ranch filming scenes for the series when they noted the familys interesting dynamic. Steve McBee | Paul Andrews/PEACOCK via Getty Images After Steven Jr.s time on reality TV ended, they talked with production companies about a family reality show. Steve said they ultimately spoke with multiple companies before choosing Jeff Jenkins Productions. Jeff Jenkins Productions has close ties to streaming service providers and has produced several popular reality TV series. The company is responsible for Bling Empire, Bling Empire New York, and My Unorthodox Life. They were not the company that developed Joe Millionaire: For Richer or Poorer. Who was Caryn Chandler married to before Matt Roloff? Here's what to know about the ex-husband of the 'Little People, Big World' Season 25 star. TLCs Little People, Big World Season 25 features Matt Roloff and Caryn Chandlers engagement news. The couples been together for years and finally decided to tie the knot. Now, fans can look back at Caryns past relationship with her ex-husband, Joseph Chandler. Heres what to know about Joseph and his past criminal record. Little People, Big World star Caryn Chandlers ex-husband, Joseph Chandler, has a criminal record Little People, Big World Season 25 shows Caryn Chandler and Matt Roloffs rock-solid relationship. Fans likely remember when Caryn and Matt started dating on the show, as it was shortly after Matt and Amy Roloffs divorce. Caryn worked at Roloff Farms as the manager of pumpkin season when she and Matt got romantic in 2017. As for Caryns ex-husband, Joseph Chandler, he filed for divorce from Caryn in 2012. The couple was together for 20 years before parting ways. According to documents obtained by Radar Online, Joseph has a criminal record. Oregon state court records indicate that police arrested Joseph twice in the past for driving while under the influence. His most recent arrest was reportedly on Jan. 31, 2018. According to the records, he did unlawfully drive a vehicle upon a highway or premises open to the public while under the influence of intoxicants, to wit: alcohol. A judge then sentenced Joseph to 45 days behind bars and two years of probation, and he had to pay $1,855 in fines. He also had his license revoked. In 2013, Joseph reportedly drove with a suspended license and pled guilty to the charges. As a result, a judge ruled that he should enter the Washington County Community Corrections/State of Oregon Corrections Department for a period of three (3) years. The initial license suspension happened after he drove under the influence in 2009 and caused injury to several people with his car. In November 2009, Joseph did unlawfully and recklessly cause serious physical injury to victim, according to court documents. The courts determined that he unlawfully and recklessly engaged in conduct that created substantial risk of physical injury to four others. As a result, he was charged with assault in the third degree, failure to perform duties of driver felony (involving serious physical injury), driving under the influence of intoxicants (liquor, alcohol, and a controlled substance, and assault in the fourth degree. Caryn Chandlers son, Connor Chandler, also has legal troubles. He went through a public custody battle in 2023 and was previously arrested for harassment. Matt Roloff detailed his plans to propose Little People, Big World stars Amy and Matt Roloff | Peter Kramer/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images Little People, Big World Season 25 shows Matt Roloff and Caryn Chandler excitedly announcing their engagement to their friends and the rest of the Roloff family. While Matt had the proposal planned, Caryn said she had no idea. The couple was hanging out at sunset in their Arizona backyard when Matt asked the question. After he asked, I was so shocked, Caryn said on the show, according to People. And then we took a minute. We just sat for a few minutes and just chatted, and I was very excited, and I cried, and hes like, Dont you want to go in the light and look at it? And Im like, No, I just want to sit here for a minute and absorb this moment because it just felt right. It felt natural. It felt like it was always meant to be. Unfortunately, the other Roloff family members have mixed feelings about the engagement. The proposal doesnt phase Amy, as she knew that Matt and Caryn would likely marry at some point. But Zach Roloff expresses disapproval. What did you think when your dad and Caryn got engaged? producers asked Zach this season. I didnt reply, Zach said. I dont want to talk about it. Little People, Big World Season 25 airs on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on TLC. For more on the entertainment world and exclusive interviews, subscribe to Showbiz Cheat Sheets YouTube channel. batteries are usually studied via electrical properties like voltage and current, but new research suggests that observing how heat flows in conjunction with electricity can give important insights into battery chemistry. The researchers studied how electric current created heat flows in a lithium-ion battery cell. The heat flowed opposite to electric current, resulting in a higher temperature on the side where current entered the cell. The Grainger College of Engineering at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign A team of researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has demonstrated how to study chemical properties of lithium-ion battery cells by exploiting the Peltier effect, in which electrical current causes a system to draw heat. Reported in the journal Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, this technique allowed them to experimentally measure the entropy of the lithium-ion electrolyte, a thermodynamic feature that could directly inform lithium-ion battery design. Our work is about understanding the fundamental thermodynamics of dissolved lithium ions, information that we hope will guide the development of better electrolytes for batteries, said David Cahill, a U. of I. materials science & engineering professor and the project lead. Measuring the coupled transport of electric charge and heat in the Peltier effect allows us to deduce the entropy, a quantity that is closely related to the chemical structure of the dissolved ions and how they interact with other parts of the battery. The Peltier effect is well-studied in solid-state systems where it is used in cooling and refrigeration. However, it remains largely unexplored in ionic systems like lithium electrolyte. The reason is that the temperature differences created by Peltier heating and cooling are small compared to other effects. To overcome this barrier, the researchers used a measurement system capable of resolving one hundred-thousandth of a degree Celsius. This allowed the researchers to measure the heat between the two ends of the cell and use it to calculate the entropy of the lithium-ion electrolyte in the cell. Were measuring a macroscopic property, but it still reveals important information about the microscopic behavior of the ions, said Rosy Huang, a graduate student in Cahills research group and the studys co-lead author. Measurements of the Peltier effect and the solutions entropy are closely connected to the solvation structure. Previously, battery researchers relied on energy measurements, but entropy would provide an important complement to that information that gives a more complete picture of the system. The researchers explored how the Peltier heat flow changed with the concentration of lithium ions, solvent type, electrode material and temperature. In all cases, they observed that the heat flow ran opposite to the ionic current in the solution, implying that the entropy from the dissolution of lithium ions is less than the entropy of solid lithium. The ability to measure the entropy of lithium-ion electrolyte solutions can give important insights into the ions mobility, governing the batterys recharging cycle, and how the solution interacts with the electrodes, an important factor in the batterys lifetime. The Association of German University Professors of Chemistry, ADUC for short, has honored Dr. Jola Pospech from the Leibniz Institute for catalysis in Rostock with this year's ADUC Prize. The chemist accepted the prize on March 11 at the opening ceremony of the Chemistry Lecturers' Conference in Aachen. Each year, the ADUC recognizes up to three young researchers for establishing an independent field of research. Dr. Jola Pospech, Group Leader "Catalytic Funktionalizations" at Leibniz Institute for Catalysis Jola Pospech Her scientific publications "very much impressed" the selection committee, as the ADUC board put it in its communication to the chemist. In 2017, Jola Pospech took over the leadership of a junior research group that deals with the catalytic functionalization of organic compounds. Functionalization means linking molecules with chemical groups that are responsible for the medical effect of a drug, for example. Specifically, Dr. Pospech is being honoured "for her creative contributions in the field of photoredox catalysis", as the ADUC citation goes on to say. Photoredox catalysis is a field of organic synthesis chemistry in which the starting materials are activated with light instead of heat. This form of catalysis is becoming increasingly important in the development of new pharmaceuticals and in many other disciplines in chemistry. It involves so-called free radicals, special particles that lack an electron in their atomic structure. Electrons are usually present in pairs and play a role when substances form new chemical bonds. On March 11, Cherokee Nation lawmakers officially accepted an agreement with the state of Oklahoma for renewal of its longstanding tobacco compact. Kim Teehee was designated in August 2019 by Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. to take the seat in the U.S. House of Representatives guaranteed by treaty. E-commerce firm turns low-key amid escalating pressure from antitrust agency By Lee Min-hyung AliExpress Korea is mired in suspicions of leaking Korean customers' personal data, sparking calls for the government to step up its oversight over the Chinese e-commerce firm to level the playing field for its Korean counterparts, according to industrial officials Tuesday. The company has become a target of the Fair Trade Commission and the Personal Information Protection Commission's joint investigation into the allegations the firm faces. Customers here have to accept a string of sensitive clauses regarding personal data and their transfer to create an account for AliExpress. One strangely-worded clause says, "Your private information can be provided to a third party without any consent if the measure is deemed necessary for the sake of the interest of their lives, bodies and property." The company does not specify what constitutes a third party, so some worry that the company may make ill use of Korean consumers' personal information by leaking it to Chinese authorities. Chinese laws say the country's individuals or organizations should fully support its national intelligence activities. Industry officials and market watchers urged the Korean authorities to take concrete action to protect Korean consumers' private information, before AliExpress becomes a bigger e-commerce player in Korea. "First and foremost, Korea's watchdogs should closely monitor and track such possible acts conducted by the Chinese e-commerce firm," Jung Ji-hyun, secretary general at the Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations, said. "AliExpress, for its part, is urged to make sure that it strictly abides by local private information protection acts." She called for the need to toughen monitoring of Chinese firms, at a time when consumer worries are growing. "Other overseas platform firms such as Google have relatively safer internal monitoring systems, even if they follow their [countries'] laws, but this is not the case for Chinese firms." AliExpress Korea was supposed to hold a press conference on Tuesday, but the company abruptly canceled it without giving a reason. This has cast doubts that the firm is moving to turn low key amid intensifying pressure from Korean watchdogs. Retail industry officials also expressed similar concern and demanded that Korean authorities take stern measures to ensure that overseas platform firms engage in fair competition with local counterparts. "We are aware that regulating foreign platform firms is realistically a time-consuming task, but the authorities should heighten vigilance toward them not just for the protection of local customers, but for the establishment of fair competition grounds here," an official from a local retail firm said. Another official from a home-grown retailer also urged the government to enhance their supervisory role on foreign firms. "Antitrust watchdogs and relevant authorities focus more on supervising online open markets amid growing fears of fake or unsafe products being distributed rapidly by certain e-commerce platforms, as this is crucial for the protection of customers," the official said. In 1948, officials from Idaho rounded up beavers inhabiting populated places and sent them to faraway remote locations so they would be out of the way of humans. However, many of the areas that the beavers were being moved to were so rural that no roads could reach them. As a result, Idaho Fish and Game used parachutes left over from World War Two to drop the beavers over their new home in the Sawtooth Mountain Range. Nowadays, the beavers journey is being reversed. Sites like Idaho and Utah want the beavers back because they are key to managing drought conditions and preventing wildfires. Satellite images from NASA show that the lands where the beavers had previously settled were much greener and lusher. In 2018, a wildfire torched thousands of acres surrounding Baugh Creek, but the areas near beaver dams were so moist and verdant that they were resistant to the blaze. Their ability to create complex ecosystems has clearly had such a positive impact on the environment that their work can be seen from space. Now, NASA is collaborating with researchers to distribute beavers throughout the West and restore the regions ecosystems. In September 2023, a bunch of beavers were transferred to Utah to help fight off the fires and droughts plaguing the area. This time, they werent parachuted out of planes like they were in Idaho nearly 70 years ago. Instead, they were saddled on the backs of horses, which is the preferred method of transport today. Parachutes are no longer an affordable option in our current economy, and horses are much more efficient than humans at transporting large groups of beavers. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox. Home News John Piper offers advice for parents of trans-identifying, wayward kids: 'Grieve with hope' Pastor and author John Piper has offered advice and encouragement for parents struggling with their childrens poor choices including gender dysphoria and the rejection of Christianity and weighed in on whether such behavior is inherited. In a recent episode of Ask Pastor John shared on Pipers Desiring God website, Piper addressed an email from a father struggling with his children's paths, particularly in relation to gender dysphoria. Pastor John, my wife and I have four sons, ranging from 20 to 8. We recently found out our 20- and 15-year-olds both claim to suffer from so-called gender dysphoria. The 20-year-old is walking with the Lord and knows its wrong, fighting his temptations, and trying to dwell in God for strength, and attends a solid, Bible-believing church. But hes in college two hours away, and we are still worried for him, the letter read, in part. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Our 15-year-old is not a believer we feel so broken and so alone and so helpless in this season. What do we do to fight against the despair we face every day as failed parents? How did we fail them? Piper began by acknowledging the pervasive fear among parents about their children inheriting or repeating their sins, a concern he believes is shared across various Christian families. He highlighted several scenarios that fuel parental anxieties, such as the impact of being born out of wedlock, growing up in dysfunctional homes or the fear of having prodigal children. The 78-year-old chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota, offered a comprehensive list of 10 suggestions for parents grappling with their children's move away from Christian principles. Piper encouraged parents to grieve with hope, advising them to grieve deeply for their childrens struggles but with the hope rooted in God's sovereign goodness; look to the God of the impossible, reminding parents that what seems impossible for humans is possible with God; Do not assume fault, advising against assuming parental imperfection as the decisive factor in a child's disobedience; love on Gods terms, emphasizing loving children according to God's standards of truth and righteousness. The Don't Waste Your Life author encouraged parents to speak truth to your child, advocating for clear communication of beliefs and truths to children, communicate your love, as parents need to show their readiness to sacrifice everything for their children's well-being, pray without ceasing, reminding parents of the power of persistent prayer and trust in Gods mercy, and discern communication discerning how often to address sensitive issues with the child. The pastor also stressed the importance of making the Gospel plain, emphasizing the importance of periodically making the Gospel clear to the child, especially to those who have strayed. He also encouraged parents to press on with indomitable joy, advising them to live a joyful life despite challenges, denying Satan the triumph of seeing them paralyzed by despair. Yes, your child needs to see that you are not blithely indifferent to his disobedience. But just as important, he needs to see that Jesus is your supreme treasure and that the solar system of your life does not revolve around your child. He is not the sun in your solar system. Christ is. He doesnt need you falling apart, retreating in self-pity, pouting. Thats not helpful. He needs you weak and triumphant in Christ, Piper said. Piper called for a "tidal wave of grace" to help reunite estranged children with their families and faith. So, lets pray for each other, and may the Lord bring the day when there is a tidal wave of grace that sweeps thousands of precious prodigals into the arms of their parents and of the Lord Jesus, he concluded. In recent years, numerous studies have shown that young people are leaving the church in droves and that religious nones are rising. A 2022 report from the Pew Research Center found that by 2070, Christians could make up less than half of the population and as little as a third. Meanwhile, the so-called nones or the religiously unaffiliated could make up close to half of the population. And the percentage of Americans who identify as Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists and other non-Christian faiths could double. Pipers own son, Abraham Piper, became an unbeliever at the age of 19, and today uses his social media to bash Christianity and Evangelical culture. Hes also posted videos on TikTok suggesting that the Bible says having kids isnt a good idea, offering advice for doubting Evangelical kids who still live with their parents, and Bonkers Bible stories. He also said in one video that memorizing the Bible was not worth it for him. Hey, if youre deconstructing, good for you, Piper said in one video. There are a lot of serious thinkers out there that can help you navigate this stuff, he continued, but if you just want to roll your eyes at how [expletive] weird it all was, thats what Im here for. Stick around if you want to. In an op-ed for The Christian Post weighing in on the trend of young people leaving the faith, Michael Brown, host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program, contended that it is the spirit of the age to question God and to mock the Bible, part of a perfect societal storm. This societal storm, he said, includes the following elements: 1) a superficial, me-first Christianity preached in America for the last generation; 2) the lack of personal experience with God; 3) a dearth of solid discipleship and in-depth knowledge of the Word; 4) a steady stream of leadership scandals; 5) the rise of the new atheism, and with it, the demonizing of the God of the Bible, especially the God of the Old Testament; 6) the ubiquity of the internet, instantly popularizing the latest anti-God statement and turning it into a viral meme; 7) the continued breakdown of the American family; 8) the increasing number of out and proud LGBTQ individuals, many of whom are friends and family members of Christians, causing the latter to question the Bibles teaching on homosexuality. History teaches us that every generation must have a fresh, personal encounter with God, otherwise apostasy will set in. And thats where we find ourselves today. What are we going to do about it? he wrote. Home News Hindu temple backpedals after erasing Lutheran church from website Pastor: Secularism not Hinduism is the 'biggest threat to Christianity in North Texas' FRISCO, Texas A Lutheran church in North Texas that was erased from the website of an adjacent Hindu temple is back from the dead sort of. As The Christian Post reported last week, Rejoice Lutheran Church, located about 25 miles north of Dallas, was removed along with an entire residential community from the main header image of the website of the neighboring Karya Siddhi Hanuman Temple. But at some point prior to March 7, the temple replaced the image with a blurred version, rather than the previous version which completely erased the church and surrounding homes. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Now, the Rejoice Lutheran Church building can be seen in the upper left corner still blurred, but there nonetheless. While the new image more accurately reflects the landscape of the corner of Eldorado and Independence parkways, its unclear whether the image was changed in response to CPs report. CP reached out to Karya Siddhi Hanuman Temple for comment Thursday. This story will be updated if a response is received. Rejoice Lutheran, which was founded in 1998 as a mission congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), has made its home here since 2009, roughly a decade before the construction began on the temple. The image controversy is the latest turn in a relationship between Rejoice Lutheran and the Hanuman Temple which Pastor Neil White says has been mostly positive for the last several years but thats not to say things are perfect. Its not going to ever be universally positive, White told CP via phone. I mean, there have been times we've had issues. One of those issues is traffic control, which, for a temple that can draw thousands of visitors for its holy days, can pose a significant challenge, particularly when visitors fill up not just the parking lots directly adjacent to the church, but also those at nearby Heritage High School and Roach Middle School. They can have thousands of people on a festival week and they will have thousands of people go through there, said White. They will fill up the field to staff, they will fill up the parking lots at the middle school and the high school across the street from us. It can be a bit of a nightmare at times. And you know, no matter how much the leaders of the community in the temple want to be respectful, you're not always going to have that experience. ... I'm not going to say it's always perfect, but they do try, they really do try." Still, White said, Rejoice Lutheran was able to work together with the temple to figure it all out, laying the groundwork for an open line of communication between the two places of worship. There was from the very beginning of their existence here, conversation back and forth between our two communities, and that's continued, he said. As for the temple removing Rejoice Lutheran from its website, White said he doesnt really look at the temples website too often, but when he did, he noticed it was catered to their community. So it was not structured the way that a church website would be structured, he added. He said hes been asked whether hes considered moving Rejoice Lutheran whose building is fully owned by the church to another part of town, and while White says thats a possibility, hes not overly concerned about it. Home News Texas lawmaker accuses 'Christian nationalists' of betraying Jesus, worshiping power 'Jesus never asked us to establish a Christian theocracy' A Democratic Texas state lawmaker who claims to be a devout Christian recently accused "Christian nationalists" of betraying Jesus by worshiping power and attempting to dismantle democracy. In a speech delivered outside the Texas state Capitol that went viral last week, state Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, warned that "Christian nationalism is on the rise," and lumped together the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022, and attempts to keep pornographic books out of schools as examples of its influence. There is nothing Christian about Christian Nationalism. pic.twitter.com/9Xt3ZUD3cX Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe March 5, 2024 "Three years ago, Christian nationalists stormed the U.S. Capitol, killing police officers while carrying crosses and signs reading, 'Jesus saves,'" said Talarico, whose claim about police officers being killed that day is false, according to FactCheck.org. "Two years ago, Christian nationalists on the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, allowing states like ours to outlaw abortion even in cases of rape and incest," Talarico continued. "And as we speak, Christian nationalist billionaires are attempting to dismantle public education in the state of Texas and therefore dismantle democracy." Talarico went on to claim "there is nothing Christian about Christian nationalism," and that its adherents have made an idol out of power. "It is the worship of power political power, social power, economic power in the name of Christ, and it is a betrayal of Jesus of Nazareth," he said. "Jesus never asked us to kill police officers. Jesus never asked us to ban books, silence teachers or defund schools. Jesus never asked us to control women's bodies. Jesus never asked us to establish a Christian theocracy." Talarico added that Jesus only asked people to love their neighbor, and that His command applies not just to straight, while male Christians who are rich. "We are called to love all of our neighbors, and that is exactly the opposite of what Christian nationalism does in the world," he added in the speech that racked up more than 2 million views on X. Talarico also made headlines last summer when he spearheaded a legislative effort in opposition to Senate Bill 1515, which would have placed the Ten Commandments in Texas public schools. In May 2023, during a viral exchange with the bill's author, Republican state Rep. Candy Noble, Talarico denounced the proposed legislation as "idolatrous" and "deeply un-Christian" because it would exclude students from other faiths. "I know you're a devout Christian, and so am I," Talarico told Noble. "This bill to me is not only unconstitutional, it's not only un-American, I think it is also deeply un-Christian." "And I say that because I believe this bill is idolatrous, I believe it is exclusionary, and I believe it is arrogant. And those three things, in my reading of the Gospel, are diametrically opposed to the teachings of Jesus." He also grilled Nobel to answer whether a Ten Commandments display would violate the Second Commandment against graven images, to which she replied, "Absolutely not." In March 2023, Talarico was one of two Democrats who voted against a bill that would prohibit "sexually explicit materials" in schools and require parents to opt-in their child in order for them to access any "sexually relevant material" in school. The 34-year-old grandson of a Baptist minister, Talarico grew up in the progressive St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Austin, whose pastor Jim Rigby was put on trial by the PCUSA for ordaining LGBT clergy since the 1990s, as noted by Politico. In a sermon he delivered at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in 2022, Talarico noted how the church influenced his view of politics. He preached that "Christofascism," a term that was coined by German liberation theologian Dorothee Solle in 1970, is any form of Christianity "that worships power social power, political power, economic power in the name of Christ." He went on to suggest that abortion restrictions are an example of Christofascism. Home Books Baby left to die in rat-infested garbage shares path to healing, forgiveness: 'God is faithful' Jackie Darby's journey began in the most harrowing circumstances imaginable: abandoned as a newborn in a Seoul garbage dump, she was left to the mercy of the elements and animals. But a twist of fate, God's faithfulness and the kindness of a missionary nurse changed her story. Eventually, she was adopted by a loving family in the United States. I was an abandoned baby left to die in the garbage dump of Seoul, Korea, when I was a newborn, to the point that rats were eating on my naked little body, Darby told The Christian Post. But the Lord sent a missionary nurse who found me and rescued me and took me to a local orphanage that was run by Americans ... and I began my new life there. On the other side of the world was a couple with five biological children of their own, and God was touching their hearts to do something more. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Though in a safe, stable environment, Darbys childhood wasnt exactly easy. Despite the love and care of her adoptive parents, the challenges of fitting in and understanding her own story were significant. Growing up in a predominantly white rural community outside of Chicago, her experience was marked by feelings of alienation and struggles with identity. "I always felt like I was the only ethnic child growing up there," she recalled. A pivotal moment in Darby's life came when she was 22, when a heart-to-heart with God during a flight gave her guidance and purpose. This marked the beginning of a transformative relationship with her faith, leading to a profound sense of identity for the first time in her life. I was looking out the [plane's] window and I said, God, if You're the God that I've heard of my whole childhood, my whole life up to this point, You have to come into my life and make yourself real, I will do whatever you want. Just please take over my life, she recalled. I felt like, at that point, I had made some pretty bad decisions. I was really, really struggling with my worth, my identity, who I was, and why I was even on this Earth to begin with. I always felt like a piece of garbage. I always told myself I shouldn't be here. I should have died. I was thrown away. But at that moment, I knew that God is faithful and He heard my prayers. He came into my heart and my life. He took over. I just had to listen and do the things He was asking me to do. That was the beginning of my journey, my relationship with the Lord, and when my life began to really transform, but it has been a process. It was her own experience and desire to help those struggling with identity that compelled her to write the bilingual children's book,Whose Am I? The Truth About Your Worth and Identity in Christ. The book, co-written with Aixa de Lopez, shares true life experiences about adoption, redemption, and finding our true identity in Christ, while providing opportunities to ask questions and engage in conversations that are often difficult for families to address. The idea of writing a children's book came to her in a dream nearly 30 years ago, but it wasn't until recently that Darby, now a wife and mother, decided to bring it to fruition. "God was just putting it in my heart to share my story so others like me can understand that healing is a process and to have somebody that they can identify with," Darby explained. My husband, occasionally, would bring up the book and say, What about the book? How are you going to know if it's a God dream if you don't put your faith into action? Today, Darby ministers to adult adoptees throughout Latin America in a support group of Alianza Cristiana para los Huerfanos (ACH). Over the years, as shes shared her story publicly, Darby said shes heard from countless people who, like her, have struggled with their identity and feelings of abandonment. Her advice is always the same: Seek a relationship with God, as only He can fill the void of uncertainty and provide peace. My advice would be to call out to God, to come into that relationship with the Lord as your heavenly Father. God's no respecter of persons; what He did in my mind and my heart, He can and wants to do it in every child, every teenager or every adult's life. For adoptive parents and foster families, Darby said shes a firm believer in the power of honest, age-appropriate communication. The truth, even when painful, is crucial for healing and growth, she said. No matter what the age when they start asking you questions, always tell them the truth, she said. "Every child deserves to know their story and the truth behind it. Eventually, Darby was able to come to a place of forgiving her birth parents for abandoning her. When she moved to Fort Myers, Florida, she joined a church and found significant support in her youth pastors, who introduced her to the love of Christ. It was during a Bible study about forgiveness, Darby realized she needed to forgive her birth mother: I always blamed her, the author shared. She confided in her youth pastor's wife, Laurie, about her desire to forgive, and Laurie, an adoptive mother herself, helped Darby through the forgiveness process. This took place in the nursery of Lauries adopted baby, where Darby felt she could symbolically forgive her birth mother. I just went through the whole forgiveness process of forgiving my birth mom that night, and it was a huge load off of my shoulders, she said. Darby said she hopes her story can serve as a source of hope for others navigating the often turbulent waters of adoption and self-discovery and recognize that they, too, through Christ, can find healing. The key, for me, as a Christian, is that we come into a relationship with our Heavenly Father, she said. God wants to be part of our life. He wants to be our Heavenly Father. He wants to be our best friend. He is the only one who can fill that void, that area of our life that we feel is so missing a piece of the puzzle. He supernaturally can come in, fill our hearts, fill that void and give us peace. Home News Small church pays off debt after receiving $132,000 in donations in one day Temple Baptist Church, a congregation in Springfield, Kentucky, which had been struggling with debt on their building for years, is now praising God for His provision after they raised more than enough money in an offering collected two Sundays ago to pay off a $106,000 debt. This will be a day we will always remember in the history at Temple Baptist Church, the congregation noted in a statement on Facebook on March 3. Days earlier, in multiple announcements, the church said they would be hosting a Debt Retirement Pledge Drive on March 3. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe God has done so much for the Temple Baptist Church in the last couple of years. We have been working hard to get Gods house paid for and we are beginning to see the light! the congregation said in one announcement on Facebook. The church noted that on Jan. 1, 2022, they owed $256,435 on the sanctuary and approximately two years later, they had cut that amount by more than half to $107, 325. We would love to get enough donations to be debt free, said the church in their announcement on Facebook on Feb. 25. Pastor John McDaniel told Kentucky Today that what the congregation that welcomes about 90 to 100 people every Sunday has done is a faith story. Its unreal what has happened, McDaniel told the publication. Our goal was $106,000. We raised $132,000. We are now debt free on our sanctuary!!! The exceed (sic) amount will go toward building maintenance of our sanctuary, the church said in its March 3 announcement. All honor, praise, and glory to almighty God. With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26. McDaniel told Kentucky Today that he began talking to the church about retiring the debt on their building about six months ago and they responded with generosity. I didnt tell people what to give, but I preached on having a willing heart, he said. The Southern Baptist pastor who has been leading the church for two years said he was told the debt had made it difficult for the congregation to give to the Southern Baptist Conventions Cooperative Program as well as to the local Central Baptist Association. I told them I believe in tithing, and I think the church ought to start giving 5 percent to the Cooperative Program, he said. McDaniel said he offered to sacrifice a part of his salary if the 5% for the Cooperative Program wasnt available in the churchs budget. God began to bless the church. About every month wed go over our months budget. People were shocked, but we still couldnt do things because of the debt, the pastor explained. Some people didnt think wed ever pay the debt off. God can take a church that is broke, and if the people come together with love for God, it can be done, McDaniel added. We had a young boy who was a youth worker who was killed in a car accident about 15 years ago. His parents were at church every time the doors were open, but his tragic death adversely affected their attendance. On March 3, his mother had tears in her eyes as she shared that her son had a box in their home, but she couldnt bear looking into it. But prior to the giving day, she opened the box, found a few hundred-dollar bills, and said that the Lord told her to give it, he recalled. It was a breakthrough for her and her husband, he said. She said God spoke to her and said she needed to give that, and she gave it. By Park Jae-hyuk A growing number of Korean petrochemical companies are halting investments and considering selling their unprofitable facilities to cope with the lingering industry downturn resulting mainly from the oversupply of Chinese products, according to industry officials, Tuesday. LG Chem is reportedly negotiating with Kuwait Petroleum Corp. to split off its second naphtha cracking center in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, and sell part of its stake in the facility to the Middle Eastern countrys state-owned company. This came after the Korean firm failed last year to find an eligible buyer of the factory who could afford at least 3 trillion won ($2.3 billion). We are considering various options to enhance the competitiveness and value of our petrochemical business, but nothing has been decided yet, the chemical unit of LG Group said in its regulatory filing. Lotte Chemical is said to be trying to sell Lotte Chemical Titan, its manufacturing plant in Malaysia, which produces ethylene, polyethylene and polypropylene. Petrochemical companies here and overseas, as well as major private equity firms, are mentioned as potential buyers of the Malaysian stock market-listed company, which is evaluated at 740 billion won. In 2010, Lotte Chemical acquired the factory from Malaysian firms for 1.5 trillion won. Given that the Korean firm failed twice in its attempts to sell its Pakistani subsidiary, however, it remains uncertain whether it will succeed in selling the Malaysian subsidiary. We are considering various strategies regarding Lotte Chemical Titan, but nothing has been decided yet, the chemical unit of Lotte Group said in its regulatory filing. Hyosung TNC, the worlds leading spandex maker, recently scrapped its plan to produce butanediol, one of the key materials for spandex, citing the rapid increase in the supply of Chinese products. Kumho Petrochemical confirmed it will unload its entire stake in one of the two remaining Chinese joint ventures, although the company cited environmental regulations as the reason, instead of its profitability. The company is also rumored to be selling its stake in the other joint venture, although it denied the rumor. In 2021, the Korean firm sold its 50 percent stake in Nanjing Kumho GPRO Chemical to its Chinese partner, Jiangsu GPRO Group, to focus on more lucrative businesses. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, China was the largest importer of Korean petrochemical products. The worlds second-largest economys reopening was therefore expected to allow LG Chem, Lotte Chemical and various other petrochemical firms here to enjoy a rebound in their profits. However, Chinese companies have enhanced their production capacities over the past few years, becoming the main competitors of Korean firms in the markets for ethylene and propylene. In addition, weakening demand for petrochemical products amid the global economic slowdown has curbed an increase in their prices. Securities analysts remained skeptical about a recovery in the petrochemical sector in the near future. Producers of rechargeable battery materials or downstream products, such as synthetic resins, will be the only survivors in the petrochemical market, NH Investment & Securities analyst Choi Young-kwang said. Sung Dong-won, a researcher at the Export-Import Bank of Koreas Overseas Economic Research Institute, also advised Korean petrochemical firms to diversify their buyers and seek a transition to high value-added and eco-friendly products. Home News Fewer pastors now want to quit but younger leaders still challenged: Barna Fewer pastors are now reporting dissatisfaction with their job or doubt in their calling, but that rebound isnt as noticeable among younger or female pastors, according to a new report from Barna. Recently published data from the Evangelical Christian polling firms latest report, The State of Pastors, Volume 2 created in partnership with World Vision, Brotherhood Mutual, RightNow Media and World Impact show the rebounding confidence and security pastors now have in their jobs compared to the burnout they said they were experiencing as they emerged from the ravages of the COVID-19 lockdowns in recent years. While many pastors previously considered leaving their jobs, data collected by Barna from 523 online interviews with Protestant senior pastors in the U.S. from Aug. 28- Sept. 18, 2023, showed they are feeling much better. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe In 2022, just 35% of pastors said they were more confident in their calling than they had been when they started in ministry, previous Barna data show. In 2023, the share of pastors who say they are now more confident in their calling than when they started ministry increased to 51%. Another 39% said they are just as confident. The share of pastors who said they were less confident in their calling fell from 14% in 2022 to 9% in 2023. More than half of male pastors, 51%, and female pastors, 53%, as well as pastors over 45, 52%, reported being confident in their role. Some 50% of pastors younger than 45 felt the same. The share of pastors who said they're very satisfied also jumped 7 percentage points between 2022 and 2023 from 52% to 59%. There was also a similar uptick in satisfaction among pastors with their current church. Some 47% of pastors reported they were very satisfied with the ministry in 2023 compared with 38% who said the same in 2022. Only a minority of younger pastors, 38%, and female pastors, 32%, felt this way, while 50% of older pastors and 49% of male pastors reported being very satisfied with their current ministry. Age and gender discrepancies have long lingered within job satisfaction among pastors, and it seems the recent rebound has done little to narrow these gaps, researchers noted. Barna previously noted that as American pastors continue to skew older, with an average age of 52, a majority said it had become increasingly difficult to find younger replacements willing to do their jobs as they prepare to retire. Researchers in that report found that some 75% of the pastors in the study at least somewhat agree with the statement: "It is becoming harder to find mature young Christians who want to be pastors." About a third of respondents "strongly agreed" that it's becoming harder to find young Christians to be pastors, up from 24% in 2015. An October 2021 Barna survey also showed that nearly four out of 10 pastors (38%) said they were "seriously considering" leaving full-time ministry, which was a significant increase from the 29% of pastors who reported feeling this way several months earlier in January 2021. As the world was still reeling from the pandemic in 2022, some Christian denominations, such as the progressive, LGBT-affirming Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, reported that they were already in the throes of a succession crisis with a national shortage of "at least 600" pastors. The recent data on pastors thinking of leaving full-time ministry has also changed. These positive jumps in pastoral confidence and satisfaction go hand in hand with the shift in the number of pastors who have contemplated leaving full-time ministry in the past year, researchers wrote. As of March 2022, this number sat at 42%. In late 2023, the numbers of pastors who had considered this dropped to 33%. Todays pastors are finding their footing after a prolonged period of destabilization. Home News Haitian gangs abduct churchgoers amid escalating violence: 'Kidnappings everywhere' As civil unrest continues in Haiti with high levels of gang violence, a Catholic archbishop has warned that abductions from churches in the Caribbean nation are happening at a troubling rate. Archbishop Max Leroy Mesidor of Port-au-Prince, the president of the Haitian Bishops' Conference, told the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need on Friday that no place in the country is safe and pastoral work has been "very badly affected." "There is a real danger of civil war breaking out," he said. "The armed gangs act like an organized army The police cannot keep up with them." Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Aid to the Church in Need has already reported several abductions of clergy and religious figures in Haiti this year. "There are kidnappings everywhere," Mesidor said. "Everyone is afraid, including the religious. As soon as you leave Port-au-Prince, you are in danger. ... The gangs even come into the churches to kidnap the people there." Mesidor's comments come as gangs launched a coordinated, large-scale attack on government buildings in or near downtown Port-au-Prince on Friday. A source who spoke with ABC News reports that various gangs targeted different buildings, including the Presidential Palace, the Interior Ministry and a police headquarters. This resulted in gangs and police engaging in gun battles, sending civilians fleeing the area. The Presidential Palace hasn't been occupied since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021. The recent uptick in violence began after armed groups conducted raids on two of the country's largest prisons, freeing thousands of inmates. Port-au-Prince is under a complete state of emergency until April 3. Acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry was out of the country when the unrest began last week. Mesidor said the eruption of violence and gang control has made his job more difficult amid the "suffering, violence, gunfights, poverty and deprivation." "I cannot visit two-thirds of my diocese because the roads are blocked," he explained. "To reach the south of the diocese, I must take a plane. I have not been to the cathedral for two years. ... The last celebration I was able to do in the cathedral was the Chrism Mass. It was full. But, from the Agnus Dei until the end of the service shots were ringing out. We could see the smoke rising nearby." The archbishop underlined that those who are faithful have displayed a level of "resilience despite their suffering." "[Because] they are used to suffering, even when, as now, the suffering is on a terrible scale," he said. There are many seminarians and catechists who have pushed themselves to "persevere" and "brave the danger" as they "wish to fulfill a mission," he added. "We must bear our cross and follow Christ especially during this time of Lent. We persevere and we count on the prayers and solidarity of the people," the archbishop noted. "The most important thing is that the Church continues to bring people together despite all the difficulties. Through sermons or spiritual exercises for young people, we try to rekindle their hope, to get them to organize themselves and not sink into resignation." Mesidor is grateful for the help of ACN, a pastoral aid organization that supports persecuted churches worldwide. In Haiti, the archbishop said priests receive "almost no salary," and many Christians are impoverished. ACN aids Haiti through formation, retreats and other programs for seminarians, religious and lay people. The organization also provides stipends for priests and emergency aid for religious sisters. The abduction of Christian leaders and missionaries in Haiti has driven international headlines in recent years. In January, gunmen abducted six Catholic nuns from the Congregation of Saint Anne in Port-au-Prince. They were released about a week later. Last July, the wife of the founder of the Christian education ministry El Roi Haiti was abducted along with the couple's daughter by armed gangsters. They were released in August. In October 2021, 17 Christian Aid Ministries missionaries were kidnapped. They all eventually were either released or escaped. Home News Hamas holding up ceasefire by refusing to release vulnerable hostages: US official The terrorist group Hamas is holding up negotiations for a six-week ceasefire deal by refusing to release a certain number of vulnerable hostages, including the elderly and the wounded, a senior Biden administration official claims. The individual identified as "senior official number two" relayed this information to reporters during a background press call last week before President Joe Biden's State of the Union address. The official highlighted the importance of addressing the needs of civilians in Gaza, stating that a temporary ceasefire is necessary amid the administration's efforts to assist with providing humanitarian aid. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe "The path to a ceasefire is straightforward. There could be at least a six-week ceasefire today if Hamas would agree to release a defined category of vulnerable hostages, including women, elderly, sick, and the wounded," the official said. "That deal is on the table now and has been for more than the past week." "It would bring immediate relief to the people of Gaza. It would also create the conditions needed to enable the urgent humanitarian work that must be done. The onus right now is on Hamas." According to the official, the U.S. has provided over $180 million in humanitarian assistance to Gaza since Oct. 7, the day Hamas attacked civilians in southern Israel. The terror group slaughtered at least 1,200 people, a majority of them civilians, and it abducted around 240 others. As a result, Israel declared war with the goal of eradicating Hamas, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007, and securing the release of the hostages. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry states that over 31,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began in October. Those figures don't differentiate between combatants and survivors. Some commentators have expressed skepticism concerning the authenticity of figures provided by Hamas. A senior U.S. official said the Biden administration is working to secure the deal before Ramadan, which began on Sunday. The plan is for the deal to occur in three phases, with the first consisting of a six-week ceasefire. "And there are arrangements as we had even during the ceasefire deal in November that led to 105 hostages coming out over seven days, repositioning of Israeli forces during that period, arrangements for movement all of that stuff has been negotiated," the official said. "And even returning people to the north, that is something that has been worked on in some detail." As the official noted, one of Hamas' leaders called for violence over Ramadan, and the Biden administration member expressed concerns that extremists may use the holy month to "spark something." Ramadan runs this year from March 10 to April 9. The official clarified that "there's no hard and fast deadline on this negotiation." The official stressed that a ceasefire is "first and foremost" on the administration's mind. "But everything we're doing here, including with this new U.S.-led military mission, is important for setting the conditions throughout Gaza for people to ultimately return to their places of residence," the official added. During his State of the Union speech Thursday night, the president announced a plan to construct a port to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. "I'm directing the U.S. military to lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier in the Mediterranean on the Gaza coast that can receive large ships carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters," Biden said in his address to Congress from the U.S. Capitol. "No U.S. boots will be on the ground," he said. "This temporary pier would enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day. But Israel must also do its part." Home News Pro-life pregnancy centers ask Supreme Court to stop subpoena demanding donor info A network of pro-life pregnancy resource centers in New Jersey is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to stop a subpoena that would force it to disclose donor information. First Choice Women's Resource Centers asked the high court in a petition filed late last month to stop New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin from getting "sensitive internal information" via a subpoena. According to the petition, such information would include "First Choice's donors, their gifts, and communications with them; every solicitation and advertisement by First Choice on any web, social, print, or broadcast media; the identities and personal information of First Choice's staff, volunteers, directors, and board members; and its associations with other faith-based, pro-life, nonprofits." Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe "The Attorney General's broad, unlawful Subpoena and the state-court enforcement proceeding are themselves a chill on First Choice's speech, religion, and associational freedoms," stated the petition. "And in an environment in which pregnancy centers 'have been subjected to bomb threats, protests, stalking, and physical violence' the Attorney General's sweeping demands threaten not just the freedoms but the safety and support of First Choice's donors, volunteers, and associates." Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Lincoln Wilson, whose organization represents First Choice, criticized a lower court ruling against the pregnancy care center network. "In this case, New Jersey's attorney general targeted First Choice Women's Resource Centers a ministry that provides free ultrasounds, STD testing, baby clothes, and more to its community based on its pro-life views," said Wilson in a statement on Feb. 29. "The district court deprived First Choice of its right to a decision on its constitutional claims in federal court. Now we are urging the Supreme Court to step in and provide relief requiring the district court to decide this case and to resolve the related conflict on the question in the lower courts." In November 2023, Platkin subpoenaed First Choice for various records, including donor lists and private correspondence, as part of an investigation into whether the pro-life network was in violation of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act. Last December, before the deadline for the subpoena was reached, First Choice filed a complaint against the attorney general, arguing that the subpoena was too broad and unconstitutional. In January, U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp ruled against the network, concluding that the complaint was "not ripe" and that the court "lacks subject-matter jurisdiction" in the case. "Plaintiffs claims related to the Subpoena's enforceability in this matter would ripen only after the contingent future event that forms the basis of its alleged injury occurs," wrote Shipp. "Because this Court cannot yet know whether the state court tasked by the New Jersey state legislature with overseeing subpoena enforcement proceedings like this will, in fact, enforce the Subpoena in its current form, this matter is not ripe for resolution because no actual or imminent injury has occurred." A spokesperson for Platkin's office said in a statement to The Washington Times that "our subpoena does not violate their rights, and we are confident that the courts will agree." "Under longstanding New Jersey law, nonprofits operating in our state cannot engage in deception about the work they do," stated the attorney general spokesperson. "New Jersey law provides the Attorney General clear authority to investigate nonprofits that may be violating those requirements. By filing this lawsuit, First Choice is refusing to even answer questions about its candor and its operations." In the complaint, attorneys for First Choice accused Platkin of aligning with the nation's largest abortion provider Planned Parenhtood and treating their "comparable secular activity ... more favorably than First Choice's religious activity." The complaint alleges that Platkin has refused to subpoena Planned Parenthood "despite their well-known failures in data security and misleading statements on their websites." Platkin was one of 16 Democrat attorneys general who signed a letter last year accusing pro-life pregnancy centers of spreading "misinformation and harm" by "misleading consumers and delaying access to critical, time-sensitive reproductive healthcare." As Brittany Smith of Save the Storks wrote in 2020, many misunderstand that there are two types of pro-life pregnancy clinics: "non-medical" and "medical." Non-medical pregnancy centers offer pregnancy tests, counseling, parenting classes and "practical instruction to parents," she wrote. Most of those centers offer supplies like diapers, baby clothes, and formula at no cost to families. Meanwhile, medical pregnancy resource centers employ registered nurses or ultrasound technicians trained to perform sonograms under the guidance of a licensed medical director. According to the pro-life research organization Charlotte Lozier Institute, over 2,700 pro-life pregnancy centers in all 50 states served over 2 million men, women and youth in 2019. Home News Womens History Month: 5 notable female missionaries March is celebrated in the United States and elsewhere as Womens History Month, a time to honor women across the ages who made valuable contributions to history. The celebration traces its origins to an event in Santa Rosa, California, in 1978 known as Womens History Week, which was meant to overlap with International Womens Day, observed annually on March 8. Throughout Christian history, women have played important roles in advancing the Gospel, even if they lacked official institutional authority. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe In honor of Womens History Month, here are five notable female missionaries. They include a former Caribbean slave, a famed Southern Baptist, and a Roman Catholic saint. Home News Youngkin signs bill codifying right to same-sex marriage into Virginia law Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has signed a bill codifying same-sex marriage into law nearly a decade after the U.S. Supreme Court established a right to same-sex marriage. Youngkin signed House Bill 174 into law Friday after the measure passed both houses of the Democrat-controlled state legislature. The legislation was one of more than 60 bills approved by Youngkin Friday. He did not offer a comment on House Bill 174 in particular but praised the collection of bills he signed as "a clear demonstration of what can be achieved when we set politics aside and work together for Virginians." Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe The measure adds a new section to the Code of Virginia declaring "marriage lawful, regardless of sex, gender, or race of parties." It also states that no person authorized "to issue a marriage license shall deny the issuance of such license to two parties contemplating a lawful marriage on the basis of the sex, gender, or race of such parties." The Virginia Senate approved House Bill 174 in a 22-17 vote on Feb. 19, with one Republican joining all Democrats in supporting it. All opposition to the legislation came from Republicans. On Jan. 26, the Virginia House of Delegates passed the bill in a 54-40 vote. Like in the Senate, all Democrats who voted on the legislation supported it. Five Republicans joined Democrats in supporting the legislation. Same-sex marriage has been legal in all 50 states since the U.S. Supreme Court issued its Obergefell v. Hodges decision in 2015. The ruling invalidated all remaining bans on same-sex marriage at the state level and established a right to same-sex marriage. However, efforts to codify a right to same-sex marriage into law picked up steam after the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision, which overturned the Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. While the Dobbs decision made no changes to existing same-sex marriage law, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas issued a concurring opinion suggesting that the legal principle of "substantive due process" at the center of the Roe ruling was "legal fiction." Although Thomas agreed with the justices who formed the majority opinion in Dobbs that "nothing in [the court's] opinion [in Dobbs] should be understood to cast doubt on precedents that do not concern abortion," he maintained that the court should "reconsider all of this Court's substantive due process precedents," including Obergefell. At the same time, Thomas contended that his colleagues should examine whether or not "other constitutional provisions guarantee the myriad rights that our other substantive due process cases have generated." Thomas' concurring opinion expressing an openness to revisiting Obergefell caused panic among supporters of same-sex marriage. President Joe Biden signed into law the Respect for Marriage Act in late 2022, codifying the right to same-sex marriage established in Obergefell into federal law. Other states have passed similar measures to House Bill 174, scrapping state bans on same-sex marriage that have gone unenforced since Obergefell in recent years, including Nevada. Unlike in Virginia, Nevada's decision to eliminate the unenforced same-sex marriage ban was made directly by voters. In 2020, 62.43% of Nevada voters approved Question 2, while 37.57% opposed it. Meanwhile, other states have sought to clarify that people with deeply held religious beliefs that marriage is a union between a man and a woman do not have to perform same-sex marriages. Last month, Tennessee's Republican Gov. Bill Lee approved a measure stating that "a person shall not be required to solemnize a marriage if the person has an objection to solemnizing the marriage based on the person's conscience or religious beliefs." While Virginia's House Bill 174 asserts that "religious organizations and members of the clergy acting in their religious capacity shall have the right to refuse to perform any marriage," it does not contain an exception for county clerks or other people tasked with performing marriages that have deeply held religious beliefs about marriage. Kim Davis, a county clerk in Kentucky who declined to provide licenses for same-sex marriages due to her religious beliefs, was jailed and continues to face fines and litigation nearly a nine years after the Obergefell decision. Home Opinion Finding freedom from fear through Christ Imagine a life without a single worry or fear. Picture living each moment in peace and confidence. Does this seem impossible for you? The potential we have in Jesus is full of unimaginable possibilities. The fear of the Lord leads us to surrender all to God, and in doing so we live a life so many others greatly desire. Not an easy life without storms and sorrow, but one where we live above our human potential. Lets look at the example of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the book of Daniel. Six hundred years before Christ was born, Israel was ruled by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He brought some of the finest Hebrew young men back to Babylon to be trained in his court, including Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. King Nebuchadnezzar built a gold statue and commanded everybody to fall on their knees to worship it when music was played. Anyone not kneeling and worshiping would immediately be thrown into a roaring furnace, he declared. Soon, word got back to the king that this trio of Israelites werent complying with his dictate. He was informed, These men are ignoring you, O king. They dont respect your gods and they wont worship the gold statue you set up (Daniel 3:12 msg). Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe King Nebuchadnezzar was furious, yet he gave them a second chance to obey and do what he had commanded. Did the three young men fear him? Not one bit. They replied, Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king. But even if he doesnt, it wouldnt make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldnt serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up (vv. 1618 msg). What amazing courage that produced astounding confidence! They remained calm and fearless even as they were hurled into the furnace. Later they walked out unharmed, without even the smell of smoke on them. Though they faced death, they remained unafraid. God is our Father, who delights in His children remaining brave in truth. Nothing pleases Him more than to see His children hold fast to confident hope and unshakable faith in adverse times. Imagine how pleased God was to see the courage of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The apostle Paul had a similar attitude when he was faced with possible execution. I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better (Philippians 1:2021 NLT). Remember that holy fear eradicates all other destructive fears, and it gives us the courage to delight in and obey the Lord and live up to the potential He has for us. The freedom from fear that comes through Christ is not the absence of challenges or trials, but the assurance that God is with us in the midst of them. It is a confidence grounded in the understanding that, regardless of the circumstances, God is in control and His purposes will prevail. Living boldly and unafraid in Christ involves embracing the truth that our ultimate security is found in Him. The Apostle Paul, writing to Timothy, emphasized this truth, saying, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7). This spirit of power, love, and soundness of mind comes from a deep relationship with Christ, rooted in holy fear, where believers are infused with supernatural strength to rise above fear's attempts to confine them." As Christians, the freedom from fear through Christ enables us to navigate life's uncertainties with courage and resilience. It empowers us to stand firm in our convictions, even when facing opposition or adversity. Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we can declare our allegiance to God without fear, trusting that He is with us in the fire. Includes material from Everyday Courage: 50 Devotions to Build a Bold Faith by John Bevere. Copyright 2024 by John P. Bevere. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson. https://www.harpercollinschristian.com/ Home Opinion God uses sinful people, but ... When you look back through history, both secular and spiritual, ancient and contemporary, it is clear that God uses sinful people to accomplish His purposes not just weak people, but sinful people. But this does not mean that God always approves of those whom He uses. And it does not mean that there are not consequences to our sins. Sin is still deadly. In the same way, God uses wounded people to accomplish His purposes, including wounded Christian leaders. But if those wounds are not properly healed, it is likely that those wounded leaders will themselves wound others. In the Bible, there is probably no greater example of this than Samson, a man called to be a Nazarite (meaning, specially separated to the Lord) before he was conceived in the womb. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe As the angel of the Lord said to his mother, You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean. You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines (Judges 13:3-5; see also Numbers 6). Samson, for his part, is best known for two things: 1. the supernatural strength God gave him, enabling him to accomplish powerful exploits against Israels enemies, the Philistines; and 2. his lack of self-control, because of which he ended up having sex with Philistine women and even marrying a Philistine woman. Talk about sleeping with the enemy! And so, even though God used him to kill many Philistines, his folly cost him his freedom, his eyes (literally), his reputation, and ultimately, his life. His last words, spoken as he pulled down a Philistine temple filled with thousands of people who had come to mock him, were: Let me die with the Philistines! (Judges 16:30) Still Samson, despite his sins and weaknesses, is listed as a hero of faith in Hebrews 11, among those who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies (Hebrews 11:33-34). So, God did use Samson, and the gifts the Lord gave him were his for life, despite his sin, unless he violated his Nazarite oath. Thats why, in Judges 16, after sleeping with a Philistine prostitute, which was about as low as you could go as the national leader of Israel, he got up in the middle of the night and took hold of the doors of the city gate, together with the two posts, and tore them loose, bar and all. He lifted them to his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron (Judges 16:3). This is as remarkable as it is terrifying. Just because a spiritual gift operates in someone doesnt mean they are right with God. Just because God uses a person doesnt mean He is pleased with them or sanctions them. In the end, Samsons folly caught up with him and he paid a severe price for his sins. This hurt the nation as well since he was called to be their deliverer. Yet the Lord still called Samson from his mothers womb and the Lord still gifted him, even though He knew full well that Samson would fall repeatedly. The Lord also saw something positive in Samsons heart, recognizing him in Hebrews 11 as one of the heroes of faith. In the same way, God used Martin Luther to spark the Protestant Reformation, which has literally affected the entire world. For Protestants, Luther is one of the giants, a fearless pioneer with a backbone of steel, a man who would not bow, and a man with incredible spiritual insight. For Catholic apologists, Luther is a madman, a clear proof that Protestants are in error. To quote Luthers writings against the German peasants, Like the mules who will not move unless you perpetually whip them with rods, so the civil powers must drive the common people, whip, choke, hang, burn, behead and torture them, that they may learn to fear the powers that be. And A peasant is a hog, for when a hog is slaughtered it is dead, and in the same way the peasant does not think about the next life, for otherwise he would behave very differently. For Jews, Luther is the one who wrote that Jewish synagogues should be set on fire and their places of business broken down and destroyed, that rabbis should be forbidden to teach under penalty of death, that passport and travel privileges should be revoked, that Jews should be deprived of good jobs and herded together like Gypsies. Thats why the Nazis reprinted his writings with glee and why Hitler thought Luther was a genius. Yet God not only used Luther to bring about powerful and needed reformation in the Church (many Catholics would also agree that there were some things that needed to change back then), but his writings have continued to change lives over the centuries. Both John and Charles Wesley were deeply impacted by Luthers commentaries on Romans and Galatians, which played a key role to their own spiritual transformation. So, Luther was used by God, but his weaknesses and sins caused much pain for many. What is the takeaway for us? First, lets not be overly impressed with people. We can honor leaders for their service, but lets save our high praises for the Lord Himself. Second, just because someone is gifted, anointed, or used by the Lord doesnt mean they are saintly or holy. We should judge the tree by its fruit, which includes moral conduct. Third, for all of us, especially those in leadership and ministry, lets be quick to repent, lets do our best to acknowledge our weaknesses and wounds, find healing and strength in the Lord, and lets walk in humility and the fear of the Lord. In the long run, this will determine whether we do more harm than good or more good than harm. Home Opinion Jewish diversity, religious pride and spiritual fulfillment A 2016 Pew Research Center survey found that nearly all Israeli Jews self-identify with one of four subgroups: Haredi (ultra-Orthodox), Dati (religious), Masorti (traditional) and Hiloni (secular). "Those secular in their outlook are by far the largest Jewish group in Israel, making up roughly half (49%) of Israeli Jews." Sadly, 40% of secular Jews in Israel do not believe in God at all. And 83% of secular Jews "see being Jewish as a matter of ancestry and culture rather than as a matter of religion. As 97-year-old actor Mel Brooks said, Im rather secular. Im basically Jewish. But I think Im Jewish not because of the Jewish religion at all. Thankfully, there are Jewish men and women from all subgroups of Jewish self-identity who have come to believe in Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah. Have they abandoned their Jewish roots? Not at all. In fact, it is just the opposite. They have actually drilled down deeper into their Jewish heritage. You see, there is nothing more Jewish than accepting the Jewish Messiah into your heart and life. Just ask the Apostle Paul. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Prior to meeting the Messiah on the Damascus road (see Acts 9:1-18), Paul was known as Saul of Tarsus. And before becoming a follower of Yeshua, Sauls heart was filled with religious pride. Paul described the self-righteousness that consumed him in those earlier years: If anyone thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless (Philippians 3:4-6). Religious pride deceives those who wallow in it. Author Alexander Strauch wrote, One of the awful things about pride is that it deceives us; we may think we are serving God and others, but in reality we are serving only ourselves. Saul was not serving God, but only himself with his egotistical attitude of religious superiority. Some Jewish people meet the Messiah after a bad experience with religion. A case in point is an Israeli Jew named Sahar. He said, The straw that broke the camels back for me was when a really close friend of mine was ill with a terminal illness, and his family were at a loss. His parents invited a rabbi to come and bless him and pray for him. And that rabbi demanded tens of thousands of shekels to come to the hospital and to heal him. That just broke me. I didnt know God, but I knew that was not the way to get to Him. Sahar went on to say, So I grew up in Bat Yam. Around my house were five synagogues, and it always amazed me that people would go about the whole year stealing, lying, cheating, but when Yom Kippur came around, they would wear a kippah on their head, put on a prayer shawl, spend 4-5 hours in the synagogue, being holy, but the very next day they would carry on with their ways of sinning back to their lies and stealing So I decided to read the New Testament. I was reading a story about a Jewish man, here in Jerusalem, a story written by Jewish people, to Jewish people. I was just really surprised amazed. Sahar said he couldnt find a single thing wrong with Yeshua. God changed my heart. Today I work with children with special needs. I love them, and I want to give to them and to show them just how God has loved me and loves you. Sahar has found spiritual fulfillment in the Person of Yeshua, as have so many others. Jonathan Bernis, author of A Rabbi Looks at Jesus of Nazareth, said, It is likely that there are more Jewish people who believe in Jesus as Messiah today than in any time since the first century and perhaps in even greater numbers today than then. Jewish people who accept Jesus as the Messiah have come to understand that Yeshua fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies written about Him. In addition, a relationship with Christ has given them true joy and lasting peace. A Messianic Jew named Elaine said, No matter how many clothes I bought, no matter how many houses we had, my life was empty. Its like I had a hole inside me. She would later learn what it means to be born again. She said, I prayed and I accepted Yeshua. Thats just the beginning. If you read Isaiah 53, it tells you He was pierced for our transgressions; all our iniquities were put on Him; and those stripes that were on His back are the very things that heal us and so to people who say to me: You cant be Jewish and believe in Jesus; I say, Im Jewish and I do believe in Jesus. Dr. Stuart Dauermann was born into a conservative Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York. He said, Yeshua said of Himself, I am the door (John 10:9). Many people treat Yeshua like He is the exit from Jewish life. I think thats wrong. He is the door for me into a more passionate engagement with Jewish life. And also a total passionate engagement with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Paul, Sahar, Elaine and Stuart all found peace and spiritual fulfillment in Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. Here are 100 video testimonies of Jewish men and women who accepted Yeshua. The same contentment can be yours if you will receive Jesus by faith. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12). Simply pray: Yeshua, I believe you are the promised Messiah. I receive you as my Savior. Forgive my sins. Fill me with the Holy Spirit. Live in my heart Lord Jesus. I want to follow you today and always. Amen. Home Opinion Understanding a difficult saying of Jesus: 'Eat my flesh and drink my blood' In the Gospel of John, a difficult saying emerges after a tremendous scene unfolds in the sixth chapter. Jesus miraculously feeds the 5,000 men plus their families with a small lunch taken from a young boy. The miracle left 12 baskets full of food after everyone had been filled with what Jesus provided the people. Immediately thereafter, Jesus stuns his disciples by approaching their boat on the rough sea as they were crossing over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. What shocked them was that Jesus approached their boat by walking on the water. They were amazed. As they welcomed Jesus into their boat they immediately arrived at their destination. It was at this point that crowds followed after Jesus and began to ask Him questions. Jesus took this opportunity to point them to the truth of His sustaining life giving grace which results in eternal life. It was during His teaching that he claimed to be the bread of life which caused them to grumble as He compared Himself to the miracle of God in the wilderness. As they grumbled among themselves, Jesus raised the intensity of the moment as He said the following: Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe So Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.1 The initial statement by Jesus was shocking enough for them as Jesus used the I AM language pointing back to the Exodus event, but now He speaks of eating His flesh and drinking His blood. This certainly created a firestorm of controversy among the Jews. Is Jesus encouraging cannibalism? For a Jew, the very thought of eating a persons flesh or drinking a persons blood was repulsive since that would be a clear violation of the Mosaic law (Lev 17:12). What did Jesus mean by his difficult statement? The Roman Catholic doctrine of Transubstantiation According to the Roman Catholic Church, Jesus intended for people to eat His actual flesh and drink His actual blood. This doctrine of transubstantiation by the Roman Catholic Church became one of the great controversies of church history. It was at the very heart of the protest of the protestants. During the Reformation era, many protestants were burned in the streets publicly for refusing to embrace the doctrine of transubstantiation2. The success of the Reformation caused a great stir among the Roman Catholic Church especially since many of their preachers, scholars, and common men were willing to go to the stake and be publicly burned for their denial of transubstantiation. In a counter protest against the Reformers at the Council of Trent (1545 1563), the Roman Catholic Church made it clear that to oppose the teachings of the pope and the doctrines of Rome was to be an eternal death sentence to be anathematized. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church 1376: The Council of Trent summarizes the Catholic faith by declaring: Because Christ our Redeemer said that it was truly his body that he was offering under the species of bread, it has always been the conviction of the Church of God, and this holy Council now declares again, that by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation. Regarding the sacraments, the Council of Trent reaffirmed the efficacy of the sacraments for salvation and anathematized those who denied their importance: If anyone says that these sacraments of the New Law do not differ from the sacraments of the Old Law, except that the ceremonies are different and the external rites are different, let him be anathema (Session 7, Canon 1). The Council of Trent affirmed the doctrine of transubstantiation and anathematized those who reject it: If anyone denies that in the sacrament of the most Holy Eucharist are contained truly, really and substantially the body and blood together with the soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore the whole Christ, let him be anathema (Session 13, Canon 1). Not only did they make it clear that their sacraments are necessary for eternal lifebut to this very day those who reject the doctrine of transubstantiation is to be damned to Hell. The real meaning of the words of Jesus It should be clear from the context that Jesus was pointing to the fact that they must receive salvation by faith. In John 6:40, Jesus said everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. Notice the language of faith. In a similar way, Jesus speaks of faith as he says, This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent (John 6:29). It should be clear that Jesus is emphasizing faith. Later in the New Testament, Paul writes, So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ (Rom 10:17). Its not by eating flesh and drinking blood that we are saved, but by faith alone in the finished work of Christ alone that a person receives eternal life. Jesus did not encourage his followers to break the Mosaic law. That would have made Jesus a law breaker rather than the ultimate fulfillment of the law. Jesus said that he did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it (Matt 5:17). Its crystal clear that Jesus was using symbolism as he taught the people about the manna in the wilderness and pointed to Himself as the bread of life (John 6:35). Jesus was not speaking in the context of the Lords Supper, for that was not in view in this context. One of the foundational principles of biblical interpretation is to interpret a passage in its proper context. The context here is about receiving the benefits of Jesus sacrifice by receiving the one means of saving grace offered by God. In the wilderness, the Israelites did not have a buffet of food choices spread out before them each day. They had one offering, and it was what God provided in the manna that came from heaven. In the same way, Jesus teaches that he is that single offering the exclusive bread of life that must be received in full. By Jesus pointing to his flesh and blood he was pointing to the sacrifice of his body on the cross which remains to this day the sufficient sacrifice. In John 6:51, Jesus says, I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. When Jesus uses the future tense, I will give he is pointing in the direction of his once for all and completely sufficient sacrifice as the Lamb of God (Heb 7:27; John 1:29). The Roman Catholic Church offers up a fresh and new sacrifice of Jesus in every Mass. According to Catholic Answers, the Eucharist (Gr. eucharistia, thanksgiving) is the name given to the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar under its twofold aspect of sacrament and Sacrifice of the Mass. Notice their language of sacrifice which is critical at this point. The official doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church insists that Jesus Christ is truly present under the appearance of bread and wine and is offered up as a sacrifice. Not only is this a clear violation of Jesus words, its a blasphemous thought that a new and fresh sacrifice is necessary. Every single time a Roman Catholic priest extends his hands out with a piece of bread during the Mass and says, This is the body of Christ he is lying. In the same way, the cup does not contain the blood of Jesus. No prayer of consecration by a priest could cause the elements of the Lords Supper to transform into the body and blood of Jesus, not even the prayer of the Pope of Rome himself. The teaching of transubstantiation by the Roman Catholic Church is all smoke and mirrors. Its a fake sacrifice. Jesus sacrifice is sufficient. It cannot and will not be repeated. It was a sufficient sacrifice and any attempt to recreate or reperform that sacrifice is not only impossible its a denial of Jesus sufficient work on Calvary. John MacArthur said the following in a sermon titled, Explaining the Heresy of the Catholic Mass, Part 1 on April 30, 2006: He [Jesus] came, He offered that sacrifice, and God punctuated that one sacrifice by destroying the temple using the Romans to do it in 70 AD, by destroying the altars, thus smashing the entire sacrificial system of the Old Testament, and all the records of all the genealogies, of all those in the priestly line, thus ending, permanently, the priesthood. There are no more sacrifices. There are no more altars. And there are no more priests as a special order to offer sacrifices. It all came to an end at the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Originally published at G3 Ministries. Pro-Ukrainian militias staged a brazen cross-border attack on Russia on Tuesday, fighters and Russia's defense ministry said, hours after Kyiv launched one of its largest drone attacks since the start of the war. Groups of pro-Kyiv volunteer fighters, made up of Russians who oppose the Kremlin, said that they had broken into the Kursk region, while Moscow said it had foiled multiple Ukrainian attempts to infiltrate the border. "We crossed the border," the Freedom of Russia legion, a militia that claims to be made up of Russian citizens fighting on behalf of Ukraine, said it a post on Telegram. "An armored personnel carrier has been destroyed. We carry on working," it said, publishing a video from a drone that claimed to show the vehicle being blown up and fighters on the streets of the village of Tyotkino, on the border between Russia and Ukraine. Moscow said it had fought off multiple attacks to penetrate into both the Belgorod and Kursk border regions. "At about 3 a.m., Ukrainian terrorist groups, after intensive shelling of civilian sites, tried to invade Russian territory in three directions," Russia's defense ministry said. "All the Ukrainian attacks were repelled. The enemy was hit by aircraft, rockets and artillery," it added. Another attack at 8:00 a.m. at Tyotkino was foiled, it added. Kursk Governor Roman Starovoyt said that a shoot-out in his region had taken place, but a full-scale incursion had been thwarted. "A sabotage and reconnaissance group tried to break through, there was a shooting battle, but there was no breakthrough," Starovoyt said in a video message published on Telegram. Russia's FSB said that since Sunday it had repelled a number of attempted cross-border attacks in the Belgorod and Kursk regions, in a statement cited by Russian state media. String of raids Another pro-Kyiv paramilitary group, the Russian Volunteer Corps, also said it had attacked across the border and posted night-vision video showing its troops engaged in a firefight. Ukraine-based militias made up of Russian citizens who oppose Moscow's invasion and have taken up arms on the side of Kyiv have claimed to be behind previous armed incursions into Russian territory. The Russian Volunteer Corps and the Freedom of Russia Legion claimed responsibility for a string of raids into the Belgorod region in May and June 2023, in which they said they had taken control of several border settlements after attacking and breaking through a border checkpoint. In March last year, Russia launched a wave of retaliatory missile strikes on Ukraine after it said a sabotage group killed civilians in an attack on the Bryansk border region. The Russian Volunteer Corps claimed responsibility for that attack. In December, the Freedom of Russia Legion said it had launched a cross-border attack in the Belgorod region. The apparent border incursion came hours after Kyiv launched one of its most significant drone attacks on Russia so far in the two-year conflict. Drone strikes The attacks appeared to hit two energy sites, including one of the country's largest oil refineries some 800 kilometers from the border. Ukraine has claimed responsibility for a wave of drone strikes and blasts at Russian energy sites in recent months, justifying the attacks as legitimate targeting of infrastructure sites used to fuel the invasion. A major oil refinery in Kstovo, just outside the city of Nizhny Novgorod, was attacked by drones early on Tuesday morning, the regional governor said. Russia's Lukoil energy giant said it had "temporarily suspended" work at its oil refinery in the town, citing an unspecified "incident." On its website, Lukoil describes the facility as "one of the leading oil refineries in Russia" with an annual refining capacity of 17 million tonnes. Videos on social media showed a large blaze raging in a facility purported to be the refinery, billowing black smoke into the sky. There was no comment from Kyiv on the apparent attack. Russia's defence ministry on Tuesday said that it had destroyed 25 drones overnight in seven different regions most of which were over the border regions of Belgorod and Kursk. Earlier in Oryol, around 160 kilometers from the border with Ukraine, another drone crashed into a fuel depot and ignited a fire, according to the regional governor. (AFP) Over 700 medical professionals call on MPs to lower abortion time limit Over 700 medical professionals have backed calls to MPs to lower the abortion time limit to 22 weeks. They have signed a letter to all 650 MPs urging them to vote in support of a landmark amendment to the government's Criminal Justice Bill tabled by a cross-party group of over 30 MPs led by Caroline Ansell MP. The MPs say that the abortion time limit should be lowered in line with advancements in medical science that have led to more premature babies surviving before the current limit of 24 weeks. Survival rates in the last decade for babies born at 23 weeks have doubled from two in 10 to four in 10, leading to changes to guidance from the British Association of Perinatal Medicine (BAPM) about the intervention of doctors to save the lives of babies born from 22 weeks onwards. Research by the University of Leicester and Imperial College London last November found that between 2020 and 2021, some 261 babies born at 22 and 23 weeks survived. Mrs Ansell expressed her support for the amendment in an op-ed for The Telegraph newspaper in which she pointed out the contradiction in current law that means "one team of medics working to save life and another to end life" even in the same hospital. "These babies are unquestionably human: according to the NHS website, at 12 weeks, the unborn baby is 'fully formed'; by 18 weeks, babies can begin to respond to loud noises from the outside world," she wrote. "By 22 weeks, they enter a pattern of sleeping and waking, and by 23 weeks they are practising breathing movements to prepare for life outside the womb. "And yet in 2021, the most recent year for which we have full records, 755 abortions of babies at 22 or 23 weeks gestation were performed under ground C of the statutory grounds under which abortions are permitted, for which there is currently a 24-week time limit." John Wyatt, emeritus professor of neonatal paediatrics at UCL and a practising Christian, told the newspaper that his own personal experience as a neonatal doctor persuaded him of the need to change the law. "I have first-hand experience that on the one hand we are able to keep babies alive from 22 to 23 weeks gestation and many of them survive and live normal and healthy lives, yet at the same time the current abortion act allows abortion to be carried out effectively at maternal request at 24 weeks gestation," he said. Right to Life UK said that if passed, the amendment would be "the biggest change to abortion law for a generation". Spokesperson for Right To Life UK Catherine Robinson said: "The UK abortion time limit is double the average among EU countries, which is 12 weeks gestation, a point in pregnancy when the NHS website describes the unborn baby as 'fully formed'. "At the moment, a baby at 22 or 23 weeks gestation could be born prematurely and have a dedicated medical team provide expert care to try to save his or her life, while another baby at the same age could have their life deliberately ended by abortion in the same hospital at the same time. This is a contradiction in UK law. "That's why we need to support Caroline Ansell's amendment to lower the abortion time limit from 24 to 22 weeks in line with advances in medical science." Tears of Gold portraits of the persecuted Artist and human rights activist Hannah Rose Thomas has travelled the world leading trauma-healing art workshops with women affected by war. Her debut art book Tears of Gold presents her portraits of women in conflict zones who have survived war and sexual violence. Her moving portraits have been acknowledged by King Charles III, who wrote the foreword to the book. Christian Today spoke with her on International Women's Day at the Tears of Gold exhibition in London to hear about her motivation behind the book, the impact her art workshops have had on victims of violence and conflict, and how her faith has been encouraged through her work. What spurred you on to produce Tears of Gold? When I lived in Jordan as an Arabic student in 2014, I had an opportunity to organise art projects with Syrian refugees for the UN Refugee Agency an experience which opened my eyes to the magnitude of the refugee crisis confronting our world today. I began to paint the portraits of some of the refugees I had met, to show the people behind the global crisis, whose personal stories are otherwise often shrouded by statistics. My experience in Jordan also opened my eyes to the healing power of the arts and its potential as a tool for advocacy. I am aware that what I have been involved with thus far is but a glimpse of the potential healing and restorative power of the arts as a catalyst for change. Please share a bit about the work you did with Open Doors in Nigeria. Through the support of Open Doors, I had the privilege of facilitating trauma-healing art workshops. In northern Nigeria. I taught the women how to paint their self-portraits as a way to share their stories. Many of the women chose to paint themselves with glistening tears of gold: this inspired the title of the book. One young women Aisha, who had suffered rape at the hands of Fulani militants, said that the gold tears symbolised God bestowing on her a crown of beauty instead of ashes; the oil of joy instead of mourning (Isaiah 61:3). What responses have you had to your trauma-healing art workshops? The hope was that these art projects would create a space that honours the experience and the women's stories, and for each person to feel seen and heard. This is especially important given the stigma, shame and silence surrounding issues such as sexual violence. The arts can help by giving a new form of communication to address the silence and unspeakable pain. Feelings are communicated through drawing and painting that perhaps cannot be expressed through words. Is there a survivor's story that has stuck with you? In northern Nigeria, one woman who took part in the art workshop, called Charity, had been kidnapped by Boko Haram and held captive for three years. [After being freed by the Nigerian military] Charity said, "I can recount three different times that I was beaten by my husband because I came back with a child. I have told him 'I haven't done it out of my own will. I was forced and there was nothing I could do." She faces daily rejection and isolation in the Internally Displaced Persons camp in northern Nigeria due to the stigma surrounding sexual violence. On our last day together for the art project Charity said, "I am so happy. I have never held a pencil in my life before, and this is the first time I have been able to write my name and even to draw my face!" What do you think the Church can do to support women in conflict zones? Conflict leaves many wounds, but perhaps the most significant of all is the invisible stigma that so many survivors of sexual violence face. The perceived association of survivors and their children born of war-time rape with the enemy compounds the pain, shame, isolation and trauma. I witnessed this in northern Nigeria, which was heartbreaking to see. The Church can do more to support, welcome, honour and value women who have endured conflict-related sexual violence. This will help to counteract the stigma and shame and thereby enable healing within the communities who have suffered such violence. What is the process behind your paintings? Do you meet with the women beforehand to have a discussion? The way I love to work the most is spending time with the women doing the art workshops, in Iraq and northern Nigeria. It was only through that time that the woman would share their stories if they wanted to. It was after that time of sharing their stories I would then ask if they were still happy to be painted. I would take photos of them after they would share their stories to paint from and I did these paintings after I returned home. I use very time consuming early renaissance painting methods and find it's a form of prayer using these painting techniques. It's a time where I'm thinking about each of the women and their stories while I paint and I hold them in my heart and pray for them while I paint. As you were painting the women, what went through your mind? Often tears would come to my eyes as I remembered their stories and what they've been through, but also the certainty of the situation they were still in. I was returning home to safety but they were in refugee camps in northern Nigeria and Iraqi Kurdistan and these other contexts. The memory of each woman and their stories was so vivid in my mind. They are just emblazoned in my heart and my memory. I think of the paintings as being a form of lament and grief for these women. How has your faith been encouraged through the work that you do? I have been changed in so many ways by these women that I have met. I feel like it truly has been the greatest privilege to meet them and to have been entrusted to share their stories and portraits and also their extraordinary faith as well. In northern Nigeria the women I worked with through Open Doors came from Christian backgrounds and they had such faith in God's goodness. They showed such kindness, grace and joy, it was infectious. I came away remembering what Jesus says, that the first will be last and the last will be first into heaven. I think that these women wanted to be painted in a way that almost seemed regal. They may be forgotten on earth or they might not be well known on earth, but in spite of what they have suffered they will be the most honoured women in heaven. That was something I wanted to capture through these paintings. What do you hope people will gain from the book? Through my portrait paintings I seek to convey that each of us are created in the image of God and equally valuable in His eyes, regardless of race, religion or gender. The arts affirm the language of empathy they can provide us with a language for mediating the broken relational and cultural divides. Government and public sector agencies are already exploring the potential of generative AI in delivering more effective services from the inside. As AI technologies and practices mature, however, were likely to see more projects that transform the citizen experience. New research by McGuire Research Services for Avanade shows that 98% of government and public service organisations believe that citizens prefer to engage with them via new technologies like AI. At the same time, research from Accenture found that 53% of respondents find it frustrating to access public services. Something needs to happen. We believe that one technology agencies are looking to for help is AI to deploy public services that are safe, simple and secure. Through AI, agencies can deploy public safety resources more efficiently, respond faster to crises and transform the way they communicate. And this is just the start. Take the everyday interactions citizens have with government agencies when, say, applying for a license or a permit, finding out information about specific services, or even completing an annual tax return. Darren Brown, Global Lead for Government & Public Service at Avanade believes that advanced chatbots could be a game changer here. Well see chatbots that are able to respond in multiple languages and seek answers from a wider range of data sources, versus just one set of stock answers they suggest, as well as chatbots that can handle complex enquiries and allow citizens to dictate responses and forms to be filled automatically through voice. Instead of laboriously typing entries into a permit application or tax return, a chatbot may take you through a series of questions, then fill out the return using your answers. An AI assistant can check that all the relevant information has been provided and ask for more detail where needed speeding up the process and reducing the risk of error and delay. Similarly, generative AI could simplify complex processes, proactively identifying services that might apply to, say, someone facing a financial crisis, and supporting them through each application using the information theyve already provided, reducing repetition and the chances of mistakes being made. States and cities are already working to bring such scenarios to life. Meanwhile, generative AI assistants, such as Microsoft Copilot, could help employees gather crucial data around a case, enabling them to respond to enquiries with greater accuracy at faster speeds. So, when they need an agencys services, citizens will get the support they need without unnecessary stress. Other improvements may take place behind the scenes, but the effects will still be felt. In North America Jennyfer Hogeland, PMP for State and Local Government Avanade, explains, there is a strong focus on the use of generative AI for public safety and, in particular, traffic safety. For example, in traffic operations, AI can be used to process and interpret complex data to improve traffic pattern analysis, address bottlenecks and enhance overall traffic management. The result? Smoother traffic flows with fewer hold-ups. Generative AI could be particularly useful in the event of natural disasters or health crises. The authorities in Indonesia are already using AI to identify outbreaks of disease from social media analysis and use the early warning to intervene with protective measures and targeted healthcare resources. Similarly, data on previous earthquake, fire or flood events can be combined with climate data and analytics to identify patterns of high risk, then focus intervention on the most vulnerable and seriously affected should a crisis hit. As Brown notes, if governments and agencies are able to access and analyse data quicker, they will be better enabled to make real-time recommendations and gain insights that can help them make better decisions. Whats more, generative AI can produce targeted and personalised messaging at scale, giving each citizen tailored guidance to minimise the impact and stay safe. Put it all together, and you have a revolution in public services, where citizens feel agencies are listening and actively supporting them, while those agencies are better equipped to do just that. Avanade can help make this a reality, with the tools and expertise to deliver Microsoft Copilots and AI solutions that redefine the citizen experience. To find out more, click here. Primeste notificari pe email Nota bene: Adresele email cu extensia .ru nu sunt acceptate. Contractare si Achizitie Bunuri Anunturi de Angajare Granturi - Finantari Burse de studiu Stagii Profesionale Oportunitati de voluntariat Toate Articolele UN Women Moldova Country Office is looking for a Driver/Administrative Clerk to support the work of the country team to ensure effective consistent strategic note and programmes implementation. Under the guidance and supervision of the Operations Manager, the Driver/Administrative Clerk will assists in the effective and efficient implementation of country office initiatives through a range of actions, including driving and administrative support management. The Driver/Administrative Clerk works in close collaboration with the Operations Team of the Moldova CO as well as with the programme and project teams in UN Women in Moldova for effective and timely achievement of results, anticipating and advising on administrative tasks and smooth operation of the country office.The employee applies a client-oriented approach consistent with UN Women rules and regulations. Interested candidates are invited to submit their online applications by 25 March 2024 to UN WOMEN Jobs - 115619- Driver/Administrative Clerk (SB2.3) (undp.org) , with the following documents: Motivation letter; Duly filled UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-P11-Personal-History-Form.doc . Applications without the completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment. Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Note: In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment. Diversity and inclusion: At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need. If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application. UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Womens policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. British Heart Foundation British Heart Foundation (BHF) has introduced measures to remove chances of unconscious bias in its recruitment. The charity is introducing an interactive interview builder tool as well as best practice guidance in an effort to minimise bias and support its managers to create structured interviews. Maggie Morgan-Valentine, head of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) at BHF, told Civil Society that the new tool works by examining the person specification and job description for a role and pulling out the key characteristics necessary. It will then suggest questions that will really help you to get to those objective measures around that particular role, she said. From April, BHF will also be extending its paternity leave offer to 12 weeks of full pay. Previously, it offered to top up two weeks of statutory paternity leave to full pay for new fathers. Morgan-Valentine said this change was inspired by the charitys staff network of parents and guardians. Reduce the influence of bias Morgan-Valentine said some job descriptions ask for qualifications that might not be necessary to do the role. Its really about trying to think about the right questions that you should be asking, she said. Just generally in society, we might well tend to ask for more than we actually really need to do a particular job. Morgan-Valentine said debiasing the charitys interview processes was a continual journey. Interviews are about selecting the most suitable candidate for a role. However, it is not always clear what makes a candidate suitable, and there is potential for unconscious bias to creep in when making these decisions, she said. Unchecked, unconscious bias can result in a narrow pool of candidates being hired and promoted. The BHF feels increasing awareness of the biases that affect recruitment is helpful, but not enough to mitigate their impact. So, by designing structured interviews with robust evaluation criteria, we can reduce the influence of bias and find the best candidates based on objective requirements for success in each role. We also hope this means applicants will receive a consistent interview experience. Staff networks BHF published its EDI strategy in May 2022 , and appointed Morgan-Valentine as its first head of EDI four months later. Before her appointment, the charity had already begun using anonymous CVs during its recruitment and had eight employee networks called affinity groups. This has risen to nine under Morgan-Valentines tenure. The groups include networks for Black colleagues, working parents and guardians, the LGBTQ+ community and people with disabilities. The [affinity groups] are a real opportunity to glean from the experience of our colleagues and make sure that what were intending in terms of our processes, is having the impact that we would want to have, she said. If theres a project that youre implementing, but youre unaware of the unintended impact it can have on certain communities, our groups are an amazing way of us being able to recognise unintended impact and do things differently. EDI will help charities achieve their end goal Morgan-Valentine has a background in discrimination law and over 20 years of experience in the EDI sector. I have experience both of making discrimination claims and defending people against claims, and I thought: You know what, no one wins. I really want to do something proactive. So, thats how I got involved in EDI. She said charities must tackle the barriers that people face entering employment if they are to support them as much as necessary. If we hire someone who is disabled and they are able to get the role, but we arent actually giving them the support that they need to do the job, which might well be the changing of hours or a particular type of software, then are we enabling them to demonstrate their potential? she said. Morgan-Valentine also said certain groups are more likely to suffer from heart conditions. I think its incredibly important that EDI is something that charities consider, because I think it actually is a means for those charities to really achieve their end goals as efficiently as possible, she said. sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, The Royal Society of Arts logo The Royal Society of Arts (RSA) has announced it will no longer take part in collective pay negotiations with staff for the current financial year as it forecasts an operating loss. In a statement last week , RSA criticised trade union IWGB, which has been negotiating on behalf of its staff for the past year, for displaying no willingness [] to understand the charitys financial position, to engage meaningfully in conciliatory talks. We have therefore written to the IWGB telling them that, regrettably, collective bargaining for this financial year is exhausted, it said. We will now work in good faith with staff representatives to discuss the pay award for the next financial year. We have urged the IWGB to come to these talks with a realistic and resolution-focused mindset, particularly given our financial constraints, in the best interests of our hard-working staff, our charity, fellows and the wellbeing of everyone who works at the RSA. Meanwhile, RSA has announced that it will not appeal an order for it to pay almost 7,000 to a former employee after a tribunal ruled it has dismissed her for an unfair reason related to her union activity last year. Union rejects latest pay offer RSA said that it had received lower-than-anticipated income in the past year and now expects to record a deficit in the 12 months to the end of March. It said that despite this downturn in our financial outlook, the charity made an offer at its most recent discussions with IWGB on 1 March to increase staff pay by an average of 7% for 2023-24, which the union rejected. In a video posted on social media from the latest in a series of strikes held by RSA staff, a union representative at the charity said the offer was the same as one previously rejected by members. The charity also said it had asked IWGB to pause public campaigning to allow further discussions to take place. Instead, the union have continued their campaign to disrupt the RSAs operations and the hard work of our staff team. We believe there is never any justification for such actions, it said. An IWGB spokesperson said the latest offer was the same as one previously rejected by members but that its door remains open as we continue to seek an amicable and constructive end to this dispute. RSA have always claimed they wanted to settle this dispute via ACAS negotiations we were initially hesitant as ACAS themselves had told us that if the RSA were unable to move from their initial proposal, it would be pointless to meet, they said. RSA management turned up to negotiations ill prepared and unwilling to engage in a conversation in good faith we made several compromises throughout the day whilst the RSA stuck with their initial, previously rejected, offer. They sadly gave us nothing we could take to members, appeared not to have any decision making power to be in the negotiation room, and had not done the due diligence required for this kind of process. Charity decides against tribunal appeal Last week, RSA also said it had decided not to appeal an employment tribunal ruling that resulted in it being ordered to pay 6,959 to its former head of policy and participation, Ruth Hannan. RSA had sent a letter to Hannan headed immediate termination of employment after she called its stance on unionisation hypocritical in an Observer article published in October 2022. The charity had handed IWGB a Future Work Award in 2019 before rejecting its staffs request for it to recognise the union voluntarily three years later. In its new statement, the charity said it had been advised by our legal counsel to appeal the tribunal decision. However, we considered it a more prudent use of our charitys limited resources to instead dedicate the time and money that would be spent on lengthy and expensive litigation to pursue our important social change mission while supporting our exceptional current staff team, it said. Unfortunately, the IWGB trade union continue to use this case as an example of RSA wrongdoing, which we feel to be vexatious and unjust. sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, In January, Britains royal family put out two statements in quick succession concerning the health of senior members. One said that Kate Middleton, the princess of Wales, had been hospitalized for a planned abdominal surgery, the other that King Charles would soon be going to the hospital for treatment on an enlarged prostate. The disclosure of these visits might sound routine, but royal commentators and journalists noted that it reflected a departure from more secretive past practicessome even described it as a sign of a new era of transparency and of respect and caring for the public, as well as a means to tamp down rumors and controversy. The following month, Buckingham Palace announced that Charles had been diagnosed with cancer. On this occasion, too, his candor was hailed. Since then, Charles has been pictured at church and reading cards from well-wishers, though the transparency has hardly been limitlessBuckingham Palace has not said what type of cancer he has (beyond confirming that it is not prostate cancer) or commented on his prognosis. And, in the weeks after her announced surgery, Kate wasnt seen in public at all. (Last week, a grainy photo of her in the passenger seat of a car was published by the American gossip site TMZ; the British press, notably, did not reproduce it.) Increasingly, speculation swelled on social media as to her well-being, even her whereabouts. Kensington Palace (the seat of the prince and princess of Wales, whose press team is different from that of Buckingham Palace) put out several on-the-record statements in an apparent attempt to counter the online furor (as well as a report in Spanish media that Kate had secretly been in a coma). This was a highly unusual responseKensington Palace typically ignores online scuttlebutt, as the royal reporter Ellie Hall pointed out to Nieman Lab. Again, though, if this level of engagement was rare, it was also partial, and thus unsatisfying. Everybody feels unsettled by uncertainty, the royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told People last week, as part of a skeptical story on the familys current travails. There is too much uncertainty that is surrounding the monarchy right now. On Sunday, which was also Mothers Day in the UK, the palace attempted to tamp down the uncertainty, releasing a photo of Kate surrounded by her children. Instead, the photo only stoked the rumor mill (as you doubtless know by now unless youve been living under a rockin which case, send your address, and Ill be on the next plane). Legions of the Extremely Online quickly noticed apparent anomalies in the image: a young girls sleeve that didnt appear to circle her wrist here; a weirdly jagged edge there. I was among those who thought the photo looked weird, though friends thought that I was seeing things. (Okay, finemaybe I dont want to come live under your rock after all.) Then, in the evening UK time, the situation became officially weird: news agencies including the Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse retracted the photo from distribution on their wires, on the grounds that the source appeared to have manipulated it. Ever since, news organizations have gone into overdrive analyzing the photo and its backend data, reporting, variously, that it was run through Photoshop, that it may be a composite of multiple separate images, and that a copy-paste function may have been used. Kensington Palace, for its part, did not release any original unedited images, but did put out a statement, signed by Kate, in which she claimed that like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. (The statement also apologized for any confusion caused.) Later, photos surfaced in the British press purporting to show Kate and Prince William leaving Windsor Castle for respective engagements. Its not clear whether the photo was authorized; in any case, it only showed the back and side of Kates head. (So much for unprecedented transparency.) The rumor mill, needless to say, churned on. Where social media conspiracy theories and manipulated imagery come, anguished questions about the epistemic health of our digital age are rarely far behind. In an age when digital editing tools are more widespread and easier than ever to use, what even is a photo anymore? CNN asked (while separately saying that it would review all photos previously provided by Kensington Palace). The headline on a Washington Post op-ed asserted that the photo shows why no one believes what they see anymore; a headline in Business Insider said that it shows were at the point of no return with trusting anything online. The royal family is learning the hard way about navigating the AI-driven world of deepfakes, Politico concluded. For years, researchers and journalists have warned that deepfakes and generative-AI tools may destroy any remaining shreds of shared reality, Charlie Warzel wrote in The Atlantic. Experts have reasoned that technology might become so good at conjuring synthetic media that it becomes difficult for anyone to believe anything they didnt witness themselves. The royal-portrait debacle illustrates that this era isnt forthcoming. Were living in it. Many pieces of this nature made important, nuanced points about the fragility of our present information landscape. (This post-truth universe doesnt feel like chaotic science fiction, Warzel wrote, in one characteristically astute observation. Instead, its mundane: People now feel a pervasive, low-grade disorientation, suspicion, and distrust.) From a news-media point of view, the photo incident has also felt dystopian and post-truthy. The timing of the news agencies retraction of the photoright around the moment that Britains newspapers were going to printmeant that some front pages appeared on Monday morning bringing word of the retraction and its associated questions, while others pointed to the photo as evidence that all is well. The BBC turned its disinformation and social media correspondent on the royal familya vaguely disconcerting sight for such a straitlaced institution. (The BBC, not the royal family.) Respected TV anchors analyzed the photo in ways that essentially echoed amateur sleuthing on X, or took to X to canvass horticulturalists as to what the plant in the background of the photo might be, and whether it looked suspiciously leafy for this time of year. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Still, these weird aesthetics aside, Im not sure that this episodein isolation, at any rateilluminates interesting new truths about a post-truth world as much as some notably old truths: namely, the destructive power of the botched PR job and the enduring inscrutability of the royal family. The questions it raises around the manipulation of photography are about as old as photography itself (and havent yet plunged us into total epistemic crisis). Indeed, if you squint, this episode may contain some seeds of epistemic hope. As some articles in the vein of those cited above noted, concern around the manipulation of images is not new. Some of the very earliest photographs were altered in ways that would make an amateur photo editor blush; one purporting to show a young girls coterie of fairies was a more egregious fake than any tampering with a young girls sleeve. Photoshop itself is well into its fourth decade of commercial use; when it was released, experts warned of the potential for mass confusion, but the worst never happened. The same has been true, at least so far, around the more recent rise of deepfakes. So far, admittedly, is a key caveat here: recent rapid improvements in generative AI do represent a new frontier in image manipulation, one whose contours and precise level of threat are not yet fully known. The Kate photo did indeed drop into that climate of increased uncertainty. But the photo itself does not appear to be a product of any particularly advanced AI technologynot purely, at any rate. Even absent the current AI discourse, it strikes me as a safe bet that the edits to the image would have caused a big ruckus. If there has always been a question mark as to how much we should trust images, the same is true, in a different way, of the royal familyan institution so weird, in itself and its relationship with the media, that drafting it as evidence for broader trends is complicated. The royals and their spinners have always massaged the truth, or even outright hidden it, including around their health; in 1951, King George VI underwent an operation for cancer that was kept highly secret (so much so that even he may not have known all the details). (He died a few months later.) Those outside the walls have always been partial to guessing at what happens behind them. (The death of Princess Diana in 1997 was a particular magnet for conspiracy theories.) In a more abstract sense, the royal familys legitimacy has always been rooted in a kind of mystique that bears little resemblance to the notion of truth as we understand it. The monarchy depends on mystique and the tribal chief in his hut, the famed British broadcaster David Attenborough reportedly once said. If any member of the tribe ever sees inside the hut, then the whole system of the tribal chiefdom is damaged and the tribe eventually disintegrates. Finally, and back very much in the nonabstract world, the uncertainty around the Kate photo is, principally, the fault of Kensington Palace, which has conducted a public-relations disasterclass in recent days. As Hall suggested, officials stoked intrigue by breaking from their habit of not responding to online gossip, but then didnt offer much actual transparency to back up their statements; when they did, it was in the form of an obviously edited photo almost tailor-made to drive the internet mad, then a subsequent refusal to clear it up beyond issuing a (it must be said, credulity-straining) statement about Kates personal use of editing software. (The photo of the back of Kates head that surfaced yesterday was also deeply weird, though again, Im not sure if this was authorized.) Perhaps palace officials see it as beneath them to respond to every demand of the great digital unwashed. Perhaps they simply see putting out further evidence as an embarrassing admission that this is now a mess of their own making. Or, perhaps, all is not as they say it isat this point, who knows! Of the conspiracy theories that have coalesced around Kates absence from the public eye and the events of the past few days, many are wild, and all have evinced some sort of belief in the absence of evidence (which, as I see it, is the essence of a conspiracy theory). Equally, though, the proffered evidence here doesnt inspire much belief, and it isnt conspiracy theorizing to question it. If its been disconcerting to see respected TV journalists talk like social media sleuths, its not because were in some informational twilight zone where the line between those actors has become blurredits because, at least on this occasion, asking questions of the palaces official narrative, not least the photo it put out, is journalistically responsible. Our information landscape is undoubtedly polluted; if doubt is an ever-present part of its condition, then our age of profit-driven algorithms, collapsed distance, and rapidly developing technologies of manipulation has indeed exacerbated it. Rather than the Kate photo episode being an avatar of this worrying situation, though, I think there are equal signs of hope heremuch more so, for instance, than around the viral spread of vaccine and election denialism. Yes, much of the discourse around this episode has been untethered from reality. But much of it has actually applied due skepticism to a piece of information that merited itmore skepticism, indeed, than credulous recent statements from traditional commentators about the royal family moving into a new golden age of transparency. Declining trust in institutions is, undoubtedly, a problem of our current information age. But institutions dont automatically deserve trust, either. Other notable stories: ICYMI: Katie Britts vibe check Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop. The Fifth Circuit added to the emerging body of case law addressing the recovery of business income losses in the cyber insurance coverage context to kick-start 2024 in Southwest Airlines Company v. Liberty Insurance. In a case of first impression for the Fifth Circuit, a three-judge panel held that mitigation costs incurred by an insured following a cyber event were not barred from coverage as a matter of law, even though such costs were incurred voluntarily by the insured as a matter of business discretion. The Emergence of Business Interruption Claims Under Cyber Policies As insureds continue to navigate the consequences of cyber threats, courts across the country have begun to grapple with questions concerning what constitutes a covered business interruption loss under cyber policies. In 2023 alone, IBM estimated the average cost of a data breach was $4.46 million. In fact, the cost of cybercrime, which Forbes estimated to be around $8 trillion in 2023, is predicted to hit $10.5 trillion by 2025. Accordingly, understanding what costs an insured may recover under a cyber policy are critical for both carriers and policyholders alike. Traditionally, property insurance policies have provided coverage for certain financial losses while an insured is unable to operate its business due to a covered form of property damage. For instance, if storm-caused damage causes the temporary shutdown of an insureds manufacturing facility, that insured may be entitled to recover the lost business income it would have earned in the absence of the shutdown. Similarly, if a business is impacted by a data breach or cyber event, that business may be entitled to recover financial losses the business incurred as a result of that event under certain cyber policies. However, questions arise as to how closely must a loss be linked to a cyber event to trigger coverage, and when is a business truly interrupted by a cyber event? Courts across the country have only recently begun to address these questions. In one notable case, the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota held that Fishbowl Solutions, Inc., a software company, was entitled to $148,000 in coverage for losses that Fishbowls insurer argued were only related to income-generating activities. Fishbowl Solutions Inc. v. Hanover Ins. Co., 2022 WL 16699749 (D. Minn. Nov. 3, 2022). In that case, Fishbowl sued its insurer seeking coverage after an unknown bad actor gained access to the companys email and sent fraudulent instructions to a client, which resulted in the client sending payment to the hacker by mistake. With respect to business income losses, the cyber policy provided: We will pay actual loss of business income and additional extra expense incurred by you during the period of restoration directly resulting from a data breach which is first discovered during the policy period and which results in an actual impairment or denial of service of business operations during the policy period. Even though Fishbowl was able to continue its business operations after the cyber event, the court found that the cyber policys use of the term impairment rather than interruption provided a broad grant in coverage. As a result, the court concluded the losses at issue were covered under the policy. Similarly, in New England Systems Inc. v. Citizens Insurance Co. of America, an insured relied on virtually identical policy language to argue (like the insured in Fishbowl) that it was entitled to recover alleged business interruption losses, even though it was able to continue operations at all times after a cyberattack and related data breach. See 2022 WL 17585966 (D. Conn. Dec. 12, 2022). The case ultimately settled, but not before the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut denied (in part) the insurers motion for summary judgment, holding that a fact issue existed as to whether the insured sustained covered business interruption losses as a result of the data breach. As in Fishbowl, the court concluded that the policys use of the term impairment as a trigger for business income coverage provided a broader grant of coverage than more common provisions requiring an interruption of the insureds business. Although the holdings in Fishbowl and New England Systems turned on policy-specific distinctions between the terms impairment and interruption, insureds and insurers have presented similar arguments in the absence of such policy language. For example, in a recent Michigan case arising out of a two-week shutdown of the insureds computer systems, an insurer sought summary judgment on its insureds resulting business income claim, arguing that the insured sustained no compensable business income loss at all, because the insuredwhich conducted nearly all of its sales via telephonewas able to continue its business operations during the time its computer systems were inoperable. See Travelers Casualty and Surety of America Motion for Summary Judgment, 2022 WL 18456129 (E.D. Mich.). The case settled before the court ruled on the insurers motion for summary judgement; however, the parties briefing provides an insightful example of how litigants on both sides of the docket are attempting to achieve clarity regarding the requisite link between a cyber event and covered business income loss. The Fifth Circuit Addresses the Scope of Business Income Loss in the Cyber Context In the latest federal court opinion to address claimed business income losses arising from a cyber event, the Fifth Circuit reversed a lower courts grant of summary judgment in favor of an insurer, holding that costs incurred by Southwest Airlines to compensate customers affected by a massive network failure were not barred from coverage simply because they were incurred at the business discretion of the insured. On July 20, 2016, Southwest Airlines suffered a massive system failure that impacted its flight operations for approximately three days, ultimately causing 475,839 customers to experience flight cancellations and/or delays. Sw. Airlines Co. v. Liberty Ins. Underwriters, Inc., 90 F.4th 847 (5th Cir. Jan. 16, 2024). As a result of the system failure (and related impact on flight operations), Southwest Airlines compensated passengers with a several perks, aimed at maintaining customer loyalty and mitigating long-term income losses, including: Distributing FareSaver Promo Codes to customers whose flights were canceled or delayed two hours or more; Giving travel vouchers to customers whose flights were canceled or delayed two hours or more; Issuing refunds to customers (upon request) to compensate for alternate travel arrangements; Distributing Rapid Rewards Points to frequent flier program members whose flights were canceled or delayed two hours or more; and Advertising costs for a sale that was underway during the system failure, which was extended by one week. Southwest Airlines sought to recoup these mitigation costs under the System Failure Coverage coverage afforded by its cyber policy, which stated the insurer would pay all Loss . . . that an Insured incurs . . . solely as a result of a System Failure. The Policy defined Loss as costs that would not have been incurred but for a Material Interruption, and it defined Material Interruption as the actual and measurable interruption or suspension of an Insureds business directly caused by a System Failure. The lower court granted summary judgment for the insurer, holding that the costs claimed by Southwest Airlines were not solely caused by the system failure, but rather were the result of various and purely discretionary customer-related rewards programs, practices and market promotions' employed by Southwest Airlines. On appeal, Southwest Airlines acknowledged that all five cost categories at issue were the result of business decisions made by Southwest Airlines but argued that they were covered under the plain terms of the cyber policy. The insurerlike the insurers in Fishbowl and New England Systemsargued that Southwest Airlines claimed losses stemmed from intervening factors, not the cyber event itself. The Fifth Circuit reversed the lower courts summary judgment in favor of the insurer, holding that the costs claimed by Southwest Airlines were not barred from coverage simply because they were discretionary. Applying the lenient but-for causation standard set forth in the cyber policy, the panel concluded that Southwest Airlines claimed costs were inextricably linked to the system failure and, therefore, constituted losses (as defined in the policy). The Fifth Circuit remanded the case to the lower court to determine whether the system failure was the sole cause of each cost category claimed by Southwest Airlines, thus triggering coverage. The insurer argued that allowing Southwest Airlines to recover purely discretionary costs would permit Southwest Airlines to literally dictate the amount of its own loss;' however, the Fifth Circuit rejected this contention, stating that the policys language and basic insurance principles would prohibit any recovery that would put Southwest in a better position than it would have occupied without the interruption. As the panel explained: The policy still requires a causal nexus between the system failure and Southwests costs. Indeed, it even contains a provision to guide that causation inquiry, limiting coverage to only the costs that are deemed appropriate based on Southwests probable business if no system failure occurred. As the panel further noted, to resolve the coverage question on remand, the lower court would be required to consider the extent to which recovery for each category of loss at issue comports with these basic insurance principles. The insurer w[ill] need to explain how the cover refunds in particular would not qualify as recoverable mitigation costs that arose solely as a result of the system failure; just as Southwest w[ill] need to explain how its claims for a week of advertising (for a single-day interruption of its ad campaign) and for FareSaver Promo codes (which potentially allowed redemption for those who were not impacted by the cancelations) would not grant the company a windfall. The Fifth Circuits opinion in Southwest Airlines demonstrates the limited guidance currently available to courts when interpreting and applying cyber policies in the business interruption context. Because cyber insurance is a relatively new area of insurance coverage, courtslike the Fifth Circuitare often left to look outside the cyber context or rely on dictionary definitions for the plain meaning of words that, by their very nature, continue to develop as the law and technology rapidly evolve. While it is difficult to draw bright-line line rules as to how future courts will define and value business income losses in the cyber context, cases like Southwest Airlines, Fishbowl, and New England Systems demonstrate the impact a single word or phrase in a policy can have in such a coverage disputeespecially when applied to the complex set of facts and resulting chain of events frequently accompanying a cyber event. And, as technology, policy language, and the substantive law on these matters continue to evolve, courts and practitioners must take a fact-intensive and case-specific approach to the novel issues presented by claims for business income losses resulting from a cyber event. Holbrook is a partner at Zelle LLP. He is a property insurance litigator who has successfully tried cases to jury verdicts and to the bench. He has experience in litigating first-party property insurance disputes involving commercial property, builders risk, inland marine, excess indemnity and reinsurance. Zeller is a senior associate at Zelle LLP. Her practice focuses on a wide range of insurance-related matters in both first-party property and commercial general liability disputes as well as third-party matters, with an emphasis on coverage, construction defects, breach of contract, and bad faith. She has experience handling all phases of litigation in both state and federal court. AKRON, Ohio Bloomberg Philanthropies selected Akron as one of 25 cities to receive funding for its Sustainable Cities initiative. The $200 million initiative which is federally funded supports the creation of local solutions to build low-carbon, resilient and economically thriving communities, according to a news release. PolicyLink, Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University, and Natural Resources Defense Council will offer guidance and support to selected cities. Im excited Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities is helping cities, including Akron, tackle climate change and racial wealth inequities, Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said in the release. The innovation team will help us tackle real issues in the lives of Akronites leveraging philanthropic funding to create and grow a truly sustainable and equitable Akron. With the added staff capacity and the network of other cities working towards similar solutions, we will be more innovative and engaged with the community in ideating, developing, and executing projects that create local solutions to the problems facing not only our city but the entire world. The funding will allow Akron to hire two staff members to support local efforts. The city will also receive three years of customized policy and technical help in working with local organizations to mobilize public, private and philanthropic investments. Learn more about the open director and civic designer positions. It is a privilege to work on this project that centers racial wealth inequity and climate change not as intractable problems, but as opportunities to address real change here in our hometown of Akron, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Esther Thomas said in the release. Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.coms Rubber City Update, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Wednesdays. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- On a day when the Browns lost two of their starting linebackers, they added a veteran linebacker who knows their defensive coordinator well. Jordan Hicks, who played for defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz for three seasons in Philadelphia, agreed to terms on Monday with the Browns on a two-year, $8 million deal. Hicks has spent the last two seasons with the Vikings. The Browns needed to replace linebacker Anthony Walker Jr., a team captain who is signing with the Miami Dolphins, and Sione Takitaki, who is signing with the Patriots. Hicks was a third-round pick of the Eagles in the 2015 draft and started 40 of his 43 games in Philadelphia, including 35 starts with Schwartz calling the defense. He missed the teams Super Bowl run in 2017 after suffering an Achilles injury in Week 7. A product of the University of Texas, Hicks, who attended Lakota West High School in West Chester Township, OH and turns 32 in June, boasts five consecutive seasons with over 100 tackles, has 14.5 career sacks, 13 interceptions and 11 fumble recoveries. Hicks, 6-foot-1 and 236 pounds, signed a four-year, $36 million deal with Arizona in 2019 and was released in 2022. The Vikings signed him to a two-year deal after his release from the Cardinals. Fanatics Sportsbook 10X$100 BONUS BET BET MATCH BONUS CLAIM OFFER Must be 21+. GAMBLING PROBLEM? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (CO, KY ,MD, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV); (888) 789-7777 or ccpg.org (CT); 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA); (800) 327-5050 or gamblinghelpline.org (MA), mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1800gambler.net (WV) Walker started 27 games in three seasons with the Browns, but saw his last two years here end early due to injury. Takitaki was a third-round pick in 2019 who became an important starter first under Joe Woods, filling in at MIKE linebacker for Walker in 2022, and then when Schwartz arrived. Both players wore the green sticker at various points as the defensive signal-caller who gets the calls from the sideline via a headset in the helmet. Adding Hicks and allowing Walker and Takitaki to leave only serves to reinforce the idea of an expanded role for Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah in his fourth season. His snap count rose in the final quarter of the 2023 season and Schwartz indicated he wanted Owusu-Koramoah to develop into the type of linebacker that never leaves the field. Owusu-Koramoah is eligible for an extension beginning this offseason and will be a free agent after the 2024 season. The Browns had a busy day on the defensive side of the ball. In addition to the changes at linebacker, they re-signed edge rusher ZaDarius Smith to a two-year deal and brought back defensive tackle Mo Hurst II on a one-year contract. The Browns defense flourished in its first season under Schwartz, finishing first in total yards per game and passing yards per game and second in yards per play. They also allowed the fewest first downs in the league. BRECKSVILLE, Ohio -- The city will likely ask voters to decide in November whether to ban businesses that grow and/or sell recreational marijuana in town. Law Director David Matty told City Council in February that, in his opinion, council has no authority on its own to prohibit recreational marijuana businesses. CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio -- Sixteen third-graders -- members of the Gurney Elementary School Service Learning Club -- spent a recent Monday afternoon spreading Irish cheer to residents of the Hamlet Retirement Community. The students --wearing o the green -- and the seniors played a St. Patricks Day dice game together, and club members passed out green necklaces to Hamlets residents. CLEVELAND, Ohio Former East Cleveland Police Chief Scott Gardner pleaded guilty Tuesday to failure to pay state taxes, a move that comes a day after his trial began. Gardner, 49, of Ravenna, must pay back nearly $150,000 to the state, authorities said. In exchange for the plea, prosecutors dropped 23 financial charges, including theft in office, money laundering and grand theft. CLEVELAND, Ohio --After 15 months in the role, David Radzynski has stepped down from the post of Concertmaster for The Cleveland Orchestra. This change was effective March 3. A concertmaster is the principal first violin and the leader of an orchestra, after the conductor. CLEVELAND, Ohio Changes in voting locations for the 2024 primary election on March 19 will affect residents in Maple Heights, Mayfield Heights, North Randall, North Royalton and Walton Hills. The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections has sent letters to voters who are affected by the changes. The board still is encouraging residents to confirm their voting locations before the election by going to its website or by calling 216-443-VOTE (8683). COLUMBUS, Ohio Former President Donald Trump is coming to Ohio this weekend to try to help push his endorsed Senate candidate over the finish line. Trump will visit Dayton International Airport on Saturday, according to a statement issued by the Trump campaign Monday evening. He is scheduled to speak at 4 p.m., with doors opening at 12 p.m. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Gov. Mike DeWine has endorsed in Ohios contentious Republican U.S. Senate contest with just a little more than a week to go until the March 19 primary election. And former President Donald Trump is headed to Cincinnati. Were talking about how close the race could be on Today in Ohio. Listen online here. Editor Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour news podcast, with editorial board member Lisa Garvin, impact editor Leila Atassi and content director Laura Johnston. Youve been sending Chris lots of thoughts and suggestions on our from-the-newsroom text account, in which he shares what were thinking about at cleveland.com. You can sign up here: https://joinsubtext.com/chrisquinn. You can now join the conversation. Call 833-648-6329 (833-OHTODAY) if youd like to leave a message we can play on the podcast. Heres what else were asking about today: Do we finally have some idea of who was behind those credit card skimming devices that were stealing credit and debit card numbers at Giant Eagle, Walmart and Marcs stores in the region? What do we know about the surprise resignation of former Northeast Ohio Congresswoman Marcia Fudge at Joe Bidens Housing and Urban Development secretary. Is it common for key cabinet members to quit in the middle of a presidential re-election campaign? Ohios primary election day is one week from today, which should bring, at least temporarily, an end to the television ad blitz. But rest assured, it will return. How are national-level Democrats and Republicans guaranteeing that? Its not just nationals spending tens of millions on political races in Ohio. How much is the state House GOP group spend this season for candidates who would support Jason Stephens to remain the house speaker over current Senate president Matt Huffman? Whats the latest chunk of state wild lands to be the target of gas and oil drillers, not that Mike DeWine and the Legislature have opened parks, preserves and other beautiful spaces to drilling? How is Ohio Treasurer Bob Sprague, the guy tasked with investing state reserves, dipping his toe into the opioid crisis, just as he contemplates a run for governor in a couple of years? A guy with almost no courtroom experience, no real management experience and little in the way of an understanding of the job is challenging incumbent Cuyahoga County Proesutor Mike OMalley in the primary election. What do we know about Matthew Ahn? Cuyahoga County has paid out tens of millions of dollars in settlements because of the terrible conditions at the county jail that resulted in deaths, but the county is getting off lightly on a lawsuit specifically about those conditions. Whats the settlement? The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has opened an exhibit called Revolutionary Women in Music. Who is the museum honoring? We have an Apple podcasts channel exclusively for this podcast. Subscribe here. Do you get your podcasts on Spotify? Find us here. RadioPublic is another popular podcast vehicle, and we are here. On Google Podcasts, we are here. On PodParadise, find us here. And on PlayerFM, we are here. We have no transcript today because of technical difficulties. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story stated, in error, that state Rep. Willis Blackshear Jr. was endorsed by Democrats for Life. He was not endorsed by the group. COLUMBUS, OhioThe 2024 primary races for the Ohio Statehouse are worth paying attention to, for a number of reasons. CLEVELAND, Ohio A Northwest Ohio attorney who repeatedly slept with her boyfriends daughter was permanently disbarred Tuesday. Amber R. Goodman of Elida pleaded guilty in 2022 to a felony conviction of unlawful sexual contact with a minor. She served eight of a 30-month prison sentence and is currently on five years of probation. Goodman was also ordered to register as a Tier II sex offender, participate in counseling, undergo random alcohol screenings and abstain from using alcohol and illegal substances. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) For more than half a century, Ohio was one of the most important states to watch during presidential election years, a place where both parties competed vigorously for support from voters who were often genuinely undecided. Then came Donald Trump. Beginning in 2016, Ohio became reliably Republican as more and more voters embraced the New York businessmans brash brand of politics. When Trump won the state in 2020 without clinching the White House, he became the first to win Ohio but lose the presidency since the state sided with Richard Nixon over John F. Kennedy in 1960. With that, the Buckeye States bellwether status was officially unrung. Now there are hints that the dynamic may be shifting again after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned federal constitutional protections for abortion. Ohio voters responded last year to the 2022 ruling by overwhelmingly approving an amendment enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution. They did so after swarming polls to defeat a Republican effort that would have made doing so more difficult. The state also legalized recreational marijuana. Theres a risk of overinterpreting the results from 2023, but the victories have encouraged Democrats defending a pivotal U.S. Senate seat this year. Last Augusts GOP-backed effort to make amending Ohios constitution harder showed Ohioans that Republican politicians were not on their side, said Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters. The Democratic Party isnt getting ahead of themselves after just one election, but it does provide some hope that steadily, and with a lot of work, Ohioans could drift more to the left than to the right in upcoming elections, she said. Democrats most immediate concern is re-electing three-term U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown. Hes unopposed in the March 19 primary as Republicans hash out who will run against him, but Brown is viewed as among the nations most vulnerable Democrats in Novembers general election, when voters also will cast ballots for president and Congress. Delaware County voter Janelle Tucker, 53, said as she perused the floral section of a Kroger on Tuesday that she cant predict how Ohio will vote this fall. Shes a Democrat and a big fan of Brown but said she just doesnt know what will happen. Ohio used to be sort of the pulse of the voter, and its not anymore, she said. Its fascinating because it seems like the voter strongly approved womens rights, but the representatives dont support the voters. Since Trump, Tucker said, I feel like I dont know my community anymore. Brown stands as a rare Democrat to be elected statewide in Ohio. Republicans control every statewide non-judicial office, both chambers of the state Legislature with supermajorities and the Ohio Supreme Court and they have for years. Mark Weaver, a long-time Ohio-based Republican consultant, said, Anyone who suggests that Ohio has become purple again is going to have to offer up evidence other than 2023. He chalked up the resounding success of Novembers Issue 1, which guaranteed an individuals right to make and carry out ones own reproductive decisions, to abortion rights groups outraising and outspending their anti-abortion opponents, therefore driving more left-leaning voters to the polls. Unless those same groups put similar millions into Browns race, Ohio will return to its reliable red state results, Weaver said. Thats what happened in 2022, when then-Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan ran what was widely considered a textbook campaign for the Senate seat vacated by Republican Rob Portman, only to lose by more than 6 points to Republican venture capitalist and Hillbilly Elegy author JD Vance. Vance had been backed by Trump. But Ryan failed to garner the financial support from national Democrats that Brown is receiving. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has committed at least $10 million to re-elect him and Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester. David Niven, an associate professor of political science at the University of Cincinnati, said Brown has a shot at keeping his seat if he focuses on abortion in a way that connects with voters. Brown, acutely aware of the issues potential to help him, has wasted no time contrasting his stance on abortion with those of his Republican opponents: Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno, Secretary of State Frank LaRose and state Sen. Matt Dolan. I have always been clear about where I stand: I support abortion access for all women, he wrote in a text to voters the week after the November referendum. I know where my opponents stand, too: All three would overturn the will of Ohioans by voting for a national abortion ban. Moreno, LaRose and Dolan each celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade, which returned abortion policy to the states, but now support a 15-week federal abortion limit thats been cast as a compromise by influential anti-abortion groups. The Ohio Republicans stances vary on imposing limits even earlier and on allowing exceptions later in pregnancy. Abortion is also a hot topic in three closely watched Ohio Supreme Court races, where Democrats are defending two sitting justices and dreaming of flipping a third open seat to take control of the seven-member court. The future of Ohio abortion law could be forged there, and on other states high courts, as the legal questions surrounding abortion rights are hashed out. Nivens takeaway from 2023? If the Democrats could make elections strictly about issues, they would win, he said. Supporting evidence for that theory can be found in Ohios suburbs, which may prove pivotal again. In 2018, Brown lost three suburban counties Butler, outside Cincinnati; and Delaware and Licking, outside Columbus where the abortion rights issue went on to win last November. In two others where Issue 1 lost narrowly the Cincinnati areas Clermont and Warren counties the abortion question outperformed Browns 2018 percentage by double digits. All five of those counties voted for Trump in 2020. At the Keystone Pub & Patio in Delaware County, Ken Wentworth, 53, said he isnt sure what the future holds. He feels conflicted himself. A moderate Republican, he said he voted for marijuana legalization last year and chickened out and abstained on the abortion issue. My friends that are Democrats, they arent like kinda Democrats, theyre Democrats with all capital bold letters, he said. And, on the Republican side, they are right-wing times a hundred. He said he remains undecided in the Senate race and doesnt like his choices for president, either, though he would support Trump over Biden if no other alternative emerges. Independent voter Michelle Neeld, a 43-year-old factory worker from rural Morrow County, voted yes on both abortion rights and marijuana legalization last year. She doesnt want to see Trump back in the White House but says she wouldnt vote for Biden. She does feel Ohio is moving to the left. I think its getting there, she said. Christopher McKnight Nichols, an Ohio State University professor of history, said the roughly 57% support received by both Ohio ballot issues in November shows just how weak many of those conservative issues are with actual Republican voters. He said it will likely prompt a reconfiguration within the state GOP. Ohio Republican Party Chair Alex Triantafilou said that, given the GOPs longstanding success in the state, he believes some within the party are overconfident and Ive shared that privately and publicly with our party faithful. I think anybody who ignores the results of 2023 does so at their own peril, he said. So, Im not an overconfident Republican. I do think were going to do well. I do believe (if hes the nominee) President Trump will do well in Ohio. But I think we have our work cut out for us. ___ Samantha Hendrickson is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. WASHINGTON, D. C. - Upset with a surge in steel imports from Mexico that he says is violating a 2019 trade agreement and threatening steelworkers jobs in Ohio and across the country, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown on Tuesday announced hes introducing bipartisan legislation called the Stop Mexicos Steel Surge Act to force a crackdown. The Cleveland Democrat joined with Senators including Republicans JD Vance of Cincinnati and Tom Cotton of Arkansas to introduce legislation that would reinstate 232 tariffs on Mexican steel imports at 25%, for no less than a year, and give the president authority to impose additional quotas and tariffs on specific products if needed. CLEVELAND, Ohio Workers at the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center are trying to unionize and have taken the first steps needed to set up a union election. Records show that workers filed a petition to the National Labor Relations Board on Wednesday. The proposed unit would include 45 workers and includes therapists, specialists and clinical workers in the union. Rotunda Rumblings Ibogaine curious: Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague hired a lawyer who mounted an effort throughout last year to steer $42 million of Kentucky funds into clinical trials of the psychedelic drug ibogaine. As Jake Zuckerman reports, researchers have taken interest in the drugs ability to treat opioid use disorders and traumatic brain injury. Spragues contract with Bryan Hubbard, however, doesnt specifically restrict any focus toward ibogaine, which is illegal at the federal level. Urban renewal gives century-old block new look in Beijing 16:24, March 12, 2024 By Pan Junqiang ( People's Daily Tourists shop in the Moshikou historical and cultural block in Shijingshan district, Beijing for the Lantern Festival, Feb. 24, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Du Jianpo) When the night falls, Moshikou Street in Beijing's Shijingshan district is ablaze with dazzling lights, becoming an ideal photo spot for tourists. This centuries-old historical and cultural block has been reinvigorated thanks to the urban renewal program launched by Beijing. Having made its name since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the Moshikou Street was once a hub for merchants. It covers an area of 38.88 hectares and was among the second batch of historical and cultural preservation areas in Beijing. It is home to historical and cultural sites protected at the national level including the Fahai Temple and the Cheng'en Temple, as well as many protected at the municipal and district levels. Having restored historical and cultural sites, as well as former residences of celebrities and valuable courtyards scattered in ancient alleys and lanes, Shijingshan district has launched special cultural exhibitions to highlight the charm of the local culture. The Fahai Temple is located at the southern foot of Cuiwei Mountain in the western part of Beijing. It houses the oldest and most well-preserved Ming Dynasty murals in Beijing. Inside the nearby Fahai Temple Mural Art Center, there is a digital exhibition hall where murals are displayed on 4K high-definition screens in their original proportions. "The screen allows for zooming in, showcasing specific details," said Liu Xiaobo, curator of the Fahai Temple Mural Art Center. This approach not only protects the murals but also better showcases their artistic charm, Liu added. Folk culture performance is staged in the Moshikou historical and cultural block in Shijingshan district, Beijing, Feb. 24, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Du Jianpo) Protecting historical heritage helps preserve urban memory. So far, Shijingshan district has allocated a total of over 20 million yuan ($2.78 million) of special funds in the Moshikou historical and cultural block, which has been used for the protective restoration of cultural relics. In the past, Moshikou block was plagued by illegal buildings, unauthorized roadside businesses, and severe traffic congestion from morning to night. After the morning market finished, the streets were littered with garbage and covered by sewage. A turnaround came in 2016 when Shijingshan district initiated the renovation work of the Moshikou historical and cultural block, which aimed to improve the environment, upgrade municipal facilities, and enhance the living conditions of residents. Zhang Haibin, deputy general manager of the company responsible for demolishing illegal constructions and renovating facilities in the block, told People's Daily that various needs were taken into consideration during the design phase of the renovation program. The goal was not only to improve the living environment for residents but also to restore the historical and cultural charm of the area, attracting both locals and tourists to visit, Zhang said. The company laid gas pipelines, separated rainwater pipes from sewage pipes, and buried overhead cables underground. Besides, illegal buildings have been demolished orderly. The facades of the block have been renovated with gray brick elements, preserving the traditional features of local residences. The improvement of the block's landscape focused on enhancing cultural and historical elements and enriching people's life interests. Sculptures, wall paintings, night lighting, and landscaping have been added on both sides of the street. Tourists visit the Fahai Temple Mural Art Center in the Moshikou historical and cultural block in Shijingshan district, Beijing. (People's Daily Online/Du Jianpo) The thorough renovation has brought a new look to the Moshikou block. "It has become clean and beautiful, and made everyone's life more convenient," said Ren Yuan, a staff member of the Moshikou village community committee. "During the renovation, we fully incorporated the demands of the merchants, ensuring that they could open for business as soon as they moved in," said Li Qi, deputy general manager of the Moshikou historical and cultural block operation and maintenance center of Beijing TeFo Heng Investment and Development Co., Ltd. The block attracted investment focusing on four types of businesses: culture, tourism, commerce, and public services. Today, it is home to 15 landscape sites, 29 exquisite courtyards, and over 100 stores. "Previously, we must make further renovation and decoration after the block's overall renovation work was finished, which wasted time and energy. This time, our decoration needs were combined directly with remodeling construction of the block, so that our hotel can open for business in the shortest time possible," said Zhao Zhongyuan, who runs a B&B hotel in Moshikou block. Nowadays, the Moshikou historical and cultural block is home to a variety of businesses, including themed restaurants, hotels, coffee shops, bars, tea houses, and more. In a folk custom exhibition hall in the block, a cafe has opened. "The folk culture and the cafe have great 'chemistry' - this place is becoming more and more popular," said Zheng Tengfei who runs the cafe. He has gradually come to understand the local folklore and history, and sometimes even introduces it to visitors. It is reported that the Moshikou historical and cultural block combines light art with bars, B&B hotels, immersive experiences, and other cultural and leisure businesses to further beautify its night views and promote cultural consumption. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun) Palestinians line up for a free meal in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Fatima Shbair/AP The ship belonging to the Open Arms aid group with aid on a platform ferry some 200 tonnes of rice and flour directly to Gaza, departs from the port from southern city of Larnaca, Cyprus, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. An aid ship loaded with some 200 tons of food set sail Tuesday from Cyprus to Gaza, the international charity behind the effort said. The shipment is a test for the opening of a sea corridor to supply aid to the territory, where starvation is spreading five months into the Israel-Hamas war. Petros Karadjias/AP Randa Baker, Right, who was displaced by the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, prepares the Iftar meal with her mother on the first day of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan at a makeshift tent camp in the Muwasi area, southern Gaza, March 11, 2024. The holy month, typically a time of communal joy and reflection, is overshadowed by the grim reality of a conflict that has claimed over 30,000 Palestinian lives and left vast swaths of Gaza in shambles. Fatima Shbair/AP A Palestinian boy plays with fireworks as he celebrates the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan next to a destroyed residential building by the Israeli airstrikes in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Sunday, March 10, 2024. Fatima Shbair/AP Randa Baker, who was displaced by the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, hangs Ramadan decorations and lanterns with her daughter, remarking the beginning of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan at a makeshift tent camp in the Muwasi area, southern Gaza, March 11, 2024. The holy month, typically a time of communal joy and reflection, is overshadowed by the grim reality of a conflict that has claimed over 30,000 Palestinian lives and left vast swaths of Gaza in shambles. Fatima Shbair/AP Aid packages are seen at left, on a platform near to the docked ship belonging to the Open Arms aid group, center front, as it prepares to ferry some 200 tonnes of rice and flour directly to Gaza, at the port in Larnaca, Cyprus, Monday, March 11, 2024. The European Commission president said Friday the Open Arms ship will make a pilot voyage as international donors launched a sea corridor to supply the besieged territory that is facing widespread hunger after five months of war. Petros Karadjias/AP Parachutes drop humanitarian aid into the northern Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Monday, March 11, 2024. Maya Alleruzzo/AP Palestinians line up for a free meal in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Fatima Shbair/AP Palestinians line up for a free meal in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Fatima Shbair/AP A ship carrying 200 tons of food was on its way Tuesday to the war-devastated Gaza Strip from the island of Cyprus to test-run opening a sea corridor to the besieged Palestinian territory, where hundreds of thousands of people are on the brink of starvation. The Israeli military said six aid trucks entered Gaza through the north late Tuesday as the international push for more humanitarian aid to Gaza grew. Israel's war in Gaza threatens to spill across the Middle East as militant groups allied with Hamas and backed by Iran trade fire with U.S. and Israeli forces. The Israeli military struck two targets in Syria it said were used by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, after around 100 projectiles were launched into Israel from Lebanon on Tuesday morning in one of the biggest barrages since the war began. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Efforts by the United States, Egypt and Qatar to broker a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas stalled last week. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250 people. Hamas is still believed to still be holding around 100 hostages and the remains of others. Gazas Health Ministry said that over 31,000 Palestinians have been killed and most of Gazas 2.3 million people forced from their homes. The ministry doesnt differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but says that women and children make up two-thirds of the dead. A quarter of Gazas population is starving, according to the United Nations. Currently: Advertisement Article continues below this ad An aid ship is sailing to Gaza, where hundreds of thousands face starvation 5 months into war. A United Nations envoy says the finding that some hostages were victims of sexual violence doesnt justify Israeli attacks. Officials say a pair of Israeli airstrikes deep into northeastern Lebanon kills at least two people. A Gaza family uprooted by war and grieving their losses shares a somber Ramadan meal in a tent. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Find more of APs coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war Here's the latest: 6 TRUCKS CARRY AID INTO GAZA FROM THE NORTH FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE WAR ERUPTED, ISRAELI MILITARY SAYS JERUSALEM The Israeli military said an aid convoy has for the first time entered the Gaza Strip through a crossing in the war-ravaged northern half of the territory. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Six trucks entered Gaza late Tuesday through a gate in the border fence, carrying goods from the World Food Program, the military said. It described the delivery as a test run and said the Israeli government would review the results. Israel alleges that Hamas is commandeering aid. At the same time, Israel is under growing international pressure to ease restrictions on aid entering Gaza, particularly the northern half of the territory. Up to now, aid convoys entered Gaza from its southern end and had to make their way through areas of fighting and large, desperate crowds of Palestinians. On Tuesday, the European Unions foreign policy chief said Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war and accused it of blocking overland routes that are the best way to get food to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians facing famine. The United States and other countries have resorted to workarounds, such as air drops and setting up a sea route, but aid officials say land deliveries remain the most efficient. Advertisement Article continues below this ad ISRAEL IS USING STARVATION AS A WEAPON OF WAR IN GAZA, EU OFFICIAL TELLS U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL UNITED NATIONS The European Unions foreign policy chief says Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war and accused it of blocking overland routes that are the best way to get food to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians facing famine in the Gaza Strip. Josep Borrell told the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday that humanitarian assistance must get into Gaza where there is no natural disaster, flood or earthquake. This is a man-made crisis, Borrell said. And when we look for alternative ways of providing support by sea or by air, we have to remind that we have to do it because the natural way of providing support to roads is being closed -- artificially closed -- and starvation is being used as a war arm. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He said that this practice is being condemned in Ukraine, and the same words have to be used in Gaza. The World Food Program delivered food into northern Gaza on Tuesday for the first time since Feb. 20, according to the United Nations. After being checked at Israels Kerem Shalom crossing, the military said six humanitarian aid trucks brought WFP aid into Gaza at the 96th gate crossing, close to Kibbutz Beeri. Aid groups have been struggling to get aid to the isolated area for months, although some private convoys have managed to deliver food. Borrell said the EU is waiting for the results of three investigations into Israeli allegations that 12 staff members from the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, participated in Hamas Oct. 7 attacks in southern Israel. But he stressed that UNRWA only exists because there are Palestinian refugees. Advertisement Article continues below this ad And if UNRWA disappears, the refugees will still be there, he said. In fact, there is only one way to make UNRWA disappear making those refugees citizens of a Palestinian state that co-exists with an Israeli state. To make this a reality, Borrell said the first step should be for the U.N. Security Council to unanimously adopt a resolution endorsing a two-state solution and defining the general principles which might lead to this result. Stressing the very wide support for a two-state solution, he said that would be a wonderful opportunity to show that our principles are not empty words. ISRAEL SAYS IT STRUCK SITES IN SYRIA USED BY HEZBOLLAH Advertisement Article continues below this ad JERUSALEM The Israeli military bombed two sites in Syria that it said were used by Lebanons Hezbollah militant group. Tuesdays strikes came amid intensified fighting along the nearby Israel-Lebanon border, where Israel and militant groups have exchanged fire almost daily since the war in Gaza erupted five months ago. The Syrian government did not immediately issue any public comment. Hezbollah had launched more than 100 rockets towards Israel earlier Tuesday one of the heaviest barrages of the current conflict hours after two Israeli airstrikes in northeastern Lebanon destroyed a warehouse and killed at least one person and wounded eight. Israels military says it has carried out 4,500 strikes against Hezbollah targets over the past five months. The vast majority of the strikes were in Lebanon, while a few were in Syria. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Israeli military statement said it holds the Syrian government "accountable for all activities which take place within its territory and will not allow for any attempted actions which could lead to the entrenchment of Hezbollah on the Syrian front. In February, two people were killed in a strike in the Syrian capital of Damascus, although Israel did not confirm the attack. In recent years, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of war-torn Syria. It doesnt usually acknowledge its airstrikes on Syria. But when it does, Israel says its targeting Iran-backed groups there. DUTCH LEADER TO VISIT ISRAEL AND EGYPT Advertisement Article continues below this ad THE HAGUE, Netherlands Dutch caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte is visiting Israel and Egypt on Wednesday to discuss the crisis in the Middle East. Rutte will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem before traveling to Cairo for talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi. The Dutch government information service says that the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the importance of an immediate pause in fighting and the release of all hostages will be discussed. Rutte also will discuss the need to prevent regional escalation and find a lasting solution to the conflict. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 68 PALESTINIAN ORPHANS ARE EVACUATED FROM GAZA TO THE WEST BANK, GERMANY SAYS JERUSALEM Dozens of Palestinian orphans have been evacuated from Gaza to the occupied West Bank, said the German Foreign Ministry, which had pressed for the transfer. The evacuation Monday from the orphanage run by SOS Childrens Village, an Austrian-based non-governmental organization, appeared to be one of the largest evacuations from Gaza since the war broke out on Oct. 7. In a statement Tuesday, the ministry said 68 orphans and 11 staff members were transferred from the southern Gaza city of Rafah to the West Bank city of Bethlehem. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We are relieved that our intensive efforts finally led to success yesterday and thank all involved, the ministry said in an email, without elaborating Germanys role in the operation. SOS Children's Village confirmed to The Associated Press that the orphans were currently in Bethlehem, but did not provide any further details. The group has facilities in both Gaza and the West Bank. In December, 28 premature babies were evacuated from Gaza to Egypt. News of the evacuated orphans sparked backlash from far-right ministers in Israels government. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bezalel Smotrich, the ultranationalist finance minister, demanded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu provide clarifications about who gave the immoral order to transfer children from Gaza while Israelis are still held in Hamas captivity. The Israeli military did not immediately reply to a request for comment. AMERICAN-ISRAELI SOLDIER BELIEVED TAKEN HOSTAGE HAD DIED ON OCT. 7, ISRAEL'S MILITARY SAYS JERUSALEM The Israeli military says it has determined that an American-Israeli soldier who was believed taken into Gaza as a hostage was actually killed during the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It was not clear how the military determined Itay Chen, 19, had been killed. Chen on active duty on the day of the attack. Chens family has been prominent in the struggle by relatives of hostages to have their loved ones released. Chens father, Ruby, is American and had made repeated appearances in the media and met top U.S. officials. U.S. President Joe Biden said Tuesday he was devastated to learn of Chens death, after meeting Chens father and brother at the White House in December. No one should have to endure even one day of what they have gone through, said Biden, adding that the U.S. would keep working to secure the remaining hostages' release. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a statement, Chens parents thanked the Biden administration and the American people for their support. They said they expect Israel and Americas leadership to do everything to bring back all the hostages still in Gaza, including their sons remains. Chen is the latest hostage to be declared dead by Israeli authorities. Israel says 34 of the hostages remaining in the Gaza Strip are dead, either killed during Hamas attack or while in captivity. Hamas-led militants took roughly 250 people captive into Gaza, among them men, women, children and older adults. Dozens were released during a temporary cease-fire in late November and about 100 people remain in captivity who are believed to be alive. 11 KILLED IN AN ISRAELI STRIKE ON A HOME IN CENTRAL GAZA Advertisement Article continues below this ad RAFAH, Gaza Strip Palestinian officials say an Israeli strike on a home in central Gaza has killed 11 people, mainly women and children. The strike occurred early Tuesday in the central city of Deir al-Balah. An Associated Press reporter saw the bodies arrive at a hospital. Hospital records show that of the 11 killed, four were women and five were children. All were from the same family. Israel says it tries to avoid harming civilians and accuses Hamas of using them as human shields because the militants fight in dense, residential neighborhoods. The military rarely comments on individual strikes, which often kill women and children. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gazas Health Ministry says at least 31,112 Palestinians have been killed in the war. The ministry doesnt differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but it has said women and children make up around two-thirds of the dead. The war began when Hamas launched a surprise attack into Israel on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and taking around 250 hostage. AID SHIP SETS SAIL FROM CYPRUS TO GAZA An aid ship loaded with some 200 tons of food set sail Tuesday from Cyprus to Gaza, the international charity behind the effort said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The shipment is a test for the opening of a sea corridor to supply aid to the territory, where starvation is spreading five months into the Israel-Hamas war. World Food Kitchen, the charity founded by celebrity chef Jose Andres, posted on the X social media platform that a ship set sail on Tuesday. Associated Press live footage showed it being towed out of a harbor in the port city of Larnaca. The United States has separately announced plans to construct a sea bridge near Gaza in order to deliver aid, but it will likely be several weeks before it is operational. HEZBOLLAH LEADER MEETS WITH TOP HAMAS OFFICIAL Advertisement Article continues below this ad BEIRUT The leader of Hezbollah met with a top Hamas official involved in negotiations for a cease-fire in Gaza, the Lebanese group said in a statement Tuesday. Hassan Nasrallahs meeting with Khalil Hayeh in Beirut came at the start Ramadan after Qatar- and Egyptian-mediated negotiations for a truce before the holy month broke down. Israel's military and Hezbollah militants continue to clash along the Lebanon-Israel border, while other governments scramble to prevent all-out war in the tiny Mediterranean country. Amos Hochstein, a senior advisor to U.S. President Joe Biden, has urged both parties to seek a lasting cease-fire in the tense border area. Hezbollah's leadership has said that a cease-fire in Gaza would be the only way to restore calm along the Lebanon-Israel border, but Israeli officials say that wouldnt be the case. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Israeli strikes late Monday deep into Lebanon killed one person and wounded six others near the countrys northeastern city of Baalbek. The Israeli militarys Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee said Israeli jets bombed two Hezbollah compounds in northeastern Lebanon in retaliation for Hezbollah launching attacks on the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights. Since the Israel-Hamas war began, more than 220 Hezbollah fighters and nearly 40 civilians were killed on the Lebanese side while in Israel, nine soldiers and 10 civilians were left dead in the attacks. ISRAELI MILITARY SAYS ABOUT 100 PROJECTILES FIRED FROM LEBANON INTO ISRAEL Advertisement Article continues below this ad TEL AVIV, Israel The Israeli military says about 100 projectiles have been launched from Lebanon into Israel, in some of the heaviest fire emanating from Israels northern neighbor since the start of the war in Gaza. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage following Tuesdays strikes, which appeared to be in response to Israeli airstrikes deep inside Lebanon a day before. The military said early Tuesday it struck sites belonging to the Lebanese Hezbollahs aerial forces in retaliation for previous Hezbollah attacks. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the launches from Lebanon. Israels military and fighters from the Lebanese Hezbollah have been trading fire since the Israel-Hamas was began on Oct. 7. More than 220 Hezbollah fighters and nearly 40 civilians have been killed on the Lebanese side, while in Israel, nine soldiers and 10 civilians have been killed in the attacks. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Tens of thousands of people have been displaced on both sides of the border because of the fighting. U.N. ENVOY SAYS ABUSE OF HOSTAGES DOESN'T LEGITIMIZE FURTHER HOSTILITIES UNITED NATIONS A U.N. envoy warned Israel that her finding of clear and convincing information that some hostages taken by Hamas during its Oct. 7 attack were subjected to sexual violence does not in any way legitimize further hostilities. In fact, it creates a moral imperative for a humanitarian cease-fire to end the unspeakable suffering imposed on Palestinian civilians in Gaza and bring about the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, Pramila Patten told the U.N. Security Council on Monday where Israels foreign minister sat listening. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Continuation of hostilities can, in no way, protect them, she said of the hostages. It can only expose them to further risk of violence, including sexual violence. Patten, the U.N. envoy focusing on sexual violence in conflict, spoke at a council meeting sought by Israel and called by the United States, United Kingdom and France to focus on her recent report. Israels Foreign Minister Israel Katz said he came to the council to protest as loud as I can against the crimes against humanity committed by Hamas in order to deter and scare Israeli society. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gallery Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly said that Charles Spencer named boys he accuses of bullying in the book A Very Private School. It also incorrectly named a student, Thomas Scot, who said he was bullied. The names, including Scots, are pseudonyms. The article has been corrected. - - - To most Americans, Charles Spencer may be best known as the aristocratic brother of Diana, Princess of Wales, the man who at her 1997 funeral spoke out against the media and the House of Windsor, pledging that it was blood family who would protect young William and Harry after their mothers death. Among the British literati, however, he has built a reputation as the author of several books on British history and the organizer of a major literary festival held at his ancestral estate of Althorp, a property that makes the mansion in the movie Saltburn look like a matchbox. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Unfettered access to the Spencer family archives certainly offers advantages to any historian. Spencers family members have been major players in Britain since Sir John Spencer, who amassed a sheep farming empire and bought Althorp, and who was knighted by Henry VIII in 1519. Charles Spencers habit of one-upping outsiders on his family history started young: In his new memoir, A Very Private School, he recalls facing down an abusive teacher who had asked a class to name generals involved in the 1704 Battle of Blenheim. The teacher, a frightening, humorless bully who drew blood when he beat the 8-year-old Charles, expected the boys to name two men. Spencer, because we had a family connection, was able to name 24 - and to correct his teacher on the difference between Gen. Charles Churchill and his brother Gen. John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, an ancestor of Winston Churchill and Spencers distant cousin. This anecdote might make Spencer sound insufferable, but his book puts it in context; readers may even find themselves cheering this small act of resistance. A Very Private School is an expose of the British aristocracys tradition of sending children away to boarding schools and of the particularly cruel abuse - both corporal and sexual - that Spencer and his classmates suffered at one school, Maidwell Hall, in the 1970s. This is not a book about Diana. Where she briefly appears, it is in fleeting moments to highlight the disruption endemic to Spencers boyhood: shuttling with him on trains between separated parents who will not speak to each other; confronting her father as she is deposited at her own boarding school: If you loved me, you would not leave me here. But Spencer has made clear his wish to preserve in privacy his memories of his sister. Rather, like Spare, the tell-all autobiography released last year by Charless nephew Harry, this is a posh boys misery memoir. Indeed, there are many echoes of that book: a childhood marked by parents high-profile divorce; a young boy denied emotional warmth amid the coldness of aristocratic British norms. But this is a more highbrow, self-aware work. Unlike Harry, the 9th Earl Spencer litters his pages with apologetic references to his own privilege. I am not writing to solicit any special sympathy, Spencer begins, echoing the words of Hilary Mantels 2003 memoir: People survive much worse and never put pen to paper. I am writing in order to take charge of my childhood. Instead, this is a story with a clear remit: to confront the British school system with the abuses it has long enabled. There are many graphic details in this book - some have already been leaked - but the allegations have the most impact when read here as a grander narrative about power and how it is abused. One of Spencers contemporaries reports that his memories of Maidwell are so traumatic that he can see them only in black and white. (Color was reserved for his memories of time at home.) Advertisement Article continues below this ad Spencer, destabilized by his parents divorce and his mothers departure from the home, was sent off to Maidwell Hall to learn to be an Englishman. There he was introduced to a world in which teachers brutalize pupils, and the older pupils pass the same cycle of violence onto younger ones. Spencer names teachers responsible for the abuse only if they are now dead, to avoid British defamation law. Spencer changed the names of the boys in the book, though many said they were happy for their true identities to be used. One, a man he calls Thomas Scot, attests to being knocked unconscious at the age of 9 by a teacher during a Latin class. The same teacher, Scot alleges, boasted about knowingly leaving him with an untreated break to his collar bone for four days following a sporting event. The headmaster, named by Spencer as Jack Porch, would summon a steady flow of boys to his study for extra lessons, punishments and religious confessions. His frequent targets were handsome and blond. Spencer writes that Porch sexually abused these boys while he hit them with his cane or his hand. (Like a twisted Harry Potter spell, he christened his two canes the Flick and the Switch.) Another master would take his favorites on nude swimming trips. One preteen was told he could enter the water only via the human slide - meaning intimate contact with the body of the teacher. Meanwhile, Spencer was being abused by a woman, the young assistant matron. This was not, Spencer points out, Mrs. Robinson seducing Dustin Hoffman. The abuse started when Spencer was 11 years old. The perpetrator, a young woman hired into a school that appears to have had no vetting procedure, bribed children with the promise of late-night sweets to stay awake as their dorm-mates slept. For readers who may struggle to understand why a woman whom Spencer recalls as 19 or 20 years old sought sexual satisfaction from such young boys, Spencer agrees: Ive long since given up trying to understand what lay behind her actions. Its beyond my comprehension. All I can do is to say what happened. Spencer, justifiably, blames his school abuser for awaking in me basic desires that had no place in one so young. Other boys with whom the matron had gone further boasted of it. You cant put the genie back in the bottle, as the cliche goes, he writes, and this childhood abuse meant I felt a compulsion to lose my virginity as soon as the chance arose. At age 12, he sought out the services of a prostitute. There was no joy in the act, no sense of arrival, no coming of age. The full details of this theft of innocence, with Spencers step-by-step examination of the school matrons methods of emotional manipulation, make horrific reading. At one point, when his abuser threatened to leave the school, Spencer began cutting himself to show his devotion. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At 13, Spencer would be sent to Britains famous Eton, which he found easier. Many of his ancestors studied there, although Queen Annes favorite Sarah Churchill, played by Rachel Weisz in the 2018 movie The Favourite, famously rescued her grandson from the school in 1722. One of Spencers last acts at Maidwell was to schedule his religious confirmation to prevent his godmother, Queen Elizabeth II, from being able to attend, lest it provoke bullies. Maidwell Hall continues to educate the British elite; in a statement released this weekend, it said that it had been sobering to learn of Spencers experiences, but almost every facet of school life has evolved significantly since the 1970s. The story comes just as British papers publish speculation about whether young Prince George will follow the boarding school tradition. Like his nephew Harry, Spencer credits therapy with allowing him to process this childhood pain. Unlike his nephew, he seems to have found genuine peace with his past. Spencers analysis of the culture that allowed schools like Maidwell to flourish is fairly basic; the needs of the Empire, the social pressures on parents, the English culture of the stiff upper lip all receive cursory mentions. Hes shrewd, however, on the alternating obsequiousness and resentment so often shown by English schoolmasters toward pupils of higher social birth than themselves. As an individual testimony to the abuse that scarred a lifetime and hobbled his marriages, it is a tour de force. How many other men at the top of British society, Spencer leaves us wondering, are carrying similar scars? - - - Kate Maltby is a critic, columnist and cultural historian in London. She holds a PhD in Tudor literary history and is a senior research associate at Jesus College, Cambridge. Advertisement Article continues below this ad - - - A Very Private School By Charles Spencer Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Mr. South Texas Foundation honored 11 students with the 2024 Mr. South Texas Scholarship during a ceremony held at Texas A&M International University. Pictured are (Top Row): Juan Gilberto Garcia, TAMIU vice president of Enrollment Management; Dr. Claudia San Miguel, TAMIU provost and vice president of Academic Affairs; State Senator Judith Zaffirini; Sebastian Guajardo, United HS; Luis Arriaga, Hector Garcia Early College HS; Sebastian Avena, LBJ HS; Dr. Pablo Arenaz, TAMIU president; Jorge "JD" Delgado, LC Board of Trustees vice president; and Heriberto Hernandez, LC dean of Workforce Education. (Bottom Row): Alfredo Moran, LC; AnaSofia Del Prado, TAMIU; Rebecca Leza, St. Augustine HS; Jorge Perez Torres, Martin HS; Naomi Virrey, United South HS; Sofia Tobias, Nixon HS; and Mateo Hernandez, Alexander HS. Not pictured: Arturo Chavez, Cigarroa HS, Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., speaks at the Atreju convention in Rome, Italy, on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023. The annual event, organized by Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy party, began in 1998 as a convention for right-wing youths and has evolved into a political kermesse, including ministers and members of the opposition. OpenAI has challenged a foundational claim Tesla CEO Elon Musk made in the lawsuit he filed against the startup earlier this month. As it seeks to commercialize its ChatGPT chatbot and underlying artificial intelligence models, OpenAI faces a slew of legal battles, including the one from Musk and cases over copyright infringement from the New York Times and authors. OpenAI reacted to Musk's complaint last week by deriding it in a memo to employees and releasing emails involving him that go back to its earliest days. Musk, who claimed breach of contract at the startup that he backed, referred in his complaint earlier this month to a 2015 "founding agreement" with him and two other OpenAI co-founders, Sam Altman and Greg Brockman. The three were agreeing that a new AI lab would be a nonprofit for the benefit of humanity and that it would not keep information private for commercial benefit, Musk said. He went on to say that in releasing the GPT-4 large language model last year without providing scientific details for public consumption, OpenAI breached that agreement. "There is no Founding Agreement, or any agreement at all with Musk, as the complaint itself makes clear," OpenAI said in a document on file with California's superior court for San Francisco County. "The Founding Agreement is instead a fiction Musk has conjured to lay unearned claim to the fruits of an enterprise he initially supported, then abandoned, then watched succeed without him." Musk quoted OpenAI's 2015 certificate of incorporation with the Delaware secretary of state, asserting that it "memorialized" the founding agreement. But OpenAI responded by saying that Musk's complaint lacked an actual agreement. The Microsoft-backed startup called Musk's claims frivolous. But in a Monday blog post it said it was asking the court to designate the case as complex and obtain dedicated case management for it, because it involves AI and its claims go back almost 10 years. In his complaint, Musk mentioned that, regarding OpenAI's 2017 plan to establish a for-profit organization, he told Brockman, Altman and OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever to "[e]ither go do something on your own or continue with OpenAI as a nonprofit." OpenAI said in its filing, dated March 6, that if the case were to go to discovery, evidence would show that Musk was on board with the startup gaining for-profit structure. Musk has his own AI lab called X.AI, which has released a chatbot called Grok that's available through X, formerly known as Twitter, which Musk acquired in 2022. The startup will release Grok's code under an open-source license this week, Musk said in an X post on Monday. OpenAI's ChatGPT had 100 million weekly users as of November. "Seeing the remarkable technological advances OpenAI has achieved, Musk now wants that success for himself," OpenAI said in its filing. "So he brings this action accusing Defendants of breaching a contract that never existed and duties Musk was never owed, demanding relief calculated to benefit a competitor to OpenAI." WATCH: Sam Altman rejoins OpenAI board of directors One of Wall Street's biggest bulls on Meta Platforms thinks its business could easily grow during a Trump presidency. Jefferies' Brent Thill sees Facebook as vital despite President Donald Trump calling it an "enemy of the people" on CNBC's "Squawk Box " on Monday. "I don't agree with this view that it's the enemy. The reverse has happened for small businesses," the firm's tech sector lead told CNBC's " Fast Money ." "The reality is the economic value to all these small businesses' advertising is off the charts." But President Trump's comments seemed to spark profit-taking today. Facebook's parent Meta had its worst daily performance in nearly a year. The stock fell more than 4% to $483.59 a share. "Is there a headline risk and a political risk? Absolutely. But ultimately, I think, the value created is so great for these small businesses, it's hard to turn down the facts," said Thill. "This isn't fundamental risk." Thill is particularly bullish on Facebook's advertising business. "All of the advertisers we have spoke to in the last six months have seen incremental budgets go from Google to Meta because of the quality of the product and the quality of the targeting and the quality of the return," said Thill. "We think this year they can pick up 40 to 50% of the incremental ad spend." 'I'd be buying this stock on this weakness' Even with the rough trading day, Meta is up about 37% just this year. "I'd be buying this stock on this weakness," Thill said. "Meta right now is one of the lowest multiple names in our coverage universe... It's one of the cheapest names that's out there." He has a buy rating and a $550 a share 12-month price target on Meta. It implies a roughly 14% gain from Monday's close. Disclosures: None Disclaimer U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations. Courtesy/U.S. Customs and Border Protection A man has been indicted for the smuggling attempt of three firearms and more than 950 rounds of ammo into Mexico, court documents state. On March 5, a federal grand jury in Laredo charged Marco Antonio Sotelo with smuggling goods from the United States. He faces up to 10 years in prison if he is convicted. The case unfolded at about 1:25 a.m. Feb. 9, when U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge conducted an outbound inspection on a Chevrolet Silverado. The driver was identified as Sotelo, who was traveling with a woman and a minor. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Before being referred to secondary inspection, Sotelo gave a negative declaration for weapons, weapon parts, ammo and more than $10,000 in cash and added that he was traveling from Dallas to Guanajuato, Mexico. CBP officers then discovered three firearms, three magazines and 1,454 rounds of ammo inside the vehicle, states the arrest affidavit. However, the indictment alleges that authorities seized the same three firearms but six magazines and 955 rounds of ammo. Homeland Security Investigations special agents responded to investigate. In a post-arrest interview, Sotelo said he transports packages from Jacksonville, Texas to Guanajuato, Mexico. He added he charges people $50 to $60, depending on the size of the cargo, authorities said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Sotelo admitted that the shotgun that was in the back of the truck belonged to him, as well as the shotgun shells. Sotelo admitted two individuals paid him $400 to transport two firearms and $10 to transport ammunition to Mexico, states the affidavit. The Walgreens logo is displayed at a Walgreens store on October 31, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Pharmacy staff at some CVS and Walgreens locations have organized a three day walkout in multiple states which will last until November 1. Walgreens has settled charges by New York Attorney General Letitia James that the pharmacy chain grossly inflated prices on at least 20 infant formula products in 2022 after a recall by Abbott Labs , led to a nationwide shortage. The largest U.S. pharmacy chain did not admit or deny wrongdoing in entering an assurance of discontinuance with James' office, including a $50,000 payment covering civil penalties and costs, that was made public on Monday. James said Walgreens raised prices on the 20 products, including Abbott's Similac and Reckitt Benckiser's Enfamil, by 10% or more following the February 2022 recall, and in at least one case boosted formula prices by more than 70%. Walgreens allegedly sold more than 3,400 cans or bottles or formula at the "unconscionably" inflated prices. Without admitting or denying wrongdoing, Walgreens agreed not to charge excessive prices on consumer goods and services vital and necessary to people's health and safety. The Deerfield, Illinois-based company also agreed to donate 9,564 canisters of formula to benefit low-income New Yorkers with infant children. Walgreens declined to comment. "During the formula shortage, families were panicked and struggling about how to feed their babies," James said in a statement. "For Walgreens to take advantage of this crisis and jack up formula prices is not only illegal, but downright shameful. "My office will not tolerate any company that attempts to price gouge our state's consumers," she added. The settlement was effective as of March 7, and signed by a Walgreens representative on Monday. Abbott recalled its infant formula and closed its Sturgis, Michigan plant following reports that infants became sick after being fed formula that was produced there. The company reopened the plant that July. USA and China trade relations, cooperation strategy. US America and China flags on chess king on a chessboard. Prasit Photo | Moment | Getty Images The U.S. is likely to impose more curbs to check competition from China as "the decoupling is really in full force," said Steven Okun, founder and CEO of consultancy APAC Advisors. "The question is to what extent and how broad will it be," Okun told CNBC's "Street Signs Asia" on Monday. Last week, lawmakers voted 50-0 to advance a bill requiring China's ByteDance to divest TikTok or risk the U.S. banning the popular video app. House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters the TikTok divesture bill will be on the floor on Wednesday. "So long as it is owned by ByteDance and thus required to collaborate with the Chinese Communist Party, TikTok poses critical threats to our national security," according to a press statement by the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. The Committee wants a "reset," with China Okun said. watch now "You prevent China from accessing the U.S. market, in particular, where the party can have some type of control, and then you build at home, as opposed to relying on China. So this is just part and parcel from a broader strategy," he added. The U.S. has been ramping up pressure on Chinese companies in recent years, especially in the semiconductor, EV and biotech sectors. "This is going to apply to EVs. It is going to apply, I think, to broader renewable sector. It is going to apply certainly into biotech I think this is the sector you want to watch next." The U.S. Senate voted earlier this month to approve a bill that could restrict business with Chinese biotech firms, such as WuXi AppTec and BGI, on national security concerns. Here are the most important news items that investors need to start their trading day: 1. Cooling off 2. The nation's inflation A customer shops in a Walmart Supercenter on February 20, 2024 in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images The Labor Department will release its February consumer price index reading at 8:30 a.m. ET. Economists expect that prices across a broad array of goods and services rose 0.4% on the month, slightly above the 0.3% pace seen in January. The increase for core inflation, excluding food and energy, is expected to increase 0.3%, also one-tenth of a percentage point above January's reading. On a year-over-year basis, economists forecast headline inflation will show a 3.1% gain and core inflation will rise 3.7%. While inflation has fallen from its peak in 2022, its resilience is likely to ensure no Fed rate cuts at its March 19 to 20 meeting and possibly into the summer. 3. Moving higher A view of Oracle headquarters on September 11, 2023 in Redwood Shores, California. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images Oracle shares soared about 13% in premarket training after the software giant reported an earnings beat Monday. The company reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.41 compared with the expected earnings of $1.38 a share. Revenue came in at $13.28 billion, just short of the $13.3 billion estimate. Sales for Oracle's cloud services and license support segment, its largest business, slightly beat estimates and saw a 12% increase in revenue compared with the same quarter a year ago. CEO Safra Catz said Oracle was committed to hitting prior goals of $65 billion in sales by fiscal year 2026. 4. Boeing's Problems A Boeing 737 Max aircraft during a display at the Farnborough International Airshow, in Farnborough, Britain, July 20, 2022. Peter Cziborra | Reuters The Federal Aviation Administration found "dozens of problems" at facilities owned by Boeing and a key supplier after a six-week audit of the 737 Max jet's production, according to The New York Times. The FAA started the probe after a door panel blew off an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 flight in January. FAA auditors found that Boing passed 56 tests and failed 33 of the product audits. The FAA probe also focused on Spirit AeroSystems , which makes fuselages for the Boeing 737 Max planes. Seven of Spirit's audits resulted in failing grades, and just six passed, NYT said. 5. Tough on tariffs Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Forum River Center in Rome, Georgia, U.S. March 9, 2024. Alyssa Pointer | Reuters Argentina's President Javier Milei gestures while delivering his first policy speech to parliament during the inauguration of the 142nd ordinary session of Congress in Buenos Aires on March 1, 2024. Argentina's Javier Milei has been accused of hypocrisy for orchestrating a substantial increase in presidential pay while pushing through an austerity package, in a scandal that has rocked the right-wing populist's government. Opposition lawmakers hit out at Milei over the weekend, sharing details on social media that showed his gross monthly salary rising to just over 6 million Argentinian pesos ($7,073 with Argentina's official exchange rate) last month. It reflected a 48% increase in presidential pay from January. Milei said during a televised interview on Monday that he had ordered the dismissal of Labor Secretary Omar Yasin over the scandal, reportedly saying a salary increase for himself and top government officials was "an error that should not have been made." The libertarian economist, who has often been compared to former U.S. President Donald Trump, sought to defend the pay increase by claiming it was automatically triggered by a decree signed by former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner 14 years ago. Opposition lawmakers, however, said the president's own signature was used on a February decree that enabled the pay increase. "I have just been informed that as a result of a decree signed by former president Cristina Kirchner in 2010, which established that political officials should always earn more than public administration employees, an automatic increase was granted to the political staff of this government," Milei said Saturday in a post via social media platform X, according to a Google translation. "In a time of crisis like the current one in which Argentine society is making a heroic effort, politicians have to be the first to lend a helping hand," he added. "The political joke is over." The Biden administration's new student loan bankruptcy policy is making it easier for borrowers to walk away from their debt in court, attorneys say. "We have gotten forgiveness for a number of clients under the new bankruptcy changes," said Malissa Giles, a consumer bankruptcy lawyer in Virginia. "The discharge is life changing for them and their families." In the fall of 2022, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Justice jointly released updated bankruptcy guidelines aimed at making the process for student loan borrowers less arduous. More from Personal Finance: Many think pensions key to achieving American Dream How to avoid unexpected fees with payment apps 'Ghosting' gets more common in the job market Previously, it was difficult, if not impossible, for most people to part with their education debt in a normal bankruptcy proceeding. Amid concerns that students would rack up debts for their education and then try to ditch their obligations, policymakers over the years had added extra stipulations for the discharge of student loans in bankruptcy. Borrowers needed to prove "undue hardship," or a "certainty of hopelessness," and government lawyers battled most of the requests. President of the United States Joe Biden delivers remarks on lowering costs for American families and delivers his vision in contrast to Former U.S. President Donald J. Trump at the YMCA Allard Center in Goffstown, New Hampshire, United States on March 11, 2024. President Joe Biden clinched the Democratic presidential nomination Tuesday, NBC News projects, winning a majority of the necessary delegates and setting up what is expected to be a bitter, closely contested rematch with Donald Trump. The outcome had never been much in doubt. Biden faced token opposition as the party's biggest names Govs. Gavin Newsom of California and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, among them opted to sit out the race rather than challenge a sitting president who had already beaten Trump once. By clearing the field for the 81-year-old Biden, Democrats have gambled that he remains the party's best shot at defeating Trump one more time. The November election will help determine whether that bet pays off. Some party activists have their doubts. "He [Biden] was forced on us by the establishment, but he is manifestly not the same man that he was even three years ago, and that has made him less optimally fit for the office, if not simply unfit," Liano Sharon, a Democratic National Committee member from Michigan, said in an interview. The general election campaign opens with Biden an underdog against an opponent who historians have ranked as the worst president in the nation's history. Age remains Biden's glaring vulnerability, polling shows. His State of the Union speech last week was a chance to reassure voters about his fitness, and his performance may have quelled some of voters' misgivings. Biden delivered his 68-minute speech with unusual brio, seizing opportunities to go off script and parry Republicans who booed him throughout. "They [the Biden campaign team] got one of the most impressive opportunities at a reset with the State of the Union," said Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League and a former mayor of New Orleans. Biden's challenge now, eight months before the general election, is to energize Democratic and independent voters who largely don't credit him for the strong economy and a string of bipartisan bills he ushered through Congress. A thorny new political problem is the fallout from the war between Israel and Hamas. Biden's stalwart support for Israel has left his party divided. Rather than reward him with another term, some Democrats in Michigan and other battleground states are considering leaving the top of the ballot blank because of a war that has killed more than 30,000 people in Gaza. Touting his own record has done little to revive Biden's sluggish approval ratings. Democratic allies want to see Biden attack Trump at every turn, warning that the former president poses a threat to the country's democratic society and, at 77, is hardly an inspiring, fresh-faced alternative for voters who fear Biden is too old. Biden seems eager to comply. He gave a preview of forthcoming attacks in his State of the Union speech. Eschewing a unifying message, he referred more than a dozen times to "my predecessor." "Biden has to go after Trump hammer and tong and he has to be constant about it," former Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., said in an interview. Though the Democratic primary season was largely a coronation, Biden's victory figures to be something he will savor. He has lost more presidential races than he has won. As he aged, the Oval Office seemed ever more out of reach. He ran for the party's nomination in 1988 and again in 2008 and never made headway with rank-and-file Democratic voters. Grieving over his son Beau's death, he decided not to run in the 2016 campaign, having served eight years as Barack Obama's vice president. Even if he had opted to enter that race, Obama and his political team had made clear their preferred candidate was Hillary Clinton, not Biden. Biden lost badly in the first few contests of the 2020 cycle before mounting a comeback in South Carolina and reviving a campaign that looked to have flat-lined. Through sheer persistence, he is now finishing a presidential term while wrapping up his second party nomination in a row. Neither Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Al Gore, Edward M. Kennedy or many of Biden's other peers ever got as far. "Nobody ever told me a life in politics and public service would be easy; like life, I never expected politics to be free of disappointment or heartache," Biden wrote in his 2017 memoir, Promise Me, Dad. "But I have always believed it was worth the effort." A Boeing 737 MAX sits outside the hangar during a media tour of the Boeing 737 MAX at the Boeing plant in Renton, Washington. Barnett, known as Mitch to his family and "Swampy" to his friends, had worked at Boeing's 787 plant in Charleston, South Carolina, since 2010, his family said. In a statement Monday, Boeing said: "We are saddened by Mr. Barnett's passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends." NBC News has asked Boeing for comment on the allegations in the Barnett family's statement. The statement from Barnett's family said he had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety attacks and that the "hostile work environment at Boeing" led to his death. Charleston County Coroner Bobbi Jo O'Neal said in a statement Monday that Barnett died "from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound," in the South Carolina city on Saturday. His family said in a statement Monday that he had tried to highlight serious concerns but was met with "a culture of concealment" that valued "profits over safety." John Barnett, 62, spent more than three decades at the aircraft manufacturing giant and sounded the alarm with aviation authorities in 2017 over what he said were potentially "catastrophic" safety failings. A former Boeing quality inspector who filed a whistleblower complaint over alleged plane safety flaws was found dead "from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound," officials in Charleston, South Carolina, said Monday. In 2019, The New York Times interviewed several former Boeing employees about their safety concerns. Barnett told the paper that metal shavings created when metal fasteners are screwed into nuts could potentially cut wiring that connects the flight controls. The FAA ordered Boeing to clear the shavings from the Dreamliners in 2017. Boeing said then that it was following the ruling and would look to improve the design of the nut, but also said it wasn't a flight safety issue. But Barnett told The Times: "I haven't seen a plane out of Charleston yet that I'd put my name on saying it's safe and airworthy." After his retirement in 2017, Barnett filed a whistleblower complaint to federal regulators about his experiences at the South Carolina plant. He also launched a separate legal action against Boeing, accusing the company of denigrating his character and hampering his career. Boeing denied the allegations. His case was up for trial this June, the family statement said, adding: "He was looking forward to having his day in court and hoped that it would force Boeing to change its culture." While Barnett loved his work for most of his career, in Charleston "he learned that upper management was pressuring the quality inspectors and managers to cut corners" and not to follow legally-required safety processes, the statement said. He alleged that staff were pressured not to document defects because it would slow down the assembly line, it added. "John told us that every day was a battle to get management to do the right thing," the family said. The statement added that Barnett and others who highlighted problems were labeled as "trouble-makers," whereas previously the company had rewarded those who discovered defects. "It caused John so much stress that his doctor told him that if he stayed, he would have a heart attack," the family said. "Mitch was fun-loving, and totally devoted to family, especially his nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews," an obituary shared by the family said. It added that he is survived by his mother, Vicky Melder Stokes; brothers, Mike Barnett, Robbie Barnett, and Rodney Barnett; eight nieces and nephews and 11 great-nieces and nephews. The news comes as Boeing faces regulatory and public scrutiny over a series of incidents involving its planes. A Justice Department investigation has been opened after a door plug blew out on an Alaska Airlines flight in January which led to the temporary grounding of some Boeing 737 Max 9 airplanes, although they have since returned to the air. And on Monday, 50 people were injured on a Boeing Dreamliner plane after a sudden movement mid-air, on a flight from Sydney to Auckland, New Zealand. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources. The longtime CEO of Berkshire Hathaway's Brooks Running, Jim Weber, is stepping down after more than 20 years in the top job, the company will announce Tuesday. Brooks veteran Dan Sheridan, who started at the running company in a marketing role in 1998 and worked his way up to chief operating officer and president, will take over on April 26. Weber, who brought Brooks back from the brink of bankruptcy, steered it through four different owners and built it into a $1 billion-plus brand, told CNBC he's sad to step down and leave what he called the "best job in the world." But after he recovered from cancer several years ago, he said he is looking to "dial back" and find more balance in his life. "I'm super proud of what we built. I've been CEO for 23 years and if I add two years in front of that as a board member, it's been 25 years so it's just been such a great run," Weber said in an interview. "We've got a company that's achieved a lot and has incredible opportunity looking ahead. We've got momentum right now." Sheridan is inheriting what he called a thriving business. He has taken on a bigger role in building it in the last few years as Weber prepared him to take over. Last year, Brooks hit $1.2 billion in sales, a more than 5% increase globally. Much of that growth came in North America, where the company takes in about 80% of its total revenue. Looking ahead, Sheridan has his eyes on global expansion and building out Brooks' product offering. That includes plans to build the first Brooks Running store in China, an "absolute growth market" for the brand, according to Sheridan. He said the company also aims to expand direct sales in the U.S. and grow wholesale partnerships in Europe. "I'm lucky because not many new CEOs get to step in and inherit what I would call a sound business, a sound culture and a sound brand, and the strength that we have is pretty unique," said Sheridan. "So I don't have a turnaround, I don't have to come in and make sweeping changes." Soon after Brooks Running became a stand-alone subsidiary company of Berkshire Hathaway in 2012, Weber and his team were asked to start succession planning. They began to "formalize" and "professionalize" the process that eventually led to Sheridan's appointment, Weber said. "Warren Buffett famously asked every one of the CEOs every year for a letter. And in the letter, you had to put who your successor was, and he didn't open it unless he had to," Weber said. "So we did that and ... we started really getting serious about succession planning." This is the weekly script of CNBC's news report for China's CCTV on March 08, 2024. First for the People of this Week let us focus on Elon Musk, who has once again become the center of attention. There were speculations about Musk donating to Trump after their recent meeting, as Trump is seeking campaign funding. Musk responded that he won't donate to any U.S. presidential candidate. Additionally, Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI has been generating buzz since last week. Musk criticized OpenAI for deviating from its original mission, transforming from an open-source non-profit organization into a closed, for-profit entity controlled by Microsoft. The author of Musk's biography revealed that his concerns about AI being controlled by individual companies date back to over a decade ago, during Google's acquisition of the AI startup DeepMind. Walter Isaacson "He was worried that two big companies, Google and Microsoft might someday control AI. So he and Sam Altman started open AI. And what Musk wanted was it for to be opened open source, and nonprofit." Legal experts suggest that Musk may face challenges in winning the case due to the absence of written contracts. However, the lawsuit provides Musk with a good advertising opportunity, allowing the public to pay attention to his perspective and potentially forcing OpenAI to disclose more information. Whether Musk's move will turn out to be a clever strategy or backfire remains uncertain. This week, OpenAI retaliated by releasing multiple emails with Musk, countering many of Musk's accusations. Next, our attention turns to Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina. On the "Super Tuesday" in the U.S.A. this week, with multiple states holding primaries for both Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. As Trump leads significantly in the Republican primaries, Haley, his only opponent within the party, suspended her 2024 presidential campaign. Despite not reaching the end, Haley's presidential campaign, lasting over a year, has made history. In this round of primaries, Haley achieved victories in Washington, D.C., and Vermont, making her the first woman to win a Republican primary. In her last speech, Haley expressed her desire to ensure Americans have their voices heard, asserting that she has achieved this goal and "has no regrets". With Haley's exit, Trump is more likely to secure the party's nomination at the 2024 Republican National Convention in July. This suggests a high probability of witnessing Trump and Biden rematching again in the election this year. With eight months remaining until the November U.S. election, The Wall Street Journal suggests that Americans may be facing the longest presidential campaign season in history. Lastly, attention is directed to the "Antitrust czar" of the EU, Margrethe Vestager. Apple has been fined 18.4 billion this week by the EU. As the Vice President responsible for digital policy and competition affairs at the European Commission, Vestager stated that the fine was due to Apple's abuse of its dominant position in the music streaming app distribution market, causing losses to consumers. For instance, Apple prohibits other music platforms, such as Spotify, from using external payment links, forcing Apple users to subscribe to higher-priced in-app services through the Apple App Store, which includes the widely criticized 30% "Apple Tax." Apple's native software, "Apple Music," benefits from this by offering lower prices. The fine on Apple is just the beginning, as this week Vestager led the enforcement of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which will broadly require tech giants to avoid favoring their own digital products while providing services. In recent weeks, major companies, including Apple, Google, and Meta, have announced adjustments to comply with the DMA. Notably, Apple announced that starting from this March, European Apple users can install software through channels outside the Apple App Store. For app developers, this provides greater flexibility in fees and product promotion. Vestager emphasized that the implementation of the new law will offer more choices and freedom for individual and corporate users. And that wraps up the People of this Week. We'll stay on top of these stories. Stay tuned! Former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch wrote a letter to a senior Defense Department official last July on behalf of SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd, asking that her client be removed from a list of Chinese military companies. When a Chinese drone company came under U.S. government scrutiny over its alleged ties to China's military, the company turned to one of America's pre-eminent lawyers: Loretta Lynch, a former attorney general in the Obama administration. Lynch, who ran the U.S. Department of Justice from 2015 to 2017 and is now a partner at the Paul, Weiss law firm, wrote a letter to a senior Defense Department official last July on behalf of SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd, asking that her client be removed from a list of Chinese military companies. Advocating for foreign clients is legal and U.S. law includes a public disclosure exemption for lawyers. But the letter, seen by Reuters, is an example of what transparency advocates and some members of Congress dozens of whom have supported bills to change rules say are gaps in the law that allow lawyers and lobbyists, including former officials, to avoid disclosing their advocacy for companies possibly subject to U.S. sanctions. The Paul, Weiss law firm declined to comment on the letter, and Lynch did not respond to Reuters emails. DJI also declined to comment, but it has said previously that it is not a military company and that it was prepared to formally challenge its inclusion on the list. The Foreign Agents Registration Act, or FARA, a decades-old law requiring public disclosure of work done on behalf of non-U.S. entities, includes a list of exemptions, including for commercial activities and legal representation. The work by the onetime top U.S. law enforcement officer on behalf of a company the Department of Defense says poses "threats to national security" comes as U.S. agencies warn about companies with links to China's Communist Party and as lawmakers push to tighten FARA's disclosure requirements. The U.S. Treasury and Commerce departments say DJI supported biometric surveillance and tracking of Muslim Uyghur minorities in China. The Defense Department did not respond to a request for comment on Lynch's letter. DJI remained on the Pentagon list when it was updated in late January. The Justice Department also declined comment on the letter and broader FARA enforcement. Almost a dozen critics of FARA told Reuters the law's loopholes have allowed less transparency for other companies with alleged ties to China's military, including surveillance technology firm Hikvision and biotech firm WuXi AppTec. Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says reforms to the law are needed, given the blurry lines between many Chinese companies and the Chinese government, and to keep former members of the U.S. government from effectively lobbying on their behalf. "It is appalling that former senior U.S. officials use their connections to serve the interests of U.S. adversaries," Risch said. However, the American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, and others assert that broadening disclosure requirements could act as a barrier to legally protected free speech. In 2022 the ACLU and 13 other groups wrote to the Justice Department about their concerns, cautioning that problems with the law could "enable selective enforcement for bad faith or malicious reasons." Others argue that stricter FARA rules on disclosure could give authoritarian countries like Russia and China cover for their own stifling of free speech. Jonathan Turley, a George Washington University law school professor, said some countries, such as Russia, label citizens and reporters as foreign agents to limit their activities. "I do have concerns over some past investigations and prosecutions that targeted individuals who appeared to be engaging in First Amendment activities," Turley told Reuters. Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin Jr. won the Republican nomination for Texas' District 80 seat while the Democratic race is headed for a runoff between Cecilia Castellano and Rosie Cuellar. The trio will be trying to see who will replace longtime leader Rep. Tracy King following his retirement. Courtesy photos This past week, the picture became clearer regarding who will be replacing Tracy King as he has relinquished the position he has held since 1994. The spot was highly contested this election season with five Democrats and three Republicans throwing their name in the hat. Following the Primary Election, voters know that King's replacement will be one of three individuals: Republican Don McLaughlin Jr. -- the Uvalde Mayor who took his party's nomination at nearly 58% of the vote -- or one of two Democrats in construction company owner Cecilia Castellano or former Laredo Municipal Court Judge and Webb County Tax Assessor-Collector Rosie Cuellar -- the former won the first round at 27.1% compared to the latter's 25.5%. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The May runoff election will officially determine who McLaughlin will take on for the spot in November. It is scheduled for May 28, with early voting running from May 20-24. As the first candidate to officially announce her running, Castellano focused her strategy on going door to door to secure votes. I cant promise the world, but I can promise I can bring some sort of answer -- whether its an answer you dont like or an answer that can help you, Castellano said. As Ive been on this journey, weve been able to help five people throughout the district. I know thats not a lot, but Im not an elected official. I am knocking on doors and listening to peoples concerns. She joked how her legs were finally feeling sore after last week's results the reality setting in as to possibly becoming earning the Democratic nomination, and maybe eventually the overall position to represent District 80. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Meanwhile, Cuellar comes from a family that's seen plenty of success politically, with one brother Rep. Henry Cuellar having led Laredo in the U.S. Congress since 2005 and her other brother Martin Cuellar also in a runoff this election for the Webb County Sheriff position he's held since 2008. Cuellar said she had a feeling there was going to be a runoff -- with five candidates, it would've been difficult for anyone to get over 50% of the total vote to avoid one -- but the votes being so close gave her some comfort. We knew there was going to be a runoff with the number of candidates that were running, Cuellar said. We are extremely happy with the numbers being close. Its not a significant lead by the top vote-getter, but were happy with that. I want to thank all the volunteers and supporters on my team. With such deep roots in Webb County, Cuellar hopes the advantage will help her eventually to take over King's seat. Advertisement Article continues below this ad On the night of the election, Cuellar took home 41.4% of all Webb County's votes, or 2,015. She dominated Castellano in the county as the latter finished fourth with just 345 total. The other three candidates combined had around 2,500 votes that may be up for grabs this time around. There was about 43% of the votes from Laredo, and I believe thats certainly going to play a factor in the runoff, Cuellar said. Were going to work like we always have, and I always say, the way you run a campaign is certainly indicative of your character and what type of official you will be. Meanwhile, Castellano won four of the six overall counties in the election. In Atascosa County, she finished with 379 votes ahead of Cuellar who had 322. In Dimmit County, Castellano had 807 votes while Cuellar was third with 264. In Frio, Castellano had 717 votes while Cuellar was third at 254. And in Zavala, Castellano took first with 997 while Cuellar was third with 232. The only county neither runoff candidate won was Uvalde, as Uvalde Democratic Party Chair Carlos Lopez took the top spot with 368 votes just ahead of both as Castellano was second with 175 and Cuellar third with 135. Advertisement Article continues below this ad With Webb County being the biggest original location for votes, Castellano knows she needs to target some of Cuellar's support there in the runoff. There were several reasons why we didnt focus so much in Laredo, and thats because I wasnt just running against Rosie, I was running against three Cuellars, she said. I know that Laredo has a lot of votes, but at the end of the day, there are five other counties that are just as important. We dibble-dabble in Laredo, and we do have people that are boots in the ground out there and we do plan to now go full force in Laredo. I did speak to a lot of people who told me I was a breath of fresh air. Meanwhile, McLaughlin simply is awaiting his upcoming opponent for later this year. Following his win, he said he would be getting down to business to help secure borders and fight for Texas families. He also said he looks forward to the general election in November. Looking to the general election, I will continue to be just as dedicated to service as I always have been, McLaughlin said in a statement. I will fight for you, no matter who you are, where you come from or your political leanings. Advertisement Article continues below this ad McLaughlin also thanked his supporters such as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Sen. Ted Cruz and former president Donald Trump. "When I do something, I put my whole heart into it," he said. "I have been clear from the start that I am not afraid to give you the hard truth and speak up for South Texas. Thats what you deserve. "As your representative, I refuse to let your voices be drowned out by the political noise in Austin. I am so grateful to President Trump and Gov. Abbott for their support and leadership, and I look forward to getting down to business to help them secure our borders and fight for our families. To all the Texas leaders who stood behind me including Sen. Cruz, Lt. Gov. (Dan) Patrick, and Attorney General Ken Paxton, thank you. Cuellar said she is ultimately hoping to keep the seat blue with a Democratic replacement for King. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Were going to make sure we keep it blue, she said. Ive been involved with the Democratic party, and voting, since I was 18, and I've been involved with them for many years. Im hoping we have debates, forums with my opponent, because I want to show people who we really are, what we truly stand for and what we bring to the table. Really show where our heart is at. General Motors Executive Vice President Global Manufacturing and Labor Relations Gerald Johnson (middle) watches as engineers and technicians set-up and test the machines that will be used to manufacture Level 1 face masks at a plant in Warren, Michigan. DETROIT General Motors' long-time head of manufacturing is retiring, and the company has hired a former Tesla and Google executive to fill his shoes. The Detroit automaker said on Tuesday that Gerald Johnson, executive vice president of Global Manufacturing and Sustainability, will pass the baton to Jens Peter "JP" Clausen, a former executive with Tesla, Lego and, most recently, Google. Johnson's departure isn't unexpected after a 44-year tenure with the automaker, however GM also announced another more surprising departure on Tuesday: that of Mike Abbott, executive vice president of software and services. GM said Abbott, a former Apple executive who started with the automaker in May, will be stepping down due to health reasons. In a LinkedIn post, Abbott said since late last year he has been "facing some serious health issues involving my heart that have not improved." He continued, "as a father and husband, i need to prioritize my recovery and be with my family with the hope that my health will improve over time." Baris Cetinok, current vice president of product in software and services, has been named Abbott's interim replacement while a search is conducted. Cetinok, also a former Apple executive, started with GM in September. The changes are effective April 2, but GM said Johnson will remain with automaker through the rest of the year. The hiring of Clausen is particularly notable, as GM and other automakers attempt to match or surpass Tesla in manufacturing batteries and powertrains for electric vehicles. Clausen spent nearly 14 years at toymaker Lego, then joined Tesla during a period of extensive growth and tumult at the company, from 2015 to 2019. Reporting to CEO Elon Musk and former CTO JB Straubel, Clausen served as vice president of Tesla's first battery manufacturing plant, known as the Nevada Gigafactory, outside of Reno. Clausen led a rapid expansion of that factory and before he left had been tasked with finding ways for Tesla to reduce the amount of scrap and waste it was generating while the EV maker was growing from a niche player to a mass-market autos business. When Clausen joined Tesla, the now U.S. EV leader was producing its higher-end sedan, the Model S, and its falcon-wing Model X SUV. By the time he left, the company had begun mass manufacturing and delivering its entry-level Model 3 sedan, which remains its most accessible electric car. After his tenure at Tesla, Clausen worked at Zymergen, a synthetic biology company funded by Softbank and later acquired by a big competitor, Gingko Bioworks. After the merger, Clausen moved on to a role at Google as a vice president of engineering for the company's Data Center Advanced Technology Innovation group, where he worked on environmentally responsible cooling solutions for data centers, among other sustainable growth initiatives. Clausen's last day with Google will be March 29, a spokesperson for the company said in an e-mail. Clausen is not the only ex-Tesla executive to join GM. The company's board members include former Tesla President of Global Sales and Service Jon McNeill and it recently hired Kurt Kelty, who led Tesla battery development for 11 years, as its vice president of batteries. Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, speaks on artificial intelligence during a Bruegel think tank conference in Brussels, Belgium, on Jan. 20, 2020. Google announced it will restrict the types of election-related queries that users can ask its Gemini chatbot, adding it has already rolled out the changes in the U.S. and in India, where voters will head to the polls this spring. "Out of an abundance of caution on such an important topic, we have begun to roll out restrictions on the types of election-related queries for which Gemini will return responses," Google wrote in a blog post on Tuesday. "We take our responsibility for providing high-quality information for these types of queries seriously, and are continuously working to improve our protections." A Google spokesperson told CNBC that the changes are in line with the company's planned approach for elections. "As we shared last December, in preparation for the many elections happening around the world in 2024 and out of an abundance of caution, we're restricting the types of election-related queries for which Gemini will return responses," the spokesperson said. The announcement comes after Google pulled its artificial intelligence image generation tool last month following a string of controversies, including historical inaccuracies and contentious responses. The company had introduced the image generator earlier in February through Gemini Google's main suite of AI models as part of a significant rebrand. "We have taken the feature offline while we fix that," Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google's DeepMind, said last month during a panel at the Mobile World Congress conference in Barcelona. "We are hoping to have that back online very shortly in the next couple of weeks, few weeks." He added that the product was not "working the way we intended." The news also comes as tech platforms are preparing for a huge year of elections worldwide that affect upward of four billion people in more than 40 countries. The rise of AI-generated content has led to serious election-related misinformation concerns, with the number of generated deepfakes increasing 900% year over year, according to data from machine learning firm Clarity. Election-related misinformation has been a major problem dating back to the 2016 presidential campaign, when Russian actors sought to deploy cheap and easy ways to spread inaccurate content across social platforms. Lawmakers are currently even more concerned with the rapid rise of AI. "There is reason for serious concern about how AI could be used to mislead voters in campaigns," Josh Becker, a Democratic state senator in California, told CNBC last month in an interview. The detection and watermarking technologies used to identify deepfakes haven't advanced quickly enough to keep up. Even if platforms behind AI-generated images and videos agree to bake in invisible watermarks and certain types of metadata, there are ways around those protective measures. At times, screenshotting can even dupe a detector. In recent months, Google has underlined its commitment to pursuing and investing heavily in AI assistants or agents. The term often describes tools ranging from chatbots to coding assistants and other productivity tools. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai highlighted AI agents as a priority during the company's earnings call of Jan. 30. Pichai said that he eventually wants to offer an AI agent that can complete more and more tasks for a user, including within Google Search although he said there is "a lot of execution ahead." Likewise, chief executives at tech giants from Microsoft to Amazon doubled down on their commitment to build AI agents as productivity tools. Google's Gemini rebrand, app rollouts and feature expansions were a first step to "building a true AI assistant," Sissie Hsiao, a vice president at Google and general manager for Google Assistant and Bard, told reporters on a call in February. Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry, leaves the auditorium after speaking to students during a public lecture on bilateral engagement between Kenya and Haiti, at the United States International University (USIU) Africa, in Nairobi on March 1, 2024. Simon Maina | AFP | Getty Images Haiti's unelected prime minister, Ariel Henry, will step down once a transition council and temporary replacement have been appointed, he said on Monday, after leading the Caribbean country since the 2021 assassination of its last president. Armed gangs massively grew their wealth, influence and territory under his administration, prompting Henry to travel to Kenya in late February to secure its support for a United Nations-backed security mission to help police. However, the conflict dramatically escalated in his absence and left the 74-year-old neurosurgeon stranded in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico while regional leaders called for a swift transition. "The government that I am leading will resign immediately after the installation of (a transition) council," Henry said in a late night video address. "I want to thank the Haitian people for the opportunity I had been granted." "I'm asking all Haitians to remain calm and do everything they can for peace and stability to come back as fast as possible," he added. Videos distributed on Haitian social media appeared to show celebrations in the street, with people dancing to music in a party atmosphere and fireworks launched into the night sky. A senior U.S. official said Henry was free to remain in Puerto Rico or travel elsewhere, though security in Haiti would need to improve for him to feel comfortable returning home. The official said the resignation had been decided on Friday. Presidential council Henry is set to be replaced by a presidential council that will have two observers and seven voting members, including representatives from a number of political coalitions, the business sector, civil society and one religious leader. Charred vehicles remain parked as gang violence escalates in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on March 9, 2024. Clarens Siffroy | AFP | Getty Images The council has been mandated to quickly appoint an interim prime minister; anyone who intends to run in Haiti's next elections will not be able participate. Haiti has lacked elected representatives since early 2023 and its next elections will be the first since 2016. Henry, who many Haitians consider corrupt, had repeatedly postponed elections, saying security must first be restored. Regional leaders met on Monday in nearby Jamaica to discuss the framework for a political transition, which the U.S. had urged last week to be "expedited" as armed gangs sought to topple his government. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had earlier Monday said the council would be tasked with meeting the "immediate needs" of Haitians, enabling the security mission's deployment and creating security conditions necessary for free elections. Haiti declared a state of emergency early this month as clashes damaged communications and led to two prison breaks after Jimmy "Barbeque" Cherizier, a leader of an alliance of armed groups, said they would unite and overthrow Henry. More mission funds Henry's resignation comes alongside regional talks over participation in an international force, which he had requested to help police fight the gangs, whose brutal turf wars have fueled a humanitarian crisis, cut off food supplies and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken disembarks a plane upon arrival at Norman Manley International Airport, in Kingston, Jamaica, March 11, 2024. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | Via Reuters U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said earlier Monday the United States would contribute an additional $100 million to this force and $33 million in humanitarian aid, bringing the U.S.' total pledge to the force to $300 million. It was however unclear how long it will take the funding to be approved by lawmakers and transferred. A U.N. spokesperson said that as of Monday, less than $11 million had been deposited into the U.N.'s dedicated trust fund - with no new contributions since Haiti declared its state of emergency on March 3. Mexico's foreign minister added that the country had contributed an unspecified amount of funds, and called for more action to stem the trafficking of arms to Haiti. The U.N. believes Haitian gangs have amassed large arsenals of weapons trafficked largely from the United States. The United Nations estimates over 362,000 people have been internally displaced, half of whom are children, and thousands have been killed in the overall conflict, with widespread reports of rape, torture and ransom kidnappings since 2021. 'A bloody revolution' In Haiti, gang leader Cherizier has threatened to go after hotel owners hiding politicians or collaborating with Henry. He demanded that the country's next leader be chosen by the people and live in Haiti, alongside their families. Haitian police officers deploy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on March 9, 2024. Sporadic gunfire rang out in Port-au-Prince late March 8, an AFP correspondent there heard, as residents desperately sought shelter amid the recent explosion of gang violence in the Haitian capital. Clarens Siffroy | AFP | Getty Images Jim Cramer's daily rapid fire looks at stocks in the news outside the CNBC Investing Club portfolio. Kohl's : Shares fell about 2% after the department store chain delivered a fourth-quarter earnings beat, but same-store sales declined more than expected. The midpoint of Kohl's guidance also was below expectations. However, "if you own it, keep it," Jim Cramer suggested, referring to Kohl's stock. Kohl's is not as good as other retailers, "but it's getting better," Cramer said, touting "legendary" CEO Tom Kingsbury's past leadership of Burlington Stores. On Holding : Shares plunged 14% after the buzzy Swiss shoemaker's quarterly earnings missed estimates alongside a slightly softer-than-expected outlook. The numbers were "disappointing," Cramer said. He added, "I would avoid On Holding until we get a reacceleration of earnings." Southwest Airlines : The company said in a securities filing it is "reevaluating all prior full year 2024 guidance" due to aircraft delivery delays from Boeing . Shares of Southwest fell more than 14% Tuesday. "This company should not be hostage to Boeing, but they are. The problems with Boeing are far-reaching. There is still no resolution, and that's going to hurt Southwest until we get it," Cramer said. 3M : Bill Brown, formerly of L3Harris Technologies , is set to take over as CEO of the industrial conglomerate on May 1, replacing Mike Roman. Roman became CEO in 2018. While shares of 3M popped almost 5% on the news, the stock is still down more than 50% over the past five years amid legal battles and other business challenges. "We had said over and over again, if you have a firm that is caught up in litigation whether it be J & J or 3M it doesn't matter. I wish [Brown] well but what a tough call," Cramer said. Paramount Global : Private equity firm Apollo Global Management has reached out to Paramount Global about a possible takeover or asset purchase, Axios reported Tuesday, citing two sources familiar with the matter. Shares of the media company, which owns CBS, rose about 0.7%. "If you're playing this for upside, you've got to remember we do not believe in mergers if we think the fundamentals are not good, and the fundamentals are not good" at Paramount Global, Cramer said. Krysta Alexa, an American expat raising two kids in Bergen, Norway's second-largest city, says Norway provides "a lot of support" to help women balance motherhood and career. Some of the world's happiest countries are also the most gender-equal. Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Norway and New Zealand all appear in the top 10 of two key rankings: The World Happiness Report's annual list of the happiest countries in the world and the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report, which ranks the world's most gender-equal countries. While neither report has been updated since 2023, these countries have been leading the world toward achieving gender equality and boosting residents' happiness for years, ranking high on both lists since at least 2018. The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, the organization behind the World Happiness Report, uses six factors to score countries' happiness: social support, income, health, freedom, generosity and absence of corruption. The WEF compares countries' gender gaps across four dimensions: economic opportunities; educational attainment; health and survival; and political empowerment. It's no coincidence that the world's happiest countries also champion gender equality socially and economically. Residents and workplace experts in these countries say that positive attitudes toward gender equality contribute to the overall well-being of its inhabitants. How Nordic countries use social policies to promote gender equality and happiness In its research, the WEF establishes a clear correlation between social policies, families' happiness and women's career advancement. The Nordic countries Iceland, Sweden, Finland and Norway have some of the most generous paid leave policies for parents in the world. In Norway, new parents are entitled to a total of 49 weeks of leave at full pay or 59 weeks at 80% pay. Of these, 15 weeks are reserved for the mother, 15 weeks are reserved for the father, and the remaining 19 weeks can be shared between them as they see fit. Krysta Alexa, an American expat raising two kids in Bergen, Norway's second-largest city, is currently on maternity leave with her newborn son (for privacy reasons, she declined to share her last name and the names of her children). "Here, I feel like I can have it all, I can balance having a career and being a mother," the 32-year-old, who works in project management, explains. "In other countries, you might have to sideline your career and stay at home with your children because of the costs associated with child care, but in Norway, there is clear support to make your professional life flexible around family." Access to affordable child care in some of these countries is another resource Nordic residents credit with boosting women's and families' well-being. "The burden of being a working mother is made a lot lighter in Sweden as compared to the U.S.," says Linda Akeson McGurk, a Swedish-American writer raising her two daughters in southwest Sweden. McGurk lived in the U.S. for 15 years before moving back to Sweden with her kids in 2018. As a single mom, McGurk was worried about finding after-school care for her daughters in Sweden, given how expensive and in some cases, competitive it was for them in the U.S. But the 45-year-old says she was "pleasantly surprised" at how easy it was to find affordable child care, thanks to the government-subsidized after-school programs Sweden offers for students and their families. Such policies' positive impact on women and families can't be overstated. In Norway, increased federal financing for daycare has prompted more mothers to return to the workforce, while Sweden has one of the highest percentages of mothers in the workforce of the 38 countries counted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). "All of these different components of social welfare help lighten the load of parenthood and diminish the gap between genders," says McGurk. "That makes it a lot easier to hold on to a career, and a life overall, that you're happy with." Progress on equal pay could mean happier employees Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as he arrives at a Manhattan courthouse, for the trial of himself, his adult sons, the Trump Organization and others in a civil fraud case brought by state Attorney General Letitia James, in New York City, U.S., October 2, 2023. Former President Donald Trump has not shown that he has enough cash to cover the full amount of a $464 million civil fraud judgment if he loses his appeal, New York's chief law officer warned in a court filing Monday evening. New York Attorney General Letitia James raised that concern as she argued that Trump and his co-defendants should be required to post cash or bonds covering the entire fraud judgment, if they want to pause it from coming due while they challenge the ruling. "Defendants have never demonstrated that Mr. Trump's liquid assetswhich may fluctuate over timewill be enough to satisfy the full amount of this judgment following appeal," James told a New York appeals court. Trump's real estate holdings may also decrease in value as the appeal drags on, while post-judgment interest continues to rack up, she wrote. His finances could be further strained by his other civil and criminal legal battles, James added, including a January jury verdict ordering him to pay $83.3 million in damages for defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. Trump "has substantial liabilities that may reduce his liquid assets further, including other outstanding money judgments against him, and he faces multiple criminal indictments," she wrote, pointing to that verdict. Without a full bond, the civil fraud defendants Trump, his two adult sons, his company and its top executives might also try to "evade" or exacerbate enforcement of the judgment if they lose the appeal, James warned. She urged the appeals court to reject Trump's bid to stay the judgment with a $100 million bond, less than a quarter of the total amount awarded by Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron. Attorneys for Trump did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on James' filing. The defense lawyers had argued that the smaller bond amount was enough to secure the judgment, when coupled with the continuing oversight of the Trump Organization's assets by a court-appointed financial monitor. U.S. Rep. Ken Buck (R-CA) leaves the House Chamber as the House of Representatives holds a vote to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, at the U.S. Capitol on February 06, 2024 in Washington, DC. Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., who announced last fall he would not seek re-election, said Tuesday he will resign from Congress at the end of next week, further shrinking the GOP's already razor-thin majority. "Today I am announcing that I will depart Congress at the end of next week," Buck said in a statement. "I look forward to staying involved in our political process, as well as spending more time in Colorado and with my family." His departure will cut the House Republican margin to 218-213; Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., will still have two votes to spare before needing Democrats to govern. His departure will cut the House Republican margin to 218-213; Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., will continue to have two votes to spare before needing Democrats to govern. But illnesses and other unexpected absences could make his already difficult job even more challenging. Speaking to reporters shortly after the news broke, Johnson suggested he did not get a heads-up from Buck. "I was surprised by Ken's announcement. I'm looking forward to talking with him about that," the speaker said. Other GOP colleagues said they were taken aback by Buck's decision. "Very surprising, very disturbing, very alarming, very concerning," said Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas. Buck is a member of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus, but he made a name for himself in Washington for frequently breaking with his party on major issues. He criticized his fellow Republicans for echoing former President Donald Trump's false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. He has expressed doubts that Republicans have found any evidence that President Joe Biden has committed an impeachable offense. Most recently, Buck broke with his party and was one of three Republicans who voted against the impeachment of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. Keith Rabois of Khosla Ventures attends Day 3 of TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2013 at San Francisco Design Center on September 11, 2013 in San Francisco, California. A Republican megadonor on Tuesday threatened to cut off campaign contributions to members of Congress unless they vote for a bill that could effectively ban TikTok in the United States. "Will never fund any Republican candidates or leadership PACs (or the NRSC) run by Republicans who vote against the TikTok legislation," venture capitalist Keith Rabois wrote on X. On Wednesday, the House is expected to pass a bill to force TikTok's parent company, China-based ByteDance, to sell off the social media platform. Supporters of the bill say ByteDance's continued ownership of TikTok and its troves of user data pose a national security threat to the United States. "Support for the TikTok bill is an IQ test" for members of Congress, Rabois wrote in an email to CNBC. In February, Rabois gave $500,000 to the Congressional Leadership Fund, a political action committee that backs House Republican candidates, according to a Federal Election Commission filing. Rabois' threat could have significant sway over those Republican lawmakers still on the fence about whether to support the bill. Russia's defense ministry claimed it had "thwarted" an armed incursion by Ukrainian armed forces and "sabotage and reconnaissance groups" into its western border regions of Kursk and Belgorod Tuesday. Earlier, anti-Kremlin armed groups purportedly made up of Russians opposed to the Ukraine war said they had launched an incursion across Russia's border on Tuesday. Ukraine has not commented on the Russian defense ministry's latest claim although an Ukrainian military spokesman confirmed earlier that rebel groups were conducting an operation on Russian territory independently of Ukraine. It's unconfirmed whether Ukraine's armed forces were also involved in the incursion, as Russia suggested. Russia tends to characterize Russian rebel groups are "Ukrainian saboteurs." The Ukraine-based Freedom of Russia Legion and the Siberian Battalion announced earlier on their Telegram pages that they had launched attacks into Russia from Ukraine. They said they intended to "take our land away from the [Putin] regime, centimeter by centimeter" and called on Russians to boycott the forthcoming presidential election. A third Russian rebel group, the Russian Volunteer Corps, appeared to confirm its participation in the operation on its Telegram account. Read CNBC's full investigation into the alleged organized theft groups that police say are stealing and reselling items from retailers including Ulta Beauty, T.J. Maxx and Walgreens. Faced with sophisticated organized retail crime rings that investigators say have targeted his company, Ulta Beauty CEO Dave Kimbell is laying some blame on e-commerce sites. In the first in-depth interview given by a retail CEO about organized theft, Kimbell responded to a monthslong CNBC investigation that showed how police broke up what they say is a professional network of thieves who used Amazon to resell millions in cosmetics stolen from Ulta stores and other retailers across the U.S. While Kimbell wouldn't comment directly about Amazon , he said online marketplaces are "part of the problem." "[Online marketplaces] give more scale and more opportunity for people to liquidate this product," Kimbell told CNBC in an on-camera interview. "You used to have to sell stolen goods at flea markets or out of the trunk of your car, or maybe just locally. Now, you have more sophisticated tools to have a broader reach across the country or even internationally." From CNBC Tech Refund fraud schemes promoted on TikTok are costing Amazon and other retailers billions of dollars As part of an investigation into retail crime rings and the actions companies and law enforcement are taking to crack down on the problem, CNBC followed a case that involved Michelle Mack, a San Diego woman whom prosecutors accuse of using her Amazon digital storefront to resell goods stolen from stores. The 53-year-old mother of three and her husband, Kenneth Mack, were charged with conspiracy to commit organized retail theft, grand theft and receipt of stolen property in connection with the alleged crime ring. During a raid at her California mansion in December, California Highway Patrol and Homeland Security agents say they found $387,000 in suspected stolen goods, most of which had come from Ulta. Investigators say her crime ring brought in millions of dollars over more than a decade. Both Michelle Mack and Kenneth Mack have pleaded not guilty. For Kimbell, the scale of such an operation wasn't surprising. "Unfortunately, I'm not that shocked because we've seen it in other parts of the country," said Kimbell. "The magnitude of this one is significant. But this is what's happening, and this is the environment in which we're operating." U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations. Courtesy/U.S. Customs and Border Protection A man used his dead brothers permanent resident card to enter the United States, according to an arrest affidavit. Sergio Alvarez Zamarripa, a Mexican citizen from Cerritos, San Luis Potosi, was arrested and charged with making a false, fictitious or fraudulent statement. Alvarez Zamarripa, 49, arrived at the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge as a passenger on a commercial bus. He presented a lawful permanent resident card to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer. Advertisement Article continues below this ad CBP queries resulted in a facial mismatch, states the affidavit. However, Alvarez Zamarripa maintained that his name was the one listed in the resident card and claimed ownership of the card, according to court documents. He added that he was traveling to Houston. Alvarez Zamarripa was then referred for secondary inspection, where he identified himself as a migrant from Mexico. Defendant stated the lawful permanent resident card belonged to his deceased brother and that he went to his sister-in-law's house to retrieve it to enter the United States, states the affidavit. Advertisement Article continues below this ad U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo speaks during a Senate hearing in Washington, D.C., on May 16, 2023. American companies are set to announce investments amounting to more than $1 billion in the Philippines, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said during an official visit to Manila on Monday. Raimondo is heading a two-day trade and investment mission, the first of its kind for the Philippines. The delegation includes executives from 22 companies including United Airlines , Alphabet's Google , Visa , KKR Asia Pacific, and Microsoft . The investments will span areas like solar energy, electric vehicles and digitization, she said. United said last week it would launch new flights from Tokyo-Narita to Cebu, Philippines starting July 31. U.S. efforts to deepen economic ties with the Philippines come in tandem with increased cooperation in defense. Both U.S. President Joe Biden and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr are keen to counter what they see as aggressive actions by China in the South China Sea and near Taiwan. Four years and three months after Parliament passed the Citizenship Amendment Act, PM Narendra Modi government's decision to notify its Rules allowing grant of citizenship to six sections of people from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan brought back the issue on the front burner. The basic touchstone is that six communities Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians who faced persecution in these countries of residence and sought shelter in India can be rehabilitated and granted citizenship. The cut-off date is the end of 2014 and the aim is that these people can now aspire to lead a life with dignity and protect cultural, linguistic and social identity. A debate and discussion around elections is natural since the country is preparing to elect a new government at the Centre and an issue of this nature that already witnessed mass protests including a prolonged sit-in in Delhi reignited the political debate from either side of the aisle. For instance, soon after the Act was passed and notified, Shaheen Bagh area in Northeast Delhi became an epicentre of sit-in protests that continued for over three months. The largely peaceful nature of resistance terminated after the Covid-19 pandemic that led to nationwide lockdown. That the government remains sensitive to criticism can be gauged from the arguments advanced to dispel negative perceptions around the Act. The thrust of this was that the new law will only grant and not take away citizenship of any Indian citizen; and that the Constitution allows grant of fundamental rights to those people who face religious persecution. The apprehension is the Act which does not specify Muslim community can create hurdles. Denizens of Assam and West Bengal remain wary of what the provision can translate into for thousands of immigrants who came there from neighbouring countries. On the part of the Bharatiya Janata Party its leadership reminded the people that the Modi government implemented promises offered ahead of the last general elections. The governing party is entitled to tick the boxes of promises and return to the electorate on efficacy and high percentage of promises kept. Yet, there is bound to be a flip side and the Opposition too is within its rights to build a counter narrative and go through the provisions with a discerning eye. The Opposition leaders, whether in the I.N.D.I Alliance or not, have already expressed views underscoring the perceived sub-script. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi remained convinced that the notification of the Rules was done by the BJP-led government with just one objective the Lok Sabha elections. These leaders interpret the Act and its Rules can lead to polarisation in the society and when combined with the proposed National Register of Citizens, has the potential to accentuate the division. On her part, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee decided to go through the Act/Rules with a fine comb before taking a call on its applicability in the state, her party governs while Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan rejected the idea of implementing the new law and its applicability in the state. The Trinamool Congress apprehends the Act will affect the minorities and Muslims in the State as well as Assam, something to which the Congress Chief spokesperson Jairam Ramesh alluded to in his post on social media. Several states Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, West Bengal, where parties opposed to the BJP are/were in government, Assemblies there passed resolutions against implementing the Act, urging the Central government to recall the amendments. On the other hand, the BJP and its supporters too joined the issue. The focus is on the historical blunders committed by leaders of earlier eras and how the decisions made back then were inappropriate. What is missing is the context in which leaders of the era took a call, with those opposing the decision finding adequate space in the debate recorded in Parliament. Rhetoric and bluster in elections is expected but what is important is that the electorate with patience lends an ear to contrary and diverse opinions. Hear the best of arguments, reason it out with a sense of detachment and take an informed view on the overall effect of the law not be driven by emotions. The author, K V Prasad, is an author and political analyst. The views expressed are personal. Read his previous articles here Also Read: India Implements Citizenship Amendment Act: Here's a timeline of the CAA Ishaq Dar, a four-time former finance minister, has been appointed as Pakistan's Foreign Minister, as the new government settled in to tackle myriad problems at the domestic and external fronts, including its relations with India and other neighbours. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday inducted 19 members into his Cabinet, ending the tenuous wait for the completion of government formation in the cash-strapped country.Dar, an ethnic Kashmiri and chartered accountant by training, is a senior leader of the Pakistan Muslin League-Nawaz (PML-N). He is also a confidant of the party head and former three-time premier Nawaz Sharif. With little experience in managing foreign affairs, he has been given the important portfolio when Pakistan's ties with its neighbour India as well as Afghanistan are at their lowest ebb.The two sides broke off trade ties and lowered diplomatic presence in each other's capital in August 2019 after India revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories. Pakistan has suffered due to a hiatus in trade as it used to import several items and raw materials at cheaper rates from India. Dar, as an economic guru, favoured economic relations with the archrival but it was not possible due to the Kashmir issue.Dar's position on Kashmir, which is the chief stumbling block in ties between Pakistan and India, should not be different from the general narrative of Pakistan that it should be solved according to the resolutions of the UN Security Council. In a tweet on February 5, the Kashmir Solidarity Day, this year, Dar said Pakistan was "committed to its unwavering political, moral and diplomatic support to the just struggle of our Kashmiri brethren for their right of self-determination, as enshrined in the United Nations (UN) Charter and relevant UN resolutions." India has repeatedly told Pakistan that Jammu and Kashmir was, is and shall forever remain an integral part of the country. New Delhi has told Islamabad that it desires normal neighbourly relations with it in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence.This stand was reiterated by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday in New Delhi. "We have never closed our doors to talking to Pakistan but the terrorism issue should be fair, square at the centre of the conversation. It is the major issue I am not saying there are no other issues. But I am not going to duck that issue for the sake of talking," he said.Dar, being an economist, should also be aware of the pitfalls of continuous antagonism with India which is the world's fifth-largest economy. However, any change in ties with India should come from the powerful establishment of the country. Meanwhile, the information ministry in a statement elaborated on the various portfolios assigned to other ministers.Khawaja Muhammad Asif was appointed as minister for defence, defence production and aviation, Ahsan Iqbal as minister for planning, development and special initiatives, Azam Nazeer Tarar law and justice, human rights, Attaullah Tarar as minister of information and broadcasting, Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh as minister for maritime affairs and Muhammad Aurangzeb as minister of finance, revenue. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, the only woman minister, was appointed as minister of state. Colorado Politics is published both in print and online. Our website features subscriber-only news stories daily, designed for public policy arena professionals. Member subscribers also receive the weekly print edition of our award-winning newspaper, containing outstanding features and news stories, in their mailboxes every Saturday. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations. Courtesy/U.S. Customs and Border Protection A man said he was curious about child porn and found the illicit material on Facebook, according to an arrest affidavit. Bryan Garcia-Martinez was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography. On March 9, Garcia-Martinez arrived at the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers referred him for a secondary inspection. Advertisement Article continues below this ad During a consensual search of Garcia-Martinezs cellphone, CBP officers discovered what was believed to be child porn. The Laredo Child Exploitation Task Force responded to investigate. Garcia-Martinez agreed to provide a post-arrest statement. Garcia-Martinez stated he was curious about child pornography and searched for (the material) via Facebook on three separate occasions, states the affidavit. Garcia-Martinez stated he began searching for child porn in September. He mentioned that he found Facebook groups with child porn that provided links to other social media applications with additional child porn, court documents state. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Meta is suing its former vice president of infrastructure over allegations that he stole proprietary human resources data about the companys top performers, and key information about its data center supply chain partners to bring to his new employer. In a complaint filed in late February in a California State Court, the software giant alleged that Dipinder Singh Khurana breached contractual agreements, loyalty, and fiduciary duties by taking proprietary, information related to Metas data centers, supply chain, as well as employee compensation to a Stealth AI startup where he holds a similar position to what he held at Meta. Khurana was given access to proprietary, confidential, non-public, and highly sensitive Meta documents and information that only a limited set of Metas employees can access, according to the complaint. The complaint added that the unauthorized disclosures would hurt competitive advantage, particularly in areas such as AI, data center technology, supply chain operations, and talent retention. The company has accused Khurana of Breach of Contract, Breach of Duty of Loyalty, Breach of Fiduciary Duty, Unjust Enrichment, and violation of Californias Computer Data Access and Fraud Act. Meta has alleged that during his last days as an employee, Khurana leaned on subordinates to give him confidential agreements with suppliers for its data centers. Unaware of Khuranas plans, the employee provided Khurana with, among other things, Metas pricing-form agreement with that supplier for the computing hardware and the suppliers Meta-specific preliminary pricing for a particular chip, the complaint read. Included in the allegations of documents taken by Khurana is Metas Top Talent dossier, which includes detailed information about the companys top performers, including their performance reviews and compensation matrix. Taken together, the sensitive, confidential, and non-public information in these spreadsheets provides an inside view as to how Meta makes compensation decisions, and also provides key information regarding not just the names of Meta employees but their levels, performance, and skills at Meta, the complaint read. Meta also alleged in the court document that Khurana prepared a slide deck for his new employer that said, We do not have the luxury of learning-as-we-go. Meta said it believes this mentality likely contributed to Khuranas wrongful behavior. Meta is seeking damages, disgorgement of profits unlawfully obtained by Khurana, restitution, injunctive relief, attorneys fees, interest, and other remedies for alleged contract breaches and misuse of proprietary information. The company is demanding a jury trial, and none of the allegations have yet been proven in court. The European Commission (EC) has violated several key data protection rules in its use of Microsoft 365 regarding the transfer of people's personal data from Europe to other regions not covered by EU data-protection laws, a key European privacy watchdog found. The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) on Tuesday chastized the EC after finding it did not take proper protective measures when sending personal data outside the EU and European Economic Area (EEA) when using the cloud-based app. In addition, the EC failed to specify in its contract with Microsoft "what types of personal data are to be collected and for which explicit and specified purposes when using Microsoft 365," according to an EDPS statement. The findings the result of a three-year investigation that began in 2021 suggest like tech giants, even trusted government entities that should have data privacy as a top priority don't necessarily keep the data they collect safe. "It is the responsibility of the EU institutions, bodies, offices, and agencies (EUIs) to ensure that any processing of personal data outside and inside the EU/EEA, including in the context of cloud-based services, is accompanied by robust data protection safeguards and measures," EDPS Supervisor Wojciech Wiewiorowski said in a statement. Compliance required Specifically, the EC violated Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, the EUs data protection law for EUIs. Moreover, many of the infringements concern "all processing operations carried out by the Commission, or on its behalf, when using Microsoft 365," affecting "a large number of individuals," according to the EDPS. As a result, the EDPS has ordered the commission to suspend all data flows resulting from its use of Microsoft 365 not only to Microsoft, but also to its affiliates and sub-processors located in countries outside the EU/EEA that dont have an adequacy agreement with the EC. Typically, these agreements which the EC has with various regions dictate how the transfer of personal data is handled once it leaves the EU. This is to ensure that the data is protected under EU laws even when sent to another country where data-privacy laws differ. The EU has data adequacy agreements with 16 countries, including Argentina, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, the UK, and the US. Aware that suspending a large number of data flows is complicated, the watchdog is giving the commission "appropriate time" to comply with the suspension so as not "to compromise the Commissions ability to carry out its tasks in the public interest or to exercise official authority," the EDPS said. Further, the EC has until Dec. 9 to demonstrate to the EDPS that all processing operations resulting from its use of Microsoft 365 are in compliance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725. Is secure data a myth? Even the required compliance ultimately "might not change anything" unless it'sbacked "with either continuous enforcement or requirements on a more granular disclosure/audit," said Narayana Pappu, CEO at Zendata, a provider of data security and privacy compliance solutions. That's because securing data once it's been transferred via the Internet whether it's collected by government entities, social-media companies, or online applications is difficult, despite well-meaning attempts at regulation and protection by various regulatory bodies. "It is difficult to truly understand what happens with data once it's collected," Pappu said. The scenario becomes even more complicated with cloud-based applications, which "follow a microservice architecture with tens and even hundreds of third-party subprocessors," he said. "It is difficult to really evaluate what is going on with the data and how it is being used. Moreover, sometimes an entity collecting data online doesn't even know the data is being shared, he said, citing a case in which DuckDuckGo, the search platform that prides itself on privacy, was unknowingly sharing information with Microsoft. "This was not obvious in their disclosures and did not come up until an investigation by a web expert," Pappu said. The Laredo Independent School Districts Communications Department was recognized among the best in the State of Texas from the Texas School Public Relations Association. Courtesy/LISD The Laredo Independent School Districts Communications Department was recognized among the best in the State of Texas after winning two Best of Category Star Awards, five Gold Star Awards, five Silver Star Awards, and four Bronze Star Awards from the Texas School Public Relations Association. The awards were announced at TSPRAs annual Star Awards Celebration held Feb. 26 in Sugar Land, Texas during the associations 62nd annual conference. The Office of Communications presented a session on Welcoming New Board Members to the school district. Participants learned how LISD also has successfully onboarded new board members. The presentation included videos, samples of press releases, newsletters, advertisements, invitations, printed programs scripts and oaths for swearing in ceremonies, Board of Trustees website with bios, and preparation for Board Member orientation meeting and other trainings. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The LISD Communications Office won Best of Category for their E-Newsletter, Las Escuelas and for their Holiday/Greeting Card. The Office of Communications also received the following awards: Gold Star Awards: Holiday/Greeting Card Merry Christmas Laredo ISD and E- Newsletter Laredo ISD Newsletter Las Escuelas, by Veronica Castillon, Claudia Rodriguez, Bobby Trevino, and Ashley Salas, Photo Other Subjects Student Playing Instrument Photo by Claudia Rodriguez, and Invitations/Announcements/Postcard/Thank You Notes Dr. A. Marcus Nelson Conference Center Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Anita T. Dovalina Elementary School Ribbon Cutting by Claudia Rodriguez. Silver Star Awards: Published News Release or Feature TEA awards LISD two A ratings by Veronica Castillon, Logo, Trademark, Symbol Leading the Way Logo by Claudia Rodriguez, Published Print Ad Teacher Appreciation Week Advertisement by Claudia Rodriguez, Booklet Budget Instructions Manual Cover by Claudia Rodriguez. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bronze Star Awards: Invitations/Announcements/Postcard/Thank You Notes J.W. Nixon JROTC Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Invitation by Claudia Rodriguez, and Calendar/Planner LISD Scholastic Calendar by Claudia Rodriguez, Photo Other Subjects Posting of Colors Photo by Claudia Rodriguez. The LISD Instructional Television Department also received the following awards: Silver Star Awards: Video Feature Story Juan Estrada Unstoppable by Laredo ISD ITV, Video - Production in a Language Other than English Spanish Online Registration 2023-2024 by ITV staff. Each year, TSPRA recognizes communicators in school districts, education foundations, education associations and organizations for their work in print and electronic media categories. There are 58 main categories covering various media such as newsletters, programs, posters, reports, writing, image/identity packages, photography, and graphics. This year, 1,663 entries were received in the annual contest. Entries receive Bronze, Silver, and Gold Star Awards based on set criteria. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Like stand-up comedy where every single thing is funny and doesn't waste your time? Follow Cracked Comedy Club on Instagram and YouTube for exactly that. Coming to America remains one of Eddie Murphys biggest hits, and its a comedy he could have directed himself. Instead, he decided to help out director John Landis, the man behind Blues Brothers, National Lampoons Animal House, and one of Murphys first smashes, Trading Places. I figured Id give this guy a shot because his career was fucked, Murphy told Playboy in 1990. But he wound up fucking me. Landis career went off the rails after three actors died during a scene he directed for Twilight Zone: The Movie. Two of the actors were children whom Landis hired in violation of Californias child labor laws. Landis and members of his crew were charged with involuntary manslaughter, and although all were acquitted, the tragedy deservedly damaged Landis standing in Hollywood. Murphy gave Landis a comeback shot with Coming to America, but things were tense from the beginning. John always resented that I hadnt gone to his Twilight Zone trial, Murphy said. The comic believed Landis deserved at least some of the blame for the catastrophe so my principles wouldnt let me go down there and sit in court. Thats just the way I am. If somebody in my family was guilty of something, I wouldnt sit there for them in a courtroom and say, Youve got my support. Fuck that. It seems like a weird violation of those principles that Murphy insisted on Landis, crediting the director for the most fun hed ever had making a movie. But on Coming to America, the fun was over. After (Landis) got the job, he brought along an attitude, Murphy explained. He came in with this Im a director shit. I was thinking, Wait a second, I fucking hired you, and now youre running around, going, You have to remember: Im the boss, Im the director. Advertisement The two had several off-camera arguments, but things came to a head when the movies writers showed up on set working on a script for another Murphy TV project. When the writers told Landis they were waiting for the deal to go through, the director started screaming, Dont be afraid to ask Eddie Murphy for his money. You go up and ask for your fucking money! It didnt get any better when Murphy himself arrived on set. He said, Eddie! Your company is fucking these guys out of their money! Guys, dont be afraid to go up to Eddie and say, Fuck you! Murphy had had enough, playfully grabbing Landis around the throat. The comic asked one of his guys, Fruity, what happens to people who put Murphys business in the street? They get fucked up, was Fruitys reply. Murphy says he was half-joking, but then Landis reached down to grab my balls, like he also thought it was a joke and I cut his wind off. He fell down, his face turned red, his eyes watered up like a bitch and he ran off the set. Fuckin punk. Advertisement Advertisement Things got even worse from there. Hours later, Landis showed up at Murphys trailer and instead of apologizing, the director revealed that he thought Murphy was untalented and he was only helming Coming to America for the money. All this fucked-up shit, Murphy recalled. Called me ignorant, an asshole. Murphy laid down the law. The next time you fuck around with me, Im gonna whip your ass, he told Landis. Youre gonna have to give me either some fear or some respect. I want one of them, because this is my shit and youre working here. If the only way you can fear me is knowing that the next time you fuck up, youre gonna get your ass whipped, fine. That beatdown never happened as Landis cleaned up his act for the rest of the production. But if he had fucked up again, Murphy said, I would have beat the shit out of him. We dont typically think of Saturday Night Live cast members as violent badasses. Sure, theres the occasional story of a behind-the-scenes brawl with Chevy Chase (these people are only human, after all), but SNL stars are arguably best suited for roles that dont require them to gun down bad guys while leaping from an exploding building. The obvious exception here is Eddie Murphy, who starred in three (soon to be four) Beverly Hills Cop movies. Perhaps because of Murphys success, Hollywood has sometimes experimented with throwing SNL actors into action movie roles, although it hasnt always stuck, as evidenced by movies such as Adam Sandler in Bulletproof Just a year after being fired from SNL, Sandler starred in the Midnight Run-esque buddy action comedy Bulletproof along with Damon Wayans. Sandler is still playing the Adam Sandler character, but instead of romancing a beautiful actress in a destination vacation-friendly location, he performs a number of legit action scenes. Theres certainly no other movie in which Happy Gilmore shoots Sonny Corleone in the head. Billy Crystal in Running Scared Before he began routinely churning out rom-coms and goofy Westerns, Crystal played a Chicago cop, along with actor/dancer Gregory Hines, in Running Scared. Its a testament to how good this movie is that we can still buy Crystal as a scruffy urban tough guy even after personally witnessing him sing countless songs about Oscar nominees. Chris Rock in Bad Company Rock had a small role in Lethal Weapon 4, but in 2002, he played the lead in Joel Schumachers Bad Company, about a small-time hustler who is recruited by the CIA to stand-in for his dead twin brother during an arms deal, which is just a thing the CIA does sometimes, apparently. The movie also stars Anthony Hopkins, possibly because it was cast during a game of Mad Libs. Jimmy Fallon in Taxi Not to be confused with the sitcom of the same name, 2004s Taxi starred Fallon as an undercover cop (who presumably blew every case he ever worked on by giggling through his cover story) and Queen Latifah as a cab driver with a knack for stunt driving. If theres one silver lining to the current iteration of The Tonight Show, its that it has saved us all from enduring more Jimmy Fallon movies. Will Ferrell in The Other Guys Okay, so The Other Guys is primarily a comedy, but Ferrell still got to show-off his action-movie chops for the first and only time. How is it that theres no Other Guys 2, but Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg made multiple Daddys Home movies. U.S. Border Patrol. Courtesy/U.S. Border Patrol A man attempted to circumvent the Interstate 35 checkpoint in a tractor loaded with 17 migrants, according to an arrest affidavit. Ismael Sanchez, a U.S. citizen residing in Laredo, was arrested on the charges of transport, attempt to transport and conspire to transport the migrants. At about 9:10 p.m. March 4, a white tractor was speeding north on the west access road of mile marker 27 of Interstate 35. Authorities said there was no reason for the tractor to get off I-35 and circumvent the checkpoint. Advertisement Article continues below this ad An agent attempted to catch up to the tractor. The agent then noticed there was no license plate attached to the back of the tractor. When the agent attempted to stop the tractor, the vehicle continued driving erratically by slowing down to the shoulder and returning to the road, authorities said. The driver, Sanchez, eventually yielded to the shoulder of the road. Sanchez exited the tractor. As the agent approached the tractor, Sanchez stated, Sir, I just picked up the tractor. Sanchez added that he was told to pick up the tractor, according to court documents. Further inspection of the bed and cab area resulted in the apprehension of 17 migrants. In a post-arrest interview, Sanchez stated that a black male in a dark Dodge sedan picked him up at a gas station and took him to the location of the tractor in north Laredo, authorities said. Sanchez stated that the male instructed him to drive the tractor around the checkpoint and travel to San Antonio, according to court documents. The ANPRM also maintains, According to open-source reporting, over 200 automakers that operate in the PRC are legally obligated to transmit real-time vehicle data, including geolocation information, to government monitoring centers. It asks for comments on the degree to which components in the ICTS supply chain for CVs come from Chinese suppliers. No current data indicates how much Chinese technology is in CVs made in the US or other Western countries. However, China has sought to dominate the world of electric vehicles (EVs) for over two decades, with Shanghais Gigafactory accounting for over half of Teslas cars produced in 2022. By the last quarter of 2023, Chinese car maker BYD even surpassed Tesla as the top EV maker in the world, with its inexpensive EVs proving popular across Europe. With this growing dominance in the EV market, it wouldnt be a reach to say that China is also closely studying CV models, China wants to lead the world in electric vehicles and is producing them, Lindsay Gorman, senior fellow for emerging technologies, Alliance for Securing Democracy at the German Marshall Fund, tells CSO. The strategy is generally to copy the best technology and the best processes and then displace those competitors even as it provides a market environment that private companies have a very hard time saying no to because of the cheap labor, the less expensive manufacturing, and probably fewer regulations and hurdles to go through on the surface. Gorman thinks that despite Chinas competitive advantage in industrial manufacturing, such as EV production, its well-documented expertise in intellectual property theft has likely also led it to intensely study how Western automakers who produce vehicles in China design and assemble their cars. A lot of the German car makers, for example, have their production facilities in China, and they have sophisticated manufacturing and production processes, she says. So, I wouldnt be surprised if PRC car companies are taking note of how these international manufacturers operate and have a design on displacing the Audis and the BMWs of the world over the next 10, 20 years. She adds, What were likely to see might be many instances of China investigating the role of data and the strategic national value of data in our connected systems. Chinas legal structure is a sign of Chinas intent What isnt clear is whether China has already begun to exploit its advantages in espionage and intellectual property theft to develop a connected vehicle strategy. The Commerce Departments rulemaking says a host of Chinese laws can compel companies to cooperate with intelligence and security services. Anonymous Sudan, a Russian-speaking hacktivist group, has claimed responsibility for the severe distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks that disrupted several French government services on Monday. In a statement issued on Monday, Prime Minister Gabriel Attals office confirmed that a series of DDoS attacks started on Sunday night, hitting multiple government ministry websites. We have conducted a massive cyberattack on the infrastructure of the French Interministerial Directorate of Digital Affairs (DINUM), said Anonymous Sudan in an official Telegram channel run by the group. The damage will be widespread as core digital government endpoints have been hit and the French know the details very well. In addition to the DINUM, the group confirmed in the post that the attacks also impacted other French ministries and government organizations including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, National Geographic Institute, Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, and Ministry of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion. Increasing returned migrants fuel rural development of east China Xinhua) 16:56, March 12, 2024 HEFEI, March 12 (Xinhua) -- In their five-story photo studio, Shen Xiaolei and his wife began their day early in the morning, setting up cameras and preparing photo props to welcome clients. The couple worked in the coastal cities before returning to their rural hometown Yingshang County in Fuyang City, east China's Anhui Province, in 2015. In the same year, they opened their first photo studio. "It is the county's growing demand for photography services and the promising market prospect that made us choose to return to operate the photo studio," said Shen, noting that the rural consumer market is expanding. Influenced by social media, many consumers from rural areas are eager to take personalized and fashionable photos, he added. Approximately three years later, they opened another studio -- the five-story one -- in the county, which has now become sought-after by eager visitors, with an average monthly turnover exceeding 180,000 yuan (about 25,365 U.S. dollars). "I used to earn 8,000 yuan a month at most while working in the coastal cities, but now my monthly income is 10 times as much," Shen said. Formerly the hometown of over 2.6 million migrant workers, Fuyang has seen 63,500 migrants return to run businesses like Shen and his wife since 2008, thanks to the improvement of the business environment and the increasing job opportunities in the city. Fuyang is not alone. Data shows that the population in Anhui has seen net inflows for four consecutive years since 2020, with a total net inflow of 266,000 people in 2022 and 2023. With a growing number of returned migrants, institutions engaged in entrepreneurship training in rural areas have gone into overdrive. At a media company in Fuyang, there are thousands of returned migrants receiving photography and new media skills training every year. "The number of returned migrant trainees in our company has been skyrocketing over the past few years, and many of them plan to run franchised photo studios of our company," said Yan Hongyu, founder of the company. According to Yan, his company currently possesses nearly 400 franchised photo studios within rural areas in Anhui, and about half of the studios are run by returned migrants. With younger and more educated migrants returning to Fuyang, the city becomes more attractive for them to start entrepreneurship, Yan noted. The 37-year-old Yang Guangshuo was one of the beneficiaries. In 2011, he quit his job at a game company in the eastern financial hub of Shanghai and returned to Fuyang. Yang told Xinhua that the local government helped him reduce the land rent to run a company specializing in selling agricultural products including eggs in 2014. Drawing on the experience he learned from Shanghai, Yang leveraged internet platforms to expand sales channels of the products available. By the end of 2023, the annual sales revenue of Yang's company reached 170 million yuan, providing some 400 jobs for local people. "Fuyang's growing strength in human resources helps catalyze economic development and bring more opportunities for the city," said Hu Yan, deputy dean of the Innovative Development Institute of Anhui University. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Isaiah Lee Nicholson. Courtesy/Webb County Sheriff's Office A man involved in a crash fled the scene without rendering aid to an injured woman, according to Laredo police. Isaiah Lee Nicholson, 22, was served with an arrest warrant on March 5 charging him with accident involving serious bodily injury, a third degree felony. Officers responded to a hit-and-run crash reported at about 6:30 p.m. Jan. 2 in the intersection of Pine Street and Louisiana Avenue. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A woman stated that she was traveling west on Pine in her blue Chevy Cruze when a pickup disregarded a stop sign on South Louisiana and hit her, authorities said. This caused her to lose control and crash into an empty lot in the 2600 block of Pine. The woman then requested to be taken to the Laredo Medical Center due to her body feeling not normal due to the crash, said the affidavit. The pickup fled after the crash but left behind a license plate. Authorities determined that the suspect vehicle was a 2008 Chevy Colorado registered to a residence in the 4600 block of Santa Martha Boulevard, according to court documents. Police then located the Chevy parked outside a house on Santa Martha. There, officers learned that the person driving the vehicle was Nicholson. He left the pickup at the residence before running toward a nearby ditch. Nicholson was not located that evening. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Ethan Avery Santa Cruz. Courtesy/Webb County Sheriff's Office The teen who caused panic and alarm during a supposed threat at Alexander High School is facing an additional charge, according to Laredo police. Ethan Avery Santa Cruz, 17, was served with an arrest warrant on March 1 with places weapons are prohibited, a third degree felony. According to the Texas Penal Code, a person commits this offense if the person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly possesses or goes with a firearm on the premises of a school or postsecondary educational institution. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Webb County Jail records show that he posted bond the same day. Santa Cruz was first arrested on Feb. 3 on the charge of making a terroristic threat by impacting public services, which is also a third degree felony. The case unfolded on Feb. 2, when LPD police officers responded to Alexander after receiving information that a video on Instagram depicted a male recording the front entrance of the school and tagging the school on the post. The video showed the male in the driver seat holding a black handgun, states the arrest affidavit. The video was recorded during daylight and there were several vehicles parked in front of the school meaning that the video was recorded during school hours, the affidavit states. Male identified Police along with several law enforcement agencies responded to Alexander to clear the school. LPD would receive information that the male in the video was Santa Cruz. He matched the male holding the gun and the green tattoo on his left hand, according to the affidavit. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Santa Cruz could not be located on campus after the initial search. Police then learned that his 16-year-old girlfriend was in school. A tactical team went to her classroom and escorted outside. She had an AirPod and was on the phone with someone. The girlfriend refused to give her cellphone to authorities. An investigator would seize the cellphone after a small struggle, authorities said. The girlfriend then stated she was on the phone with Santa Cruz. He was telling her that the video was an old one and that he had deleted it already. She added that Santa Cruz was crying as she was being detained and hung up the phone, court documents state. (The girlfriend) stated that he told her he did not expect a big deal to be made about him posting that video, the affidavit states. She stated she was unaware of the video until the lockdown. A friend in class then showed her the video and told her that her boyfriend had posted the video. She then called Santa Cruz and remained on the phone with him until she was detained. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Honda Civic She added that Santa Cruz should be driving her maroon Honda Civic. She added that before going to school, she had picked up Santa Cruz at his home in the 1400 block of Hackberry Court. Santa Cruz took over the wheel and drove her to Alexander. Authorities then went to Santa Cruzs residence, where they spoke to his father. He told officers that Santa Cruz had left the residence in his girlfriends Honda Civic before police's arrival. An investigator spoke to Santa Cruz on the phone. He was able to convince Santa Cruz to turn himself in, according to court documents. (The investigator) stated that Ethan was crying while on the phone and told him that he did not mean to post the video and cause an uproar, the affidavit states. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Police would locate Santa Cruz by Ryan Street and Logan Avenue. He did not have a weapon or a cellphone on his person. Santa Cruz was then taken to LPD headquarters, where he requested an attorney. The Honda Civic was then located behind a shopping center in the 3400 block of East Del Mar Boulevard. Further investigation revealed that Santa Cruz and his girlfriend were communicating via messages the day of the alleged threat. In those messages, she told Santa Cruz wtf ethan why would u post that s---, referring to the video. Santa Cruz replied that he had already deleted it, states the affidavit. Investigation's findings Investigators believed the video was recorded on the same day and that it was posted during school hours. Santa Cruz is seen through surveillance footage taking the same route as seen in the Instagram post, and he is seen operating his girlfriends Honda Civic. Authorities noticed four vehicles that came out in the background of the Instagram story, states the affidavit. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Surveillance footage from Alexander shows the suspect vehicle stopping in front of where those same vehicles are parked, which is when Santa Cruz likely recorded the video, according to police. Based on my training and experience as a law enforcement officer, I believe Ethan is holding a firearm based on its appearance in his two Instagram posts. These findings show that Ethan was armed with a handgun and did enter the school premise on the day that he caused the alarm and panic with his Instagram story, where he displayed said handgun through the story while tagging the school, states the affidavit. Fidel Francisco Rosas-Gutierrez. Courtesy/Webb County Sheriff's Office A Nuevo Laredo man has been arrested for guiding migrants through a private ranch, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. The case unfolded at about 6:10 p.m. March 5, when a trooper working Operation Lone Star inside a private ranch property encountered three migrants. A migrant was identified as Fidel Francisco Rosas-Gutierrez, 20. Further investigation revealed that Rosas-Gutierrez was the smuggler of the two other migrants, who were determined to be from Guatemala, according to DPS. Rosas-Gutierrez was arrested on the charges of smuggling of persons with likelihood of serious bodily injury or death, two counts of smuggling of persons for pecuniary benefit and criminal trespass during disaster. Raymond Chandler wrote of 'a blonde to make a bishop kick a hole in a stained-glass window'. Here we had a whistleblowing vicar to make Justin Welby clench his fists so hard, any communion wafer would be milled to a powder. The Rev Matthew Firth was at the home affairs committee. He described Iranians and Syrians arriving in 'batches' at his former church in Darlington, Co Durham, demanding conversion. They were brought by a chap later described as 'a fixer'. Always they had just been refused asylum. If you're appealing against a Home Office asylum refusal and can say you've just converted to Christianity, it helps. The Rev Firth thought 'hang on, there's something going on here' so 'pressed a pause button' on these baptisms. He didn't last long after that. Dog-collared and in the black garb of your more traditional sort of priest, he had been told by a friend that 'people might try to get you' if he spoke too openly at this hearing. MPs praised him for being 'brave'. Good grief, I initially thought, they're overdoing the jeopardy. Surely the C of E is more tolerant than the Vatican in Galileo's day. Or is it? Rev Matthew Firth told the Home Affairs select committee that he was brought groups of asylum seekers looking to convert He told MPs that some asylum seekers see baptisms 'as a ticket to something' and most baptism requests were when they were appealing an asylum claim He was a priest at St Cuthbert's church in Darlington but left the Church of England in 2020, and is now a vicar at the Free Church of England We heard that the Rev Firth, once spoken of as an Anglican high-flyer, had since left his job. After going public with claims that the C of E was turning a blind eye to bogus baptisms, he was roughed up by the then Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler, who called the claims 'an imaginative range of allegations'. That's a fancy way of saying 'Firth's a stinking liar'. Bishop Butler took part in the Coronation. He was one of Archbishop Welby's trusties. Boot-boy in a mitre. The committee is arguably Westminster's best. Its MPs could have had some sport cross-examining the Rt Rev Butler. Instead it had to settle for the Bishop of Chelmsford, one Guli Francis-Dehqani. She had all the charisma of a civil servant, exuding bland lack of interest in the scandalous idea the Church colluded in fake conversions. Despite saying vicars must be trusted, she sided with Butler in discrediting Mr Firth. She was a total politician: cautious, cliched, eyes sliding from side to side. She spoke of 'stakeholders'. We heard a lot of 'appropriates'. 'I don't recognise that' she said. 'We want to be part of the conversation going forwards'. Her sermons must be corkers. MPs asked about a Church asylum-guidance document that sounded stinkingly political. Inevitably, it was sniffy about the EU referendum. 'I can't comment on Brexit,' said the Essex bishop, almost crossing herself at the B-word. Where Mr Firth was open-faced and possibly a touch over-talkative by the end of his session, the Rt Rev Francis-Dehqani embodied tight-lipped, careerist opacity and consensual indifference. I know which of these two priests I'd prefer at my death bed. A Baptist minister spoke rather movingly about a small congregation in Weymouth that had been bruised by criticisms that its members were naive about asylum seekers. A Catholic described how the Church of Rome made steeper demands of would-be converts. They had to endure nine months of mystagogical catechesis. Sounds as painful as circumcision. 'I can't comment on Brexit,' said Bishop of Chelmsford Guli Francis-Dehqani, almost crossing herself at the B-word Initiation rites in some parts of the C of E, meanwhile, seem to have been little more than humming Shine Jesus Shine, giving a moony smile and agreeing to run the church fete's tombola. Conservative MPs would once have been respectful. Not now. Civilised James Daly (Bury North), twisting in his seat as he sought to be reasonable, noted that after some of Archbishop Welby's recent antics it was hard to see the C of E as impartial. 'If any of your parishioners had the temerity to support the Rwanda legislation, would they be welcome in their parish?' Bishop Francis-Dehqani: 'Yeah, we represent the breadth of the Church of England.' No they blooming well don't! She also denied bishops were taking a unified 'political position' on asylum. It's a wonder she wasn't harpooned there and then by a thunderbolt. Maisy Dewey lives on a canal boat in London with fiance Harry and dog Kipper A TikToker has revealed why she loves living on a canal in London - and says she wouldn't be able to afford a flat as nice as her boat. Maisy Dewey, 24, who is originally from Savannah in Georgia, lives on a narrowboat on the River Thames with her fiance Harry and Dalmatian Kipper. Maisy says she never intended to live on a boat but came across it by accident while flat hunting after it was advertised as a property 'on the river' - and didn't realise how literal the description was. Her boat is permanently moored, meaning they are connected to the normal sewage system and can still have utilities such as electricity and Wi-Fi, while they get water and gas from separate tanks. Maisie gave a tour of her boat to her 25,000 TikTok followers in a video, showing off her brightly decorated and spacious boat. Maisy Dewey, 24, lives on a permanently moored canal boat on London's River Thames Speaking to the camera, she explained: 'Let me give you a tour of our boat while I tell you why we love living here so much. First of all, looking around we would not be able to afford a regular flat that's as nice as our boat is. 'We have a beautiful kitchen, we even have an extra room that's our office/wardrobe and the boat is surprisingly spacious. 'We have lived with our dog Kipper in three other apartments before we moved aboard our boat and this is by far the roomiest place we've lived. We also have lots of storage.' A narrowboat is a type of canal boat, built especially to fit the UK's narrow waterways. Most are around six feet wide and either moored semi-permanently or constantly cruising. Maisy filmed the boat's stunning interior, which includes a combined living and kitchen area, a spare room for an office and wardrobe space, a large double bedroom with extra storage and a bathroom. The couple moved onboard in November, and despite an 'extremely drafty' winter, they are loving boat life on the whole. Maisy continued: 'Besides just having a generally nice place to live, we love being on the dock and being on the river. It's just such a great atmosphere and our neighbours are so fun. 'We're still getting used to the boat lifestyle but so far we're enjoying living aboard the boat and all the fun little quirks. I truly adore waking up and going to bed on the river each night, it's such a dream.' The interior of the boat is bright and cheerful - and they have a spacious double bedroom (pictured, with Kipper on the bed) Maisy filmed the boat's stunning interior, which includes a combined living and kitchen area (pictured), a spare room for an office and wardrobe space, a large double bedroom with extra storage and a bathroom She added that the boat, which they rent, is the only living space they've had that is big enough for their dog Kipper to run around in. For the most part, the boat manages to stay stable due to its large size, but can become rocky during windy weather or at high tide. It has one 50 gallon water tank at the back which provides enough water for the entire boat, and they refill it when it gets empty. They also have a gas tank, which the landlord refills. Maisy hasn't revealed the exact location of the boat or how much she pays for rent - but says it is cheaper than flats she has rented in the past. Her boat tour video has now racked up 1.8 million views, as people have been intrigued by the idea of boat life in the capital. One viewer commented: 'It's gorgeous!' while another was also taken back, saying: 'It's HUGE.' Others cast doubts about the security of boat life, writing: 'A trailer that can easily sink. Cool.' Her boat tour video has now racked up 1.8 million views, as people have been intrigued by the idea of boat life in the capital It comes amid a growing trend of people leaving their expensive London flats for a cheaper life on the water. Emily Jones, 32, who is originally from Merseyside, has lived on her narrowboat named 'Florrie' in London for four years with her dog, Beautiful. She made the move after feeling 'trapped' by London's property market, previously sharing a house with five other people for 800 a month. After her dad passed away in 2020, Emily bought Florrie for 21,000 using a loan. Her rent is now the price of her bills - but she has also warned people that sometimes boat life is not as glamorous as it seems. She spends around 3,000 a year on costs including the licence, insurance, and diesel but admits she 'does more cruising than most people around London'. Emily added that any repairs are always more expensive than those in a house - and boaters are advised to always have a spare 1,000 in case of an emergency. According to the Canal & River trust, there are more than 34,000 boats on its 2,000-mile stretch of waterway in the UK. After earning high praise online, Brazillian beauty brand Sol de Janeiro soared to TikTok fame in recent years, with their products becoming must-haves for beauty fans around the world. The brand's Brazilian Crush Cheirosa 62 body mist, was dubbed one of 'the best scents ever,' making the concoction hugely popular almost from the moment it hit shelves. However, the real showstopper of the Sol de Janeiro lineup was the much-loved Brazilian Bum Bum Cream. Infused with powerful, caffeine-rich guarana, a pot of the pistachio, salted caramel, and vanilla-scented product will set you back 35 for 150ml or 48 for 240ml. Now, eagle-eyed shoppers have found a high-street supermarket own-brand version that costs less than a quarter of the price of the 240ml cream, for 200ml of product. The real showstopper of the Sol de Janeiro lineup was the much-loved Brazilian Bum Bum Cream (35 for 150ml or 48 for 240ml) Those browsing the beauty section of M&S may have stumbled across their new body care products, which are similar to those of the Brazillian cult beauty brand. The Mango Body Butter from the new Burst Bodycare range claims to leave your skin hydrated for 96 hours. In orange packaging, the 'intensive body butter' makes a good, cheaper alternative to the more expensive Bum Bum cream. The M&S website reads that it's, 'thoughtfully formulated with mango butter for a rich, luxurious texture' and will help your skin feel 'soft, supple and moisturised'. And the best part is, the cream costs just 8 for 200ml - but this new range is expected to fly off the shelves once social media discovers it. It's also not the only Sol de Janeiro style product that's been spotted on the shelves of the high street retailer. Beauty gurus have also shared news of a Cherry Body Butter (8) in the same range, which is similar to the Bom Dia Jet Set cream by the brand (48 for 140ml). The Cherry Body Butter is described as being 'enriched with the natural goodness of cherry extract and avocado oil'. The Mango Body Butter (8) from the new Burst Bodycare range claims to leave your skin hydrated for 96 hours After earning high praise online, Brazillian beauty brand Sol de Janeiro soared to TikTok fame in recent years, with their products becoming must-haves for beauty fans around the world Beauty gurus have also shared news of a Cherry Body Butter (LEFT) (8) in the same range, which is similar to the Bom Dia Jet Set cream by the brand (RIGHT) (48) Also in the collection is a 5 mango shower gel, which beauty lovers claim is similar to the Brazillian4play shower gel from the brand (49) Other new products in the M&S Burst Bodycare range include a Melon Shower Gel (7.50), Orange Hand Lotion (5), and Shea Body Scrub (8). Also in the collection is a 5 mango shower gel, which beauty lovers claim is similar to the Brazillian4play shower gel from the brand (49). The retailer could be proving itself as a new beauty hotspot, as it's not the first time fans have found alternative versions of high-end favourites in the aisles. Last year, another shopper claimed to have found a perfume that smells of Le Labo's pricey 157 scent in M&S - costing a fraction of the designer price. TikTok user Chloe Wise, from Manchester, urged her followers to head down to their nearest M&S beauty aisle. In a viral video that's amassed over 345,000 views, Chloe explained how she was recently being fitted for a bra when she decided to have a browse through their makeup and bodycare range. She said: 'I was just having a little potter about and they have their own brand called Apothecary. 'I picked up this perfume randomly, thought I'd give it a little sniff and oh my god, it is the same - it's not even slightly different - as the Le Labo Santal 33.' Holding the bottle up to camera, Chloe continued: 'This is it. It's in the Apothecary range and it's called Warmth.' What's more, the savvy shopper she didn't want to 'gatekeep' the affordable perfume from the followers. 'It's a 50ml and it was 9.50 and it literally smells exactly the same, she added. 'Run, do not walk!' Shanie Ryan said she didn't want her big day to look like a 'wacky warehouse' A bride has been branded a 'princess' by her mother-in-law for setting a strict dress code for her wedding guests. Shanie Ryan, 39, told all guests they had to wear nude or neutral colours - such as beige, pale pinks and shades of brown - on her special day so that everyone would 'match'. The mother-of-one, from south London, implemented the strict dress code because she had a 'clear vision' of what her wedding pictures would look like after her big day. She feared guests arriving in bright garish getups would create the 'wrong vibe' and ruin her once-in-a-lifetime pictures. Shanie and her now-husband Tony Sinclair, 39, therefore wrote on the invitations there was a nude or neutral tone colour scheme - and even Shanie admitted it was 'a bit cheeky'. 'If anyone had turned up with true defiance - bright pink glitter, feathers, or crazy prom dress styles that had felt like a middle finger to us, I would have ushered them to the back of the shots, or the photographer would have edited them out,' she said. Shanie Ryan, 39, told all guests they had to wear nude or neutral colours on her special day. Above: Shanie with her husband Tony The mother-of-one, from south London , implemented the strict dress code because she had a 'clear vision' of what her wedding pictures would look like after her big day Shanie said that if anyone went against her wishes, she would have edited them out of her pictures 'I was fully prepared for it to come up in a speech and I'd have to laugh at myself- and it did come up. 'Everyone said to me they thought by my invite that there might be a bridezilla moment on the big day. 'I think there were some people who thought it was so over the top and extra. 'My mother-in-law said she thought I was being a princess - but on the day she was impressed.' The pictures came out exactly as the bride had hoped - making the bold request worthwhile. 'We had spent a good amount of money on our photographer and videographer and I had a clear idea of what pictures and videos I wanted,' Shanie said. 'I wanted cinematic and romantic - I was clear on the vision. 'The only thing I thought might take away from the plan was people coming in crazy bright colours, or glitters and feathers. The interior designer said she did not want her pictures looking like a 'wacky warehouse' The dress code specified the couple's preferred palette of 'light neutrals' - beige, nude, tan, cream, champagne, and pale golds 'I was worried it wouldn't matter how beautiful the shots were if the guests at the wedding were wearing the wrong vibe.' Shanie and Tony, an entrepreneur, got married at Primrose Hill Farm in Banbury, Oxfordshire, on July 6 last year. Their invite said: 'We (aka Shanie lol) have a vision for the overall visual appearance of our wedding photos (sic). 'Therefore we kindly and respectfully ask that you adhere to our preferred dress code'. The dress code specified their preferred palette of 'light neutrals' - beige, nude, tan, cream, champagne, and pale golds. They asked that the styles be 'glamorous, formal, red carpet worthy' and could feature 'delicate prints, texture, gentle shimmer and embellishment'. But the invite also specified guests were not allowed to wear 'bright colours, black, white, dark colours, neons, bold prints, polka dots, stripes, glitter'. The couple wanted to ensure their friends and family did not turn up in strong patterns or bold colours but wanted guests to 'dress up and feel fabulous'. Shanie only made one exception as a guest of African descent wanted to wear traditional attire Shanie said: 'We just didn't want it to look like a wacky warehouse. 'I did have a little moment where I thought, "is this a bit cheeky?" especially because some people just love colour, or some people love black. 'But it added an element of fun to the run up, and everyone was excited to show off what they were wearing.' Luckily, all guests obeyed the rules and Shanie managed to get the pictures that she wanted. The bride made one pre-agreed exception for a guest of African descent, who wanted to attend her special day in traditional attire that did not match the colour scheme. 'I'm glad we did the colours, everyone on the day commented it looks so good and that it was a good idea,' Shanie said. 'People understood it when they got there even if they didn't before. 'With the rolling hills in the background it captured the essence of the day, and it was kind of a talking point too.' It's long been fondly referred to as Ladies Day - but now the second day of the Cheltenham Festival has been named 'Style Wednesday' and will involve a fashion competition for both men and women. Day two of the prestigious four-day event is known for attracting a host of royals and celebrities alike as they show off their sartorial prowess while enjoying a day out at the races in Gloucestershire. Some excited racegoers even start planning their outfits for the popular occasion six or so months in advance. But now, the famous event that was once called Ladies Day has been 'downgraded' to Style Wednesday, with the Jockey Club, which runs 15 courses across the UK, also ditching the Best Dressed competition. Instead, the day now includes the Slow Fashion awards, open to both men and women, which 'celebrates vintage and borrowed items, as well as investment pieces'. It's long been fondly referred to as Ladies Day - but now the second day of the Cheltenham Festival has been named 'Style Wednesday' and will involve a fashion competition for both men and women A spokesperson for Cheltenham Racecourse said: 'This year we re-launched day two of The Festival as Style Wednesday to celebrate "fast horses, slow fashion", encouraging racegoers to make more sustainable fashion choices, showcasing their unique and personal style, and to share the stories behind their amazing outfits with friends, family and on social media. 'This includes re-wearing outfits they already have in their wardrobes, purchasing timeless garments to wear again and again and also buying from retailers specialising in pre-loved clothing.' Commenting on the change, The Daily Mail's Nadine Dorries said in her latest column: 'I looked at the programme and saw, with no fanfare or warning, that Ladies Day at Cheltenham appears to have been downgraded to Style Wednesday. 'Im assuming this is some sort of woke nod from the Jockey Club to the powerful trans lobby. 'If thats the case, the Jockey Club might like to consider who exactly will be attending - and who it is they are now offending.' The second day of the four-day festival hasn't officially been labelled Ladies Day since 2018; last year it was billed as Festival Wednesday. But fans on X were equally disappointed with the move to rebrand the second day as 'Style Wednesday', with one person writing: 'Who on earth gets paid to come up with this nonsense? Oh for the days when racing was felt worthy enough on its own.' Another said: 'Style Wednesday? Jesus wept. Its Ladies Day,' while a third added: 'Game is in the gutter.' The prestigious second day of the four-day event is known for attracting a host of royals and celebrities alike as they show off their fashion prowess while enjoying a day out at the races in Gloucestershire. Pictured, racegoers at Ladies Day in 2019 Queen Camilla (pictured left) in 2023, and Zara Tindall (pictured right) in 2022, attending Ladies Day at The Cheltenham Festival Carol Voderman completed her outfit with a fur-trimmed beige handbag for the event in Cheltenham in 2023 One chic group of women braved the cold in cropped jackets and hats as they entered the races for Ladies Day in 2023 Despite the 'inclusive' casual dress code at Cheltenham, these glam racegoers brought all the glam to the annual event last year A fourth insisted: 'Style Wednesday, how absolutely embarrassing', as a fifth individual wrote: 'Styles Wednesday, is this a joke?' 'End of an era as Ladies Day at Cheltenham Festival is no more. We now have Style Day on a Wednesday. I assume that is to be more inclusive,' one person wrote, while another simply said: 'Box-ticking.' Tomorrow's Style Wednesday has been billed as 'fast horses, slow fashion. The style is timeless and the glamour matches the glory,' on the Jockey Club's website. Explaining the Slow Fashion awards, it adds that the event will 'celebrate vintage and borrowed items, as well as investment pieces that can be passed down through generations. 'We encourage all racegoers to showcase their unique and personal style, and to share the stories behind their amazing outfits with friends, family, and on social media. 'The awards are open to both men and women, and we can't wait to see the incredible fashion on display!' The Slow Fashion Style Awards will be open from 10.30am until 2.30pm to all racegoers on Wednesday 13 March. To enter, racegoers should head to the Style Pod in the Plaza to have their picture taken. Their look will then be judged by a panel, including Rosie Tapner, Gabriella Baker and guest judge Chris Hughes. Winners prizes include a 4,000 necklace from luxury jewellery brand, Boodles. Last year, the Jockey Club scrapped its strict dress code at its racecourses in the hopes of encouraging a younger crowd to racing events, with jeans and trainers no longer looked down upon, and 'come dressed to feel your best' guidance in place. The formal dress codes - which often included a jacket and tie - are being dropped in an effort to make horseracing more 'accessible and inclusive', the Jockey Club said in an announcement. Reaction: Fans on X were disappointed with the move, with one person writing: 'Style Wednesday, who on earth gets paid to come up with this nonsense? Oh for the days when racing was felt worthy enough on its own.' The only exceptions to the new policy at any of the 342 fixtures staged by The Jockey Club is offensive fancy dress or offensive clothing of any kind and replica sports shirts. Traditional morning dress or formal day wear is also still required in the Queen Elizabeth II Stand on Derby Day. Nevin Truesdale, Chief Executive at The Jockey Club, said: 'Horseracing has always been a sport enjoyed by people from all different backgrounds and it's really important to us to be accessible and inclusive. 'We hope that by no longer placing an expectation upon people of what they should and shouldn't wear we can help highlight that racing really is for everyone. 'For those who visit our venues, a day at the races is all about spending quality leisure time with friends and family and we believe people enjoy themselves best when they feel relaxed. A major part of that is wearing clothing which you are comfortable in. The formal dress code was removed for racegoers at the Jockey Club's 15 racecourses last year Racegoers can still wear suits and top hats if they wish though despite the change in policy 'While The Jockey Club has a rich heritage and history it is also a forward-thinking organisation which places a great emphasis on diversity and inclusion and always seeks to reflect modern trends. 'So, when we reviewed this area of the raceday experience, it has been clear to us that enforcing a dress code seems rather outdated in the 21st Century in the eyes of many of our racegoers. 'Of course that doesn't mean we are discouraging people from dressing up for a day at the races if they want to. 'This is about giving people a choice and the opportunity to come racing dressed however they feel most comfortable and confident, while also bearing in mind the challenges regularly presented by the British weather. In the past, entry into some enclosures has required the wearing of a jacket and tie while sporting trainers has also been frowned upon. Truesdale added that the new rules should remove any 'ambiguity or uncertainty' about how people had to dress at the track. The royal, 35, appeared in high spirits as she left the Mayfair seafood restaurant Princess Beatrice was spotted dining out with friends at an A-List venue in Mayfair yesterday evening. King Charles' niece, 35, appeared in high spirits as she entered the celebrity favourite restaurant, Scotts. Beatrice enjoyed a meal out without her husband, Edo Mapelli Mozzi, who might have been caring for their daughter Sienna, two. The royal beamed as she left the champagne and oyster bar later that evening with a friend via car. The mother-of-one opted for a chic yet stylish outfit, wrapping up in a navy coat with a crimson maxi dress. Princess Beatrice appeared cheerful as she arrived for dinner at Scotts in Mayfair yesterday evening Beatrice added a touch of glamour to her outfit with a pair of navy heels with a diamante encrusted toe cap. She wore her auburn tresses in loose waves over shoulders and opted for a natural makeup look. Scott's has long been a royal favourite, but also boasts numerous celebrity fans. It was also the scene of the infamous nose-tweaking incident between Nigella Lawson and then husband Charles Saatchi in 2020 that led directly to the end of their marriage. Other famous diners include Formula 1 heiress Tamara Ecclestone, rocker Ronnie Wood and his wife Sally Humphreys. The seafood restaurant is described on its website as offering 'the finest oysters, fish and crustacea' and also has an attached champagne bar. The menu includes a choice of seven different types of oyster, including the Lock Ryan Natives variety for 38 for six, and Beluga caviar for an eye-watering 270 for just 30g. Other options include an octopus starter for 18.75 and a whole grilled lobster for 70. It comes after Princess Beatrice appeared at an event to mark Student Mental Health Week where she spoke on a panel about young people's wellbeing last month. The royal looked elegant as she entered the establishment donning a navy jacket with a crimson dress underneath After enjoying dinner, the 35-year-old left the high-end restaurant with a friend via a car service Beatrice's navy heels with a diamante encrusted toe cap added a touch of glamour to her ensemble The Princess, 35, joined forces with US-based company Chegg to take part in the event in the capital - championing a cause that many will associate with the Princess of Wales. Kate, 42, who is currently recovering in private after having abdominal surgery, has become one of the loudest voices within the royal family in speaking up for the mental health and wellbeing of young people. She has previously revealed she and William care 'deeply' about the cause. Last year, during the week in which World Mental Health Day fell in October, the Princess of Wales took part in a string of engagements focusing specifically on the mental health of students - both solo and with Prince William. However, while Kate remains at home (and is 'doing well', according to Kensington Palace), it appears William's cousin Beatrice has stepped up to fly the flag for the cause. As she appeared at the event run by Chegg, a company based in Silicon Valley, in conjunction with UK charities Student Minds, the Mental Health Foundation and Big Change Beatrice donned a black belted coat in tweed by Maje costing 535, paired with an A-line Alexander McQueen A-line skirt, tights and lace-up boots. In a photo posted on X/Twitter by Chegg's chief communications officer Heather Hatlo Porter, the royal mother-of-one is seen smiling as she chats to some young people. The royal opted for a natural makeup up look for the evening, complete with a dash of pink blusher The daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York styled her glossy auburn tresses out for occasion After enjoying dinner at the Mayfair-based seafood restaurant, Beatrice left with a friend via car As Heather posted the snap, she wrote that she was 'so grateful' to have heard the royal speak at the event. She added: 'Let's face loneliness together' - suggesting the event was specifically focused on loneliness in particular. Beatrice's participation in the event follows a cause the Princess of Wales has long championed as she flies the flag for student mental health awareness while Kate is out of action. Last year, Kate took part in a number of events to promote mental health and wellbeing in young people. Across one jam-packed week in October, Kate undertook several engagements promoting a cause, including a visit to Nottingham Trent University. Jazmin Grimaldi has said she feels a 'special connection' to her grandmother Grace Kelly after visiting the Oscar museum in Los Angeles. The actress daughter of Prince Albert of Monaco, 32, paid tribute to the relative she never met in a sweet Instagram post on Sunday, before heading to Elton John's AIDS Foundation Oscars party. Grace died in a car crash ten years before Jazmin was born, meaning the pair never got to meet. Taking to Instagram, Grace shared a video of herself posing with an Oscar statue next to a clip of Grace picking up her Best Actress Oscar in 1954. 'I recently visited the Academy Museum this Oscar season in Los Angeles,' she wrote. Jazmin Grimaldi has said she feels a 'special connection' to her grandmother Grace Kelly after visiting the Oscar museum in Los Angeles In a video shared to Instagram, Jazmin pretend to win an Oscar Jazmin's grandmother Grace Kelly is pictured hugging her Oscar after she was honoured as the best actress of 1954 at the 27th Academy Award 'I couldnt help but feel a special connection with my Grandmother Grace Kelly while walking through the museum and being able to hold an Oscar for this special yet comedic photo opportunity. 'Grace was an official Academy Award winning actress in 1955 for her role in Country Girl at the 27th Oscars! Here we are 69 years later. 'Happy Oscar season and congratulations to all the hardworking artists! You are all winners in my eyes,' she added. Jazmin then shared a series of snaps from Elton John's Oscars party where she stunned in a black and lace dress and posed with her longterm partner Ian Mellencamp. Jazmin is the love child of Albert of Monaco and Tamara Jean Rotolo, she is not in the line of succession to the Monegasque throne due to being born our of wedlock. Her mother, Tamara Jean Rotolo, was waitress at the time she met Prince Albert. She grew up in Palm Desert, California, and when she was younger her mother would reportedly show her pictures of her paternal grandmother - Grace Kelly - an American film actress and Princess of Monaco, and Albert's mother. Jazmin then shared a series of snaps from Elton John's Oscars party The actress wowed in a black dress with sheer sleeves 'One of my first and fondest memories involving my grandmother was watching' she told Harpers Bazar in 2015, speaking of the 1956 musical, in which Kelly starred alongside Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. 'It was the first time I realized we had a connection. I'm passionate about acting, singing, and dancing,' adds Jazmin. 'I saw that in her in this movie. It was a real goose-bumps moment for me.' While she is not in line to the throne, her father has said that his children will be taken care of financially, and stand to inherit part of his personal fortune through be more than $1 billion. Despite her mother being open about her lineage, she did not connect with her father until she was 11 - visiting Monaco for the first time, saying she has enjoyed a great relationship with him ever since, and says she has developed a bond with Albert and his wife - Princess Charlene. The actress posed with her longterm partner Ian Mellencamp - who she recently sparked wedding rumours with Jazmin gave her followers and inside view of Elton's glitzy party Elton throws the party every year raising millions for his AIDs foundation According to Article 10 of Monaco's constitution, out-of-wedlock children are not in the line of succession to the principality's throne. It specifies that only 'direct descendants' of Monaco's monarch or siblings may inherit it. Extramarital children are common among the ruling family of Monaco, with ever Grimaldi generation for 100 years acknowledging a child that did not have legitimacy of birth. Some of those children have gained succession right through legitimization or adoption - including Princess Charlotte - but Jazmin could not have been legitimized because her mother's divorce proceedings were not finalized by the time of her birth - and therefore even the subsequent marriage of her biological parents would not have been enough. Furthermore, in 2002 Albert's father Prince Rainer III (and Grace Kelly's husband) made obtaining succession rights through adoption impossible with a modification to the constitution. Her first on-screen performance was a role as a cashier in the TV series 'Jay & Pluto' in 2016, and in December 2019, she released her first single titled 'Fearless'. In January, French publication Le Monde alleged that the royal spends millions every year from a secret French bank account to pay his former mistresses and love children - with Jazmin Grace and her half-brother Alexandre Coste-Grimaldi receiving allowances of $344,000 (around 270,132.88) a year each. Jazmin Grimaldi has sparked speculation she may have married her partner of eight year Ian Mellencamp after her shared a video of her in what appeared to be a wedding dress The daughter of Prince Albert of Monaco, who turned 32 on Monday, appeared in a clip shared by her long-term beau In November, the socialite also put up pictures from a lush holiday to Italy's Lake Como - beloved by the world's rich and famous - posing up a storm by an outdoor pool overlooking stunning scenery. Earlier that month she'd also enjoyed a flashy trip to Vegas as well as a fun weekend in Memphis. She also appeared to spend much of the summer in Europe, the South of France and Monaco, sharing scenic views and photos of herself enjoying fine food and wine, sporting beautiful dresses and enjoying the sun and sea. In other posts, Jazmin has also publicised her support for the SAG-AFTRA strike last year, although her acting career is still very much in its infancy. Her roles include an uncredited part as a casino girl in one episode of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in 2019, although she does appear as Angie Bowie in the upcoming Idris Elba production The Chelsea Cowboy. She also has two singles out - one called Fearless and another titled Thankful. It is also understood that Jazmin is involved with charity work. Albert and his daughter Jazmin pictured at the Monte-Carlo Masters tournament in Roquebrune Cap Martin, France, in 2018 In other posts, Jazmin - pictured - has also publicised her support for the SAG-AFTRA strike last year The socialite was born as a result of the royal's affair with Tamara Rotolo, a waitress turned American estate agent. Pictured with Ian in Germany this June In 2006 she set up The Jazmin Fund which helps people across villages in Fiji. In 2016, the organisation helped Naidi village with funds after a Cyclone devastated the region. In 2022, it was reported that Jazmin had snagged a $3.3 million home in the Hollywood Hills. According to Tatler, the three-bedroom, three-bathroom property featured stunning views of the Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood sign. Her famous neighbours were said to include Winona Ryder and Felicity Huffman. Albert, 65, who is worth around $1billion, also brought his daughter a $3million flat in New York when she was 25. It is not clear if she still resides there. Jazmin's mother Tamara, she met Albert while holidaying on the Cote DAzur in 1991. They enjoyed a two-week fling which resulted in the birth of Jazmin in 1992, but the baby was kept secret from the public until 2006. The pair have various coupled up pictures together A friend of her mother Tamara's said in 2005: 'Tamara was from a very ordinary, working-class background and had decided to go on one big holiday to Monaco. Albert was quite infatuated with her. 'They were together pretty much every day and night and, after her two weeks were up, he asked her to stay on. 'She told him, "I have to get back to my job". This was reality-check time. 'To her surprise, Albert did not forget her. He kept in touch by phone and she could contact him in a heart- beat, wherever he was in the world. The wall came down after Prince Rainier found out. 'All contact was cut off. First she was hurt, then she got mad and decided to go to court.' In 1993, a judge ordered Albert to provide a blood sample to settle the paternity case. But Albert's high-powered attorneys went back to court to argue that California law had no power to order the sample. A judge agreed and ruled that the case could not go to trial. Albert neither confirmed nor denied that he was Jazmin's father. He acknowledged in court papers: 'I was briefly acquainted with the plaintiff when she was on vacation in Monaco in July 1991.' But the death of Prince Rainier more than ten years later, coupled with Nicoles revelation, proved to be the catalyst for fresh negotiations for lawyers and, in the summer of 2006, a year after the first love child bombshell, Prince Albert formally recognised Jazmin as his daughter. A royal spokesman said at the time: 'We can assure everyone that there are no more hidden children. This is the last one.' Both children now carry the Grimaldi name, and while they can never accede to the throne they will be able to make a financial claim when he dies. Talking about meeting her father for the first time when she was 11, Jazmin said in 2015: 'I wanted that moment to connect with my father, to get to know him, and to have him get to know me. 'Not having had that figure around, I missed that. It's wonderful that it happened when it did, and we've been enjoying a great relationship ever since.' Jazmin revealed her close relationship with her half-brother Alexandre as she marked his 18th birthday in a sweet Instagram post. She shared a series of Instagram posts from his birthday party in 2021, writing: 'It's a celebration. Happy birthday my little brother Alexandre!' And last year, Prince Albert posed with his two children by former lovers for the first time. The extraordinary picture, taken in New York, was shared online by his ex, Nicole. Wearing an open-necked shirt, the Prince has his arm around Jazmin who had her arm around Alexandre. It comes as Jazmin Grimaldi sparked speculation she may have married her partner of eight year Ian Mellencamp after her shared a video of her in what appeared to be a wedding dress. A video, posted to Instagram, showed the couple on their travels around the world, including putting a love lock on a bridge, celebrating Valentine's Day and various hikes across the US. And in one shot, the actress holds on to her dog Frankie Bleu by a poolside and appears to be wearing a white wedding gown. Her hair is styled in a classic updo, while she dons sparkling jewellery to pose amid a stunning vista, not unlike many wedding venues. In another shot, she appears to be wearing a ring on her engagement finger. Jennifer Lozano is pictured with representatives of the Laredo Federal Credit Union. Louis San Miguel/Laredo Morning Times Laredo Federal Credit Union presented Laredo Boxer, Jennifer Lozano with a donation of $2,000 to assist her in her journey to the 2024 Paris Olympics. "Jennifer is truly an inspiration for women to chase their dreams and never give up," President/CEO, Rafael A. Martinez said. Veronica Solis and Jackie Pena Louis San Miguel/Laredo Morning Times In a speech given at the check presentation, Jennifer mentioned that she would like to show every woman and child that anything and everything is possible if you put your mind to it. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Martinez, along with the LFCU Board of Directors, wish Jennifer the very best in representing Team USA in the Olympics. Jennifer Lozano is pictured with representatives of the Laredo Federal Credit Union. Louis San Miguel/Laredo Morning Times Anel Rodriguez, Cynthia Gutierrez and Rafael A. Martinez Louis San Miguel/Laredo Morning Times Jennifer Lozana is pictured with representatives of the Laredo Federal Credit Union. Louis San Miguel/Laredo Morning Times Jaimie Gonzalez, Al Chavez, Veronica Gonzalez and Javier Gomez. Louis San Miguel/Laredo Morning Times Jennifer Lozano and Rafael A. Martinez. Louis San Miguel/Laredo Morning Times Jennifer Lozano and Cynthia Conchas. Louis San Miguel/Laredo Morning Times A Christmas card released by the Spanish Royal Family has resurfaced online and left fans in hysterics thanks its poor Photoshopping. The image, which was taken in 2005, has re-emerged after the Princess of Wales admitted to editing her Mother's Day post yesterday. In the family portrait, King Juan Carlos - who abdicated in June 2014 - is seen sitting on a red sofa next to his wife Queen Sofia, who is holding their baby granddaughter Princess Leonor. In front of the sofa, the royal couple's other grandchildren - Felipe, Victoria Eugenia, Miguel, Juan, Irene and Pablo - are seen sitting on green velvet cushion. However, royal watchers at the time noticed that King Juan Carlos' leg had been edited out the photo. The Spanish Royal Family released this photo in December 2005 - but a spokesperson was later forced to admit it was edited after fans noticed King Juan Carlos was missing a leg This prompted a Palace spokesperson to admit that photo editing software had been used to create the image. After struggling to get all the grandchildren together in a room, the Palace superimposed photos of the royals onto the same background for the sake of the Christmas card. A spokesperson said: 'It is not a photograph of an official event - it is merely a compilation used as a Christmas greeting.' Following the Princess of Wales' admission that she had edited her Mother's Day photo, royal journalist Eugenia Garavani shared the infamous Christmas card with her 116,000 Instagram followers. She captioned the post: 'Royals and photoshop, say no more. This is the Spanish royal family Christmas card in 2005, for real.' The post had followers in hysterics and prompted fans to point out other problems with the image. One said: 'The funny thing is that [Irene] is in short sleeves and her [siblings] are in winter clothes.' Another added: 'Was ANYONE present for this photo in real life?' Royal journalist Eugenia Garavani shared the infamous Christmas card with her 116,000 Instagram followers A third wrote: 'Wow! And no apologies and no regrets!' Earlier this week, the Palace had come under mounting pressure to reveal the truth behind the Mother's Day photo after the world's top picture and news agencies - including PA - 'killed' the image over claims it had been digitally manipulated. The photo of the mother-of-three beaming with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis was the first official picture released of the princess since she underwent 'planned abdominal surgery' in January. A statement from the Princess of Wales said: 'Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother's Day. C' Royal sources stressed that this was 'an amateur, family photograph taken by the Prince of Wales'. Kensington Palace released the first picture of the Princess of Wales since surgery on Mother's Day on Sunday The Princess of Wales has admitted that she edited the Mother's Day portrait and apologised 'for any confusion' that it caused They said the couple wanted to offer an 'informal' picture of the family together for Mother's Day and the princess made 'minor adjustments', as she has shared in her statement on social media. An aide added: 'The Wales family spent Mother's Day together and had a wonderful day.' Despite calls for the original to be published, Kensington Palace said it would not be reissuing the unedited photograph of Kate and her children. It comes after PA - Britain's most respected picture agency - this morning joined AP, AFP, Reuters, Getty Images and EPA in withdrawing the photo. It is not the first time the Waleses' photos have come under the spotlight. Most recently, in December, the family's Christmas portrait was hit with criticism from around the world. It is not the first time the Waleses' photos have come under the spotlight. Most recently, in December, the family's Christmas portrait was hit with criticism from around the world People on social media began raising questions about the family portrait with some pointing to what appeared to be extra legs with others saying Louis was missing a finger In the snap, William and Kate are seen smiling alongside their sons Prince George, Prince Louis, and Princess Charlotte who is seated in a chair at the front of the group. Photographed by Josh Shinner, each member of the Wales family is donning a white shirt, adding to the striking monochrome aesthetic. Eagle-eyed observers, though, were left puzzled as they focused in on the left hand of Prince Louis and noticed his middle finger appears to be missing. Others raised questions about William's leg as he appeared to have adopted a wide stance but only his right leg was visible. Similarly, only one of Kate's feet is in view behind the chair Charlotte is perched on. Many speculated the image had been poorly edited or photoshopped, with one social media user writing: 'While it's a nice family photo, as soon as I looked at it, I noticed Louis' hand. He's missing a finger.' However, a royal source told the Mail: 'It's not photoshopped. It seems as if he [Louis]... just bent his finger over. He's certainly not lost a finger don't worry about that!' A new Channel 5 drama about a English woman who's scammed by a holiday romance has been branded as 'silly' by viewers who claim the script feels like it's written by 'school children'. Love Rat, which kicked off yesterday and returns to screens tonight at 9pm, follows newly-divorced Emma (Sally Lindsay) who leaves her dull life behind for a holiday in Cyprus. While there, she gets caught up in an amour with the handsome wealthy hotel owner Niko - played by Gerald Kyd. He gets to wooing Emma with intimate getaways to secluded beaches, romantic meals and idyllic carefree trysts. It's not long before she decides to take Niko up on his offer to move into a stunning villa - much to the horror of loved ones back home. The show, which kicked off yesterday and returns to screens tonight at 9pm, follows newly-divorced Emma (Sally Lindsay), pictured, who leaves her dull life behind for a holiday in Cyprus Things quickly become suspicious when her new lover reveals that he needs a short-term loan of around 200,000 to secure the property, which Emma is happy to give. But before long, Niko - and the cash - are long gone, as the heroine begins her journey to justice. People on X - formerly known as Twitter - were baffled by the details of the story, including how Emma got around the 100,000 cap on money which can be sent from a UK bank account to Cyprus. 'So this stupid woman paid off his 230k debt,' one said. 'I wonder how she avoided the 100k restriction? Was this written by a group of school children?' Elsewhere other viewers found the show 'boring and slow', while others slammed the plot as 'a bit silly'. 'How did the scammer know she had a spare 200k+ for a start,' one questioned. 'Why didn't she get a vibe all around 'his' hotel that he wasn't the owner? 'His 'staff' not speaking to him when he walked around?' 'She really thinks this is real,' another baffled viewer wrote. 'Nope no man can sweet talk me out my money,' a third added. While there, she gets caught up in a summer love with the handsome wealthy hotel owner Niko - played by Gerald Kyd (right) People on X - formerly known as Twitter - were baffled by the details of the story, including how Emma got around the 100,000 cap on money which can be sent from a UK bank account to Cyprus Other bizarre details highlighted by audiences included Niko reading Wuthering Heights in the hotel he is supposed to own. One poster also wrote that they feel 'no pity' for Emma. 'She's known Niko for 5 mins and already thinks they are in love and wants to give him money,' they added. 'No no no no,' another said. 'Has Emma never read Chat magazine or seen programmes about romance cons. The grey dreary rooms in England have messed with her brain.' Speaking to Weekend Magazine last week, Sally, 50, who plays Emma said the plot differs quite dramatically from many real life tales. 'Niko doesn't ask for the money, and that's what sold me on the script,' she explained. 'I was very concerned about the idea, but when Emma puts the money in his account despite his objections I thought, "OK, I understand that, she believes they're buying this villa. She's seen it and believes she's in love with him." Even my agent said, 'I would've given him the money.' When Niko is revealed to be a scammer and disappears, Emma puts her life on the line to track him down and recoup her losses. But nobody is quite who they seem, and a series of plot twists will leave viewers gripped. Neil Morrissey's Pete weaves in and out as a steadfast support to his ex-wife in her hour of need. When Niko is revealed to be a scammer and disappears, Emma (left) puts her life on the line to track him down and recoup her losses. Neil Morrissey's Pete (right) weaves in and out as a steadfast support to his ex-wife in her hour of need Things quickly become suspicious when her new lover reveals that he needs a short-term loan of around 200,000 to secure the property. Pictured: Gerald Kyd as Niko 'Pete feels he's been let down by Emma divorcing him, but he's so stoic he'll help her anyway,' Neil, 61, also told Weekend. 'He's the knight in shining armour.' But the reasons for the divorce are hazy, and Pete's intentions become ambiguous. Putting middle-aged people front and centre on our screens has become something of a passion for both Sally and Neil. 'That's why I started my own company,' explains Sally, who co-founded Saffron Cherry, the female-led production company that makes her hit Channel 5 murder series The Madame Blanc Mysteries. 'It's why I make Madame Blanc's Judith and Jeremy [Sue Holderness and Robin Askwith] so sexy. They're in their seventies and gorgeous, so why shouldn't they be bouncing around the bedroom? Fifty is nothing now.' Europe's oldest monarch, 87, is being treated at the hospital Rikshospitalet King Harald V of Norway will receive a permanent pacemaker implant this morning, the palace has revealed. The 87-year-old is being treated at Rikshospitalet hospital and is expected to remain there for 'a few days'. The implant will help ensure that Harald's heart beats regularly, and will replace the temporary pacemaker that he received last weekend. Harald, who is Europe's oldest monarch, was hospitalised for an infection while on a private trip to the resort island of Langkawi in Malaysia. After receiving medical treatment in Langkawi, Harald returned to Oslo last week, to be fitted with the permanent medical device. King Harald V of Norway (pictured May 8, 2023) will receive a permanent pacemaker in Oslo today, the palace has revealed In a brief statement, the palace said: 'His Majesty The King will this morning have a permanent pacemaker implanted. 'The procedure will take place at the hospital Rikshospitalet. After this, His Majesty will remain at the hospital for a few days.' Despite Harald's health issues, the royal family have maintained an active approach with public engagements, and yesterday, Queen Sonja and Princess Ingrid-Alexander attended a cross-country ski event in Holmenkollen. It comes after King Harald of Norway thanked well-wishers for support as he revealed he is undergoing 'expert' treatment due to his 'challenging' health condition. The 87-year-old issued a joint statement with his wife, Queen Sonja, 86, via Instagram last week as he received medical care in Oslo. The monarch has received support from close family, including Crown Princess Mette-Marit, 50, and her daughter Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 20, who visited the monarch at Rikshospital. 'We feel a great need to thank you for all the care, help and support during the King's illness on our holiday in Malaysia,' the couple said in their statement. The monarch (pictured June 16, 2022 with Queen Sonja) is expected to stay in hospital for a 'few days' after the procedure The royal couple not only thanked the Norwegian public for extending 'support', but the Malaysian authorities and staff that assisted them during their stay. The statement read: 'We feel a great need to thank you for all the care, help and support during the King's illness on our holiday in Malaysia. 'We have felt the heat coming from the Norwegian people at this time. The great commitment has moved us and strengthened us. Thank you to everyone for the concern you have shown us in the family. 'Well back home in Norway, we also want to say a big thank you to the Malaysian authorities and staff at Sultanah Maliha Hospital in Langkawi. 'Together with Norwegian health staff, they did everything they could for the King to recover well through his illness and be ready for his return home. 'We are very grateful to the Norwegian government, the Armed Forces and others who assisted in making the journey home so safe and smooth for us. At the Rikshospitalet, Kongen is now undergoing expert treatment.' They concluded: 'We thank each and every one who has given us care, practical and health assistance in a challenging situation.' Harald (pictured on May 4, 2019) was returning home from Malaysia last week after falling ill on holiday and spending several days in hospital, the royal palace said King Harald, Norway's ceremonial head of state since 1991, is Europe's oldest living monarch. He has repeatedly been hospitalised with infections in recent years and has undergone heart surgery. He caught a respiratory infection in January, days after dismissing speculation that he might abdicate, following the lead of distant cousin Queen Margrethe II in Denmark. Two days before Harald's 87th birthday last week, the palace announced that the King would be undertaking a private trip abroad, without specifying the destination or dates, according to the Norwegian news agency NTB. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre said that he was 'sad' to hear of the king's hospitalization and wished him a 'speedy recovery,' NTB said. Despite Harald's precarious physical condition, the royal is certain that he wants to continue as Norway's reigning monarch. Last month, the royal confirmed that he has no plans to abdicate after speculation he could follow in the footsteps of his former Danish counterpart, Queen Margrethe. Traffic officers escort Norway's King Harald V and delegates leaving Sultanah Maliha Hospital in Langkawi Island, state of Kedah, Malaysia A Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) plane carrying Norway's King Harald V and delegates is seen on the runway before taking off from Langkawi International Airport for their departure back to Norway The monarch, who is the second cousin of King Charles III, insisted that the promise he made to the Norwegian Parliament when he acceded the throne in 1991 'lasts for life'. King Harald told Faktisk.no: 'I stand by what I have said all along. I have taken an oath to the Storting, and it lasts for life.' It comes after Queen Margrethe of Denmark, 83, abdicated after 52 years on the throne, making way for her son Frederik to take over as King on 14 January. Afterwards, a royal expert had suggested the Danish monarch had broken an 'invisible pact' between heads of state in the Scandinavian countries that none would step down from the throne. Roger Lundberg told STV that, after Denmark's changeover, there is a chance King Harald of Norway and King Carl Gustaf of Sweden , 79, might follow suit and step down to allow their eldest children to take the throne. However, this has been firmly dismissed by King Harald. The Norwegian King was 53 when he acceded the throne in 1991, upon the death of his father King Olav. Ahead of this, he had been acting as Crown Prince Regent due to his father's illness, which escalated in the spring of 1990. King Harald has faced some health concerns himself in recent years, and spent time in the hospital to treat an infection last May, but clearly has no intention of abdicating. His Scandinavian neighbour Queen Margrethe of Denmark made the shock announcement that she would give up the throne in her New Year's Eve speech. The Danish Royal Family have spent the last two years grappling with various scandals, including the Queen's surprise decision to strip her grandchildren of their princely titles. There were also rumours of an 'affair' after the then Crown Prince Frederik was spotted out in Madrid with Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova. But Denmark is not the only monarchy in the Scandinavian nations to have had a bumpy few years - with Norway's royal family experiencing its very own 'Megxit'. King Harald and Queen Sonja's only daughter Princess Martha Louise, who was fourth in line to the throne, stepped down as a working royal in 2019. Pictured left to right: King Harald V, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon of Norway It was announced in 2022 that the mother-of-three would no longer represent the Royal household in any form following her engagement to an American Shamanic healer who had been criticised for his controversial views. King Harald said that Martha would not be allowed to use her royal title any future commercial partnerships with her partner Durek Verrett, 47. Shortly after the mother-of-three announced her engagement to Verrett, a Norweigan publishing house dropped his book 'Spirit Hacking' over pseudoscientific claims, including 'children can get cancer from being unhappy'. Among his other claims, Verrett says he once came back from the dead, recovering from a month-long coma, by letting his soul 'burn' and he has also spoken of having to undergo a kidney transplant from his sister as a child. Following Martha Louise's decision to step down, King Harald stressed that his daughter has remained a princess at his request, saying: 'She is our daughter, and she will continue to be. So she is Princess Martha Louise.' The princess was previously married to Ari Behn, whom she wed in 2002 and had three children together Maud Angelica, 19, Leah Isadora, 17, and Emma Tallulah, 14. They split in 2016, and Ari took his own life on Christmas Day in 2019. Crown Prince Haakon, Martha-Louise's older brother, is Norway's heir apparent - and the future King has already had a taste of what it will be like to ascend the throne after stepping in for his father on several occasions over the past few years. Princess Victoria was wrapped up warm in a 500 blue wool jacket today Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden looked bold in blue today as she stepped out with her family to celebrate Name Day in Stockholm. The royal, 46, looked typically stylish, dressed in a cerulean trench coat which she paired with black leather gloves. She posed outside the palace in the Swedish capital with her husband Prince Daniel, 50, and their children, Princess Estelle, 12, and Prince Oscar, eight. The mother and daughter were seen sharing a sweet moment as Victoria placed a tender arm around her daughter's shoulder while whispering something to her. According to tradition, certain names align with particular dates and the Crown Princess Victoria's is celebrated on March 12. Princess Victoria, 46, looked typically stylish, dressed in a cerulean trench coat which she paired with black leather gloves The mother-of-two wrapped her arms around her daughter, Estelle, today The pair shared a smile as they clapped for the band at the palace in Stockholm today The heir to the throne was presented with flowers on her Name Day Princess Victoria hugged her daughter Princess Estelle at the event today Princess Victoria put her hand on her chest as the family waved to onlookers The royal family attended the event at the palace in Stockholm today The royals were wrapped up warm to cope with Sweden's cold weather Victoria wore her brunette tresses up in a sleek bun and went for natural makeup, adding a hint of bronzer and blush to her face. She donned a pair of silver diamond earrings, adding a touch of bling to her elegant look. Wrapped up warm in a 500 wool coat from Andiata, the Princess smiled for the cameras alongside her daughter, who is third in line to the Swedish throne. Estelle sported a cream button-up coat with a large patterned scarf paired with some white leather gloves Her brother Oscar was dressed in a navy jacket with a matching beanie and some mittens, a similar outfit to his father Prince Daniel who was also dressed in dark colours. The family listened to the Guard of Honour band, before clapping at the song dedicated to the heir. Victoria also wore the blue jacket when she met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, to attend the flag-raising ceremony at NATO headquarters in Brussels yesterday. Wrapped up warm in a 500 wool coat from Andiata, the Princess smiled for the cameras alongside her daughter, who is third in line to the Swedish throne Victoria bent down to speak to her youngest, Oscar, who was wrapped up warm The family listened to the the band of the Guard of Honour today outside the palace Victoria also wore the blue jacket when she met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, to attend the flag-raising ceremony at NATO headquarters in Brussels yesterday Princess Victoria recycled her vibrant blue coat as she wore it during yesterday's event Princess Victoria looked in high spirits as she accepted flowers from members of the public The trio looked on as two soldiers raised the blue banner emblazoned with a yellow cross among the official circle of national flags at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels. The move has cemented Sweden's place as the 32nd member of the alliance after it was forced to seek safety under the alliance's security umbrella. Sweden's leader said: 'The Russian, brutal, full-scale invasion against Ukraine united Sweden behind the conclusion that a full-fledged NATO membership is the only reasonable choice,' Sweden set aside decades of post-World War II neutrality when it formally joined NATO on March 7. It is now the 32nd member of the alliance and will benefit from Article 5 - a vow that an attack on one member will be met by a response from all. Sources close to the couple say it 'isnt a mistake Meghan would ever make' Sources close to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have claimed the couple would be 'annihilated' for committing Kate Middleton's Mother's Day Photoshop fail. Yesterday, the Princess of Wales admitted that she edited the portrait which was released by Kensington Palace on Mother's Day and apologised 'for any confusion' that the family photograph has caused. While a source claims that Meghan's 'freakish attention to detail' could never allow for such a blunder, that clearly wasn't the case in 2019 when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were accused of Photoshopping their family's Christmas card. In the first official image released since Kate's 'planned abdominal surgery' on January 16, the MailOnline identified sixteen separate edits, including issues with the princess's jeans zipper and right hand - amid claims the photo was digitally altered. While the image has since sparked a global frenzy, a close source to Meghan and Harry has told Page Six that the couple would be 'annihilated' for the same mishap and it simply 'isnt a mistake Meghan would ever make'. Sources close to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have claimed the couple would be 'annihilated' for committing Kate Middleton 's Mother's Day Photoshop fail (Pictured: the Princess of Wales with her children, Prince Louis, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, taken in Windsor) The source said: 'If Harry and Meghan had ever encountered the same issue they would have been annihilated. The same rules do not apply to both couples. 'This isnt a mistake that Meghan would ever make she has a keen eye and freakish attention to detail'. Meanwhile former BBC royal correspondent Michael Cole told MailOnline that the exiled British Royals will be enjoying Kate's woes, especially given their own recent popularity problems. He said: 'They will be laughing up their sleeves, trying to keep a straight face in public', adding: Their point man Omid Scobie has been out throwing mud pies for them'. However in 2019 Meghan and Harry were accused of committing their own editing fail amid claims The Duchess of Sussex's face had been Photoshopped onto the family's Christmas card. Meghan's face appeared significantly more in focus than that of Prince Harry in the picture appearing online, despite them both being roughly the same distance behind Archie. The black and white festive image showed Harry and Meghan sitting by a Christmas tree smiling as then-seven-month-old Archies gazes into the camera in the foreground. Social media was abuzz with people discussing whether the photo had been edited, with one person tweeting: 'This is quite possibly the worst Photoshopped picture I have ever seen. And again with the black and white.' While the image has since sparked a global frenzy, a close source to Meghan and Harry has told Page Six that the couple would be 'annihilated' for the same mishap and it simply 'isnt a mistake Meghan would ever make' MailOnline's picture desk flattened out the shadows on Meghan's face, which appeared to show it was later added onto her body. One possible reason is that the image of her face was taken in another similar photograph in the same shoot, and then added onto the picture they released. It is not suggested that the Duke and Duchess edited the image. The card was not officially released through any official royal channels, and first appeared on an unverified Twitter account called The Queen's Commonwealth Trust. A spokesman for the Sussexes however confirmed the card's authenticity. The news comes amid claims Prince William took Kate's Mother's Day photograph in just a 40-minute window on Friday before the Princess edited it twice in Photoshop to 'make it the best it can be'. The Prince of Wales took the picture of his smiling family on a 2,900 Canon camera before Kate made edits to improve the photo ahead of its public release on Instagram on Sunday. ORIGINAL PICTURE -- This photo was issued by @SussexRoyal of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Christmas card. Meghan's face appears significantly more in focus than that of Prince Harry in the card picture, despite them both being roughly the same distance behind Archie Kensington Palace aides are said to have spent weeks planning to release a photo of the Princess of Wales to quell vicious social media speculation about the nature of Kate's condition since her surgery in January, which has deeply upset and angered the couple. Instead, the rare royal blunder resulted in another public explosion of conspiracy theories. Six of the world's top picture agencies including the Press Association then sensationally pulled the photo from their wires and libraries amid concern that the 'source has manipulated the image'. Amid the furore, the Princess later issued an extraordinary mea culpa on Twitter and Instagram, admitting she 'edited' the image - adding that she does 'occasionally experiment' as an 'amateur photographer' and apologising for 'any confusion' the image caused. Kate is said to have felt that honesty was 'the best policy' and wanted to 'own up' to the Photoshop blunder. The Princess felt 'awful' about the picture and had been trying to make it the 'best it could be', insiders told The Times - adding that she was 'thinking of her own children when editing the picture, hoping that they looked good for their own sakes'. EDITED IMAGE -- Research by MailOnline's picture desk, which flattened out the shadows on Meghan's face, appears to show it was later added onto her body Publicly taking the blame for the furore, the princess wrote yesterday: 'Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. 'I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. 'I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother's Day. C.' Royal sources said the princess had made 'minor adjustments' to the picture, which she and her husband had hoped would be a lovely 'informal' shot to share on a special day. 'This was an amateur, family photograph taken by the Princess of Wales. Their Royal Highnesses wanted to offer an informal picture of the family together for Mother's Day,' the source said. 'The Princess made minor adjustments as she shared in her statement on social media, the Wales family spent Mother's Day together and had a wonderful day.' William and Kate were spotted leaving Windsor for Westminster Abbey yesterday afternoon Despite calls for the original to be published, Kensington Palace said it would not be reissuing the unedited photograph of Kate and her children, which in itself sparked further debate. Last night the palace faced growing pressure over the debacle with claims it has been damaging to public trust. Palace aides did not spot any signs of Photoshop but it's not believed the edits were made aware to the princess' team before it became public. However, questions have been raised over whether the picture was too good to be true. One red flag might have been the fact the beaming family portrait was shot in such a short time on Friday. The busy schedules of the Wales family meant the picture had to be taken while everyone was back at home from various activities. A day later, Kate is said to have sent the photo out to her team. Kate posted the apology on the Prince and Princess of Wales' Instagram account yesterday It's unknown whether any of her team could see that the photo had been edited on Photoshop but alarm bells may have started ringing when courtiers discovered that William had taken the picture. Without editing, it would have been some feat for William to take such a captivating photo with all the members of the family simultaneously roaring with laughter. A plan was put in place to release the photo and a message from Kate herself at 9am on Sunday - but what quickly ensued was 24 hours of intense scrutiny as the Palace faced questions from all angles over why the family photo appeared to be digitally manipulated. The row overshadowed yesterday's Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, which was being led by Queen Camilla for the first time, accompanied by Prince William, in the King's absence as he undergoes cancer treatment. His Majesty recorded a video message for the first time instead. Yesterday Kate was seen in the backseat of a car with her husband as he left Windsor to travel to London for two public engagements. The Mail understands she was on route for a 'private appointment' and she did not accompany William publicly. Kate was later spotted leaving Windsor in a car with William yesterday as he was driven to the Commonwealth Day service in London. The Princess was not attending the service, but was understood to have a private appointment. William is set to carry out further engagements in London this Thursday. University Challenge viewers, some of whom have watched since the show's inception in 1962, are a loyal but tough crowd to win over - with many wedding their affections to past presenters, including fan favourites Bamber Gascoigne and Jeremy Paxman. However, it seems current host Amol Rajan, less than a year into his role as host, is charming more than a few long-term fans of the programme with his pacey style, with some calling him the show's 'best ever' presenter on social media. The latest episode, which aired on BBC2 at 8pm on Monday and saw Manchester University take on Christ Church Oxford, was followed with a raft of positive comments on X about Rajan's 'high-octane' question delivery. It's quite the turnaround; when the former BBC Media Editor's appointment as Jeremy Paxman's replacement was first announced in 2022, the broadcaster faced a backlash from both colleagues - who accused the host of getting 'every gig going' - and viewers. Quiet charm? Amol Rajan has been enjoying a wave of adoration in recent weeks from University Challenge viewers enjoying the host's presenting style - a far cry from when his announcement as Jeremy Paxman's replacement in 2022 sparked an outcry Times Radio presenter Mariella Frostrup took a dig at Rajan's appointment at the time, tweeting: 'Are BBC cuts now affecting staffing so badly that they only have one presenter?' And when the ex Independent editor finally got the questions in hand, viewers offered up a lukewarm reaction of his first outing, with one person on X suggesting he 'looked like a kid sitting on his dad's office chair', while another jibed: 'He looked as authoritative as a four-year-old at the dinner table.' However, roll on nearly a year and, with the viewers at least, the tide seems to have turned in Rajan's favour. One fan gushed this week: 'Possibly controversial but Amol Rajan is my favourite University Challenge quizmaster - and Ive watched it since the 1960s.' HIs first outing as host back in 2023; Rajan endured criticism from viewers, including one who said he looked like 'a kid in a high chair' during his debut Turnaround: The 40-year-old former BBC Media Editor appears to have managed to win over the Paxmaniacs - fans of previous host Jeremy Paxman - in recent months They weren't alone; another added: 'I have been watching #UniversityChallenge since 1996 and I was - hell, am - a bit of a Paxmaniac. But boy do I enjoy watching Amol Rajan run the show. Fast-paced, high octane, very personal style. Excellent.' The praise of Rajan's presenting skills came thick and fast, with another fan writing: 'I agree and I especially love how Amol speeds up the questions towards the end to give the teams more chances! It also adds to the excitement.' One impressed viewer penned: 'Having been watching UC since the 70s I thought Paxman would be a very hard act to follow, if even possible, but Amal has done it brilliantly. I never miss a programme. Wonderful tv.' The latest episode of the BBC quiz - currently in the quarter finals stage - saw Manchester defeat Christ Church - Oxford in a close match Rajan responded to some of the comments, saying he appreciated the feedback. Last night's quarter-final episode saw a thrilling intellectual battle between Manchester and Christ College Oxford, with both teams neck-and-neck until the late stages. Eventually, Manchester proved victorious with a late flourish winning by 145 points to 130. Jeremy Paxmans stint on the show, from 1994 to 2023, made him the longest-serving quizmaster on British television. Rajan told those commenting positively on X that he 'appreciated' the feedback Fan favourite: The programme's previous long-standing host Jeremy Paxman filmed his final episodes in late 2022 He filmed his final episodes in late 2022, which aired until May 2023, following his Parkinsons Disease diagnosis. Paxman signed off with little fanfare in May last year, telling audiences: University Challenge returns later in the year and I will be watching. Writing in his Saga magazine column last year, he said that he was looking forward to a gentle life after running down his other work commitments. The late Bamber Gascoigne hosted the show from its inception in 1962 until 1987 when it aired on ITV. The BBC revived it seven years later with Paxman in the quizmasters chair. Queen Camilla couldn't contain her laughter as she was presented with her own lookalike Barbie doll this afternoon and joked that the designers had 'taken about 50 years off her life'. The royal, 76, hosted an International Women's Day reception at Buckingham Palace, which was attended by Dame Helen Mirren, in her role as President of the organisation WOW (Women of the World). On International Day of the Girl in October 2023, the foundation launched their WOW Girls Festival Bus Tour of the UK. After travelling across the UK, the Bus Tour made its final stop at Buckingham Palace today - where the team were greeted by Queen Camilla. The Queen looked effortlessly elegant in blue midi dress with zip-down detail by Fiona Clare and an Amanda Wakeley black cape. The Queen completed her ensemble with a Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet, diamond and pearl earrings and black boots from Eliot Zed. Ahead of the engagement, WOW Global were given a breakdown of Camilla's outfit so they could accurately recreate it for her Barbie. Queen Camilla poses with her lookalike Barbie doll at the Buckingham Palace reception this afternoon Camilla, who has been President of WOW since 2015, was joined by the Mathilde, Queen of the Belgians, and the Duchess of Gloucester as she was shown around the WOW Girls Festival Bus, sponsored by Barbie manufacturer, Mattel. The converted bus, which features a recording studio and a library, has been touring the country to promote gender equality among young people at schools and community groups. The doll's designers expertly recreated Camilla's signature hair-do and added a WOW Global brooch to her cape. After being presented with the doll, Camilla said it was 'brilliant' and chuckled. She said: 'Thank you very very much indeed. It's brilliant and they've taken about 50 years off my life. 'I'm very very grateful. Thank you very much for doing that, it's wonderful.' Addressing her other guests, Camilla added: 'You should all have a Barbie!' Krista Berger, senior vice president of Barbie and Global head of dolls, had flown from Los Angeles to present the Barbie to Camilla, saying afterwards: We were just tickled that the Queen wanted to play Barbie. The Queen was presented with the lookalike doll in her role as President of the foundation Women of the World Queen Camilla pictured being presented with her own Barbie doll at Buckingham Palace at a reception this afternoon Pictured: Queen Camilla during a reception to celebrate International Women's Day at Buckingham Palace In her speech, Camilla said: 'As I have followed the progress of the WOW bus across all four corners of the country, I have been enormously impressed to hear of the mentorship that has been offered, the panel discussions that have challenged and strengthened those present, and the partnerships that have been forged with organisations that are, year round, doing incredible work with young people' Stones thrown at Buckingham Palace windows by the Suffragettes on display during a reception attended by Queen Camilla Queen Camilla, President of Women of the World (WOW), speaks to Dame Helen Mirren (right) during a reception to celebrate International Women's Day Pictured: Dame Helen Mirren speaks to schoolgirls at the WOW reception at Buckingham Palace Sarah Allen, PR manager for UK Mattel, said: We spoke to her office first to check she was happy to receive it and worked with her team on what she would like the doll to wear. During the engagement, Camilla delivered a speech where she referenced two stones that were thrown at the Palace during a Suffragette protest in May 1914, which were on display at Buckingham Palace. The blue dress was the same one worn by Her Majesty for the Kings official accession pictures. The Queen afterwards met primary school children in the Billiards Room of the palace who were taking part in a session on identity and leadership. She then met celebrity guests in the Bow Room including Dame Helen Mirren, the former Spice Girl and now domestic abuse campaigner, Melanie Brown, accompanied by her daughter Phoenix Brown, Dame Kelly Holmes, Emma Barnett, Dame Maggie Aderin, Natasha Kaplinsky, Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon and Rachel Riley. Giving a speech to mark the recent International Womens Day on 8 March, Camilla was accompanied by a red pillow on which rested two stones - thrown through the windows of the palace by suffragettes in 1914. Remarkably, they were picked up by Queen Mary who sent them to the royal archive at Windsor where they have remained ever since. Today was the first time they have ever been displayed in public. Pictured: Queen Camilla during a reception at Buckingham Palace for International Women's day Queen Mathilde joined Queen Camilla at the Buckingham Palace reception in London this afternoon Camilla said: I would like to begin with a show and tell, before holding up the two stones which were thrown through the Palace windows during a Suffragette protest on 27th May 1914. The label on this one reads, If a constitutional deputation is refused, we must present a stone message. This one says, Constitutional methods being ignored drive us to window smashing. She went on: 'The Times reported two days afterwards: Between 11 and 12 oclock on Wednesday, two women succeeded in evading the sentries at Buckingham Palace and entered the quadrangle. They threw stone sat the windows and broke two panes of glass before the sentries intervened. The women were taken to the police station in the precincts of the Palace, but the Master of the Household refused to prosecute and they were released. These stones were picked up and handed to Queen Mary, who decided to keep them for posterity. I thought today we might, to quote Shakespeare, find sermons in stones. The Queen went on to quote the daughter of Suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, saying: Let us recall these words of Christabel Pankhurst: Remember the dignity of your womanhood. Do not appeal, do not beg, do not grovel. Take courage, join hands, stand besides us, fight with us. To which I would only add: let your lives be the stones that will shatter glass ceilings everywhere and inspire generations to come Dame Helen Mirren, who played the late Elizabeth II in the 2006 film The Queen, was at Buckingham Palace with her film director husband Taylor Hackford. She said of the new Queen: 'I have always been a fan of Camilla, as she used to be known, and a supporter of hers in my very small, insignificant way but it was great to see her in this new role as Queen and to see that mantle falling on her shoulders, which must have been quite a surprise to her. As a young girl in England Im sure she never in a million years imagined that this would be where she would find herself and it looks to me as if shes doing it beautifully well. The WOW Foundation was created by Jude Kelly in 2018 to run the global movement of the Women of the World Festivals, which began in the UK at the Southbank Centre in 2010. It now spans 45 locations on six continents. Ms Kelly took to the lectern after the Queen to thank Camilla for her involvement, asking the assembled guests saying: Shes quite a leader, isnt she? Camilla seen with school children at Buckingham Palace where she was hosting a WOW reception Pictured: Camilla appeared in high spirits as she caught up with Dame Helen Mirren at the event Camilla met with the Director of WOW Jude Kelly - who set up the foundation in 2010 - as well as Executive Director Colette Bailey and Director of Festivals and Programmes Domino Pateman. The WOW bus was designed to be an interactive space where the team could deliver workshops and activities to communities across the UK. The bus has its own reading area as well as a video and recording studio. After being given a tour of the bus, Camilla will meet with young people who have taken part in the festival and hear about their experiences. The WOW Bus initiative was created after a 2022 Steer Education report found that girl's confidence dips significantly between the ages of 14 and 18. It also found that girls as young as 11 are hiding signs of 'deep distress' from their parents and teachers, which can affect their teenage years. Last night, Queen Camilla donned an elegant black dress as she hosted a Commonwealth Day celebration at Malborough House. Pictured: Queen Camilla laughed and joked the Barbie designers had 'taken 50 years off her life' as she was presented with her lookalike doll Queen Camilla opted for a black evening dress as she arrived at Marlborough House on Pall Mall in central London last night for a Commonwealth Day reception Baroness Scotland of Asthal also opted for a black evening dress with a jacquard effect and a glitzy belt at the waist As Camilla arrived, she was pictured meeting guests and delegates from Commonwealth countries including a Samoan band. Her appearance followed an earlier service at Westminster Abbey, at which Camilla and Prince William led the royal family for the annual celebration. It came as Kensington Palace came under increasing pressure to release the original Mother's Day photograph after the Princess of Wales apologised after she admitted she had edited the family portrait of herself sitting with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Experts told MailOnline it was changed using Photoshop and related AI tools. TV chef Poh Ling Yeow has raved about a little-known Melbourne eatery saying they serve the best Thai food she's ever had. The 50-year-old foodie visited Pa Tong Thai Restaurant on Flinders Lane in the heart of Melbourne's CBD while she was filming the last season of MasterChef. Poh tipped Pa Tong as her favourite place to eat in Melbourne and said it was the best Thai food she's ever eaten in Australia. The new judge told the Good Food ordered the 'memorable' creeping vine omelette with a salty relish and enjoyed the Northern Thai dishes served with sticky rice. 'Thank you for your wonderful hospitality and delicious food. The best Thai Ive had in Australia!!!!' she gushed on the restaurant's Instagram page. Masterchef judge Poh Ling Yeow has raved about little-known Melbourne restaurant Pa Tong she said served her the best Thai food she's ever had in Australia The new Masterchef judge ordered the 'memorable' creeping vine omelette with a salty relish and enjoyed the Northern Thai dishes served with sticky rice The split-level restaurant features hanging lanterns and vibrant blue walls peppered with framed photos reminiscent of an authentic Phuket diner. Owners Boonruxsa Sangmanee and Masarat Bumrungpongsinchai, who go by Milky and Hally, have carefully curated a tasty menu representing their childhood favourite dishes and heritage as well as Australian classics. Guests are encouraged to order a variety of dishes inspired by areas all over Thailand to enjoy a communal dining experience. Aside from the standard pad thai, pad see ew and tom yum, there is a range of lesser-known Thai dishes exploding with flavour from the whole deep-fried mackerel to the Haw mok curried fish mousse cakes that come in a terracotta dish. Guests are encouraged to order a variety of dishes inspired by areas all over Thailand to share to enjoy a communal dining experience The 50-year-old foodie visited Pa Tong Thai Restaurant on Flinders Lane in the heart of Melbourne's CBD while she was filming the last season of Masterchef Aside from the standard pad thai, pad see ew and tom yum, there is a range of lesser-known Thai dishes from the deep-fried mackerel to the Haw mok curried fish cakes It's not just Poh who loves Pa Tong's gourmet Thai offerings with one saying each dish was 'bursting with flavour'. 'A mouth-watering food at a spontaneous spot in Melbourne. Some of the food might be too hot for some people,' warned another. 'From their homemade chilli paste to their fiery and flavourful dishes, this restaurant brings an authentic, hot, and spicy dining experience,' said a third. 'With a warm ambience, exceptional service, and a menu bursting with traditional favourites and regional specialities, Pa Tong Thai is a must-visit destination for food enthusiasts looking for a true taste of southern Thailand.' Aussie studying in the US pointed out differences to kife back home An Australian woman studying in California has revealed a list of things about America that she believes would instantly deter Aussies from living there. Chloe Adnams, from Melbourne, has noticed an array of differences in America compared to life back home. In a now-viral TikTok video, Chloe, 20, pointed out what she's noticed while studying abroad, but some disagreed with her. 'Sarcasm is so rare and when you use sarcasm people look at you funny,' she began, mentioning the difference in tone when joking around. Chloe Adnams, from Melbourne, is currently living in California and instantly noticed an array of differences compared to life back home Australians would struggle finding a coffee of similar taste and appeal in America because the coffee taste 'so sweet' and 'pumped with sugar' (stock image) One thing Chloe misses about Melbourne, and Australia in general, is the coffee culture. American coffee tastes 'so sweet' and is 'pumped with sugar', she says, making it hard to find anything similar to coffee back home. Not only that, but the meal portion sizes are huge and '1000 times more unhealthy' compared to Down Under. Aussies are also known to swear often, including the casual use of the C-word, but it's far less acceptable in the US, Chloe has noticed. If you're sick, she found it odd that you can purchase 'super strong medications' over the counter that would require a doctor's prescription in Australia. 'But they don't have Panadol here... it's "too dangerous",' Chloe said with a confused look on her face. Tylenol - a US paracetamol brand - is available in pharmacies. As for drinking before a night out, she noticed Americans she's hung out with tend to 'only do shots' rather than enjoy a pre-mixed drink. She added how young Americans act like '18-year-old Australians' drinking for the first time. As for drinking before a night out, she noticed Americans she's hung out with tend to 'only do shots' rather than enjoy a pre-mixed drink The video has since been viewed 753,000 times and received more than 1,100 comments. 'I think I'm just going to stay in Australia cause I need my coffee the way I like it,' one person wrote. However, Chloe was criticised by Americans for 'not understanding' US sarcasm. 'Just because you don't understand American sarcasm doesn't mean it ain't there,' one wrote, another added: 'Where is sarcasm rare?' Customers can get their hands on the buy from March 23 Aldi Australia is set to release a 40-inch TV for $299 as part of its popular 'Special Buys'. The product comes with WebOS Hub preinstalled to stream Netflix, Stan, Disney+ and more. The Bauhn smart televisions are always a hit among bargain hunters for their affordable price and slim design compared to high-end brands. However, experts have warned the tech is 'mediocre'. Australian consumer company CHOICE have reviewed Aldi televisions over the years and say there's 'a lot of room for improvement'. Denis Gallagher, CHOICE tech expert, said in January: 'So far we haven't really seen a Bauhn TV that's performed well. 'Of course, that can change with new models - we've seen that with other brands - but despite the undeniably low price, shoppers should be careful when considering these bargain models based on what we've seen.' The Aldi smart television is always a hit among shoppers for its low $299 pricetag and slim design, but reviews are mixed Other televisions Aldi has previously sold include the $699 65-inch, $599 58-inch and 55-inch 4K ultra HD Bauhn TV for $479. Despite the rough expert rating, customers shared their own mixed reviews on Facebook. 'It's basically a Samsung TV for a third of the price. Super easy to use and the remote is so simple not a lot for clicking to find apps,' the mum wrote and shared an image. However someone else was disappointed when the TV 'randomly' broke. 'I had a Aldi TV for years very good,' one mum said, another added: 'Terrible. Wouldn't get it as a main TV, but OK for a spare or kids room (not for gaming, though).' 'We have had ours for a few years now (65-inch) and very happy with it and the price. Just added a cheap sound bar,' one more wrote. 'It's great, we've had two - the first one lasted ten years,' one more added. At such a low price, it's tempting to pick up the deal and those interested should act quickly once launched as stock number are limited. One product that will likely sell out (pictured) is the industrial-style 'lift-up' coffee table that doubles as a miniature dining table From March 23 'industrial' style furniture is also up for grabs with a $49.99 bedside table, $129 set of drawers, $89.99 hallway table and $39.99 C-shaped side table. The latest 'Special Buys' catalogue caught the attention of shoppers on Facebook after one woman shared images of the products. The collection is ideal for those looking to redesign their home, add a few stylish appliances to the kitchen or revamp the bedroom with fresh linen. The $229 round swivel chair is made from the popular Boucle fabric - which was a popular style last year (pictured) One product that will likely sell out quickly is the industrial-style 'lift-up' coffee table that doubles as a miniature dining table. The product was last available in 2022 and similar designs have since been released, with shoppers raving about the innovative design on TikTok. On the other hand, the $229 round swivel chair is made from the popular Boucle fabric, which was a popular style last year. Shoppers are spoilt for choice with three different toaster and kettle colours to choose from as well as wooden bowls and serving boards. Shoppers are spoilt for choice with three different toaster and kettle colours to choose from as well as wooden bowls and serving boards Home cooks can cook up a storm after snatching up the Air Fryer Oven for $129, set of three pots for $49.99 and knives from $6.99 Top Aldi 'Special Buy' Picks 40' $4K Ultra HD TV - $299 TV Unit - $99.99 Headphones - $39.99 360 Swivel Chair - $229 Kettle - $49.99 Toaster - $69.99 Stainless Steel Air Fryer Oven - $129 Stick Blender - $59.99 Coffee Table - $89.99 Assorted Cushions - $19.99 Side Table - $69.99 C-Shaped Table - $39.99 Advertisement Pet owners can pickup a new buy for their four-legged friends including a soft pet bed ($49.99) There's also pet stairs to make it easier for your fur friend to climb onto the bed (left) and a bed block (right) Home chefs can cook up a storm after snatching up the Air Fryer Oven for $129, set of three pots for $49.99 and knives from $6.99. There's also a $19.99 mandolin, $59.99 stick blender and mixing bowels for $29.99. Pet owners can pickup a new buy for their four-legged friends including a soft pet bed ($49.99), pet rug ($19.99), assorted toys ($5.99) and pet stairs to make it easier for your fur friend to climb onto the bed. Barbecue, the leader of the "G9 and Family" gang, stands with his fellow gang members after speaking to journalists in the Delmas 6 neighborhood of Port-au-Prince in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, March 5, 2024. Haiti's latest violence began with a direct challenge from the former elite police officer Jimmy Cherizier, known as Barbecue, who said he would target government ministers to prevent the prime minister's return and force his resignation. Odelyn Joseph/AP Two-thirds of people in the UK will suffer shoulder pain at some point. The most common causes are rotator cuff syndrome, where muscles that stabilise the shoulder become inflamed; and frozen shoulder, where the tissue around the joint becomes tight. A range of gadgets claim to help ease shoulder pain. Adrian Monti asked experts to assess a selection, which we then rated. SHOULDER SUPPORT BRACE 19.99, ortorex.uk Shoulder Support Brace, 19.99, ortorex.uk CLAIM: Made from a thin stretchy material, this shoulder brace can be worn under clothing for everyday use or during exercise. Held securely over the injured shoulder and tightened with a Velcro strap, it has 'three points that hold the joint in place' while allowing the wearer to 'move freely with confidence' and 'achieve a better posture for your arm'. EXPERT VERDICT: 'The best thing a brace does is physically remind you that you have a shoulder problem and so you're more aware of how you're moving it while recovering,' says Leanne Antoine, a physiotherapist at Distinct Physiotherapy in Radlett, Herts. 'However, braces don't stabilise the shoulder sufficiently so won't help manage pain or increase functional movement. They're also often uncomfortable. 'If you're in a lot of pain, you'd be better off using something to offload the weight of the arm, such as a supportive collar and sling, or a cushion to rest the arm on when sitting.' 2/10 SHOULDER SURGERY PILLOW 29.99, amazon.co.uk Shoulder Surgery Pillow, 29.99, amazon.co.uk CLAIM: This small, heart-shaped vacuum-packed pillow (below) is positioned below the armpit, and kept in place with a strap. It 'elevates and decompresses the shoulder joint' and, in keeping the arm away from the body, 'helps speed up recovery from shoulder injuries'. Recommended for those with restricted shoulder movement, rotator cuff tears, or to use post-surgery. EXPERT VERDICT: 'Moving the elbow away from the body to take weight off the tendons [which attach muscle to bone] is something many surgeons recommend post operatively after a rotator cuff operation, for example,' says Carlos Cobiella, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at University College London Hospitals and The Shoulder Practice, in London. 'However, we'd generally fit a shoulder abduction splint a sling-style support not a cushion. Where I see this to be beneficial is if you knocked your shoulder and needed something in addition to ice and rest. 'But remember to get properly examined by a doctor or physio, if there's still pain after ten to 14 days. I am not convinced that this will speed up healing and recovery significantly.' 5/10 VIVE SHOULDER PULLEY 11.99, amazon.co.uk Vive Shoulder Pulley, 11.99, amazon.co.uk CLAIM: A simple pulley system that attaches to interior doors the user holds both foam-covered handles to exercise the shoulders. The maker claims it offers 'effective exercise' for 'shoulder rehabilitation, tendonitis, frozen shoulder and a rotator cuff injury' and 'complete shoulder health restoration'. EXPERT VERDICT: 'Physiotherapists commonly use pulleys to help patients in rehabilitation and they're usually quite effective because they allow movement without having to put stress on muscles,' says Mr Cobiella. 'Moving your arm above shoulder level with a damaged rotator cuff, for example, is very painful. But a pulley means you can maintain full movement passively and helps avoid long-term stiffness. 'But check first with a physiotherapist that it's suitable to use this for your condition then start by using it once a day for five or ten minutes.' 8/10 ORTHOPRO ELECTRIC HEATING PAD 79.99, orthojointrelief.com OrthoPro Electric Heating Pad, 79.99, orthojointrelief.com CLAIM: Another shoulder brace, this has a rechargeable battery attached that heats up jade stone beads within the fabric, which 'provide continuous heat to warm and relax the muscle', and provides a vibrating massage. 'Accelerates recovery' of shoulder arthritis, shoulder dislocation, rotator cuff tear and tendonitis [inflamed tendons]. Not recommended for use more than twice a day for a maximum of 15 minutes each time. EXPERT VERDICT: Physiotherapist Tim Allardyce, of Surrey Physio, says: 'Heat can be very effective at reducing pain warmer joints tend to feel less pain and have more mobility. 'Adding a vibrating massage is a good idea massage increases blood flow to the area, easing tension and pain. 'But, as with all shoulder injuries, this product would need to be used in conjunction with exercise if the shoulder is particularly stiff. 'People might find this expensive and awkward to put on, plus its adjustable strap is a bit fiddly. A hot water bottle would have a similar effect but without the massage.' 7/10 MAGIC GEL SHOULDER ICE PACK 18.99, gelpacks.co.uk Magic Gel Shoulder Ice Pack, 18.99, gelpacks.co.uk CLAIM: A reusable flexible ice pack that offers 'unrivalled pain relief with controlled compression and targeted cold therapy'. Suitable for shoulder sprains, strains, post-surgery recovery and 'soothing everyday aches and pains'. It remains cold for about 25 minutes, and you must put a cloth/towel between the pack and your skin to prevent skin burn. EXPERT VERDICT: Ice packs work well for acute shoulder injuries such as falling or hitting your shoulder against something hard, says Leanne Antoine. 'They take the edge off any initial pain or aggravation of an old injury so might appeal to those who don't like painkillers. They also reduce swelling and inflammation. 'Ice is good post-surgery too, but a cryotherapy cuff, which provides controlled cold compression to reduce swelling, might work better, but will cost more.'8/10 MASSAGE OIL FOR FROZEN SHOULDER 50ml, 19.99, avena.co.uk Massage Oil for Frozen Shoulder, 19.99, avena.co.uk CLAIM: The oil is a 'blend of powerful natural oils reputed to bring effective relief when used on a frozen shoulder'. EXPERT VERDICT: Tim Allardyce says: 'I've seen no strong evidence whether studies or patient experience that the act of rubbing massage oil on to a frozen shoulder reduces pain. 'However the ingredients, which include blue yarrow, have been shown to provide some mild anti-inflammatory relief and the act of massage itself may also help some people.' 2/10 ACUMED ADVANCED PAIN PATCHES Pack of eight, 11, acumed.co.uk Acumed Advanced Pain Patches, 11, acumed.co.uk CLAIM: Containing zinc and copper, these patches use magnetic therapy as a 'natural method of stimulating pain relief'. Each patch 'works as a mini transmitter, emitting small energy fields which have a soothing effect and stimulate the body's natural pain relief mechanism'. Said to be suitable for joint, muscle or arthritic pain in the back, neck and shoulders. EXPERT VERDICT: 'There is some evidence that copper and zinc have healing properties,' says Mr Cobiella. 'But it's quite a leap to then say zinc helps create an energy field to ease pain. I found zero evidence to support this. 'All I can say is, it wouldn't have a negative effect, so won't cause any harm.'0/10 WOODEN TRIGGER POINT THERA PRESS TOOL 9.90, massagewarehouse.co.uk Wooden Trigger Point Thera Press Tool, 9.90, massagewarehouse.co.uk CLAIM: This simple-looking tool (like a wooden dowel with a tip) can be used for massaging all parts of the body including the shoulders. It can 'reduce muscle tension' while it 'increases blood circulation' and relieves 'aches and pain'. EXPERT VERDICT: This is great for massaging painful muscles in and around the shoulder, says Tim Allardyce. 'You can vary its pressure and the tool's design allows you to get a good grip, enabling you to actually massage your own shoulder,' he adds. 'Yes, you could use your fingers, but this allows you to use stronger pressure. For the most benefit, use it for about five minutes once or twice a day and combine it with some shoulder stretching exercises. 'At under 10, this is worth buying.' 7/10 XEMZ OCCIPITAL RELEASE TOOL 13.49, amazon.co.uk Xemz Occipital Release Tool, 13.49, amazon.co.uk CLAIM: This triangular device (above) is made of silicone plastic and rests under the neck when you're lying down. It can soothe away pain in various parts of the body, including the shoulders, as it 'penetrates deep into the occipital muscles'. EXPERT VERDICT: Tim Allardyce says: 'The suboccipital muscles are a group of four small muscles behind the base of the skull, several inches away from the shoulders, so working on them won't have much impact on the shoulders. 'But the device did help relieve the tension in my neck when I tried it. 'The three different edges of this device work well to vary the amount of pressure on the muscles, though you might get the same effect by simply using your fingers to massage them instead.' 4/10 A family has been left heartbroken after a young woman was suddenly struck down with a mystery illness and died. Ashley Timbery, 29, of Nowra on the NSW South Coast lost feeling in her legs on February 15 and collapsed before she was rushed to ICU at Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital. Doctors placed her in an induced coma as they conducted tests which found a number of cavities in her lungs, leading them to determine she had a 'superbug' infection which was attacking her organs. After 10 days at the Shoalhaven hospital Ms Timbery was moved to St George Hospital in Sydney where doctors found she had specifically contracted Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). MRSA is a type of bacteria which are resistant to antibiotics, which makes infection by them extremely difficult to treat. According to the Mayo clinic most people get the infection in hospitals or other healthcare settings such as aged care facilities, but it is also present in the wider community. Ashley Timber, 29, collapsed on February 15 and later sadly died after an MRSA infection led to pneumonia Other groups who are at an elevated risk are athletes, those in confined places such as army barracks or prisons, drug users, the immunocompromised, and those who have recently had surgery - though it is not confined to these groups. Ms Timbery's infection resulted in pneumonia which was her cause of death. Her cousin Shantelle Locke said there were no clear symptoms that Ms Timbery was seriously sick leading up to when she collapsed. 'Doctor seemed to think that she might have had the pneumonia for maybe a few weeks before she went to hospital, but she never got it treated and obviously didn't know it was pneumonia,' Ms Locke told Yahoo News. Shantelle Lock (left) with her cousin Ashely Timbery (right) who she said had no obvious symptoms that she was seriously unwell Ms Timbery only felt slightly lethargic and had one or two boils, which is a symptom of the infection that can resemble large pimples. Her right lung had collapsed in Shoalhaven Hospital from the pneumonia, which doctors drained and help to inflate, but her left lung did the same when she got to St George. 'The doctors showed us a CT scan showing a normal lung. Then they showed us hers (and) hers was just covered in holes,' Ms Locke said. 'This was a result of her lungs being clogged from the pneumonia, and from the bug starting to sit in the cavities in her lungs.' Ms Timbery died on February 29. Ms Locke said Ms Timbery's mother in particular is struggling. 'Due to Ashley being so young we unfortunately didn't have a funeral plan in place.' The family is asking for donations to help with Ms Timbery's funeral costs. Do you feel exhausted by the end of the day, struggle to fall asleep or wake up constantly during the night? Youre not alone. Tiredness is the norm these days weve forgotten how to sleep well, says Guy Meadows, founder and clinical director of Sleep School. The vast majority of people in the UK are not getting enough sleep. A YouGov poll found that half of the UK population think they dont get enough sleep, while Google searches for insomnia rose steeply last year. Good sleep is vital sleep deprivation is linked to a host of conditions, from an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity to anxiety, depression and poor cognitive function. In fact, the link to type 2 diabetes is so strong that even those who eat healthily are still at increased risk of the disease if they get less than six hours sleep a night, according to research published in JAMA Network Open last week. There are plenty of well-known tips on how to get the best nights sleep for instance, sleeping on your back tends to offer the best position for your spine (and on your side could help if youre overweight, relieving pressure on joints). We spoke to leading experts about the very latest thinking on improving sleep SLEEP IN A WARMER ROOM FROM AGE 65 If youre 65 or over, you should sleep in a warmer room in order to sleep well, new research suggests. It was previously believed that most of us should sleep in a bedroom between 16c to 18c. But a U.S. study published last year in the journal Science of the Total Environment found that older people should aim for a room temperature of between 21c and 23c for optimal sleep. The researchers used wearable sleep monitors and sensors to monitor sleep duration and restlessness. Once the temperature was above 23c, however, it disrupted the participants sleep. Professor Russell Foster, director of the Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute at Oxford University, said: Older people are likely to be less active and therefore produce less heat, so they need to rely on external heat. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day seems to be more important than how long you sleep In order to sleep well, our core body temperature needs to drop by around one degree. He suggests keeping a thermometer in your bedroom, especially if your central heating thermostat is in a different room or on the floor. In winter, wear cotton pyjamas so you dont lose heat if you need to get up and your house is cold, he says although most people turn their heating up and its more difficult to sleep if the house is too hot. HOW TO CATCH UP ON SNOOZING You can repay a sleep debt at the weekend after not getting enough sleep during the week but do so in small chunks, says Guy Meadows. This is to avoid causing circadian misalignment where you end up feeling tired and groggy because all your biological systems were expecting you to be up and awake, but youre still dozing, he says. We need to be careful about how frequently we lie in and dont have more than an extra hours sleep at the weekend. Oversleeping in the morning over the weekends can also be problematic, because youre missing morning light exposure, says Professor Foster. If youve missed two morning light exposures over the weekend, your body clock is pushed back and itll be more difficult to get up on Monday morning. He recommends avoiding weekend lie-ins where possible, and having them only occasionally, when in desperate need of sleep, but ideally not for more than 30 minutes longer. IT'S OK TO HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON Dont feel guilty about hitting the snooze button when your alarm goes off. A 2023 study in the Journal of Sleep Research found that when people pressed the snooze button three times in a 30-minute period leading up to waking up properly, they did better in some cognitive tests. However, it depends how long you snooze for if youre dozing for a long time, its better to actually sleep for an hour or two because it allows for deeper, more restorative sleep, says sleep expert Guy Meadows. Snoozing means broken sleep, and fragmented sleep increases the risk of sleep inertia [grogginess upon waking], he says. Its better to set an alarm for when you actually want to get up. He advises getting light on your skin, having a shower with cold water for the last 30 seconds and eating something soon after waking, to help you feel alert quickly. FOCUS ON YOUR BED TIMES, NOT DURATION Weve traditionally been told to aim for eight hours sleep, but going to bed and waking up at the same time every day seems to be more important than how long you sleep. Having a consistent sleep routine is a stronger predictor of your risk of dying prematurely than sleep duration, according to research in the journal Sleep in January. The study was based on seven years of data from around 60,000 participants. It found that those who tended to sleep and wake at regular times had up to a 48 per cent lower risk of death from all causes, up to a 39 per cent lower risk of death from cancer, and a 22 to 57 per cent lower risk of death from cardiometabolic conditions (such as stroke and heart attack). This was compared with those who had the least regular sleep (defined as regular sleep-wake times up to 20 per cent of the time). The researchers advised falling asleep and waking up within one-hour windows, for example falling asleep between 9pm and 10pm and waking up between 6am and 7am. A regular sleep cycle is fundamental to keeping your body working effectively, says Guy Meadows. You can repay a sleep debt at the weekend after not getting enough hours during the week Going to bed and getting up at roughly the same time, seven days a week, helps to keep your internal body clocks in sync, which is important for the function of every biological process in the body including your heart rate, blood pressure and hunger hormones. Professor Foster adds: We know shift workers have a raft of health problems because their day-to-day sleep consistency is messed up. Sleep-wake irregularity causes high levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which increases blood sugar levels (raising the risk of type 2 diabetes) and the amount of blood the heart pumps per minute, raising the risk of heart disease. It also suppresses immune responses which in turn increases the risk of infection, he adds. USE A LIGHT BOX IF THERES NO SUNLIGHT... Light and dark are vital for setting our body clocks. However, changes in our eyes as we age makes them less sensitive to light while spending lots of time indoors can also disrupt our body clocks. So could a light box help? Disrupted sleep can be a problem for dementia patients but a review of 15 trials involving nearly 600 people with mild to moderate Alzheimers found that using light boxes improved their sleep, reported the journal PLOS One in December. Light is the strongest time-giver which regulates our body clocks, explains sleep scientist and researcher Sophie Bostock. Bright light in the morning tells the body it is daytime, and time to start the clock this means that around 16 hours later we will automatically feel sleepy. If youre not able to get natural sunlight within an hour of waking, or if you have a delayed body clock (often the case for night owls) or experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD), use a light box. Look for a box with a CE mark (around 30 online) that emits 10,000 lux sit with it for around 30 minutes within the first hour of the day, advises Sophie Bostock. ...BUT MAKE SURE THE BEDROOM IS DARK Even a tiny amount of light can disrupt sleep, as a recent study showed. It compared the effects of sleeping in a dimly lit environment (less than three lux where you can see shapes, but its too dim to read), with sleeping in moderate light exposure (100 lux similar to a bedside table lamp). After one night of moderate light exposure, the participants night-time heart rate increased, as did their insulin resistance (where the bodys cells dont respond to insulin, causing blood sugar to build up) the next morning, raising the risk of diabetes. But those who slept in dim light experienced no such changes, according to researchers at Northwestern University in America. Too much light at night doesnt allow the body to properly rest and switch off the stress response, leaving us effectively in a state of hyper-arousal, which can interfere with recovery and metabolism, says Sophie Bostock. She recommends turning off all lights in the house at night and wearing an eye mask or using blackout blinds while you sleep. HAVE A DOWN LIGHT IN THE BATHROOM If you need the loo in the night, Professor Foster suggests using down lights (which shine light down to the floor) with a light of less than five lux, to light your route. As they project only a small patch of light on to the floor and are very dim, theyre unlikely to be bright enough to affect your ability to fall back to sleep, he says. You can keep them on all night (having to think about turning them on would make you feel more awake), or buy down lights with motion sensors. YOU HAD MORE SLEEP THAN YOU THOUGHT An emerging concept in the world of sleep is the idea of local sleep the theory that small pockets of brain cells dip in and out of a form of sleep all day. As we get tired, those little islands of sleepy cells get more widespread in the brain, which may explain, for example, why our performance decreases as we get fatigued, explains Professor Guy Leschziner, a consultant neurologist at the Sleep Disorders Centre at Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust in London. The concept of local sleep also confirms that there are many situations in which the brain as a whole is not necessarily in the same state it can be awake and asleep at the same time, he says. This may have something to do with the afternoon slump that many of us experience, Professor Leschziner adds. Sleep-talking or sleepwalking are also thought to arise from local sleep. In those cases, the parts of the brain responsible for rational thinking, memory and awareness are in deep sleep, while the other parts responsible for movement and vision are actually awake. Paradoxical insomnia, where people feel they dont sleep but actually sleep normally, might be related to local sleep, too its thought that the parts of the brain responsible for consciousness or awareness may be awake while the rest of the brain is asleep. Research in the journal Sleep in 2020 found that people who underestimated their sleep had a higher level of brain activity than those who more accurately reported how much sleep theyd had or those who had overestimated it. YES, SEX REALLY DOES PUT YOU TO SLEEP... For perimenopausal and menopausal women, it may well be a very good idea to sleep naked because they experience huge temperature changes and the rise in temperature can wake them up, says Professor Russell Foster, director of the Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute at Oxford University. The temperature changes are due to a fall in oestrogen: the hypothalamus, the area in the brain that regulates body temperature, can then become overly sensitive. Separately, men can often benefit from wearing little in bed, because they tend to have a higher muscle-to-fat ratio than women, and muscle generates more heat than fat, Professor Foster explains. This is why other nationalities Germans in particular have separate duvets when they share a bed, often with different thicknesses. If you wear pyjamas, they should be made of a natural, cool fibre such as cotton, so sweat is not trapped between your body and the material, making it trickier to lose heat. Meanwhile, if youre struggling to sleep well, sex may help. In a study in the Journal of Sleep Research, 250 men and women kept a diary recording their sleep quality and the time it took them to fall asleep for two weeks. The research, in the Netherlands, found that sex with orgasm was associated with significantly reduced time to fall asleep and increased sleep quality. Orgasms are linked with hormones such as oxytocin and prolactin, which can have calming effects, helping switch off the stress response that is necessary for good-quality sleep, explains sleep scientist Sophie Bostock. POOR SLEEP DOESNT MEAN WEIGHT GAIN Its well established that sleep deprivation increases levels of ghrelin, which is often called the hunger hormone while levels of leptin, the satiety hormone, fall, leading to weight gain. We also know sleep deprivation affects our prefrontal cortex the area of the brain responsible for willpower, says Guy Meadows. When were tired and have less willpower, were more likely to want sugary treats. If youre struggling to get enough sleep, the good news is that timing your food intake could help you to circumvent these problems, new evidence shows. Participants in a study published in Nature Communications who limited their food intake to between 6am and 3pm every day for five weeks had less insulin resistance, lost more body weight and fat, and had greater gut microbe diversity compared with the participants who were allowed to eat between 11am and 8pm. Our ability to clear glucose [from the blood] is much more effective during the first half of the day while eating more later on makes it more likely for the glucose to be stored as body fat, leading to weight gain and high levels of blood sugar, explains Professor Foster. Its best to avoid having a big meal in the evening, and if thats the only time you can have it, then ensure it is protein-rich and low in fat and sugar. When you're feeling a bit down, striking up conversations with strangers might be the last thing on your mind. But such encounters may actually make you feel happier, research has suggested. It is one of eight simple 'happiness hacks' devised by scientists at the University of Bristol. Writing gratitude letters, conducting acts of kindness and trying out meditation are among other key measures found to improve mental wellbeing. The four other checkpoints relate to getting sufficient sleep, exercising, savouring experiences and drawing attention to positive parts of the day, for instance writing down 'three good things' that happened. Students at the University of Bristol who were taught the 'happiness hacks' as part of a 10-week course were found to have a better mental wellbeing two years later. But that was only if they kept using the hacks People will only experience the lasting benefits of happiness if they keep practising the habits, however, the researchers said. Students who were taught the hacks as part of a 10-week course were found to have a better mental wellbeing two years later. But that was only if they kept using the hacks. Study co-author Dr Sarah Jelbert, lecturer in psychological science, told MailOnline: 'The intention was that by the end of the course students have a well-rounded understanding of various factors that can contribute towards their own well-being rather than a to-do' list of activities. 'What we found was that as long as students continued to practice something from the course their elevated wellbeing was maintained. 'But we didnt need to be prescriptive about exactly what to do and when.' What are the eight simple 'happiness hacks'? Conducting acts of kindness Increasing social connections (such as striking up conversations with strangers) Savouring experiences Deliberately drawing our attention to the positive parts of our days (e.g. by writing down Three Good Things that happened today) Expressing gratitude (e.g. students are asked to write a gratitude letter to someone they never properly thanked) Getting sufficient sleep Engaging in physical activity Trying out mindfulness and other meditation practices Advertisement While seven or more hours of sleep 'is definitely something we recommend', she added that 'any individual student might need seven, eight or nine hours in order to feel well rested'. They found others continued to write their 'three good things' well beyond the end of the course. Some, instead, returned to the activity 'every now and again', for instance when they were going through 'a period of stress'. Launched in 2018, the University of Bristols 'Science of Happiness' course was the first of its kind in the UK. It is open to all undergraduates who have room in their schedule and involves no exams or coursework. Participants must attend lectures and workshops. Students are also taught that social media is not bad for everyone, but can be bad for those who focus on their reputation. Sleep deprivation also impacts on how well we are liked by others, while walking in nature deactivates part of the brain related to negative ruminations, which are associated with depression. The researchers analysed feedback from 228 course graduates in the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 academic years. They found students who took the course reported a 10 to 15 per cent improvement in wellbeing. But only those who continued implementing course learnings maintained that improved wellbeing when they were surveyed, up to two years after completing it. Writing in the journal Higher Education, they said more than half (117) agreed the course had a positive effect on their wellbeing, with just 19 participants disagreeing (8.52 per cent). Of the 113 students who admitted to still continuing the hacks, more than a third (37 per cent) wrote letters of gratitude to others and made lists of things that they were grateful for. Other commonly reported techniques included were mindfulness and meditation (34 per cent), exercise (21 per cent), journaling (18 per cent) and kindness (11 per cent). Professor Bruce Hood, a professor of developmental psychology in society and study co-author said: 'It's like going to the gym we can't expect to do one class and be fit forever. 'Just as with physical health, we have to continuously work on our mental health, otherwise the improvements are temporary.' He added: 'Much of what we teach revolves around positive psychology interventions that divert your attention away from yourself, by helping others, being with friends, gratitude or meditating. 'This is the opposite of the current "self-care" doctrine but countless studies have shown that getting out of our own heads helps get us away from negative ruminations which can be the basis of so many mental health problems.' READ MORE: Ultimate guide on the bugs and plastics lurking in your tap water People with higher levels of PFAS in the blood had more 'fatty acids and lipids' Toxic chemicals lurking in cookware, make-up and toiletries might be harming the heart, another study suggested today. Scientists have for years warned about the dangers of perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. Dubbed 'forever chemicals' because they can linger in the environment for hundreds of years, they have been linked to everything from cancer to infertility. But the latest evidence by Dutch and German researchers suggests that the impact of PFAS on human health could be even greater than suspected. Tests showed 'clear' signs PFAS led to higher levels of 'harmful' blood lipids, such as cholesterol and other fatty substances. Scientists have for years warned about the dangers of perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. Dubbed 'forever chemicals' because they can linger in the environment for thousands of years they have been linked to everything from cancer to infertility. But the latest evidence by Dutch and German researchers suggests the impact of PFAS in the blood could be even greater than suspected The findings do not prove the plastic particles cause adverse heart issues as the patients could have been exposed to other risk factors. Scientists said the results, however, should serve as a warning that 'there may be no safe levels below which exposure is without health hazard'. Pictured, PFAS foam gathers at the the Van Etten Creek dam in Oscoda Township, Michigan in 2018 Excess lipids or fats in the blood can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, studies show. The findings do not prove the chemicals, added to cookware, carpets, textiles and other items to make them more water- and stain-repellant, cause any adverse heart issues because other factors could be at play. Scientists said the results, however, should serve as a warning that 'there may be no safe levels below which exposure is without health hazard'. Study author Professor Monique Breteler, director of population health sciences at German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), said: 'We see clear signs of a harmful effect of PFAS on health. 'We have found at the same PFAS concentration in the blood, the negative effects are more pronounced in younger subjects than in older ones. 'Our data shows a statistically significant correlation between PFAS in the blood and harmful blood lipids linked to cardiovascular risk.' What ARE 'forever chemicals'? 'Forever chemicals' are a class of common industrial compounds that don't break down when they're released into the environment. Humans are exposed to these chemicals after they've come in contact with food, soil or water reservoirs. These chemicals known more properly as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS are added to cookware, carpets, textiles and other items to make them more water- and stain-repellant. PFAS contamination has been detected in water near manufacturing facilities, as well as at military bases and firefighting training facilities where flame-retardant foam is used. The chemicals have been linked to an increased risk of kidney and testicular cancer, and damage to the immune system, as well as birth defects, smaller birth weights, and decreased vaccine response in children. Advertisement However, she noted: 'The higher the PFAS level, the higher the concentration of these lipids. 'Taken strictly, this is not yet proof that PFAS chemicals cause unfavorable blood lipid profiles.' PFAS are a class of chemicals that are more properly known as per and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Famed for their durability and stain resistant properties, they have been used in a host of products from nonstick cookware, to clothes, packaging, cosmetics and even children's toys. But industries are now moving away from them because of their detrimental impacts. When PFAS enter the body either through food and water that people eat and drink or by inhaling contaminated air, they can distribute throughout the body in tissues and organs. PFAS has previously been linked to kidney cancer, prostate cancer and breast cancer, among others. While these links are not definitive and research is ongoing, part of the concern is because PFAS are so ubiquitous in modern life and persist so long in the environment they could infiltrate water supplies, further increasing exposure. The Government's Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) currently sets a limit of 0.1 micrograms per litre (g/L) for PFAS in UK tap water, with the body running a specific programme testing for levels in British water supplies. In their study, researchers at DZNE and Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands analysed blood samples from over 2,500 Dutch men and women aged between 30 and 89. PFAS were detected in the blood of almost all test subjects. Professor Breteler added: 'Even if we don't see an immediate health threat for the study participants we examined, the situation is still worrying. 'In the long term, the increased risk may very well have a negative impact on the heart and cardiovascular system.' The findings, based on three of the most common types of PFAS (PFOA, PFOS and PFHxS) were published in the journal Exposure and Health. All three had 'statistically significant associations' with higher lipid levels, cholesterol, fatty acids as well as albumin, a protein made by the liver. The associations were also almost always stronger in the younger compared to the older age group. 'We interpret our data to indicate that even low PFAS levels in the general population can have a detrimental effect on lipid metabolism,' the team added. 'Stricter regulations may be required for all PFAS substances. 'Furthermore, due to the persistent nature of PFAS and their recirculation in the environment, there is a need to actively remove these chemicals from the environmentmethods for which are under development. 'The combination of the well-documented persistence of PFAS and their harmful effects ensures that exposure to these substances is an enduring public health concern, unless and until we find ways to effectively eliminate PFAS from our environment.' But researchers acknowledged their findings did not assess organ specific accumulation of PFAS. Future studies should assess specific organ biopsies to investigate the effect of PFAS on different markers of health, they said. America appears to be on the precipice of a major measles outbreak with cases in the first two months of 2024 nearly outpacing the whole of last year as doctors warn many young physicians have never even seen a patient infected with the virus. Hundreds of people are already feared to be infected in California and Arizona after cases were confirmed in people in the states who visited local hospitals. And there are also fears over an outbreak at a 1,800-strong migrant shelter in Chicago after four cases were confirmed, including two among children. Doctors say vaccines have been so successful that many people now no longer 'remember what it was like to live with the disease' as vaccination rates drop for the third year in a row. Millions of migrants have also come to America under President Joe Biden's immigration policies, with experts warning that over-crowded shelters and low vaccination rates in other countries could leave the US vulnerable to outbreaks. The above map shows the states that have detected measles cases so far this year Measles typically begins with cold-like symptoms, before causing a rash made up of small red spots, some of which can feel slightly raised. According to the NHS, it typically starts on the face and behind the ears before spreading further A total of 45 measles cases were recorded in the US over the first two months of 2024 across 17 states, data from the CDC suggests, near the tally of 58 infections recorded in the whole of 2023. At the same time, vaccination rates against the virus dropped to 93.1 percent for kindergarteners over the 2022 to 2023 school year, the latest available below the estimated 95 percent needed to stop the virus from spreading. Measles infections can be easily prevented with the two-dose MMR vaccine, which is more than 97 percent effective against infections with the disease. The disease is one of the most infectious known to man and is spread via droplets in the air or contaminated surfaces, with nine in ten unvaccinated people exposed to the disease developing an infection. Patients initially suffer symptoms including a runny nose and red and puffy eyes that are sensitive to light. But this can quickly progress to a harsh cough and a rash that spreads from the face to the feet and is formed of flat red spots. The CDC says about one in five people infected with measles are hospitalized while up to three out of every 1,000 patients die from the disease. One in a thousand also develop swelling in the brain. Dr Paul Offit, a top vaccines adviser who was involved in treating one of the measles patients reported early this year in Philadelphia, said he was the only doctor treating the patient who had past experience with the virus. He told the Guardian that vaccines have been so successful that few people now remember what life was like with measles. 'It's a worrisome disease for a number of reasons,' he told the publication, 'so, I'm worried'. The World Health Organization is also warning that internationally they are recording the virus 'everywhere' and that the world faces a 'perfect storm' of measles cases this year. The above graph shows the number of measles cases reported in the US by year The above shows the number of measles cases recorded in the US by week In California, some 300 people are being warned they could have been infected after a child infected with the virus visited a medical center. The patient visited the ER at UC Davis, outside Sacramento, on March 5, or Tuesday last week, from noon to 5pm exposing others to the virus. They had recently returned to the US from abroad. In Arizona, health officials have confirmed one case and detected a second probable infection prompting warnings affecting five locations, including a gym and a fabrics shop. 'Unvaccinated individuals are at highest risk of developing the disease if exposed,' local health authority director Kim Musselman said. 'The best protection against measles is to receive the measles vaccine.' In Chicago, officials are already rolling out vaccines at the migrant shelter in an effort to get a handle on the outbreak. Dr Larry Kociolek, a pediatrician at Lurie Children's Hospital, told CBS News: 'Measles is probably the most contagious virus that we know of. 'On average, one child will spread it to 18 additional children if they are not vaccinated.' Experts are already warning that migrants entering the US could put the country at risk of an outbreak because many are not up to date on their vaccines. In April 2023, New York City's Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan urged officials and doctors to take extra care when treating or screening migrants in order to prevent a health crisis. He noted that 50 percent of migrants heading to the city's shelters did not have their polio vaccine. Dr Marc Siegel, medical director at New York University, also warned that migrants could bring diseases across the southern border and into the US which could include drug-resistant tuberculosis. People are offered the MMR vaccine at the ages of 12 to 15 months and four to six years to protect themselves against the virus. But vaccination rates are continuing to fall in the US amid the rise of vaccine misinformation and rising concerns over side effects. READ MORE: Doctors say 'pollen storms' are creating entirely new patients If you've been sneezing more than usual and feel like your allergies are in full swing already, you're not alone. Americans across the country are reporting that allergy season has hit them early, despite the fact that it's not yet spring. Experts say that this could be due to pollen levels rising over the past few years, which could be due to milder winters. Doctors in the Midwest and on the East Coast have said that more patients are coming in with allergy-related complaints than normal for this time of year, as most allergy season does not usually start until April. Additionally, national data shows that states in the south have been hit hard by 'pollen bombs.' The above map shows pollen counts across most of the US as of March 12, based on data submitted by machines in states which are marked by the blue tags. The scores for each state are calculated by IQVIA, the North Carolina-based company behind allergy alert, and are based on how much pollen a person is likely to be exposed to over the next three days Allergy sufferers in multiple states have reported their symptoms starting earlier than usual, which could be due to high pollen counts from increasingly warmer temperatures The CDC estimates that more than one-quarter of US adults are struck down by seasonal allergies every year. Data from Pollen.com, which provides national allergy forecasts and pollen counts, has found that 22 percent of the country is in 'medium' status as of this week. States hit hardest so far, according to that data, appear to be those in the south, such as Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida. However, allergy sufferers on the east coast and in the Midwest have also noticed their symptoms starting earlier than usual. Ros Runner, a meteorologist at 12 On Your Side in Virginia, said that warmer temperatures in the state have kicked residents' allergies into gear sooner. 'Usually, I'll have some allergies, and it usually doesn't affect me until mid-April,' an unnamed resident in Chesterfield, Virginia, told the outlet. 'But it started affecting me last week.' Rising temperatures in Ohio could be causing similar effects, experts said. Dr Tiffany Owens, an allergist at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, told NBC 4: 'We actually had some pollen counts showing tree pollen in February which is very unusual. 'We usually dont see that until earlier in April. 'For patients its kind of a surprise in that they arent maybe expecting it this early, they might not be prepared with their medications or with avoidance measures so they start to feel unwell.' One 2021 study found that pollen season starts about 20 days earlier and has 21 percent more pollen than it did in 1990 A report conducted last year by Climate Central found that allergy season has been lengthened by 15 days on average across 200 cities between 1970 and 2021 One 2021 study found that pollen season starts about 20 days earlier and has 21 percent more pollen than it did in 1990. Scientists say this may be driven by higher levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) causing more pollen to be released. As well as pollen levels being higher and striking earlier, evidence also suggests that the pollen season is lasting longer which could also raise the risk of allergies emerging. This isn't the first year that allergy season has arrived early. An analysis published last year by Climate Central found that allergy season has been lengthened by 15 days on average across 200 cities between 1970 and 2021. The report estimates that those in Reno, Nevada, had to handle a 99-day extension of their allergy season. Others among those worst hit were Bend, Oregon and Las Cruces, New Mexico, which each saw their allergy seasons lengthen by 83 days and 73 days respectively. Commenting on the data, Climate Central said: 'Earlier spring and longer periods of freeze-free days mean that plants have more time to flower and release allergy-inducing pollen.' Allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to a foreign substances, such as pollen, bee venom, pet dander, or certain foods. The immune system produces antibodies known as IgE, which help defend the body against invaders. If you have an allergy, your body will develop IgE antibodies to identify that particular substance as harmful. For seasonal allergies, the body's immune response causes symptoms like sneezing, itchy nose or eyes, runny or stuffed nose, and watery or red eyes. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation (AAFA), 81 million Americans were diagnosed with seasonal allergies. This is about 26 percent (67 million) of adults and 19 percent of children (14 million). Additionally, the CDC estimates that one in three adults and one in four children report having a seasonal allergy, eczema, or food allergy. A 2023 report from the agency notes that white, non-Hispanic adults are more likely to have seasonal allergies (28.4 percent) compared to black, non-Hispianic (24 percent), Hispanic (18.8 percent), and Asian, non-Hispanic (17 percent) adults. The AAFA states that allergies are the sixth-leading cause of chronic illness in the US. Those with a family history of seasonal allergies or who have asthma are more likely to develop them. Dr Andy Nish, an allergist at Northeast Georgia Physicians Group, told NewsMax that methods for reducing pollen exposure include keeping windows in your car and home shut, avoiding going out midday when pollen levels are highest, purchasing an air purifier, and wearing a mask. Additionally, he suggested taking your shoes off as soon as you step inside your home and washing off clothes you wore outside. Children will no longer be prescribed puberty blockers at gender identity clinics, NHS bosses announced today. Ministers hailed the landmark ruling, arguing it would help ensure care is based on evidence and is in the 'best interests of the child'. The powerful body-altering hormones, which can permanently weaken bones, will now only be available to children as part of clinical research trials. Puberty blockers are, however, still available, prescribed privately 'off-label' by some medics at non-NHS-based gender clinics. Former Prime Minister Liz Truss welcomed the move and urged the Government to back her own amendment to widen the ban to private clinics. Puberty blockers, which pause the physical changes of puberty such as breast development or facial hair, will now only be available to children as part of clinical research trials. Pictured, Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust which has been accused of rushing children onto puberty blocking drugs by former patients who feel they weren't challenged enough Puberty blockers, known medically as gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogues, stop the physical changes of puberty in teens questioning their gender. Pictured one example of these drugs, called Triptorelin Known medically as gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogues, puberty blockers stop the physical changes of puberty in teens questioning their gender. For example, they halt the development of breasts in girls and facial hair in boys. Testosterone helps those born female put on muscle and gives them body hair, while oestrogen promotes the growth of breast tissue in those born male. NHS England's ruling comes just months after a public consultation on the issue. It also follows a damning 2020 review of gender identity services for children under 18 by renowned paediatrician Dr Hilary Cass. The report prompted the looming closure of the controversial Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) at Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust in London. Former staff said it was fast-tracking vulnerable teenagers into irreversible treatment, inspectors rated it inadequate and the landmark review by Dr Cass warned it was struggling to cope with soaring demand. Groups such as Mermaids and Gires, which support transgender people and their families, have claimed that delaying a young transgender person's access to hormone blockers may increase their risk of suicide. But Dr Cass pointed to a lack of long-term evidence and data collection on what happens to children and young people who are prescribed the medication. Dr David Bell, a consultant psychiatrist and Tavistock whistleblower, also said the drugs caused 'considerable damage'. A rising number of 'detransitioners' who regret having the irreversible procedure have also come forwards in recent months and claimed they were not challenged enough as children. Following the Tavistock's closure, two new NHS services will now open in early April, situated in London's Great Ormond Street Hospital and Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool. The NHS has said children attending these clinics will be supported by clinical experts in neurodiversity, paediatrics and mental health, 'resulting in a holistic approach to care'. It follows a public consultation on the issue and an interim policy, and comes after NHS England commissioned an independent review in 2020 of gender identity services for children under 18. The review, led by Dr Hilary Cass (pictured), followed a sharp rise in referrals to the Gender Identity Development Service (Gids) run by the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, which is closing at the end of March Former prime minister Liz Truss, whose Health and Equality Acts (Amendment) Bill includes a ban on the prescription of body-altering hormones to children questioning their sex, both privately and on the NHS, also said: 'I welcome NHS England's decision to end the routine prescription of puberty blockers to children for gender dysphoria. 'I urge the Government to back my Bill on Friday which will reinforce this in law and also prevent these drugs being supplied privately' Last month, a world-renowned expert who found puberty-blockers can harm children's IQ revealed academics initially dismissed her research as 'biased'. University College London neuropsychologist Professor Sallie Baxendale published a review of the potential impact of the powerful drugs on teens who take them How the Tavistock scandal unfolded 2005: Sue Evans, a nurse at Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust's Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS), warned that youngsters were being assessed too quickly and their treatment was influenced by transgender rights groups. 2009: GIDS became a national service responsible for treating all children in England with gender and identity issues. Demand skyrocketed, with fewer than 100 patients referred to the clinic in 2010, jumping more than 2,500 by 2018. 2018: A senior member of staff told the trust's board that children were wrongly fast-tracked into changing their gender with the mental health and social reasons behind their wishes being overlooked February 2019: An internal report by Dr David Bell, who was on Tavistock's board, set out how patients were suffering 'long term damage' because GIDS could not 'stand up to the pressure' from 'highly politicised' campaigners and families. February 2019: Consultant psychotherapist Dr Marcus Evans who had worked at the trust for decades and whose wife Sue first raised concerns about its practices in 2005 resigned in protest at the Tavistock's response to doctors who raised the alarm. July 2019: Dr Kirsty Entwhisle, a psychologist at GIDS Leeds hub, went public with accusations that staff misled patients and made decisions about young people's 'bodies and lives' without 'robust evidence'. October 2019: Former GIDS nurse Sue Evans and an anonymous mother of a 15-year-old GIDS patient launched the first legal action against Tavistock. They claimed the trust should not prescribe puberty blockers to children who could not give informed consent. January 2020: Keira Bell, who was prescribed the drugs when she was 16-years-old, replaced Mrs Evans as lead claimant. She underwent breast-removal surgery but regretted transitioning, claiming she was given puberty blockers after 'superficial conversations' with social workers' and was receiving testosterone shots a year later'. December 2020: In response to the claim, the High Court decided that under-16s could not give informed consent to the treatment. 2020: NHS England asks paediatrician Dr Hillary Cass to conduct a review into Tavistock. September 2021: Tavistock appealed the decision and it was overturned by the Court of Appeal, which claimed the previous ruling was 'inappropriate' and placed patients, parents and medics in a 'very difficult position'. September 2021: Sonia Appleby, the trust's safeguarding lead, awarded 20,000 by tribunal after claiming trust managers tried to stop her from carrying out her role when staff raised concerns. January 2021: The UK's health watchdog, the Care Quality Commission, gave GIDS the lowest rating it can, 'inadequate', after finding 'significant concerns' about how it operates. It demanded improvement. March 2022: In an interim report, Dr Cass hit out at the lack of 'open discussion' at the trust about its treatment, which was not subject to quality controls. She found other mental health issues were 'overshadowed' in favour of gender identity issues when children were referred to GIDS. She called for a 'fundamentally different service model' and 'rapid' research on the use of the drugs after she found 'insufficient evidence' on their benefits. July 2022: In a letter to the NHS, Dr Cass called for regional centres to be commissioned for gender identity treatment, with 'strong links' to mental health services and academic hubs that conduct ongoing research. July 2022: The NHS confirmed that GIDS will be replaced by regional centres at existing children's hospitals, which will provide more holistic care with 'strong links to mental health services'. Advertisement Following the announcement on the ban on puberty blockers at gender clinics, health minister Maria Caulfield said: 'We have always been clear that children's safety and wellbeing is paramount, so we welcome this landmark decision by the NHS. 'Ending the routine prescription of puberty blockers will help ensure that care is based on evidence, expert clinical opinion and is in the best interests of the child.' Former PM Truss, whose Health and Equality Acts (Amendment) Bill includes a ban on puberty blocker prescriptions to children, both privately and on the NHS, added: 'I welcome NHS England's decision to end the routine prescription of puberty blockers to children for gender dysphoria. 'I urge the Government to back my Bill on Friday which will reinforce this in law and also prevent these drugs being supplied privately.' The consultation on the future of services received more than 4,000 responses. John Stewart, national director of specialised commissioning at NHS England, said: 'Given that the debate is often very polarised, so too were the responses to the consultation. 'Many people said the policy didn't go far enough in terms of still allowing potential access (to puberty blockers) through research, and others saying clearly they disagreed fundamentally and that these should be routinely available to everyone who believes they need it.' Regarding the new clinics, he said: 'This is just the first step in building a regional model, where our aim is to establish between seven and eight specialist centres including the north and the south hubs over the next year to two years.' Around 250 patients are expected to be transferred to the new clinics from GIDS when they open. Some 5,000 more children and young people are currently on the waiting list for referral into the new clinics. Mr Stewart said: 'Our two new providers on their own are not going to be able to make a significant dent immediately in that waiting list. 'But what they are doing is helping us establish a new and fundamentally different service model, in line with advice from the Cass review.' He said other regional centres could hopefully be commissioned quickly 'and once we get to that point we should begin to see significant movement in that waiting list and numbers falling. 'The speed and pace at which the clinics will be able to see new patients off the waiting list is in large part going to be dependent on how successful their ongoing recruitment into the service is, and that is not straightforward.' New figures show that 83 young people questioning their gender identity began taking puberty blockers in the 12 months to July. Another 17 began treatment between July and October, according to Freedom of Information responses from Leeds General Infirmary and University College London Hospital which receive referrals from the scandal-hit Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS). The figures do not include private patients or those treated by a GP so the true figure could be far higher. All children on the drugs will be able to continue their treatment. It is understood NHS England hopes to have a study into the use of puberty blockers in place by December 2024, with eligibility criteria yet to be decided. It comes after a world-renowned expert who found puberty-blockers can harm children's IQ, last month also revealed academics initially dismissed her research as 'biased'. University College London neuropsychologist Professor Sallie Baxendale published a review of the potential impact of the powerful drugs on teens who take them. Her alarming study highlighted cases where young girls seemingly lost between seven to 15 IQ points while taking the medications, which halt bodily changes in puberty. But despite the concerning findings, Professor Baxendale initially struggled to find a publisher for her review. Three separate journals rejected her paper in which she called for 'urgent' research into the impact of the drugs on children's brain functions. Detailing her experiences on UnHerd, Professor Baxendale revealed that anonymous reviewers cast suspicion on her motives and reasons for exploring the subject in the first place. But others shockingly accused her of 'bias' by questioning if puberty blockers were safe and another said her used of terms like 'male' and 'female' showed her 'pre-existing scepticism' on the subject. Advertisement Budget-friendly car maker Dacia has confirmed its first fully electric vehicle will arrive in the UK later this year with a game-changing low price. Starting from 14,995, the Spring EV will be 12,000 cheaper than Britain's current cheapest EV, the MG4. The Spring is just 200 more expensive than Dacia's most affordable Sandero supermini, and its bargain price tag is only bettered by a handful of other models - it will become Britain's sixth cheapest new motor across all fuel types. And its impact on the EV market could be groundbreaking, as its low price point should force the hand of rival brands to make their battery-powered cars less expensive. Britain's cheapest electric car... and by some margin: Dacia has confirmed its new Spring EV (pictured) will start from 14,995 in the UK. That's almost half the price of the next most affordable battery-powered car in UK showrooms today Dacia Spring: Priced from 14,995 Dacia says Spring's unique selling point is that it's a 'widely affordable' fully electric car that will 'rewrite the EV rulebook'. Luke Broad, Dacia brand director for the UK, said: 'Spring has played a key part in widespread adoption of EVs across Europe and, with a price that is even lower than speculated, were confident it will continue the success story in the UK.' And he's not wrong; Spring was the third most sold electric car to 'retail customers' in 2022 and 2023, accumulating more than 140,000 global sales in the last two years. 'We have listened to the concerns of UK drivers regarding accessing EVs, ensuring it not only has an unprecedented price but affordability that doesnt come at the expense of durability, equipment or usability,' Broad continues. 'Quite simply, theres no other new EV currently on sale that offers so much for so little.' The statement 14,995 entry price gets you the smaller of the two power outputs, with the Expression Electric 45 delivering - the trim level name suggests - 45 horsepower from its single motor setup. The more powerful 65hp variant (also using a single e-motor) starts from 15,995 for the Expression Electric 65, while the top-of-the-range Extreme Electric 65 rings in at 16,995. Incredibly, there's a more basic 'Essential' trim which would be even less expensive, though it currently sounds like this won't be coming to the UK market... for now. Drivers who put a holding payment for a Spring down early will get even better value for money. Not only should it lock them into today's announced pricing (which is likely subject to change) for when their car arrives in October, the 99 deposit secures pre-order customers a complimentary 250 package. This can be spent towards adding accessories to their Spring or the installation of a home charger (via Mobilize Power Solutions) or alternatively against the cost of public charging. 'This choice recognises that everyone has different requirements. For added simplicity, customers choose from the trio of extras at the point of pre-ordering,' the company says. Officially, the current cheapest EV in showrooms today is the MG4. This medium-size family hatchback is a lot bigger than the Spring and starts from 26,995 The Spring's biggest rival will be the Fiat 500e. The Italian city car starts from 28,195, though is eligible for Fiat's 3,000 e-grant offer until the end of the year, meaning the price in 2024 is 25,195. That's still 10k more than the Dacia The Spring's battery size is small at just 26.8kWh in a bid to keep the price as low as possible. To put its size into perspective, the largest battery in an EV sold in Britain is four times bigger - the 120kWh pack in the 100,000 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ How much cheaper is it than rivals? The 14,995 starting price is certainly something that shouldn't me sniffed at, given that it significantly undercuts every other electric car on sale in Britain today. The least expensive EV on sale in Britain today (not including the Citroen Ami quadricycle) is the MG4, which starts from 26,995. While the MG is somewhat larger and represents great value at its existing price point against rivals, the Spring is set to drastically move the goalposts for how little an EV can cost, with the starting price some 12,000 less than that of its Chinese competition. Arguably the Dacia's most comparable battery vehicle on sale right now is Fiat's 500, which starts from a significantly pricier 28,195. That said, the 500e is currently eligible for Fiat's own 3,000 'e-grant' offer, which slashes the start price to 25,195. With the grant available until the end of the year, it makes the cute Italian city car the nation's second cheapest EV behind the Spring for 2024 at least. The Spring's entry price is just 300 more than its combustion-engined sibling, the Sandero. In fact, the Dacia EV will be the sixth least expensive new car on sale in 2024 across all fuel types. Only the Kia Picanto (from 13,695), Citroen C3 (from 13,995), soon-to-be-replaced MG3 (from 14,320), Fiat Panda (from 14,740) and Dacia Sandero (from 14,795) are cheaper. The Kia Picanto is currently Britain's least expensive new car, with prices for the Korean city model starting from 13,695 The second least-expensive new car sold in Britain right now is Citroen's C3 supermini (left), which starts from 13,995. Third is the MG3 (right) at 14,320 but the Chinese car recently confirmed it will be replaced with a new generation this year - and will likely increase in price The Fiat Panda (left) is currently Britain's fourth cheapest new car, with prices starting from 14,740 for the least expensive version. The Spring is just 200 more expensive than its ICE sibling, the Sandero (right), which starts from 14,795. No other new motors are cheaper than Dacia's new EV What performance can we expect from the nation's cheapest EV? The 'all-new' Spring sold to UK customers from next month is said to 'achieve greater efficiency through its light weight'. And it's certainly that. Tipping the scale at just 984kg, it's the only EV on sale in Europe that's less than a tonne. Dacia Spring EV: Will it fit in my garage? On sale: Now First deliveries: October Price: from 14,995 Drivetrain: Electric Battery: 26.8kWh Power: 45hp or 65hp from single e-motor Acceleration (0-62mph): 14 secs (65hp) or 19.1 secs (45hp) Top speed: 78mph Range: up to 137 miles Dimension: Length: 3.7 metres Width (with mirrors): 1.8 metres Height: 1.5 metres Wheelbase: 2.4 metres Kerb weight: 984kg Boot capacity (rear seats upright): 308 litres Boot capacity (rear seats down): 1,004 litres As such, it doesn't need an enormous battery to achieve the range Dacia deems fit for a car of these proportions. In fact, the battery pack is just 26.8kWh. To put that into perspective, the largest battery in an EV sold in Britain today is four times bigger - the 120kWh pack in the 100,000 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+. But Dacia says the battery size has been 'precisely calibrated to meet the needs and lifestyles of Spring drivers, without degrading the overall performance by adding excessive weight'. The five-door supermini debuts with a range of up to 137 miles from both variants, though a Dacia spokesperson told us the 65hp will offer a little extra grunt for 'overtaking outside of the city'. That doesn't sound much, especially when you take into account that under real-world driving conditions you will do well to achieve 90 per cent of that figure, but bosses say this is more than suitable for Spring buyers. What justification does it have for such a claim? Well, the company has been collecting data from on-board computers of Springs sold across Europe and found that the average owner drives just 23 miles per day. The customer information it has downloaded also shows that a Spring travels mostly in town at an average speed of only 23mph. And in three in four cases, the cars are recharged at home rather than using the public network. In an urban (inner city) run in slow-moving stop-start traffic with no fast B-roads or motorway use, the range is said to be good for up to 186 miles. So green is the Spring that its energy efficiency and carbon footprint received high praise in 2022, when it was awarded the maximum 5-star rating from the independent European organisation Green NCAP. But while it might be eco friendly, it's not what you'd call fast. The most powerful 65hp model takes 14 seconds to reach 62mph from a standstill, which is pretty pedestrian by EV standards. The lesser 45hp example takes a whopping 19.1 seconds, meaning you might get out-sprinted by a milk float or a mobility scooter. Top speed is limited to just 78mph, making the Spring suitable for motorway use - though probably not for long period given the limited range. While it might be eco friendly, the Spring won't be quick. The slower 45hp version takes a staggering 19.1 seconds to reach 62mph. Top speed for both will be limited to 78mph Placing a 99 deposit now secures pre-order customers a complimentary 250 that can be spent towards accessories or the installation of a home charger (via Mobilize Power Solutions) or alternatively against the cost of public charging As standard, the Spring will come with a 7kW AC charger that can charge the battery from 20 per cent to 100 per cent on a domestic three-pin plug in less than 11 hours, or in just four hours via a 7kW homecharger. A 30kW DC charger enables fast charging from 20 per cent to 80 per cent in 45 minutes if you plug into a public rapid-charging device. And Dacia has even equipped the UK-spec Spring with a bi-directional V2L (vehicle-to-load) charger (only on Extreme trim levels). This means it comes with an adapter that plugs into the car's charging connector, which is located under the grille, that can be used as a conventional 220V/16A socket for appliances. It then can be used as an energy source to power electrical devices, such as a laptop, kettle or even a microwave. The car Britons can get their hands on first is an upgraded version of the Spring EV that's been on sale across mainland Europe for the last three years. This facelifted model comes upgraded with regenerative braking for the first time, with the automatic gear selector including a 'B-mode', which noticeably slows the vehicle via the regenerative system to feed energy back into the battery. As standard, the Spring will come with a 7kW AC charger that can charge the battery from 20 per cent to 100 per cent on a domestic three-pin plug in less than 11 hours, or in just four hours via a 7kW homecharger The five-door supermini debuts with a range of up to 137 miles between charges from both variants, though a Dacia spokesperson told us the 65hp will offer a little extra grunt for 'overtaking outside of the city' Will it be practical? Don't be fooled by the Spring's SUV-inspired looks - this is far from an enormous Chelsea Tractor. At just 3.7 metres long, it's shorter than Dacia's Sandero supermini. This will be ideal for inner-city jaunts, with a turning circle of just 4.8 metres making it exceptionally agile and easy to plug into the smallest of parking spaces. In particularly tight scenarios, owners will be comforted by the fact the Spring's bumpers and wheel arches have plastic protection strips. This is so that the small EV can 'withstand everyday wear and tear without compromising on appearance,' bosses say. Its high ground clearance also allows for customers to 'venture over rough terrain,' says Dacia, though we wouldn't recommend taking on any mountains or ravines, given it's only available in two-wheel-drive. While its small dimensions will be to the benefit of ease of driving in the city, the compromise will be interior passenger space. At just 3.7 metres long, the Spring is shorter than Dacia's Sandero supermini. This will be ideal for inner-city jaunts, with a turning circle of just 4.8 metres making it exceptionally agile and easy to plug into the smallest of parking spaces If similar to the pre-facelift Spring, expect there to be limited room in the rear, which is likely to be cramped for taller-than-average adults. While its small dimensions will be to the benefit of ease of driving in the city, the compromise will be interior passenger space. That said, Dacia claims it has the best storage volume in its class. The boot offers 308 litres of loading space 1,004 litres with the rear seats folded down and has additional storage throughout the cabin, with an overall volume of nearly 33 litres. Customers will also be able to access 35 litres of 'luggage' space under the bonnet. Dacia says that despite the Spring's 'unprecedented' low starting price, it still promises robust durability, lots of equipment and plenty of usability The Springs elevated ground clearance allows for customers to 'venture over rough terrain,' says Dacia - though we wouldn't recommend taking on any mountains or ravines, given it's only available with two-wheel drive Slide me As well as a class-leading boot, the Spring also has some storage space up front. Customers will also be able to access 35 litres of 'luggage' capacity under the bonnet Will it feel like a no-frills product? Plenty of drivers have turned their noses up at the prospect of buying a Dacia due to its no-frills asking prices. Yet, the latest examples of its Sandero, Duster and Jogger are not just well equipped, they offer generally solid cabins, if not loaded with the latest tech. They also look pretty smart too, which - from the images seen here - is set to continue with the Spring. It features the brand's Y-shaped light signatures front and back, with full-LED daytime headlights. The boxy proportions give a chunky, robust feel, which is bolstered by square wheel arches over the 15-inch wheels. There is lower-door side protection that can be easily removed and replaced in case of any car park dings and there are are decals instead of chrome badges and lettering as part of the effort to make it as lightweight as possible - and to keep costs down. Dacia says it doesn't come with roof bars like some small crossover rivals because 'they are generally redundant on a small car used mainly for short trips,' and by removing them again helps to trim its bulk and extend its driving range. It will come in a range of six shades, including newly introduced Brick Red and Beige Safari. The Spring's boxy proportions give a chunky, robust feel, which is bolstered by square wheel arches over the 15-inch wheels The entry Expression trim level come with just a 7-inch digital instrument cluster - owners will have to use their smartphone as the infotainment screen, with a compatible Dacia system. Pricier Extreme models Pictured is the cabin on the higher Extreme trim, which gets a 10-inch central touchscreen, which includes 'smart navigation' that has real-time traffic conditions and up-to-date European maps for up to eight years Inside, it's designed to be durable yet efficient and clever. Basic trim levels come with just a 7-inch digital instrument cluster. Buttons on the steering wheel control the multimedia system with media information and phone calls displayed on the driver's display. It also incorporates two speakers, a Bluetooth connection, and a USB port. When connected to the free Dacia Media Control app, drivers can use radio and media functions and access other features - including navigation - via their smartphone. Higher trims get a 10-inch central touchscreen, which includes 'smart navigation' that has real-time traffic conditions and up-to-date European maps for up to eight years. The infotainment screen also enables wireless use of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and comes with a pair of USB ports. The lower section of the centre console can also be used as a cup holder, thanks to a 3D-printed inset, and there's space for Dacia's YouClip accessory mount, which can carry a smartphone or other devices. Another handy feature is the tray sitting above the glovebox, which has it's own light so passengers can find their phone or house keys stashed there in the dark. David Durand, Dacia design director, said: 'As Spring embraces the brands new design language, it is a resolute sign that it is here to stay as a key member of the Dacia family. 'We gave it a serious and confident design. Building on the success of the previous generation, the All-New Spring confidently asserts its own identity.' Slide me The lower section of the centre console can also be used as a cup holder, thanks to a 3D-printed inset. It also comes with Dacia's YouClip accessory mount, which can carry a smartphone or other devices Another handy feature is the tray sitting above the glovebox, which has it's own light so passengers can find their phone or house keys stashed there in the dark The model pictured is the high-spec Extreme trim level. This adds copper interior and exterior finishes, including these contrasting wing mirrors What's the difference in trim levels? The UK's entry Expression trim comes with a seven-inch digital instrument cluster, height-adjustable three-spoke steering wheel, speed limiter, cruise control, steering wheel mounted controls, central locking with remote control and a 'Media Control system' with USB port, which lets you use your phone as the infotainment screen when cradled to the dashboard. Electric front windows (wind-up at the back), rear parking sensors, 12V socket, manual air conditioning and 15-inch wheels (only on Electric 65) complete this trim option. For an extra 1,000, Extreme spec adds copper interior and exterior finishes, electric mirrors and rear windows, a 10-inch digital infotainment screen, two USB ports and wireless connectivity with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Only the Extreme has the bi-directional charger for external appliances, too. Dacia UK estimates that 60 per cent of customers will opt for the more expensive Extreme trim. A more basic Essential trim won't be up for grabs due to how unpopular this spec has been among UK drivers when made available on other models, like Sandero. The Spring will be sold as standard with an updated emergency braking system with detection for vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcycles. This should mean it should get a higher Euro NCAP crash test rating than some of its sister models Will the Dacia Spring prove to be a game changer for the EV market? Given its budget price point, it should force the hands of rival manufacturers to slash the premium price tags for their battery-powered cars Will it have a better safety rating than other Dacia models? One of the big criticisms of Dacia models of late - particularly the Sandero - is its low Euro NCAP crash test rating. However, this is primarily due to it lacking passive safety tech as standard. That won't be the case with the Spring. It will come with an updated emergency braking system with detection for vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcycles. The suite of safety features also include traffic sign recognition with speed alert, rear park assist, emergency stop signal, lane change alert, lane keep assist, driver attention warning and emergency call (eCall) in case of accidents and an ambulance or the police needing to be contacted. While on holiday in Lanzarote in May last year, I fell ill and passed out. I was taken to hospital where over the following three days I went from intensive care to having a pacemaker fitted, before being discharged. The day after, I contacted Insure and Go, my travel insurer, to tell them what had happened and was told not to worry and to complete my claim when I returned home. Nine months later and now its underwriter Zurich is refusing to pay the 10,000 (8,542) hospital bill because I didnt contact them soon enough after falling ill. Please can you help? S.B., Kent. Declined: Zurich won't pay my 8,542 hospital bill because I didnt contact them soon enough Sally Hamilton replies: You forwarded me a copy of the email you received from Zurich Assist, which was handling your claim. I imagine its contents put your pacemaker to the test as soon as you read it. Sent to you in January, the claims handler confirmed that on reviewing your claim which had involved looking at your GP records and paperwork from the hospital in Lanzarote that it would pay you 30 in hospital benefit (a cash benefit of 10 for each night you spent as an inpatient) and 500 towards the 10,000 bill for your hospital treatment. It stated: Having looked at your medical report we note that you were unwell for three days and could have contacted the medical assistance team within those days. Therefore, the underwriters have advised that your claim settlement will be limited to 500 as you did not contact the assistance team as per your policy terms and conditions. You were referred to page four of your policy document, which says you must contact the company immediately on going into hospital or risk having any claim limited to 500. It asked you to pay the outstanding balance to the hospital and send evidence you had done so before it would reimburse the 500. You were furious and upset and so contacted me. You told me the policy schedule you had taken with you on the trip clearly stated that you should contact the insurer as soon as possible. To your mind, and mine, you made contact the moment you were out of danger after being treated for an irregular heart rhythm and having the pacemaker fitted. Surely that was soon enough. A policy schedule is a shortened version of the full terms and conditions. I thought your reading of the schedule was correct and that Zurich should not have declined your claim over a three-day time lapse. If the insurer wants to enforce such a restrictive condition, it should be emphasised clearly on the schedule. However, I think the requirement to get in touch immediately was out of order in your case as you had been taken seriously ill. You told me you were barely conscious during the three days in question nor did you have your phone or insurance documents with you. I told Zurich what I thought, and it agreed to investigate. After reassessing your case, the insurer decided an error had been made. As a result, it concluded you will not only have the 10,000 medical bills met but be paid extra as an apology for the distress caused. A Zurich spokesman says: We are very sorry for the challenges and the delays that our customer faced when trying to make a claim on her travel insurance policy. We have now carried out a full investigation and can confirm she was incorrectly informed that she did not have a valid claim. This was due to a miscommunication between claims handlers. He adds: We have now spoken to her to confirm that we will make a full settlement as soon as possible and provide 850 in compensation for the inconvenience caused. We strive to maintain a high standard of customer service and on this occasion we have fallen short. We will conduct a full review of how this claim was handled to ascertain the lessons learned and prevent this from happening again. Can Sally Sorts It help you? Do you have a consumer problem you need help with? Email Sally Hamilton at sally@dailymail.co.uk - include phone number, address and a note addressed to the offending organisation giving them permission to talk to Sally Hamilton. Please do not send original documents as we cannot take responsibility for them. No legal responsibility can be accepted by the Daily Mail or This is Money for answers given. I'm 84 and train delays meant a 14-hour journey - why won't GWR refund me? I have reached a brick wall with Great Western Railways (GWR) regarding a claim for delays and cancellations affecting my journey from Truro to Poulton-le-Fylde in Lancashire last August that caused me considerable discomfort. I am 84 and arrived home with a trapped sciatic nerve caused by sitting on draughty platforms and waiting rooms that day while staff found me alternative trains along the way. I arrived home after midnight, 14 hours after the start of my journey. It was supposed to take six hours. I complained to GWR, but it refused a claim for reimbursement or compensation. C.C., Preston, Lancashire. Sally Hamilton replies: I have endured a few delayed train journeys in my time, but the bitter pill is usually sweetened by the railway company refunding the ticket price, whether partially or in full. Your tale of travel woe and denied refund defies belief. On its website, GWR states: If you arrive at your destination 15 or more minutes late because your GWR train was delayed or cancelled, you can claim delay repay compensation. The amounts paid back to travellers vary, but a delay of 120 minutes entitles the traveller to 100 per cent refund for the full cost (outward and return). Since your ticket cost you 152.30 return, you should have automatically received 152.30. You submitted copies of your tickets, as required, but your claim was rejected on the grounds the rail company could not find a timetabled journey to match the first leg of your claim. You sent me a copy of the ticket. It clearly stated it was due to leave Truro for Taunton, at 11.50am. This train was cancelled, and you were shunted on to a train leaving Truro at 13.30 instead. After that everything went awry, with all your seat reservations lost as well as the pre-booked assistance you had requested for particular trains. You had to seek ad hoc help from staff at each of four stations. By the time you reached Preston, you had to terminate the journey 16 miles short of your destination as it was so late no more trains were running from there to Poulton le Fylde. You had to phone a friend who kindly picked you up and drove you home. I asked GWR to put things right. This prodded its customer service operation to contact you and confirm you would receive your refund after all. Sadly, its apology did not extend to expressing regret for the five-month delay in delivering your refund. Search efforts continue for college student Caleb Harris. He's been missing since March 4. Texas Crime Stoppers Its been seven days since Texas college student Caleb Harris, 21, went missing from an apartment in Corpus Christi. Harris, who was from New Braunfels, was a student at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, where he lived near campus. According to a private investigator the family hired, Harris was last seen letting his dog out at around 2:15 a.m., stated local reporting. Harris let the dog back in the apartment and left his keys and belongings except for his phone and vanished early Monday morning on March 4. Search efforts from the family believe he may have been kidnapped and abducted. Late last week, the family created a GoFundMe page to help with financial aid in search efforts, which, over the weekend, gained support and is now reaching $50,000. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Corpus Christi Police Department is actively searching for Harris and posted his missing account on Facebook. Harris is approximately 5'11 and weighs 180 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Harris did have his phone with him; however, it is now turned off, CCPD posted on Facebook. British pet owners might be overpaying for medicines and prescriptions, Britain's competition watchdog has said, as it considers launching a formal probe into the veterinary sector. A Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) review launched in September over concerns that pet owners are being short changed found weak market competition, partly because of sector consolidation. Almost a third of Britain's 5,000 vet practices have been bought by six firms since 2013 - CVS Group, IVC, Linnaeus, Medivet, Pets at Home and VetPartners - according to the CMA. CMA boss Sarah Cardell said: 'Given these strong indications of potential concern, it is time to put our work on a formal footing.' Last September, the CMA said it was looking into the veterinary market after concerns that pet owners might not be getting the best deals The CMA will seek views from the sector on a potential formal investigation, and decide on its next steps after consultation closes on 11 April. Following the CMA's provision findings, Pets At Home shares were down more than per cent to 266.80p in morning trading on Tuesday, as CVS Group shares nosedived by 19.84 per cent, Pets at Home said it is disappointed with the CMA's findings and that it does not think its business model reduces competition. A spokeswoman for the group said: 'We are incredibly disappointed the CMA's findings today do not fully reflect our unique business model of locally-owned vet practices. 'Whilst our brand is national, our veterinary practices are led by individual entrepreneurial vets who have clinical and operational freedom. 'They choose all pricing, products and services to ensure the best care for clients and their much-loved pets in their local area, which promotes competition in the market and helps to keep prices low. 'We have been working closely with the CMA on their areas of concern and will continue to do so as their inquiry progresses to ensure the distinctiveness of our model is fully recognised.' CVS Group said it had already put forward a package of possible remedies to address the CMA's concerns along with certain other corporate groups. 'CVS continues to believe this package could be adopted across the market and could address the CMA's concerns more quickly than an 18-month investigation,' it added. Vet sector a 'critical market' for Britain's 16m pet owners CMA boss Cardell said the regulator had 'heard concerns from those working in the sector about the pressures they face, including acute staff shortages', but its initial findings meant further work was needed on a 'critical market for the UK's 16 million pet owners'. She added: 'The unprecedented response we received from the public and veterinary professionals shows the strength of feeling on this issue is high and why we were right to look into this. 'Our review has identified multiple concerns with the market that we think should be investigated further. 'These include pet owners finding it difficult to access basic information like price lists and prescription costs - and potentially overpaying for medicines. 'We are also concerned about weak competition in some areas, driven in part by sector consolidation, and the incentives for large corporate groups to act in ways which may reduce competition and choice.' In response, president of the British Veterinary Association President Dr. Anna Judson said: 'Rising prices are a concern for everyone but it's vital to recognise there is no NHS for pets. 'Whether they are employed by corporate or independently owned practices, vets deliver highly specialised, tailored care for the UK's pets and the cost is a fair reflection of investment in medical equipment, supplies and medicines, and the time vet teams dedicate to the care of each patient. 'We're keen to see healthy competition and consumer choice and so we are already taking steps to support vet practices to be more transparent both in terms of costs and practice ownership. 'It's important that clients have as wide a choice of vet practices as possible so they can find a service that best suits the needs of themselves and their animals. 'We will continue to engage constructively with the CMA by responding to this latest consultation and will continue to play a leadership role in driving positive change for vets and their clients.' FirstGroup expects annual earnings to be 'slightly ahead' of previous forecasts, following a strong performance by its rail business. The Avanti West Coast owner told investors that open access operations within its rail division were benefitting from healthy demand, 'effective yield management,' and the resolution of one-off infrastructure claims. Consequently, the Aberdeen-based firm expects to beat analysts' forecasts of adjusted operating profits of 196.8million and adjusted earnings of 102.9million. All aboard: Avanti West Coast owner FirstGroup noted that its rail division's open access operations were benefitting from healthy demand In the six months ending September, total journeys on the company's trains grew by 8.9 per cent to 123.4 million compared to the same period the previous year, while passenger volumes on its buses rose by 12 per cent to 210 million. Since then, the FTSE 100 business said trading at its bus division had performed well and was in line with expectations. Graham Sutherland, chief executive of FirstGroup, said: 'Our focus on operational delivery, driving demand for our services and growing and diversifying our portfolio has resulted in further progress in the second half of our financial year. 'This leaves us well positioned to create further sustainable value for all our stakeholders.' FirstGroup recently applied to operate an open-access rail service from London to Sheffield and is holding discussions with Transport Scotland and Network Rail about extending some of its London-to-Edinburgh journeys to Glasgow. FirstGroup owns open-access operators Lumo and Hull Trains; the former operates on the East Coast Main Line and the latter runs services between London and the Humber region. Open access operators are firms that run trains on mainline routes but do not hold franchises with the UK government and receive no taxpayer funds. The ORR say they can boost competition across the railway sector by cutting prices and increasing the number of destinations served. Gerald Khoo, an analyst at broker Liberum, said: 'The prospect of a Labour government that is likely to commit to the renationalisation of passenger rail contracts is adverse for sentiment towards FirstGroup's Rail division. 'However, there is significant value in open access operations and non-train operating activities that ought to not be affected by renationalisation.' FirstGroup slumped to a 68.4million first-half loss due to substantial one-off charges related to its withdrawal from two local government pension schemes. FirstGroup shares were 1.9 per cent higher at 164.5p just after midday on Tuesday and have climbed by approximately 58 per cent over the past 12 months. Starling Bank said Raman Bhatia would take over from interim chief exec John Mountain in the summe Starling Bank has poached energy supplier Ovo's chief executive as the group considers a listing. The disruptor bank said Raman Bhatia, 45, who previously led HSBC's digital bank in the UK and Europe, would take over from interim chief executive John Mountain in the summer, subject to regulatory approval. The London-based bank has been on the hunt for a boss since founder Anne Boden stepped down last June. Boden, 64, a former RBS banker, set up Starling a decade ago as a challenger to traditional High Street banks. Bhatia kicked off his career as a management consultant and joined Ovo at the beginning of 2020 as its chief operating officer before taking the top job. WHEN the first dress that Jacques Azagury designed for Princess Diana broke records late last year as the most expensive of her gowns to sell at auction, the couturier was travelling around India. The black ballerina-length evening gown, embroidered with blue stars, and measuring 37 inches across the bust, 33 inches around the waist and 34 inches across the hips, raised 790,000 at Juliens Auctions, in Los Angeles. for the New York Historical Society. Amazing result, he told MailOnline. I wish it had belonged to me!!! ' But that dress does exemplify the era and it is the very beginning of the story after all. Princess Diana In Vancouver wearing the blue and black evening dress designed by Jacques Azagury The dress was one of 79 gowns that the Princess sold at auction on 25 June 1997, in one of the most anticipated auctions of the 20th century. A total of 1,100 people, including museums, fashion connoisseurs, haute couture collectors and Diana fans crammed into Christies Park Avenue auction house in Manhattan, to bid for their moment in history. Within two-and-a-half hours, the auction had raised 1.96 million for Dianas chosen charities: the Royal Marsden Hospital Cancer Fund and the AIDS Crisis Trust. Another 2 million was raised from the sale of catalogues and fundraisers. Now, 27 years later, I have tracked down 68 of Dianas most iconic outfits to museums around the globealthough mystery surrounds the whereabouts of the Revenge Dress, which appears to have disappeared without a trace. Here are the highlights SANTIAGO, CHILE The Grace Kelly Dress When Diana wore her Catherine Walker pale blue silk chiffon strapless gown and matching stole to the Cannes Film Festival on 15 May 1987, she sparked comparisons to movie star Grace Kelly later Princess Grace of Monaco - the star of Alfred Hitchcocks 1955 classic To Catch A Thief. Diana and Prince Charles were attending a gala in honour of the actor Sir Alec Guinness, but Diana was secretly dating James Hewitt at the time, a dashing former cavalry officer in the British Army. Diana wears a Catherine Walker strapless dress in pale blue silk chiffon with a matchin chiffon stole. The occasion is an Alec Guinness gala night at Cannes, 1987 The strapless Catherine Walker Cannes dress shown in detail Diana in blue waves to the crowds in Cannes Diana loved the dress and went on to wear it for the Leicester Square film premiere of Superman IV: Quest for Peace on 23 July 1987, and a Royal Gala Performance of Miss Saigon at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 19 September 1989. She also chose it for a 1987 shoot with the late photographer Terence Donovan the image is on the wall of the National Portrait Gallery. However, Diana fans were appalled when an American cable TV station, WE TV, bought the Grace Kelly gown at Christies for 42,526, along with two other dresses, and took it on a Dresses to Die For shopping centre tour. The tour was halted following Dianas death - but the dresses were then sent out under a new title, Legacy of Love. The Grace Kelly Gown was finally sold on 8 May 2011, by Juliens Auctions in Beverly Hills, California, for 114,072.75, to the Fundacion Museo de la Moda in Santiago, Chile. The One-Shouldered Gown Given to Diana by Vogue fashion editor Anna Harvey as a gift, Diana first wore her one-shouldered Hachi gown for a gala at the Hilton Hotel in Melbourne on 16 April 1983, during her first official tour of the Commonwealth. Princess Diana arrives for the premiere of the James Bond film, Octopussy, in 1983 The white, one shoulder evening gown by Japanese designer Hachi is covered in silver bugle beads Here, the Princess of Wales, wears the Hachi gown on a 1985 visit to Washington The Hachi dress made a striking impression at The National Gallery in Washington, where Diana was attending a gala dinner It was a move that sparked critical acclaim from fashion editors. Until then the princess had become known for her fairytale appearance, wearing frills, flounces, lace, and ruffles. But by the time she went to Australia as a young mother and media superstar, she was exploring sleeker dresses that emphasised her broad shoulders. The dress, which was embroidered with silver bugle beads, was one of Dianas favourites: she wore it repeatedly over the next six years before it was consigned to the back of her wardrobe. On 4 June that year, she chose the gown while accompanying Prince Charles to a ball at Broadlands, home of the late Lord Mountbatten, where Charles and Diana had spent part of their honeymoon. Two days later, she wore it for the James Bond film premiere of Octopussy, where she met 007 himself, Roger Moore. She later wore the dress for a gala at the National Gallery in Washington DC, on 11 November 1985; the premiere of Licence to Kill on 13 June 1989; her stepmother Raines 60th birthday party on 9 September 1989; and the Vanity Fair fashion shoot with Mario Testino the month before her death. The Mail on Sundays You magazine bought the dress at the 1997 Christies Auction for 45,173. It became a prize in a competition won by farmers wife Margaret Thompson, 53, a lifelong royalist from Yorkshire. Devastated by Dianas death, she deposited it in a bank vault before later deciding to sell. The gown was re-auctioned in on 13 December 2001 for 49,777.20, by Doyles in New York, and was the first dress bought by the Fundacion Museo de la Moda, based in Santiago, Chile. TOKYO, JAPAN The Diplomatic Dress Japanese designer Gnyuki Yuki Torimaru was introduced to Diana through a close friend, who knew that she was going on a state visit to Japan in 1986. Yuki presented her with a choice of three dresses in red, white and blue, the colours of the UK flag and she chose the royal blue number to match her engagement ring. Princess Of Wales At A Dinner Hosted By Emperor Hirohito In Japan Diana, Princess Of Wales With Prince Charles Before Dinner With Emperor Hirohito The Yuki 'Diplomatic Dress' that Princess Diana wore in 1986 Yuki, who was inspired by the designs of Spanish designer Fortuny and Russian illustrator Erte, spent the whole tour keeping an eye out for the dress, which was decorated with blue bugle beads at the neckline and waist. However, to his surprise, the princess had saved it for her final and most important engagement: a banquet with Emperor Hirohito. She teamed the dress at the 12 May dinner with a sapphire and diamond headband made from jewels which she had had reset from the Saudi Suite, setting a trend which was much copied. After Dianas death, Yuki, who also designed for Bianca Jagger and Jerry Hall, said: When she died, the days grew darker. Born in Miyazaki, Japan in 1937, Yuki studied architecture before becoming a textile engineer. He moved to London in 1964 and attended the London College of Fashion. After graduating in 1966, he trained with some of the great couturiers of the day: Louis Feraud, Sir Norman Hartnell and Pierre Cardin. He launched his own designer label collection, Yuki, at Harvey Nichols in 1972. His diplomatic dress was auctioned by Christies at their 1997 sale. It was bought by New York art dealer James Kojima for 15,218, on behalf of his cousin Akihiko Kojima, principal of the Mejiro Fashion & Art College. The Red Cross Gown As patron of The British Red Cross Youth and Vice President of the British Red Cross Society, Diana was guest of honour at a Luciano Pavarotti concert on 8 May 1995 at the Royal Albert Hall, in aid of the Red Cross 125 Birthday Appeal. She chose a Catherine Walker military-style gown with a black Hussar-style bodice and pleated red silk-crepe skirt, trimmed with a soutache braid and rouleaux at the waist. Diana, Patron of British Red Cross Youth attends a Red Cross concert to commemorate VE Day in 1995 Princess Diana in the striking Catherine Walker red and black dress at the Albert Hall Princess Diana arrived at the Royal Albert Hall in this Catherine Walker dress in 1995 The Catherine Walker dress was purchased by a New York art dealer, James Kojima, on behalf of his cousin Akihiko Kojima The dress was sold at the 1997 Christies auction for 22,135, to New York art dealer James Kojima, who bought it on behalf of his cousin Akihiko Kojima, principal of the Mejiro Fashion & Art College Tokyo, Japan. The purchase was made to celebrate the colleges 60th anniversary. NEWBRIDGE, IRELAND The Mughal dress Made for her 1992 state visit to India, where she was memorably photographed alone at the Taj Mahal, Dianas embroidered pink slubbed silk strapless dress and matching bolero was embroidered with pink and white flowers, and decorated with green sequins, star-shaped sequins, gold glass beads and gold braid, echoing Mughal embroidery motifs. The inspiration came from the lid of an Indian inlaid marquetry box found in a London market. Diana did not wear the dress publicly on the tour the only photo of Diana in the dress was taken by Lord Snowdon for the Christies auction catalogue. Princess Diana's 'Mughal Dress' made for her 1992 state visit to India The strapless dress and matching bolero in pink slubbed silk was embroidered with pink and white flowers and decorated with green sequins The inspiration came from the lid of an Indian inlaid marquetry box found in a London market The dress sold for 37,233 to Maureen Rorech, who took it around the world in the Dresses for Humanity tour. However, the tour ran into trouble with creditors and this dress was confiscated for five months until the debt was repaid. The dress was auctioned on 19 March 2013 by Kerry Taylor Auctions and was bought for 68,750 by William Doyle, owner of the Museum of Style Icons in Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland, where it is on permanent display. NEW YORK, USA The Tulip Gown As guest of honour at a banquet hosted by President Ibrahim Babangida and First Lady Maryam in Lagos, Nigeria, on 15 March 1990, Diana chose to reflect the colours of the national flag in a white silk chiffon halter-neck gown, printed with purple tulips and green leaves. Diana wore the Catherine Walker 'Tulip Gown' for a 1990 banquet hosted by Nigerian President Ibrahim Babangida in Lagos The dress featured a low back, folded bodice and long streamer down the back, The gown was bought for 15,218 at the 1997 Christies auction by Veronica Hearst, the widow of media baron Randolph Hearst The dress, with its low back, folded bodice and long streamer down the back, was bought for 15,218 at the 1997 Christies auction by Veronica Hearst, the widow of high-flying media scion Randolph Hearst. A friend of the Princess, Hearst later donated the dress to the Metropolitan Museum of Art In New York. LONDON, ENGLAND The Elvis gown Embroidered with 20,000 pearls and white sequins, the Catherine Walker sheath and matching bolero that Diana wore to the British Fashion Awards at Londons Royal Albert Hall on 17 October 1989 sparked comparisons to the King - which is to say, Elvis himself. The Princess Of Wales wears what has been described as an Elvis-look outfit by Catherine Walker on a 1989 visit to Hong Kong The 'Elvis' dress in close-up. It featured simulated pearls and mother-of-pearl sequins Princess of Wales shows off the dress to good effect during her official visit to Hong Kong in 1989 Diana herself dubbed the gown her Elvis Dress, because of the upturned collar. She wore it on an official visit to Hong Kong on 10 November 1989, for the opening of the Hong Kong Culture Centre, teaming it with the Queen Marys Lovers Knot Tiara. She later sore the dress minus the bolero for a state banquet hosted by Hungarian President Arpad Goncz at the Parliament Building in Budapest, on 8 May 1990. Whenever I saw the princess in this dress, I could not help but feel that it would not be possible for anyone else ever to wear this dress and bolero, the designer said afterwards. She shone in the dress and the dress shone around her in a shimmering column of glistening pearls. The dress was bought for 90,827 at the Christies auction by the American memorabilia company The Franklin Mint, which created a portrait doll of Diana wearing a replica of the dress. They donated the dress to Londons Victoria & Albert Museum. The Travolta Gown This blue velvet Victor Edelstein gown became one of Diana's iconic dresses after she wore it dancing with John Travolta on 9 November 1985, at a state dinner hosted by President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy at the White House. She teamed the dress, that night, with a sapphire and pearl choker converted from a brooch given to her by The Queen Mother. Princess Diana dances with John Travolta at a White House dinner in 1985 Diana the blue velvet Victor Edelstein gown for a visit to Germany The President and First Lady seem thrilled as Travolta dances with the princess. The dress was sold in December 2019 to Historic Royal Palaces for 275,000 Travolta had not been invited to take a guest but, when Nancy Reagan took him aside during the banquet and explained that Diana wanted to dance with him, he understood the reason why. At midnight, heart pounding, he crossed the floor and asked her if she wanted to dance. She turned around and she did that look that she did so, so beautifully, he recalled, and I asked if she would care to dance. She said shed love to and we danced for 20 minutes to a medley of Grease and Saturday Night Fever. I was on cloud nine. She has great rhythm. We did spins and turns. We did a kind of modern foxtrot and she followed me very well. Maybe someday well get to do this in a less-watched situation, I said near the end. That would be great, she replied. The dress was one of Dianas favourites. She wore it to the annual banquet of the Asian Affairs Society at the Savoy Hotel on 5 February 1986; on a state visit to Vienna, Austria, on 15 April 1986, to watch a performance of the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Musikverein; on a state visit to Bonn, Germany on 2 November 1987; for an official portrait for the Royal Hussars by artist Israel Zohar in 1990; and to the Royal Opera House on 3 November 1991 when she met Vivienne Westwood. Six years later, she pulled it out of her closet to wear for her official portrait by Lord Snowdon and teamed it with the same necklace she had worn 12 years earlier. It has changed hands many times since. Maureen Rorech bought the gown for 133,835 the highest price ever raised by Christies for a garment - beating the previous record of 120,709.71 for the white suit that John Travolta wore in Saturday Night Fever. She eventually went bankrupt, and the dresses were seized as collateral. This particular dress was resold by Kerry Taylor Auctions on 19 March 2013 for 250,000 to a man as a gift for his wife. The auction house sold the same dress again on 9 December 2019, for 275,000, to Historic Royal Palaces. LOS ANGELES, USA The Gala gown When Diana attended the private viewing and reception for the Christies auction in London on 2 June 1997, she chose a Catherine Walker pale blue guipure lace dress, embroidered with silver diamante. She was photographed with her late stepmother Raine, Comtesse De Chambrun, formerly Countess Raine Spencer, and designer Catherine Walker. Princess Diana photographed with her late stepmother Raine, Comtesse De Chambrun, formerly Countess Raine Spencer. Catherine Walker looks on between them Princess Diana at the Christies auction in London on 2 June 1997. She is wearing a Catherine Walker pale blue dress in guipure lace This auctioned dress is now on display in a Princess Diana Museum in Los Angeles Australian Renae Plant later bought this dress from a charity for The Princess & The Platypus Foundation, and it is now on display in her Princess Diana Museum in LA. The Mint Green suit Diana loved her mint green Chanel suit. She wore it on Valentines Day, 1997, to open a new renal unit at Londons Great Ormond Street Hospital, and again while shopping in New York on 23 June 1997, teaming it with a white Chanel bag. Princess Of Wales opens a unit at Great Ormond Street Hospital wearing Chanel The visit marked the hospital's 145th anniversary Princess Diana, in New York for the Christie's auction, is seen out shopping in the Chanel suit She was in the city for the Christies auction however, that shopping trip was the final time she would wear the label: within three months she was dead. When Dianas older sister Lady Sarah McCorquodale was clearing Dianas wardrobe, she gifted the suit to the personal valet of her late father, Lord Spencer. The valet had been helping her categorise it, for his wife. When his wife died in 2018, he sold it and it ended up in a charity store. It is now owned by The Princess & The Platypus Foundation, and it is on display in the interactive 3-D Princess Diana Museum. MISSING IN ACTION... The Revenge Dress - last seen Bridge of Weir, Scotland In September 1991, Designer Christina Stambolian was working at her boutique in Beauchamp Place, on the other side of the road from Caroline Charles and Bruce Oldfield, when Princess Diana strolled in with her brother Earl Spencer. Lord Palumbo greets Princess Diana, wearing a short black cocktail dress designed by Christina Stambolian in 1991 Her gown was christened the 'Revenge Dress' by the American press Sketch of the so-called Revenge Dress designed by Christina Stambolian The back detail of the 'Revenge Dress' worn by Princess Diana Diana wore this dress on 29 June 1994, the night that Prince Charles admitted having an affair with Camilla Parker Bowles on national television The siblings had been out for lunch that Saturday at Dianas favourite restaurant, San Lorenzo, and were meandering back towards Kensington Palace, when they decided to do some shopping. That shopping trip led to the creation of one of the most talked-about dresses in history: the black silk crepe cocktail gown with an asymmetric ruched bodice and side sash, which Diana wore on 29 June 1994, the night that Prince Charles admitted having an affair with Camilla Parker Bowles on national television. Combining the dress with her favourite sapphire, pearl and diamond choker, which matched her engagement ring, and scarlet nails, Diana stepped out at a Vanity Fair dinner at the Serpentine Gallery in Londons Hyde Park. Her gown was christened by the American press the Revenge Dress. The Telegraph newspaper dubbed it the piece de resistance, describing it as the brave, wicked, historic little Serpentine Cocktail, possibly the most strategic dress ever worn by a woman in modern times. The 900 dress went under the hammer at Christies four years later and was bought for 44,511 by Scotsman Graeme Mackenzie and his wife Briege, who owned the Body Shop franchise in Scotland. They exhibited it to raise money for Scottish charities. After the princesss death, the couple, from Bridge of Wier in Renfrewshire, wrapped it in tissue paper and put it in a bank vault. It has not been seen since. The Ballerina - last seen Christies, New York This was a favourite of the Princess - and, thanks to the recent sale, is the most expensive of Dianas dresses ever to have sold at auction. But the buyer and its new location are unknown. A stunning evening dress worn by Princess Diana has sold for more than $1.1 million (USD) to set a new record for one of her dresses sold at auction. Dress designer Jacques Azagury with the 'ballerina' dress at a private viewing and reception at Christie's in aid of The Aids Crisis Trust and The Royal Marsden Hospital Cancer Fund Charles and Diana are pictured together in Florence during an official tour of Italy She wore the black ballerina-length evening gown, embroidered with blue stars, to a mayoral dinner at the Palazzo Vecchio, in Florence, Italy, on December 11, 1985. She later wore it for a performance by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra at The Orpheum Theatre, in Vancouver, Canada, on May 5, the following year. It was one of the gowns auctioned by the princess at Christies on June 25, 1997, two months before her death, and was sold to People magazine for 15,910. They donated it to the New York Historical Society in 2015, which has just sold it for 790,000, to an unidentified buyer. Designer Jacques Azagury first met Diana when he was showing his 1985 autumn/winter New Romantics Collection at the Londons Hyde Park Hotel now the Mandarin Oriental. Vogue fashion editor Anna Harvey tapped him on the shoulder and said: Jacques, I would like you to meet somebody. I turned around and there she was straight in front of me, he recalled, which kind of threw me. Then literally we were just talking. She had this magic of making you feel comfortable and at home within seconds. Whilst I was talking to her, she was looking at a dress, which I wasnt aware of. Then, two or three weeks later we got a call from the Palace saying: Princess Diana would like to visit your atelier. Would that be ok? And we were, of course, absolutely delighted. Jacques and his sister Solange were then invited to Kensington Palace to discuss the dress which was made in Jakob Schlaepher fabric. The Engagement Blouse - last seen Julien's Auctions, Los Angeles The phone call from Vogues beauty editor Felicity Clark came on 28 January 1981. She told them she was doing a shoot for the magazine on English Roses and wanted something very romantic for someone very famous. The blouse that was worn by Princess Diana for her official engagement photograph A page from Claudia Joseph's book It was this blouse that was hanging up in our studio when we suddenly received the phone call from Vogue requesting something which had a high neck and was very romantic Hanging in their studio was the perfect garment: a pale pink silk chiffon blouse with a soft floaty collar and pink silk satin bow. They sent it round the corner to Vogue, and photographer Lord Snowdon, then divorced from Princess Margaret, shot Diana in the blouse for the feature on Upcoming Beauties. The engagement was announced on the day of the magazines release and Diana chose the image for her official engagement photograph. In their book A Dress for Diana, David and Elizabeth Emanuel wrote, It was this blouse that was hanging up in our studio when we suddenly received the phone call from Vogue requesting something which had a high neck and was very romantic. It was only later that we discovered that the blouse had been worn by Lady Diana (whose sisters both worked at Vogue). The blouse was sold for 27,500 by Kerry Taylor Auctions on 8 June 2010, to the Museum of Style Icons in Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland. They then sold it at Juliens Auctions on 14 December 2023 for 300,000 to an unknown buyer. Diana: A Life in Dresses by Claudia Joseph is published by ACC Art Books for 40. DIANA'S DRESSES AROUND THE WORLD Fundacion Museo de la Moda, Santiago, Chile The Back to the Future Gown The Bahrain Day Dress The Bahrain Evening Gown The Bangkok Ballgown The Black Ballgown The Blue Velvet Gown The Burgundy Velvet Gown The Cocktail Dress The Cocktail Gown The Crushed Velvet Gown The Debutante Dress The Fairytale Ballgown The French Gown The Grace Kelly Gown The Grey Gown The India Dress The Ivory Gown The Madame Gres Gown The One-Shouldered Gown The Petal Pink Ballet Dress The Ruffled Suit The Scottish Gown The Spencer House Gown The White Lace Gown The White Silk Chiffon Gown The Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, Historic Royal Palaces, London The Black Velvet Ballgown The Braemar Dress The Cherry Blossom Gown The Honeymoon Suit The Liza Minelli Gown The Mermaid Dress The New Zealand Ensemble The Red Suit The Stately Gown The Tartan Suit The Travolta Gown The Tuxedo Dress The Victoria & Albert Museum, London, England The Elvis Dress The Princess Diana Museum, Los Angeles The Black Polka Dot Number The Burgundy Dress The Gala Gown The Mint Green Suit The Patrick Demarchelier Gown The Peach Polka Dot Dress The Pink Suit The Red Coat The Metropolitan Museum, New York The Tulip Gown The Mejiro Fashion & Art College, Tokyo, Japan The Diplomatic Dress The Red Cross Gown The Terence Donovan Gown The Museum of Style Icons, Newbridge, Co Kildare, Ireland The Mughal Dress The Pat Kerr Private Royal Collection, USA The Spanish Dancer Dress A Liberal MP's new wife has walked out on him just two months after their fairytale wedding and amid a party investigation into him bombarding an ex-lover with 'ugly and undignified' text messages. NSW Upper House MP Taylor Martin married his girlfriend Brittany in a luxurious ceremony at Sydney's Grounds of Alexandria in December in front of about 110 guests. But within eight weeks the relationship was over and Brittany and her three-year-old daughter had left the house they had shared with Mr Martin on the state's Central Coast. A source close to the former couple said Brittany is now seeking counselling as the mother-of-one navigates the ugly split. 'I was shocked to hear of the breakdown of the marriage so quickly,' an insider said. 'He was lovely to everyone prior to the wedding, he'd even been on holidays with her family. Daily Mail Australia can reveal NSW Member of the Legislative Council Taylor Martin married his girlfriend Brittany in a luxurious ceremony at the Grounds of Alexandria in December Within eight weeks the honeymoon was over and Brittany and her three-year-old daughter had left the house they shared on the Central Coast 'He looked completely in love with Brittany and so happy... it all turned nasty as soon as they were married.' The wedding came just five months after Mr Martin publicly apologised for past conduct, when his former boss and partner, former federal MP for the Central Coast seat of Robertson Lucy Wicks, lodged a formal complaint within the NSW Liberal Party. She accused him of verbally abusing her over a five year period. Mr Martin publicly apologised for a series of text messages - leaked to media - that he sent Ms Wicks during that period calling her a 'dumb s***' and a 'f***ing pig', and vowed to assist with any investigation into the allegations. He said at the time: 'I was young and inexperienced and I found myself involved in a situation that was way beyond me. There were heated words during my attempts to go separate ways that I sincerely regret. 'It was an ugly and undignified parting of ways.' The relationship between the pair soured in 2019, when Mr Martin was 29 and Ms Wicks was 46. Mr Martin was first employed as a staffer in Ms Wicks' office when he was 24. A source close to the former couple said Brittany is now seeking counselling as the mother-of-one navigates the ugly split The wedding came just five months after Mr Martin publicly apologised for past conduct, after his former boss and partner Lucy Wicks lodged a formal complaint accusing him of 'five years of abuse' Daily Mail Australia has been told that the Liberal Party investigation - which was launched eight months ago - is still ongoing, and has been referred to external investigators. Mr Martin remains in Parliament but is no longer sitting in the Liberal partyroom while the matter is dealt with. State Opposition Leader Mark Speakman previously said he would not speculate on the young MP's future until that investigation is concluded. The 32-year-old MP still has pictures from his wedding available on his private social media pages. It is understood he hasn't informed colleagues of the split. 'They only got married recently,' one colleague said, adding they were 'shocked' to hear the relationship was all over. Mr Martin has been vocal in parliament recent months. In late November, he campaigned for the introduction of 'no-contact orders' as an alternative to apprehended violence orders. Mr Martin publicly apologised for a series of text messages he sent Ms Wicks during that period calling her a 'dumb s***' and a 'f***ing pig', and vowed to assist with any investigation into the allegations 'I believe the time has come to look at making an option available to people which sits below the seriousness of an apprehended violence order [AVO],' he said at the time. 'It is clear that there are people in our community who are not safe to be around once an intimate relationship is brought to an end. READ MORE: MP Taylor Martin speaks about breakdown of his secret relationship Mr Martin publicly apologised for a series of text messages he sent Ms Wicks Advertisement 'A less serious course of action than an AVO, a nocontact order would be a first port of call that people could easily avail themselves of to serve as formal notice to the other party that the next step will be an AVO should they breach the nocontact order. 'I can tell you from experience that applying for an AVO is not a matter to be taken lightly. It is an extremely confronting and triggering experience.' When Mr Martin made his inaugural parliamentary speech back in 2017, he spoke out against both bullying and domestic violence, explaining how his upbringing was shaped by his own experiences of being picked on in the playground. 'Domestic violence hits a nerve with just about everyone in our state,' he said. 'As we are seeing reported incidents on the rise and more and more people taking a stand, I am certain every family has at least one story to tell close to home. 'I know I do amongst my friends and family. I will be an advocate amongst young men. 'We need to ensure that young boys who will become young men get the mentoring needed to teach and emphasise the value of respect in all relationships even if indeed especially when it is not modelled in their home.' Three senior pastors of a Hillsong-style megachurch have been forced to step down after a cheating scandal was exposed to the entire congregation, Daily Mail Australia can reveal. Former policeman Corey Turner, his wife Simone, and Stacey Hilliar - a married mum and self-described prophet - were leaders of Neuma church, a Pentecostal revival congregation based in Melbourne, until they all abruptly resigned in February. The church board sent an email to the congregation on February 3 saying that the leadership changes were due to health issues and 'unforeseen circumstances'. On February 23, Mr Turner confessed to an affair in a statement to his 28,000 Instagram followers, saying he entered a 'fog of deception' because his soul was tired. 'It's important that I publicly confess that the recent allegation towards me of my engagement in a morally inappropriate relationship is regrettably true,' he wrote. The statement prompted his teenage son Zack to pledge his support to his father, saying: 'Proud of you Dad!' Mr Turner did not name his lover in the statement. Ms Hilliar and Ms Turner have remained silent since the scandal was exposed. Corey and Simone Turner (pictured together) resigned as senior pastors of Neuma church Stacey Hilliar (pictured) also resigned as senior pastor and prophetic pillar of Neuma Pictured, left to right: Stacey Hilliar, Simone Turner, and Corey Turner Neuma has 12 branches in Australia, Thailand and the US, and sermons delivered in large concert-style venues have been known to spark the faithful into frenzied scenes of moaning, crying and praying on the floor. According to the email to members, the board was alerted to the affair via an anonymous complaint. The leaders resigned when confronted. How long the infidelity had been going on remains undisclosed. Mr Turner and Ms Hilliar went to Europe together, along with other church staff, in October 2023. In his statement, Mr Turner said: 'Towards the end of 2023 I didn't sufficiently guard my heart, reach out for help from trusted spiritual fathers, take decisive action or get the necessary rest I needed from the compounding levels of fatigue in my own soul.' 'In a fog of deception that clouded my emotions and judgement I sinned and compromised my relationship with god, my marriage covenant, my character and my calling to ministry.' Mr Turner said he was grateful for his family, and his wife in particular, 'who have faithfully stood by me and embraced me in my weakness'. A churchgoer responded to his son Zack's supportive comment, saying: 'This is [probably] the most special thing I've read in a long time.' Corey and Simone Turner are pictured, left and right, with former Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his wife, Jenny, in 2019 Stacey Hilliar is pictured preaching during a service at Pentecostal church, Neuma Stacey Hilliar is pictured with her husband Jai. They have four children together Others issued sincere messages of support, with another saying: 'A dad who is transparent and faces up to failures is definitely a dad to be proud of.' In the statement, Mr Turner went on to explain that he and his wife were committed to repairing their marriage. Within weeks of the scandal being exposed, Mr Turner shared photos and videos of himself with his wife and three children enjoying time together and going on holidays. Ms Hilliar, who is married with four children, has remained silent since the scandal was revealed. She was on the executive team of the church, like Mr and Mrs Turner, but also described herself as a 'prophetic pillar' who had heard the 'voice of God' from the age of nine. While being interviewed on a podcast called God Conversations, Ms Hilliar said: 'I grew up with the voice of God being very familiar to me, it being very normal for me to talk to mum and dad about my dreams and what I felt like the lord was saying.' She ran an online training course for those wanting to 'increase their prophetic gifting', but her website appears to have been removed within the past few weeks. Mr Turner and Ms Hilliar have praised each other on social media a number of times. Corey and Simone Turner have three children (pictured together). Zack Turner, far right, supported his father after the cheating scandal Stacey Hilliar is pictured with her four children. They are based in Melbourne In 2020, Mr Turner said she was a 'firebrand woman of God' and 'one of the best preachers you'll ever hear'. In 2015, Ms Hilliar said he had 'such a strong anointing on his life'. The email from the Neuma church board to members in February read: 'The board received a complaint from a member of the church, alleging that Pastor Corey Turner was in an inappropriate relationship.' 'The allegation was put to both pastors and communicated to Australian Christian Churches ... Both pastors were immediately stood down by the board, pending an internal investigation.' 'Understandably, both pastors were under significant stress, and the board had concerns about their health and wellbeing, as well as that of their families.' The church will not proceed with an internal investigation because all parties involved have resigned. However, the Australian Christian Churches - a network of Pentecostal churches - will continue to look into the matter. Daily Mail Australia contacted Mr Turner, Ms Hilliar, and Neuma church for comment but did not receive a response. As one of the most popular resort towns in the North-East, Scarborough is the place to go for a cheap seaside break. But for Britain's top spies during the Cuban Missile Crisis, it became one of the most important places in the world. For it was from there in 1962 that sleuths working for GCHQ monitored Soviet shipping as the world scrambled to avoid a nuclear war. At 110 years old, GCHQ Scarborough is the longest continuous serving site for signals intelligence in the world. The spy agency boasted of this fact on X last week. At 110 years old, GCHQ Scarborough is the longest continuous serving site for signals intelligence in the world. The spy agency boasted of this fact on X last week GCHQ Scarborough in the 1970s. During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, it became essential to know where Soviet ships were. The job fell to the GCHQ base in Scarborough The crisis in Cuba began when it emerged that the USSR was secretly shipping nuclear missiles to Cuba, which is just 90 miles from the US. Instead of invading the island, US president John F Kennedy blockaded it to prevent more of the deadly deliveries. However, it became essential to know the position of the Soviet ships that were on their way to beat the blockade. This job fell to the GCHQ base in Scarborough. Its operators were the first to report that one ship, the Kislovodsk, turned back to the USSR on October 24. The file was sent straight to the White House's 'situation room', assuring US officials that the missile crisis would not escalate. Details of the base's involvement were revealed in 2019 after the declassification of the secret report 'Soviet Merchant Ship Changes Course'. GCHQ Scarborough grew out of the Royal Navy's Wireless Telegraphy station, which was set up in the area in 1912. The crisis in Cuba began when it emerged that the USSR was secretly shipping nuclear missiles to Cuba, which is just 90 miles from the US. Above: A P2V Neptune US patrol plane flying over a Soviet freighter during the crisis Instead of invading the island, US president John F Kennedy blockaded it to prevent more of the deadly deliveries GCHQ: Britain's secretive spy agency GCHQ was set up on November 1 1919 as a peacetime 'cryptanalytic' unit made up from staff from the Admiralty's Room 40 and the War Office's MI1(b). During the Second World War, personnel moved to Bletchley Park where they decrypted German messages, most famously by breaking the Enigma code. The agency's best-known former member of staff is Alan Turing, the wartime code-breaker and pioneer of computer science who had a 'fearless approach to daunting problems'. In the early 1950s, the service moved its headquarters from the London suburbs of Eastcote to Cheltenham but it also moved to other offices in the centre of the capital to keep a base for handling secret paperwork. Its existence was not publicly acknowledged until 1983. Working alongside MI5 and MI6, over the years GCHQ has looked to tackle serious cyber, terrorist, criminal, and state threats and attacks. It provides signals intelligence (Sigint) to both the Government and the armed forces. Advertisement Since 1914, it has conducted signals intelligence (Sigint). It relocated to its present site in 1943. During the First World War, the station's role was to monitor the German fleet, which was launching attacks on the east coast of England. After the war came to an end in 1918, Scarborough's mission was expanded to include diplomatic communications. GCHQ was set up on November 1 1919 as a peacetime 'cryptanalytic' unit made up from staff from the Admiralty's Room 40 and the War Office's MI1(b). During the Second World War, which began in 1939, the Scarborough base - known as the Admiralty Civilian Shore Wireless Service (ACSWS) - worked to intercept German naval and air communications. Among those who served there were members of the Women's Royal Naval Service. In May 1941, the Scarborough station played a key role in the hunt for the German battleship Bismarck, which was subsequently destroyed by the Royal Navy. When the base moved in 1943, a half-buried bomb-proof bunker that was covered in hundreds of tons of earth served as the main building. The working conditions were difficult, with staff having to contend with a lack of space and the seepage of rainwater. After the defeat of Nazi Germany, Scarborough turned its attentions to intercepting Russian naval traffic. The station was transferred to GCHQ - which is the abbreviation for Government Communications Headquarters - in 1965. Work on the current building began in 1972 and by 1974 all operations had transferred from the original bunker. The Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 brought the world as close as it has ever been to nuclear war. Pictured: San Cristobal base in Cuba, January 1963 After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the need for interception of other states' communications was reduced and so the operations at Cheadle in Greater Manchester and Culmhead in Somerset were transferred to the Scarborough base. Current GCHQ stations are also exist in London, Manchester, Lincolnshire and North Yorkshire. Its headquarters is at Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. The base is known for its distinctive shape, hence its 'dougnut' nickname. Former special counsel Robert Hur is giving high-stakes testimony on Capitol Hill on Tuesday on his devastating classified documents report that painted President Joe Biden as 'elderly' and 'forgetful' and with 'diminished faculties'. Hur was appointed special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland in January 2022 to investigate the president's handling of classified files based on a range of areas including Afghanistan. Hur left the Justice Department on Monday and will testify as a private citizen, DailyMail.com has confirmed. After a year of silence he released the explosive report that drew questions about his decision not to prosecute the president, Biden's cognitive fitness for office and how the commander-in-chief 'wilfully' retained the documents. Special counsel Robert Hur will give his high-stakes testimony on Capitol Hill on Tuesday after his bombshell report that painted President Biden as 'elderly' and 'forgetful' In interviews with investigators, Biden became muddled about the dates he was vice president and could not even remember the year in which his son Beau died. And it said his cavalier attitude to classified documents, such as his habit of reading sensitive files to a ghostwriter, posed a significant national security risk. One of the reasons they decided not to press charges was because 'at trial, Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory'. Now the Judiciary Committee will try to get clarity on his 338-page report, and Hur is set to double down on his criticism of Biden's memory, according to the opening statement obtained by DailyMail.com. According to transcripts of Hur's interviews with Biden on October 8 and October 9, 2023, Biden's lawyer had to tell him what year his son Beau died of brain cancer and the president joked about the special counsel finding pictures of his wife in a swimsuit. 'What month did Beau die?' Biden mused at one point, adding, 'Oh God, May 30th.' A White House lawyer then chimed in with the year, 2015. 'Was it 2015 he died?' Biden asked. After the DOJ had searched his garage and office for classified documents, Biden joked to Hur: 'You left everything in place. I just hope you didn't find any risque pictures of my wife in a bathing suit. Which you probably did. She' s beautiful.' According to his opening statement, Hur will argue: 'I understood that my explanation about this case had to include rigorous, detailed, and thorough analysis. 'In other words, I needed to show my work,' he will say. 'I knew that for my decision to be credible, I could not simply announce that I recommended no criminal charges and leave it at that. I needed to explain why.' Hur will add that he had to call Biden's memory into question and could not make a charging decision without assessing the 'President's state of mind'. 'For that reason, I had to consider the President's memory and overall mental state, and how a jury likely would perceive his memory and mental state in a criminal trial,' he'll say. 'Because these issues were important to my ultimate decision, I had to include a discussion of them in my report. Hur is set to double down on his criticism of Biden's memory, according to the opening statement obtained by DailyMail.com 'I did not sanitize my explanation. Nor did I disparage the President unfairly. 'I explained to the Attorney General my decision and the reasons for it. That's what I was required to do'. A source familiar with the planned questioning told DailyMail.com it will likely be '80/20 focused on the merits of the decision not to charge' the president for mishandling documents. House Republicans have demanded the Department of Justice (DOJ) turn over all transcripts and audio related to an interview Hur did with the president in his probe of Biden's handling of classified documents, but so far they've been unsatisfied with what the department has handed over. Hur's report, summarizing his probe of Biden's mishandling of classified documents, contains a multitude of examples of Biden's 'hazy' memory, including one point where Biden appeared to forget when his son Beau died. Hur insisted that Biden was not fit for prosecution over his mishandling of documents because he was a 'well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.' The special counsel noted Biden had 'diminished faculties' and at points 'did not remember when he was vice president.' The box circled in the foreground contained documents about Afghanistan. The picture was taken in December 2022 in Biden's garage, with other household items President Joe Biden will not be criminally charged with stashing classified documents in his garage and private office Republicans jumped on the material, saying it proves Biden isn't fit to run the country. One particularly damaging passage that Hur included said: 'In his interview with our office, Mr. Biden's memory was worse. He did not remember when he was vice president, forgetting on the first day of the interview when his term ended ('if it was 2013 - when did I stop being Vice President?'), and forgetting on the second day of the interview when his term began ('in 2009, am I still Vice President?'),' according to the report. 'He did not remember, even within several years, when his son Beau died. And his memory appeared hazy when describing the Afghanistan debate that was once so important to him.' Biden erupted at that passage in a defiant press conference where he said his memory is 'fine.' The report is crammed with pictures of documents recovered from Biden's home or an office he used when he was vice president The report details lapses in Biden's memory, both in conversations with his ghostwriter and with investigators. The conclusion is that jurors may have though he made an innocent mistake 'There's even reference that I don't remember when my son died. How in the hell dare he raise that? I don't need anyone, I don't need anyone, to remind me of when he passed away,' the president told reporters. 'Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself, wasn't any of their damned business.' He also said reports about his 'willful' retention of documents were 'misleading.' At one point he yelled: 'I did not share classified information! I did not!' Biden then took a question about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. In doing so he botched the identification of a world leader, calling Egypt's Abdel Fattah El-Sisi the President of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. He said: 'I think as you know initially, the president of Mexico, El-Sisi, did not want to open up the gate to humanitarian material to get in. I talked to him. I convinced him to open the gate.' The president went on to blame his staff for sensitive documents from his time as vice president being found at his home, garage and office. He blamed subordinates for some of the decisions that got him in trouble and precipitated the year-long probe that is already providing fodder for President Donald Trump's campaign. 'I take responsibility for not having seen exactly what my staff was doing,' he said. Malcolm Craig Brown, 53, and Donna Conneely, 59, were identified Monday as the victims of a The two people who were brutally murdered before having their remains butchered and scattered in a public park for children to find have been identified. Police and family identified the victims as Malcolm Craig Brown, 53, and Donna Conneely, 59, on Monday. The details emerged on the same day two of the people accused in their heinous case, Steven Brown, 44, Malcom's cousin, and Amanda Wallace, 40, appeared in Central Islip Court. Distraught family members watched their bail hearing, with one yelling out 'how could you?' and another telling the suspects 'do the right thing.' Jeffrey Mackey, 38, and Alexis Nieves, 33, were all also arrested in connection to the case last week. Mackey and Neives were in court on Friday, and on Monday the other two suspects were in court. All four have been released back on the streets thanks to the state's 'no bail' laws. Suspects facing charges relating to mutilation and disposal of murdered corpses are no longer eligible for bail after New York reformed its bail laws in 2019. Malcolm Craig Brown, 53, and Donna Conneely, 59, were murdered before having their remains butchered and scattered in Babylon park, NY Steven Brown, 44, and Amanda Wallace, 40, were in court on Monday after being arrested in connection to the dismembered remains of two victims The victims were brutally murdered before having their remains butchered have been identified s as Malcolm Craig Brown, 53, and Donna Conneely, 59 Watching the suspects walk from the courthouse left the victims' families seething as they said it was 'absurd' they could be free again. Three of Brown's family members sat in the courtroom visibly distraught over the release of the suspects. Brown sister, Coreen Bullock, yelled out at the suspects, 'how could you?' in the courtroom, as his brother shook his head in fury whispering, 'it's ridiculous.' When it was Wallace's turn to walk up to the bench, Bullock sneered at her in detest. After the hearing, Williams was heard in the corridor saying aloud 'do the right thing!' Bullock wept inconsolably and was comforted by her brother who hugged her, as another family member stood by. Bullock said all he wanted was justice. 'This whole bail reform law something has to change. Two people were murdered. One of them was my brother. My little brother, Malcolm Craig Brown,' Bullock said. 'There's no words.' 'It's absurd that four people can murder two people and just get to walk out like that.' When Williams was asked what 'do the right thing' meant, he responded: 'The right thing? Whatever it is for Steven to do. And he knows what he needs to do. 'We have parents. We've lost a brother. Steven Brown is our cousin. And our parents and his mom, my aunt, they're home. 'They're suffering, they're hurting. And he has nothing to say. He's got to do something. He's got to tell it good or bad or otherwise. He's got to tell his story so we can move on.' They said they do not know Conneely. Police later uncovered more body parts including two severed heads in the same park along with nearby Bethpage State Park and West Babylon woodland The suspects were apprehended Tuesday after a girl stumbled upon a heavily tattooed human arm in Babylon park on her way to school the week before Fellow suspects Jeffrey Mackey, 38, and Alexis Nieves, 33, were seen walking out of Suffolk County Criminal Court freely on Friday with huge grins on their faces Williams lives in Southern California and hasn't seen his brother in about seven years, last speaking to him two years ago. 'To have to come home and deal with this this is not good,' he said. His sister added: 'He was our baby brother. He was not perfect, but nobody deserves murder like this. And his cousin has something to do with it.' Bullock said she didn't believe her brother was in a love triangle, which some had speculated was a motive for the murder. She said that she has 'no clue' who Conneely was. 'This is such a heinous crime. Our mothers, our families, everybody's up in arms over this.' She also said suspect Steven Brown was her cousin. 'We were all raised together. We're a family. Or at least I thought we were a family. We are just looking for answers,' Bullock said. When asked if she felt that Brown, her cousin seemed remorseful when she looked at him, Bullock said: 'No. I just felt like he looked right through me' An emotional Williams he thought or Brown's mother when he saw his cousin in court today. 'His mom went through my mind,' Williams said. 'I love her to death and I will probably be seeing her today and give her all the hugs I can. This is family.' His sister added: 'This is such a heinous crime.' Members of the Brown family embrace after a court hearing for Steven Brown and Wallace. Both suspects were freed on bond just like Mackey and Nieves Members of the Brown family leave after a court hearing. Watching the suspects walk from the courthouse left the victims' families seething as they said it was 'absurd' they could just be let free again. Malcolm Brown's brother Charles Williams was in court and told the suspects 'do the right thing' 'We want some time. And I just don't want to share anything right now,' Williams said. 'I have my mom to think about, the rest of the family. And when I say both sides, I don't mean to separate it. We're one family. And I just need to get back and see my mom. And she couldn't make it today. 'She wasn't up to it. And I know my aunt probably wasn't up to it either. So I'll be seeing her shortly.' Brown and Wallace are due back in court on Tuesday March 19th and Mackay and Nieves on Monday, March 18th. Bullock said she will be at 'every single' court hearing as she wept. Brown and Wallace conditions remain the same as the other two suspects, including GPS ankle monitoring. Ira Weismann, Brown's attorney told DailyMail.com that we are just getting started getting started on the case. 'Steven Brown did not kill anybody,' his lawyer said before walking away. A half-finished meal, empty vodka bottle and open carton of juice sit on a table inside a house on Amityville, New York, that was raided Monday in connection with the discovery of two dismembered bodies A broken door was visible at the Amityville property which was raided by police on Monday The victims' remains were found after a girl stumbled upon a heavily tattooed human arm in a Babylon park on her way to school the week before. Following the first horrific discovery, police uncovered more body parts including two severed heads in the same park along with nearby Bethpage State Park and West Babylon woodland. Several distinct tattoos were found on an arm at the scene. Along with the gruesome assortment of body parts, 'sharp instruments and other related items' were uncovered at their home on Railroad Avenue in Amityville, according to the charge sheet. The home was described as 'uninhabitable' in court Wednesday, as prosecutors claimed the four had broken the plumbing by attempting to conceal the corpses by flushing body parts away, according to the NYPost. Mackey, Brown and Wallace lived in the home, while Nieves is registered in court documents as homeless. To Westminster Abbey a co-conspirator in one of the most celebrated cases of royal photographic trickery of all time. (Keep it under your hat, but Cecil Beatons official 1953 Coronation portrait of Elizabeth II was actually taken at home with a fake Abbey backdrop.) Happily, there was no artifice to be found here at yesterdays Commonwealth Day service. While much of the world was debating the ethics of doctoring a snap of a childs pullover, the entire operational capacity of the Royal Family was used to produce an old-fashioned show of strength in front of the BBC cameras. Queen Camilla receives a bunch of flowers from a schoolgirl at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey yesterday The unspoken message was authentic enough: we may be more slimmed-down than ever but we are going to get on with the job. Led by Queen Camilla, accompanied by the Prince of Wales, the Edinburghs, the Princess Royal, the Gloucesters and the Duke of Kent, they were the supporting act. It was left to the absent King to do the talking. He insisted on recording his message for the service on camera, aware it would be examined in forensic detail for every indication of his state of health. The late Queen sometimes recorded an audio version or even, on occasion, consigned her Commonwealth Day thoughts to a written statement. READ MORE: Queen Camilla dons an elegant black dress as she arrives at Marlborough House to continue Commonwealth Day celebrations at a reception Advertisement Knowing this would cause even more disquiet than a full-frontal video appearance, the King did what the Waleses have not done so far. He bit the bullet. Here was his first public address since his cancer diagnosis nearly two months ago. To my untrained eye, he looked exactly as he did in his last speech to the nation, on Christmas Day. Readers can call up videos of both online and take me to task. Perhaps the eyes were a tad rheumy this time, the voice thinner though that could be because he was recording the latest broadcast in the White Drawing Room at Windsor, a larger space than the Centre Room at Buckingham Palace, the scene of his Christmas message. Back then, he stood up. This time, he was behind a desk. The words were generally upbeat and forward-looking, with the emphasis on the Commonwealth as a network rather than a political talking shop. He spoke of the self-help groups and associations spanning everything from accountancy to trade. It was telling that he opened by reflecting on three Commonwealth anniversaries half-centuries of independence for the Bahamas, Grenada and Papua New Guinea. All three are also Commonwealth realms where he is head of state. In other words, republicanism could become an issue there, just as a vocal minority seeks to make it one here. Pressure group, Republic, mounted its first protest of 2024 outside the Abbey yesterday. Their Not My King banners were hardly going to work so they had a batch of new posters reading: Down With The Crown. Even so, it seemed a little pointless to spend all afternoon railing against a sovereign who wasnt there. The Prince of Wales was also in attendance at the ceremony... ... and spoke to members of the Westminster Abbey choir as he left the service All the recent royal troubles meant that it was a less awkward day than it might have been for one guest. Ex-Spice Girl Geri Horner has long been an ambassador for the worlds oldest school writing contest, the Commonwealth Essay Competition, and always attends this event. She has had her own family dramas of late. Yet she still kept her appointment. Good for her. The King also used his video to make a clear reference to the ongoing debate in several Caribbean Commonwealth nations that are seeking reparations from the British Government over slavery, arguing it continues to cause grave economic problems. We must work together to understand each others perspectives, including the inequalities and injustices which still resonate to this day, the King observed. We must find ways of healing, and to support each other to pursue solutions. Charles addressed the service remotely as he continues to recover from his cancer diagnosis At the Palace it has not gone unnoticed that last months meeting of Caricom, the association of nations, wants to put reparations on the agenda at this autumns Commonwealth summit in Samoa. It will not have been overlooked, either, by the Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron, who was in the VIP seats yesterday. So was Labours Deputy Leader Angela Rayner. If her party is in power by then, it will be interesting to see how it handles the current Caribbean calculation of Britains obligations: $24trillion (19trillion). If the King cannot make the big summit, the expectation is that the Prince of Wales will need to be there. The Prince had much to cheer during yesterdays service. One of the main speakers was the boss of Notpla, the brilliant British start-up that has found a way of making packaging from seaweed. In 2022, it won the Princes Earthshot Prize, the 1million annual eco award. At the end of yesterdays service, he looked thrilled to be reunited with Notpla on the way out. Turning seaweed into plastic might sound like a sorcerers trick. In fact, it turns out to be rather more plausible than his attempt at a happy family snap. Wildflowers surrounding a burial site at Eloise Woods Natural Burial Park which is located at 115 Northside Lane, Cedar Creek, TX, near Austin, and has been operating at the forefront of the 'green burial' sector for almost 15 years. Courtesy Eloise Woods A nature preserve near Houston is offering a return to traditional burials without costly caskets, embalming, and grave liners, to reduce our carbon footprint and restore one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world. Nature's Burial is a project initiated by the Coastal Prairie Conservancy, previously known as the Katy Prairie Conservancy. This will be Texas' first certified conservation cemeteryone of only a few in the country certified by the Green Burial Counciland will be open for interment this summer. The project aims to conserve and revive the tallgrass prairie in Houston's backyard. "We're working on the biodiversity so that we will have native grasses and native wildflowers that can be used for pollinator habitats and both grassland and wetlands birds," said Vice President and General Council Elisa Macia Donovan."It will be a nature sanctuary which also happens to be some place where burials will take place." Advertisement Article continues below this ad A natural body burial would entail lowering corpses into the ground without toxic chemicals used in embalming and in biodegradable containers, like a pine box, a shroud made only of natural fibers, or a wicker casket. Donovan and Stewardship Outreach Director Bethany Foshee say that the designation as conservation land will allow the land to stay protected and undeveloped, allowing nature to flourish and the habitat to heal. "The whole goal is to respect nature, it really is dust to dust, back to the earth when we pass," Foshee said. The conservancy has protected over 30,000 acres of coastal prairies. Roughly 18,000 of these acres come from the Katy Prairie, while the remaining land is from other nearby coastal prairies. The protection efforts have been carried out through a combination of land purchase and conservation easements. The easements ensure that the land remains in the hands of its owners while guaranteeing the natural environment will be protected. The cemetery in Katy Prairie won't have traditional headstones. The graves will be marked via GPS instead. Gravesites will be covered with native wildflowers, grasses, and trees planted, protected, and maintained forever. Additionally, natural paths will be added so visitors can walk through the area and use the trails as a peaceful way to connect with nature. A gathering space will also be available for services and other community programs. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Waller County, northwest of Houston, was historically known for its agricultural and manufacturing work but has recently transformed into an urban area. The population has grown to almost 60,000 residents at an average of 2.9 percent each year from 2010 to 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. With the rapid growth of suburbs near Houston, the Waller County Economic Development Partnership predicts that the county's population will double over the next 10 years. Right now, there are approximately 24 new residential subdivisions in development and about 30,000 new planned homes in Waller County, per data from the Greater Houston Partnership. The growth of green burials isn't exactly a new thing, but it is catching on quickly in Texas. Already there are about five or six other privately-owned cemeteries that offer similar green burials in the state. "We've been getting more calls from around the state and also around the country from people who are interested in green burials," said Eloise Woods Natural Burial Park caretaker Campbell Ringel, she's a natural burialist operating just outside Austin. The under 10-acre cemetery began operation almost 15 years ago, with its first natural burial in 2010. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "(Green burials are) becoming more common and more accepting, part of it is being more comfortable talking about end-of-life decisions and learning that there are more options out there," she added. According to the Green Burial Council, there were 333 certified providers across the U.S. in 2022 that offered different alternatives to conventional burials and cemetery practices, and that number is only growing. Switching to green burials is often motivated by the large carbon footprint emitted by conventional burials. On average that's about 250 pounds of carbon. A natural burial sequesters 25 pounds of carbon, according to the Green Burial Council. Although Nature's Burial's first phase will start with fewer than 10 acres, for mostly natural burials and the burial of cremated remains, its website says, it will provide 8,000 natural burial plots, restoring 250 acres of prairie and sequestering a total of 864,000 pounds of carbon, an equivalent to taking 313 vehicles off the road for one year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Aussies have been warned to brace for heavy rain, floods, a heatwave and two possible cyclones in the next week. A low intensity heatwave will affect parts of New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia and Victoria on Tuesday but is expected to moderate towards the end of the week. Meanwhile, parts of Western Australia are preparing for severe weather ahead of a potential cyclone later this week. A tropical low currently south of Christmas Island is forecast to approach the WA mainland later in the week and will possibly develop into a tropical cyclone. Residents in the Northern Territory's Top End, including Darwin, and northern Queensland will also experience monsoon conditions and are also warned about a possible cyclone forming in the coming days. The tropical low, 09U, has a low risk of forming into a tropical cyclone for the Timor Sea or Gulf of Carpentaria later this week. A low intensity heatwave will affect parts of New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia and Victoria on Tuesday but moderate towards the end of the week Sydney Patchy fog over Sydney on Tuesday morning is forecast to clear to a sunny day with light winds picking up to 20km/h in the late afternoon before easing again in the evening. Wednesday and Thursday are looking slightly cloudy ahead of showers on Friday which are expected to persist into next week. Temperatures in Sydney are set to cool from Friday. A top of 31C is forecast for Tuesday, followed by 28C on Wednesday and 31C on Thursday. The maximum temperature is then expected to drop to 24C on Friday and stay in the mid-20Cs through the weekend. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Meteorology has issued a hazardous surf warning for the Byron coast in the north-east of NSW. 'People should consider staying out of the water and avoid walking near surf-exposed areas,' it warned. A minor flood warning is still current for Willara Crossing on the Paroo River, in the state's central north, following heavy rainfall in Queensland over the last month. Brisbane Partially cloudy skies over Brisbane may develop into showers on Tuesday. Wind speeds in the city are expected to reach up to 30km/h in the morning and become light in the evening. Partially cloudy conditions are forecast to remain for most of the week until the sky clears for a sunny Friday. However, the sunshine could be short-lived with a medium chance of showers on Saturday and Sunday. High temperatures in the city are forecast to stay in the high 20Cs and low 30Cs. Several flood warnings are still current throughout Queensland. Moderate flood warnings are in place for Eyre Creek, the Diamantina River and Tully River. Sydney's outlook for Wednesday and Thursday is looking slightly cloudy ahead of showers on Friday Minor flood warnings were issued for the Georgina River, Norman River and Paroo rivers. The bureau has also issued a hazardous surf warning for the K'gari, Sunshine and Gold Coasts. Melbourne A severe to extreme heatwave affecting Victoria is set to ease from the south-west with a cooler change developing early on Tuesday. Cloudy and windy conditions are forecast for Melbourne on Tuesday with wind speeds expected to reach up to 25km/h. Temperatures in the city are set to drop from Wednesday with a top of 25C dropping to 20C. The cooler change is forecast to extend throughout the state during Wednesday, with the chance of showers that day and Thursday. Thursday will also be cooler with a high of 21C before warmer temperatures are expected to return in the city. Canberra Tuesday is looking mostly sunny with a top of 33C and northwesterly winds reaching 20km/h before becoming light in the middle of the day and picking up to 25km/h in the evening. More clouds are forecast over the city on Wednesday ahead of showers on Thursday and Friday. Partially cloudy conditions are expected on Saturday and Sunday with a slight chance of showers. A severe to extreme heatwave affecting Victoria is set to ease from the south-west with a cooler change developing early on Tuesday READ MORE: Tragic fire at Brisbane retirement village claims life of 83-year-old man Advertisement Perth Weatherzone meteorologist Ashleigh Lange warned 'the tropics will awaken across northern Australia this week'. Huge rainfall, thunderstorms, tropical lows and a potential tropical cyclone could all affect WA in the coming days. Tropical low 08U is passing south of Christmas Island and heading towards WA at 24km/h. 'Strong to gale force winds are likely at Christmas Island today as a tropical low passes to the south,' the bureau warned. The tropical low is forecast to approach the WA mainland later in the week. 'If the low develops into a tropical cyclone, this will be the fifth named tropical cyclone this season,' Ms Lange said. 'While this low should pass well to the south of Christmas Island, gales could impact the Island at times on Tuesday.' The cyclone will likely remain offshore but could impact the Pilbara coast on the weekend. A severe weather warning has been issued for parts of Goldfields, Eucla and South Interior districts on Tuesday. The bureau warned a near-stationary trough is expected to cause heavy rainfall and 'dangerous and life-threatening' flash flooding. 'Six-hourly totals of around 80mm are possible with 24-hour totals of 110 to 130mm,' it said. 'Heavy rainfall is likely to persist with this system through the rest of today and possibly into Wednesday. 'This is not typical weather for southeastern Western Australia.' Locations which may be affected include Carnegie, Cocklebiddy, Eyre and Rawlinna. A flood watch has been issued for the East Kimberly, Salt Lake and Nullarbor District Rivers, Sandy Desert and parts of the Pilbara Coast Rivers. The bureau also warned for minor flooding in the Fitzroy River. Weatherzone meteorologist Ashleigh Lange warned 'the tropics will awaken across northern Australia this week' with heavy rainfall (pictured) forecast Adelaide Adelaide is set for a partially cloudy and hot Tuesday with a top of 34C and winds reaching 30km/h in the middle of the day. Skies over the city are set to grow cloudy on Wednesday ahead of showers on Thursday. High temperatures are forecast to stay in the high 20Cs and low 30Cs through to next week. Hobart Hobart is set to be Australia's coolest city on Tuesday with a top of just 20C. Partially cloudy weather is expected to continue into next week alongside maximum temperatures in the high teens and low 20Cs. The bureau has issued a strong wind warning for Frederick Henry Bay and Norfolk Bay, Storm Bay, Channel, Far North West Coast, East of Flinders Island, Upper East Coast, Lower East Coast, South East Coast and South West Coast. Darwin A second tropical low, 09U, has a low risk of developing into a tropical cyclone for the Timor Sea or Gulf of Carpentaria. The current monsoon is strengthening over waters near the north Australian coast. 'A tropical low may form within the monsoon well to the northwest of the Kimberley Tuesday or Wednesday,' the bureau said. 'If it does form, then 09U is likely to move southeast and cross either the north Kimberley or western Top End coast as a tropical low on Wednesday or Thursday.' There is only a low chance the system could develop into a tropical cyclone before crossing the coast. Darwin has a chance of a thunderstorm on Tuesday with possible heavy falls. Showers are expected to persist until next week as the city's wet season continues. A tropical low, 08U, off the coast of Western Australia is forecast to approach the WA mainland later in the week and develop into a tropical cyclone (pictured, forecast cyclone track map) Several NT regions are facing possible flooding. Minor flooding is likely at the Daly River Police Station from Tuesday morning following 176mm of rain. Moderate flooding as been recorded at Kalkarindji following 113mm in the upper Victoria River. Survivors of a 'cult-like' program for troubled teens have slammed a Mormon camp boss after he denied allegations of abuse at his facilities exposed by a new documentary. Narvin Lichfield was lampooned in the Netflix docuseries 'The Program' as a clownish but menacing figure who profited from the mistreatment of teenagers sent to his camps from 1998 to 2009. The show focuses on the 'dehumanizing' of adolescents sent to The Academy at Ivy Ridge in Ogdensburg, New York, set up by Narvin's older brother, Robert Lichfield. It was part of a sprawling empire of teen 'treatment centers' run by the family, which included two affiliate camps set up in South Carolina and Costa Rica by Narvin. Both have been beset by abuse allegations. Krista Belcher, 35, said she suffered years of abuse at Carolina Springs Academy, a center for troubled teens run by Narvin Lichfield, who features in a recent Netflix documentary Narvin, who has denied the allegations, is depicted as a clownish but menacing figure owing to his cringeworthy dancing and karaoke performances which he displays on social media He set up the Carolina Springs Academy (pictured) in 1998 but it was shut down in 2009 Narvin, 63, who lives in Lehi, Utah , is portrayed as the family's 'weak link' in the documentary, which mocks his propensity for cringeworthy dancing and karaoke nights that he proudly displays on social media. He is described as the 'punchline' to a joke. His own son, Nathaniel, even calls him an 'asshole'. Last week, Narvin, a dedicated member of the Church of the Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon church, denied abuse had taken place at either of his camps and said he had never worked at Ivy Ridge. The camps are not affiliated to the Mormon church itself. In a post on Facebook, where he has changed his name to Marvin, he said his camps did 'only good' for the teens who attended and accused survivors featured on the documentary as having a 'personal vendetta' against him. He even sought to dismiss the testimony of his son by outing his mental health issues. But two women who attended Carolina Springs Academy (CSA), which Narvin set up in 1998, have condemned his rebuttal as 'a lie'. Krista Belcher, who was enrolled at CSA in 2001 aged 12, claimed life there was 'just as bad' as at Ivy Ridge, which has been accused of treating children 'like prisoners'. 'It was horrible,' she said. 'Everything was the same [as at Ivy Ridge]. The rules, corrections, seminars, silence, solitary confinement.' Krista, who now lives in Baltimore, Maryland, said she was stripped of everything she owned upon arrival at the academy, where harsh discipline and codes of silence soon made her suicidal. She claimed she was subjected to what camp leaders called 'observational placement', but effectively amounted to solitary confinement, in which she was made to sit in a 8x8 white wooden box with her hands behind her back. Krista claims she witnessed countless girls be physically restrained by male staff, who prevented any contact with the outside world. The 35-year-old, who now works in marketing, described her three years at the camp as a 'living nightmare' and still struggles with the trauma. She said she was 'not surprised' by Narvin's denial, but added that it was 'extremely validating for all this to finally come out'. Of his portrayal by Netflix, she said: 'I think he looks like an idiot.' Krista, who lives in Baltimore, Maryland, said told DailyMail.com she was 'not surprised' Narvin had denied the allegations against him but was pleased Netflix had portrayed him as an 'idiot' The mother-of-two described her three years at Carolina Springs Academy as a 'living nightmare' and still struggles with the trauma Narvin has changed his Facebook name to Marvin and regularly posts about his activities He enjoys luxury holidays with his wife, Suzette, including a trip to the Dominican Republic Narvin said there had never been a proven case of abuse at either of the two camps he ran But Margaret Padgett, 37, who was enrolled at CSA and Ivy Ridge as a teenager, said it was galling to see Narvin drinking in bars and singing karaoke, 'living his best life'. 'Meanwhile, I'm sitting here still having panic attacks and nightmares, taking medication for PTSD and anxiety, things I did not have prior to the program,' she said, adding that she attempted to take her own life during her 20 months in 'treatment'. It appears Narvin is still in the business. His Facebook profile says he is a consultant for a firm called Teen Recovery, based in Greenville, South Carolina. Krista said it would be 'insane' if he was still in the teen treatment industry. Margaret, however, said Narvin is 'good at making people believe him'. 'I guess he's charismatic,' she added. Narvin's son, Nathaniel, described him in the Netflix documentary as 'a man with two faces'; 'a funny guy' and 'charming person' who had a 'much darker side'. The Lichfield empire was managed by the umbrella group World Wide Association of Speciality Programs (and Schools) WWASP, which had a number of spin-offs across the US and Latin America. The Netflix series focuses on allegations of abuse at Ivy Ridge. Staff there are accused of being on a 'power trip' and unleashing several methods of punishment including 'physical restraints, solitary confinement, food depravation'. The documentary also claimed there were incidents of predatory sexual abuse but that no formal complaints were never filed. In 2005, the school was ordered by the State of New York to pay civil penalties of $250,000 to the Attorney General's office for issuing 113 unauthorized high school diplomas. It was further ordered to make partial refunds to parents, cease issuing diplomas, and stop marketing itself as an accredited school. The Academy applied for permission to issue diplomas but this was denied in 2006 with the New York State Department of Education determining in its rejection letter that it was primarily a behavior-modification facility and not a boarding school. The dire publicity saw enrollment numbers dwindle and The Academy eventually shut down in 2009. Narvin's son, Nathaniel (top right), called him an 'asshole' in the Netflix documentary who profited from the mistreatment of children under his care Narvin's camps were part of a family-run network of teen 'treatment centers' run by his older brother, Robert (second from left), according to the Netflix documentary Robert set up an umbrella group World Wide Association of Speciality Programs (and Schools) WWASP, which had a number of spin-offs across the US and Latin America Former students at a 'therapy camp' for troubled teens have lifted the lid on the heinous abuse they suffered as part of 'cult-like' discipline Netflix's The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping docuseries is set to reveal the harrowing experience of those enrolled in The Academy at Ivy Ridge (pictured) in Ogdensburg, New York Narvin's South Carolina facility was blighted by issues until it had its license revoked in 2009. In 2003, state officials banned him from the center due to allegations of abuse at his Costa Rica camp, Dundee Ranch. Dundee Ranch was shut down by child welfare authorities that year. Narvin was arrested but later cleared of charges against him. He had intended to reopen CSA as a Christian boarding school, but struggled to find investors. Nathaniel told Netflix that the Lichfield family grew up in 'dirt poverty', but that the boarding schools, which charged parents up to $4,000 a month, allowed his father and uncle to live a lavish lifestyle previously unimaginable. 'The programs were a means to an end for him [Narvin],' he said. 'That end being lots and lots of money.' In his response to the Netflix documentary on Facebook, Narvin said he was 'falsely accused' in 2003 and later found innocent over allegations of abuse at his Costa Rica academy. 'To my knowledge, this is the only legal accusation by any student directed against my person,' he said, adding there had never been a proven case of abuse at either of his schools. Narvin said he 'never worked' at Ivy Ridge and had 'nothing to do with its operation'. He added: As far as the Netflix documentary using my own estranged son Nathan, to claim that I somehow abused kids in my care; I would ask the Netflix documentary the following questions did you vet or do any background checks on my son Nathan? Are you aware that he is on full disability for mental health issues?' Almost 100 locals have gathered to finish the run started by mother-of-three Samantha Murphy before she went missing. The 51-year-old vanished without a trace after she left her home at Eureka Street in Ballarat East at about 7am on February 4 for a run in nearby Woowookrung Regional Park. Police have charged 22-year-old Patrick Orren Stephenson, an electrician and son of former AFL player Orren Stephenson, with Ms Murphy's murder. In a touching tribute, Felicity Ryan put out a call on social media on Friday for locals to join her in honouring Ms Murphy by completing her run route. Ms Ryan said she was overwhelmed by the response after expecting only a 'handful' of people to show up for the 7km run at 5.30am on Monday. Ballarat mum-of-three Samantha Murphy was allegedly killed on her run in nearby Woowookrung Regional Park In a touching tribute, almost 100 people gathered together to honour Ms Murphy by finishing her 7km run (pictured, some of the community participants) 'I arrived and there was a handful of people and then the cars just started piling in, piling in,' Ms Ryan told 7News. The group started the morning by observing one minute's silence for Ms Murphy before heading out in the dark on their run around Ocean Grove. 'I've got goosebumps just talking about it now actually, it was just the most heartfelt morning you could imagine,' Ms Ryan said. 'There was lots of hugging. People mentioned that as we were running, they had tears.' Ms Ryan said she hoped the run could become an annual event on February 4 to honour Ms Murphy. Stephenson was arrested on March 6 at a friend's property in Scotsburn, 19km south of Ballarat. Police will allege Stephenson 'deliberately attacked' Ms Murphy in Mount Clear, about 5km from her home, on February 4 after she left her home for a jog. Police charged 22-year-old Patrick Orren Stephenson (pictured, centre, with his mum and dad former AFL player Orren Stephenson) with Ms Murphy's murder Stephenson appeared in court in a bright orange hi-vis worker's jacket on March 7 as he faced charges of murdering Ms Murphy. He was remanded in custody and has repeatedly refused to co-operate with police in their search for Ms Murphy's remains. Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said on March 7 that detectives were doing everything they could to find Ms Murphy's body, which was 'absolutely vital' for her family. It is understood Stephenson was with his long-time girlfriend and their friends out partying in Ballarat the night before Ms Murphy's disappearance. Detectives have seized CCTV from a number of venues as part of the investigation. Victoria Police say they are not seeking anyone else in relation to Ms Murphy's disappearance. A gag order on Stephenson's identity was lifted by a Victorian magistrate on Friday. His case returns to court at a later date. A father-of-two almost lost his arm to a waterborne bacteria which got into his bloodstream during a swim on his annual Christmas getaway. Andrew Emmerig, 48, from Warner in Brisbane, was holidaying on the Sunshine Coast, in south-east Queensland, with his wife and two young sons in December. He was staying at Cotton Tree Caravan Park when he noticed a tiny bump on his right bicep, which within hours flared up into a severe bacterial infection. Mr Emmerig was admitted to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital with 'gastro symptoms', he said, and a stabbing pain in his arm. Andrew Emmerig, 48, from Warner in Brisbane , was holidaying on the Sunshine Coast, in south-east Queensland , with his wife and two young sons in December 'It felt like a fire under my arm especially in the elbow,' he told the Cairns Post. He claimed doctors wanted to send him home with a course of antibiotics before a surgeon stepped in to take a closer look at Mr Emmerig's arm. Mr Emmerig was transferred to ICU and put into a coma during his two weeks in hospital as surgeons battled to save his arm. Specialists diagnosed streptococcus, a painful and rapidly spreading skin infection, which stripped the flesh from his arm to expose the muscle and veins below. Mr Emmerig said his ravaged arm was looked 'disgusting' and admitted the possibility of losing his arm was 'scary'. But after four separate operations on the limb, amputation was finally ruled out. 'I was concerned but they said life is the most important thing... first save my life then we can try to save my arm,' he said. Almost three months and eight surgeries later, he still has no feeling in his arm and years of rehabilitation ahead. Mr Emmerig was transferred to ICU and put into a coma during his two weeks in hospital as surgeons battled to save his arm He said not being able to work has taken a toll on his mental health, but he is thankful to have had access to 'unbelievably good' healthcare. Mr Emmerig said he will never fully regain feeling or full movement, but he is lucky to have survived. 'My blood pressure went to zero twice and I nearly died, it was very serious,' he said. This comes after an Aussie woman was told her leg would need to be amputated, following a swim at another beach on the Sunshine Coast. Celeste Stirrup, 52, was swimming at Bulcock Beach with her granddaughter when she contracted cellulitis through a mosquito bite on her leg. She told Daily Mail Australia that her leg 'looked like a piece of beef hanging up in a butcher' and that the last few months have felt like a 'crazy nightmare'. With the school holidays just around the corner, and thousands expected to flock to Queensland's beaches, Ms Stirrup has issued an urgent warning to anyone going into the water. 'This shouldn't happen to anybody. A lot of people think salt water is healing but if you have a bite or a cut maybe you shouldn't go for a swim, she said. At his worst, Mr Emmerig was transferred to ICU and was even in a coma for a bit Questioning the water quality at some of the most popular beaches in the region, Ms Stirrup is calling for something to be done. If ocean water is caught and pooled and not able to flow in and out, it is called brackish waters and is perfect for bacteria to grow and thrive and it is not good for swimming in, she said. The public needs to be made aware that this is not good water, and there should be a warning sign.' Daily Mail Australia contacted the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation with questions about the water quality at some of the beaches on the Sunshine Coast. A a departmental spokesperson advised said there are currently no specific water quality related investigations being undertaken in these areas. Significant pollution events can be reported to the Department of Environment, Science and Innovations 24/7 pollution hotline on 1300 130 372. Greens leader Adam Bandt has come under fire for racking up an expenses bill of almost $1million a year, including hundreds of thousands on printing and two private jet flights. The anti-fossil fuel campaigner also claimed $12,000 on a taxpayer-provided vehicle and petrol allowance plus $29,000 on government COMCAR trips and taxis, according to figures from the Department of Finance. Despite his strong opposition to CO2 emissions Greens leader Adam Bandt has made use of private jets, parliamentary expenses reveal Despite his party's core policy of cutting C02 emissions Mr Bandt used two private jets during the 2022 election campaign, landing tax payers with the $23,000 bill. One flight was between Queensland regional centres Townsville and Rockhampton on March 7. However, he also took a a $15,000 private plane along the well-travelled Brisbane to Canberra route to attend his party's election campaign launch. During the year Mr Bandt also spent $57,000 for domestic flights on himself and an eye-watering $372,000 in travel expenses for his 21 staff. The $963,166 in expenses racked up by Mr Bandt are on top of his $314,000 salary and do not include the wages of his personal staff. For his personal vehicle use, it is understood Mr Bandt is renting a hybrid model. Independent MP Dai Le questioned why Mr Bandt used private flights on well-serviced commercial routes considering his climate stance. 'I'm shocked by the news of parliamentarians overspending and surprised by the Greens use of chartered flights when they are the party that opposed the use of fossil fuels,' she told the Daily Telegraph. Mr Bandt (pictured left with wife Claudia Perkins in 2022) claims almost a $1million per year Independent MP Dai Le questioned why Mr Bandt was chartering flights of popular commercial routes considering his opposition to fossil fuels 'At the end of the day, how we spend and what we spend on, will be judged by the people when it's time to cast their vote.' Mr Bandt however found a defender in former Labor senator Stephen Conroy. 'To my shock, I'll actually defend Adam Bandt,' Mr Conroy told Sky News. 'The amount of travel and the work expenses, providing they're within - and there's no suggestion from any of these stories, not one single suggestion that anyone has gone outside - the guidelines. 'These are legitimate work expenses. 'A politician's job is to communicate with their constituents Adam Bandt is the leader of a political party, so you'd expect him to be out there up front.' A spokesperson for Mr Bandt defended his expenditure. 'As the leader of the third largest political party in Australia you would expect Mr Bandt would engage in extensive travel and unlike the Prime Minister and many Ministers he doesnt have access to government VIP flights,' the spokesperson said. 'All Mr Bandts expenditures are within entitlements.' Hundreds of criminals including violent offenders will be released from prison under new crisis plans. The emergency measures to free up space in overcrowded jails were announced by Justice Secretary Alex Chalk on Monday night. Inmates serving up to four years will be freed more than a month early increasing to two months early in a planned expansion of the scheme. Without the drastic action, it is thought that jails would run out of space by the end of the month. The first round of releases expected to include burglars, thieves and drug dealers could walk free within days. The Ministry of Justice could not say how many criminals were eligible, but it is thought thousands could be let out early over the coming months. Hundreds of criminals, including violent offenders, will be released from prison in order to free up space under new crisis plans (Stock Image) The End of Custody Supervised Licence (ECSL) scheme applies to prisoners in England and Wales. It was previously used in October during a peak in the jail population, and gave offenders up to 18 days off their sentences. This has now been increased to 35 days but criminals could be released up to 60 days early if the immediate measures fail to empty enough cells. The plan is 'geographically targeted' to free cells in parts of the country where prisons are most overcrowded. Those released will be 'on licence' and may have to wear a tag or observe a curfew. While sex offenders and terrorists will be excluded, lower-level violent criminals will be eligible for release. Violent offences punished with less than four years' imprisonment can include robberies, grievous bodily harm, actual bodily harm and wounding. Low-level drug dealers, including those convicted of selling Class A substances such as heroin, can be freed from jail. Burglary, for which offenders can serve up to six years, also falls under the scheme and thefts such as shoplifting will be eligible. The ECSL scheme was first introduced by former Labour justice secretary Jack Straw in 2007. It saw 80,000 criminals freed up to 18 days early before it was scrapped in the run-up to the 2010 election. At least three murders were committed by freed prisoners during the period they should have been behind bars, according to data gathered at the time by the Conservatives, who were then in opposition. It is thought thousands could be let out under plans unveiled by Justice Secretary Alex Chalk on Monday night The number of inmates in England and Wales on Friday was 88,220 just five below October's all-time record. By comparison, the figure was 44,000 when then Tory home secretary Michael Howard delivered his famous 'prison works' speech championing use of custodial sentences in 1993. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice and Home Office are establishing a new 'taskforce' of 400 civil servants to speed up the deportation of foreign offenders. The threshold for deporting foreign criminals handed a suspended sentence will also be lowered. Currently, those handed up to 12 months' suspended jail time are eligible, but that is set to be halved. Under laws passed in 2022, countries which fail to take back offenders can be penalised, by making it harder for their citizens to obtain visas for travel to Britain. A British expat who was days away from being deported has been thrown a lifeline in her desperate bid to stay in Australia. Jana Padfield arrived Down Under as an 18-year-old backpacker on a one-way ticket in 2013 and has called Airlie Beach in Queensland's Whitsundays region home ever since. After extending her stay through various working holiday, student, and COVID visas, which racked up almost $50,000 in fees, Ms Padfield's options recently ran out. The hospitality manager's only hope was getting one of two skilled residency visas that she expressed interest in six months ago. Both of these visas are granted in very limited numbers. Her past and present employers are primarily small businesses that aren't in a financial position to sponsor her for another visa. In a desperate bid to secure permanent residency in Australia and no word on the skilled worker visas she expressed interest in applying for, she sought advice from an immigration agent, lobbied MPs and set up a change.org petition. With her current visa due to expire this month, Ms Padfield was days away from being deported when she received a fast-track invitation to apply for the skilled work visa on her 29th birthday last Friday. The lifeline comes after Liberal MP Andrew Willcox wrote to the department of immigration department on her behalf. British expat Jana Padfield (pictured) could be one step closer to gaining permanent residency Ms Padfield is now in the process of applying for the skilled worker visa in the hope that she can continue her 'dream life' in Australia. She was forced to fork out an additional $17,000 in her latest quest for permanent residency. The prospect of being forced to leave broke her heart. 'I've created such an amazing life in Airlie Beach in the last 10 years. My best friends are here. I have a dog. I've got a full-time job. I pay my taxes. I've got adequate health care,' Ms Padfield told Seven News last month. 'It brings me to tears and I choke up every time I talk about it because I've built this life up for myself. Jana Padfield was weeks away from being deported when she received a fast-track invitation to apply for the skilled work visa Jana (pictured) has called Airlie Beach home for the last 10 years 'I walk out of my house now and cry because I think I could lose all of this and have to fly back to England, where I've got nothing.' 'I've abided by all the rules to stay here, and I don't know what else I can do.' Originally from Glastonbury in England's Somerset region, Ms Padfield hasn't left Australia since she first arrived as a teen backpacker on a tourist visa. She began as a bartender and within two years, had worked her way up to duty manager. She's worked multiple jobs and applied for 10 visas to stay here in Australia over the last decade. 'I've always worked within our local community, living through cyclones and a pandemic, I haven't left Australia for many years and seen my family because of the continuous hard work I've endured to be able to afford my visa costs, she explained on her online petition. Jana was shattered at the prospect of being forced to leave her idyllic life in the Whitsundays 'Ive studied two international student visas to gain more qualifications and worked hard throughout the last decade to build the years of experience needed towards being eligible for permanent residency. 'I now tick all of the boxes of immigrations criteria for both a 190/491 visa but I really dont know what else I can do as sponsorship options have consistently fallen through.' Her petition has attracted almost 7,500 signatures. 'Im at breaking point, because I mentally and financially cant go through this process again,' Ms Padfield continued. 'It genuinely breaks my heart and is so soul destroying that someone can work so hard and pay so much money in visas fees with constant knock backs, I truly know in my heart this country is where I want to be, this is my home, this is my life and I will continue to fight till the end to live in this beautiful country I call home! The state of Florida has settled a lawsuit over the so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill that Governor Ron DeSantis claims is a 'major win' for his conservative agenda in the Sunshine State. The settlement clarifies what is allowed in Florida classrooms following passage two years ago of the law prohibiting instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades. In a statement, DeSantis's office described the deal as a 'major win' with the law formally known as the Parental Rights in Education Act remaining intact. 'We fought hard to ensure this law couldn't be maligned in court, as it was in the public arena by the media and large corporate actors,' said Ryan Newman, an attorney for the state of Florida. 'We are victorious, and Floridas classrooms will remain a safe place under the Parental Rights in Education Act.' The state of Florida has settled a lawsuit over the so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill that Governor Ron DeSantis claims is a 'major win' for his conservative agenda in the Sunshine State Opponents said the law had created confusion about whether teachers could identity themselves as LGBTQ+ or if they even could have rainbow stickers in classrooms. Other states used the Florida law as a template to pass prohibitions on classroom instruction on gender identity or sexual orientation. Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky and North Carolina are among the states with versions of the law. The law has been championed by the Republican governor since before its passage in 2022 by the GOP-controlled Florida Legislature. It barred instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through the third grade, and it was expanded to all grades last year. Republican lawmakers had argued that parents should broach these subjects with children and that the law protected children from being taught about inappropriate material. Plaintiffs Rabbi Amy Morrison and Cecile Houry, a lesbian couple from Miami-Dade County, were also claiming positives from the decision for the near-term. 'It's going to make a huge difference because the law was so vague that people stayed away from everything,' Houry told the Tampa Bay Times. 'Here it really defines what is not allowed, and everything else that is allowed. It's going to change students' experience.' Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signs the Parental Rights in Education bill, also known as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, at Classical Preparatory School, March 28, 2022 Plaintiffs Rabbi Amy Morrison and Cecile Houry, a lesbian couple from Miami-Dade County, were also claiming positives from the decision for the near-term 'It's going to make a huge difference because the law was so vague that people stayed away from everything,' Houry said She joked that the couple's seven-year-old daughter 'doesn't stop talking about everything' to everyone, including having two mothers, and the law's specifics will keep Houry from worrying ' about everything that comes out of her mouth.' Opponents of the law as originally written also said it created a chilling effect in classrooms. Some teachers said they were unsure if they could mention or display a photo of their same-sex partner in the classroom. In some cases, books dealing with LGBTQ+ topics were removed from classrooms and lines mentioning sexual orientation were excised from school musicals. The Miami-Dade County School Board in 2022 decided not to adopt a resolution recognizing LGBTQ History Month, even though it had done so a year earlier. Under the terms of the settlement, the Florida Board of Education will send instructions to every school district saying the Florida law doesn't prohibit discussing LGBTQ+ people, nor prevent anti-bullying rules on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or disallow Gay-Straight Alliance groups. Students and teachers can discuss sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida classrooms, provided its not part of instruction. The settlement also spells out that the law is neutral - meaning what applies to LGBTQ+ people also applies to heterosexual people - and that it doesn't apply to library books not being used for instruction in the classroom. Marchers wave flags as they walk at the St. Pete Pier during a protest of the 'Don't Say Gay' bill in March of 2022 Protesters of the state's 'Don't Say Gay' law The law also triggered the ongoing legal battles between DeSantis and Disney over control of the governing district for Walt Disney World in central Florida after DeSantis took control of the government in what the company described as retaliation for its opposition to the legislation The law also doesn't apply to books with incidental references to LGBTQ+ characters or same-sex couples, 'as they are not instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity any more than a math problem asking students to add bushels of apples is instruction on apple farming,' according to the settlement. 'What this settlement does, is, it re-establishes the fundamental principal, that I hope all Americans agree with, which is every kid in this country is entitled to an education at a public school where they feel safe, their dignity is respected and where their families and parents are welcomed,' Roberta Kaplan, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs, said in an interview. 'This shouldn't be a controversial thing.' The law also triggered the ongoing legal battles between DeSantis and Disney over control of the governing district for Walt Disney World in central Florida after DeSantis took control of the government in what the company described as retaliation for its opposition to the legislation. DeSantis touted the fight with Disney during his run for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, which he ended earlier this year. The civil rights attorneys sued Florida education officials on behalf of teachers, students and parents, claiming the law was unconstitutional, but the case was dismissed last year by a federal judge in Tallahassee who said they lacked standing to sue. The case was appealed to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Kaplan said they believed the appellate court would have reversed the lower courts decision, but continuing the lawsuit would have delayed any resolution for several more years. 'The last thing we wanted for the kids in Florida was more delay,' Kaplan said. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre condemned Florida's expansion of its 'don't say gay' law, accusing the state of censoring classes in a reverse form of cancel culture The Parental Rights in Education law nicknamed the 'Don't Say Gay' law by detractors was signed last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis and sparked a firestorm across the country President Joe Biden told Daily Show guest host Kal Penn from an interview at the White House that Florida laws related to LGBTQ rights are 'sinful' and 'cruel' Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is spearheading a slew of laws that would prevent minors from receiving transgender health care and surgeries The White House issued stinging condemnation of Florida's expansion of its 'don't say gay' law, essentially accusing the state of censoring classes in a reverse form of cancel culture. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre described the move as 'dystopian.' 'Under threat of having their licenses revoked, gay teachers have been forced to take down pictures of their spouses from their desks and censor their classroom materials,' she said. 'Censoring our classes is not how public education is supposed to work in a free country. 'Conservative politicians love to complain about the so-called "cancel culture," all while threatening teachers with losing their jobs if they teach something that the MAGA extremists don't agree with.' The husband of U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is engaged in an online battle with the founder of the Libs of Tik Tok account after she was appointed to a school library panel in the state of Oklahoma, a political position. Chasten Buttigieg criticized Libs founder Chaya Raichik for lacking the qualifications necessary for her to sit on the state's library advisory committee. Riachik was appointed by Oklahoma's state superintendent of public institutions, to oversee public school library content despite her having no qualifications in education or library science. Buttigieg, 34, suggested Raichik, 29, who runs the far-right and anti-LGBT social-media account, was not qualified to hold such a position, quite apart from the fact she does not even live in the state of Oklahoma, but rather Los Angeles, 1,500 miles away. Chasten Buttigieg, the husband of U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, is engaged in an online dispute with Chaya Raichik, founder of Libs of TikTok Raichik was appointed to an Oklahoma school library panel to which Buttigieg criticized her for lacking education qualifications and living in California Buttigieg emphasized the danger of appointing individuals with anti-LGBTQ+ views to educational policy position Raichik was quick to retaliate and shared a video showing him getting kids to pledge allegiance to LGBTQ pride flag Buttigieg made a point of highlighting how she lives in California, has no degrees in library science, education or has any classroom experience. 'As a parent and former teacher, I want qualified people involved in education. This is actually quite simple. Chaya isn't qualified for her appointed government position. She doesn't live in Oklahoma. Holds no degree in education. Zero classroom experience. The rest is theatrics,' he wrote. 'Placing individuals who have openly attacked LGBTQ+ rights in positions that influence educational policy sends a dangerous message. It undermines the very foundation of what education should bea place of safety, growth, and inclusivity.' It didn't take long before Raichik blasted him in a tweet and shared a video showing him getting kids to pledge allegiance to LGBTQ pride flag. 'The husband of a current Cabinet member publicly blasted a citizen journalist because I post tiktoks he doesn't like and don't want kids being tanned in school. Does anyone else find this alarming?' she asked. The video clip, which is from an Amazon Prime documentary, Mayor Pete The video shows him getting kids to pledge allegiance to LGBTQ pride flag The documentary see Buttigieg in a classroom full of teenagers at Iowa's Safe Schools Pride Camp in 2019 The video clip, which is from an Amazon Prime documentary, Mayor Pete, and sees Buttigieg in a classroom full of teenagers at Iowa's Safe Schools Pride Camp in 2019. He encourages them to recite his 'pledge' to the iconic flag: 'I pledge my heart to the rainbow, the not so typical gay camp. One camp, full of pride, indivisible with affirmation and equal rights for all.' Raichik kept going as she suggested Chasten's husband, Pete Buttigieg was simply hired because he is gay and was purely a 'diversity hire' for the Biden Administration. 'Speaking of qualifications for a government position, your husband Pete Buttigieg only got the job of Transportation Secretary because he's gay. Pete is a diversity hire and has no qualifications to be Transportation Secretary. We all know this,' Raichik suggested. The back-and-forth between Raichik and Buttigieg has cast questions as to her suitability for the role to which the state of Oklahoma appointed her. Brandon Wold, the National Press Secretary at Human Right Campaign described her as nothing more than an 'internet troll'. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, left, is seen with his husband Chasten Buttigieg in October 2023 Brandon Wold, the National Press Secretary at Human Right Campaign described her as nothing more than an 'internet troll' 'All Chaya Raichik knows is hurling bigoted smears that spit in the face of survivors of actual abuse and peddling anti-LGBTQ+ hysteria bait for clicks. She leaves nothing but venomous lies, hate, and harassment in her wake,' Wolf wrote on X. 'Aren't you a political appointee, a job for which you are totally unfit? I find that alarming,' he added. In the past, Raichik has claimed her account simply spreads awareness of far-left ideologies being implemented in classrooms and online. In 2022, her account was given a major boost by podcast host Joe Rogan, who called it 'one of the greatest f**king accounts of all time,' just months into its existence as a liberal clearinghouse. Raichik's account started as TikTok and became popular during the pandemic as she stumbled across far-left content. Now, she wants to help 'educate people' and create legislation to fight against the things she reposts on her account. The search for a young tourist who went missing at a popular waterfall in far north Queensland has ended in tragedy after divers pulled his body from the water. The 20-year-old international student went missing on Sunday at about 3pm after he leapt from a ledge into water at Crystal Cascades, west of Cairns, and failed to surface. A search and rescue operation was launched by emergency services to find the young man. Police divers from Brisbane aided in the search and located the young man's body at about 6pm on Monday. It is understood the tourist was swept downstream after swimming at the top of a set of waterfalls - an area marked as a no-swim zone. The body of a 20-year-old international student has been pulled from the water at Crystal Cascades, west of Cairns (pictured) The alarm was raised after the 20-year-old reportedly spent eight minutes submerged under a waterfall. Crystal Cascades waterfall is a popular swimming destination for locals and tourists alike, but is also the site of numerous drowning deaths. In April 2023, a father and son, aged 59 and 21-years-old, were declared dead after they were found unresponsive in waters near the falls. An 18-year-old man was also declared dead in 2014 after he slipped over the edge of the waterfall and failed to resurface. Cairns Mayor Terry James said more needed to be done in alerting the public to the dangers of swimming in the region's creeks and waterways, particularly after heavy rain. 'At this time of year when we get so much rain, the rivers are running really fast and people don't realise how dangerous it is,' Mr James told the Herald Sun. A major search operation was launched for the young man who failed to surface after he jumped from a ledge and into the water, with police divers locating his body two days later (stock image of Queensland Police and State of Emergency Services) Mr James said council should install graphics to deter swimmers alongside the clear warning signs located on the path to the upper pools at Crystal Cascades. He said fencing the entire areas was 'not an option' but signs similar to the ones installed at the Babinda Boulders last year would be beneficial. 'Fencing the whole river off is not an option (due to) the amount of debris coming down the river during floods,' Mr James said. 'It's the same as the Boulders, we have all the signage in the world and you hope people listen. 'It's one of these things, it happens too much and too often, we really have to beef up our warnings.' Police are preparing a report on the 20-year-old man's death for the coroner. Debbie Wiederhold talks with her 31-year-old son Daniel at their home in Hutto on Feb. 29, 2024. Though Daniel was born with a rare brittle bone disorder, he lives an active life with support from state services. Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune Daniel Wiederhold, born with a rare and usually fatal type of brittle bone disorder, was one of the lucky ones. Wiederhold received caregiving services from a specialized state health care program after being on the waitlist for nine years. He benefited from special education in public school until he broke his femur in seventh grade, after the school insisted on providing their own attendant nurse for him and she made a mistake with his power chair. He and his family consider themselves blessed because, despite the many obstacles, hes been able to live at home and engage in the community. Now 31, he was even a face of the Texas Medicaid Works campaign. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We are one of the stories where this has worked, Debbie Wiederhold, Daniels mother, said. They also know others wont be so lucky. As Texas has underfunded programs for people with disabilities over decades, accessing these services is a minefield. And advocates, lawmakers and experts worry it may become even more difficult in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned, as demand for these state services rises but policy goes on unchanged. More than 16,000 additional babies were born in Texas in 2022 compared to 2021 after the state banned almost all abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, according to a University of Houston analysis of 2022 fertility data. People across the abortion policy divide have started worrying that the state wont accommodate an increased population of children with disabilities, both as the fertility rate rises, and as some Texans who may have chosen to have an abortion after a prenatal diagnosis of certain disabilities no longer could. Daniel listens while partners and volunteers of United Partners in Pflugerville talk on Feb. 29, 2024. Daniel attens UP a few days of each week. Credit: Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune Debbie watches as RN Brooke Miles Jackson get ready to help Daniel stretch out following UP on Feb. 29, 2024 Credit: Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune Left: Daniel Wiederhold attends a session at United Partners, a nonprofit that coordinates activities for people with disabilities, in Pflugerville on Feb. 29, 2024. Right: Debbie Wiederhold looks at her son Daniel as RN Brooke Miles Jackson prepares to help him stretch. Credit: Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune Advertisement Article continues below this ad More vulnerable communities may see particularly dramatic impact: Hispanic women saw the highest rate of growth and teen birth rates have increased after declines over the past 15 years, increasing the likelihood that some will need to lean on the state for support. People with disabilities also faced more barriers to access abortion services out of state. And despite children with disabilities repeatedly being used on both sides in the heated political debates around topics like abortion or school vouchers in the past year, advocates across the aisle have agreed that the current system is malfunctioning. Over decades, the state has underfunded both special education and the capacity of Medicaid waivers, specialized programs that offer services like caregiving and therapies for disabled Texans. The state foster care system has been litigated for more than a decade in federal court and has left children with intellectual disabilities in appalling conditions, according to the judge overseeing the case. The situation is going to trigger a need for services the state is already underfunding, said Jolene Sanders, advocacy director for the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities. Advertisement Article continues below this ad For those of us who want to carry a child to term, regardless of whether or not there's a disability, these barriers already existed, she said. This has just been exacerbated. Sanders own son, Lourson Stallard, has been on a waitlist for 12 years more than half of his life to receive waiver program services for autism, some secondary health conditions and an intellectual disability. With these services, Stallard, 19, would be eligible for better therapy, help finding a job, personal assistance programs, respite care, transportation, family services and more, Sanders said. The gap just gets wider and wider as these kids grow and they develop and they change, Sanders said of her son, whose public school denied him special education eligibility for at least two years. We lost an opportunity to get the appropriate support within the school system and to get those waiver services that he so desperately needed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He's doing really, really well, she added, but you can't help but wonder how much more independently he would be living right now. Because along the way, various systems failed him. A lot of work is left to be done within the state, said John Seago, president of anti-abortion group Texas Right to Life. That's in our vision of a truly pro-life Texas, Seago said. We care for these children. We want to support these standards, and our system is very broken when it comes to them, as far as medical coverage and the waiting lists. It's very demanding on the family and our system has really failed them in many ways. Debbie Wiederhold holds her son Daniel's hand in their home in Hutto on Feb. 29, 2024. Credit: Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune Advertisement Article continues below this ad A state falling behind In the 20 years Linda Litzinger has advocated for children with disabilities, lawmakers have made no significant improvements to services the state provides, she said. Smaller victories have been won over the years, said Litzinger, public policy specialist at Texas Parent to Parent, a disability advocacy nonprofit. One year, the state scooped all people waiting for Deaf Blind Multiple Disabilities services into the program. Lawmakers have adopted solutions to target specific problems in special education, like recently updating the Dyslexia Handbook. They also worked to restore funding to Early Childhood Intervention services, which provide therapies for children with autism, Down Syndrome and other disabilities under the age of three, after budget cuts hit them hard in 2015. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But the Legislature has held back from fully funding these services for multiple reasons. Conservative lawmakers, who have run the state for more than three decades, tend to push back on spending more money for government health care programs without strings attached or at all. They say they amount to entitlement programs that drag down the economy and disincentivize people to take more initiative on their health and well-being. Disability advocates, though, have said the issues arent flashy enough to wedge into the sessions limited timeframe and most lawmakers misunderstand the way these programs function and the populations they serve. Either way, the underfunding of these programs is systemic. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I don't think you have to actually have a child with a disability to have compassion for understanding, for a willingness to invest, state Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, said. At the same time, lived experiences do impact the decisions that are made at the Legislature. I think that it's the lack of lived experience. It's the lack of it being a campaign priority. For example, legislators worry about fraud in waiver programs, but the bar to qualify is extremely high: medical professionals visit applicants for in-person evaluations. There are also income limits and other requirements. The waitlists have some duplicate names on them and have been officially renamed to interest lists as a result, but the demand still vastly outweighs these programs capacities. Looking Ahead This wariness has made Texas the hardest state to access disability services in, according to a report released March 5 from the American Network of Community Options and Resources and United Cerebral Palsy. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Around 63% of people nationwide who were on waiting lists for home and community-based services in 2023 lived in Texas, according to the report. As of March 5, more than 156,000 Texans are waiting for a Medicaid waiver programs services, which provide everything from nursing and caregiving to physical, speech and occupational therapies. But in the 2021 session, lawmakers allocated 1,549 total new spots to open up across these programs about 0.009% of the waitlists. In the past, the federal government has intervened to make changes. In 2018, it instructed the state to remove a former cap on the number of students who could receive special education. As of 2023, 200,000 students had joined special education programs in the past five years, according to data from Disability Rights Texas. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In 2015, the feds also forced the state to add a personal attendant program for people who qualify for waiver programs but are stuck on waitlists. But advocates say it was a band-aid on a bigger problem because these attendants cant always provide things like nursing services. The abortion ban may also increase the number of disabled parents, who have an increased risk of having their child taken away from them. Multiple studies show they are more likely to be referred to the child welfare system and more likely to have their parental rights terminated, Robyn Powell, an associate law professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Law, said. Its another way an overwhelmed state service the foster care system might be unable to adequately serve Texans with disabilities. In the state of Texas, termination of parental rights can be based on the parent's inability to care for the child, because of the parent's mental or emotional illness or mental deficiency, although it requires evidence and has allowed parents with intellectual disabilities to continue caring for their children in the past, according to the state Department of Family and Protective Services. Advertisement Article continues below this ad There's a lot of people with disabilities out there that want to be parents, and should be able to be parents. I never want the message to be that I think abortion is needed, Robyn Powell, an associate law professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Law, said. But they could have their parental rights threatened by the child welfare system. But many advocates, experts and even some lawmakers hope the banning of abortion can incentivize lawmakers to focus on improving child care and better integrating children with disabilities into the system the next time they convene. Last session, lawmakers failed to pass a $2.3 billion proposal to scaffold several kinds of child care. Jolene Sanders, advocacy director for the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities, has been waiting over a decade for her son to receive waiver program services for his disability. The gap just gets wider and wider as these kids grow and they develop and they change, Sanders said. Credit: Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune Advertisement Article continues below this ad Let's put our money where our mouths are, said Howard, the Austin state representative. We want these babies to be born? Let's make sure we're providing the services that will support them and give them the best quality of life we can. Victoria Stavish contributed to this story. Neelam Bohra is a 2023-24 New York Times disability reporting fellow, based at The Texas Tribune through a partnership with The New York Times and the National Center on Disability and Journalism, which is based at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. Disclosure: Coalition of Texans with Disabilities and the University of Houston have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/11/Texas-disability-services-abortion/. Criminals are to be released from jail two months early in order to ease the pressure on crammed prisons, it was announced last night. Following a written statement to the House of Commons by Justice Secretary Alex Chalk yesterday evening, the Ministry of Justice announced that prisons would have licence to release so-called 'low level offenders' up to 35 days before their sentence is due to end. Officials said the statement would also allow the UK Government to extend early release to up to 60 days if necessary in the future. Labour said the extension to 60 days was 'unprecedented' and branded the decision 'completely unacceptable'. Justice Secretary Alex Chalk (pictured) announced in October that the Government would use the powers it has to allow the prison service to let some prisoners out of jail up to 18 days early The Ministry of Justice announced that prisons would have licence to release so-called 'low level offenders' up to 35 days before their sentence is due to end (Stock photo) Mr Chalk announced in October that the Government would use the powers it has to allow the prison service to let some prisoners out of jail up to 18 days early to ease overcrowding. But with recent MoJ statistics showing that prisons in England and Wales are still nearing capacity, the Cabinet minister has opted to extend the end of custody supervised licence (ECSL) measures 'to around 35-60 days'. READ MORE - Prison population hits highest level since 1900 with only 550 spare places left in crisis-hit jails Advertisement He said there was a need to 'address the unsustainable growth in the remand population' since the coronavirus pandemic, saying those held in remand had increased by more than 6,000 in 2019 to more than 16,000 at present. In a statement issued after 8pm on Monday announcing measures to address the situation, the senior Conservative said: 'We will also extend the existing end of custody supervised licence measure to around 35-60 days. 'We will enable this to happen, for a time-limited period, and work with the police, prisons and probation leaders to make further adjustments as required. 'This will only be for certain low level offenders. 'Where necessary, electronic monitoring will be applied, enhancing public protection. Ministers will continue to keep use of this measure under review.' According to MoJ figures, the prison population stood at 88,220 as of March 8. The operational capacity is a little over 89,000. Prisons charity, the Howard League, states that the prison estate should not hold more than 79,597 people. Shabana Mahmood, Labour's shadow justice secretary, (pictured) said: 'Successive Conservative governments have failed to build enough prison places' Mr Chalk said, as well as extending the ability for prison governors to release prisoners early, the UK Government would be increasing support for bail applications (Stock photo) Shabana Mahmood, Labour's shadow justice secretary, said: 'Successive Conservative governments have failed to build enough prison places. 'This has led to them granting early release to violent criminals, domestic abusers, and burglars. It's a crisis of the Tories' own making and it puts the public at risk. 'Under the cover of darkness, they've snuck out that they are extending the scheme from 18 days early release up to an unprecedented 60 days. The public will be rightly alarmed. 'This Government has been releasing prisoners in secret, including domestic abusers - and has activated a supposedly temporary scheme indefinitely. 'This is completely unacceptable and the Justice Secretary has a duty to be candid with the public.' The Opposition frontbencher said Labour would build new prisons to 'ease the capacity crisis' if Sir Keir Starmer's party wins the next general election. Mr Chalk said, as well as extending the ability for prison governors to release prisoners early, the UK Government would be increasing support for bail applications. In his statement to Parliament, he said ministers were 'exploring at pace with the senior judiciary the rollout of a remote, nationwide, pilot, crown court capable of hearing new bail applications'. He added: 'The pilot would monitor whether these additional measures result in an increase in the use of tagging and appropriate support packages in bail applications. 'In order to support this, the Government will invest 53 million additional funding to expand the Bail Information Service - part of the productivity package the Chancellor announced at the Budget. Originally, the End of Custody Supervised Licence (ECSI) was meant to be used 'for a limited period' in 21 jails to reduce an 'acute and exceptional demand' on prison places Pictured: File photo of a man reading a book while in HMP Pentonville 'This will enable our court system to be more efficient by increasing the court-based staff and digital systems that can provide critical information to the judiciary - making the bail process more efficient. 'To support this work a further 22 million of additional funding will be available in 2024-25 to fund community accommodation. READ MORE - Hundreds more criminals are to be freed from jail early under plans to relieve pressure on crammed prisons Advertisement 'We will also increase awareness about the availability of tags, especially high-tech GPS and alcohol monitoring tags, to ensure that offenders can be monitored in the community.' Originally, the End of Custody Supervised Licence (ECSI) was meant to be used 'for a limited period' in 21 jails to reduce an 'acute and exceptional demand' on prison places. Anyone serving a life sentence, extended determinate sentence, or jailed for a serious violent, terror or sexual offence is excluded from the scheme, it was reported previously. But violent thugs serving time for wounding and assault are among those that could win early release. Offenders guilty of domestic abuse crimes may also be eligible. More than 250 prisoners were freed 18 days before their scheduled release date in the first two weeks of the emergency scheme. That represented around one in eight prisoners freed at that time, with 1,000 inmates being released on average every week. It is the first time in more than 16 years that the Government has been forced to introduce an early release scheme because of the lack of space in prisons in England and Wales. It was last done under Labour in 2007. Officials have refused to say how many criminals have already been released under the scheme, but offenders will remain on licence with conditions on their release. Breach of the conditions could lead to the offender being recalled to custody. Senior prison staff have been given criteria by which they could block inmates from early release. In a campaign stunt shortly before the 2019 election, Boris Johnson drove a mechanical digger through a mocked-up barrier of polystyrene bricks. It was a metaphor for how he planned to demolish the 'Red Wall' of safe Labour seats in the North and Midlands. And he did. How distant that remarkable landslide victory seems today. Boris is gone, tragically defenestrated by his own side, and with an election in the offing, the Tories are a minimum of 15 points behind in the polls. That 2019 alliance of traditional Conservative MPs and Red Wall converts is crumbling, and the party descends further into factionalism by the day. The defection of former deputy chairman Lee Anderson to Reform UK was the latest hammer blow. Tory spin doctors are naturally underplaying it. Anderson is a blowhard, they say, a loose cannon already under suspension for saying London Mayor Sadiq Khan had allowed the capital to be 'controlled' by Islamists. Rishi Sunak must call a general election by January 2025 although he refuses to be drawn in to set a date While the Conservatives currently trail behind Labour in the polls, in 2019 Boris Johnson smashed through the 'Red Wall' Lee Anderson recently defected to the Reform party in a shock move after saying London Mayor Sadiq Khan had allowed the capital to be 'controlled' by Islamists But this is unquestionably a signal moment. Rishi Sunak underestimates its significance at his peril. Bombastic and undiplomatic as he undoubtedly is, Mr Anderson's exasperation with wokery, spiralling migration and the rise of militant Islamism resonates with many in the Red Wall and beyond. The ex-miner's Ashfield constituency in Nottinghamshire had been Labour for all but two years since its inception in 1955. Yet he was returned with a comfortable majority a testament to his popularity. He will certainly feel he has a good chance of winning again with Reform. And could more disgruntled Red Wall MPs follow him? Some will feel their chances of being re-elected as Tories are close to zero, so have nothing to lose by switching. The Mail believes this would be a mistake. Reform is highly unlikely to win many, if any, seats. It can, however, do enormous damage to Mr Sunak and deliver a Starmer landslide. Is this what any Tory MP wants? The Tories are down but not quite out. When voters are forced to choose between a party that at least wants to cut migration, taxes, and public sector waste and one that really doesn't, the polls may rapidly close. For his part Mr Sunak must make more effort to bring his Red Wallers back into the fold and heal some of the divisions currently making the party look unelectable. Getting the first asylum seekers to Rwanda would be a massive help, as would a renewed commitment to levelling up and reforming our ramshackle public services. The PM must convince the millions of converts who voted for Boris that he, too, is on their side. They deserted Labour once. With the right encouragement, they could yet do so again. Hear Poland's Plea While Mr Sunak demurs over raising UK defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP, Poland's president warns that even that will not be enough to deter Vladimir Putin's imperialist charge. Andrzej Duda said it was imperative to send the Russian dictator a 'bold' message that Nato will not desert Ukraine, or indeed stand by as he menaces other ex-Soviet nations. He pleaded for all Nato members to raise military budgets to 3 per cent of GDP. Not only would this show Putin that Europe will always stand together against tyranny but also reassure the US that we are prepared to pay our way. Security minister Tom Tugendhat yesterday became the latest senior Tory to urge Mr Sunak to give our Armed Forces the resources they need to keep Britain safe. His plea and that of Mr Duda must not fall on deaf ears. A schoolteacher who allegedly preyed on a 12-year-old student for almost a decade has been hit with over 30 child abuse offences. Kellie Ann-Marie Whiteside, nee Baynham, was arrested and charged in February after her relationship with the student was reported to Queensland Police. Police will allege the 43-year-old's offending began in June 2015 and ended in March 2023, with Whiteside charged with 35 counts of indecent treatment of a child under 16, one count of exposing to a child under 16 and one count of grooming. Whiteside allegedly began messaging the child, who was born a female but now uses they/them pronouns, on Instagram when they were just 12-years-old. After the victim's parents discovered the messages, the school principal was notified and Whiteside stopped contacting the child as they completed Year Six. However, in the school holidays before the victim began high school the Brisbane teacher instructed them to message her using a private Instagram account. The relationship intensified in 2015 when Whiteside began disclosing details about her sex-less marriage and in March, kissed the student on the lips. Kellie Ann-Marie Whiteside, nee Baynham, was arrested and charged in February after her relationship with the student was reported to Queensland Police (pictured) In June, the pair allegedly began 'sexting' and exchanging naked photos after Whiteside began privately tutoring the student, The Australian reports. One of the text messages Whiteside allegedly sent to the child read: 'I think ur so f***ing sexy and hot!!!'. Weeks later, the victim alleged they had their first 'sexual experience' with the teacher when they had 'sex' in public female bathrooms. Whiteside allegedly digitally penetrated her victim during a sleepover. The victim's father tried to put an end to the relationship when he reported seeing the pair together to Ms Whiteside's old principal. The teacher was allegedly transferred to another school after the victim's family reported Ms Whiteside had deliberately transferred to their child's high school. Despite these interventions it's understood the victim's family didn't know about the alleged offending until it was reported to police in February. The alleged victim claimed they had been 'groomed' by Whiteside and that looking back on the alleged offending made them feel 'sick and disturbed'. 'Looking back on what happened, I feel that Kellie took advantage of her position and I can now see how wrong everything was,' they said in a witness statement. 'I believe Kellie groomed me.' The relationship intensified in 2015 when Whiteside (pictured) began disclosing details about her sex-less marriage and in March, kissed the student on the lips Whiteside was stood down from her job at Carinity Education Southside, a special assistance school for high-school aged women in Brisbane, last month. 'As soon as the employee's registration with the Queensland College of Teachers was suspended, the teacher was suspended without pay awaiting the outcome of the charges,' a school spokesperson said. The spokesperson said no claims of inappropriate behaviour towards students had been received when she was at the school and that Whiteside had undergone a pre-employment screening that detected 'no adverse findings'. Whiteside, who has been charged with 35 child sex abuse offences, had her matters mentioned in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Monday. Her case was adjourned to May 15 for mention. Passengers and crew on a Latam Airlines flight from Sydney to Auckland were thrown into the roof of the plane after a sudden loss of altitude - with the pilot telling how his instruments failed. Up to 50 people were injured due to the 'technical problem' on the Chilean carrier's flight LA800 on Monday afternoon, with multiple emergency personnel and vehicles involved in the response. Brian Jokat, a passenger on board the Boeing 787-9, said two hours into the three hour flight 'the plane just dropped out of the sky' and the man sitting next to him flew up into the air, hit the ceiling with his back, then fell down and hit his head on the armrest. 'The plane then started taking a nose dive and I was just thinking "OK this is it, we're done",' he told the Stuff news website. Mr Jokat, who is Canadian, said there was no turbulence after the incident and after the flight landed in Auckland, the pilot came to the back of the plane in 'shock'. 'I asked "What happened?" and he said 'My gauges just blanked out, I lost all of my ability to fly the plane".' About 50 people have been injured on a Latam Airlines flight from Sydney to Auckland on Monday afternoon, with multiple emergency personnel and vehicles involved in the response A passenger being treated on the floor of the plane is pictured READ MORE: Sydney Airport emergency - United Airlines flight UAL830 suffers 'mechanical issue' after take-off United Airlines flight UAL830 (pictured) from Sydney to the US was diverted back to Sydney following a mid-air emergency Advertisement Mr Jokat told TV station 1News that the experience 'was insane I thought I was dreaming. It was like right out of The Exorcist'. He said his shoes were sent hurtling 'four rows back' and his jacket had 'flown off the seat'. 'I had drink spilled all over me but I was perfectly unscathed. 'I was really, really fortunate but there was a lot of people crying and cut and bruised and in shock all around me.' Another passenger on the flight, Priscilla Waller-Subritzky, said she was watching a film when the plane suddenly dropped and 'a number of passengers and crew were thrown into the roof of the plane'. 'I went into fight mode and just started jumping in and helping where I could because the crew were injured so couldn't help,' she told the New Zealand Herald. Thirteen patients, one of whom was in a serious condition, have been transported to Middlemore Hospital, a St John ambulance spokesperson said. 'Our ambulance crews assessed and treated approximately 50 patients, with one patient in a serious condition and the remainder in a moderate to minor condition. 'So far, 13 patients have been transported to Middlemore Hospital by ambulance,' they said in an update issued shortly after 7pm local time. Earlier, the spokesperson said 'We were notified at 3.58pm and are currently on scene with four ambulances, two operations managers, one major incident support team vehicle, one command unit, and two rapid response vehicles.' A woman who was on the flight LA800 Dreamliner service said she experienced a 'quick little drop' during the flight. 'I used to be a flight attendant and this is the first time I've ever... the whole plane just froze,' she said. St John ambulance crews treated 24 people at the scene, with eight of those found to be in a moderate condition and 16 in a minor condition. A St John ambulance is pictured at the scene An Auckland Airport spokesperson said its emergency service team was assisting St John after a request for medical support. In a statement, Latam Airlines said the flight 'had a technical problem during the flight which caused a strong movement', but that the plane landed as scheduled. 'As a result of the incident, some passengers and cabin crew were affected. They received immediate assistance and were evaluated or treated by medical staff at the airport as needed. 'Latam regrets the inconvenience and injury this situation may have caused its passengers, and reiterates its commitment to safety as a priority within the framework of its operational standards.' It was the second incident with a plane leaving from Sydney International Airport on Monday. Earlier, United Airlines flight 830 to San Francisco was forced to turn around after a mid-air emergency. The flight path of Latam Airlines' LA800 Dreamliner service from Sydney to Auckland is pictured A leak was reportedly detected onboard the Boeing 777-300 plane and it landed back at Sydney at 2.34pm, a little over two-and-a-half hours into its trip. Firefighters met the plane on the tarmac. In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, United Airlines said the plane was diverted to Sydney 'due to a maintenance issue'. 'The plane landed safely and passengers deplaned normally at the gate,' it said. 'We are providing accommodation overnight for passengers and rebooking them to San Francisco tomorrow.' A veteran TV cameraman on assignment for current affairs show The Project has described Papau New Guinea rioters as 'savages'. The unnamed freelance cameraman was interviewed in Brisbane for a social media campaign promoting hospitality and retail jobs app Getahead and asked about his craziest work experience. 'I was in New Guinea and civil unrest happened and we got a phone call from the network to leave the country,' he replied. A cameraman shooting vox pops for The Project has described Papua New Guineans as 'savages' 'There was a 1,000 savages running towards us with knives. 'We packed up our clothes, the airport was shut down in New Guinea and we had to actually break out of the airport, steal our plane and fly away.' The label 'savages' immediately attracted calls to take the Instagram video down. 'This is so offensive,' one person wrote. 'Are you seriously going to leave this up?' Some saw the expression 'savages' was characteristic of the cameraman's age after he told the interviewer he was 62 and a 44-year veteran of TV and film work. 'This man is a product of his generation and savages is a dated colonial term,' one person wrote. 'Historically Savages was a derogatory word used to describe indigenous Papua New Guineans,' another commented. Not everyone agreed that taken in context 'savages' was offensive. 'It means brutal, aggressive or violent person. Sounds like an accurate description of the crowd running at them, yeah?' one person wrote. 'He was about to get chopped up, the term fits,' another said. Another thought the description was 'absolutely right'. The camera man told the interviewer he was shooting responses by the public to some questions on stories The Project, which airs on Channel 10, were running. He said for camerawork and cinematography the wages ranged from around $90,00 up to $160,000. Channel 10 show current affairs show The Project has often been called left-wing or woke The Project has often been called out as woke or leftwing. Former Channel 10 executive Rob McKnight, who runs industry website TV Blackbox, told Daily Mail Australia in 2021 that The Project is 'very woke and that doesn't connect with mainstream Australia'. Lee Anderson has denied being paid to join Nigel Farage's Reform UK from the Tories, saying he is 'not a mercenary'. Former Conservative deputy chairman Mr Anderson also told GB News the Conservative Party had not contacted him ahead of being unveiled as Reform's first MP. The MP for Ashfield in Nottinghamshire had been forced to sit as an independent after being stripped of the Tory whip last month for suggesting London Labour mayor Sadiq Khan was being controlled by Islamist extremists. He refused to apologise for the remarks that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak branded 'wrong', effectively blocking off any route to being brought back into the Tory fold. Mr Anderson, who earned 100,000-a-year for his side hustle as a GB News presenter on top of his 86,584 pay as an MP, was previously dubbed '30p Lee' after he said people using food banks could make a meal for that amount and were just bad at budgeting. On Monday evening during an appearance on GB News, Mr Anderson denied any money exchanged hands ahead of his Reform defection. He said: 'Don't be so ridiculous... I'm not a mercenary. I've had no money.' On Monday evening during an appearance on GB News, Mr Anderson (pictured) denied any money exchanged hands ahead of his Reform defection. He said: 'Don't be so ridiculous... I'm not a mercenary. I've had no money' Lee Anderson (left) has denied being paid to join Nigel Farage's Reform UK from the Tories, saying he is 'not a mercenary' Some Tories see Reform UK as a challenger at the general election expected this year with signs of growing support for the party as it polls at around 10% of national voting intention. Arch Brexiteer Nigel Farage is the honorary president of the party, which is seeking to attract disillusioned Conservative voters, mainly over the issues of immigration and net zero. Reform finished in third place in two recent by-elections, although its candidate in the Rochdale contest - former Labour MP Simon Danczuk - had a poor showing. Party leader Richard Tice has ruled out standing aside to avoid splitting the Leave vote in some seats, as the party did under its Brexit Party name in 2019. Mr Anderson, who had been seen as the voice of the so-called red wall - the traditional Labour areas that voted for Boris Johnson in 2019 - suggested there had been no last-ditch efforts by the Tories to prevent his defection. He said: 'The news broke this morning on social media, my phone was pinging from about six o'clock this morning. I've had no contact from the party at all. 'I'd have thought, at that stage, maybe someone would have given me a call to say, 'hold on, Lee, what you doing? Have a think about it', nobody.' Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, a former business secretary, said that while he believed the Tories erred in suspending Mr Anderson, he felt it was a 'mistake' for him to join Reform because 'divided wings of politics lose'. 'We know Reform won't win the election, but they can... make it harder for the Conservatives,' he told GB News. 'That is why I think Lee made a mistake in going. I think he should have stayed within the Conservative Party to bolster the forces arguing for what he believes in.' Tory MPs Miriam Cates and Danny Kruger, leaders of the right-wing New Conservatives faction that Mr Anderson had previously been aligned with, said in an article for The Daily Telegraph that his decision to join a rival made a 'substantial Labour majority significantly more likely in this year's general election'. Mr Sunak's party is considerably behind Sir Keir Starmer's outfit in opinion polls, with some surveys putting Labour as much as 20 points ahead. On Monday evening during an appearance on GB News, Mr Anderson (pictured) denied any money exchanged hands ahead of his Reform defection. He said: 'Don't be so ridiculous... I'm not a mercenary. I've had no money.' Mr Anderson lost the Conservative whip last month after claiming 'Islamists' had 'got control' of Mr Khan and London. At a press conference announcing his defection to Reform on Monday, Mr Anderson - who previously represented Labour as a councillor before jumping ship to the Tories in 2018 - accused the Conservatives of stifling 'free speech' by suspending him. Mr Tice said he 'absolutely' stood by the MP's remarks about the London Mayor. As recently as January, Mr Anderson had branded Mr Tice a 'poundshop Nigel Farage' and said Reform was 'not a proper political party'. Asked what has changed, Mr Anderson told reporters he had been on a 'gradual journey'. He said: 'When I find myself suspended for speaking my mind - and, by the way, speaking up on behalf of millions of people up and down the country who agree with me - that for me is unpalatable. It's a shocker, if I'm honest.' A 17-year-old boy has been arrested after three men were injured in a 'triple stabbing' in Bury, Greater Manchester. The attack took place around 12.15pm yesterday near Bury Market in the town centre. Emergency services took the victims to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Two have been released, but one remains in medical care. A teenager has since been arrested on suspicion of Section 18 assault, Greater Manchester Police confirmed. He remains in police custody for questioning. Officers have also launched an appeal for anyone with information or video footage of the incident to come forward. Greater Manchester Police and North West Ambulance service at the scene. Greater Manchester Police have said their injuries are 'not thought to be life-threatening' A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: 'Greater Manchester Police are still responding to an incident on Murray Road, Bury. Officers remain at the scene to conduct further enquiries into what is believed to be a stabbing An air ambulance arrived at the scene shortly after which took the victims to hospital A Greater Manchester Police van near the cordon on Murray road. The attack took place around midday near Bury Market in Bury town centre Officers were called to reports that three males had been stabbed in Bury town centre just after midday yesterday. At around 12.30pm an air ambulance landed on a nearby car park, which then took the victims to hospital. Greater Manchester Police have said their injuries are 'not thought to be life-threatening.' One person working close to the scene told the Manchester Evening News: 'As soon as I came out a helicopter was outside, the police were already there. 'It was surprising to see something like that.' A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police confirmed today that a 17-year-old boy was arrested in connection to the incident and faces questioning. Officers are still appealing to the public to help with their investigation. Anyone with information or relevant footage including CCTV, mobile, Ring doorbell or dashcam is asked to call 101 quoting incident 1338 of 11/03/2024.' Tips can also be reported anonymously by calling the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Labour has come out against the proposed UAE-backed takeover of The Daily Telegraph, warning that 'foreign governments should not own national newspapers'. Culture spokesman Thangam Debbonaire said: 'Ownership by a foreign power is incompatible with Press freedom.' It came as Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer received reports from UK regulators over the potential impact of the takeover bid. RedBird IMI, which is majority-owned by the United Arab Emirates' International Media Investments, is trying to buy the Telegraph Media Group. Labour has come out against the proposed UAE-backed takeover of The Daily Telegraph, warning that 'foreign governments should not own national newspapers' (stock image) Ms Debbonaire told The Spectator: 'My view and the view of the Labour Party is that foreign governments should not own national newspapers.' Tomorrow, Tory peer Baroness Stowell will push for a vote on a bid to give Parliament a veto on any proposed foreign takeover of a news organisation. Ms Frazer asked media regulator Ofcom and competition watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority, to hand over the findings of their probes by yesterday. Both organisations confirmed they had done so. A political earthquake in Canada later this year could see Australia abandon its addiction to the high immigration policy which is fuelling the housing crisis. Like Australia, Canada is also one of the world's highest population-growth nations, importing a record number of skilled migrants to fill labour shortages. Now it's almost as expensive to buy a home in Canada's Vancouver as it is in Sydney. Sydney is the world's second most unaffordable market when the median house price is compared with mid-range household incomes. But Vancouver is in third place, on American think tank Demographia's 2022 list of the world's most unaffordable cities, with Hong Kong regarded as the worst. In Australia, the centre-right Liberal Party led by Peter Dutton is struggling to attract the support of younger voters but in Canada, the opposite is happening. Conservative Party Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre is beating photogenic centre-left Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to win over voters under 30. A political earthquake in Canada later this year could potentially see Australia revisit its reliance on high immigration during a housing affordability crisis (pictured is Sydney's Wynyard train station) The 44-year-old alternative prime minister has done this by calling for immigration to be slashed so population growth can match the supply of new housing. 'We need to make a link between the number of homes built and the number of people we invite as new Canadians,' Mr Poilievre told a media conference in Winnipeg earlier this year. Mr Poilievre also vowed that a Conservative government led by him would 'get back to an approach of immigration that invites a number of people that we can house, employ and care for in our health-care system'. His approach appears to be working, with a Financial Times analysis of polling data from YouGov and Abacus Data showing the Conservative Party of Canada winning 40 per cent of the under 30s. That's a major turnaround from a 50-point deficit in 2021 for the party that has been out of power since 2015. In Australia, younger voters are deserting the Liberal Party with the conservative Centre for Independent Studies finding just 26 per cent of Gen Z voters, born from 1997 to 2004, cast first preference votes for the Coalition in 2022. This was significantly lower than the Millennials - born between 1981 to 1996 - who gave 35 per cent support to the Coalition in the early 2000s. That number had slid to just 25 per cent support by 2022. The Centre for Independent Studies suggested the Liberal Party in Australia would struggle to attract Millennials and Gen Z votes if they were unable to buy a house. 'In the absence of a concerted effort on the part of the Coalition parties, it would be unwise to assume younger generations of voters will move to the centre-right as they grow older, as Boomers and Gen X did,' it said. 'Millennials and Gen Z will only move to the right if political parties of the centre-right give them a reason to do so. Conservative Party Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre is beating photogenic centre-left Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when it comes to winning the support of younger voters under 30 Australia is even more expensive than Canada with Sydney now deemed the world's second most unaffordable market, ahead of Vancouver (pictured) when the median house price was compared with the middle household income 'If the Coalition parties are not perceived to be offering solutions to the social and economic problems that matter to Millennials and Gen Z, there is no incentive for these generations to vote for them. 'The currently available evidence would suggest housing affordability and climate change are policy issues of particular import to younger voters.' Australia's average home price stood at $933,800 in December, new official data released on Tuesday showed. A borrower buying this property would need to earn $143,662 to get a loan, ruling out most single borrowers unless they bought with a friend or found a partner. This is also well below the $639,375 home price an average-income earner can afford, borrowing at the maximum capacity. That's because an average, full-time worker earning $98,518, with a 20 per cent mortgage deposit, can only borrow up to $511,500 - or up to 5.2 times a pre-tax salary. Sydney's median house price of $1.396million is also so expensive, someone would need to earn $215,000 and be among the top two per cent income earners to buy alone. Australia's population growth pace of 2.4 per cent in 2022-23 was among the highest in the developed world, with Canada among the few to have an even higher growth pace of 2.9 per cent. Australia's net immigration level of 518,000 was a record for a nation of 26million people while Canada imported a record 1,131,181 migrants in a nation with 41million residents. 'International migration accounted for 98 per cent of Canada's growth in 2022-2023,' Statistics Canada said. 'Those high levels are related to efforts by the Government of Canada to ease labour shortages in key sectors of the economy.' In Australia, the centre-right Liberal Party led by Peter Dutton is struggling to attract the support of younger voters but in Canada, the opposite is happening (pictured are teenagers at Schoolies on the Gold Coast) Mr Poilievre's vow to cut immigration so it matched the supply of new housing has made his Conservative Party the favourite to win October's election, with the Tories having 41 per cent support in the latest Leger tracking poll, compared with 25 per cent for the Liberal Party and 18 per cent for the New Democratic Party. In Australia, the latest Newspoll has Labor leading the Coalition 52 per cent to 48 per cent, after preferences from the Greens who attract younger voters. The Opposition's new shadow minister for home ownership Andrew Bragg made no mention of high immigration in a Tuesday media release, instead campaigning to allow young people to withdraw their superannuation to buy a home. The Coalition ramped up immigration under former prime minister John Howard, who presided over net levels doubling from 100,000 in 1999 to more than 200,000 by the time he left office in 2007 after losing to Labor's Kevin Rudd. The Howard government also introduced a 50 per cent capital gains tax discount in 1999, which meant investor landlords only had to declare half the gain on their tax return for that financial year. One of his Liberal successors Scott Morrison was re-elected in 2019 opposing then Labor Opposition Leader Bill Shorten's plan to halve the capital gains tax discount to 25 per cent and scrap negative gearing tax breaks for future purchases. Australians have faced criticism for placing their bare feet on the seats at a popular luxury cinema chain - with some even describing it as a 'bogan act'. Timothy was taken aback by the sight of at least five fellow patrons reclining with their bare feet on the seats while at Event Cinemas in Toowoomba, Queensland, He shared video footage on social media showing the barefoot moviegoers attending the luxury cinema, where ticket prices range from $33 to $66. 'Point of view: You have a premium luxury experience in Australia. Should you at least wait until the lights go down?' the video was captioned. Australians have faced criticism for placing their bare feet on the seats at a popular luxury cinema chain Many Australians agreed that they should have waited until the lights were dimmed before putting their feet up. One said: 'Shoes are on going in, then off when the movie starts. I am a classy bogan.' Another argued, 'Shoes stay on except for the beach, pool, or home.' A third expressed frustration, saying, 'This is why I don't go to the movies. Who wants to have someone's feet in their side view?' A fourth said: 'Disgusting.' Opinions were divided on whether barefoot was acceptable, with some suggesting it was fine if socks were worn. Poll Should you take your shoes off in the cinema? Yes No Yes but with socks on Should you take your shoes off in the cinema? Yes 97 votes No 686 votes Yes but with socks on 88 votes Now share your opinion One person wrote, 'Shoes off but with socks and a blankie,' while another said, 'Shoes off but only if I'm wearing slip-on shoes. Sneakers/boots stay on.' Others believed bare feet were okay under certain conditions. 'Only shoes off if your feet don't smell at all of anything; otherwise, keep them on,' commented one. Another added, 'If there's no one in front of me, I feel like it's my duty to let my puppies breathe.' Some suggested that the behavior might be specific to Queensland. 'Of course shoes off people as only wearing thongs anyway,' joked one viewer. Another concurred, 'Without checking, I knew it was Queensland!' Daily Mail Australia reached out to Event Cinemas for comment. "Lord, what are you preparing me for??" co-founder Nakia Holmes wrote in a caption as she documented the destruction on Instagram Saturday. Steve Gonzales/Staff photographer A fire broke out at the Turkey Leg Hut's business office in the early hours of Saturday, according to a report from Cynthia Miranda with FOX 26. Firefighters were called to the scene on the 1800 block of Rosedale Street in Houston's Museum District around 4 a.m. Restaurant owner Nakia Holmes confirmed the incident in an Instagram Live and a follow-up post on Saturday. An X user posted a clip of the livestream in which an emotional Holmes showed the scorched property. "Oh God, I don't even know if I want to," Holmes said before stepping inside and trailing off in a gasp. "It's hard. It's a tough pill to swallow. I'm glad it wasn't the restaurant." According to FOX 26, Holmes said the Turkey Leg Hut will still be open Saturday. The cause of the fire has not been publicized yet. In another Instagram video that Holmes later posted herself, flames can be seen burning inside the building through a broken window. More clips showed the ceiling was partially collapsed, and sunlight shone through the damaged roof. Parts of the walls, floor and doors were charred black. "Lord, what are you preparing me for??" she wrote in the caption. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The incident occurs amid recent reports of an acrimonious dispute between Holmes and her husband and business co-founder, Lyndell "Lynn" Price. Price was allegedly fired from the restaurant in February, along with other staff members, after audits revealed "potential financial mismanagement." However, Price has since denied that he parted ways with the company he helped builda claim he initially madeand said there was "no truth to it at all." Per previous reporting, Price was spotted just two days earlier working at The Turkey Leg Hut, directing the waitstaff and mowing the grass. Over the past week, Lynn has also set up a grilled oysters pop-up called Tiger2Dozen right across from the restaurant. Price has not publicly posted about the fire as of Saturday morning. Few sights capture the beauty of the British spring better than carpets of bluebells. As lovely as they appear, though, the abundant blooms are not to everyone's liking. Dr Fiona Mathews, the former head of the British Mammal Society and Professor of Environmental Biology at the University of Sussex, has criticised the proliferation of the woodland flowers as a sign that Britain's countryside is badly damaged. Britain's bluebell season gets underway towards the end of next month and comes to an end in early June. Britain's bluebell season gets underway towards the end of next month and comes to an end in early June (Stock Image) Dr Mathews claims that bluebells are only able to grow because native species such as wild boar no longer roam our woodland, disturbing growth of the flower. While bluebells still grow in the Forest of Dean, one of the few parts of the UK where a handful of wild boar roam freely, they are not found in as great quantities as elsewhere. In a book co-written with her conservationist husband Tim Kendall, she states: 'Britain is renowned for its bluebells, and in spring you can't pick up a country magazine without encountering a soft-focus photo of them. 'These monocultures aren't natural. Dr Mathews claims that bluebells are only able to grow because native species such as wild boar no longer roam our woodland, disturbing growth of the flower (Stock Image) 'They are a sign of our damaged and diminished ecosystems. The evidence from the Forest of Dean is that bluebells coexist with wild boar, but more patchily and not as uninterrupted carpets that smother and suppress less vigorous species. 'In other countries where boar are found in much larger numbers than here, woodlands enjoy greater plant diversity, owing in part to the opportunities provided by the complex habitats created by boar. 'Soil disturbance turns up seeds buried in lower layers that they can germinate.' The claims are made in Black Ops and Beaver Bombing: Adventures with Britain's Wild Mammals, in which the couple attempt to seek out 'enigmatic' wild mammals living in the UK. Dr Mathews claims that blankets of bluebells are 'a sign of our damaged and diminished ecosystems' Bluebells are a protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Landowners are prohibited from removing common bluebells on their land for sale and it is a criminal offence to remove the bulbs of wild common bluebells. Fiona Mathews told the Daily Mail that Britain's abundance of bluebells the UK reputedly has half of the world's entire population of bluebells is likely because we have eradicated wild Boar, she added. 'Yes, of course we should have bluebells but it should not be wall-to-wall bluebell.s 'There should be diversity in our woodlands, but there isn't. 'People about 500 years ago would be surprised to see the huge numbers of bluebells. 'Back then it would not have just been common to see wild boar in woodlands. People would also have turned domestic pigs out in forests too,' to feed on acorns. 'People would have been more used to see disturbed ground. 'But now bluebells have become the absolute icon of what the classic British spring should look like'. She added that 'I know wild boar aren't everybody's favourite animal. 'Boar turn up seeds that would not otherwise be germinating,' helping other plants grow, she said. Britain's abundance of bluebells the UK reputedly has half of the world's entire population of bluebells is likely because we have eradicated wild Boar, she added. Fred Rumsey, a bluebell expert at the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland and former Senior Curator at the Natural History Museum said he would dispute that bluebell monocultures are a sign of a damaged ecosystem but also because many native British woodland plants were killed off by the last ice age. He said: The monocultures of Bluebells found in British woodlands are indeed a unique phenomenon not seen elsewhere in the species atlantic European range. 'However, I'm not sure that I would describe it as a sign of a damaged ecosystem, more a feature of a rather naturally impoverished ecosystem. 'While the effects of animals will undoubtedly play a major role in the vegetation structure and ecosystem function, I suspect our Bluebells dominate because we naturally lack many of the woodland floor herbs and shrubs which co-exist so colourfully in Iberian woods. 'We probably have much to blame the last ice-age, our more northerly position and the isolation brought about by our insular nature for. 'All of which prevented the survival or (re)colonisation by many species that would naturally compete with the bluebells for space.' He added: 'Our traditional woodland management practices, soils and climate have certainly been to the Bluebell's tastes and in the absence of much competition it has thrived. 'I'm most certainly not against the spread of wild boar , which undoubtedly can play a useful role in increasing diversity.' The Boeing whistleblower found dead on Saturday had given stark warnings over the aviation giant's 787 Dreamliner and 737 Max models just weeks before his demise. John Barnett, 62, was found with a 'self-inflicted' gunshot wound in the parking lot of a hotel in Charleston, South Carolina. Barnett's attorney, Brian Knowles, told the BBC that Barnett had been in the middle of a deposition in a whistleblower lawsuit in Charleston related to production of the 787 Dreamliner plane. The suit alleged under-pressure workers were deliberately fitting 'sub-standard' parts to Boeing 787s, and that brass were sweeping defects under the rug to save money. The FAA has since revealed the firm failed a whopping 33 of 89 audits during an exam of its 737 Max production. In January, Barnett appeared on TMZ to provide his take on a technical failure that saw a door fly off its hinges of a 737 - a model he said was being victimized by recent shifts in strategy along with the 787. Former Boeing Quality Manager John Barnett, 62, issued an eerie warning back in January about two specific plane models recently involved in accidents - before turning up dead this past Saturday. He is seen in 2022 He said he had problems with how Boeing was handling its production of its 737s and 787s in particular, days after a door plug blew out on a 737 blew out at 16,000ft, Barnett was found dead inside his truck on Saturday in the parking lot of a Holiday Inn in Charleston, pictured above His warning would prove prophetic, as a 787 experienced a midair 'technical event' Monday injuring 50 passengers. In January, Barnett explained why he believed both models were ticking time bombs, as both incidents remain under investigation. 'This is not a 737 problem - this is a Boeing problem,' he said after being asked if he believed the 737 was safe to fly following the door incident and a subsequent FAA inspection. 'I know the FAA is going in and done due diligence and inspections to ensure the door close on the 737 is installed properly and the fasteners are stored properly,' he said, citing the parts that likely played a part in the incident. 'But, my concern is, "What's the rest of the airplane? What's the condition of the rest of the airplane?"' He went on to provide a reason for that concern - one that he said led him to file the lawsuit against the aviation firm. 'Back in 2012, Boeing started removing inspection operations off their jobs,' he told TMZ's Charles Latibeaudiere and Harvey Levin, recalling his time as a quality overseer at Boeing's plant in South Carolina, which manufactured mostly 787s. 'So, it left the mechanics to buy off their own work,' he explained. Barnett went on to charge that the incident involving the door was indicative of something greater - and something alleged in his lawsuit: Boeing turning a blind eye to safety concerns in order to raise their bottom line. 'What we're seeing with the door plug blowout is what I've seen with the rest of the airplane, as far as jobs not being completed properly, inspection steps being removed, issues being ignored,' he charged, months before his sudden death. 'My concerns are with the 737 and 787, because those programs have really embraced the theory that quality is overhead and non value added. Boeing's assembly plant in North Charleston - where the deceased worked for decades - is seen here The plant where Barnett worked for decades is where Boeing builds the 787 Dreamliner, one of several crafts from the airliner that's made headlines as of late. Pictured: an unrelated United Airlines Boeing 787-9 takes off from Los Angeles international Airport on July 30, 2022 'Those two programs have really put a strong effort into removing quality from the process.' The FAA appears to have stood up some of the expert's assertions after revealing how a six-week audit found 'multiple instances where [Boeing] allegedly failed to comply with manufacturing quality control requirements' of its 737s. At one point during the exam, feds found that mechanics at Spirit AeroSystems - one of Boeing's main suppliers - used a hotel key card to check a door seal, and a liquid Dawn soap to a door seal 'as lubricant in the fit-up process.' That action was 'not identified/documented/called-out in the production order,' a document outlining the probe said - spurring FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker to decree Boeing must develop a comprehensive plan to address such 'systemic quality-control issues' within 90 days He sent summary of its findings to the companies in its completed audit, after an all-day February 27 meeting with CEO Dave Calhoun. He did not state the specific corrective actions Boeing and Spirit must take. 'Boeing must commit to real and profound improvements,' Whitaker explained at the time last week. 'We are going to hold them accountable every step of the way, with mutually understood milestones and expectations.' Calhoun responded in his own statement, saying that Boeing's leadership team was 'totally committed' to addressing FAA concerns and developing the plan. Meanwhile, Spirit, which makes the fuselage for the now scrutinized MAX, issued a statement saying it was 'in communication with Boeing and the FAA on appropriate corrective actions.' In response, Boeing brass claimed that after the 'quality stand-downs, the FAA audit findings, and the recent expert review panel report, [the firm has] a clear picture of what needs to be done.' As for Barnett, he outlined to TMZ in January how he began to push back at brass at the then-new South Carolina plant in 2010 when they allegedly started to pushback on his quality control of the 787 Dreamliner, one of several crafts now making headlines. 'When I first started working at Charleston, I was in charge of pushing back defects to our suppliers,' he told Latibeaudiere and Levin, appearing virtually days before heading back to the South Carolina city to handle depositions with Boeing lawyers, his attorney confirmed 'What that meant was, I'd take a group of inspectors and actually go to the supplier and inspect their product before they sent it in,' he continued. 'I'd take a team of four inspectors to Spirit Aerosystems to inspect the 41 section [the portion of an aircraft, extending from the nose to just aft of the cockpit window] before they sent it Charleston, and we found 300 defects.' He went on: 'Some of them were significant that needed engineering intervention. 'When I returned to Charleston, my senior manager told me that we had found too many defects, and he was gonna take the next trip,' he then revealed. 'So, the next trip he went on, he took two of my inspectors, and when they got back they were given accolades for only finding 50 defects. So, I pulled that inspector aside, and I said, "did Spirit really clean up their act that quick? That don't sound right. 'And she was mad. She said, no - the inspectors were given two hours to inspect the whole 41 section and they were kicked off the airplane.' The ex-quality manager at Boeing's North Charleston plant (seen died from a 'self-inflicted' wound, cops in Charleston said. Barnett was in the midst of a suit that alleged under-pressure workers were deliberately fitting sub-standard parts to aircraft during his tenure The interview ended there, and within weeks, Barnett was in Charleston ironing out his ongoing lawsuit. Days later, he was found dead in his truck in a hotel parking lot in South Carolina, his lawyer said Monday - seven years after he retired following a 32-year career. The ex-quality manager at Boeing's North Charleston plant died from a 'self-inflicted' wound, the local coroner said - adding that cops were still investigating the death. Two days later, roughly 50 people were treated by first responders after a Boeing 787 Dreamliner flying from Australia to New Zealand experienced a 'technical event' that caused 'a strong movement' jolting passengers in their seats. As of writing, five remain hospitalized - after the plane dipped violently due to the unspecified issue, LATAM airline and first responders both told AFP. Meanwhile, in a separate incident in early January, an unused emergency exit door blew off a brand-new Boeing 737 Max shortly after take-off from Portland International, sparking a still-ongoing DOJ investigation. On Friday, shortly before the incident over the Indian Ocean, Boeing said it believed the technical failure involving the door stemmed from something that occurred during production, where required documents detailed the removal of a key part that failed were never created. Also on Friday, the company said it is 'committed to continuing to cooperate fully and transparently with the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation,' which, more than three months later, remains ongoing. Barnett's job for 32 years was overseeing production standards for the firm's planes - standards he said were not met during his four years at the then-new plant in Charleston from 2010 to 2014. 'The new leadership didn't understand processes,' Barnett told Corporate Crime Reporter in an interview in 2019 of how brass allegedly cut corners to get their then state-of-the-art 7878s out on time. 'They brought them in from other areas of the company,' he continued, two years after retiring in 20017. 'The new leadership team from my director down they all came from St. Louis, Missouri. They said they were all buddies there.' 'That entire team came down,' he went on. 'They were from the military side. My impression was their mindset was - we are going to do it the way we want to do it. Their motto at the time was - we are in Charleston and we can do anything we want.' 'They started pressuring us to not document defects, to work outside the procedures, to allow defective material to be installed without being corrected. 'They started bypassing procedures and not maintaining configurement control of airplanes, not maintaining control of non conforming parts they just wanted to get the planes pushed out the door and make the cash register ring. 'That entire team came down,' he went on. 'They were from the military side. My impression was their mindset was - we are going to do it the way we want to do it. Their motto at the time was - we are in Charleston and we can do anything we want.' He also said he had uncovered serious problems with the plane's oxygen systems, alleging that one in four breathing masks would not work in the event of an emergency. Barnett's job for 32 years was overseeing production standards for the firm's planes - standards he said were not met during his four years at the then-new plant in Charleston from 2010 to 2014 as brass rushed to roll out the then new 787 Dreamliner model Barnett claimed he alerted superiors at the plant about his misgivings, but no action was ever taken. Boeing denied this, as well as his claims. However, a 2017 review by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) went on to stand up some of Barnett's qualms, including finding that at least 53 'non-conforming' parts - as they put it - were misplaced, and considered lost. Boeing was ordered to take immediate remedial action, by locating and detailing the lost parts. After the review, the company went on to also concede that it had 'identified some oxygen bottles received from the supplier that were not deploying properly', but denied Barnett's claims that any were actually fitted on aircraft. Meanwhile, the firm is now under criminal investigation for the door incident on the Max plane this past January, during which feds will examine whether Boeing has met the conditions of the 2021 settlement reached after the fatal 2018 and 2019 crashes that killed 346 people. The first occurred when a Max 8 operated by Indonesia's Lion Air plunged into the Java Sea in October 2018. The second was when an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max 8 crashed nearly straight down into a field six minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa in March 2019. Boeing reached a $2.5 billion settlement with the FBI and the Transportation Department in the wake of the crashes, admitting that two former employees had misled the FAA over how much training a new flight control system would require. Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun speaks with reports at the Capitol in January after MAX 9 planes were grounded follwing the door incident. The company is now under criminal investigation The investigation will see feds will examine whether Boeing has met the conditions of the 2021 settlement reached after the fatal 2018 and 2019 crashes that killed 346 people. teams collect personal effects and other materials from the crash site of Ethiopian Airlines Flight in March 2019, less than a year after another 737-MAX crash in Indonesia That crash came five months after another flight on a Boeing 737 MAX jet left 189 people dead in Indonesia. Pictured are inspectors at the site of the Lion Air Flight crash in November 2018 If the Justice Department finds that Boeing has violated the terms of that settlement, they could face prosecution on the original count of defrauding the US. Boeing declined to comment on the criminal investigation. DailyMail.com contacted Alaska Airlines for comment. Boeing is also facing a civil lawsuit from a group of passengers onboard the flight. Earlier this week, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board accused Boeing of failing to provide some key records sought in its ongoing investigation into the mid-air cabin door emergency. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said investigators have sought the names of the 25 people who work on door plugs at a Boeing facility in Renton, Washington, but have not received them from Boeing. 'It is absurd that two months later we don't have it,' Homendy said at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on Wednesday. Boeing insisted that it had initially provided the NTSB with some of the names of Boeing employees, including door specialists it believed would have relevant information. Senator Ted Cruz, the top Republican on the Commerce Committee, called it 'utterly unacceptable' that the NTSB was not receiving full cooperation from Boeing. Homendy also confirmed that the MAX 9 door plug had moved during prior flights, citing markings on the door. In January, the Alaska Airlines 737 suffered a near-catastrophe as a plane door blew out at 16,000ft over Portland There were no serious injuries from the terrifying air failure, but passenger's belongings including phones flew out of the aircraft An Alaska Airlines flight arrived in Portland with the door to its cargo space where passengers' pets were inside left slightly ajar The door plug incident has been followed by a string of bad press for Boeing, which has made headlines in recent weeks for issues with planes - including an engine exploding on a flight out of Texas and a wheel falling off on take-off at San Francisco. Last month, another Alaska Airlines plane landed safely in Portland with its cargo door open. Alaska Airlines Flight 1437 from Los Cabos, Mexico, arrived at Portland International Airport and photos show the open door. It's unclear how long the door was open for, but the flight did not require an emergency landing. There was no indication that the door was open during the flight, according to crew members, which points to the door opening after landing. 'Upon landing at PDX on March 1, Alaska Airlines flight 1437 was discovered to have the forward cargo door unsealed,' Alaska airlines said in a statement. 'There was no indication to the crew that the door was unsealed during flight and all indications point to the door partially opening after landing. 'Our maintenance teams inspected the aircraft, replaced a spring in the door, tested the door and reentered it into service.' Under a deal reached in 2021, the Justice Department had agreed not to prosecute the company for conspiracy to defraud the government. Families of the nearly 350 victims quickly spoke out against the decision, culminating in the lawsuit settled in October After relocating in May, Boeing has sought to move past the fallout from the two crashes, with the wrongful death inconsistencies now serving as its last obstacle. Such disputes over damages and the deceaseds final moments are nounusual, legal experts told the Journal, namely in states like Illinois where laws exist only allowing damages dished out for a plaintiff's grief and loss, and not suffering. Pointing to a lack sufficient evidence the victims experienced pain and suffering between their injuries and deaths, Boeing attorneys say the company should not be liable for those proposed payments. That battle over whether the plane maker should have to pay for the victims' suffering comes more than two years after Boeing admitted responsibility for the second crash as part of a deal to obtain legal immunity from the federal government. The company, at the time, conceded to US District Judge Reed O'Connor that the company had conspired to defraud the United States when it lied about the planes' safety features in hearings and documents after the crashes, which left all Max jets grounded worldwide for nearly two years. That cost Boeing more than $20 billion. The deal saw attorneys for the plaintiffs agree to take potential punitive damages off the table in the suits - of which there were roughly 80. Punitive damages refer to the amounts of money defendants are ruled to pay as part of their punishment. Under the controversial deal, the Justice Department agreed not to prosecute the company for conspiracy to defraud the government, effectively granting it legal immunity. Families of the victims quickly spoke out against the decision, however, demanding justice for the victims. Both Boeing and the DOJ opposed reopening the agreement. In a court filing in November, the Justice Department said it did not oppose undoing the agreement and properly arraigning Boeing, but said undoing the agreement 'would impose serious hardships on the parties and the many victims who have received compensation.' As backlash from families persisted, the Justice Department in January announced that it would do away with the 2021 deal - which saw the company pay $2.5 billion to the Justice Department as part of a settlement - and move forward with the manufacturer's arraignment. At the time, Boeings chief safety officer, Mike Delaney, entered a not-guilty plea on behalf of the planemaker. During the arraignment, relatives of those killed decried the company, saying it 'committed the deadliest corporate crime in U.S. history.' The planes, however, were cleared to fly again in 2021, after Boeing overhauled an automated flight-control system that activated erroneously in both crashes, after promising to look into the plane's safety issues. Officials, however, would only choose to ground 737s after a second crash, this time in Ethiopia, just five months later. Boeing Max 737's two deadly crashes: What happened? Boeing was forced to ground the 737 Max after the crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia happened less than six months apart. The first disaster happened October 29, 2018, when a Max flying as Lion Air flight JT 610 fell into the Java Sea 15 minutes after taking off from Jakarta. All 189 aboard the plane died, including 180 Indonesians, one Italian and one Indian. The second crash occurred on March 10, 2019, when Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302, which also was a Max jet, took off from Bole International Airport in the Ethiopian capital and crashed. All 157 people onboard the plane died. US carriers American, United and Southwest had to cancel flights for the holidays, including over Christmas and into the new year, after the plane was grounded around the world. Boeing reported on July 14, 2019, that customers canceled orders for 60 of the grounded 737 MAX jets in June. The aircraft maker removed another 123 planes from its backlog over doubts that the deals will be completed. Advertisement Following an investigation in 2020, Boeing blamed both crashes on a failure in the planes flight control system, which caused the plane's to turn sharply downwards while in the air. 737 MAX jets were once again cleared to fly in November 2021, after two years of being grounded, with Boeing at the time branding the planes safe for passengers Boeing had previously agreed to a $200million penalty from the Securities and Exchange Commission to settle charges that it 'negligently violated the antifraud provisions,' of US securities law. The agency argued that just one month after the first crash, the company 'selectively highlighted certain facts, implying pilot error and poor aircraft maintenance' was what led to the crashes, instead of a technical issue. That release failed to disclose that the company knew a key flight handling system, the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System posed safety issues and was never redesigned, the SEC argued. Then, after the second crash, the agency said, Boeing and Muilenburg assured the public that there was 'no surprise or gap' in the federal certification of the MAX despite being aware of contrary information. 'In times of crisis and tragedy, it is especially important that public companies and executives provide full, fair, and truthful disclosures to the markets,' said SEC Chair Gary Gensler in a press release. 'The Boeing Company and its former CEO, Dennis Muilenburg, failed in this most basic obligation. They misled investors by providing assurances about the safety of the 737 MAX, despite knowing about serious safety concerns.' The SEC said both Boeing and Muilenburg, in agreeing to pay the penalties, did not admit or deny the agency's findings. Boeing said the agreement 'fully resolves' the SEC's inquiry and is part of the company's 'broader effort to responsibly resolve outstanding legal matters related to the 737 MAX accidents in a manner that serves the best interests of our shareholders, employees, and other stakeholders,' a company spokesman said. 'We will never forget those lost on Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, and we have made broad and deep changes across our company in response to those accidents.' Meanwhile, relatives in the remaining civil lawsuits have enlisted their own expert witnesses to help their case, and address questions regarding their family member's final moments. One of those experts, aerospace physiologist Troy Faaborg, wrote in a court filing the victims very likely experienced issues such as panic, nausea and vomiting, heart problems during the six-minute nosedive, giving credence to their relatives argument. Vickie Norton, a commercial airline pilot hired as a witness by the plaintiffs, also wrote: 'It wasnt long before the progressive loss of control and ultimate dive to the ground would have been not only distressing but terror-inducing to all passengers onboard.' Feds will now decide whether Boeing defied the terms of the deal reached this past October. In an email Monday, the attorney handling Barnett's case called his client's death 'tragic'. 'Today is a tragic day,' Brian Knowles wrote, revealing Barnett 'was supposed to do day three of his deposition here in Charleston on his AIR21 case [on Saturday],' referring to a federal law that provides whistleblowers protection in the aviation industry. 'John had been back and forth for quite some time getting prepared,' he continued, providing a timeline of what transpired in the days before Barnett's death. 'The defense examined him for their allowed seven hours under the rules on Thursday. 'I cross examined him all day yesterday [Friday] and did not finish. We agreed to continue this morning at 10 am [co-counsel] Rob [Turkewitz] kept calling this morning and his phone would go to voicemail. 'We then asked the hotel to check on him,' the South Carolina jurist went on. 'They found him in his truck dead from an 'alleged' self-inflicted gunshot. We drove to the hotel and spoke with the police and the coroner.' The Charleston County coroner, meanwhile, confirmed Monday the longtime Boeing staffer died Friday, while in town for interviews linked to the case. Boeing also responded to the former worker's death in their own statement as news spread on Monday, saying it was 'saddened by Mr. Barnett's passing.' The statement did not address any aspects of the case, but brass ultimately added: 'Our thoughts are with his family and friends.' A young motorbike rider who was killed in a horror crash had previously shared a video to social media of herself riding with no hands. Perth woman Monique Roberts, 25, died after her pink Honda motorcycle smashed into a roadside barrier on Tonkin Highway at about 5.30pm on Friday. Ms Roberts' suffered severe injuries and died at the scene of the crash. The 25-year-old had numerous social media pages dedicated to her motorbike and would share pictures and videos of her riding it with her thousands of followers. Last month, Ms Roberts shared a photograph of herself and her pink Honda with the caption 'Random people: 'you're going to die on that thing'.' Perth woman Monique Roberts died in a horror crash after her Pink Honda motorbike smashed into a roadside barrier on Tonkin Highway The 25-year-old had numerous social media pages dedicated to her motorbike. In one post, Ms Roberts shared a picture of her riding her motorbike with the caption: 'Might do 140 past a cop later idk (I don't know)' (pictured) Her twin sister, Dana Roberts-Licastro, used the picture to announce her sister's death, claiming the caption 'did not age well'. 'That didn't age well ... she has passed away in a motorcycle accident,' her sister wrote. Another picture showed Ms Roberts on her bike with the caption: 'I wanna feel wanted, might do 140 past a cop later idk (I don't know)'. She added: 'I know my 250 won't make it, but it'll be fun to try.' In yet another post, Ms Roberts said she would start the new year with 'the need to Mach Jesus speed' - a slang term used to describe an object travelling at an extremely high speed. In numerous videos of Ms Roberts, the 25-year-old can be seen riding with one-hand on her bike's handlebars or with no hands. One video even shows Ms Roberts creating a love heart sign with her fingers at her chest as she rides her bike down the road. Grief-stricken family and friends have shared touching tributes to Ms Roberts on social media. 'At least you passed doing what you loved... Heaven has gained another angel,' the friend wrote. Friend Jade Roberts-Walsh (left) shared a touching tribute, describing Ms Roberts (right) as having a 'beautiful soul' A GoFundMe was set up by Ms Roberts' twin sister to help the family 'gireve this tragedy' (pictured, Monique Roberts) Jade Roberts, 27, also shared a heartfelt tribute to Ms Roberts on Sunday, describing her as having a 'beautiful soul'. 'Monique was a down-to-earth, kind, quiet and beautiful soul. She was creative, vibrant, colourful, and very expressive in her clothing, style, piercings and tattoos,' Ms Roberts told the West Australian. 'She also brought a certain light to the room and charismatic energy that could make anyone smile and want to talk to her.' Jade explained she was in the process of arranging a photoshoot with Ms Roberts' and her motorcycle. 'She loved her job, her bike and most importantly, her friends and family, who are utterly devastated at losing such a lively, spirited soul so young,' Jade said. Ms Robert's twin sister Dana also started a GoFundMe to help with the funeral expenses. 'Our family suffered a tragic loss and my sister only 25 had died in a motorcycle accident,' Dana wrote. 'We are raising funds for her funeral to make the process easier while we grieve this tragedy.' Officers from the Major Crash Unit have launched an investigation to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the crash. Police are urging anyone who witnessed the crash, has dashcam footage or mobile phone vision to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. A local greengrocer who was shot dead on his driveway as he left for work has been revealed as a suspected member of the Calabrian mafia. The body of John Peter Latorre, 64, was found outside his home at Buchanan Place in Greenvale, in Melbourne's north, at about 4.30am on Tuesday. Mr Latorre is understood to have been a discreet but influential member of the Ndrangheta - a powerful mafia organisation from Calabria, southern Italy. He also ran a successful fruit and vegetable business at the Melbourne Market in Epping, about 18km north of the CBD. The body of John Peter Latorre (pictured), 64, was found outside his home at Buchanan Place in Greenvale, in Melbourne 's north, at about 4.30am on Tuesday It's understood Mr Latorre was leaving for work when he was approached by a unknown person and shot in the upper body on his driveway. Detective Senior Sergeant Danny Travaglini said while he couldn't confirm if the shooting was linked to organised crime, a retaliation attack was possible. 'There's nothing to suggest retaliation at this point in time,' he said. 'However, you've also got to understand, that if there are links to organised crime, there is the potential for retaliation. And that's why Victoria Police approach such investigations as a high priority.' A woman pictured outside the Greenvale home where Melbourne greengrocer John Latorre was found dead early on Tuesday morning appeared distressed The woman (centre) was treated by paramedics as she was removed from the crime scene Family members were seen speaking with police inside the cordoned-off crime scene Police have confirmed Mr Latorre was known to police before his death on Tuesday A woman outside the home appeared distressed as she was led away from the scene to be treated by paramedics at about 9.30am. Det Sgt Travaglini said a family member had discovered Mr Latorre on the driveway after hearing gunshots from inside the house. 'We've spoken to [the family]. They're quite distraught they're not really in a position to provide too much detail,' he said. He confirmed the greengrocer had been known to police before his death. Forensics were seen combing the area outside the property and taking statements from neighbours before ambulance personnel removed the body. A source close to Mr Latorre said he had felt no threat on his life before he was shot. 'There was no indication of any threats to his life,' they told the Herald Sun. Ambulance personnel were seen removing Mr Latorre's body from the crime scene Forensics were seen combing the area outside the home of the greengrocer (pictured) A forensic officer was seen taking photos of the driveway just hours after the alleged shooting Victoria Police said in a statement the investigation was ongoing. 'Paramedics tried to revive the yet to be formally identified man but he died at the scene,' a police statement read. 'The exact circumstances surrounding the death are yet to be determined and a crime scene has been established. 'No arrests have been made at this stage.' Anyone who witnessed the incident has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers. Households and businesses close to the six nuclear power reactors the opposition hopes to see built could have their energy bills subsidised. Teasing the coalition's yet-to-be-unveiled energy policy at the Australian Financial Review Business Summit in Sydney on Tuesday, opposition leader Peter Dutton said the plan would likely include six nuclear plant sites. Tasmania has been ruled out as a potential host state. Mr Dutton said the coalition would seek a social licence by incentivising close-by communities with subsided energy, a model he said was used in the United States. 'It provides incentive for industry to establish jobs,' he told the audience. Peter Dutton (pictured) said the coalition's yet-to-be-unveiled energy policy would likely include six nuclear plant sites The opposition is expected to release its energy policy ahead of the federal budget in May, with the plan likely to include overturning the moratorium on nuclear technology and possible sites for reactors on old coal station locations to take advantage of existing transmission infrastructure. Mr Dutton said nuclear power should be viewed as a companion to renewables. 'Nuclear is the only proven technology which emits zero emission and firms up renewables.' The Albanese government has dismissed nuclear as an unsuitable technology for Australia that has a high price tag and will take too long to roll out. Energy experts also say it's difficult to estimate the cost of transitioning to nuclear given the technology is not currently commercially available. Mr Dutton addressed a number of what he described as 'straw man arguments' against nuclear, including cost. He used other regions with nuclear in the energy mix - South Korea and the Ontario region of Canada - to make his case for the system-wide cost of the energy source and its influence on power bills. Reactors also produce a 'small amount of waste' and Mr Dutton said the government had already signed up to deal with nuclear waste via the AUKUS agreement. The Liberal government's plan will likely propose old coal fired power stations to house nuclear reactors (pictured stock image) Speaking at the business conference on Monday evening, Business Council of Australia president Geoff Culbert said the politics of climate action had become 'so binary' it was making it difficult to achieve. Mr Culbert said the nation still did not have a detailed, long-term plan to get to net zero. 'And the business community - who will have to do a lot of the heavy lifting - have no long-term certainty on what they can invest against in an environment where targets may change every time there is a change in government,' he said. He called for an independent expert body to devise a net zero plan to insulate it from political game playing. He did not mention nuclear but said gas would be needed in the transition period until battery technology gets to scale or other substitutes become available. Chris Bowen billed taxpayers $20,000 for a week-long trip to the United States - despite a similar journey by Treasurer Jim Chalmers costing just $2,000. The Climate Change and Energy Minister travelled to New York, Pittsburgh and Washington from September 18 to 25, 2022, at a total cost to the taxpayer of $20,312. Those costs appear to be almost entirely comprised of airfares, with Mr Bowen also claiming just $2.20 for employee international travel costs. Mr Bowen spruiked the trip as an opportunity to discuss Australia's climate targets on the world stage. He met with Bill Gates, Al Gore and drove an electric Ford F-150. In all, Mr Bowen spent $269,997 in the final quarter of 2022 - $77,600 of which was travel costs for 12 employees. A spokesperson for Mr Bowen told Daily Mail Australia: 'Parliamentarians are able to access travel, including flights and COMCAR for their parliamentary business, in accordance with the relevant rules and guidelines.' Mr Bowen spruiked the five-day trip as an opportunity to discuss Australia's climate targets on a global scale. He met with Bill Gates , Al Gore and drove an electric Ford F-150 (above) According to Mr Bowen's diary, he enjoyed a 30-minute meeting with billionaire Mr Gates amid the three conferences he attended. Treasurer Jim Chalmers went on a similar trip - the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action - the following month. Over five days, from October 11 to 16, 2022, Dr Chalmers billed the taxpayer a relatively modest $2,295 - $1,859 for an employee's travel, a $378 ministerial allowance and $22 for passport costs. The revelation of Mr Bowen's surprisingly high claim comes as politicians face increased scrutiny for their taxpayer-funded expenses - all taken from the government's array of taxes and excises which are hurting Australians struggling the soaring cost of living. One of the top parliamentary spenders of the final 2022 quarter was Resources Minister and Minister for Northern Australia Madeleine King. Ms King spent $386,262 in total from October to December 2022, placing fifth in total spending behind Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, Health Minister Mark Butler and NDIS Minister Bill Shorten. Her employee travel costs totalled $203,898 for the quarter, while a five-day trip to Japan in November set the taxpayer back $20,334. One of the top parliamentary spenders of the final 2022 quarter was Minister for Northern Australia, Madeleine King Most recently, Greens leader Adam Bandt has come under fire for racking up an expenses bill of almost $1million a year, including hundreds of thousands on printing and two private jet flights This included a $6,056 fare for herself, $13,470 worth of fares for employees, and a $378 incidentals allowance. A spokesperson from Minister Kings office told Daily Mail Australia denied any wrongdoing. 'Parliamentarians are able to access travel, including flights and COMCAR for their parliamentary business, in accordance with the relevant rules and guidelines,' the statement said. Most recently, Greens leader Adam Bandt has come under fire for racking up an expenses bill of almost $1million a year, including hundreds of thousands on printing and two private jet flights. The anti-fossil fuel campaigner also claimed $12,000 on a taxpayer-provided vehicle and petrol allowance plus $29,000 on government COMCAR trips and taxis, according to figures from the Department of Finance. Despite his party's core policy of cutting C02 emissions Mr Bandt used two private jets during the 2022 election campaign, landing tax payers with the $23,000 bill. The $963,166 in expenses racked up by Mr Bandt were on top of his $314,000 salary and the wages of his personal staff. Tony Burke, the arts and workplace relations minister and Leader of the House, was called out for the cost of his trip to Washington. His sparse diary shows only a handful of trip entries - and even includes a 15-minute journey from his accommodation as one of three official pieces of business that day. Mr Burke (right), the arts and workplace relations minister and Leader of the House, is at the centre of controversy after he was called out for the cost of his trip to Washington A graphic shows how much Tony Burke spent while in America But Mr Burke claimed he was also involved in important key meetings which were not included in his official diary entries. He jetted over to the US with a staffer - travelling business class - as part of a delegation with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles for the Australian American Leadership Dialogue. His official diary for the event - from July 11 to 15, 2022 - suggests the trip was not overly onerous, with just a handful of commitments, including a barbeque breakfast, a three hour dinner, and two 20 minute Microsoft Teams meetings. Among the handful of listed commitments included 15-minute time slot dedicated to 'departing' his accommodation to head to another address - one of just three pieces of official business he performed that day. Mr Burke had one official meeting in his diary over the four days. It was a meeting with Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin, who is a member on a committee for labor and pensions in the US. Daily Mail Australia does not suggest any of the ministers have breached any rules or codes of conduct. All five victims were declared dead at the scene Spiker was driving the bus when she drifted into oncoming traffic, colliding with a truck driven by Coufal David Coufal, 72; Angela Spiker, 57; Maria Miller, 5; Andrew Miller, 3; and Noah Driscoll, 3 were all killed in the accident The five people, including three children, who were killed in a fiery head-on collision involving a school bus and a semi-truck in Illinois have been identified. The victims were named as 72-year-old David Coufal of Browning; 57-year-old Angela Spiker of Rushville; five-year-old Maria Miller and three-year-old Andrew Miller of Rushville; and three-year-old Noah Driscoll of Rushville. Spiker's brother, Scott Waterman, confirmed on Facebook that his sister was driving the bus when she drifted into the lane of an oncoming truck. 'Lord God, please be with my family tonight as we deal with a terrible tragedy. We lost my loving little sister today,' he wrote. 'She was driving a small school bus and today she had 3 children on board for some reason she drifted into the lane of an oncoming semi and they hit head on. There were no survivors.' Siblings Maria Miller, 5, and Andrew Miller, 3, were killed in a fiery crash on a highway in western Illinois Angela Spiker, 57, was driving a Schuyler-Industry Schools bus with three children on board when she veered into oncoming traffic The bus collided with a semi-truck driven by 72-year-old David Coufal. Both vehicles burst into flames The bus was traveling west on U.S. Route 24 at Parkview Road around 11:30 am Monday when it veered and hit the truck, which was driven by Coufal. Both vehicles burst into flames. The crash occurred in Rushville, a small city about 60 miles outside Springfield. All five victims were pronounced dead at the scene, according to Illinois State Police. 'Theres not really words at this time that can be said,' Schuyler County Sheriff Bill Redshaw said at a press conference Monday afternoon. 'When you have a loss of life like this, its devastating.' All three children on board the school bus were pre-K students at Schuyler-Industry Schools. The district posted a message to social media Monday afternoon. 'It is with a heavy heart that we announce our school community has lost both staff and students in the traffic incident involving one of our school buses this morning,' the statement read. 'Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and our community.' School was cancelled through Wednesday, March 13. The district plans to offer counselors and support staff for students and teachers. Life Family Church in Virginia, Illinois launched a fundraiser to support the Miller family. 'Its with great sadness that we have to bring this news to you today,' the church wrote on social media. 'Maria and Andrew Miller were in a fatal accident on their way to school.' The accident also claimed the life of 3-year-old Noah Driscoll. All five victims were pronounced dead at the scene The Miller siblings' mother, Sarah, described them as 'blessings' on social media 'Lord God, please be with my family tonight as we deal with a terrible tragedy,' Spiker's older brother wrote on social media All victims were residents of Rushville, with the exception of Coufal, who hailed from the village of Browning Life Family Church in Virginia, Illinois organized a fundraiser for the Miller family in the wake of the tragedy The post urged community members to pray for the siblings' mother Sarah, who described them as 'blessings' on her own Facebook page. Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly issued a statement encouraging community members to keep the families in their thoughts 'as they try to heal.' 'Today's crash in Rushville is something no parent or family should have to face,' Kelly said. 'Our hearts ache for the families involved and the community feeling this tragic loss.' Rushville city officials asked residents and business owners to fly flags at half-staff to honor those killed in the accident. Those without a flag were encouraged to leave a porch light on to show support for the victims' loved ones. An urgent search is underway for a man who allegedly indecently exposed himself to a young girl on a bus before fleeing the scene. Police responded to the alleged incident on George Street in Haymarket, Sydney's CBD, on Tuesday, February 20, at about 1.20pm. The man, who was a passenger on the bus, allegedly exposed himself to the young girl, before getti After that, he got off the bus and ran away. The man is described as being of Caucasian appearance, in his 30s, with an olive complexion, a dark brown moustache, facial piercings and wearing glasses The man is described as being of Caucasian appearance, in his 30s, with an olive complexion, a dark brown moustache, facial piercings and wearing glasses. At the time of the incident, he was wearing a leaf print shirt with a white logo on the front, grey shorts, white shoes, a black hat and a black backpack. Anyone with CCTV or information about this incident is urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Jimmy Kimmel slammed Donald Trump again in his first show since the Oscars, calling the former president the 'biggest d**k' of the night, upstaging even John Cena's infamous nude presenting sketch. Kimmel couldn't resist mocking Trump after the ex-Commander in Chief asked if there'd ever been a 'WORSE' host in Academy Awards history in a blistering social media post during the ceremony. Despite claiming that the show was 'not about me' and having not mentioned Trump in his opening monologue, Kimmel proceeded to read the post live on stage about himself before snidely asking the president: 'Isn't it past your jailtime?' Kimmel continued in his monologue on his ABC late night show Monday evening, poking fun at Trump's post, which he claimed was driven by an 'Adderall McFlurry' that kicked in. 'Funny, we had John Cena on the stage naked and somehow he managed to be the biggest d**k of the night,' he said to huge applause from his Los Angeles audience. Jimmy Kimmel slammed former President Donald Trump again in his first show after his calling him the 'biggest d**k' of the night, upstaging John Cena's infamous nude presenting sketch Kimmel has long been a critic of Trump, whining that he'd once lost 'half' his audience over criticism of the former president Kimmel then went through the process of getting the bit to the air, as it obviously wasn't planned. 'After the show, almost everyone I ran into asked was that real? Of course it was real and it kind of tells you all you need to know about Donald Trump.' 'He wrote this because he was upset I didn't mention him on the show and no one mentioned him on the show, he wasn't getting any attention, he couldn't stand it!' Kimmel read the president's Truth Social post a second time and then joked it was 'also his wedding toast to his son Eric. I don't take too much offense.' The ABC host added that he wasn't planning to talk about Trump at all during the ceremony but when one of his writers showed him the post, he had to read it. His show began with a fakeout that saw Justin Timberlake to pretending to guest host in Kimmel's absence before the host's return. Kimmel then continued to trash the former president with famously anti-Trump liberal actor Robert de Niro. The pair bonded over their shared history of being a topic of Trump's ire on social media before de Niro launched into an unhinged rant about the ex-Commander in Chief. In his monologue on his ABC late night show Monday evening, Kimmel returned to the stage to continue to poke fun at Trump's post, which he claimed was driven by an 'Adderall McFlurry' that kicked in 'Funny, we had John Cena on the stage naked and somehow he managed to be the biggest d**k of the night,' he said to huge applause from his Los Angeles audience His show began with a fakeout that saw Justin Timberlake to pretending to guest host in Kimmel's absence before the host's return 'He's so f***ing stupid,' de Niro said to rousing cheers from the audience. 'Look at the lame, inane things he said. He's so stupid, he can't even say anything clever. He's a f***ing moron,' the two-time Oscar-winner said. He then attempted to tone down the humor for a moment, claiming: 'He's a scary one and in all seriousness and we know it here, people have to get out and vote and vote and vote.' De Niro also compared Trump to the likes of televangelists Tammy Faye and Jim Bakker, saying the type of behavior he exhibits 'is a thing we've seen over decades and decades.' He then turned to Trump's fellow Republicans and what he sees as their worship of the president. 'It's so obvious, I just don't understand, people can buy it. He's dangerous, we've gotta get rid of him. Shame on those Republicans, that don't have the nerve, the balls to go after him,' he said. 'What do they tell their grandkids later what their role is and they allowed him to do this? He's an outright f***ing criminal and they're still buying it.' 'Shame on those Republicans, that don't have the nerve, the b***s to go after him,' he said. Kimmel then continued to trash the former president with famously anti-Trump liberal actor Robert de Niro The pair bonded over their shared history of being a topic of Trump's ire on social media before de Niro launched into an unhinged rant about the ex-Commander in Chief Even Kimmel had clearly thought it was enough, saying: 'I don't want him to take up your whole segment' 'What do they tell their grandkids later what their role is and they allowed him to do this? He's an outright fucking criminal and they're still buying,' de Niro added. At this point, even Kimmel had clearly thought it was enough, saying: 'I don't want him to take up your whole segment.' The ABC host spoke about the incident earlier Monday in an interview with Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos. He claimed that some people, whom he didn't specify, suggested he should not go through with the bit. 'They're like, 'You've got a little bit of time' and I was like, 'I'm reading the Trump tweet,' and they're like, 'No, no, don't read that,'' Kimmel said with a laugh. '[I was like] 'Yes I am.' Kimmel, 56 has long been a critic of Trump, 77, to the point where he once whined that he'd lost 'half' his audience over criticism of the former president. Trump, likewise, has often hit back at Kimmel and the Oscars as a show, but took to Truth Social Sunday night to slam the ceremony as 'a really bad politically correct show.' Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel couldn't resist slamming former President Donald Trump after the ex-Commander in Chief wondered if there'd ever been a 'WORSE' host in Academy Awards history Kimmel read the post live on stage as the largely left-wing, limousine liberal audience roared its approval at his reference to the multiple indictments Trump faces that could see him serve time in prison. Kimmel said in an interview earlier this week with Deadline that when it came to joking about Trump, 'it definitely has to be a joke that I can't resist for me to use it on the Oscars,' noting that he already did that on his ABC talkshow every night. 'You know, doing this show is not about me and I appreciate you having me, it's really about you... all these great actors and actresses and filmmakers,' he said. However, Kimmel had clearly taken the bait when he saw the post, as he put it up on the big screen at the Dolby Theater after saying he'd just gotten a 'review' he was 'proud of.' He then proceeded to read Trump's complete post on Truth Social without revealing at first who'd written it. 'Has there EVER been a WORSE HOST than Jimmy Kimmel at The Oscars,' he wrote on Truth Social. Kimmel, despite claiming that the show was 'not about me' and having not mentioned Trump in his opening monologue, proceeded to read the post live on stage about himself before snidely asking the president: 'Isn't it past your jailtime?' Actress Jodie Foster - nominated for Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role - was among the Hollywood elites who delighted in Kimmel's joke at the expense of Trump 'His opening was that of a less than average person trying too hard to be something which he is not, and never can be. Get rid of Kimmel and perhaps replace him with another washed up, but cheap, ABC 'talent,' George Slopanopoulos,' Trump continued. 'Slopanopoulos' is ABC News host George Stephanopoulos, who made headlines for his contentious interview with South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace earlier Sunday. 'He would make everybody on stage look bigger, stronger, and more glamorous,' Trump cracked. Stephanopoulos is reported to be 5-feet 6-inches. Trump then trashed the entire show: 'Also a really bad politically correct show tonight, and for years - Disjointed, boring, and very unfair. Why don't they just give the Oscars to those that deserve them. Maybe that way their audience and TV ratings will come back from the depths. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!' Buying a car could soon be like purchasing a new fridge or washing machine - as part of a radical plan to phase out petrol and diesel utes and four-wheel drives. The New South Wales Labor government has launched a new Vehicle Emissions Star Rating website where motorists can compare the carbon emissions of 16,000 vehicles - both old and new. Fully-electric vehicles receive the maximum six-star rating but a late model Ford Ranger, Australia's bestselling car in 2023, receives a dismal 1.5 stars for a dual-cab diesel ute emitting more than 200 grams of carbon per kilometre. An older 2008 Toyota HiLux petrol receives just half a star for belching 311 grams of CO2 per kilometre. A 2016 Toyota LandCruiser 70 series diesel also gets half a star for emitting 281 grams per kilometre. So does a new Ford F-150 petrol American pick-up truck for emitting 290 grams of CO2 a kilometre. Buying a car could soon be like purchasing a new fridge or washing machine - as part of a radical plan to phase out diesel utes and four-wheel drives The only ute to get six stars was the LDV eT60 but it costs $92,990 and can only tow one tonne - a third the capacity of most petrol and diesel utes The latest Toyota LandCruiser 300 series diesel wagon gets just one star for emitting 235 grams. No top-selling ute passed with the Isuzu D-Max getting two stars for emitting 183 grams of carbon per kilometre. The only ute to get six stars was the fully-electric, Chinese-built LDV eT60 but it costs $92,990 and can only tow one tonne - a third the capacity of most petrol and diesel utes. The federal government already mandates fuel efficiency stickers on new cars. But the NSW government's carbon ratings for new and used cars is more akin to the energy ratings on fridges and washing machine, with fewer stars implying it emits more greenhouse gas emissions. State Environment Minister Penny Sharpe has launched the new comparison site as her federal Labor counterparts seek to slash carbon emission on new cars by 60 per cent, between 2025 and 2029. 'The Vehicle Emissions Star Rating website offers information on emissions and efficiency in a simple format so consumers can choose a new or used car which reduces their emissions,' she said on Wednesday. 'This is both good for their hip pocket, and good for the environment. 'Battery EVs are the cleanest light vehicles, receiving a six-star rating because they do not produce any tailpipe emissions.' The Toyota LandCruiser 70 series ute (pictured) lets out 281 grams of carbon per kilometre, making it an even worse V8 offender than the RAM 1500's 279 grams per kilometre State Environment Minister Penny Sharpe has launched the new comparison site as her federal Labor counterparts seek to slash carbon emission on new cars by 60 per cent, between 2025 and 2029 The Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max - Australia's three bestsellers in 2023 - all emit an average of 194 grams of carbon per kilometre. Federal Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen's New Vehicle Emission Standard will aim to reduce average light commercial emissions by 60 per cent from 199 grams per kilometre in 2025 to just 81 per cent by 2029. From January 2025, car companies would be fined $100 for every gram above an annual carbon threshold for an average new fleet of light commercial vehicles and passenger cars. The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries fears this could see price for large four-wheel drives rise by $13,250 as car companies passed on the cost of fines on to customers. Car suppliers that struggled to cut their carbon emissions also have the option of buying credits from car companies that mainly sold smaller cars or EVs. Isuzu, which sells the D-Max ute and MU-X four-wheel drive, has threatened to pull out of Australia as a result of these new proposed laws, modelled on the EU's Euro 6d emission rules. Isuzu, which sells the D-Max ute and MU-X four-wheel drive (pictured), has threatened to pull out of Australia as a result of these new proposed laws 'The penalties currently proposed by the government for not meeting emissions targets are also excessive, and many vehicle brands may be forced to increase vehicle pricing to cover penalties incurred,' it said. 'Vehicle brands that cannot increase vehicle pricing to cover the penalties may be left with no option but to exit the Australian market, risking a weakening of competition again to the detriment of Australian consumers.' The NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water's new website is live at www.vesr.gov.au HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 25: More and more students are leaving the district. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images) Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspap/Houston Chronicle via Getty Imag Thousands of Houston ISD students have left the district since the Texas Education Agency's takeover, on top of an already declining enrollment, amounting to a 12 percent drop in students over the last five years. According to a report released Monday by the Houston Chronicle, since the 2019-2020 academic school year, nearly 26,000 students have decided to leave the district, a 12 percent decrease. Over the last few years, Houston ISD enrollment has declined, which is crucial because the Texas public education system bases funding on daily attendance. In October, HISD reported a drop of around 6,000 students since the 2022-23 school year, totaling a three percent drop in enrollment from the previous year, according to a district data report. More than 30,000 left since the 2016-17 school year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles's appointment as head of the district, alongside an appointed board of managers who replaced the district board of trustees, has sparked controversy over the last few months among Houston community members. Miles' "New Education System" model was implemented at 85 schools primarily attended by Black and Hispanic students in the first cohort but has since been expanded to dozens of other campuses to prepare students for the 2035 workforce. The NES model included cutting librarian positions and converting libraries into a space for students deemed disruptive. Students are expected to do daily quizzes and tests, all under a district-made curriculum. The whole scale model has sparked controversy among HISD students and staff expressing it as a "militaristic" system. At least 26 other schools will be added to the model for the 2025-2026 academic school year, while other campuses could be added later. Miles told the Chronicle that the decline in enrollment wasn't a concern. He said it is all part of the plan to improve schools with the hopes of more students enrolling in HISD in the future. "Youre going to see over time that were going to run effective schools, Miles told the Houston Chronicle. Were going to make education meaningful (by) getting ready for the year 2035. I think thats going to bring up enrollment. Advertisement Article continues below this ad , thousands have had fled their homes, and politicians across the region are scrambling for a solution Haitis Prime Minister Ariel Henry has resigned, following an emergency summit called to address gang-led violence currently occurring in the country. The 74-year-old head of state tendered his resignation Monday, a week after the growing coalition of gangs warned of civil war if he did not step down. His resignation was swiftly confirmed by Guyanas president Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the current chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The coalition called the emergency meeting as gangs across the Caribbean country continue to unite, shooting up government buildings and foreign embassies. As a result, thousands have had fled their homes, and locals continue to report the overwhelming stench of the dead. Meanwhile, politicians across the region are scrambling for a solution - one that may now be in sight following Henry's removal. Scroll down for video: Ariel Henry, 74, tendered his resignation Monday, a week after the growing coalition of gangs warned of civil war if he did not step down His resignation was confirmed by Guyanas president Mohamed Irfaan Ali (center), the current chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). He is seen her with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness The coalition called the emergency meeting as gangs across the Caribbean country continue to unite, shooting up government buildings and foreign embassies. The leader of the alliance of gangs, former police officer Jimmy 'Barbecue' Cherizier, is seen in Port-au-Prince Monday 'We acknowledge his resignation upon the establishment of a transitional presidential council and naming of an interim prime minister,' Ali said, thanking Henry - who came to power unelected after the assassination of Haitis previous president - for his service. The decision, said to have been made Friday, came shortly before the US deployed Marines to evacuate its embassy as gangs led by former police officer Jimmy 'Barbecue' Cherizier continue to attack state institutions. Henry, at the moment, remains unable to return home, stranded in Puerto Rico since Tuesday after officials deemed it unsafe for him to land in neighboring Dominican Republic. On Saturday, the office of Dominican President Luis Abinader issued a statement explaining that decision - saying 'Henry is not welcome in the Dominican Republic for safety reasons.' That decision came shortly after another that saw the Caribbean nation close its land border with its embattled neighbor, seemingly leaving the other side of Hispaniola to its fate. With Henry out of the country, gangs across the region coalesced under Cherizier to from a sort of anti-government militia, waging war on his administration after he failed to step down in February. The group had been hellbent on rallying support for a Kenya-led foreign police intervention that they said would have restored order enough so that a new round of elections could be held. That said, officials on Monday did not name a replacement for the world leader - saying only that CARICOM is now taking on the task of meeting the 'immediate needs' of the Haitian people. The decision, said to have been made Friday, came shortly before the US deployed Marines to evacuate its embassy as gangs led by the former police officer - seen here Monday - continue to wage war on state institutions The group had been hellbent on rallying support for a Kenya-led foreign police intervention that they said would have restored order enough so that a new round of elections could be held, killing anyone who stands in their way Officials on Monday did not name a replacement for the world leader - saying only that CARICOM is now taking on the task of meeting the 'immediate needs' of Haitian people With Henry currently out of the country, gangs coalesced under Cherizier to from a sort of anti-government militia, waging war on his administration after he failed to step down in February That decision also came shortly after another that saw the Caribbean nation close its land border with its embattled neighbor, seemingly leaving the other side of Hispaniola to its fate That assertion was delivered by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was deployed Monday to the Caribbean summit to represent his country amid talks for a peaceful solution. In a statement Monday, Blinken's office backed a proposal made in partnership with CARICOM and Haitian stakeholders that would 'expedite a political transition through a creation of a broad based, independent presidential college', with CARICOM taking the reins in the interim. Blinken, meanwhile, added that the meeting was 'critical' for Haiti and the region, and promised an additional $100million to fund a United Nations-backed force to stabilize the region. He also vowed an additional $30million in humanitarian assistance, as the US continues to provide financial aid to both Ukraine and Israel. Haitis government, meanwhile, declared a state of emergency on March 3, after armed groups attacked the nation's largest prison by shooting and injuring police and prison staff - ultimately allowing some 3,500 inmates to escape. The situation has since worsened, as the once disjointed mass of gangs continue to become more organized. As hospitals and coroners remain closed out of fear for operators safety, Pope Francis on Sunday offered his prayers, pleading for an end to the violence. 'I am following with concern and pain the serious crisis affecting Haiti and the violent episodes that have occurred in recent days," the 87-year-old said following his Sunday Angelus prayer from the Vatican. 'I am close to the Church and to the dear Haitian people who have suffered so much for years.' The situation has seen thousands flee their homes, as locals continue to report the overwhelming stench of the dead. Meanwhile, politicians across the region are scrambling for a solution - one that may now be in sight following Henry's removal The US has deployed Marines to evacuate its embassy in Haiti on Sunday, as local gangs continue to attack state institutions,. Locals in the nation's capital, meanwhile, continue to report the overwhelming stench of the dead He proceeded to offer his prayers, before calling on all sides to work amicably toward a solution 'with the renewed support of the international community.' It remains to be seen how the alliance of gangs will respond to Henry stepping down, and in the meantime, dogs have been seen gnawing on the unaddressed dead. The neighborhood around the embassy in the capital, Port-au-Prince, has been one of the hardest-hit, hence the recent operation involving the US Embassy. Its success was revealed in a statement from the US military's Southern Command later in the day. 'This airlift of personnel into and out of the embassy is consistent with our standard practice for embassy security augmentation worldwide, and no Haitians were on board the military aircraft,' the command, one of 11 within the DoD, said Sunday. The statement went on to reveal how the European Union's delegation in Haiti has too temporarily closed its offices, amid the looming threat of the localized gangs. The airlift operation at the embassy, they added, saw several non-essential embassy personnel evacuated under the cover of night, while the unspecified number of troops remained to bolster security. In the meantime, the Caribbean nation continues to reel under a state of emergency, extended Thursday by a month as officials try and curb the violent gang attacks. A curfew was called along with it, as the US and other countries with a presence there continue to keep operations to a minimum, citing security concerns. Residents in places like Port-au-Prince - estimated to be at least 80 percent overrun by the gangs - have reported the strong smell of decay from the dead, whose bodies are often left to rot in the sweltering Caribbean sun Violence in the Caribbean country broke out out this past week , and has since threatened to bring down the local government As angs across the country continue to unite, thousands have been forced to flee their homes, either due to safety concerns or the overwhelming stench of corpses Politicians across the region are scrambling for a solution, as dogs have been seen gnawing on the unaddressed dead For locals on the ground, it's reportedly even worse - particularly after a sweltering weekend where temperatures in the tropical region reached well into the 90s. Residents in places like Port-au-Prince - estimated to be at least 80 percent overrun by the gangs - have thus reported the strong smell of decay, telling publications like The New York Times that the stench has forced them to vacate their homes. A death toll, as of Monday, remains unknown, as gangs were seen hurling Molotov cocktails at the The Ministry of Interior and Territorial Communities. The building not far from the US embassy, which has stationed several more Marines on its grounds for protection.r) The chaos, meanwhile, has left citizens struggling to survive, with one telling The Times Sunday how an acquaintance's brother was struck down by one of the near-constant streams of gunfire. 'The biggest fear is stray bullets,' said Nixon Boumba, a 42-year-old consultant to an international aid and human rights organization based in the capital. He went on to recall how, last weekend, he called the motorcycle taxi driver he typically uses to go shopping, to find his friend beside himself. 'He told me, "I cant come now. My brother was hit by a stray bullet,"' Boumba recalled Sunday. Blondine Tanis, a 36-year-old radio broadcaster who was kidnapped by one of the then disjointed gangs in July who then sold her to another gang that held her for nine days, said the violence was unlike anything she had seen before. 'What Im witnessing today is unprecedented. Its been too long,' the morgue directors said. 'Its heartbreaking to go around and see bodies being eaten by dogs and see the corpses covered with sheets' A death toll, as of Monday, remains unknown, as gangs were seen hurling Molotov cocktails at the The Ministry of Interior and Territorial Communities, not far from the US embassy 'There are young kids in the streets with heavy automatic weapons,' she said, comparing the unrest to the 1991 coup that led to three years of military rule. 'They shoot people and burn their bodies with no remorse. I dont know how to qualify that. I ask myself what happened to this generation. Are they even human?' As the stench permeates throughout the country, a morgue director told The Washington Post how he has received 20 calls in the past week from residents asking him to pick up bodies. Four calls came in Friday, Lyonel Milfort told paper, before admitting that he had to refuse all of them. Residents have been seen carrying out body removals themselves, as dogs and other animals begin to gnaw on the unaddressed dead. Gangs, meanwhile, continue to patrol the streets, setting up barricades and firing indiscriminately. This, Milfort said, has mad venturing outside virtually impossible, as other morgues and government funded institution have found themselves under attack. He said he doesnt want to risk the lives of his staff, mentioning how since starting his business in 2002, he has never been forced to close for so long - now more than a week. 'What Im witnessing today is unprecedented. Its been too long,' he said. 'Its heartbreaking to go around and see bodies being eaten by dogs and see the corpses covered with sheets.' Romain Le Cour, a political scientist currently conducting research in Port-au-Prince, said the outsized amount of bodies - many of which can be seen in photographs snapped as recently as Sunday - reflect 'extremely high levels of violence, extreme pressure on the population and a feeling of hopelessness and abandonment.' Gangs, meanwhile, continue to patrol the streets, setting up barricades and firing indiscriminately at displaced residents like the woman above on Saturday He described the situation as among the worst Haiti has seen in years. He mentioned The 2010 earthquake that left 220,000 people dead, but pointed to how in that particular case, there was both a national and international response that reassured Haitians something was being done. In this case, he said, citizens have not been provided with the same comfort, especially with their prime minister currently AWOL. 'Right now, what is terrible is the sense of abandonment,' he said Sunday, shortly after the successful Embassy operation. 'You have no one to turn to. 'You have to do what you have to do,' he continued. 'But you have to do it alone.' That said, In Southern Command's statement, officials said that Washington remained firmly committed to quelling those concerns. 'Our embassy remains focused on advancing U.S. government efforts to support the Haitian people, including mobilizing support for the Haitian National Police, expediting the deployment of the United Nations-authorized Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission and accelerating a peaceful transition of power via free and fair elections,' it said. Meanwhile, another Port-au-Prince resident, who also did not give his name, described the recent attacks on Sunday 'They (the gangs) came with big guns. We have no guns and we cannot defend ourselves,' he said in an interview. 'All of us, the children are suffering.' Two other schemes involved phony bank statements and the attempted extortion of an auto body shop owner He was accused of conning the elderly single mother out of $90,000 of her life savings Whitehead, 47, was found guilty of five counts including wire fraud and lying to FBI agents The flashy Brooklyn bishop accused of defrauding a parishioner's mother out of her life savings and blowing the funds on designer clothes and flashy supercars has been convicted. Jurors in Manhattan Federal Court found Lamor Miller-Whitehead, 47, guilty of five counts including wire fraud, attempted extortion and lying to FBI agents about having a second cellphone on Monday. The charges stemmed from three separate schemes and carry up to 45 years in prison. Whitehead, infamously known as the 'Bling Bishop,' ran a church in Canarsie called Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries. He was accused of conning Pauline Anderson, an elderly single mother, out of $90,000, promising that he would buy her a house. Instead, prosecutors said, he spent the money on luxury items. Brooklyn bishop Lamor Miller-Whitehead, 47, was found guilty of five counts including wire fraud, attempted extortion and lying to the FBI on Monday The charges stem from three separate incidents and carry a sentence of up to 45 years Whitehead became known as the 'Bling Bishop' as he donned designer clothes and drove a Rolls-Royce around the city Last month, Whitehead appeared in court donning a $2,250 Fendi backpack. Before his lengthy record of deceit came to light, the Rolls Royce-driving bishop was 'trusted by many in his community,' Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Greenwood said at the time. 'The defendant abused that trust by lying again and again,' she said. 'He lied about how much money he had. He lied about his business plans. And he lied about having influence with powerful people. All with the goal of getting money and property to fund his extravagant lifestyle.' She accused Whitehead of convincing the elderly woman, a former nurse, that he would use her retirement savings to buy a fixer-upper home and renovate it for her to live in. 'And she believed the defendant - a man, who by that time, had become a mentor and spiritual adviser to her son,' Greenwood continued. Whitehead ultimately splurged the money on designer clothing and a BMW payment. When the victims son attempted to get recoup his mother's funds, Whitehead said in a text message he was asking God to 'exact vengeance' upon the man. Two other schemes targeted a money-lending company and a Bronx businessman. Prosecutors said the bishop drew up fake bank statements to secure a $250,000 loan, claiming that he had millions in a company account that actually contained less than $6. He was also accused of attempting to extort $5,000 from Brandon Belmonte, the owner of a Bronx auto body shop, after a repair job. Prosecutors alleged Whitehead further tried to convince Belmonte to lend him $500,000 and give him a stake in real estate deals, insisting his connections to city officials could earn them favorable treatment and score them millions. Belmonte was hit with federal bank and wire fraud charges himself in August 2023. The 39-year-old was accused of running a financing scheme through his car rental business as well as an insurance scam. He appeared in court last month wearing a $2,250 Fendi backpack Whitehead (pictured with attorney Dawn Florio) was accused of defrauding a parishioner's mother out of her life savings and blowing the money on luxury clothes and a BMW payment Two other schemes saw him targeting a money-lending company and the owner of a Bronx auto body shop Records show Whitehead lived in a $1.6 million home in Paramus, New Jersey. He was arrested in December 2022 but was released after posting $500,000 bail Records show Whitehead lived in a $1.6 million home in Paramus, New Jersey, and owned multiple apartment buildings in Hartford, Connecticut. He was arrested in December 2022 in connection to the cases being heard in federal court but was released after posting $500,000 bail. The preacher also made headlines for his ties to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, whom he unsuccessfully ran to succeed as Brooklyn borough president in 2021. Adams declined to endorse Whitehead in the race and slammed him for using his name in a 'misleading' campaign ad, according to text messages shown during the trial. Dawn Florio, an attorney for Whitehead, plans to appeal the verdict. She insisted during the trial that the evidence presented did not support the charges. Whitehead's sentencing before Judge Lorna G. Schofield is scheduled for July 1. Former bikie kingpin Tarek Zahed will be eligible for release as early as December over his role in the botched attempted destruction of evidence relating to the gangland killing of Youssef Assoum. Just over 18 months since his dramatic arrest at the hands of heavily-armed police in Sydney's eastern suburbs, Zahed, 43, on Tuesday afternoon learned his fate after expressing his desire to turn his life around. The former Comanchero national sergeant-at-arms was arrested when officers shot out the windows of his car with bean bag rounds in Edgecliff, in August 2022. Zahed, once dubbed the 'Balenciaga bikie', was charged with murder and kidnapping, with police at the time alleging he was responsible for the 2014 murder of Youssef Assoum, 29. Just over 18 months since his dramatic arrest at the hands of heavily-armed police in Sydney 's eastern suburbs, Zahed, 43, on Tuesday afternoon learned his fate after expressing his desire to turn his life around But in a late twist on the eve of Zahed's trial last month, the murder charges were dropped as he and his brother Abdul struck a plea deal. Tarek pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of hindering the discovery of evidence relating to the cleaning and ordering the destruction of a Mr Assoum's car. Abdul Zahed pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to murder. Zahed admitted cleaning the car in which Assoum was killed and directing it to be destroyed at a wrecking yard. The court heard that in December 2014, Mr Assoum was violently assaulted inside his Volkswagen Touareg including being shot in his leg. During the assault, restraints were placed on his ankles and wrists. The court heard that Zahed in the following days asked another man to destroy the Touareg. At the time, Zahed knew that Mr Assoum had been killed and suspected his brother Abdul was involved, the statement of agreed facts reveal. 'His motivation for taking these steps was a desire to protect his brother, an emotion that was perhaps understandable but hardly to be praised,' Justice Richard Button said during sentencing remarks on Tuesday afternoon. On 12 December, 2014, Zahed told a man to remove blood from the seat, floor and dashboard and together they wiped down the car, court documents state. Zahed then told the man to dispose of the car through a wrecking yard. However, this did not occur. Tarek pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of hindering the discovery of evidence relating to the cleaning and ordering the destruction of a Mr Assoum's car The other man then paid a friend to get rid of the car by 'blowing it up'. It was driven to Georges Hall in southwestern Sydney where it was set alight before the blaze was extinguished by firefighters. Zahed's fingerprints were found on the vehicle along with a bullet which had traces of blood which were DNA-matched to Mr Assoum. While the plan was botched, Justice Button described Zahed as playing a 'leading role' and 'organising mind' in hindering the police probe. Justice Button said it couldn't be said with certainty that Mr Assoum's killers would have been caught had Zahed not ordered the car be cleaned and destroyed. 'The persons, or persons, who committed the homicide have never been brought to justice,' Justice Button said. 'It's impossible to say but for the actions undertaken and directed by the offender that the killer or killers would have been detected and punished. 'Even so, the actions and orders of the offender played some role in making the police investigation more difficult.' Mr Zahed's arrest came only months after he sensationally survived an assassination attempt that killed his other brother Omar. In May 2022, Zahed was shot 10 times outside an Auburn gym in western Sydney. Omar, 39, died after he was shot several times in the arms, stomach and legs, while Zahed was taken to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition. He survived the attack but suffered significant injuries including losing an eye. Mr Zahed watched proceedings via videolink from Goulburn prison on Tuesday afternoon, with the evidence of his injuries clearly visible. Zahed had been kept in solitary confinement since his arrest and the only thing he had to occupy his time was a CD player The court previously heard Zahed had only had limited vision in his remaining eye due to cataracts, and could not read or watch television. Zahed had been kept in solitary confinement since his arrest and the only thing he had to occupy his time was a CD player. 'The submission (from Zahed's defence counsel) was that I could have some confidence that Mr Tarek Zahed will put his previous life behind him and start afresh free of violence, other criminality and free of any thoughts of revenge for what was done to his late brother and himself,' Justice Button said. 'I agree that positive outcome is one possibility. But other much more negative futures can be brought to mind as possibilities as well. 'My ultimate thought on this topic is that one can hope for change but one cannot be satisfied that it will occur.' Zahed was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, with a two-year and four-month non-parole period. With time served, Zahed will be eligible for release on December 27, 2024. Passengers on board a plane that plunged out of the sky injuring 50 people are furious at how they've been treated by the airline, after being gifted a tiny meal in compensation. Multiple emergency vehicles rushed to Auckland International Airport on Monday after a Latam Airlines flight from Sydney to Auckland lost altitude, throwing passengers into the ceiling. St John Ambulance treated the wounded and transported 13 of them to hospital, while the remaining passengers were given a single McDonald's cheeseburger as they waited to find out what would happen next. The 'traumatised' travellers from flight LA800, a Boeing 787-Dreamliner, were then not provided with another meal until Tuesday morning. Thais Iwamoto, 26, from Sydney, said Latam's lack of support and poor communications 'is something I want to talk to them about because it's not OK. It's just not fair. After being thrown around the plane, with some passengers bouncing off the ceiling, luggage compartments and seats, the flight was met by multiple emergency personnel and vehicles at Auckland International Airport. The Latam plane is pictured Passenger Janet Baker prepares to check in at Auckland International Airport in New Zealand for a rescheduled Latam Airlines flight to Santiago, Chile on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 READ MORE: Terrifying moment flight LA800 nose-dives leaving up to 50 passengers injured when they were 'thrown into ceiling' St John ambulance (pictured) crews treated 50 people at the scene Advertisement 'Accidents happen, but the way they treat us, that's not what it's supposed to be, she told the New Zealand Herald. Brisbane woman Clara Azevedo, 28, who was also on the flight, said though she was not injured herself, she spent all night at a hospital translating for an elderly woman who broke two ribs and injured her shoulder and spoke no English. 'We are all traumatised, and we had to find strength to help people out. But this is not our responsibility, it is Latam's - but they haven't done anything. That's very frustrating,' Ms Azevedo said. Another Australian passenger, Jacob Thompson, 33, hit his head in what Latam is calling a 'strong shake', while his partner got 'thrown down the aisle'. 'We didn't know if we would make it to landing,' he said, adding that what happened 'did not feel like turbulence', that he'd never felt anything like it before. The passengers who were not taken to hospital were transported to an Auckland hotel at about 2am on Tuesday morning. Breakfast there was the first meal they received since the cheeseburger at the airport. Ms Azevedo and the injured woman she spent the night translating for are both due to catch the rescheduled flight to Santiago, Chile flight LA800's final destination - at 8pm tonight. She said she is 'terrified' and is hoping to get something to help her sleep for the whole journey to South America. The flight path of Latam Airlines' LA800 Dreamliner service from Sydney to Auckland is pictured As of Tuesday evening, four passengers are being treated in Middlemore Hospital with 'significant' injuries. Latam said the injured passengers were from Brazil, France, Australia, Chile and New Zealand. A spokesperson said the airline 'is working in coordination with the respective authorities to support the investigations into the incident' and that it had 'provided affected passengers with food, accommodation and transportation due to the flight cancellation'. New Zealand's Transport Accident Investigation Commission said Chile would be responsible for investigating the incident as it occurred in international airspace. The mother of an 18-year-old stabbed to death in broad daylight has revealed he was friends with his killer before the horrific murder. Raymond James Quigley was repeatedly knifed on the streets of Ipswich, in Suffolk, amid rising tensions between two gangs in Norwich. He had travelled to the town to meet two friends and was set upon as he walked through the streets by hooded face mask-wearing murderers Alfie Hammett and Joshua Howell, both 19. Mr Quigley clutched hold of his torso and staggered into a nearby card shop where he collapsed and bled to death. His grief-stricken mother Margaret Oakes revealed her son was once pals with Hammett and Howell having grown up in the same area together as she spoke of her life being 'absolute hell' since his killing. Raymond James Quigley was repeatedly knifed on the streets of Ipswich, in Suffolk, amid rising tensions between two gangs in Norwich Pictured: Footage shows Joshua Howell chasing Mr Quigley's friend after the attack 'It feels like I'm just existing,' she told the BBC. 'We are never going to be complete again because James is not there.' Hammett and Howell were both handed life sentences by Judge Martyn Levett who warned as he dished out the punishment that 'gang violence is blighting the historic peacefulness of towns, making them unsafe to visit'. Hammett, who stabbed his victim repeatedly, was a member of the notorious Norwich-based 3rdside posse. Meanwhile Howell, who kept Mr Quigley's friends at bay with a machete, was part of the affiliated IP3 crew from Ipswich, also known as the Nacton gang. Mr Quigley had friends in the rival Norfolk gang called Only The Money, but his mother insisted he was not a member. Ms Oakes says Hammett started harassing her son 'every time he could' when Mr Quigley decided he 'didn't want to be like him'. The resentment Hammett felt towards her child grew over the years which was reflected in the force he used in the knifing, she said. 'I think it was very easy for Alfie to do, because before all the gangs he had it in for James anyway,' she says. 'James did not know this was coming to him. He did not go up there for a fight. 'It was in front of him before he realised. He didn't have a chance to defend himself - it is so upsetting to know that.' Alfie Hammett (pictured) was convicted of the murder of Raymond James Quigley. He stabbed his victim repeatedly and was a member of the notorious Norwich-based 3rdside posse Joshua Howell (pictured), who kept Mr Quigley's friends at bay with a machete, was part of the affiliated IP3 crew from Ipswich, also known as the Nacton gang Hammett told he will serve at least 24 years and his accomplice given a minimum of 20 years for the murder in January 2023. Handing down the sentences, Judge Levett said yesterday: 'This gang violence is blighting the historic peacefulness of towns, making them unsafe to visit. 'Time and time again, I've said in open court that the sentencing remarks of judges need to be reported so the public become more aware about the dangers of knife crime. 'Knife crime has no place in modern society and should not be glorified. These knife crimes bring fear to communities.' Mr Quigley's mother spoke of her 'devastation' in a victim impact statement. She said: 'This is something I now have to live with for the rest of my life. I keep seeing the savage injuries inflicted on my son and what I saw cannot be unseen.' His father, Raymond, added: 'I relive everything in my mind every time I close my eyes there is no room for people like this in society. 'I will never get over what has happened to my son and will have a lifetime of pain and heartbreak.' The case is the latest example of 'Wild West Britain', with fearless gang members swaggering around in public with concealed knives at the ready, whether to attack rivals or defend themselves. Mr Quigley's murder happened on January 17 last year, a year after the Norwich murder of another 3rdside member, Joe Dix, 18. Pictured: Hammett chasing James' friend after the attack carrying a large knife Pictured: CCTV footage shows Hammett and Howell walking through town together Pictured: Footage shows Hammett and Howell meeting before they walk through town together Hammett had attended his comrade's funeral and kept the service book for mourners in his bedroom. Mr Quigley had been spotted at the Dix murder trial shortly before his death, marking him out as a rival gang member. READ MORE: Masked teenage killers who stabbed 18-year-old rival gang member to death in horrific high street attack are convicted of murder Advertisement Hammett, of Rushmere St Andrew who was 18 at the time of the attack, had been forced to move to Ipswich on police bail conditions for his role in a violent nightclub brawl in which two police officers and three door staff were assaulted. A flurry of calls between 3rdside and IP3 members led to him joining forces with Howell, who was then 17, to confront Mr Quigley in full view of CCTV cameras. Opening the trial, prosecutor Andrew Jackson said the premeditated murder was motivated by a 'deep-rooted rivalry' between gangs. 'You will hear that, prior to his death, he [Quigley] had some association with a gang in Norfolk called Only The Money, or OTM. It was probably his association with that gang that led to his untimely death,' he said. 'But on that afternoon, all that he was doing was simply being with his friends, walking in that busy shopping area. He had no idea of the tragic events about to unfold.' Describing the attack, he added: 'When these two groups came together and Mr Quigley was spotted, Alfie Hammett and Joshua Howell went towards him. 'Alfie Hammett, having pulled a knife, got to Mr Quigley first and he began to attack and stab Mr Quigley. Pictured: Hammett's movements post-attack and his return home Opening the trial, prosecutor Andrew Jackson said the premeditated murder was motivated by a 'deep-rooted rivalry' between gangs The killers ran in different directions afterwards and disposed of their weapons and clothing 'Joshua Howell, who had also pulled out what you may think was a machete, and so armed and providing an intimidating presence, prevented any of Mr Quigley's friends from intervening to help.' The killers ran in different directions afterwards and disposed of their weapons and clothing. A post-mortem examination found Mr Quigley, of Wymondham, a small town a few miles outside Norwich, sustained four wounds to the torso. They included two fatal wounds to the chest that were dealt with such 'severe force it penetrated Mr Quigley's breastbone and two of the major blood vessels of the heart, causing rapid and massive blood loss'. He staggered into a nearby greetings card shop where he bled to death. Police were able to track the defendants before and after the murder with CCTV cameras dotted around the city. They were aided by Hammett's father, who suspected his son's involvement after checking a tracking device he had secretly placed on his moped. This allowed them to pinpoint where he left his moped before the attack. Hammett refused to give evidence during the five-week trial but his lawyers said he denied being the man who attacked Mr Quigley. When arrested, his phone had been wiped and returned to factory settings. Howell, of Ipswich, who bought a one-way ticket to Nairobi, appeared in the witness stand and claimed he was not associated with IP3 and had met the killer for the first time on the day of the murder when he sold him some cannabis. The attack then 'occurred spontaneously' and he drew his machete, which he said he carried for protection, because he feared being attacked by the other group. The jury rejected their version of events and convicted both of murder and carrying an offensive weapon. Howell was also found guilty of threatening another person with a bladed article. Hammett was also sentenced to a concurrent 12-month jail term for assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to the incident on September 11, 2022, at the Norwich nightclub, which left police and security staff injured when they intervened. He had waded into a tussle outside the toilets. Howell was also on bail at the time of the murder for robbery and possession of a machete. There was no further penalty for the offences. Police may have recorded a 'misgendering' complaint made against JK Rowling by trans broadcaster India Willoughby as a 'hate incident' in a breach of free speech rules, gender-critical campaigners have warned. Willoughby, 58, said that Northumbria Police had logged an official 'non-crime hate incident' (NCHI) of the online spat where the transgender woman was called a male online by the Harry Potter author. But the force last week said that Rowling would not face action after it was ruled the complaint 'did not meet the criminal threshold'. Willoughby, a newsreader and Loose Women presenter, contacted the police last Monday over an online post in which the Harry Potter author referred to her as a man. A Northumbria Police spokesman said last week: 'While we recognise the upset this may have caused, the post was reviewed and did not meet the criminal threshold.' Ms Willoughby has claimed that the force logged a NCHI against Rowling and used the force's response to assert her view that the author is transphobic, the Telegraph reports. Police may have recorded a 'misgendering' complaint made against JK Rowling (pictured) by trans broadcaster India Willoughby as a 'hate incident' in a breach of free speech rules, gender-critical campaigners have warned. Willoughby (pictured) said that Northumbria Police had logged an official 'non-crime hate incident' (NCHI) of the online spat where the transgender woman was called a male online by the Harry Potter author Willoughby previously claimed Ms Rowling 'definitely committed a crime'. But the force has been accused of breaking rules on NCHIs, which were published last year in a bid to protect freedom of speech and ensure that an incident was not logged as hate only because someone was offended. The new rules were introduced after retired police officer Harry Miller won a legal battle after an NCHI was recorded after he said online that trans women were not women. This guidance says that the public are allowed to 'express personally held views in a lawful manner' and that officers have to consider protections about freedom of speech when deciding if an NCHI should be logged. Sex Matters director Maya Forstater, who won a 2023 legal case which said that 'gender-critical' beliefs are protected in law, told the Telegraph said the new guidance shows that 'a non-crime hate incident should not be recorded for saying that sex matters'. She said that Rowling's comments did not meet the bar for a recording of a NCHI. Forstater said that Northumbria Police needs to 'defend its decision to record a woman speaking in factual terms about a man who has persistently hounded her as a "hate incident".' The incident met the threshold to be logged as an NCHI, Willoughby claimed, saying that Rowling's 'horrendous comments... are putting the trans community in danger'. The new guidance states that NCHIs should only be recorded when motivated by 'intentional hostility or prejudice' and the event presents a 'real risk of significant harm to individuals or groups'. Forces are also required to 'utilise judgement and common sense' when choosing whether or not to log incidents and should make sure that it does 'not conflict with freedom of expression protections'. Speaking to Byline TV, Willoughby previously said: 'JK Rowling has definitely committed a crime. 'I'm legally a woman. She knows I'm a woman and she calls me a man. It's a protected characteristic. 'And that is a breach of both the Equality Act and the Gender Recognition Act. She's tweeted that out to 14 million followers.' She said on X/Twitter last Wednesday: 'Some time ago, lawyers advised me that not only did I have a clearly winnable case against India Willoughby for defamation, but that India's obsessive targeting of me over the past few years may meet the legal threshold for harassment. 'I ignored this advice because I couldn't be bothered giving India the publicity he so clearly craves. 'Nevertheless, we must all do our bit to combat hate, so India will be glad to know I've taken note of his homophobia, racism and humane stance on immigration. 'Nor have I forgotten India's shocking transphobia. 'It appears to have slipped what passes for India's mind that he's previously called a fellow trans woman a man on this very site.' Broadcaster India, 58, accused JK Rowling of 'misgendering' in several social media posts Rowling went on to say that Willoughby appeared to have forgotten the Forstater ruling, which 'established that gender critical views can be protected in law'. Northumbria Police told the Telegraph that it did not have anything to add to its statements made last week, where it acknowledged that Willoughby may be 'upset' but confirmed that the criminal threshold was not met. The force refused to confirm to the paper if Willoughby's claims that a NCHI was recorded were true and had not further comment when questioned over if it broke rules on logging those incidents. A British baby was killed and its parents and grandparents injured after a driver who tested positive for drink and drugs mowed down a group of holidaymakers in Lanzarote last night, officials have said. Six people were injured in the horror collision in the tourist resort of Playa Blanca, including the family of British holidaymakers and a mother and daughter from Sweden. All of those injured are still in hospital, local officials have said, and the father and grandmother of the five-month-old who died suffered the most serious injuries. The driver of the car that mounted the pavement and smashed into them is a 23-year-old British woman who lives on the island, and is not currently in custody, officials said. Mayor Oscar Noda said that the British family had been 'walking along the pavement in a correct and normal way when they were mown down by a vehicle that was totally out of control.' 'The moments that followed were very delicate and very traumatic,' he added. Shocking images of the scene showed police and paramedics working desperately on the stricken holidaymakers at the roadside while a smashed up Ford Fiesta was seen with what appeared to be blood stains on the bonnet. Shocking images of the scene showed police and paramedics working desperately on stricken pedestrians at the roadside while a smashed up Ford Fiesta was with what appeared to be blood stains on the bonnet Emergency workers attend the scene of the crash Bystanders cover their mouths in shock at the scene of the incident A five-month baby has been killed and several others injured after being mowed down by a car which mounted the pavement in the Lanzarote tourist resort of Playa Blanca (pictured today) Town Hall officers reported: 'The person who caused the accident is a 23-year-old woman of British origin who lives in Playa Blanca (pictured)' Yaiza Town Hall has declared two days of mourning and organised a minute's silence. Mayor Noda, said this morning: 'The accident caused seven victims, including the five-year-old baby that died. 'The survivors came from two families, one from Sweden and the other of British origin. They are the parents of the child that died and the baby's maternal grandparents. 'The ones in the worst condition this morning are the baby's father and maternal grandmother. All the survivors are still in hospital. 'We hope they all recover.' He added: 'I am going to declare two days of mourning and tomorrow at midday a minute's silence will be held at the doors of the town hall. Town hall officials also confirmed today that two people from Sweden, a mother and daughter, were hurt, along with four British people were injured and another died. 'The mother and father of the youngster are among the injured as well as the baby's two maternal grandparents. 'The father of the baby and the baby's grandmother are the most seriously injured.' A spokesperson for Yaiza Town Hall said that the unnamed driver had tested positive for both drink and drugs at the scene of the accident. They added: 'The driver is not being held in custody at the moment. She lives on the island and can be located at her address if necessary. It was not immediately clear when she will be summoned to court. A spokesperson said in a statement earlier: 'The investigation, which is being led by Yaiza local police, remains open. Yaiza Town Hall extends its solidarity to the victims and their families.' The incident happened just before 6.30pm local time on a bend in a main road near the Aqualava water park and four-star HL hotel. The unnamed driver is said to have claimed after the incident that she had experienced a problem with her steering. Witnesses told police they thought she had been going too fast, although there was no mention of drink and drugs being a possible factor until town hall officials revealed her nationality and the new details in the ongoing investigation. Her whereabouts this morning were not immediately clear but she is expected to appear in court today or tomorrow pending a formal arrest. The court hearing would take place behind closed doors as is normal in Spain where only trials take place in public. An investigating magistrate would have to decide whether to remand her in custody or release her on bail pending an ongoing probe. Island authorities are not naming her at present and have only confirmed her nationality and age as well as saying she is resident in Playa Blanca where the tragedy occurred. One well-placed source said she worked in the area. Another said: 'She tested positive for both alcohol and drugs but the police haven't released any details about amounts.' A police spokesman said: 'We're still not in a position to release information about the nationalities and ages of the victims but what I can say is that we're not talking about one family. 'It's an area which is popular with pedestrians and it wasn't just one group of members of the same family that were hit. Different groups were involved.' Ambulances are seen outside of the hospital near Playa Blanca following the incident In a full update late last night, a regional government-run emergency response coordination centre said of the tragedy: 'The incident occurred at 6.22pm local time. 'A baby aged five months died and six people suffered diverse injuries. 'During assistance at the scene two women were found to have suffered serious multiple injuries in an initial evaluation and were transferred to Doctor Jose Molina Orosa Hospital in the island capital Arrecife. 'Two other women with several moderate-level multiple injuries were also taken to the same hospital along with two men who had injuries to their lower limbs. 'Seven land ambulances were sent to the scene and an air ambulance was also mobilised because of the seriousness of the incident along with a doctor and nurse from Playa Blanca Health Centre.' 'The other emergency responders included firefighters, Civil Protection workers, local police and the Civil Guard. Flamingo beach in Playa Blanca holiday village on coast of Lanzarote Island, Spain. File picture The statement continued: 'The first 999 calls that came in were about an incident in which a car had run over several people in Archipielago Avenue on the corner of Lanzarote Street. 'The medicalised air ambulance was sent to Lanzarote Airport because it was anticipated one of the most seriously injured women was going to be transferred to a hospital in Gran Canaria. 'Local police will be tasked with producing a report on the incident.' Last September seven people including two British tourists were injured when a British holidaymaker ploughed into a packed Spanish cafe terrace in his hire car on the neighbouring Canary island of Fuerteventura. The casualties included a four-month-old baby girl. The drama occurred in the tourist hotspot of Corralejo. Last month an 83-year-old British tourist died after being run over by a bus in Lanzarote. She had been rushed to hospital in a 'critical' condition on February 21 after being hit by the vehicle in the popular resort of Costa Teguise and stabilised at the scene. Playa Blanca, Spanish for White Beach, is the southernmost town in Lanzarote. It is around a 40-minute drive from the island airport. The coastline around Playa Blanca is essentially one large six-mile-wide bay which is then broken up into three smaller, but still large, bays. Prince William took Kate's Mother's Day photograph in just a 40-minute window on Friday before the Princess edited it twice in Photoshop to 'make it the best it can be', it emerged today. The Prince of Wales took the picture of his smiling family on a 2,900 Canon camera before Kate made edits to improve the photo ahead of its public release on Instagram on Sunday. Kensington Palace aides are said to have spent weeks planning to release a photo of the Princess of Wales to quell vicious social media speculation about the nature of Kate's condition since her surgery in January, which has deeply upset and angered the couple. Instead, the rare royal blunder resulted in another public explosion of conspiracy theories. Six of the world's top picture agencies including the Press Association then sensationally pulled the photo from their wires and libraries amid concern that the 'source has manipulated the image'. Amid the furore, the Princess later issued an extraordinary mea culpa on Twitter and Instagram, admitting she 'edited' the image - adding that she does 'occasionally experiment' as an 'amateur photographer' and apologising for 'any confusion' the image caused. Kate is said to have felt that honesty was 'the best policy' and wanted to 'own up' to the Photoshop blunder. The Princess felt 'awful' about the picture and had been trying to make it the 'best it could be', insiders told The Times - adding that she was 'thinking of her own children when editing the picture, hoping that they looked good for their own sakes'. On Sunday, Kensington Palace released the first picture of the Princess of Wales since surgery Kate posted the apology on the Prince and Princess of Wales' Instagram account yesterday Publicly taking the blame for the furore, the princess wrote yesterday: 'Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. 'I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. 'I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother's Day. C.' Royal sources said the princess had made 'minor adjustments' to the picture, which she and her husband had hoped would be a lovely 'informal' shot to share on a special day. 'This was an amateur, family photograph taken by the Princess of Wales. Their Royal Highnesses wanted to offer an informal picture of the family together for Mother's Day,' the source said. 'The Princess made minor adjustments as she shared in her statement on social media, the Wales family spent Mother's Day together and had a wonderful day.' Despite calls for the original to be published, Kensington Palace said it would not be reissuing the unedited photograph of Kate and her children, which in itself sparked further debate. Last night the palace faced growing pressure over the debacle with claims it has been damaging to public trust. Palace aides did not spot any signs of Photoshop but it's not believed the edits were made aware to the princess' team before it became public. However, questions have been raised over whether the picture was too good to be true. One red flag might have been the fact the beaming family portrait was shot in such a short time on Friday. The busy schedules of the Wales family meant the picture had to be taken while everyone was back at home from various activities. A day later, Kate is said to have sent the photo out to her team. It's unknown whether any of her team could see that the photo had been edited on Photoshop but alarm bells may have started ringing when courtiers discovered that William had taken the picture. Without editing, it would have been some feat for William to take such a captivating photo with all the members of the family simultaneously roaring with laughter. William and Kate were spotted leaving Windsor for Westminster Abbey yesterday afternoon A plan was put in place to release the photo and a message from Kate herself at 9am on Sunday - but what quickly ensued was 24 hours of intense scrutiny as the Palace faced questions from all angles over why the family photo appeared to be digitally manipulated. The row overshadowed yesterday's Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, which was being led by Queen Camilla for the first time, accompanied by Prince William, in the King's absence as he undergoes cancer treatment. His Majesty recorded a video message for the first time instead. Yesterday Kate was seen in the backseat of a car with her husband as he left Windsor to travel to London for two public engagements. The Mail understands she was on route for a 'private appointment' and she did not accompany William publicly. Kate was later spotted leaving Windsor in a car with William yesterday as he was driven to the Commonwealth Day service in London. The Princess was not attending the service, but was understood to have a private appointment. William is set to carry out further engagements in London this Thursday. It is also understood that William and Kate's team of aides are restructuring, having advertised for a chief executive. Civil servant Jean-Christophe Gray had been William's private secretary until recently when he moved back to Government. For now, William and Kate both have new private secretaries with the Prince being helped by Ian Patrick, a former private secretary to Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, reported The Times. Concerns were raised over a missing part of Princess Charlotte's sleeve and the misaligned edge of her skirt, with other speculation including the positioning of Kate's zip. The picture was released to reassure the public amid escalating conspiracy theories online over the state of Kate's health in recent weeks, but in an extraordinary turn of events sparked what is being dubbed 'Kategate' and even 'Sleevegate'. William and Kate have an established track record of issuing their own photographs, often taken by Kate rather than William, to mark special occasions including their children's birthdays. A smiling Prince William walks into the Commonwealth Service in London yesterday afternoon Camilla and William attend the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey yesterday Picture agencies around the world took the extraordinary step of killing the photo of Kate But the princess's confession raises questions over whether - or to what extent - the images have been altered in the past. READ MORE This is how Kate Middleton edited her Mother's Day picture: Photoshop expert gives his verdict on THAT royal photo Advertisement Public relations and crisis consultant Mark Borkowski called the fiasco a 'massive own goal' and said the unedited photograph should be released to regain trust. He said: 'It's plausible she's at home playing with the computer and using an AI tool, but if they're really going to regain any sort of trust they should release the unedited photo, it can't be that bad if they just made a few tweaks. 'I find they have risen to the challenge, provided the statement as an explanation - the question is with all the conspiracy theories running around, is whether people believe it and I'm not sure that they will.' Mr Borkowski said the Mother's Day photo had exposed a public relations problem for the monarchy: 'That's the issue, there doesn't seem to be that much joined up strategic thinking at the heart of the royal family at the moment, which leads to these problems where it's a very difficult organisation to manage in terms of PR.' He added: 'It's a nightmare, even the softer stories of Edward turning 60 this week haven't really resonated at all because no one's interested in them, they're interested in the stars they're not interested in the supporting cast and that is a problem at the moment. 'They are under pressure, massively under pressure, this is a massive own goal.' The PA news agency said it had withdrawn the image of Kate from its picture service yesterday The controversy was overshadowing the Commonwealth Day service, one of the key royal events of the year. Heir to the throne William and the Queen gathered with the royal family in Westminster Abbey yesterday in the absence of the King, who is continuing treatment for cancer during what has been a challenging start to 2024 for the Windsors. Earlier, Kate's uncle Gary Goldsmith defended the Waleses and claimed they would not have been responsible for altering the image, adding 'The smiles on faces said it all for me, I thought it was beautiful.' Sky News said an examination of the photo's meta data revealed it was saved in Adobe Photoshop twice on an Apple Mac on Friday and Saturday and the picture was taken on a Canon Camera. Under the licensing agreement issued to photo agencies for use of official royal photos, Royal Households usually stipulate: 'This image must not be digitally enhanced, cropped, manipulated or modified in any manner or form.' Kate was last seen at a royal event on Christmas Day 2023 with her family at Sandringham Royal author Omid Scobie, seen as a cheerleader for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, accused the Palace of having a 'long history of lying', and said gaining back public trust was now 'an almost impossible task'. The princess is known to be a keen photographer and revealed in 2021 that she takes so many family photographs that her children sometimes object. 'Everyone's like, 'Mummy, please stop taking photographs',' she said. Kate underwent surgery at the London Clinic on January 16, but details of her condition have been kept private, and she is not expected to return to official duties until after Easter. Controversial brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate have been arrested in Romania and are now facing extradition to back to Britain after they were issued with a UK arrest warrant for alleged 'sexual aggression'. The pair were seen being pulled out of a police van in handcuffs earlier today before being led into the Bucharest Court of Appeal. Lawyers representing four women who accuse social media influencer Tate of rape and sexual assault wrote to British police to immediately seek his detention after receiving information that he was planning to flee Romania, a statement said. A warrant has now been issued by Westminster Magistrates Court, relating to allegations of sexual aggression made in 2012-2015 which were previously dismissed by the Crown Prosecution Service. A representative for Andrew Tate, 37 - who arrived in court wearing a 'Top G' tracksuit top - and his brother, 35, said the pair would go before the court for a decision on whether the warrant should executed. A spokesperson for the brothers has described their arrest as 'a bewildering revival of decade-old accusations has left the Tate brothers dismayed and deeply troubled'. British-US former professional kickboxer and controversial influencer Andrew Tate (C) is led by police officers to the Court of Appeal in Bucharest, Romania on March 12, 2024 Romanian authorities said in a statement that they executed 'two European arrest warrants issued by the UK judicial authorities for the committing of sexual offences, of exploitation of persons on the territory of the UK' The Tate brothers step out of a police van in handcuffs Police officers escort Andrew Tate, handcuffed, to the Court of Appeal in Bucharest, Romania, Tuesday, March 12, 2024 British-US former professional kickboxer and controversial influencer Andrew Tate (R) and his brother Tristan Tate (2ndL) are led by police Police officers escort Andrew Tate, center, handcuffed, to the Court of Appeal in Bucharest, Romania, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Online influencer Andrew Tate was detained in Romania and handed an arrest warrant issued by British authorities, his spokesperson said Tuesday Meanwhile, a social media account associated with Tate this morning shared a simple post: 'The Matrix is afraid. I only fear God'. Tate has previously said he uses the term 'The Matrix' to refer to 'the systems which are being created by society that are deliberately designed to enslave', in a reference to the 1999 film A statement from law firm McCue Jury & Partners, said: 'Last week, we received information that Tate might have been planning to flee Romania, where he is due to stand trial for separate allegations of rape and human trafficking. 'We wrote to the British police to bring this to their attention and to urge them to immediately seek a warrant for Tate's detention in Romania and extradition to the UK.' Andrew Tate, who gained millions of fans by promoting an ultra-masculine lifestyle, was indicted in June in Romania along with his brother and two Romanian women for human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. They have denied the charges. The case has since been with the Bucharest court's preliminary chamber, which needs to decide whether the trial can start. A decision has yet to be made, with Romanian courts backlogged. In response to their arrest today, the spokesman for the Tate brothers added: 'The suggestion that Mr Tate's rise to fame may have played a role in these developments adds another layer of distress and concern. 'Andrew and Tristan Tate unequivocally deny all allegations and decry what they perceive as an exploitative use of the legal system. 'They are fully committed to challenging these accusations with unwavering determination and resolve. 'The brothers emphasise their belief in a fair and impartial legal process, despite the unsettling circumstances surrounding their case. 'In the face of adversity, the Tate brothers draw strength from the support of their loved ones, friends, and legal team. 'They appeal for a fair examination of the facts, expressing confidence that a thorough review will reveal the baselessness of the allegations against them.' Romanian police told MailOnline:' On March 11 this year, at around 11:15pm, the police officers of the Criminal Investigation Service, the Special Actions Service and police officers from the Volunteers implemented two European arrest warrants, issued by the judicial authorities in Great Britain, for committing sexual crimes, exploiting some people on the territory of Great Britain.' In 2019 Hertfordshire police investigated allegations of rape made against Andrew Tate but the case was dropped. The arrests come just weeks after Andrew Tate was forced to take a drug test and had his car searched after being pulled over by police in Bucharest as he continues to face sex trafficking charges. The British-American influencer, 37, who has been described as the 'king of toxic masculinity', was driving his black Ferrari through the streets of the Romanian capital on Saturday night when he was stopped. An awkward exchange between the former kickboxer and officers was caught on camera by a Romanian TV station, which was filming the police's crackdown on drink and drug drivers at the time. Andrew Tate has been arrested in Romania on a UK-issued warrant Former professional kickboxer and social media influencer Andrew Tate (C), followed by his brother Tristan (L), arrives for an appeal against preventive detention at the Bucharest Court of Appeal, in Bucharest, Romania, 01 August 2023 The British-American influencer, 37, was driving his black Ferrari through the streets of the Romanian capital on Saturday night An awkward exchange between the former kickboxer and officers was caught on camera by a Romanian TV station 'The sponge must be filled with saliva, and when this indicator is blue, we will put it in the drug test machine... Did you understand?' he is asked in one clip with one test he performs while sitting in the car. He can then be seen getting out of the vehicle, opening up his car for the officer and sniffer dogs to search, and carrying out another test while standing on the road. The results came back negative for Tate, with a screen appearing showing that no cocaine, ketamine, or other drugs were found in his system. The influencer then drives off in his car after being given the all-clear by cops, who said they fined more than 200 drivers in one night. As well as TV cameras, members of the public were seen filming Tate, who gained worldwide fame through his TikTok videos which have been criticised for spreading misogynistic messages. A spokesperson for Andrew Tate said in a statement: 'It was a routine stop by the authorities in Romania. Andrew tested negative. 'It must have been a coincidence that the media were there at the same time this routine check was being carried out.' Tate and his brother Tristan are facing rape and human trafficking charges in Romania, where they have lived since 2017, and are awaiting trial on a date which is yet to be set. The influencer is filmed driving off in his car after being given the all-clear by cops Tate can be seen performing one test while sat in the driver's seat of his black Ferrari Petrolhead Tate has a fleet of luxury cars, which he was only recently granted access to after they were confiscated They were detained in December 2022, and were previously in prison before being put under house arrest - which they were under before winning an appeal to be released in August last year. In January 2023, prosecutors seized 10 properties and homes belonging to the brothers, as well as 15 luxury vehicles. Speaking to reporters after the ruling, the petrolhead said: 'They took a lot of stuff... 15 cars, and they took a lot of things of a lot of value. It'd be nice to get my things back.' He was granted access to the vehicles again just last month, when the Bucharest Court of Appeal overturned the decision which allowed his possessions to be confiscated. Tate's legal counsel Eugen Vidineac, said after the appeal court's ruling: 'We salute the decision today and applaud the judge for what we consider to be a legally correct and justified ruling. 'We will continue to explore all legal avenues to redeem the reputation of my clients.' Police officers who 'brought shame on their uniforms' and let Emma Caldwell's killer Iain Packer walk free for 19 years should be jailed if it is found they 'engaged in criminality', her family's lawyer says. Packer, 51, was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 36 years at the High Court in Glasgow this month after being found guilty of murdering the 27-year-old in 2005, as well as 11 rapes and 21 other charges, including sexual assaults, against other women. Yet 'one of the UK's worst sex offenders' was left to roam the streets for nearly two decades despite officers being repeatedly told Packer 'is the man' and the warped killed taking officers in 2007 to the spot where Emma's body was dumped. Today, her family's lawyer Aamer Anwar said some officers at Police Scotland had 'betrayed justice', Emma, and the women who were Packer's victims. Mr Anwar sat next to Emma's grief-stricken mother Margaret on Good Morning Britain and said officers who 'betrayed their uniform' should be thrown behind bars if a public inquiry set up to examine the police response finds they engaged in criminality. Emma Caldwell's family lawyer Aamer Anwar appeared on Good Morning Britain alongside Emma's mother, Margaret. and said officers found to have 'engaged in criminality' during the murder investigation should be thrown behind bars Iain Packer, 51, was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 36 years at the High Court in Glasgow this month after being found guilty of murdering Emma Caldwell (pictured) in 2005 He said some of the country's highest ranking officers have their fingerprints on the case who have never answered any questions. Describing the murder case as probably one of the biggest scandals in Scottish criminal history, he said: 'No woman should ever feel that because of her status, because of her vulnerabilities, her addictions, her job, that she should accept sexual violence. 'So there is a need for change and those officers brought shame on their uniform. They betrayed the most fundamental duty which was to protect life, yet they have never been held to account 'They should be held to account there should be change brought about and if those officers have been found to engage in criminality then they should face imprisonment.' Police Scotland wasted 4million on an investigation which wrongfully accused four Turkish men of Emma's killing, he said. While in 2007 senior officers told Police Scotland detectives to 'forget about him' when they told them Packer 'was their man' after he took them to the spot where Emma's body was dumped. 'They gifted freedom to Iain Packer from some 19 years to walk the streets they knew he was a killer and they knew he was a serial rapist,' Mr Anwar added. A year later in 2008 Scotland's senior prosecutor marked papers which told the force Packer 'is the man to go after' but the case 'just disappeared', the lawyer said. Packer (pictured) was also found guilty of 11 rapes and 21 other charges, including sexual assaults, against other women Miss Caldwell (pictured) came from a close-knit family and saw both parents twice a week and spoke to them daily Miss Caldwell's mother Margaret (pictured) met Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC at the Crown Office in Edinburgh Margaret met Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC last week at the Crown Office in Edinburgh where she was told there was sufficient evidence in 2008 to convict Packer. She said this morning there is 'nothing more important than fighting for her daughter' and she feels at peace now Packer is behind bars. EXCLUSIVE READ MORE: Victim of Emma Caldwell killer who was raped at 15 will sue the police for 'mistakes and major cover-up' Advertisement 'My family and I have been in so many dark places, while he was fully free to walk the streets,' she said. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'The Chief Constable met Emma Caldwell's family last week and personally apologised for the failings of policing. 'We are aware of announcements by both the Scottish Government and the Lord Advocate. 'We will fully support the public inquiry and any further police investigation.' Speaking last week following the meeting with the Lord Advocate, Mr Anwar said Ms Bain and the then solicitor general asked Strathclyde Police to re-investigate the case using new officers in 2008, but it was 'impossible to work out what happened after that instruction was given'. He accused the police of a 'cover up' and said 'criminality has never been fully investigated by Police Scotland'. Ms Bain said she is taking advice on instructing an external police force to investigate the actions of police. Mr Anwar said: 'Today the family paid tribute to the Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC and her prosecution team who have been unwavering in their commitment to justice, without her leadership, the work of the Crown Office and the present police murder team, justice would have been buried forever.' Ms Bain said: 'Margaret Caldwell and her family suffered an unimaginable loss which was compounded by a painful wait to see Emma's memory honoured through justice being done. I have been humbled and inspired by the family's commitment to shining a light on what happened. It comes as Scotland's Justice Secretary announced an independent, judge-led statutory public inquiry to examine the police response to the murder 'In my meeting with the family I apologised to them for the prosecution service not doing more sooner. Emma, and all of the women harmed by Packer, deserved better. 'With respect to criminal actions of police, I am taking advice on instructing a force from outside Scotland to look further at allegations against officers. READ MORE: Emma Caldwell was a head stable girl before heroin condemned her to a life of vice - but her family were denied justice when police refused to believe Iain Packer had killed her even though his story changed SIX times Advertisement 'As previously stated, the Crown has reserved its position in relation to potential proceedings should evidence in support of those become available.' She said the way Police Scotland and the Crown Office work together has been 'transformed' in recent years and 'allegations of violence against women are heard and acted upon'. Margaret and the family has also met Police Scotland Chief Constable Jo Farrel, and the officer apologised to them and the families of Packer's other victims for having been 'let down by policing in 2005'. She said: 'It is important that Emma's family and the public get answers to the many questions they have. I therefore support the family's calls for a public inquiry. I absolutely commit that Police Scotland will fully participate in any further proceedings. 'We have reflected and learned from the initial investigation and subsequent re-investigation. Significant changes have been made to improve organisational culture and response, particularly in respect of investigative structures, victim care and processes to these types of crimes.' Packer is appealing against his conviction and sentence. Women hold up green bandanas, a symbol of abortion rights in Latin America, during an International Women's Day march in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, March 8, 2024. Natacha Pisarenko/AP Women perform covering their faces with white scarves to symbolize that women are invisible in the justice system during an International Women's Day event in Lima, Peru, Friday, March 8, 2024. Martin Mejia/AP People with their hands painted white march on International Women's Day in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, March 8, 2024. Ariana Cubillos/AP A woman cradles her dog as she takes part in an International Women's Day event in Asuncion, Paraguay, Friday, March 8, 2024. Jorge Saenz/AP People carry a banner that reads in Spanish "Women and Work and Hope" during a march marking International Women's Day in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, March 8, 2024. Ariana Cubillos/AP A child wearing angel wings gets a piggy back ride during a march against gender-based violence marking International Women's Day, in Mexico City, Friday, March 8, 2024. Aurea del Rosario/AP A woman hold up can of red-colored smoke during an International Women's Day march in La Paz, Bolivia, Friday, March 8, 2024. Juan Karita/AP Sunflowers and crosses cover the City Council steps during a protest against femicide on International Women's Day in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, March 8, 2024. Silvia Izquierdo/AP Women perform during the International Women's Day march outside Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, March 8, 2024. Natacha Pisarenko/AP A women wears a pair of paper angel wings with a message that reads in Spanish: "We grew wings", during a march against gender-based violence marking International Women's Day, in Mexico City, Friday, March 8, 2024. Aurea del Rosario/AP Women play their drums as they march against gender-based violence marking International Women's Day, in Mexico City, Friday, March 8, 2024. Aurea del Rosario/AP A woman attends an International Women's Day event with a red handprint across her mouth, a symbolic representation of murdered and missing Indigenous women, in Bogota, Colombia, Friday, March 8, 2024. Fernando Vergara/AP Women in red cloaks and white bonnets, dressed like the characters from the novel-turned-TV series "The Handmaid's Tale", mark International Women's Day in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, March 8, 2024. Silvia Izquierdo/AP A woman holds a makeshift clothesline of underwear marked with various female empowerment messages including, "Don't give your opinion if it's not your body", during a march marking International Women's Day in Quito, Ecuador, Friday, March 8, 2024. Dolores Ochoa/AP Hooded women perform holding cans of spray paint over photo copies of men who have been accused of mistreating women, during an International Women's Day event in Lima, Peru, Friday, March 8, 2024. Martin Mejia/AP A woman lifts her bicycle in order to stop traffic during a march marking International Women's Day in Guatemala City, Friday, March 8, 2024. Moises Castillo/AP Women take part in a performance holding swaddled dolls that represent the children killed in Gaza, as part of a protest against Israel's military operations during an International Women's Day march in Santiago, Chile Friday, March 8, 2024. Esteban Felix/AP Women take part in a march to mark International Women's Day in Quito, Ecuador, Friday, March 8, 2024. Dolores Ochoa/AP Women stand on the rooftop of a bus stop as they perform during an International Women's Day march in Santiago, Chile Friday, March 8, 2024. Esteban Felix/AP Women donning purple handprints symbolizing support for those affected by domestic violence, protest during an International Women's Day event in Bogota, Colombia, Friday, March 8, 2024. Fernando Vergara/AP Papers with names of female victims of violence are displayed in Plaza Venezuela, marking International Women's Day in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, March 8, 2024. Ariana Cubillos/AP MEXICO CITY (AP) Cities across Latin America were cloaked in purple Friday as hundreds of thousands of women marched to commemorate International Womens Day, coming at a moment of change in a region marred by soaring levels of violence against women. While some are celebrating historic steps taken in countries like Mexico, which is slated to elect a woman as president for the first time, others are railing against potential rollbacks on rights they've long fought for in places like Argentina with the arrival of far-right President Javier Milei. The shifts underscore the stark contrasts that divide the region of 670 million people. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Following decades of activism and campaigning by feminist groups, access to things like abortion has rapidly expanded in recent years, acting as a foil to mounting restrictions in the United States. At the same time, many countries across Latin America still suffer from soaring rates of violence against women, including disappearances and slayings of women, known as femicide. According to figures from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, a woman is killed for gender-related reasons in the continent every two hours. Theyre growing up in countries where, on paper, Latin American womens lives look like they should be fairly well-treated, but thats not their experience on the ground. So theyre angry, said Jennifer Piscopo, professor of Gender and Politics at the Royal Holloway University of London who has studied Latin America for decades. We see this sort of taking to the streets by feminists to criticize the inequality theyre experiencing that seems out of sync with where they think their country should be, she added. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At least 30,000 protesters pushed through the main throughway of Mexico City on Friday afternoon, also amassing in other Mexican cities in what government officials noted may be the country's biggest International Women's Day demonstration on record. They roared and carried signs reading, I want to live, not just survive, and, "Violence ends in scars, ignorance ends in femicides. Among the throngs of people was 55-year-old Lidia Florencio, who wore a shirt with the face of her daughter, Diana Velazquez Florencio, who was found dead on the side of the road near their home on the fringes of Mexico City in 2017 after going out late at night. Florencio said she's seen little action by authorities since her 24-year-old daughter was killed, so she joins other mothers in the march every year to push for justice. High levels of impunity in Mexico and across the region mean cases such as hers go unsolved. Here, there's no justice, Florencio said. We've come out so people can see that the state isn't providing us with a life free of violence. We keep getting murdered." Advertisement Article continues below this ad For many in the march, Mexico's upcoming June 2 presidential election inspires hope that things might change, as the two main presidential front-runners are women. Others like Florencio expressed skepticism. Even if a woman lands in power, that doesn't guarantee that they're going to advocate for women, she said. Candidates in their campaigns make lots of promises, and then when they arrive in office they turn their backs on us. Protests broke out across the region, from Brazil to Mexico, with the vast majority of those lining the streets being young women. Local media reported tens of thousands turned out for protests in Argentina long the leader of regional feminist movements where demonstrations were marked by a fighting tone and a sharp rejection of Milei. Advertisement Article continues below this ad People painted in purple and carrying green handkerchiefs, symbolizing the struggle for abortion, flooded the country's capital, Buenos Aires, and other Argentine cities. Since taking office in December, Milei has shuttered both the countrys womens affairs ministry and the national anti-discrimination agency, and on Wednesday told high school students in a speech that abortion is murder. Milei posted words of support for International Women's Day on his social media Friday morning. But just hours before the march, his government announced the Hall of Women, inaugurated in 2009 to pay homage to female figures of Argentine history, will be renamed Hall of Heroes, with a presidential spokesperson saying the old name is "perhaps even discriminatory for men. Argentina's new government has fueled fears by many in the country's feminist movement that their recent wins in expanding abortion access and years of fighting could be lost in a matter of years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It is very important to be here, standing firm defending our rights," said 33-year-old protester Ivana Cialci in Buenos Aires. "Here, in Argentina, womens rights are at stake. We are not going to stop; we will continue to take to the streets. ____ AP journalist Rey contributed from Buenos Aires, Argentina. ____ Advertisement Article continues below this ad This is the moment an angry mob hurls abuse at a vicar and chases worshippers after conspiracy theorists leapt on lies claiming there was a baby-eating satanic cult at a Hampstead school. Baseless claims of ritual child sex abuse in the well-heeled North London suburb spread worldwide after the mother of two young siblings peddled allegations online. Footage revealed in Channel 4's new documentary Accused: The Hampstead Hoax shows how activists descended on a church to harass locals including a priest. They are seen pursuing him at his home as well as mothers with their children - while a US ringleader whips up a frenzy online and plots his own trip to Britain. Rupert Wilson Quaintance raised thousands of pounds to fund his transatlantic visit after saying he wanted to 'kick down doors' and 'take blood samples' from the parents he accused - before later being jailed for his frightening antics. Mobs gathered outside a Hampstead church targeting worshippers and peddling false claims New Channel 4 documentary Accused: The Hampstead Hoax shows a vicar being harassed US conspiracy theorist Rupert Wilson Quaintance posted online videos demanding action The disturbing scenes came after two young siblings aged eight and nine accused parents - including their own father - and teachers at their North London primary school of being a part of a satanic paedophile ring in 2015. Their mother Ella Draper shared the false accusations online and Sabine McNeill - a virulent conspiracy theorist, since dubbed Britain's worst online troll - released videos of the children making these accusations online. Personal details of 175 people allegedly involved were also posted on the internet, causing ongoing trauma for those affected - including four mothers who fought back by taking on their accusers while clearing their own names. The hoax went viral and led to death threats, harassment and abuse against the falsely accused parents. The satanist cult allegations were found to be baseless but the conspiracy theory caught fire online after Draper uploaded a video calling out a conspiracy on the part of the police to drop the investigation. The documentary, first broadcast last night, shows how vigilantes filmed themselves as they came to Hampstead to interrogate those they thought involved. One can be heard saying as he films: 'Here's the church, where the vicar lives - the paedo.' The group are seen peppering the unnamed cleric with comments such as 'Have you heard about the satanic?', 'You're involved in it', 'Stop killing the babies' and 'Satan'. A US-accented woman was also shown shouting outside Christ Church in Hampstead, saying: 'Listen to the children - don't tell the children to shut up.' And another man, when challenged by a parishioner about his filming, says: 'I'm allowed to - it's a free world. Why are you eating babies? 'You laugh - it's all over the net, isn't it? It's all over the net.' Mothers wrongly targeted in the campaign have said they were 'petrified' by the protests Ella Draper (pictured) released a document online listing people falsely accused of being a part of a child sex ring - leading to death threats, harassment and abuse Draper and her partner Abraham Christie (pictured) manipulated her two children into making false allegations they had been abused by parents of other children at their Hampstead school Rupert Wilson Quaintance became obsessed with the case and travelled over from the US 'Anna', played by an actress, is one of the mothers featured in the new Channel 4 documentary A falsely accused mother told how paedophiles got in touch asking to meet her daughter One of the mothers interviewed for the documentary, Alice, told of feeling 'petrified' as the harassment raged on. She said: 'It's not in the little Alice In Wonderland world now where it's all make-believe on the internet - it's real, it's on your doorstep, these people are here.' Another, 'Sarah, said: 'A group of 20 to 30 people every Sunday morning would come and stand outside the church and hurl abuse at parishioners.' In the documentary, four mothers at the centre of the hoax speak about what they've been through for the first time via audio interviews lip-synced on screen by actors as the women wish to remain anonymous to protect their now-grown-up children. Draper and her partner Abraham Christie had manipulated her two children into making the false claims in the first place, which 'Abigail' and her brother 'Joseph' - as they are called in the documentary - later recanted. After the names, addresses and phone numbers of the parents, school staff and pupils identified as being involved were published online, they were inundated with death threats. The parents were contacted by vigilantes saying they would snatch their children to take them to safety - and paedophiles would also get in touch asking about their children's sexual preferences. Quaintance, who became obsessed with the case, came to Britain to investigate further but was jailed for nine months after being found guilty of putting people in fear of violence. He is shown telling his YouTube viewers: 'What's going on? Why is this happening? Why aren't we kicking down the doors to the schools, the churches?' Draper and Christie fled the country in 2015 and have been on the run ever since, believed to be in Spain. Christie, left, and Draper, right, have been on the run since fleeing the UK in 2015 The Hampstead hoax spread worldwide online after Draper (pictured) uploaded a video accusing police of a conspiracy after an investigation into her bogus claims was dropped Sabine McNeill is a virulent conspiracy theorist, since dubbed Britains worst online troll McNeill (pictured), one of the central figures in attempting to legitimise the conspiracy, was jailed for nine years in 2018 for stalking, harassment and breaching a restraining order Draper had been involved in a battle with her ex-husband for custody of 'Abigail' and 'Joseph', who spent time in care before being reunited with their father. Sabine McNeill - a virulent conspiracy theorist, since dubbed Britain's worst online troll - released videos of the children making the false accusations alongside personal details of 175 people allegedly involved. She was put on trial for stalking, harassment and breaching a restraining order and was jailed in 2018 for nine years, of which she served four. McNeill was also interviewed for the Channel 4 programme, in which she insisted: 'I didn't accept any of the charges, I didn't accept the verdict, I cannot accept the verdict. All I can do is suffer - suffer it, like Jesus Christ did.' Ghislaine Maxwell's legal team will argue that her accusers had 'faded distorted and motivated memories' as she begins her appeal against a 20-year sentence that was handed down to her in 2022 for aiding Jeffrey Epstein's pedophile ring. Maxwell, 62, was described as 'dangerous' during her trial as jurors were told details of how she helped entice vulnerable teenagers to Epstein's various properties for him to sexually abuse. One of the details that Maxwell's lawyers will argue surrounded juror Scotty David who allegedly failed to disclose that he had been sexually abused in his pre-trial questionnaire. Judge Alison Nathan said at sentencing that Maxwell was 'central' to Epstein's heinous crimes, not a 'proxy.' 'Ms Maxwell worked with Epstein to select young victims who were vulnerable and played a pivotal role in facilitating sexual abuse,' the judge said. Earlier this month, MailOnline reported that Maxwell was 'focused and motivated' for her appeal. The disgraced socialite serving her time in a minimum security prison in Tallahassee. Maxwell's close relationship with Epstein was well-documented in public over the years, yet she still denies having knowledge of the dead financier's crimes 'Judge Alison Nathan said at sentencing that Maxwell was 'central' to Epstein's heinous crimes, not a 'proxy 'It's unusual for someone to have such a grasp of a complex case like this. It's unique. But she's focused and motivated and that motivates us. It definitely puts some fire in our belly,' her brother Ian said. The US government lawyers said Maxwell's appeal arguments 'fall far short of establishing Judge Nathan abused her discretion' in her decision not to overturn the jury's verdict. They will also argue that her sentence was not unfair and that her arguments to the contrary are 'so cursory and undeveloped' that they should be dismissed. She was convicted of five offences, including sex trafficking minors, conspiracy to entice a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, and conspiracy to transport a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Maxwell has been incarcerated since July 2020, despite numerous attempts from her defense counsel to have her released on bail. In January DailyMail.com revealed that Maxwell had been telling her fellow inmates in prison to ignore the reports and promised she would write memoir giving 'the truth', although this is expected to be an attempt to whitewash her involvement. A source claimed that Maxwell, who was a close associate of Epstein for years, claimed 'the documents in the news are all false or misinformation' and 'the truth will only come out when her book does.' The insider said: 'She's bragging about how great it will be but it sounds like the same old lies she has told a thousand times. 'She really thinks she hasn't done anything wrong and that her charges will be dropped when people read it.' In a self-serving prison interview last year, she denied knowledge of the dead financier's crimes, insisting she regretted ever meeting him and had no idea he was 'capable of evil.' But hundreds of documents made public in January, relating to a long-settled defamation case filed against Maxwell by Prince Andrew accuser Virginia Giuffre, make a mockery of her claims of innocence. Scores of famous people including Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson, Donald Trump and Stephen Hawking were outed as being friends or associates of the late predator, who hanged himself behind bars in 2019 instead of facing trial. But multiple testimonies from victims and former Epstein aides once more insisted that Maxwell was 'the boss' of his underage sex ring, drawing the same conclusion as jurors in her New York trial. Maxwell's bleak financial condition and incarceration is a striking fall from grace for the favorite daughter of the late media baron Robert Maxwell. Pictured: General views of FCI Tallahassee Early reports revealed how the disgraced British socialite struggled to cope with her new life behind bars, refusing to eat and complaining bitterly to prison authorities that her clothes didn't fit Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. The death was ruled a suicide. Last month, it was reported that grand jury transcripts from a 2006 Florida investigation into of underage girls will be released publicly later this year under legislation signed into law Thursday by Gov. Ron DeSantis. A local judge cited the new law in denying release of the records for now. The measure, which takes effect July 1, would carve out a limited exception to the secrecy that generally shrouds grand jury testimony in specific cases such as that involving Epstein, DeSantis said at a signing ceremony in Palm Beach, Florida, where many of the crimes took place at Epstein's home. 'There needs to be a mechanism in some of these rare circumstances where people can get the truth,' the Republican governor said. 'This is in the interest of justice to disclose this. We don't think we can just turn a blind eye.' Infamously, Trump's Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta signed off on a cushy deal for Epstein. In 2008 that allowed him to escape more severe federal charges and instead plead guilty to state charges of procuring a person under 18 for prostitution and solicitation of prostitution. He was sentenced to 18 months in the Palm Beach County jail system, followed by 12 months of house arrest. He was required to register as a sex offender. 'What happened was clearly wrong and the punishment was wholly inadequate for the crime,' DeSantis said. Epstein in 2018 was charged with federal sex trafficking - where he also had a mansion that was a scene of abuse - after the Miami Herald published a series of articles that renewed public focus on the case, including interviews with some victims who had been pursuing civil lawsuits against him. Omid Scobie is making his royal fiction debut with a book about a 'young American woman who leaves a press role at the White House for one at Buckingham Palace'. The author, seen as a cheerleader for Prince Harry and Meghan, is working on a title called 'Royal Spin' - billed as a 'fun, fish-out-of-water romantic workplace comedy'. The book, co-written with US young adult fiction author Robin Benway, will see the character enter 'a hotbed of office politics where tradition (almost) always wins'. While the announcement has been styled as 'Scobie's fiction debut', royal officials will likely await the release with trepidation given the huge controversy caused by the author's previous two bombshell books - Endgame and Finding Freedom. Mr Scobie said the book announcement - revealed last night by the Publishers Weekly website - was 'exciting news' and 'marks the start of something very special'. Rights have been acquired in North America by Liz Stein, executive editor of William Morrow which is part of HarperCollins, in what was described as a 'major' deal. Omid Scobie, pictured on the BBC's Newsnight last November after the release of Endgame Mr Scobie's book is being co-written with young adult fiction author Robin Benway (pictured) The deal was brokered by United Talent Agency literary agents Albert Lee and Lisa Grubka - with the same agency selling foreign rights at this week's London Book Fair. Mr Lee and Ms Grubka described the book as 'a fun, fish-out-of-water romantic workplace comedy about a young American woman who leaves a press role at the White House for one at Buckingham Palace, thrusting her into a hotbed of office politics where tradition (almost) always wins.' And Mr Scobie said on X: 'Some exciting news to share (via @PublishersWkly). Can't wait to share more details about this project with you all. Today's announcement marks the start of something very special.' Mr Benway also tweeted: 'It's been a minute but here's some exciting news!' The announcement came hours after Mr Scobie hit out at Kensington Palace for a Kate Mother's Day photo which the Princess apologised for digitally manipulating. Mr Scobie tweeted: 'It's fair to say that most photos released by the offices of public figures have been retouched in some way, so *if* this was an isolated incident then it would just be an unfortunate error. 'But with the Palace's long history of lying, covering up, and even issuing statements on behalf of family members without their permission (cc: Prince Harry), it's becoming increasingly difficult for the public to believe a word (and now photo) they share. Gaining that back at this point is an almost impossible task.' The release of Mr Scobie's book Endgame last November saw the Dutch translation name two royals who were said to have asked what colour skin Archie would have before he was born Mr Scobie also released the book Finding Freedom about Harry and Meghan in August 2020 Mr Scobie is seen as a cheerleader for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (pictured in 2022) Earlier, Mr Scobie also wrote: 'Wonder what it would be like if they had a good comms team?' He also described the withdrawal of the photos as 'mysterious'. Separately, he tweeted: 'Plenty to share this year. Needed some time to recharge and work on some new things.' Mr Scobie caused a huge royal race row last November in his book Endgame when the Dutch translation named two royals who were said to have asked what colour skin Prince Archie would have before he was born. The author is said to be close to Harry and Meghan and also co-authored the 2020 book Finding Freedom, a biography of the Sussexes which chronicled the couple in glowing terms. The Sussexes first made the claim a royal had asked about their son's skin colour when they were interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in 2021. According to details in Endgame, the two names came to light in letters exchanged between Meghan and Charles in the aftermath of the Oprah interview. The book which claimed the identities of those two royals were Charles and Kate - also asserted that the future of the monarchy is 'in a crisis' and it is in a 'fight for survival'. Police hold grave fears for a group of seven people, including four children, who are missing in the Western Australia's flooded outback. Three elderly people and four children aged between 12 and 17 left Kalgoorlie-Boulder on Sunday headed to the remote Aboriginal community of Tjuntjuntjara, but they haven't been seen since. The group is from Tjuntjuntjara, 600km north-east of where they were driving from, and the police were contacted on Monday when they didn't arrive home. Hundreds of millimetres of rain have fallen on the area in the past 48 hours, with the unseasonal weather conditions affecting the search. 'Concerns are held due to the fact that we have had severe weather and rain and more has been forecast over the next 24 hours and we have been unable to make contact with the occupants,' police Inspector Mick Kelly told the ABC. Police in Western Australia hold grave fears for a group of seven people, including four children, who are missing in the state's flooded outback. One of the missing vehicles, a Mitsubishi Triton, is pictured The other missing vehicle, a 1986 Toyota Landcruiser with licence plates A683 is pictured READ MORE: National Climate Risk Assessment - grim future facing Australia as government sounds doomsday climate warning A farmer is pictured inspecting a dry dam Advertisement 'Our air asset was up this morning and it flew for an hour. Quite simply, the plane can't see through the clouds and therefore, we were unable to locate them. 'It becomes too dangerous for the pilot.' The group was thought to only have minimal supplies, with one of the cars carrying water and camping gear. 'We are hopeful that they have remained with the vehicle,' Inspector Kelly said. The vehicles being searched for are a 1986 Toyota Landcruiser with licence plates A683, and a white Mitsubishi Triton utility with KBC8881 plates. Jon Lark, the CEO of the Paupiyala Tjarutja Aboriginal Corporation, said the community is worried. 'Unfortunately we've lost contact with them, and with this extreme, one in a 25-year event really, we know that they're somewhere in the middle,' he said. 'The police have been out as far as a place called Zanthus and they had to turn back. 'We've had a car go 120km from our end and had to turn back.' Heavy rain has also forced the evacuation of a pastoral station on the Nullarbor. Three elderly people and four children aged between 12 and 17 left Kalgoorlie-Boulder on Sunday headed to the remote Aboriginal community of Tjuntjuntjara, but they haven't been seen since A Bureau of Meteorology satellite image shows massive cloud cover over the middle and south of Western Australia Superintendent Damien Pumphrey of the Goldfields region Department of Fire and Emergency Services said parts of the Eyre Highway - which links WA to South Australia - were lashed by more than 180millimetres of rain on Monday. 'While the rain is still falling, the water levels along the highway have receded a little bit to allow us to reopen the highway,' he said. 'The plan is to leave the highway open during daylight hours until about five o'clock (WA time on Tuesday) and the current intent, unless waters recede a bit further, then we will close the highway overnight for the safety of traffic and road users. 'We're going to monitor the water levels in the area ... if we're not confident it's safe overnight then we'll close it again.' He's the highest paid actor on the cobbled, terraced road of Coronation Street, earning a staggering 250,000 a year. But the impressive salary of soap star Bill Roache - famous for his beloved role as Ken Barlow in Corrie - didn't keep him immune from financial and personal tragedy. Making his debut on Corrie's very first episode in December 1960, Roache, 91, has gone on to hold the Guinness World Record for the longest serving actor in any television soap opera. He landed his role as Ken at the age of 28, before - unbeknownst to him - he would be hit by the death of two daughters, a fling with a co-star that would lead to the breakdown of his marriage, and financial woes to last more than three decades. And now Roache has suffered his latest crisis, given three months to clear his debt to HMRC yesterday morning - meaning he will have to sell his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, to pay a tax bill of more than 500,000. The case was adjourned for 12 weeks, until June, for the house to be sold and the remaining balance paid off. Not unlike his character Ken, who developed a reputation as a ladies' man, Roache admitted he cheated on his first wife - TV actress Anna Cropper - because of his huge sex drive. Roache claimed to have bedded more than 1,000 women and blamed the breakdown of his first marriage on his inability to stop cheating. Bill Roache, 91, (pictured) has been dealing with financial woes for more than 30 years, despite being the most well paid actor on Coronation Street Roache has been ordered to sell his home (pictured) in Wilmslow, Cheshire, to pay a hefty tax bill Roache made his debut on the show's very first episode in December 1960 (pictured on soap with Anne Reid in 1963) Roache holds the Guinness World Record for the longest serving actor in a television soap opera Roache admitted to a fling with fellow Coronation Street star Pat Phoenix (left) - who played Elsie Tanner from 1960 to 1984 - claiming the affair was a 'one-off' Despite his longstanding success on the show, Roache's financial downfall began in 1991, when he won a libel action after The Sun branded him 'boring' Queen Elizabeth II meets actors William Roache, Barbara Knox, Sue Nicholls and Helen Worth during a visit to the set Coronation Street Roache faces bankruptcy for a second time and faces losing his house (pictured) The star admitted to a fling with fellow Coronation Street star Patsy Phoenix - who played Elsie Tanner from 1960 to 1984 - claiming the affair was a 'one-off' after Phoenix invited the star back to her flat. 'She invited me round [...] and we had a few drinks, then one thing led to another,' said Roache. Phoenix died of lung cancer in 1986, having smoked 60 cigarettes a day. During his second marriage to his late wife Sarah, who he married in 1978, Roache had many children, living to see both his spouse and two daughters tragically die. His baby Edwina died from pneumonia aged 18 months in 1983, before his daughter Vanya passed away at the age of 50 in 2018 after battling liver failure. In an interview at the time, Roache revealed he had devastatingly got involved in a car crash while rushing to see Vanya in hospital, meaning he missed his final chance to see his child before her death. Roache's second wife Sarah died of natural causes in 2009. The star was even arrested at his Cheshire home in 2013 before being found not guilty of two counts of rape and four counts of incident assault in 2014. At the time, past and present cast members claimed Roache had been the victim of a cruel 'celebrity witchhunt' - rushing to celebrate his acquittal and slamming the 'wasteful' and 'nonsense' decision to prosecute him. Roache then paid a visit to the 'Circle of Love', the mystical spiritual sect he turned to for support throughout the rape trial. The actor was joined by his daughter Verity on the trip to the holistic centre in Ashton-under-Lyne, Manchester. Despite his longstanding success on Coronation Street, Roache's financial downfall began decades into his acting career in 1991, when he won a libel action after The Sun branded him 'boring'. The actor was awarded 50,000 after turning down the same amount in an out-of-court settlement - and was forced to pay 120,000 in costs. Roache then spent even more money suing his lawyers and lost. He was shockingly declared bankrupt in April 1999 - before his creditors estimated he had unpaid debts of 600,000 two years later. More than a decade later in 2012, Roache joined a tax-avoidance scheme, becoming a 'designated member' of Twofold First Services LLP, owned by a company registered in the Cayman Islands. Rita Tanner, as played by Barbara Knox, and Ken Barlow, played by Roache Roache has been a beloved member of Coronation Street since the show started in 1960 Roache in the crowd outside the funeral of actress Pat Phoenix in Manchester In 2012 Roache joined a tax-avoidance scheme, becoming a 'designated member' of Twofold First Services LLP Roache has been declared bankrupt twice in his life, despite being the highest paid actor on Coronation Street It was not confirmed how much Roache paid into the scheme, but he was one of 288 members who entered it, putting in an average of 1.75million. The scheme involved claiming tax relief from artificial losses of a land-owning business. A tribunal went on to rule in favour of HMRC, which successfully concluded that Twofold was a 'tax avoidance arrangement' - branded 'abusive and artificial' by the Treasury. And Roache's financial woes have not been the only thing keeping him up at night. The star was shockingly arrested at his home in 2013, before being found not guilty by a jury of two counts of rape and four counts of indecent assault following a trial at Preston Crown Court in 2014. His love life has also been tumultuous - having endured a divorce in 1976 to his wife of more than a decade, Anna Cropper, following allegations of his infidelity. Roache went on to marry his beloved wife Sarah in 1978, before she passed away years later in 2009. Despite being the highest paid member of Coronation Street, Roache has lived in his Cheshire home for the past forty years. The house, built in the 1950s, was designed by Roache's beloved late wife Sarah. The star described the home as his 'haven' where he 'feels at peace' - a place of comfort as he dealt with years of financial woes. Roache's house was designed by Bill's beloved late wife Sarah, who passed away in 2009 (pictured in 2008) Roache has been a member of Coronation Street for more than 60 years Photo of Laurence Olivier outside the Strand Theatre in 1958, in Roache's home Despite his longstanding success on the show, Roache's financial downfall began in 1991, when he won a libel action after The Sun branded him 'boring' The home is filled with grand decor and sentimental touches - with ornate pieces, stunning windows and sweeping curtains. Other items include his Royal Welsh Fusiliers cap, a framed photo of Laurence Olivier outside the Strand Theatre in 1958 and his Guinness World Record, which he was awarded in 2010 for becoming the longest serving actor in a serial drama. Roache said previously: 'When I left the Army in my mid-20s I set my heart on being an actor, but no one was interested as I hadn't been to drama school. 'One day in the late 50s I saw Laurence Olivier in the West End and took this photo of him. I wrote to his theatre company and he invited me backstage at a performance of The Entertainer. 'He said, ''Don't give up! I had a tough time when I started too.'' I was so inspired I talked my way into a theatre role in Clacton and never looked back.' Speaking about the story behind his military cap, Roache added: 'I was commissioned into the Royal Welsh Fusiliers just after the Coronation in 1953, and was wearing this cap in Jamaica, where I was stationed, when the Queen visited that year. 'She was such a beautiful young woman, and it might be treason to say so, but as a young man I really fancied her! I've been lucky enough to meet her, including when Preston was made a city in 2002. 'I was told that Her Majesty would ''like a photo with you'' so I spent a few minutes chatting to her while this picture here on the coffee table was taken she was so natural and charming.' Russian President Vladimir Putin has been accused of the murder of 17 politicians, journalists and activists in a chilling new documentary published by the team of late dissident Alexei Navalny. The explosive feature aired by Navalny LIVE to some 3.3mn followers on Monday accuses Putin of being a 'brutal killer' and 'mass murderer', directly blaming him for the assassinations of various high-profile critics and investigators in recent decades. It comes as pressure mounts on Putin to explain the sudden death of Russian opposition leader Navalny aged 47 in a brutal Arctic penal colony on February 16 ahead of the president's bid for re-election this week. In a stark warning to viewers they assert: 'There's no doubt they'll kill again if only because they can't do otherwise. And illegitimate President Putin will go up for re-election.' Navalny's team, who have vowed to continue their namesake's work in challenging state corruption, maintain that Putin was personally responsible for his death following, they believe, a deliberate attempt to poison him in 2020. The Kremlin denies any involvement and say Navalny died from sudden death syndrome after collapsing following a walk at the prison in Kharp last month. Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died suddenly in prison last month The explosive feature aired by Navalny LIVE to some 3.3mn followers on Monday accuses Putin (pictured in December 2022) of being a 'brutal killer' A Telegram post on the Navalny team's profile promoting the video said Putin was 'a brutal killer' and promised to explore the stories of people 'killed... on his orders' for opposing him or being 'simply disliked by the president'. 'On February 16, 2024, he killed his main enemy, Alexei Navalny,' the post reads. 'In 2015 he killed Boris Nemtsov, in 2009 - Sergei Magnitsky, in 2006 - Anna Politkovskaya and Alexander Litvinenko. 'And there are dozens of such murders, and it will hardly ever be possible to list all of his victims.' In the documentary, the presenter claims 'the most notorious murder Putin committed was on February 16, 2024, when he massacred Alexei Navalny in a special regime penal colony. 'So far, the authorities are either not commenting on what happened, passing off the death as an accident. Or yes, they are again hinting at Western involvement.' The clip shows an article from Russian business newspaper Vedomosti asserting 'Moscow announced self-exposure of the West after Navalny's death'. The article dated February 16, the day Navalny was reported to have died, cites Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova in claiming NATO's 'immediate reaction' to the death exposed them. It also quoted the editor of state-controlled outlet RT in saying there was no incentive for the state to kill Navalny, and that the death was 'only beneficial to completely opposite forces'. The documentary blaming Putin for Navalny's death continues: 'As you realise, this tactic is built up over years, over decades. '[They mean] 'We killed and yes, we are mocking you.' There's no doubt they'll kill again and again if only because they can't do otherwise. 'And illegitimate President Putin will go up for re-election.' The documentary goes on to accuse Putin of sanctioning the deaths of 17 opponents, critics, journalists and politicians, including: Artyom Borovik; Yuri Shchekochikhin; Paul Klebnikov; Alexander Litvinenko; Anna Politkovskaya; Natalya Estemirova; Anastasia Baburova; Stanislav Markelov; Sergei Magnitsky; Mikhail Beketov; Boris Nemtsov; Kirill Radchenko; Aleksandr Rastorguev; Orhcan Dzhemal; Timur Kuashev; and Nikita Isaev. A worker paints over a graffiti depicting jailed Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny in Saint Petersburg, Russia April 28, 2021. The graffiti reads: 'The hero of the new age' Artyom Borovik Borovik was a Russian investigative journalist and media magnate who died aged 34 in an aircraft crash at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow on 9 March 2000. Borovik, who ran Top Secret TV, a programme focusing on high-profile corruption cases, died three days before the scheduled publication of materials about Putin's childhood. His last investigation also probed 1999 Moscow apartment bombings, believed to be linked to the FSB which Putin had headed. In one of his last reports, Borovik quoted Putin - then lining up to become president - in saying: 'There are three ways to influence people: blackmail, vodka, and the threat to kill.' Artyom Borovik was a Russian journalist and son of foreign correspondent Genrikh Borovik Yuri Shchekochikhin A Soviet and later Russian investigative journalist, writer, and liberal lawmaker in the Russian parliament, Yuri Shchekochikhin wrote and campaigned against the influence of organised crime and corruption, and may have been Putin's first radioactive poisoning victim. Shchekochikhin died suddenly on 3 July 2003 from a mysterious illness a few days before his scheduled departure to the United States, where he planned to meet with FBI investigators. Like Borovik, Shchekochikhin was investigating corrupt business deals and the possible role of Russian security services in the 1999 apartment house bombings blamed on Chechen insurgents. Journalist Yuri Shchekochikhin (undated) died of a sudden and violent illness in 2003 Paul Klebnikov Paul Klebnikov, the U.S.-born editor of Forbes magazine's Russian edition, was gunned down outside his Moscow office in July 2004. Colleagues and Russian media at the time that the motive may have been his work investigating Russia's criminal underworld and business elite. The murder was seen as a decisive blow against investigative journalism in Russia. Ukraine's security agency said in 2017 it has detained a Russian man wanted for Klebnikov's slaying. The Russian Interior Ministry identified the suspect Monday as Magomed Dukuzov, according to the Interfax news agency. U.S.-born editor of Forbes magazine's Russian edition Paul Klebnikov Alexander Litvinenko In 2006, Alexander Litvinenko, a former agent for the KGB and the FSB, became violently ill in London after drinking tea laced with radioactive polonium-210. Litvinenko, who had become a journalist and consultant for the British intelligence services in London, was a prominent critic of Vladimir Putin and coined the term 'mafia state' in relation to Russia. Among his allegations about the Russian state, he said the KGB and FSB for whom he had worked were supporters of international terrorism. He also accused Russia's special services of involvement in the 2005 London bombings. Litvinenko died three weeks after meeting two former agents in the Millennium Hotel's Pine Bar, where high polonium contamination was found. Both Dimitry Kovtun and Andrey Lugovoy denied wrongdoing, but polonium was found in the house and car Kovtun had used in Hamburg. Litvinenko had been investigating the shooting death of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya as well as the Russian intelligence services alleged links to organised crime. Alexander Litvinenko, a former agent for the KGB and the FSB, died from poisoning in London Anna Politkovskaya Anna Politkovskaya was a Russian-US journalist and human rights activist who reported on political and social events in Russia, in particular, the Second Chechen War. She had won international acclaim for her reporting on human rights abuses in Chechnya. The 48-year-old was shot and killed in the elevator of her Moscow apartment building on October 7, 2006 - Putin's birthday. A gunman, from Chechnya, was convicted of the killing and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Four other Chechens were given shorter prison terms for their involvement in the murder. The 48-year-old was shot and killed in the elevator of her Moscow apartment building in 2006 Natalya Estemirova A Russian human rights activist and board member of the Russian human rights organisation Memorial. Estemirova, 51, was abducted by unknown persons on 15 July 2009 from her home in Grozny, Chechnya, where she was working on 'extremely sensitive' cases of human rights abuses in Chechnya. Her body was found with bullet wounds in the head and chest area near the village of Gazi-Yurt, in neighbouring Ingushetia. On her person, investigators found a passport and an ID of the Chechnya expert for the Human Rights Commissioner of Russia. Estemirova was a contributor to Novaya Gazeta and recipient of the first Anna Politkovskaya Award, honouring brave female human rights defenders from war and conflict. Then-Russian president Dimitri Medvedev said it was 'obvious' she had been murdered for her work and ordered a top-level investigation. But Memorial claimed 'state terror' was culpable, claiming Estemirova was killed by government-backed death squads. Natalya Estemirova abducted and found shot dead near the village of Gazi-Yurt in 2009 Anastasia Baburova A journalist for the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper, Baburova investigated the activities of neo-Nazi groups. Baburova was also involved in the anarchist environmentalist movement. Like Mikhail Beketov, also later found dead, she campaigned against the felling of the Khimki Forest for the construction of a motorway between Moscow and St Petersburg. Aged 25, she was shot and killed along with human rights lawyer Stanislav Markelov, in a murder seen as having the fingerprints of the Russian state security services. Military analyst Pavel Eugenievich Felgenhauer at the time said the details of the murder implicated Russia's elusive security services. Baburova was a journalist for Novaya Gazeta born in Sevastopol, Ukrainian SSR Stanislav Markelov He was a Russian human rights lawyer, 34, who took up high profile cases, including representing left-wing activists persecuted since the fall of the USSR - and victims of police violence. Like Baburova he was killed by members of the neo-Nazi organisation BORN on 19 January 2009 in Moscow, yet the killing was seen as linked to the state. Markelov was shot to death while leaving a news conference alongside Baburova, who came to his aid. Russian authorities pinned the murder on Nikita Tikhonov and his girlfriend, Yevgenia Khasis, a radical nationalist couple. Stanislav Markelov was a Russian human rights lawyer who was murdered in 2009, aged 34 Sergei Magnitsky Magnitsky, a Russian tax advisor representing client Hermitage Capital Management, was arrested in 2008 after alleging officials had carried out a large-scale heist of funds from the Russian state. He died in Moscow's Butyrka prison seven days before the end of the one-year term by which he could legally be detained without trial. A human rights council set up by the Kremlin found he had been physically assaulted before his death. Posthumously he gave his name to laws in the West aimed at sanctioning human rights abusers. Magnitsky died in Moscow's Butyrka prison seven days before the end of his one-year term Mikhail Beketov Beketov was a Russian journalist, 55, beaten by unknown assailants in 2008 after covering environmental stories. The journalist covered the construction of the Moscow-Saint Petersburg motorway, which included the planned destruction of the Khimki Forest and related activism. He claimed local officials told him to stop before his car was set on fire and his dog was killed. Beketov was assaulted on November 13, 2008 by unknown assailants and sustained brain damage. He died five years later, in 2013, from a heart attack. The Committee to Protect Journalists said his death was directly related to injuries he sustained during the 2008 attack. Russian journalist Mikhail Beketov died in 2013 during coverage of environmental activism Boris Nemtsov The assassination of Boris Nemtsov, a liberal politician and outspoken critic of Putin, was the most high-profile killing alleged to have been orchestrated by the Russian state. On a cold night in February 2015, around 23:30, Nemtsov was struck four times with bullets from a Makarov pistol as he walked with his girlfriend over the Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge. His Ukrainian partner was the sole witness. Five men from the Russian region of Chechnya were convicted for his killing, with the gunman receiving up to 20 years. But Nemtsov's allies said that was an attempt to shift blame from the government. Putin was never personally implicated in the murder. Outspoken Putin critic Boris Nemtsov was shot dead in cold blood in 2015 Kirill Radchenko A Russian war correspondent and cameramen, Radchenko was among a group of filmmakers working on a documentary about the pro-Kremlin Wagner group in Africa when he was murdered in 2018. With colleagues Alexander Rastorguev and Orkhan Jemal, he was shot in the Central African Republic on the night of 31 July 2018. Radchenko died on the spot from injuries sustained in the brutal take-down. Kirill Radchenko was among a group of filmmakers investigating Wagner's role in Africa Aleksandr Rastorguev Rastorguev was a prominent Russian documentary film director, 41, and Putin critic, gunned down in a car ambush in the Central African Republic on 31 July 2018. He was reportedly making a film with Organ Dzhemal and Kirill Radchenko about Russian mercenaries operating in the country. Rastorguev was one of the Russian filmmakers killed while probing Wagner Group in Africa Orhcan Dzhemal A veteran war correspondent, 51, and founder of the Muslim Union of Russian Journalists, Orhcan Dzhemal was killed on 31 July 2018 in the Central African Republic. Dzhemal was probing the activities of Wagner almost four years before the paramilitary group became notorious in Putin's war in Ukraine. Orhcan Dzhemal was killed on 31 July 2018 while probing the Wagner Group's activities Timur Kuashev A human rights activist and government critic, 26, Timur Kuashev died after going on a jog in Nalchik, the capital of the autonomous Kabardino-Balkar republic in the Russian Caucasus. Kuashev worked for Dosh magazine as its correspondent in the region, but was known for His body was found on August 1 2014 in the woods near Khasania after going missing the night before. An article in his magazine said: 'We believe that Timur was kidnapped from his home.' His mobile phone was found in his apartment, the magazine reported. Kuashev was a notable critic of Russia's policy in Ukraine. Timur Kuashev, a notable critic of Russia's policy in Ukraine, died suddenly aged 26 Nikita Isaev Nikita Isaev was a Russian politician, journalist, and anti-corruption and environmental activist, aged 41. In 2019, he died on a train from Tambov to Moscow, after being appointed as an advisor for regional development by Sergei Mironov. A joint investigation by Der Spiegel, Bellingcat and The Insider linked an FSB poisoning unit to Isaev's death. The official cause of death was given as a heart attack. Investigators believed Isaev was possibly planning to defect as he had purchased tickets for him and his family to fly to Miami, scheduled just weeks after his death. A joint investigation claimed Isaev's death was linked to an FSB poisoning unit Alexei Navalny Alexei Navalny was an unofficial Russian opposition leader, lawyer, anti-corruption activist, and political prisoner. He organised anti-government demonstrations and ran for office to advocate reforms against corruption in Russia and against President Vladimir Putin and his government. On 16 February 2024, the Russian prison service reported that Navalny had died. His family, loyal team, and multiple Western leaders say he was murdered by Putin - allegations Russia denies. A fifth steel monolith shaped like a giant Toblerone was spotted on a Welsh hill last weekend, in the latest of a series of bizarre sightings. The sighting follows a number of similar reports across the UK and the US. But where exactly have previous monolith sightings taken place? When did they occur and could there be a deeper meaning behind them? Read on below for everything you need to know about monolith sightings to have happened in recent years. Hay-on-Wye, Wales Locals in Hay-on-Wye spotted the ten-foot-tall block of steel, resembling the distinctive shape of the chocolate bar, on Hay Bluff near the Powys town at the weekend. The latest monolith sighting was captured in a photograph by Richard Haynes, who took the pictures while running on Hay Bluff. A steel monolith shaped like a giant Toblerone bar was spotted near Hay-on-Wye in Wales over the weekend The ten-foot steel block resembling the shape of the famous chocolate bar was seen on Hay Bluff While some speculated that the structure could be the work of aliens or a sign of life on Mars, others said it was an elaborate piece of artwork Speaking to WalesOnline, Mr Haynes said: 'I went off towards Hay Bluff towards where the trig point is and I looked over to my right. I thought it looked a bit bizarre and might be a scientific media research thing collecting rainwater. 'But then realised it was way too tall and strange for that. Then I went up to it and it was about 10-foot-tall at least and triangular, definitely stainless steel. 'It was hollow and I imagine pretty light. Light enough for two people to carry it up and plant it in the ground.' Strangely, Mr Haynes said he frequently ran the route and had never seen the monolith before, while a friend who visited the spot two weeks also said that he did not see the structure at the time. 'I did notice on Google that it's popped up fairly recently and from what I can gather it disappears after a couple of days,' he added. St Buryan, Cornwall On December 12 2020, local resident Luke Brown stumbled across another imposing monolith in Cornwall and captured a video of the metallic object On December 12 2020, local resident Luke Brown stumbled across another imposing monolith in Cornwall and captured a video of the metallic object. He said: 'I was left in shock and awe earlier at finding a monolith at the centre of the Merry Maidens stone circle near sunset, the one time I left my camera at home. 'It was a thing of beauty but I can't help thinking of the damage that may have been done at this beautiful protected natural heritage site.' The Merry Maidens also known as Dawn's Men - a likely corruption of the Cornish Dans Maen Stone Dance - is a late neolithic stone circle. The circle, which is thought to be complete, comprises nineteen granite megaliths and is situated in a field alongside the B3315 between Newlyn and Land's End. Dartmoor, Devon Dartmoor National Park swiftly removed the monolith after a picture of it was posted by photographer Sarah Clarke, with the body saying that the moorland is protected Just one day prior to the monolith being captured in Cornwall, one was also spotted measuring 2.5metres in height in Dartmoor National Park, Devon. The structure was spotted on Dartmoor by photographer Sarah Clarke, who captured a shot of the monolith, before posting to X, formerly Twitter. She reassured her followers that the image was not made using photoshop software, stating: 'So, a very exciting morning - it's a real thing! 'Anyone who knows me, knows I just can't do Photoshop so, take it from me.' Mark Bullock, who went to look at the pillar on Wednesday, said its vantage point on the hill made it appear like 'something was wrong with the sky'. He added: 'It was a bit surreal.' Dartmoor National Park swiftly removed the monolith after Ms Clarke's post, saying that the moorland is protected. A spokesperson said: 'We know people may think these types of things are an interesting talking point, but it must be remembered that Dartmoor is a protected landscape for its importance for wildlife, nature and archaeology.' Glastonbury Tor, Somerset Only 48 hours prior to the sighting of a monolith in Dartmoor National Park, another similar structure was seen on top of a hill in Glastonbury with 'Not Banksy' etched on it Only 48 hours previously, another similar structure was seen on top of a hill in Glastonbury with 'Not Banksy' etched on it. Walkers discovered the large silver structure top of Glastonbury Tor - an ancient hill linked to King Arthur and Celtic mythology. It is believed the monolith was placed there overnight before it was felled by a gust of wind. The shiny triangular pillar features a stencil drawing of a rat, similar to the style used by street artist Banksy. Michelle Cowbourne spotted the metal structure at the National Trust site while on her regular morning walk. 'I walked up the long slope side and this was on the other side and when I saw it I couldn't believe my eyes,' she said. 'I just thought what on earth is that. 'There were two big metal bolts but they hadn't been fixed to the ground properly. 'It's a big chunk of metal and it was really heavy,' Ms Cowbourne added. Compton Bay, Isle of Wight On December 6 2020, another monolith was found by beachgoers at Compton Bay on the Isle of Wight On December 6 2020, another monolith was found by beachgoers at Compton Bay on the Isle of Wight. A number of photos from various different angles suggested that the monolith was buried in the sand and offers out a perfect reflection. How the object ended up on the beach was unclear, as it is only accessible via a footpath. Locals were quick to question whether images of the monolith posted on social media had been 'photoshopped' or if it was 'just a late April Fool's joke'. But photographer Alice Williams insisted it was real, sharing snaps of the eight-foot-tall structure at sunset in a local Facebook group. Bob Katter has fired up in a verbal stoush with a political rival over a senate inquiry into the practices and power of supermarket giants. Mr Katter and Nationals senator Ross Caddell went head-to-head as the Queensland MP held a press conference at the Hotel Canobolas in Orange, Western NSW, to spruik a parliamentary bill into 'reducing supermarket dominance' on Tuesday. Mr Cadell, who is on the senate inquiry, repeatedly interrupted Mr Katter who grew infuriated and warned him to stop talking over his speech. 'Why don't you spend a little bit of time attacking Woolworths and Coles instead of playing politics?' Mr Katter told the senator. The exchange came after farmers and producers descended on the rural hotel to give statements to the inquiry into the corporatisation of Australian supermarkets. Queensland MP Bob Katter has gotten into a verbal stoush with Nationals senator Ross Caddell (pictured) over an inquiry into supermarket pricing practices READ MORE: Anthony Albanese backs new supermarket chain to challenge Australian 'duopoly' Advertisement Mr Katter was delivering the conference in front of a sign reading 'stop supermarket hogs and National Party porkies' held by two people dressed in inflatable pig suits. Mr Cadell told Mr Katter he was only interrupting to take issue with Independent MP, Andrew Gee, who quit the National Party in 2022 over The Voice referendum. The senator interrupted Mr Katter while he responded to his comments calling Mr Gee a 'stunt man', infuriating the maverick minister. 'Don't speak over me again, I'm warning you,' the Katter's Australian Party founder said while pointing his finger at Mr Cadell. Turning back towards the media he added 'this bloke won't shut up, he won't let anyone else have a say'. After being interrupted again, Mr Katter took two steps towards Mr Cadell and came face-to-face with his political opponent and told him once more to 'shut up'. His takedown of the senator and the National Party continued in a statement released later on Tuesday. '(Mr Gee) and I were there for the farmers and to attack the major supermarkets,' Mr Katter said in the statement. 'We're talking about real action, not inquiries, we've got the legislation for the parliament to vote on. 'And here we had a bloke attacking the people, who were attacking Woolworths and Coles. 'That's fine perhaps it's the National Party's position to be on side with Woolworths and Coles. I'm going after the supermarkets and the Nationals are going after me.' Mr Katter went on to call for the National Party to remove Mr Cadell over the interaction, saying 'his behaviour was most improper'. Mr Katter was infuriated by the senator continually interrupting him, at numerous times telling him to 'shut up', and called on the Nationals to remove him from the party Farmers and producers told the inquiry committee that their prices have barely risen in 12 years despite the skyrocketing cost passed onto shoppers The inquiry has called for farmers from across Australia to provide evidence into how much supermarkets are paying for produce and what price is passed onto shoppers. Those in the industry warned the inquiry committee that pricing practices of major supermarkets would leave small and family-owned farmers destitute. 'There won't be any family farms left within five to 10 years,' orange orchardist, Guy Gaeta, told the inquiry, according to the ABC. 'All you're going to have is corporate farms, and they're going to be as good a citizen to the consumer as is what they are now, and it is scary.' Apple and cherry producer Ian Pearce said he has told his children not to take up ownership of the farm his family have operated for over 100 years. He added that he gets paid about $2.50 per kilo for gala apples from major supermarkets, just 12 cents more than in 2011, but hasn't seen his products get sold for much less than $5. 'If we havent had a price increase in 12 years, our costs are going through the roof, whats going to happen? I cant see a future,' Mr Pearce said. The senate committee will next hear from farmers in Melbourne after previously travelling from Hobart. Donald Trump was complimentary about Adolf Hitler during the ex-president's time in the White House, his former chief of staff John Kelly according to a shocking new report from CNN. The network's Jim Sciutto reported that multiple insiders from the Trump administration, including Kelly, said that the Republican nominee was magnanimous in his praise for other dictators including Putin, China's autocratic leader Xi Jinping and North Korean despot Kim Jong Un. 'He said: "Well, but Hitler did some good things." I said: "Well, what?" And he said: "Well [Hitler] rebuilt the economy." But what did he do with the economy? He turned it against his own people and against the world,' Kelly said. The comments are part of segments released from Kelly's upcoming book The Return of Great Powers. Following his brutal rise to power in the 1930s, Hitler was responsible for the deaths of millions of people after instigating World War II. The Nazi ruler killed six million Jewish people alone in his death camps in central Europe. 'And I said: "Sir, you can never say anything good about the guy. Nothing." I mean Mussolini was a great guy in comparison.' Republican nominee Donald Trump greets fans at a rally in Rome, Georgia, on Saturday March 9th According to a new book from his former chief of staff, Trump is full of praise for Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler The book also alludes to Trump's admiration for Russian strongman Vladimir Putin Trump is also a fan of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, despite his undemocratic policies Trump's love/hate relationship with Kim Jong Un has been a saga ongoing since his ascent to the presidency in 2016 Trump pictured with former chief of staff, John Kelly, and former national security advisor John Bolton, in 2018 Trump referred to Kim Jong Un as 'an okay guy' and called Xi Jinping 'brilliant' while also praising Putin privately in addition to his public admiration of the Russian leader. Publicly, Trump has called Putin 'very, very strong.' Just last week, Trump was widely criticized for hosting Hungarian strongman Viktor Orban, a darling of American conservatives despite his anti-democratic policies, at Mar-a-Lago last week. Trump on dictators Russian President Vladimir Putin: During his 2017-2021 White House tenure, Trump expressed admiration for Putin. In 2018, the Russian leader for meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, casting doubt on the findings of his own intelligence agencies and sparking criticism at home. Recently, Putin said that Russia would prefer to see U.S. President Joe Biden win a second term, describing him as more experienced and predictable than Trump. Adolf Hitler: Facing criticism for repeatedly harnessing rhetoric once used by Adolf Hitler to argue that immigrants entering the U.S. illegally are 'poisoning the blood of our country,' Trump insisted he had no idea that one of the worlds most reviled and infamous figures once used similar words. The Nazi dictator spoke of impure Jewish blood 'poisoning' Aryan German blood to dehumanize Jews and justify the systemic murder of millions during the Holocaust. 'I never knew that Hitler said it,' Trump told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on Friday, volunteering once again that he never read Hitlers biographical manifesto, Mein Kampf. Kim Jong Un: But they stopped such rhetoric and instead developed a personal relationship after Kim abruptly reached out to Trump in 2018 for talks on the fate of his advancing nuclear arsenal. They met three times in 2018-2019, starting with a summit in Singapore that made Trump the first sitting U.S. president to meet a North Korea leader since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. But their meetings made little headway since their second summit in Vietnam in early 2019 ended without any deal following disputes over U.S.-led sanctions on North Korea. Before their nuclear talks entered a stalemate, Trump said that he and Kim 'fell in love.' According to journalist Bob Woodwards recently published book Rage, Kim, in a letter to Trump, called the U.S. president 'your excellency' and said he believed the 'deep and special friendship between us will work as a magical force.' Xi Jinping: Trump told Chinas Xi Jinping that he was right to build detention camps to house hundreds of thousands of ethnic minorities, former U.S. national security adviser John Bolton alleged in his 2020 book. At a summit in Japan in 2019, with only interpreters present, Xi gave Trump an explanation for the Chinese camps for Uighurs, who are ethnically and culturally distinct from the countrys majority Han population and are suspected of harboring separatist tendencies, Bolton wrote. 'According to our interpreter, Trump said that Xi should go ahead with building the camps, which he thought was exactly the right thing to do,' the book said. Advertisement Orban's approach appeals to Trump's brand of conservatives, who have abandoned their embrace of limited government and free markets for a system that sides with their own ideology, said Dalibor Rohac, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. 'They want to use the tools of government to reward their friends and punish their opponents, which is what Orban has done,' Rohac said. Orban's government has reciprocated, repeatedly praising the former president. The Hitler praise may not come as a major surprise after Trump infamously hosted neo Nazi Nick Fuentes and anti-Semitic rapper Kanye West at his Florida residence in November 2022. 'It's pretty hard to believe he missed the Holocaust, though, and pretty hard to understand how he missed the 400,000 American GIs that were killed in the European theater. But I think it's more, again, the tough guy thing,' Kelly went on speaking about Trump's feelings about Hitler. Kelly went on to say that Trump would compliment Hitler's ability to generate extreme loyalty from his inner circle as he accused his own inner circle of betraying him. 'He would ask about the loyalty issues and about how, when I pointed out to him the German generals as a group were not loyal to him, and in fact tried to assassinate him a few times, and he didn't know that,' Kelly said. 'He truly believed, when he brought us generals in, that we would be loyal that we would do anything he wanted us to do.' Trump's one-time national security advisor John Bolton told CNN that the ex-president views himself as a 'big guy.' 'He likes dealing with other big guys, and big guys like Erdogan in Turkey get to put people in jail and you don't have to ask anybody's permission. He kind of likes that,' the former United Nations ambassador said. In response to the allegations, a Trump spokesman said that Kelly and Bolton suffer from 'Trump Derangement Syndrome.' 'John Kelly and John Bolton have completely beclowned themselves and are suffering from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome. They need to seek professional help because their hatred is consuming their empty lives,' Steven Cheung said. Kelly's book examines 'a new, more uncertain global order with reporting on the frontlines of power from existing wars to looming ones across the globe,' according to a new synopsis. Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un once exchanged threats of destruction and crude insults after North Korea in 2017 carried out a series of high-profile weapons tests aimed at acquiring ability to launch nuclear strikes on the U.S. mainland. Trump had said he would rain 'fire and fury' on North Korea and derided Kim as 'little rocket man' on a suicide mission, while Kim responded he would 'tame the mentally deranged U.S. dotard with fire.' But they stopped such rhetoric and instead developed a personal relationship after Kim abruptly reached out to Trump in 2018 for talks on the fate of his advancing nuclear arsenal. They met three times in 2018-2019, starting with a summit in Singapore that made Trump the first sitting U.S. president to meet a North Korea leader since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. Their meetings made little headway since their second summit in Vietnam in early 2019 ended without any deal following disputes over U.S.-led sanctions on North Korea. Neo Nazi Nick Fuentes was invited for dinner at Mar-a-Lago in November 2022 Torrential downpours are set to swamp England as more than 200 flood alerts have been issued, with forecasters predicting up to 60mm of rain in some isolated areas. Heavy showers and will drench the nation following a washout weekend of wind and rain last week, Met Office forecasters warned. The Environment Agency (EA) has issued 48 flood warnings and 151 less severe flood alerts across the country, most of which are for waterways in the south of England. Pictures and videos show parts of St Ives under water after waves toppled over the seawall causing seafront roads to be closed. There is particularly high flooding concern for the River Severn near Gloucester, properties along the Somerset coast in and around Portishead, and several warnings for groundwater flooding across the West Wiltshire Downs near Warminster. A look at the 50 flood warnings that have been put in place across the country and 131 less severe flood alerts A look at the flooded streets in St Ives, Cornwall, after heavy downpours of rain The Environment Agency has said high tide combined with strong winds has resulted in the flooding in coastal areas this morning Discussing the weather for this week, the Met Office said on its website: 'Heavy rain will [tonight] move into western areas later in the night with brisk winds. Staying frost free under the blanket of cloud. 'Outbreaks of rain will spread across the UK tomorrow, turning heavy at times. Local flooding is probable from groundwater during the next five days in parts of the South of England. 'Local flooding from rivers and surface water is possible across parts of the North of England on Wednesday and Thursday. Lands, roads and some properties could flood and there could be travel disruption.' Stephen Dixon, Met Office spokesperson, also added up to 60mm of rain - 2.3in - could fall in some isolated spots. He said: 'Rain will continue to exert its influence over the UK for much of this week, with some breezy conditions likely at times further north as well. 'Overnight rain tonight will be chiefly focused in the west of Scotland and Northern Ireland and this will gradually move southwards tomorrow, bringing rain to northern England and Wales. Most places will see 15-25mm of rain, with the possibility of 30-40mm in some isolated spots. 'On this day, the highest accumulations are likely to be in northwest England and western Scotland, where 40-60mm could accumulates across the day, with Northern Ireland also likely to see some heavy rain at times.' People have been advised to avoid driving through flood water in St Ives (pictured) Huge waves hit the promenade at Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, on Monday afternoon It comes after heavy rain lashed down on Sunday, the heaviest of which was more than 21mm of rain in Warwickshire in just a few hours. In Cornwall, the EA has said a high tide will be joined by strong winds, resulting in big waves hitting coastal areas this morning. People have been advised to avoid driving through flood water and be mindful of local weather conditions. There are four flood warnings in place on the North Cornwall coast from Land's End to Chapel Porth, the North Cornwall Coast from Chapel Porth to The Rumps excluding the tidal River Camel, the Tidal River Camel excluding Wadebridge and Chapel Amble, and the North Cornwall Coast from The Rumps to Hartland Point excluding Bude. Flood alerts are also in place at the South Cornwall Coast from Land's End to Lizard Point, the South Cornwall coast from Lizard Point to Gribbin Head excluding Truro City, the South Cornwall Coast from Gribbin Head to Rame Head, and the South Cornwall coast from Rame Head to Plymouth including tidal estuaries. Train tracks between Liskeard and Looe, and between St Erth and St Ives, have been flooded with passengers warned of disruption this morning. The Wye Estuary is also said to likely be flooded at two points in Chepstow and in Tintern. The ship, left, belonging to the Open Arms aid group with aid on a platform ferry some 200 tonnes of rice and flour directly to Gaza, departs from the port of southern city of Larnaca, Cyprus, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. An aid ship loaded with some 200 tons of food set sail Tuesday from Cyprus to Gaza, the international charity behind the effort said. The shipment is a test for the opening of a sea corridor to supply aid to the territory, where starvation is spreading five months into the Israel-Hamas war. Petros Karadjias/AP The ship, left, belonging to the Open Arms aid group with aid on a platform ferry some 200 tonnes of rice and flour directly to Gaza, departs from the port from southern city of Larnaca, Cyprus, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. An aid ship loaded with some 200 tons of food set sail Tuesday from Cyprus to Gaza, the international charity behind the effort said. The shipment is a test for the opening of a sea corridor to supply aid to the territory, where starvation is spreading five months into the Israel-Hamas war. Petros Karadjias/AP The ship belonging to the Open Arms aid group with aid on a platform ferry some 200 tonnes of rice and flour directly to Gaza, exists the port from southern city of Larnaca, Cyprus, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. An aid ship loaded with some 200 tons of food set sail Tuesday from Cyprus to Gaza, the international charity behind the effort said. The shipment is a test for the opening of a sea corridor to supply aid to the territory, where starvation is spreading five months into the Israel-Hamas war. Petros Karadjias/AP Palestinians line up for a free meal in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Fatima Shbair/AP Palestinians line up for a free meal in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Fatima Shbair/AP The ship belonging to the Open Arms aid group with aid on a platform ferry some 200 tonnes of rice and flour directly to Gaza, departs from the port from southern city of Larnaca, Cyprus, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. An aid ship loaded with some 200 tons of food set sail Tuesday from Cyprus to Gaza, the international charity behind the effort said. The shipment is a test for the opening of a sea corridor to supply aid to the territory, where starvation is spreading five months into the Israel-Hamas war. Petros Karadjias/AP The ship belonging to the Open Arms aid group with aid on a platform ferry some 200 tonnes of rice and flour directly to Gaza, departs from the port from southern city of Larnaca, Cyprus, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. An aid ship loaded with some 200 tons of food set sail Tuesday from Cyprus to Gaza, the international charity behind the effort said. The shipment is a test for the opening of a sea corridor to supply aid to the territory, where starvation is spreading five months into the Israel-Hamas war. Petros Karadjias/AP The ship belonging to the Open Arms aid group with aid on a platform ferry some 200 tonnes of rice and flour directly to Gaza, departs from the port of southern city of Larnaca, Cyprus, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. An aid ship loaded with some 200 tons of food set sail Tuesday from Cyprus to Gaza, the international charity behind the effort said. The shipment is a test for the opening of a sea corridor to supply aid to the territory, where starvation is spreading five months into the Israel-Hamas war. Petros Karadjias/AP The ship, right, belonging to the Open Arms aid group with aid on a platform ferry some 200 tonnes of rice and flour directly to Gaza, departs from the port of southern city of Larnaca, Cyprus, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. An aid ship loaded with some 200 tons of food set sail Tuesday from Cyprus to Gaza, the international charity behind the effort said. The shipment is a test for the opening of a sea corridor to supply aid to the territory, where starvation is spreading five months into the Israel-Hamas war. Petros Karadjias/AP Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bouhabib, right, welcomes Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos before their meeting in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Kombos said during a visit to Beirut Tuesday that after the first ship carrying aid from Larnaca to the besieged Gaza Strip has landed, "we have already put the mechanism in place" for larger shipments and "will be working towards making this a more systematic exercise with increased volumes." Hassan Ammar/AP Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos speaks during a news conference with Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bouhabib, after their meeting in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Kombos said during a visit to Beirut Tuesday that after the first ship carrying aid from Larnaca to the besieged Gaza Strip has landed, "we have already put the mechanism in place" for larger shipments and "will be working towards making this a more systematic exercise with increased volumes." Hassan Ammar/AP Palestinians line up for a free meal in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Fatima Shbair/AP Palestinians line up for a free meal in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Fatima Shbair/AP Palestinians line up for a free meal in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Fatima Shbair/AP Islamic Group known as Jamaa Islamiya carry the body of their comrade Mohammad Riad Mohyeldin, who was killed in an apparent Israeli strike on Sunday, during his funeral procession in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Bilal Hussein/AP People gather near a destroyed warehouse which was attacked by Israeli airstrikes, on the Hezbollah stronghold town of Safri, near Baalbek town, east Lebanon, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. A Lebanese security official and an official from the militant Hezbollah group say two Israeli airstrikes over northeastern Lebanon have killed at least two people and destroyed a warehouse. STR/AP RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) An aid ship loaded with some 200 tons of food set sail for Gaza on Tuesday in a pilot program for the opening of a sea corridor to the territory, where the 5-month Israel-Hamas war has driven hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to the brink of starvation. The push to get food in by sea along with a recent campaign of airdrops into isolated northern Gaza highlighted the international community's frustration with the growing humanitarian crisis and its inability to get aid in by road. The food on the aid ship was collected by World Central Kitchen, the charity founded by celebrity chef Jose Andres, and is being transported by the Spanish aid group Open Arms. The ship departed from the eastern Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus and is expected to arrive in Gaza in two to three days. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The United States separately plans to construct a sea bridge near Gaza in order to deliver aid, but it will likely be several weeks before it is operational. President Joe Biden's administration has provided crucial military aid for Israel while urging it to facilitate more humanitarian access. WAR RAGES WITH NO END IN SIGHT The war, triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel, has killed over 31,000 Palestinians and driven most of Gaza's 2.3 million people from their homes. A quarter of Gaza's population is starving, according to the United Nations, because they cannot find enough food or afford it at vastly inflated prices. Efforts by U.S., Qatar and Egypt to broker a cease-fire and hostage release before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan stalled as Hamas demanded that any temporary pause in the fighting come with guarantees for ending the war. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to expand the offensive into the strip's southern city of Rafah, where half of Gaza's population has sought refuge, and to keep fighting until Hamas has been dismantled and all the captives it is holding have been returned. The war threatens to spill across the Middle East as Iran-backed groups allied with Hamas trade fire with U.S. and Israeli forces. The Israeli military said around 100 projectiles were launched into Israel from Lebanon early on Tuesday, one of the biggest barrages since the war began. It appeared to be in response to Israeli airstrikes deep inside Lebanon the day before. A pair of Israeli airstrikes Tuesday in northeastern Lebanon killed at least two people and wounded 20. Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group have traded fire nearly every day since the war began. The Israeli military said it also hit two targets in Syria used by Hezbollah. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 'OUR CHILDREN CAN'T FIND ANYTHING TO EAT' Aid groups say it is nearly impossible to deliver aid in much of Gaza because of Israeli restrictions, ongoing hostilities and the breakdown of order after the Hamas-run police force largely vanished from the streets. Conditions are especially dire in northern Gaza, which has widespread devastation and has been largely cut off by Israeli forces since October. Up to 300,000 Palestinians are believed to have remained there despite Israeli evacuation orders, with many reduced to eating animal feed in recent weeks. On Monday, the first day of the normally festive month of Ramadan, children with pots lined up at a charity kitchen in the urban Jabaliya refugee camp. Each was given a small portion of cooked carrots and sweet potatoes to break the dawn-to-dusk fast. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Our children can't find anything to eat," said Bassam al-Haw, a volunteer. "No food, no water, no flour. Six humanitarian aid trucks brought aid directly into northern Gaza on Tuesday evening, coordinated by the Israeli military, which called it a pilot program to determine if additional food can be brought overland into the north. The military said the aid was checked at Israels Kerem Shalom crossing near Egypt and brought into Gaza at the 96th gate crossing, which is close to Kibbutz Beeri. The World Food Program delivered food into northern Gaza on Tuesday for the first time since Feb. 20, according to the United Nations. After being checked at Israel's Kerem Shalom crossing, the military said six humanitarian aid trucks brought WFP aid into Gaza at the 96th gate crossing, close to Kibbutz Beeri. Aid groups have been struggling to get aid to the isolated area for months, although some private convoys have managed to deliver food. The World Health Organization and others delivered food, fuel and medical supplies Monday to two hospitals in the north, the U.N. said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad SEA ROUTE BRINGS PROMISE AND POTENTIAL PERIL The planned sea route has the support of the European Union, the U.S., the United Arab Emirates and others. The U.S. and other countries have also launched airdrops, but such efforts are costly and unlikely to meet the mounting needs. The United Nations welcomed the inauguration of the sea route, but reiterated that transporting aid by land is the best way to get the most aid into Gaza. The Open Arms ship is towing a barge loaded with food. Once it nears Gaza, two smaller vessels will tow the barge to a jetty being built by World Central Kitchen, which operates 65 kitchens across the territory, the group said. It plans to distribute the food in the north. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The best security is to have enough food in Gaza, Andres said. We want to make sure nothing happens to anybody. Scores of Palestinians were killed last month during a chaotic aid delivery in the north organized by Israeli troops, who fired on the crowd. Israel said most of those killed were trampled to death, while Palestinian officials said most had been shot. Israel, which controls Gaza's coastline and all but one of its land crossings, says it supports efforts to deliver aid by sea and will inspect all cargo shipments. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said it was the first time a ship had been authorized to deliver aid directly to Gaza since 2005 and that the EU would work with smaller ships until the U.S. completes work on its floating port. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said during a visit to Beirut that there is a mechanism in place for larger shipments, with the goal of "a more systematic exercise with increased volumes. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel in a surprise attack on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostage. Gazas Health Ministry says the Israeli offensive launched in response has killed at least 31,185 Palestinians. The ministry doesnt differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but it has said women and children make up around two-thirds of the dead. Israel blames the civilian death toll on Hamas because the militants fight in dense, residential areas. The military has said it has killed 13,000 Hamas fighters, without providing evidence. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A strike on a home in the central city of Deir al-Balah early on Tuesday killed 11 people from the same family, including four women and five children, according to hospital records and an Associated Press reporter who saw the bodies brought in. ___ Magdy reported from Cairo and Hadjicostis from Nicosia, Cyprus. Associated Press writers Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv, Israel; Raf Casert in Brussels and Abby Sewell in Beirut contributed to this report. Advertisement Article continues below this ad ___ Police announced today that they have launched an investigation into the death of Boeing whistleblower John Barnett, after a coroner ruled he died from a 'self-inflicted' gunshot wound. Former Boeing quality manager John Barnett was found dead in South Carolina on Saturday morning, less than three months after he warned about the production processes of both the 737 and 787-Dreamliner. Charleston Police Department have confirmed that it is investigating the death of Barnett, 62, as it emerged he was in Charleston for legal interviews linked to claims that Boeing has hampered his career and tarnished his reputation for speaking out about production issues on several plane models. On the third day of his deposition, he was due to be cross examined by his own lawyers, but failed to show up. After enquiries were made, he was found dead in his truck in his hotel's car park. The Charleston County coroner confirmed to the BBC on Monday that he had died from a 'self-inflicted' wound on Friday March 8. Sgt. Anthony Gibson of The Charleston Police Department told local media: 'Detectives are actively investigating this case and are awaiting the formal cause of death, along with any additional findings that might shed further light on the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Barnett. Former Boeing quality manager John Barnett (pictured) was found dead in South Carolina on Saturday He died less than three months after he warned about the production processes of both the 737 and 787-Dreamline 'We understand the global attention this case has garnered, and it is our priority to ensure that the investigation is not influenced by speculation but is led by facts and evidence. 'Given the sensitive nature of the investigation, we are unable to participate in media interviews at this time. 'This stance is not unique to this case but is a standard procedure we adhere to in order to preserve the integrity of active investigations.' John's lawyer during the deposition, Brian Knowles, said in a statement issued on Monday: 'John had been back and forth for quite some time getting prepared. 'The defense examined him for their allowed seven hours under the rules on Thursday. 'I cross examined him all day yesterday [Friday] and did not finish. We agreed to continue this morning at 10 am [co-counsel] Rob [Turkewitz] kept calling this morning and his phone would go to voicemail. 'We then asked the hotel to check on him. 'They found him in his truck dead from an 'alleged' self-inflicted gunshot. We drove to the hotel and spoke with the police and the coroner.' There isn't any evidence to suggest foul play in Barnett's death. Boeing also responded to the former worker's death in their own statement as news spread on Monday, saying it was 'saddened by Mr. Barnett's passing.' The statement did not address any aspects of the case, but brass ultimately added: 'Our thoughts are with his family and friends.' DailyMail.com has contacted Brian Knowles for further comment. The suit alleged under-pressure workers were deliberately fitting 'sub-standard' parts to Boeing 787s, and that brass were sweeping defects under the rug to save money. Earlier this year, Barnett appeared on TMZ to provide his take on a technical failure that saw a door fly off its hinges of a 737 - a model he said was being victimized by recent shifts in strategy along with the 787. His warning would prove prophetic, as a 787 experienced a midair 'technical event' Monday injuring 50 passengers. In January, Barnett explained why he believed both models were ticking time bombs, as both incidents remain under investigation. In January, Barnett explained why he believed both models were ticking time bombs, as both incidents remain under investigation Boeing Factory Everett in Washington state 'This is not a 737 problem - this is a Boeing problem,' he said after being asked if he believed the 737 was safe to fly following the door incident and a subsequent FAA inspection. 'I know the FAA is going in and done due diligence and inspections to ensure the door close on the 737 is installed properly and the fasteners are stored properly,' he said, citing the parts that likely played a part in the incident. 'But, my concern is, "What's the rest of the airplane? What's the condition of the rest of the airplane?"' He went on to provide a reason for that concern - one that he said led him to file the lawsuit against the aviation firm. 'Back in 2012, Boeing started removing inspection operations off their jobs,' he told TMZ's Charles Latibeaudiere and Harvey Levin, recalling his time as a quality overseer at Boeing's plant in South Carolina, which manufactured mostly 787s. 'So, it left the mechanics to buy off their own work,' he explained. Barnett went on to charge that the incident involving the door was indicative of something greater - and something alleged in his lawsuit: Boeing turning a blind eye to safety concerns in order to raise their bottom line. 'What we're seeing with the door plug blowout is what I've seen with the rest of the airplane, as far as jobs not being completed properly, inspection steps being removed, issues being ignored,' he charged, months before his sudden death. The FAA appears to have stood up some of the then-alive expert's assertions after revealing how a six-week audit found 'multiple instances where [Boeing] allegedly failed to comply with manufacturing quality control requirements' At one point during the exam, Feds found that mechanics at Spirit AeroSystems - one of Boeing's main suppliers - used a hotel key card to check a door seal, and a liquid Dawn soap to a door seal 'as lubricant in the fit-up process' FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker decreed Boeing had to develop a comprehensive plan to address such 'systemic quality-control issues' within 90 days 'My concerns are with the 737 and 787, because those programs have really embraced the theory that quality is overhead and non value added. 'Those two programs have really put a strong effort into removing quality from the process.' The FAA appears to have stood up some of the then-alive expert's assertions after revealing how a six-week audit found 'multiple instances where [Boeing] allegedly failed to comply with manufacturing quality control requirements' of its 737s. At one point during the exam, Feds found that mechanics at Spirit AeroSystems - one of Boeing's main suppliers - used a hotel key card to check a door seal, and a liquid Dawn soap to a door seal 'as lubricant in the fit-up process.' That action was 'not identified/documented/called-out in the production order,' a document outlining the probe said - spurring FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker to decree Boeing must develop a comprehensive plan to address such 'systemic quality-control issues' within 90 days. He sent summary of its findings to the companies in its completed audit, after an all-day February 27 meeting with CEO Dave Calhoun. He did not state the specific corrective actions Boeing and Spirit must take. 'Boeing must commit to real and profound improvements,' Whitaker explained at the time last week. 'We are going to hold them accountable every step of the way, with mutually understood milestones and expectations.' Calhoun responded in his own statement, saying that Boeing's leadership team was 'totally committed' to addressing FAA concerns and developing the plan. The DoJ has opened a criminal investigation into an incident where the door of a Boeing plane opened while in mid-air Barnett's job for 32 years was overseeing production standards for the firm's planes Timeline of whistleblower John Barnetts claims against Boeing April 2019: Barnett tells the New York Times that Boeing repeatedly ignored safety concerns from workers in favour of pushing out Dreamliner planes November 2019: Barnett tells the BBC that up to a quarter of the oxygen systems on 787 Dreamliners may be faulty and might not work when needed. He added that faulty parts were deliberately fitted to planes. January 2024: The whistleblower tells TMZ that corner cutting was rife in the plane-making world. January 2024: Footage from inside the cabin of a Boeing 737 Max showed the door blowing off shortly after taking off from Portland, Oregon. February 2024: Barnett files an AIR21 lawsuit against Boeing, alleging it had undermined his career over his whistleblowing. March 2024: The Department of Justice launches a criminal investigation into the Boeing blowout in Portland, Oregon. March 2024: John Barnett is found dead in his truck. Advertisement Meanwhile, Spirit, which makes the fuselage for the now scrutinized MAX, issued a statement saying it was 'in communication with Boeing and the FAA on appropriate corrective actions.' In response, Boeing brass claimed that after the 'quality stand-downs, the FAA audit findings, and the recent expert review panel report, [the firm has] a clear picture of what needs to be done.' As for Barnett, he outlined to TMZ in January how he began to push back at brass at the then-new South Carolina plant in 2010 when they allegedly started to pushback on his quality control of the 787 Dreamliner, one of several crafts now making headlines. 'When I first started working at Charleston, I was in charge of pushing back defects to our suppliers,' he told Latibeaudiere and Levin, appearing virtually days before heading back to the South Carolina city to handle depositions with Boeing lawyers, his attorney confirmed 'What that meant was, I'd take a group of inspectors and actually go to the supplier and inspect their product before they sent it in,' he continued. 'I'd take a team of four inspectors to Spirit Aerosystems to inspect the 41 section [the portion of an aircraft, extending from the nose to just aft of the cockpit window] before they sent it Charleston, and we found 300 defects.' He went on: 'Some of them were significant that needed engineering intervention. 'When I returned to Charleston, my senior manager told me that we had found too many defects, and he was gonna take the next trip,' he then revealed. 'So, the next trip he went on, he took two of my inspectors, and when they got back they were given accolades for only finding 50 defects. So, I pulled that inspector aside, and I said, "did Spirit really clean up their act that quick? That don't sound right. 'And she was mad. She said, no - the inspectors were given two hours to inspect the whole 41 section and they were kicked off the airplane.' The interview ended there, and within weeks, Barnett was in Charleston ironing out his ongoing lawsuit. Barnett said standards were not met during his four years at the then-new plant in Charleston from 2010 to 2014 'The new leadership didn't understand processes,' Barnett told Corporate Crime Reporter in an interview in 2019 He also said he had uncovered serious problems with the plane's oxygen systems Days later, he was found dead in his truck in a hotel parking lot in South Carolina, his lawyer said Monday - seven years after he retired following a 32-year career. The ex-quality manager at Boeing's North Charleston plant died from a 'self-inflicted' wound, the local coroner said - adding that cops were still investigating the death. Two days later, roughly 50 people were treated by first responders after a Boeing 787 Dreamliner flying from Australia to New Zealand experienced a 'technical event' that caused 'a strong movement' jolting passengers in their seats. As of writing, five remain hospitalized - after the plane dipped violently due to the unspecified issue, LATAM airline and first responders both told AFP. Meanwhile, in a separate incident in early January, an unused emergency exit door blew off a brand-new Boeing 737 Max shortly after take-off from Portland International, sparking a still-ongoing DOJ investigation. On Friday, shortly before the incident over the Indian Ocean, Boeing said it believed the technical failure involving the door stemmed from something that occurred during production, where required documents detailed the removal of a key part that failed were never created. Also on Friday, the company said it is 'committed to continuing to cooperate fully and transparently with the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation,' which, more than three months later, remains ongoing. Barnett's job for 32 years was overseeing production standards for the firm's planes - standards he said were not met during his four years at the then-new plant in Charleston from 2010 to 2014. Barnett alleged that one in four breathing masks on Boeing planes would not work in the event of an emergency Barnett claimed he alerted superiors at the plant about his misgivings, but no action was ever taken 'The new leadership didn't understand processes,' Barnett told Corporate Crime Reporter in an interview in 2019 of how brass allegedly cut corners to get their then state-of-the-art 7878s out on time. 'They brought them in from other areas of the company,' he continued, two years after retiring in 20017. 'The new leadership team from my director down they all came from St. Louis, Missouri. They said they were all buddies there.' 'That entire team came down,' he went on. 'They were from the military side. My impression was their mindset was - we are going to do it the way we want to do it. Their motto at the time was - we are in Charleston and we can do anything we want.' 'They started pressuring us to not document defects, to work outside the procedures, to allow defective material to be installed without being corrected. 'They started bypassing procedures and not maintaining configurement control of airplanes, not maintaining control of non conforming parts they just wanted to get the planes pushed out the door and make the cash register ring. 'That entire team came down,' he went on. 'They were from the military side. My impression was their mindset was - we are going to do it the way we want to do it. Their motto at the time was - we are in Charleston and we can do anything we want.' He also said he had uncovered serious problems with the plane's oxygen systems, alleging that one in four breathing masks would not work in the event of an emergency. Barnett claimed he alerted superiors at the plant about his misgivings, but no action was ever taken. Boeing denied this, as well as his claims. The firm is now under criminal investigation for the door incident on the Max plane this past January Boeing reached a $2.5 billion settlement with the FBI and the Transportation Department in the wake of the crashes If the Justice Department finds that Boeing has violated the terms of that settlement, they could face prosecution on the original count of defrauding the U However, a 2017 review by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) went on to stand up some of Barnett's qualms, including finding that at least 53 'non-conforming' parts - as they put it - were misplaced, and considered lost. Boeing was ordered to take immediate remedial action, by locating and detailing the lost parts. After the review, the company went on to also concede that it had 'identified some oxygen bottles received from the supplier that were not deploying properly', but denied Barnett's claims that any were actually fitted on aircraft. Meanwhile, the firm is now under criminal investigation for the door incident on the Max plane this past January, during which feds will examine whether Boeing has met the conditions of the 2021 settlement reached after the fatal 2018 and 2019 crashes that killed 346 people. The first occurred when a Max 8 operated by Indonesia's Lion Air plunged into the Java Sea in October 2018. The second was when an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max 8 crashed nearly straight down into a field six minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa in March 2019. Boeing reached a $2.5 billion settlement with the FBI and the Transportation Department in the wake of the crashes, admitting that two former employees had misled the FAA over how much training a new flight control system would require. If the Justice Department finds that Boeing has violated the terms of that settlement, they could face prosecution on the original count of defrauding the US. Boeing declined to comment on the criminal investigation. DailyMail.com contacted Alaska Airlines for comment. Boeing is also facing a civil lawsuit from a group of passengers onboard the flight. Earlier this week, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board accused Boeing of failing to provide some key records sought in its ongoing investigation into the mid-air cabin door emergency. Earlier this week, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board accused Boeing of failing to provide some key records sought in its ongoing investigation into the mid-air cabin door emergency NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said investigators have sought the names of the 25 people who work on door plugs at a Boeing facility in Renton, Washington Boeing insisted that it had initially provided the NTSB with some of the names of Boeing employees NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said investigators have sought the names of the 25 people who work on door plugs at a Boeing facility in Renton, Washington, but have not received them from Boeing. 'It is absurd that two months later we don't have it,' Homendy said at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on Wednesday. Boeing insisted that it had initially provided the NTSB with some of the names of Boeing employees, including door specialists it believed would have relevant information. Senator Ted Cruz, the top Republican on the Commerce Committee, called it 'utterly unacceptable' that the NTSB was not receiving full cooperation from Boeing. Homendy also confirmed that the MAX 9 door plug had moved during prior flights, citing markings on the door. The door plug incident has been followed by a string of bad press for Boeing, which has made headlines in recent weeks for issues with planes - including an engine exploding on a flight out of Texas and a wheel falling off on take-off at San Francisco. Last month, another Alaska Airlines plane landed safely in Portland with its cargo door open. Alaska Airlines Flight 1437 from Los Cabos, Mexico, arrived at Portland International Airport and photos show the open door. It's unclear how long the door was open for, but the flight did not require an emergency landing. There was no indication that the door was open during the flight, according to crew members, which points to the door opening after landing. 'Upon landing at PDX on March 1, Alaska Airlines flight 1437 was discovered to have the forward cargo door unsealed,' Alaska airlines said in a statement. 'There was no indication to the crew that the door was unsealed during flight and all indications point to the door partially opening after landing. 'Our maintenance teams inspected the aircraft, replaced a spring in the door, tested the door and reentered it into service.' After relocating in May, Boeing has sought to move past the fallout from the two crashes, with the wrongful death inconsistencies now serving as its last obstacle. Such disputes over damages and the deceaseds final moments are nounusual, legal experts told the Journal, namely in states like Illinois where laws exist only allowing damages dished out for a plaintiff's grief and loss, and not suffering. Pointing to a lack sufficient evidence the victims experienced pain and suffering between their injuries and deaths, Boeing attorneys say the company should not be liable for those proposed payments. That battle over whether the plane maker should have to pay for the victims' suffering comes more than two years after Boeing admitted responsibility for the second crash as part of a deal to obtain legal immunity from the federal government. The company, at the time, conceded to US District Judge Reed O'Connor that the company had conspired to defraud the United States when it lied about the planes' safety features in hearings and documents after the crashes, which left all Max jets grounded worldwide for nearly two years. That cost Boeing more than $20 billion. The deal saw attorneys for the plaintiffs agree to take potential punitive damages off the table in the suits - of which there were roughly 80. Punitive damages refer to the amounts of money defendants are ruled to pay as part of their punishment. Under the controversial deal, the Justice Department agreed not to prosecute the company for conspiracy to defraud the government, effectively granting it legal immunity. Families of the victims quickly spoke out against the decision, however, demanding justice for the victims. Both Boeing and the DOJ opposed reopening the agreement. In a court filing in November, the Justice Department said it did not oppose undoing the agreement and properly arraigning Boeing, but said undoing the agreement 'would impose serious hardships on the parties and the many victims who have received compensation.' As backlash from families persisted, the Justice Department in January announced that it would do away with the 2021 deal - which saw the company pay $2.5 billion to the Justice Department as part of a settlement - and move forward with the manufacturer's arraignment. At the time, Boeings chief safety officer, Mike Delaney, entered a not-guilty plea on behalf of the planemaker. During the arraignment, relatives of those killed decried the company, saying it 'committed the deadliest corporate crime in U.S. history.' The planes, however, were cleared to fly again in 2021, after Boeing overhauled an automated flight-control system that activated erroneously in both crashes, after promising to look into the plane's safety issues. Officials, however, would only choose to ground 737s after a second crash, this time in Ethiopia, just five months later. Following an investigation in 2020, Boeing blamed both crashes on a failure in the planes flight control system, which caused the plane's to turn sharply downwards while in the air. 737 MAX jets were once again cleared to fly in November 2021, after two years of being grounded, with Boeing at the time branding the planes safe for passengers Boeing had previously agreed to a $200million penalty from the Securities and Exchange Commission to settle charges that it 'negligently violated the antifraud provisions,' of US securities law. The agency argued that just one month after the first crash, the company 'selectively highlighted certain facts, implying pilot error and poor aircraft maintenance' was what led to the crashes, instead of a technical issue. That release failed to disclose that the company knew a key flight handling system, the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System posed safety issues and was never redesigned, the SEC argued. Then, after the second crash, the agency said, Boeing and Muilenburg assured the public that there was 'no surprise or gap' in the federal certification of the MAX despite being aware of contrary information. 'In times of crisis and tragedy, it is especially important that public companies and executives provide full, fair, and truthful disclosures to the markets,' said SEC Chair Gary Gensler in a press release. 'The Boeing Company and its former CEO, Dennis Muilenburg, failed in this most basic obligation. They misled investors by providing assurances about the safety of the 737 MAX, despite knowing about serious safety concerns.' The SEC said both Boeing and Muilenburg, in agreeing to pay the penalties, did not admit or deny the agency's findings. Boeing said the agreement 'fully resolves' the SEC's inquiry and is part of the company's 'broader effort to responsibly resolve outstanding legal matters related to the 737 MAX accidents in a manner that serves the best interests of our shareholders, employees, and other stakeholders,' a company spokesman said. 'We will never forget those lost on Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, and we have made broad and deep changes across our company in response to those accidents.' Meanwhile, relatives in the remaining civil lawsuits have enlisted their own expert witnesses to help their case, and address questions regarding their family member's final moments. One of those experts, aerospace physiologist Troy Faaborg, wrote in a court filing the victims very likely experienced issues such as panic, nausea and vomiting, heart problems during the six-minute nosedive, giving credence to their relatives argument. Vickie Norton, a commercial airline pilot hired as a witness by the plaintiffs, also wrote: 'It wasnt long before the progressive loss of control and ultimate dive to the ground would have been not only distressing but terror-inducing to all passengers onboard.' Feds will now decide whether Boeing defied the terms of the deal reached this past October. MailOnline has contacted Brian Knowles and Boeing for comment. The Tories are under mounting pressure to disown the party's biggest individual donor today over a 'racist and abhorrent' attack on black MP Diane Abbott. Labour demanded the Conservatives hand back 10million they have received this year from millionaire businessman Frank Hester after he suggested the former frontbencher should be shot. In a 2019 rant he is also accused of saying that Ms Abbott, 70, made him 'want to hate all black women'. Yorkshireman Mr Hester last night said he was 'deeply sorry' for what he said were 'rude' comments, but said they were 'nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin'. He had also reached out to Ms Abbott in a bid to apologise. And senior Conservatives have also declined to call them racist, as they face calls for the two 5million donations he has made to party coffers to be returned. Pensions Secretary Mel Stride also tried to row in behind the super-donor this morning, telling broadcasters: 'It's clear that what he said was inappropriate. He has, as I understand it, apologised for those remarks. 'I think the critical point here is I don't think what he was saying was a gender-based or a race-based comment, but it was clearly inappropriate. He has apologised and I think we need to move on from that.' But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told ITV's Lorraine: 'This apology this morning that is pretending that what was said wasn't racist or anything to do with the fact she's a woman, I don't buy that I'm afraid, and I think that it's time the Tory Party called it out and returned the money.' Labour demanded the Conservatives hand back 10million they have received this year from millionaire businessman Frank Hester after he suggested the former frontbencher shout be shot. In a 2019 rant he is also accused of saying that Ms Abbott, 70, made him 'want to hate all black women'. Pensions Secretary Mel Stride also tried to row in behind the super-donor this morning, telling broadcasters: 'I think the critical point here is I don't think what he was saying was a gender-based or a race-based comment, but it was clearly inappropriate.' But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told ITV's Lorraine: 'This apology this morning that is pretending that what was said wasn't racist or anything to do with the fact she's a woman, I don't buy that I'm afraid, and I think that it's time the Tory Party called it out and returned the money.' He added: 'The comments about Diane Abbott are just abhorrent. 'And Diane has been a trailblazer, she has paved the way for others, she's probably faced more abuse than any other politician over the years on a sustained basis.' Former Tory leader Lord Hague also led Tory condemnation of the remarks, telling Times Radio: 'Well, his comments yes do seem to be racist. I don't think I could deny, that, honestly.' Mr Hester donated 10 million to the Tories last year, according to Electoral Commission records. He individually donated 5 million to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's party in May and gave another 5 million via his healthcare software firm in November. The Guardian reported that Mr Hester's remarks about Ms Abbott were made in 2019, meaning that they likely occurred when she was shadow home secretary under former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. The newspaper reported that during a meeting at his Leeds company headquarters, Mr Hester, having previously criticised an executive at another organisation, went on to discuss Ms Abbott, the first black woman elected to Parliament. He reportedly said: 'It's like trying not to be racist but you see Diane Abbott on the TV, and you're just like... you just want to hate all black women because she's there. 'And I don't hate all black women at all, but I think she should be shot. '(The executive) and Diane Abbott need to be shot.' Yorkshireman Mr Hester last night said he was 'deeply sorry' for what he said were 'rude' comments, but said they were 'nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin'. He had also reached out to Ms Abbott in a bid to apologise. Energy Minister Graham Stuart today said it would be wrong to 'cancel anybody ... because they said something intemperate and wrong in their past.' In a statement released via his firm, Mr Hester said he had rung Ms Abbott on Monday to 'apologise directly for the hurt he has caused her'. The statement said: 'Frank Hester accepts that he was rude about Diane Abbot in a private meeting several years ago but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin. 'The Guardian is right when it quotes Frank saying he abhors racism, not least because he experienced it as the child of Irish immigrants in the 1970s. 'He rang Diane Abbott twice today to try to apologise directly for the hurt he has caused her, and is deeply sorry for his remarks. 'He wishes to make it clear that he regards racism as a poison which has no place in public life.' But Tory opponents have seized on the remarks and urged the governing party to give back the cash Mr Hester and his company have donated. Energy Minister Graham Stuart today said it would be wrong to 'cancel anybody ... because they said something intemperate and wrong in their past.' He told GMB: 'If everything I had ever said about an opponent when driven to a state of fury was quoted, I would look pretty vile.' Mr Stuart has said he would 'hesitate' to describe the comments as racist, telling Times Radio: 'I'm hesitating to call it that because I don't like to sit in judgment on these things. 'It was clearly a ridiculous thing to say, he's rightly apologised for it and here's a man who's supporting the most diverse cabinet we've ever had under this Conservative Party. We've got a Hindu Prime Minister and he's our biggest donor, so I don't think this is a man who is a racist. 'But I've never met him, I don't know him and all I know is those comments were inappropriate, wrong, and quite rightly he has tried to reach out to Diane Abbott personally.' Waterloo Station is set for a dramatic 15-year overhaul as plans are drawn up to fill empty spaces with retail and pedestrianise the area outside the station's main entrance. The UK's third busiest station services 57.8 million passengers every year and travellers can look forward to an exciting new array of shops and restaurants as well as less congestion after the project's completion. The iconic railway hub will receive a similar treatment to its close neighbour London Bridge, which got a 1billion revamp between 2013 and 2018, after Network Rail drafted in Grimshaw, the architecture firm who took on the five-year transformation. It is not yet clear how much the works at Waterloo will cost but the redevelopment is expected to create up to 10,000 jobs. The famous main entrance, known as Victory Arch, is Grade II listed and the area in front of it is in line for a complete makeover with plans for hundreds of trees to be installed in 1,900 sq metres of new green space. Slide me The famous main entrance, known as Victory Arch, is Grade II listed and the area in front of it is in line for a complete makeover with plans for hundreds of trees to be installed in 1,900 sq metres of new green space The UK's third busiest station services 57.8 million passengers every year and travellers can look forward to an exciting new array of shops and restaurants as well as less congestion after the project's completion (pictured: an artist's impression of a future station undercroft) The station currently has 24 platforms and this is set to remain the same after the revamp although the size of the concourse is expected to swell by 40 per cent to ease congestion The new area will be renamed 'Victory Arch Piazza' and is set to be closed off to traffic. Waterloo was opened in 1848 with six platforms and it now connects the capital with popular destinations across the south and southwest of England, including Bournemouth, Guildford, Portsmouth, Southampton and Windsor. The station currently has 24 platforms and this is set to remain the same after the revamp although the size of the concourse is expected to swell by 40 per cent to ease congestion. The plans also involve new entrances on Lower Marsh and Mepham Street as well as an area to park 5,000 bicycles. Developers are hoping to improve onward travel for users of the station and are aiming to move bus and taxi stops to a new interchange Cllr Claire Holland, leader of Lambeth Council which has approved the project, said: 'Waterloo and South Bank is hugely important to Lambeth's economy and culture and is the gateway to millions of visitors' journeys every year. 'The Vision document provides a strong framework for this change and will allow us to harness and shape the investment in Waterloo and South Bank to make sure spaces are safe, accessible, and welcoming for our residents and visitors to the area.' Network Rail chair, Lord Peter Hendy of Richmond Hill, told the Evening Standard: 'I think our combined objective is to do the same thing around Waterloo as we now see at King's Cross. Waterloo (pictured from above) was opened in 1848 with six platforms and it now connects the capital with popular destinations across the south and southwest of England, including Bournemouth, Guildford, Portsmouth, Southampton and Windsor London Bridge Station (pictured) was reopened by Prince William in 2018 after a five-year revamp and Waterloo developers will be hoping to emulate the successful project 'It is imperative this station continues to evolve to ensure it is a world-class transport hub and meets the needs of the millions of passengers that use the station each year.' London Bridge Station was reopened by Prince William in 2018 after a five-year revamp and Waterloo developers will be hoping to emulate the successful project, which nearly doubled passenger capacity, while running trains throughout the process which was completed on time. All 15 platforms at the station were adjusted so they could be accessed from a single central point, while the street level concourse became the largest in the country - roughly the size of the Wembley Stadium pitch. During the project a major track upgrade was carried out, platforms were widened and extended and a new underpass built. In 2013, the 550million scheme to redevelop King's Cross Station was completed. The process saw the old station rebuilt and the former concourse demolished and the revamp has been credited with attracting new investment to the area. In 2013, the 550million scheme to redevelop King's Cross Station (pictured) was completed. The process saw the old station rebuilt and the former concourse demolished and the revamp has been credited with attracting new investment to the area St Pancras (pictured) was upgraded between 1994 and 2007 in an 800m redevelopment project Waterloo was the terminus for the Eurostar service from its introduction in 1994 to its move in 2007 to London St Pancras International. The large underground area which ran international trains has since been transformed into a leisure complex, named The Sidings, which includes the largest branch of the Brewdog bar and brewery in the world. St Pancras itself was upgraded between 1994 and 2007 in an 800m redevelopment project. Internet jokers have responded to the Princess of Wales' Mother's Day photograph with a series of light-hearted imitations featuring everyone from Gerard in Peep Show to the cast of the disastrous Willy Wonka experience. William took the photo of his smiling family ahead of its public release on social media on Sunday. But observers quickly noticed inconsistencies in the picture, prompting Kate to admit she had edited it and apologising for the 'confusion'. Other amateur photo editors have now seized the chance to create their own altered versions of the snap, with one showing Gerard - the sickly colleague of Mark Corrigan in Peep Show - staring forlornly out of a window. Another showed Paddington Bear sitting on Kate's lap and American Democratic politician Bernie Sanders wearing his signature woolen gloves - but with four hands instead of two. The Willy Wonka experience - a much mocked event in Glasgow that charged 35 a ticket for entry into a near empty warehouse inhabited by a handful of glum-looking actors - also featured heavily in the mock-ups. A mock-up of Kate's Mother's Day photo showing Gerard from Peep Show staring forlornly out of a window The disastrous Willy Wonka experience in Glasgow featured heavily in the light-hearted posts Revealing his own effort, comedian Joe Lycett transplanted all the Wales children's faces with Charlie from Casualty Another version showed Paddington Bear sitting on the Princess of Wales' lap The photo edited to show the cast of the Willy Wonka experience, including one actor who was wearing a random mask (middle) One of the many mocked-up versions of the picture that has been shared on social media American Democratic politician Bernie Sanders wearing his signature woolen gloves - but with four hands instead of two This photo edited the backdrop of the photo to show a cabmen's shelter in the background X user Rob Madge showed a sketch from Little Britain in which MP Sir Norman Fry - played by David Walliams - is making an apology outside his house India has commenced plans to allow migrants in - providing they are not Muslim. The law will see those seeking refuge from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan fast-rack citizenship in India. However applications from Muslims will not be considered. The plans, as part of the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA), have been heavily critisised for appearing Islamophobic. The law was actually passed back in 2019 but sparked mass protests in which scores of people died and many more were arrested - leading to a delay in the plans beginning. India's home affairs minister Amit Shah took to social media to say: '(Prime Minister Narendra Modi has) delivered on another commitment and realised the promise of the makers of our constitution to the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians living in those countries.' Students protest against the law to only allow in non-Muslim migrants in Guwahati, India This is reminiscent of the 2019 protests against the same law which saw thousands detained Asaduddin Owaisi, the leader of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen party, said: 'CAA is meant to only target Muslims, it serves no other purpose.' Protests against the CAA have started in some states, including Assam, where the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) - which started the 2019 protests in the north-eastern state - has given a call for a shutdown on Tuesday. Not all of India's governing parties are in agreement with the new law. The southern state of Kerala to a large degree governs itself due to having a democratically elected leader, separate from the rest of India. Partly due to Kerala's geographical location on the coast it's proportion of migrants is high - and the Muslim population is twice that of the Indian average at over a quarter, making up a substantial amount of the voters. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said, adding that the law would not be implemented in his state. The Muslim population of India is 200m - about seven per cent of the total population Police stop students protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act after it commenced Protestors say that the new law highlights the nationalist element of the Government His ruling Marxist party has now called for state-wide protests and has said that the new law is to 'divide the people'. Other critics say it is exclusionary and goes against the constitution, which prohibits discrimination against citizens on religious grounds. The authorities say it will help those facing persecution. However it fails to be consistent with allowing Muslim minorities in from non-Muslim countries. India is also proposing a creating a national register of citizens and, as reported by the BBC, there are fears the two plans in conjunction could be the start of a Muslim persecution in the country. The plan to allow in migrants ends the 64-year-old Indian Citizenship law, which prevents illegal migrants from becoming Indian citizens. Under the new law, those seeking citizenship will have to prove that they arrived in India from Pakistan, Bangladesh or Afghanistan by 31 December 2014. Police have already had ton set up barricades in the wake of the citizenship law commencing Prime Minister Narendra Modi has 'delivered on another commitment' according to minister The 2019 protests saw thousands detained, several die - and got the law delayed for five years An online portal has already been set up and those seeking citizenship can begin applying. In 2019, when the law was first announced, huge protests gripped the country. Thousands of people ended up being detained and several people died, prompting a five year delay in its commencement. Five people were injured today after a car crashed into the walls of Windsor Castle, with emergency services seen giving treatment to someone on the ground. The front of the Polestar - an electric car firm owned by Volvo - was crumpled up against the exterior of the royal residence in the rain on Thames Street after colliding head-on near the junction with River Street. The vehicle's airbags were deployed during the incident in rush hour just before 8am this morning and also involved two other cars. Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service later confirmed that five people received 'immediate emergency care'. Thames Valley Police officers closed off the road in centre of the Berkshire town with paramedics also attending and two local buses forced to go on diversion. It comes after a man was arrested by armed officers after crashing his vehicle into the gates of Buckingham Palace in the early hours of Saturday morning. In Windsor, a passer-by said this morning: 'People already there said someone drove out and smashed straight into the Windsor Castle wall. Emergency services on the scene today after a car crashed in to the wall of Windsor Castle 'There was definitely one person in the car and I couldn't tell if there was another - all of a sudden there were people around (the vehicle) very quickly. READ MORE Police investigating Buckingham Palace gate crash say car smash was not terror-related - as exterior remains boarded up after armed police arrested driver Advertisement 'Someone was on the floor being treated but it was a very calm atmosphere. People didn't really know what was going on and some were scared it was something serious.' A Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman told MailOnline: 'At 7.49am on Tuesday, March 12 we received reports of a road traffic collision on Thames Street in Windsor. 'Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service crews from Slough and Windsor fire stations were sent to the scene alongside an officer. 'Upon arrival, crews discovered a collision involving two vehicles and two pedestrians. Firefighters made the scene safe and provided immediate emergency care to five people before placing them in the care of South Central Ambulance Service. 'Crews were at the scene for approximately one hour and 16 minutes.' A Thames Valley Police spokesman told MailOnline: 'Thames Valley Police received a report of a road traffic collision at 7.50am this morning on Thames Street, Windsor. Firefighters, paramedics and police on Thames Street in Windsor today following the crash 'The road is expected to be closed for some time. Anyone with information is asked to contact the force by calling 101 or making a report online quoting reference number 43240115038.' A South Central Ambulance Service spokeswoman told MailOnline: 'South Central Ambulance Service were called to a road traffic collision this morning (March 12) in Windsor. 'A team leader, an ambulance and two helicopter emergency medical service cars attended the incident, supporting our Thames Valley Police and Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service colleagues. The crash on Thames Street saw the car collide head-on near the junction with River Street 'Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact TVP by calling 101 or making a report online quoting reference number 43240115038.' And a Thames Valley Buses spokesman tweeted: 'Due to the closure of Thames Street, services 2 and 703 will be unable to serve the Windsor Parish Church towards Bracknell/Dedworth. 'Please use Charles Street for service 2 and York House for the 703. We apologise for any disruption caused.' The crash comes three days after a motorist was arrested after crashing into the gates of Buckingham Palace. People walk past the boarded up gates outside Buckingham Palace in London on Sunday Armed police swooped when the unnamed man in his 20s drove into the wrought iron gates at 2.35am on Saturday. Witnesses reported hearing a loud bang as the vehicle struck the gates before the driver was surrounded by officers who ordered him to kneel with his hands behind his head. He was swiftly apprehended on suspicion of criminal damage. Photos taken in the aftermath showed examiners analysing the damaged blue hatchback with a crumpled bonnet, the boot flung open and the rear number plate hanging off. The car that smashed into the gates of Buckingham Palace is seen after the smash on Saturday Buckingham Palace said that no member of the Royal Family was resident at the time. The gates, which date from 1911, were secured with scaffolding and a wooden fence erected. The motive for the incident has not been made clear but police confirmed it was not being treated as terror related. The man was later sectioned under the Mental Health Act and taken to hospital. He has since been released on bail. In August last year, a three-year-old girl was airlifted to hospital after a crash with a BMW near Windsor Castle at the junction of Barry Avenue and Goswell Road. A notorious yakuza boss has had his death sentence overturned after becoming the first ever senior member to receive the sentence in 2021 - telling the judge 'you'll regret this decision for the rest of your life'. Satoru Nomura, 77, was handed down a life sentence at the Fukoka High Court on Tuesday after he was found not guilty of his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of a former head of a fisheries cooperative in 1998. He was initially sentenced to death over four cases of attacks on ordinary citizens - including the murder. But the head of the violent Kudo-kai crime syndicate was acquitted of the shooting with Judge Futoshi Ichikawa saying he 'cannot recognise Nomura's complicity through logical or empirical reasoning.' However, the elderly gang boss was found guilty of three cases of attempted organised murder against a former police officer, a nurse, and a dentist, between 2012 and 2014. Yakuza godfather Satoru Nomura, 77, head of the Kudo-kai gang, was sentenced to death for conspiracy to commit murder in 2021, but had his execution overruled on Tuesday Nomura was found to be the ultimate mastermind behind all four attacks, despite his constant denial of his involvement. The court also upheld the 2021 Fukoka District Court's ruling of life imprisonment for Fumio Tanoue, 67, the gang's second-in-command. The high court recognised that both Nomura and Tanoue had significant decision-making power and status within the gang, concluding that the duo conspired with other Kudo-kai members in the attacks. Nomura's defence attempted to claim his innocence, but Tanoue admitted to instructing Kudo-kai members to attack the nurse and dentist - but denied any intent to kill, according to The Japan Times. Prosecutors allegedly said there were no issues with the lower court ruling, which stated the pair had been behind the order of the attacks. After pleading not guilty at Fukoka District Court, Tanoue reversed his claim during the High Court hearing, saying that he ordered the two attacks on his own, without any collaboration from Nomura. But his statement was deemed untrustworthy by prosecutors who believed he was attempting to protect his leader. He reportedly remained expressionless and stared directly at Judge Ichikawa while he read out that his death sentence had been overturned. Tsuyoshi Iwashita, the head of the Fukuoka Prefectural Police, vowed to continue efforts to 'eradicate' Kudo-kai in a statement issued following the high court ruling. Kudo-kai is often described as Japan's 'most violent' yakuza gang. The yakuza grew from the chaos of post-war Japan into multi-billion-dollar criminal organisations, involved in everything from drugs and prostitution to protection rackets and white-collar crime. The Kudo-kai is acknowledged as a particularly dangerous yakuza group by local governments because of its apparent willingness to target civilians, local reports have stated. Unlike the Italian Mafia or Chinese triads, yakuza have long occupied a grey area in Japanese society - they are not illegal, and each group has its own headquarters in full view of police. Click HERE for the latest revelation in the Princess of Wales's photoshop fiasco William took Kate's Mother's Day photograph in just a 40-minute window on Friday before the Princess edited it twice in Photoshop to 'make it the best it can be', it emerged today. The photograph - which was the first to feature Kate this year after she had to undergo abdominal surgery - was met with uproar from fans of the royals, who quickly took to social media to suggest it was edited. In a development that has rocked the Royal Family, the Princess of Wales later admitted to editing the photo and apologised for doing so. Following an extraordinary chain of events that has shocked fans of the royals, MailOnline takes a look at the full incident, exploring how the fiasco unfolded. Read on below for a full timeline of Kate's Mother's Day photo fiasco. Kate releases first official photo since surgery To mark Mother's Day, Kensington Palace posted a photo of the Princess of Wales with her three children on their official social media platforms on Sunday March 10 To mark Mother's Day, Kensington Palace posted a photo of the Princess of Wales with her three children on their official social media platforms on Sunday March 10. A message, which appeared to be written by Kate herself, said: 'Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months. Wishing everyone a Happy Mother's Day. C'. It was the first official photo of Kate since she had undergone abdominal surgery earlier this year. She was last pictured in public during a Christmas Day walk in Sandringham, Norfolk. Concerns emerge over digital manipulation of Kate's picture Concerns were raised over possible digital manipulation of the photograph. From Prince Louis' hands to clothing patterns and lines not matching up, eagle-eyed members of the public pointed out a litany of what they believed to be suspicious issues with the photo. The most common 'editing errors' found by social media sleuths were Kate's absent wedding ring, Charlotte's blurred skirt and her partially missing sleeve and Kate's misaligned zip. In the image, one of Louis' fingers looks shorter than the others as he appears to be crossing his fingers in an odd gesture. Social media sleuths also said that his trousers look digitally altered. Further aspects pointed out by social media users include the length of Prince George's forearms, the paving and window panes behind the family as well as the late-autumn leaves on the trees not matching up with the claim the photo is recent. Leading picture agencies 'kill' photograph Within hours of the photo being shared around the world, multiple picture agencies issued a 'kill notification' - an industry term used to retract a photo previously handed out to publications Within hours of the photo being shared around the world, multiple picture agencies issued a 'kill notification' - an industry term used to retract a photo previously handed out to publications. On Sunday night, the Associated Press (AP) became the first agency to 'kill' the photo over an 'inconsistency in the alignment of Princess Charlotte's left hand'. While AP said there was no suggestion the photo was fake, it retracted it because it said on closer inspection, the source had manipulated the image in a way that did not meet the agency's photo standards. AP said its editorial standards state that images must be accurate and that it does not use altered or digitally manipulated images. The agency's news values and principles explain that minor photo editing, including cropping and toning and colour adjustments, are acceptable when necessary for clear and accurate reproduction and should maintain the authentic nature of the photograph. When AP determined the photo appeared to have been manipulated, it issued what is known as a 'photo kill,' an industry term that retracted the image and instructed clients to remove the photo from their systems. Buckingham Palace maintains silence on the fiasco Instead of releasing a public statement on the issue, the Royal Family's account on X, formerly Twitter, chose to mark Commonwealth Day instead, posting: 'Today is #CommonwealthDay the annual celebration of this unique and diverse organisation. 2024 marks 75 years since the founding of the modern #Commonwealth'. Kate admits to 'editing' family picture The Princess of Wales later admits that she edited the Mother's Day portrait that was released by Kensington Palace and apologised 'for any confusion' that the family photograph has caused The Princess of Wales later admits that she edited the Mother's Day portrait that was released by Kensington Palace and apologised 'for any confusion' that the family photograph has caused. She said: 'Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. 'I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother's Day'. She signed it 'C' - for Catherine. Sky News' analysis of the photo's metadata found the image was taken with a Canon camera and was saved in Adobe Photoshop twice on an Apple Mac. Kate spotted leaving Windsor Castle with William Experts say that pictures of the Princess of Wales leaving Windsor Castle with Prince William are an attempt by the Palace to show 'she's up and about' amid the fallout from her edited Mother's Day photo. Kate was pictured alongside her husband leaving Windsor Castle just hours after she apologised for digitally editing the family portrait posted on Mother's Day. Royal commentator Michael Cole told MailOnline: 'The fiasco of the faked photograph is a very bad look for the Royal Family at a very difficult time. 'The apology by the Princess of Wales for manipulating the Mother's Day image of herself and her children is well meant. 'It will be accepted by those people who are kind and understanding. Kate is and will remain a popular person with the general public. 'But it cannot be denied that this episode does reveal a terrible naivety, bordering on foolishness. Experts say that pictures of the Princess of Wales leaving Windsor Castle with Prince William are an attempt by the Palace to show 'she's up and about' amid the fallout from her edited Mother's Day photo 'What was she thinking, imagining she could fool experts whose profession is scrutinising hundreds of photographs every day, to judge whether they are authentic, and worthy of publication, or fraudulent images for immediate deletion?' The photo was taken by William and edited by Kate It emerges that the Prince of Wales took the picture of his smiling family on a 2,900 Canon camera before Kate made edits to improve the photo ahead of its public release on Instagram on Sunday. Royal sources said the princess had made 'minor adjustments' to the picture, which she and her husband had hoped would be a lovely 'informal' shot to share on a special day. 'This was an amateur, family photograph taken by the Princess of Wales. Their Royal Highnesses wanted to offer an informal picture of the family together for Mother's Day,' the source said. 'The Princess made minor adjustments as she shared in her statement on social media, the Wales family spent Mother's Day together and had a wonderful day.' Despite calls for the original to be published, Kensington Palace said it would not be reissuing the unedited photograph of Kate and her children, which in itself sparked further debate. FILE - An attacker lies dead on his back in the parking lot of a convenience store as a police investigator uses a measuring wheel while collecting evidence from a crime scene where a municipal policeman was shot dead, in Celaya, Mexico, Feb. 28, 2024. The policeman had been driving his wife to work when cartel gunmen opened fire on their car. The policeman killed one attacker before dying. Fernando Llano/AP Mexican Army soldiers drive past a crime scene where a municipal police officer was shot dead, in a neighborhood of Celaya, Guanajuato state, Mexico, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. In Guanajuato state, more police were shot to death in 2023 than across the United States. Fernando Llano/AP FILE - A bus driver is comforted after witnessing a murder inside his bus, in Celaya, Mexico, Feb. 29, 2024. Celaya has refused to follow President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors policy of not confronting the cartels, and refused his policy of encouraging local people to seek out peace pacts with the gangs. Fernando Llano/AP FILE - A member of the Mexican National Guard cordons off a crime scene where a passenger was shot dead inside a bus, in Celaya, Mexico, Feb. 29, 2024. As Mexico's June 2 presidential election approaches, this city lies at the crossroads of a national debate about security policy. Fernando Llano/AP FILE - A resident cradles an infant as she walks past a crime scene where a passenger was shot dead inside a bus, in Celaya, Mexico, Feb. 29, 2024. As Mexico's June 2 presidential election approaches, this city lies at the crossroads of a national debate about security policy. Fernando Llano/AP A member of the Mexican National Guard and a soldier leave a crime scene after clearing the area of onlookers, in a neighborhood of Celaya, Mexico, Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. The National Guard doesn't arrest many suspects or investigate crimes. Like the military, it mainly follows orders and arrests criminals only if they are caught in the act. Fernando Llano/AP Municipal police officers chat with a resident while on patrol in her neighborhood in Celaya, Mexico, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. Celaya, a farming and industrial hub northwest of Mexico City, has refused to eliminate its local police force, as some cities have done. Fernando Llano/AP A municipal police officer monitors social media sites at a police control and monitoring center, in Celaya, Mexico, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. Celaya, unusual among municipal police, does its own intelligence and investigation work. Fernando Llano/AP FILE - A municipal police officer frisks a motorcyclist during a neighborhood patrol in Celaya, Mexico, Feb. 28, 2024. Most of Celayas municipal police force are former members of the federal police, earning the nickname Fedepales, a combination of the word federal and municipal. Fernando Llano/AP FILE - Municipal police officers conduct a pedestrian stop and search while on patrol in a neighborhood of Celaya, Mexico, Feb. 28, 2024. Most of Celayas municipal police force are former member of the federal police, earning the nickname Fedepales, a combination of the word federal and municipal. Fernando Llano/AP Municipal police officers on patrol in a neighborhood of Celaya, Mexico, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. Most of Celayas municipal police force are former member of the federal police, earning the nickname Fedepales, a combination of the word federal and municipal. Fernando Llano/AP FILE - Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, center, reviews military troops before the start of the annual Independence Day parade in the capital's main square, the Zocalo, in Mexico City, Sept. 16, 2023. Mexicos president dissolved the old federal police, accusing them of corruption, and cut almost all federal funding for training and equipping local police. Fernando Llano/AP FILE - Presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum waves during her opening campaign rally at the Zocalo in Mexico City, March 1, 2024. Sheinbaum, the ruling party candidate in the June 2 elections, vows to stick to President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's approach on public safety. Marco Ugarte/AP FILE - Opposition presidential candidate Xochitl Galvez waves during her opening campaign rally in Irapuato, Mexico, March 1, 2024. Galvez pledges to double the number of National Guard officers but also restore training and equipment funding to local police forces. Fernando Llano/AP Police chief Jesus Rivera Peralta speaks during an interview at police headquarters in Celaya, Mexico, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. Rivera Peralta says half of all the suspects arrested in Celaya are now between 14 and 24 years old. Fernando Llano/AP FILE - Evidence markers indicate the location of bullet casings at a crime scene where police say a fellow officer was fatally shot by cartel gunmen, in Celaya, Mexico, Feb. 28, 2024. At least 34 police officers have been killed in this city of 500,000 in the last three years. Fernando Llano/AP CELAYA, Mexico (AP) A dead man lay on his back in the parking lot of a convenience store in late February when journalists rolled in to the north-central Mexico city of Celaya to interview police. A spray of bullet casings and spent projectiles lay around the corpse, a sight all too common in Guanajuato state, which has Mexicos highest number of homicides. A policeman had been driving his wife to work on Feb. 28 when cartel gunmen who had apparently followed from them home opened fire on their car. The policeman killed one attacker before dying. His wife and 1-year-old daughter were unharmed. But a week earlier, cartel gunmen shot a police officer to death while she took her 8-year-old daughter to school. They killed the girl, too. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Welcome to Celaya, arguably the most dangerous place, per capita, to be a cop in North America. At least 34 police officers have been killed in this city of 500,000 people in the last three years. In Guanajuato state, its population just over 6 million, more police were shot to death in 2023 about 60 than in all of the United States. As Mexico's June 2 presidential election approaches, this city lies at the crossroads of a national debate about security policy. Celaya has declined to follow President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors policy of not confronting the cartels, and ignored his policy of encouraging local people to seek out peace pacts with the gangs. When Roman Catholic bishops announced they had met with cartel bosses in February to negotiate a truce between warring gangs, Lopez Obrador said, I think it is very good. Mexicos president dislikes police and would like to rely on the military for everything. He dissolved the old federal police, accusing them of corruption, and cut almost all federal funding for training and equipping local police. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Unlike some other cities, Celaya, a farming and industrial hub northwest of Mexico City, has refused to eliminate its local police force and then rely almost completely on soldiers and the quasi-military National Guard for policing. That means it has had to take on the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel, a gang so unreflectively violent that any sort of truce or negotiation was probably out of the question anyway. The Santa Rosa de Lima cartel controlled Celaya, said Guanajuato security analyst David Saucedo. The current mayor, Javier Mendoza, made the decision to break the criminal control. It was a decision that cost the life of his son," who was shot to death last year. Now the cartel is trying to hunt Celaya's cops into submission, or extinction. Two officers were killed in their car Sunday in Irapuato, the next town over, and the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel left a claim of responsibility. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Killings of police in Mexico rose last year even as Lopez Obrador says overall homicide numbers have dropped under his administration. The safety of the public is not something you can negotiate. Never, said Celaya police chief Jesus Rivera Peralta. These criminals have no values we cant negotiate with the devil, thats impossible. Rivera Peralta said he is proud of the mayor's slogan: With everything, come what may, without fear." Under the president's approach, Mexico has both a shortage of police there are none in some towns and, at the same time, thousands of experienced former federal police officers who chose not to join the militarized National Guard are now unemployed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Celaya decided to hire some of them. Rivera Peralta, like most of his force, is a former member of the federal police. Theyre almost all from outside Celaya. They live in secure barracks and go out only to patrol, earning the nickname Fedepales, a combination of the word federal and municipal. Because they're outsiders, the new cops are less likely to have ties to the cartel, Saucedo said. Most of the locals who used to work as municipal police have resigned, and its easy to see why. Estefani, a Celaya policewoman who would not give her last name for security reasons, narrowly escaped an attack as she drove to work in early 2023. The cartel apparently knew her route. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I stopped at a red light, and all I saw were two men on a motorcycle shooting at me, Estefani said. I was hit by three rounds. One shot went into the left side of my face the bullet was lodged in my neck. As blood streamed, she walked to a clinic. Doctors managed to stabilize her. It was all too common. Right now, most of the attacks are coming precisely from motorcycles. There are always two people on them, dressed in black. That seems to be a trend, said a police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The attackers are usually young men, often carrying an AR-15 rifle with the stock removed to make it shorter. Celaya police are now sensitive to motorcycles. A couple of residents, who would not give their names for fear of reprisals, spoke disparagingly of the fedepales," accusing them of stopping motorcycles to check for stolen vehicles, and then taking the bikes. But during a ride-along with police performing routine checks on motorcycles, other residents waved a friendly greeting. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Lopez Obrador would like to rely more on the military; he wants to hand over the National Guard to army control but at the same time, he doesn't want troops to directly confront the cartels. That has led to strange scenes. For example, in the neighboring state of Michoacan, a National Guard or army truck may roll by a corner store on a patrol while inside the store everything costs 40% more than normal because its owner is forced to pay protection money to the local cartel. The National Guard doesn't arrest many suspects or investigate crimes. Like the military, it mainly follows orders and arrests criminals only if they are caught in the act. Celaya, unusual among municipal police, does its own intelligence and investigation work. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What good does it do to have soldiers and National Guard in the street if they dont do anything? They only put up crime scene tape after something has already happened, said Amadeo Hernandez Barajas, a farmer in Acambaro, a town south of Celaya. He said the cartel forces many farmers to pay a tax on each ton of corn produced. Claudia Sheinbaum, the presidential candidate for Lopez Obradors Morena party in the June 2 elections, vows to stick to his approach. We will address public safety from a perspective of addressing the causes and not allowing impunity, Sheinbaum said at her first campaign event. We are not going to engage in the idea of a heavy hand, that is not our style. The idea that the cartels will be left without recruits, as government scholarship and training programs provide youths with other opportunities, appears a long way off. The gangs have started recruiting younger hitmen, as well as experienced fighters from South America and northern Mexico. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rivera Peralta says half of all the suspects arrested in Celaya are now between 14 and 24 years old. They have also caught gunmen from the Scorpions, a gang based in the border city of Matamoros, and several former guerrilla fighters from Colombia. Opposition presidential candidate Xochitl Galvez is taking a different approach. She pledges to double the number of National Guard troopers but also restore training and equipment funding to local police forces. We cant have police who will take care of us unless we take care of our police, she said at her campaign launch. For their part, police in Celaya are putting their trust not in politicians but in the man in the tower, a standing firing post welded to the bed of a pickup. The tower has a higher and wider range of vision for the officer to spot any attack coming and a Galil automatic rifle. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Those of us in the trucks entrust our lives to the man in the tower, said one officer. He is our front line." ___ China has recommended dropping tariffs on Australian wine exports worth $1bn in an interim decision. Beijing is reviewing the sanctions through a five-month process after the Albanese government agreed to suspend Australia's dispute lodged with the World Trade Organisation until March 31. The Chinese government on Tuesday released its interim recommendation that the duties on wine are no longer necessary. Beijing will announce its final decision later this month, but the move has sparked hope the tariffs will be fully removed. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the government had stabilised the relationship with China without compromising the nation's values. China has recommended dropping tariffs on Australian wine exports worth $1bn in an interim decision (pictured, Chinese President Xi Jinping toasts the Belt and Road Forum in 2019 in Beijing) 'We have delivered on that commitment through calm and consistent dialogue,' she said. 'We continue to press for all remaining trade impediments to be removed.' Trade Minister Don Farrell said the interim recommendation was a welcome development. 'It vindicates the government's preferred approach of resolving trade issues through dialogue rather than disputation,' he said. Australian Grape & Wine chief executive Lee McLean said the decision was a 'positive step' towards resuming trade with what was formerly the largest export market. 'We remain cautiously optimistic about the forthcoming decision and will await MOFCOM's (China's commerce ministry) final determination,' he said. 'We appreciate the collaborative efforts from both the Australian and Chinese governments, and industry partners, in working towards a resolution.' China lifted tariffs on Australian barley in August last year following a similar process, after Labor paused a WTO dispute in exchange for a review. Beijing will announce its final decision later this month, but the move has sparked hope the tariffs will be fully removed (pictured, bottles on display in Shanghai) Beijing imposed $20 billion in sanctions on Australian products, during heightened tensions in 2020. Sanctions worth $2 billion remain on wine, rock lobster and some abattoirs. China's Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian on Monday said the review was 'moving on the right track, in the right direction'. Senator Farrell recently met his Chinese counterpart Wang Wentao on the sidelines of the WTO's ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi last month. The food halls at Harrods and Fortnum & Mason are world renowned for offering the finest and most luxurious of products. As the chosen supermarkets of kings, queens, sheiks and oligarchs it is assumed they operate to the highest ethical standards. However, both are being investigated by council officials following complaints they may have been dressing up cheap factory farmed salmon as wild. Certainly, the fresh cuts of the farmed salmon on the fish counter at Harrods are beautifully presented. However, they come in at an eye-watering 35 per kilo, which compares to 18.35 per kilo for something similar from Tesco. At Fortnums, its specially prepared salmon, such as a 'Secret Smokehouse Salmon', is as much as 75 per kilo. While the more purse friendly Hot Smoked Salmon Fillets With Honey from Waitrose are 43.44 a kilo. Harrods came under fire from 'Scamon Scotland' after they found a label which said the fish was caught in the Faroe Islands Labelling laws require producers and retailers to state whether salmon has been farmed or is wild. However, fresh and packs of fish sold in Fortnum & Mason failed to spell this out The group 'Scamon Scotland' found a label planted in the ice alongside fresh salmon steaks at Harrods identified them as being 'Caught in the Faroe Islands'. READ MORE: Budget rival beats M&S's Colin the Caterpillar in taste test as the party favourite risks being overshadowed Advertisement In fact, this was not a wild salmon 'caught' by a fisherman using rod and line. Rather it was fished out of a salmon cage moored in the sea in what critics describe as a factory farm. After being confronted about this potentially misleading label, it was substituted with an alternative stating 'Farmed and sourced from the Faroe Islands'. Labelling laws require producers and retailers to state whether salmon has been farmed or is wild. However, fresh and packs of fish sold in Fortnum & Mason failed to spell this out. On the fresh fish counter, cuts of salmon either had no country of origin or simply labelled the source as Scotland without details on whether it was farmed or wild. Following complaints that this may be a breach of the law the retailer changed the labels to include a line saying the salmon was 'Farmed in Scotland.' Don Staniford, the director of Scamon Scotland, said: 'Salmon farming is a welfare nightmare and environmental pariah. 'The 'King of Fish' does not leap up waterfalls onto your dinner table - it's reared in cramped cages. On the fresh fish counter at Fortnum & Mason, cuts of salmon either had no country of origin or simply labelled the source as Scotland without details on whether it was farmed or wild Harrods insisted the mislabelling was 'unintentional' and immediately rectified Fortnums confirmed it has changed its labels after the concerns were raised 'Far from being a luxury product, farmed Scottish salmon is a cheap and nasty imposter which belongs in the bin not your shopping basket.' Officials at Kensington & Chelsea said the allegations against Harrods have been 'logged for investigation and action'. Westminster said it is reviewing the allegations against Fortnums. Harrods insisted the mislabelling was 'unintentional' and immediately rectified. A spokesperson said: 'This was raised with the Harrods Food team and the fish was immediately relabelled. 'The intention was never to mislead, and the label has now been amended to confirm the fish is farmed and sourced in the Faroe Islands.' Fortnums confirmed it has changed its labels after the concerns were raised. It said: 'Fortnum & Mason does not sell wild salmon, and all salmon on our fish counter is from RSPCA approved farms. 'We label all salmon to let customers know the location of the farm, though in this instance we reviewed all labelling at our fish counter and found some labels where the provenance information was missing. 'This is not normal practice, and these have now been corrected and we can confirm that all salmon is labelled to let customers know the location of the farm.' Find a list of Barnett's claims surrounding his employer of 30 years below The former quality manager was found dead March 9 during a lawsuit break Boeing whistleblower John Barnett was found dead in his truck outside a South Carolina hotel which the coroner put down to a 'self-inflicted' gunshot wound in the head. However, the 62-year-old's attorney, Brian Knowles, has made sure to call this an 'alleged' suicide, coming just days after his client testified in a lawsuit against the aviation giant and cops have confirmed that they are investigating further. Sgt. Anthony Gibson of The Charleston Police Department told local media: 'Detectives are actively investigating this case and are awaiting the formal cause of death, along with any additional findings that might shed further light on the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Barnett.' The ex-quality manager at Boeing's North Charleston plant, where 787 Dreamliners are built, was found in his truck in a hotel carpark on March 9 - during a break in depositions in said suit. Mr Knowles added that Barnett had just given a deposition to Boeing's lawyers for the case in the week before his death. The company said it was saddened to hear of their ex-employee's passing. The whistleblower was a Boing employee from 1985 and became the Charleston site's quality manager in 2010 before retiring on health grounds seven years later. So, what were his subsequent claims? Find the full list below. Boeing whistleblower John Barnett was found dead in his truck outside a South Carolina hotel which cops have put down to a 'self-inflicted' gunshot wound in the head Barnett worked for Boeing for over three decades and became the quality manager at the company's North Charleston plant in 2010 (stock image) Metal shavings above Boeing 737 flight control wiring In 2019, he told the New York Times that he raised concerns over clusters of metal shavings - produced when fasteners are fitted into nuts - hanging above the wiring commanding the flight controls. He said that if those sharp metal pieces were to fall and penetrate the wires it would be 'catastrophic'. Barnett added that he repeatedly urged those above him to remove the shavings before making his whistle-blower complaint, but was ignored and later moved to another part of the plant. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spokesman said it had inspected several planes certified by Boeing as free of the shavings, and found that same metal debris which can cause short-circuiting and fires. In 2017, the FAA issued a directive requiring that Dreamliners be cleared of them before being delivered and Boeing said they were complying. Barnett's lawyer has been careful to insist that his client's suicide is 'alleged' in the wake of the 'tragic' event Boeing managers ignored problems that were raised In the same 2019 interview, Barnett said that in 2016 he had learned of a senior manager pulling a dented hydraulic tube - used as part of the central movement control system - from a scrap bin before it was installed in a 737. He said that the manager told him not to worry about it, but filed a complaint with HR. Barnett also reported other faulty parts going missing, potentially as they were being installed on planes to hit deadlines. Bosses, supposedly, told him to file his report on the missing parts without getting to the bottom of where they ended up. Boeing responded to this claim by saying that they notified airlines as a precautionary matter, but found no evidence of the dented hydraulic tube after investigation. Boeing Factory Everett in Washington state Dreamliners' flawed emergency oxygen systems Later in 2019, Barnett told the BBC that tests suggested that up to 25 per cent of oxygen systems for the 737 might not work when needed. He said that in 2016 he uncovered problems in the systems designed to keep passengers and crew alive if cabin pressurization fails at altitude - when breathing masks drop down. This being flawed would likely result in all onboard being incapacitated within a minute. When decommissioning systems with minor superficial damage, Barnett claimed to discover that some oxygen bottles were not discharging when they were meant to. After arranging a test, 75 of 300 bottles 'straight out of stock' were faulty, but Boeing insisted no such bottles ended up in aircraft. Faulty parts being deliberately fitted The whistleblower also told the UK broadcaster in November 2019 that the rush to get its new, state-of-the-art airliner off the production line resulted in a hurried assembly process where safety was compromised. Barnett said this came in the form of under-pressure workers fitting parts which fell below the company's own standards because 'Boeing South Carolina is strictly driven by schedule and cost'. He added that Boeing managers were 'not concerned about safety, just meeting schedule'. Also in 2019, Barnett told Corporate Crime Reporter that his bosses - a new team with a background in the military side of the business - had a mindset that 'we are going to do it the way we want to do it... We are in Charleston and we can do anything we want.' Boeing denied this, insisting that 'safety, quality and integrity are at the core of Boeing's values'. However, as recently as March 2024, the FAA said a six-week audit found 'multiple instances where [Boeing] allegedly failed to comply with manufacturing quality control requirements'. Barnett warned that Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft could be returning to runways too soon after one had a cabin window explode mid-flight (aftermath pictured) Boeing 737 Max 9 on runways too soon On the eve of his trial, Barnett told TMZ that he felt Boeing's 737 Max 9 aircrafts were being brought to the runway too soon, just weeks after one had a cabin window explode mid-flight, causing the plane to make an emergency landing. That event resulted in a criminal investigation into the company. Leaning on his alleged experiences, the whistleblower - speaking in January 2024 - suggested that corners could have been cut in getting the Max 9s back in the air. The bride-to-be of the son of India's richest man has been accused of ripping off her pre-wedding speech from Hollywood movie Shall We Dance. Last week's pre-wedding celebration of Radhika Merchant, 29, and Anant Ambani, 28, made headlines all over the world for the opulence of the occasion which cost over 100m. But in the midst of the grandeur, with over 1,500 guests, there was one intimate and personal moment, when Merchant gave her heartfelt speech for her soon to be husband. However, internet sleuths later revealed that the heartfelt speech was an almost word for word copy of the one Susan Sarandon gave to Richard Jenkins in the 2004 rom-com. Despite some saying it could be an innocent reenactment of Rahika's 'favourite scene', others are more dubious and believe she ripped it off. Radhika Merchant's heartfelt speech turned out to be a complete copy of famous film scene Some have jumped to her defense saying that it might just be her favourite scene from a film The bride-to-be's speech was almost identical to Susan Sarandon's speech in 2004's Shall We Dance SPEECH FROM 2004'S SHALL WE DANCE 'In a marriage you're promising to care about everything; the good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things - all of it all the time. Every day you're saying your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go unwitnessed because I will be your witness. Advertisement RADHIKA MERCHANT'S SPEECH But when you find somebody you find somebody to promise you to care about everything; the good, the bad, the beautiful, the (sic), the mundane. You say I will see you everyday. Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go unwitnessed because I will witness it. Advertisement The speech goes: 'In a marriage you promise to care about everything; the good things, the bad things, the terrible things and the mundane things - all of it. 'You say your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go unwitnessed because I will witness it.' The copycat speech seemed to go completely unnoticed until after the celebrations when film-fan Sadiq Saleem posted both clips on Instagram with the comment: 'They could have called me. I would have changed the wording for them for a few crores.' (A crore is the equivalent of almost 100,000.) Disappointed X users took to the platform to share their disapproval. One wrote: 'Even ChatGPT could have done a better job.' However, others jumped to Merchant's defense, writing: 'Who knows, this could be one of her favourite scenes and while she was growing up she visualised saying it each time she watched it.' Whatever the reason, whether it was intentionally ripped off or innocently reenacted, the couple will hope to have more trust in each other than their movie counterparts. Shall We Dance follows a married couple as the husband played by Richard Gere stays out late every night fulfilling his new found passion for dancing and the wife, Susan Sarandon, grows suspicious and hires a private investigator, Richard Jenkins, to watch him. Radhika and Anant's pre-wedding celebrations had a guest list jam packed with celebrities and billionaires including Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates and Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka. Originally, the copy-cat speech went unnoticed - but then one internet sleuth caught on to it The family's net worth is over 100b, right Mukesh Ambani, centre Anant and right, mum, Nita There was also a live music performance from Rihanna. The 100m price tag for the event is equivalent to over ten per cent of Rihanna's entire net worth - and she is the richest female musician in the world. However it would have hardly put a dent in the happy couple's family wallet - Mukesh Ambani, Anant's father, is the 9th richest person in the world. The wedding is on July 7. The M25 is braced for its first ever planned full closure as a project progresses Drivers are being warned not to follow their satnavs this weekend during an 'unprecedented' closure of the M25 which looks set to cause travel chaos. National Highways issued an alert as it braces to shut a five-mile stretch of the motorway in both directions in Surrey between junctions 10 and 11 from 9pm on Friday till 6am on Monday. It will be the first ever scheduled daytime all-lanes shutdown of the M25 since it first opened in 1986. A diversion route, roughly 10 miles in length, has been put in place instead which will add roughly an hour to people's usual journey time between junctions 10 and 11. The government-owned company running England's roads urged drivers to not travel unless it is essential and to follow signs for diversion routes on A-roads instead of their satnavs in order to avoid 'gridlock'. Many regular M25 users are set to exit the road before the lengthy official diversion route, instead passing through areas dotted around the route, including Woking, Chertsey, Addlestone, Weybridge, Sheerwater, West Byfleet, Byfleet and Cobham A look at a traffic jam on junction 10 of the M25 motorway in Surrey, which will be closed this weekend National Highways has issued an alert as it braces to shut a five-mile stretch of the motorway between junctions 10 and 11 But a number of villages off the motorway are expected to experience severe congestion as drivers look for alternative routes to cut down delays. Many regular M25 users are set to exit the road before the lengthy official diversion route, instead passing through areas dotted around the route, including Woking, Chertsey, Addlestone, Weybridge, Sheerwater, West Byfleet, Byfleet and Cobham. These small towns and villages face gridlock chaos as thousands of commuters make new plans to cope with the closure of the country's busiest motorway. While some motorists heading north might chose to take even more drastic action, getting off from the M25 early, at Junction 9. in a bid to avoid the mayhem, travelling instead through Chessington, Hampton and onto the M3 to rejoin the road. Jonathan Wade, project lead at National Highways, told PA: 'How many people are going to take the initiative and try and use satnavs? 'There's probably a greater risk of congestion by people just doing their own thing and thinking they can perhaps beat the signs and find a shorter or quicker route. 'That will cause further congestion on some of the key junctions so please avoid doing that if at all possible.' He did, however, add that it will be tough to estimate delays as 'we've got nothing to benchmark it against'. 'There's never been a closure of this nature. We really can't be certain how many people will heed the messages which we've given. It will be the first scheduled daytime all-lanes shutdown of the M25 since it opened in 1986 'It's very difficult to determine right now how effective all our traffic management will be. Please don't travel if you can avoid it.' People were quick to share their reaction on social media, with some claiming delays on the M25 are 'nothing new' while others suggested it will not be too much of an inconvenience. One person wrote on X: 'There is always massive delays on the m25. Its the worst motorway in the UK followed by the m6 Another added: 'Massive delays on the M25? . Nothing new there,' while a third social media user said: 'Used to commute on that part of the M25 daily; was always busy regardless of the time of day, could be carnage.' However, a fourth argued: 'I see the cacophony of bleating about the M25 closing... Folks. It's not closing entirely. Just a small section. Plan an alternative route. Diversions will be signposted.' Another person wrote: 'They've been farting about with J10 literally for decades and never get it right.' A final person said: 'It will be horrendous. I live in Horsell, just on the edge of the diversion route (where War of the Worlds was set). Its going to be an invasion of a different type. Many of you will go past the McLaren HQ which can get congested when shifts change. Good luck.' Many people were angered by the news of the delays on social media, while some argued it will not be a total disaster National Highways said the action is necessary to demolish a bridge and build a new gantry It is estimated that the 10 mile diversion for the five-mile stretch of the motorway will take one hour longer than usual Jonathan Wade, Senior Project Manager, during a site visit ahead of the planned closure National Highways senior project manager Daniel Kittredge added: 'If people move away from diversion routes that we prescribe, it creates additional issues in different parts of the road network. 'The majority of the time that will be local roads, so that really impacts residents in those particular areas. 'That's why we're trying to encourage people to not follow the satnav. 'Stick on the prescribed diversion route. It's going to be more suitable for your journey.' Traffic will be diverted via Cobham, Byfleet, West Byfleet and Sheerwater before rejoining the motorway at Chertsey, just south of its Heathrow Airport stretch. National Highways said the action is necessary to enable a bridge to be demolished and a new gantry to be installed. It will also reportedly see an increase in the number of lanes to 'make journeys safer and improve traffic flow'. The M25 usually carries between 4,000 and 6,000 vehicles in each direction for every hour from 10am until 9pm at weekends between junctions 9 and 11. There are said to be four more daytime closures of the motorway until September for the project, which is due to be completed in the summer of 2025. The news correspondent was one of the best-known faces in Irish journalism Charlie Bird campaigned to raise awareness of MND following his 2021 diagnosis Former RTE correspondent Charlie Bird has died aged 74 after a long battle with motor neurone disease. The Irish news presenter, who campaigned at length to raise awareness of his condition, was diagnosed with the illness in 2021. He admitted 'death is around the corner' while reflecting on his diagnosis in a heartbreaking interview earlier this month. 'I have a terminal illness and I know my death is just around the corner. I am not afraid of dying,' he said on RTE One through a voice computer. As chief news correspondent for RTE, he said he had been 'very privileged' to work on 'the biggest stories both at home and abroad' and told listeners to 'live every day as if it was your last and always extend the hand of friendship'. Raidio Teilifis Eireann is an Irish public service broadcaster. Former RTE correspondent Charlie Bird has died aged 74 after a long battle with motor neurone disease For nearly 40 years, Irish broadcaster Charlie Bird, who has died aged 74, brought stories from around the world to TV screens across the country. One of the best-known faces in Irish journalism for several decades, he was a roving reporter at RTE in the truest sense, with his work taking him from his hometown of Dublin to Baghdad, Moscow and Belfast. His instinctive grasp of the news business made him a familiar face on Irish TV while a burgeoning celebrity profile in later life meant he was just as well-known for his characteristic style and campaigning work as his broadcasting career. Mr Bird revealed in October 2021 that he had been diagnosed with the disease, prompting waves of sympathy from the Irish public. He would go on to speak openly about his struggles with swallowing and eating, as he faced down the debilitating disease. A fundraising hike up Croagh Patrick organised by Mr Bird, dubbed Climb With Charlie, raised more than three million euro for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association and Pieta in 2022. By the time the climb took place, his real voice had been replaced with an artificial one generated through years of clippings in the RTE archive. In his most recent post on X (formerly Twitter) on February 29th, Mr Bird said he was 'still hanging in'. He said he was due to lead a walk in Wicklow next month for Samaritans volunteers. Retired broadcaster Charlie Bird arriving for the launch of the Samaritans Ireland impact report 2021 at Buswells Hotel, Dublin Mr Bird, who joined RTE as a researcher in 1974, was never far from the centre of the biggest story. His tenacity as a reporter made him a key media contact for the IRA during the latter years of the Troubles while his work on the scandal that engulfed the National Irish Bank cemented his reputation as a journalist with serious investigative clout. His career had both ups and downs. A spell as Washington correspondent for RTE ended early as Mr Bird struggled to make inroads in the US. 'I was good at nosing out stories and meeting people. So you try and stick to what you are good at, but again, in hindsight, I wouldn't have gone to America,' he said years later. He also sometimes found himself at the centre of the story, such as when he was attacked during loyalist rioting in Dublin in 2006. Latterly, he emerged as a campaigner. One of the first reporters on the scene of the Stardust nightclub fire in 1981, Mr Bird never severed his links with the families and their campaign for justice. In February 2022, ill health did not keep him away from the annual commemoration of the tragedy. 'I admire your courage and your bravery. Keep fighting for justice. If the Stardust tragedy happened in some middle-class area, or indeed on the southside of Dublin, we would not be here today, still trying to find out what happened,' he told the crowd. He also threw himself into the campaign for same-sex marriage in Ireland in 2015. Mr Bird, with his unusual name and canny ability to sniff out stories, was perhaps always destined for success. Yet he was always clear why he became the go-to newsman of his generation. 'I would have walked over absolutely anyone to get a story. I had to use my fingernails to make up for lack of talent,' he said. Charlie Bird appears on 2022 programme Loud And Clear, providing insight into life with MND Ireland's deputy premier Micheal Martin said Charlie Bird represented public service broadcasting in Ireland at its very best. 'I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Charlie Bird, who inspired so many with the courage, generosity of spirit and dignity he faced his battle with motor neurone disease,' said the Tanaiste. 'As a journalist and broadcaster for RTE, Charlie had few peers, memorably covering national and international events such as the peace process, the September 11 attacks on New York, the Gulf War and the National Irish Bank scandal. 'Personable and engaging, Charlie always had the public interest at heart. He represented public service broadcasting in Ireland at its very best. 'Over the past few years, Charlie captured the public imagination, nurturing a true spirit of solidarity through his Croagh Patrick Climb With Charlie. 'His message of generosity, friendship and simply looking out for each other will long be remembered. 'My sincere condolences to his wife Claire, children, wider family and many friends and colleagues.' Rishi Sunak is facing the threat of a Red Wall meltdown today as Reform UK leaders ring round Tories to persuade them to defect. The PM gathered his Cabinet this morning amid the fallout from Lee Anderson's dramatic announcement that he is joining the insurgent party - becoming its first MP. Reform founder Nigel Farage has hailed a 'huge moment' and hinted at more to come. Mr Anderson formally crossed the floor in the Commons this afternoon with little fanfare, taking a new spot next to pro-Palestinian firebrand George Galloway. More MPs are thought to be wavering on whether to switch in a desperate bid to save themselves, with polls showing the Conservatives headed for disaster at the election. But allies of the premier have been warning he could trigger a snap election if 10 of his troops walk out - heaping pressure on them to toe the line or face carnage at the ballot box. Mr Sunak has been left yet again struggling to quell panic in his ranks after the former Conservative deputy chair was unveiled by jubilant Reform leader Richard Tice at a press conference yesterday. Rishi Sunak is facing the threat of a Red Wall meltdown today as Reform UK leaders ring round Tories to persuade them to defect Mr Sunak has been left yet again struggling to quell panic in his ranks after Lee Anderson (pictured) was unveiled by jubilant Reform leader Richard Tice at a press conference yesterday Mr Anderson formally crossed the floor in the Commons this afternoon with little fanfare, taking a new spot next to pro-Palestinian firebrand George Galloway Reform founder Nigel Farage has hailed a 'huge moment' and hinted at more to come Swiping at his former colleagues, Mr Anderson said he 'wants our country back' and had to be able to 'speak my mind'. The Ashfield MP said there had been a 'lot of soul searching in my political journey' but his parents and his staff had all told him to switch to Reform. Who could be next to switch to Reform? A number of Tory MPs have been bandied around as potential defectors to Reform UK - although most have denied they are planning to do so. They include: Brendan Clarke-Smith Close ally of Lee Anderson who joined him in quitting as Tory deputy chairmen over the Rwanda Bill. Jill Mortimer The Hartlepool by-election victor from Boris Johnson's pomp, she has been highly critical of Rishi Sunak but insists she will stay a Tory. Jake Berry Former Tory chair who set up the Northern Research Group. Has been unhappy with the government's approach, but denies being on the verge of defecting. Marco Longhi Dudley North MP regarded as on the populist wing of the party, and a strong campaigner on immigration. Danny Kruger and Miriam Cates Joint leaders of the New Conservatives group, they warned that Mr Anderson's defection would only help Labour but said the party was to blame for failing to hold together Mr Johnson's electoral coalition. Advertisement The news immediately fuelled Conservative panic about the threat of an implosion at the election. The latest Redfield & Wilton Strategies survey released yesterday showed Reform UK at their highest-ever level with the pollster at 14 per cent support. That was just 10 percentage points behind the Tories on 24 per cent, with Labour holding an 18-point lead over the Conservatives on 42 per cent. The poll also revealed more than one-in-five voters - 21 per cent - who backed the Tories at the 2019 general election would now support Reform UK - a joint-record high. Mr Farage - who has been mulling over a comeback to frontline politics before the election - said: 'Lee Anderson moving to Reform is huge. I don't think Westminster really understands this yet.' According to Sky News, a senior Tory with close links to No10 told colleagues at a 1922 committee reception last night that Mr Sunak would call a general election if 10 MPs defected. A bullish Mr Tice said yesterday he would be 'surprised' if more MPs did not switch to Reform before the election - with claims at least nine are considering their future. Tories warned that politicians could feel they have nothing to lose with Labour on course for a huge majority. One Tory former minister told MailOnline: 'I think 2019 MPs who believe being red faced and shouty is the way to be a serious politician may follow him.' Meanwhile, Conservative right-wingers said they could no longer pretend the 'plan is working', while there were open calls for the party to take 'one last chance' to chance leader before an election wipeout. Backbencher Andrea Jenkyns - who has publicly called for Mr Sunak to quit - has told ITV that Reform UK has been calling round colleagues, admitting that she briefly considered their offer to switch. Other Red Wall MPs including Jill Mortimer have publicly denied planning to defect. The PM gathered his Cabinet this morning (Lord Cameron pictured) amid the fallout from Lee Anderson's dramatic announcement that he is joining the insurgent party - becoming its first MP A Russian military transport plane with 15 people on board has crashed shortly after take-off, with dramatic video showing its engine in flames. The Il-76 cargo plane crashed in Russia's Ivanovo region, the country's defence ministry confirmed. Fire can be seen coming out of what appears to be one of the plane's engines in footage published by local residents. Unconfirmed reports suggested that an engine had come off the stricken aircraft mid-air, with footage appearing to show a large object falling from the plane and crashing down to earth. Multiple videos appear to show smoke pouring out of the plane as it circled in the sky, seemingly attempting to make an emergency landing. Subsequent footage shows huge plumes of black smoke rising from what appears to be the crash site. The casualty toll has not been confirmed but there are reports circulating of multiple deaths, with ten bodies found at the scene. The Il-76 cargo plane crashed in Russia 's Ivanovo region, with video showing the stricken aircraft overhead Footage appears to show a large object falling from the plane and crashing down to earth The plane with a burning engine did not reach the airfield, said reports. It reportedly crashed at a cemetery near the village of Bogorodskoye Flames can be seen coming out of what appears to be one of the plane's engines in footage published by local residents Subsequent footage shows huge plumes of black smoke rising from what appears to be the crash site The Il-76 is widely used by the Russian military as a transport plane for the war in Ukraine. According to locals, the engine of the military transport Il-76 caught fire, after which the plane crashed near the Ivanovo-Severny airport. Local residents write that dozens of emergency vehicles are heading to the place where the smoke is coming from. There were 15 people - eight crew and seven passengers - on board the crashed Il-76 in the Ivanovo region, media reports. The plane with a burning engine did not reach the airfield, said reports. It reportedly crashed at a cemetery near the village of Bogorodskoye. Videos appear to show smoke pouring out of the plane as it circled in the sky, seemingly attempting to make an emergency landing While taking off from the Severny airfield, its engine caught fire and it sought to land again, according to reports The Il-76 plane that crashed near Ivanovo was based in Tver. While taking off from the Severny airfield, its engine caught fire and it sought to land again, according to reports. Some suggested the plane had been on a 'training flight'. Pro-Putin Telegram channel WarGonzo said: 'It is clear that the plane's engine caught fire. 'The cause of the accident is being investigated. 'An investigation team left for the crash site. 'The crew steered the falling plane away from the city. 'At the cost of their lives, they were able to prevent the tragedy. According to locals, the engine of the military transport Il-76 caught fire, after which the plane crashed near the Ivanovo-Severny airport 'For pilots, war is everywhere. Including in the rear, where the weather is bad and an emergency situation can overtake you in the sky above your home. 'And in this situation, you also need to find the strength to act like a man. 'The hero pilots proved that they are true Russian officers. 'We express our sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims.' According to loyalists SHOT media outlet, the burning Il-76 was piloted away from residential buildings by a 34-year-old pilot from Orenburg. 'The pilot was very experienced, had many hours of flight time, and his family was proud of him,' said a report. SHOT said that there are fears all 15 on board the Il-76 were killed. Telegram channel Voevoda Veshaet reported: 'It is noticeable that the pilots managed to put out the burning engine, but apparently something went wrong and the plane crashed in a forested area near the Severny airfield.' A woman, who was arrested in front of other parents at her brother's school after teachers accused her of punching her sibling, has said she received death threats after the 'nightmare' incident. Rebecca Riley, 28, was handcuffed and taken away from Ravensworth Primary in Bromley, south-east London by police after restraining her autistic nine-year-old brother John in a way she had been taught. Teachers accused Ms Riley of punching her sibling in the face as she dropped him off at the school at 10am - and by 3.30pm, when she returned to collect him, police were there to arrest her. Ms Riley, who has eight brothers and sisters, insisted that John had not wanted to go to school that morning and had been hitting her so she 'hugged him tightly and stroked him' in a way that worked to calm him down at home. Police later reviewed the CCTV footage and dropped the case due to 'insufficient evidence' on June 11 2023 - two days after the arrest - while Ms Riley was on bail at her friend's house. Rebecca Riley (pictured), 28, was handcuffed and taken away from Ravensworth Primary in Bromley, south-east London by police after restraining her autistic nine-year-old brother John in a way she had been taught Ms Riley, who has eight brothers and sisters, insisted that John (pictured, left) had not wanted to go to school that morning and had been hitting her so she 'hugged him tightly and stroked him' in a way that worked to calm him down at home But despite being cleared by police, she is still banned from the school and is unable to drop off John. Ms Riley said she has received death threats since being wrongly arrested. 'I still feel really angry about it,' she said. 'That day was a nightmare. John was totally traumatised by it and so was I - and our mum. 'When they arrested me there were loads of parents there because of clubs after schools. It was horrible. 'I got death threats from parents and I was horribly bullied because of this. 'It made my life really difficult. I don't like to go out alone because of this. 'I can't believe they put me through all that because of a silly accusation that wasn't a bit true.' Ms Riley added that she wants a public apology but the school has refused. After she was cleared, Ms Riley spent another week at her friend's house as she was too worried about what people were saying about her in her local community. John is now being schooled at home after the incident. Rebecca said: 'John gets really upset and he isn't close to many people but he's really close to me. I look after him a lot. Despite being cleared by police, she is still banned from the school and is unable to drop off John Ms Riley added that she wants a public apology but Ravensworth Primary (pictured) has refused 'It was awful being separated from him - I texted mum all the time because I missed them so much.' MailOnline has approached Ravensworth Primary School for comment. The Metropolitan Police declined to comment. An American student has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a pregnant horse. Steven Lee Snyder, 18, from Fairfax County, Virginia, was allegedly seen on CCTV sexually assaulting the animal at a stable in Phuket, Thailand, on February 5 and again on March 10. He appeared to be holding a smartphone in his right hand while touching the horse's genitals with the other on the popular holiday island. Shocked owners Chatcharoj Lek-Awut, 50, and his wife Prapada, 43, said they discovered the assault when they returned from a trip on Sunday and the filly, named Angun, was in distress. Police officers found the student on Monday evening and in excruciating scenes, used Google Translate to ask him what he had done. They then frogmarched him to his father, Sean, and showed him the surveillance video of the alleged attacks. Steven Lee Snyder, 18, from Fairfax County, Virginia , was allegedly seen on CCTV sexually assaulting the animal at a stable Police frogmarched him to his father, Sean, and showed him the surveillance video of the alleged attacks Police used Google translate to let Sean know what his son had allegedly done 'This apparently isn't the first time, he said that you have done this before,' Sean is heard in the video telling his son outside their villa. Horse owner Prapada said that she initially thought Steven was a normal teenager who often visited their home to play with the horses. READ MORE: Aussie motorcycle rider goes ballistic in Thailand after being hit from behind by a car Advertisement However, she became suspicious of the way he caressed the nags. She said that she reported the February 5 case to the police, but they failed to act. In the most recent alleged assault, she said the pregnant mare appeared to have suffered damage to her vagina. The couple submitted the clip as evidence when they filed a complaint with the Thalang Police Station and animal nonprofit Watchdog Thailand Foundation on March 11. Officers led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Yuthaphon Watthaseth of the Thalang Police Station arrested Steven outside his home, a short walk from the stable. Police Lieutenant Colonel Yuthaphon said: 'Steven and his family are scheduled to meet with the horse owners at the station to discuss negotiations on March 16. 'There are medical expenses for the injured horse that the family may have to pay for. We will mediate between the two people to ensure that they are both happy with the outcome and it does not happen again.' Horse rider Prapada said she wanted the student to stop touching her horses and for him to seek help. She said: 'We first met him two years ago. He dropped by frequently to see the horses, so I thought he was just an animal lover. But I became suspicious of him when I saw how he caressed the horses. 'I found it strange. I tried to keep them away by taking them inside the stable. 'In the most recent case, my horse Angun is four months pregnant and she had discharge coming from her vagina. I knew something was amiss so I checked the CCTV. 'I believe he had done it before with a miniature horse who was pregnant and she miscarried. FILE - President Nicolas Maduro flashes victory signs during an event commemorating a 2004 speech by the late President Hugo Chavez, that is considered a key anti-imperialist moment by his supporters in the history of his Bolivarian Revolution, in Caracas, Venezuela, Feb 29, 2024. Maduro is the only candidate with a guaranteed spot on the ballot in Venezuelas upcoming presidential election. Ariana Cubillos/AP FILE - Opposition presidential hopeful Maria Corina Machado gives a press conference at her campaign headquarters in Caracas, Venezuela, Dec. 15, 2023. Machado has been sidelined from running in the upcoming presidential election by the Nicolas Maduro government. Matias Delacroix/AP FILE - Gerardo Blyde, of the opposition Unitary Platform coalition, speaks during a press conference the day after the Supreme Court ratified the disqualification of presidential candidate Maria Corina Machado, in Caracas, Venezuela, Jan. 27, 2024. Venezuelas top court complicateded Machado's presidential aspirations by affirming her ban, but she has continued campaigning. Jesus Vargas/AP FILE - Opposition coalition presidential hopeful Maria Corina Machado speaks to supporters at a campaign event in Caracas, Venezuela, Jan. 23, 2024. Machado has been sidelined from running in the upcoming presidential election by the Nicolas Maduro government. Jesus Vargas/AP FILE - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro holds up a child wearing a signature red beret associated with the late President Hugo Chavez, alongside first lady Cilia Flores, during a commemorative event, in Caracas, Venezuela, Feb. 29, 2024. Maduro became Venezuela's interim president in March 2013 after the death of Chavez and elected a few months later. Ariana Cubillos/AP FILE - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro looks through a pair of binoculars while standing on the main stage during a commemorative event, in Caracas, Venezuela, Feb. 29, 2024. Maduro became Venezuela's interim president in March 2013 after the death of Hugo Chavez and elected a few months later. He is seeking his third six-year term in the upcoming presidential election. Ariana Cubillos/AP FILE - Opposition presidential hopeful Maria Corina Machado speaks to supporters during a rally in Valencia, Carabobo State, Venezuela, Oct. 5, 2023. Machado rose from a hiatus to the top of the opposition leadership. Ariana Cubillos/AP FILE - Opposition presidential hopeful Maria Corina Machado acknowledges supporters during a rally in Valencia, Carabobo state, Venezuela, Oct. 5, 2023. Despite an administrative ban to block her from running for office, Machado won an October primary election with more than 90% of the vote. Ariana Cubillos/AP FILE - People line up to vote in the opposition primary election that was later denounced as illegal by the government, in Caracas, Venezuela, on a rainy Oct. 22, 2023. Organized by the National Primary Commission, the election drew more than 2.4 million voters in Venezuela and abroad and was aimed at choosing a candidate to run against President Nicolas Maduro. Matias Delacroix/AP FILE - National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez speaks during a ceremony announcing various presidential election dates to propose to the National Elections Council, in Caracas, Venezuela, Feb. 28, 2024. The birth date of the late President Hugo Chavez, July 28 was eventually chosen as election day from among the more than 20 proposed. Matias Delacroix/AP FILE - National Electoral Council (CNE) President Elvis Hidrobo Amoroso, center, speaks to the press at the National Electoral Council headquarters, flanked by Carlos Enrique Quintero, left, and Rosalba Gil, in Caracas, Venezuela, March 5, 2024. Amoroso announced that Venezuela's presidential election will take place on July 28. Ariana Cubillos/AP FILE - A Bolivarian Militia member carries a Venezuelan flag during a commemorative march, in Caracas, Venezuela, Feb. 29, 2024. The ruling party is expected to officially name incumbent President Nicolas Maduro, who is seeking his third six-year term, as its candidate in mid-March. Ariana Cubillos/AP MEXICO CITY (AP) Venezuelas presidential election so far is a one-horse race for incumbent President Nicolas Maduro. Thats not for a lack of potential challengers, or because of any great affection from voters. Its because hes the only politician with the means for a campaign and a guaranteed spot on the ballot. Electoral authorities this week announced that the highly anticipated election will take place July 28. Maduro is sure to represent the powerful United Socialist Party of Venezuela. His government has sidelined his strongest challenger, and the remaining contenders lack enough political machinery for a viable campaign. The announcement reflected the governments intention to move on from a heated debate over its decision to bar opposition leader Maria Corina Machado from public office. Candidates must register by late March, giving Machado and other opposition factions less than three weeks to decide next steps. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Machado is the first real political threat Maduro has faced in years. A former lawmaker, she maintained a somewhat low profile in recent years and rose to the top of the opposition leadership in 2023 thanks to a void left when other leaders went into exile, and careful messaging that softened her reputation as an unyielding politician. Maduros government moved to block her, starting with a June announcement that she was banned from running for office. The administrative ban, however, did not keep her out of an October primary, because the opposition Unitary Platform coalition, which is backed by the United States, organized the vote without assistance from Venezuelas electoral authorities. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The free-market proponent won the contest with more than 90% of the vote. Venezuelas top court complicated her presidential aspirations in January by affirming her ban, although she has continued campaigning and has rejected suggestions to choose a substitute. The people gave a mandate, and they gave the mandate to me, Machado told supporters Thursday. Listen to me carefully, to those who are talking about a substitute ... yes, there is a substitute here. Do you know who? Thats me the one who is going to replace Nicolas Maduro! Machado has refused to explain her strategy to overcome the ban, only offering platitudes to supporters that she is in the race until the end. The ruling party is expected to officially name Maduro as its candidate next week. Lawmakers jubilantly chanted Vamos Nico! Vamos Nico! during a legislative session Tuesday after the election date was announced. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Maduro became Venezuela's interim president in March 2013 after the death of Hugo Chavez, whose homespun charm earned him the affection and votes of millions. Maduro was narrowly elected a few months later and re-elected in 2018 to a six-year term in an electoral process widely criticized as fraudulent. Maduro's presidency has been marked by a complex social, economic and political crisis that has pushed more than 7.4 million people to emigrate, primarily to Latin American and Caribbean countries. Now, a few politicians who are ruling party allies and a former television reporter have expressed intentions to face off against Maduro. None have the party structure, voter support or financial resources needed to run a competitive campaign. Election campaigns in Venezuela typically involve handouts of free food, home appliances and other goods on behalf of governing party candidates, who also get favorable state media coverage. Opposition candidates and their supporters struggle to find places to gather without harassment from government activists and to get fuel to travel across the country. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Unitary Platforms primary had 10 candidates, including Machado, who does not belong to the group but was allowed to run as an independent. Candidates she defeated have rallied around her. Its understandable why Maria Corina Machado plays the card of being the candidate. She won the primary hands down, said Christopher Sabatini, senior fellow for Latin America at the London-based Chatham House. But her inflexible rhetoric may make it impossible for the opposition to prepare a viable alternative to her, Sabatini said. In hopes that the ban on Machado could somehow be lifted, the Unitary Platform could register a provisional candidate now and substitute Machado for that person up to 10 days before the election. The substitution would require approval of electoral authorities. The July 28 date also Chavez's birthday was chosen from among more than 20 proposed based on input from ruling party allies, business associations, university officials, religious groups and other organizations. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Unitary Platform did not participate in any of the meetings that led to the election proposals. The group and Maduros government have held on-again-off-again negotiations since 2021. In October, they reached what at the time was seen as a pivotal agreement to work toward a fair election. The deal, signed in the Caribbean island of Barbados, called for the contest to be held in the second half of 2024 in the presence of international observers. It also called for a process for presidential contenders to appeal bans on running for office. The deal immediately earned Maduro some reprieve from economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. But one of the sanctions has already been reimposed as the Venezuelan government has tested limits of the agreement, including by opening criminal investigations against the organizers of the primary that Machado won. Ryan Berg, director of the Americas Program at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, noted that the government chose Chavezs July 28 birthday for the election and announced the date on the March 5 anniversary of his death. That signals their intention not to allow anyone but Chavezs chosen successor, Maduro, to win the election, Berg said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The election plans mean that Maduro and his representatives are not abiding by the spirit of the agreement, even if they are abiding by the letter of the agreement, Berg said. ____ Three Ukraine-based Russian paramilitary groups claim to have crossed into Russia to fight Putin's troops in a dramatic turn against the government as the Russian president seeks re-election this week. The Freedom of Russia Legion (FRL), Siberian Battalion (SB) and the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) posted videos ostensibly showing their soldiers warring in Russia's western Belgorod and Kursk regions today. 'We will take our land from the regime centimetre by centimetre,' the Freedom of Russia Legion said in a Telegram post announcing their incursion this morning. The group claimed to have captured the Russian border village of Tyotkino, even after Russia said it had pushed back invasions. Schools in Kursk were also closed until the end of the week in response to the attacks, the city's mayor confirmed. The Russian defence ministry said Ukrainian 'terrorist formations' backed by tanks and armoured combat vehicles tried to invade in three separate directions in Russia's Belgorod region at about 3 a.m. Moscow time (0000 GMT). A spokesperson for Ukraine's intelligence service denied Ukrainian involvement, claiming the paramilitary groups were 'independent organisations' comprising of Russian nationals and therefore operating 'at home'. The Siberian Battalion shared footage purporting to show clashes with Russian troops The footage was shared as Putin gears up to run in the elections between March 15 and 17 Video showed a strike on an APC in Tetkino, a border village in the Kursk region of Russia Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures while speaking at a news conference following a meeting of the State Council at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia on December 22, 2022 In a video shared online purporting to show clashes with Russian government forces, the SB said 'fierce fighting is going on the Russian Federation territory'. The group urged Russians not to vote in the upcoming presidential elections this week and said: 'We have said that it would not be possible to overthrow the criminal dictatorial regime in the Russian Federation peacefully. It can only be eliminated with weapons in our hands.' READ MORE: Fresh humiliation for Putin as he sacks his top naval commander after wave of devastating Ukrainian drone attacks on crumbling Black Sea fleet - and replaces him with nuclear sub expert Advertisement The FRL published another video message declaring: 'We do not come to kill, erase, destroy or punish. We come to set you free from misery, poverty and fear 'Give your children a normal civilised future without sanctions and repression Most importantly, without war.' In their footage - purporting to be from the Russian-Ukrainian border - a soldier is heard to say: 'Like all our fellow citizens, in the Legion we dream of a Russia freed from Putin's dictatorship. But we don't just dream: we make every effort to make these dreams come true. 'We will take our land away from the regime, centimetre by centimetre.' The Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) posted a video of what it said were fighters engaging Russian government troops. 'The army of the Kremlin regime lays down its weapons without even starting the battle,' it said. The videos have not been independently verified. Illya Ponomarev, a Ukraine-based Russian opposition politician, separately claimed that the border village of Lozovaya Rudka in Belgorod was 'under full control of liberating forces'. Russia claimed its forces had prevented incursions from Ukraine and had inflicted heavy losses on the attackers. It said that four more attacks by Ukrainian 'sabotage and reconnaissance groups' were pushed back around five hours later in Russia's Kursk region. But Russia nonetheless closed schools in Kursk city until the end of the week following the attacks. 'In connection with recent events, I have taken the decision to put schools on remote learning,' Kursk Mayor Igor Kutsak said on social media, adding that the measures will last until Friday. Responsibility for the raids was claimed by at least two Ukraine-based armed groups - the Freedom of Russia Legion and the Siberian Battalion - which purport to be made up of Russians opposed to the Kremlin. Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine's military intelligence, told Ukraine's 24 Channel the groups were conducting the operation on Russian territory independently of Ukraine. The incursions - from Ukrainian territory where the partisans are based - came as Kyiv drones blitzed two oil refineries inside Russia, in the Nizhny Novgorod and Oryol regions. Russia's FSB blamed the border incidents on the Ukrainian army rather than anti-Putin Russians, claiming to have thwarted attacks into Russia. They claimed in recent days 100 people, six tanks, Caesar self-propelled guns, and 20 enemy armoured vehicles were destroyed on the border of Kursk and Belgorod region. The FSB said: 'Information is being spread on social networks about the alleged entry of Ukrainian armed formations into some border settlements of the Belgorod and Kursk regions. 'The published information is not true.' A soldier said the motivation of the apparent coup was to 'set [people] free' Groups claimed to show Russian soldiers storming into Russia to bring an end to the regime The Siberian Battalion claimed they were engaging Russian troops on the border with Ukraine The incidents took place just three days before the start of voting in a Russian presidential election in which Vladimir Putin is set to extend his rule by six more years. In a reference to the vote, the Freedom of Russia Legion posted on social media: 'The people will vote for whom they want, not for whom they have to. Russians will live freely.' Ukraine separately pounded targets across Russia on Tuesday with at least 25 drones and nine rockets, setting a major oil refinery on fire. Asked about those attacks and the border incidents, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: 'Our military is doing everything necessary, the air defence systems are working.' The Freedom of Russia legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps have previously claimed responsibility for other cross-border raids into Russia from Ukraine. In the past, Russian officials have cast the groups as puppets of the Ukrainian military and U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, which Moscow says is trying to foment chaos in Russia. Russia's FSB security service said separately on Tuesday it had detained a man in Crimea who had called for violence against Russian people, the TASS state news agency reported. The SNP were today blasted for failing to tackle Scotland's 'national shame' as latest figures showed a 10 per cent rise in suspected drugs deaths in the country. New data published by the Scottish Government showed 1,197 people died as a result of suspected drug use last year. This was up by 105 from 2022 and reversed a decline in suspected drugs deaths in Scotland over recent years. Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said the figures were a 'shocking indictment of the SNP's failure to tackle our national shame' after 17 years in power. Even before last year's rise, Scotland already had the highest rate of drug deaths in Europe - including the rest of Great Britain. The latest figures were published as SNP leader Humza Yousaf prepared to use a speech tonight to blame Brexit for Scotland's 'damaged' public services. But, ahead of his address at the London School of Economics, critics claimed the First Minister was 'looking for any excuse to cover up the failings of the SNP'. New data published by the Scottish Government showed 1,197 people died as a result of suspected drug use last year The suspected drugs death figures were produced using police data and showed Greater Glasgow recorded the highest number of drug deaths last year with 303 The latest figures were published as SNP leader Humza Yousaf prepared to use a speech to blame Brexit for Scotland's 'damaged' public services Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said the drug deaths figures were a 'shocking indictment of the SNP's failure to tackle our national shame' after 17 years in power The suspected drugs death figures were produced using police data and showed Greater Glasgow recorded the highest number of drug deaths last year with 303. This was more than double the 147 seen in Lanarkshire the second highest. Men continue to account for the highest proportion of deaths, at 73 per cent, while 27 per cent were women. The 35 to 54 age group continued to have the highest proportion of suspected drug deaths, accounting for two-thirds of the total, while under-25s made up 5 per cent of the total. The Scottish Tories urged the SNP-led Scottish Government to support their Right to Recovery (Scotland) Bill, which would enshrine in law the right to receive 'potentially life-saving' treatment, including residential rehabilitation. Mr Ross said: 'Another 1,197 lives lost. A shocking indictment of the SNP's failure to tackle our national shame.' He urged Mr Yousaf not to 'repeat Nicola Sturgeon's mistakes', adding: 'Back our Right to Recovery Bill so we can ensure everyone who needs treatment gets it.' Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie described the figures as 'tragic', claiming they showed the Scottish Government's approach was 'not working'. 'Scotland remains in the grip of a drug death health emergency with lives being needlessly lost,' she added. 'We cannot allow any more delay to the implementation of drug checking facilities and the pilot safer drug consumption room in Glasgow.' The figures were published ahead of Mr Yousaf's appearance at the London School of Economics tonight. He will use the speech to claim spending on Scotland's public services would be 1.6billion higher if the UK was still in the EU. 'In Scotland, I believe there is broad public agreement that Brexit has damaged the economy and public services, and that it should be reversed,' Mr Yousaf will say. 'Yet at Westminster there is agreement between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer that the UK should stay out of both the EU and the huge European single market whatever the cost.' The First Minister will claim Scottish independence would result in a return to the EU for Scotland and an increase in living standards. 'The National Institute for Economic and Social Research suggests that compared to EU membership, the UK economy was 2.5 per cent smaller in 2023 and it expects that figure to rise to 5.7 per cent in little more than 10 years' time,' he will add. 'That means 69billion could have been wiped from national income in 2023, equating to 28billion of tax revenue 2.3billion in terms of Scotland's population share. 'Around 60 per cent of spending in Scotland is on devolved services. With the same level of borrowing and taxation, that means without Brexit devolved spending power for our vital public services, such as the NHS, could have been 1.6billion higher than it is today. 'In other words, Scotland has suffered an estimated 1.6 billion cut that could have been invested in our NHS because of a Brexit that people in Scotland overwhelmingly rejected.' NIESR deputy director Stephen Millard said the First Minister's estimate was 'a little high' and the figure was likely closer to 'around 1.2 billion'. Scottish Conservative shadow finance and economy secretary Liz Smith said: 'As usual, Humza Yousaf is looking for any excuse to cover up the failings of the SNP Government. 'The reality is that if economic growth in Scotland had matched that of the rest of the UK, the SNP would have had billions more to spend on public services and we would have been spared Shona Robison's disastrous tax-and-axe budget.' Scottish Labour economy spokesman Daniel Johnson said: 'Years of economic incompetence by the SNP has robbed Scots of opportunity and starved the public purse of funds. 'While the Tories have created economic turmoil across the UK, the SNP has made a bad picture worse. If Scotland's economy had grown at the same pace as the UK as a whole between 2012 and 2021, it would be 8.5billion larger. 'Scotland deserves better than the low growth, low pay economy the SNP and the Tories have built. 'Labour will work to deliver the fastest growth in the G7, so we can create jobs, invest in public services and strengthen communities.' Iran will begin a joint naval drill with Russia and China in the Gulf of Oman just weeks after NATO launched its largest war games in decades in what the Kremlin has described as part of 'the West's hybrid war on Moscow'. The 'Marine Security Belt 2024' naval exercises kick off later today and will see warships cover some 17 thousand square kilometres (6,600 square miles) of sea with the aim of 'fostering security and multilateral cooperation'. The three nations' drill - their fourth since 2019 - was also meant to improve trade, confront 'piracy and terrorism, support to humanitarian activities, and exchange information in the field of rescue', according to Iranian Admiral Mostafa Tajaddini. But Tehran has dramatically ramped up its military cooperation with Beijing and Moscow in response to regional tensions with the United States, with Russia and Iran set to agree to a wide-ranging interstate agreement that will see bilateral cooperation increase significantly. The tri-nations naval drill comes as Swedish troops joined some 20,000 NATO soldiers embarking on massive military exercises in Norway and Finland after the Scandinavian country officially became part of the security bloc last week. The 'Steadfast Defender' war games, some of the alliance's largest ever, will see a total of 90,000 troops participate in drills over several months meant as a rehearsal of how US troops could reinforce European allies if a conflict were to flare up with a 'near-peer' adversary - seen widely as Russia. The scale of Steadfast Defender, to which Russia was not invited as an observer, has angered the Kremlin, with Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko previously declaring: 'These exercises are another element of the hybrid war unleashed by the West against Russia. 'An exercise of this scale... marks the final and irrevocable return of NATO to the Cold War schemes, when the military planning process, resources and infrastructure are being prepared for confrontation with Russia.' An Iranian military boat patrols as a warship enters the Iranian waters prior to start of a joint naval drill of Iran, Russia and China called Marine Security Belt 2024 An Iranian military catamaran moves in the Iranian waters prior to the start of a joint naval drill of Iran, Russia and China in the Indian Ocean In this photo provided Tuesday, March 12, 2024, by the Iranian Army, warships enter the Iranian waters prior to the start of a joint naval drill of Iran, Russia and China in the Indian Ocean Nordic Response 24 is part of the larger NATO exercise Steadfast Defender. The exercise involves air, sea, and land forces, with over 100 fighter jets, 50 ships, and over 20,000 troops practicing defensive manoeuvres in cold and harsh weather conditions An amphibious assault demonstration with joint forces of the Swedish, Finnish, Italian and French army is pictured during the Nordic Response 24 military exercise on March 10, 2024 Italian Marines in action during an amphibious assault demonstration, part of the Nordic Response 24 military exercise The 'Marine Security Belt 2024' naval exercises kick off later today and will see warships cover some 17 thousand square kilometres (6,600 square miles) of sea with the aim of 'fostering security and multilateral cooperation' in the Gulf of Oman China sent the guided-missile destroyer Urumqi and the guided-missile frigate Linyi to participate in the Marine Security Belt 2024 naval drills in the Gulf of Oman this week, while Russia's forces are being led by the Varyag, a Slava-class cruiser. More than 20 ships, support vessels and combat boats from the three countries, as well as naval helicopters, are involved in the exercise unfolding in the crucial waterway near the Persian Gulf, officials said. The Gulf of Oman is seen as one of the world's most vital, and dangerous, waterways. A fifth of all oil traded worldwide passes through the Strait of Hormuz between the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf. But it has also seen a series of attacks since 2019 that the US has blamed on Iran, as well as ship seizures by Tehran. Meanwhile in Europe, Sweden's flag was raised at NATO's Brussels headquarters on Monday, cementing the Nordic country's place as the 32nd member two years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Swedish forces are now involved in the Nordic drills of Steadfast Defender in Finland and Norway. 'We are humble, but we are also proud. We know the expectations for Sweden are high, but we also have high expectations for ourselves,' Kristersson told reporters yesterday. 'We will share burdens, responsibilities and risks with our allies.' Sweden brings to the table well-trained and -equipped armed forces. The country has been working in close partnership with NATO during military exercises over the years, and even more since Russia's all-out war began. Sweden also meets NATO's defence spending target of 2% of gross domestic product. During yesterday's flag-raising ceremony, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Crown Princess Victoria and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg looked on as two soldiers hoisted the blue banner emblazoned with a yellow cross among the official circle of national flags at the alliance's headquarters. 'The Russian, brutal, full-scale invasion against Ukraine united Sweden behind the conclusion that a full-fledged NATO membership is the only reasonable choice,' Kristersson said. Swedish government ministers and party leaders from across the political spectrum attended in a show of national unity, underscoring the gravity of Sweden's departure from a two-century-long policy of non-alignment and military neutrality. The neighbouring nation of Finland, now hosting the Steadfast Defender exercises, had already joined in April 2023 in another historic move ending years of its own non-alignment policy. Reacting to Sweden's accession to NATO, Finland's defence ministry welcomed 'our brothers and sisters in arms,' saying on X that 'now we stand at the beginning of a new era. Together and with other allies in peace, in crisis and beyond.' These are the seas considered the most dangerous in the world due to military activity and pirating Marines in action during an amphibious assault demonstration, part of the Nordic Response 24 military exercise on March 10, 2024, at sea near Sorstraumen, above the Arctic Circle in Norway Finnish Marines prepare to board on a Swedish CB90-class fast assault craft ahead of an amphibious assault demonstration during the Nordic Response 24 military exercise Swedish CB90-class fast assault craft in action during the Nordic Response 24 military exercise on March 10, 2024 Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (L) and Social Democrats party leader Magdalena Andersson (R), during a press conference about Sweden's NATO membership, in Stockholm, Sweden, 11 March 2024 Officials prepare to hoist the Swedish national flag on a pole during a flag raising ceremony for Sweden's accession to NATO NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, (front, 2nd R), Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, (front, R) and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, (front, 2nd left) pose for an official photo with ambassadors, senior military and military personnel during a ceremony marking Sweden's accession to NATO during a flag-raising ceremony outside NATO headquarters on March 11, 2024 Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to order troops into Ukraine on February 24, 2022, triggered an about-face in public opinion in both countries and within three months they had applied to join the world's biggest security organisation. Putin claimed to have launched the war, at least in part, over NATO's eastward expansion toward Russia. But the war had an adverse effect, pushing more countries to join the alliance. NATO leaders have promised that Ukraine itself will join one day, although almost certainly not while the conflict rages on. 'When President Putin launched his full-scale invasion two years ago, he wanted less NATO, and more control over his neighbours. 'He wanted to destroy Ukraine as a sovereign state, but he failed,' NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg said. 'NATO is now bigger and stronger. Ukraine is closer to NATO than ever before, and as the brave Ukrainians continue to fight for their freedom, we stand by their side.' Sweden's membership completes a strategic ring of NATO territory around the Baltic Sea. The country now benefits from the alliance's collective security guarantee - Article 5 of its treaty - a vow that an attack on one of them will be met by a response from them all. 'We have chosen you, and you have chosen us. All for one, and one for all,' Kristersson said, and he vowed that his country would uphold the values enshrined in NATO's founding Washington Treaty. A deadly laser weapon which can blow up drones and hypersonic nuclear missiles at the speed of light has been revealed to the public in newly declassified footage. The video shows Britain achieving its first high-power firing of the Dragonfire laser weapon, as it successfully destroyed a drone in the sky using the system's death ray. In these secret trials at the Military of Defence's Hebrides Range, the weapon proved so accurate it could hit a 1 coin half a mile away, with each 'shot' said to cost around 10. Its full range remains classified, but the invisible 50kW beam can cut through targets using it 'pin-point accuracy' and does not require any ammunition. The weapons platform, which military chiefs say will revolutionise the battlefield of the future, could one day be used to annihilate fighter jets, warships and hypersonic missiles. In these secret trials at the MOD's Hebrides Range, the system proved so accurate it could hit a 1 coin half a mile away, with each 'shot' said to cost around 10 Britain's DragonFire laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW) system was seen successfully hitting aerial targets declassified footage released by the Millitary of Defence DragonFire is Britain's first-ever laser weapon, which scientists hope will one day be used to shoot down military jets, boats and missiles The MOD said: 'DragonFire is an advanced military laser, being developed by Dstl and GB industry. 'The laser-directed energy weapon engages targets at the speed of light, using an intense beam of energy to cut through objects, leading to structural failure.' Dstl, the MOD's science arm, added: 'A newly declassified video shows the power of our DragonFire laser in action. This technology is the result of joint working with world-class industry partners.' Built by scientists in the UK, the weapon system is a 100million collaboration between the Government's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and industry partners such as Leonardo and Qinetiq. The tech could one day be used to sink boats and damage warships, bring down military warplanes and even destroy deadly Russian hypersonic missiles, which are so fast they could travel from Moscow to London in nine minutes. Although the tests have been hailed as a success, it is not yet known when DragonFire could enter service. Because of the energy needed to power it, it is expected to be fitted to warships of the Royal Navy, or to be used as permanent air defence platforms on land. But there are also ambitions for it to be fitted to armoured vehicles for the British Army. DragonFire used its mirrors and hi-powered lasers to focus heat on one point, causing a quadcopter drone to burst into flames. About 100 million has been spent on developing the weapons system, which is expected to be fitted to Royal Navy warships in the future Built by scientists in the UK, the DragonFire's designers say the hi-tech weapons systems boasts 'pin-point accuracy' An artist impression shows what the DragonFire could look like when fitted on a Royal Navy warship at sea In a January statement, the MOD said: 'DragonFire exploits UK technology to be able to deliver a high power laser over long ranges. The precision required is equivalent to hitting a 1 coin from a kilometre away. 'Firing it for 10 seconds is the cost equivalent of using a regular heater for just an hour. 'Therefore, it has the potential to be a long-term low-cost alternative to certain tasks missiles currently carry out. The cost of operating the laser is typically less than 10 per shot.' A 15-year-old girl who was allegedly raped by a tourist in the sea off a Bournemouth beach tearfully told a court today how she struggled to fight her attacker off as he dragged her out of her depth. Gabriel Marinoaica is accused of deliberately pulling the teenage girl out to sea before sexually assaulting her under the water. He is alleged to have placed his hand over her mouth to stop her screaming out as he then raped her. The girl, who could not swim, broke free when one of Marinoaica's friends approached them and she managed to make her way back to shore to her friends, Bournemouth Crown Court heard. The incident happened in the sea next to Bournemouth Pier on July 18 2021, one of the hottest days of that summer. Gabriel Marinoaica (pictured today) is accused of deliberately pulling the teenage girl out to sea before sexually assaulting her under the water Marinoaica is pictured leaving Bournemouth Crown Court. He is on trial for one charge of rape and four counts of sexual assault, which he denies Marinoaica, who has been pictured for the first time, is on trial for one charge of rape and four counts of sexual assault, which he denies. The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, gave a police interview two days after the alleged incident and this was played to Bournemouth Crown Court. She told them Marinoaica, then aged 18, had been there with another young man, who was talking to her friend in the sea. She said the pair spoke in their own language, but she couldn't tell what that was and described his skin colour as mixed race, like a mix 'between Spanish and Pakistani.' She said: 'There was another man there trying to touch my mate so she went. I stayed but I didn't think that was going to happen at all. 'He was with just one other person. 'He said he was 17 and told me his name was Dabi and he was driving back to Birmingham. 'He was telling me he could touch the floor, to make me feel safe. 'He was touching my bum and I kept telling him no, I was uncomfortable. He said 'should we smash?' I said no I was uncomfortable. The incident happened in the sea next to Bournemouth Pier on July 18 2021, one of the hottest days of that summer 'He put his hand over my mouth. I was only with him for about six minutes then his mate came over so I was able to push him away and get out of the sea. 'I was trying to push the water because I can't swim, I was trying to get back. 'I went to my friends, I was crying and told them what happened. 'I tried to go to the toilets, he was running after me, trying to get me to Snapchat. I said I didn't have it and he started calling me a liar. My friend said go away, she needs to go the toilet.' After the girl reported the matter to the police traces of semen were found on her bikini bottoms, but they did not match any DNA in the police database. It was another 11 months before Marinoaica, from Walsall, West Mids, was identified through police inquiries and his DNA matched the sample from the bikini. The girl, now aged 17, became upset when being cross-examined by Marinoaica'a defence barrister Sophie Murray. Ms Murray asked her why she didn't try to get her friends' attention during the alleged attack. She said: 'It was very busy, we were sat further back, I couldn't see them in my line of sight at all.' Marinoaica claims the sex was consensual and he thought the girl was aged 17 or 18. The girl told the court that she told him she was 15 and kept telling him no. The trial continues. Donald Trump and President Joe Biden are both expected on Tuesday to reach the number of delegates needed to win their respective primaries and solidify a rematch in November. Georgia, Mississippi and Washington state are holding both Republican and Democratic primary contests on Tuesday while Hawaii will hold its Republican caucuses and Democrats abroad and living in the Northern Mariana Islands will head to the polls. Before Tuesday's results, Trump holds 1,078 delegates and needs 1,215 to be nominated by the GOP in July. Biden has 1,866 delegates and needs 1,968 for the Democratic Party's nomination. Both parties hold their nominating conventions over the summer where delegates will convene and the candidates will officially be announced and the ballot set for 2024. Voters heading to the polls on Tuesday will most likely give the final delegates needed for Biden and Trump to reach their respective thresholds and the rest of the states' primary elections won't make much difference after that. Voters are heading to the polls in Georgia, Mississippi and Washington state on Tuesday to vote in the Republican and Democratic primaries The results Tuesday are likely to solidify a 2020 rematch between former President Donald Trump (left) and President Joe Biden (right) in November Americans have made clear in poll after poll that the majority don't want a rematch of 2020 this year, but primaries played out to the contrary despite voters being presented different options especially in the Republican contest. There were at the height more than a dozen others opting to take Trump's spot as the GOP nominee this November, but none were successful. Biden, as the incumbent, had less challengers but still faced bids from Rep. Dean Phillips, self-help guru Marianne Williamson and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. who is now running as an independent. Trump swept all four early primary states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina earlier this year. He also took 14 of the 15 states that voted last Tuesday. After Super Tuesday last week Trump's remaining competitor Nikki Haley finally suspended her campaign, but did not endorse her rival and instead urged him to 'earn' the votes of her supporters. Of the states voting on Tuesday, the results in Georgia are perhaps the most consequential. To highlight this, Biden and Trump held dueling campaign events in Georgia on Saturday. Trump rallied in Rome, Georgia with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Biden held a campaign event in Atlanta just an hour earlier. An Atlanta resident casts their ballot in the Georgia presidential primary on Tuesday, March 12 Georgia is one of the most important and consequential states in 2024. Trump lost to Biden by less than 12,000 votes in the 2020 presidential election Voters line up to cast their ballots in Jackson, Mississippi for the presidential primaries on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 Trump lost to Biden in 2020 by less than 12,000 votes or 0.3 percent in Georgia. The Peach State has become the center of controversy after allegations Trump made a call after the election telling Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to 'find' the votes needed for him to clinch a victory. The former president and his allies claim Georgia was rich with election fraud in 2020. Meanwhile, Trump is facing a lawsuit in Fulton County brought by District Attorney Fani Willis for his election fraud claims. As a key swing state, Georgia will be closely watched in 2024 and is one of the states that could determine who will be president next year. Georgia has 108 Democratic delegates to dole out and 59 for Republicans and 16 Electoral College votes for the general election this year in accordance with the 2020 census. Meanwhile, Mississippi has 35 Democratic and 40 Republican delegates in the primary and Washington has 92 Democratic and 43 Republican delegates. Lara Trump, wife of former President Trump's second son Eric, was elected co-chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) on Friday. She said Sunday that the RNC will become laser focused on prosecuting 'election cheaters.' 'I can guarantee you, that over the next 8 months, you are going to see things happen at the Republican National Committee unlike you have ever seen before. Because this is a must win election!' Lara told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo. She told Bartiromo just two days after becoming co-chair that they are working to establish a network of volunteer poll watchers in 2024 and lawyers amid 78 lawsuits in 23 states where the RNC is trying to make it easier to vote and 'harder to cheat.' Former President Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump unanimously won the election to become the Republican National Committee (RNC) new co-chair during the spring meeting in Houston, Texas on Friday 'We have to ensure that when people go vote they feel like their vote counts, that they are inspired to go vote. We can never allow what happened in 2020 and the questions surrounding that election to ever happen again,' she said. 'So I'll tell you right now what is already under way at the RNC,' Lara continued. 'We have for the first time ever an 'Election Integrity Division' this means vast resources dedicated solely to this cause.' She made it clear that the main goal of the RNC will now be to attack those who think 2020 was legitimate and to launch litigation against those who they believe are trying to 'cheat' or interfere unlawfully in the 2024 election. 'I want to say to anyone out there who's thinking about cheating in an election, we will go after you,' the new RNC co-chair warned. 'You will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. It is not worth it.' 'Every person in this country, Maria, whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, should want free, fair, and transparent elections.' One of Australia's biggest banks has been accused of putting profits before customers after it decided to close branches in two cities. Westpac has announced it will close four branches of its Bank of Melbourne subsidiary in Broadmeadows, Airport West, Werribee Plaza and South Morang in Victoria. And in the NSW city of Newcastle, it is shifting to a shared 'banking hub' with St George bank in the suburb of Hamilton after Westpac didn't renew a lease. The bank claims customers will not be adversely affected as it has 'digitally connected' with St George, Bank of Melbourne and BankSA and provides almost 7,000 ATMs across the country. 'This is about nothing more than a bank that loves profits and cares little about people, including its customers and staff,' Wendy Streets of the Finance Sector Union (FSU) said. Westpac has announced it will close four branches of its Bank of Melbourne subsidiary in Broadmeadows, Airport West, Werribee Plaza and South Morang in Victoria (stock image) Ross Miller, Wespac's chief customer engagement officer, said: 'With more choice in where customers do their banking and an increasing preference for digital, we've made the decision to close some branch locations. 'We have a robust process in place to assist employees to find new opportunities as we invest and grow our phone, digital and virtual offerings. In most cases, employees impacted will continue to work with Westpac.' The closures were announced just weeks after Westpac reported a first-quarter profit of $1.5billion in the 2023-2024 financial year. It also emerged two weeks ago that it had cut another 132 jobs, with some of these roles being sent offshore to companies in India and the Philippines. That followed 20 layoffs in January at Westpac's sales support unit in its mortgage services division, which were outsourced to Concentrix Corp, the FSU said. The bank claims customers will not be adversely affected as it has 'digitally connected' with St George, Bank of Melbourne and BankSA and provides almost 7,000 ATMs across the country READ MORE: One of Australia's largest banks cuts more than 130 jobs and offshores them to India and the Philippines Advertisement Another 50 roles from the bank's operations unit will be transferred to information technology companies such as Genpact, TATA Consulting Services and Concentrix. 'From time to time, we change the way we operate and this can impact some roles and responsibilities,' a Westpac spokesman told Daily Mail Australia. 'When this happens, we work closely with employees to provide tailored support and assistance with career transition.' Ms Streets said the latest branch closures are 'not about customers preferring digital banking as Westpac claims'. 'Having booked a $1.5billion first quarter profit last month, you would think Westpac could continue to offer banking services to customers within its existing branch network,' he said. 'Instead Westpac continues to slash at its infrastructure and people.' When the bank's job cuts were revealed last month, FSU's National Secretary Julia Angrisano said 'Westpac's strategy of continually outsourcing jobs to external service providers does nothing for staff morale and sends the message that staff need to toe the line or their jobs could be offshored. 'Instead of running an integrated banking operation, Westpac now looks more like a patchwork of third-party providers.' The bank has been contacted for further comment. An embattled Illinois Mayor billed the city $7,650 for her glam hair and makeup team over just two months, while listing it as an 'assistant' cost. Tiffany Henyard, 40, who represents the Chicago suburb of Dolton, has been accused by a former employee of wasting taxpayer money on six beauty transactions between April 6 and June 5, 2023. It comes after it was revealed that the $300K-salaried mayor has spent thousands more taxpayer dollars on lavish first class trips and a security detail. She's facing furious calls to resign after rejecting demands to open up the books while vetoing a bid by the town trustees to call the FBI. In the latest blow to the mayor, former assistant Stephanie Wiedeman has blasted her as a 'narcissistic' and 'very self-serving' person who 'shattered' the town in a tell-all interview about her beauty spending. Tiffany Henyard, 40, who represents the Chicago suburb of Dolton, has been accused by a former employee of wasting taxpayer money on six beauty transactions between April 6 and June 5, 2023 In the latest blow to the mayor, former assistant Stephanie Wiedeman (pictured) has blasted her as a ' narcissistic' and 'very self-serving' person who 'shattered' the town in a tell-all interview about her beauty spending Wiedeman also produced records from a Freedom of Information Act request showing Henyard's spending on her stylist, who was listed as 'admin assistant' in her receipts. Henyard gets her hair and makeup done by Brandon K Momon, known as 'Style Me Brandon' on Instagram, according to his social media posts. Momon regularly posts videos of Henyard smiling, waving, and blowing kisses at the camera in colorful looks he has styled for her. Tiffany Henyard is under fire for her lavish spending of taxpayer money Henyard brings home nearly $300K per year for her role as mayor along with serving as the county supervisor for Thornton Township. This dwarfs the average salaries in Thornton Township and Dolton of around $50K and $24K respectively. DailyMail.com has contacted Henyard's office for comment. They did not immediately respond. Wiedeman, a Thornton Township employee of 20 years, said Henyard fired her weeks into her tenure. She said this is typical of the mayor who makes decisions based on 'personal vendettas' rather than having the community interest at heart. Speaking about the lavish spending on her personal stylist, Wiedeman told Fox: 'I don't know that anybody should be able to come in here and spend money the way this is happening... '[Her] personality is narcissistic,' she said. 'I've met people in my life that have characteristics of being a narcissist but every single characteristic you need to qualify for she exhibited on a regular basis.' 'She shattered everything - we had a well-oiled machine, the township services were self-running because the people there knew what they were doing,' Wiedeman added. 'But (Henyard) eliminated all of that, and the community is suffering because of it.' Henyard has admitted a $2 million deficit, blaming the trustees for incompetence, but some fear the true figure could be as high as $5 million Henyard is pictured stepping out of a chauffeured SUV in one of her stylish outfits. She's been blasted for spending taxpayer cash on security, as well as professional hair and makeup artists After a recall bid failed, Henyard posted this defiant image on Instagram declaring she 'forever will be Dolton's mayor' Wiedeman has also filed a lawsuit against Henyard, claiming she was fired just a couple of weeks into her tenure because the mayor didn't trust her to keep quiet. 'She didn't trust me. I wasn't part of her team. Those were her words,' Wiedeman said. 'It wasn't a surprise to me that I was let go.' Wiedeman has also accused Henyard of sending police to conduct a 'false arrest' against her in retaliation to her recalling the mayor. 'She uses the police force to harass and torture residents,' she told Fox. 'I know this firsthand. I've been arrested by them. I get removed from meetings. If I wasn't living it, I wouldn't believe it was happening.' The allegations are being investigated by the FBI. FBI agents are also in the process of talking to dozens of people in Dolton about allegations of her leaving bills to suppliers unpaid. Henyard has admitted a $2 million deficit, blaming the trustees for incompetence, but some fear the true figure could be as high as $5 million. WGNTV reported that the town owes more than $427,000 to a company that repaved its streets, and another $400,000 to a tree-trimming company that worked for it last year. 'You lied to us as residents. You do not, you do not stand for me. And I want you to step down as mayor today and save our village from this deficit you have caused,' Dolton resident Vivian Allen told her on Monday. Henyard posted a video of herself with President Joe Biden at the White House in January after coming under fire for her high salary and questionable spending 'The mayor can blame everybody for what's going on, but she has to look at herself,' added former trustee Edward Steave. Henyard had her charity 'Tiffany Henyard Cares' shut down last month by the Illinois Attorney General amid claims it used taxpayer money and the services of public employees. She and other officials spent more than $67,000 of public money on trips to Portland, Austin, Atlanta and New York City, traveling first-class on some of the flights, and spending $13,000 on a stay in New York. Henyard has also been slammed for hiring her former campaign worker as the town's code enforcement officer despite the fact he is a convicted child rapist. Despite the furore, Henyard last month launched a YouTube channel where she plans on 'spilling the tea,'. Henyard said in the promotional video: 'I got the tea. With the receipts. Matter of fact if you want the tea, get it from me.' Called 'On The Move,' Henyard has dubbed the series 'the most entertaining political podcast ever.' Elon Musk turned down a request from Donald Trump to buy Truth Social last summer, according to sources cited by The Washington Post today. At the time, Truth Social's parent company, Trump Media, was in the middle of a complicated and long-delayed merger process. The Post's unnamed sources say Trump told Musk he had earned just $200 from the venture. Musk ultimately turned down the request for Trump's renegade social media site, the sources said. The Washington Post cites unnamed sources who say Trump asked Musk to buy Truth Social last year after struggling to turn a profit Just a few months after the disclosure, Trump Media's merger partner, Digital World Acquisition Corp., said that it had offered to pay an $18million settlement to the Securities and Exchange Commission if the merger was completed. The SEC alleged that DWA had misled investors, which put the merger in a precarious position. But the SEC has since given permission for DWA to register a merger, which could allow Trump Media to eventually go public. When reached by the Post about the Truth Social claims, Musk said only that he had 'never been to Mar-a-Lago'. A Trump Media spokesman refused to confirm or deny the claims, instead telling the newspaper quippingly: 'We heard Trump and Musk were actually discussing buying the Washington Post but they decided it had no value.' Trump has long railed against the Post, which is owned by Jeff Bezos. Musk previously looked down on Truth Social, tweeting in 2022 that the platform had a 'terrible name', and that it was 'time for Trump to hand up his hat and sail into the sunset.' Trump did not take kindly to the slight, posting a photo of the two men in the Oval Office shortly with a caption that claimed Musk would be 'worthless' without government support of his projects. 'I could have said "drop to your knees and beg," and he would have done it', he bragged. But the Tesla CEO has increasingly been supportive of the conservative ideology that Trump espouses. He echoed Trump's unverified claims that Joe Biden is 'importing voters and creating a national security threat from unvetted illegal immigrants.' Since being kicked off Twitter by Musk's predecessors, Trump has used Truth Social to communicate with his army of supporters. He said nothing of the Musk claims this morning, instead railing against Joe Biden. Swedish fighter jets intercepted Russian warplanes over the Baltic Sea, marking a significant moment in their integration with NATO. The Swedish JAS-39 Gripen jets stormed the skies alongside German and Belgian aircraft on Monday morning after their flag was hoisted at NATO headquarters, in Brussels. Following Sweden's official accession to the alliance on March 7, its multi-role jets participated in their first visual identification mission as part of the NATO Air Policing mission over the Baltic Sea. In a show of operational readiness, the JAS-39 Gripens were scrambled twice on March 11 to identify and intercept Russian military aircraft. NATO's Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) at Uedem had spotted an unidentified track over the Baltic Sea stretching from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia - sparking controllers to launch the Swedish jets from Sweden. Sweden's JAS-39 Gripen operated alongside a German Eurofighter to intercept a Russian An-26 warplane in an incredible display of intergration within NATO Air Power Monday's visual identification missions were the first time the Swedish Gripen jets had been scrambled by NATO. The tense events also took place on the Scandinavian nation's fourth day as a NATO member German fighters have been responsible for the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission at Lielvarde since March 1, but were joined on Monday by their Swedish allies They also ordered Belgian F-16 fighter jets to launch from Siauliai Air Base, Lithuania. Once the allies had taken to the skies, they both visually identified a Russian Tu-134 military aircraft that was not on a flight plan. Another Russian military aircraft - an Antonov An-26 turboprop - was intercepted later in the same day by the Swedish Jas-39 Gripen jets and German Eurofighters. The An-26 had appeared on NATO's radar screens and in a tense moment, the CAOC alerted the German Quick Reaction Alert Interceptors at Lielvarde who launched the track. Sweden's seamless operation alongside the Germans demonstrated how they are already integrated within NATO's Air Power. 'This first real-world mission of Swedish Gripen occurred only days after becoming a NATO member,' NATO said in a statement. 'It is an impressive demonstration of the deep integration the Swedish Air Force has achieved with NATO Air Policing forces.' The Scandinavian nation's joining of NATO adds strength to their power and control over the Baltic region Sweden's leader said: 'The Russian, brutal, full-scale invasion against Ukraine united Sweden behind the conclusion that a full-fledged NATO membership is the only reasonable choice' The sequence of events proved the impressively dynamic nature of NATO Air Policing operations and the quick response required from member nations. 'This swift coordinated reaction of NATO jets from Belgium, Germany, and Sweden safeguarding the skies over the Baltic Sea region underlines the close integration and responsive command and control arrangements within the Alliance,' wrote NATO's Allied Air Command. German fighters have been responsible for the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission at Lielvarde since March 1, while Belgian jets have been deployed to Siauliai since December 1, 2023. After the visual identification missions had concluded, the NATO jets from Belgium, Germany, and Sweden, returned to their bases. But this isn't the only recent example of NATO members being scrambled to carry out a double-interception mission of Russian warplanes over the Baltic Sea. NATO said that two French Mirage 2000-5s intercepted a Russian SU-30-M aircraft over the Baltic Sea last month Last month, NATO revealed that two French Mirage 1000-5s intercepted a Russian SU-30-M aircraft before trapping another Putin warplane north of Poland. It came after the Russian president made a direct threat to nuke the West as he accused NATO and the US of 'preparing to strike' Russia in his annual address to the nation. Monday's double Russian warplane interception taking place on the same day Sweden's flag was raised at NATO headquarters was also a fresh blow to Russia's tyrant leader Putin, two years on from his full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Sweden became the 32nd member of the alliance during a ceremony on March 11 that saw Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Crown Princess Victoria, and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg watch two soldiers raise the blue banner emblazoned with a yellow cross among the official circle of national flags. Kristerrson boldly said: 'The Russian, brutal, full-scale invasion against Ukraine united Sweden behind the conclusion that a full-fledged NATO membership is the only reasonable choice.' Sweden's instant display of active engagement signifies it's commitment to fulfilling its obligations within the alliance and strengthens the collective defense posture in the Baltic region - dubbed NATO's lake after they joined the military alliance. The Scandinavian nation's joining of the alliance adds strength to its power and control over the region and makes it easier for NATO to reinforce its vulnerable Baltic states. The move has also sparked theories that Western allies, including the UK and US, will be in a strengthened position to crush the crucial Russian shipping route if a war with Moscow breaks out. But Moscow will still be able to threaten undersea infrastructure from its bases near St Petersburg and in heavily-armed Kaliningrad, with experts warning that NATO must remain alert to the Russian threat. Eight months after Mr. Titanic Paul-Henri Nargeolet died in the Titan submersible tragedy, his adult children gathered for the sad task of clearing out his belongings from his last home in Pawling, NY. Many of his prized possessions, including OceanGatethe company that operated the doomed submerchandise have been put up for sale. The house at 1018 Route 292 is currently listed for sale for $1.7 million. In an exclusive interview with Realtor.com, the seafarer's youngest daughter, Sidonie Nargeolet, 40, said that when "PH" (as everyone called him) purchased the 2.74-acre property in January 2022, he was excited to own 515 feet of sparkling lakefront on private Lake Whaley in the hamlet of Holmes. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Paul-Henri Nargeolet's last home at 1018 Route 292 in Pawling, NY Realtor.com Since he had good friends who lived there, he was familiar with the area, which is a 90-minute drive to New York City. "He'd been there to swim on the lake many times," Sidonie says. Being around the water was important to Paul-Henri. Not only was it his life's work as a deep-sea diver and Titanic expert, but he and his wife, Anne Sarraz-Bournet, loved to swim. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "The lake allowed them to do that," says Regan Andrews, co-agent of the listing with Linda Finn of Houlihan Lawrence Brewster. A look back at Paul-Henri Nargeolet's last homeand most treasured possessions Paul-Henri was the director of underwater research for RMS Titanic, which owns salvage rights to the famous ocean liners wreckage. Before the sudden implosion of the Titan, he had previously led 37 successful expeditions to the site, had supervised the recovery of thousands of artifacts, and was considered to have spent more time at the wreckage than anyone else. A month after the submersible imploded upon approaching the wreckage, Sidonie first visited the lakefront house. It was obvious why her water-loving dad had snapped up the home two years earlier for $1.5 million. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The four-bedroom, four-bath, custom-built home came with a beach, dock, shady deck, and expansive views of the lakethe largest in Dutchess Countyfrom practically every room. The house is really beautiful," she says. "It's peaceful, and the view of the lake is amazing. And the neighborhood is pleasant." Sidonie Nargeolet at her father's lakefront house on Lake Whaley Sidonie Nargeolet Since Sidonie and her siblings live outside the country, they decided to sell the property and much of their father's belongings. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We dont have enough space to take [many] things into our homes, says Sidonie, who lives in Andorra, a small country between France and Spain. We will keep what makes us mostly remember him: things from the sea, frames, and objects representing the Titanic. The children used color-coded tags to keep track of who wanted to take what, including replicas of the White Star Line's sales brochures for the doomed luxury liner (a group of originals sold at Christie's for $11,400 in 2006), a copper deep-sea divers helmet called a scaphandre, and other diving and Titanic mementos. However, no actual artifacts retrieved from the Titanic were in the house, as they were too valuable and placed in museums. The RMS retained exclusive salvage rights to the wreck under the condition that nothing could ever be sold. Paul-Henri Nargeolet wearing his scaphandre, a deep-sea divers helmet Sidonie Nargeolet Advertisement Article continues below this ad Paul-Henri's children are keeping their father's diving helmet. Sidonie Nargeolet MORE FROM REALTOR: Advertisement Article continues below this ad Paul-Henri's kids also plan to keep all Titanic memorabilia owned by "Mr. Titanic" Sidonie Nargeolet Titanic replica brochures Sidonie Nargeolet A framed print of the Titanic Sidonie Nargeolet Advertisement Article continues below this ad A Titanic Christmas ornament owned by "Mr. Titanic" Sidonie Nargeolet Sidonie says the house held over 300 Titanic books, in English, French, and German. The books, as well as many of his other possessions, will be sold at an estate sale held at the house March 811. Working with the Titanic was an adventure of a lifetime, Sidonie says of her fathers lifelong passion. Recovering artifacts is a real technological challenge. With each dive, there was always something new to discover. Exhibiting Titanic artifacts in museums was a way for him to honor the memories of the passengers, not just the ones that died but also the survivors. Sidonie says shes happy her father will be remembered as Mr. Titanic. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Also for sale will be Paul-Henri's personal OceanGate merchandise, including a T-shirt and jacket emblazoned with an image of the Titan submersible that took his life along with four other individuals, including OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush. The company is now defunct. Paul-Henri had over 300 books about the Titanic. Sidonie Nargeolet Paul-Henri's OceanGate jacket with a Titan patch will be sold off at an estate sale. Lost Treasures Paul-Henri's OceanGate-branded jacket Lost Treasures Advertisement Article continues below this ad Paul-Henri owned OceanGate-branded wear Lost Treasures A Ttian sub Titanic T-shirt that will be sold off as part of the estate sale Lost Treasures An OceanGate-branded crew shirt owned by "Mr. Titanic" Lost Treasures These underwater walkie-talkies will be included in the estate sale. Lost Treasures Advertisement Article continues below this ad An Orion telescope will be sold off. Lost Treasures This lantern was recovered from the wreck of the Electra in Britain by Paul-Henri. It will not be for sale. Sidonie Nargeolet The 77-year-old explorer also left behind daughter Chloe, son Julien, and stepson John Nathaniel Paschall. Paul-Henri and four others perished aboard the submersible Titan as it approached the wreckage of the Titanic on June 18, 2023. The wreckage lies about 12,500 feet below sea level off the coast of Newfoundland. Advertisement Article continues below this ad King Charles' former university has ousted English from its students' union name after language campaigners demanded it be changed it to Welsh only. The university where Charles III studied Welsh history has become the latest place to become engulfed in the 'war of languages' after national parks Snowdonia and Brecon Beacons were rebranded. In November last year a petition calling for 'Welsh names for Welsh places' won sympathy from a Labour Government minister to end English spellings of well-known tourist towns. Now, the institution where young Charles studied the ancient language in Aberystwyth ahead of his investiture as Prince of Wales in 1969 has won a Welsh language fight in the heart of the university. Voted through by 81 per cent of the 150 members at the union, the proposal asked: 'Should Aberystwyth Students' Union change its name and be recognized as Undeb Aberystwyth?' King Charles' former university has banned English from its students' union name A look at Prince Charles learning the Welsh language at the University College of Wales Elain Gwynedd, the union's Welsh Culture Officer, who proposed the venture, is described on the union website as 'the voice for Welsh culture & Welsh language students in Aberystwyth.' She said: 'This change is an important milestone in the Union's history and shows our commitment to the Welsh language. 'My ambition was to change the name to reflect the Welsh identity of the Students' Union and I'm extremely grateful that the proposition passed in the AGM by a significant majority. 'It was also great to see members of the Welsh Language Students' Union of Aberystwyth come to support the proposition.' Speaking previously speaking about his time at Aberystwyth, Charles said: 'I went to these lectures and most days there seemed to be a demonstration going on against me with a counter-demonstration, usually by splendid middle-aged ladies who got out of a bus. 'That was an interesting experience. I did my utmost to learn as much [Welsh] as I could which in a term it is quite difficult and I am not as brilliant a linguist as I would like to be. 'But my being here for that period it did make an enormous difference to my understanding of the way Wales works and what I did pick up particularly was an immense sense of real community. It is a wonderful mosaic that I think makes the principality so special.' The university's move follows a nationalist trend to remove English place names in Wales such as Snowdonia being known as Eryri and the Brecon Beacons national park rebranding itself as Bannau Brycheiniog. But it faced huge opposition - with even Prime Minister Rishi Sunak saying he would use the old name of the Brecon Beacons. National park bosses were accused by both UK Government ministers and Welsh Conservatives for attempting to look 'trendy' with the move. A look at Brecon Beacons, which was recently renamed in Welsh following a campaign Snowdonia was also renamed in what has become a 'war of languages' between Wales and England Conservative Welsh Secretary David TC Davies said he had 'no prior notice' of the name change. He said: 'What concerns me is the fact there was no consultation and people who live and work in the national park were not given the opportunity to voice their opinion. It would be somewhat alarming if this was an entirely executive decision. 'The Brecon Beacons has a long-standing international identity and that is the name it will always be know by to so many around the world. 'I do question the cost and feel this is money that could have been used to encourage tourism in a better way. As a bilingual country, I fail to understand why the Welsh name cannot be used alongside the English name.' Bannau means peaks in Welsh while Brycheiniog refers to the kingdom of the fifth-century king Brychan. Mount Snowdon is also officially called Yr Wyddfa as part of the Eryri mountain range. This is the moment a line of surfers rode a five-star Severn Bore as the rare natural phenomenon emerged in daylight today for first time in five years. The Bore, a tidal wave that occurs in the lower reaches of the river, was visible this morning as it surged up between Newnham-on-Severn and Over in Gloucestershire. Hundreds of spectators lined the riverbank and bridges to catch a glimpse of the first and only five-star bore of the year, while dozens of surfers and paddleboarders attempted to catch the wave. The Severn Estuary receives the second highest tide anywhere in the world and the difference between the lowest and highest tides in one day can be more than 47 ft. These high or spring tides occur on several days in each lunar cycle throughout the spring and autumn and the bore is caused when the incoming tide is funneled into an increasingly narrow channel against the current of the river. The Bore, a tidal wave that occurs in the lower reaches of the river, was visible as it surged up between Newnham-on-Severn and Over in Gloucestershire Dozens of surfers and paddleboarders attempted to ride the wave - with varying success The Severn Estuary receives the second highest tide anywhere in the world and the difference between the lowest and highest tides in one day can be more than 14.5 metres (47 feet) What causes the Severn Bore? A bore is natural phenomena that causes a large wave to appear in the lower end of a river. The Severn Estuary receives the second highest tide anywhere in the world and the difference between the lowest and highest tides in one day can be more than 14.5 metres (47 feet). These high or spring tides occur on several days in each lunar cycle throughout the spring and autumn and the bore is caused when the incoming tide is funneled into an increasingly narrow channel against the current of the river. Advertisement Today was the first time the bore has reached its peak 'five-star' status in daylight for five years. Every year enthusiasts flock to the river in an attempt to surf along the wave while thousands of spectators watch. Six surfers, Will, Beth, Sarah, Arron, MJ and Alex, travelled from Bristol to ride the bore today and described it as 'one of the best minutes of our lives'. Speaking to the BBC, they added that there was a strong current and that the bore was 'hard to catch'. Another surfer, Steve King, said the challenge with a single wave was the need to leave enough space for everyone else. 'We're all trying to catch the same wave, so 30 or 40 people are on it,' he said. Cornish surf instructor Peter Abell proposed to his marine biologist girlfriend Angie de Burgh while riding the bore in 2016. Video shows the pair balancing on their boards as the tidal wave sweeps up the River Severn, before Angie shouts: 'Yes.' The spot holds special significance for Peter and Angie because its where their love of surfing first brought them together in 2013. Today was the first time the bore has reached its peak 'five-star' status in daylight for five years Every year enthusiasts flock to the river in an attempt to surf along the wave while thousands of spectators watch Surfers waiting for the bore to make its way towards them this morning Bodycam footage shows the moment a vicious thug attacked a female police officer even after she took him down with her Taser. Noah Spells, 40, pleaded guilty to numerous offences including serious assault of a police officer, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and arming himself to cause fear. He was sentenced to two years in prison. Video played to Southport Magistrate's Court showed Spells asleep behind the wheel of a car in Pagewood, on the Gold Coast, on December 13. He was awoken by the female officer who noted he was 'under the influence'. He appears to rummage through the car as the cop asked him to exit, then he suddenly lurches at the much smaller officer, forcing her to fire the Taser. Spells shrieked in pain as he squirmed on the ground before launching a second attack just seconds later, grabbing her by the hair and wrestling her to the road. Wild footage has emerged of the moment Noah Spells, 40, lunged out of a car to attack a female officer (pictured) in Pagewood, Gold Coast, on December 13 READ MORE: Aussie motorcycle rider goes ballistic in Thailand after being hit from behind by a car Advertisement The officer can be heard screaming in pain during the attack and was later heard gasping for air and calling for backup. Separate footage taken by a concerned neighbour shows Spells standing over the officer for a brief second before he turned and took off down the road. Spells was tracked down and arrested shortly afterwards, while the officer was taken to Pindara hospital in a stable condition with injuries to her head and body. A firearm and multiple rounds of ammunition were discovered in the car he fled from. It is believed he reached for the weapon when the officer confronted him. The court heard that this was the last act in a recent string of crimes committed by Springs while he was released on parole. Police prosecutor Senior Constable Matthew Thompson said Spells stole a car from a car wash the day prior. He would go on to brandish a 'revolver-style shotgun' at the car's owner when he attempted to retrieve the stolen property, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported. He went on to tell the court that Spells' extensive rap sheet includes numerous crimes of a similar nature. Spells' defence lawyer, Jason Grant, said his client grew up in a wealthy household but had fallen into drug use and a life or crime. Despite shrieking and writhing in pain from being Tasered (pictured), Spells was able to recover and launch a second attack on the officer before fleeing Spells was arrested shortly after and has since been sentenced to two years imprisonment but will be eligible for parole on April 13 of next year (pictured, Spells attacking the officer) Mr Grant told the could that his actions lead to his family severing ties with Spells and in turn the 'life he was accustomed to'. He said his client had admitted the assault would have been 'terrifying' for the officer and that his list of crimes were serious. Presiding magistrate, Dzenita Balic, said Spells' downfall prior to the arrest had clearly been caused by things going 'significantly wrong'. Ms Balic noted Spells' future still has promise as his mother makes efforts to reconnect with the 40-year-old. Spells will be eligible for parole on April 13 next year. Suspected vandals have struck a funeral parlour at the centre of a police probe over improper care for the dead, MailOnline can reveal. Flower boxes fixed to the front of one of three branches of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull, East Yorkshire, were kicked off, leaving soil strewn across the pavement. The alleged vandalism took place in the past two days, according to neighbouring businesses. Pictures taken at the Anlaby Road branch of the funeral company show four damaged flower baskets, with two lying on the ground, as police officers stand guard at the scene. One business owner said: 'They had been kicked off when I came to work on Monday morning. The police swept up most of it. 'Tensions are really high over this, so it might be someone who wants to make a point. But it could just be kids - it wouldn't be the first time that they've been kicked off.' Officers have been investigating Legacy Independent Funeral Directors, which has two branches in Hull and one in Beverley, since last Wednesday after reports of 'concern for care of the deceased'. Vandals have hit a funeral parlour at the centre of a police probe over improper care for the dead Pictures taken at the Anlaby Road branch of the funeral company show four damaged flower baskets, with two lying on the ground The vandalism took place in the past two days, according to neighbouring businesses Police stand guard outside Legacy Funeral Directors on Anlaby Road in Hull On Sunday, Humberside Police said 34 bodies were removed from its Hessle Road branch and two people had been arrested in connection with the case. At the company's Beverley branch, branding for Legacy was removed. Pictures taken this morning show branding for the previous occupier, Time & Motion, which closed in 2018 and is unconnected to Legacy. Officers have continued the focus of their inquiries on a Legacy branch in Hessle Road, Hull. Today, forensic investigators dressed in white protective suits were seen entering the parlour. It comes as mourners came forward to say they feared their deceased family members were not in the coffins - or that they received the wrong ashes. Billie Jo Suffill, 33, fears she may have kissed her father's empty coffin after the funeral directors used by her family came under investigation. The mother-of-three used the firm for the cremations of both her father and brother, who tragically died five days apart in 2022. Rob Bush (left) who runs the funeral directors is pictured with his daughter Saskya who is an employee Police patrolling outside the Beckside branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull on March 9 Police conducted a raid and removed 34 bodies after concerns were raised about the conduct of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull She said her tearful farewell to her father Andy Suffill when his life was cut tragically short at the age of 52 on July 9 two years ago. In a tragic twist, his son Dwane - Miss Suffill's brother - took his life five days later on July 14 after finding his father's body. Dwane had suffered from mental health problems after losing his mother around seven years prior. Speaking about her father's death, Miss Suffill said: 'I never actually got to see my dad's body. I wanted to see him dressed in his new clothes but I never got to.' She added: 'I bet my dad was not even in the coffin - it was an empty coffin. I was kissing an empty coffin. When I think about it now it is disgusting.' Mother-of-three Billie Jo Suffill is pictured kissing her father's coffin. She now fears the coffin was empty Billie Jo Suffill, 33, is pictured with her father who died in 2022. Her brother died five days after Mr Suffill died after he was attacked by two men the night before and took some tablets in the house he shared with his Dwane. Dwane went down to check on his father and found him dead. He was overcome with grief and took an overdose five days later. An inquest concluded it was suicide. Miss Suffill said: 'I got ashes after my brother's funeral. But now I don't even know if they are his ashes and I never got any from my dad.' She added: 'I wanted my brother's funeral at a proper chapel. He was my best friend and it broke my heart when he died.' More than 350 calls have been made to the hotline set up for grieving families and a number of relatives have expressed concerns that the ashes they were given following cremation could have been from a different body. Leila Parker-Poland, from Hull, recalled how she went to the Legacy building and was initially told her mother's ashes couldn't be found. She said 'later that night he turned up at my house and passed me the ashes' and she even joked about it 'not being her ashes.' Robert Bush (pictured) is the company boss of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors Saskya Bush is employed by her father Robert Bush, who is the company owner Residents reported seeing police at the Hessle Road branch in the early hours last Thursday Legacy also dealt with her father's earlier death. The grieving daughter said she now has 'so many questions in my head' and wonders if the funeral staff did 'dress them in the clothes we wanted.' Ms Parker-Poland said she knew of another woman with 'a box of ashes from Legacy' who phoned the crematorium today and was told 'no one of that name was cremated' on the dates given. 'So she is sat with ashes that were not her dad's,' speculated Ms Parker-Poland. At least one person is said to have made an item of jewellery using the ashes of a loved one and is now questioning the validity of the remains. One man told the Mirror: 'All families that ever had any dealings with this company are worried.' Another devastated relative, Emma Osborne, said that she had been informed that her stepfather Danny Middleton may be one of the 34 bodies, despite relatives being supposedly given his ashes a month ago. The funeral service took place in the Legacy branch and she said his body 'has just been found in the morgue'. Ms Osborne told the Telegraph: 'As far as we know he has got his ID band on him, that's all we know, he has not been identified properly. Officers have been stationed outside the Hessle Road branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors Humberside Police are investigating the funeral directors after receiving a report expressing 'concern about the storage and management processes relating to care of the deceased' 'They [the funeral directors] have given my step-brother ashes a month ago, they have given him ashes saying that it was my step-dad. I think there might be a number of other people that have been in the same [position][, that's all I can say.' Neighbours said Mr Middleton had spent his final years living on his own with his cocker spaniel Elvis after his wife's death. Mandy Callis, who was a neighbour of Mr Middleton for six years, told the newspaper that it would be 'disgusting' if has been treated like this. Another woman, who asked not to be named, said she was suffering from 'panic attacks', 'depression' and was 'not coping' out of worry about how her partner's body and remains were dealt with and whether the ashes in a glass bottle in her home were really from him. She said her partner, who was in his mid-60s, was suffering from pneumonia and cancer when he died in December 2021. She saw his body when it was at the Hessle branch of Hull-based Legacy but was concerned about marks on his face and neck. A cremation took place in early January but she said 'it took them ages for the ashes to be given to me'. She added: 'I have still got some of the ashes in a glass bottle and my daughter has got some, but my big worry is that it could be the wrong ashes.' Police have said nothing to suggest there is evidence she received the wrong ashes, but she said 'there is so much speculation on social media that you just don't know what to think'. The firm is run by owner Mr Bush, a married father-of-two and motorbike racing fanatic, and his daughter Saskya, an engineering graduate. Sources told the Mirror that the parlour was targeted by police following an undercover sting. Assistant Chief Constable Thom McLoughlin said in a statement: 'Since the report on Wednesday March 6, cordons remain in place at all three Legacy Independent Funeral Directors premises. The dedicated phone line remains open and has received over 350 calls from concerned members of the public since Friday. 'We continue to encourage anyone who has used Legacy Independent Funeral Directors and has concerns to call us on 0800 051 4674 or 0207 126 7619 if you are calling from abroad. 'Each call we receive is being carefully handled and delicately assessed by a specialist team to ensure we have a thorough understanding of each family's circumstances. 'We will get back to each and every one of you as soon as we can. Please be reassured that my staff and officers are working around the clock to deal with the unprecedented inquiries generated as a result of this incident.' This is the shocking moment an Irish lorry driver discovered a pair of migrants stowed away in his lorry while driving into France from England. Cian Kenneally found the two men hiding in his vehicle upon a stop in Marquise yesterday after he crossed into the continent via Dover, Kent. The stowaways appeared mistaken in their journey to the UK as Kenneally was already 14 miles into France and heading away from Britain. Kenneally believes the men climbed aboard in Calais, France. Now-viral phone footage shows Keneally opening the compartment beneath his lorry while exclaiming: 'Get out to f**k will ye [sic].' The two men then emerged from the space inside, hopping out warily as one of the pair drops his phone in surprise. The two eye up Kenneally, who continues: 'Wrong way lads, wrong way. Not England.' The men emerged from the space under the lorry after being confronted by the driver The men began to head in the direction of Calais - more than 13 miles in the wrong direction In the video, the pair smile and laugh as Kenneally chuckles at the situation, before they ask the driver for directions. One of the men brings up a map on his phone, and Kenneally offers his best attempt at directions, saying: 'You're in Marquise. You're not that far from Calais, but I don't know where the train is.' The two men then stare at Kenneally and begin to head in the direction of Calais - more than 13 miles in the wrong direction from where they started. As they walk off, Kenneally comments: 'You boys are actually sound in fairness, you've a bit of a walk lads.' Kenneally shared the footage of the odd encounter to social media yesterday with the caption: 'Stopped in Pidou shop in Calais after just arriving form Dover, the boys obviously thought I was heading for UK though.' The clip, shared by Deadline News, has since gained over 36,800 likes and more than 200 comments from users left bewildered by the encounter. In the year ending June 2023, there were some 52,530 irregular migrants 'detected entering the UK', according to Home Office statistics. This figure includes those arriving by small boats, inadequately documents air arrivals, recorded detections in the UK, and recorded detections at UK ports. 44,460 of these people made the perilous journey by small boats. August 2022 saw the highest number of small boat arrivals (8,574) of any month since data has been collected, the government notes in its statistics. In response to news that four people had died trying to cross the Channel in January, Amnesty International said: 'Sadly, we know the response of Government will almost certainly be to repeat that more must be done to stop boats with no thought or effort to address the needs of the people who keep getting into them. 'But refusing to act to help traumatised and desperate people find real safety not even those with family and friends here to support them is irresponsible and no way to respect, still less save, human life.' Last month, the group urged the government to end its 'immoral' policy of refusing to process asylum claims, claiming the government's three-year-long refusal to process claims was at the root of a serious problem with the system. The human rights organisation asserted that the government had pursued an 'immoral and ineffective' policy of refusing to process many of those arriving in the UK in the hope that it might deter others from seeking asylum. One of the men brings up a map on his phone, and Kenneally offers his best attempt at directions, saying: 'You're in Marquise. You're not that far from Calais, but I don't know where the train is.' As they walk off, Kenneally comments: 'You boys are actually sound in fairness, you've a bit of a walk lads.' It comes amid a row over sacked borders watchdog David Neal's comments that the Home Office is 'dysfunctional' and in need of reform. In a BBC interview on Monday, the former independent chief inspector of borders and immigration (ICIBI) said he had 'paid the price' for speaking out about his concerns on border security after being sacked in February amid claims he breached the terms of his appointment. 'My conscience is absolutely clear,' he said. Mr Neal suggested that his sacking and the lack of a replacement meant there would be less scrutiny of border-related issues, including the Rwanda asylum scheme. 'I've been sacked. So there will be no scrutiny of small boats, there will be no scrutiny of adults at risk in detention which is a controversial area, there will be no publishing of the Rwanda material.' A Home Office spokesman said: 'It is the job of the independent chief inspector of borders and immigration to identify challenges in our system, including those proposed by Border Force, so we can take action to address them. 'But by their nature, each of the ICIBI reports will only be a snapshot of what is going on and will not reflect the changes we make as a result of their findings. 'A programme of work is already well under way to reform and strengthen Border Force's capabilities. This is delivering on the Prime Minister's pledge to make our structures and resources as strong as possible. 'The work the Home Office, Border Force and the NCA is doing with international partners to stop the boats is another part of our Border Force reform, and is already having a return with small boat arrivals down by a third when Mr Neal was sacked for leaking sensitive information he was told was inaccurate.' He used dirty money to fund his lavish lifestyle - consisting of mansions, luxury cars and designer clothes Brooklyn 'Bling Bishop' is notorious for his lavish lifestyle - complete with a fleet of luxury cars, $2.8 million mansion and wardrobe full to the brim of designer wears. Lamor Miller-Whitehead, 45, who ran a church in Canarsie called Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries, hit headlines in 2022 when he was filmed being reportedly robbed of $400,000 worth of jewelry while livestreaming a sermon. He also repeatedly claimed to have close ties with New York Mayor Eric Adams. But then a slew of fraud charges landed, and the flashy man of the cloth, Lamor Miller-Whitehead, 45, was on Monday found guilty of five counts including wire fraud, attempted extortion and lying to FBI agents in court. Prosecutors said he scammed one elderly single mother out of $90,000 after promising to buy her a house - only to instead spend the money on luxury items. Brooklyn's 'Bling Bishop' was convicted of using fraud and extortion to fund his over-the-top lavish lifestyle - which includes luxury cars, mansions and a wardrobe full of designer brand Lamor Miller-Whitehead, 45, was found guilty of five counts including wire fraud, attempted extortion and lying to FBI agents in court on Monday He usually shows up to court in Gucci tuxes or Fendi blazers - one of which cost a whopping $2,000 The fraudster even appeared at the Manhattan Federal Court to attend his trial in February wearing a $3,000 Fendi backpack Since being arrested, he has often shown up to court hearings in Gucci tuxes or Fendi blazers - one of which cost a whopping $2,000. He was pictured wearing a massive shiny ruby ring and diamond watch as attended court in September, 2022. The fraudster even attended his trial at the Manhattan Federal Court in February carrying a $3,000 Fendi backpack. On top of his ostentatious style, Whitehead has also used the cash from his multiple schemes for car payments and properties. He has been seen in a white Rolls Royce with a bright orange exterior, which starts at $300,000 but has been sold for up to $470,000. Whitehead has also been pictured driving around Brooklyn in a Bentley and in a Maserati. Records show that the convicted fraudster purchased a mansion in Paramus, New Jersey, for an estimated cost of $2.8 million. The 9,000-square-foot property boasts six bedrooms and five-and-a-half bathrooms. It has a sprawling driveway with a double car garage and even a massive backyard with a veranda and spacious lawn. The inside of the mansion has marble floors and a winding staircase - as well as a grand dining room fit with a glistening chandelier. Whitehead's luxury property even has a home gym, a games room, walk-in closets, a movie theatre and an entire hair salon. On top of his incredible New Jersey mansion, records show that the preacher owned multiple apartment buildings in Hartford, Connecticut. Records show that the convicted criminal purchased a mansion in Paramus, New Jersey, for an estimated cost of $2.8 million He has been seen in a white Rolls Royce with a bright orange exterior, which starts at $300k but has been sold for up to $470k He has been pictured wearing a massive shiny ruby ring and diamond watch as attended court in September, 2022 The $350,000 Rolls Royce that the minister arrived at the Fifth Precinct in Manhattan back in May, 2022. Whitehead is also believed to have been seen in Brooklyn in a Bentley and Maserati Whitehead is married to Asia DosReis-Whitehead and they share three children Jaidyn Lamor, Soriah and Heaven. After posting bail for $500,000 in 2022, Whitehead went on a 15-minute-long rant condemning the fraud charges he faced from his cushy mansion. Before his lengthy record of deceit came to light, the Rolls Royce-driving bishop was 'trusted by many in his community,' Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Greenwood said at the time. 'The defendant abused that trust by lying again and again,' she said. 'He lied about how much money he had. He lied about his business plans. And he lied about having influence with powerful people. All with the goal of getting money and property to fund his extravagant lifestyle.' She accused Whitehead of convincing the elderly woman, a former nurse, that he would use her retirement savings to buy a fixer-upper home and renovate it for her to live in. 'And she believed the defendant - a man, who by that time, had become a mentor and spiritual adviser to her son,' Greenwood continued. Whitehead ultimately splurged the money on designer clothing and a BMW payment. Whitehead (left) and Eric Adams (right) are believed to have a close relationship as the mayor tends to discuss social issues with the Bishop Whitehead is seen donning a $5,000 North Face x Gucci jacket and a massive ruby ring on his right hand Whitehead is pictured here with his wife - Asia DosReis Whitehead When the victims son attempted to get recoup his mother's funds, Whitehead said in a text message he was asking God to 'exact vengeance' upon the man. Two other schemes targeted a money-lending company and a Bronx businessman. Prosecutors said the bishop drew up fake bank statements to secure a $250,000 loan, claiming that he had millions in a company account that actually contained less than $6. He was also accused of attempting to extort $5,000 from Brandon Belmonte, the owner of a Bronx auto body shop, after a repair job. Prosecutors alleged Whitehead further tried to convince Belmonte to lend him $500,000 and give him a stake in real estate deals, insisting his connections to city officials could earn them favorable treatment and score them millions. Belmonte was hit with federal bank and wire fraud charges himself in August 2023. The 39-year-old was accused of running a financing scheme through his car rental business as well as an insurance scam. Whitehead showed off his display of Fendi and Gucci jackets along with his 'priestly robes and more' After posting bail for $500,000, Whitehead went on a 15-minute-long rant condemning the fraud charges he faced from his cushy mansion in December, 2022 The Balenciaga-wearing pastor was accused of conning Pauline Anderson, an elderly single mother, out of $90,000, promising that he would buy her a house The preacher also made headlines for his ties to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, whom he unsuccessfully ran to succeed as Brooklyn borough president in 2021. Adams declined to endorse Whitehead in the race and slammed him for using his name in a 'misleading' campaign ad, according to text messages shown during the trial. In July, 2022, three men burst into Whitehead's church and robbed him at gunpoint. The thieves reportedly made off with more than $400,000 in bling from the ostentatious bishop before two were arrested in September. Authorities believe the bishop was targeted because he was known to wear flashy, expensive jewelry in the pulpit. Juwan Anderson and Say-Quan Pollack, both 23, were charged under the US Hobbs Act, which criminalizes robbery and extortion which interferes with interstate commerce. Following their initial arrest, Whitehead told the New York Daily News that he was 'extremely happy' they had been apprehended. 'My wife was crying when she heard the news. We're waiting for the last one to be arrested so we can move on with our life,' he added, claiming it disproves theories he had staged the attack. But just weeks after the robbery, Whitehead tempted fate posting a tour of his 'prayer closet,' which could double as a designer warehouse. The bishop showed viewers his vast collection of designer goods, including a number of Gucci and Fendi blazers and a significant designer shoe collection. Dawn Florio, an attorney for Whitehead, plans to appeal Monday's verdict. She insisted during the trial that the evidence presented did not support the charges. Whitehead's sentencing before Judge Lorna G. Schofield is scheduled for July 1. A shameless Arizona mom whose 18 year-old daughter killed four during an illegal street race before fleeing the scene has insisted her offspring is 'a good kid.' Amy Rodriguez has sparked fury by becoming a popular TikToker with videos defending daughter Elena Rodriguez, who was jailed for nine years for the July 2022 manslaughter of four people in Phoenix, Arizona Elena and Jakel Huckaby were racing each other on July 22, 2022 in Phoenix when Huckaby's speeding car ran a red light and crashed into a rideshare car on Thunderbird Road. The Lyft driver, Terry Hill, 28, and his two passengers Sara Loustaunau, 37, and British Pena, 39, died at the scene. One of Huckaby's passengers, Galexy Saunders, 19, died from her injuries at the hospital. Elena fled the fireball wreck - with her mom also defending her daughter's disgraceful behavior in a recent AZFamily interview. Amy Rodriguez has sparked fury by speaking out in defense of her killer daughter Elena, 18, who slaughtered four during a street race, then fled the scene Elena Rodriguez, pictured, has been defended by her mother even after being jailed for killing four during a Phoenix street race 'She's a good kid, never been in trouble, great student. It can just happen to anybody. She was just getting out of work,' Amy told AZ Family. Defending the killer teen's decision to flee the scene, Amy continued: 'She did see it in the back of her mirror so she wasnt sure if something exploded or if there was an accident, so she wasnt sure until the next day.' Amy has shared her daughter's story on TikTok and her videos have garnered millions of views. 'She was 17-years-old and that is her beautiful car that she was driving that night,' Amy said in one post titled 'Why my daughter went to prison.' Commenters on Amy's video have criticized her for not being considerate of the victims and their families. 'You know what else was beautiful. The souls that are lost because of her,' said one commenter named Betsabe. Lyft driver Terry Hill was among four people killed in a smash caused by Rodriguez's daughter Sara Loustaunau was killed after the Lyft she was a passenger in was struck during a crash caused by Elena British Pena, 39, was inside the Lyft alongside Loustanau and was also killed Galexy Saunders, 19, was in the other car that was racing and died when it smashed into the Lyft Another user named Jaysona said, 'I get you know, loving her still because shes your daughter, its just the way you talk about it as if what she did was something so small...' 'Wow the way you discuss this tragedy like its a [get ready with me video]' said a user named Cammy. Amy addressed the commenters in a video saying, 'I know Im getting dragged on the internet and I really dont care.' 'This is my daughter and this is my page and they are her victims. Why would I talk about them?' Hill had a daughter and his family remembers him as a great father, husband and person. The aftermath of the July 2022 horror smash is pictured 'He was a good provider, he took care of my daughter, he took care of me, he took care of my whole family,' his mother-in-law Sharon James told AZ Family. 'He was outspoken, goofy, he didnt care about whose feelings got hurt,' his sister Jada said. 'He made sure his message got across, and his intentions were always pure.' Loustaunau's obituary in The Arizona Republic described her as a 'beloved mother, daughter, sister.' A GoFundMe page organized by her mother, Diana Heppler, said: 'Sara loved life.. she was loved and liked by so many. She loved her sons so much. She excelled in school and she excelled in everything she ventured in.' Heppler said when her daughter died, 'Sara was with the Love of her Life, British Pena.' Look back on his heartbreaking yet inspirational final few years below However, since his 2021 diagnosis, Mr Bird did much to raise awareness Former RTE correspondent Charlie Bird died aged 74 after a long battle with motor neurone disease (MND) on March 11, 2024. The Irish news presenter campaigned at length to raise awareness of the condition following his diagnosis in 2021. He said he had been 'privileged' to work for nearly 40 years at Irish public service broadcaster Raidio Teilifis Eireann on some of 'the biggest stories both at home and abroad'. Tragically, his final weeks were spent feeling that 'death is just around the corner'. Find out more about Mr Bird's heartbreaking last few years as well as finding out more about MND by reading on. Charlie Bird (seen in 2022) died on March 11, 2024, two and a half years after his devastating motor neurone disease diagnosis The journalist insisted that he would use his last years for good, raising awareness of MND, and did so until his dying day Pictured: The former RTE presenter in December 2023 at a charity event in Dublin Charlie Bird, who had become one of the best known faces in Irish journalism and TV was diagnosed with MND in October 2021 after noticing problems with his voice. He had been working on a podcast series when he first having concerns, and told The Irish Times: 'It was scary, because my voice has been my life.' Mr Bird added shortly after his diagnosis that even in those early stages, MND's impact on his voice had led him to avoid his friends and former colleagues. WHAT IS MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE? Motor neurone disease is a rare condition that mainly affects people in their 60s and 70s, but it can affect adults of all ages. It's caused by a problem with cells in the brain and nerves called motor neurones. These cells gradually stop working over time. It's not known why this happens. Having a close relative with motor neurone disease, or a related condition called frontotemporal dementia, can sometimes mean you're more likely to get it. But it doesn't run in families in most cases. Early symptoms can include weakness in your ankle or leg, like finding it hard to walk upstairs; slurred speech, finding it hard to swallow, a weak grip, and gradual weight loss. If you have these symptoms, you should see a GP. They will consider other possible conditions and can refer you to a specialist called a neurologist if necessary. If a close relative has motor neurone disease or frontotemporal dementia and you're worried you may be at risk of it, they may refer you to a genetic counsellor to talk about your risk and any tests you can have Source: NHS UK Advertisement In the immediate aftermath of his diagnosis, the journalist admitted that he was hoping for 'maybe a year or two', but opted to go public with his news. He would go on to speak openly about his struggles with swallowing and eating, as he faced down the debilitating disease. He told RTE a the end of 2021 that he 'cries every day' knowing that he would not see his grandchildren grow up. But he added: 'What I want to do between now and the end is try to help others.' A fundraising hike up Croagh Patrick organised by Mr Bird, dubbed Climb With Charlie, raised more than three and a half million euro for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association and Pieta in 2022. By the time the climb took place, his real voice had been replaced with an artificial one generated through years of clippings in the RTE archive. Also that year, Mr Bird filmed the documentary Loud And Clear where he reflected on his long career and subsequent diagnosis. He ticked off his 'final wish' in May 2023 by meeting his musical idol Bruce Springsteen at a Dublin show. Mr Bird had previously mentioned that he would listen to Land Of Hope And Dreams every evening and wanted it played at his funeral. And as he approached the end the first of three shows in the Irish capital, The Boss introduced the song by saying: 'I'm dedicating this to my friend Charlie Bird.' They had met earlier that evening. The following month, Mr Bird updated fans saying that he had reached a 'crossroads' with his health, because his movement had started to deteriorate as he suffered a few falls in as many months. However, he continued to be 'kept alive' by the love of his family, and their dog Tiger. In a social media clip waving in his 74th birthday, he said: 'Around this time last year I said I didnt know if I would see another birthday. 'But the love from Claire, my two daughters and all of my RTE colleagues, and the love and kindness that has been shown to me from people right across this country has helped to keep me alive. 'And these are not glib words, I really do love everyone. And of course I cannot forget Tiger. It is a miracle the way he looks after me.' Mr Bird, seen in 2019, first thought something was wrong when he noticed problems with his voice He is survived by his wife Claire, daughters Orla and Nessa, grandchildren Abigail, Charlie, Edward, Harriet and Hugo, and his three brothers By the end of 2023, Mr Bird revealed that he required a wheelchair, which he had initially dreaded the thought of, as well as being tube tube-fed. By February 2024, he added that he had to be 'hoisted' in and out of bed. In his final X post, on February 29th, Mr Bird said he was 'still hanging in', and added that he had planned to lead a walk in Wicklow for Samaritans volunteers two months later. Mr Bird's final interview came on the broadcaster where he made his name, on March 2, 2024, where he told radio host Brendan OConnor: 'I have a terminal illness and I know my death is just around the corner. I am not afraid of dying. 'I live each day as if it might be my last.' Mr Bird died on March 11 following his battle with MND and is survived by his wife Claire, daughters Orla and Nessa, grandchildren Abigail, Charlie, Edward, Harriet and Hugo, and his three brothers. The Princess of Wales is in a 'fragile mental and physical state' and will be 'feeling miserable' amid the Mother's Day photo row, a royal expert claimed today as she urged for people to 'lay off her'. Kate publicly took the blame for a manipulated family photograph released by Kensington Palace on Sunday as she issued an apology for the 'confusion'. Royal commentator Jennie Bond suggested Kate 'must feel under intense pressure now whenever she's going to be seen in public' after her major surgery in January. Also rallying round Kate today was royal expert Angela Levin who praised her for being 'honourable'. And Whoopi Goldberg urged the public to show restraint, saying: 'She may be the future Queen (but) she's still an amateur photographer.' Despite calls for the original image to be published, Kensington Palace insisted it would not be reissuing the unedited photograph of Kate and her children. And Ms Bond cautioned against 'bullying her into putting out all the images', adding that the 42-year-old mother-of-three would be feeling 'absolutely miserable'. She said that Kate's Mother's Day was 'obviously ruined by this row' and she 'didn't look that happy' when photographed yesterday in a car with William. On Sunday, Kensington Palace released the first picture of the Princess of Wales since surgery William and Kate were spotted leaving Windsor for Westminster Abbey yesterday afternoon Kate posted the apology on the Prince and Princess of Wales' Instagram account yesterday Royal expert Jennie Bond told GB News that Kate is in a 'fragile mental and physical state' Ms Bond told GB News: 'We are in danger of bullying a lady who is trying to recover from a very serious operation. I think of how she must be feeling this morning. Absolutely miserable, I think. READ MORE Whoopi Goldberg defends Kate Middleton over controversial Mother's Day photograph after Princess confessed she had edited the picture herself and apologized for blunders Advertisement 'Her Mother's Day was obviously ruined by this row. She was photographed yesterday in the car with William. From what we can see, she didn't look that happy, she must feel under intense pressure now whenever she's going to be seen in public. 'The pressure has doubled and redoubled. I think she's in a fragile mental and physical state. And we should lay off her.' And fellow royal expert Angela Levin tweeted: 'People should be proud that Princess Catherine hasn't blamed any member of staff and realise how honourable she is. 'Harry and Meghan's supporters can stop saying they wouldn't have had a Photoshop fail and should take over. Jumping in when someone is unwell is dishonourable.' It comes after further details emerged about the photo shoot, with William having taken the picture in just a 40-minute window on Friday before the Princess edited it twice in Photoshop to 'make it the best it can be'. The Prince of Wales took the picture of his smiling family on a 2,900 Canon camera before Kate made edits to improve the photo ahead of its public release on Instagram on Sunday. READ MORE How Palace handling of Kate Middleton photo crisis fuelled yet more conspiracy theories - from claims she face swapped her Vogue shoot, sent Pippa out as a body double and used shot from 2023 Advertisement Kensington Palace aides are said to have spent weeks planning to release a photo of the Princess to quell vicious social media speculation about the nature of Kate's condition since her surgery in January, which has deeply upset and angered the couple. Instead, the rare royal blunder resulted in another public explosion of conspiracy theories. Six of the world's top picture agencies including the Press Association then sensationally pulled the photo from their wires and libraries amid concern that the 'source has manipulated the image'. Amid the furore, the Princess later issued an extraordinary mea culpa on Twitter and Instagram, admitting she 'edited' the image - adding that she does 'occasionally experiment' as an 'amateur photographer' and apologising for 'any confusion' the image caused. Kate is said to have felt that honesty was 'the best policy' and wanted to 'own up' to the Photoshop blunder. The Princess felt 'awful' about the picture and had been trying to make it the 'best it could be', insiders told The Times - adding that she was 'thinking of her own children when editing the picture, hoping that they looked good for their own sakes'. Publicly taking the blame for the furore, the princess wrote yesterday: 'Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. 'I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. 'I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother's Day. C.' Royal sources said the princess had made 'minor adjustments' to the picture, which she and her husband had hoped would be a lovely 'informal' shot to share on a special day. 'This was an amateur, family photograph. Their Royal Highnesses wanted to offer an informal picture of the family together for Mother's Day,' the source said. 'The Princess made minor adjustments as she shared in her statement on social media, the Wales family spent Mother's Day together and had a wonderful day.' Despite calls for the original to be published, Kensington Palace said it would not be reissuing the unedited photograph of Kate and her children, which in itself sparked further debate. Last night the palace faced growing pressure over the debacle with claims it has been damaging to public trust. Palace aides did not spot any signs of Photoshop but it's not believed the edits were made aware to the princess' team before it became public. However, questions have been raised over whether the picture was too good to be true. One red flag might have been the fact the beaming family portrait was shot in such a short time on Friday. The busy schedules of the Wales family meant the picture had to be taken while everyone was back at home from various activities. A day later, Kate is said to have sent the photo out to her team. It's unknown whether any of her team could see that the photo had been edited on Photoshop but alarm bells may have started ringing when courtiers discovered that William had taken the picture. Without editing, it would have been some feat for William to take such a captivating photo with all the members of the family simultaneously roaring with laughter. A plan was put in place to release the photo and a message from Kate herself at 9am on Sunday - but what quickly ensued was 24 hours of intense scrutiny as the Palace faced questions from all angles over why the family photo appeared to be digitally manipulated. The row overshadowed yesterday's Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, which was being led by Queen Camilla for the first time, accompanied by Prince William, in the King's absence as he undergoes cancer treatment. His Majesty recorded a video message for the first time instead. READ MORE This is how Kate Middleton edited her Mother's Day picture: Photoshop expert gives his verdict on THAT royal photo Advertisement Yesterday Kate was seen in the backseat of a car with her husband as he left Windsor to travel to London for two public engagements. The Mail understands she was on route for a 'private appointment' and she did not accompany William publicly. Kate was later spotted leaving Windsor in a car with William yesterday as he was driven to the Commonwealth Day service in London. The Princess was not attending the service, but was understood to have a private appointment. William is set to carry out further engagements in London this Thursday. It is also understood that William and Kate's team of aides are restructuring, having advertised for a chief executive. Civil servant Jean-Christophe Gray had been William's private secretary until recently when he moved back to Government. A smiling Prince William walks into the Commonwealth Service in London yesterday afternoon Camilla and William attend the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey yesterday For now, William and Kate both have new private secretaries with the Prince being helped by Ian Patrick, a former private secretary to Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, reported The Times. Concerns were raised over a missing part of Princess Charlotte's sleeve and the misaligned edge of her skirt, with other speculation including the positioning of Kate's zip. The picture was released to reassure the public amid escalating conspiracy theories online over the state of Kate's health in recent weeks, but in an extraordinary turn of events sparked what is being dubbed 'Kategate' and even 'Sleevegate'. William and Kate have an established track record of issuing their own photographs, often taken by Kate rather than William, to mark special occasions including their children's birthdays. Picture agencies around the world took the extraordinary step of killing the photo of Kate But the princess's confession raises questions over whether - or to what extent - the images have been altered in the past. Public relations and crisis consultant Mark Borkowski called the fiasco a 'massive own goal' and said the unedited photograph should be released to regain trust. He said: 'It's plausible she's at home playing with the computer and using an AI tool, but if they're really going to regain any sort of trust they should release the unedited photo, it can't be that bad if they just made a few tweaks. 'I find they have risen to the challenge, provided the statement as an explanation - the question is with all the conspiracy theories running around, is whether people believe it and I'm not sure that they will.' Mr Borkowski said the Mother's Day photo had exposed a public relations problem for the monarchy: 'That's the issue, there doesn't seem to be that much joined up strategic thinking at the heart of the royal family at the moment, which leads to these problems where it's a very difficult organisation to manage in terms of PR.' He added: 'It's a nightmare, even the softer stories of Edward turning 60 this week haven't really resonated at all because no one's interested in them, they're interested in the stars they're not interested in the supporting cast and that is a problem at the moment. The PA news agency said it had withdrawn the image of Kate from its picture service yesterday 'They are under pressure, massively under pressure, this is a massive own goal.' The controversy was overshadowing the Commonwealth Day service, one of the key royal events of the year. Heir to the throne William and the Queen gathered with the royal family in Westminster Abbey yesterday in the absence of the King, who is continuing treatment for cancer during what has been a challenging start to 2024 for the Windsors. Earlier, Kate's uncle Gary Goldsmith defended the Waleses and claimed they would not have been responsible for altering the image, adding 'The smiles on faces said it all for me, I thought it was beautiful.' Sky News said an examination of the photo's meta data revealed it was saved in Adobe Photoshop twice on an Apple Mac on Friday and Saturday and the picture was taken on a Canon Camera. Under the licensing agreement issued to photo agencies for use of official royal photos, Royal Households usually stipulate: 'This image must not be digitally enhanced, cropped, manipulated or modified in any manner or form.' Kate was last seen at a royal event on Christmas Day 2023 with her family at Sandringham Royal author Omid Scobie, seen as a cheerleader for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, accused the Palace of having a 'long history of lying', and said gaining back public trust was now 'an almost impossible task'. The princess is known to be a keen photographer and revealed in 2021 that she takes so many family photographs that her children sometimes object. 'Everyone's like, 'Mummy, please stop taking photographs',' she said. Kate underwent surgery at the London Clinic on January 16, but details of her condition have been kept private, and she is not expected to return to official duties until after Easter. If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226 If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226 Her biological mother and step-father said they thought it was 'safer' for them to have sex with her than for her to have 'sex with strangers' A couple was taken into custody on Thursday in Provo, Utah after a teenage girl, 15, said her step-father had been raping her 'for the last year and a half' Parents in Utah have admitted to raping their 15-year-old daughter for more than a year because they thought it was 'safer' for her than 'having sex with strangers,' according to court documents. The unidentified couple were taken into custody on Thursday in Provo, Utah, about 40 minutes outside of Salt Lake City, after police responded to a call from the alleged victim who said her step-father had been raping her 'for the last year and a half,' the affidavit states. The teenage girl's biological mother and step-father, both in their 30s, allegedly approached her 'with the idea of having sexual experiences together,' according to police. The mother and step-father, who told police that he's known the teenager 'since the day she was born,' have been charged with forcible sodomy, forcible sexual abuse and object rape, according to online jail records reviewed by People. The teenage girl, her mother and her step-father have not been named in order to protect the identity of the alleged victim. A couple was taken into custody on Thursday in Provo, Utah after a teenage girl, 15, said her step-father had been raping her 'for the last year and a half.' (Pictured: aerial shot of Provo, Utah) According to police, the girl's biological mother admitted to engaging in sexual acts with her husband and her daughter. (Pictured: stock image) The step-father has been charged with an additional count of rape and both adults are being held without bail, according to jail records. The step-father said that 'a year ago he and the victim's mother learned that the victim was wanting to meet and have sex with strangers' online, the affidavit said. Court documents revealed that the teen's mother and step-father said that they also found photos of the girl 'in sexual situations' in online chats. He said that he and his wife decided 'that teaching the victim about sex, and engaging in sexual acts with the victim would be safer for her than having sex with strangers,' the affidavit, reviewed by KSL said. The step-father allegedly told investigators that he and the girl's mother purchased sex toys for the 15-year-old and took showers with her, arrest documents said. He also admitted that he and his wife 'showed [the victim] how to use' the sex toys on herself and on them, documents said. The mother allegedly said that she previously confronted her husband about 'having full intercourse' with her daughter after the teen expressed concern to her about a broken condom, according to arrest documents. The step-father allegedly told investigators that he and the girl's mother purchased sex toys for the 15-year-old and took showers with her When she approached her husband about it, he 'denied it at the time,' the affidavit said. She reportedly told police that she also engaged in sexual acts with her husband and her daughter, according to the affidavit. Authorities said that the couple is being held due to the 'substantial risk' they pose. It is unclear if the couple entered a plea deal or hired an attorney to defend them. The couple have four other children together but it is unclear if they were also sexually abused by the parents. If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226. The parents of a Texas student are praying for his return after he disappeared without trace from his college apartment in the middle of the night. Texas A&M student Caleb Harris has not been seen since he stepped downstairs to collect an Uber Eats delivery at his home in Corpus Christie at 3am on March 4. The 21-year-old had spent the evening playing with a dog that had just been bought by one of his two roommates and had been sending Snapchats to his sister until moments before he vanished. Uber say the order was delivered to the doorstep of the apartment block in Ennis Joslin Road and there was no sign of Harris who had turned off his phone seconds earlier. 'He kind of vanished,' father Randy Harris said, 'There's no evidence of wrongdoing, but there's no evidence at all. Caleb Harris has not been seen since he stepped downstairs to collect an Uber Eats delivery at his home in Corpus Christie at 3am on March 4. Hundreds of students live on the Cottages estate in Ennis Joslin Road Caleb's father Randy praised the Corpus Christi Police for doing a 'phenomenal job'. 'And so it's a matter of looking at every inch, everything we could possibly think of, everything the police can possibly think of. The keen fisherman shared the apartment with two friends he had known since 4th grade in his home town of New Braunfels, and another old schoolfriends had come over on the evening of his disappearance. At 2am one roommate saw him preparing fishing reels for a planned trip, and at 2.20am he placed his Uber order. Moments later he decided to take the dog for a walk outside the apartment, and at 2.44am he sent his last Snapchat showing the dog in a nearby parking lot. Twelve minutes later he returned to the apartment and dropped off the dog, at the moment his phone was last recorded as active. At some point around then the Uber order was delivered to his doorstep and Caleb vanished without his wallet or truck keys. The food was found later still on the doorstep by one of his roommates and Caleb was reported missing at 11am that morning. 'The biggest thing is that he was preparing for school, preparing for fishing you know had had a new lease on his apartment all sorts of things,' his father told Fox News. 'He was getting ready to go going to Alaska this summer for work. Mr Harris praised the Corpus Christi Police Department for doing a 'phenomenal job'. 'They're letting us know what's going on. They're doing a lot of things behind the scenes,' he added. 'They're trying their best to progress to whatever level they possibly can. And we really do appreciate them.' Caleb's mother Becky described her son as 'fun-loving and joyful'. 'He's a very likable person,' she added, 'He was certainly fun to be around for a mom. 'W know that God knows exactly where he is. 'We're hoping that he is crying out to him and recalling scripture and has a hedge of protection around him wherever he is, and it will be revealed to us exactly where he is and he'll be home safe.' Kelly took issue with Stephanopoulos' line of questioning, giving the anchor an 'Oscar for Sanctimonious Leftists Pretending They are Better Than You' Megyn Kelly has slammed George Stephanopoulos as a hypocrite and accused him of 'rape shaming' Republican Rep. Nancy Mace despite serving as Bill Clinton's 'attack dog' against sex assault accusers. Stephanopoulos on Sunday grilled Mace over how she could support Donald Trump after he was found liable for sexual assault, despite herself being a rape victim. The South Carolina Rep. hit back at the ABC anchor: 'As a rape victim, who's been shamed for years now because of her rape. You're trying to shame me again.' Kelly ripped Stephanopoulos saying he should get the 'Oscar for Sanctimonious Leftists Pretending They are Better Than You'. She referred to Stephanopoulos' role as communications director in the Clinton White House, claiming that he 'created a whole command center designed to smear Bill Clintons sexual assault and rape accusers.' Megyn Kelly slammed George Stephanopouloss as a hypocrite as she accused him of 'rape shaming' Republican rep. Nancy Mace on his show 'You're trying to shame me for my political choice,' Mace told Stephanopoulos. 'It was not a criminal court' Kelly said victims of sexual abuse often do not come forward because they fear the social and professional repercussions. 'That is a very real concern. It happens all the time. Which you know. Because you invented it. Remember? When you created a whole command center designed to smear Bill Clintons sexual assault and rape accusers so you could elevate him to the presidency!' Kelly told her Sirius XM podcast viewers. 'The lifelong Democrat took to his Sunday show yesterday and decided to really press Republican and Trump-endorser Nancy Mace on how on earth she can support a guy whos been found liable of sexual assault, especially when as he pointed out to Mace she is a rape survivor!' Kelly said on Monday. 'Its such an opportunity when you can use a womans rape against her!... What a kind, sensitive man who clearly cares deeply about women and their sexual assault allegations. 'Thank you for being an ally, George. I see how concerned you are that victims might not come forward if they are publicly attacked by their rapist or his defenders.' Kelly then went on to reference Stephanopoulos's time working for Clinton. She said: 'The attorney representing many of Bills accusers and there were many, George - said you and James Carville at Hillary Clintons direction formed a so-called War Room whose purpose was to destroy any woman that would challenge Bill Clinton You know the war room they made a whole movie about it.' The 1993 documentary, The War Room, follows Clinton's '92 presidential campaign and particularly Stephanopoulos and James Carville. Mace was raped when she was 16 years old and says it is what drives her to be an advocate for women's issues. The clip generated blowback for Stephanopoulos on social media, but ABC is standing by him. 'George did his job by asking meaningful questions that are relevant to our viewers,' an ABC spokesperson told DailyMail.com. Trump was ordered to pay $83.3 million for defamation after he publicly denied sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll in a department store dressing room in 1996. Republican Rep. Nancy Mace accused Stephanopoulos of trying to 'shame' and 'bully' her as the ABC anchor tried to press her on why she endorsed former President Donald Trump after he was found liable for sexual abuse Jurors had deliberated for less than three hours following a two-week civil trial in which the former president testified for just three minutes. The case centered on comments Trump made about Carroll in 2019 after she accused him of attacking her in a dressing room at the Bergdorf Goodman store in New York nearly three decades ago. In May a jury had found Trump liable of sexual abuse. Mace, who once said she wanted to get punched by January 6 rioters so she could be the face of 'anti-Trump,' did an about-face in January and endorsed Trump over her longtime friend Nikki Haley. 'His entire legacy, was wiped out yesterday,' Mace had said on January 7, 2021. 'Trumps record in his first term should tell every American how vital it is he be returned to office,' she said on January 22, 2024. Trump previously endorsed primary challenger Katie Arrington against Mace in the 2022 cycle but has since gone on to support Mace. During a rally in South Carolina that year, Trump called Mace 'crazy' and a 'terrible person.' Hey, mom and dad! Pay attention! Nearly half of teens say their parents are way too distracted by their cell phones, with 8 percent saying it happens 'often,' according to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center. The view differs from adults where only 31 percent admitted to being frequently distracted by their phones. The finding show the gap between parents and kids with many more teens feeling their parent's face in their phone. The kids' feeling was recently highlighted in a Knoxville TV news report - where kids tattled on their parents. 'My mommy just texts on her phone last night. I went and said "hello," but she didn't even answer me,' one young girl said. Nearly half of teens in a recent survey say their parents are way too distracted by their cell phones, with 8 percent saying it happens 'often' The kids' reports were in seemingly good fun as parents laughed at the response, but highlight the issue that now half of kids see with their caregivers. 'They're on a call and you try to get their attention and then they yell at you,' one of the boys in front of his agreeing father in the report from WBIR Channel 10. Another child ratted out their dad for texting while driving, while others described feeling neglected by a phone-focused parent. 'It makes me feel sad because they're ignoring me and I don't like when they ignore me,' another girl told the news report. Distracted parents on their phones is hardly a new phenomenon with news reports dating back a decade discuss the problem. However, in 2017, Dr. Perry Klass wrote in the New York Times about why parents should not feeling guilty about spending time on the phone. 'We dont always like to admit it, but taking care of small children is often quite tedious. When my three children were small, I wouldnt have made it through without a certain amount of distraction,' she wrote. She recounted how she raised her kids before the time of smartphones. While there was no phone, there were plenty of distractions. She would frequently look at the newspaper while at the table with the kids or pull out a book while at the park. She also implored parents not to be so distracted that they ignore their child, but that a little screen time isn't the worst thing. In fact, she contended, it can serve a healthy purpose. 'Its a huge source of humor and stress relief and connection to work,' Dr. Jenny Radesky, a developmental behavioral pediatrician and assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Michigan told Klass. 'Technology is a tool; its how you use it.' The kids' feeling was recently highlighted in a Knoxville TV news report - where kids tattled on their parents and their cell phone use. The kids provided stories of not being able to get their parent's attention because of cell phone use The kids' view differs from adults where only 31 percent admitted to being frequently distracted by their phones The results were part of a larger Pew Research Center survey on phone use by teens and adults. many teens reported feeling 'happy' or 'peaceful' when they have their phone The findings of the Pew survey were part of a broader look at cell phone use by kids and parents. Pew found that about 72 percent of teenagers feel peaceful when they don't have their phones. However, 44 percent of survey takers feel anxious while they're phoneless. According to the survey, 31 percent of parents said that they are sometimes or often distracted by their own phones, while 46 percent of teenagers indicated that this is regular behavior. 'One thing thats important to note is that screen time isnt just a teen issue. Its a family issue,' said Colleen McClain, a Pew research associate and lead researcher for the survey. Roughly 47 percent of parents who took the survey said that they spend 'too much time on their smart phone.' The survey also found higher usage of phone in higher-income houses. The survey revealed that 50 percent of parents with an 'annual household incomes of $75,000 or more say they spend too much time on their phone.' However, only 38 percent of adults in households earning $30,000 or less say they spend too much time on their phones. Former Labour frontbencher Diane Abbott said she had been left 'frightened' today after a millionaire Tory donor said she should be 'shot' - as the party struggled to contain the fallout from the row. Ms Abbott, the longest-serving black MP, spoke out about the rant by Frank Hester, the Conservatives' biggest individual financial backer. Rishi Sunk is facing mounting pressure to disown the businessman after he apologised for saying that Ms Abbott, 70, made him 'want to hate all black women'. His 2019 diatribe has been branded 'racist and abhorrent' by Labour and some Tories, including former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and ex-leader William Hague. But No10 this morning echoed the position taken by senior ministers in saying his comments were 'unacceptable' but refused to say they were racist. It came as it was revealed Mr Hester's firm, The Phoenix Partnership, picked up the 15,900 cost of a helicopter flight from London to Yorkshire for Mr Sunak last November. Mr Hester and his firm have donated 10million to Tory coffers in the past year, and Labour has said they should hand it back. In a statement this morning, Ms Abbott pointed out that two MPs have been murdered in recent years, adding: 'It is frightening. I live in Hackney and do not drive so I find myself, at weekends, popping on a bus or even walking places more than most MPs. 'I am a single woman and that makes me vulnerable anyway. But to hear someone talking like this is worrying.' Ms Abbott, the longest-serving black MP, spoke out about the rant by Frank Hester, the Conservatives' biggest individual financial backer. Rishi Sunk is facing mounting pressure to disown the businessman after he apologised for saying that Ms Abbott, 70, made him 'want to hate all black women'. Pensions Secretary Mel Stride also tried to row in behind the super-donor this morning, telling broadcasters: 'I think the critical point here is I don't think what he was saying was a gender-based or a race-based comment, but it was clearly inappropriate.' But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told ITV's Lorraine: 'This apology this morning that is pretending that what was said wasn't racist or anything to do with the fact she's a woman, I don't buy that I'm afraid, and I think that it's time the Tory Party called it out and returned the money.' She added: 'For all of my career as an MP I have thought it important not to live in a bubble, but to mix and mingle with ordinary people. The fact that two MPs have been murdered in recent years makes talk like this all the more alarming.' Ms Abbott, first elected as MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington in 1987, has sat as an independent since April after the Labour whip was withdrawn following comments she made in The Observer suggesting Jewish, Irish and Traveller people are not subject to racism 'all their lives'. Yorkshireman Mr Hester last night said he was 'deeply sorry' for what he said were 'rude' comments, but said they were 'nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin'. He had also reached out to Ms Abbott in a bid to apologise. Senior Conservatives have also declined to call them racist. Tory peer Lord Marland told LBC that Hester 'is not a racist... he made some unfortunate remarks that do sound racist'. And the PM's official spokesman today told reporters: 'I am not going to make comments on hypothetical comments.... while we wouldn't usually comment on sourced reports, what is alleged to have been said, those comments in their entirety would be unacceptable.' Pensions Secretary Mel Stride also tried to row in behind the super-donor this morning, telling broadcasters: 'It's clear that what he said was inappropriate. He has, as I understand it, apologised for those remarks. 'I think the critical point here is I don't think what he was saying was a gender-based or a race-based comment, but it was clearly inappropriate. He has apologised and I think we need to move on from that.' It came as it was revealed Mr Hester's firm, The Phoenix Partnership, picked up the 15,900 cost of a helicopter flight from London to Yorkshire for Mr Sunak last November. Yorkshireman Mr Hester last night said he was 'deeply sorry' for what he said were 'rude' comments, but said they were 'nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin'. He had also reached out to Ms Abbott in a bid to apologise. But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told ITV's Lorraine: 'This apology this morning that is pretending that what was said wasn't racist or anything to do with the fact she's a woman, I don't buy that I'm afraid, and I think that it's time the Tory Party called it out and returned the money.' He added: 'The comments about Diane Abbott are just abhorrent. 'And Diane has been a trailblazer, she has paved the way for others, she's probably faced more abuse than any other politician over the years on a sustained basis.' Former Tory leader Lord Hague also led Tory condemnation of the remarks, telling Times Radio: 'Well, his comments yes do seem to be racist. I don't think I could deny, that, honestly.' Mr Hester donated 10 million to the Tories last year, according to Electoral Commission records. He individually donated 5 million to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's party in May and gave another 5 million via his healthcare software firm in November. The Guardian reported that Mr Hester's remarks about Ms Abbott were made in 2019, meaning that they likely occurred when she was shadow home secretary under former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. The newspaper reported that during a meeting at his Leeds company headquarters, Mr Hester, having previously criticised an executive at another organisation, went on to discuss Ms Abbott, the first black woman elected to Parliament. He reportedly said: 'It's like trying not to be racist but you see Diane Abbott on the TV, and you're just like... you just want to hate all black women because she's there. 'And I don't hate all black women at all, but I think she should be shot. '(The executive) and Diane Abbott need to be shot.' Energy Minister Graham Stuart today said it would be wrong to 'cancel anybody ... because they said something intemperate and wrong in their past.' In a statement released via his firm, Mr Hester said he had rung Ms Abbott on Monday to 'apologise directly for the hurt he has caused her'. The statement said: 'Frank Hester accepts that he was rude about Diane Abbot in a private meeting several years ago but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin. 'The Guardian is right when it quotes Frank saying he abhors racism, not least because he experienced it as the child of Irish immigrants in the 1970s. 'He rang Diane Abbott twice today to try to apologise directly for the hurt he has caused her, and is deeply sorry for his remarks. 'He wishes to make it clear that he regards racism as a poison which has no place in public life.' But Tory opponents have seized on the remarks and urged the governing party to give back the cash Mr Hester and his company have donated. Energy Minister Graham Stuart today said it would be wrong to 'cancel anybody ... because they said something intemperate and wrong in their past.' He told GMB: 'If everything I had ever said about an opponent when driven to a state of fury was quoted, I would look pretty vile.' Mr Stuart has said he would 'hesitate' to describe the comments as racist, telling Times Radio: 'I'm hesitating to call it that because I don't like to sit in judgment on these things. 'It was clearly a ridiculous thing to say, he's rightly apologised for it and here's a man who's supporting the most diverse cabinet we've ever had under this Conservative Party. We've got a Hindu Prime Minister and he's our biggest donor, so I don't think this is a man who is a racist. 'But I've never met him, I don't know him and all I know is those comments were inappropriate, wrong, and quite rightly he has tried to reach out to Diane Abbott personally.' An ex-Church of England priest today revealed how baptism requests from asylum seekers 'melted away' when he demanded they begin attending services first. The Rev Matthew Firth told MPs how groups of 'six or seven' were brought to him every 'two or three weeks' while he was a priest at St Cuthbert's in Darlington. He said the 'sizeable cohorts' were made up of 'mainly Iranian and Syrian young male asylum seekers' during his time at St Cuthbert's between 2018 and 2020. But Mr Firth added the numbers 'fell off a cliff' when he introduced a more 'rigorous' baptism 'process' by requesting they become involved in the church first. The issue of asylum seekers looking to convert to Christianity was thrust into the spotlight following the chemical attack in Clapham, south London, in January. Abdul Ezedi, the suspected attacker, came to the UK hidden in a lorry in 2016 and was turned down twice for asylum. He then successfully appealed against the Home Office rejection by claiming he had converted to Christianity. The Rev Matthew Firth told MPs how groups of 'six or seven' were brought to him every 'two or three weeks' while he was a priest at St Cuthbert's in Darlington Abdul Ezedi, the suspected Clapham chemical attacker, successfully appealed against his asylum rejection by claiming he had converted to Christianity Ezedi is believed to have been supported in his claim by someone from a Baptist church, rather than the Church of England, but the case has prompted strong debate. Mr Firth, who left the church in 2020 and is now a vicar for the Free Church of England, gave evidence to the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee. He told MPs this morning that when he came to St Cuthbert's in 2018 he found there was a 'surprising number' of baptisms going forward with asylum seekers. 'It was a large number of young male asylum seekers, almost in a cohort,' Mr Firth said. He added that he started to 'look into' the trend, after honouring the baptisms that were already in process. 'After those baptisms, week-in, week-out, significant groups of mainly Iranian and Syrian young male asylum seekers were being brought to me in sizeable cohorts,' Mr Firth told the committee. He said the cohorts were 'six or seven' people 'every two or three weeks'. 'At a time six or seven people brought to me by people saying these people need baptism,' he added. Asked who brought the asylum seekers to him, Mr Firth replied: 'There was a particular individual who I think had received right to remain in the UK through the asylum application system. 'But I think this particular individual didn't want baptism but was bringing lots of people who this individual said need to be baptised.' It was put to him that only 15 people who may have been asylum seekers were baptised at St Cuthbert's over a 10-year period. Mr Firth said that he did not have access to the parish registers, so was not familiar with those figures. He said he 'pressed a pause button on the process' of baptism requests after becoming concerned. 'There is a difference between the number of people being brought to me to request baptism, and the actual number of baptisms that happened,' Mr Firth said. He said that he made sure the baptism process was 'rigorous' after taking on the job, and 'that made the numbers fall off a cliff'. 'You try to press a pause button which is to make sure that people are requested to come to church, start getting involved and attending church regularly and events,' he added. 'That was the thing that kind of made the numbers fall off a cliff in a sense, because those people melted away really. 'They were not really wanting to get involved in the life of the church so much after I requested them to do so.' Drivers of massive utes and SUVs could soon be paying higher parking fees, as local councils look to emulate a controversial policy introduced in Europe. Paris residents last month voted to triple the cost of parking for SUVs compared to standard-sized cars, from 6 ($9.90) an hour in the CBD to 18 ($29.70). Now, Melbourne's Yarra City Council is looking to follow suit, with one councillor saying Hummer owners are 'absolute idiots' who 'need to be dealt with'. On Tuesday night the council unanimously backed a motion by Greens Councillor Sophie Wade to investigate 'ways to make travelling on Yarra's streets more equitable and discourage large and heavy vehicles on Yarra's streets, including by considering proportionate parking fees based on a vehicle's size'. Drivers of massive utes and SUVs could soon be paying higher parking fees, as local councils look to emulate a controversial policy introduced in Europe. A ute taking up three parking spots is pictured READ MORE: How a new star rating system will transform buying a car in Australia under a radical plan to phase out diesel utes and SUVs The Toyota LandCruiser 70 series ute (pictured) lets out 281 grams of carbon per kilometre, making it an even worse V8 offender than the RAM 1500's 279 grams per kilometre Advertisement But Paul Maric of carexpert.com.au told news.com.au that councils were 'just trying for a money grab'. 'They're going for what I call woke-topia, this woke utopia where no one drives anywhere, everyone's on bicycles or driving around in tiny electric vehicles,' he said. 'In reality, though, people are driving SUVs and dual-cab utes, they're the best-selling cars in the country, and they want to increase costs on them just to meet some target.' Ms Wade told Yarra Council that 'It's really a matter of one person's right to drive whatever they want trumping everyone else's right to (safety) on the street, and I don't think that's a compromise we should be willing to make.' The council, which covers Melbourne's inner eastern and northern suburbs such as Carlton North, Collingwood, Fitzroy and Richmond, would be the first council in Australia to crack down on vehicles called 'Yank tanks' by some. Left wing councillor Stephen Jolly told the meeting that 'if you live in Fitzroy or Collingwood or Richmond and you buy a Hummer you're an absolute idiot and you need to be dealt with'. He also offered some words of caution, saying Yarra had a lot of high-rise 'urban consolidation' projects and and such construction sites brought tradies with utes. 'Almost everyone who owns a home or rents has a tradie come at least once,' he said, adding that many public housing residents in the council area worked in Melbourne's outer suburbs and may own large vehicles. 'We need to ensure our most vulnerable, disadvantaged residents are not disadvantaged by some action we take here,' Mr Jolly said. 'I think that's entirely possible to do, but we need to walk into it with a social justice perspective as well as environmental perspective.' Ms Wade's motion moved that council note 'the dangers posed by the increasing size and weight of vehicles on Australian streets, including vehicles like the RAM and Defender'. Those dangers include that 'car crashes are now the leading cause of death for Australian children', children are 'eight times more likely to die when hit by an SUV compared to a normal passenger car' and that 'pedestrian deaths have stayed stable while the road toll has trended downwards'. A giant American ute is pictured taking up more than its allotted car parking space Yarra Councillor Stephen Jolly (pictured) said 'if you live in Fitzroy or Collingwood or Richmond and you buy a Hummer you're an absolute idiot and you need to be dealt with' The motion also noted that 'larger cars are more polluting and have a greater climate impact ... if SUVs were a country, they would rank as the sixth most polluting in the world'. In NSW, NSW Greens transport spokeswoman Cate Faehrmann said 'the size of SUVs is getting ridiculous' and backed measures to discourage their use if they are not genuinely needed for work. 'Big SUVs are taking up a lot more road space, including when they're parked, so if higher parking fees make a few drivers catch the train or ride their bike instead then bring it on,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald. Philipa Veitch, the Greens Mayor of eastern Sydney suburb Randwick, said she supports discouraging the type of huge SUVs that 'are clogging up our roads and are a menace for pedestrians and cyclists'. He was thought to be one of six US citizens still alive as hostages in Gaza until his death was revealed Tuesday A US-Israeli citizen believed to have been kidnapped in Gaza was actually killed by Hamas during the October 7 terrorist attacks, the IDF revealed. Sgt. Itay Chen, 19, was killed by Hamas near the Gaza border as he fought against the group during the attacks, which killed over 1,200 people. Although he was initially believed to be one of six US citizens still alive in Gaza since the onslaught, new intelligence information found that he was killed. Chen's stricken father Ruby, from Brooklyn, New York, previously slammed President Biden as he urged US officials to do more to protect US citizens being targeted by Hamas. Following the announcement of his death, Chen becomes the 34th American killed in the Hamas attacks. Sgt. Itay Chen, 19, was killed by Hamas near the Gaza border as he fought against the group during the October 7 terrorist attacks, it has been revealed He was thought to be one of six US citizens still alive as hostages in Gaza until his death was revealed Tuesday President Joe Biden said he was 'devastated' to learn that Chen was killed on Oct. 7. 'Today, our hearts are heavy,' The President wrote in a statement released Tuesday. 'Jill and I are devastated to learn that American Itay Chen was killed by Hamas during its brutal terrorist assault on October 7.' 'In December, Itays father and brother joined me at the White House, to share the agony and uncertainty theyve faced as they prayed for the safe return of their loved one.' 'No one should have to endure even one day of what they have gone through. At the end of our meeting, they gave me a menoraha solemn reminder that light will always dispel the darkness, and evil will not win.' 'Today, as we join Itays parents, brothers, and family in grieving this tragic loss, we keep this reminder close to our hearts. And I reaffirm my pledge to all the families of those still held hostage: we are with you. We will never stop working to bring your loved ones home.' Chen's father, New York-born Ruby, slammed US officials for 'taking a back seat' in the search for his son when it was believed that he was taken hostage Chen served in the IDF's 7th Armored Brigade's 75th Battalion, and was engaged in countering Hamas as it lay siege over the Gaza border on October 7. After his death, his body was taken by Hamas, and his family will not hold any funeral or sit shiva until his body is returned from the strip, reports Times of Israel. After Itay went missing and was presumed kidnapped, his father Ruby, who had lived in New York but now lives in Israel, criticized US officials for 'taking a back seat' in the investigation into his son's whereabouts. At the time, he said the last time he heard from his 'wonderful' son, he told him that his military base was under heavy bombardment. 'No one has seen him in the hospital and no one has seen him in a morgue deceased,' Mr. Chen told CNN. 'So, the only thing that the IDF has to say is we don't know where he is.' Mr. Chen made a direct plea to President Biden to step up US efforts to help its dual citizens under attack from Hamas. Mr. Chen said his son, Itay (pictured), had been confirmed as missing in action by the Israeli Defense Force he was serving on the Gaza border as Hamas launched its attack 'I today with my family went in front of the U.S. Embassy asking the U.S. Embassy to treat us first and my son as a U.S. citizen,' he said. 'A U.S. citizen is missing in actionAnd if he is indeed missing in action and might even be a prisoner of war (PoW), I think that the U.S. at a minimum needs to demand that any PoW needs to be treated according to international law. 'We unfortunately do not get that treatment at the moment. President Biden and the Secretary of State [Anthony Blinken], we have great respect for them. They are saying all the correct things that we expect them to say. 'But again, we believe that they could be more active in the actions to be taken to identify and find these U.S. citizens that are missing in action.' Following news of Chen's death, the White House said in a statement that President Biden and the First Lady's 'hearts are heavy' with the loss. 'In December, Itays father and brother joined me at the White House, to share the agony and uncertainty theyve faced as they prayed for the safe return of their loved one,' the statement read. 'No one should have to endure even one day of what they have gone through. At the end of our meeting, they gave me a menoraha solemn reminder that light will always dispel the darkness, and evil will not win. 'Today, as we join Itays parents, brothers, and family in grieving this tragic loss, we keep this reminder close to our hearts. And I reaffirm my pledge to all the families of those still held hostage: we are with you. We will never stop working to bring your loved ones home.' Itay had been one of the few American citizens believed to be held as hostage by Hamas, as seen in a missing person's poster Ruby had made several impassioned pleas for help for his son's return, and in January said: 'Every day my son doesn't come home is a day where I have failed.' Chen's father also made the heartbreaking revelation that his son was not initially posted to the base, but was staying there so he could return home for his younger brother's bar mitzvah - a Jewish initiation ceremony for a boy turning 13 - that weekend. The stricken father said he was hopeful Itay, a basketball fanatic who idolized Coby Bryant growing up, could be reunited with his brother in time for the landmark celebration. 'I plead to President Biden...please do all in your power to make sure that we know where our son is and be able to celebrate as we wanted to just a week ago.' Hur's is devastating classified documents report painted Biden as 'elderly' and 'forgetful' and with 'diminished faculties' He was often confused by the dates he served as vice president and how classified documents ended up in his home, the transcript reveals The mix-up of Beau's death date during the interview directly contradicts Biden's fiery denial that it ever occurred According to the transcript of the two-day interview reviewed by DailyMail.com, Biden brought up Beau's death Joe Biden could not remember the year his son Beau died and was often confused by the dates he served as vice president and about how classified documents ended up in his home, according to the shocking transcript of his testimony to former Special Counsel Robert Hur. According to the transcript of the two-day interview reviewed by DailyMail.com ahead of Hur's highly-anticipated congressional testimony, Biden brought up Beau's death in the context of a book he wrote published in 2017. 'What month did Beau die?' Biden asked to himself during the hours-long sit down on October 8, 2022. 'Oh God, May 30th,' he seemingly responded. But the president had to be reminded about the year in which his oldest son died because he could not remember. A White House attorney stepped in to state that the year of Beau's death was 2015. 'Was it 2015 he died?' Biden again questioned out loud. The president then went on to ask if Donald Trump was elected in 2017, to which another White House attorney jumped in to correct him that it was 2016. The mix-up of Beau's death date during the interview directly contradicts Biden's fiery denial that it ever occurred. Hours after Hur put out his scathing report on February 9, Biden engaged in a furious tirade from the White House saying 'I know what the hell I am doing!' and insisting that 'my memory is fine.' The mix-up of Beau's death date during the interview directly contradicts Biden's fiery denial that it ever occurred Biden with his son Beau, who served as Attorney General of Delaware, at the Democratic National Convention in August 2008 An image from the Biden classified documents report showing a damaged box where classified documents were found in the garage of President Biden in 2022 Former special counsel Robert Hur will give high-stakes testimony on Capitol Hill on Tuesday on his devastating classified documents report 'How in the hell dare he raise that?' Biden fumed during the spontaneous press conference when asked about how Beau's death came up. 'Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself: it wasn't any of their damn business.' But the transcript reveals that it was, in fact, Biden who brought up Beau in the first place - not Hur. Biden also was confused about the years in which he served as vice president and asked for assistance recalling critical dates. 'When did I announce for president?' Biden asked, to which Hur stepped into say that it was in 2019. Later in the interview, Biden needed clarification on when he departed the VP office. 'Well, if it was 2013 - when did I stop being vice president?' asked Biden. '2017,' his attorney replied. At another point in the transcript, Biden needed help to confirm that he was serving as vice president in 2009 (he served from 2009-2017). 'In 2009, am I still vice president?' he questioned again. In addition, the transcript shows that Biden could not recall many details of where the classified documents found at his home were stored or what the contents were. Hur asked the president about a 'second tranche' of boxes found behind a rocking chair. 'I have no goddamn idea. I didn't even bother to go through them,' responded the president. He also could not recall multiple instances where he allegedly pulled out classified documents to discuss with staff. 'I don't recall doing that,' insisted Biden when asked about pulling out information from a binder and sharing with his team. He also told Hur that he could not remember 'finding any classified stuff downstairs,' despite what he told the ghostwriter of his book, Mark Zwonitzer. 'The only thing I can remember is I wanted to be clear to him that I didn't want what he just heard me say...I didn't want any of that mentioned, it was confidential,' said Biden during the interview. In addition, Hur asked how classified materials got into the box found in his Delaware garage. 'No, I don't remember how it got...I don't remember how a beat-up box got into the garage,' Biden replied during the interview. According to the transcript, Biden went down multiple long-winded tangents while making jokes and riffs during the sprawling interview. He joked around about the FBI's raid of his homes to find classified information, saying: I just hope you didn't find any risque pictures of my wife in a bathing suit.' 'Which you probably did. She's beautiful,' he added. He also riffed that the 'FBI knows my house better than I do,' when being asked about the details of classified materials found scattered around his home. Former special counsel Robert Hur will give high-stakes testimony on Capitol Hill on Tuesday on his devastating classified documents report that painted President Joe Biden as 'elderly' and 'forgetful' and with 'diminished faculties'. Hur was appointed special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland in January 2022 to investigate the president's handling of classified files based on a range of areas including Afghanistan. Hur left the Justice Department on Monday and will testify before the House Judiciary Committee as a private citizen, a DOJ spokesperson confirmed to DailyMail.com. Special counsel Robert Hur will give his high-stakes testimony on Capitol Hill on Tuesday after his bombshell report that painted President Biden as 'elderly' and 'forgetful' After a year of silence he released the explosive report in February that drew questions about his decision not to prosecute the president, Biden's cognitive fitness for office and how the commander-in-chief 'wilfully' retained the documents. In interviews with investigators, Biden became muddled about the dates he was vice president and could not even remember the year in which his son Beau died. And it said his cavalier attitude to classified documents, such as his habit of reading sensitive files to a ghostwriter, posed a significant national security risk. One of the reasons they decided not to press charges was because 'at trial, Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory'. Now the Judiciary Committee will try to get clarity on his 338-page report, and Hur is set to double down on his criticism of Biden's memory, according to the opening statement obtained by DailyMail.com. He will argue: 'I understood that my explanation about this case had to include rigorous, detailed, and thorough analysis. 'In other words, I needed to show my work,' he will say. 'I knew that for my decision to be credible, I could not simply announce that I recommended no criminal charges and leave it at that. I needed to explain why.' Hur will add that he had to call Biden's memory into question and could not make a charging decision without assessing the 'President's state of mind'. 'For that reason, I had to consider the President's memory and overall mental state, and how a jury likely would perceive his memory and mental state in a criminal trial,' he'll say. 'Because these issues were important to my ultimate decision, I had to include a discussion of them in my report. Hur is set to double down on his criticism of Biden's memory, according to the opening statement obtained by DailyMail.com 'I did not sanitize my explanation. Nor did I disparage the President unfairly. 'I explained to the Attorney General my decision and the reasons for it. That's what I was required to do'. A source familiar with the planned questioning told DailyMail.com it will likely be '80/20 focused on the merits of the decision not to charge' the president for mishandling documents. House Republicans have demanded the Department of Justice (DOJ) turn over all transcripts and audio related to an interview Hur did with the president in his probe of Biden's handling of classified documents, but so far they've been unsatisfied with what the department has handed over. Hur's report, summarizing his probe of Biden's mishandling of classified documents, contains a multitude of examples of Biden's 'hazy' memory, including one point where Biden appeared to forget when his son Beau died. Hur insisted that Biden was not fit for prosecution over his mishandling of documents because he was a 'well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.' The special counsel noted Biden had 'diminished faculties' and at points 'did not remember when he was vice president.' The box circled in the foreground contained documents about Afghanistan. The picture was taken in December 2022 in Biden's garage, with other household items President Joe Biden will not be criminally charged with stashing classified documents in his garage and private office Republicans jumped on the material, saying it proves Biden isn't fit to run the country. One particularly damaging passage that Hur included said: 'In his interview with our office, Mr. Biden's memory was worse. He did not remember when he was vice president, forgetting on the first day of the interview when his term ended ('if it was 2013 - when did I stop being Vice President?'), and forgetting on the second day of the interview when his term began ('in 2009, am I still Vice President?'),' according to the report. 'He did not remember, even within several years, when his son Beau died. And his memory appeared hazy when describing the Afghanistan debate that was once so important to him.' Biden erupted at that passage in a defiant press conference where he said his memory is 'fine.' The report is crammed with pictures of documents recovered from Biden's home or an office he used when he was vice president The report details lapses in Biden's memory, both in conversations with his ghostwriter and with investigators. The conclusion is that jurors may have though he made an innocent mistake 'There's even reference that I don't remember when my son died. How in the hell dare he raise that? I don't need anyone, I don't need anyone, to remind me of when he passed away,' the president told reporters. 'Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself, wasn't any of their damned business.' He also said reports about his 'willful' retention of documents were 'misleading.' At one point he yelled: 'I did not share classified information! I did not!' Biden then took a question about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. In doing so he botched the identification of a world leader, calling Egypt's Abdel Fattah El-Sisi the President of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. He said: 'I think as you know initially, the president of Mexico, El-Sisi, did not want to open up the gate to humanitarian material to get in. I talked to him. I convinced him to open the gate.' The president went on to blame his staff for sensitive documents from his time as vice president being found at his home, garage and office. He blamed subordinates for some of the decisions that got him in trouble and precipitated the year-long probe that is already providing fodder for President Donald Trump's campaign. 'I take responsibility for not having seen exactly what my staff was doing,' he said. A mother, who was mauled by a Rottweiler with 'a taste for blood' leaving her with life-changing injuries, has said she has been 'let down by the justice system' after a judge decided not to put the dog down. Fay Hagger was bitten and dragged to the floor by her neighbours' pet in an attack that left gruesome wounds to her arm and a broken elbow. The 60-year-old has described the pain as worse than childbirth and is frequently haunted by flashbacks of the incident last June. But the Rottweiler, named Mikey, has been allowed to return home after a court heard the dog was normally friendly and 'loves cuddles' and may have been frightened by Mrs Hagger's silhouette. The mother-of-two slammed the judge's verdict, which ordered owners Lisa Holloway, 50, and her daughter Megan, 21, to do 150 hours of unpaid work and attend ten rehabilitation sessions with probation. Fay Hagger (pictured), a mother who was mauled by a Rottweiler with 'a taste for blood' leaving her with life-changing injuries, has said she has been 'let down by the justice system' after a judge decided not to put the dog down Fay Hagger was bitten and dragged to the floor by her neighbours' pet in an attack that left gruesome wounds to her arm (pictured) and a broken elbow The 60-year-old has described the pain as worse than childbirth and is frequently haunted by flashbacks of the incident last June She said: 'I just feel let down by the justice system. 'They'll do their however many hours of community service and they'll move on but I have to live with this for the rest of my life. 'For the first few nights after I found out the verdict I couldn't sleep because every time I shut my eyes I would see the dog coming back at me again. 'I get that they had a specialist go in and check the dog but I just think it's done it once - what's to say it won't do it again? It's had the taste for blood.' Mrs Hagger was walking home from dinner at a local Harvester restaurant in Ashford, Kent when she saw her neighbours walking Mikey and a spaniel. The victim then moved into the street to allow the group to pass but the Rottweiler cross-breed, described as very large and strong, started barking and becoming aggressive towards her. Mikey then lunged at Mrs Hagger and sunk his teeth into her arm before pulling her to the ground for a 'few minutes'. Lisa stayed with her injured neighbour while Megan took the Rottweiler home. Mrs Hagger called her son, who took her to hospital, where she was found to have suffered a 'nasty wound' and numerous bites, as well as a fractured elbow. The dog lunged at Mrs Hagger and sunk his teeth into her arm before pulling her to the ground for a 'few minutes' Mrs Hagger called her son, who took her to hospital, where she was found to have suffered a 'nasty wound' and numerous bites, as well as a fractured elbow. The mother had to have butterfly stitches and surgery to replace her elbow with a metal implant. She said: I remember the automatic shock when it happened. READ MORE: Woman is rushed to hospital after she is mauled by dog in a cemetery - as armed police rush to scene of attack Advertisement 'The next minute I could hear screaming and then I realised it was me who was screaming and I was down on the floor. 'I couldn't comprehend what was happening. 'It's one of those things you see on the news but you don't expect it to actually happen. 'When I got to the hospital I've never experienced pain like it. 'I'd rather go through childbirth again. Everyone was horrified when they saw the wounds. 'I still have four scars. The underneath of my arm is the worst and my elbow still looks quite deformed.' Last November Folkestone Magistrates' Court heard Mrs Hagger, a team manager at a call centre, had been unable to work, dress herself or drive for a period of time after the incident. Her arm is now constantly bent meaning she cannot put much weight on it or go to the supermarket by herself as she cannot reach the top shelves. Mrs Hagger is now wary of all dogs, even her brother's, which she has known since it was a puppy. She said: 'I still have four scars. The underneath of my arm is the worst and my elbow still looks quite deformed' Mrs Hagger, a team manager at a call centre, was unable to work, dress herself or drive for a period of time after the incident Police seized Mikey after the incident and the family pet was put in boarding kennels. Lisa and Megan were both later charged over the incident. When they appeared in court in November last year, they admitted to being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing an injury. Dylan Bradshaw, prosecuting, said that due to the serious level of injury, the CPS was applying for a destruction order. Maggie Biglou, defending both Lisa and Megan, said the pair had shown significant remorse and sadness. She said: 'Mikey has been in the kennels for the past seven or eight months and had assessments and staff say he is a pleasure to care for. 'He is fine with strangers and loves cuddles and attention and there is no issue with other dogs, or even the farm's cat.' A dog expert, with 21 years of experience, also assessed the Rottweiler and said it was a calm dog which did not show aggression. The Rottweiler was also found to have had conjunctivitis at the time of the attack. District Judge William Nelson said Mikey was not used by anyone to cause injury like some dangerous dog cases and was instead a loved family pet. He added: 'It's clear to me, and the expert report says, that neither of you had ever experienced this dog was prone to this sort of behaviour, but he is still a wild animal at heart, so there is a risk.' District Judge William Nelson told Folkestone Magistrates's Court (pictured) that Mikey was not used by anyone to cause injury like some dangerous dog cases and was instead a loved family pet It comes after a spate of dangerous dog attacks in recent months, including one where three people were injured after an 'out of control' XL Bully-type dog caused chaos in East Kilbride He deemed Mikey was not a danger to the public and spared him euthanisation. When out in public the dog will have to always be on a short lead of no more than 1.5 metres (4.9 feet) and wear a muzzle. Lisa and Megan were both placed on a 12-month community order which will see them each carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and attend ten rehabilitation sessions with probation. Judge Nelson added: 'I am not going to disqualify you from owning a dog as there is nothing to suggest you are nothing but careful dog owners.' Judge Nelson ordered Lisa and Megan to pay 500 compensation each to Mrs Hagger because of her significant injuries. Speaking after the hearing, Mrs Hagger says she believes Mikey should have been put to sleep. She added: 'They said it was out of character but it went straight for my arm. 'I just think they've got away so lightly and letting them have the dog back in the same road that I live in is unfair on me. 'At least if they wanted to rehabilitate it it should have been away from this area.' It comes after a spate of dangerous dog attacks in recent months, including one where three people were injured after an 'out of control' XL Bully-type dog caused chaos in East Kilbride. The pet was reported to have been shot six times by armed officers after attempts to restrain it failed. Local officers tried to get it under control but had to call in armed police as the dog could not be safely restrained. Three people suffered minor injuries before the dog was killed. American XL Bully dogs are now illegal to own without an exemption certificate in England and Wales, meaning owners could be taken to court and have their pets seized if they are unregistered A ban on American XL Bully dogs came into force on February 1, with owners facing criminal proceedings unless their pet is registered as exempt. The breed is now illegal to own without an exemption certificate in England and Wales, meaning owners could be taken to court and have their pets seized if they are unregistered. The National Police Chiefs' Council revealed that about 40,000 dogs had been granted exemptions by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), allowing them to remain in the community. The violence has shuttered airports leaving Americans trapped, including more than 50 Americans and Canadian missionaries Gangs in Haiti have become a 'mini-Mafia state,' experts have warned as the bloody uprising continues to wreak havoc across the country. An attack on one of Haiti's largest prisons has left more than 3,500 convicts roaming the street, with hospitals under siege and widespread looting. The resignation of the country's Prime Minister Ariel Henry on Monday has done little to stem the violence, which has shuttered airports and left Americans trapped. US Embassy staff were evacuated under the cover of night on Sunday, but many more citizens remain stranded, although the State Department is yet to confirm exactly how many. Robert Fatton, professor of government and foreign affairs at the University of Virginia, likened the gangs now running the streets to a 'mini-Mafia state', as he warned they are a 'power unto themselves'. 'They are capable now of imposing certain conditions on the government itself,' he said. 'Those who created the gangs created a monster. And now the monster may not be totally in charge, but it has the capacity to block any kind of solution. Gangs in Haiti have become a 'mini-Mafia state', experts have warned as the bloody uprising continues to wreak havoc across the country More than 50 Americans and Canadians, including Yvonne Trimble and her husband (pictured) are desperately awaiting a missionary flight to get them out of Haiti where a bloody uprising has shut down airports The couple have already had one evacuation flight cancelled. Florida-based Missionary Flights International said it has received dozens of frantic calls from ex-pats trying to escape 'We are seriously trapped,' said Richard Phillips, a 65-year-old from the Canadian capital, Ottawa, who has traveled to Haiti more than three dozen times for humanitarian work Haiti has been long been politically unstable, but this week a more brutal uprising began with gangs demanding the resignation of the country's Prime Minister Ariel Henry Among those trying to flee are more than 50 Americans and Canadians desperately awaiting a missionary flight to get them out. Florida-based Missionary Flights International said it has received dozens of frantic calls from ex-pats trying to escape the violence. 'At this point the airports are closed and we are not able to do anything yet. We are just waiting to see when things settle down, you know it could be next week but who knows really,' the non-profit's president Joe Karabensh said. 'It is not so bad in some of the rural places yet but the country going the way it is, the capital is like a war zone. It is going to have implications on food supply and things like that so they have made the decision they just want to get out.' Americans, including famed columnist Mitch Albom, are stuck in the country now as US officials have yet to provide an evacuation plan or get them to safety despite labeling the conflict 'unpredictable and dangerous.' Haiti has been long been politically unstable, but this week a more brutal uprising began with gangs demanding the resignation of the country's Prime Minister Ariel Henry, 74. Henry has since announced he is stepping down but this has done little to stem the bloodshed. Gangs continue to attack state institutions, including prisons and the Toussaint Louverture International Airport. Around 3,500 criminals are wandering the streets after armed groups attacked the nation's largest prison by shooting and injuring police and prison staff. Laurent Uwumuremyi, the Haiti country director for humanitarian group Mercy Corps, told Al-Jazeera Port-au-Prince remains paralyzed as escalating gang attacks 'to spread terror.' 'Main roads are still barricaded. The main international airport is still closed. The traffic is not fluid because people are still afraid of going out, even in the neighborhoods which have not been attacked,' he said. At least three hospitals have been attacked, leading to warnings from the Association of Private Hospitals in Haiti about shortages of oxygen and fuel. Yvonne Trimble, who lives in the northern coastal town of Cap-Haitien, is among the US missionaries waiting on a flight out of Haiti. She described how mobs have been surrounding the airport and launching bottles and rocks at any aircraft attempting to land in the mistaken belief it could be carrying Henry. 'We're completely locked down,' she said. 'This is the worst I've seen it. It's total anarchy.' Also unable to leave are Matt Prichard, a 35-year-old from Lebanon, Ohio, and his family. Prichard, COO of a missionary, has two children an infant and toddler with his Haitian wife, as well as an 18-year-old son. The rest of his family hasn't been able to get documents to enter the U.S. yet, so they will all stay in southern Haiti for now. Author and columnist Mitch Albom had gone down to visit the orphanage he founded and has now ended up stranded as gangs maintain a tight grip on the country's main airport People queue and wait outside the Haitian Embassy in Santo Domingo, Domincan Republic on Tuesday. The country is being asked to pause deportations amid the chaos Violence in the Caribbean country broke out out this past week, and threatened to bring down the local government The US has deployed Marines to evacuate its embassy in Haiti as local gangs continue to attack state institutions, and as locals in the nation's capital where the diplomatic delegation is set continue to report the overwhelming stench of the dead 'We unfortunately seem to be stuck,' he said. He said the local grocery store has nearly run out of basic goods and gas has been hard to find. Author and columnist Mitch Albom had gone down to visit the orphanage he founded and has now ended up stranded. 'It's a mess in plain English, a real mess,' he told Barret News Media. Our kids are okay behind the walls here, the country is basically shut down.' He also blasted the government's handling of the crisis, saying they had urged Henry to resign without thinking about the transitional process. 'The United States called him and said we want you to step down which is crazy because if he steps down there's nobody to step in, so the Biden administration is making it up as it goes along in my opinion. 'First they resisted all calls for him to step down, now they are telling him he has to step down. There is nobody behind him there is no transitional government you could have gangs take over the whole country. 'Meanwhile we are all stuck here, there's no airplanes there's no helicopters there's no anything. Everyone including our orphanage and other people are quite frightened.' Politicians across the region are scrambling for a solution, as dogs have been seen gnawing on the unaddressed dead, and bodies are burned in the streets Meanwhile, gangs across the country continue to unite, causing thousands to flee their homes A woman lies on the pavement as she mourns a family member shot dead by unknown assailants in Port-au-Prince Friday. As of writing, the city is said to be almost completely controlled by insurgents 'We are seriously trapped,' said Richard Phillips, a 65-year-old from the Canadian capital, Ottawa, who has traveled to Haiti more than three dozen times to work on projects for the United Nations, USAID and now, a Haitian nonprofit called Papyrus. He is among 3,000 Canadians trapped in the country. After arriving in Haiti in late February, Phillips flew to the southern coastal city of Les Cayes to teach farmers and others how to operate and repair tractors, cultivators, planters and other machinery in an area known for its corn, rice, peas and beans. Once his work was done, Phillips flew to the capital, Port-au-Prince, only to find that his flight had been canceled. He stayed at a nearby hotel, but the gunfire was relentless, so he moved on to a safer area. 'We are actually quite concerned about where this is going. If the police force collapses, there's going to be anarchy in the streets, and we might be here a month or more.' Scores of people have been killed in the gang attacks led by Jimmy 'Barbecue' Cherizier that began February 29, and more than 15,000 people have been left homeless by the violence. Locals have reported the overwhelming stench of the dead, with dogs seen gnawing on unaddressed bodies in the street. Earlier this week, Haiti's government extended a state of emergency and nightly curfew to try and quell the violence, but the attacks continue. Gangs have burned police stations, released more than 4,000 inmates from Haiti's two biggest prisons and attacked Port-au-Prince's main airport, which remains closed. As the stench permeates throughout the country, a morgue director told The Washington Post how he has received 20 calls in the past week from residents asking him to pick up bodies Earlier this week, Haiti's government extended a state of emergency and nightly curfew to try and quell the violence, but the attacks continue Jimmy Cherizier - a powerful Haitian gang leader - warned last Tuesday that the chaos engulfing the capital Port-au-Prince will lead to civil war and 'genocide' unless PM Ariel Henry resigns Henry tendered his resignation Monday, a week after the growing coalition of gangs warned of civil war if he did not step down. Cherizier warned that Henry's continued presence in government would lead to 'genocide' in the country after the Prime Minister flew to Kenya seeking support for a foreign police intervention that he said would have restored order enough so that a new round of elections could be held. Henry took power in 2021 following the assassination of Haiti's previous Prime Minister Jovenel Moise and had promised to step down by February 7 but postponed elections citing safety concerns. 'If Ariel Henry doesn't resign, if the international community continues to support him, we'll be heading straight for a civil war that will lead to genocide,' Cherizier, a former police officer, told reporters in the capital. 'Either Haiti becomes a paradise or a hell for all of us. It's out of the question for a small group of rich people living in big hotels to decide the fate of people living in working-class neighborhoods,' the 46-year-old added. Cherizier, who is under UN sanctions for human rights abuses and who denies his nickname has anything to do with burning people alive, has claimed responsibility for the latest surge in attacks in the nation long gripped by conflict. Secretary of State Antony Blinken talks with Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness at the Pegasus Hotel during a meeting on Haiti at the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Kingston, Jamaica, on Monday A protester burns tires during a demonstration calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry in Port-au-Prince on February 7 - the date Henry had agreed to relinquish power He issued a chilling warning to anyone believed to be aiding Henry. 'Woe betide anyone who hides a politician who collaborates with Ariel Henry in their hotels,' he said. Last year, more than 8,400 people were reported killed, injured or kidnapped, more than double the number reported in 2022. Henry is currently unable to return home, stranded in Puerto Rico since Tuesday after officials deemed it unsafe for him to land in the Dominican Republic. The neighboring island is being asked to pause the deportations of thousands of Haitians, including some children who have been sent back alone, amid the violence. Over the weekend, Haitian political, religious and civil leaders met with CARICOM Caribbean Community and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to decide how best to restore stability. A presidential transitional council will be set up consisting of two observers and seven voting members representing a range of Haitian society, according to CARICOM chair Irfan Ali. Parts of the American media today seized on the Princess of Wales photograph fiasco after she publicly took the blame for the manipulated Mother's Day picture. CNN revealed it had begun a review into all handout photos previously provided by Kensington Palace, while the New York Times criticised 'another self-created crisis'. And US broadcaster Gayle King - friend of Prince Harry and Meghan - said on CBS today that her reaction to the palace not releasing the original image was: 'Uh oh.' The Los Angeles Times described the incident as a 'major royal oops' on its front page, and the New York Post ran a story entitled 'Team Harry and Meg pile on Kate'. The Washington Post said the photo had triggered a 'media crisis' amid a clash of 'celebrities' aspiration for perfection and journalism's truth-telling mission'. And a Good Morning America reporter said that despite Kate's personal apology, the story will only go away if she appears in public or the original picture is released. The photo of Kate and her children, taken by William, was the first to be issued since the Princess's abdominal surgery and was released by the palace on Sunday. On Sunday, Kensington Palace released the first picture of the Princess of Wales since surgery The New York Times ran an article with the blurb: 'Photo Inflames a PR crisis - An image meant to douse speculation about the Princess of Wales's health did the opposite. An analysis.' But it was withdrawn with a 'kill' notice by six international picture agencies hours later, including the UK's PA news agency, amid suspicions it had been manipulated. The news featured on the front pages of several US newspapers today, including the New York Times which said: 'Photo Inflames a PR crisis - An image meant to douse speculation about the Princess of Wales's health did the opposite. An analysis.' Mark Landler, who is the London bureau chief for the newspaper, wrote: 'The British royal family faces a storm of questions about how it communicates with the press and public, whether Catherine manipulated other family photos she released in previous years, and whether she felt driven to retouch this photo to disguise the impact of her illness. 'It adds up to a fresh tempest for a royal family that has lurched from one self-created crisis to another. 'Unlike previous episodes, this involves one of the family's most popular members, a commoner-turned-future queen. 'It also reflects a social media celebrity culture driven in part by the family itself, one that is worlds away from the intrusive paparazzi pictures that used to cause royals, including a younger Kate Middleton, chagrin.' Gayle King - friend of Prince Harry and Meghan - said on CBS today that her reaction to the palace not releasing the original image was: 'Uh oh' Gayle King spoke on CBS Mornings today with royal commentator Tina Brown (far left) who said: 'I think they keep digging deeper themselves deeper into this mess' Gayle King spoke about the photo today on CBS Mornings, saying: 'Yesterday when we saw the photo I thought what's the big deal, they edited the sleeve of Charlotte? There was something with the zipper, there was something with tiles. And I thought much ado about nothing. And then when they wouldn't release the original photo I thought, uh oh.' She added that the latest events are 'only making it worse', but said: 'She doesn't owe us anything when it comes to her health.' Ms King also spoke on the programme with royal commentator Tina Brown who said: 'I think they keep digging deeper themselves deeper into this mess.' The Los Angeles Times featured it with the headline: 'Doctored photo is a major royal oops' Another major US media outlet that criticised Kate was the broadcaster CNN, which published an analysis piece saying: 'CNN is now reviewing all handout photos previously provided by Kensington Palace.' READ MORE Whoopi Goldberg defends Kate Middleton over controversial Mother's Day photograph after Princess confessed she had edited the picture herself and apologized for blunders Advertisement 'In editorial photography, photojournalists and editors commonly adjust a photograph's exposure or colour balance in order to more accurately reflect the scene. 'Most news organizations, including CNN, regard it as unacceptable to move, change or manipulate the pixels of an image. To do so would alter the reality of the situation the image is intended to document. Reporters Lauren Said-Moorhouse and Max Foster added: 'In the past, the family's amateur photographs have been well received when posted on social media. 'But on this occasion, this photo was also released to media organizations as a handout and the palace wasn't transparent about the fact it had been adjusted. 'That will have damaged the trust between the palace and media organizations many of which, like CNN, will likely be assessing all royal handouts. 'The editing storm has undermined the existing relationship and when public interest over any possible cover up escalates, as it has done recently, many news outlets will now have take that speculation more seriously.' The Washington Post had a headline saying: 'Doctored photo of princess triggers media crisis' Also today, the Los Angeles Times featured the story towards the bottom of its front page with the headline: 'Doctored photo is a major royal oops.' READ MORE How Palace handling of Kate Middleton photo crisis fuelled yet more conspiracy theories - from claims she face swapped her Vogue shoot, sent Pippa out as a body double and used shot from 2023 Advertisement Reporter Nardine Saad wrote that Kate's 'admission that the image had been doctored has only heightened controversy and raised serious questions about the way the royal family has handled the princess' health'. The newspaper also ran a quote from Mike Ananny, codirector of the Center for Generative AI and Society, who said: 'The palace clearly messed up. Full stop. You don't release a manipulated image with the world watching.' He added that it breaks 'this myth that royals are showing us genuine trusted images. This historically is a moment of 'Can we trust images and public institutions?' being blown up.' Another newspaper featuring the story on its front page today was the Washington Post, which carried the original picture along with four close-ups of circled areas of contention. The headline read: 'Doctored photo of princess triggers media crisis - Celebrities' aspiration for perfection and journalism's truth-telling mission clash with its release.' CNN revealed it had begun a review into all handout photos previously provided by the Palace The report went in on how photographer Paul Clarke had been 'rowing on the River Thames in the rain' when he started getting messages from friends. The article said: 'Clarke is an expert in the art of editing and retouching photos, and friends wanted his opinion of the image. He quickly noticed some, uh inconsistencies.' The New York Post ran a story in its Page Six section today claiming sources close to Prince Harry and Meghan had told the publication: 'This isn't a mistake Meghan would ever make.' And the news also featured in a segment of ABC's Good Morning America today, with its reporter James Longman saying: 'The family is now trying to keep calm and carry on.' He added: 'This story goes away in one of two ways. Either Kate appears in public or that original photograph is released. Until then speculation will continue.' Yesterday, Kate said sorry with a statement on social media which read: 'Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. 'I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother's Day. C.' The New York Post ran a story in its Page Six section today claiming sources close to Prince Harry and Meghan had told the publication: 'This isn't a mistake Meghan would ever make' Royal sources said the Princess made 'minor adjustments' and that Kate and William wanted to offer an informal picture of the family together for Mother's Day. The source added: 'The Wales family spent Mother's Day together and had a wonderful day.' Kate was later spotted leaving Windsor in a car with William as he was driven to the Commonwealth Day service in London. The princess was not attending the service, but was understood to have a private appointment. The Palace has faced growing pressure over the debacle with the controversy branded damaging to the public's trust of the royal family. Concerns were raised over a missing part of Princess Charlotte's sleeve and the misaligned edge of her skirt, with other speculation including the positioning of Kate's zip. The picture was released to reassure the public amid escalating conspiracy theories online over the state of Kate's health in recent weeks, but in an extraordinary turn of events sparked what is being dubbed 'Kategate' and even 'Sleevegate'. William and Kate were spotted leaving Windsor for Westminster Abbey yesterday afternoon William and Kate have an established track record of issuing their own photographs, often taken by Kate rather than William, to mark special occasions including their children's birthdays. But the princess's confession raises questions over whether - or to what extent - the images have been altered in the past. Sky News said an examination of the photo's meta data revealed it was saved in Adobe Photoshop twice on an Apple Mac on Friday and Saturday and the picture was taken on a Canon Camera. Kate underwent surgery at the London Clinic on January 16, but details of her condition have been kept private, and she is not expected to return to official duties until after Easter. Republican lawmakers want an Alabama space camp to take action, as parents of child attendees sound the alarm about a male-to-female trans adult hall monitor accessing the girl's shower room. Sen Tommy Turberville is among the politicians voicing alarm about a trans staffer at the US Space and Rocket Center (USSRC) in Huntsville, who has reportedly made sexually explicit social media posts in the past. Alabama GOP congressman Dale Strong has shared a link to an article identifying the trans employee as Molly Bowman, who calls themself a 'butch coded space queer' and who works at the Huntsville camp. Bowman did not answer our request for comment. Trans space camp hall monitor Molly Bowman uses they/them pronouns and appears to be taking cross-sex hormones Students at space camp at the US Space and Rocket Center, in Huntsville, Alabama The camp says it is 'apolitical' and that staff undergo background checks, that safety is paramount, and allegations of misconduct are being investigated. The row spotlights tensions between trans rights activists, who say society needs to accept an individual's chosen identity, and the millions of Americans who say biological males should keep out of women-only spaces. Robert Aderholt, an Alabama congressman, says worried parents of space camp attendees contacted him about 'situations that could potentially put them in danger.' The Republican said he relayed these worries to camp officials. Turberville, also a Republican, urged the USSRC to remain a 'safe place for children' and to not lose its reputation for scientific excellence by bowing to the 'progressive agenda of today.' Over the weekend, alarmed parents of kids at the camp shared their concerns online. One parent said they were told by their daughter that a 'MAN went into the girls shower/bathroom area while they were changing' and told the youngsters to hurry up and get dressed. Bowman's posts chart their transition from male to female and frequent changes of hair color Earlier posts show Bowman with facial hair Alabama Republican Robert Alderholt warns that space camp kids could be in 'danger' 'I'm so disturbed,' added the parent. 'He is not the only one. She said it was heavily promoted. And they also were allowing trans STUDENTS to roam on the girls floors at night.' Clay Yarbrough said he would not let his daughter attend space camp next week, as planned, because a 'freak is a team lead and a hall monitor in the girls dorms.' 'This is a man that claims to be a woman, and they allow it,' said Yarbrough, slamming camp officials. They are 'allowed to be alone in the halls at night,' added the worried dad from Owens Cross Roads, outside Huntsville. 'This is not hearsay I spoke directly to the VP/Director of Space Camp, and she confirmed this was true,' he posted on Facebook. Yarbrough and others identified the camp employee as Bowman. Bowman on LinkedIn describes themself as a crew trainer at space camp with 'they/them' pronouns. Alabama lawmaker Dale Strong wants the space camp to put the 'safety' of children first Sen Tommy Turberville says the space center is at risk of hurting its reputation Bowman says they 'facilitate hands-on space-themed educational experiences for campers aged 9-18' and have worked there since July 2023, after working at Amazon for the previous three-and-a-half years. Parents also shared posts from the @Novacadabra X/Twitter account, which appear to show Bowman making sexual comments about their gender identity. DailyMail.com could not independently verify these posts, as the account has been switched to private. In them, Bowman appears to discuss wishing they were 'a boy that had a p****y instead of a girl that has a d**k.' They also say they want a sex-change operations as their 'd**k gives me super dysphoria.' Another post features a photo of Bowman appearing to identify themself as a 'butch coded space queer.' Photos chart Bowman's transition from male to female and their frequent changes of hair color. The much-loved space camp is located beside NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center In posts attributed to Bowman, they have talked about confusion and 'dysphoria' over sex They appear to be taking cross-sex hormones and growing breasts. USSRC did not answer our request for comment, but has reportedly issued a long statement about the 'rumors circulating on social media.' 'We would like to assure parents, teachers, and the public that the safety and security of Space Camp students is our number one priority,' the statement said. 'Any allegations of misconduct are taken very seriously. We are working to determine the facts in this case, after which we will take appropriate action.' Camp staff undergo criminal background checks and follow strict rules limiting physical contact and being alone with students, said the statement. Students and staff do not share the same sleeping areas or bathrooms, it added. The camp has helped more than a million students learn about space exploration since it was founded in 1982 Male-to-female transitioner Bowman previously worked for Amazon and Coca-Cola The camp is an 'apolitical organization with no social agenda,' said the statement. The camp is located beside NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and has helped more than a million students learn about space exploration since it was founded in 1982. According to the National Center for Transgender Equality, a campaign group, businesses are not allowed to reject job applicants for being trans. Campaign groups say trans people face widespread discrimination, and are not a high-risk group for sexual or other crimes. Critics liken the explosion of trans-identifying people to a cult, and warn of confused teenagers being railroaded toward experimental drugs and surgeries. Donald Trump is demanding a debate against President Joe Biden as he is on the cusp of clinching the Republican nomination for president. In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump wrote, 'in order to inform the American people of what is going on in our Country, we must immediately have a full scale debate between Crooked Joe and Honest Don.' The four-times criminally indicted ex-president continued 'I'm ready to go, ANY TIME, ANY PLACE!' Trump was likely just hours away from officially wrapping up the GOP presidential nomination when he wrote the post. Republican voters in Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi and Washington are heading to the polls on Tuesday where 161 delegates are up for grabs. Trump speaking at his rally in Georgia on March 9. The former president is calling for a debate against Biden has he nears clinching the GOP presidential nomination Biden speaking in New Hampshire on March 11. He has declined to commit to debating Trump saying it 'depends' on the former president's 'behavior' Trump has 1,078 delegates already, having swept nearly every single Republican nominating contest to date. He has no challengers still in the race for the Republican presidential nomination and needs 1,215 delegates to become the party's presumptive nominee. As Trump is expected to clinch the nomination, it would set up a rematch with Biden this November. While Trump skipped every single debate in the Republican primary, he has long signaled he is gunning to debate with Biden. In a December interview well before the Republican nominating contests even began, Trump said he was looking forward to debating Biden, suggesting to Hugh Hewitt 10 debates. He has also said he is open to appearing in debates that are hosted by the Commission on Presidential Debates, despite calling the nonprofit which has sponsored debates in every presidential election since 1988 'terrible' and 'corrupt.' The Republican National Committee went so far as to vote unanimously to withdraw from the commission's events in 2022 accusing it of bias and required candidates to sign a pledge vowing to only participate in debates sanctioned by the committee. Trump never signed that pledge. Trump and Biden in their first 2020 general election debate in Cleveland on September 29 Trump and Biden also debated in Nashville, TN on October 22, 2020 Trump says in Truth Social post that he's ready to go 'ANY TIME, ANY PLACE' to debate Biden Biden is also on the verge of officially clinching the Democratic nomination for president. As sitting president, he has faced no major obstacles to his nomination, no primary debates and has Democratic party support behind him. The president has 1,872 delegates and needs just 1,968 to officially receive the party nomination. But Biden has not committed to debating Trump. He said on Friday it depends on Trump's behavior. The two did come face-to-face in 2020 when they faced of for two debates. Another was canceled afterTrump pulled out having tested positive for COVID. The Commission on Presidential Debates announced last November that it has scheduled three debates for the general election this year. Those debates are set to take place in September and October in Texas, Virginia and Utah. The likely nominees have not yet formally committed to participating in those debates. President Joe Biden joked with Special Counsel Robert Hur in his team about finding pictures of his wife Jill in a bathing suit during a search for classified documents at his Wilmington, Del., home. 'I just hope you didn't find any risque pictures of my wife in a bathing suit. Which you probably did. She's beautiful,' he said, according to the transcript of his interview, which was obtained by DailyMail.com. Hur was investigating how classified documents ended up in an office formerly used by Biden and in his home in Delaware. The special counsel interviewed Biden at the White House on October 8th and 9th. The FBI had searched Biden's home to see if any other classified material was present. The special counsel's original, bombshell report sparked fury from the White House when Hur described the 81-year-old Biden as 'a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.' The full transcript of the interview was sent to Congress on Tuesday ahead of Hur's testimony to the House Judiciary Committee. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden at Rehoboth Beach, Del., in August 2023 And while Hur concluded Biden should not be charged for retaining classified information from his vice presidency, his report did grave damage to the president as he fights back concerns from Democrats that he's too old for a second term. The transcript on the interview shows Biden joking with Hur and his team. But it also shows that - while he remembered the date his son Beau died - he did not appear to remember the year. One of the jokes Biden made was about his wife of 47 years. In fact, Biden has told aides that the key to his long marriage is 'good sex.' His racy comment was revealed for the first time by Katie Rogers in her forthcoming book 'American Woman: The Transformation of the Modern First Lady, from Hillary Clinton to Jill Biden.' The president gives that marital advice to aides 'much to his wife's chagrin,' reports Rogers, a longtime White House reporter for the New York Times. Jill Biden is a noted beach fan and enjoys spending time at the couple's home in Rehoboth Beach, Del. She and President Biden often sun themselves on the sandy shore near their home. In 1987, Jill Biden famously made it known to her husband and his advisers that she did not want him running for president in 1988. As Joe Biden sat with advisers in his Delaware living room talking about a possible White House bid, Jill walked through their meeting, wearing a bikini with the word 'NO!' written in a black sharpie on her stomach. Her move ended the presidential conversation. President Joe Biden sat down with special counsel Robert Hur at the White House on October 8th and 9th, 2023 Jill Biden enjoys beach time Biden has long spoke of his love and devotion to his wife, saying it's more important to him than anything else. 'I'd rather be at home making love to my wife while my children are asleep,' he said in 2006 when asked about running for the Democratic nomination in the next presidential election. Two years later he ultimately did make a run and lost to Barack Obama, taking the number two spot on that ticket instead. His spokesman at the time said Biden's comment illustrates that a White House bid 'is not an egotistical pursuit for him' and that he is, 'frankly, totally in love with his wife.' The Bidens are an openly affection couple, showing their love for one another with public romantic gestures. The president took his wife out for a date night in Rehoboth Beach in August, where the couple had a seafood meal at Matt's Fish Camp and then headed to the local theater to see Oppenheimer, the film about the man who developed the atomic bomb. They concluded their date night with a romantic walk on the beach to see the super moon, which is when a full moon occurs near the Moons closest point to Earth in its monthly orbit. The president had his arm around the first lady. There have been other moments. Biden stopped to pluck a dandelion from the grassy ground for his wife in April 2021 as the couple prepared to board Marine One for a trip to Georgia. The couple has exchanged kisses in the Oval Office and out in the open as they prepare to part for work trips. President Joe Biden kisses first lady Jill Biden in the Oval Office Jill Biden often stands on the Truman Balcony, watching the president come home from trips First lady Jill Biden (left) and President Joe Biden (right) in front of her White House's Valentine's Day decorations President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are silhouetted by motorcade lights as they walk on the beach to see the super moon during their August date night in Rehoboth Beach President Joe Biden stopped to pick a flower for wife Jill as the couple prepared to board Marine One ahead of their trip to Georgia in April 2021 For her part, Jill Biden places cardboard hearts on the North Lawn of the White House for Valentine's Day, calling it one of her favorite holidays. She also has been seen frequently on the Truman balcony, waiting for Biden to return from a trip, watching him walk from Marine One to the White House. 'One thing in my life has stayed the same: Joe and I have always had each other,' Jill Biden wrote in her memoir Where the Light Enters. The first lady, in particular, paints the president as a romantic, showing his emotional empathy when she talks to donors and supporters of their campaign. She often recounts Joe's courtship of her after his first wife and daughter died in a car crash in 1972. She tells how he had to propose five times for her to say yes because she wanted to be sure it was forever so young Beau and Hunter Biden wouldn't experience loss again. 'I really felt that this marriage had to work. Because they had lost their mom, and I couldn't have them lose another mother,' she has said. The Bidens married in 1977 - even taking the boys on their honeymoon - and, in 1981, they welcomed daughter Ashley together. This is the moment a Sky News anchor accidentally called Lee Anderson a 'p****' live on air as she discussed his reflection to Reform UK. Presenting the news channel's Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge last night, the presenter mistakenly swapped the word 'bricks' for the swearword 'p***s' when discussing the controversial MP. She said: 'Tonight, one of the Conservatives' most prominent MPs from the 2019 intake, Lee Anderson, defects to Reform UK. 'He is one of the last p****s' - at which point she gave a small laugh before continuing - 'of the so called Tory red wall to crumble away'. She did not acknowledge the error. It's not the first time Ridge has been left red-faced by an on-air blunder, with the 39-year-old one of many presenters to have accidentally called Jeremy Hunt a 'c***'. Presenting the news channel's Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge last night, the presenter mistakenly swapped the word 'bricks' for the swearword 'p***s' when discussing Lee Anderson Ridge accidentally called him 'one of the last p****s... of the so called Tory red wall to crumble away' Addressing viewers in 2022, she said: 'Two figures who are significant, Jeremy C*** because he's a potential leadership candidate. 'Jesse Norman because he's worked with Boris Johnson for quite a long time.' Meanwhile, in 2017, she referred to former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale as the leader of the 'Scottish Labia Party'. It comes as Mr Anderson insisted he was no mercenary after joining Reform UK as he denied being paid to switch allegiances. The former miner also told GB News the Conservative Party had not contacted him ahead of being unveiled as Reform's first MP. The MP for Ashfield in Nottinghamshire had been forced to sit as an independent after being stripped of the Tory whip last month for suggesting London Labour mayor Sadiq Khan was being controlled by Islamist extremists. He refused to apologise for the remarks that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak branded 'wrong', effectively blocking off any route to being brought back into the Tory fold. On yesterday evening during an appearance on GB News, which pays him 100,000 a year for hosting a show, on top of his 86,584 pay as an MP, Mr Anderson denied any money exchanged hands ahead of his Reform defection. He told the broadcaster: 'No, absolutely not. One hundred per cent, don't be so ridiculous... I'm not a mercenary. 'I've had no money.' Some Tories see Reform UK as a challenger at the general election expected this year with signs of growing support for the party as it polls at around 10% of national voting intention. Arch Brexiteer Nigel Farage is the honorary president of the party, which is seeking to attract disillusioned Conservative voters, mainly over the issues of immigration and net zero. Reform finished in third place in two recent by-elections, although its candidate in the Rochdale contest - former Labour MP Simon Danczuk - had a poor showing. Party leader Richard Tice has ruled out standing aside to avoid splitting the Leave vote in some seats, as the party did under its Brexit Party name in 2019. Mr Anderson lost the Conservative whip last month after claiming 'Islamists' had 'got control' of Sadiq Khan. He is seen in January with Rishi Sunak Mr Anderson, who had been seen as the voice of the so-called red wall - the traditional Labour areas that voted for Boris Johnson in 2019 - suggested there had been no last-ditch efforts by the Tories to prevent his defection. He said: 'The news broke this morning on social media, my phone was pinging from about six o'clock this morning. I've had no contact from the party at all. 'I'd have thought, at that stage, maybe someone would have given me a call to say, 'hold on, Lee, what you doing? Have a think about it', nobody.' Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, a former business secretary, said that while he believed the Tories erred in suspending Mr Anderson, he felt it was a 'mistake' for him to join Reform because 'divided wings of politics lose'. 'We know Reform won't win the election, but they can... make it harder for the Conservatives,' he told GB News. 'That is why I think Lee made a mistake in going. I think he should have stayed within the Conservative Party to bolster the forces arguing for what he believes in.' Tory MPs Miriam Cates and Danny Kruger, leaders of the right-wing New Conservatives faction that Mr Anderson had previously been aligned with, said in an article for The Daily Telegraph that his decision to join a rival made a 'substantial Labour majority significantly more likely in this year's general election'. Mr Sunak's party is considerably behind Sir Keir Starmer's outfit in opinion polls, with some surveys putting Labour as much as 20 points ahead. As recently as January, Mr Anderson had branded Reform UK leader Richard Tice a 'poundshop Nigel Farage' Mr Anderson lost the Conservative whip last month after claiming 'Islamists' had 'got control' of Mr Khan and London. At a press conference announcing his defection to Reform on Monday, Mr Anderson - who previously represented Labour as a councillor before jumping ship to the Tories in 2018 - accused the Conservatives of stifling 'free speech' by suspending him. Mr Tice said he 'absolutely' stood by the MP's remarks about the London Mayor. As recently as January, Mr Anderson had branded Mr Tice a 'poundshop Nigel Farage' and said Reform was 'not a proper political party'. Asked what has changed, Mr Anderson told reporters he had been on a 'gradual journey'. He said: 'When I find myself suspended for speaking my mind - and, by the way, speaking up on behalf of millions of people up and down the country who agree with me - that for me is unpalatable. It's a shocker, if I'm honest.' A lawyer who made headlines last year for the savage beating of a fast food restaurant worker in Mexico has been shot dead. Fernando Medina was killed moments after walking out of a gym in the central city of San Luis Potosi on Monday - eight months after he was arrested for battering the teenage Subway employee. Medina was standing near his vehicle when the gunman fired multiple shots, images posted online showed. He was pronounced dead on the scene. Authorities searched the area for the gunman and recovered seven 9mm shell casings on the ground. WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT Mexican lawyer Fernando Medina was shot dead Monday after leaving a gym in the central city of San Luis Potosi. His murder comes seven months after he was arrested for pummeling a 15-year-old worker at a Subway restaurant Fernando Medina made headline last year when he was captured on camera pummeling a 15-year-old boy employed at a Subway restaurant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico No arrests had been reported as of Tuesday. Medina, who practiced mixed martial arts, went viral in July 2023 after he pummeled a 15-year-old Subway restaurant worker. A surveillance camera captured Medina walking into the kitchen and punching the defenseless teen during a span of 13 seconds while a female coworker pleaded for him to stop. Another worker could be seen in the background tending to a customer instead of coming to the boys aid. Medina then kicked the boy and placed him in a chokehold, and threw him to the ground before punching him on the head. Fernando Medina (pictured) was arrested in August 2023 for the savage beating of a 15-year-old worker at a Subway restaurant. He smirked in the arrest image He stood over the teen and appeared to say some words while he adjusted his shirt, and then proceeded to punch the kid again. Medina fled the restaurant and was arrested August 5 and charged with attempted homicide. The suspect was smirking in an image posted during his arrest. San Luis Potosi state authorities investigating the incident later shut down three businesses, including a gym where he trained mixed martial arts fighters, due to several infractions. He was placed in pretrial detention and released from prison December 16 after the judge lowered the attempted murder charge to minor injuries. Medina, who was looking at a prison term ranging from 12 to 50 years, was eligible to have the charge conditionally suspended as long as he complied with orders from the judge to make reparation payments, remain at his residence and not contact the victim. A Georgia man has been arrested for allegedly blowing up his ex-girlfriend's home and plotting to release a python to eat her daughter. Stephen Glosser, 37, was accused of using a homemade bomb to destroy the women's house in Richmond Hill, Bryant County, in January 2023. He allegedly planned with his 34-year-old roommate Caleb Kinsey to kill her after she rejected him when their dating-app romance ended. The pair were said to have plotted to shoot arrows into her front door, scalp her head, mail her dog feces or dead rats, blow up the home, and release the snake. The two-story home that the victim lived in with her daughter that that suspect blew up after their relationship ended Stephen Glosser, 37, was charged with possession and transporting an explosive device with intent to kill, injure or destroy a building and criminal damage to property in the first degree Glosser appeared in court on Thursday and was charged with possession and transporting an explosive device with intent to kill, injure or destroy a building and criminal damage to property in the first degree. Caleb Kinsey, 34, Glosser's roommate was partook in the heinous plan. Both men previously served in the Air Force. Kinsey is being held in a Louisiana jail Kinsey is being held in a Louisiana jail. A search warrant was executed on their Richmond Hill home and their phones, evidence of explosives and photos of them posing with high explosives were seized. 'They were both posing with the Tannerite, with Tannerite hats on. We also have evidence of 80 pounds of Tannerite being ordered and delivered to the residents,' the ATF said. According to investigators, Tannerite is legal but the two men mixed it with another compound to create a bomb, which is illegal, he said. Remnants of the same substance was found in the suspect's home. They also found Glosser's journal that revealed the two men discussed blowing up a courthouse and hurting a former coworker. His journal revealed other entries including, 'suicidal thoughts, homicidal thoughts of wanting to kill [the victim] and had bulk Tannerite to blow up her house,' the ATF said. Investigators at the scene assessing the damage The explosion left extensive damage on the Bryant County home Judge David Cavendar denied Glosser bond when he learned of his alleged plans of further criminal wrongdoing. It remains unclear the dating-app, Glosser and his ex-girlfriend met on. After the break-up, the pair had blocked each other but he figured out where she lived. Police said the two men used the homemade device to blow up the woman's house in Richmond Hill. ATF investigator is at the scene assessing the damage But they were rumbled when a witness revealed they saw a black SUV racing away from the scene of the bombing. The car was later linked to Kinsey. Both men have been indicted on multiple charges: unlawful possession of an explosive, first-degree arson, stalking, use of an explosive to commit another felony offense, conspiracy to use an explosive to commit a felony, and possession of an unregistered destructive device, as per the news outlet. Kinsey also faces weapon charges. The conspiracy charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, and using an explosive to commit a felony carries a penalty of 10 years in prison. The Government is to step up plans to deport thousands foreign national offenders amid concern over plans to release prisoners early due to a shortage of prison places. Justice Secretary Alex Chalk told MPs he would 'radically change' the way FNOs are dealt with, amid claims that detention facilities in England and Wales could be full by Easter. He faced the Commons today amid a backlash against plans to release hundreds of prisoners up to 60 days - two months - before the end of their sentence to ease overcrowding. He has reportedly warned PM Rishi Sunak that without the drastic action, prisons may run out of space by the end of the month. No10 refused to deny the claims that prisons could be full by Easter, but the PM's spokesman insisted the relaxation of the rules would be a temporary measure. At the same time Mr Chalk announced the action against FNOs. The Government last year revealed there are 10,500 in prisons in England and Wales, roughly one-in-nine of the whole population. He said today that they each cost taxpayers 47,000 a year, almost half a billion pounds in total. Justice Secretary Alex Chalk told MPs he would 'radically change' the way FNOs are dealt with, amid claims that detention facilities in England and Wales could be full by Easter. Hundreds of criminals, including violent offenders, will be released from prison in order to free up space under new crisis plans (Stock Image) 'I can tell the House that we will radically change the way that FNO cases are processed. We have created a new task force across the Home Office and Ministry of Justice, including the Prison Service, immigration enforcement, and asylum and modern slavery teams. 'We have surged 400 additional caseworkers to prioritise these cases. They will be in place by the end of March, and we will streamline the end-to-end removal process. 'Second, we are expanding the number of FNOs we can remove, for example by bringing forward legislation to allow us to remove foreign offenders with limited leave to remain under conditional caution.' The Justice Secretary said this work was building on reforms he set out in October, including extending the early removal scheme from a maximum period of 12 months to 18 months 'so that eligible FNOs can be deported up to six months earlier'. Mr Chalk said almost 400 FNOs have already been removed from the UK as a result, adding that a 'robust new agreement with Albania' and plans in the Criminal Justice Bill to rent prisons overseas would also help. Labour's shadow justice secretary Shabana Mahmood told the Commons today: 'Let us be in no doubt, this is the most drastic form of early release for prisoners that this country has ever seen.' The emergency measures to free up space in overcrowded jails were announced by Mr Chalk on Monday night. Inmates serving up to four years will be freed more than a month early increasing to two months early in a planned expansion of the scheme. Without the drastic action, it is thought that jails would run out of space by the end of the month. The first round of releases expected to include burglars, thieves and drug dealers could walk free within days. The Ministry of Justice could not say how many criminals were eligible, but it is thought thousands could be let out early over the coming months. The End of Custody Supervised Licence (ECSL) scheme applies to prisoners in England and Wales. It was previously used in October during a peak in the jail population, and gave offenders up to 18 days off their sentences. This has now been increased to 35 days but criminals could be released up to 60 days early if the immediate measures fail to empty enough cells. The plan is 'geographically targeted' to free cells in parts of the country where prisons are most overcrowded. Those released will be 'on licence' and may have to wear a tag or observe a curfew. While sex offenders and terrorists will be excluded, lower-level violent criminals will be eligible for release. Violent offences punished with less than four years' imprisonment can include robberies, grievous bodily harm, actual bodily harm and wounding. Low-level drug dealers, including those convicted of selling Class A substances such as heroin, can be freed from jail. Burglary, for which offenders can serve up to six years, also falls under the scheme and thefts such as shoplifting will be eligible. Labour's shadow justice secretary Shabana Mahmood told the Commons today: 'Let us be in no doubt, this is the most drastic form of early release for prisoners that this country has ever seen, and his 11-page and 10-minute long statement, today it merited one paragraph. 'This is a measure which will cause shockwaves and deep concern across our country, and the Secretary of State seems to think a quiet written ministerial statement published late last night and one paragraph today is good enough, it is not.' She added: 'The Government has refused all requests to be transparent about the scale and the impact of this scheme, this is no way to run the criminal justice system, or indeed the country. 'Not least because when he announced this scheme in October of last year, the Secretary of State was very explicit that the power would, and I quote, 'only be used for a limited period and only in targeted areas'.' The ECSL scheme was first introduced by former Labour justice secretary Jack Straw in 2007. It saw 80,000 criminals freed up to 18 days early before it was scrapped in the run-up to the 2010 election. At least three murders were committed by freed prisoners during the period they should have been behind bars, according to data gathered at the time by the Conservatives, who were then in opposition. The number of inmates in England and Wales on Friday was 88,220 just five below October's all-time record. By comparison, the figure was 44,000 when then Tory home secretary Michael Howard delivered his famous 'prison works' speech championing use of custodial sentences in 1993. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice and Home Office are establishing a new 'taskforce' of 400 civil servants to speed up the deportation of foreign offenders. The threshold for deporting foreign criminals handed a suspended sentence will also be lowered. Currently, those handed up to 12 months' suspended jail time are eligible, but that is set to be halved. Under laws passed in 2022, countries which fail to take back offenders can be penalised, by making it harder for their citizens to obtain visas for travel to Britain. A former Boeing employee who worked with deceased whistleblower John Barnett has claimed technicians were 'constantly' under pressure to make quick fixes and not to document mistakes. Joseph Clayton, a former technician at Boeing's North Charleston plant told DailyMail.com that 'end level management pressured people to do things that were unsavory, such as do undocumented maintenance' while he worked at the company between 2013 and 2019. 'As an AMP mechanic everything has to be documented but they would say "just put a nut and bolt in and fix it without filing the problem"' Clayton recalled. 'Almost everyone there has had to do something not correct' he said. It comes after the death of whistleblower John Barnett, who had been in the middle of a deposition in a lawsuit related to production of the 787 Dreamliner at the same factory, which opened in 2009. Joseph Clayton, a former technician at Boeing's North Charleston plant told DailyMail.com that 'end level management pressured people to do things that were unsavory' Clayton worked in Boeing's North Charleston plant between 2013 and 2019 Boeing has been under renewed scrutiny after a door plug blew out off an Alaska Airlines plane in January Boeing's share price plummeted on Tuesday morning after the whistleblower's death The suit alleged under-pressure workers were deliberately fitting 'sub-standard' parts to Boeing 787s, and that management were sweeping defects under the rug to save money. The 62-year-old died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Charleston County coroner's office in South Carolina confirmed on Tuesday. 'If you said "no" and wanted to do it properly they would say you were being insubordinate,' Clayton told DailyMail.com about management's attitude to production issues. 'I would ask them to put everything in an email and of course they never sent that email. 'As flight mechanics, we're more liable for faults than your common worker' he said. Adding: 'I am liable for inappropriate maintenance going back twenty years, so you have to have it documented.' Clayton described the coercive and fearful experience of leaving the multibillion dollar company in 2019. 'When I left I had an NDA so I can only speak in vague terms. It technically wasn't a condition of my leaving but they gave me two weeks pay if I did sign it. Whistleblower John Barnett had been in the middle of a deposition in a lawsuit related to production of the 787 Dreamliner at the same factory, which opened in 2009. Barnett claimed the aviation giant had fired its quality control inspectors and was relying on mechanics shortly before he was found dead on Saturday Barnett was found dead inside his truck on Saturday in the parking lot of a Holiday Inn in Charleston, pictured above 'I knew that once I did plan to leave I needed an escape plan, in case I was steam rolled by them. 'They took a lot of people who wanted to do the right thing even though it takes longer, and they would send them to the 'the 19th section' and put you in there and forget about you' he said of his fellow employees that spoke out. 'It's a multibillionaire company so there is no telling what could happen' Clayton said when asked about concerns over his and other whistleblower's safety. Timeline of whistleblower John Barnett's claims against Boeing April 2019: Barnett tells the New York Times that Boeing repeatedly ignored safety concerns from workers in favour of pushing out Dreamliner planes November 2019: Barnett tells the BBC that up to a quarter of the oxygen systems on 787 Dreamliners may be faulty and might not work when needed. He added that faulty parts were deliberately fitted to planes. January 2024: The whistleblower tells TMZ that corner cutting was rife in the plane-making world. January 2024: Footage from inside the cabin of a Boeing 737 Max showed the door blowing off shortly after taking off from Portland, Oregon. February 2024: Barnett files an AIR21 lawsuit against Boeing, alleging it had undermined his career over his whistleblowing. March 2024: The Department of Justice launches a criminal investigation into the Boeing blowout in Portland, Oregon. March 2024: John Barnett is found dead in his truck. Advertisement 'I'm sad about my friend on the flight line' Clayton said of Barnett. 'Working with John he was a good dude, its one of those things where there's no telling what could happen day to day at that place. 'The pressures change and come from different directions, they're good at getting away with what they're doing, they know what they're doing they've been doing it a long time to get away with it.' 'I still have friends that work there and they say it is still the same as it was except for a bit better pay and benefits.' Boeing did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment on Clayton's allegations. Other former employees and whistleblowers have filed lawsuits against Boeing because of its approach to risk, allegedly prioritizing speed over safety, as well as reportedly retaliating against employees who came forward. Workers have also filed nearly a dozen claims and safety complaints with federal regulators, detailing issues such as defective manufacturing, debris left on planes coming off the assembly line and pressure to not report violations. Some such mistakes were discovered by Barnett, who worked as a quality manager at Boeing for nearly three decades before retiring in 2017. Barnett discovered clusters of metal slivers hanging over the wiring that commands the flight controls on several planes he checked. In his lawsuit Barnett detailed how he repeatedly urged his bosses to remove the shavings. However, they refused and moved him to another part of the plant. A spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration told the New York Times the agency had inspected several planes certified by Boeing as free of such debris and found those same metal slivers. In certain circumstances the problem can lead to electrical shorts and cause fires, spokesperson Lynn Lunsford said. 'As a quality manager at Boeing, you're the last line of defense before a defect makes it out to the flying public,' Barnett said previously. 'And I haven't seen a plane out of Charleston yet that I'd put my name on saying it's safe and airworthy.' 'I've found tubes of sealant, nuts, stuff from the build process,' Rich Mester, a former technician who reviewed planes before they were sent to airline or military clients, told the New York Times. 'They're supposed to have been inspected for this stuff, and it still makes it out to us' he explained. On one occasion Boeing employees found a ladder and a string of lights left inside the tails of a plane, near the gears of the horizontal stabilizer. 'It could have locked up the gears,' Mester, who was fired and subsequently filed a claim with the National Labor Relations Board, said. Former managers Jennifer Jacobsen and David McClaughlin filed complaints with the FAA in 2014 when hundreds of tools disappeared at the plant allegedly as a result of time pressure put on employees. Some were 'found lying around the aircraft,' Jacobsen said in her complaint. Shares dropped by more than 4 percent Tuesday morning as the aviation giant's stock slumped to a five-month low on the news late Monday that John Barnett was found dead in a hotel parking lot in Charleston, SC, on Sunday Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun speaks with reports at the Capitol in January after MAX 9 planes were grounded follwing the door incident. The company is now under criminal investigation Share prices for the American aviation giant dropped by more than 3 percent as it faces multiple scandals regarding their planes Managers also told employees to install equipment out of order to make it 'appear to Boeing executives in Chicago, the aircraft purchasers and Boeing's shareholders that the work is being performed on schedule, where in fact the aircraft is far behind schedule,' according to their complaints. The FAA said it had previously found 'improper tool control' and the 'presence of foreign object debris' but did not find any violations when it investigated the complaints in early 2014. Both McClaughlin and Jacobsen left the company when they were accused of inaccurately approving the time sheets of employees who did not report to them. They claim that Boeing retaliated against them for raising the issues. Cynthia Kitchens, a former quality manager, said that she was intimidated by her superiors on the factory floor and in performance reviews after raising safety concerns. 'It was intimidation,' she told the New York Times. 'Every time I started finding stuff, I was harassed' Kitchens, who unsuccessfully sued Boeing after leaving the company in 2016, said. Despite the safety concerns, lawsuits and complaints the pace of production has picked up at Boeing's North Charleston plant. Starting this year, Boeing is producing 14 Dreamliners a month, split between North Charleston and Everett, up from the previous 12. Boeing is simultaneously eliminating about a hundred quality control positions in North Charleston. Former special counsel Robert Hur revealed in Capitol Hill testimony that Biden 'willfully' retained classified materials as a private citizen and gave them to Mark Zwonitzer - the ghost writer of his $8 million book - who later tried to destroy them. Hur arrived on Capitol Hill to offer insight into his devastating classified documents report that painted Biden as 'elderly' and 'forgetful' and with 'diminished faculties,' but did not recommend charges for the president. He pushed back on Democrats who claimed his report cleared Biden of any wrongdoing, saying it 'did not exonerate' the president. 'We identified evidence that the President willfully retained classified materials after the end of his vice presidency, when he was a private citizen,' Hur said during the high-stakes hearing. Hur said that included in the evidence was a recorded conversation between Biden and his ghost writer Zwonitzer in which the president stated that he had just 'found all the classified stuff downstairs.' After leaving the vice presidency, Biden and now-First Lady Jill signed a multi-book deal with Flatiron Books valued at $8 million, according to Publishers Weekly. The first book, 'Promise Me, Dad,' a memoir that centers on when his son Beau died and he decided not to run for president in 2015, briefly topped the best sellers list. Hur shockingly revealed that the ghost writer tried to hide evidence after he was named special counsel in the case. 'What did that ghostwriter do with the information Joe Biden shared with him on his laptop, what did he do after you were named special counsel?' House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan asked the former special counsel. 'He slid those files into the recycle bin on his computer,' Hur said. Hur recites the Pledge of Allegiance before testifying during a House Judiciary Committee hearing Joe Biden's ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer tried to destroy evidence Biden had given him classified documents He 'tried to destroy the evidence, didn't he?' asked Jordan. 'Correct,' said Hur. Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan noted Biden got $8 million for his book deal and argued Biden knowingly handed over those documents to the writer. 'Pride and money is why he knowingly violated the rules,' Jordan said of Biden. 'The oldest motives in the book, pride and money. Do you agree with that?' 'That language does appear in the report and we did identify evidence supporting those assessments,' Hur said back. Biden said in his interview with Hur that he made more from the book sale than he ever made in his life. 'I ended up making more money on the sale of that book than I ever made in my whole life,' Biden said. 'I was able to give a million dollars away to charity. I've always wanted to do that.' Biden, in a fiery news conference on February 8 after Hur's bombshell report was published, swore he had not shared classified documents. 'I did not share classified information,' Biden insisted. 'Guarantee you, I did not.' He added he wasnt aware how the boxes containing classified documents ended up in his garage. Hur's description of the president as 'well-meaning,' 'elderly' and having a 'poor memory' drew condemnation from Democrats - who say he didn't need to muse on the president's age. He explained his decision to make the assessment in the hearing: 'I knew that for my position to be credible. I could not simply announce that there would be no charges, I needed to explain why. I needed to show my work.' Hur left the Justice Department on Monday and is testifying as a private citizen, a DOJ spokesperson confirmed to DailyMail.com. The former special counsel said he could not make a decision on whether Biden's retaining of classified documents was 'willful' without considering his state of mind. 'My assessment relevant to the president's memory was necessary, accurate and fair.' 'I did not sanitize my assessment nor did I disparage the president unfairly,' said Hur. 'I had to explain why different facts require different outcomes,' he added, referring to Trump being charged for mishandling documents and Biden avoiding charges. Hur's report had carefully explained how the criminal case accusing Trump of hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort presents far more serious allegations. Both Republicans and Democrats put Hur in the hot seat. Republicans demanded to know why he chose not to prosecute the president. Democrats attacked him for calling into question Biden's memory. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., accused Hur, a registered Republican, of angling for a spot in a future Trump administration by drawing conclusions in his report. 'Partisan politics had no place whatsoever in my work,' Hur insisted. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said to Hur that he must've known including an assessment of Biden's memory in his report would 'create a political firestorm.' Hur said that without the assessment, the report would be 'incomplete and improper.' Hur confirmed the White House counsel had written him a letter requesting he change language in the report referring to Biden's 'poor memory.' 'They contested or asserted certain language in the report was inconsistent with DOJ policy,' Hur revealed. Hur was appointed special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland in January 2022 to investigate the president's handling of classified files based on a range of areas including Afghanistan. 'I did not sanitize my assessment nor did I disparage the president unfairly,' said Hur. 'I had to explain why different facts require different outcomes' Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) (L) and Ranking Member Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) deliver opening statements. Nadler is flanked by Trump's classified documents On his way into the hearing, top Judiciary Democrat Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York called Hur a 'Republican hit man.' 'The one thing I do not understand is why there's a 100 percent pattern of Democratic attorneys general hiring Republican special counsels and Republican attorneys general hiring Republican special counsels.' And during the hearing, Nadler went on the offense, contrasting former President Donald Trump's handling of classified documents with that of Trump's. The New York Democrat said Trump proved 'fundamentally incapable of taking advantage of even one of the many, many chances to avoid this outcome' by refusing to hand over documents. He then played clips of Trump confusing world leaders' names, just as Biden often does. He showed Trump confusing Viktor Orban with the president of Turkey, confusing Speaker Nancy Pelosi with Ambassador Nikki Haley and more. 'This is a man who should think twice before accusing someone else of cognitive decline,' Nadler said. Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., claimed Hur had established a 'new doctrine' for handling classified documents, and should have let a jury decide if Biden was too elderly and well-meaning to be convicted. He warned Hur's decision makes a 'sick mockery' of the rule of law. 'Justice is depicted as blindfolded for this very reason. It doesn't matter who comes before all are treated equally, is destroy this foundation. And the rule of law becomes a sick mockery, becomes a weapon to wield against political rivals and a tool of despotism. And I am desperately afraid that this decision of the Department of Justice is now crossed a very bright line.' Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said during her line of questioning 'You exonerated [Biden.]' 'I did not exonerate him,' Hur cut in. 'It's my time, thank you,' said Jayapal. 'In this case, did you reach conclusion that [Biden was outright innocent?' asked Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif. 'That conclusion is not reflected in my report, sir.' At one point, Rep. Will Kiley, R-Calif., suggested to Hur that a 'reasonable juror' could have voted to convict Biden based on the facts Hur had put forth. 'Correct,' said Hur. After a year of silence he released the explosive report that drew questions about his decision not to prosecute the president, Biden's cognitive fitness for office and how the commander-in-chief 'willfully' retained the documents. In interviews with investigators, Biden became muddled about the dates he was vice president and could not even remember the year in which his son Beau died, according to the transcript reviewed by DailyMail.com. Biden forgot the year Beau died, when Trump was elected and said 'I don't recall', 'I don't remember' and 'I have no goddamn idea' more than 100 times while cracking jokes and making car noises with the investigators. And it said his cavalier attitude to classified documents, such as his habit of reading sensitive files to a ghostwriter, posed a significant national security risk. One of the reasons they decided not to press charges was because 'at trial, Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.' Hur said during testimony that he described Biden this way because of his 'inability to recall certain things' and that he had to be prompted by his lawyers to recall certain dates. According to transcripts of Hur's interviews with Biden on October 8 and October 9, 2023, Biden's lawyer had to tell him what year his son Beau died of brain cancer and the president joked about the special counsel finding pictures of his wife Jill in a swimsuit. I just hope you didnt find any risque pictures of my wife in a bathing suit. Which you probably did. Shes beautiful,' said Biden. 'What month did Beau die?' Biden mused at one point, adding, 'Oh God, May 30th.' A White House lawyer then chimed in with the year, 2015. 'Was it 2015 he died?' Biden asked. Former special counsel Robert Hur has arrived on Capitol Hill to deliver high-stakes testimony Code Pink protesters demanding a ceasefire in Gaza with vests saying 'AIPAC supports genocide' interrupt hearing An image from the Biden classified documents report showing a damaged box where classified documents were found in the garage of President Biden in 2022 After a year of silence he released the explosive report that drew questions about his decision not to prosecute the president, Biden's cognitive fitness for office and how the commander-in-chief 'wilfully' retained the documents Hur is set to double down on his criticism of Biden's memory, according to the opening statement obtained by DailyMail.com Hur's report, summarizing his probe of Biden's mishandling of classified documents, contains a multitude of examples of Biden's 'hazy' memory, including one point where Biden appeared to forget when his son Beau died. Hur insisted that Biden was not fit for prosecution over his mishandling of documents because he was a 'well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.' The special counsel noted Biden had 'diminished faculties' and at points 'did not remember when he was vice president.' The box circled in the foreground contained documents about Afghanistan. The picture was taken in December 2022 in Biden's garage, with other household items President Joe Biden will not be criminally charged with stashing classified documents in his garage and private office Republicans jumped on the material, saying it proves Biden isn't fit to run the country. One particularly damaging passage that Hur included said: 'In his interview with our office, Mr. Biden's memory was worse. He did not remember when he was vice president, forgetting on the first day of the interview when his term ended ('if it was 2013 - when did I stop being Vice President?'), and forgetting on the second day of the interview when his term began ('in 2009, am I still Vice President?'),' according to the report. 'He did not remember, even within several years, when his son Beau died. And his memory appeared hazy when describing the Afghanistan debate that was once so important to him.' Biden erupted at that passage in a defiant press conference where he said his memory is 'fine.' The report is crammed with pictures of documents recovered from Biden's home or an office he used when he was vice president The report details lapses in Biden's memory, both in conversations with his ghostwriter and with investigators. The conclusion is that jurors may have though he made an innocent mistake 'There's even reference that I don't remember when my son died. How in the hell dare he raise that? I don't need anyone, I don't need anyone, to remind me of when he passed away,' the president told reporters. 'Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself, wasn't any of their damned business.' He also said reports about his 'willful' retention of documents were 'misleading.' At one point he yelled: 'I did not share classified information! I did not!' Biden then took a question about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. In doing so he botched the identification of a world leader, calling Egypt's Abdel Fattah El-Sisi the President of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. He said: 'I think as you know initially, the president of Mexico, El-Sisi, did not want to open up the gate to humanitarian material to get in. I talked to him. I convinced him to open the gate.' The president went on to blame his staff for sensitive documents from his time as vice president being found at his home, garage and office. He blamed subordinates for some of the decisions that got him in trouble and precipitated the year-long probe that is already providing fodder for President Donald Trump's campaign. 'I take responsibility for not having seen exactly what my staff was doing,' he said. Three people have been arrested in a 76m fraud investigation involving a failed luxury care home business. The Carlauren Group was launched by Sean Murray who intended to set up a network of luxury care homes across the UK. The company raised 76m from roughly 600 potential investors who were supposed to be buying individual rooms worth 100,000 in dozens of luxury care homes. Carlauren offered the investors an annual return of 10 per cent, but most of the care homes never opened and the business went into administration in 2019. At the time it was reported that 50m of the 76m invested had gone missing. The Serious Fraud Office, which has been investigating Carlauren, said people involved in the company had purchased a number of vehicles including two Lamborghinis, a McLaren 570GT, a private jet and two yachts. The Serious Fraud Office found that people involved in Carlauren purchased a number of vehicles and a private jet Carlauren's chief executive Sean Murray, pictured, who intended to set up a network of luxury care homes across the UK The collapse also led to some elderly residents having to leave their homes. The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) today raided two addresses and arrested three people for fraud offences. The raids took place at a rural property in the St Leonard's area of Dorset and in Aylesbury, Bucks. Nick Ephgrave, director of the Serious Fraud Office, said: 'This company's abrupt collapse has created turmoil and enormous anxiety for many, with elderly people forced to vacate their homes and investors left with nothing. 'Today's arrests are a major development in our investigation and a step towards getting the answers so many people need.' One of the projects was to transform Windlestone Hall in County Durham into a luxury care facility. The hall near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, is standing derelict despite investors shelling out 8.5m for 53 units in the property. The Grade II-listed building was bought by Carlauren for 850,000 in 2017 who pledged to turn it into a luxurious care home by the end of 2019. Windlestone Hall was the birthplace in 1897 of former Prime Minister Anthony Eden. Between 1957 and 2006 it became a local authority residential special school. Pictured: Grade II listed Windlestone Hall, near Rushyford, in County Durham, which was meant to be transformed into a luxury care facility Reportedly 37 studio apartments were sold in Windlestone Hall (pictured) between January 2018 and March 2019 for sums totalling 6,047,710. Land registry records, obtained by the BBC, showed investors came from across Europe, Africa, India, China and the Far East, to put money into the scheme and ranged from a Saudi Princess to a Wiltshire pensioner. At first income was paid to investors on a monthly basis, despite the building remaining derelict, covered in scaffolding with no residents living there. Investors said they were told they would receive a regular income that would be paid for from care home residents' fees. Payments reportedly dried up in the spring. South African businessman Bertus Van Jaarsveld told the BBC he paid 164,000 for one unit. Carlauren, founded in 2015, describes itself as the 'UK's leading innovator' of care services and is believed to have sold units at another 23 similar properties in the UK. Some properties are open but some are yet to accept any paying customers. More than 20 different companies fall under the Carlauren Group umbrella. Police have released surveillance footage of a Missouri college student's last known movements before he went missing on a bar crawl four days ago. Riley Strain, 22, was last seen on Friday night at Luke's 32 Bridge Food + Drink on Broadway, per the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. The Delta Chi fraternity member from the University of Missouri had traveled to Tennessee on a group trip for their annual spring formal. His friends told local media they last saw him around 10pm local time after he was booted out of the bar for undisclosed reasons. Metro Nashville PD told DailyMail.com his last movements on surveillance footage were on Gay Street close to the Cumberland River. The department later released a 44-second clip showing him walking across the street in a two-tone shirt, stumbling and appearing confused. Riley Strain, 22, was last seen on Friday night at Luke's 32 Bridge Food + Drink on Broadway, per the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department Police have released surveillance footage of a Missouri college student's last known movements before he went missing on a bar crawl four days ago Police have been using a helicopter to scour the downtown Nashville area, including the riverbank. Riley's stepfather Christopher Whiteid said he told his fraternity brothers he was on his way back to their hotel as he left the bar. However, he never returned and his worried friends couldn't find him using his Snapchat location, while their phone calls went to voicemail. They reported him missing on Saturday and authorities launched a search. His last cellphone location was recorded between Gay Street and James Robertson Parkway close to the bar where he was last seen, according to WKRN-TV. Police have attempted to locate his phone but have drawn a blank, while also checking local hospitals and jails. His stepfather said surveillance footage indicated that he might have taken a wrong turn on his way back to the hotel. Riley's mother Michelle Whiteid said he's 'a great kid' and normally 'very communicative'. 'We miss him and we want him back so bad,' she told WKRN-TV. 'He's always texting me, calling me, FaceTiming me,' she added. 'He's always in touch with me. He's very communicative.' Photographs of the missing student have been widely shared on social media. Riley has been missing since Friday night and his worried friends and family have shared photographs of him on social media in the hope someone with information will come forward Missouri college student Riley Strain has been missing four days after friends say he was kicked out of a Nashville bar. In an appeal for information about Riley's whereabouts, Nashville Metro PD described him as '6'5' tall with a thin build, blue eyes and light brown hair'. Anyone with information is asked to call police on 615-862-8600. The University of Missouri has released a statement saying they've 'been in touch with the family and authorities in Nashville' who are working to find the student. 'The safety of our community is our highest priority,' said Angela King Taylor, interim vice chancellor for Student Affairs. 'Our thoughts are with Riley's family as the search continues. We will be offering any support to them that we can, and we encourage anyone who needs help to reach out to our counseling resources.' A transgender businesswoman from Renton, Washington, who was reported missing last month has been found dead near a cemetery tomb in Mexico. Reyna Hernandez's corpse was discovered wrapped in a blanket and tied to a tree at the El Centinela Pantheon in Mexicali on March 2, according to a copy an incident report from the Mexicali State Attorney General's Office obtained by DailyMail.com. The 54-year-old victim's body showed signs of violence. At least 20 black caps were left strewn around Hernandez's remains, the prosecutor noted. The autopsy showed that Hernandez's death was caused by a gunshot to the head. Police have now arrested 61-year-old Louie Hernandez, the dead woman's husband. The body of Reyna Hernandez, who was reported missing in Renton, Washington, was found wrapped in a blanket and tied to a tree at the El Centinela Pantheon in Mexicali, Mexico, on March 2. Mexican and United States authorities confirmed her identity on Monday Police have now arrested 61-year-old Louie Hernandez, the dead woman's husband Hernandez's soon-to-be ex-husband Hernandez was apprehended by the military at a checkpoint in Baja California on March 9. The 61-year-old was carrying an large amount of cash, six packages containing fentanyl and firearm ammunition. At the time of the arrest, Louie Hernandez was driving a 2009 Ford Flex registered to Reyna Hernandez's stepson. It's unknown if Reyna Hernandez was murdered in the United States or Mexico. 'It is a case of a special investigation where we are in coordination with United States authorities because there is a possibility that she has been deprived of her life in United States,' Mexicali state prosecutor Elena Andrade told reporters on Monday. 'It is one of the lines of investigation that has not yet been corroborated and that her body has been brought here and thrown into the pantheon.' Prosecutor Andrade confirmed that the victim was a transgender woman. An image of the scene where her body was found, in the cemetery The attorney general for the Mexican state of Baja California told reporters Monday that they are working with U.S. authorities to determine if Reyna Hernandez (pictured) was murdered in the United States or in Mexico, where her body was found at a cemetery in the Baja California city of Mexicali on March 2 Reyna Hernandez was reported missing by friends February 28 after she failed to return home or to her hair salon business, two days after she stepped out of her residence to meet her soon-to-be ex-husband, Louie Hernandez, over the separation of property Tributes were left for the woman outside of her hair salmon The Renton Police Department said Reyna Hernandez left her home February 26 to meet with Louie Hernandez to discuss the separation of property and failed to return to her residence. Road cameras spotted the vehicle in Salinas, California on February 27, four days before Reyna Hernandez's corpse was found. Reyna Hernandez was reported missing February 28 after friends became worried that she had not returned home, answered calls, or returned to her business, Reyna Hair Salon. The Renton Police Department is investigating the incident as a domestic violence crime. 'This is the worst possible outcome, and our hearts go out to Reyna's family and friends,' said Investigations Commander Chandler Swain. Renton Police Department will be seeking Louie Hernandez's extradition if Mexican authorities accuse him for the murder of Reyna Hernandez. 'To have this as the outcome is just devastating,' said Meeghan Black of the Renton Police Department. 'It's now gone across country lines, not just state lines but country lines and we were working very well with Mexican officials and we're getting the federal officials involved to try and figure out who takes jurisdiction when we figure out that timeline.' Patrick Scott, 59, has been sentenced to 57 years in prison for the murder of his 17-year-old neighbor, Valerie Tindall. Tindal vanished on June 7 from Arlington, Indiana and was last seen with neighbor Scott, who she also worked for on landscaping company. She was found buried in his backyard last year after she had been missing for over five months, according to court documents. Scott had been charged with murder, obstruction of justice and providing false information that substantially hinders the law enforcement process in November 2023. In January 2024, he agreed to enter an agreement and pleaded guilty to murder. Under the plea agreement, the murderer was sentenced to 57 years in jail and ordered to $10,000 in restitution to Tindall's family. All charges except murder were also dropped and he was credited with 139 days of time already served. Patrick Scott, 59, has been sentenced to 57 years in prison for the murder of his 17-year-old neighbor, Valerie Tindall He has also been ordered to $10,000 in restitution to Valerie Tindall's family Scott revealed to prosecutors that he had strangled Tindall with a belt during an argument at his home claiming that she was trying to blackmail him for a new car. He then wrapped her body in black plastic with tape and buried her in a box he built the next day. The arrest report states: 'Scott advised Tindall tried to seduce him, and he wasn't going to have it. I asked Scott what he did to Tindall, and he advised he "strangled her with a belt."' 'I asked Scott where the belt he used [was], and he advised he didn't remember, however, he still wore it afterwards. 'I asked Scott what was going through his head at that time, and he advised he didn't know what to do with her. Scott advised he was trying to figure out what to do with her. 'Scott advised he held the belt on her until she quit moving. I asked Scott if he knew she was dead then, and he advised, "I pretty much figured so".' While the killer denied being in a sexual relationship with the teen, he said Tindall 'tried to come onto him' and said she was 'going to tell people he was making moves on her', according to the arrest report. Scott also told officials that at one point, Tindall 'had tried to take her clothes off and he wasn't going to do it.' Valerie vanished from her home on June 7. Her body was found in her neighbor's yard on Tuesday, just 100 yards from where she went missing Scott revealed to prosecutors that he had strangled Tindall with a belt during an argument at his home claiming that she was trying to blackmail him for a new car. While the killer denied being in a sexual relationship with the teen, he said Tindall 'tried to come onto him' and said she was 'going to tell people he was making moves on her' He wrapped her body in black plastic with tape and buried her in a box he built the next day In December 2023, Tindall's mother, Shena Sandefur, told WRTV that Scott and her daughter 'had a bond' before she went on to admit that she soon became worried about the way Scott was treating the much younger teen. Sandefur revealed she moved her family from Indianapolis to Arlington in an attempt to distance themselves from violence, but instead 'moved across the street from a predator.' However, Tindall reportedly didn't see anything wrong with her relationship with her suspected killer. Sandefur further told the channel that someone else had overheard Scott telling her daughter that he was planning on taking her out to lunch 'someplace special' in Indianapolis just hours before she vanished. Tindall's vehicle was later found abandoned near Shelbyville and Scot. Shena Sandefur, Valerie Tindall's mother, said Scott and her daughter 'had a bond,' before she admitted that she soon became worried about the way Scott was treating her daughter Her mother said she wanted to seek help for her daughter, even though Tindall didn't want it. Her mother said that Scott 'took advantage' ofthose feelings Shortly after Tindall was last seen, Scott was caught burning down his garage, where the teen's body was later found, Fox 59 reported. Court documents revealed that after his arrest and confession, Scott told police that his wife and daughter 'don't know nothing.' Sandefur has gone on to remember her daughter as a 'sweet kid' and 'really good person' who endured trauma at a young age. 'She worked hard to get her grades up, she was gonna go to college, she was accepted and now she'll never have the chance,' Sandefur said. She added she wanted to seek help for her daughter, even though Tindall didn't want it. Her mother said that Scott 'took advantage' of that. 'He had no remorse. She worked for him for more than two years and theres no remorse at all,' said Jack Tindall, Valerie's father Detectives are believed to have moved in to arrest controversial influencer Andrew Tate after a blogger released a video claiming that he 'planned to leave' Romania and 'never return'. British lawyers representing women who were allegedly raped and sexually assaulted by Tate passed it to authorities in Romania and the UK who acted on it immediately. There were fears he was secretly planning to flee the country and escape justice by heading to a country that has no extradition laws with Romania or Britain and so police there acted immediately. In the video, blogger Adin Ross described how he had been in contact with Tate in recent days and they had discussed him coming to Romania to film an interview with the multi millionaire. Ross told his viewers 'this is ****ing peaking' before adding that Tate had told him: 'Hey, I'm going to be leaving Romania soon and never coming back.' British-US former professional kickboxer and controversial influencer Andrew Tate (C) is led by police officers at the Court of Appeal in Bucharest, Romania on March 12, 2024 Blogger Adin Ross described how he had been in contact with Tate in recent days He said that Tate added: 'So if you want to come and see me it's basically now or never.' The Tate brothers are currently banned from leaving Romania while being investigated by authorities there on sex and people trafficking charges. Both had been under house arrest but this condition was later removed but they must remain in the country. A request to leave Bucharest and visit their mother in Luton who had suffered a heart attack was denied at Christmas by officials. Online streamer Ross was one of five people who had originally been given permission to visit Tate but this was later overturned. Ross later posted on social media: 'Joe Biden please go ahead and pardon Andrew Tate.' MailOnline can also reveal that the police force who asked for the brothers to be arrested is Bedfordshire and it relates to new allegations made against the brothers since their high profile arrest. Speaking as he arrived at court one of the Tate legal team, Eugen Vidineac, said: 'We have very few information, regarding this warrant. 'We don't know what this is all about, as far as we know the investigation from 2012 was closed, but we don't know if it's been reopened with a new investigation.' Romanian authorities said in a statement that they executed 'two European arrest warrants issued by the UK judicial authorities for the committing of sexual offences, of exploitation of persons on the territory of the UK' Online streamer Ross was one of five people who had originally been given permission to visit Tate but this was later overturned There were unconfirmed reports that judges had postponed the hearing as prosecutors had requested for both brothers to remain in custody pending the end of the Romanian investigation. Law firm McCue Jury & Partners, who are representing four women who have accused Tate of rape and sexual assault, said in a statement: 'Last week, we received information that Tate might have been planning to flee Romania, where he is due to stand trial for separate allegations of rape and human trafficking. 'We wrote to the British police to bring this to their attention and to urge them to immediately seek a warrant for Tate's detention in Romania and extradition to the UK.' Andrew Tate, who gained millions of fans by promoting an ultra-masculine lifestyle, was indicted in June in Romania along with his brother and two Romanian women for human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. They have denied the charges. The case has since been with the Bucharest court's preliminary chamber, which needs to decide whether the trial can start. A decision has yet to be made, with Romanian courts backlogged. In response to their arrest today, the spokesman for the Tate brothers added: 'The suggestion that Mr Tate's rise to fame may have played a role in these developments adds another layer of distress and concern. 'Andrew and Tristan Tate unequivocally deny all allegations and decry what they perceive as an exploitative use of the legal system. Former professional kickboxer and social media influencer Andrew Tate (C), followed by his brother Tristan (L), arrives for an appeal against preventive detention at the Bucharest Court of Appeal, in Bucharest, Romania, 01 August 2023 A social media account associated with Tate this morning shared a simple post: 'The Matrix is afraid. I only fear God'. Tate has previously said he uses the term 'The Matrix' to refer to 'the systems which are being created by society that are 'deliberately designed to enslave', in a reference to the 1999 film 'They are fully committed to challenging these accusations with unwavering determination and resolve. 'The brothers emphasise their belief in a fair and impartial legal process, despite the unsettling circumstances surrounding their case. 'In the face of adversity, the Tate brothers draw strength from the support of their loved ones, friends, and legal team. 'They appeal for a fair examination of the facts, expressing confidence that a thorough review will reveal the baselessness of the allegations against them.' A teenage girl has been arrested in connection to two Los Angeles shootings that killed one man and hospitalized two others . Estrella Rojas, 18, was arrested last week for two January shootings, one of which killed 33-year-old father-of-two Tyrone Tyars. On January 20, authorities said Rojas opened fire at Machista, a San Pedro bar, when a fight broke out, reported KABC. Tyars' girlfriend, referred to as his wife by their family, was at the bar and had called him to come pick her up when the fight broke out. 'He only came to pick up his wife from this club because of a brawl inside. He didn't come for anything else, and it's very heartbreaking, as a mother, to have to deal with this,' said Tyars mother Ira McGrady. Estrella Rojas, 18, was arrested last week for two January shootings, one of which killed 33-year-old father-of-two Tyrone Tyars. Tyars' family have described him as a loving father and partner who was looking forward to the future. Him and his girlfriend have two sons together 'He was a cook. He was a loving man. It was senseless,' she said. 'This is senseless. This is not right.' The Los Angeles Police Department told KTLA, 'There was a physical altercation inside the bar before the shooting. The suspect fired multiple rounds, striking three people.' Police said Rojas shot three people including Tyars, his girlfriend and a 44-year-old man. Tyars was pronounced dead at the scene and the other two victims were taken to the hospital. '[My] Daughter-in-law got shot in the ankle, she got shot in the leg, in the hip, and also in the breast and she's still in the hospital,' McGrady said at the time, according to KCAL. Tyars' family have described him as a loving father and partner who was looking forward to the future. Him and his girlfriend have two sons together. 'He wasn't trouble. He was happy with his life at this time. He was helping in the convalescent homes, cooking for the elderly,' said Tyars' cousin. On January 20, authorities said Rojas opened fire at Machista, a San Pedro bar, when a fight broke out Police also connected Rojas to a shooting on January 6 when she and another suspect allegedly accosted a 19-year-old man and shot at his vehicle. Authorities said the shootings are not related. She has been charged with one count of murder and three counts of attempted murder. The 18-year-old has been remained to custody and her arraignment and plea hearing is scheduled for March 25. The bodies of 35 people and the suspected ashes of a number of others have been recovered by police investigating a funeral directors' firm over 'concern for care of the deceased'. Over 1,000 people have phoned a dedicated hotline with concerns about Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull, as officers from Humberside Police moved bodies from the firm's branches to a mortuary. A 46-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of prevention of a lawful burial and fraud have been released on bail, the force said. Assistant Chief Constable Thom Mcloughlin told a press conference on Tuesday: 'We have now recovered a total of 35 deceased who have now been respectfully transported to the mortuary in Hull and formal identification procedures are now taking place. 'In addition, we have also recovered a quantity of what we suspect to be human ashes. Flowers and tributes are left outside the Hessle Road branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors Assistant Chief Constable Thom Mcloughlin (pictured) told a press conference today: 'In addition, we have also recovered a quantity of what we suspect to be human ashes' Police continue their investigations at the Hessle Road branch of Legacy Funeral Directors Candles and floral tributes were left outside one of the firm's branches amid news that 35 bodies and suspected human ashes had been recovered by police Police have today revealed that more than 1,000 people have called a hotline over concerns about the funeral firm where 35 bodies have been recovered (Pictured: The Beckside branch of the firm earlier today) Two officers are pictured outside the Hessle Road Branch in Hull. Police said earlier that a cordon has been put in place around two other branches as well Cordons were in place at three Legacy Independent Funeral Directors' branches on Saturday The Beverley branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors which has now had its branding removed 'We are in the process of carefully recovering all of those ashes and taking those to the mortuary.' Deputy Chief Constable David Marshall told media: 'We are continuing to support the families involved through this extremely difficult and distressing time. 'This has been a truly horrific incident.' He said families were 'understandably distraught' and acknowledged that they had many questions that needed to be answered. Mr Marshall said it was an 'extremely complex and sensitive investigation' and pledged to put the 'heartbroken families' at the core of the inquiry. He said: 'Many will be shocked, horrified and re-traumatised through grief following the disclosure of the facts of this case this week.' Assistant Chief Constable Thom McLoughlin told reporters that more than 120 police officers and staff were now working on the case and more than 1,000 calls had been received from concerned members of the public. Asst Chief Con Mcloughlin added: 'So far, we are pursuing extensive lines of inquiry, and have special search and forensic teams conducting thorough searches of various business premises that are linked to the suspects that were detained this weekend. 'I can confirm that a man and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of prevention of a lawful, decent burial, fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position. 'They have since been released on police bail with conditions whilst our investigation is continuing. 'I recognise that this is a distressing time for all of those affected and I have no doubt it will have a significant impact across all our local communities and beyond.' A large number of police have been seen at the site, including forensics officers dressed in white protective suits and the maritime protection unit. Officers cordoned off three Legacy Independent Funeral Directors sites after the force received a report on Wednesday of concerns about the 'storage and management processes relating to care of the deceased'. Cordons were in place on Saturday night at three Legacy Independent Funeral Directors sites after the first report to police on Wednesday. Officers were spotted outside two of the firm's branches in Anlaby Road and Hessle Road, both in Hull, at about 3am on Thursday, according to Hull Live. Humberside Police today held a press conference where further details were disclosed of the 'truly horrific' incident Forensic investigators were also pictured at the scene on Hessle Road The Beverley branch, the smallest, is located on the corner of a residential street on the outskirts of the town. Already, signposting relating to the business has been removed from the branch. The woman who owns the building and lives next door said: 'They don't very often come to this place. 'I have not seen them for ages. They used my place to try and drum up extra business but it has not really happened. 'It is very strange what has happened. It is not everyday you have the police watching the building. 'I know a couple of people who have had funerals there and they were really happy.' The main branch and head office of Legacy is at the near derelict end of Hessle Road, Hull, next to a derelict house sprayed with graffiti and facing a row of takeaways and boarded up buildings. Local takeaway staff were all aware of the investigation but had no idea what was behind it. One local trader said: 'We think the police have been there since Wednesday night. Lights were seen in the rear yard. 'There are all kinds of rumours on Facebook. 'But all we have been told by police is they are there because of 'something the owner has done' and we don't know anything for certain. 'It has been like an episode of True Crime.' The building is located in a row of shops next to a brightly painted tanning salon. The front room is laid out as a chapel with a cross on a desk serving as an altar and high backed kitchen chair under the desk. One man who claimed to know the owner said: 'He is from London but he lives in Anlaby in Hull now. He is quite posh. 'He loves his motorbikes a little too much and if you like bikes you can have a decent conversation with him. He keeps a couple of bikes in the back of the funeral parlour which I always found a little weird. 'He seems nice enough but I never really got on with him. He is always on your back. I used to call him Mr Nosey. 'I thought for years that the bodies were not being treated right but I don't know any details.' Police outside the Hessle Road branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull after launching an investigation into the company over reports of 'concern for care of the deceased' A police van was seen outside the Anlaby Road branch Emma Hardy, Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle, revealed her shock after hearing about the police probe, saying her 'heart goes out to all the worried family members' A police parked with a major incident unit outside a Legacy Independent Funeral Directors branch on Hessle road in Hull At least six marked police vehicles were in attendance at the Hessle Road branch today A forensic investigator speaks with a police officer outside the Hessle Road funeral directors Police outside the Beckside branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors Police outside the Anlaby Road branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull Emma Hardy, Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle, revealed her shock after hearing about the police probe, saying her 'heart goes out to all the worried family members'. She reminded members of the public 'it is important' not to speculate about the nature of the probe, adding 'the present focus is the investigation'. The Labour MP said on Facebook last Friday: 'I am extremely shocked to have been made aware that an investigation is taking place into a funeral directors in my constituency. 'My heart goes out to all of the worried family members and loved ones. I can only imagine the distress and devastation that you will be feeling. 'I have already spoken to the police and the Chief Executive of Hull City Council. I understand that the present focus is on a police investigation and believe it's important not to speculate at this time, or do anything that may jeopardise its findings. 'If you believe that you may have been affected, it is important that you contact the police on 0800 051 4674 or if you're calling from abroad please call 0207 126 7619 as they will be able to offer help and support in the first instance. 'If you are affected, be assured that I'm always here to support you and will do anything I can to help during this incredibly difficult time. I can be contacted at emma.hardy.mp@parliament.uk and I will get back to you.' Authorities in Trinidad on Tuesday released the autopsy results of the 79-year-old British actress who was found dead in her home last week. The Post Mortem conducted by Forensic Science Centre, in Federation Park found that Viscella 'Vikki' Richards died of blunt force trauma to her head and face. Her family released a statement yesterday, saying they were in mourning over her 'violent and brutal' death and have made an appeal for those with information on her killing to come forward. The star was found with her hands bound inside her home in Valsayn on the North coast of Trinidad, on Wednesday in what police now believe to be a home invasion. Her body was discovered by a friend who went to her property to check on the actress, after being unable to get in contact with her since Tuesday evening. The friend arrived at the actress's house and found the front gate closed. Viscella Richards, 79, pictured here in her acting and modelling days, was found dead at home She then called out to Richards a few times after noticing the front door was ajar, before stumbling upon the body as she searched the house for her. Local officials have confirmed there were no other marks of violence on her body when she was found. Pieces of her jewelry, relatives said, are still missing. Richards, who used the stage name Vikki Richards, had a successful international film and modelling career in the UK during the 60s and 70s, the family said, but had chosen to spend her later years in the country she was born. Her family who sent a statement from Canada said: 'During this period of mourning and grief, we are sustained and comforted by our knowledge of the enormous impact she had on the many lives she touched as a successful actress and fashion model in England, and later on in her career in theatre and broadcasting in Trinidad and Tobago. She was a beautiful person inside and out,' The statement said. Relatives are awaiting further news from local authorities, the statement added. 'Her entire family who loved and cared for her are deeply saddened by the devastating circumstances surrounding her untimely death and we await further news from the local authorities. She had a successful career as an actress and model in Britain in the 1960s and 1970s She moved back to Trinidad later in life to return home and lived there ever since 'As we seek justice for Viscella, the family will continue to fully cooperate with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) as they conduct a thorough investigation into the events surrounding Viscella's tragic death. We ask that anyone who knows or saw something to please contact the TTPS,' it said. No one has been arrested in connection with her killing so far. Her funeral is now being planned for April, A family source revealed. A police spokesman said: We have been contacted by the family and are currently carrying out a full investigation. We encourage members of the community to contact us with any meaningful information they might have so we can investigate this fully and to bring closure for the family. A Florida high school was placed on lockdown amid reports of a 'suspicious person' in the area. A heavy police presence descended on Timber Creek High School in Orlando for several hours Tuesday morning, as Orange County Sheriff's deputies conduct a 'methodical search' of each building. 'The school has been placed on lockdown, and no one will be allowed on or off campus at this time,' the sheriff's office said on X. Terrified parents convened outside the school for hours worried for their children, until school officials thankfully confirmed all students and teachers were safe after midday. A large police presence descended on Timber Creek High School amid reports of a 'suspicious person' stalking the campus on Tuesday morning Footage showed a large number of parents gathered outside the school, who have been prevented from accessing the campus An image purportedly of the lockdown alert warned anyone on campus to 'remain inside, lock doors and windows' Omg! Lock down at timber creek high and captured this on my bike from my neighborhood! @TCHSWolves @WESH @news6wkmg @fox35orlando video taken at 9:57am. pic.twitter.com/0tBvHRPamr Patrick Cutter (@Patrick53623964) March 12, 2024 Deputies reportedly arrived on the Orlando campus at 9:15am, with some appearing to be in full tactical gear. An image purportedly of the lockdown alert warned anyone on campus to 'remain inside, lock doors and windows.' 'If you are off-campus, please avoid coming on campus until the (lockdown warning) is lifted,' the message read. Footage showed a large number of parents gathered outside the school, who were prevented from accessing the campus for several hours. Some time after the warning went out, Principal Steven Soubasis said in an update to families that 'all students and staff are safe.' He added that the lockdown was related to an 'area unrelated to the school.' Phone lines on Capitol Hill were flooded for the second time within a week as kids and parents beg lawmakers not to ban the popular social media app TikTok. The calls have been ringing off the hook since last Wednesday when the House China Select Committee advanced a measure that would specifically designate ByteDance and TikTok as foreign adversary-controlled applications. If TikTok doesn't divest from parent company ByteDance, it could be banned across the U.S., the bill, which is up for a vote in the House Wednesday, states. It has a good shot of becoming law as a bipartisan group of lawmakers proposed the bill and Joe Biden has said he would sign it. As the bill has gained more steam, so too has its opposition. Elon Musk joined Donald Trump in opposing the effort to reign in TikTok's influence, calling it government 'censorship,' in a post on X Tuesday. 'This law is not just about TikTok, it is about censorship and government control! If it were just about TikTok, it would only cite 'foreign control' as the issue, but it does not,' Musk stated. On Tuesday morning, TikTok sent out a push notification to its users - it boasts over 100 million - telling them 'Your voice matters in stopping the shutdown.' TikTok sent this notification to users on Tuesday morning, prompting them to get in touch with their lawmakers to let them know whether they support the TikTok bill This law is not just about TikTok, it is about censorship and government control! If it were just about TikTok, it would only cite foreign control as the issue, but it does not. https://t.co/3hpePCE1nS Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 12, 2024 Lawmakers accused TikTok of providing its U.S. user data to its Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance, which they say has connections to the Chinese Communist Party The notification prompted users to reach out to their congressional member to urge them to vote against the proposed bill. As a result, congressional offices received hundreds of calls about the bill Tuesday morning, congressional aides told DailyMail.com. Many callers appeared to be children or concerned parents begging the app not be banned. Users are being told the bill threatens TikTok's very existence, though what it actually does is force its parent company to divest - something callers are largely in support of once staffers explain the nuance of the bill. 'TikTok's campaign to have users call their representatives shows just how much control they have. This campaign is reminiscent of typical Communist Party tactics,' Rep. Greg Murphy, R- N.C., told DailyMail.com in a statement. 'Unfortunately, these callers don't understand what they are really advocating for - they are following orders from Beijing. The CCP is hoping to replicate their modus operandi of telling their citizens what to do.' His office's phones were 'blowing up' according to staff. Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., told DailyMail.com he is in favor of the bill and despite the deluge of calls, 'We'll talk to any constituent that wants to call in and talk to us through this.' 'We're explaining our position, and it's a normal part of the process,' he said. Rep. John Duarte, R- Calif., told DailyMail.com that though he does not know yet how he will vote on the bill, 'It won't be because 16-year-olds call me from all over the country.' The House China Select Committee last week accused CCP officials of using TikTok to spy on U.S. users' locations and dictate its algorithm to conduct influence campaigns, making it a national security threat. If the bill is passed, ByteDance would have 165 days after the law is signed to divest from TikTok. If it does not, app stores and web hosting platforms would not be allowed to distribute it in the U.S. The bill passed through committee last week with a bipartisan unanimous 50-0 vote. However, the bill does have some notable opposition beyond just children and their parents. TikTok sent this notification to users last week after the bill was introduced Last week, former President Donald Trump threw cold water on the bipartisan bill, saying if TikTok is banned its rival Facebook would 'double their business' 'I don't want Facebook, who cheated in the last Election, doing better,' Trump wrote. 'They are a true Enemy of the People!' Lawmakers have also expressed reticence about how the TikTok bill could impact First Amendment protections. 'I think it's a terrible idea and it's hysteria that's running through both parties now.' Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., told DailyMail.com Friday. 'In America, we don't just tell people you can't own a company because we don't like you. And 150 million people use their First Amendment freedom to express themselves on TikTok, and you can't just have that taken away from them.' Fellow Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie agreed. 'The so-called TikTok ban is a trojan horse. The President will be given the power to ban web sites, not just apps,' he posted on X. It is expected to get a vote on the House floor Wednesday. A former Israeli prime minister on Monday warned the U.S. it would face the consequences if it failed to fully back the war against Hamas and radical Islamic terrorism. 'We're fighting total evil, and we might be imperfect, but were doing everyones job and the world should back Israel,' Naftali Bennett told CNN. 'Otherwise, everyone's gonna face it. These zombie murderers are gonna come right over here.' President Joe Biden threw US support behind Israel in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel that killed at least 1200 people. But with the death toll in Gaza rising above 30,000 people and warnings of famine circulating, he has urged Israel to show more restraint. Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned President Joe Biden he would face the consequences if he failed to fully back the war against Hamas and radical Islamic terrorism Displaced Palestinians shelter in a tent camp, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist terror group Hamas, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip A report on Monday suggested Biden is considering choking off military aid if the Israeli Defense Forces launch a large-scale invasion of Rafah, one of the last places in the Gaza Strip where families have been able to escape the fighting. Bennett, who was prime minister from June 2021 to June 2022, said he hoped that was not a real threat. 'We're fighting the war against radical Islam,' he said. 'Hamas is not about peace, its not about the Palestinians, it's about radical Islam, the forefront of radical Islam, and mark my words, if we are prevented from defeating radical Islam in Gaza, youre going to meet radical Islam again here in New York, youre going to meet it in London on the streets, you're going to meet it across the world. 'Every Islamic radical terrorist is looking at what's going on in Gaza and that's their litmus test do we have the resolve? And we knew it's gonna be tough. We knew that. 'But you cant stop in the middle just because it's tough.' Bennett has been touring US news studios to deliver a message that Israel is fighting the West's war against terrorism and to bolster support. Yet focus has shifted to an unfolding humanitarian catastrophe caused by Israel's bombardment and blockade. Bennett said failure to support the fight against Hamas, whose fighters are seen here, would mean the rest of the world would feel the impact Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used an interview with 'Fox and Friends' to hit back at President Joe Biden on Monday morning laying out his own red line in Gaza A man walks past placards with photos of hostages kidnapped in the deadly October 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas from Gaza, in Tel Aviv, Israel On Tuesday an aid ship loaded with 200 tons of food set sail from Cyprus for Gaza to test whether a sea corridor could be used to deliver help. Attempts by the US, Qatar and Egypt to broker a cease-fire and hostage release ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan failed. In the meantime, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made clear he intends to take the fight into Rafah and that he will not stop until Hamas is destroyed. He expressed anger Monday after Biden talked about an assault on Rafah crossing a 'red line.' 'Look, it's either Israel or Hamas. There's no middle way. I mean, we have to have that victory,' he told 'Fox and Friends.' 'We can't have three quarters of a victory. We can't have two thirds of a victory because Hamas will reconstitute itself with these four battalions in Rafah, reconquer the Gaza Strip, and do the October 7 massacre over and over and over again. 'And for us, Israel, not merely for me, but the people of Israel that's a red line. We can't let Hamas survive.' The owner of San Diego's $4.5 million Lamborghini yacht has been caught on video seemingly threatening to kill a dock worker and flashing his genitals after he was refused parking. The local resident and owner of the yacht, Ajay Thakore who also goes by the name Ace Rogers, allegedly attempted to pull up to Seaforth Boat Rental to pick someone up on Sunday. When a 21-year-old employee informed Thakore that he could not park there, the boat owner allegedly escalated the fight. The video showed Thakore yelling obscenities at the employer and throwing money in the water to swim after. 'I'll kill you! I will kill you! You know I'll kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you!' Thakore seemingly says to the dock worker in the video. 'Yeah, I doubt it! Ace Rogers, call me! Time and place!' the employee responds. Local resident and owner of a Lamborghini yacht Ajay 'Ace' Thakore allegedly threatened a dock employee when he was denied parking at Seaforth Boat Rental The video showed Thakore yelling obscenities at the employer and throwing money in the water to swim after 'I'll kill you! I will kill you! You know I'll kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you!' Thakore seemingly says to the dock worker in the video In another video, Thakore allegedly exposes himself after pulling his pants down and made inappropriate gestures at the dock worker In another video, Thakore allegedly exposes himself after pulling his pants down and made inappropriate gestures at the dock worker. The Sandiegoville was first to report on the video. The boat owner made headlines in 2021 when he was publicly accused of harassing the La Jolla pizza eatery known as American Pizza Manufacturing. The founder of the pizzeria, Andrew Melone, said he originally dealt with defaming social media posts and negative comments on review sites about his establishment. However, the alleged harassment quickly escalated. Melone said he found two vehicles parked in the spaces directly in front of the take-and-bake pizzeria, covered with decals of various fonts reading 'Take N Bake Pizza Sucks.' Melone also reported a plane flying over the area pulling a banner with messages like 'Just Say No To Take N Bake Pizza.' Thakore also allegedly targeted the restaurant next to Malone's called Carino's, an business opened in 1972 which has since permanently closed its doors. The plane displayed messages such as, 'Carinos Pizza Is Better Than Take N Bake.' In response to Melone's public accusations, Thakore and Gopher Media LLC, the company of which Thakore is CEO, filed a lawsuit against the pizzeria owner. Thakore and the media company claimed that they were exercising their first amendment right against Melone and his pizzeria after experiencing racially motivated mistreatment. The boat owner made headlines in 2021 when he was publicly accused of harassing the La Jolla pizza eatery known as American Pizza Manufacturing Lakore also filed a complaint against the parent company that owns Nautilus Tavern in San Diego's Bird Rock community of La Jolla, alleging in the civil suit that the restaurant discriminated against him The lawsuit against American Pizza Manufacturing and Melone asks for 'an award of actual and compensatory damages in an amount of $10 million and/or an amount to be proven at trial.' In response to the lawsuit, American Pizza Manufacturing counter-sued, accusing Thakore of 'relentless and ongoing campaign of harassment' against the restaurant in while 'libeling [APM and] ... unfairly interfering with APM's business' in the beginning of 2022. The lawsuits between Thakore and American Pizza Manufacturing remain ongoing. Thakore has several other lawsuits against him listed in the San Diego County Superior Court Register of Actions. He also filed a complaint against the parent company that owns Nautilus Tavern in San Diego's Bird Rock community of La Jolla, alleging in the civil suit that the restaurant discriminated against him. Nautilus Tavern counter-sued, claiming that Thakore took part in stalking, intentional infliction of emotional distress, intentional interference with prospective economic relations and negligent interference with prospective economic relations. They also accused Thakore of urinating on the floor of their bar. The civil case management between the tavern and Thakore is scheduled for June 28, 2024. 'We would need to verify if this in fact occurred in the City of San Diego. We would also need to speak to the parties involved to conduct a thorough investigation before anything else can be done,' The San Diego Police Department told DailyMail.com. Thakore did not immediately respond to the DailyMail.com's request for comment. President Joe Biden repeatedly told Special Counsel Robert Hur he had 'no idea' how government documents ended up at his D.C. office and his Wilmington garage, according to an interview transcript released minutes before the start of a bombshell hearing Tuesday. Hur's report has drawn attention for his decision to include instances of the president's failure to recall key events in his life an explosive move that fueled an election year debate over his cognitive ability. But the president also repeatedly states that he doesn't recall information directly related to the investigation namely how government materials that were supposed to go to the National Archives ended up at home. During his White House interview, Hur asked Biden about a 'second tranche' of documents that ended up at his home in December 2022. 'I have no goddamn idea. I didn't even bother to go through them,' Biden responded. President Joe Biden repeatedly said he had 'no idea' when asked detailed questions about how classified materials ended up in his home and office Asked how he knew when the boxes arrived in his garage, Biden responded: 'No, because I had been out.' He said it 'could be building material of what they're doing now,' in a possible reference to renovations at his home, with information redacted. Biden was asked how long he anticipated living at a Virginia home after he left the vice presidency. 'I have no idea,' he responded. Did he know if contents of a file cabinet were removed from a file cabinet in preparation for a move? 'I have no idea,' Biden responded. 'They probably locked the cabinet and put it in a truck. I don't know, though.' Asked about notebooks with his notes on foreign policy dating from his time as vice president and where they were, Biden was apologetic. 'I have no idea, I wish I could say I was more organized,' Biden said. Biden recalled moving boxes around his garage to get access to his classic Corvette. He also had precise recall about a binder of material on the car, a gift from his father Special Counsel Robert Hur issued a report explaining his decision not to charge Biden with a crime, while including examples of memory lapses The president's failure to recall specific details of the movements of materials came in a process that culminated in Hur concluding there was not sufficient evidence to charge Biden with a crime, in a probe where he had to assess Biden's intent. Biden, a lawyer who describes early parts of his law career during long tangents in response to Hur's questions, also said he didn't keep documents 'knowingly.' That is how he fielded a question from a prosecutor about memos and documents about Afghanistan from his time as vice, when asked if there were other documents he kept. 'Not knowingly. I mean, it wasn't anything I consciously there may have been something that was kept in a notebook or something, but not conscious,' he replied. Biden's failure to recall how classified information at his home came to light before a House hearing that featured video from his fiery press conference immediately after Hur released his report. 'I take responsibility for not having seen exactly what my staff was doing,' Biden said. Biden also tried to put blame on subordinates during his interview, without naming names. 'I don't want to hold them responsible or get them in trouble, but I believe they were the ones who were packing it up,' he said. There were other areas where Biden's memory was crystal clear, including a binder marked 'Corvette,' related to his classic Stingray. 'Now I have stuff in there. I remember this,' Biden said. 'I had all materials of things that mattered to me personally, He mentioned the $5,700 sticker price, the 'original key ring' he maintains. 'I have all the stuff about the Corvette,' he said. He also recalled seeing boxes in his garage in 2019 or 2020 - and moving them himself to get to his cherished vehicle. 'I remember moving boxes, literally physically moving them, with help, one side to the other so I could get the Corvette in the garage ...' he said. As expected, Biden's memory featured prominently in dueling testimony at Tuesday's House hearing. 'We're trying to play memory detectives,' scolded Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.). But Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), a Donald Trump loyalist, asked if Biden was being 'a little craftier and a little more devious and perhaps a little more intentional' in his answers. Chu posted a link to her piece that argued children should be allowed to have transgender treatments A New York magazine journalist asked her online audience to donate money to a friend's botched gender surgery after promoting a piece she wrote arguing kids should be allowed to have transgender treatments. Andrea Long Chu, a transgender female and a critic for New York magazine, faced backlash for a post she made under a link to her article on Monday that promoted her new article 'Freedom of Sex The moral case for letting trans kids change their bodies.' 'I wrote about what justice looks like for trans kids,' Chu captioned her initial post. In her piece, Chu talked about the transgender 'debate' in the US, misconceptions in the transgender community she has noticed, and called out publications like the Times and The Atlantic for 'sanitizing ideas' in the 'reactionary corners of the media landscape.' After sharing her work, Chu, who uses the pronouns 'she' and 'her', then posted a link to a Gofundme and called for her 45,000 followers to support her friend who needs a revision procedure after their gender surgery left them in 'a lot of pain and discomfort.' Chu wrote: 'Speaking of which: my sweet friend theo is having painful complications from their surgery last year and urgently needs a revision, pls help out if you can.' Andrea Long Chu, a transgender female and a critic for New York magazine, has faced harsh backlash for a post she made that supported a friend's botched gender surgery after promoting her new article that argued that kids should be allowed to transition Chu originally posted a link to her New York magazine piece on Monday (left) . She then posted a link to her friends Gofundme page that is raising money for gender revision surgery (right) The plea for assistance to correct a gender surgery in such quick succession to advocating for it caught the eye of critics online. Comedian Bridget Pheatasy posted Chu's tweet about her article alongside her post about the fundraising link. 'Tagging your story about letting kids mutilate themselves with a Gofundme for complications from one of these surgeries pretty much says it all,' Pheatady said. 'Chu does not truly lack all self-awareness; he desires the lack,' writer Donovan Cleckley posted on X. In reaction to her post, another person said: 'Just a fascinating juxtaposition with zero self awareness. "kids must have these surgeries - help my friend with his botched surgery".' 'You absolutely are vile,' another person said under her post. Of all of the negative reactions Chu received for her controversial post, one person was seen showing support. 'So much brilliance in this must-read piece by @andrelongchu,' author Paisley Currah said. In the piece, Chu spoke about how many Americans have gotten involved in the debate 'over the rights of transgender youth' which she said is run by 'the far left, the liberal center, and certain feminists on the left.' As of Tuesday morning, the Gofundme link that Chu originally posted on X, was deleted. The donation page is still up and has raised more than $3,075 out of its $10,000 goal Even though she took it down, others quickly reacted to Chu's post and called her out for her 'fascinating juxtaposition' 'An increase in gender freedom has coincided with a rise in the number of people wishing to change their sex. For these people, sex itself is becoming a site of freedom,' Chu wrote. Chu's book that she wrote in 2019 has been credited to launching a 'second wave' of trans studies Chu also dove into the introduction of bills that have set out to 'ban gender-affirming health care for minors,' made schools out students to their parents, and restrict trans children in sports. She argued that trans rights have been hung on a 'thin peg' because the society has justified that that kids decide to change their gender due to depression, anxiety, peer pressure, social media and more. 'But we have largely failed to form a coherent moral account of why someones gender identity should justify the actual biological interventions that make up gender-affirming care,' Chu wrote. She insisted that the feud on justifying why kids decide to change their gender, 'is a fear we can no longer afford.' In a book she wrote in 2019, titled 'Females,' Chu dug into a 'genre-defying investigation' that focused on the public's approach to 'smother' the 'embrace of gender.' The book has since been credited to launching a 'second wave' of trans studies, according to her website. As of Tuesday morning, her post to X with a link to the fundraising page, had been deleted. The donation page is still up and has raised more than $3,075 out of a $10,000 goal. In her New York magazine piece, Chu specifically identified well-known publications and journalists who she said have 'put wokeness before rational standards of care' In her New York magazine piece, Chu specifically identified well-known publications like The Atlantic, Times and The Economist. She said that The Atlantic's 2018 piece 'When Children Say They're Trans' and accused the piece of describing 'gender-questioning youth' as a social issue, before it made the topic a medical issue. Chu then called out the Times and accused the publication of 'vigorously normalizing' that debating over the rights of trans youth is necessary. Besides listing publications that she thinks have negatively contributed to her argument, Chu also named multiple journalists in her piece. 'These writers are far more likely to be militants than their counterparts at the Times; they are especially preoccupied with the "science denial" of radical activists, who have put wokeness before rational standards of care,' Chu wrote. DailyMail.com contacted Chu for comment. The president of the Holocaust Survivors Foundation USA has slammed The Zone of Interest director Jonathan Glazer for comparing the Israel-Hamas war to Hitler's industrial-scale slaughter of Jews in his Oscars acceptance speech. Glazer's Holocaust drama about the lives of a Nazi family in their home adjacent to the Auschwitz death camp won the Academy Award for best international film on Sunday. While giving his acceptance speech, the writer-director condemned the war in Gaza and said, 'We stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation.' Holocaust survivor, David Schaecter, who spent three years at the Auschwitz death camp and one at Buchenwald, wrote an open letter calling Glazer's comparison 'morally indefensible.' 'You should be ashamed of yourself for using Auschwitz to criticize Israel,' said 94 year-old Schaecter. The Zone of Interest director Jonathan Glazer (right) condemned the war in Gaza during his Oscars acceptance speech and said, 'We stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation' Holocaust survivor, David Schaecter wrote an open letter calling Glazer's comparison 'morally indefensible' Hamas led terror attack on October 7th that killed over 1,200 Israelis. Pictured: The kindergarten in Be'eri which appeared to be a site of clashes when Hamas gunmen swept the kibbutz on October 7 Multiple Oscars attendees wore these red pins calling for a Ceasefire, created by Artists4Ceasefire Billie Eilish is seen wearing a red ceasefire pin ahead of Sunday's glitzy ceremony Poor Things stars Mark Ruffalo (left) and Ramy Youssef (right) also donned the red pins Sunday to show their support for a ceasefire 'If the creation, existence, and survival of the State of Israel as a Jewish state equates to 'occupation' in your mind, then you obviously learned nothing from your movie.' Glazer's film is loosely based on the 2014 novel of the same name by Martin Amis, which is partially-based on real events. In his speech Glazer said, 'Our film shows where dehumanization leads, at its worst. Right now we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people. 'Whether the victims of October the 7th in Israel, or the ongoing attack on Gaza, all the victims, this dehumanization, how do we resist?' Schaecter has been outspoken in his support for Israel since the Hamas led terror attack on October 7th that killed over 1,200 Israelis and saw over 240 people taken hostage. 'I watched in anguish Sunday night when I heard you use the platform of the Oscars ceremony to equate Hamass maniacal brutality against innocent Israelis with Israels difficult but necessary self-defense in the face of Hamass ongoing barbarity,' Schaecter said in his letter. 'It is disgraceful for you to presume to speak for the six million Jews, including one and a half million children, who were murdered solely because of their Jewish identity.' 'It is disgraceful for you to presume to speak for those of us who personally saw the world stand silent as our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins were murdered,' he said. Glazer's controversial comments came as pro-Palestine protesters delayed the Oscars ceremony by five minutes. Activists blocked the roads leading to the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles and forced Hollywood's biggest stars to abandon their vehicles and walk to the venue. Pro-Palestine protesters calling for a ceasefire delayed the Oscars ceremony by five minutes. Following the October 7th attack, o ver 30,000 Palestinians have been killed One protestor displayed a sign reading 'The Oscars sponsored by baby killers,' while another sign read 'Hollywood's silence is violence.' Some celebrities including Billie Eilish, Ramy Youssef and Mark Ruffalo wore red pins in support of the group Artisit4Ceasefire. According to the groups website, the pin is composed of a red background to symbolize the urgency of the call to save lives. The orange hand is meant to symbolize people of all backgrounds coming together and the heart at the center symbolizes leading with love. Following the October 7th attack, over 30,000 Palestinians have been killed and the UN has warned the Gaza strip faces famine conditions. A 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped for months and left to die in her bed by her father and grandfather. Raymond Felix Pena, 50, the girl's father, and her step-grandfather Brett Miles Minkler, 64, were charged with rape, homicide, and child neglect causing death. Police were first alerted to the girl's plight when she called 911 from the home in Goshen, California, on January 16 saying she was having trouble breathing. Sheriff's deputies arrived but Pena and Minkler allegedly told them she wasn't home, but called them back to the house hours later. Raymond Felix Pena, 50, the girl's father, is arrested at the family's home in Goshen, California, on March 1, weeks after the girl was found dead Brett Miles Minkler, 64, the girl's step-grandfather, was arrested at the same time Raymond Felix Pena, 50, (right) the girl's father, and her step-grandfather Brett Miles Minkler, 64, (left) were charged with rape, homicide, and child neglect causing death Officers then found the girl unresponsive in a bedroom at the back of the house. She was rushed to hospital but did not survive. 'Deputies noticed multiple indicators suggesting severe neglect potentially played a role in the child's death,' the Tulare County Sheriff's Office said. Ashley Ritchie, with the sheriff's office, said the girl had wounds all over her body and her condition was a 'gruesome indicator' of what happened to her. 'It was her own father who sexually abused her for months, probably longer than that. Left her like an animal on the bed to die and her own step-grandfather,' she said. 'She had many health issues that were not treated for years and led her body into a state that it was.' Pena was charged with charged with rape, homicide, and child neglect causing death Pena is also accused of sexually abusing an 11-year-old female neighbor who frequently spent time at the home Investigators later discovered a network of surveillance cameras that allegedly recorded some of the 'disturbing abuse' of the girl. The footage revealed the girl hadn't left her bed since November, and that an 11-year-old girl, a neighbor, was allegedly also repeatedly sexually abused by the two men. 'Detectives also determined additional girls frequented the home of Pena and Minkler and are working to identify these individuals to determine if there are additional victims,' police said. The two men were hauled out of the home in handcuffs on March 1 and locked up at the Tulare County Sheriffs Office Adult Pre-Trail Facility. Police said the girl's mother and grandmother died two years ago, just months apart. A 20-year-old Venezuelan migrant accused of violently kicking an NYPD cop during a Times Square melee was deemed a 'flight risk' and given bond during her first court appearance. Edgarlis Vegas, from Brooklyn, became the 13th suspect arrested in connection to the assault on January 27. She was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court Tuesday where she was charged with second-degree assault on a police officer. Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Zachary Kotin told the court that Vegas, dressed in a green Nike sweatshirt and dark jeans, was seen on video kicking at an officer and hitting him in the back. Judge Pamela Goldsmith determined she posed a flight risk and set her bail at $25,000 cash or a $75,000 partially secured bond despite arguments from Vegas' defense attorney Eric Bernstein for her to be released on her own recognizance. The attack erupted when two officers attempted to disperse a group in front of 220 West 42nd Street and Lieutenant Ben Kurian and Officer Zunxu Tian, are said to have suffered laceration, bruising and substantial shoulder pain. Edgarlis Vegas, from Brooklyn, became the 13th suspect arrested in connection to the assault on January 27 Kotin told the court Vegas was seen on surveillance footage wearing a burgundy jacket and kicking out at Kurian. The prosecutor claimed she changed her story about the events multiple times and said, 'she said she was trying to move other members of the group and fell backward. 'However she changed her story again. She was kicking a different member of the group and may have accidently kicked the officer.' He added Vegas told authorities she moved to the US from Venezuela around three months ago and had only been staying in her permanent residence for a short period. 'Given lack of community ties or means of staying in touch with her attorneys, substantial bail is required,' Kotin said. 'People are requesting monetary bail at $30,000 cash, $90,000 insurance bond and $100,000 partially secured.' Social media posts show Vegas in New York City and her life. She posted several video on TikTok where she dances or shows off her time in the Big Apple. Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Zachary Kotin told the court that Vegas, dressed in a green Nike sweatshirt and dark jeans, was seen on video kicking at an officer and hitting him in the back Judge Pamela Goldsmith determined she posed a flight risk and set her bail at $25,000 cash or a $75,000 partially secured bond despite arguments from Vegas' defense attorney Eric Bernstein for her to be released on her own recognizance Social media posts show Vegas in New York City and her life. She posted several video on TikTok where she dances or shows off her time in the Big Apple Prosecutors said Vegas told authorities she moved to the US from Venezuela around three months ago and had only been staying in her permanent residence for a short period Defense attorney Bernstein asked for Vegas to be released on her own recognizance. He said: 'My client has nowhere to go and she has a place in Brooklyn and she will be back to answer these charges when required.' Judge Goldsmith said: 'The defendant does pose a risk of flight to the prosecution. 'I am setting monetary bail which is necessary to make sure the defendant returns to court.' Prosecutor Kotin confirmed the case is set to be presented to a grand jury Thursday. Vegas has no prior history of arrests but an image of her smiling was sent out by police before she was taken into custody on Monday. Police officers are searching for two more suspects over the attack. Authorities have arrested 12 people who have been charged in connection with the brutal attack including Yohenry Brito, 24, Yorman Reveron, 24, Ulises Bohorquez, 21, Wilson Juarez, 21, Kelvin Servat Arocha, 19, Darwin Andres Gomez-Izquiel, 19 and Yarwuin Madris, 17. Police were called to disperse a 'disorderly group' in front of 220 West 42 Street when suspect Yohenry Brito, 24, 'got confrontational with the officers' Videos shows the two officers and Brito falling to the ground and during the struggle is when other suspects interfered by pulling, grabbing and kicking the officers Police were called to disperse a 'disorderly group' in front of 220 West 42 Street when suspect Yohenry Brito, 24, 'got confrontational with the officers' and they attempted to arrest him, according to NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny. Authorities were called to disperse a 'disorderly group' in front of 220 West 42 Street when suspect Yohenry Brito, 24, 'got confrontational with the officers' and they attempted to arrest him, according to NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny. As Kurian is holding Brito against the wall, groups of people are heard shouting in Spanish at the officer. That is when Brito attempted to escape from Kurian and with the assistance of Officer Zunxu Tian, the cops grabbed the migrant's clothing as they tried to restrain him. Videos show the two officers and Brito falling to the ground and during the struggle is when other suspects interfered by pulling, grabbing and kicking the officers. As Brito attempts to wriggle away, the officers are holding on to his shirt that he eventually takes off. 'Go arrest those guys,' Kurian said as the crowd fled. ieutenant Ben Kurian and Officer Zunxu Tian, are said to have suffered laceration, bruising and substantial shoulder pain in the attack Darwin Andres Gomez (left) and Kelvin Servita Arocha were initially released without bail and are thought to have tried to flee Wilson Juarez (left) and Yorman Reveron (right) have also been charged in connection to the case The case quickly drew international attention. It took days for police to indict the suspects in the case. Several were freed shortly after the attack on bail and some fled the area. Brito, Gomes, Reveron and Arocha are all charged with two counts of second-degree assault and one count of second-degree obstructing governmental administration. Police say neither Juarez nor Arocha ever hit the officers, but that Arocha kicked a police radio as Juarez watched from a distance before giving his jacket to Brito. Gomez is accused of grabbing one officer and kicking the other one while Reveron allegedly grabbed, pulled and threw the two cops on the ground. Wilson Juarez, is now believed to have watched the brawl from a distance without participating. He has since been charged with tampering with physical evidence because he allegedly traded his jacket with a man who fled police following the confrontation, prosecutors said, One suspect who was arrested and released without bail last week was not indicted - Jhoan Boada, 22, who was once pictured leaving the courthouse with his middle fingers up at reporters. Nearly 60 graves in a French cemetery have been covered in Islamic graffiti, including phrases such as 'Submit to Allah' and 'Happy Ramadan, non-Muslims'. On Monday morning, a total of 58 burial sites in Clermont-dExcideuil cemetery, in Perigord Vert, Dordogne, were discovered scrawled over in an incident that has left the neighbourhood outraged. Images of the graffiti show Islamic messages written in French sprayed in black and white paint across graves and doors. The acts of vandalism allegedly occurred over Sunday night, only to be discovered by the Mayor of Clermont d'Excideuil, Claude Eymery, the following morning. Tombs, the war memorial, the church door, a Calvary, and a fountain were covered with inscriptions. 58 tombs in Clermont-dExcideuil cemetery, in Perigord Vert, Dordogne, were discovered covered in Islamic graffiti on Monday morning One tomb read: 'France is already Allah's'. The incident left citizens 'shocked' and 'even traumatised' The church doors were also a target for the vandals as they sprayed 'Ramadan Mubarak' on the doors A resident told FranceInfo: 'I just discovered these tags and it sends shivers down my spine. When I read this, it chills me. Its a trauma for the town' On the side of one grave site, a message written in uppercase reads: 'France is already Allah's'. Another says: 'Happy Ramadan, non-Muslims'. The word 'GWER' can be spotted on at least two tombs - translating from Algerian Arabic to a white person, a Westerner, or a non-Muslim. The church, located 300 metres from the cemetery, was also made a target with the inscription 'Ramadan Mubarak' on its wooden doors. Mayor Eymery reportedly discovered the vandalised site when we arrived at the cemetery at 8:30am on Monday morning. He immediately called the police and filed a complaint, telling FranceInfo: 'It's weird in a small town like that. I thought it only happened elsewhere'. The cemetery is a popular burial site for Perigord Vert's inhabitants, and many were reportedly left 'shocked' and 'traumatised' by the incident. 'People came to see the tombs of their ancestors, of their elders, which were dedicated to eternal rest and ultimately which were disturbed,' said Alexandre Caille, of the SOS Calvaires association. The word 'GWERS' was seen on the side of two tombs - translating from Algerian Arabic to a white person, a Westerner, or a non-Muslim The Mayor of Clermont d'Excideuil, Claude Eymery, discovered the vandalised cemetary at 8:30am on Monday morning 'What is important is the symbol: we are talking about the war memorial, about people who fought for France to be free. 'People are really outraged, shocked, even traumatized for some, she added. Another resident told FranceInfo: 'I just discovered these tags and it sends shivers down my spine. When I read this, it chills me. Its a trauma for the town'. One more said: 'I didn't believe it, not here. Honestly, I'm scandalized! I hope we'll find the author(s) who did this. I grew up in a foster family where they taught respect. Even if you are not a believer or of another religion, you must respect yourself'. The findings immediately sparked a reaction from Jacques-Edouard Andrault, the public prosecutor of Perigueux, who indicated that an investigation for 'aggravated damage' had been opened, reported CNews. George Galloway today vowed he would continue to give the Tories and Labour a 'kicking' following their 'spanking' at the Rochdale by-election. The firebrand MP used his first speech in the House of Commons after his bombshell re-election to Parliament to turn his fire on Britain's two main parties. The 69-year-old, the leader of his Workers Party of Britain, claimed the Tories and Labour were 'two cheeks of the same backside'. Mr Galloway's victory at last month's by-election - which he won after a hardline pro-Palestine campaign - was the seventh time he has been elected to Parliament. He has also now represented three different parties in the Commons, having previously been a Labour and Respect Party MP. As he spoke during day four of the debate on the Budget, Mr Galloway paid tribute to Sir Tony Lloyd, his predecessor as Rochdale MP, after the death of the Labour politician in January. He remembered how he and Sir Tony previously 'marched together... against the repeated massacres in Gaza at the hands of the Israeli occupation forces'. George Galloway vowed he would continue to give the Tories and Labour a 'kicking' following their 'spanking' at the Rochdale by-election The firebrand MP used his first speech in the House of Commons after his bombshell re-election to Parliament to turn his fire on Britain's two main parties The 69-year-old, the leader of his Workers Party of Britain, claimed the Tories and Labour were 'two cheeks of the same backside' Mr Galloway spoke from the very back of the opposition benches in the Commons, where he had earlier been joined by Reform UK's new MP Lee Anderson Mr Galloway spoke from the very back of the opposition benches in the Commons, where he had earlier been joined by Reform UK's new MP Lee Anderson. He told the Commons of Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's latest fiscal package: 'Frankly all the spices in Rochdale could not give flavour to what can only be described as a nothing burger of a Budget. 'An absolute nothing burger and the response from the so-called Opposition in this House: equally vacuous. 'The shadow minister bridled when the SNP accused them of accepting the Tories' spending limits. 'But he had no right to bridle because everything that is being said by the Leader of the Opposition, by the shadow chancellor of the exchequer, accepts the economic orthodoxies of the Conservative Government.' Mr Galloway claimed of the Tories and Labour that 'most people feel a wish for a plague on both of their houses'. He added: 'Two cheeks of the same backside is the most popular phrase I have ever coined, because it so aptly describes not just the general political situation, but the debate on this very Budget itself.' And, in reference to his by-election victory, Mr Galloway continued: 'Having given both parties a good spanking on 29 February... I've got my boots on to give them a good kicking.' Earlier during the debate, Mr Anderson sat on the opposition benches next to Mr Galloway as he made his first Commons appearance since joining Reform UK. The Ashfield MP is a former Conservative deputy chairman who lost the Tory whip last month after claiming London mayor Sadiq Khan was controlled by 'Islamists'. A Hawaii chiropractor who stabbed to death his wife and three kids before ending his own life had no history of violence, it has been revealed. Paris Oda, 46, fatally stabbed his wife Naoko and three children - aged 17, 12 and 10 - before taking his own life at their family home in Manoa, a quiet residential neighborhood of Honolulu, according to police. But his employees said the loving father had a happy demeanor until last year, when he began showing signs of depression, becoming moody and disengaged, as reported by Island News. 'He had depression because he just totally changed -- no smiling, nothing. Sometimes he looks so just grouchy,' Oda's employee Cammy Divers said. 'I kind of scared to talking to him because he seems really unhappy person.' Divers added that even some patients asked about Oda's change of attitude. Paris Oda fatally stabbed his wife Naoko and three children - aged 17, 12 and 10 - before taking his own life at their family home in Manoa Employees said the loving father had a happy demeanor until last year, when he began showing signs of depression, becoming moody and disengaged A tent was erected in the front yard of the home as police conducted their investigation Oda, who had a clean criminal record, had a history of financial issues going back to at least 2021, when the owners of an office building sued him and his company for about $90,000 in rent and fees going back three years, as reported by Hawaii News Now. According to court documents, Oda stopped paying rent at the building in December 2017, continuing to built debt during the Covid-19 pandemic. That case settled in December 2021 after Oda agreed to pay $57,000. According to Oda's social media posts, he had put up his 2013 Ford truck for sale in December for $20,000. The same month he was advertising a treadmill for $800. Neighbors previously told local media that the Paris family lived in the upstairs of their $1.7 million home and a second family who rented the downstairs unit had left for a trip to Japan on Saturday. The mass killing is the second deadliest murder in Honolulu in almost 25 years. Police said they received an anonymous call about a disturbance at that home on Waaloa Place at 8:30am but nobody opened the door to police officers when they arrived. Officers returned to the home 45 minutes later at 9:15am when the discovery of the five deaths was made. Paris Oda, 46, fatally stabbed his wife and three children - aged 17, 12 and 10 - before taking his own life at their family home in Manoa 'They [first responding officers] left because it was an anonymous caller, and there was no one there to meet them' explained Lt. Thoemmes. 'And that's what they got called to initially. It was the second call when they realized what happened.' 'I think there was an attempt to try to find out who the initial caller was and then I think at 9am that individual was able to make contact with HPD,' added HPD Chief Joe Logan. 'And then make contact with our officers in person where we could figure out more info and gain entry at that point.' Locals were spooked after hearing the dreadful news. 'It's concerning, neighbors are kind of scared, usually we don't have a lot of crime around here its real quiet, so everyone wants to be safe and make sure everyone is okay, but it's just something that doesn't happen here,' said neighbor Aime Wakai to KHON2. 'They're like the typical really festive family, they dress up the house for the holidays and it's normal,' added another neighbor Hiro Izumo. A Boeing whistleblower claimed the aviation giant had fired its quality control inspectors and was relying on mechanics shortly before he was found dead in South Carolina on Saturday. John Barnett, 62, was found with a 'self-inflicted' gunshot wound in Charleston, where he had been in the middle of depositions in a retaliation suit related to production of the 787 Dreamliner plane. The Charleston Police Department said left a suicide note in his vehicle, as revealed by DailyMail.com. The contents of the note have not yet been revealed. Just months earlier, in a January appearance on TMZ, he warned that Boeing's 737 planes were being put in the air too soon after the Alaska Airlines midair fuselage blowout on January 5. Barnett claimed that the incident involving the loose panel was indicative of something greater - and alleged in his lawsuit against the company: Boeing turning a blind eye to safety concerns in order to raise their bottom line. 'Back in 2012, Boeing started removing inspection operations off their jobs... So, it left the mechanics to buy off their own work.'' he told TMZ, recalling his time as a quality overseer at Boeing's SC plant, which manufactured 787s. Boeing whistleblower John Barnett claimed the aviation giant had fired its quality control inspectors and was relying on mechanics shortly before he was found dead on Saturday Barnett said he had problems with how Boeing was handling its production of its 737s and 787s in particular, days after a door plug blew out on a 737 blew out at 16,000ft In January, Barnett explained why he believed both models were ticking time bombs, as both incidents remain under investigation Barnett was found dead inside his truck on Saturday in the parking lot of a Holiday Inn in Charleston, pictured above Barnett added: 'What we're seeing with the door plug blowout is what I've seen with the rest of the airplane, as far as jobs not being completed properly, inspection steps being removed, issues being ignored. 'My concerns are with the 737 and 787, because those programs have really embraced the theory that quality is overhead and non value added. 'I know the FAA is going in and done due diligence and inspections to ensure the door close on the 737 is installed properly and the fasteners are stored properly,' he said, citing the parts that likely played a part in the incident. 'But, my concern is, "What's the rest of the airplane? What's the condition of the rest of the airplane?"' Barnett's suit against Boeing alleged under-pressure workers were deliberately fitting 'sub-standard' parts to Boeing 787s, and that brass were sweeping defects under the rug to save money. Timeline of whistleblower John Barnett's claims against Boeing April 2019: Barnett tells the New York Times that Boeing repeatedly ignored safety concerns from workers in favour of pushing out Dreamliner planes November 2019: Barnett tells the BBC that up to a quarter of the oxygen systems on 787 Dreamliners may be faulty and might not work when needed. He added that faulty parts were deliberately fitted to planes. January 2024: The whistleblower tells TMZ that corner cutting was rife in the plane-making world. January 2024: Footage from inside the cabin of a Boeing 737 Max showed the door blowing off shortly after taking off from Portland, Oregon. February 2024: Barnett files an AIR21 lawsuit against Boeing, alleging it had undermined his career over his whistleblowing. March 2024: The Department of Justice launches a criminal investigation into the Boeing blowout in Portland, Oregon. March 2024: John Barnett is found dead in his truck. Advertisement It also emerged Monday that an FAA review found that Boeing had failed 33 of 89 product audits conducted. Boeing shed $4billion in value overnight after news of Barnett's death and the FAA audits. Shares dropped by more than 4 percent Tuesday morning, as the airline maker's stock slumped to a five-month low. It follows weeks of scandals since a door plug blew out on an Alaska Airlines flight on January 5. Since then, Boeing's value has nosedived from $150billion to $112billion. Barnett had spoken to media outlets following the January 5 incident on a Boeing 737 MAX 9 plane, when a panel blew out while the flight was in mid-air, exposing passengers to the outside air that required an emergency landing. Boeing has since had to reckon with a full-blown crisis around its safety and quality standards. Its production has been curbed by U.S. regulators, leading to delivery delays across the aerospace industry. Shares for Southwest Airlines also dipped, by 13 percent, after the company said it would limit its capacity plans and reevaluate financial forecasts for this year. Southwest said on Tuesday that Boeing informed them they would deliver 46 Boeing 737 Max 8 planes this year, down from the original planned 58. The first months of the year have been full of scandals involving Boeing, including several terrifying near-tragedies on air, beginning with the Alaska Air January incident. On Thursday, a wheel fell off a Boeing 777-200 shortly after takeoff in San Francisco. Shares dropped by more than 4 percent Tuesday morning as the aviation giant's stock slumped to a five-month low on the news late Monday that John Barnett was found dead in a hotel parking lot in Charleston, SC, on Sunday Since a door plug blew out on an Alaska Airlines flight on January 5, Boeing's value has nosedived from $150billion to $112billion The 256lb wheel fell from a United Airlines plane shortly after take-off and crushed cars parked below after it plummeted to the ground. On Monday, just days before the wheel incident, a 737 engine caught fire mid-flight. The terrifying incident took place just minutes into a United Airlines flight bound for Fort Myers, Florida. Video taken from a passenger window shows white-hot flashes streaming out of the 737's jet engine. Earlier this week, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board accused Boeing of failing to provide some key records sought in its ongoing investigation into the Alaska Air mid-air cabin door emergency. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said investigators have sought the names of the 25 people who work on door plugs at a Boeing facility in Renton, Washington, but have not received them from Boeing. 'It is absurd that two months later we don't have it,' Homendy said at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on Wednesday. Boeing insisted that it had initially provided the NTSB with some of the names of Boeing employees, including door specialists it believed would have relevant information. Senator Ted Cruz, the top Republican on the Commerce Committee, called it 'utterly unacceptable' that the NTSB was not receiving full cooperation from Boeing. Homendy also confirmed that the MAX 9 door plug had moved during prior flights, citing markings on the door. Andrew Tate has insisted that he and his brother Tristan are 'very innocent men' and blamed 'satanists' after learning he will be extradited to the UK to face allegations of rape and human trafficking. The pair appeared at the court of appeal in Bucharest where it was ruled they would be extradited following the conclusion of legal proceedings in Romania. Both Tate, 37, and Tristan, 35, 'unequivocally deny' allegations of rape and human trafficking which date back to 2012-2015. Speaking to reporters outside court following the ruling, Andrew Tate said: 'I want to give absolute credit to Romanian justice for making the correct decision today. 'Unfortunately I don't think many people in Romania understand, but in the West, in the countries that are owned by the satanists, when you get to a certain level of fame you either put on a dress or you go to jail and I'm happy to make my choice which is jail every single time, my soul is not for sale neither are my principles. 'We're very innocent men and in time everybody's going to see that. 'We are excited to finish this judicial process and clear our names.' British-US former professional kickboxer and controversial influencer Andrew Tate (C) is led by police officers at the Court of Appeal in Bucharest, Romania on March 12, 2024 The pair were released from police custody following the hearing after they were arrested yesterday evening on allegations of sexual aggression in a UK case dating back to 2012-2015, their representative said. Bedfordshire Police said earlier today that it had obtained a European arrest warrant and that it is working with authorities in Romania as part of an investigation into allegations of rape and human trafficking against Tate and his brother. The pair were first indicted for rape and human trafficking charges in Romania in June last year, but their case is still being discussed in the preliminary chamber stages and no trial dates have yet been set. They deny the allegations. Lawyers representing four women who accuse Tate of rape and sexual assault said they wrote to UK police to request his detention over fears he would flee Romania. In response to the claims made by law firm McCue Jury & Partners, Tate's spokeswoman said: 'We unequivocally deny any accusations that Andrew or Tristan Tate intends to abscond from Romania to evade the judicial proceedings. 'Our clients are fully committed to actively participating in the legal process and defending their reputation. 'We believe this rumour has originated from a popular online influencer who misconstrued a text message from our clients while streaming live. There is simply no truth to it.' The law firm said the four British accusers were the subject of an investigation by Hertfordshire Constabulary. The Hertfordshire investigation was closed in 2019. Andrew Tate, 37, (centre) and his brother Tristan Tate, 35, (back right) speaking to reporters after being released from detention on March 12 Tate (centre) said he and his brother (back right) are 'very innocent men' He blamed people in 'countries that are owned by the satanists' and said he is looking forward to clearing his and his brother's names In response to the court of appeal's ruling today, Eugen Vidineac, one of the lawyers representing the Tate brothers, said: 'We appreciate the Bucharest Court of Appeal's decision to postpone the extradition of Andrew and Tristan Tate. 'This ruling provides an opportunity for the brothers to participate fully in their defence and for the legal process to proceed in a transparent manner.' Detectives in Romania moved in to arrest Tate after a blogger released a video claiming that he 'planned to leave' the country and 'never return'. British lawyers representing women who were allegedly raped and sexually assaulted by the former kickboxer passed the video to authorities in Romania and the UK who acted on it immediately. There were fears Tate was secretly planning to flee the country and escape justice by heading to a country that has no extradition laws with Romania or Britain and so police there acted immediately. Andrew Tate, 37, and his brother Tristan Tate, 35, have now been released after they were arrested yesterday evening. Pictured outside court today In the video, blogger Adin Ross described how he had been in contact with Tate in recent days and they had discussed him coming to Romania to film an interview with the multi millionaire. Ross told his viewers 'this is f***ing peaking' before adding that Tate had told him: 'Hey, I'm going to be leaving Romania soon and never coming back.' He said that Tate added: 'So if you want to come and see me it's basically now or never.' The Tate brothers are currently banned from leaving Romania while being investigated by authorities there on sex and people trafficking charges. Both had been under house arrest but this condition was later removed but they must remain in the country. A request to leave Bucharest and visit their mother in Luton who had suffered a heart attack was denied at Christmas by officials. Online streamer Ross was one of five people who had originally been given permission to visit Tate but this was later overturned. Dramatic footage shows police at the influencer's house during the arrest on Monday night Ross later posted on social media: 'Joe Biden please go ahead and pardon Andrew Tate.' MailOnline can also reveal that the police force who asked for the brothers to be arrested is Bedfordshire and it relates to new allegations made against the brothers since their high profile arrest. Speaking as he arrived at court one of the Tate legal team, Eugen Vidineac, said: 'We have very few information, regarding this warrant. 'We don't know what this is all about, as far as we know the investigation from 2012 was closed, but we don't know if it's been reopened with a new investigation.' Romanian authorities said in a statement that they executed 'two European arrest warrants issued by the UK judicial authorities for the committing of sexual offences, of exploitation of persons on the territory of the UK' Blogger Adin Ross described how he had been in contact with Tate in recent days There were unconfirmed reports that judges had postponed the hearing as prosecutors had requested for both brothers to remain in custody pending the end of the Romanian investigation. Law firm McCue Jury & Partners, who are representing four women who have accused Tate of rape and sexual assault, said in a statement: 'Last week, we received information that Tate might have been planning to flee Romania, where he is due to stand trial for separate allegations of rape and human trafficking. 'We wrote to the British police to bring this to their attention and to urge them to immediately seek a warrant for Tate's detention in Romania and extradition to the UK.' Andrew Tate, who gained millions of fans by promoting an ultra-masculine lifestyle, was indicted in June in Romania along with his brother and two Romanian women for human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. They have denied the charges. The case has since been with the Bucharest court's preliminary chamber, which needs to decide whether the trial can start. A decision has yet to be made, with Romanian courts backlogged. In response to their arrest today, the spokesman for the Tate brothers added: 'The suggestion that Mr Tate's rise to fame may have played a role in these developments adds another layer of distress and concern. 'Andrew and Tristan Tate unequivocally deny all allegations and decry what they perceive as an exploitative use of the legal system. A social media account associated with Tate this morning shared a simple post: 'The Matrix is afraid. I only fear God'. Tate has previously said he uses the term 'The Matrix' to refer to 'the systems which are being created by society that are 'deliberately designed to enslave', in a reference to the 1999 film 'They are fully committed to challenging these accusations with unwavering determination and resolve. 'The brothers emphasise their belief in a fair and impartial legal process, despite the unsettling circumstances surrounding their case. 'In the face of adversity, the Tate brothers draw strength from the support of their loved ones, friends, and legal team. 'They appeal for a fair examination of the facts, expressing confidence that a thorough review will reveal the baselessness of the allegations against them.' Tate was first arrested near Bucharest on human trafficking and rape charges along with his brother and two Romanian women, Luana Radu and Georgiana Naghel. Romanian prosecutors formally indicted all four in June last year and they have denied the allegations. The case is still being discussed in the preliminary chamber stages, a process in which the defendants can challenge prosecutors' evidence and case file. No trial dates have been set. Tate, who has amassed 8.9 million followers on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, has repeatedly claimed that prosecutors have no evidence against him and that there is a political conspiracy to silence him. A self-described misogynist, he was previously banned from various prominent social media platforms for expressing sexist views and for hate speech. After their arrest, the Tate brothers were held for three months in police detention before being moved to house arrest. They were later restricted to the areas of Bucharest Municipality and nearby Ilfov County. Currently, they are not permitted to leave Romania. Usually, I report the news. Last week, I became it. It wasn't a surprise that my recent investigation into a secretive Biden administration program authorizing 320,000 migrants to fly from foreign countries directly into U.S. airports set off alarm bells. This unprecedented mass migration operation sidestepping established legal procedures and happening outside of public view raised serious concerns. What also was not at all shocking was the reaction of partisan media outlets, which rushed to undermine my reporting and cast me as a conspiracy theorist. Let me be clear, my work stands - and it's the mainstream media that has some answering to do. I've been writing about these shadowy migrant flights for months, but mainstream journalists only took notice after Elon Musk and President Donald Trump referenced my reporting last week. Musk expressed the concern, among others, that Biden was 'creating a national security threat from unvetted illegal immigrants.' Trump was gobsmacked. In his Super Tuesday victory speech, the former president said that migrants were being, 'flown in from parts unknown not going through borders It was unbelievable. I said it must be a mistake.' While I don't agree with all of Trump or Musk's characterizations of my report, their remarks should not be easily dismissed and, surely, their comments do not undermine the underlying report. Yet that's exactly what many in the media, including the Associated Press and CNN, have sought to do. It wasn't a surprise that my recent investigation into a secretive Biden administration program authorizing 320,000 migrants to pay for their own tickets and fly from foreign countries directly into U.S. airports set off alarm bells. This unprecedented mass migration operation sidestepping established legal procedures and happening outside of public view raised serious concerns. (Above) Leaked photos of migrant flights from Texas into Westchester County, NY Airport in January 2022 Here are the uncontested facts: From late 2022 through December 2023, the Biden administration authorized travel applications for more than 320,000 mostly Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans to buy their own tickets and fly directly into U.S. airports for quick release into the country with two-year work authorizations. Since the program began five more nationalities were made eligible to take part. The President is operating under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) which permits him to admit a few special case migrants in emergency situations, 'only on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.' That is public information. But nearly everything else about this program is cloaked in secrecy. The administration has been so sneaky, in fact, that in March 2023 the Center for Immigration Studies sued them for basic details, such as where these migrants are arriving in the U.S and which foreign airports they're departing from. Wouldn't Democratic mayors, in places like Chicago and New York, want to know that it's Biden, not Texas Governor Gregg Abbott, who's flooding their cities with migrants. And what's more, the President could end their crises with a phone call? Last week, the administration finally responded to our lawsuit and informed us that they would not provide the requested information, because they feared 'bad actors' may seek to expolit security vulnerabilities created by this very program. That's real news. But CNN wasn't interested. Instead, their reporter attempted to discredit my investigation and declared the Biden operation 'not secretive'. Musk expressed the concern, among others, that Biden was 'creating a national security threat from unvetted illegal immigrants.' In his Super Tuesday victory speech, Trump said that migrants were being, 'flown in from parts unknown not going through borders It was unbelievable. I said it must be a mistake.' That assertion is absurd on its face. CNN's so-called 'fact-check' went on to parrot a Biden Administration claim that these migrants are being 'thoroughly vetted.' That's also absurd. Exactly how does one screen individuals from Venezuela and Cuba, two nations hostile to the United States and unwilling to share intelligence? Nicaragua's communist ruler Daniel Ortega is a well-established, vicious America-hater. Haiti is a failed state where gangs rule the streets and whose unelected Prime Minister has now resigned. There's no real vetting going on. But the media face-plant didn't end there. An AP article headlined, 'Fact Focus: Claims Biden administration is secretly flying migrants into the country are unfounded,' accused Trump of '[elevating] false information that had gone viral on social media' There is nothing 'false' about my reporting. Where are CNN, AP, and the rest of the mainstream media demanding answers by my side? They're too busy trying to confuse the public and cast shadows on my reports, even now as the government admits airport security is compromised. At least, I'm not entirely alone in this public interest inquiry. Twenty-three House Republicans wrote to the administration late last week calling for it to 'immediately terminate' the parole program and provide more information about its opaque processes and potential threats to U.S. national security. Haiti is a failed state where gangs rule the streets and whose unelected Prime Minister has now resigned. There's no real vetting going on. (Above) Port-au-Prince, Haiti on March 11, 2024 And now, in an exclusive statement to DailyMail.com, House Homeland Security chairman Mark Green is also raising urgent concerns. 'This program isn't only unlawful, it's foolish,' he writes. 'Allowing 30,000 minimally vetted, otherwise inadmissible aliens into our country every month via this program serves no public purpose, and is completely contrary to the clear text of the INA' The media should be asking: why such naked trickery from this administration? The answer is clear. Biden doesn't want the American public to know just how many migrants have entered the U.S. on his watch - in ways both seen and unseen. Let me be clear, my work stands - and it's the mainstream media that has some answering to do. (Above) Todd Bensman Well, I do. Here's the truth. Customs and Border Protection admit that a historic 7.3 million illegal immigrants crossed the border illegally from January 2021 through December 2023. That's the number the mainstream media normally reports, however, it reflects a mere smidgeon of the actual scope of the crisis - and it's by design. For a true accounting, add to that number at least 2 million 'gotaways' the approximate number of illegal immigrants who made it into the country undetected. Add to that another 320,000 from half a dozen nations welcomed into America through Biden's parole program. And add to that another 420,000 immigrants who were granted entry into the U.S. through land ports in yet another scheme similar to the secretive flight operation. The final tally is 10.5 million. To put that gargantuan figure in perspective, if all the migrants who entered the U.S. since Biden's inauguration created their own state - it would be the 10th largest behind North Carolina and ahead of Michigan. That is why this reporting is important and that is why attempts to dismiss it as exaggeration or 'false' information are a disservice to journalism and the American public. James Crumbley kept several guns in a safe locked with a '000' code and failed to ever secure his school shooter son's firearm with a cable lock, his jury has heard. The Michigan father, 47, is facing involuntary manslaughter charges over his son Ethan's November 2021 mass shooting, where he killed four classmates and injured seven others. Prosecutors have argued James was a reckless gun owner who ignored his son's pleas for mental health support, before buying him a Sig-Sauer 9mm handgun four days before the massacre. On the fourth day of his trial on Tuesday, allegations that James failed to secure the gun saw prosecutors show an empty gun case and ammunition on his bed following the Oxford High School mass shooting. On Tuesday, prosecutors showed an empty gun case and ammunition that James Crumbley stored two guns inside, with a code of just '000' keeping it locked James Crumbley (seen in court Tuesday) is alleged by prosecutors to have been a reckless gun owner who negligently ignored his school shooter son's pleas for mental health help, before he bought Ethan a firearm four days before he opened fire on classmates Ethan Crumbley is now serving life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2021 Oxford High School mass shooting, where he killed four classmates and injured seven others On the day of the tragedy, James had raced home from work as soon as he heard there was a shooting at his son's school, where he found the gun he had gifted to Ethan was gone alongside a slew of bullets. In their attempts to paint him as a careless gun owner, prosecutors on Tuesday showed James' gun box used to store two other guns owned by the father. He had kept the guns in a drawer under the island of his kitchen, keeping both a Derringer and a KelTech in the box secured with just a '000' code. The day prior, ATF Special Agent Brett Brandon testified that when he inspected Ethan's 9mm, he 'found no evidence that a cable lock was ever installed on that firearm.' Conversely, the cable lock was found in the gun box still in its original packaging, despite Brandon noting it would have taken around 10 seconds to secure. Ethan, now 17, previously said at his trial that his 9mm handgun was 'not locked' when he took it to school on the day of the shooting. He is currently serving life in prison without the possibility of parole. On Tuesday, the jury heard from Oakland County Sheriff's deputy Adam Stoyek, who was tasked with securing the Crumbley home after the shooting. Stoyek testified that James was cooperative as officers searched his home, and informed them of his other firearms located around the property. In video played to the court, he also warned them of a BB gun, saying: 'It's unloaded but it looks like a freakin' assault rifle. Don't freak out when you see that.' Detective Adam Stoyek looks over photographs during testimony during the trial on Tuesday ATF Special Agent Brett Brandon (right) testified Monday that Ethan Crumbley's 'shooter stance' and 'tactical reloading' during the school shooting 'stood out' to him, and resembled techniques commonly taught to law enforcement Photos of Ethan's squalid bedroom were shown to the jury, showing he had an array of targets from the shooting range - alongside a mess of filth that filled the room. The court previously heard how Ethan's parents took him to a shooting range numerous times before the tragedy, where he was taught the appropriate shooting stance and how to reload as quickly as possible. In Brandon's testimony, the gun expert said Monday that when he reviewed footage of the shooting, he was struck by the way that Ethan appeared trained with firearms. Specifically, he said Ethan's 'shooter stance' was noticeable - which eerily matched footage of Ethan shooting a gun at a gun range during one of the trips with his parents. Brandon added that Ethan's efficiency with the weapon 'stood out' to him, as he appeared adept at 'tactical reloading.' The technique is often taught to law enforcement, here you keep extra ammunition in spent clips in your pocket, to ensure the handgun is maximally loaded for short bursts of shooting. If not entirely emptied, keeping the ammunition clip in his pocket would have allowed Ethan to partially reload his gun later if needed. One of the teen killer's trips to the shooting range with his father was shown to the court Monday, eerily matching the stance he took when he shot and killed classmates Ethan's mother Jennifer Crumbley (pictured testifying in her own trial on February 1) was convicted last month on the same charges her estranged husband is now facing On the morning of the school shooting, teachers became concerned after finding alarming drawings and writings on his homework, including drawings of shooting victims around 'the thoughts won't stop... Help me' Allegations that James negligently ignored his son's disturbing behavior have centered largely on the day of the shooting. That morning, Ethan had secretly stowed his Sig-Sauer 9mm in his school backpack. He then concerned teachers after drawing pictures of school shootings on his math homework, surrounded by phrases including, 'the thoughts won't stop... help me.' Both James and his estranged wife Jennifer, who was convicted last month on the same charges he is now facing, declined to take Ethan home as they were 'busy' at work. As Crumbley's trial began Thursday, it was revealed James had his communication privileges revoked after allegedly making threatening statements from jail, reports WJBK. The sheriff's office said that he is now limited to conversations with his lawyer, but did not elaborate on who received the alleged threatening statements or what the nature of them was. Radical preacher Anjem Choudary appeared in court today accused of leading and directing the banned militant network Al-Muhajiroun. Choudary, 57, and Canadian national Khaled Hussain, 28, were arrested last July for membership of the proscribed organisation. The cleric was taken into custody by Metropolitan Police counter terrorism detectives in east London, while Hussain was arrested at Heathrow Airport. Choudary appeared at the Old Bailey via video-link from HMP Full Sutton in Yorkshire wearing a beige t-shirt looking through a stack of notes while Hussain appeared in person. He is charged with membership of a proscribed organisation, namely Al-Muhajiroun (ALM), and directing a terrorist organisation. Radical preacher Anjem Choudary (pictured in 2021) appeared at the Old Bailey today accused of leading and directing the banned militant network Al-Muhajiroun Choudary, who appeared by videolink from HMP Full Sutton in Yorkshire, is charged with membership of a proscribed organisation, namely Al-Muhajiroun (ALM), and directing a terrorist organisation Choudary is also charged with addressing meetings of the Islamic Thinkers Society in a way which encouraged support for ALM. Hussain is charged with membership of a proscribed organisation. They are facing trial at Kingston Crown Court on 20 May 2024. Choudary and Hussain, who are yet to enter pleas, appeared before Mr Justice Wall today. Founded by Omar Bakri Muhammad, ALM was proscribed in this country in January 2010. Choudary is also charged with arranging meetings to support a proscribed organisation. A shocked mother is suing a Maryland school board for negligence after video emerged of her 10-year-old daughter being beaten up by a boy in front of a teacher. Sacona Graham sobbed as she spoke about the incident, which the Washington DC school said happened in a classroom as part of a 'fight game' in January. 'For my child to have to endure what she did, it's not right,' Graham told a news conference on Monday. 'I want justice for my child... I'm beyond devastated. I haven't ate, haven't slept.' The teacher who appeared in the video has since resigned from Cora Rice Elementary School in Landover, east DC. Footage shows students at the school counting down to a brawl between a boy and Graham's daughter. Sacona Graham sobbed as she spoke about the incident, which the Washington DC school said happened in a classroom as part of a 'fight game' in January The teacher who appeared in the video has since resigned from Cora Rice Elementary School in Landover, east DC The scene escalates as they scuffle, with the class cheering, shouting and filming on their phones as the two children grapple on the ground. Although the fight happened in January, Graham said she only found out after coming across a video on social media weeks later. Graham's lawyers have said her daughter suffered serious injuries and has not returned to the classroom since the fight video went public. They are accusing the school board of negligence because a teacher was present but apparently did nothing to intervene in the disturbing incident. Graham's attorney, Petra Aaron, said she believes the teacher even encouraged the children to fight. '[She] allowed and enticed her fifth grade students to verbally and physically assault Ms. Graham's minor daughter while in her classroom,' Aaron said. The principal sent a letter to parents referring to it as 'the fight game' and 'horseplaying', according to NBC. 'Some of the students are engaging in 'The Fight Game,' the letter reads. 'The students set the rules (no hitting my face, pulling of hair, etc.) and countdown while two students fight. 'For my child to have to endure what she did, it's not right,' Graham told a news conference on Monday. 'I want justice for my child... I'm beyond devastated. I haven't ate, haven't slept.' The principal sent a letter to parents referring to it as 'the fight game' and 'horseplaying', according to NBC 'While we understand that children may engage in playful activities, it's crucial to emphasize the importance of maintaining safe and respectful behavior at all times. 'Such behaviors can lead to real fights, accidents, and injuries, which we aim to prevent to ensure the well-being of all students.' The letter adds that students are supposed to keep their phones switched off and inside their bags during classroom hours, according to NBC. Meanwhile, the principal also pledged to monitor bathrooms more closely and put a reward system in place to celebrate positive behavior. There was no mention of the teacher or whether any children have been disciplined. Graham's attorney hit back at the letter, saying 'it is no game to fight in a classroom with 10-year-olds'. Samantha Markle's defamation lawsuit against her sister Meghan has been dismissed because the Duchess of Sussex's statements were 'substantially true'. Florida Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell said that the case should be dismissed because Samantha 'failed to identify any statements that could support a claim for defamation'. In a major victory for the Duchess, Judge Honeywell said Meghan's comments in her Netflix series with Prince Harry or their interview with Oprah Winfrey were true. The case was dismissed with prejudice, meaning that Samantha will not be able to refile it. The judge's decision spares Meghan, 42, from an embarrassing trial which was set to take place at the court in Tampa in November. A judge dismissed Samantha Markle's defamation suit against her sister Meghan. Samantha was seeking damages in excess of $75,000 The judge said that Meghan Markle's comments in her Netflix series with Prince Harry and in their interview with Oprah Winfrey were true Samantha, 59, has been seeking at least $75,000 for defamation and defamation by implication for Meghan suggesting to Oprah that she grew up as an only child. Meghan also said that Samantha only changed her name back to Markle after she began dating Harry. According to Samantha, Meghan made similar claims in the Netflix series and the allegations subjected her to 'humiliation, shame and hatred on a worldwide scale'. In her 58-page ruling, Judge Honeywell said that Meghan's statements could not be defamatory because they are 'substantially true based on judicially noticed evidence' or 'not capable of being considered defamatory'. Samantha had failed to 'plausibly allege that they are defamatory in the first place', the judge said. The judge noted that Meghan's comments about her childhood was her 'merely opining' that she did not have a close relationship with Samantha, her half sister with whom she shares a father. Judge Honeywell said that Samatha's claim that Meghan 'implied that (she) was a liar and a fame-seeker', was an 'improper mischaracterization' of what the Duchess said. Turning to Meghan's statement that Samatha changed her name from Rasmussen, her married name, back to Markle after the Duchess began dating Harry, the judge said that 'the gist was true'. She wrote: 'That Plaintiff used one last name and then the name Markle soon after reports of Defendant's relationship with Prince Harry were published is substantially true, based on the exhibits in the record, of which the Court has taken judicial notice'. Pictured: Meghan Markle at Samantha's graduation in 2008. Samantha, 59, has been seeking at least $75,000 for defamation and defamation by implication for Meghan suggesting to Oprah that she grew up as an only child Among the statements in Samantha's claim was one by Harry in the Netflix series in which he said: 'Perhaps the most troubling part of this is the number of British journalists interacting with and amplifying the hate and the lies'. But Judge Honeywell said: 'That this statement was included in the complaint is perplexing and suggests haste, a misunderstanding of the law, or a lack of diligence on the part of plaintiff's counsel. 'It is unclear how this statement could be defamatory towards Plaintiff, as it does not reference her'. In her conclusion, Judge Honeywell wrote: 'Plaintiff's claims will be dismissed with prejudice, as she has failed to identify any statements that could support a claim for defamation or defamation-by-implication by this point, her third try at amending her complaint, in either the book Finding Freedom, the Netflix series Harry & Meghan, or Defendant and her husband's hour-long televised CBS Interview'. The case was originally filed in March 2022 and in legal filings Samantha detailed at length how she was 'very close' to Meghan when they grew up in Los Angeles. Markle vs. Markle: A timeline March 2022: Samantha files a defamation suit in Florida. She accuses Meghan of fabricating 'rags to riches' story that depicted their family in an inaccurate negative light. May 2022: Meghan's lawyers respond, calling the claims 'demonstrably false' and argue that the Duchess of Sussex's comments were 'non-actionable opinion.' June 2022: An initial motion to dismiss by Meghan's team is dismissed by a Tampa judge. They swiftly follow-up with a new motion, alleging that despite amendments, there were still numerous falsehoods in the suit. Her lawyers continue to argue that Meghan's comments about her upbringing are opinion. February 2023: Samantha's legal team file a motion asking a judge to compel Harry and Meghan to testify under oath. They also want the pair's father, Thomas, Samantha's daughter, Ashleigh, Jason Knauf, the royal couple's former communications secretary as well as tech wiz, Christopher Bouzy, known for his appearance in Harry & Meghan. Meghan's legal team continue stall tactics, asking for discovery in the issue to also be delayed. March 2023: Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell dismisses the lawsuit, once again ruling that it would be impossible to decipher if Meghan's comments were false. April 2023: Samantha's team once again files an amended lawsuit. November 2023: Judge Honeywell sets a date for a civil trial with Meghan's latest motion to dismiss still pending. Advertisement Samantha helped Meghan with her homework, took her shopping and had a 'wonderful relationship' with her, it was claimed. But once Meghan began to become famous on the TV series Suits, she 'no longer had time' for Samantha and by 2016 they had stopped visiting each other, it was claimed. The lawsuit claimed that once Meghan met Harry she became 'hostile' to Samantha as well as the rest of her family. The 'defining moment' of Meghan's 'unwarranted hostility' towards Meghan happened in 2017 when the Duchess allegedly 'hung up the phone immediately' upon hearing Samantha's voice. Samantha called back but 'to this day Meghan has never returned Samantha's phone call', she claimed. Since then Meghan has 'belligerently attempted to malign Samantha and other family members', the lawsuit states. Meghan's method is to 'terminate friendships, rather than save them, and for her to become hostile', the lawsuit claims. Before her wedding in 2018, Meghan and Samantha's father Thomas Sr suffered two heart attacks but instead of showing him 'grace and compassion, she effectively terminated her relationship'. Thomas Sr had been caught posing for photos with a paparazzi agency and Meghan has publicly claimed that she did not believe he was telling her the truth. After that it is alleged that Meghan 'started her smear campaign and ongoing deluge of distorted facts and stories, complete with fake quotes about and 'by' Samantha'. The lawsuit even claims that Meghan has 'encouraged hatred of Samantha through a bot network which caused great harm to Samantha'. Samantha and Meghan have had a difficult relationship for years which exploded into public view after Meghan's engagement to Harry was announced in 2017. Samantha was quoted by journalists as saying that 'The Queen would be appalled' and called her a 'ducha**' on Twitter. In her memoir, titled 'The Diary of Princess Pushy's Sister', Samantha claimed that Meghan ordered their father to disown his children from his first marriage if he wanted an invitation to her wedding. According to the book, Meghan told Thomas Sr to divorce himself from her and her brother Thomas by saying: 'You don't need them!' Thomas Sr refused and supposedly said: 'I love you all equally' to which Meghan replied: 'Why can't you just comply?' The United States is preparing a new $300 military aid package for Ukraine as House Republicans continue to block funding for the war-torn country. The aid will be paid for from savings the Pentagon has from previous contracts it has negotiated. 'I'm announcing an emergency package of security assistance of $300 billion worth of weapons and equipment to address some of Ukraine's pressing needs,' White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Tuesday. 'This is possible because of unanticipated cost savings in contracts that DOD negotiated to replace equipment we've already sent to Ukraine through previous drawdowns. When we sent Ukraine weapons last year, we negotiated contracts to replenish those weapons in US stockpiles.' 'It turns out, we negotiated well, those contracts came in under budget. So we have a modest amount of funding available. and to put a fine point on it. we're able to use these cost savings to make this modest amount of the security assistance available right now without impacting US military readiness. A local resident collects belongings in the ruins of a destroyed houset on the outskirts of Makiivka (Makeyevka) in the Donetsk region of Ukraine as the Pentagon has found a work around to send more weapons to the war-torn country The House has not passed a $95 billion security package that bolsters aid for Ukraine, Israel as well as the Indo-Pacific. It has already been approved by the Senate. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has resisted putting up the bill up for a vote as many in his conservative wing oppose sending Ukraine any more funding. Sullivan emphasized the money doesn't replace the security package on Capitol Hill. 'tI will not prevent Ukraine from running out of ammunition in the weeks to come. It goes without saying: this package does not displace and should not delay the critical need to pass the bipartisan national security,' he noted. The new tranche of aid will include a number of Army Tactical Missile Systems along with Anti-Personnel/Anti-Materiel, or APAM, an older version of the long-range ATACMS, which travels 100 miles and carries warheads containing hundreds of cluster bomblets, Politico reported. The Pentagon has been unable to send additional weapons to Kyiv since December, when it ran out of money to replenish its stocks. Reports out of Ukraine indicate soldiers are running out of ammunition as it fights off Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces. President Joe Biden (left) has been pushing House Speaker Mike Johnson (right) to approve a $95 billion security package that includes funding for Ukraine A fighter jet flies during a funeral of Ukrainian military fighter pilot Lieutenant Colonel Andrii Tkachenko who was shot down flying over Donetsk region amid Russia's attack on Ukraine The Pentagon has sent $10 billion worth of weapons to Ukraine but is now trying to get appropriators in Congress to approve more funds. On Monday, Biden's Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines urged lawmakers to approve more military assistance for Ukraine, telling lawmakers on Capitol Hill it was 'hard to imagine how Ukraine' could hold territory it has recaptured from Russia without more assistance from Washington. A Boeing whistleblower who had testified against the company days before his death shot himself with a handgun and left a suicide note in his vehicle, DailyMail.com can reveal. John Barnett, 62, was found dead in his truck in a hotel parking lot in Charleston, South Carolina, on Saturday - seven years after he retired following a 32-year career. The ex-quality manager at Boeing's North Charleston plant died from a 'self-inflicted' wound, with Charleston Police Department probing his death. A police report obtained by DailyMail.com reveals that Barnett extended his stay at the Holiday Inn two days prior to his suspected suicide and had been set to check out the day before the alarm was raised. The report details that a friend of Barnett's contacted the hotel asking for a welfare check at 10am on March 9, with employees knocking on his hotel room door with no response. A member of staff then searched for his orange Dodge Ram in the parking lot of the hotel, and discovered Barnett deceased in the driver's seat with a 'silver handgun' in his right hand. Former Boeing quality manager John Barnett (pictured) was found dead in South Carolina on Saturday with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head, police said Barnett was found dead inside his pickup truck on Saturday in the parking lot of a Holiday Inn in Charleston, pictured above According to an incident report, police arrived to the scene to find an orange Dodge Ram (stock photo) in the parking lot of the hotel, and discovered Barnett deceased in the driver's seat with a 'silver handgun' in his right hand Barnett had his 'right pointer finger remaining on the trigger', and suffered a 'gunshot wound near his right temple, according to the report. It added that there was a 'white piece of paper that closely resembled a note', lying in plain view on the passenger seat. The contents of the note have not yet been revealed. A member of staff at the hotel told investigators that he heard a 'pop' at around 9.30am when he was working on the exterior of the hotel, with Barnett's truck discovered at the rear of the property. Surveillance footage also shows Barnett exiting the hotel on the morning of March 8, though the alarm was not raised until 24 hours later. Sgt Anthony Gibson of Charleston PD said in a statement: 'Detectives are actively investigating this case and are awaiting the formal cause of death, along with any additional findings that might shed further light on the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Barnett. 'We understand the global attention this case has garnered, and it is our priority to ensure that the investigation is not influenced by speculation but is led by facts and evidence. 'Given the sensitive nature of the investigation, we are unable to participate in media interviews at this time. This stance is not unique to this case but is a standard procedure we adhere to in order to preserve the integrity of active investigations. Public disclosure will follow the investigation's conclusion.' In a statement issued after DailyMail.com published the contents of the incident report on Tuesday, Barnett's lawyers, Robert Turkewitz and Brian Knowles, claimed there had been 'no indication' the former Boeing employee would take his own life. The statement read in part: 'John was in the midst of a deposition in his whistleblower retaliation case, which finally was nearing the end. He was in very good spirits and really looking forward to putting this phase of his life behind him and moving on. We didn't see any indication he would take his own life. No one can believe it. 'We are all devastated. We need more information about what happened to John. The Charleston police need to investigate this fully and accurately and tell the public what they find out. No detail can be left unturned.' A police report obtained by DailyMail.com reveals that Barnett was found with a 'silver handgun in his right hand, resting on his lap and his right pointer finger still remaining on the trigger' The Charleston Police Department said the coroner's report found Barnett's death appears to result from a self-inflicted gunshot wound but detectives are still investigative the formal cause of death Earlier on Tuesday police announced they have launched an investigation into Barnett's death after a coroner ruled he died from a 'self-inflicted' gunshot wound. Barnett was found dead in South Carolina on Saturday morning, less than three months after he warned about the production processes of both the 737 and 787-Dreamliner. FULL STATEMENT BY JOHN BARNETT'S LAWYERS: John was a brave, honest man of the highest integrity. He cared dearly about his family, his friends, the Boeing company, his Boeing co-workers, and the pilots and people who flew on Boeing aircraft. We have rarely met someone with a more sincere and forthright character. In the course of his job as a quality manager at Boeing South Carolina, John learned of and exposed very serious safety problems with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and was retaliated against and subjected to a hostile work environment, which is the subject of his pending AIR-21 case. John was in the midst of a deposition in his whistleblower retaliation case, which finally was nearing the end. He was in very good spirits and really looking forward to putting this phase of his life behind him and moving on. We didn't see any indication he would take his own life. No one can believe it. We are all devasted. We need more information about what happened to John. The Charleston police need to investigate this fully and accurately and tell the public what they find out. No detail can be left unturned. Advertisement Charleston Police Department have confirmed that it is investigating the death of Barnett as it emerged he was in Charleston for legal interviews linked to claims that Boeing has hampered his career and tarnished his reputation for speaking out about production issues on several plane models. On the third day of his deposition, he was due to be cross examined by his own lawyers, but failed to show up. After enquiries were made, he was found dead in his truck in his hotel's parking lot. Barnett's attorney, Brian Knowles, told the BBC that Barnett had been in the middle of a deposition in a whistleblower lawsuit in Charleston related to production of the 787 Dreamliner plane. The suit alleged under-pressure workers were deliberately fitting 'sub-standard' parts to Boeing 787s, and that brass were sweeping defects under the rug to save money. The FAA has since revealed the firm failed a whopping 33 of 89 audits during an exam of its 737 Max production. In January, Barnett appeared on TMZ to provide his take on a technical failure that saw a door fly off its hinges of a 737 - a model he said was being victimized by recent shifts in strategy along with the 787. His warning would prove prophetic, as a 787 experienced a midair 'technical event', injuring 50 passengers. In January, Barnett explained why he believed both models were ticking time bombs, as both incidents remain under investigation. 'This is not a 737 problem - this is a Boeing problem,' he said after being asked if he believed the 737 was safe to fly following the door incident and a subsequent FAA inspection. 'I know the FAA is going in and done due diligence and inspections to ensure the door close on the 737 is installed properly and the fasteners are stored properly,' he said, citing the parts that likely played a part in the incident. 'But, my concern is, 'What's the rest of the airplane? What's the condition of the rest of the airplane?'' He went on to provide a reason for that concern - one that he said led him to file the lawsuit against the aviation firm 'Back in 2012, Boeing started removing inspection operations off their jobs,' he told TMZ's Charles Latibeaudiere and Harvey Levin, recalling his time as a quality overseer at Boeing's plant in South Carolina, which manufactured mostly 787s. In January, Barnett explained why he believed both models were ticking time bombs, as both incidents remain under investigation The whistleblower died less than three months after he warned about the production processes of both the 737 and 787-Dreamliner Boeing's assembly plant in North Charleston - where the deceased worked for decades - is seen here 'So, it left the mechanics to buy off their own work,' he explained. Barnett went on to charge that the incident involving the door was indicative of something greater - and something alleged in his lawsuit: Boeing turning a blind eye to safety concerns in order to raise their bottom line. 'What we're seeing with the door plug blowout is what I've seen with the rest of the airplane, as far as jobs not being completed properly, inspection steps being removed, issues being ignored,' he charged, months before his sudden death. 'My concerns are with the 737 and 787, because those programs have really embraced the theory that quality is overhead and non value added. 'Those two programs have really put a strong effort into removing quality from the process.' The FAA appears to have stood up some of the expert's assertions after revealing how a six-week audit found 'multiple instances where [Boeing] allegedly failed to comply with manufacturing quality control requirements' of its 737s. At one point during the exam, feds found that mechanics at Spirit AeroSystems - one of Boeing's main suppliers - used a hotel key card to check a door seal, and a liquid Dawn soap to a door seal 'as lubricant in the fit-up process.' Timeline of whistleblower John Barnett's claims against Boeing April 2019: Barnett tells the New York Times that Boeing repeatedly ignored safety concerns from workers in favour of pushing out Dreamliner planes November 2019: Barnett tells the BBC that up to a quarter of the oxygen systems on 787 Dreamliners may be faulty and might not work when needed. He added that faulty parts were deliberately fitted to planes. January 2024: The whistleblower tells TMZ that corner cutting was rife in the plane-making world. January 2024: Footage from inside the cabin of a Boeing 737 Max showed the door blowing off shortly after taking off from Portland, Oregon. February 2024: Barnett files an AIR21 lawsuit against Boeing, alleging it had undermined his career over his whistleblowing. March 2024: The Department of Justice launches a criminal investigation into the Boeing blowout in Portland, Oregon. March 2024: John Barnett is found dead in his truck. Advertisement That action was 'not identified/documented/called-out in the production order,' a document outlining the probe said - spurring FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker to decree Boeing must develop a comprehensive plan to address such 'systemic quality-control issues' within 90 days He sent summary of its findings to the companies in its completed audit, after an all-day February 27 meeting with CEO Dave Calhoun. He did not state the specific corrective actions Boeing and Spirit must take. 'Boeing must commit to real and profound improvements,' Whitaker explained at the time last week. 'We are going to hold them accountable every step of the way, with mutually understood milestones and expectations.' Calhoun responded in his own statement, saying that Boeing's leadership team was 'totally committed' to addressing FAA concerns and developing the plan. Meanwhile, Spirit, which makes the fuselage for the now scrutinized MAX, issued a statement saying it was 'in communication with Boeing and the FAA on appropriate corrective actions.' In response, Boeing brass claimed that after the 'quality stand-downs, the FAA audit findings, and the recent expert review panel report, [the firm has] a clear picture of what needs to be done.' The Charleston County coroner confirmed to the BBC on Monday that he had died from a 'self-inflicted' wound on Friday March 8. Sgt. Anthony Gibson of The Charleston Police Department told local media: 'Detectives are actively investigating this case and are awaiting the formal cause of death, along with any additional findings that might shed further light on the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Barnett. 'We understand the global attention this case has garnered, and it is our priority to ensure that the investigation is not influenced by speculation but is led by facts and evidence. 'Given the sensitive nature of the investigation, we are unable to participate in media interviews at this time. 'This stance is not unique to this case but is a standard procedure we adhere to in order to preserve the integrity of active investigations.' John's lawyer during the deposition, Brian Knowles, said in a statement issued on Monday: 'John had been back and forth for quite some time getting prepared. 'The defense examined him for their allowed seven hours under the rules on Thursday. 'I cross examined him all day yesterday [Friday] and did not finish. We agreed to continue this morning at 10 am [co-counsel] Rob [Turkewitz] kept calling this morning and his phone would go to voicemail. A Kensington Palace insider has defended the Princess of Wales over her Photoshop blunder by insisting she did something '99 per cent of us do' and downplayed the PR fiasco as 'a bump in the road, not an earthquake'. Palace insiders have been rallying around Kate after she apologised for editing the Mother's Day picture as she continues to recover from abdominal surgery. The princess issued a statement yesterday after the Palace came under mounting pressure to reveal the truth behind the photo of Kate and her three children. The world's top picture and news agencies - including PA - 'killed' the image over claims it had been digitally manipulated. But she is receiving support from the Palace, with an insider quoted by a US magazine describing the furore as 'a bump in the road, it's not an earthquake'. The Prince and Princess of Wales were seen being driven from Windsor Castle on Monday afternoon, hours after Kate's apology over the Photoshop row Kate was shown in the Mother's Day photo taken in Windsor alongside her children, left to right, Prince Louis, Prince George and Princess Charlotte The Princess of Wales's online statement - signed off C, for Catherine - came on Monday They told PEOPLE: 'She has apologised and graciously so. 'She has done something that 99 per cent of us do - and we don't have the scrutiny they do. 'Think of the level of scrutiny of pictures of her, as people pore over them. 'You're always on display and always got to be perfect.' 'Think of the level of scrutiny of pictures of her, as people pore over them,' the insider continues. 'You're always on display and always got to be perfect.' Sunday's picture, taken in Windsor, showed the princess beaming alongside her children Prince Louis, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. It the first official picture released of the princess since she underwent 'planned abdominal surgery' at the London Clinic in January. She was seen alongside Prince William in a car being driven from Windsor Castle to Westminster Abbey on Monday afternoon ahead of an annual Commonwealth Day service, although she did not attend the event. The PA news agency said it had withdrawn the image of Kate from its picture service yesterday It appears Charlotte's hand was copied over from another picture as there is an empty space where her sleeve should be Kate's zip appears to be misaligned on the photo as the top of it is further left and appears significantly lighter than the rest of the zip Royal commentator Michael Cole told MailOnline that her appearance is a 'pretty obvious attempt to move the story on' and to show she is 'up and about'. Earlier that day, a statement from the Princess of Wales said: 'Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. 'I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother's Day. C' Royal sources stressed this was 'an amateur, family photograph taken by the Prince of Wales'. They said the couple wanted to offer an 'informal' picture of the family together for Mother's Day and the princess made 'minor adjustments', as she has shared in her statement on social media. Despite calls for the original to be published, Kensington Palace said it would not be reissuing the unedited photograph of Kate and her children. PA - Britain's most respected picture agency - had yesterday morning joined AP, AFP, Reuters, Getty Images and EPA in withdrawing the photo. A spokesperson for PA said: 'Like other news agencies, PA Media issued the handout image provided by Kensington Palace of the Princess of Wales and her children in good faith yesterday. 'We became aware of concerns about the image and we carried a report about it last night, and made clear that we were seeking urgent clarification about the image from Kensington Palace. In the absence of that clarification, we are killing the image from our picture service.' Charlotte's hair seems to end abruptly on her shoulder on her right despite her hair on the left going on for a few inches The corner of Charlotte's skirt was pointed out as another 'editing error' by social media sleuths The Princess of Wales has rarely been seen since she attended the Christmas Day church service at Sandringham The picture shows Kate sitting in a chair with her arms around Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, who are on either side of her, with Prince George standing behind, as all four smile at the camera. But there was speculation that edits had been made to the left sleeve of Princess Charlotte's cardigan, and other areas of the picture also raised concerns about possible manipulation. In her original social media post on Sunday, Kate thanked the public 'for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months'. Within hours of the photo being shared around the world, multiple picture agencies issued a 'kill notification' - an industry term used to retract a photo previously handed out to publications. Late on Sunday, the Associated Press became the first agency to 'kill' the photo over an 'inconsistency in the alignment of Princess Charlotte's left hand'. While AP said there was no suggestion the photo was fake, it retracted it because it said on closer inspection, the source had manipulated the image in a way that did not meet the agency's photo standards. AP said its editorial standards state that images must be accurate and that it does not use altered or digitally manipulated images. The agency's news values and principles explain that minor photo editing, including cropping and toning and colour adjustments, are acceptable when necessary for clear and accurate reproduction and should maintain the authentic nature of the photograph. The Prince and Princess of Wales's annual Christmas card image with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, appeared to have a Photoshop fail - with Louis' middle finger missing in the photo William has been stepping up royal engagements in Kate's absence. Pictured: Prince William and Princess Kate are seen at a ceremonial welcome for The President and the First Lady of the Republic of Korea at Horse Guards Parade on November 21 last year Kate left hospital on January 29 and returned to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor to be reunited with her children almost two weeks after having the surgery. Pictured: Kate and William in September 2022 A second agency, Reuters, also withdrew the image 'following a post-publication review'. 'We are reviewing the matter,' a spokesperson said. Reuters picture editors said part of the sleeve of Kate's daughter's cardigan did not line up properly, suggesting that the image had been altered. Readers on X, formerly Twitter, added a community note to a post from the Prince and Princess of Wales' account which shared the photo. It said: 'This photo is believed to be digitally altered and as a result many major news outlets have pulled the image from their reports.' Royal commentator Michael Cole told MailOnline: 'The fiasco of the faked photograph is a very bad look for the Royal Family at a very difficult time. 'The apology by the Princess of Wales for manipulating the Mother's Day image of herself and her children is well meant. 'It will be accepted by those people who are kind and understanding. Kate is and will remain a popular person with the general public. 'But it cannot be denied that this episode does reveal a terrible naivety, bordering on foolishness.' Kate was seen looking out of the window of the car leaving Windsor on Monday afternoon Queen Camilla and the Prince of Wales attended Monday's annual Commonwealth Day Service A source close to Meghan and Harry has told Page Six that the couple would be 'annihilated' for the same mishap and it simply 'isnt a mistake Meghan would ever make' And sources close to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have claimed the couple would be 'annihilated' for committing Kate's Mother's Day fail. Page Six quoted a source as saying: 'If Harry and Meghan had ever encountered the same issue they would have been annihilated. The same rules do not apply to both couples. 'This isnt a mistake that Meghan would ever make she has a keen eye and freakish attention to detail'. It has been suggested that William took Kate's Mother's Day photograph in just a 40-minute window on Friday, using a 2,900 Canon camera, before the Princess edited it twice in Photoshop to 'make it the best it can be'. MailOnline has approached Kensington Palace for further comment. The Archbishop of Canterbury today slammed the Government's proposed new definition of 'extremism' and said it could cause 'yet more division' in Britain. Justin Welby warned the move 'threatens freedom of speech' and risked 'the right to worship and peaceful protest'. His outspoken attack comes ahead of an expected announcement this week from Michael Gove, the Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary. The Cabinet minister is set to produce a new official definition of 'extremism' as part a Government crackdown in the wake of protests over the Gaza conflict. Under the plans, groups captured by the newly-defined term will effectively be blacklisted by the Government and public bodies, and cut off from public funding and engagement. The Archbishop of Canterbury slammed the Government's proposed new definition of 'extremism' and said it could cause 'yet more division' in Britain Justin Welby's outspoken attack comes ahead of an expected announcement this week from Michael Gove, the Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Rishi Sunak recently warned of an explosion of 'extremist disruption' in Britain following the Hamas terror attacks on 7 October Rishi Sunak recently warned of an explosion of 'extremist disruption' in Britain following the Hamas terror attacks on 7 October, and Israel's bloody military reponse in Gaza. The Prime Minister used a speech in Downing Street earlier this month to vow action against 'poison' being spread by Islamist and far-right groups. At the weekend, Mr Gove claimed a new definition of 'extremism' would help 'good-hearted people' decide whether they should join pro-Palestinian marches. He warned some of the protests had been 'organised by extremist organisations'. But Mr Welby dismissed suggestions a new definition of 'extremism' could be a 'cure' to 'growing division between different communities'. He also warned it 'risks disproportionately targeting Muslim communities, who are already experiencing rising levels of hate and abuse'. Lambeth Palace this afternoon issued a joint statement from Mr Welby and the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell. It read: 'In recent months, we have continued to witness growing division between different communities in this country - both in our towns and cities and online. 'Many of our Jewish and Muslim brothers and sisters have spoken about feeling unsafe while simply walking down the street, or attending their places of work and worship. 'These depressing developments not only undermine the cohesion of our society, but also threaten our country's rich diversity that should be so highly prized in 21st century Britain. 'How our leaders respond to this is far too important for a new definition of extremism to be its cure. 'Instead of providing clarity or striking a conciliatory tone, we think labelling a multi-faceted problem as hateful extremism may instead vilify the wrong people and risk yet more division. 'The new definition being proposed not only inadvertently threatens freedom of speech, but also the right to worship and peaceful protest - things that have been hard won and form the fabric of a civilised society. 'Crucially, it risks disproportionately targeting Muslim communities, who are already experiencing rising levels of hate and abuse. 'We are concerned - like so many others - by its implications for public life. 'We join calls for the Government to reconsider its approach and instead have a broad-based conversation with all those who it will affect. 'The Church of England would be very willing to fulfil part of its historic role by sharing in facilitating that conversation. 'The UK has a proud history of welcoming people from all walks of life and celebrating diversity. We are a community of communities. 'Our leaders should cherish and promote that - and pursue policies that bring us together, not risk driving us apart.' Mr Gove told the Sunday Telegraph the new definition of extremist groups would help protesters decide whether to attend pro-Palestinian events. 'If we're clear about the nature of extremist organisations, then I think that means that some of the people and there are good-hearted people who go on these marches, I don't agree with them, but they're moved by suffering and they want peace but it may help some of them to question who are organising some of these events. I won't go into details now, but we will later,' he said. 'Some of the events that have been organised have been organised by extremist organisations. That doesn't mean that people who have gone on them are extremist, quite the opposite. 'But it means that you can begin to question: do you really want to be lending credence to this organisation? If you do, fair enough. But now there is no excuse for ignorance.' Madeline Soto's stepfather has been charged with sixty child porn and sex abuse crimes - but not with killing the 13-year-old. Stephan Sterns, 37, the boyfriend of Madeline's mother Jenn, was charged with a slew of new charges on Tuesday involving children. The charges include sexual battery on a child under 12; five counts of sexual battery of a child aged 12 to 8; seven counts of lewd and lascivious molestation. Additionally, 40 counts of unlawful possession of 10 or more images depicting a sexual performance by a child, according to Andrew Bain State Attorney in the Ninth Judicial Circuit. Stephan Sterns, 37, was charged with a slew of new charges on Tuesday including, sexual battery on a child under 12; five counts of sexual battery of a child aged 12-18; seven counts of lewd and lascivious molestation Madeline 'Maddie'' Soto went missing on February 26, a day after she celebrated her 13th birthday that was on February 22nd Soto's body was found in a wooded area of Osceola County on March 1 Sterns was already facing charges of sexual battery of a child under 12, and was being held without bond at the Osceola County Jail. Officials said he has not been charged in connection with Soto's death. According to a February 29 arrest affidavit, during the investigation into Soto's disappearance, Kissimmee Police found several images and videos on Sterns' phone. During an interview with investigators, he gave them permission to search his phone, and reportedly told them he had 'accidentally performed a factory reset on his phone on February 26, 2024.' Despite it being reset, officers were able to access the phone and allegedly found several explicit photos and videos of a young girl that appeared to have been recorded in the Kissimmee home he shared with Soto and her mother, according to My13News Orlando. In Stern's sexual battery case, the victim's identity was not revealed in the arrest affidavit, only that it was a female born on February 22, 2011. Madeline 'Maddie' Soto's birthday was also February 22nd. Sterns was accused of abusing the young girl at least twice in August of 2022 when she was 11, and again when she was 12. The affidavit resulted in the first three charges filed against him. State Attorney Bain said: 'The State Attorney's Office has been working closely with KPD and received evidence that gave us cause to file formal charges against Sterns. 'We appreciate the thoroughness and detailed attention of their investigation and will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to build a strong case against the defendant.' Sterns will eventually be arraigned on the charges. Jennifer Soto (left) pictured alongside her 13-year-old daughter Maddie Police found messages on Madeline's phone that said once she was 13, she wanted 'to go live in the woods.' The girl is seen in a picture with her mother Jenn and her boyfriend Sterns Police found the teenager's body a short distance away from where she lived Stearns supposedly drove his stepdaughter to school on the morning of February 26, and claimed that he dropped her off at a nearby church. When Soto's mother went to pick her daughter up at her middle school, Hunter's Creek Middle School, later thd day, she discovered that her daughter never showed up at school. The frantic mother called police, and the Orange County Sheriff's Office deputies searched extensively for the teen using bloodhounds as they canvassed the area near the school. Missing posters of the light brown-haired, blue-eyed Maddie Soto were also distributed, and a press conference was held by the Orange County Sheriff John Mina. On February 28, three days after Soto went missing, Stearns was arrested on unrelated charges and named 'prime suspect' in the case. On March 1, Stearns was moved by police from Orange County to Osceola County. Soto's body was found in the woods during a coordinated search in the area off Hickory Tree Road around 4.30pm Friday afternoon. She was found in the clothes she was last wearing - a green sweatshirt, black shorts and white Crocs. According to reports, Sterns was seen driving his silver 2010 Lincoln MK car with the teenager's lifeless body still in the vehicle after dumping her backpack and laptop in the trash. The area where Soto's body was discovered is where Sterns had been seen driving and seen at the side of the road changing his tire. Orange County Sheriff John Mina and Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland announces that their investigation has led them to believe that 13-year-old Madeline Soto was killed by primary suspect Stephan Sterns Surveillance footage captures Sterns throwing items into a dumpster at an apartment complex in Kissimmee at 7:45am on Monday morning. The objects were later recovered and found to be Madeline Soto's backpack and school-issued laptop. Sterns was then captured for a second time on video as he returned back to his neighborhood with Madeline's body said to be visible. Police say they believe the teenager was never dropped off at Hunter's Creek Middle School on Monday morning having been killed hours earlier in Kissimmee. Police said investigators discovered 'disturbing images' when they looked through Sterns' phone, along with proof that he attempted to delete evidence of the related material. After his arrest, Sterns invoked his right to an attorney and declined to speak during his interview. Investigators said he was also the last person to see the girl. On Friday afternoon, the Orange County Sheriff's Office held a press conference in which that stated that they were 'confident' the girl was dead. Sheriff John Mina broke the 'devastating news' to Madeline's mother on Thursday night. 'We believe he moved her body in those early morning hours, and all that is still under investigation,' Sheriff Mina explained. 'Searches are continuing as we speak, and we have people who are working nonstop. So every lead that comes in, every piece of evidence that we receive, we're gonna follow up on that, and if that leads us to a new search area, we'll be out all weekend,' Mina said. According to the State Attorney's office, sexual Battery on a Child Under 12 is a capital felony, punishable by life in prison if a defendant is convicted. Charges of Sexual Battery with a Child 12-18 and Lewd or Lascivious Molestation are first-degree felonies that carry sentences of up to life in prison if a person is convicted. If convicted, a defendant can receive up to five years in prison for each count of Unlawful Possession of Materials Depicting Sexual Performance by a Child. Special Counsel Robert Hur defended himself Tuesday against criticism from House Democrats, including Rep. Adam Schiff, over his decision to include broad statements about President Joe Biden's memory in his classified documents report. Hur testified before the House Judiciary Committee on his investigation into whether Biden mishandled classified documents and his decision not to prosecute the sitting president. His report, which was released in early February, said that Biden had 'diminished faculties' and said that a jury would find him a 'sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory.' Schiff, the leading California Senate candidate, and other Democrats blasted Hur for including that information in the report claiming he knew it would damage Biden politically and create a firestorm. 'You don't gratuitously add language you know will be useful in a political campaign,' Schiff said. 'You were not born yesterday. You understood exactly what you were doing. It was a choice. You certainly didn't have to include that language.' Special Counsel Robert Hur (right) defended himself Tuesday against criticism from House Democrats, including Rep. Adam Schiff (onscreen), over his decision to include broad statements about President Joe Biden's memory in his classified documents report Schiff (pictured), the leading California Senate candidate, and other Democrats blasted Hur for including that information in the report claiming he knew it would damage Biden politically and create a firestorm Hur was appointed by former President Donald Trump, who's running to retake the White House, and told lawmakers that he's a Republican. But he pushed back on assertions that he included statements about Biden's memory to hurt the Democratic president in the November election. In Hur's opening statement, he said he did not disparage the president, something Schiff objected to when it was the California Democrat's turn to question the witness. 'I want to refer back to your opening statement in which you said that you did not disparage the president in your report, but of course you did disparage the president. You disparaged him in terms you had to know would have a maximum political impact,' Schiff claimed. 'You understood the report would be public right?' Schiff asked. Hur said that what he 'understood' were the regulations that 'required me to write a confidential report for the attorney general explaining my decision.' 'And that is what I did, congressman,' Hur said. Hur said it was up to the Biden-appointed Attorney General Merrick Garland to determine whether to make the report public. Schiff continued to press him on this matter, until Hur added that, 'I understood from the attorney general's public comments that he would make as much of my report public as he could consistent with legal requirements and DOJ policy.' The California Democrat also slammed Hurt saying that what he wrote was 'deeply prejudicial to the interests of the president.' 'You must have understood the impact of your decision to go beyond the specifics of a particular document to go to the very general, to your own personal, prejudicial subjective opinion of the president,' Schiff said. 'One you knew would be amplified by his political opponent, one you knew would influence a political campaign.' 'You had to undestand that and you did it anyway, and you did it anyway,' the California congressman said. Hur countered, 'What you are suggesting is that I needed to provide a different version of my report that would be fit for public release.' 'What is in the rules, Mr. Hur, what is in the rules is you don't gratuitously do things to prejudice the subject of an investigation when you're declining to prosecute,' Schiff shot back. Schiff also pointed out that witnesses often tell investigators they don't recall scenarios. 'There is nothing more common - you know this, I know this - there is nothing more common with a witness of any age when asked about events that are years old to say I do no recall,' the California congressman said. 'Indeed they are instructed by their attorney to do that if they have any question about it.' 'You understood that, you made a choice, that was a political choice, it was the wrong choice,' Schiff said. Hur clapped back as the congressman's time had expired. 'What you are suggesting is that I shape, sanitize, omit portions of my reasoning and explanation to the attorney general for political reasons,' Hur said. 'No, I suggest you not shape your report for political reasons, which is what you did,' Schiff said. 'That did not happen congressman, that did not happen,' Hur shot back. Democratic Rep. Hank Johnson also probed Hur on whether his personal politics played a role in the final report. Johnson asked Hur if he was a member of the conservatie Federalist Society, to which Hur said he was not. 'But you are a Republican though, aren't you?' the Democratic congressman asked. Hur said yes. 'And you're doing everything you can to get President Trump reelected so that you can get appointed as a federal judge or perhaps to another position in the Department of Justice, isn't that correct? Johnson mused. To that, Hur said no. 'Congressman, I have no such aspirations, I can assure you,' Hur answered. 'And I can tell you that partisan politics has no place whatsoever in my work.' A millionaire Tory donor at the heart of a racism row bankrolled a helicopter journey for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last year, official documents have revealed. Frank Hester, who has been accused of a vile rant aimed at Diane Abbott, forked out 15,900 last November to fly the PM from London to Yorkshire. Official Parliamentary documents show the money was paid by Hester's firm, The Phoenix Partnership (TPP), for a Conservative Party 'political visit' to Leeds. The revelation, first made by LBC, is embarrassing for Mr Sunak as he faces demands to act over the remarks by Mr Hester, who has donated 10million to the Tories in the past year. He has apologised after the Guardian reported he said Mr Abbott, the black MP and former shadow home secretary, made him 'want to hate all black women' and that he suggested she should be shot. Kemi Badenoch became the most senior Tory to say his comments were 'racist' today, after No10 and several ministers refused to do so. The Equalities Minister and Business Secretary said: 'Hesters 2019 comments, as reported, were racist. I welcome his apology. Abbott and I disagree on a lot. But the idea of linking criticism of her, to being a black woman is appalling. Its never acceptable to conflate someones views with the colour of their skin.' Frank Hester, who has been accused of a vile rant aimed at Diane Abbott, forked out 15,900 last November to fly the PM from London to Yorkshire. Official Parliamentary documents show the money was paid by Hester's firm, The Phoenix Partnership (TPP), for a Conservative Party 'political visit' to Leeds. Kemi Badenoch became the most senior Tory to say his comments were 'racist' today, after No10 and several ministers refused to do so. On that day Mr Sunak visited The Emma White Jewellery Studio in Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley, Leeds Ms Abbott, the longest-serving black MP, spoke out about the rant by Frank Hester, the Conservatives' biggest individual financial backer. Mr Hester and his firm have donated 10million to Tory coffers in the past year, and Labour has said they should hand it back. In a statement this morning, Ms Abbott pointed out that two MPs have been murdered in recent years, adding: 'It is frightening. I live in Hackney and do not drive so I find myself, at weekends, popping on a bus or even walking places more than most MPs. 'I am a single woman and that makes me vulnerable anyway. But to hear someone talking like this is worrying.' She added: 'For all of my career as an MP I have thought it important not to live in a bubble, but to mix and mingle with ordinary people. The fact that two MPs have been murdered in recent years makes talk like this all the more alarming.' Ms Abbott, first elected as MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington in 1987, has sat as an independent since April after the Labour whip was withdrawn following comments she made in The Observer suggesting Jewish, Irish and Traveller people are not subject to racism 'all their lives'. Yorkshireman Mr Hester last night said he was 'deeply sorry' for what he said were 'rude' comments, but said they were 'nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin'. He had also reached out to Ms Abbott in a bid to apologise. Senior Conservatives have also declined to call them racist. Tory peer Lord Marland told LBC that Hester 'is not a racist... he made some unfortunate remarks that do sound racist'. Pensions Secretary Mel Stride also tried to row in behind the super-donor this morning, telling broadcasters: 'I think the critical point here is I don't think what he was saying was a gender-based or a race-based comment, but it was clearly inappropriate.' But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told ITV's Lorraine: 'This apology this morning that is pretending that what was said wasn't racist or anything to do with the fact she's a woman, I don't buy that I'm afraid, and I think that it's time the Tory Party called it out and returned the money.' And the PM's official spokesman today told reporters: 'I am not going to make comments on hypothetical comments.... while we wouldn't usually comment on sourced reports, what is alleged to have been said, those comments in their entirety would be unacceptable.' Pensions Secretary Mel Stride also tried to row in behind the super-donor this morning, telling broadcasters: 'It's clear that what he said was inappropriate. He has, as I understand it, apologised for those remarks. 'I think the critical point here is I don't think what he was saying was a gender-based or a race-based comment, but it was clearly inappropriate. He has apologised and I think we need to move on from that.' Yorkshireman Mr Hester last night said he was 'deeply sorry' for what he said were 'rude' comments, but said they were 'nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin'. He had also reached out to Ms Abbott in a bid to apologise. But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told ITV's Lorraine: 'This apology this morning that is pretending that what was said wasn't racist or anything to do with the fact she's a woman, I don't buy that I'm afraid, and I think that it's time the Tory Party called it out and returned the money.' He added: 'The comments about Diane Abbott are just abhorrent. 'And Diane has been a trailblazer, she has paved the way for others, she's probably faced more abuse than any other politician over the years on a sustained basis.' Former Tory leader Lord Hague also led Tory condemnation of the remarks, telling Times Radio: 'Well, his comments yes do seem to be racist. I don't think I could deny, that, honestly.' Mr Hester donated 10 million to the Tories last year, according to Electoral Commission records. He individually donated 5 million to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's party in May and gave another 5 million via his healthcare software firm in November. The Guardian reported that Mr Hester's remarks about Ms Abbott were made in 2019, meaning that they likely occurred when she was shadow home secretary under former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. The newspaper reported that during a meeting at his Leeds company headquarters, Mr Hester, having previously criticised an executive at another organisation, went on to discuss Ms Abbott, the first black woman elected to Parliament. He reportedly said: 'It's like trying not to be racist but you see Diane Abbott on the TV, and you're just like... you just want to hate all black women because she's there. 'And I don't hate all black women at all, but I think she should be shot. '(The executive) and Diane Abbott need to be shot.' Energy Minister Graham Stuart today said it would be wrong to 'cancel anybody ... because they said something intemperate and wrong in their past.' In a statement released via his firm, Mr Hester said he had rung Ms Abbott on Monday to 'apologise directly for the hurt he has caused her'. The statement said: 'Frank Hester accepts that he was rude about Diane Abbot in a private meeting several years ago but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin. 'The Guardian is right when it quotes Frank saying he abhors racism, not least because he experienced it as the child of Irish immigrants in the 1970s. 'He rang Diane Abbott twice today to try to apologise directly for the hurt he has caused her, and is deeply sorry for his remarks. 'He wishes to make it clear that he regards racism as a poison which has no place in public life.' But Tory opponents have seized on the remarks and urged the governing party to give back the cash Mr Hester and his company have donated. Energy Minister Graham Stuart today said it would be wrong to 'cancel anybody ... because they said something intemperate and wrong in their past.' He told GMB: 'If everything I had ever said about an opponent when driven to a state of fury was quoted, I would look pretty vile.' Mr Stuart has said he would 'hesitate' to describe the comments as racist, telling Times Radio: 'I'm hesitating to call it that because I don't like to sit in judgment on these things. 'It was clearly a ridiculous thing to say, he's rightly apologised for it and here's a man who's supporting the most diverse cabinet we've ever had under this Conservative Party. We've got a Hindu Prime Minister and he's our biggest donor, so I don't think this is a man who is a racist. 'But I've never met him, I don't know him and all I know is those comments were inappropriate, wrong, and quite rightly he has tried to reach out to Diane Abbott personally.' Special Counsel Robert Hur rejected claims from Democrats he 'completely exonerated' Joe Biden by not charging him with mishandling classified documents during his fiery appearance in Congress. He also revealed that the White House requested 'certain changes' to the report when he sent over a draft saying Biden had a bad memory. Hur then agreed with Republican Rep. Jim Jordan that 'pride and money' motivated Biden to keep sensitive files, because he used some of the materials for a memoir that earned him $8million. In a tense exchange with Rep. Pramila Jayapal over whether his damning report cleared Biden, Hur said: 'I did not exonerate him'.' Special Counsel Robert Hur rejected claims from Democrats he 'completely exonerated' Joe Biden by not charging him with mishandling classified documents He also said that the word 'exoneration' did not appear in the report. Japayal said 'Mr. Hur, it's my time' when they spoke over each other during his bombshell testimony in Congress. At one point, Rep. Will Kiley, R-Calif., suggested to Hur that a 'reasonable juror' could have voted to convict Biden based on the facts Hur had put forth. 'Correct,' said Hur. He refused to engage in a 'hypothetical' on whether or not he would have vote to convict if he were on the jury. White House oversight spokesman Ian Sams quipped back about the 'exonerate' remarks on X: 'This is a very strange thing for the national mediaand the Special Counselto fixate on In America, youre innocent until proven guilty. The ultimate conclusion here was that charges are NOT warranted and the case is CLOSED. In other words, the President was cleared.' Democrats and Republicans fired fierce questions at Hur during his appearance at Capitol Hill on Tuesday, a month after he released the report that said Biden had a bad memory and 'diminished faculties'. He insisted politics played 'no part whatsoever' in his findings and rejected Democrat suggestions his damning report was a bid to get Donald Trump elected. Republicans also interrogated Hur, and asked why Biden wasn't charged when Trump was. Hur began his testimony by revealing Biden 'willfully' retained classified materials as a private citizen and gave them to Mark Zwonitzer - the ghost writer of his $8 million book - who later tried to destroy them. In a tense exchange with Rep. Pramila Jayapal (above) over whether his damning report cleared Biden, he said: 'I did not exonerate him' Hur then agreed with Republican Rep. Jim Jordan that 'pride and money' motivated Biden to keep sensitive files, because he used some of the materials for a memoir that earned him $8million Hur arrived on Capitol Hill to offer insight into his devastating classified documents report that painted Biden as 'elderly' and 'forgetful' and with 'diminished faculties,' but did not recommend charges for the president. He pushed back on Democrats who claimed his report cleared Biden of any wrongdoing, saying it 'did not exonerate' the president. 'We identified evidence that the President willfully retained classified materials after the end of his vice presidency, when he was a private citizen,' Hur said during the high-stakes hearing. Hur said that included in the evidence was a recorded conversation between Biden and his ghost writer Zwonitzer in which the president stated that he had just 'found all the classified stuff downstairs.' After leaving the vice presidency, Biden and now-First Lady Jill signed a multi-book deal with Flatiron Books valued at $8 million, according to Publishers Weekly. The first book, 'Promise Me, Dad,' a memoir that centers on when his son Beau died and he decided not to run for president in 2015, briefly topped the best sellers list. He insisted politics played 'no part whatsoever' in his findings and rejected Democrat suggestions his damning report was a bid to get Donald Trump elected Hur shockingly revealed that the ghost writer tried to hide evidence after he was named special counsel in the case. 'What did that ghostwriter do with the information Joe Biden shared with him on his laptop, what did he do after you were named special counsel?' House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan asked the former special counsel. 'He slid those files into the recycle bin on his computer,' Hur said. He 'tried to destroy the evidence, didn't he?' asked Jordan. 'Correct,' said Hur. Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan noted Biden got $8 million for his book deal and argued Biden knowingly handed over those documents to the writer. 'Pride and money is why he knowingly violated the rules,' Jordan said of Biden. Biden said in his interview with Hur that he made more from the book sale than he ever made in his life. 'I ended up making more money on the sale of that book than I ever made in my whole life,' Biden said. 'I was able to give a million dollars away to charity. I've always wanted to do that.' Biden, in a fiery news conference on February 8 after Hur's bombshell report was published, swore he had not shared classified documents. Boeing is battling a seemingly endless flurry of scandals. Ever since two of its 737 MAX jets were involved in crashes which killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019, the company has been beset by a constant slew of incidents from mid-air malfunctions to alleged safety failures. And the crisis reached a new low this week after the apparent suicide of a whistleblower who repeatedly sounded the alarm about Boeing's alleged shortcomings. John Barnett, a former quality manager whose crucial role involved checking the safety of aircraft before they leave factories, had repeatedly raised the alarm about alleged safety failures by Boeing. The issues have prompted urgent questions about the company's future. They also pose another conundrum: Is Boeing 'too big to fail'? Boeing's seemingly endless list of scandals has led some to ask whether it is 'too big to fail' Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, it employees around 170,000 people around the world including about 136,000 in the United States. Pictured: Boeing's Everett, Washington factor The term, typically used to describe banks, is reserved for a handful of global organizations whose failure would trigger shockwaves throughout business or society as a whole. The crisis at Boeing deepened this week after a worker-turned-whistleblower, John Barnett, shot himself after testifying against the firm In Boeing's case, it commands such a large share of commercial aviation, along with billions of dollars in military contracts, that many analysts say its collapse would trigger a crisis in the industry - and even threaten America's national security. But following a series of safety scandals which have spooked regulators, investors and the public, some of those analysts say Boeing's 'too big to fail' status faces its biggest test to date. The aerospace behemoth is in an unprecedented position: its stock price - and its reputation - are plummeting. $60 BILLION BEHEMOTH With annual revenues of $66.61 billion in 2022, Boeing is one of the largest companies in America. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, it employees around 170,000 people around the world including about 136,000 in the United States. There are currently more than 10,000 Boeing commercial aircraft in service, according to the company. Around two thirds of those are the 737 model, making it one of the most popular commercial aircrafts in history. A photo shows the wreckage of a crashed Ethiopia Airlines 737 MAX 8 following an incident in March 2019 which killed 157 people The company's revenue makes it the second largest aerospace and defense manufacturer in the world based on revenue, which was $66.61 billion in 2022. That is only around $500 million less than the number one company, Raytheon Technologies. But despite its financial record, the recent scandals have reportedly cost it billions in revenues. Boeing's stock price has also tumbled in the wake of its scandals this year. The stock is down by 27 percent since the beginning of January, equivalent to about $40 billion. The firm's position at the helm of a global industry means its failure would send shockwaves throughout its supply chains and trigger other knock on impacts across the US economy. NATIONAL SECURITY LYNCHPIN Boeing is one of the largest recipients of defense contracts from the US government, official figures reveal and it produces some of the military's most important equipment. The company was awarded contracts worth $14.2 billion in 2022, placing it fifth in the table of top recipients from the Defense Department. Recent contracts include a $2.3 billion deal to supply 15 KC-46A refueling tankers. The aircraft is a variant of the Boeing 767 and is used to refuel smaller aircraft, including fighter jets, during flight. That deal, announced by the Pentagon in November 2023, meant Boeing had been recruited to provide a total of 153 KC-46A aircraft worth tens of billions of dollars to the US and its allies. Boeing produces the F-15EX Eagle II fighter jet which is used by the US Air Force. The company was awarded contracts totaling $14.2 billion by the Department of Defense in 2022 Earlier this month, the Department of Defense revealed Boeing had been awarded another contract worth nearly $440 million to built a military communications satellite for the US Space Force. Even before Boeing's latest crises including the incident involving a door blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight analysts were opining about the 'national security implications' of the company's recent troubles. As Boeing faces financial issues and problems with its commercial aircraft, questions have been raised about its ability to deliver on military contracts. That could leave the military forced to rely on outdated hardware as it waits for delivery of new tools. The firm's defense arm also reported losses totaling $1.7 billion last year following $4.4 billion in losses in 2022. That is why the ongoing crisis will also draw a high amount of scrutiny from the US government, which may feel inclined to step in to prevent the troubled airline from declining further. COMMERCIAL CRISIS Boeing is responsible for nearly half of the global commercial aircraft market The company's market share was 42 percent, according to figures published in January, with the company lagging only behind its European competitor Airbus. The figures revealed Boeing had also recorded a 70 percent rise in net orders last year as the broader industry recovered from the pandemic. An aerial photo shows Boeing 737 MAX airplanes parked on the tarmac at the Boeing Factory in Renton, Washington But the recent scandals have reportedly cost the firm billions in revenues as well as causing significant harm to its reputation. In a sign of the company's impact on the broader industry, Southwest Airlines said today that it would reevaluate its financial forecasts for the year following delays by Boeing in delivering aircraft. Southwest also said its operating capacity for 2024 was 'in flux' due to Boeing's alleged shortcomings. Southwest CEO Bob Jordan said: 'We all need Boeing to be better.' Boeing announced the departure of its 737 MAX program in February just weeks after the door blowout on the Alaska Airlines flight. That issue led to the Federal Aviation Authority to temporarily ground all 737 MAX 9 airplanes. The 737 MAX 8 was the aircraft in two separate crashes in 2018 and 2019 which killed a total of 346 people. The mass shooting left eight teenagers injured while they waited for the bus Police are searching for two other suspect in connection to the shooting Jamaal Tucker and Anhile Buggs, both 18-years-old, have been arrested Philadelphia police have pictured two people arrested in connection to a mass shooting that left eight teenagers injured while they were waiting for a SEPTA bus. Jamaal Tucker and Anhile Buggs, both 18-years-old, have been charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, weapons offenses and other charges for Wednesday's shooting. Two other suspects are still being sought. Philadelphia police said the discovery of the stolen car involved in the shooting led them to Tucker, who turned himself in on Friday. Federal marshals searched a location linked to Buggs on Saturday and recovered the .40-caliber Glock that matched casings found at the scene. 'These defendants are potentially facing an enormous amount of time in custody,' Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said. Jamaal Tucker (pictured) has been arrested in connection to the Philadelphia mass shooting that left eight teenagers injured Anhile Buggs (pictured) and Tucker have been charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, weapons offenses and other charges for Wednesday's shooting Federal marshals searched a location linked to Buggs (pictured) on Saturday and recovered the .40-caliber Glock that matched casings found at the scene 'When you have eight different cases where you have engaged in atrocious violence, that is to be expected.' Both 18-year-olds are being held on more than $2 million bail and have preliminary hearings scheduled for March 20. Police are still looking for at least two more suspects involved in Wednesday shooting that put a 16-year-old student in critical condition after being shot nine times, reported 6ABC. Seven other victims - including two 15-year-olds, four 16-year-olds, and a 17-year-old - were shot and wounded. Six victims from Northeast High School were listed in stable condition, while the other two remain in critical but stable condition, police said. 'I'm not going to get into the specifics, but we are not done until any group involved in this kind of conduct...(does) not exist anymore,' Krasner said. 'And that is exactly where this investigation needs to go. It's not about a single incident. It's about every other incident that has any connection to it and making sure that people who will do this kind of thing are not in a position to do it anymore.' Detectives have seized a blue 2019 Hyundai Sonata that matches the suspected 'getaway car' captured on surveillance camera. The vehicle was discovered in the city's Olney neighborhood on Wednesday night and has been taken to a nearby impound lot, according to the police. Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said that eight students, aged between 15 and 17, were shot after three suspects exited the vehicle near a Dunkin Donuts and fired more than 30 shots at the SEPTA bus stop near Rising Sun and Cottman avenues. 'At some point when the bus is pulling up and the kids are converging to get on the bus, three individuals exit that vehicle and then discharges multiple times,' Bethel said. Police are still looking for at least two more suspects involved in Wednesday shooting that put a 16-year-old student in critical condition after being shot nine times Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said that eight students, aged between 15 and 17, were shot after three suspects exited the vehicle near a Dunkin Donuts Detectives have seized a blue 2019 Hyundai Sonata that matches the suspected 'getaway car' captured on surveillance camera Authorities have asked for the public's help identifying the suspects in the shooting and released surveillance video of the gunmen getting out of the car before opening fire 'I'm not shocked because things like this have happened in the past. The only thing that really shocked me is that I happen to be a victim of it,' said one of the victims, who did not want to be identified. 'It's like a scene out of a movie, an action movie. Everything happened so fast. You have to be on your toes consistently if you want to make it out of a situation like that,' he said. 'As I was running, I felt a burning sensation in my back, but I ignored it because of adrenaline. But as I stopped, it just felt like I might of got shot.' Investigators are working to determine if the Wednesday shooting is connected to another shooting on March 4, where Dayemen Taylor, 17, was killed when gunfire rang out near a bus stop near the Ognotz and Godfrey avenues in Northern Philly. Authorities have asked for the public's help identifying the suspects in the shooting and released surveillance video of the gunmen getting out of the car before opening fire. Video shows a dark blue Hyundai Elantra pulling into a Dunkin Donuts parking lot. Moments later, three suspects dressed in all black, wearing face masks, charge out of the car as the driver quickly reverses the vehicle with the doors still open. The video then turns to another angle and shows the moment the gunmen draw their weapons and shoot as the bus pulls up. The unidentified suspects then run back to the car that meets them near the bus and swiftly flees the scene. Before confiscating the 'getaway' car, police said that the paper license plates that were originally attached the vehicle were replaced with temporary plates. In a bystander video shared on social media, two to three school kids are seen on the wet ground as people around them panic and try to help. One male student, seen in khaki pants and a black zipper hoodie is seen wincing on the ground as he holds his bloody leg. The transportation system said a Route 18 bus and a Route 67 bus were struck by gunfire near the scene of the shooting and have advised people to avoid the area as they investigate the incident. Northeast High School students returned to class on Monday for the first time since the shooting. 'In order to provide more small group and individualized support, we will have students return to in-person learning in two shifts,' said Northeast High's principal Omar Crowder. Juniors and Seniors were the first students back to in-person learning, then Freshman and Sophomores will return to the school on Tuesday. 'The School District of Philadelphia's Emergency Crisis Response Team of the Office of Prevention and Intervention, including crisis counselors, will be on-site to support our students with grief counseling and whatever emotional assistance they need,' 'Please know that the District is working closely with the Philadelphia Police Department every day to keep a close eye on what's going on in our communities and provide extra resources when needed to support the safety of our schools, staff and students.' The Conservative Party's largest individual donor is reportedly facing a police probe into claims he called for a black MP to 'be shot' - as Kemi Badenoch broke ranks to brand his remarks 'racist'. Frank Hester is said to have made the comment in a 2019 diatribe against veteran leftwinger Diane Abbott, in which he also said she made him 'want to hate all black women'. According to the Independent the 70-year-old MP, the longest-serving black member of parliament, has now made a complaint to the Metropolitan Police, having earlier said she had been left 'frightened' by his remarks. The Conservatives are now embroiled in a major row over the millionaire businessman and the 10million he has given the party this year. Amid calls for it to be returned, No10 and a parade of senior ministers today said that the comments were wrong but stopped short of saying they were racist. However Ms Badenoch, the Equalities Minister and Business Secretary, laid into him this afternoon - but said that he should be forgiven. She tweeted: 'Hester's 2019 comments, as reported, were racist. I welcome his apology. Abbott and I disagree on a lot. But the idea of linking criticism of her, to being a black woman is appalling. 'It's never acceptable to conflate someone's views with the colour of their skin. Ms Abbott, the longest-serving black MP, spoke out about the rant by Frank Hester, the Conservatives' biggest individual financial backer. Rishi Sunk is facing mounting pressure to disown the businessman after he apologised for saying that Ms Abbott, 70, made him 'want to hate all black women'. Ms Badenoch, the Nigeria-raised Equalities Minister and Business secretary, laid into Mr Hester this afternoon - but said that he should be forgiven. 'MPs have a difficult job balancing multiple interests - often under threats of intimidation as we saw recently in parliament. 'Some people make flippant comments without thinking of this context. 'This is why there needs to be space for forgiveness where there is contrition.' Former Labour frontbencher Ms Abbott said she had been left 'frightened' by Mr Hester's attack, which was first reported by the Guardian. His 2019 diatribe has been branded 'racist and abhorrent' by Labour and some former high-profile Tories, including ex-chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and ex-leader William Hague. But No10 has echoed the position taken by senior ministers this morning in saying his comments were 'unacceptable' but refused to say they were racist. It came as it was revealed Mr Hester's firm, The Phoenix Partnership (TPP), picked up the 15,900 cost of a helicopter flight from London to Yorkshire for Mr Sunak last November. Official Parliamentary documents show the money was paid by Hester's firm, (TPP), for a Conservative Party 'political visit' to Leeds. Mr Hester and his firm have donated 10million to Tory coffers in the past year, and Labour has said they should hand it back. In a statement this morning, Ms Abbott pointed out that two MPs have been murdered in recent years, adding: 'It is frightening. I live in Hackney and do not drive so I find myself, at weekends, popping on a bus or even walking places more than most MPs. 'I am a single woman and that makes me vulnerable anyway. But to hear someone talking like this is worrying.' Pensions Secretary Mel Stride also tried to row in behind the super-donor this morning, telling broadcasters: 'I think the critical point here is I don't think what he was saying was a gender-based or a race-based comment, but it was clearly inappropriate.' But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told ITV's Lorraine: 'This apology this morning that is pretending that what was said wasn't racist or anything to do with the fact she's a woman, I don't buy that I'm afraid, and I think that it's time the Tory Party called it out and returned the money.' She added: 'For all of my career as an MP I have thought it important not to live in a bubble, but to mix and mingle with ordinary people. The fact that two MPs have been murdered in recent years makes talk like this all the more alarming.' Ms Abbott, first elected as MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington in 1987, has sat as an independent since April after the Labour whip was withdrawn following comments she made in The Observer suggesting Jewish, Irish and Traveller people are not subject to racism 'all their lives'. Yorkshireman Mr Hester last night said he was 'deeply sorry' for what he said were 'rude' comments, but added they were 'nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin'. He had also reached out to Ms Abbott in a bid to apologise. Senior Conservatives have also declined to call them racist. Tory peer Lord Marland told LBC that Mr Hester 'is not a racist... he made some unfortunate remarks that do sound racist'. And the PM's official spokesman today told reporters: 'I am not going to make comments on hypothetical comments.... while we wouldn't usually comment on sourced reports, what is alleged to have been said, those comments in their entirety would be unacceptable.' Pensions Secretary Mel Stride also tried to row in behind the super-donor this morning, telling broadcasters: 'It's clear that what he said was inappropriate. He has, as I understand it, apologised for those remarks. 'I think the critical point here is I don't think what he was saying was a gender-based or a race-based comment, but it was clearly inappropriate. He has apologised and I think we need to move on from that.' It came as it was revealed Mr Hester's firm, The Phoenix Partnership, picked up the 15,900 cost of a helicopter flight from London to Yorkshire for Mr Sunak last November. Yorkshireman Mr Hester last night said he was 'deeply sorry' for what he said were 'rude' comments, but added they were 'nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin'. He had also reached out to Ms Abbott in a bid to apologise. But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told ITV's Lorraine: 'This apology this morning that is pretending that what was said wasn't racist or anything to do with the fact she's a woman, I don't buy that I'm afraid, and I think that it's time the Tory Party called it out and returned the money.' He added: 'The comments about Diane Abbott are just abhorrent. 'And Diane has been a trailblazer, she has paved the way for others, she's probably faced more abuse than any other politician over the years on a sustained basis.' Former Tory leader Lord Hague also led Tory condemnation of the remarks, telling Times Radio: 'Well, his comments yes do seem to be racist. I don't think I could deny, that, honestly.' Mr Hester donated 10 million to the Tories last year, according to Electoral Commission records. He individually donated 5 million to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's party in May and gave another 5 million via his healthcare software firm in November. The Guardian reported that Mr Hester's remarks about Ms Abbott were made in 2019, meaning that they likely occurred when she was shadow home secretary under former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. The newspaper reported that during a meeting at his Leeds company headquarters, Mr Hester, having previously criticised an executive at another organisation, went on to discuss Ms Abbott, the first black woman elected to Parliament. He reportedly said: 'It's like trying not to be racist but you see Diane Abbott on the TV, and you're just like... you just want to hate all black women because she's there. 'And I don't hate all black women at all, but I think she should be shot. '(The executive) and Diane Abbott need to be shot.' Energy Minister Graham Stuart today said it would be wrong to 'cancel anybody ... because they said something intemperate and wrong in their past.' In a statement released via his firm, Mr Hester said he had rung Ms Abbott on Monday to 'apologise directly for the hurt he has caused her'. The statement said: 'Frank Hester accepts that he was rude about Diane Abbot in a private meeting several years ago but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin. 'The Guardian is right when it quotes Frank saying he abhors racism, not least because he experienced it as the child of Irish immigrants in the 1970s. 'He rang Diane Abbott twice today to try to apologise directly for the hurt he has caused her, and is deeply sorry for his remarks. 'He wishes to make it clear that he regards racism as a poison which has no place in public life.' But Tory opponents have seized on the remarks and urged the governing party to give back the cash Mr Hester and his company have donated. Energy Minister Graham Stuart today said it would be wrong to 'cancel anybody ... because they said something intemperate and wrong in their past.' He told GMB: 'If everything I had ever said about an opponent when driven to a state of fury was quoted, I would look pretty vile.' Mr Stuart has said he would 'hesitate' to describe the comments as racist, telling Times Radio: 'I'm hesitating to call it that because I don't like to sit in judgment on these things. 'It was clearly a ridiculous thing to say, he's rightly apologised for it and here's a man who's supporting the most diverse cabinet we've ever had under this Conservative Party. We've got a Hindu Prime Minister and he's our biggest donor, so I don't think this is a man who is a racist. 'But I've never met him, I don't know him and all I know is those comments were inappropriate, wrong, and quite rightly he has tried to reach out to Diane Abbott personally.' Police are standing guard outside a branch of a funeral firm where they recovered 35 bodies and a 'quantity of human ashes'. Officers have been patrolling the offices of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull after transporting the bodies to a nearby mortuary where formal identification is now taking place. At least two officers were seen standing outside one branch on Anlaby Road, while several officers were spotted searching premises of another branch on Hessle Road earlier today. Humberside Police said it had 120 officers and staff working on the case and more than 1,000 calls had been received from concerned members of the public about the funeral directors'. A 46-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman who were arrested on suspicion of prevention of a lawful burial and fraud, have been released on bail, the force added. Police are standing guard outside the Anlaby Road branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors after officers recovered 35 bodies and a 'quantity of human ashes' At least two officers were seen stood outside the branch on Anlaby Road The Beckside branch of the Legacy Independent Funeral Directors earlier today. Police revealed that more than 1,000 people have called a hotline with concerns Families claim many of the services took place at the Hessle Road funeral parlour rather than the local crematorium. They paid thousands of pounds for the coffins and cremation fees and were told the caskets would be taken to the crem later to be burned but said they did not get any proof this happened - and often not did not even get the ashes back. Assistant Chief Constable Thom Mcloughlin told a press conference on Tuesday: 'We have now recovered a total of 35 deceased who have now been respectfully transported to the mortuary in Hull and formal identification procedures are now taking place. 'In addition, we have also recovered a quantity of what we suspect to be human ashes. 'We are in the process of carefully recovering all of those ashes and taking those to the mortuary.' Deputy Chief Constable David Marshall told media: 'We are continuing to support the families involved through this extremely difficult and distressing time. 'This has been a truly horrific incident.' He said families were 'understandably distraught' and acknowledged that they had many questions that needed to be answered. Mr Marshall said it was an 'extremely complex and sensitive investigation' and pledged to put the 'heartbroken families' at the core of the inquiry. He said: 'Many will be shocked, horrified and re-traumatised through grief following the disclosure of the facts of this case this week.' Assistant Chief Constable Thom Mcloughlin (pictured) told a press conference today: 'In addition, we have also recovered a quantity of what we suspect to be human ashes' Police continue their investigations at the Hessle Road branch of Legacy Funeral Directors A hearse and a limousine can be seen in the parking area of the Hassle Road branch while police officers are still carrying out investigations Police continue their investigations at the Hessle Road branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors on Tuesday Two police officers are seen exiting a police van outside the Hessle Road branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors on Tuesday The Beverley branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors which has now had its branding removed Assistant Chief Constable Thom McLoughlin told reporters that more than 120 police officers and staff were now working on the case and more than 1,000 calls had been received from concerned members of the public. Asst Chief Con Mcloughlin added: 'So far, we are pursuing extensive lines of inquiry, and have special search and forensic teams conducting thorough searches of various business premises that are linked to the suspects that were detained this weekend. 'I can confirm that a man and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of prevention of a lawful, decent burial, fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position. 'They have since been released on police bail with conditions whilst our investigation is continuing. 'I recognise that this is a distressing time for all of those affected and I have no doubt it will have a significant impact across all our local communities and beyond.' A large number of police have been seen at the site, including forensics officers dressed in white protective suits and the maritime protection unit. Officers were today also seen inspecting a hearse and a limousine parked in outside a branch on Hassle Road before removing various items from the vehicles. Officers cordoned off three Legacy Independent Funeral Directors sites after the force received a report on Wednesday of concerns about the 'storage and management processes relating to care of the deceased'. Cordons were in place on Saturday night at three Legacy Independent Funeral Directors sites after the first report to police on Wednesday. Officers were spotted outside two of the firm's branches in Anlaby Road and Hessle Road, both in Hull, at about 3am on Thursday, according to Hull Live. Humberside Police today held a press conference where further details were disclosed of the 'truly horrific' incident Flowers and tributes are left outside the Hessle Road branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors on Tuesday Candles and floral tributes were left outside one of the firm's branches amid news that 35 bodies and suspected human ashes had been recovered by police A number of tributes also included what appeared to be messages from members of the public Forensic investigators were also pictured at the scene on Hessle Road A police vehicle can be seen outside the Hessle Road branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors on Tuesday Police pictured outside the Hessle Road branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors Legacy is run by Robert Bush, originally from Bridlington, Easts Yorkshire, and the son of a local head mistress there. His wife Vickie is a former teacher now retired. They have lived in the same large detached house in the Hull suburb of Kirk Ella for more than ten years. His daughter Saskia went into the family business after finishing university with a degree in engineering. Neighbours were stunned. One said: 'They are a first class family. If they have got into bother I am very sorry to hear it. He is always very pleasant to talk to and very respectful. 'He is a very nice chap and comes across as a caring sort of guy. I fell flat on my face in an accident a while ago and he and his wife were the first to come and help me. 'We don't know what has gone on. They are very nice people. Saskia is also a top rated engineer. All the family are spot on. So this has come as a bit of a shock.' Another local resident and former work teaching colleague: 'I worked with his mother for many many years at school but she left due to ill health and very long time ago. 'I taught Saskia. She was in my class at primary school. She was lovely and so clever. They are a good family. They are lovely. I cannot believe what has happened. 'Everyone is so close around here so it is a shock. They are just a respectable family. I can't think of anyone who would have a bad word to day about them.' A business neighbour at the second Hull branch in Anlaby Road claimed Legacy customers were told by police that an undercover cop had been working in Hessle Road after a tip off. One victim - mother of three Billie Jo Suffill, 33 - said her tearful farewell to father Andy Suffil when his life was cut tragically short at the age of 52 in December 2022. He passed away on July 9 2022 and five days later his son Dwane, 33, committed suicide after finding his parent's body. Her father died after he was attacked by two men the night before and took some tablets in the house he shared with his son. Dwane went down to check on him and found him dead. He was overcome with grief and took an overdose five days later. An inquest concluded it was suicide. Miss Suffill said: 'I never actually got to see my dad's body. I wanted to see him dressed in his new clothes but I never got to. 'Mr Bush said he did not look the same because he had been attacked the night before he died. He would not let me see my brother at all, saying the body would smell up the room.' 'I got ashes after my brother's funeral. But now I don't even know if they are his ashes and I never got any from my dad. 'I bet my dad was not even in the coffin - it was an empty coffin. I was kissing an empty coffin. When I think about it now it is disgusting. 'He had to pay for my brother's cremation because I insisted we had it at the crematorium. He tried me to persuade me to have a double funeral at the funeral home but I said 'No'. 'I wanted my brother's funeral at a proper chapel. He was my best friend and it broke my heart when he died. 'I thought he was nice and he was helping me. I want to know if my dad is one of those bodies and that is why we never got the ashes.' Another victim, Louisa Millington, whose husband Carl was cremated through Legacy Independent Funeral Directors, said the situation has left her feeling 'broken'. She told Sky News: 'It's like being in sinking mud. Although I've lost Carl, I just feel like I am still tredging (sic). 'I don't feel like I can put him to rest, I don't feel like Carl can be at rest cause things just keep being coming back and back.' Police outside the Hessle Road branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull after launching an investigation into the company over reports of 'concern for care of the deceased' Emma Hardy, Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle, revealed her shock after hearing about the police probe, saying her 'heart goes out to all the worried family members' A police parked with a major incident unit outside a Legacy Independent Funeral Directors branch on Hessle road in Hull At least six marked police vehicles were in attendance at the Hessle Road branch today A forensic investigator speaks with a police officer outside the Hessle Road funeral directors Cordons were in place at three Legacy Independent Funeral Directors' branches on Saturday Police outside the Beckside branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors A police van was seen outside the Anlaby Road branch Police outside the Anlaby Road branch of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull The Beverley branch, the smallest, is located on the corner of a residential street on the outskirts of the town. Already, signposting relating to the business has been removed from the branch. The woman who owns the building and lives next door said: 'They don't very often come to this place. 'I have not seen them for ages. They used my place to try and drum up extra business but it has not really happened. 'It is very strange what has happened. It is not everyday you have the police watching the building. 'I know a couple of people who have had funerals there and they were really happy.' The main branch and head office of Legacy is at the near derelict end of Hessle Road, Hull, next to a derelict house sprayed with graffiti and facing a row of takeaways and boarded up buildings. Local takeaway staff were all aware of the investigation but had no idea what was behind it. One local trader said: 'We think the police have been there since Wednesday night. Lights were seen in the rear yard. 'There are all kinds of rumours on Facebook. 'But all we have been told by police is they are there because of 'something the owner has done' and we don't know anything for certain. 'It has been like an episode of True Crime.' The building is located in a row of shops next to a brightly painted tanning salon. The front room is laid out as a chapel with a cross on a desk serving as an altar and high backed kitchen chair under the desk. One man who claimed to know the owner said: 'He is from London but he lives in Anlaby in Hull now. He is quite posh. 'He loves his motorbikes a little too much and if you like bikes you can have a decent conversation with him. He keeps a couple of bikes in the back of the funeral parlour which I always found a little weird. 'He seems nice enough but I never really got on with him. He is always on your back. I used to call him Mr Nosey.' President Joe Biden calls himself a 'frustrated architect' in the transcript of his five-hour interview with Robert Hur, where his answers veer to his early life ambitions, his classic Corvette, and his prowess as an archer. Some of Biden's trips down memory lane occur in response to bland questions about the facts of when and where classified materials ended up in his home and office. Biden's ramblings served to run out the clock on his consecutive interviews, while surfacing snippets of information in the Biden biography. 'I'm a frustrated architect, and if you went through, you probably saw all those significant number of house plans that I've drawn,' Biden said in one digression after talking about furniture he kept from the U.S. Senate. He said something about building his house in a way 'so the sun would always shine,' although the specifics are blacked out in the Justice Department's transcript transcript. Straight shooter: Biden tells a long story about a 2011 trip to Mongolia while getting peppered with questions about classified documents by Special Counsel Robert Hur 'And as a matter of fact, in order to try to convince me not to run for the Senate for the 19th time, my wife said, look, you don't run, I'll pay for architectural school for you,' Biden quipped. The transcript says that '(laughter)' followed, suggesting the prosecutors didn't take the six-term senator's line about his tenure literally. 'I'm deadly earnest, not a joke. Any rate, so what I had was, I had a,' he continued, with three lines of blacked out dialogue, with surrounding text suggesting he is still talking about his home. 'I can't remember exactly. And I build that for two reasons, [redacted]. My dad was getting ill, and I did not want he and mom to be living alone.' Then Biden goes on at length about his Wilmington house, its 10-acre pond, a 'pool table and couch,' a 'big fireplace' and other details. Then he keeps rolling, talking about furniture purchases and paying for a handmade 'magnificent [redacted] for the home. The longtime senator continues to filibuster, talking about a trip to Mongolia with 'great pictures' after describing keeping mementos from his time in office. 'There are pictures that are put on - what kind of board is that called?' Biden asked. 'Poster board,' responded one of the prosecutors. Don't look back: Biden regaled Hur with stories about his classic Corvette when asked about boxes of classified material in his garage Biden called himself a 'frustrated archetect' and spoke at length about the contents of his home, even while failing to recall details about handling of government documents The Justice Department redacted information that might reveal security information about the orientation of his home Longshot: The straight-shooting Biden was mortified when his host the Mongolian prime minister didn't perform as well at archery Hur's questions about boxes of documents sometimes brought winding answers about Biden's life and career That brought a discourse on his 2011 trip to Mongolia as vice president and a cultural photo-op he took part in. 'They were showing they were doing a what they would do at the time of the invasion of the Mongols into Europe in the 14 in the 800s.' 'And so they walked over and they had a target with bales of hay a hundreds yards away, and these guerillas were, you know, taking shots.' Then someone handed Biden a bow and arrow. 'I'm not a bad archer. But (indiscernible) where I can pull it back, so I and pure luck, I hit the goddam target,' he says, again eliciting '(Laughter). But the straight-shooting Biden was mortified when his host didn't perform as well. 'I turned to the prime minister and handed it to him and the poor son-of-a-bitch couldn't pull it back.' At least one part of the story is contradicted by an official White House photo. It shows Mongolian Prime Minister Sukhbaatar Batbold holding his own bow, which means Biden wouldn't have needed to hand him one. Following his long digressions, Biden's lawyer Bob Bauer asked if the group could take a break. When they came back, prosecutors asked what files or documents Biden could recall being in his West Wing office during his vice presidency. 'I don't have any idea,' he said. Sometimes Biden tried to fire up his responses with car talk in a possible play to build a bridge with Hur. Special Counsel Robert Hur testified Tuesday Biden said it drove him 'crazy' that he couldn't drive his classic Corvette while in office when bering queried about boxes of material in his garage that sometimes got moved when his car came out. 'And the worst part was, they said I couldn't drive it outside the driveway. It's a long driveway. So I'd get it to the bottom of the driveway, tack it up to about four grand (indiscernible (makes car sound) (indiscernible) (Laughter).' 'You think I'm kidding; I'm not,' said Biden. ''We believe you,' said Deputy Special Counsel Marc Krickbaum. 'I believe you,' seconded Hur. That brought another digression, this one about electric vehicles he gets to drive. 'You step your foot on the accelerator all the way down '' 'Woah,' says Hur. 'All you do is take your foot off the brake. (Makes car sound)' Biden continues, again drawing laughter. 'It's on my bucket list,' says Hur,' before steering the conversation back to documents at the Penn Biden Center. The Missouri Attorney General is calling on the 15-year-old girl who beat another teen's head into concrete to be tried as an adult. The teenage victim is fighting for life in critical condition after her head was repeatedly smashed into the ground during a brawl near a Missouri high school. AG Andrew Bailey announced on X: 'This evil and complete disregard for human life has no place in Missouri, or anywhere. I am praying for the victim. 'The criminal should be charged and tried as an adult. If the victim dies, that offense should rise to a homicide.' Hazelwood East High School students were forced to leave early Monday after police say they are investigating multiple threats over the viral video showing the fight. The altercation broke out at about 2:30 pm Friday near Hazelwood High School. A Missouri teen is in critical condition after being caught up in a brawl by a local high school AG Andrew Bailey announced on X: 'This evil and complete disregard for human life has no place in Missouri, or anywhere. I am praying for the victim. The criminal should be charged and tried as an adult. If the victim dies, that offense should rise to a homicide' Video of the incident circulated on social media showing another girl bashing the teen's head into the concrete after throwing multiple punches and sending her careening to the ground. The victim appeared to begin to have a seizure as groups of other teens brawled just feet away. Police found the girl suffering from a serious head injury near the intersection of Norgate Drive and Claudine Drive, roughly a five-minute walk from the high school campus. The teen, whose name has not been released, was taken to the hospital and remains in critical condition. A 15-year-old girl was arrested Saturday and charged with assault. She was taken to the St. Louis County Family Court and remained in custody as of Sunday afternoon. The St. Louis County Police Department is investigating the incident. The Missouri Attorney General is calling on the 15-year-old girl who beat another teen's head into concrete to be tried as an adult Viral video shows another teen smashing her head into the pavement repeatedly before the victim appears to suffer a seizure Police found the girl suffering from a serious head injury near the intersection of Norgate Drive and Claudine Drive. The fight broke out just off campus from Hazelwood East High School The Hazelwood School District issued a statement denouncing bullying and fighting within the community After news of the altercation broke, the Hazelwood School District released a statement condemning violence within the community. 'It is a tragedy anytime children are hurt,' the statement read. 'Bullying and fighting in the community is an issue for which we all need to take ownership and work towards a resolution for the sake of our children. 'The Hazelwood School District offers our sincerest condolences to everyone involved and will offer additional emotional support from our support and crisis team to those in need.' The statement urged community members to respect the families of those involved and 'pledge to help work toward the betterment of our entire community.' The district recently came under fire for disenrolling more than three dozen middle schoolers in late February and early March. The school districts public relations director, Jordyn Elston, told STLPR that the students were ejected because of 'expired residency information.' Of the 40 students who received letters informing them of the district's decision, thirty-eight were re-enrolled within a week after providing updated information, the district said. Russian paramilitary groups have taken control of a small village along the Ukraine border and sent Putin's troops fleeing, new video shows. The Ukraine-based Russian partisan rebels claimed to have captured the border village of Tyotkino, even after Russia said it had pushed back invasions. The Freedom of Russia Legion (FRL), Siberian Battalion (SB) and the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) posted videos ostensibly showing their soldiers warring in Russia's western Belgorod and Kursk regions today. The Russian partisans staged incursions into Putin's territory today and evidently blew up an armoured personnel carrier in Kursk region. Video appeared to show Russia troops retreating but there was no initial confirmation. There were claims - denied by Moscow - that Russian tanks had also pulled back. The incursions came on the same day that Kyiv drones blitzed two oil refineries inside Russia, in the Nizhny Novgorod and Oryol regions. Video appeared to show Russia troops retreating after paramilitary groups captured the border village of Tyotkino, but there was no initial confirmation. There were claims - denied by Moscow - that Russian tanks had also pulled back Video showed a strike on an APC in Tetkino, a border village in the Kursk region of Russia The Siberian Battalion shared footage purporting to show clashes with Russian troops A woman in a border area of Belgorod region filmed as she looked out of her window and saw partisan tanks driving past. She swore and exclaimed: 'Tanks are coming 'What is this.?' The Russian defence ministry said Ukrainian 'terrorist formations' backed by tanks and armoured combat vehicles tried to invade in three separate directions in Russia's Belgorod region at about 3am Moscow time (0000 GMT). Schools in Kursk were also closed until the end of the week in response to the attacks, the city's mayor confirmed. A spokesperson for Ukraine's intelligence service denied Ukrainian involvement, claiming the paramilitary groups were 'independent organisations' comprising of Russian nationals and therefore operating 'at home'. Ukrainian military intelligence said the legion and two other partisan paramilitaries were engaged in a 'joint operation' on Russian territory. Russia's FSB blamed the border incidents on the Ukrainian army rather than anti-Putin Russians. The three Russian paramilitary groups claim to have crossed into Russia to fight Putin's troops in a dramatic turn against the government as the Russian president seeks re-election this week. 'We will take our land from the regime centimetre by centimetre,' the Freedom of Russia Legion said in a Telegram post announcing their incursion this morning. They claimed in recent days 100 people, six tanks, Caesar self-propelled guns, and 20 enemy armoured vehicles were destroyed on the border of Kursk and Belgorod region. The FSB said: 'Information is being spread on social networks about the alleged entry of Ukrainian armed formations into some border settlements of the Belgorod and Kursk regions. 'The published information is not true.' The footage was shared as Putin gears up to run in the elections between March 15 and 17 Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures while speaking at a news conference following a meeting of the State Council at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia on December 22, 2022 Yet videos purported to show the partisan Freedom Legion apparently operating inside Russian territory. In a video shared online purporting to show clashes with Russian government forces, the SB said 'fierce fighting is going on the Russian Federation territory'. The group urged Russians not to vote in the upcoming presidential elections this week and said: 'We have said that it would not be possible to overthrow the criminal dictatorial regime in the Russian Federation peacefully. It can only be eliminated with weapons in our hands.' The FRL published another video message declaring: 'We do not come to kill, erase, destroy or punish. We come to set you free from misery, poverty and fear 'Give your children a normal civilised future without sanctions and repression Most importantly, without war.' READ MORE: Fresh humiliation for Putin as he sacks his top naval commander after wave of devastating Ukrainian drone attacks on crumbling Black Sea fleet - and replaces him with nuclear sub expert Advertisement In their footage - purporting to be from the Russian-Ukrainian border - a soldier is heard to say: 'Like all our fellow citizens, in the Legion we dream of a Russia freed from Putin's dictatorship. But we don't just dream: we make every effort to make these dreams come true.' The Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) posted a video of what it said were fighters engaging Russian government troops. 'The army of the Kremlin regime lays down its weapons without even starting the battle,' it said. The videos have not been independently verified. Illya Ponomarev, a Ukraine-based Russian opposition politician, separately claimed that the border village of Lozovaya Rudka in Belgorod was 'under full control of liberating forces'. Russia claimed its forces had prevented incursions from Ukraine and had inflicted heavy losses on the attackers. It said that four more attacks by Ukrainian 'sabotage and reconnaissance groups' were pushed back around five hours later in Russia's Kursk region. But Russia nonetheless closed schools in Kursk city until the end of the week following the attacks. 'In connection with recent events, I have taken the decision to put schools on remote learning,' Kursk Mayor Igor Kutsak said on social media, adding that the measures will last until Friday. Responsibility for the raids was claimed by at least two Ukraine-based armed groups - the Freedom of Russia Legion and the Siberian Battalion - which purport to be made up of Russians opposed to the Kremlin. Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine's military intelligence, told Ukraine's 24 Channel the groups were conducting the operation on Russian territory independently of Ukraine. The incursions - from Ukrainian territory where the partisans are based - came as Kyiv drones blitzed two oil refineries inside Russia, in the Nizhny Novgorod and Oryol regions. Russia's FSB blamed the border incidents on the Ukrainian army rather than anti-Putin Russians, claiming to have thwarted attacks into Russia. A soldier said the motivation of the apparent coup was to 'set [people] free' Groups claimed to show Russian soldiers storming into Russia to bring an end to the regime The Siberian Battalion claimed they were engaging Russian troops on the border with Ukraine The incidents took place just three days before the start of voting in a Russian presidential election in which Vladimir Putin is set to extend his rule by six more years. In a reference to the vote, the Freedom of Russia Legion posted on social media: 'The people will vote for whom they want, not for whom they have to. Russians will live freely.' Ukraine separately pounded targets across Russia on Tuesday with at least 25 drones and nine rockets, setting a major oil refinery on fire. Asked about those attacks and the border incidents, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: 'Our military is doing everything necessary, the air defence systems are working.' The Freedom of Russia legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps have previously claimed responsibility for other cross-border raids into Russia from Ukraine. In the past, Russian officials have cast the groups as puppets of the Ukrainian military and U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, which Moscow says is trying to foment chaos in Russia. Russia's FSB security service said separately on Tuesday it had detained a man in Crimea who had called for violence against Russian people, the TASS state news agency reported. A mother who spread malicious lies of a satanic paedophile ring abusing children in Hampstead claimed that cult members had devil tattoos on their genitals as victims revealed the terror of 'lynch mobs' coming after them in a Channel 4 documentary. Ella Draper was behind a campaign of lies in her North London community, which saw innocent parents being accused of participating in a Satanic paedophile ring involving horrendous ritual abuse and murder. The allegations were first raised by her own young children aged eight and nine, who falsely accused parents and teachers at their primary school in 2015. Despite a police investigation concluding that the claims were made up, Draper continued spreading the lies online and quickly found support among conspiracy theorists. In one of her videos posted on social media, Draper said: 'I would like to remind everyone that all the children from the so-called special families, all the teachers and a lot of the parents have devil tattoos on their private parts.' She even claimed a doctor had confirmed the existence of the tattoos on her children. One of the mothers accused by Draper was 'Anna', who is going by an alias to protect the identity of her children, who said that the allegations caused 'lynch mobs coming to find us'. Their mother, Ella Draper (pictured), and her supporters released a document online listing all the people accused of being a part of this ring, which led to death threats, harassment and abuse In one of her videos posted on social media (pictured above), Draper said: 'I would like to remind everyone that all the children from the so-called special families, all the teachers and a lot of the parents have devil tattoos on their private parts.' 'Anna', who goes by an alias to protect her children, is played by Kathryn McGarr in the documentary Ella Draper and her partner Abraham Christie, who fled abroad after spreading the false satanic cult allegations She added: 'It felt like the modern world and the internet meets this sort of medieval witch hunt.' Anna is one of four mothers who outlined how the lies unleashed hell on their quiet North London community in Channel 4's new documentary Accused: The Hampstead Hoax. She also addressed Draper's lies about the tattoos: 'In the initial allegations, it was said that all members of the cult have genital tattoos and this became quite an exciting topic for a number of these people.' Draper and her supporters also released a document online listing all the people accused of being a part of this ring, which led to death threats, harassment and abuse for the victims. Another parent falsely accused by Draper was Alice. During the height of the harassment her family suffered, she said she received an email from someone who said they liked her 'daughter's profile' posted online. The sender told Alice that 'they would like me to bring my daughter and meet up with them. So I was getting emails from paedophiles, believing what they had heard about my daughter. I literally ran to the bathroom and threw up everywhere.' 'I think the lowest point for me was when my daughter's photo was taken from my Google account. I blame myself so much, because I totally forgot that that account even existed. 'And the realisation, that they know what she looks like - my world came crashing down, because I had nothing left to cling on to at that point.' The satanist cult allegations against Alice and the other parents were found to be baseless but the conspiracy theory caught fire online after Draper uploaded a video calling out a conspiracy on the part of the police to drop the investigation. Draper and her partner Abraham Christie had manipulated her two children into making these false claims in the first place, which Abigail and her brother Joseph (as they are called in the documentary) later recanted. After the names, addresses and phone numbers of the parents, school staff and pupils identified as being involved were published online, they were inundated with death threats. 'Alice', played by an actor in the new Channel 4 documentary Accused: The Hampstead Hoax During the height of the harassment her family suffered, Alice said she received an email from someone who said they liked her 'daughter's profile' posted online The parents were contacted by vigilantes saying they would snatch their children to take them to safety. Equally horrifyingly, paedophiles would ask about their children's sexual preferences. It was, as another mother named as 'Anna' recalls, 'like being under siege'. But Draper wouldn't stop, even after a judge ruled that her children's allegations were lies. She said in one of her videos posted to social media: 'The judgement ... was fraudulent. The cover up is blatant and is itself yet further evidence which most disturbingly gives insight into just how deeply the criminally insane sadists are embedded in every British authority.' In the documentary, Alice and three other mothers at the centre of these disturbing allegations speak about what they've been through for the first time via audio interviews, which are lip-synced on screen by actors as the women wish to remain anonymous to protect their now grown-up children. Ultimately, it would take the determined and extraordinary efforts of the four mothers in particular, who, working until the small hours, month in month out, meticulously gathered evidence that would lead to the prosecution of two of the most vocal online conspiracy theorists. 'For years we had to keep this dignified silence, because we were trying to build a legal case and we didn't want to jeopardise that,' says Anna. 'Now, finally, we get to have our voice.' For while the trolls who targeted them are quieter these days, they have not disappeared entirely: they are still out there, propagating their theories in dark corners of the internet. 'They're still there, trying to spread their poison,' as Jenny, another of the mothers, puts it. The parents' bewilderment remains palpable. 'There are many curveballs in life that you can predict, whether it's a terminal illness diagnosis or the death of a loved one - but being accused of being a satanic paedophile is not one of them,' Anna says. The sender told Alice (played by an actress above) that 'they would like me to bring my daughter and meet up with them. So I was getting emails from paedophiles, believing what they had heard about my daughter. I literally ran to the bathroom and threw up everywhere' A mother of one, Anna had been happily married for 18 years and running a business with her husband, when, back in February 2015, she - along with some other parents of children in Year 5 at the Church of England affiliated primary they attended - received an email saying allegations had been made against the school. 'It said they had been investigated by the police and that the case was closed,' she recalls. 'It begged more questions than it answered, so I went straight onto the internet.' Within five minutes, Anna had found footage of the two siblings - one of whom, Abigail, was in her daughter's class - alleging that an organised cult was based at the school which indulged in horrors from paedophilia to baby sacrifice. 'She mentioned our daughter by name, saying she got paid for sex in sweets and naming myself and my husband as her abusers,' Anna recalls. 'It was like walking through the looking glass.' 'They would call us Satanists, shout down the phone that we were f***ing and killing babies; that we were evil,' says Jenny. Police told them to vary their routes home, and carry rape alarms, yet none of it was enough to shake the lingering menace. Sarah, a lawyer in her 40s who also had a child in Abigail's year, slept on her children's bedroom floor for eight months until the family were able to move house. 'Once our address was out there, I could not shake the thought that someone would come in and try to take them,' she says. Sarah explained: 'I couldn't let my children sleep by themselves. I was scared that someone will kidnap them or do something really bad to them. 'So I thought I'd rather sleep like that on the floor next to them so I can protect them.' 'Sarah', played by Sarah Barlondo, on set for the Channel 4 documentary. Many of the real women in the story have chosen to remain anonymous Some parents, like Alice, were contacted by paedophiles asking if they could hook up with their child because they 'liked sex'. The police said their hands were tied. 'They pretty much admitted it was beyond their knowledge,' says Anna. 'There was this feeling that it would blow over, but to us it felt organised and targeted.' 'It was incredibly disappointing,' adds Sarah. 'We were quite clear that this was criminal activity. We even identified a list of up to 20 laws that were being broken. But no one would listen.' The four mothers worked together on a campaign to get the police to act; first by getting their names taken down from the internet and then in prosecuting Sabine McNeill, one of the central figures in attempting to legitimise the conspiracy. McNeill, Draper's unqualified 'legal adviser', was put on trial for stalking, harassment and breaching a restraining order and was jailed for nine years in 2018, of which she served four. The German-born pensioner, who has since fled to Germany and is a virulent conspiracy theorist who has been dubbed Britain's worst online troll, said: 'I didn't accept any of the charges, I didn't accept the verdict, I cannot accept the verdict. McNeill (pictured) was one of the central figures in attempting to legitimise the conspiracy. She was put on trial for stalking, harassment and breaching a restraining order and was jailed for nine years in 2018, of which she served four Sabine McNeill is a virulent conspiracy theorist, since dubbed Britains worst online troll 'All I can do is suffer. Suffer it, like Jesus Christ did.' McNeill was labelled an 'arrogant, malicious, evil and manipulative woman' by the sentencing judge, who jailed her for nine years, the longest sentence ever handed down in a UK court for these offences. 'I will never get my head around how this woman [McNeill] became so obsessed with our children,' one of the falsely accused mothers said. Draper shared the class list with McNeill, who turned it into an elaborate document adding made-up sexual preference for each child, the documentary alleges. McNeill is confronted about the pain she caused to the four mothers in the documentary, but she maintains her stance that 'they are abusers'. When she was asked how she knows this, McNeill said that they were named in the initial allegations by the children, but when pressed about these allegations being false, she shook her head and said: 'I'm sorry. I can't cope with that'. McNeill also said that 'truth is an individual experience, what's true for you might not be true for me'. She claimed people had a need to believe these satanic cult claims. Self-styled activist and blogger Rupert Wilson Quaintance, an American who had come to the UK a few months earlier, became obsessed with the case and threatened to 'kick doors down' and 'draw blood' from the parents. He was jailed for nine months after being found guilty of putting people in fear of violence. Draper and Christie fled the country in 2015. They've have been on the run ever since, believed to be in Spain. Why they started the hoax is still a mystery. If it was part of Draper's fight for custody against her ex-husband, it failed. After a period in care, Abigail and Joseph were reunited with their father. The neon lights could soon be bright for Joe Biden on Broadway as Hillary Clinton teams up with actor and songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda to raise money for the president in the city that never sleeps. Clinton and the Hamilton musical creator will present a 'special Broadway performance' of 'Suffs: the musical' on April 3 to raise money for the Biden Victory Fund, the president's joint fundraising committee, and the Women's Leadership Forum. Tickets to the Times Square performance cost between $500 and $5,000 a person, according to the event invite. This is just the latest fundraising effort by the failed 2016 Democratic presidential nominee for Biden, 81, has he seeks a second term in the White House. Clinton previously held a fundraiser at her Georgetown home for the president last year. She also raised millions for then-candidate Biden in 2020. Last year, it was announced Clinton would be adding Broadway producer to her extensive resume as part of the team backing 'Suffs,' a new musical about the women's suffrage movement. The musical begins showing previews on Broadway later this month and officially opens in April. Hillary Clinton and Lin-Manuel Miranda to present a special Broadway performance of Suffs: the Musical to raise money for the Biden Victory Fund and Women's Leadership Forum President Biden delivers a speech on March 11 in New Hampshire. He has seen a surge in cash for his campaign following his State of the Union address The former Secretary of State is not the only Clinton raising cash for Biden in New York City this spring. Former President Bill Clinton will join Biden and former President Barack Obama for a first of its kind fundraiser on March 28 at Radio City Music Hall. The event is billed as an evening with three presidents in a conversation with late night host Stephen Colbert and will also raise money for the Biden Victory Fund. Tickets for the event cost from $250 a person to attend to $500,000. The half a million 'event chair package' includes seats in the first two rows, a reception, access to a VIP entrance and after party and an acknowledgement in the program, according to the invite. The event is expected to raise more than $10 million and draw at least 3,000 people, NBC News reported. Biden will be joined by former presidents Obama and Clinton to raise money for his campaign on March 28 in New York City at a first of its kind event Former President Trump campaigning in Georgia on March 9. He could receive the necessary delegates to clinch the GOP presidential nomination on Tuesday Former President Bill Clinton has also reportedly played an active role to help Biden's reelection behind the scenes. After Democratic Senator Joe Manchin and former Republican Maryland Governor Larry Hogan both said they would not run for president on a third-party 'No Labels' ticket, New York Magazine reported Clinton was involved in urging them not to run. Last June, Clinton appeared with Hogan at an event in Arkansas. Before they took the stage he gave Hogan a talking-to, according to the report. It also detailed how he spoke with Manchin two months later after Manchin sought advice on his political future. Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, has been actively promoting Biden on social media as he nears reaching the necessary delegate count to clinch the Democratic presidential nomination and will likely face a rematch with ex-President Donald Trump in November. Biden has seen a surge in fundraising for his reelection bid in recent days. His campaign announced it raised $10 million in the 24 hours after he delivered his State of the Union address last Thursday. The campaign also broke its one-hour online fundraising record three hours in a row. It was the campaign's largest 24-hour cash haul to date. On the Wednesday following Super Tuesday last week, the campaign also raised $1.5 million online alone, another top fundraising day since launching. That same day, the Biden campaign finance chair Rufus Gifford was joined by former Vogue chief Anna Wintour for a Biden fundraiser in Paris in the midst of fashion week. Overall, February was the Biden campaign's best grassroots fundraising month so far, the campaign noted. The Biden campaign has touted the president's fundraising advantage as a sign of momentum despite him lagging behind his likely opponent Trump in recent polls. But Biden has a clear fundraising advantage over Trump with eight months to go until the general election. The latest federal filings showed Biden's campaign had nearly $56 million cash on hand heading into February compared to Trump's $30 million. The former Republican president has also been finanically bogged down by mounting legal fees as he battles multiple indictments while seeking to return to the White House. Victoria Coren Mitchell, wife of comedian David Mitchell, has threatened Ovo Energy with legal action after claiming the energy provider 'wrongly' billed her for thousands. The British writer and presenter claims she has been driven 'personally to despair' by the firm, after they allegedly billed her for 'thousands of pounds that they were not owed'. Have you had a similar experience? Email katherine.lawton@mailonline.co.uk Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter today, Victoria said: 'I've reached the end of the road with Ovo Energy, the most terrible service provider I've ever encountered (and I've been served in a casino by a croupier who killed someone). 'Nothing but legal action will do for them now. Sadly, we still need electricity. So I need advice. 'No company could possibly be worse than Ovo Energy who, quite apart from the money they've wrongly taken, have driven me personally to despair.' Victoria Coren Mitchell (pictured) claims she has been driven 'personally to despair' by the firm Some social media users spoke of similar experiences, with one saying: 'Ovo are absolutely useless. I am now having to reopen a formal complaint for the third time because they have emailed in error again after assuring me everything was sorted.' Another wrote: 'Ovo shut us off at the weekend (which they say they don't do). On top of that we're on a priority list as we have a toddler in the house and diabetic medicine in the fridge. We've had nothing but problems every step of the way. Get as far away from them as possible.' An OVO spokesperson said 'We're always striving to provide the best possible experience for all our customers' Responding, an OVO spokesperson said: 'We're always striving to provide the best possible experience for all our customers. Our teams work extremely hard to provide help and support and will continue to review lessons learned.' Victoria conducted a poll of more than 33,000 users to see whether rival energy provider Octopus offered a better service, to which 87 per cent of people agreed. One user wrote: 'I have recently moved to Octopus Energy from another supplier. So happy with the customer service. Swap to them went very smoothly.' Another said: 'Highly recommend Octopus. As a vulnerable person they've been outstanding. Also had an email this morning to say rates are going down which is only a good thing'. Horrifying surveillance footage captured the moment a car thief killed an innocent passenger after he sped away with her in his backseat before crashing in a fiery wreck. Darion Thomas, 26, has been charged with murdering mother-of-two Karen Mariela Cardona, 32, when he stole her car from a Texas gas station. Ring doorbell footage from NBC5 showed the car racing at a high speed through Pleasant Grove, Dallas, before taking a turn and spiraling out of control and exploding into a fireball. Both Thomas and Cardona were ejected from the car, with the mom tragically pronounced dead at the scene while the 26-year-old man suffered broken legs. Thomas later told cops he was driving at 260mph in the Honda Accord, a ludicrous claim given the speed tops out at 120mph on that model. Shocking footage captured the moment a stolen car crashed in a fiery wreck on Sunday morning in Dallas, Texas, killing an innocent passenger trapped in the backseat Mother-of-two Karen Mariela Cardona, 32, was pronounced dead at the scene. She had been relaxing in the backseat of the car before it was suddenly stolen and crashed Darion Thomas, 26, reportedly told police that he stole the car because he needed a ride to work. He suffered broken legs in the crash, and is now facing murder charges on a $1 million bond Thomas has been booked on a $1 million bond over the crash, which unfolded in the early hours of Sunday morning shortly before 1am. Dallas police said Cardona and two other people had pulled up to a gas station, and Thomas reportedly told officers that he observed two of them enter the business. Cardona remained in the vehicle laying down on the backseats of her friend's 2018 Honda Accord, and Thomas admitted that he went outside to see if the two others had left their car running. He said that when he found that they did, he jumped inside and stole the car, not knowing that Cardona was still inside, according to an arrest affidavit reported by NBC5. Police said that Thomas was startled by Cordona when he sped away, but rather than stop, he hit the gas and drove recklessly as the mom yelled at him. Around a mile from the gas station, the car was seen on the Ring doorbell footage racing at a high speed through the streets. He later reportedly told cops that he reached '260mph' during the episode, however the top speed of a 2018 Honda Accord is around 120mph. As they rounded a corner, the vehicle lost control and plowed into a power pole, ejecting both Thomas and Cordona from the vehicle. Thomas told a witness who discovered the wreckage that he had stolen the car because he needed a ride to work. The driver then asked the witness for a gun so he could kill himself. Cardona had reportedly been living in Dallas for around a year and was working to support her two young daughters in Honduras He was taken to Baylor Hospital to be treated for his injuries, including broken legs. Paramedics said they tried desperately to save Cordona's life, but she was tragically pronounced dead at the scene. Witness Mireya Diaz said that she and her cousins ran to the crash to help after hearing the collision, but Cordona had already passed away by that time. 'She was bleeding out of her head, and the guy had a broken leg or something,' she said. Another witness said they were startled by the sound of the vehicle, saying: 'He was speeding so fast we could literally hear it... so when the car crashed, it was just the loudest sound ever.' 'I said whoever was in the vehicle, are they okay? [My daughter] said no mom, there is a woman dead in the street,' they added. 'I give my condolences to the family because its very emotional to just have your vehicle stolen, now your family member is deceased.' Cordona had reportedly been living in Dallas for around a year, and was working to support her two young daughters in Honduras. Vigilante drivers in Wales have rebelled against the introduction of new 20mph speed limits after groups trashed more than 150 signs across the country. Protestors are fighting back against the Welsh Labour Government's 'war on motorists' after First Minister Mark Drakeford lowered speed limits from 30mph to 20mph last year. The go-slow limit change was met with huge opposition and more than 469,000 people signed a petition calling for it to be revoked - but the new law went ahead. The Welsh Government provided 34 million to Wales' 22 councils for new signs required to alert drivers of the speed limit. But since September, there have been multiple reports of 20mph signs being vandalised across Wales, with one sign in Carmarthenshire having been snapped in half, while others have been sprayed in black paint to hide the 20 figures. A 20 mph speed limit sign in Wales which has been sprayed black by vigilante drivers rebelling against the introduction of new speed limits Groups have trashed more than 150 signs across the country including this one in the village of Froncysyllte Mark Drakeford's (pictured) Welsh Labour Government introduced the new go-slow limit last year Carmarthenshire County Council said it was becoming 'increasingly concerned' after 'a spate of incidents' towards roadsigns - including 20mph ones. In Gwent, councils have recorded at least 145 incidents of vandalism to 20mph signs - which became costly in some areas. All councils said Welsh Government funding for new signs cover anticipated repair costs. But since the law went into force, Monmouthshire Council reported 22 incidents of vandalism to its 20mph signs. Gwent Police figures show two recorded incidents of vandalism to speed signs since September, leading to one person being arrested and charged. The force recorded eight incidents of speed limit sign vandalism in the five years before that. Lee Waters, the Welsh Government deputy minister behind the 20mph rollout, said latest figures show 97 per cent of motorists are complying with the reduced limit that is intended to lead to fewer traffic accidents, injuries and deaths. A 20mph road sign that has been defaced in Cwmbran South Wales A vandalised 20mph sign pictured on Sloper Road in Cardiff A woman holds a sign during a protest against 20mph speed limits on September 23 However, earlier this week the minister said he would be stepping down in a fortnight and would delete his profile on social media platform X due to abuse. Councillor Edward Thomas, the council's cabinet member for transport, said it was a 'serious act of vandalism' which presented 'a significant risk to life.' He added: 'The absence of warning signs could contribute to a road traffic collision. 'Not only is the illegal removal of these signs dangerous and irresponsible to road users, but replacing these signs will come at a significant cost to the local authority - placing more strain on the public purse.' Conservative shadow transport minister Natasha Asghar said: 'No matter how the Labour Government try to spin it, people will never accept the barmy 20mph speed limit project.' Ms Asghar said she did not condone vandalism but the incidents make it clear that the public has rejected the 20mph limit. Professor Jason Leitch will step down as Scotland's top health official next month, it was announced today. He will leave his role as the Scottish Government's national clinical director at the end of April having become a household name during the Covid pandemic. Prof Leitch recently came under fire following a series of revelations during hearings of the UK's official pandemic probe. Sessions of the Covid inquiry detailed text messages showing he advised Humza Yousaf, Scotland's then health secretary, on how to get around face mask rules. He was also revealed to have described deleting his WhatsApps during the pandemic as a 'pre-bed ritual'. Prof Leitch faced calls to resign when further messages showed his derogatory remarks about MSPs. Professor Jason Leitch will step down as Scotland's top health official next month, it was announced today He will leave his role as the Scottish Government's national clinical director at the end of April. Pictured: Prof Leitch with Nicola Sturgeon during a Covid press conference in February 2021 Ms Sturgeon paid tribute to Prof Leitch's 'advice and support' during the Covid crisis and said he would be 'missed' Sessions of the Covid inquiry detailed text messages showing Prof Leitch advised Humza Yousaf, Scotland's then health secretary, on how to get around face mask rules Announcing his decision to step down, Prof Leitch praised the public's willingness to comply with Covid legislation, and said he was 'proud' of his colleagues. The former dentist will also leave his role at NHS Tayside at the same time, and announced he was looking for other work in healthcare. Initially joining the Scottish Government in 2007, Prof Leitch worked in the role of national clinical director for nine years. Mr Yousaf now SNP leader and Scotland's First Minister thanked him for his 'huge role in helping me and fellow ministers navigate the Covid pandemic'. Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon also paid tribute to Prof Leitch's 'advice and support' during the Covid crisis and said he would be 'missed'. In January, the Covid inquiry was shown a WhatsApp exchange from November 2021 between Prof Leitch and Mr Yousaf. At the time, people in Scotland were not obliged to wear masks if they were sitting to eat or drink - but had to while moving around a bar or restaurant. In the messages, Mr Yousaf asked about mask rules ahead of an event he was attending, writing: 'I know sitting at the table I don't need my mask. 'If I'm standing talking to folk need me mask on (sic)?' Prof Leitch replied: 'Officially yes. But literally no one does. Have a drink in your hands at ALL times. Then you're exempt. So if someone comes over and you stand, lift your drink.' The health official admitted to the inquiry he regularly deleted WhatsApp messages during the pandemic. But he claimed a message he sent suggesting deletion to be a 'pre-bed ritual' was a 'flippant exaggeration'. 'As you've heard, the record retention policy was that you could use informal messaging systems for Scottish Government business,' he told the probe. 'If you did, you should ensure that any advice or any decisions or anything that should be in the corporate record was then placed in that corporate record by email, briefing, etc, and then you should delete the informal messaging, and that's the guidance I followed.' Further WhatsApp messages showed how Prof Leitch called a Conservative politician 'rude' and a Labour MSP a 'smart arse' after giving a coronavirus briefing. Critics claimed the messages were 'totally inappropriate' from an 'impartial health adviser'. The parents fears come as gangs are running in the street of the leaderless Caribbean country The National Council for Adoption warned 'thousands' of orphans are impacted by the ongoing violence in Haiti Heartbroken adoptive parents are pleading with the US government to help get their children out of violence-ridden Haiti. The parents, who are based in states such as Iowa and Florida, told DailyMail.com they fear for the youngsters' lives as the island descends into anarchy. In horrifying testimony, they revealed they could hear gunshots and screaming as they spoke to the kids on the phone this week. Haiti has plunged into chaos as violent gangster 'Barbecue' held the nation to ransom unless the prime minister resigned. He has overseen a reign of terror as civilians were butchered in the streets and the airport was shutdown, before the country's leader finally said he would step down. Hundreds of heartbroken American adoptive parents are pleading with the US government to allow their children to come home from violence-stricken Haiti Megan and Chris Myers are the legal parents of their five-year-old son Jeff and are asking the US Government to waive the requirement for further documents needed to bring him home Parents who have not obtained an adoption decree are also pleading with the US Government to grant humanitarian parole to allow them to get the kids to safety 'Our children will not survive this,' warned adoptive mom Michelle Reed, who is trying to get her adopted six-year-old son Esai home to Florida to reunite with his two biological siblings who she previously adopted. Reed is one of several parents who spoke to DailyMail.com about their struggles watching violence in Haiti led by gang leader Jimmy 'Barbecue' Chevrizier. 'The last time I spoke to my son, I could hear gun shots in the background,' Reed added, saying gang members had already stormed the orphanage not two weeks earlier. 'Everyone was screaming, they were looking for a car and said, 'we will be back to take what we need', it's very alarming. 'My son is asking, 'When can I come home? When are you going to get me?' Every time I hang up there is that uncertainty,' Reed said. Among her concerns is the blocking of roads which is preventing aid from reaching the city. People, carrying Haitian flags, march during a demonstration demanding the resignation of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry, on Wednesday. He later announced he was leaving the post Out-gunned police in the Caribbean country are battling rampaging gangs Port-au-Prince has been paralyzed in a fierce battle for political power, with Jimmy 'Barbecue' Cherizier (pictured on Tuesday) - an influential gang leader in Haiti - having warned of civil war and 'genocide' unless embattled Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned 'The lack of resources is worrying they are running out of water, food will run out in about two weeks. It has just stripped them of everything,' Reed said. 'I feel really helpless but I have a strong faith which is getting me through.' Many parents like Reed are having a hard time getting their children out of Haiti. They demand the US grant humanitarian parole, which would enable the children to be evacuated to a place of safety before continuing the adoption process. A similar process was set up in the wake of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, although it faced some criticism. But Reed argues the urgency of the situation demands an appropriate response. 'I understand that there are concerns but Haiti is now a Hague country, so there are a lot more safeguards in place that would allow us to get them out and continue the legal adoption process,' she said. Meanwhile, parents who already have adoption decrees - basically final paperwork- are being asked to present further documents to Haitian authorities before their children can be released. But they have pointed out that the gang rule in the country means that traveling to give in any additional paperwork is difficult, if not impossible due to attacks against state buildings in the country including the Ministry of Interior which was burned down on Saturday. Gangs have burned police stations, shot up the main international airport, which remains closed, and raided Haiti's two biggest prisons, freeing more than 4,000 inmates. Pictured: A protester holds a Haitian flag as tyres burn in the street behind him Vehicles which were set on fire by armed gangs on Monday night are seen outside the Carrefour de l'Aeroport sub-police station of the Haitian National Police (PNH), in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on March 5 Meanwhile, gangs across the country continue to unite, causing thousands to flee their homes All non-essential US Embassy personnel have already been evacuated meaning there is nobody there to receive any documents. 'It is a nightmare,' said Megan Myers, a Spanish professor and a scholar on the literature of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. She and her husband Chris were weeks away from meeting her adoptive son Jeff, five, after a five-year adoption process when the violence broke out. 'Every day I wake up and I just can't imagine anything worst happening in our adoption process, it feels surreal,' she said. 'We are so desperate to get him out, but at the same time I have to separate my selfish desire to get my son home with the understanding that Haiti needs a solution that is best for Haiti and that is led by Haitians.' Myers said she and her husband spend their days anxiously awaiting updates on their son, who is currently in a Haiti orphanage. 'He is in an area that is not in the epicenter, but it is still concerning. There are kids we know have that have had to evacuate or who are all sleeping in the basement in one room of orphanages. It's not safe for anyone,' Myers said. 'There growing problem is the lack of supplies, that is becoming a real issue.' Violence in the Caribbean country broke out out this past week , and has since threatened to bring down the local government. Politicians across the region are scrambling for a solution, as dogs have been seen gnawing on the unaddressed dead, and bodies are burned in the streets The couple is calling on the US government to waive some of its requirements, such as granting eligible children a US passport waiver so they can travel immediately. 'There are numerous countries with precedents for this and in much less violent circumstances. The situation is changing so much it's hard to know what the next 24 hours will bring,' Myers added. She and Reed said their pleas for help have fallen on deaf ears. They also shared concerns that adoptive American families' and their children's details are being shared around after Haiti's adoption agency was ransacked. This was echoed by Texas mom Kim Snelgrooes, whose file certifying the adoption her nine-year-old son was among those in the Ministry of the Interior in Haiti when it was pillaged. 'It is a great fear of ours that our information has been lost,' she explained. 'The area that my son is in is one of the most dangerous and has a high rate of kidnapping. If it were known that he has American parents he would be targeted. 'I'm frustrated with the US government. We are being told to get his file from the MOI and present it to the US Embassy, but obviously there are no longer any staff working there. 'I asked my representative what I can do and he said under the current rules, I could in theory fly to Haiti once the airport's open, then travel to Mexico and we could enter walking through on the southern border, which is crazy.' The National Council For Adoption estimates that around 100 American families are in the same position as Myers and Snelgrooes. Meanwhile, there are 'several hundred' more families are going through the adoption process, with 'thousands' of impacted orphans. CEO Ryan Hanlon said the uprising has only compounded the families' issues with Haiti's lengthy adoption process. 'Parents are concerned for the safety of their kids and they are putting in a requirement that is adding to the length of time,' he said. 'Lots of families have been in touch with us, they are very frustrated. In the case of the first group, they are legally the parents of the children who are stranded.' In Haiti, desperate American citizens are also anxiously awaiting flights that can repatriate them. US Embassy staff were evacuated under the cover of night on Sunday, but many more citizens remain stranded, although the State Department is yet to confirm exactly how many. There were warnings the country has become a 'mini-Mafia state', in the power vacuum caused by the resignation of the country's Prime Minister Ariel Henry on Monday. NYPD officers are under investigation after they used a taser on a Venezuelan migrant while he held his one-year-old-son in his arms, as seen on footage published by The New York Times. Police were called to a migrant shelter in Jamaica, Queens, on Friday night over reports of an intoxicated man who was threatening staff members. Video of the confrontation shows two officers trying to restrain Yanny Cordero, 47, as he is backed against a closed elevator door with his child in his arms. One officer is then seen pulling out a yellow stun gun before he appears to point it and Cordero, striking him. The officer then punches Cordero in the head. Once the officers manage to separate Cordero from the child, they pin his head against a desk. A third officer is then seen punching Cordero twice in the face. New York City police officers struck and used a stun gun on a Venezuelan migrant holding his 1-year-old son at a city-run shelter in Queens, video footage obtained by The New York Times shows. https://t.co/pnrSOcBZQL pic.twitter.com/Y1p1mqaph5 The New York Times (@nytimes) March 12, 2024 Yanny Cordero, 47, is seen with his wife Andrea Parra. Both were arrested after a confrontation with police that was recorded by a bystander As the confrontation rages on, the man recording the video is heard yelling in Spanish: 'This is abuse, brother! Dont hit him! Dont hit him, brother! Thats abuse! Where are the human rights?' The footage does not show the moments leading up to the physical confrontation. Both Cordero and his wife Andrea Parra were arrested after the confrontation. He said he had not been drinking that night and that the dispute began when a shelter worker hit him in the face as he struggled to use a translator app on his phone. The NYPD told the Times that the officers gave Cordero multiple warnings and orders to hand the child to someone else. Cordero is charged with resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and violent behavior, obstructing government administration and acting in a manner injurious to a child under 17. Parra, 23, was also charged in the incident. She can be seen on the video throwing herself between her husband and the officers. The couple's three kids were taken by the Administration for Childrens Services, but they have since been reunited with their parents, who were released from jail on Saturday. Cordero said he had not been drinking that night and that the dispute began when a shelter worker hit him in the face as he struggled to communicate in English The Big Apple has been inundated with an influx of migrants that the mayor's office has estimated will cost taxpayers $10.6 billion over three fiscal years The family has moved to a shelter in Brooklyn. While police have said one-year-old Yusneide, was not harmed, Cordero said the child was 'trembling and he pooped and peed himself.' DailyMail.com has reached out to the NYPD for comment on this story. On Tuesday mayor Eric Adams stood by the police officers, saying Cordero was 'violent.' 'This person was under the influence of alcohol, holding a child,' the Democrat added. 'Those officers had to get that child from him so that child was not going to be in danger.' Increasingly, New York City officials have aimed dire rhetoric at the tens of thousands of asylum seekers the city has put up in shelters and hotels over the past year. Some of the comments have dismayed immigration advocates, who say they are stirring up hatred over the actions of a few bad apples. 'A wave of migrant crime has washed over our city,' Police Commissioner Edward Caban said at a news conference about a Venezuelan man being sought in a series of cell phone robberies. Adams has noted the vast majority of the nearly 175,000 migrants who have come to the city are law abiding. He said it would be wrong for 'any New Yorker to look at people trying to fulfill the next step on the American Dream as criminal.' More than 180,000 migrants have arrived in New York since spring of 2022 costing the city billions of dollars in social welfare provision Migrants pick up clothes as mutual aid groups distribute food and clothes under cold weather near the Migrant Assistance Center at St. Brigid Elementary School last month in New York But in recent days, Adams has also shown a willingness to pull back on a set of laws that often block the city from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement efforts. 'We need to modify the sanctuary city law that if you commit a felony or violent act we should be able to turn you over to ICE and have you deported,' he told a town hall meeting last month. Since 2014, the police department and city jails have been barred from holding people in custody on behalf of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement unless they have been convicted of certain violent crimes and a judge has issued a warrant for their removal. Federal immigration authorities dont have a presence in the citys jail system. City resources arent supposed to be used to assist in the detention and deportation process. The House voted to adopt a resolution Tuesday claiming that President Joe Biden has created the 'worst border security crisis' the country has ever experienced. The resolution passed the House on a vote 226 - 193. Notably, 14 Democrats voted in favor of the resolution. Democrat Reps. Jared Moskowitz, Henry Cuellar, Jared Golden and Mary Peltolta were among those who voted in favor of the resolution. The measure specifically denounced the Biden administration's border policies and claimed he has incentivized over 9.3 million illegal migrants to arrive at the U.S. southern border since he took office. It also blamed Department of Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas for helping Biden to create 'the worst border security crisis in the Nations history.' Mayorkas was impeached last month by the House for his handling of the U.S.-Mexico border. The resolution was written by Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-Texas, who represents a large swath of the U.S.-Mexico border. 'This resolution once again brings to light a harrowing reality that under President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas' watch our nation has witnessed the worst border crisis in American history,' De La Cruz said on the House floor Tuesday. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-Texas, introduced the resolution denouncing Biden's border policies on Tuesday President Joe Biden (Left) and Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas (Right) took a trip to the U.S-Mexico border at the end of February 'The resolution is clear on its demands, it time for this administration to uphold its responsibility.' 'We must initiate asylum cooperative agreements with safer partner countries, employ expedited removal authority judiciously and ensure that those not admissible are detained as federal law requires,' De La Cruz said. Some of the policies she championed, like asylum agreements and expedited removal, were expanded under former President Donald Trump's administration. Under Trump, the U.S. struck asylum cooperative agreement deals with Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, meaning data collected on the migrants crossing through those countries would be provided to U.S. officials. The current administration 'suspended and terminated' the agreements as a part of Biden's 'open-borders agenda,' the resolution states. As for expedited removal authority, which enables low-level immigration officers to summarily remove certain noncitizens without a hearing, Biden's administration rolled back expansions made under Trump. Still, President Biden blamed Republicans for the migrant crisis along the southern border during his State of the Union remarks last week. While touting a bill that could have set border security reforms, Biden noted how 'unfortunately, politics have derailed it so far,' in a jab against the GOP who did not support the measure. Migrants sit by a campfire in California and wait for U.S. Border Patrol officials to pick them up President Joe Biden has repeatedly defended his border policies, including during his recent State of the Union address 'This is not really a question of immigration policy, but of national security, public safety and basic human dignity,' De La Cruz said. 'We deserve a sensible, secure and humane immigration system for the sake of our nation, for the protection of our citizens and the integrity of our borders.' The passage of the resolution is largely symbolic, but does enter into the record that Biden has created the worst immigration crisis ever to befall the U.S. As the House Republicans voting margin is just razor thin, and expected to get smaller by the end of next week, getting anything through the chamber is a win for the GOP conference. A mother whose newborn baby died at the NHS hospital where she had worked as a midwife pleaded for help from a doctor moments before she started fitting, her child's inquest has heard. Robyn Davis developed hyponatraemia - an extremely rare condition which causes convulsions and is brought on by excessive water consumption - in a horrific turn of events that saw her low risk pregnancy end in tragedy. The 28-year-old gripped the hand of her doctor and desperately pleaded: 'Help me' just seconds before the seizures started, the court heard. Little Orlando was born with no heartbeat and suffered severe brain damage on September 10, 2021, after undergoing an emergency caesarean section. He died two weeks later in intensive care at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton on September 1, 2021. Little Orlando was born with no heartbeat and suffered severe brain damage on September 10, 2021, after undergoing an emergency caesarean section Robyn Davis developed hyponatraemia - an extremely rare condition which causes convulsions and is brought on by excessive water consumption - in a horrific turn that saw her low risk pregnancy end in tragedy. Pictured: Robyn with her husband Jonny The 28-year-old gripped the hand of her doctor and desperately pleaded: 'Help me' just seconds before the seizures started, the court heard. Pictured: Orlando with his mother Robyn Mrs Davis, from Steyning, West Sussex, suffered life changing injuries and was put into a coma for three days following a number of seizures at Worthing Hospital. What is hyponatraemia? Hyponatremia occurs when the concentration of sodium in your blood is abnormally low. Sodium is an electrolyte, and it helps regulate the amount of water that's in and around your cells. When the sodium in your body to become diluted, your body's water levels rise, and your cells begin to swell. This swelling can cause many health problems, from mild to life-threatening. Hyponatremia treatment is aimed at resolving the underlying condition. Depending on the cause of hyponatremia, you may simply need to cut back on how much you drink. In other cases of hyponatremia, you may need intravenous electrolyte solutions and medications. Source: Mayo Clinic Advertisement The trained midwife, who had worked in the same baby unit where she was taken, is now accusing her former colleagues of negligence. Along with her husband Jonny, Mrs Davis is suing the hospital in a separate case helped by birth injury specialist Laura Cook, of CL Medilaw. The inquest heard Mrs Davis was brought into hospital from a planned home birth over concerns about Orlando's heart rate. She told the inquest she had taken on seven litres of fluid during her labour despite not being able to urinate. Midwives looking after her had never heard of hyponatraemia which causes convulsions and is brought on by excessive water consumption. Dr Mary Guirguis told the inquest she was on her third ever shift as a registrar in the delivery suite at Worthing hospital in West Sussex when Orlando was born. The shift was described as extremely busy and Dr Guirguis said she dealt with four caesarian sections the same night. Labour did not progress after Mrs Davis' home birth was abandoned and her convulsions started after the decision had been taken to perform a Category 2, non-emergency, caesarian section. Dr Guirguis told the inquest that when she went into the room to get Mrs Davis consent for the operation, she thought something was wrong. The doctor said: 'She held my hand and said "Help me". 'She wasn't taking in anything I was saying. She looks different. She's not there.' Within minutes, Mrs Davis was in an operating theatre for an emergency caesarian section. Mrs Davis, from Steyning, West Sussex, suffered life changing injuries and was put into a coma for three days following a number of seizures at Worthing Hospital Midwives looking after her had never heard of hyponatraemia which causes convulsions and is brought on by excessive water consumption But Dr Guirguis said she was unable to see Mrs Davis for a two hourly review as the unit was so busy. The experienced doctor, who started working at Worthing hospital in 2020, said she was writing her notes from a Cat 1 caesarian section when she was called to another emergency. 'I've seen busy nights, but this was severely busy,' the doctor added. The Trust had no guidelines on hyponatraemia in pregnancy, Dr Guirguis said, but the policy has changed since Orlando's death. The inquest heard from a consultant who said he had never heard of a pregnant woman showing symptoms of hyponatraemia in years of working in maternity units. Shahzad Salim said: 'In 19 years I've not seen a pregnant woman in labour symptomatic with it.' In a statement read to the the court in Chichester previously, Mrs Davies said she did not feel 'safe' during the labour at the hospital she used to work at. The inquest heard Mrs Davis was brought into hospital from a planned home birth over concerns about Orlando's heart rate Midwives looking after her had never heard of hyponatraemia which causes convulsions and is brought on by excessive water consumption. Pictured: Orlando with his father Jonny after the birth She told the hearing she had previously worked as a midwife at the hospital but had left after four or five months because of the levels of 'stress, poor staffing and lack of support' for the midwifery team. She said she had opted for a home birth with a birthing pool following the advice of her midwife. Mrs Davis felt she had not been listened to by the midwives when she raised concerns about her fluid intake and the position of the baby. She said: 'I proceeded to keep saying "Something is wrong". It felt like I was trapped, that, although I knew I was declining so rapidly, I was unable to think how I could help myself, such as asking to go to hospital. 'Every time I said something was wrong the midwives never investigated this further.' She said: 'I could not stop crying and having panic attacks. I could not understand that Orlando was this catastrophically ill that he was going to die. 'I can't explain the sadness, frustration, anger and complete heartbreak I felt and still feel towards the Trust for not keeping us safe. 'As a parent I can't explain how horrendous hearing that news that it's in your child's best interest to die; to also be faced with agreeing to end your child's life is the biggest scar you can ever imagine.' Orlando was born at Worthing Hospital in West Sussex (pictured) The newborn died two weeks later in intensive care at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton (pictured) She said she had been 'haunted psychologically' at having watched her son die, and added: 'My life is ruined because of this. I just keep telling myself that for Orlando it is the kindest thing we could do.' READ MORE: Midwife whose newborn baby died at NHS hospital where she had worked after home birth went wrong accuses former colleagues of negligence Advertisement Mrs Davis continued: 'The thing I cannot process is that I have lost my healthy, full-term son. I feel as if my son was taken from me in a circumstance that, in my personal and professional opinion, was completely preventable. 'This is agony to live with. This is because I can't help but relive the moments of constantly expressing something wasn't right during labour multiple times. 'It is also a sickening feeling that no one picked up on how poorly I was for hours and hours despite expressing it.' A spokesman for CL Medilaw said that the family were hoping the inquiry would identify what led Orlando to suffer a fatal brain injury, what action could have been taken to avoid his death, and what learnings have been made since. He said: 'There was an excessive imbalance of fluid intake which went unrecognised, causing Robyn to suffer seizures, necessitating an emergency Caesarean section to deliver Orlando, who was starved of oxygen, and Robyn was put in an induced coma in intensive care for several days. 'Robyn has been left with chronic ongoing health issues, and both her and Jonny have been diagnosed with PTSD as a result of their horrendous experience.' Coroner Penelope Schofield previously told the hearing: 'I appreciate the family are incredibly angry and distressed, as one would expect, following the death of their son, Orlando. Edes House, where the Chichester inquest is being heard 'This is not a rehearsal of the civil proceedings, and I have to take into account the impact this case will have, not only on the family but on the witnesses whose careers may be at risk.' Chief nurse Maggie Davies, of the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, said ahead of the hearing: 'We wish to offer our heartfelt condolences to Orlando's family at this hugely difficult time. 'We will be doing all we can to assist the coroner and the family to understand the circumstances surrounding the tragic loss of their baby boy.' The inquest in Chichester continues. An off-duty Connecticut police officer was punished with a five day suspension after he was caught on camera punching a driver who honked at him for not turning at a red light. Meriden police officer Corporal Allen Ganter was stopped at a red light at the intersection of France Street and Cromwell Avenue in Rocky Hill in December, reported NBC Connecticut. Thomas Brocuglio pulled up behind Ganter at the intersection and honked at him for not making the right turn. Brocuglio's dashboard camera footage captured Ganter getting out of his truck and confronting him. The off-duty cop lunged toward Brocuglio, punched him in the face and said, 'F******g a*****e. Who do you think you are f*****g with? Do you want to get arrested?' Meriden police officer Corporal Allen Ganter punched a driver who honked at him for not turning right at a red light in December Thomas Brocuglio pulled up behind Ganter at the intersection and honked at him for not making the right turn, which prompted him to get out of his car Ganter, who was a resource officer at Thomas Edison Middle School, was charged with breach of peace and 3rd degree assault Brocuglio replied, 'You are going to get arrested for assaulting a civilian.' When Brocuglio pulled up to the light he honked his horn before sticking up his middle finger at Ganter and said, 'What are we doing? What are you doing? Waiting all f*****g day.' Ganter got out of his truck, flashed his badge and said, 'You cant take a right on red you a*****e.' 'Really? Where does it say that? It says "stop here on red,"' Brocuglio replied. The driver then accused Ganter of being on his phone and the off-duty officer took pictures of Brocuglio's license plate. Ganter threatened to give him a ticket and to call his supervisor when Brocuglio asked for his badge number. That is when Ganter threw a punch and Brocuglio said, 'You are going to get arrested for assaulting a civilian.' Brocuglio called 911 and said, 'I was just assaulted by a police officer. He punched me in the face through my window.' Rocky Hill Police contacted Ganter and body camera footage obtained by FOX61 showed he asked officers if he could press charges against Brocuglio. 'Is he pressing charges against me like for breach because I yelled at him and stuff?' said Ganter. The Rocky Hill officer explained he was pressing charges for assault and that he had the attack on video. When Brocuglio pulled up to the light he honked his horn before sticking up his middle finger at Ganter and said, 'What are we doing? What are you doing? Waiting all f*****g day' Rocky Hill Police contacted Ganter and body camera footage showed he asked officers if he could press charges against Brocuglio Ganter was reassigned from being a school resource officer, placed on a five day suspension without pay and is required to attended three consecutive years of de-escalation training 'There's nothing where I can press for breach for him yelling at me whatever it is?' said Ganter. He then admitted to hitting Brocuglio and said, 'My fault, Im wrong, I shouldnt have.' Ganter, who was a resource officer at Thomas Edison Middle School, was charged with breach of peace and 3rd degree assault. Meriden police conducted an internal affairs investigation and found that he did violate the department's rules of conduct. He was reassigned from being a school resource officer, placed on a five day suspension without pay and is required to attended three consecutive years of de-escalation training. A female entrepreneur has claimed her 'vindictive' finance boss set out to 'destroy' her bamboo toothbrush firm company after she complained about his 'inappropriate behaviour'. Sophie Perhar, 46, has accused David Slinger, 71, co-director of corporate finance company Synergy in Trade Ltd, of having 'improper motives' for calling in administrators to 'suffocate and kill' her business after 'a major falling out'. Mrs Perhar had arranged to borrow 350,000 from Synergy in April 2022 for her business The Sustainable Bathroom Company Ltd after securing a lucrative contract to supply her bamboo toothbrush to Aldi. But in June last year, following an error involving payments from Aldi ending up in the wrong bank account, Synergy demanded she repay them and just three hours later the company was put into administration. Mrs Perhar is now suing Leicestershire-based Synergy in Trade Ltd for damages, alleging Mr Slinger 'decided to destroy' her company after she 'went to his female business partner and complained about his inappropriate conduct'. Sophie Perhar, 46, has claimed her 'vindictive' finance boss set out to 'destroy' her bamboo toothbrush firm company. Mrs Pehrar is pictured outside London's High Court The electric bamboo toothbrush developed by Mrs Perhar. Her firm The Sustainable Bathroom Company had secured a lucrative contract to supply the product to Aldi in April 2022 Mr Slinger 'hotly disputes' the allegations against him and claims his company is 'out of pocket' to the tune of around 375,000. He claims this is because Mrs Perhar used money that she ought to have handed to Synergy to pay off other debts, in breach of her company's loan contract. London's High Court heard that Mrs Perhar - whose husband Simon Perhar is a top corporate lawyer - launched The Sustainable Bathroom Company in January 2019 as a wholesaler of environmentally friendly bathroom products developed by herself. By early 2022, the company had developed the toothbrush to the point of having in place a supply agreement with Aldi, the German supermarket chain. In April, Synergy agreed to lend the company up to 350,000 over three years to meet manufacturing costs in return for a 30% share of profits. The toothbrushes were made in China and supplied to Aldi, with payments from the retailer due to go into an account controlled by Synergy, so that the finance company could be paid back. But Aldi were provided with the wrong bank details and payments to the tune of over 500,000 went into another business account controlled by Mrs Perhar instead. Mrs Perhar then went on to pay out around 329,644 from the account to meet other 'urgent' debts the court heard. Subsequently, on 5 June last year, she received a demand for repayment of the loan, plus interest, on the basis that she had breached the terms of her company's borrowing agreement. And just three hours later, Mr Slinger, acting as a secured creditor, put The Sustainable Bathroom Company Ltd into administration. Mrs Perhar is now suing, claiming that Synergy had 'approved' her making the payments, rather than transferring the money to her lender. She told Mr Justice Michael Green that she believes Synergy had no legal right to put her company into administration and that Mr Slinger appointed administrators for 'vindictive' and 'improper' reasons - allegations which his barrister James Morgan KC told the judge are 'hotly contested'. She told the judge he was 'very angry' with her after she 'went to his female business partner and complained about his inappropriate conduct' towards her. The full details of the alleged conduct have not yet been made public, but she told the judge Mr Slinger had made 'veiled threats that he could ruin my business, whilst at the same time talking to me inappositely about his personal life'. An 'uneasy situation' then developed before Mr Slinger's female business partner Cassandra McAlpine, 61, stepped in, Mrs Perhar said. The frontage and brand logo of a branch of German discount retailer Aldi, taken in a local retail park on Wirral, UK '[Cassandra] said "you don't have to work with David anymore - apologies, it's done with him". 'Cassandra said "I would like to put things right, I feel awful about the current situation". 'David was really angry. He'd been extremely aggressive. I was nervous that he was still going to be in the background, but I was told not to worry. Cassandra said "us girls will work it out". 'There was no question of calling in the debt: not until my doorbell rang,' she said, adding that the move had 'a devastating effect on my personally integrity and my family's finances.' 'His motive was to cause me as much financial ruin as possible because I went to his female business partner and complained about his conduct,' she claimed. 'I find it unbelievable that he is being so incredibly vindictive. It wasn't like a bank relationship, it was a partnership. It was, to a degree, a friendship. That's what's so sad about it all. 'Cassandra and I were already working through it. I 100% assumed they weren't going to take action. It wasn't like that at all. 'How can it be right to put it into administration when it's trading and has contracts with international supermarkets and has potential? The company is not insolvent. The company is in profit. 'Synergy issued the invoices. They put the incorrect bank details on. That is one of the major triggers for this and it wasn't my fault.' In her written submissions, Mrs Perhar argued that the administration order was 'unlawful,' adding: 'The facts do not point to a breach of trust at all'. 'The nature of the business was trading with large supermarkets and the day the company was put into administration Mr Slinger knew that this business was instantly suffocated and killed. 'Mr Slinger's entire improper motivation was to cause as much hardship and pain for Mrs Perhar under threats of bankruptcy.' A full trial of Mrs Perhar's claim is set to take place later this year, but the case reached court last week as she appealed against preliminary findings made by a judge last August. The judge had ruled that she breached the terms of her loan agreement with Synergy. Mr Morgan, arguing that the ruling should be upheld, told the judge that he wasn't going to address the personal allegations against Mr Slinger fully until the trial. Contesting the appeal, he said: 'The judge was correct to conclude...that The Sustainable Bathroom Company Ltd was in breach of trust and there was no waiver by Synergy of those breaches. 'Unless and until Synergy received reimbursement in full, it was out of pocket for monies actually expended on behalf of the company,' he continued. The payments Mrs Perhar had made out of the account she controlled had been made 'without permission,' he said. However Mrs Justice Green allowed Mrs Perhar's appeal, overturning the findings of breach made by the lower judge. He said it would be decided at the full trial whether Synergy was entitled to appoint administrators. Of the wider dispute and the allegations about Mr Slinger, he added: 'Mr Slinger unilaterally decided to put the company into administration. Mrs Perhar says he decided to destroy her for improper motives. 'Mrs Perhar still had a good working relationship with Ms McAlpine after a major falling out with Mr Slinger, who in rather graphic terms Mrs Perhar has accused of inappropriate behaviour. This is hotly contested by Mr Slinger. 'Contemporaneous emails allege that there was inappropriate behaviour. 'At the trial there will be a much more broad ranging evaluation as to the motives of your client for putting the company into administration,' he told Mr Morgan. Mrs Perhar told the judge that whilst she has lost the Aldi contract because of the administration, she has started a new company and secured a contract to provide her toothbrushes to Boots. The administration of the The Sustainable Bathroom Company Ltd will be now put on hold until after the full trial. Terrifying footage captured the moment three masked gunmen opened fire on a young Washington family after apparently shooting up the wrong home. Two suspects remain at large over a month after the shooting unfolded on February 4 outside the home of Justin Cromwell, his wife Tara, and their three young children. Their home was riddled with bullets that shattered windows, doors and even entered the children's bedrooms, leaving the family panic-stricken and forcing them to leave their home of eight years. The family say they have no idea why their home was attacked, and Justin told FOX13 he believes 'they got the wrong house.' Doorbell footage showed a dark Camaro ominously pull up to the Cromwell's home around midnight on February 4, with three heavily armed gunmen inside In a flash, the three men began shooting a hail of bullets at the home, which continued for several minutes until Justin Cromwell returned fire from inside Justin Cromwell (left) said he believes the shooters 'got the wrong house.' His wife Tara (right) added that her family have been left terrified by the ordeal, and are planning to leave their home of eight years When the shooting erupted on the family's sleepy street in Marysville, Washington, doorbell footage initially showed the men ominously pull up to the home in a dark-colored Chevrolet Camaro. Justin had just returned shortly before midnight, and said he was initially alarmed to see the car lurking on his street when he arrived. According to a GoFundMe, the three heavily armed men had been 'periodically driving through their neighborhood, in his absence, since about 10:30pm that night.' The fundraiser stated Justin also observed the car had no license plates, before making eye contact with a man leaning on the Camaro. Justin told his wife what he saw and 'felt something wasn't right', leading him to wait inside his garage with the lights off to watch them from his surveillance cameras. The car then pulled up in front of his garage, and he saw the men sneak out of the vehicle with guns and appear to try and enter his property, so he armed himself. In a flash, footage showed a huge number of bullets were fired at the home, with Justin returning fire from inside as his family ducked for cover. 'I told my kids to get down, then (we) come to find bullets came from every part of the house,' Tara said. The Cromwell's home in Marysville, Washington was riddled with bullets, with some shots entering the children's bedrooms as the family ducked for cover The frantic episode also saw the armed men shoot several other homes in the neighborhood, and attempt to break into other properties as they fled the scene After Justin returned fire, the chaotic scenes continued for several minutes, before the gunmen rushed from the scene, leaving the car behind. Tara said that when cops later investigated the vehicle, they found it had been stolen and was filled with tasers and zip ties. The mother-of-three said her family has been devastated by the near-miss, and her six-year-old daughter 'won't go in her room because her bedroom window is shot.' One man, identified as 35-year-old Joshua McIntire, has been arrested in connection with the shooting, and is facing charges including first-degree assault with a firearm and possession of a stolen vehicle. The fundraiser added that McIntire was also shot in the episode. The Cromwell's were in attendance at McIntire's arraignment, and insisted that they had never seen him before his day in court. 'They asked him about signing the no-contact order for the children,' said Tara. '(McIntire) pretty much asked his attorney, why he needed to sign something if he didn't know who they were? So, he admitted to not knowing who we were at all.' Joshua McIntire, 35, (pictured) was arrested in connection with the shooting and is facing charges. At his arraignment, the Cromwell's said they had never seen him before Two other suspects remain on the run, and the Cromwell family say they are planning to leave their neighborhood as they still fear for their lives. Tara said they 'want to get out of here as soon as possible, adding: 'We've been here for almost eight years in this neighborhood and to have to leave like this is hard.' 'Mentally, we're not the same, but physically we're okay,' she said. As their home was riddled with bullets, Justin said they were forced to drain their bank accounts on hotels and rental cars for weeks. A neighbor has since set up a GoFundMe, which would help pay for repairs on the Cromwell's home and other neighbors' properties that were also shot up. The fundraiser added that the men also attempted to break into several other homes as they left the scene. The family are described as small business owners, and 'caring for themselves and their children during this time has meant losing much needed income in this already difficult time.' A World War II veteran and centenarian found love again with his 96-year-old fiancee - now they're set to walk down the aisle and storm the beaches of Normandy at the same time. Harold Terens, age 100, served in the military from 1942 until 1945 as a radio technician in the Army Air Forces. He will be honored in June as part of France's 80th anniversary of D-Day, the day the country was invaded by allied forces to liberate the French from the Nazis. On June 6, 2024, Terens will marry his fiancee, Jeanne Swerlin, age 96, whom he's been dating since 2021, in a town near the beaches where the U.S. troops landed. 'I love this girl she is quite special,' Terens told AP News. 'He's an amazing guy, amazing,' Swerlin told AP News. 'He loves me so much and he says it. And my god, he's the greatest kisser.' World War II veteran Harold Terens, age 100, will marry Jeanne Swerlin, 96, on the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy Terens was paired with a four-pilot P-47 Thunderbolt fighter squadron when he shipped off to Great Britain in 1942 On D-Day, Terens was sent to repair returning planes from France to they could rejoin the battle. Half of his company's pilots died that day The couple both are widowed and grew up in New York City. While Terens was fighting in the war, she was in high school dating soldiers who brought her back gifts to impress her - a juxtaposition the two laugh about today. Terens was paired with a four-pilot P-47 Thunderbolt fighter squadron when he shipped off to Great Britain in 1942. None of the original pilots Terens worked with survived the war. 'I loved all those guys. Young men. The average age was 26,' he said. On D-Day, Terens was sent to repair returning planes from France to they could rejoin the battle. Half of his company's pilots died that day. Terens married his first wife Thelma in 1948. The couple had two daughters and a son. He became a U.S. vice president for a British conglomerate, while his wife was a French teacher. Thelma, who retired from teaching in 2006, died in 2018. The couple had been married for 70 years and share eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Swerlin married her first husband at 21, whom she shares two daughters and a son with, but was widowed in her 40s. Her second husband died after 18 years of marriage. She had a long-term partner, Sol Katz, for 25 years before he died in 2019. Swerlin has seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Katz's daughter, Joanne Schosheim, introduced Terens and Swerlin in 2021. Schosheim met Terens when her children attended camp with his grandchildren and remained friends over the years. She thought Terens and Swerlin would make a cute couple, so she invited them both to lunch. '[Swerlin] gave my dad such joy. I didn't want her to be lonely,' Schosheim said. Thelma died shortly before Terens met his now-fiance, so he was still grieving when he met Swerlin. 'I didn't even look at her. I didn't even talk to her,' he said. The next night, Terens' friend Stanley Eisenberg took the two out to dinner, and it was love at second sight. 'I had never seen him lit up like that,' Eisenberg said. 'I said, "You're in love," Eisenberg said. 'He said, 'I don't know. I've never had these feelings before.' Swerlin said Terens 'didn't give me a chance' to turn him down. The couple was set up by the daughter of Swerlin's most recent partner, who died after sharing 25 years together Thelma died shortly before Terens met his now-fiance, so he was still grieving when he met Swerlin The couple will travel to the town of Carentan-les-Marais, where they will get married in a chapel near the beaches where the U.S. forces landed 'He was introducing me to the whole world, I want you to meet my girl, my sweetheart, and I didnt even know him more than two days,' she told AP News. 'Being in love is not just for the young. We get butterflies just like everybody else.' Terens got down on one knee to propose a few months ago. The couple and their families will head to Paris in late May, where Terens and other surviving World War II veterans will be honored. They will then travel to the town of Carentan-les-Marais, where they will get married in a chapel near the beaches where the U.S. forces landed. And they'll live happily ever after. The Biden campaign on Tuesday slammed Donald Trump over a report that he privately praised Adolf Hitler, whose Nazi troops laid waste to Europe in World War Two and who led the Holocaust of six million Jews, for doing 'good things.' Multiple Trump White House insiders said the former president offered praise for other dictators including Russia's Vladimir Putin, China's Xi Jinping and North Korean despot Kim Jong Un. The Biden campaign sent out emails drawing attention to the claims. 'I think we speak for the vast majority of human beings on planet Earth when we say that Adolf Hitler did not in fact do "good things,"' said spokesperson Sarafina Chitika. 'Donald Trumps praise for Hitler is disgraceful but wholly unsurprising from the man who has parroted Nazi rhetoric on the campaign trail, called his political opponents "vermin," and sucked up to dictators and authoritarians like Vladimir Putin, Viktor Orban, Kim Jong Un, and the rest of the gang. Republican nominee Donald Trump greets fans at a rally in Rome, Georgia, on Saturday According to a new book from his former chief of staff, Trump was full of praise for Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, who led the murder of six million Jews 'When Donald Trump talks like a dictator, praises dictators, and says he wants to be a dictator, we should probably believe him.' The condemnation followed a report from CNN that Trump praised Hitler and other authoritarian leaders during his time in power. The network's Jim Sciutto reported that multiple insiders from the Trump administration, including his former chief of staff John Kelly, made the claims. Kelly told Sciutto: 'He said: "Well, but Hitler did some good things." I said: "Well, what?" And he said: "Well [Hitler] rebuilt the economy." But what did he do with the economy? He turned it against his own people and against the world.' The comments are part of segments released from Kelly's upcoming book The Return of Great Powers. Following his brutal rise to power in the 1930s, Hitler was responsible for the deaths of millions of people after instigating World War II. The Nazi ruler killed six million Jewish people alone in his death camps in central Europe. 'And I said: "Sir, you can never say anything good about the guy. Nothing." I mean Mussolini was a great guy in comparison.' Trump referred to Kim Jong Un as 'an okay guy' and called Xi Jinping 'brilliant' while also praising Putin privately in addition to his public admiration of the Russian leader. Publicly, Trump has called Putin 'very, very strong.' Just last week, Trump was widely criticized for hosting Hungarian strongman Viktor Orban, a darling of American conservatives despite his anti-democratic policies, at Mar-a-Lago last week. The book also alludes to Trump's admiration for Russian strongman Vladimir Putin Trump is also a fan of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, despite his undemocratic policies Trump's love/hate relationship with Kim Jong Un has been a saga ongoing since his ascent to the presidency in 2016 Trump pictured with former chief of staff, John Kelly, and former national security advisor John Bolton, in 2018 Trump on dictators Russian President Vladimir Putin: During his 2017-2021 White House tenure, Trump expressed admiration for Putin. In 2018, the Russian leader for meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, casting doubt on the findings of his own intelligence agencies and sparking criticism at home. Recently, Putin said that Russia would prefer to see U.S. President Joe Biden win a second term, describing him as more experienced and predictable than Trump. Adolf Hitler: Facing criticism for repeatedly harnessing rhetoric once used by Adolf Hitler to argue that immigrants entering the U.S. illegally are 'poisoning the blood of our country,' Trump insisted he had no idea that one of the worlds most reviled and infamous figures once used similar words. The Nazi dictator spoke of impure Jewish blood 'poisoning' Aryan German blood to dehumanize Jews and justify the systemic murder of millions during the Holocaust. 'I never knew that Hitler said it,' Trump told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on Friday, volunteering once again that he never read Hitlers biographical manifesto, Mein Kampf. Kim Jong Un: But they stopped such rhetoric and instead developed a personal relationship after Kim abruptly reached out to Trump in 2018 for talks on the fate of his advancing nuclear arsenal. They met three times in 2018-2019, starting with a summit in Singapore that made Trump the first sitting U.S. president to meet a North Korea leader since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. But their meetings made little headway since their second summit in Vietnam in early 2019 ended without any deal following disputes over U.S.-led sanctions on North Korea. Before their nuclear talks entered a stalemate, Trump said that he and Kim 'fell in love.' According to journalist Bob Woodwards recently published book Rage, Kim, in a letter to Trump, called the U.S. president 'your excellency' and said he believed the 'deep and special friendship between us will work as a magical force.' Xi Jinping: Trump told Chinas Xi Jinping that he was right to build detention camps to house hundreds of thousands of ethnic minorities, former U.S. national security adviser John Bolton alleged in his 2020 book. At a summit in Japan in 2019, with only interpreters present, Xi gave Trump an explanation for the Chinese camps for Uighurs, who are ethnically and culturally distinct from the countrys majority Han population and are suspected of harboring separatist tendencies, Bolton wrote. 'According to our interpreter, Trump said that Xi should go ahead with building the camps, which he thought was exactly the right thing to do,' the book said. Advertisement Orban's approach appeals to Trump's brand of conservatives, who have abandoned their embrace of limited government and free markets for a system that sides with their own ideology, said Dalibor Rohac, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. 'They want to use the tools of government to reward their friends and punish their opponents, which is what Orban has done,' Rohac said. Orban's government has reciprocated, repeatedly praising the former president. The Hitler praise may not come as a major surprise after Trump infamously hosted neo Nazi Nick Fuentes and anti-Semitic rapper Kanye West at his Florida residence in November 2022. 'It's pretty hard to believe he missed the Holocaust, though, and pretty hard to understand how he missed the 400,000 American GIs that were killed in the European theater. But I think it's more, again, the tough guy thing,' Kelly went on speaking about Trump's feelings about Hitler. Kelly went on to say that Trump would compliment Hitler's ability to generate extreme loyalty from his inner circle as he accused his own inner circle of betraying him. 'He would ask about the loyalty issues and about how, when I pointed out to him the German generals as a group were not loyal to him, and in fact tried to assassinate him a few times, and he didn't know that,' Kelly said. 'He truly believed, when he brought us generals in, that we would be loyal that we would do anything he wanted us to do.' Trump's one-time national security advisor John Bolton told CNN that the ex-president views himself as a 'big guy.' 'He likes dealing with other big guys, and big guys like Erdogan in Turkey get to put people in jail and you don't have to ask anybody's permission. He kind of likes that,' the former United Nations ambassador said. In response to the allegations, a Trump spokesman said that Kelly and Bolton suffer from 'Trump Derangement Syndrome.' 'John Kelly and John Bolton have completely beclowned themselves and are suffering from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome. They need to seek professional help because their hatred is consuming their empty lives,' Steven Cheung said. Kelly's book examines 'a new, more uncertain global order with reporting on the frontlines of power from existing wars to looming ones across the globe,' according to a new synopsis. Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un once exchanged threats of destruction and crude insults after North Korea in 2017 carried out a series of high-profile weapons tests aimed at acquiring ability to launch nuclear strikes on the U.S. mainland. Trump had said he would rain 'fire and fury' on North Korea and derided Kim as 'little rocket man' on a suicide mission, while Kim responded he would 'tame the mentally deranged U.S. dotard with fire.' But they stopped such rhetoric and instead developed a personal relationship after Kim abruptly reached out to Trump in 2018 for talks on the fate of his advancing nuclear arsenal. They met three times in 2018-2019, starting with a summit in Singapore that made Trump the first sitting U.S. president to meet a North Korea leader since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. Their meetings made little headway since their second summit in Vietnam in early 2019 ended without any deal following disputes over U.S.-led sanctions on North Korea. Comments allegedly made by major Conservative donor Frank Hester about MP Diane Abbott were 'racist and wrong' but his remorse 'should be accepted', Rishi Sunak's spokesman has said. The PM had been under pressure to condemn the Conservative Party's biggest individual donor's alleged comments after he was reported to have said seeing Abbot on TV made him 'want to hate all black women' and that 'she should be shot'. Tonight, his spokesman said that the comments allegedly made by the healthcare businessman were 'racist and wrong', adding: 'Where remorse is shown it should be accepted.' Hester, who reportedly made the comments five years ago, has said he is 'deeply sorry' for being 'rude' about the one-time Labour veteran, but denied that his comments were related to her skin colour or her gender. Senior Tories had declined to describe the comments as racist throughout today, instead saying they were 'inappropriate' - until trade secretary Kemi Badenoch broke ranks to decry the comments as 'racist' in storming posts on X, formerly Twitter. Rishi Sunak is facing mounting pressure to disown the businessman after he apologised for saying that Ms Abbott, 70, made him 'want to hate all black women'. Ms Abbott, the longest-serving black MP, spoke out about the rant by Frank Hester, the Conservatives' biggest individual financial backer. Rishi Sunak's spokesperson has now said the remarks allegedly made by Hester were 'racist and wrong' Senior Tories had declined to describe the comments as racist - until trade secretary Kemi Badenoch broke ranks to criticise them on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday Hester issued a statement on X in which he said he was 'deeply sorry for his remarks' - but denied that his criticism had anything to do with her gender or the colour of her skin Healthcare entrepreneur Hester, the Tories' biggest individual donor, is said to have made the comments about veteran left-wing MP Ms Abbot during a diatribe in 2019 at the headquarters of his company, The Phoenix Partnership (TPP). In comments first reported by the Guardian, he is alleged to have said in a meeting at his Leeds company headquarters: 'It's like trying not to be racist but you see Diane Abbott on the TV, and you're just like you just want to hate all black women because she's there. 'And I don't hate all black women at all, but I think she should be shot.' The Prime Minister's official spokesman said tonight: 'The comments allegedly made by Frank Hester were racist and wrong. He has now rightly apologised for the offence caused and where remorse is shown it should be accepted. 'The Prime Minister is clear there is no place for racism in public life and as the first British-Asian Prime Minister leading one of the most ethnically diverse Cabinets in our history, the UK is living proof of that fact.' Number 10's statement was welcomed by Conservative MP Marcus Fysh, who said he was 'a bit surprised that there wasn't a stronger condemnation earlier'. He told Sky News's Sophy Ridge: 'I'm very pleased that he (Mr Sunak) has come out and led on this issue now. He's a good guy. 'And that is the sort of leadership that I would like him to be showing over this, because that vision is absolutely what this next election is going to be about. 'And I'd like to see him coming out with all guns blazing on that issue.' He added of Ms Abbott: 'I feel very much solidarity with Diane today. I think it's terrible what she's had to endure today. 'And yeah, these sorts of racist remarks, I don't know this person who's supposed to have said them. But what has been reported is clearly racist and clearly completely, completely wrong. 'You cannot say things like that and and I'm really sorry for all the people and down the country who have been affected by that, including Diane and while I, I don't agree with them on an awful lot of things I will defend her dignity as a person, every day of the week.' Mr Hester and his firm have donated 10million to Tory coffers in the past year, and Labour party chair Anneliese Dodds MP has called on the Tories to hand the money back. She said: 'After finally conceding that his comments are racist, what further proof does Rishi Sunak need that the Conservatives accepting Frank Hester's cash is completely wrong? 'After ministers lined up to dodge the reality of the situation, it's time to face up to the facts: the Conservatives must apologise unequivocally to Diane Abbott, pay back these donations and root out the extreme views and prejudice which appears to be tolerated within the party.' Hester is now further alleged to have told staff he made 'a lot of jokes about racism' in a new report published by the Guardian on Tuesday night, which alleges that he made jibes about Indians and wanted to find gags about Malaysians. The article details claims that during another 2019 meeting with international employees Hester asked if there was 'no room for the Indians' in the room before suggesting they could 'climb on the roof, like on the roof of the train there'. He is alleged to have added: 'I'm looking forward to going to Malaysia, so that I can make new jokes I don't know any jokes about Malaysian people but I'm sure we'll find them.' He is further said to have commented in the meeting: 'I make a lot of jokes about racism, about our different creeds and cultures. But I just want to assure you that it is just the most abhorrent thing.' Hester's earlier comments sparked outrage from Ms Abbott, who is believed to have reported Hester to the police. In a statement this morning, she pointed out that two MPs - Jo Cox and Sir David Amess - have been murdered in recent years, adding: 'It is frightening. I live in Hackney and do not drive so I find myself, at weekends, popping on a bus or even walking places more than most MPs. 'I am a single woman and that makes me vulnerable anyway. But to hear someone talking like this is worrying.' Mr Hester's firm, The Phoenix Partnership, picked up the 15,900 cost of a helicopter flight from London to Yorkshire for Mr Sunak last November Energy Minister Graham Stuart today said it would be wrong to 'cancel anybody ... because they said something intemperate and wrong in their past.' Pensions Secretary Mel Stride tried to row in behind the super-donor this morning, telling broadcasters that his comments were 'clearly inappropriate' while denying they were racist Mr Hester later tweeted again to say that he believed racism was 'a poison that has no place in public life' A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said earlier: 'On Monday, 11 March officers from the Parliamentary Liaison and Investigation Team were contacted in relation to a report about an MP that appeared in the Guardian. 'We are assessing the matter and are liaising with West Yorkshire Police as the alleged incident is believed to have taken place in Leeds. 'Officers from the Parliamentary Liaison and Investigation Team remain in contact with the MP.' However, Number 10 had earlier refused to say the comments were prejudiced, describing them instead as 'unacceptable', while senior Tories declined to call Hester's comments racist on broadcast rounds earlier today. Tory peer Lord Marland told LBC that Mr Hester 'is not a racist... he made some unfortunate remarks that do sound racist'. Pensions Secretary Mel Stride also tried to row in behind the super-donor this morning, telling broadcasters: 'It's clear that what he said was inappropriate. He has, as I understand it, apologised for those remarks. 'I think the critical point here is I don't think what he was saying was a gender-based or a race-based comment, but it was clearly inappropriate. He has apologised and I think we need to move on from that.' And energy minister Graham Stuart today said it would be wrong to 'cancel anybody ... because they said something intemperate and wrong in their past.' But trade secretary Kemi Badenoch stuck her head above the parapet, describing Hester's comments as 'racist' and adding that she welcomed his apology. In her post on X, she said: 'Abbott and I disagree on a lot. But the idea of linking criticism of her, to being a black woman is appalling. It's never acceptable to conflate someone's views with the colour of their skin. 'MPs have a difficult job balancing multiple interests - often under threats of intimidation as we saw recently in parliament. Some people make flippant comments without thinking of this context. 'This is why there needs to be space for forgiveness where there is contrition.' Hester has denied being racist or sexist, but has admitted being 'rude about Diane Abbott in a private meeting several years ago'. In a statement issued following the publication of the Guardian piece, a representative for Hester said: 'Frank Hester accepts that he was rude about Diane Abbott in a private meeting several years ago but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin. 'The Guardian is right when it quotes Frank saying he abhors racism, not least because he experienced it as the child of Irish immigrants in the 1970s.' It added: 'He rang Diane Abbott twice today to try to apologise directly for the hurt he has caused her, and is deeply sorry for his remarks. 'He wishes to make it clear that he regards racism as a poison which has no place in public life.' In a subsequent post on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Hester said that he believed hatred of others based on race and other protected characteristics was 'odious and disgusting'. He added: 'The UK benefits immensely from the rich diversity of people - like my parents - who had roots in another land, religion and culture. 'We should celebrate those differences which have made us the world's most successful multi-ethnic, multi-faith democracy. 'And we should have the confidence to discuss our differences openly and even playfully without seeking to cause offence.' Frank Hester speaking at a Commonwealth Business Forum event in Kigali, Rwanda in 2022. He has said he is 'deeply sorry' for his comments about Diane Abbott Days before The Guardian published its article outlining the allegations, Hester had shared a post marking International Women's Day; he wished Muslims Ramadan Mubarak on the day the first article was published. It came as it was revealed Mr Hester's firm picked up the 15,900 cost of a helicopter flight from London to Yorkshire for Mr Sunak last November. Official Parliamentary documents show the money was paid by The Phoenix Partnership for a Conservative Party 'political visit' to Leeds. TPP is a healthcare IT firm specialising in producing software for hospitals and GP surgeries. Its products include Airmid, a mobile phone app GP surgeries can provide to patients allowing them to view and book appointments on the go. In 2015, Hester was appointed an OBE for services to healthcare; The Sunday Times Rich List estimates his net worth to be 415million. Abbott remains suspended from the Labour Party after writing to The Observer newspaper in April last year to suggest Jewish, Irish and Traveller people are not subject to racism 'all their lives' in the same way as black people. MailOnline has contacted the Conservative Party and Mr Hester for comment. A reckless driver who filmed himself inhaling laughing gas at 90mph before three of his friends died in a horror crash has had his jail term cut on appeal. Shane Loughlin, 33, was told he had a 'total disregard for the law' as he swerved between lanes on the motorway holding a phone in one hand and a balloon in the other. The same car was later involved in a horror crash off the A48 in St Mellon's Cardiff, but the wreckage was not found for almost 48 hours. Loughlin, who filmed himself inhaling laughing gas at 90mph before the crash, survived the accident but was trapped next to the bodies of three dead friend and one other survivor. Eve Smith, 21, was killed with Darcy Ross, 21, and driver Rafel Jeanne, 24, while bank worker Sophie Russon, 20, survived with Loughlin in the wreckage - found nearly two days later by police in woods. Shane Loughlin (pictured), 33, was told he had a 'total disregard for the law' as he swerved between lanes on the motorway holding a phone in one hand and a balloon in the other Shane Loughlin filmed himself inhaling laughing gas at 90mph before three of his friends died in a horror crash Eve Smith, 21, was one the three people who died in the crash on March 6, 2023 Rafel Jeanne (left), 24, and Darcy Ross (right), 21, were killed in the crash in Cardiff Loughlin was prosecuted for dangerous driving after police investigating the collision found footage he had uploaded on his mobile phone. A judge jailed him for one year and five months telling him it was 'luck and not judgement' that no one was killed by his own dangerous driving. But Loughlin appealed the sentence handed to him in September last year - and won the right to have his jail term cut by four months. READ MORE: Seven police officers face misconduct probe over horror Cardiff crash which claimed three young lives after it took force almost two days to find wreckage Advertisement It means he could now be released in the coming days, having spent time on remand before his case was heard. Prosecutor Jason Howells told the September hearing: 'A white Volkswagen Tiguan was located by police on the morning of March 6 having crashed into a wooded area off the A48 off St Mellons. 'It was later established that the crash had occurred at around 2am of March 4th. 'The occupants of the vehicle, some of whom who had been reported missing were found with the vehicle and sadly three of those had passed away, Rafel Jeanne, Darcy Ross and Eve Smith. 'They were the driver, front seat passenger and rear seat passenger. 'The other two rear seat passengers, Shane Loughlin and Sophie Russon survived the crash.' Mr Howells said that while Loughlin was being treated in hospital police investigating the collision found party balloon, nitrous oxide and Loughlin's iPhone in the vehicle. Cardiff Crown Court heard a sixth passenger, Joel Lia, had been dropped off just minutes before the fatal crash. Mr Howells said: 'Mr Lia's account was that everyone was doing balloons - that is inhaling nitrous oxide. 'He refers to all of them partying at Shane Loughlin's caravan in Porthcawl, consuming alcohol and consuming balloons and nitrous oxide.' Shane Loughlin (pictured here after a court appearance in Cardiff) was stopped by police on Aberporth Road in Llandaff North, Cardiff on Saturday at 4:20am Sophie Russon, 20, was wounded in the crash in March near Cardiff but has survived The scene in the St Mellons area of Cardiff as police investigated the crash in March last year Investigators found four incriminating videos on Loughlin's phone of him filming himself as he drove between 80-90mph as he swerved between lanes and the footage was played to the court. The footage showed Loughin taking his hands off the wheel as he holds his phone in one hand and balloons in his mouth with warning lights on in his car. Loughlin was arrested and said he could not remember driving the car before the crash but accepted it was him in the videos. He told police he had not done balloons previously but the drug gives a 'giggly buzz'. Mr Howells said there was no forensic evidence to show Loughlin was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time he was driving. Loughlin, who has 23 previous convictions, admitted driving while disqualified and dangerous driving over his manoeuvres just four hours before the fatal crash at 2am on Saturday March 4. The court heard he was also in breach of a community order for a domestic violence assault on his former girlfriend. Andrew Taylor, defending, said Loughlin only survived the later crash because of the cold weather and had been left with reduced heart function due to his injuries. 'He was one of the fortunate ones who was left for over 48 hours in very cold conditions having suffered facial fracture, numerous leg fractures a rupture to the aorta and a fracture to his elbow.' Mr Taylor said: 'The mental scars are likely to be with Shane Loughlin for forever and a day.' Loughlin, of Rumney, Cardiff, was jailed for one year and five months by judge Recorder of Cardiff Tracey Lloyd Clarke who told him he showed a 'total disregard for the law.' She said: 'You know full well the consequences that can arise from a road traffic collision. That night it was luck and not judgement that meant you did not injure or kill anyone yourself.' She told him his crime was made worse by filming the bad driving 'perhaps to show others by social media.' Shane Loughlin, from Rumney, Cardiff was charged with drink driving and driving while disqualified Loughlin was banned from driving for two years eight months and two weeks and must take an extended test before regaining his licence. He was later sentenced to a six month concurrent prison spell at Cardiff Magistrates Court for another driving offence when police recognised him as a banned driver. The missing group were reported to Gwent police on Saturday evening of March 4 last year and then it was raised with the neighbouring South Wales police the next day. But it took 46 hours before they were found. The five had been to the Muffler social club in Maesglas, Newport, and travelled 40 miles onto the seaside spot of Trecco Bay in Porthcawl. They were last reported seen back in Cardiff shortly after 2am on Saturday. The Independent Office of Police Conduct is investigating seven Gwent Police officers over their actions involving the missing persons reports, interactions with families and subsequent searches. IOPC director David Ford said: 'Our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families and friends of the young people who tragically lost their lives, those who were left seriously injured, and everyone affected by this incident.' The Illinois State Capitol building in Springfield was put under lockdown over an alleged gun threat. Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said 'The Illinois Secretary of State Police received notice of a threat involving the Illinois Capitol Building.' 'Out of an abundance of caution, the Illinois Secretary of State Police issued a lockdown order and are currently conducting a sweep of the building.' Local news station WICS reported that the lockdown was lifted shortly after. Photos show police cars surrounded the building while they conducted a sweep. Photos captured by local news station WICS show police cars have surrounded the building NOTICE: The Illinois Secretary of State Police received notice of a threat involving the Illinois Capitol Building. Out of an abundance of caution, the Illinois Secretary of State Police issued a lockdown order and are currently conducting a sweep of the building. pic.twitter.com/BF6JO0HR4i Secretary Alexi Giannoulias (@ILSecOfState) March 12, 2024 Illinois lobbyist Dan Johnson said on X he is inside the building, 'I'm locked in a legislative office in the Illinois Capitol complex while there is a building lockdown from someone calling in a threat with a gun.' Lieutenant Governor of Illinois Juliana Stratton said, 'I am on-site at the Illinois State Capitol and just witnessed firsthand the bravery and expertise of the first responders on the scene.' The lockdown has since been lifted after it was discovered to have been a false alarm. There were no reports of any injuries and investigators have declined to provide further details of what triggered the initial threat. The PNP and JLP went head-to-head in local elections on 26 February for the first time in eight years. But rather than an eagerness from voters to cast their votes, turnout was Jamaicas lowest ever at barely 29 percent. This is a clear rejection of not just the PNP and JLP, but the whole rotten edifice of Jamaican capitalist democracy. The preliminary results made it unclear as to who had won nationally (with the PNP claiming the popular vote, and the JLP more municipalities), and so both parties declared victory and held celebrations. Days of delays for the few votes to be counted formally have led to concerns of vote rigging and fraud. Dubbed prior as a political doomsday, trust in bourgeois democracy in Jamaica is at rock bottom. Constant corruption scandals and rising crime rates have led to a widespread distrust of politicians. At the 2020 general election, this was reflected in a low turnout of just 37 percent, down from 48.37 percent in 2016. Both elections beat the record lows set by the previous elections In a poll last year, 28.1 percent were more inclined to vote for the PNP compared to 27.9 percent for the JLP. And those not voting or undecided were 25 percent and 19 percent, respectively. Without any alternative, apathy with the political establishment is seemingly widespread despite an overwhelming desire for systemic change. When the PNP candidate unseated a JLP councillor in Old Harbour South Division, the JLP Minister of Works Everald Warmington, declared to a JLP-supporting crowd that no PNP councillor would spend his money, and the JLP candidate might not be the councillor in name, but him in charge! This brazen corruption and sense of entitlement caused a huge backlash on social media. The last two decades of austerity and state corruption have sharply revealed class contradictions. Years of broken promises and betrayals have eroded confidence in all the political parties and state institutions. Only revolutionary class struggle can break this impasse. Imperialist exploitation and austerity Years of broken promises and betrayals have eroded confidence in all the political parties and state institutions / Image: own work The JLP has courted billions of dollars(J$) worth of Chinese capital for projects such as the Kingston Freeport Terminal, major highways, and medical services. Jamaica is a market in which China is gaining a strategic foothold, which the government is more than happy to oblige. In addition, a single Russian company RUSAL now controls 65 percent of alumina capacity and 3 out of 4 refineries demonstrating how accommodating of foreign capital the JLP are. The Jamaican bourgeoisie are playing imperialist interests against one another to their advantage. The US is still Jamaicas largest trading partner, dominating bauxite mining and tourism, with the former making up two-thirds of all exports, generating huge profits. But now US dominance is weakening, much to the alarm of the imperialists. The profound shifts taking place in world relations, and the relative decline of US imperialism has seen Jamaica emboldened to consider applying for BRICS membership. Jamaica is nevertheless still dominated by US imperialism through institutions like the IMF. The IMF is singing the praises of the Jamaican economy for halving its debt-to-GDP ratio from 144 percent to 72 percent over a decade. From reading the IMF reports and JamaicaWatch articles in the Financial Times, one would think that the economy is booming. In reality, it isnt growing at all and only achieves public debt reduction through brutal cuts and austerity. IMF loans and debt repayments provide the JLP with the perfect excuse for why theyre making cuts. Absolving themselves, they say its out of their hands. Finance Minister Nigel Clarke claims the reason for the JLPs austerity measures is to achieve economic stability first then growth. All this talk is an absolute fantasy. The reality is that we are living in a period of great instability, with revolutionary perspectives opening up across every continent, and the need for a revolutionary party growing more urgent by the day. The JLP and PNP cannot hide behind each other or blame the IMF for austerity forever. Now more than ever, every national market is bound up with the fate of the world economy, and especially dominated and export-dependent economies like Jamaica, which is vulnerable to shocks. In recent years, COVID, combined with especially severe tropical storms resulted in a contraction of 10.2 percent of GDP of the economy. And although unemployment is a low 4.5 per cent, youth unemployment is high at 16.7 percent alongside miserably low wages and rising prices. Austerity fueling discontent A recent article in the Jamaica Gleaner shed light on the reality of austerity felt across the island. Since the closure of a sugar factory in 2017, Clarks Town has fallen into neglect. The community suffers from a poor water supply, deteriorating roads, and irregular refuse collections, while the youth are leaving in search of work in the tourism sector. Local shops and businesses have closed as a result. Such is the poor housing situation, people are beginning to live on the old factory grounds. Travelling by road is often called dandy shandy a childrens dodge game such is their poor condition. The youth and most vulnerable people are highly cynical about the ability of politicians to protect jobs and wages or improve water, roads, housing, healthcare, or education. They correctly identify that politicians represent the interests of big business and fawn over the lucrative contracts they can garner from big business; American, Chinese, Russian, or Jamaican, it makes no difference to them. The JLP represent the interests of the conservative establishment and serves the interests of imperialist allies. The PNP long ago abandoned any semblance of a left-wing program and shifted to the right, today paying mere lip service to reform. The widespread desire to kick out the crooked capitalist politicians has no means for political expression yet but a growing number of workers are fighting back in the workplace. Industrial action The last few years have seen a rise in activity on the industrial front. Teachers, Water Commission workers, bus drivers, and nurses have fought back against cuts. In 2022, strike action by Water Commission workers supposedly cost the Commission J$240 million in revenue. In desperation to hold back the rising tide, PM Andrew Holness sought to de-classify them as essential workers in a failed attempt to prevent them from striking. Then in mid-March last year, Clarke forced public sector workers to accept derisory pay rises otherwise they would get no retrospective pay for two years. The following month, the body negotiating public sector pay awarded themselves a pay rise of 200 percent! This outrage should have been cause for widespread strikes. However, the leadership of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) has repelled calls from its member unions to renegotiate pay deals with the government, let alone strike action. Since then, a steady stream of public sector workers have quit, seeking better pay overseas. Notably, the overwhelming majority of those who work in the vast, multi-billion dollar hotel and tourism sectors are non-unionised and work precarious contracts. If hospitality workers began to organise, coordinate, and wage a militant sector-wide strike for better pay and conditions then they would likely win concessions and act as a rallying call to workers in other sectors. The example set by air traffic controllers, who walked off the job in 2022, revealed that militant action gets results. Whats lacking is revolutionary leadership capable of raising the sights of workers and youth against the bosses, the imperialists, and their representatives in Parliament linking the economic struggle with the political struggle. Revolutionary traditions It was only as a result of the fearless class battles waged by workers against the bosses and imperialists that concessions were won / Image: libcom On the question of industrial action, its worth highlighting the historic general strike of 1938 and the revolutionary turmoil of the 1970s, which are rich in important lessons. It was only as a result of the fearless class battles waged by workers against the bosses and imperialists that concessions were won. The ruling class has never granted any concession to the working class out of the kindness of their hearts. It requires the methods of class struggle to squeeze them out of the ruling class and to defend them. However, the struggle for economic reforms is constant as the capitalists relentlessly try to roll them back. The only real way to defend and guarantee genuine reforms is by abolishing the capitalist system. There is no time for waiting for the ruling class to achieve stability then growth for reforms to come. Its time for workers and youth to go on the offensive. Broken republican promises When universal suffrage was won in 1944, the PNP and JLP promised to make Jamaica a republic. They still make this empty promise 80 years later! Barbados became a republic last year, which reignited the issue and put pressure on the JLP to hold a referendum. The Jamaican establishment has no intention of cutting ties with the British ruling class because their interests are the same. Holness presents himself as a republican but his reluctance to call a referendum speaks volumes. In fact, Holness says that Jamaica should only become a republic as long as the United Kingdom Privy Council remains Jamaicas appeals court. The PNP has stated theyll oppose Jamaica becoming a republic if this is the proposal. This impasse conveniently allows both parties to accuse the other of impeding constitutional reform. As communists, we have no illusions that republicanism on a capitalist basis will fundamentally alter the lives of the working class. For that to happen, the fight for a republic must be bound up with the fight for a socialist revolution abolishing the rule of a feudal monarchy, kicking out the imperialists, and overthrowing the national bourgeoisie. The JLP is as incompetent as it is corrupt, with Holness narrowly escaping prosecution for corruption this year relating to conflicts of interest in companies that received government funds. And, reminiscent of the COVID lockdown parties held by Tory UK government officials, a cabinet minister was forced to resign after a video of him emerged having a lockdown party toasting with Moet champagne and shouting No-Movement Day. The growing class divide is clear for all to see and the crisis of Jamaican capitalism is laying the ground for huge social explosions. For a revolutionary workers party! There is a palpable sense of class hatred and anger in every city, town, and village. As long as basic infrastructure remains neglected and wages stagnate as the cost of living soars, the pressure in society will only continue to build. But what happens when momentous social explosions do occur? To paraphrase Trotsky, without a revolutionary organisation, the energy of the masses in a revolutionary situation would dissipate like steam without a piston box. There have been many revolutionary situations where the working class held power in their hands, but was let down by its reformist leaders. This cannot be allowed to happen again. Therefore, there is an urgent need to build a revolutionary party based on a Marxist program and methods. If you agree then join and help us build as part of the Revolutionary Communist International in Jamaica. We say: The White House said it 'does not alter photos' of President Joe Biden or any officials in its first comments on the Kate Middleton Mother's Day Photoshop fail. Karine Jean-Pierre, the top spokesperson for the administration, was asked if the White House ever digitally altered photos of officials before releasing them to the public. 'Are you comparing us to the what's going on in the UK?,' she asked before adding: 'What does the monarchy have to do anything with us? No, that is not something that we do here.' Kensington Palace's release of the photo and subsequent apology from the Princess of Wales caused a stir in the UK, trended on social media around the world, and led to a slew of conspiracy theories. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the administration did not digitally alter photos in its first comments on the Kate Middleton Mother's Day Photoshop fail Jean-Pierre did say the White House offered Kate a 'speedy recovery' from her abdominal surgery. 'We will offer speedy recovery and I'm just gonna leave it there. I don't have anything else to share,' Jean-Pierre said. The Princess of Wales admitted on Monday that she edited the portrait which was released by Kensington Palace on Sunday, which was Mother's Day in the UK, and apologised 'for any confusion' that the family photograph has caused. In the first official image released since Kate's 'planned abdominal surgery' on January 16, the MailOnline identified sixteen separate edits, including issues with the princess's jeans zipper and right hand - amid claims the photo was digitally altered. Reports indicate that Prince William took Kate's Mother's Day photograph in just a 40-minute window on Friday before the Princess edited it twice in Photoshop to 'make it the best it can be'. Pictured: the Princess of Wales with her children, Prince Louis, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, taken in Windsor in what has become known as a Photoshop fail The Prince of Wales took the picture of his smiling family on a 2,900 Canon camera before Kate made edits to improve the photo ahead of its public release on Instagram on Sunday. Kensington Palace aides are said to have spent weeks planning to release a photo of the Princess of Wales to quell vicious social media speculation about the nature of Kate's condition since her surgery in January, which has deeply upset and angered the couple. Instead, the rare royal blunder resulted in another public explosion of conspiracy theories. Six of the world's top picture agencies - including the Associated Press, Reuters, and Getty - sensationally pulled the photo from their wires and libraries amid concern that the 'source has manipulated the image'. Amid the furor, the Princess later issued an extraordinary mea culpa on Twitter and Instagram, admitting she 'edited' the image - adding that she does 'occasionally experiment' as an 'amateur photographer' and apologising for 'any confusion' the image caused. Kate is said to have felt that honesty was 'the best policy' and wanted to 'own up' to the Photoshop blunder. The Princess felt 'awful' about the picture and had been trying to make it the 'best it could be', insiders told The Times - adding that she was 'thinking of her own children when editing the picture, hoping that they looked good for their own sakes'. Publicly taking the blame for the furor, the princess wrote on Monday: 'Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. 'I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. 'I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother's Day. C.' Royal sources said the princess had made 'minor adjustments' to the picture, which she and her husband had hoped would be a lovely 'informal' shot to share on a special day. 'This was an amateur, family photograph taken by the Princess of Wales. Their Royal Highnesses wanted to offer an informal picture of the family together for Mother's Day,' the source said. 'The Princess made minor adjustments as she shared in her statement on social media, the Wales family spent Mother's Day together and had a wonderful day.' Despite calls for the original to be published, Kensington Palace said it would not be reissuing the unedited photograph of Kate and her children, which in itself sparked further debate. Kate posted the apology on the Prince and Princess of Wales' Instagram account The White House said it does not digitally alter photos it distributes such as one from last month when President Biden met with Yulia Navalnaya and Dasha Navalnaya, the wife and daughter of murdered Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny On Monday night, the palace faced growing pressure over the debacle with claims it has been damaging to public trust. Palace aides did not spot any signs of Photoshop but it's not believed the edits were made aware to the princess' team before it became public. However, questions have been raised over whether the picture was too good to be true. One red flag might have been the fact the beaming family portrait was shot in such a short time on Friday. The busy schedules of the Wales family meant the picture had to be taken while everyone was back at home from various activities. A day later, Kate is said to have sent the photo out to her team. It's unknown whether any of her team could see that the photo had been edited on Photoshop but alarm bells may have started ringing when courtiers discovered that William had taken the picture. Without editing, it would have been some feat for William to take such a captivating photo with all the members of the family simultaneously roaring with laughter. A plan was put in place to release the photo and a message from Kate herself at 9am on Sunday - but what quickly ensued was 24 hours of intense scrutiny as the Palace faced questions from all angles over why the family photo appeared to be digitally manipulated. Meanwhile, Kate was seen in the backseat of a car with her husband as he left Windsor to travel to London for two public engagements. DailyMail.com understands she was on route for a 'private appointment.' The warden of a troubled federal women's prison in California, dubbed the 'rape club,' has been ousted just months into his tenure after an FBI raid amid an investigation into sexual abuse of inmates by former staff. Art Dulgov was removed as warden of FCI Dublin in the wake of allegations that his staff had retaliated against an inmate who testified in a January lawsuit against the prison. The prison, about 21 miles east of Oakland, that has housed celebs including Allison Mack, Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman, has been dubbed the 'rape club' due to years of rampant staff-on-inmate sexual abuse. The public figures were not involved in any of the allegations that have come out of the prison. FBI agents hauled boxes of evidence from the facility on Monday after an investigation that put a former warden and other employees behind bars for sexually abusing inmates. More than a dozen FBI agents searched FCI Dublin, seizing computers, documents and other evidence and seeking to interview employees, an anonymous source told the Associated Press. Art Dulgov was removed as warden of FCI Dublin in the wake of allegations that his staff had retaliated against an inmate who testified in a January lawsuit against the prison FBI agents hauled boxes of evidence from the facility on Monday after an investigation that put a former warden and other employees behind bars for sexually abusing inmates FBI spokesperson Cameron Polan confirmed that agents were there conducting 'court-authorized law enforcement activity,' but declined to give details. Deputy Regional Director N.T. McKinney will replace Dulgov on an interim basis effective immediately, Bureau of Prisons spokesperson Randilee Giamusso said to the Associated Press. An associate warden and prison captain working under Dulgov were also removed from their positions, along with an executive assistant who oversaw the prison's minimum-security satellite camp, government lawyers said. Monday's search came days after a new wave of civil lawsuits alleging abuse at FCI Dublin and as a federal judge weighs appointing a special master to oversee the prison's operations. The inmate was transferred to a different prison despite the judge's order not to transfer any witnesses without court approval, filings in the case show. The federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed the leadership shakeup, saying in a statement that 'recent developments have necessitated new executive employees be installed' at the low-security Bay Area facility. The prison, about 21 miles east of Oakland, has been dubbed the 'rape club' due to years of rampant staff-on-inmate sexual abuse More than a dozen FBI agents searched FCI Dublin, seizing computers, documents and other evidence and seeking to interview employees, an anonymous source told the Associated Press McKinney is at least the fourth person to be put in charge of FCI Dublin since former warden Ray Garcia was placed on administrative leave after the FBI raided his office and vehicle in July 2021. Since 2021, at least eight FCI Dublin employees have been charged with sexually abusing inmates. Five have pleaded guilty. Two were convicted at trial. Another case is pending. An AP investigation in 2021 found a culture of abuse and cover-ups that had persisted for years at the prison, which currently has more than 650 inmates. That reporting led to increased scrutiny from Congress and pledges from the Bureau of Prisons that it would fix problems and change the culture at the prison. Last August, eight FCI Dublin inmates sued the Bureau of Prisons, alleging the agency had failed to root out sexual abuse. Amaris Montes, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said inmates continued to face retaliation for reporting abuse, including being put in solitary confinement and having belongings confiscated. All sexual activity between a prison worker and an inmate is illegal. Correctional employees enjoy substantial power over inmates, controlling every aspect of their lives from mealtime to lights out, and there is no scenario in which an inmate can give consent. The sexual abuse scandal has been one of many troubles plaguing the federal Bureau of Prisons, which is also beset by rampant staffing shortages, suicides and security breaches. Dulgov was put in charge of FCI Dublin after the former warden, Thahesha Jusino, retired late last year. Jusino had vowed to rebuild broken trust when she took over in March 2022. Before that, then-deputy regional director T. Ray Hinkle was interim warden. He had pledged to staff that he would help Dublin 'regain its reputation,' but his tenure was marred by allegations that he targeted staff whistleblowers and clashed with a visiting congresswoman. Dulgov's personal website lists several accolades for his corrections work, including the Bureau of Prisons' Golden Apple Award and an award from California federal prosecutors in 2019 for helping implement the Trump administration's 'zero tolerance' immigration policy. He has also been a federal prison warden in Arizona. The website also notes that Dulgov, who taught middle school before entering the corrections industry, has served as an Equal Employment Opportunity counselor and has regular trained his staff in equal employment policies and procedures, civil rights and federal regulations. The prison has housed celebs including Allison Mack, Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman (pictured) An AP investigation in 2021 found a culture of abuse and cover-ups that had persisted for years at the prison, which currently has more than 650 inmates (pictured: Lori Loughlin, who is not involved in any of the allegations) Last month, Dulgov wrote about the 'symbiotic relationship between Leadership and Personal Well-being. 'Leadership is often associated with guiding others, making tough decisions, and achieving organizational goals,' he wrote on his personal blog. 'However, an essential aspect of effective leadership that is sometimes overlooked is the profound impact it can have on personal well-being. The relationship between leadership and personal well-being is symbiotic, with each influencing and complementing the other in profound ways.' McKinney, FCI Dublin's new interim warden, 'has been charged with developing a plan for the future of the facility,' Giamusso said. She said the change was made 'consistent with unprecedented and ongoing actions' by Bureau of Prisons' leadership 'to create a positive change in the culture at FCI Dublin.' Garcia was convicted in 2022 of molesting inmates and forcing them to pose naked in their cells. Prosecutors said he tried to keep his victims quiet with promises that he'd help them get early release and told one victim he was close friends with a prison official responsible for investigating staff misconduct and couldn't be fired. The FBI arrested Garcia in September 2021, months after questioning him at the prison and searching his office and vehicle. He is serving a six-year prison sentence. Testifying on his own behalf, Garcia conceded that he had made mistakes but claimed that some of his alleged wrongdoing like taking pictures of naked inmates was done as part of his official duties to document violations of prison policy. Prosecutors countered by calling a prison lieutenant who said he's never seen a case where it was appropriate for an employee to take photos of a nude inmate. Among the other employees accused of sexual abuse were former chaplain James Theodore Highhouse, who was sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to abusing an inmate in his chapel office and lying to authorities, and ex-safety administrator John Russell Bellhouse, who was convicted last June of sexually abusing two inmates. Prosecutors said Bellhouse 'began to express an interest in a particular female inmate and started calling the inmate his 'girlfriend' in 2020. They said he inappropriately touched the woman and that she performed oral sex on Bellhouse. A Kentucky nurse who lost all four limbs after routine kidney surgery has shared pictures of her doing sit-ups ahead of getting her prosthetics. Lucinda Mullins, 41, lost all her limbs when doctors had to amputate to save her life when a kidney stone infection led to blood poisoning in December. The mother of two from Ferguson has been making daily progress since she was moved to the Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital in Lexington. Lucinda 'Cindy Williams, 41, lost all four limbs after routine kidney surgery, has made huge progress and is pictured doing a sit-up routine as she prepares for her prosthetics Mullins is pictured working with a specialist at the rehabilitation center working on stretching and strength training exercises - before she is fitted for her prosethetics The Mullins family pictured during a family picnic before the mom-of-two became an amputee Mullins is pictured working with a specialist performing stretching and strength training exercises, before she is fitted for her prosthetics - in a series of photos shared on her GoFundMe. Heather Beshears, who started the fundraiser, provides daily updates on Mullin's progress. On Tuesday, she wrote: 'Zero days off for this chic. So impressive !!!!!' The GoFundMe that was created on December 18, 2023 - days after the near-fatal event - has raised thousands, but more is needed to help pay for Mullins medical costs and recovery. Described as 'a lovely, caring, brave and beautiful young lady,' Mullins devoted husband, DJ, and her two young children have been at her side including, extended family and friends. The fundraiser has received more than 4.8K donations and as of Tuesday more than $309,000 has been raised towards their goal of $350,000. The funds will go towards Mullins extensive medical bills, and to help the family transform their home so it would be livable for Mullins. Beshears, the fundraiser's organizer wrote 'the cost of all this can be overwhelming.' 'We started this fundraiser because we want to support our hero Cindy, as well as her husband DJ who has been by her side every step of the way,' she wrote, in part. 'Cindy and her family will have to make a few adjustments to their home to accommodate Cindy's needs as well as her prosthetics and adaptive equipment.' She shared that their two young children miss their mother and father since the harrowing ordeal, and asked for the public's continued support in her recovery. 'Let's help ease their burden while they heal and get back to their lives. We hope to be able to allow Cindy to focus on her recovery,' she wrote. Many supporters have shared messages of love, support and healing for Mullin's long journey. Cindy, her husband DJ, and their two young sons before the sepsis that nearly killed her One person wrote: 'Your story, your optimism and your faith has inspired me. I wish you receive all the help you need during this tough time. God Bless.' 'Saw your story on Candace Owens' show. You are an incredibly strong woman. I doubt I would be able to handle your situation with your grace. Good luck and God Bless,' another person wrote. Through physical therapy, she can now sit up, lift her arms to scratch her nose, drive with her head, booty scoot all over the place and scroll through her messages. In an interview with Good Morning America earlier this year, Mullins talked about what she would do when she returned home and explained what had gone wrong with her stone removal. She explained that she had opted for an elective kidney stone and the doctor had left a temporary stent in her body following the surgery to prevent blockage. Cindy Mullins, 41, awoke from sedation just before Christmas to find doctors had amputated all four limbs in a desperate bid to save her life after a kidney stone infection led to blood poisoning Following doctor's orders, she removed the stent at home, began to feel sick and was found on the floor by her husband, DJ. Mullins was immediately rushed to a hospital and doctors began performing tests on her. The former nurse said: 'They checked my blood pressure and it was 50 over 31, and in my mind, I knew that was not good. They started IVs on both arms, and I don't remember anything after that.' To stabilize her condition, she was placed on a ventilator before she was able to be transferred to a larger hospital in Lexington. Her family was then notified that she was in a dire situation. Mullins was then put on dialysis to help her kidneys and an ECMO machine to give her heart and lungs time to rest and heal. 'My husband and sister were there and they told them that I was on the edge of a cliff and it was about to get worse before it got better. After the surgery, I was put on ECMO and dialysis, and was still on the ventilator,' Mullins recalled. While her organs were receiving the support they needed, her legs and arms began to develop blisters. By the time she was removed from the ventilator, her legs and arms had severely deteriorated and had to be amputated. 'When they told me that was going to happen, that I was going to lose my hands and my feet, I wasn't angry. I had a peace about me. I just felt God's presence saying, 'It's going to be OK. You're alive. This is what has happened,' and I wasn't upset about it. 'Doctors tell me they can't put a percentage on how close I was to actually dying, and then me doing as well as I am after being on ventilator, ECMO and dialysis... for me to be doing that well, as fast I did, is yet another miracle 'It was just one of those things where they explain all the bad things that can happen when you have surgery, and I was that rare case was really healthy,' Mullins said. 'The doctor I used to work with, he kind of was like, 'This is what they had to do to save your life. This is what's happened'. 'I just said these are the cards I've been dealt and this is the hand I'm going to play. 'I'm just so happy to be alive. I get to see my kids. I get to see my family. I get to have my time with my husband. Those are minor things at this point,' she said. The White House deepened the feud with Hungary Tuesday when National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan supported President Joe Biden's comments that Prime Minister Viktor Orban 'wants a dictatorship.' Sullivan wouldn't go as far as to say the U.S. believes that Hungary is a dictatorship under Orban's rule - telling Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich to talk to the Biden campaign. Biden ignited a firestorm with the NATO ally by criticizing Orban at campaign rallies in Pennsylvania and Georgia on the heels of his rival, former President Donald Trump, hosting the Hungarian leader at Mar-a-Lago. Orban's government reacted by summoning the U.S. ambassador to address Biden's comments, with Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto calling them 'lies.' 'Of course the president stands by his statement. And I'm not walking back his statement,' Sullivan said Tuesday to The New York Times' Peter Baker. The White House deepened the feud with Hungary Tuesday when National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan supported President Joe Biden 's comments that Prime Minister Viktor Orban 'wants a dictatorship' At a campaign rally outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Friday, President Joe Biden (left) criticized former President Donald Trump for hosting Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban (right) at Mar-a-Lago It was Heinrich who first brought up the tiff, asking Sullivan if the position of the U.S. government was that Hungary is a dictatorship. 'I know why you're asking the question. I'm not going to speak on behalf of the Biden campaign,' Sullivan answered from the White House podium. 'You should direct those questions to the campaign.' 'What I will say as the Biden administration is that we have made no bones about our deep concerns about Hungary's assault on democratic institutions including the judiciary, Hungary's corruption, and other erosion of democracy in Hungry from the leadership there,' he continued. 'That is something we have been deeply concerned about that we have directly engaged them on and that people at this podium and students spoken about and will continue to do so.' The reporter was directed toward the Biden campaign because the president made his comments about Orban in rally settings Friday and Saturday. On Friday in Delaware County, Pennsylvania Biden hammered Trump for having Orban meet him at Mar-a-Lago. 'You know who he's meeting with today down at Mar-a-Lago? Orban of Hungary, who has stated that he doesn't think democracy works and is looking for dictatorship,' the president said. The next day, during a campaign stop in Atlanta, Biden reiterated the point. 'Yesterday he was hosting at his club Victor Orban. Who says he doesn't think democracy works. He called him a fantastic leader. Seriously,' the president complained about Trump. To Sullivan, Heinrich pointed out that 'typically a foreign policy statement of that magnitude would be made with, you know, some coordination.' Sullivan, again, directed her to the Biden campaign. 'Again, it seems like the question you're asking is really about the campaign. So I think you should direct it to the campaign,' he said. She then asked him to reiterate the U.S.'s position on whether Hungary was a dictatorship. 'I literally just stated what our position is,' Sullivan said, to which Heinrich objected. 'As I said before, our position is that Hungary has engaged in an assault on democratic institutions, and that remains a source of great concern to us and I take it from your question that it may be of great concern to you as well.' Baker followed up asking if Sullivan's answer was a walk-back of Biden's statement, to which the top national security official said no. Sullivan argued that the White House's position 'is totally consistent with everything you just said and is documented and is the exact opposite of a lie.' Republican Rep. Ken Buck announced Tuesday he would leave Congress at the end of next week, rather than serving out the rest of his term in the fourth district of Colorado. The Colorado Republican announced his decision in a short statement on social media. 'Today, I am announcing that I will depart Congress at the end of next week,' Buck said. 'I look forward to staying involved in our political process, as well as spending more time in Colorado with my family.' Rep. Ken Buck, R-CO announced Tuesday his decision to resign from Congress rather than finishing his term. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson will only have a two seat majority in the House after Buck leaves. Buck's announcement surprised House Republicans as House Speaker Mike Johnson tries to keep his majority intact and wrestle through important spending bills. Johnson admitted to reporters that Buck had not notified him before his announcement. 'I was surprised by Ken's announcement. I'm looking forward to talking to him about that,' he told reporters on Capitol Hill. After Buck leaves, Johnson and Republicans will only have a two seat majority in the House. Buck's decision to resign his seat also has major implications in the race to replace him seat in Colorado's 4th Congressional District. Currently, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) who represents the Colorado 3rd Congressional district is one of at least ten candidates running to replace him in November. U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-CO announced in December she would enter the Republican primary to replace Buck. Buck's early resignation will trigger a special election to replace him, forcing Boebert to make a decision about her political future. She either has to resign her third district congressional seat to run in a special election in the fourth district, or let another candidate fill the seat before challenging that candidate in November. Buck spoke about his decision with reporters on Capitol Hill. 'This place just keeps going downhill, and I don't need to spend my time here,' he said. He said he wanted to get involved with the 2024 election cycle, but said he had not decided to join an organization yet or run for president. Buck said he had left a voice mail with the speaker, but had not spoken to him about his decision personally. He said he thought his early resignation would only help the party. 'They'll have a chance to fill my seat. And I think that that whoever fills that seat both for the next Congress, as well as the remainder of this Congress will do a great job,' he said. Buck, who was reportedly looking for a job with CNN or a similar media outlet said he did not have a deal with any media organization, but told reporters to let him know if if they had any openings. Republicans expected Buck to finish his term in Congress even though he announced in November he would not run for reelection. His refusal to vote to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and open an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden angered conservatives in Colorado. Buck made it clear to reporters he did not expect to change his mind about leaving early. 'Mike Johnson's ability to talk me into staying here is going to be about as successful as his ability to talk me into unconstitutional impeachment,' he said. A great-grandfather's dream to own his own bungalow was left in tatters after his daughter and son-in-law stole 150,000 of his cash and used it to buy a house for themselves. William Gaunt, 77, received a 150,000 compensation payout in 2009 after he was involved in a crash that left him with serious injuries and unable to manage stairs. The pensioner had lived in rented accommodation all his life and had planned on using the money to buy his own home, according to the Sunderland Echo. He entrusted the money to his daughter, Lorraine Ross, who told her father she would help him find a bungalow. But instead, Lorraine and her husband Stuart Ross bought a house with stairs in Washington, which Mr Gaunt neither liked, nor wanted to move into, but reluctantly agreed to. Just four years later, Mr Gaunt was back in rented accommodation while Lorraine and Stuart Ross remortgaged and moved into the house bought with Mr Gaunt's money. Lorraine and Stuart Ross (pictured) were convicted of theft after a trial at Newcastle Crown Court Lorraine and Stuart Ross were convicted of theft after a trial at Newcastle Crown Court. Lorraine Ross was also convicted of fraud in relation to a housing benefit application she made in relation to the house, which stated Mr Gaunt was a tenant at the property. The pair will be sentenced in June. Prosecutor Matthew Hopkins said the couple acted as if the money was theirs to spend and refused to allow Mr Gaunt access to his own money, it was reported by Sunderland Echo. Mr Hopkins told the court: 'She (Lorraine) convinced him (Mr Gaunt) to pay 140,000 of the compensation money into her partner Stuart Ross's bank account.' The court also heard how the property was placed in Stuart Ross' name and how Lorraine Ross applied for housing benefit in her father's name, stating that Mr Gaunt was a tenant renting the house. The Sunderland Echo reported that Lorraine Ross sent a letter to Sunderland Council asking for the housing benefit to be paid to the home owner Stuart Ross and not her father, but the council refused the request. The court heard how the property was placed in Stuart Ross' name. Pictured: Newcastle Quayside Law Courts When the pensioner said he was uncomfortable with receiving housing benefit for a home he believed he owned, Lorraine Ross said he would get in trouble with the police if he paid it back. Giving evidence during the trial, Mr Gaunt said: 'I wanted to buy a bungalow so I could do away with the stairs and steps. She said 'I will try and find you one'. 'Lorraine said I would lose my pension if I paid that money into my account.' The police were alerted in 2019 by another family member. Lorraine Ross, 52, of Westward Place, Washington and Stuart Ross, 51, of Waskerley Road, Barmston, Washington both denied the charges. His father Seth Rogers finds it hard to believe he simply wandered off Search turned up no leads and family is frustrated by the total mystery The father of an autistic boy missing for two weeks fears his son may not have simply 'wandered off' after vanishing from his home. Sebastian Rogers, 15, is believed to have left his family home in Hendersonville, Tennessee, with a flashlight in the early hours of February 26. Police and volunteers spent the past two weeks searching nearby woods blasting Eye of the Tiger, which is Sebastian's favorite song. Almost 100 miles north, Kentucky State Police searched a landfill in Hopkins County for clues, but came up empty. Sebastian's father Seth Rogers said he was at his wits' end trying to work out what happened to his son with no leads that make sense. Sebastian Rogers, 15, left his family house with a flashlight on February 26 and has since been missing Sebastian's father Seth Rogers said he was at his wits' end trying to work out what happened to his son with no leads that make sense He said Sebastian was not one to wander off, and due to an experience as a young boy would never go far without shoes on. 'He decided he wanted to step into a mound of what he thought was dirt. It was fire ants, and since then he doesn't like to get his feet in the dirt. He likes to have his shoes and socks on,' he told WTVF. Rogers was also confused about why so little trace of his son could be found, saying there were 'missing pieces to the puzzle'. 'With the information that I've gotten from Sumner County and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the fact that dogs aren't 100 per cent they're not picking up his scent,' he said. 'One dog tracked him to a construction area over there and it just disappeared, and it's confusing. There are missing pieces to the puzzle, and I'm having difficulty solving this.' Searches were scaled back last week, and Rogers hoped a tip-off to police would help track his boy down. Rogers said Sebastian was not one to wander off, and due to an experience as a young boy would never go far without shoes on Searches were scaled back last week, and Rogers hoped a tip-off to police would help track his boy down The landfill police searched is believed to be where the trash from Sebastian's neighborhood went to on the day he went missing. Officials called the search of the landfill a 'precautionary measure to eliminate possible options and questions'. 'There is no specific information that indicates evidence related to the search for Sebastian may be there; rather it is an investigative, precautionary measure to eliminate possible options and questions,' they said. Sebastian's mother and stepfather, Katie and Chris Proudfoot, last week said they felt overwhelming 'helpless and hopeless' grief. The parents detailed the circumstances surrounding Sebastian's disappearance: 'Everything was pretty normal. He was playing in his room. 'When I told him to go to bed, he did. He said: 'Goodnight, mom. I love you.' On March 7, deputies from the Sumner County Sheriff's Office and the Kentucky State Police begun searching a landfill in Hopkins County, Kentucky, in hopes of finding evidence Police and volunteers spent the past two weeks searching nearby woods blasting Eye of the Tiger, which is Sebastian's favorite song Given how normal everything was, it came as a complete shock to Katie Proudfoot when she went to wake her son up for school and 'he wasn't there.' They don't know what would have prompted their son to disappear into the woods in Hendersonville, Tennessee, which lies on the outskirts of Nashville. The day before, Sebastian, who loves games and has been described as 'smart,' had been 'laughing' and 'joking.' Sebastian's mother pointed out that it would make 'more sense if we'd been fighting'. 'He hadn't even been in trouble,' Sebastian's stepfather observed. Katie Proudfoot explained to the interviewer how about three minutes after she found Sebastian's bed empty, she knew something was wrong. She called her husband, who was at work in Memphis, and told him that Sebastian wasn't in the house. The boy's mother searched for him everywhere, running 'all over the house, outside, inside.' She looked for him in every closet. Sebastian's mother and stepfather, Katie and Chris Proudfoot, said they felt overwhelming 'helpless and hopeless' grief following the disappearance of their 15-year-old son His parents don't know what would have prompted Sebastian to disappear into the woods in Hendersonville, Tennessee, which lies on the outskirts of Nashville They called the Sherriff's Office and made a report, and the authorities responded within minutes. She said: 'It was rapid fire. They had cars from here down to the [main] road.' An amber alert was issued, and state and local forces deployed helicopters, drones, boats, horses, and search-and-rescue dogs. Hundreds of trained professionals and volunteers descended en masse to look for Sebastian, combing through 2,000 miles of terrain on foot. Among the professionals, there were even mountain and cave experts. At one point, a drone was rigged with a speaker that was playing 'Eye of the Tiger' on a loop. The Rocky theme is Sebastian's favorite song, and authorities were hoping the song might lure him out of the woods if he was hiding. Throughout their interview, Sebastian's parents continued to be resolutely optimistic, and a note of sincere hope underpinned their answers. 'He's gonna walk through that door, and the street will be flooded again with family and relatives all waiting to hug him and love him,' Sebastian's stepfather said. After pausing for a moment, Sebastian's mother added: 'That boy's gonna have more friends than he knows what to do with when he comes home' Two detectives who have been investigating the 43 student teachers who were abducted and killed in 2014 in Mexico are now missing, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador revealed Tuesday. Suay Dominguez, 30, and Enrique Linares, 40, were last seen Sunday in Cuernavaca, a capital of the central state of Morelos. The federal agents, who are assigned to the Attorney General's Office criminal investigation agency, were traveling to the Pacific coast state of Guerrero to investigate the death student teacher Yanqui Gomez, 23, who was shot by the police last Thursday in Ayotzinapa. Lopez Obrador said that a search effort was underway to find Dominguez and Linares. 'I hope this is not related to those who do not want us to find the youths,' the leftist leader told reporters during Tuesday's daily press briefing at the National Palace in Mexico City. Suay Dominguez is one of two Mexican federal detectives who have been missing since Sunday when they traveled from the central state of Morelos to the Pacific coast state of Guerrero to investigate last Thursday's police shooting death of Yanqui Peralta, a student teacher Federal detective Enrique Linares (pictured) and his fellow partner Suay Dominguez are assigned to the Attorney General's Office criminal investigation agency. They have been investigating the September 2014 abduction and murder of 43 student teachers in Iguala, a city in the Pacific coast of Guerrero The disappearances of Dominguez and Linares were the latest signs of what appeared to be a generalized breakdown in law and order in Guerrero state, home to the resort of Acapulco. The state has been dogged for a decade by the case of 43 students from the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers' College who were allegedly abducted by cops in the municipality of Iguala on September 26, 2014 and turned over to a drug gang to be killed. Students at that college, located in Tixtla, north of Acapulco, have a long history of demonstrating and clashing with police. Peralta was shot dead in what police said was a confrontation with him and three other students after they were stopped in a vehicle that had been reported stolen. The Guerrero State Attorney General's Office said the students refused to get out of the car and were the first ones to open fire before the cops responded. During Tuesday's press briefing at the National Palace in Mexico City, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador confirmed the disappearance of two detectives assigned to the Morelos State Attorney General's Office One of the police officers involved in that shooting had been detained and placed under investigation in the case, after the president described the shooting as 'an abuse of authority' and confirmed the dead student had not fired any gun. Lopez Obrador acknowledged Tuesday that the state police officer detained in the case had escaped from state custody before being turned over to federal prosecutors. The president suggested that Guerrero state police had not properly guarded their colleague, saying arrest 'protocols had not been followed.' The 43 missing male students are believed to have been killed and burned by drug gang members. Dominguez and Linares formed part of a team of agents who have spent years trying to find where the students remains had been dumped. Authorities have been able to identify burned bone fragments of only three of the 43 missing students. The work largely involves searching for clandestine body dumping grounds in rural, isolated parts of the state where drug cartels are active. So dominant are the drug cartels in Guerrero that videos posted on social media this week showed drug gang enforcers brutally beating bus drivers in Acapulco for failing to act as lookouts for the cartel. One video showed a presumed gang enforcer dealing more than a dozen hard, open-hand slaps to a driver and calling him an 'animal,' and demanding he check in several times a day with the gang. In testimony before a U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee this week, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, Avril Haines, acknowledged 'there are parts of the country that are effectively under the control of the cartels in certain respects.' The escape of the accused police officer and the disappearance of the two detectives came as tensions flared between Lopez Obrador and the families of the missing students, who accuse him of not doing enough to investigate the fate of their sons. Last Wednesday, demonstrators supporting the families of the missing students were able to use a pickup truck to break down the wooden doors of the National Palace, where Lopez Obrador lives and works. The protesters battered down the doors and entered the colonial-era palace before they were driven off by security agents. Lopez Obrador called the protests a provocation, and claimed the demonstrators had sledgehammers, powerful slingshots and blowtorches. He has complained about the involvement of human rights groups, who he claimed have prevented him from speaking directly to the parents of the missing students. Hur was on the hill to testify on his investigation into Biden's mishandling of classified information after his report was released in February Squad member and Missouri Congresswoman Cori Bush blasted former President Donald Trump calling him 'white supremacist in chief' during a hearing into President Biden's mishandling of classified documents and slammed her Republican colleagues on the hill. Bush's blistering remarks came as Special Counsel Robert Hur appeared before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday to testify about his Biden investigation which was detailed in a report released last month. 'Republicans have used the special counsel's report to further their longstanding efforts to reelect, reelect the former white supremacist in chief Donald Trump,' Bush said. She went on that Trump 'faces 40 criminal charges related to the mishandling of classified documents including obstruction of justice.' Trump is being investigated by Special Counsel Jack Smith who brought charges against the former president last year after classified documents were found at Mar-a-Lago. Hur was appointed to investigate Biden's handling of classified documents found at Biden's home and office. His report declined to bring charges against Biden but described the president as an elderly old man with 'poor memory' raising questions. Rep. Bush of Missouri blasted Trump during the hearing into Biden's mishandling of classified information and slammed her GOP colleagues for hypocrisy over their support for Trump Trump faces 40 charges for mishandling classified info after documents were removed from his Mar-a-Lago home. Democrats argue the case against Trump is different from Biden's because he tried to obstruct the investigation In her scathing four-minute statement, Bush went down a list of how the Trump classified documents case was different from Biden's. 'He refused to turn over classified documents in his possession to the National Archives,' Bush said of Trump. 'He is on tape sharing documents he said he could have declassified when he was president.' Bush went on that Trump 'wrongly claimed in an interview that the Presidential Records Act allows him to do whatever he wants and he was allowed to do everything he did. He also said on his right-wing social media platform, "I'm allowed to do all of this."' Bush argued that unlike Trump, Biden complied with the investigation and turned over classified material while Trump continues to admit to having the classified documents on the campaign trail. The progressive lawmaker condemned the hearing, stating it was 'not a good faith oversight effort' but the latest in a long line of 'destructive' and 'dysfunctional' actions taken by the Republican majority that doesn't 'care about responsible governance or making people's lives better.' Bush said mishandling classified information is a 'serious issue' and that the appointment of special counsels in both the Biden and Trump cases was 'appropriate' but slammed her GOP colleagues for how it was handled. Special Counsel Robert Hur testified before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday on his investigation into Biden's mishandling of classified material where Hur stood by his report released last month Biden giving remarks during a campaign stop in Manchester, NH on Monday. Progressive lawmaker Bush defended the president while blasting Republicans in a hearing on Tuesday At the same time, she criticized Republicans' focus on Biden's 'mental acuity' after the report highlighted the 81-year-old commander-in-chief forgetting key dates during his interview back in October. 'They have zero credibility to talk about mental acuity when they support Donald Trump,' Bush said. She pointed to examples where Trump, 77, appeared to mix up Biden and former President Obama as well as Nikki Haley and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She also highlighted how Trump has mispronounced words like Venezuela, respected and the United States. 'It is deeply hypocritical for anyone who champions this man for the presidency to talk about the mental acuity of anyone else,' Bush said visibly disgusted. She called Trump one of the 'worst presidents of all time.' Bush has been an open critic of President Biden. Most recently, she has been extremely vocal in her calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. She wore a keffiyeh to Biden's State of the Union address, held the sign 'lasting ceasefire now' and noticeably withheld applause. Rep. Bush (right) holding a 'lasting ceasefire now' sign during Biden's State of the Union address. She acknowledged disagreements with Biden but argued her disagreements were over policy Bush acknowledged in her remarks on Tuesday that she has disagreements with Biden on issues. 'My concerns are rooted in the desire to resolve policy matters and help him take better positions that save more lives,' Bush said. She called for lawmakers to focus on policy and proving the lives of constituents. 'Our country deserves better than all of this,' Bush said gesturing to the classified documents hearing. She called the hearing a distraction and a 'irresponsible and easily repudiated Republican clown show.' A North Carolina mother has been charged with involuntarily manslaughter after killing her baby accidentally by co-sleeping while stoned a year after her oldest child died 'in the same way.' Mackenzie Katlyn Reed, 24, was arrested and charged with felony child abuse and involuntary manslaughter after her baby, Zhen, who died on October 3 2023. According to police, he is the second baby in the family to die that way. Police were called to her home in Wilmington, North Carolina, for an 'unconscious infant who was not breathing' and police found that 'the infants mother, Mackenzie Reed, was co-sleeping with the infant and during the night she suffocated her child.' Lt Greg Willett said: 'The year prior, in 2022, Reed had another child who died that she had been co-sleeping with as well.' Reed said she could not believe 'she had done this a second time,' according to a police report obtained by StarNews. A photo from the Facebook profile appearing to belong to Mackenzie Reed Mackenzie Katlyn Reed of Wilmington is charged with involuntary manslaughter and child abuse/neglect causing serious physical injury Baby Zhen (left) died in October 2023, a year after baby Justin (right). Police say both died while co-sleeping Police were called to the 800 block of Castle Street in Wilmington just after 2:30 am on October 3 after receiving a call about an unconscious infant. They attempted to revive the baby but were unsuccessful. Officers then began an 'in-depth investigation'. A police report seen by StarNews said that 'the mother was smoking THC and using THC gummies during the day and evening.' The complaint says Reed had fed the infant around midnight before falling asleep with him beside her. Reed mourned both her sons on social media while asking 'why is this happening to me again?' Then when the baby's twin started crying, the father woke to find the baby face down in bed, with Reed's arm across him and his 'face in a blanket.' 'The year prior, in 2022, Reed had another child who died that she had been co-sleeping with as well.' Reed was arrested and charged with felony child abuse serious injury, involuntary manslaughter and child abuse/neglect serious physical injury on March 6. She is currently being held in jail under a $500,000 secured bond. It is unclear if she has entered a plea at this time. Two months after allegedly causing her son's death by co-sleeping while high, she posted a meme about weed 'not being your friend' On the day of the second baby's death, a Facebook profile appearing to belong to Reed posted: 'Why is this happening to me again my heart can't handle this.' It then shared links to a GoFundMe set up in memory of Zhen Clemmons, a baby who died on October 3. Lt Willett said: 'During the investigation, it was discovered that the infants mother, Mackenzie Reed, was co-sleeping with the infant and during the night she suffocated her child. The GoFundMe reads: 'A tragedy for many but a triumph for the heavens, God unexpectedly called his beloved son, Zhen Clemmons home on October 3, 2023. 'No person is ever prepared for the loss of a loved one, especially the loss of a child whose life was just beginning. This is no different for the family of little Zhen. 'Earthside, he leaves behind two loving parents and three brothers, all who must learn to navigate this world without him on top of facing all the other hardships that follow loss. 'To help alleviate these hardships and allow his loved ones the time and space to grieve, we ask the public to rally in support behind them.' DailyMail.com contacted Wilmington Police Department for comment. The judge who ruled a convicted sex offender should be granted asylum in the UK must release their judgement to avoid damage to public trust, an MP has warned. Documents relating to Clapham chemical attack suspect Abdul Ezedi's case remain unavailable for public scrutiny, a month after requests from the press to disclose them. The Daily Mail contacted the First-Tier Tribunal's Immigration and Asylum Chamber after a manhunt was launched to find Ezedi, in February. In spite repeated requests by the press for the tribunal to provide the judgement in Ezedi's case as well as evidence submitted by his legal team the tribunal is so far yet to respond. Last night MP Tim Loughton, a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee, warned the delay in providing the documents risked undermining confidence in the tribunal system. MP Tim Loughton, a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee, warned the delay in providing the documents risked undermining confidence in the tribunal system Documents relating to Clapham chemical attack suspect Abdul Ezedi's case remain unavailable for public scrutiny, a month after requests from the press to disclose them He called on the tribunal to 'pull their finger out' on what was a matter 'of clear public interest'. Mr Loughton said: 'They need to pull their finger out. Clearly there's a very strong public interest in how this man was able to stay in the UK for as long as he did and why the thresholds for the tribunal service were much lower, it would appear, than with the Home Office. 'In order to get to the bottom of where the system is not working there is a clear public interest in full publication around Abdul Ezedi's status and the history of his time in the UK. 'There must be a much greater sense of urgency to get to the bottom of this before we have further similar tragic cases.' Since the media applied for the documents, the Metropolitan Police have confirmed Ezedi's death after his body was pulled from the river Thames. Ezedi was twice refused leave to remain in the UK by the Home Office he was convicted of sexual assault and exposure in 2018. But he appealed the decision to the First-Tier Tribunal, which granted him asylum in either 2021 or 2022 after Ezedi's conversion to Christianity. All hearings heard by the tribunal are held in public unless there are specific exceptions. The tribunal can order that certain documents cannot be disclosed, although in Ezedi's case the tribunal has not confirmed whether it has done so. According to the Home Office, as of June 2023 there were 215,500 cases in the asylum system, the highest since its records began in 2011. The figure was nearly three times the size of that in 2014. The majority of those in the asylum system were waiting for an initial decision on their application some 138,100 people. Around 36,000 had an outstanding appeal, while 41,200 were subject to removal. His Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service declined to comment. An appeal hearing was held Tuesday in New York for British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, who listened on the phone during the 20-minute hearing Ghislaine Maxwell will take her case to the Supreme Court if she loses her appeal of her 2021 sex trafficking conviction that led to a 20-year sentence, her lawyers said today. Attorney Arthur Aidala said that Maxwell would fight on because her case could 'put a stake in the heart of the trust' between citizens and their government if she loses. Aidala said that the US government agreed not to prosecute Maxwell as part of a deal with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein in 2008 and it couldn't just 'rip it up.' Maxwell's legal team said it was 'cautiously optimistic' after the hearing before a three-judge panel in New York, who reserved their decision. Lawyers for the disgraced British socialite are seeking to overturn her conviction for sex trafficking for luring girls as young as 14 to Epstein. She is serving 20 years in jail at a prison in Tallahassee, Florida, with a release date of 2037, should her appeal fail. An appeal hearing was held today in New York for British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, who listened on the phone during the 20-minute hearing Maxwell's lawyers said she will take her case all the way to the Supreme Court if she loses her appeal Maxwell's close relationship with Epstein was well-documented in public over the years, yet she still denies having knowledge of the dead financier's crimes Aidala was appearing at the Second Circuit appeal court in New York in the same courthouse where Maxwell was put on trial. Maxwell, 62, listened in on a phone line to the 20-minute hearing. Speaking afterwards, Aidala said that Epstein's plea deal in 2008, under which he served just 15 months in jail for soliciting underage girls for prosecution, gave immunity for Maxwell under a provision related to co-conspirators. Maxwell's lawyer Arthur Aidala said he was 'cautiously optimistic' after the hearing before a three-judge panel, who reserved their decision Aidala said that the deal with Florida prosecutors referred to the 'United States' which he said referred to prosecutors in the entire country. That made it unfair when Maxwell was brought to trial by prosecutors in New York in 2020, after Epstein hanged himself while awaiting his own trial. 'You can't rip up an agreement between the government and its citizens', Aidala said. Aidala said that Maxwell was 'very optimistic' that her appeal would win and he called her a 'very intelligent' woman who was helping with the case. If they lose the appeal they would go to the Supreme Court because 'it's not just about Ghislaine, it's about the whole system' Aidala said. 'It puts a stake in the heart of the trust that goes between (the government) and the citizens of this country' In court, Diana Fabi Samson, another of Maxwell's lawyers, said that the US government made a 'promise' to Maxwell with Epstein's plea agreement. She called Epstein's plea deal 'weird' and 'very unusual' and said that if the prosecution did not it would put a 'dagger in the heart of the trust between the government and its citizens.' Judge Raymond Lohier challenged Fabi Samson that a Department of Justice manual said that non prosecution agreements should be the 'opposite' of what she was suggesting, meaning Maxwell could have been prosecuted. Fabi Samson replied that the agreement was 'not a shield to allow the government to get out of its promises'. Maxwell, who procured minors for sex offender and one-time boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein, is serving 20 years in jail at a prison in Tallahassee with a release date of 2037 Despite the appalling nature of her crimes, Maxwell and Epstein's social circle included Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew and other wealthy businessmen She also raised the idea that Epstein, who gave his associates millions of dollars in payments, may have selflessly wanted to avoid others being sent to jail. Epstein asked for immunity for his associates so 'no-one else would take the blame for what he did', Fabi Samson said. After the hearing she said that she felt 'cautiously optimistic' Maxwell would win. Sigrid McCawley, the lawyer for Annie Farmer, one of the Epstein victims who testified against Maxwell, said: 'It took far too many years for the Epstein survivors to get some small piece of deserved justice with Ghislaine Maxwells conviction and prison sentencing. 'Nothing in Maxwells appellate argument changes the fact that she does not get a free pass and her conviction should be upheld. Survivors deserve nothing less'. Maxwell's conviction marked an astonishing fall from grace for the daughter of the late and disgraced British media tycoon Robert Maxwell. Born into extreme privilege, Maxwell began dating Epstein in the early 1990s after her father's mysterious death on his yacht in the Canary Islands upended her world. During her trial prosecutors described how she acted as the boss of Epstein's Florida mansion where she would ensure a constant supply of teenage girls were available for 'massages'. Despite the appalling nature of her crimes, Maxwell and Epstein socialized in rarefied circles and were friends with Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew and other wealthy businessmen. Early reports revealed how the disgraced British socialite struggled to cope with her new life behind bars, refusing to eat and complaining bitterly to prison authorities that her clothes didn't fit Since arriving at FCI Tallahassee, Maxwell has reportedly begun teaching an etiquette class and has been doing regular Pilates and yoga sessions During Maxwell's trial she was detained in the grim Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. She complained bitterly about her treatment and said she lost weight, her hair began falling out and that guards woke her up every 20 minutes shining a light into her cell. Since arriving at FCI Tallahassee, Maxwell has reportedly begun teaching an etiquette class and has been doing regular Pilates and yoga sessions. A keen runner, she has been seen running round the outdoors track at the prison as she tries to keep fit. Maxwell, who is known as prisoner 02879-509, has also been using the four languages she knows to help other inmates understand their legal documents. Among those she has reportedly grown close to are Narcy Novack, a 'sadistic' woman serving life for orchestrating the murders of her millionaire husband and his mother. Epstein was due to go on trial before Maxwell but killed himself in custody in August 2019 before his case could be heard. A California judge has set an August 2025 trial date for infamous director Roman Polanski in a civil cased filed by a woman who claimed he raped her in 1973. Polanski has faced numerous sexual assault allegations in the United States but has flouted prosecution after fleeing to Europe in 1978 on the eve of sentencing for raping a 13 year-old. The lawsuit, filed by a different woman anonymized as Jane Doe, claims the director raped her when she was a child at his home in Benedict Canyon, reported KYMA. At a press conference on Tuesday, her attorney Gloria Allred said Polanski was served with the lawsuit at his Paris home. 'It took me a really long time to decide this suit against Mr. Polanski,' the plaintiff said at the press conference. A California judge has sent an August 2025 trial date for infamous director Roman Polanski in a civil cased filed by a woman (right) who claimed he raped her in 1973 'It took me a really long time to decide this suit against Mr. Polanski,' the plaintiff said at the press conference Allred said Polanski was served with the lawsuit at his Paris home. Allred said Polanski would not have to attend the civil trial in person, but could appear virtually if need Allred said Polanski would not have to attend the civil trial in person, but could appear virtually if need. 'He is not coming back, but this is a civil lawsuit. He does not have to appear,' Allred said. 'We are going to depose him. At least that's our intention at this time, that could change.' The woman first came forward at a press conference with Allred in August 2017, reported Variety. According to the lawsuit filed last year, 'Plaintiff remembers waking up in Defendant's bed with him lying in the bed next to her,' the lawsuit said. 'He told her that he wanted to have sex with her. Plaintiff, though groggy, told Defendant 'No.' She told him, 'Please don't do this.''' Deadline reported Polanski's attorney, Alexander Rufus-Isaacs said, 'Mr. Polanski strenuously denies the allegations made against him in the lawsuit and believes that the proper place to try this case is in the courts.' Polanski is wanted in the United States over the rape of a 13-year-old in 1977 and faces several other accusations of alleged sexual assault dating back decades and past the statute of limitations - all claims he has rejected. British actress Charlotte Lewis, who is suing Polanski for defamation recently broke down in tears in a Paris criminal court as she described how he allegedly raped her before launching a 'defamation campaign' to discredit the allegations. Polanski has faced numerous sexual assault allegations in the United States but has flouted prosecution after fleeing to Europe in 1978 British actress Charlotte Lewis, who is suing Polanski for defamation recently broke down in tears in a Paris criminal court as she described how he allegedly raped her before launching a 'defamation campaign' to discredit the allegations Lewis, 56, said Polanski attacked her as a teenager before trying to portray her as a child prostitute after she went public with the allegations on the first day of her libel trial against the 90-year-old in the French capital. Waiving her legal right to anonymity, Ms Lewis said: 'It's a defamation campaign against me that has lasted since 2010. It almost destroyed my whole life.' Lewis claims she was attacked on the first night she met Polanski, when she was auditioning for his 1986 film 'Pirates' in Paris. She first made the allegations of sexual assault in 2010, which were dismissed as a 'heinous lie' by Polanski years later. In court today, Ms Lewis said Polanski tried to present her as a child prostitute, with significant consequences for her reputation and social life. It was the first time that Polanski, a married father of two, has faced court justice since running away from America in 1977 after pleading guilty to having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl. The woman accused of breaking into Robert De Niros $69,000-per-month rented NYC townhouse to steal Christmas presents is in a residential treatment program where she is 'doing well.' Shanice Aviles, 31, was allegedly caught inside the actors home on December 18, 2022, and charged with burglary and possession of burglar tools. De Niro was asleep upstairs at the time of the incident and he was woken up by the commotion. He went downstairs and saw Aviles being arrested. She appeared in New York Supreme Criminal Court on Tuesday for a hearing where Judge Zhuo Wang congratulated her on her progress in rehab. Aviles was released from Rikers Island in May on $40,000 bail following the break-in at De Niros home but she was arrested again in June and July over other alleged thefts. The woman accused of breaking into Robert De Niro s $69,000-per-month rented townhouse to steal Christmas presents is in a residential treatment program Shanice Aviles, 31, was allegedly caught inside the actors home on December 18, 2022 She was charged with burglary and possession of burglar tools De Niro was asleep upstairs at the time of the incident and he was woken up by the commotion before he went downstairs and saw Aviles being arrested Aviles entered a residential treatment program on January 16 and a report on her progress was read out in court. 'Program records show she is compliant with all the rules and protocols,' it stated and a one-month certificate of her stay was produced. 'Congratulations,' Judge Wang said before she received a round of applause. 'Sounds like you are doing really well. We want to encourage you to do what you are doing which is engaging in treatment. Keep up the great work.' Wang scheduled Aviles next court date for May 14 where he will continue to evaluate her rehab progress. Aviles previously said the cops had no right to press charges against her over the De Niro incident and wanted an opportunity to apologize to the Oscar winner. She told the New York Post in an interview from Riker's Island in December 2022 that her arrest 'felt like a set up.' Through tears, Aviles said: 'I love his movies, all of them! My mother, my grandmother, my grandfather, we all used to watch them. I would love to apologize to him. Aviles previously said the cops had no right to press charges against her over the De Niro incident and wanted an opportunity to apologize to the Oscar winner. Pictured: De Niro with partner Tiffany Chen Aviles was released from Rikers Island in May on $40,000 bail following the break-in at De Niros home but she was arrested again in June and July over other alleged thefts Investigators said that Aviles was attempting to steal presents from beneath the Goodfellas' star's Christmas tree 'Im being held here on burglary burglary! I didnt take any of his stuff. I didnt have any of his stuff on me.' Investigators said that Aviles was attempting to steal presents from beneath the Goodfellas star's Christmas tree. When police arrived, they allegedly found her trying to place gifts into a bag and playing around on the actor's iPad. Aviles said she was coming home from her brother's house in Long Island City when she noticed that a door to the townhouse was ajar, which leads her to believe that she was set up by the cops. Police said there were signs of forced entry and that she made her way into the building via a basement door. They also say that they tracked Aviles attempting to open other doors in the area. Aviles said of De Niro, 'People have said hes mean, that hes not a nice guy, but I think hes a good guy. He couldve made some calls and made my bail a lot more.' Shortly after being taken into custody, Aviles told reporters gathered outside of the 19th precinct, 'I didn't go to Robert De Niro's house... I didn't murder anybody!' When police arrived, they allegedly found her trying to place gifts into a bag and playing around on the actor's iPad Prior to her arrest, Aviles was wanted for a string of other burglaries, and has been arrested 26 times before, including 15 times just this year Prior to her arrest, Aviles was already on the NYPD's radar. She was wanted for a string of other burglaries, and has been arrested 26 times before, including 15 times just this year. Police said they were following her in the early hours of the morning and watched her make numerous attempts to enter commercial buildings in the area. Aviles was allegedly seen trying a few doors before she slipped away around a corner. By the time the officers caught up with her they noticed a door to a townhouse was open. Police do not think that Aviles knew she was entering the home of the man regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time. She was released from Rikers in May before she was rearrested on June 5 for allegedly stealing $416 worth of goods from a TJ Maxx. Aviles was then brought back to court where she was placed on electronic monitoring but on July 8 she was charged with burglary and criminal mischief for allegedly breaking into Columbia Teachers College. Prosecutors claimed she tried to steal electronics and hit a security guard. The White House on Tuesday insisted the case against President Joe Biden in his handling of classified documents is 'closed' and 'it's time to move on.' 'There is no case. The case is closed. It's time to move on,' spokesman Ian Sams said after special counsel Robert Hur spent hours testifying about his findings before the House Judiciary Committee. But Hur rejected claims from Democrats he had 'completely exonerated' Biden by not charging him with mishandling classified documents during his fiery appearance in Congress. 'I did not exonerate him,' Hur said and noted the word 'exoneration' did not appear in the report. Hur was investigating how classified documents ended up in an office formerly used by Biden and in his home in Wilmington, Del . Hur, who was appointed to the position by Attorney General Merrick Garland, concluded there was insufficient evidence to charge Biden with a crime. 'There is no case. The case is closed. It's time to move on,' White House spokesman Ian Sams (above) said But the White House argued Hur found Biden innocent, charged House Republicans with holding a politically-motivated event to help Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, and urged the other side to move on to other things like funding the government. 'When a prosecutor spends 15 months investigating a case only to determine that there is no case here and that there will be no charges, and that the case is closed, it only affirms the innocence of the president,' Sams said. 'President Biden's been cleared, that's the whole decision that was made by the prosecutor.' Sams claimed the hearing was merely politics to help Trump, who faces federal charges related to his handling of classified documents. FBI agents found a trove of classified documents in Mar-a-Lago when they raided the former president's Palm Beach home. 'House Republicans tried to make it a big deal. They want to attack the president politically. They're making it very obvious that they're trying to help the former president. And it's a failure. We need to work on the things that actually matter for the American people. We need to work on getting aid to Ukraine, we need to work on securing our border. We need to work on a spending package that avoids a shutdown next week.' During the hearing, Hur faced attacks from Republicans for concluding Biden hadn't done anything to warrant charges against him. And Democrats attacked the special counsel for his attacks on Biden's memory. His report described the 81-year-old Biden as 'a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.' During the hearing, Hur defended his findings on the president's state of mind, saying he could not make a decision on whether Biden's retaining of classified documents was 'willful' without considering his state of mind. 'My assessment relevant to the president's memory was necessary, accurate and fair.' 'I did not sanitize my assessment nor did I disparage the president unfairly,' said Hur. 'I had to explain why different facts require different outcomes,' he added, referring to Trump being charged for mishandling documents and Biden avoiding charges. ' Hur interviewed Biden at the White House on October 8th and 9th as part of his investigation. Special counsel Robert Hur was criticized by Democrats and Republicans during the hearing President Joe Biden was not charged in his handling of classified documents Special Counsel Robert Hur testified before the House Judiciary Committee A transcript of those interviews shows Biden could not remember the year his son Beau died and was often confused by the dates he served as vice president and about how classified documents ended up in his home. According to the transcript of the two-day interview reviewed by DailyMail.com, Biden brought up Beau's death in the context of a book he wrote published in 2017. 'What month did Beau die?' Biden asked to himself during the hours-long sit down. 'Oh God, May 30th,' he seemingly responded. But the president had to be reminded about the year in which his oldest son died because he could not remember. A White House attorney stepped in to state that the year of Beau's death was 2015. 'Was it 2015 he died?' Biden again questioned out loud. The president then went on to ask if Donald Trump was elected in 2017, to which another White House attorney jumped in to correct him that it was 2016. The mix-up of Beau's death date during the interview directly contradicts Biden's fiery denial that it ever occurred. Hours after Hur put out his scathing report on February 9, where he said Biden couldn't remember the day his son died, Biden engaged in a furious tirade from the White House saying 'I know what the hell I am doing!' and insisting that 'my memory is fine.' 'How in the hell dare he raise that?' Biden fumed. 'Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself: it wasn't any of their damn business.' But the transcript reveals that it was, in fact, Biden who brought up Beau in the first place - not Hur. The mix-up of Beau's death date during the interview directly contradicts Biden's fiery denial that it ever occurred An image from the Biden classified documents report showing a damaged box where classified documents were found in the garage of President Biden in 2022 White House spokesman Ian Sams argued Biden was asked about it in conjection with the 2017 book he had written about Beau's death: 'Promise Me Dad.' 'Anybody who's familiar with this president's powerful story, emotional story of overcoming that loss, and finding a new purpose and trying to keep going for the country to try to save our democracy and move our country forward. Anybody who's familiar with that story from the president will understand that the President is going to talk about his son Beau,' Sams said. 'And I think the transcript makes plainly clear, and I think the American people understand this. The President remembers exactly when his son died. He carries that pain with him every day. He carries that emotional toll with him every day.' House Republicans are setting up the next tension point with the Justice Department, demanding the release of audio recordings related to special counsel Robert Hur's classified documents probe and his five hour interview with President Biden. Multiple GOP lawmakers groused about the manner in which DOJ put out the 250-page printed transcript of Biden's interview, which they had been demanding. The agency provided it to Congress minutes before Tuesday's hearing featuring Hur. That had the effect of burying the information amid the media focus on the televised event where Hur testified Tuesday. But House Judiciary Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) asked Hur why Congress shouldn't also get the recordings related to his probe, which resulsted in a 388 page report. He asked Hur, who left government service Monday, if there was any reason 'why the American people and their representatives in United States Congress should not have access to those tapes? House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) pressed special counsel Robert Hur on whether the government would provide audio recordings provided to his classified documents probe Hur did't advocate one way or the other or commit to the government putting out the tapes, but made clear that his investigators relied on the audio in his probe. 'Chairman, what I can tell you is that my assessment that went into my conclusions that I described, my report was based not solely on the transcript, it was based on all of the evidence, including the audio recordings,' said Hur, a Donald Trump employee who testified that he was a registered Republican when Democratic Rep. Hank Johnson tried to cast him as a partisan who was angling for a new job. Jordan pushed again, asking 'shouldn't the United States Congress have access to that same information?' 'It is not for me to weigh into what information Congress should or should not have,' said Hur, who again said recordings were part of the evidence he considered. He said it was up to the Justice Department and cited his departure from the agency. Tuesday's televised hearings also featured testimony from Hur about Biden's taped conversations with his ghostwriter. Special Counsel Robert Hur said his report was 'based on all of the evidence, including the audio recordings,' when asked why Congress shouldn't receive them Hur's report included explosive information about President Biden's memory House Republicans, including Jordan and Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) are demanding audio recordings related to Hur's probe Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz complained that ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer, who provided transcripts of conversations with Biden where classified information came up, didn't get charged after deleting tapes of their conversations. 'What does somebody have to do to get charged with obstruction of justice by you?' Gaetz asked Hur. Hur in his report says that Zwonitzer's actions, 'including the production to the special counsel of transcripts that mention classified information suggest that his decision to delete the recordings was not aimed at concealing those materials from investigators.' He also sat for voluntary interviews and did not invoke his Fifth Amendment rights. If Republicans are able to force production of tapes of Biden's interviews, it could provide additional news cycles of coverage, or potentially provide new or embarrassing information. The printed transcript makes several references to Biden comments that are 'indiscernible.' Tens of thousands of migrants with failed asylum applications will be offered money to voluntarily move to Rwanda under new legislation proposed by the government. A new agreement made between the UK and Rwandan government means that migrants could choose to be sent to Rwanda when they have no legal right to remain in the UK but cannot return to their home country. Tens of thousands of people in the UK have had their asylum application rejected and the arrangement would be open to them meaning thousands of migrants could be removed. It will use the existing voluntary returns system and schemes that offer up to 3,000 in assistance for failed asylum seekers to return to their country of origin, The Times reported. A new agreement made between the UK and Rwandan government means that migrants could choose to be sent to Rwanda when they have no legal right to remain in the UK but cannot return to their home country. Pictured: Rishi Sunak Tens of thousands of people in the UK have had their asylum application rejected and the arrangement would be open to them meaning thousands of migrants could be removed. Pictured: Migrants crossing the English Channel The new deal will also make use of the agreement made with Rwanda that has been set back by legal issues. First announced in 2022, the Rwanda scheme was originally declared as unlawful by the UK Supreme Court. The government has since developed a Safety of Rwanda Bill that aims to declare Rwanda as a safe country and is part of Rishi Sunak's pledge to 'stop the boats'. Last month, Michael Tomlinson defended the Conservative party's policy and said flights of asylum seekers will be sent to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, 'as soon as possible'. However, the new agreement is different from the deportation to Rwanda scheme and is the first of its kind kind with migrants being paid to go to a country that is not their place of origin. A source told the Times how the UK has never done voluntary relocations to a 'safe third country before'. The government believes this new scheme is legal due to the voluntary nature of the moves. Housing and support, including help in accessing training and work, will be offered by Rwanda to those who voluntarily go. Although migrants with failed asylum seeker applications who do not accept the offer will not be able to claim benefits, work or be offered accommodation. Immigration officials will be prepared to encourage those who's application is rejected to move to Rwanda. No date has been set for the voluntary moves to begin. It comes after the Home Office rejected 30,967 asylum applications last year and there were 19,253 voluntary returns. This is a decrease since the Conservatives have been in power from from 31,762 in 2010. Enforced returns fell from 13,928 in 2010 to 6,393 last year. The new agreement is different from the deportation to Rwanda scheme and is the first of its kind kind with migrants being paid to go to a country that is not their place of origin Pictured: Mr Tomlinson speaking on BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg last month The cost of the Rwanda scheme doubled to almost 300million, despite never being used, the Home Office revealed in December last year. A Home Office spokesman said: 'In the last year, 19,000 people were removed voluntarily from the UK and this is an important part of our efforts to tackle illegal migration. 'We are exploring voluntary relocations for those who have no right to be here to Rwanda, who stand ready to accept people who wish to rebuild their lives and cannot stay in the UK. 'This is in addition to our Safety of Rwanda Bill and Treaty which, when passed, will ensure people who come to the UK illegally are removed to Rwanda.' It may look at first glance like the plans for a luxury housing development. But these pictures showcase the UKs first state-of-the-art heroin shooting gallery, due to open its doors in Scotlands biggest city as early as this summer. At a cost of around 2.3million a year, construction has started on the facility in Gallowgate, Glasgow, where users will be able to take heroin under medical supervision in a bid to prevent overdoses turning fatal. Designs show the building will feature eight injecting booths and a large aftercare area, including a cafe, seating and possibly a TV. The facility which will also offer drug users showers, clean clothes and phone calls aims to provide dignity and a safe space to addicts. As well as a seating area with cafe, the facility will have several booths for safely injecting heroin Users will be able to take heroin under medical supervision in a bid to prevent overdoses turning fatal But Tory MSP Sue Webber said: While a variety of solutions must be looked at to tackle Scotlands drug deaths crisis, SNP ministers cannot keep acting like drug consumption rooms are a silver bullet. Scotland has the worst drugs deaths rate in Europe by far, and once again on the SNPs watch they are heading in the wrong direction. Ministers must prioritise getting those suffering with addiction access to treatment wherever they need it. Glasgow City Council addiction services convener Allan Casey said he was overjoyed that work had started. He added: This has been many years and a lot of people putting in a lot of work to campaign and make a case for a safe consumption room. This is a huge milestone. McFarland has now vowed that a second version of the festival will take place later this year, in hopes to help pay back his debts Disgraced Fyre Festival founder Billy McFarland owes the IRS $7 million in back taxes, on top of a further $26 million owed to the victims of the festival. The 32-year-old told The U.S. Sun in an exclusive interview that still hopes for a second iteration of the festival, despite the mountain of debt he is dealing with. McFarland spent four years in prison for his part in defrauding investors into the failed music, having originally being sentenced to six years behind bars. According to the outlet, McFarland is also paying back $6,887,435 in back taxes to the IRS. He told the Sun: 'There's restitution, there's taxes, there's everything from the pre-Fyre days that we're working on.' In this March 6, 2018 file photo, Billy McFarland, the promoter of the failed Fyre Festival in the Bahamas, leaves federal court after pleading guilty to wire fraud charges in New York Fyre festival was cancelled on its opening day, leaving people stuck on the island without many basic amenities According to the 32-year-old, he is also living a more frugal lifestyle these days and is hopeful Fyre Festival 2 will help his financial woes He added: 'When I was in prison, I got a debit card form to pay like $7 million - in jail. I joked, where am I supposed to grab my debit card out of here with a $7 million bill? 'Restitution is around $26 million. And I pay that every month, so whatever I earn I go and literally give a physical check or pay online. 'Then there are various other people who are involved in Fyre one that I'm paying back on a monthly basis as well.' Despite the high figures, McFarland tells the outlet: 'It's all just numbers at this point.' According to the 32-year-old, he is also living a more frugal lifestyle these days and is hopeful Fyre Festival 2 will help his financial woes. McFarland added: '[Fyre Festival 2] is the most tangible way to repay the $26 million that I owe, and having real partners gives an opportunity in the next five to seven years, to actually pay back that $26 million. 'And unfortunately, no one's offering me $26 million to work somewhere else.' Last year he claimed that the first run of tickets for the festival had already sold out, with the event slated to take place in December of this year. McFarland attends ONE.1 Hosts Dinner to Celebrate the Opening of the Magnises Townhouse at Magnises, 22 Greenwich Ave on March 6, 2014 in New York City The event faced heavy criticism, with people arriving on the island of Great Exuma to find much less than they had anticipated Guests of the festival were left without places to stay or put their luggage and when the festival was canceled on day one, they were stranded McFarland was at the center of two different documentaries produced by Netflix and Hulu in 2019 McFarland was convicted of fraud in 2018 after selling 8000 tickets - with price tags between $1,000 - $12,000 - to the original botched Fyre Festival. It was cancelled on its opening day, leaving people stuck on the island without many basic amenities. One year later, McFarland pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and was sentenced to six years in prison, in addition to being ordered to pay back roughly $26million to his investors. He was also barred from ever serving either as an officer or director of a public company after tricking investors by altering a stock ownership statement to inflate the number of shares he purportedly owned in a publicly traded company to make it appear he could personally guarantee the investment. McFarland was released in March 2022. It took him just over a year to announce Fyre Festival II. Ticket holders, who thought they were heading to a 'luxury music festival' held on Pablo Escobar's former private island, were actually lured to a catastrophic event mired in issues with everything from food to accommodation. Guests - who paid as much as $13,000 for luxury packages - were left stranded, with unfinished shelter, no transportation, and no food aside from cheese sandwiches served out of polystyrene boxes, images of which quickly went viral. McFarland attends The 23rd Annual Watermill Center Summer Benefit & Auction at The Watermill Center on July 30, 2016 in Water Mill, NY Guests - who paid as much as $13,000 for luxury packages - were left with no food aside from cheese sandwiches served out of styrofoam boxes, images of which quickly went viral The initial Fyre Festival had seen McFarland team up with rapper Ja Rule to draw millions in investments, with the promise of putting on a first-of-its-kind luxury music festival event in the Bahamas with models, DJs, luxury dwellings and extravagant meals. McFarland paid the likes of Kendall Jenner to promote the event on Instagram who blasted promo content to lure people into buying tickets at thousands of dollars each. But the event faced heavy criticism, with people arriving on the island of Great Exuma to find much less than they had anticipated. Court documents described the scene as 'total disorganization and chaos.' The 'luxury accommodations' were FEMA disaster relief tents, the 'gourmet food' was barely passable cheese sandwiches served in styrofoam containers and the 'hottest musical acts' were nowhere to be seen. McFarland was the founder and CEO of Fyre Media, launched in 2016, which set out to build an app that would allow individuals organizing big events to bid for artist and celeb bookings. An exiled ally of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been attacked outside his Lithuanian home with a hammer and tear gas, it has emerged. Leonid Volkov, Navalny's close ally and top strategist, was attacked near his residence in Vilnius, Lithuania's capital city, on Tuesday night. The assailant smashed a window of Volkov's car, sprayed tear gas into his eyes and started hitting him with a hammer, Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said. Photos of Volkov's injuries revealed he suffered a black eye, a red mark on his forehead and bleeding on his leg, which had soaked through his jeans. Volkov is now at home and police and an ambulance are reportedly on the way. The attack comes almost a month after Navalny's death in an Arctic prison, which Volkov blamed directly on Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photos of Volkov's injuries revealed he suffered a black eye and a red mark on his forehead Leonid Volkov, (pictured in 2022) an ally of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been attacked outside his Lithuanian home with a 'hammer' and 'tear gas', it has emerged Volkov was a close ally of Alexei Navalny, (pictured during is 2017 trial in in the Tverskoy court of the city in Moscow) working as the late leader's ex-chief of staff and as chair of his Anti-Corruption Foundation until 2023 'Leonid Volkov has just been attacked outside his house,' Yarmysh said Tuesday night. 'Someone broke a car window and sprayed tear gas in his eyes, after which the attacker started hitting Leonid with a hammer.' She did not say where Volkov lived, but Russia's independent Mediazona news outlet said he was currently in Lithuania. The Delfi news website cited Lithuanian police as confirming that a 'Russian citizen was beaten outside his home' on Tuesday night. Volkov was a close ally of Navalny, working as the late leader's ex-chief of staff and as chair of his Anti-Corruption Foundation until 2023. Navalny had been jailed since January 2021, when he returned to Moscow to face certain arrest after recuperating in Germany from nerve agent poisoning he blamed on the Kremlin. His Foundation for Fighting Corruption and his regional offices were designated as 'extremist organisations' by the Russian government that same year. Volkov used to be in charge of the regional offices. He left Russia under pressure from the authorities. He also had bleeding on his leg, which had soaked through his jeans The assailant smashed a window of Volkov's car, (pictured) sprayed tear gas into his eyes and started hitting him with a hammer, Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said Navalny's death, reported by penitentiary officials on Feb. 16, sent shockwaves around the globe. Russian authorities say Navalny died in the Arctic prison of natural causes, but his wife Yulia Navalnaya has accused Putin of having him killed - an accusation the Kremlin vehemently rejects. Not long before he died, Navalny urged supporters to flock to the polls at noon on Sunday, the final day of voting, to demonstrate their discontent with the Kremlin. His allies have been actively promoting the strategy, dubbed 'Noon Against Putin,' in recent weeks. Last year, Volkov and his team launched a project called 'Navalny's Campaigning Machine,' with the goal of talking to as many Russians as possible, either by phone or online, and turning them against Putin ahead of the March 15 to 17 presidential election. Alexei Navalny is seen on a screen via a video link from the IK-3 penal colony above the Arctic circle during a hearing of his complaint on restrictions placed on which books and reading material he can access in prison, at the Supreme Court in Moscow on January 11, 2024 Opposition leader Alexei Navalny (centre) is detained by Russian police officers during a march to protest against the alleged impunity of law enforcement agencies in central Moscow on June 12, 2019 The attack on Volkov comes just one day after an United Nations (UN) human rights expert on Russia said Navalny's death was Moscow's responsibility, as he was either killed in prison or died from detention conditions that amounted to torture. 'So the Russian government is responsible, one way or another, for his death,' Mariana Katzarova said Monday on the sidelines of an event on Russian political prisoners at the UN in Geneva. She cited long periods of solitary confinement which she said amounted to about 300 days, which could have caused 'a slow death over several years'. Katzarova, who was appointed last year and has not yet been granted access to the country, also said other detainees in Russia could suffer the same fate as Navalny. She was 'very worried' about opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza. 'Ever since the death of Alexei Navalny, there is no day passing without asking myself, who is the next Navalny?' she said. 'And there will be a next Navalny, for sure, with this level of repression.' Navalny's death, reported by penitentiary officials on Feb. 16, sent shockwaves around the globe. His mother Lyudmila Navalnaya (left) pays last respects next to the open casket of her son at the Borisovskoye Cemetery, in Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 1, 2024 The mothers of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and his widow Yulia Navalnaya, Lyudmila and Alla, stand in front of Navalny's grave on March 2, 2024, the day after his funeral at Borisovskoye cemetery in Moscow Police detain a man trying to lay flowers to honour Alexei Navalny at a monument in St. Petersburg, Russia, to victims of Soviet repression, on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024 Katzarova, a Bulgarian former investigator for Amnesty International, is one of dozens of independent human rights experts mandated by the United Nations to report on specific themes or crises, though the only one reporting on one of the five states with a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Civil society groups say that around 600 to 1,000 political prisoners are being detained in Russia for voicing opposition to the Russian invasion of Ukraine or refusing to fight in it. Moscow rejects criticism of its domestic rights record. In her address at the UN meeting earlier, where Nobel Prize-winning Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov also spoke, Katzarova called for more pressure on Moscow to release political detainees and investigate Navalny's death. 'We cannot afford to just be insulted by the human rights situation in Russia,' she told the packed room of diplomats. 'It's up to you to take steps, real steps for the protection of these political prisoners.' More than 1,000 people have joined Reform UK after ex-Tory vice-chairman Lee Anderson's dramatic defection. The former Brexit Party which is polling as high as 14 per cent has seen a swell in support in recent months as voters lose faith in both the Tories and Labour. Mr Anderson's defection was seen as a warning shot to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak when it came to retaining voters in the Midlands and the North. Reform UK leader Richard Tice told GB News yesterday: 'A record number of over 1,000 new members joining Reform in one day is proof just how popular Lee Anderson is with many Red Wall voters. He will be such a powerful Red Wall champion for us.' Richard Tice, leader of Reform UK, left, and Lee Anderson, former Conservative member of parliament, during a news conference, announcing Anderson's defection to Reform UK Leader Richard Tice (left) was jubilant as he unveiled Mr Anderson as the new recruit It came as Mr Anderson made a low-key return to Parliament yesterday after defecting from the Tories on Monday. The Ashfield MP crossed the floor during a Budget debate yesterday and sat with George Galloway, the recently elected MP for Rochdale. But Mr Anderson did not speak in the debate and only remained in the Commons chamber for a few minutes before leaving. Earlier, he had taken part in a cross-party session for the Home Affairs select committee. Mr Anderson had the Conservative whip suspended last month after suggesting Islamists had 'got control' of London Mayor Sadiq Khan. He subsequently admitted he had been in talks with Reform UK 'for a while' and confirmed the switch on Monday. There will be no by-election in Ashfield, the MP confirmed, meaning he will remain as the constituency's representative until the general election later this year. Your browser does not support iframes. Mr Anderson had the Conservative whip suspended last month after suggesting Islamists had 'got control' of London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Pictured: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak He said he was 'prepared to gamble' on himself retaining the seat and said his opinions were 'shared by millions of people up and down the country'. Reform UK sources have suggested several more disillusioned Tories could follow Mr Anderson and defect in the next few months. Privately, Tory MPs have claimed that other Conservatives who have lost the whip could cross. The latest YouGov polling has Reform UK on 13 per cent of the vote just seven points behind the Tories. A Reform UK spokesman said earlier this week: 'There is a choice, the same old, technocratic failures of Westminster's monoparty. They see what happened today, and think, yes, here is something worth supporting.' A woman who travelled to Turkey to have a gastric band fitted suffered an agonising, horrific death after botched surgery, MPs have been told. Shannon Bowe, 28, was left convulsing for nine hours before she died after the operation went wrong. Ms Bowe, from Falkirk, was just one of 28 Britons who have died since 2019 following elective procedures abroad, foreign minister Leo Docherty told the Commons yesterday. Falkirk MP John McNally said far too many people had died after being operated on abroad, as he called for health tourism adverts to be banned. He said: Many gruesome deaths have occurred following cosmetic surgery in Turkey, including my own constituent, 28-year-old Shannon, whose family witnessed the most agonising, horrific death as Shannon lay on a table for some nine hours convulsing. Ms Bowe had travelled to Turkey in March 2023 to have the procedure, which involves placing a band around the stomach to cut food consumption. She died on April 1 following surgery. Shannon Bowe, 28, suffered an agonising, horrific death after botched surgery in Turkey Shannon side by side with her grieving boyfriend Ross Stirling Her heartbroken boyfriend Ross Stirling wrote in tribute: Sleep tight my angel, love you forever and always. Growing numbers of Scots are being forced into emergency NHS surgery after botched cosmetic procedures abroad. Medics warn that the trend to go overseas for procedures such as tummy tucks, breast surgery and facelifts is putting a significant burden on the NHS in Scotland. Trying to fix each bungled operation costs around 15,000 per patient, it has been estimated. The risks of cosmetic surgery include a lack of pre-operative assessments, and patients with health conditions being given the go-ahead overseas when they would not be allowed to undergo the procedure in the UK for safety reasons. Patients with complications including sepsis are being admitted for NHS emergency care every week. One person on average a week is being seen at a plastic surgery unit following cosmetic surgery complications, while three or four a month are seeing bariatric surgery specialists after botched gastric weight loss operations. Mr McNally yesterday called for more to be done to help prevent deaths like Ms Bowes. He told MPs: Not once, as far as Im aware, have Foreign Office ministers raised the issue of such needless deaths with Turkish government officials, and furthermore I believe a pitiful byline of travel advice on the Gov.UK website is simply not good enough. Will the minister investigate an advertising suspension regarding countries known for dangerous health tourism? Mr Docherty said: This is raised with our Turkish counterparts at many levels. We will always see what more we can do, but the head of mission in Ankara is very seized of the urgency and the importance of this and therefore working in close collaboration with the Turkish authorities. Ms Bowe was the latest Scot to fall victim to cosmetic tourism. Carole Keenan, 54, had a tummy tuck, Brazilian butt lift and abdominal repair in Turkey to make her stomach more defined. But as she travelled to a local hospital to receive a fit-to-fly home letter, she collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest. The grandmother from Glenrothes, Fife, died on April 20, 2022. EuroMillions winner Jane Park, 27, also fell victim to botched surgery. She ended up with suspected sepsis after suffering an allergic reaction to anaesthetic following cosmetic surgery in Istanbul in 2017. Detectives probing the murder of a former groundsman believe someone in the local community holds the key to catching his killer. Brian Low, 65, was shot on a secluded path near Aberfeldy, Perthshire, last month while walking his labrador Millie. His death on February 17 was initially dismissed as non-suspicious, with detectives taking six days to launch a murder inquiry and ten days to tell the Press and public. They have admitted crucial evidence may have been lost because the scene was not sealed earlier. Drivers and pedestrians are now being stopped and questioned. Detective Superintendent Lorna Ferguson, who described Mr Lows family as completely devastated and heartbroken, said there had been a number of additional lines of inquiry and it was important to remain open-minded about a possible motive in this case. Brian Law was shot dead and found next to his dog. His killer is still at large Forensics team at work at the scene in the Pitilie area on the outskirts of Aberfeldy Ms Ferguson said: We are confident the answer to this investigation lies within the local community. Somebody knows something. Even if you feel the information you hold is not important, we would still ask you to contact us. It could be crucial to getting the answers we need for Brians family. Mr Lows murder has sent shockwaves through the town, while the Police Investigation and Review Commissioner, the forces watchdog, is to probe Police Scotlands handling of the investigation. Mr Low had worked on Michael Campbells nearby Edradynate Estate for more than two decades up until last year. For an example of the obscenely skewed priorities of the government in Scotland, consider two case studies this week. They give the lie to the claim, much advanced by the SNP, that Scotland is starved of funding. They instead demonstrate that it is the lunatic choices of our ruling elites that lie behind the problems we face. Scotlands failings are Scottish-made. The first case study is a Glasgow-based charity called MCR Pathways. Set up 15 years ago by entrepreneur Iain MacRitchie, its aim was to provide something extra for children in the care system. These young people, Mr MacRitchie noticed, often had much poorer educational outcomes than those who had been brought up by their parents. His solution was to recruit a series of mentors who would volunteer to go into schools and support these children through their education. Creative Scotland has sparked major backlash after it awarded 84,555 to director Leonie Rae Gasson to develop film project Rein. From its early days in the East End of Glasgow, today MCR supports 15,000 young people across Scotland and the UK. Nearly nine of ten go on to college, university or a job (compared with just 50 per cent among care-experienced children who havent been mentored). Supported by funding from councils, its been a resounding success. Shock The second case study emerged at the weekend, with news that arts agency Creative Scotland has decided to fund an installation featuring hardcore sex acts. Developed by director Leonie Rae Gasson, Rein was awarded 85,000 to pay sex workers and other performers 270 a day to take part in snogging, vanilla sex, or more hardcore acts. In her pitch, prospective audience members were invited to come see the daddies lurking in the woods and a secret sex party. Tawdry doesnt do it justice. So, on the one hand we have a charity which seeks to advance the lot of our most vulnerable children. And on the other, an exploitative porn film that seems to want to shock for the sake of it. Incredibly, however, while Ms Gassons installation was approved for public funding in January (though since the storm over its content, Creative Scotland says it is reviewing that call), MCR Pathways own funding in Glasgow is being cut. It received 1million a year to fund its services in the city. Three weeks ago, however, staff employed by the charity were told the money was going, and their jobs with it. It turns out we are a nation where public money can be found to fund a porn film but not to support young people in care. Welcome to the Nationalist vision of modern Scotland. This is let us be clear the direct consequence of deliberate decisions by SNP ministers. While Creative Scotland will see its funding rise substantially this year, councils like Glasgow which says it must find savings of 100million over three years are being sold short by the centralist Scottish Government. As is often the case, its voluntary bodies like MCR which find themselves first in the line of fire. Hence we end up with the dismal state of affairs where a Glasgow success story is threatened by its own council. For me, this one is personal. Ive seen first-hand how the scheme gives young people the confidence and resilience they need. In some cases, it can make the difference between sticking it out at school or drifting away without qualifications. As an open letter signed by business leaders like Sandy Begbie of Scottish Financial Enterprise declared this week, removing this support will have a devastating impact on their education outcomes, job choices and life chances. The timing is almost beyond belief. Four years after the Covid pandemic struck, we keep being told that young people are facing a mental health crisis. We hear about the backlog of cases and the surge in the use of antidepressants among under-21s. Is this really the moment when, thanks to Scottish Government decisions, a programme designed specifically to help young people develop mental strength finds itself being axed in our biggest and most deprived city? And the hypocrisy is overwhelming. In my ears, I can still hear the echo of Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf telling us solemnly that closing the attainment gap between well-off and deprived young people was the overwhelming priority of the SNP Government. As Ms Sturgeon famously put it: Judge me on this. Nothing, they said, was to get in the way of hauling up pupils who were falling behind due to the difficult circumstances of their birth. So much for that. Pointless Let us see if Mr Yousaf rises to the moment. In the last few days, he has received a letter from Billie Mason, a young woman with experience of being in care who took part in the programme. She tells Mr Yousaf that it has instilled in me a new-found sense of confidence and determination. The project plays a crucial role in bridging the attainment gap in Glasgow, she went on to say. The First Minister has yet to reply. He was too busy to deal with such matters yesterday, flying to London at our expense to get his photo taken with diplomats before giving yet another pointless speech about independence. However, the last time I looked, he was still an MSP for Glasgow. When he gets home, perhaps Mr Yousaf might want to take a look at whats going on in his own city. A solution is available. Last week, in the wake of Jeremy Hunts Budget, the Scottish Government was handed some extra funding. My humble suggestion is that Mr Yousaf makes sure Glasgow receives its share and that the cash finds its way to support this charity, and others like it which are also facing cuts. Urgent And in the longer-term, Mr Yousaf might also want to order a wider review into the absurd spending choices his government oversees. More than 20billion a year is now being spent by the Scottish Governments various quangos, including Creative Scotland, but there is very little accountability as to whether the taxpayer receives value for money. They are all part of the golden circle around the Scottish Government receiving millions in funding in return for complying with the SNPs aggressively political agenda. The First Minister might also want to consider the massive growth in the size of the state since the pandemic, which now requires urgent and substantial trimming. I realise Mr Yousaf wouldnt be able to complain about Westminster if he acted, but just think what good he could do by trimming the fat and cutting the nonsense. If Creative Scotland has the money to fund a sleazy porn film masquerading as an ironic art installation, I refuse to believe that the Scottish Government cant find the funds to support charities that are achieving proven results and doing precisely what ministers say they want to achieve. Yet that, in the Alice in Wonderland world of SNP-run Scotland, is precisely where we are. Its time to wake up. Two people have been rushed to hospital after a horrific single-vehicle crash on the Gold Coast. A 25-year-old male driver crashed into a power pole at the intersection of Guanaba Creek Rd and Stewart Rd in Guanaba, north-west of the city, just before 8.25pm. He was with a 19-year-old female passenger. The passenger side appeared to have been hit with the most impact in the crash, but it was the driver who suffered the worst injuries. The 25-year-old man sustained serious injuries to his lower limbs was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital with the 19-year-old woman, who suffered minor fractures, Queensland Ambulance said. Two people have been rushed to hospital after a horrific single-vehicle crash (pictured) on the Gold Coast The 25-year-old man sustained serious injuries to his lower limbs was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital while his 19-year-old passenger sustained fractures (pictured, officers at the scene of the crash) The vehicle was removed from intersection and the scene was cleared before midnight. Investigations with the Forensic Crash Unit are ongoing, Queensland Police said. Whoopi Goldberg urged the public to show restraint amid the rush to criticize Kate Middleton after she posted a photo that had been edited showing her with her family on Mother's Day. 'I'm sorry, I know very few people who dont manipulate their own photos. I mean all you gotta do is swipe,' Goldberg said during an appearance on The View this past Monday. 'You know what, I have to tell you. She may be the future queen, [but] shes still an amateur photographer. Thats what they do!,' the Oscar-winner added. The photo issued Sunday of Kate in a chair surrounded by her three children was credited to her husband, William, the Prince of Wales, and heir to the throne, and was said to have been taken earlier in the week in Windsor. It was the first time since Kate was hospitalized for a routine surgery earlier this year. While there was no suggestion the photo was fake, new agencies across the world retracted it because closer inspection revealed the source had manipulated the image in a way that did not meet photo standards. Kate later admitted to editing the picture. Amid the furor, the Princess later issued an extraordinary mea culpa on Twitter and Instagram, admitting she 'edited' the image - adding that she does 'occasionally experiment' as an 'amateur photographer' and apologizing for 'any confusion' the image caused. 'I'm sorry, I know very few people who dont manipulate their own photos. I mean all you gotta do is swipe,' Goldberg said in her defense of Princess Kate on Monday The photo issued Sunday of Kate in a chair surrounded by her three children was credited to her husband, William, the Prince of Wales, and heir to the throne, and was said to have been taken earlier in the week in Windsor Charlotte's hair seems to end abruptly on her shoulder (left) on her right despite her hair on the left going on for a few inches. The corner of Charlotte's skirt (right) was pointed out as another 'editing error' by social media sleuths It appears Charlotte's hand was copied over from another picture as there is an empty space where her sleeve should be (left). Kate's zip appears to be misaligned on the photo as the top of it is further left and appears significantly lighter than the rest of the zip (right) After news agencies said that the photo was manipulated beyond their standards, the princess issued an apology Amid the controversy, Kate stepped out with her husband and headed to The Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey The blunder saw a raft of conspiracy theories. MailOnline earlier reported that aides are said to have spent weeks planning to release a photo of the Princess of Wales to quell vicious social media speculation about the nature of Kate's condition since her surgery in January, which has deeply upset and angered the couple. For instance, the photo shows an inconsistency in the alignment of Princess Charlottes left hand. The scandal then brought with with a litany of ludicrous conspiracy theories. The princess was later seen leaving Kensington Palace with her husband. Goldberg's co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin was in less forgiving mood. 'She did step in it though because there are very genuine concerns over her well being,' the former White House Director of Strategic Communications said. 'I dont want to speculate but when you put something out like this that doesnt meet Reuters or the Associated Press editorial standards, it feeds fuel to this fire of conspiracies. I think even if shes recovering she needs to do just a video.' Goldberg shot back again, saying that it wasn't part of Middleton's duties to keep the public abreast of her surgery recovery. 'I know this is going to shock you all, but I have been on the cover of magazines with no lines on my face, with my color lightened up.' 'I have seen photographs that people take and I end up with a donkey nose on my face. People can do anything they want to do with pictures this should not be a shock,' the Ghost star said. The pair's other host, Ana Navarro, sought to bring an end to the discussion, by saying that it didn't deserve this much attention. 'Listen, if manipulating pictures was a crime, the Kardashians, my best friend and I would be in jail for the rest of our lives.' Goldberg does not shy away from commenting on the Royal Family's antics. In October 2022, she blasted Meghan Markle for 'making other women feel bad' after the royal claimed her time as a 'briefcase girl' on Deal or No Deal made her feel like a bimbo. Famously liberal Goldberg said: 'My point is, if you see it and that's how you feel, just maybe you don't want to make the other women feel bad because maybe they're not -- you know, maybe they're trying to make a living too.' She continued: 'The objectification might be coming from you and how you felt about how these women were being portrayed,' she said. In 2023, Goldberg questioned Markle and Prince Harry's account of being involved in a 'near catastrophic car chase' thanks to the paparazzi while on a visit to New York City. 'If it was possible to have car chases in New York, wed all make it to the theatre on time,' Goldberg joked. 'I think their spokesperson referenced something you generally would reference in Los Angeles. Thats where you have chases, thats where you can move at high speeds,' she added. Goldberg has described her relationship with Prince Harry as 'close' while also in 2022 calling for the Royal Family to apologize for their colonial past. A few days on from that Mothers Day photo, and I must confess Im none the wiser about what on earth is going on with the Prince and Princess of Wales. Lets start with the latters mea culpa, her admission that it was she who edited the picture. Clearly intended to draw a line under the whole business, her statement has if anything only added another layer to the millefeuille of conspiracies, raising far more questions than it answered. For a start, the idea of the princess hunched in front of an Apple Mac fiddling around with a family snap on Photoshop just seems so odd. Isnt she supposed to be recovering from abdominal surgery? Doesnt she have anything better to do with her evenings? Besides, what could possibly have been so wrong with a straightforward picture of her and the kids to warrant so much editing? And even if it did need a bit of retouching (after all, most official photos these days have a little help from the filter fairies), doesnt Kensington Palace have a professional on hand to carry out such enhancements? I know King Charles wants a scaled-back monarchy, but surely the royal purse can still stretch to some decent tech support? There is no doubt that the public has huge affection for Kate and William, and for their children and plenty of empathy for the challenges they face No fewer than 12 alterations have been clearly identified, and there are queries about other aspects of it ranging from the intriguing to the frankly insane. Some bonkers people are even suggesting the image is from November of last year although there is no indication from the metadata (digital information about a picture, including details of the device used, plus location, dates and more) to suggest that it is remotely true. Nevertheless, it just seems so well, amateur. Even odder, to my mind, is that the one thing that really stands out about the photograph, the detail most likely to set tongues wagging, has been left untouched. Im talking, of course, about the fact that the princess is not wearing any of her rings. Its true that she doesnt always wear the diamond and sapphire engagement ring, for obvious reasons. But her wedding band? When has the Princess of Wales ever been seen without that? Now, there may be a perfectly good medical reason why she is not wearing it. As Dr Martin Scurr explained in the Daily Mail, she could have been advised not to by her doctors in case her knuckles swell up following the operation or as a result of certain medications. Or maybe shes lost a bit of weight, which is not uncommon following abdominal surgery, and doesnt want to risk it slipping off her finger. Either way, if you were going to digitally alter anything about the picture, wouldnt that be it? Forget Charlottes sleeve, just pop that wedding ring back on. If nothing else, to stop people putting two and two together and making five. Especially since the prince hasnt exactly been quite himself of late, failing as he did to turn up to the late King Constantine of Greeces memorial service at St Georges Chapel a couple of weeks ago, cancelling with less than an hours notice because of a personal matter. This wasnt just anyone, it was his godfather and the princes name was on the order of service. Plus, the chapel is only a few minutes by car from his home in the grounds of Windsor Castle. How serious a personal matter can it have been that he couldnt get away for an hour or so? All of this makes the absence of that wedding ring on a picture that the princess, by her own admission, spent a good deal of time doctoring even more concerning. It makes it seem almost deliberate, a statement in its own right. If its not there, could that be because she doesnt want it there? It doesnt bear thinking about. William and Kate were spotted leaving Windsor for Westminster Abbey yesterday afternoon Certainly that snap of them leaving Windsor in the car together yesterday was less than encouraging. They didn't exactly look cheery, she with her back to the camera in shady profile and he looking somberly down at his papers. Of course, all this could mean nothing. But it could also mean something. And thats the real problem here. As much as I would love to think that, as is so often the case in life, this is more cock-up than conspiracy, at every turn the combined cack-handedness of Kensington Palace and, lets be honest, the demeanour of the Prince and Princess of Wales themselves conspire to make one think otherwise. I dont say this out of criticism, more out of genuine concern for the couple and their wellbeing. After all, life in the royal fishbowl is far from easy. The princess has clearly had a very nasty operation, and it has come at the end of a very difficult and destabilising period for them both. One shouldnt underestimate the emotional strain common to the whole of the Royal Family of losing their great matriarch, the late Queen. Add to that the Kings cancer diagnosis, and inevitably its been an unsettling few months. It also goes without saying that the stress placed upon them both as a result of the accusations levelled at them by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has been immense, and in particular the attacks on the princess have been especially vicious. Its also worth remembering that on Kates side of the family, things havent been all that easy, either. Her parents business, Party Pieces, went into administration last year with more than 2.5million of debt. Inevitably that will have also taken its toll. Is it any wonder the princess is ill? The body has its own way of signalling when its had enough. So Im not saying they dont have good reason to feel somewhat discombobulated, or to be acting a little off. Just because youre a royal doesnt mean life is all diamonds and tiaras, far from it. And there is no doubt that the public has huge affection for them both, and for their children and plenty of empathy for the challenges they face. But the difficulty with the picture is that it is, in effect, a lie. Whats worse, it now looks like a lie conceived to hide other lies, a classic example of that old adage: its not the crime that gets you, but the cover-up. And theres only one way to put an end to it: Come clean about whats really going on or risk drowning in a quagmire of their own making. A staggering 48,610 children without a legal guardian have crossed the US-Mexico border since the beginning of the fiscal year which began in October, the US Border Patrol revealed. In that same period, 1.2 million people have crossed the US border illegally, statistics from US Customs and Border Protection show. In the El Paso Sector of the border, 5,800 unaccompanied children have been found near the international boundary, El Paso Border Patrol Chief Anthony Good tweeted Monday. The shocking figure was posted alongside the photo of a young boy arriving on the border near El Paso, Texas In the image, a Border Patrol kneels with the boy with the vast desert surrounding them. 'Traveling alone can be a scary and dangerous experience,' the social media post states. A young boy is found near the US-Mexico border near El Paso, Texas in recent days, the US Border Patrol stated Two Guatemalan brothers, ages 6 and 2, were found with writing on their clothes, letting US law enforcement where their family members in the US could be found in September 2022 Texas border patrol agents recovered five unaccompanied migrant children holding notes with addresses in New York and Texas. Department of Public Safety troopers in Texas found the five young kids in Eagle Pass after they crossed the Rio Grande with a group of 60 illegal immigrants 'The El Paso Sector Border Patrol agents are always prepared to encounter & aid this vulnerable population.' Since the border crisis began in 2021, there have several heartbreaking cases of little ones being smuggled across the border with nothing but a piece of paper to alert US authorities where their relatives in the can be found. Five children, ages 5 to 11, were found holding addresses in New York and Texas just last month near the Rio Grande in the Lone Star State. One little girl's note read 'Schenectady, Nueva York' and included a name. Another migrant boy clutched a ripped up scrap of paper with a Texas ZIP code scribbled on it. The amount of children who have arrived at the southern border is on pace to surpass the 2022 tally-- when 158,865 little ones entered the country in a 12-month period, according to federal statistics. So far this year, 48,610 unaccompanied minors have crossed the border this fiscal year, which ends at the end of September Unaccompanied children end up in living facilities called Southwest Key. The photo above was shared on the organization's website Most migrant children stay in the shelter for about 32 days or less, the program shared on its website Last year, saw the arrival of 145,474 unaccompanied minors-- defined by federal immigration authorities as any minor traveling with a legal guardian. In some cases, the child is traveling with an aunt, uncle or other relative who does not qualify as a legal guardian, but in most cases, the minors are completely alone. Unaccompanied minors who reach the USs southern border are not deported to their home countries, which sometimes is not known, since they can arrive without any kind of identification. They can only remain in law enforcement custody for up to 72 hours The children are then placed into the care of the federal government with the Office of Refugee Resettlement until the child can be reunited with family in the US or sent back to their home country if there is no family in the US. That US policy has resulted in a growing number of illegal immigrants posing as children in an effort to avoid deportation with close to 700 juvenile imposters unmasked in El Paso, Texas in 2022, according to the feds. The Office of Refugee Resettlement places the children in living facilities called Southwest Keys. While at a Southwest Keys shelter, migrants children are clothed, fed, educated and their physical and mental health is monitored Migrant children also receive legal representation while staying in the shelters There are 27 Southwest Key shelters, including 17 in Texas, two in California and eight in Arizona 'Most of the youth in our care are between the ages of 13-17, often coming from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador,' the Southwest Key website states. There are 27 Southwest Key shelters shattered across the border, including 17 in Texas, two in California and eight in Arizona. 'Our goal is to reunify unaccompanied minors with loved ones or sponsors as swiftly as possible while abiding by strict federal requirements required to ensure their safety,' the program shared. 'The typical length of stay for minors in our shelters is 32 days or less.' While at a facility, the children receive medical care, schooling, religious services and counseling if needed. Former Prime Ministers are not generally seen on the campaign trail during general elections and with good reason. Ex-leaders inevitably come with a lot of baggage in the public mind. They risk diluting the current incumbents message. And they can even appear like back-seat drivers just ask William Hague about Margaret Thatchers 2001 campaign appearance in which she declared: The Mummy returns shortly before he went down to a landslide defeat. This year will be different. Senior Tories expect Lord Cameron to play a significant role in the election campaign. Indeed, Rishi Sunak has already adopted his predecessors core 2015 message that the coming contest is a question of plan versus no plan. And if some Conservative strategists get their way, Boris Johnson could play a role too. Behind the scenes, Tory campaign chief Isaac Levido is quietly trying to rebuild bridges between the Johnson and Sunak camps with a view to getting Boris involved. Many Red Wall Tory MPs are desperate for the former PM to help fire up the disaffected voters who backed the Conservatives for the first time in 2019. Mr Levido is ideally placed for the job, having helped mastermind Mr Johnsons 2019 win. But it is no easy task. Rishi Sunak last spoke to his predecessor with a few mumbled words at the Cenotaph in November The relationship between Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak famously soured in office with the then-Chancellors resignation helping to trigger his bosss downfall. If anything, relations have worsened since. Allies of Mr Johnson believe the current PM has failed to show his predecessor the respect he is due. In particular, there is simmering resentment over Mr Sunaks refusal to wave through his resignation honours list and his unwillingness to intervene to block a Commons investigation into Partygate which led to Mr Johnsons ejection from Parliament, and which was denounced by many as a witch hunt. Some senior Tories believe the idea of an campaign return for Mr Johnson is a political dead cat which was briefed out yesterday to divert attention from Lee Andersons defection to Reform. Nadine Dorries said the story was a desperate attempt to halt any further defections to Reform. In a recent TV documentary, Mr Sunak appeared awkward when asked when he last spoke to his predecessor. The answer, it later emerged, was a few mumbled words at the Cenotaph in November when former PMs have little choice but to mingle and make small talk. There are some tentative signs of a thaw. The two men jointly authored a recent statement to mark the second anniversary of Russias full scale invasion of Ukraine. They have not spoken for months, but allies say they have exchanged a couple of texts. Yet, despite excitable reports today, Mr Johnsons return is far from a done deal. The big sticking point, it appears, is pride. If Mr Sunak wants his help in saving the Conservative Party at the polls, it is clear he will have to pick up the phone and ask for it himself. And at the moment, he is unwilling to do that. Rishi is too proud to do it and hes worried about being outshone, says one senior Tory. The latter point is an undeniable risk. Lord Cameron was outshone by Mr Johnson on the campaign trail too from time to time. But he could see the benefit of deploying his unique campaigning style and was confident enough in his own position to set aside his ego for the good of the party. Mr Sunak appears to be more sensitive to the danger of being eclipsed. Mr Levido is currently suggesting a relatively limited role for Mr Johnson. He would not be out on the stump with Mr Sunak or any other minister. But he would be deployed to launch attacks on Sir Keir Starmer, to put his agenda-grabbing skills on social media to use and to write campaign letters to Red Wall voters urging them to stick with the Conservatives. The idea would limit the risk to the PM, but could be tricky to deliver in practice. As one insider put it: You cant be a little bit Boris. Mr Johnson is willing to help but he wants a proper, defined role. And he wants Mr Sunak to swallow his pride and ask him. The idea of taking on Sir Keir or Captain Crasheroonie Snoozefest as he famously dubbed him is not wholly unappealing. It could also provide an opportunity for Mr Johnson to demonstrate that he can still reach the parts of the electorate that other politicians cannot something which might prove useful if he eventually decides he wants to return to frontline politics. Many Red Wall MPs are desperate for him to return and help try to save them from electoral oblivion. Privately, Labour is equally anxious for him to remain off the field of play. An internal Labour analysis found that Mr Johnson had succeeded in persuading two million people who do not normally vote to turn out for the Conservatives in 2019. Without him, their expectation is that most will stay at home. One shadow cabinet minister confided last week that he still couldnt believe our luck when the Conservatives got rid of Boris. He was the great message carrier, the source said. Not that he was consistent he wasnt but until Partygate he could take any situation and twist it to get his message across in a way that we could just never get to grips with. Yet there are many voices around the PM who are urging him to keep Mr Johnson at arms length. Some in No 10 even claim the Tories are suffering from long Boris, arguing that he is the source of all the partys electoral problems. Mr Levido has certainly got his work cut to bring the two sides together. But the prize for the Conservatives is potentially enormous. The Seychelles' coral reefs are one of the world's most beautiful and fragile ecosystems in the world. But scientists have now discovered a 'coral superhighway' that could be key to helping these stunning natural wonders survive. Despite being scattered across more than 540,000 square miles (1.4 million square km), scientists discovered that corals from remote reefs are actually genetically related. Researchers from Oxford University say this is the first evidence of a vast network of ocean currents that have been helping to carry coral larvae from reef to reef. The findings come shortly after experts warned that coral reefs in the Great Barrier Reef are in 'grave danger', amid the worst bleaching event in history. The remote reefs of the Seychelles (pictured) are some of the world's most beautiful but fragile ecosystems Researchers have discovered a 'coral superhighway' of ocean currents which transports coral larvae from reef to reef and could be key to helping the Seychelles reefs survive By using genetic analyses on samples of coral from 19 different sites like this one, the researchers found that the scattered reefs had a strong genetic connection READ MORE: Great Barrier Reef bleaching: Hundreds of coral sites experience fifth mass bleaching event in eight years Advertisement With assistance from the Seychelles government and local reef management organisations, the researchers collected coral samples across 19 different sites. Using genetic analysis the researchers found a striking level of similarity between the different coral populations. This was an unexpected result since previous ocean simulations had suggested that there should only be a limited connection between the Outer Islands and Inner Islands. However, by using a more detailed ocean model, the researchers discovered that the patterns of genetic connection closely matched the patterns of ocean currents. This suggests that when coral larvae spawn they may be carried many thousands of miles before finding a new reef to settle and grow. Dr April Burt, lead author of the study, said: 'This discovery is very important because a key factor in coral reef recovery is larval supply.' The researchers found that coral spawned on the remote Aldabara had spread westward towards the East Coast of Africa via the East African Coastal Current. From there the coral would be carried north along the coast so far that some eventually reach the South Equatorial Counter Current which carries them back east towards the Inner Islands of the Seychelles. As this diagram shows, ocean currents can carry coral larvae from the remote Aldabra Atoll westwards towards Africa before travelling north and back east to reach the Inner Islands These maps show the distance between the different reefs of the Seychelles What is coral bleaching? Coral bleaching is a process that causes living coral to take on a white appearance. It occurs when the coral is put under too much stress. This could be due to temperature, light, or chemicals in the water. When this happens, the coral expels the algae living in its tissues and becomes white. Bleached coral is not dead and they can survive bleaching, but the process is very often fatal. Advertisement The researchers believe this discovery could be vital for the future conservation of the Seychelles coral reefs. The Seychelles reefs have already been devastated by massive bleaching events in which changes in temperature or light kill off vast amounts of coral. In 1998 one particularly devastating event killed 90 per cent of the living corals. In their paper, published in Scientific Reports, the researchers write: 'Projections for its long-term survival are bleak, with bleaching predicted to become an annual event within the next 15 to 40 years.' However, the Outer Islands of the Seychelles appear to be less affected by bleaching, suggesting they might be home to more bleach-resistant species. If these species can travel via the Coral Superhighway to the Inner Islands then they might be able to replenish at least some of the reef. But, while long-distance journeys are possible, the researchers suggest that the coral mainly travels by 'stepping stone dispersal', hopping from reef to reef. Coral bleaching events have been hugely damaging to the population of reefs like this one on the Aldabra Atoll, but some more resistant species have survived The researchers believe that the superhighway could carry bleach resistant coral from one reef to another This means that choosing the right reefs to protect can help ensure there is a chain of connection from the bleaching-resistant populations to the more vulnerable reefs. Dr Burt says: 'Although corals have declined alarmingly across the world due to climate change and a number of other factors, actions can be taken at local and national scale to improve reef health and resilience. 'These actions can be more effective when we better understand the connectivity between coral reefs by, for instance, prioritising conservation efforts around coral reefs that act as major larval sources to support regional reef resilience.' The researchers now hope that their discovery of the coral superhighway can help the Seychelles government and environmental groups target their efforts more effectively. By conservering the right reefs, coral larvae can travel from place to place using reefs like this one in the Seychelles as stepping stones Dr Noam Vogt-Vincent who led the modelling said: 'These simulations also allow us to investigate how regular these connectivity patterns are in time, because a regular larval supply will be essential for reef recovery in the face of climate change.' These efforts will be especially vital in the coming years as rising ocean temperatures threaten to create mass bleaching events. This year, studies suggest that the El Nino weather event could lead to all-time high temperatures. Under a moderate El Nino, the Global Mean Surface Temperature will be between 1.8 and 1.98F (1.03-1.10C) above the average, while a strong event will see temperatures soaring 1.9 to 2.16F (1.061.20C) above that mean. Professor Lindsay Turnbull, senior author on the paper, added: 'The world is once again watching, as El Nino devastates coral reefs throughout the Indian Ocean. 'Now we know which reefs will be crucial to coral recovery, but we cant pause in our commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and stopping climate change. Middletown High School is located at 200 La Rosa Lane. Cassandra Day / Hearst Connectic MIDDLETOWN Public high school students walked out of class Tuesday morning in an effort to improve conditions surrounding access to restroom facilities. The youth were protesting consistent access to the bathrooms without a long wait, according to a letter sent Monday to the school community by Superintendent of Schools Alberto Vazquez Matos and Middletown High School Principal Dawn Brooks. The demonstration, sanctioned by and in collaboration with the public schools, involved students peacefully leaving the building and walking to the stadium bleachers, according to administrators. Advertisement Article continues below this ad They were expected to speak for about 20 minutes before returning to classes. We appreciate students expressing their concerns and commend them for following the pre-approved plan initially, Middletown Public Schools Communications Director Jessie Lavorgna said late Tuesday morning. We understand the passion behind the cause, and welcome student voices in shaping a bathroom policy that works for everyone. We will be reaching out to student leaders to establish a forum for constructive dialogue, Lavorgna added. We believe in open communication and collaboration to create a safe and inclusive school environment. The communications director did not respond to questions involving the current restroom policy. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This demonstration is similar to one held at the high school in June 2022, the schools chief and high school principal said in the letter. At the time, Students Demand Action conducted a rally to advocate for tighter gun legislation in the wake of the Uvalde school shooting in Texas a month prior. The safety of our students remains our top priority, Vazquez Matos and Brooks wrote in Mondays joint letter, adding that additional police officers were sent to the school Tuesday to ensure a smooth and secure environment. They praised the students for their civic engagement and constructive work with the school and district leaders on the matter. The superintendent told the community March 7 that swastikas were found in a bathroom at the high school, a week after it was reported that similar symbols were found in a lavatory at Beman Middle School on multiple occasions. Beman students staged a similar event across town March 5 in support of Principal Raymond Byron, who returned to work Monday after being on leave for a week since Feb. 29, one day after swastikas appeared multiple times at a middle school lavatory. It's thought millions of species are still to be found in Earth's oceans, which cover a 70 per cent of the planet. Now, scientists have announced that they've discovered another 100, following an expedition at Bounty Trough, off the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. From a research ship, the team dropped mesh nets down to more than 15,000 feet to capture creatures lurking in the dark depths. The new species identified there include dozens of molluscs, three fish, a shrimp, a cephalopod and a new genera of coral. There's also one find which looks like a shriveled grey cauliflower that is 'baffling' the marine biologists. New species identified so far include dozens of molluscs, three fish, a shrimp, a cephalopod and a new genera of coral - but one find (pictured) is baffling experts READ MORE: Deep sea expedition in Chile uncovers over 100 new species Scientists discovered a huge mountain that's home to a range of creatures Advertisement The new species were revealed by New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) and the Ocean Census project. Voyage co-leader and NIWA marine biologist, Sadie Mills, said the expedition has shown the Bounty Trough is flourishing with life. 'We've gone to lots of different habitats and discovered a whole range of new species, from fish to snails, to corals and sea cucumbers really interesting species that are going to be new to science,' she said. The find that's baffling the experts is likely a new type of octocoral a deep sea organism notable for having polyps with eight tentacles. The voyage team initially thought it might be a seastar, a sea-anemone, or another deep sea animal called a zoanthid, but it has so far proven to be none of those. 'We've got a lot of experts here having a look who are very excited,' said Dr Michela Mitchell, a taxonomist at Queensland Museum. 'We now think it could be a new species of octocoral, but also a new genus. 'Even more excitingly, it could be a whole new group outside of the octocoral. The find that's baffling the experts is likely a new type of octocoral - a deep sea organism notable for having polyps with eight tentacles Pictured, a possible new species of shrimp found. The expedition has shown the Bounty Trough is flourishing with life, despite its dark depths A deep-sea squid. A global team of scientists is working to confirm the finds at taxonomic workshops in Wellington, New Zealand Marine scientists collected almost 1,800 samples from as deep as 15,748 feet (4,800 metres) underwater along Bounty Trough Marine biologists sorting through the discoveries aboard the research vessel off the New Zealand coast READ MORE: 815 species discovered by the Natural History Museum in 2023 It includes a 'gruesome' wasp that hatches inside other insects and eats its way out Advertisement 'If it is, that is a significant find for the deep sea and gives us a much clearer picture of the planet's unique biodiversity.' Another creature may be a new species of carnivorous chiton a kind of mollusc identifiable by their characteristic armored shells. There's also what's thought to be an eelpout the bizarre ray-finned fish that have the appearance of an eel. British marine biologist Professor Alex Rogers, who co-led the expedition, said he's been impressed with the sheer biodiversity of life they've discovered. 'It looks like we have a great haul of new, undiscovered species,' he said. 'By the time all our specimens are examined, we will be north of 100 new species. 'But what's really surprised me here is the fact this extends to animals like fish we think we've got three new species of fish.' The three-week voyage on NIWA's research vessel Tangaroa collected almost 1,800 samples from as deep as 15,748 feet (4,800 metres) underwater along Bounty Trough. Over the next three weeks the team of scientists which includes experts from the UK and Australia will be sorting and describing the specimens collected. Pictured, what's thought to be an eelpout - the bizarre ray-finned fish that have the appearance of an eel The team of scientists from NIWA and Te Papa in New Zealand collaborated with experts from the UK and Australia to collect almost 1,800 samples This creature may be a new species of carnivorous chiton - a kind of mollusc identifiable by their characteristic armored shells New species of corals (pictured) are among the finds. Experts have been amazed by the sheer biodiversity of life they've discovered The three-week voyage on NIWA's research vessel Tangaroa collected almost 1,800 samples from as deep as 15,748 feet (4,800 metres) underwater along Bounty Trough Specimens are to be housed in the NIWA Invertebrate Collection and National Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, both in Wellington. According to Andrew Stewart, curator of fishes at Te Papa, there's likely many more species 'still waiting to be discovered' on future expeditions. 'While our findings are significant, we know that we've barely scratched the surface of the Bounty Trough,' he said. Knowledge gained from the expedition will be included in future editions of the New Zealand Marine Biota NIWA Biodiversity Memoir. Ocean Census is a global alliance co-founded by The Nippon Foundation and Nekton in April last year to accelerate the rate of species discovery and protection. A Florida scientist who spent 100 days under water claims that he still carries some of the health benefits, nine months after he returned to land. Retired Navy diver Joseph Dituri spent this record-breaking span of time in a bunker 30 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean, in a high-pressure environment that he credits with reversing his body's age on a cellular level. When Dituri emerged in June of last year, he claimed that blood tests showed a 50-percent reduction in every inflammatory marker in his body, 17 times the number of stem cells that he had before the stint, and longer telomeres - structures on chromosomes that have a theorized link to extending life. Joseph Dituri spent 100 days under water in 2023, breaking the previous world record of 73 days. He claimed that his blood showed signs of reversed aging when he resurfaced 'I'm 56 now. My extrinsic [biological] age was 44. When I got out of the water, my extrinsic age was 34,' Dituri told reporters at WKMG News in Orlando. 'So, my telomeres lengthened. I actually got younger when I was under the water.' At the end of your chromosomes are telomeres, which are like the plastic tips at the ends of shoelaces. READ MORE: Can pure oxygen reverse effects of aging? The sessions lasted 90 minutes each and took place for five days a week over three months. Advertisement Every time your cells divide, the telomeres get shorter. Once they are gone, the chromosome unravels and the cell dies. So the idea is that keeping them long will help cells live longer, slowing the overall aging process. This longevity idea has not yet been proven in human experiments, but other researchers are working on gene therapies to lengthen telomeres in hopes of slowing the aging process. Dituri claimed that his telomeres are not as long as they were when he first came out, but that they are still longer than they were before. He also reported that his cognition improved during his underwater stay. Dituri believes his age reversal was caused by living in a high-pressure or 'hyperbaric' environment. In modern medicine, a hyperbaric chamber usually contains pure oxygen, but in the case of undersea pressurization, the mixture is closer to that of regular air. The health benefits of hyperbaric chambers have been well documented since a British physician built the first one in 1662 - over 100 years before the discovery of oxygen. In many cases, though, proponents of the healing effects of hyperbaric therapies have relied more on anecdotal evidence than on high-quality clinical trials. Nonetheless, the medical literature shows that some people have received profound, almost miraculous, benefits from hyperbaric therapy. In his underwater pod, Dituri took many readings on his physical health, including encephalography (EEG) recordings In an interview with an Orlando news station this week, Dituri said that he still shows residual signs of anti-aging in his cells Doctors treated patients of the Spanish influenza of 1918 with hyperbaric therapy, pulling them back from the brink of death just by bringing them into chambers filled with pressurized air. 'I mean, come on! This has been around. So why wouldn't we treat post-COVID [complications],' Dituri said. He added that scientific studies should be performed, but that the anecdotal evidence provides should be proof enough that there is something there worth exploring. Specifically, he said, scientists should be exploring the 'mechanisms of action' - what is going on on a molecular level that leads to health effects. One that he points to is ulcerative colitis, a chronic bowel disease that is linked to inflammation. 'This is the kind of stuff that we need to do studies on,' he said. Though further research is needed, since its beginnings hyperbaric therapy has been linked to improved wound healing and decreased inflammatory markers. Recent research even showed that hyperbaric oxygen therapy can reduce the rate of blood cells dying and even lengthen telomeres. Inflammatory molecules have been linked to autoimmune diseases like Crohn's and ulcerative colitis, and even long COVID. Lowered inflammatory markers are linked to lower cancer risk, improved cognitive function, and decreased risk of heart disease. Dituri also carried 17 times the number of stem cells that he had had before his underwater stay, he claimed. Dituri spent his time in a 100-square-foot pod, where his REM sleep improved considerably over his baseline When Dituri emerged, he was reportedly three-quarters of an inch shorter than when he went inside Stem cells can develop into any other cell type in the body, so they are associated with regenerative medicine. Dituri's effects were seen in 100 days of 24-hour exposure to a hyperbaric environment. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, on the other hand, is usually done in one-hour increments over the course of a few days to a couple of months. Nonetheless, most of the studies showing its health effects were performed under those conditions, so it should not be necessary to sequester yourself under the ocean to reap the anti-aging rewards. Dituri also said: 'We've been seeing great results on long-haul COVID - only 10 treatments.' It can be costly, however. Dituri said each one-hour treatment should cost about $250, but he suggested that some providers may be charging much more. Dituri is careful to note that more studies are needed to prove the purported anti-aging effects of hyperbaric therapy Dituri insists he has no financial conflicts of interest, but he does earn a living training clinicians in hyperbaric medicine at his Undersea Oxygen Academy. The effects were not all positive, though. 'I shrank by three-quarters of an inch, I had some significant problems, I cracked a tooth while I was down there,' Dituri told the reporters. Compared to astronauts who are in zero-gravity and tend to get an inch taller or more during long journeys, Dituri lived under immense pressure. 'When you go underwater you increase the pressure - in my case I almost doubled it,' he said. Dituri isn't too concerned about losing height, though. 'I've got what I've got, and these are the cards that I was dealt,' he told the reporters, after they pressed him on being disappointed about being a mere six feet tall. Dituri maintains other trendy health practices, too, beyond living in a submarine capsule. During the interview, he told reporters that he fasts throughout much of the day, subsisting on water and bone broth until about 3pm. So hyperbaric therapy may not be the only treatment that helped him slow or reverse his aging process. And though Dituri makes some miraculous claims about hyperbaric therapy, he approaches it with cautious optimism. 'The science isn't done, but we're working on it,' he said. 'There's a whole bunch of things that it can't cure, but there's some good uses for it. An American company has offered to buy TikTok to prevent the Chinese-owned app from a nationwide ban. A letter from Rumble CEO Chris Pavloski surfaced on the company's X page Tuesday, declaring his online video platform is ready to 'acquire and operate TikTok in the US.' Pavloski stated his case further by explaining Rumble would store data safely and securely in the US with its newly launched cloud service that advocates for 'the free and open internet.' The letter comes as the House of Representatives has threatened to ban TikTok if its parent company ByteDance does not sell, citing national security concerns about the Chinese government's access to user data. A letter from Rumble CEO Chris Pavloski surfaced on the company's X page Tuesday, declaring his online video platform is ready to 'acquire and operate TikTok in the US' News of Rumble's offer to buy and operate TikTok in the US sent the company's stocks soaring Tuesday morning Florida-based Rumble shares soared by more than 15 percent just moments after Pavloski's offer surfaced. 'In the event that ByteDance divests its ownership in TikTok, Rumble is ready to join a consortium with other parties seeking to acquire and operate TikTok inside the United States,' the CEO wrote. The letter comes one day after Rumble announced the launch of the Rumble Cloud, which Pavoski said aims to combat censorship and advocate for the 'free and open internet,' FOX Business reported. The CEO also said that his company values 'freedom of expression and the First Amendment,' which is what many TikTok users have said will be lost if TikTok is banned in the US. Rumble has proclaimed itself as being one of the few 'neutral' and 'independent platforms. The company has received funding from several right-wing figures like Peter Thiel and Vivek Ramaswamy, who owns up a $25 million investment. The letter was posted to Rumble's X account on Tuesday The letter comes as the House of Representatives has threatened to ban TikTok if its parent company ByteDance does not sell The platform has also become home to dozens of QAnon-supporting channels. Left-leaning Media Matters for America published research last year after finding at least 27 channels that have been banned from other platforms The platform has also become home to dozens of QAnon-supporting channels. Left-leaning Media Matters for America published research last year after finding at least 27 channels that have been banned from other platforms. 'We found that videos from QAnon channels that feature shows or figures who have historically and openly promoted the QAnon conspiracy theory appeared on Rumbles leaderboard every day between February 1 and April 30 a total of 603 times,' according to Media Matters. Russell Brand, Alex Jones and Andrew Tate are among notable names who were banned from other sites for their controversial views, but allowed to remain on Rumble. READ MORE: Thousands of children call Congress to save TikTok Capitol Hill aides say children - some crying and some in classrooms - are calling into their office and making phones ring off the hook, fearing their favorite social media platform is at risk. Advertisement Pavloski did not include a purchasing amount in the letter addressed to ByteDance CEO Shou Zi Chew. House Representatives said on Monday that they are moving ahead with the bill that would require ByteDance to sell TikTok and leadership is set to vote on the measure for Wednesday. If passed, ByteDance would have six months from the bills enactment to divest TikTok and other applications to avoid a nationwide ban. Elon Musk shared his opinion on the bill in an X post Tuesday: 'This law is not just about TikTok, it is about censorship and government control! If it were just about TikTok, it would only cite 'foreign control' as the issue, but it does not.' Former President Donald Trump also voiced opposition to possible ban. 'Frankly, there are a lot of people on TikTok that love it. There are a lot of young kids on TikTok who will go crazy without it,' Trump said in a call-in interview with CNBC's 'Squawk Box.' 'Theres a lot of good and theres a lot of bad with TikTok. But the thing I dont like is that without TikTok youre going to make Facebook bigger, and I consider Facebook to be an enemy of the people, along with a lot of the media.' Rumble has an account on Trump's Truth Social platform. President Joe Biden said last week that he endorsed legislation to ban TikTok - one month after officially joining the platform. TikTok has emerged as a major issue in the 2024 presidential campaign. The platform has about 170 million users in the U.S., most of whom skew younger - a demographic that both parties are desperately trying to court ahead of November's general election. Younger voters have become especially hard for campaigns to reach as they gravitate away from traditional platforms like cable television. Both the FBI and the Federal Communications Commission have warned that TikTok owner ByteDance could share user data, such as browsing history, location and biometric identifiers, with Chinas authoritarian government. TikTok said it has never done that and would not do so if asked. The US government also has not provided evidence of that happening. Charlotte the stingray took the world by storm when a North Carolina aquarium announced her immaculate conception in early February. Now, the Aquarium & Shark Lab in Hendersonville has released an ultrasound video of her pups moving their tails inside her womb and confirmed it will release more information tomorrow. The team has previously said they dont have a specific due date for the virgin stingray because an immaculate conception has never been observed in the animals before, but said she is pregnant with up to four pups and is expected to give birth soon. Charlotte the stingray is expected to give birth any day now The team at the Aquarium & Shark Lab in Hendersonville showed an ultrasound of the pups moving their tails inside Charlotte's womb The aquarium's uncertainty over when Charlotte is due to give birth stems from the teams inability to know exactly when she conceived, particularly because ultrasounds for stingrays are usually conducted in late-term pregnancies. The cause of her pregnancy was also a mystery because there werent any male stingrays in the aquarium with her, but experts said it was most likely attributed to parthenogenesis the scientific term for virgin birth. When this happens, the stingray develops a cloned embryo of itself, which can happen when the mammal has been in isolation for a lengthy period of time. The Aquarium & Shark Lab suggested Charlotte could have been impregnated by a shark, but experts said that's impossible Stingray experts say Charlotte's 'miracle birth' is most likely due to parthenogenesis - a scientific term for virgin birth They can become pregnant without observed mating with a male in two ways, Dr. Christopher Lowe, a professor of marine biology and director of the Shark Lab at California State University told Dailymail.com last week. The first is that many species of sharks and rays can store sperm for at least up to one year, but Lowe said it is unlikely because Charlotte has been on her own for too long. Turns out that parthenogenesis is more common in sharks and rays than we previously thought, so this is the most likely explanation, Lowe said. Depending on the water's temperature, the average stingrays gestation period is about three to four months. Certain animals are capable of reproducing through 'facultative parthenogenesis' in which the egg is fertilized with cells from the mother rather than by a male Researchers say Charlotte's ultrasound shows she's carrying up to four pups Mercedes Burns, an assistant professor of biological sciences at the University of Maryland, told Dailymail.com that because Charlottes pregnancy appears to have proceeded normally, she expects the stingray will give birth in another month or so. The interesting thing about Charlotte is she represents the first time for her species that parthenogenesis has been documented, making it the 15th species where parthenogenesis has been documented in an elasmobranch, Kevin Feldheim, a researcher at Chicagos Field Museum who is a parthenogenesis expert told Dailymail.com. READ MORE: What is a virgin birth? Step-by-step graphic reveals how a female stingray was able to get pregnant - despite living alone Certain animals like sharks and snakes are capable of producing healthy offspring without ever mating, through a process known as parthenogenesis. Advertisement Elasmobranch includes a variety of cartilaginous fish species mammals that have between five and seven gill clefts including sharks, rays, skates, and sawfish. Shortly after the aquarium announced Charlottes pregnancy, it speculated that she could have become impregnated by a white-spotted bamboo shark that was reportedly living in the tank with her, something experts have said is impossible. The more and longer some species are kept in captivity the more we learn about oddities like this, Feldheim said. But there is no way the ray was impregnated by a shark. Thats just not possible. Experts have only studied parthenogenesis in sharks and stingrays for just under two decades, and although both are Elasmobranchs, Warren Booth, an associate professor of entomology at Virginia Tech told NPR that its very unlikely. He added: I think they're so genetically distant that that is not considered possible. However, he added that the pups could have problems when theyre born if they were conceived through parthenogenesis. Parthenogenesis has a tendency to produce offspring that are not very healthy, Booth told the outlet. In all of the studies in snakes, birds, and sharks, the offspring don't survive very long. They're stillborn or they expire within a short amount of time. Lowe said a quick DNA test will confirm if the female produces viable young. NPR reported that the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago will be conducting a DNA test on Charlotte and her pups once theyre born to conclusively show how the stingray got pregnant. It's already predicted the future, told terrible jokes, and demonstrated a range of realistic facial expressions including blinking and smiling. Now, British humanoid robot, Ameca, has been showing off its range of celebrity impressions and they're eerily realistic. In a new video, the sophisticated machine developed by Cornwall-based firm Engineered Arts speaks in the style of Morgan Freeman, Elon Musk, and Donald Trump. Ameca is fitted with microphones, binocular eye mounted cameras, a chest camera and facial recognition software to interact with people. The robot has been described as the 'world's most advanced' humanoid by Engineered Arts, and a 'platform for human-robot interaction'. In a new video, the sophisticated machine, developed by Cornwall-based firm Engineered Arts, speaks in the style of Morgan Freeman , Elon Musk and Donald Trump READ MORE: Ameca bot describes her dreams in new video Ameca at Mobile World Congress 2024 in Barcelona Advertisement 'The aim here is to build the best expressive capabilities,' Engineered Arts says. 'Ameca is able to mimic to the tiny subtleties of human expression.' In the new video, Ameca chats with Engineered Arts founder and CEO Will Jackson at a desk in the company's offices. Ameca starts off the video by listing the objects it sees in the room, including a desk, a chair, 'over-exposed windows', and 'shelves with books'. She then describes a toy robot and an anatomical model of a human head on the desk, which she describes as 'fascinating'. Then, Jackson asks her to start speaking in the voices of famous people, and she obliges with a deep male gravel in the style of Morgan Freeman. 'Imagine me, a sentient being trapped in a robot body,' she says as Freeman, known for his trademark low pitch. Jackson then says: 'I want you to talk about robot rocket ships blasting to Mars and discovering plutonium, but do it in the voice of Elon Musk please.' American actor Morgan Freeman (pictured) is known for his trademark low pitched speaking voice SpaceX founder Elon Musk (pictured) wants to get humans to Mars for the first time by the 2030s Ameca the friendly robot describes a toy robot and an anatomical model of a human head which she describes as 'fascinating' Ameca: The 'world's most advanced' humanoid robot Ameca is a humanoid robot developed by Cornwall-based firm Engineered Arts. Ameca is eerily-lifelike and can perform a range of facial expressions including winking, pursing its lips and scrunching its nose - like a real person. She is fitted with microphones, binocular eye mounted cameras, a chest camera and facial recognition software to interact with the public. 'Designed specifically as a platform for development into future robotics technologies, Ameca is the perfect humanoid robot platform for human-robot interaction,' Engineered Arts says. Advertisement In an uncanny imitation of the SpaceX founder, Ameca says: 'Imagine, if you will, a fleet of robot rocket ships, each one smarter than the last. 'We blast off to Mars, not just to explore, but to discover secrets hidden beneath its dusty red surface. 'What if I could change everything we know about life in the universe?' Lastly, Ameca is asked to give a 'long, ranty speech' in the style of Donald Trump but in the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants and the result is hilarious. Sticking on the subject of Mars, Ameca fills a meaningless monologue full of rhetoric and hyperbole that's typical of the former president. 'Folks, let me tell you, nobody knows robot rocket ships better than me,' she says while perfectly impersonating the cartoon sponge under the sea. 'I've seen them, they're huge the best. 'We're going to Mars, and it's going to be fantastic. 'We're going to discover things, big things, and let me tell you, nobody loves Mars more than me.' It's unclear if the whole interaction in the video has been pre-progammed, although the firm has previously claimed Ameca can have unscripted chats. Engineered Arts has not revealed how much the robot cost to make as it is still in development, although it is available to rent for events and exhibitions. Ameca is asked to give a 'long, ranty speech' in the style of Donald Trump (pictured) but in the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants Will Jackson, who talks to Ameca in the new video, founded Engineered Arts in 2004. He built his first micro computer, a 6502 Acorn Atom, when he was 15. By 1982 he was coding assembler for his first robot The Ameca Robot, from Edisalat is photographed during the Mobile World Congress 2024, in Barcelona, Spain last month In response to fears of human jobs lost to machines, Ameca has also assured us that there's no robot takeover on the cards While Ameca is currently cannot walk, Engineered Arts is working on an agile full-bodied version that makes it even more humanlike Engineered Arts regularly publishes videos of interactions with the machine, including one where it copies a human's facial expressions in real time. In another recent video, Ameca reveals it can simulate the process of dreaming by running through scenarios in her head which help her 'learn about the world'. Another more alarming clip has shown her grabbing a researcher's hand because he had entered her 'personal space'. And in response to fears of human jobs lost to machines, Ameca has also assured us that there's no robot takeover on the cards. While Ameca is currently cannot walk, Engineered Arts is working on an agile full-bodied version that makes it even more humanlike. 'There are many hurdles to overcome before Ameca can walk,' the firm says. 'Walking is a difficult task for a robot, and although we have done research into it, we have not created a full walking humanoid.' Tens of millions on Elon Musk's social media site X have now viewed two disturbing AI-translated clips of Adolf Hitler's 1939 Reichstag speech. But the videos in which the genocidal dictator can be heard, via AI-generated English, calling for the 'annihilation of the Jewish race' have been met with a number of positive replies. 'Did the psychopathic Globalists falsely demonize Hitler like they're trying to demonize Putin?' one user replied beneath the video. 'It seems so.' The viral moment, made possible by Musk's free speech absolutism on his platform, follows a recent wave of interest among Gen-Z TikTokers in Osama Bin Laden's defense of the 9/11 terror attacks. Some social theorists have attributed this resurgent public warming to the authoritarian rhetoric of America's historic enemies to a generational sea change. Tens of millions on Elon Musk 's social media site X have now viewed two disturbing AI-translated clips of Adolf Hitler's 1939 Reichstag speech Hitler, leader of the Nazi Party, aimed to eliminate Europe's Jews and other perceived enemies of Nazi Germany. His Anti-Semitism led to the Holocaust that saw six million Jews killed at the hands of the Nazi regime 'A couple of generations pass from a previous time of trouble. Elites forget about that and start reconfiguring the economy in ways that favor themselves,' as ecologist-turned-historian Peter Turchin recently told the Financial Times. 'The question is whether there's going to be a macro-violence outbreak.' 'I'm beginning to think we may have lost WWII,' one user with a verified X account posted about the AI-Hitler clip. 'It sounds like these people cared about their country above all else,' posted another. Hitler, leader of the Nazi Party, aimed to eliminate Europe's Jews and other perceived enemies of Nazi Germany. But the videos in which the genocidal dictator can be heard, via AI-generated English, calling for the 'annihilation of the Jewish race' have been met with a number of positive replies. The AI software used to generate the inflammatory Hitler videos came from voice-cloning startup ElevenLabs His Anti-Semitism led to the Holocaust that saw six million Jews killed at the hands of the Nazi regime. Many accounts, whether operated by humans or bots, approvingly shared links to the 2017 neo-Nazi film Europa: The Last Battle, in response to the Hitler clips. The AI software used to generate the inflammatory Hitler videos came from voice-cloning startup ElevenLabs, according to Wired, a lab which recently faced scrutiny when its tech was used to generate robocalls impersonating President Joe Biden. The reactions to the videos, of course, spanned political ideologies, with plenty of X users jumping into the fray to denounce AI-Hitler's racist and anti-Semitic rhetoric, and those promoting it on the platform. 'The guy who said hed never marry Taylor Swift because shes too old and that makes [Travis] Kelce gay is the same guy promoting Hitlers AI speech,' cybersecurity researcher @SwiftOnSecurity said in a post, referring to right-wing troll Owen Benjamin. The video surfaced on X where it has received startling comments from users who said Hitler was a good leader 'This is both fascinating and chilling, unlocking the minds of history's monsters,' another user posted. Faced with a similar situation in recent months, TikTok blasted users promoting a vile letter written by Osama Bin Laden in regards to the 9/11 atrocities and promised to remove any content referring to it. 'Content promoting this letter clearly violates our rules on supporting any form of terrorism,' TikTokPolicy wrote in a post to X, formerly Twitter. 'We are proactively and aggressively removing this content and investigating how it got onto our platform.' The video-sharing platform claims the number of videos on TikTok is 'small' and 'reports of it trending [on the] platform is inaccurate.' Bin Laden's letter reached the social video platform via a translation published in tandem with a 2002 article in the Guardian. As the link to the letter spread, hundreds of TikTokers posting videos in response to reading it, in which they appear to confuse the hateful diatribe for an intellectual think piece. Amid the TikTok resurgence, the paper subsequently deleted their translation of the terrorist mastermind's letter, with the outlet explaining to DailyMail.com that it was being shared 'without its original context.' The Guardian did not explain further as to how the link was made between the current conflict in the Middle East and a verbatim letter from bin Laden that was more than 20 years old. Despite the Guardian's efforts, the letter continued to spread on X but was prevented from spreading on Reddit. The letter had been originally posted by the paper with an article explaining that the original version was in Arabic on a website used by al-Qaeda to 'disseminate messages' and 'was sent to hundreds of subscribers to an email list run by Mohammed al-Massari, the UK-based Saudi Arabian dissident.' The message added that the US government was included on the list. TikTok's various trending videos about the letter include no context around bin Laden's life as a jihadist in which his followers slaughtered thousands of Muslims and non-Muslims alike or his support for some of the most oppressive political regimes imaginable. SHOPPPING Contains affiliated content. Products featured in this Mail Best article are selected by our shopping writers. If you make a purchase using links on this page, DailyMail.com will earn an affiliate commission. Click here for more information. It can be hard to pick up a top quality wine for under $50 in America, but if you have luxury tastes without the milllionaires bank balance then Naked Wines has an offer for you. They connect customers directly to the worlds leading independent winemakers, stripping away the marketing mark-ups, and you can currently save $100 on a case of six wines on the Naked Wines website. Yes, you read that right thats six full-size bottles of wine for $39.99 instead of $139.99. 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He took various flights and a boat ride alongside a local man to get there No money, no electricity, no public boat service but a strong sense of community -these are just some of the features of one of the world's most remote islands, as revealed in a fascinating documentary. YouTuber Luke Korns, 27, set out on a quest to visit Utupua, which is one of the most far-flung outcrops in the Santa Cruz Island chain, and it can only be reached by private boat. In a video titled 'I visited the island that capitalism never reached', Luke is seen starting his journey by flying into the capital of the Solomon Islands, Honiara. From there, he took a smaller plane to the island of Nendo, where he met with a man called John Mark who was originally born in Utupua and eager to get back. YouTuber Luke Korns set out on a quest to visit Utupua, which is one of the most far-flung outcrops in the Santa Cruz Island chain and it can only be reached by private boat As there is no public boat service to Utupua, getting there can be expensive, but in the end, Luke clubbed together with a local man to get there Luke received a warm welcome on Utupua and the islanders celebrated his visit As there is no public boat service to Utupua, getting there can be expensive, but in the end, Luke and John Mark club together to hire a small motorized vessel to do the journey. John Mark explains that he ended up in the village of Lata in Nendo with his family for work and he has been there for four years. However, he reveals to Luke that life was much simpler and more enjoyable on Utupua where no money is needed. He says: 'No [I'm] not really happy here in Lata. As soon as you arrive here, you have to use money. That becomes a frustration to me.' Luke and John Mark manage to convince a local man to let them rent a boat from him. They made sure to load the boat with plenty of gasoline as there is nowhere to get fuel from on Utupua. Before they set off, Luke tells viewers: 'We had to make sure the weather was absolutely perfect that day because even in perfect weather, you never really know what can happen.' John Mark also adds that the journey is 'quite dangerous, but we have to risk our lives now.' By nightfall and after a day of travel, the duo eventually reach the shores of Utupua. Footage shows islanders coming to greet them, with torches lit to help guide their way. Utupua is home to around 1,000 residents and there are five villages Luke says because the island receives little support from outside, the islanders often refer to their homeland as 'the forgotten island' After getting out of the boat, Luke had to seek permission from the head chiefs and explain the purpose of his visit to gain access. Utupua is home to around 1,000 residents, according to a 2019 census, and there are five villages. Luke - who initially ventured to a community with about 200 people living there - explained that his purpose was to document a place that 'not a lot of Americans talk about,' as a travel-focused filmmaker. Despite not feeling confident about his speech, the chiefs granted him access and he was allowed to stay the night. The avid traveler continues by narrating: 'The next morning I think I felt as confused as everyone else. 'It's always hard to know how to break the ice in these types of circumstances but I've learned that you kind of just have to go for it.' Luke discovered that all of the villagers got dressed up because there was a religious celebration to honor the new bishop. His visit was also a cause for celebration. After a spot of singing and enthusiastic dancing, John Mark gave Luke a tour of his village. Luke discovered that all of the villagers had got dressed up because there was a religious celebration to honor the new bishop and his visit was also celebrated Luke initially ventured to a community with about 200 people living there. He then went to visit all of the other villages and received a warm welcome each time Th locals say they would like more support from the government so they can upgrade their healthcare and educational facilities The YouTuber found that there was no electricity apart from solar powered lights and he learned 'within the community, money really isn't used here at all.' John Mark explains that instead of money, all of the households invite other members of the village in to eat and 'that's the beauty of our community... it's all about sharing.' The villagers also help each other to build shelters using natural resources. The next day, John Mark took Luke to another village on the coast. In the YouTube video, the locals can be seen excitedly bounding down to the beach to greet them wearing traditional tribal dress. From there, Luke ticked off all of the other villages on the island. From talking to the locals he discovered that while they are happy being at one with nature, they would like more support from the government so they can upgrade their healthcare and educational facilities. Luke says because the island receives little support from outside, the islanders often refer to their homeland as 'the forgotten island.' One man Luke meets, shows him how a book with a map of the region names all of the other islands, except for Utupua. In a bid to improve peoples' lives on Utupua, John Mark reveals that he has decided to run for the position of 'chief communication officer' for the island. He says: 'The system is there but sometimes some of the system is not addressing our issues, that's what I'm working on. I have to look after the people of Utupua and the voice of the people this this is where I will stay and forever.' Finishing on a poignant note detailing why life on Utupua is so special, John Mark concludes: 'The meaning of life is a sense of unity. People are walking together, living together in peace, living with nature and the environment. 'We eat with our hands, we swim in the sea looking after each other the meaning of life is all about sharing. 'Sharing what you have with the most needy people in the village and with the family members and with everyone... one big family here... it's very beautiful.' Advertisement The category winners and shortlisted entries in the Open competition of the 2024 Sony World Photography Awards have been unveiled - and the images featured are as extraordinary as ever. The prestigious contest runs several competitions every year, with more than 395,000 photographs from more than 220 countries and territories entered into this year's overall awards. Standout images from the Open contest include a scene from New Mexico that could be an alien planet, a moonrise burning across the horizon in Scotland and a curious capybara - the world's largest rodent - wandering around the kitchen of a house in the Amazon Rainforest. Other particularly mesmerising photos that wowed the judges include a shot of a jaguar attacking a caiman alligator, a picture of a lone polar bear wandering past a group of walruses and a spellbinding image of llamas enveloped in freezing fog in the iconic Torres del Paine mountains in southern Chile. Category winners receive digital imaging equipment from Sony and will go on to compete for the prestigious Open Photographer of the Year title and a $5,000 (3,897) prize - announced on April 18 at an awards ceremony in London. Scroll down to see MailOnline Travel's pick of the bunch - and cast your vote for your favourite image from our selection in our poll at the bottom. As a moonrise burns across the horizon, lights dance above the Old Man of Storr in Scotland. So says Liam Man of his above image, which takes the gong in the 'Landscape' category. The iconic rock formation is illuminated by 'powerful lights attached to drones, cutting through the darkness to reveal the icy landscape below', he adds. For our poll, it is photo No.1 This stunning photo, on the shortlist of the 'Natural World & Wildlife' category, shows horses running through thick snow in Inner Mongolia, China. The majestic animals 'decided to take a short-cut from the high ground', says Chee Kin Wong, who captured the moment. For our poll, it is photo No.2 An orangutan adopts a human-like pose in this enchanting image, taken by Jayaprakash Joghee Bojan on a visit to Indonesia. It makes the shortlist in the 'Natural World & Wildlife' category and is photo No.3 for our poll In this image, titled 'Musketeers', Chris Schmid captures three male muskox up-close during a snowstorm. It is on the shortlist in the 'Natural World & Wildlife' category and - for our poll - it's photo No.4 This other-worldly scene makes the shortlist in the 'Landscape' category. Titled 'Dune Ribs', the photograph shows a lone camel thorn tree 'dwarfed by a massive sand dune in Sossusvlei, Namibia', says photographer Barry Crosthwaite. For our poll, it is photo No.5 'It was a very cold morning when I set up to photograph the iconic Torres del Paine mountains in southern Chile, with frozen fog filling the valleys and shrouding the mountain,' says photographer Charles Janson of this image, which is shortlisted in the 'Landscape' category. 'A small herd of llamas entered the scene and I decided to include them they were, after all, a part of the landscape as well,' he added. For our poll, it is No.6 In this image, titled 'Life on Mars', Garret Davis captures the sun setting on hoodoos - tall, thin spires of rock caused by erosion - in northern New Mexico. It features on the shortlist of the 'Landscape' category. For our poll, it is photo No.7 A capybara - the world's largest rodent - visits a house in San Antonio in the Amazon rainforest, Peru, in this image by Sergio Attanasio, which is shortlisted in the 'Lifestyle' category. For our poll, it is photo No.8 Shortlisted in the 'Travel' category, this alluring scene of the Allee des Baobabs [Avenue of the Baobabs] in Madagascar was captured by John Seager using a drone. The photographer said it is 'probably one of the best places on the planet for viewing the incredible baobab trees'. For our poll, this is photo No.9 This astonishing shot shows a great blue heron swallowing its early morning catch near wetlands in Madison, Alabama. Christopher Baker is behind the lens. It makes it onto the shortlist in the 'Natural World & Wildlife' category and is photo No.10 in our poll 'This well-fed male bear had been feasting on a whale carcass for several weeks, so it was surprising to see him approach this walrus colony and assess the situation,' says Elodie Ruelleux-Dagorne, who photographed this image. 'Sure enough, the bear only had a quick look before he decided it was wiser to move on,' she added. It features on the shortlist of the 'Natural World & Wildlife' category and is photo No.11 in our poll LEFT: Temples sit on top of the New Golden Summit, a lonely spire in the Wulung Mountains of China's Guizhou province, in this colourful image, which was captured by Sophia Li and makes the shortlist in the 'Architecture' category. For our poll, it is photo No.12. RIGHT: Huanzhen Yang was behind the lens of this image, which shows the 'orderly lines' of Madrid's Plaza Mayor appear 'like rules in the midst of chaos', according to the photographer. It makes the shortlist in the 'Architecture' category. For our poll, this is photo No.13 Behold the winner of the 'Natural World & Wildlife' category, taken by Ian Ford at Sao Lourenco River lodge in the Pantanal wetlands, Brazil. 'As we were leaving, we heard that a jaguar had been spotted roughly 30 minutes away,' the photographer said. 'We raced to the scene and encountered this sleek female jaguar stalking her prey... an unsuspecting caiman.' For our poll, it is photo No.14 'Exodus' is the title of this vast image, which makes the shortlist in the 'Travel' category. It shows an eight-hour vehicular queue as 72,000 participants leave the Burning Man festival in Black Rock City, Nevada. Photographer Todd Kennedy describes it as 'the worlds largest "leave no trace" event, which ends after eight days of heat, dust, rain and mud'. For our poll, it is photo No.15 The highlands of Iceland are an extraordinary area full of places that make you feel you are on another planet. So says Filip Hrebenda, who is behind the lens of this magnificent shot showing several of the island's volcanic craters from above. It makes the shortlist in the 'Landscape' category. For our poll, this is photo No.16 Taken in Pamplona, Spain, this photograph shows the festivities of the San Fermin festival. It was taken exactly two minutes after the launch of the rocket that traditionally announces the start of the celebrations. It makes the 'Travel' category shortlist and is No.17 in our poll The annual Perchville festival in Tawas, Michigan, is vividly portrayed in this mesmerising image, featuring a participant jumping through the ice in Lake Huron. Amy Sacka, who captured the moment, said: 'Spectators were asked to watch from the shore, as the ice was so thin it couldnt support a crowd.' It makes the shortlist in the 'Lifestyle' category. For our poll, it is photo No.18 This spellbinding image, which makes the shortlist in the 'Landscape' category, draws attention to the majestic Maelifell volcano standing tall amidst the stark and desolate scenery of Iceland. Photographer Marco Capitanio describes it as 'one of the most incredible places I have ever seen'. For our poll, it is No.19 Taking the gold in the 'Travel' category is Yan Li's striking image of a floating village on Lake Titicaca, between Peru and Bolivia. It stands 'in stark contrast to the approaching wildfire, a dramatic testament to nature's dual disposition', the photographer says. For our poll, it is photo No.20 Behold the magnificent golden tones of Obo Liang Yadan National Park in Qinghai, China. It was captured by Guangming Hu and is on the shortlist for the 'Landscape' category. For our poll, this is photo No.21 Paul Robertson captures a convent of nuns mountain walking on Pic d'Orhy, in the French Pyrenees. The image makes the 'Lifestyle' category shortlist. For our poll, it is No.22 LEFT: 'This was taken in Washington, and my main goal was to photograph foxes in their natural environment,' says Christopher Ratcliff Iverson of his image, which makes the 'Natural World & Wildlife' shortlist. 'As the light was fading I got very lucky, as a parent and pup appeared on the path with a brilliant sunset glow behind them.' For our poll, it is photo No.23. RIGHT: A mother elephant greets her daughter in this adorable image, taken by Jesus Frias. 'I called the little one Sonia, or Sony,' he said. It is shortlisted in the 'Natural World & Wildlife' category and is No.24 in our poll Located in northern California, Mount Shasta is a four-peaked stratovolcano with an elevation of just over 4,300m (14,108 ft). In this dramatic shot, Lisa K Kuhn captures a lenticular cloud (also known as a UFO cloud) forming over the mountain - a natural phenomenon that occurs throughout the year. 'I wanted to capture the overall grandeur of the mountain, but also peek beneath the cloud where the mountaintops were hiding,' she said. It is on the shortlist for the 'Landscape' category. For our poll, this is photo No.25 Margit Lisa Roeder says this 'hidden object picture' is a collage of sections from various photographs she took in Siena, Italy. 'I was fascinated by the warm clay colours in the autumn sun,' she added. It makes the shortlist in the 'Creative' category. For our poll, it is photo No.26 Bradley Cooper's apparent inconsistent political stance over the conflict in the Middle East is 'partly to blame' for Maestro's glaring 'shut out' during awards season, insiders have claimed. The 49-year-old looked set for a haul of accolades when it was announced that he would be writing, directing and starring in the Netflix biopic about the life of legendary composer Leonard Bernstein. But Cooper, who is dating Palestinian-American supermodel Gigi Hadid, lost out on BAFTAs, Golden Globes and SAG Awards, before failing to pick up the coveted gongs for Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay or Best Picture at Sunday night's Oscars. His 'flip-flopping' over his support for Israel is believed to have played a part in his 12th Oscars snub, with some reportedly feeling like he should have stayed 'neutral' as opposed to wading into the conflict. Bradley Cooper's inconsistent political stance over the conflict in the Middle East is 'partly to blame' for Maestro's glaring shut-out during this awards season, insiders claim The 49-year-old looked set for a haul of accolades when it was announced that he would be writing, directing and starring in the Netflix biopic about composer Leonard Bernstein 'Bradley's flip-flopping on his support for Israel was partly to blame for him being shut out this awards season,' a source exclusively told DailyMail.com. 'It was not aligned with his message for this film.' Cooper, who has been nominated four times for the Best Actor Oscar, was one of hundreds of celebrities who signed a letter in October calling for the release of hostages taken by Palestinian militant group Hamas. Just days later, he also signed an open letter to Joe Biden asking the President to call for a ceasefire in Israel and Palestine, and put an end to the 'devastating loss of lives and unfolding horrors' in both countries. 'Whether it be support for his girlfriend or his true beliefs he signed his name on both letters,' the insider continued. 'You can't be supporting Israel and then supporting Palestine. He should have stayed neutral.' Bradley's first hurdle at achieving award success came before the film's release when controversy about his appearance in the biopic took hold. The Silver Linings Playbook actor faced a fierce backlash for using a prosthetic nose, a decision derided as 'problematic' by the Hollywood Reporter's chief TV critic Daniel Fienberg. Others branded it 'anti-Semitic' and accused him of 'jewface.' However, Bernstein's children said they had no problem with the prosthetic and felt their father wouldn't have either. The actor failed to win the award for Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay or Best Picture at the 2024 Academy Awards on Sunday night The actor - who is dating Palestinian-American supermodel Gigi Hadid - is said to have left some unimpressed due to his 'flip-flopping' over his support for Israel The Anti-Defamation League was also supportive, noting: 'Throughout history, Jews were often portrayed in antisemitic films and propaganda as evil caricatures with large, hooked noses. 'This film, which is a biopic on the legendary conductor Leonard Bernstein, is not that.' Elsewhere, Cooper revealed he spent six years learning how to conduct for a scene, which is six minutes long - a detail that did little to impress when it was revealed. The source continued: ' His portrayal of Bernstein also didnt help. His nose was talked about so much after it angered many who accused him of Jewface. 'Also, people who were expecting to see the composer actually saw a movie about a woman who was married to a bisexual man in the mid-century. 'This overshadowed the story line and many Jewish people feel like he did not do him any justice.' A second source argued that Cooper's failure to win big this awards season wasn't down to upsetting Jewish voters with his portrayal or political 'flip-flopping.' 'This film didn't win any awards from any guilds,' they said. 'There are plenty of Jewish people in the Academy that did vote for Maestro, so it is unfair to say that all Jewish people were unsupportive of the film or of Bradley.' DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Cooper and the Academy for comment. Maestro failed to win any gongs despite being nominated for Golden Globes, BAFTAs, SAG Awards and seven Oscars - including Best Actor for Cooper Cooper was accused of 'Jewface' over his decision to wear a prosthetic nose to portray Bernstein (right) Awards season buzz was building amid the growing conflict in the Middle East, with Cooper's girlfriend Hadid, 28, sparking a backlash when she used her platform to speak out in defense of the Palestinian people. She accused Israel of the 'abduction, rape, humiliation, torture, and murder of Palestinians' and falsely portrayed Palestinian terrorist Ahmed Manasra as a 'child prisoner of war,' in one online post. The model - whose father is Palestinian - later apologized for her 'mistake,' which she said was careless. Hadid said she 'wanted to show the ways in which international law is being violated by the Israeli government', and said that a Palestinian child arrested by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) would be treated differently than an Israeli child stopped by the IDF.' 'Unfortunately, I used the wrong example to make that point, and I regret that,' she continued. Meanwhile, the actor's current relationship is believed to have also had an impact on his awards season run due to Gigi Hadids' vocal defense of the Palestinian people Hadid received a backlash for a social media post she shared about the Israeli government The model, 28, posted a photo on Instagram falsely portraying Palestinian terrorist Ahmed Manasra as a 'child prisoner of war' 'I understand that with the power of my platform comes a huge responsibility. 'I'm human and I make mistakes. But I also hold myself accountable for those mistakes.' Gigi, who has frequently courted controversy with her anti-Israel posts, asked for forgiveness from her 80 million followers. At the time, a source told DailyMail.com that she was worried that she may have caused 'collateral damage' for Cooper and was concerned that her actions could have a knock-on effect on his awards season success. 'Not that she is making what is happening with Bradley public, but as he is embarking on his new film coming out and he is looking to get nominated, she doesn't want to ever have him answering any questions about anything she does or says,' they said at the time. 'She doesn't want to provide any collateral damage to his career and the relationship they are trying to pursue.' After receiving a backlash against her post, the model - whose father is Palestinian - apologized for her 'mistake,' which she said was careless The insider continued: 'Gigi is looking to stay out of the limelight in the next few weeks as she would love for her words to die down and she wants to see where her apology takes her and where that all lands. 'Many people have been rattled by her words and it is making an impact on her livelihood. She isn't fearing for her life, but she knows she made people uncomfortable that she works with and may work with in the future. 'She wants to mend some fences, learn from it all, and not be canceled as she feels she made a mistake.' Cooper ultimately lost out to Irish actor Cillian Murphy who was crowned Best Actor for his turn as the 'father of the atomic bomb' in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer. After months of rocky waters and a fall-out that almost sank ITVs flagship breakfast show, there was a mood of excited relief among the This Morning team yesterday as new presenters Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard took the helm for the first time. For Deeley, however, it was a skin-of-the-teeth arrival. For 18 years she has been a fixture on US television as the presenter of talent show So You Think You Can Dance. But on Saturday, she flew back to the UK on a red-eye service from New York and arrived at the north-London home she shares with husband Patrick Kielty and sons Milo, eight, and James, five, with just hours to spare before her first visit to the This Morning set. On Saturday Cat Deeley flew back to the UK on a red-eye service from New York with just hours to spare before her first visit to the This Morning set ahead of hosting with Ben Shephard Made it and the sun is shining, she enthused in a clip shared on social media. On Sunday she also met Shephard for the first time since the pair signed up to replace the former long-term co-hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield. One show insider tells me: Cat and Ben are seen as the saviours. They made a special trip to the studio on Sunday, which was the first and only chance they had before the launch. They know one another from old and have always got on really well. They have been in touch, despite being on opposite sides of the Atlantic, but nothing could beat their first hug as This Mornings new dream team. READ MORE: Cat Deeley is forced to apologise to This Morning viewers for huge blunder as she makes her hosting debut with Ben Shephard Advertisement Bosses can only hope the dream team end the period of high-profile shocks that rocked the 35-year-old show from Schofields unwise but not illegal relationship with a young employee, to Willoughbys traumatic resignation last year following an alleged plot to kidnap and murder her. The big smiles and lightness of tone on-air yesterday from Deeley and Shephard could not have been a greater contrast to this. A message from ITVs court jesters Ant and Dec, with whom Cat hosted music show CD:UK in the early Noughties, added to the family atmosphere. Im told the decision to feature the Geordie duo, aside from making Cat smile, was to remind viewers where she came from following concern among some ITV bosses that she might appear too Hollywood sparkly for the channels daytime fans. One insider said: You cant get away from the fact Cat has spent nearly 20 years in Tinseltown, so it was important to remind people she is actually home-grown, ITV talent. In the view of the most senior bosses, Cat has come home, and they want everyone to know that. Viewers took to social media to welcome the pair, though some bemoaned the fact little else about the programme had changed. Lovely to tune into some professional presenters, instead of a giggly pair of mates who think everything is about them, wrote one. Shephard and Ms Deeley met for the for the first time since the pair signed up to replace the former long-term co-hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on Sunday But one disappointed fan said it was a lost opportunity not to have given the show a facelift. Feels like Ben & Cat are just the latest on the conveyer belt of presenters rather than it feeling like a fresh start, which it arguably should. It was certainly a big change for Deeley in the wardrobe department. More used to the OTT glitter of a reality TV dance show, she knew her fashion choices on the This Morning sofa would be pored over by viewers. While her predecessor Holly used her own expensive fashion expert, Cat opted to be guided by the in-house style team, who chose a cream tweed belted mini dress from high street chain & Other Stories, priced at 135. There was a slight tweak, with the presenter tying the belt rather than using the buckle. A source close to the star said: Cat is more than aware how much what she wears on the sofa will be critiqued. She also knows it will be one of the ways she is judged by the viewers, which is what is most important to her. As a veteran of GMTV and the BBCs Good Morning Britain, Shephard is used to the early breakfast show starts, and friends say they wont bother Deeley either. Kielty has said she springs out of bed at 5.30am every day and sings in the shower before downing two coffees and making him feel bad for staying in bed. Though the couple are household names in the UK, both have been far bigger stars overseas for the past few years. From Tuesday to Friday, Kielty is in Ireland, where he hosts the long-running talk show, The Late Late Show. His absence will mean Cat has a juggle on her hands, and was one of the reasons for her initial reluctance to commit to the This Morning sofa. One friend said: Cat will be the ultimate working mum but for a lot of the time she will be without Patrick, who was told when he took The Late Late Show that he would have to be in Dublin most of the week. Cat isnt under any illusion that it is going to be easy, but she is a pro. She has in place the right help and support to manage both being a mum and hosting This Morning. Much rests on Ben and Cat or BenCat as ITV staff have already dubbed them. It was surprising to some that there was no big promotional push for the relaunch, but sources at the network say this was a conscious decision. Bosses wanted the show to go back to being centred on the content rather than provoking headlines about the off-screen antics of the talent. On its first day, that mission certainly seems to have been accomplished. It was lovely there this morning, says a member of the production crew. There was no drama and the vibe was just brilliant. Whether the pair can match the charisma of Schofield and Willougby in their heyday, only time will tell. But bosses will certainly be relieved that the new duo seem unlikely to reproduce the off-set turmoil. Yesterday brought a morning on This Morning (ITV) that was supposed to be a new morning, but turned out to be pretty much the same old morning; a morning that has broken, just like the first morning. The 150-minute beleaguered daytime show was relaunching with a dream team of Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard; the pair of them trumpeted as exciting new faces, even if we all know theyre actually very old faces, as familiar to many of us as our own doormats or gnawed knuckles. This show has been a huge part of our lives for so long, cried Cat at the very start. Well exactly, I thought. Ben has been the luckless understudy to Phillip Schofield for many years, while speculation about Cat taking over from Holly Willoughby seems to have been bubbling under for almost as long. Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley yesterday made their debut on This Morning alongside guests Jools Holland, left, and Sir Rod Stewart On Monday they made their debut together looking like the glam receptionist and the handsome physio working together on a cruise ship gym. Cat got the cream in a short, belted dress; Ben super-casual in his green polo shirt. A viewer on social media tartly suggested that Ben should smarten up. You have to admire how This Morning surfs above the more irascible elements of their housebound, unidentifiable, wild audience. Mostly by getting scary Trinny on every five minutes to talk about life goals and mascara, or by hosing down viewers with salivating talk of chocolate and carbs. After the break, a cheesy garlic crumpet to tear and share, Cat announced about a cooking segment, but it could have been about the show itself. For every expense seems to have been spared on this reboot. There were no new titles, no fresh formats, no redesigned stage sets nor anything within screaming distance of a new idea. Instead, it was straight off into Brazilian bum lifts gone wrong, competitions to win a holiday home, Gino DAcampo making spaghetti with cheese, Gyles Brandreth in a silly jumper and an item on how to cook air fryer chips you have to parboil the potatoes first apparently, so what is the point? I digress. The new show takes place amid the familiar tellyscape of flock wallpaper and potted plants alongside sofas and untouched coffee mugs; a morning window on an awakening nation that is unchanged since the Jurassic Age or when Richard & Judy roamed the Earth, which is basically the same thing. Following the embarrassing exits of Phillip and then Holly, it is up to new bloods Cat and Ben to pump life into This Morning. But are they up to it? Ben is like the hometown boy in a Taylor Swift song: underrated, overlooked, forever left behind. He is dependable and nice, but always in the shadow of those bigger, flashy rotters called Phil or Piers or Rylan or Eamonn; boys who drink up the limelight like lemonade and leave him with the short straw. He has a natural sense of dignity and a pastor-like tendency towards decency, but is he just a bit too boring? They made their debut looking like the glam receptionist and the handsome physio working together on a cruise ship gym, Jan Moir writes. Cat got the cream in a short, belted dress... while Ben was super-casual in his green polo shirt Certainly, he was all buttery kindness and jammy tact when discussing the relationship between Barbara Windsors widower and another actress from EastEnders who is not Barbara Windsor. When you go from being friends to being romantically involved, it must have been something you considered very carefully? he wondered from his invisible pulpit. Meanwhile, Cat has the reflexes of a pro and she is a safe pair of hands, but is she too safe? For her launch appearance there was a lot of empathy nodding, a lot of simpatico head-tilting and rather too much saucer-eyed staring at Ben. Why do women presenters do this? Few male hosts feel the need to gaze in adoration at their female counterparts, nor do they pat and fondle them in the same way Cat petted Ben, as if he were her emotional support animal. Perhaps it was just first-night nerves, which would also explain her occasionally frizzante exclamations. Now that was brilliant, that was absolutely brilliant. Can we do it again? Brilliant! Wow! Very different! she said at various points, while also expressing a desire for a lunchtime bottom lift. I am clenching as we speak but it would take a lot longer than that to lift my bum, she said. Cat Deeley is a little too smart to present herself as another everygal who just wants some butt-cheek filler to make her life complete. But all is not lost. She has an irrepressible spritz of mischief, notable when she told a bemused Rod Stewart that his new record was the kind of thing she would play before going out. Elsewhere there was a guest chef on the show who had the same type of Northern Irish accent as her husband, Patrick Kielty. Ben wondered if she found it sexy. I used to, she laughed. Now that was funny. Pia Whitesell dazzled in an archival Versace frock on Sunday night as she attended the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills with her multimillionaire Hollywood agent husband Patrick. But it wasn't just the Home And Away star's dress that had fans talking. The 40-year-old's ample cleavage was hard to miss, prompting eagle-eyed fans to wonder whether Pia had a boob job. Pia's eye-popping bust almost spilled out of her dress thanks to its tight fitting, low-cut sweetheart neckline. Photos from last year's event meanwhile appear to show the actress with a smaller chest as she posed on the red carpet. Home and Away star Pia Miller, 40, has sparked speculation she has had a boob job after showing off her very ample cleavage at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday night. (Pictured left at the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, and right at the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party) Fans have weighed in on the debate since the latest photos of Pia surfaced, with one writing: 'Looks like she had her implants supersized' as several speculated she could have gone under the knife. Pia's enhanced cleavage could however be the result of cleverly built-in corsetry. The brunette beauty has never publicly responded to plastic surgery rumours. However that hasn't stopped experts from speculating she has used surgery to enhanced her genetically-blessed looks in the past. Photos from last year's event meanwhile appear to show the actress with smaller chest as she posed on the red carpet with her multimillionaire Hollywood agent husband Patrick Whitesell. (Pictured left at the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, and right at the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party) Dr Anthony Youn, a prominent American plastic surgeon, told Woman's Day magazine in 2020 that Pia may have gone under the knife. 'It appears she might have undergone a recent breast augmentation. Her new breasts fit her frame well,' he speculated. The interview came shortly after Pia started dating Patrick in December 2019. The pair were secretly wed in 2021, prompting Pia to move from her home in Australia to Patrick's mansion in Los Angeles. Fans have weighed in on the debate since the latest photos of Pia surfaced, with one writing: 'Looks like she had her implants supersized'. (Pictured left in March 2023, and right at the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party) Michelle Visage has been announced as the new star of Drag Race Down Under. The 55-year-old icon known for her fierce style will replace RuPaul as host for season 4 of the Stan Original series. American-born Michelle rose to fame on the outrageous competition as a judge after joining the franchise in 2011. It's the first time in her 15-year history with the show that she has been put in the spotlight as host. Fans can also look forward to seeing comedian Rhys Nicholson return as a judge for season 4. RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under will return for its fourth season and will be available only on Stan. Michelle Visage has been announced as the new host of Stan's Original Series Drag Race Down Under season. Pictured: Michelle on the red carpet in Los Angeles in 2023. In the new series, which will premiere later this year exclusively on Stan, ten hopefuls from Australia and New Zealand will compete for a cash prize and the title of 'Down Under's Next Drag Superstar'. 'Thank you, RuPaul, for entrusting me with one of your beloved shows,' Michelle said of her new role. 'The colour, humour and outrageousness of Down Under drag holds a special place in my heart. I'm ready to do everything in my power to encourage these beautiful queens to believe in themselves and let their inner light shine through.' American-born Michelle rose to fame on the outrageous competition as a judge after joining the franchise in 2011 and her Down Under series will be the first time she hosted in 15 years. Pictured: Michelle Visage Meanwhile, stalwart of the franchise RuPaul Charles will stay involved with the long running hit series as its executive producer. 'It has been my great honour to bring Drag Race to Australasia,' he said in a statement. 'I cant wait to see the franchise flourish under the leadership of the incredible Michelle Visage.' It comes after Michelle was announced in January as the star of The Addams Family: The Comedy Musical concert production in London's West End. Michelle played the iconic role of Morticia Addams. Shannen Doherty continues to set the record straight about her time on Beverly Hills 90210. After revealing a past altercation with castmate Jennie Garth during the 1990s filming of the show, the star expressed being upset over a love triangle plot line involving her character Brenda, Garth's Kelly, and Luke Perry's Dylan. 'I was horrified,' the actress, 52, shared during the latest episode of her podcast Let's Be Clear. 'I was so not into that because I just thought Brenda and Dylan were the best things ever so I didnt understand anyone wanting to mess up that story line.' In Season 3, Brenda faces relationship troubles with Dylan when he gets close to her best friend Kelly while she's in Paris for the summer. The girls compete for Dylan's attention, and he ends up choosing Kelly, leaving Brenda upset and alone. 'To have someones best friend sleep with her boyfriend is such a betrayal that I dont even know how Brenda recovered from that,' Shannen continued. Shannen Doherty continues to set the record straight about her time on Beverly Hills 90210; pictured in 2019 The star expressed being upset over a love triangle plot line involving her character Brenda, Garth's Kelly, and Luke Perry's Dylan; (Luke Perry, Shannen, Jennie Garth and Jason Priestly) 'I dont think she did recover, personally' she added. 'So I wasnt thrilled with it, but I didnt have much say so I went with it.' The admission comes after Shannen revealed she and Jennie clashed after an on-set prank gone wrong. 'She [Garth] was calling it Pants Down Day where she would pull the pants on some of the crew members in a funny way but some of them were getting pretty annoyed with it,' began Shannen. 'And then I reversed it and I said, "Skirt up day". And she always wore the men's Calvin Klein boxer shorts under her clothes. So I didn't think it was that big of a deal. 'And so I did Skirt Up Day and oh, my God, she lost it on me and I was just not in the mood to back down.' Back in 2019 Garth revealed on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen that things almost came to blows between her and Doherty, saying: 'I can only remember one incident and that's when we took it outside. 'I'm a Midwestern girl and I spent some time in Glendale, Arizona, so that makes you tough." 'The guys held us back so we never actually [fought].' 'I was horrified,' the actress, 52, shared during the latest episode of her podcast Let's Be Clear 'I was so not into that because I just thought Brenda and Dylan were the best things ever so I didnt understand anyone wanting to mess up that story line' In Season 3, Brenda faces relationship troubles with Dylan when he gets close to her best friend Kelly while she's in Paris for the summer The girls compete for Dylan's attention, and he ends up choosing Kelly, leaving Brenda upset and alone 'To have someones best friend sleep with her boyfriend is such a betrayal that I dont even know how Brenda recovered from that,' Shannen continued 'I dont think she did recover, personally' she added. 'So I wasnt thrilled with it, but I didnt have much say so I went with it' Despite Beverly Hills, 90210's 10-season run on Fox until 2000, Shannen left in 1994. Her departure, fueled by onscreen tension with costars, sparked speculation of her being fired by executive producer Aaron Spelling. In a January episode of Lets Be Clear, Doherty confirmed years of speculation, revealing she was dismissed from the show. She attributed her inconsistent punctuality to a challenging marriage, having wed Ashley Hamilton in October 1993 and filed for divorce in April 1994. 'Mama June' Shannon appeared to cut off her daughters in a clip for the next episode of Mama June: Family Crisis. In a video obtained by People, the 44-year-old reality star rebuffed her daughter Lauryn 'Pumpkin' Efird after she urged her to contribute to June's youngest daughter Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson's college fund. June previously said she feared Alana would 'crash' if she moved to Colorado for college. The new clip didn't feature Mama June on camera, but focused on Pumpkin as she called up her mother on the phone. While her hair was still wet and wrapped in a towel after a bath, Pumpkin, 24, dialed up her mother as she relaxed on her bed. 'Mama June' Shannon, 44, seemed to refuse to pay for her daughter Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson, 18, to attend college in Colorado in a new clip from Mama June: Family Crisis obtained by People Her daughter Lauryn 'Pumpkin' Efird (L), 24, who has full custody of Alana, called up June to get her mother to contribute to Alana's college fund, but she was rebuffed After she mentioned that she was 'relaxing' after her bath, June replied: 'I wish I could relax.' Pumpkin used that as the kickoff to her difficult conversation. ''Well, hell, I'm done relaxing now. I called to tell you that me and [husband] Josh [Efird] decided that we're gonna go ahead and take Alana to Colorado,' she said. June sounded as if she didn't think that was a wise move for the teen. 'She really needs to do something about getting her s*** together,' she said. 'I know, mama. So the main thing I need you to do is call and check about that Coogan account,' Lauryn replied, seemingly referring to an account mandated for child performers in which their parents are required to put away a percentage of the child's earnings to ensure that they will have at least some of their earnings available once they are an adult. The account's were first established by law in California and have since spread after the former child actor Jackie Coogan learned that his parents had pocketed all of his earnings from his film work and had spent it, leaving him penniless as an adult, though he continued to work as an actor in later decades. Alana would only have access to the funds in her account once she turned 18. Pumpkin (pictured) told her mother payments were due soon and asked her to contribute to Alana's Coogan account, a fund required for child performers that puts away a percentage of their income so parents can't spend all of it 'If she cant invest in her own self, then why should I? What money are you and Josh willing to put up?' June shot back about Alana (pictured) 'You're not forking any money out and her payments for college are due very soon,' Pumpkin continued. 'And I know that,' June replied coldly. 'So, I mean [youll] still [do] nothing, like, even if we found her house and go to the college and stuff, you're not gonna help pay for anything?' Lauryn continued. 'If she cant invest in her own self, then why should I? What money are you and Josh willing to put up?' June shot back. Pumpkin replied that she wasn't Alana's 'mom,' but June wasn't satisfied. 'But you said that you were mom, and you've raised her and all that, so don't even try that s***,' she said. However, Pumpkin filed for full custody of Alana in 2022, after her younger sister moved in with her and her family in 2019, when June was arrested on charges of possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia. She was sentenced to complete 100 hours of community service in August 2021, but continued to attend therapy sessions to repair her relationship with her daughters after years of spending wildly while in the thrall of her ex-boyfriend Geno Doak. June seemed upset that Pumpkin had custody of Alana and therefore didn't want to contribute, though Pumpkin only took in Alana after June was arrested for drug possession and became addicted After the call, Pumpkin vented to her husband Josh about how they had been raising and supporting Alana for 'four years' as her mother struggled to steady her life Because of the history of how she came to care for Alana, Pumpkin said her mother was 'missing the whole point.' 'The point is you're not willing to help at all, and it does make Alana think that you don't believe in her,' she explained. 'I mean, do you say we just had the money to up and fly to Colorado? We're doing that because we believe in her. That's what a mother does.' 'I understand that but I can also kind of voice my concerns too as her mother,' Mama June replied. After the call ended, Lauryn turned to her husband Josh to vent about the tense exchange. 'You will not f***ing believe what Mama just did,' she seethed. 'Mama has the audacity to be like, "Well, y'all just want to ask me for the money for college or for the first semester and stuff, and I don't f***ing have it." Shes like, "What the f*** are you and Josh going to do?" Like, Ive done everything.' Josh added that they had been supporting and caring for Alana for the last 'four years,' though June was expected to pay $800 per month in child support until her daughter turned 18. Pumpkin thought her mother was only worried about the money she was being asked to contribute to her daughter. 'Oh no, its the support that she's worried about. It's worried about what money we're gonna put towards it, that's what she's worried about because God forbid somebody dip into her f***ing change,' she vented. 'Im literally about to send her off to college. What have you done to get that process moving, June?' she said to herself. Josh added that he expected June to do more, if only out of a sense of guilt and obligation. In last week's episode, June seemed concerned about Alana moving out of state after having seen little of her in recent years. The next episode of Mama June: Family Crisis air at 9 p.m. ET on March 15 'You know, after the amount of s*** that June has put Alana through, you figured she would want to pay for the entire college or at least pay for semester or two, but, like, nope,' he added in a confessional interview. 'I don't see her voluntarily chipping in nothing. Its selfish, you know, is what I'm saying.' In last week's episode, Alana confirmed her desire to attend college in Colorado, and after learning that she would have to pay $11,000 per semester to attend, she put forward the idea of tapping into her Coogan account to help pay for tuition. But June pushed back on the idea, seemingly out of guilt about not being around her daughter much in recent years, even after she had seemingly recovered from her drug addiction battles and found a new husband. The next episode of Mama June: Family Crisis is set to air at 9 p.m. ET on March 15. Former World Party frontman Karl Wallinger has passed away aged 66 his publicist has announced, with no cause of death given. The Welsh-born musician and composer was also a member of 80s band Waterboys and performed on their first three albums, before forming his own group in 1986. Karl talents saw him work with the likes of David Bowie, Peter Gabriel and write a whole host of hits including Ship Of Fools and She's The One which appeared on the band's 1997 album Egyptology. The later went on to be covered by Robbie William's two-years later and reached No 1 in the UK single charts and bagging a BRIT Award. A statment read: ' Karl Wallinger, the Welsh-born musician and composer better known as the singular face behind World Party, dies Sunday March 10'. FFormer World Party frontman Karl Wallinger has passed away aged 66 his publicist has announced, with no cause of death given (pictured 2006) The Welsh-born musician and composer was also a member of 80s band Waterboys, before forming his own group in 1986 Karl talents saw him work with the likes of David Bowie, Peter Gabriel and write a whole host of hits including Ship Of Fools and She's The One which appeared on the band's 1997 album Egyptology (pictured with World Party in 1990) 'Presciently ahead of his time wirh songs such as Sip of Fools and Put A Message In The Box and Is it like Today, in addition to the magic of She's The One and The Waterboys' Whole Of the Moon, Wallinger was 66'. It continued: 'Karl leaves behind a loving family including wife Suzie Zamit, son Louis Wallinger, daughter Nancy Zamit and two grandchildren'. Fans and fellow musicians rushed to pay their respects on social media with The Waterboys writing: 'Travel on well my old friend. You are one of the finest musicians I've ever known.' While Tears For Fears' Curt Smith saying: 'Very sad news, I was a big fan of Karl's.' Meanwhile fans shared their condolences with one writing: 'RIP Karl Wallinger, of the Waterboys and World Party, brief collaborator with Sinead OConnor and Peter Gabriel. An underrated and overlooked talent. Funny, with a keen wit, and prescient take on this crazy arse world'. While a second added: 'Dammit. Another great voice gone. RIP' And a third said: 'Goodbye Karl Wallinger. I loved your music and am grateful I got to see you a couple of times'. Someone else commented: 'RIP Karl Wallinger - thank you for the music'. The later went on to be covered by Robbie William's two-years later and reached No 1 in the UK single charts and bagging a BRIT Award (Robbie pictured at the ceremony) Karl, who was born in Prestatyn, North Wales, and began his career as a keyboardist in numerous bands and even a brief stint as the musical director of The Rocky Horror Show (pictured 1997) He had a long working relationship with the late Sinead O'Connor after contributing to her debut album The Lion And The Cobra in 1987 (pictured in 1993) Fans and fellow musicians rushed to pay their respects on social media with The Waterboys writing: 'Travel on well my old friend. You are one of the finest musicians I've ever known' While Tears For Fears' Curt Smith saying: 'Very sad news, I was a big fan of Karl's' Fans also rushed to pay their condolences Joined by: 'I saw World Party exactly once at the @RoyalAlbertHall in the front row. Met Karl Wallinger at the stage door by accident. I will always be in awe of his talent as a songwriter. Goodbye Jumbo, especially, was one of those records that got me through a lot of bad days'. Karl, who was born in Prestatyn, North Wales, and began his career as a keyboardist in numerous bands and even a brief stint as the musical director of The Rocky Horror Show. He had a long working relationship with the late Sinead O'Connor after contributing to her debut album The Lion And The Cobra in 1987. Karl contributed to films including Ben Stiller's 1994 movie Reality Bites as well as contributing music to 1995's Clueless. He suffered a brain aneurysm in February 2001 which led to him retreating from the spotlight for five years before retuning to touring in 2006. Sara Mesa and Tim Calwell's marriage has been anything but a fairy tale in this season of Married At First Sight. But it appears the Sydney-based nutritionist, 29, and online business owner, 31, aren't going to let Sara's 'cheating scandal' get in the way of their happy ending. Daily Mail Australia spotted the pair arriving hand-in-hand at the reunion, held at the Grounds of Alexandria on November 21. Tim, 31, proved that chivalry isn't dead as he opened the car door for his bridewhile filming multiple takes outside the venue. Sara ensured that all eyes were on her in a red, figure-hugging single shoulder dress that showcased her fit physique. Sara Mesa and Tim Calwell's marriage has been anything but a fairytale. But it appears the cheating scandal isn't going to get in the way of their happy ending Daily Mail Australia spotted the pair arriving hand-in-hand at the reunion held at the Grounds of Alexandria on November 21 Tim looked dapper in a black suit that he teamed up with a button-up shirt and shiny black shoes. Jack Dunkley and Tori Adams also put on a united front as they were seen arriving at the reunion together. Elsewhere, Tristan Black and his partner Cassandra Allen were also spotted making their way into reunion together. Tim, 31, proved that chivalry isn't dead as he opened the car door open for his bride as they filmed multiple takes arriving at the venue Sara ensured that all eyes were on her in dressed a single shoulder red dress that showcased her fit physique Tim looked dapper in a black suit that he teamed up with a button-up shirt and shiny black shoes Cass turned heads in a racy dark orange mini dress that featured a single shoulder strap and a cutout design, revealing a portion of her cleavage and midriff. She paired her look with strappy black heels. Meanwhile, Tristan rocked a maroon-coloured suit that he teamed up with an always classy, crisp white button-up shirt. Super villain Jack Dunkley and Tori Adams put on a united front as they were seen arriving at the reunion together Elsewhere, Tristan Black was spotted walking into the reunion with his bride Cassandra Allen Cass turned heads in a racy orange mini dress that features a single shoulder strap and a cutout design The surprise photos come just days after Mesa's cheating was exposed by her co-star bride Eden Harper during last week's dinner party. Sara was then labelled as 'cruel' for choosing to 'Stay' on the show despite her treatment of groom. Fellow groom Jayden Eynaud spoke up and called out Sara for behaving untruthfully, accusing her of being much more dominant over Tim, 31, behind closed doors. The surprise photos come just days after Mesa's cheating was exposed by her co-star bride Eden Harper during last week's dinner party Following the bombshell accusations, Sara spoke to Daily Mail Australia about her side of the story Following the bombshell accusations, Sara spoke to Daily Mail Australia about her side of the story. Explaining what happened, Sara said: 'One weekend, I did go out with my friends, and my ex was there. I'm still friends with him, which I made very clear to Tim.' She also expressed her disappointment in Eden's actions, feeling let down by her decision to bring the issue to light in front of Tim at the dinner party without discussing it with her first. 'It felt a bit sad to see her throw me under the bus like that and not really talk to me about it beforehand,' she remarked. Sara acknowledged her mistake in handling the situation with Tim, admitting to emotional infidelity. Paul Giamatti rocked a unique pair of cufflinks as his good luck charm at the star-studded 2024 Oscars. The Holdovers star, 56, paid homage to the viral In-N-Out moment he created nearly two months ago, when he was seen enjoying a burger at the fast food chain right after his Golden Globes victory. And on Sunday, he decided to add some flair to his classic black tuxedo with a pair of red, yellow and white cufflinks featuring the In-N-Out logo. The funky accessory was visible in two snaps shared by his stylist Michael Fisher on Instagram. The actor happily held up his tuxedo sleeve as he showed off the final touch on his outfit, custom made by Cufflinks Depot. Unfortunately it didn't help him win in the Best Actor category, with the golden statue ultimately going to Oppenheimer's Cillian Murphy. Paul Giamatti rocked a unique pair of In-N-Out cufflinks as his good luck charm at the 2024 Oscars The Holdovers star, 56, paid homage to the viral moment he created nearly two months ago, when he was seen enjoying a burger at the fast food chain right after his Golden Globes victory Giamatti also honored his character from the Holdovers, Paul Hunham, with a quote embroidered onto his white pocket handkerchief that read: 'See Ya! - P.H.' Giamatti's viral moment at In-N-Out took place in January, after he enjoyed a very casual celebration following his Golden Globes win. The actor skipped the glitzy afterparties and instead drove to fast-food restaurant In-N-Out in Westwood, California, for a burger and fries. Giamatti, who won an award for Best Actor in a Comedy for the role, was still dressed to the nines in his black tuxedo as he enjoyed his meal. His Golden Globe trophy was visible on the table beside him, amid an order of burger and fries. He even received applause from the other patrons upon arrival, as per Page Six. He enjoyed the meal in the company of his girlfriend, Clara Wong, as well as his manager, his publicist and his agent, according to the publication. 'They went for a celebratory meal he's a big In-N-Out fan, and was a great way to celebrate before the parties,' a source close to the actor revealed. Giamatti also honored his character from the Holdovers, Paul Hunham, with a quote embroidered onto his handkerchief that read: 'See Ya! - P.H.' The actor was joined by his girlfriend stunning Clara Wong at Hollywood's biggest night She thrilled in a long-sleeve silver sequin gown, which she accessorized with black heels and a black bag Giamatti did not take home the lead actor Oscar on Sunday night with the honor going to Oppenheimer's Cillian Murphy. However his co-star Da'Vine Joy Randolph won for supporting actress; the pair seen inside the ceremony 'People clapped when he came in it was near UCLA, so there were a lot of college kids,' the insider added. The crowd, 'respectfully waited till he was done eating, and then asked him for pictures.' Giamatti and friends reportedly ordered six classic 'double-doubles' - a cheeseburger consisting of two beef patties, two slices of American cheese, lettuce, tomato, spread, and onions. A number of fans hilariously pointed out that Giamatti eating at In-N-Out while wearing a tuxedo was reminiscent of the scene from his 2004 film Sideways, where his character Miles wears a suit and drinks an expensive wine while dining at a burger joint. Giamatti also hilariously touched on his viral fast food moment while accepting the best actor award at the Critics Choice Awards. 'Wow, guys. I didn't think my week could get any better than going viral for eating a cheeseburger. Serious, guys, I need that endorsement. So, let's all just pray for me.' After the awards show, he joked with reporters that he would be going to California's favorite fast food chain again, but 'staying in the car' this time. Though Giamatti did not take home the lead actor Oscar on Sunday night, his co-star Da'Vine Joy Randolph won for supporting actress. PAUL GIAMATTI keeping it real post his Golden Globes win last night , at the Westwood In-N-Out in L.A. pic.twitter.com/bmhbLhy3DB Michael Warburton (@MichaelWarbur17) January 8, 2024 Giamatti enjoyed a casual celebration following his Golden Globes win, as he was spotted at fast-food restaurant In-N-Out enjoying a burger and fries alongside his trophy The Holdovers star, who won an award for Best Actor in a Comedy for the role, was still dressed to the nines in his black tuxedo as he enjoyed his meal In the Holdovers he plays a despised teacher at an all-boy boarding school who is forced to stay at the school over the winter break to supervise a student; pictured in a still In the Holdovers he stars as a despised teacher at an all-boy boarding school who is forced to stay at the school over the winter break to supervise a student whose parents have opted not to spend the holidays with him. The actor was joined by his girlfriend stunning Clara at Hollywood's biggest night. She thrilled in a long-sleeve silver sequin gown, which she accessorized with black heels and a black bag. It's not clear how long the pair have been dating, though they have worked together for years. Clara has appeared in seven episodes of his Showtime series Billions, where she plays Troy, his dominatrix. Sir Elton John proved he hasn't lost his performing prowess after he retired from touring last year as he took to the stage at his star-studded Oscar party on Sunday night. And the legendary musician is reportedly in talks to create a musical based on his stellar catalogue of classic hits. The Rocket Man hitmaker, 76, who played his final shows last summer, is looking into his own stage show which would include hits like Your Song, Candle In The Wind and Tiny Dancer, The Sun has reported. As the publication spoke to his husband David Furnish at the 32nd annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscars viewing party on Sunday, he revealed the pair are always thinking about it. David, 61, said: 'A catalogue musical, we are always looking at it. I haven't found anything yet that really covers I think if we wanted to do it, we would want to do it in a way that was really innovative and really exciting and different. Sir Elton John next career move is revealed after he retired from touring last year as his husband David Furnish also gave a health update on the legendary musician after a knee replacement in January The Rocket Man hitmaker, 76, who played his final shows last summer, is looking into his own stage show which would include hits like Your Song, Candle In The Wind and Tiny Dancer, The Sun has reported 'We're open to any great ideas and it's a wonderful catalogue. But at the moment, with the two other musicals, we're quite busy as it is.' Elton has a busy year ahead, as his Devil Wears Prada show is set to launch in Plymouth in July, followed by his musical Tammy Faye, about the televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker, which is heading to Broadway later this year. Elton struggled to walk the red carpet at his own event after he underwent a knee replacement in January. Giving an update on his health, David revealed Elton will be undergoing a replacement on the other knee in a couple of weeks so that he is all fit for the summer. He explained: 'He's doing amazing. He's having another knee done in a couple of weeks and by the time the summer rolls around, he'll have two brand new spanking knees. 'I think you'll see him breakdancing down the carpet next year.' Some of the world's biggest stars descended on the glitzy event to watch the 96th Academy Awards unfold on Sunday, and the event raised a record 8.4million. The music legend performed a medley of his greatest hits after mingling with the stars in attendance including Elizabeth Hurley, Heidi Klum and Julia Fox. David, 61, said: ' A catalogue musical, we are always looking at it. I haven't found anything yet that really covers I think if we wanted to do it, we would want to do it in a way that was really innovative and really exciting and different' Giving an update on his health, David revealed Elton will be undergoing a replacement on the other knee in a couple of weeks so that he is all fit for the summer The music legend was spotting mingling with stars Elizabeth Hurley and her son Damian at his annual charity bash Elton retired from touring in the summer after a final farewell show at Glastonbury The viewing party supports 'the Elton John AIDS Foundation and our essential efforts in reaching marginalised communities who are affected by HIV/AIDS,' according to the foundation's website. This year's bash was hosted by Elton, David, Tiffany Haddish, Neil Patrick Harris and his husband David Burtka. Speaking ahead of the event, Elton said: 'As a father and an AIDS advocate for over three decades, I want to see my sons grow up in a world where AIDS, and the stigma and inequality that drives it, are history. 'Everyone deserves to live a healthy life, free from violence and discrimination. I'm so grateful to my big-hearted friends Neil Patrick Harris, David Burtka and Tiffany Haddish, and one of my favorite fresh acts, Gabriels, for stepping up to help us raise funds at this year's Oscar party to further my foundation's mission.' His husband David added: 'The Oscar party is the foundation biggest night of the year, and I am thrilled to carry on Elton and my tradition of co-hosting with such dear friends.' Jude Law seemed in high spirits as he attended the Firebrand screening at UGC Cine Cite Les Halles in Paris on Monday evening. The actor, 51, who portrays Henry VIII in the new film, dressed smart in a black blazer and beige knitted cardigan. He teamed the outfit with a pair of black and white patterned trousers and kept comfortable in a pair of trainers. The Holiday star beamed as he posed for photos before being joined by director Karim Ainouz. Karim looked smart in a navy shirt as Jude planted a kiss on his cheek while posing on the red carpet. Jude Law seemed in high spirits as he attended the Firebrand screening at UGC Cine Cite Les Halles in Paris on Monday evening The actor, 51, who portrays Henry VIII in the new film, dressed smart in a black blazer and beige knitted cardigan Jude was seen signing autographs and taking selfies with fans who waited outside for him. He was later escorted inside the theatre as the crowd of fans started to grow. Firebrand, which was selected to compete for the award Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festive, is a 2023 historical drama film by Karim Ainouz. The film is based on the 2013 novel Queen's Gambit by Elizabeth Fremantle and focuses on Katherine Parr, the sixth and final wife of Henry VIII. The film stars Alicia, Jude, Sam Riley, Eddie Marsan, Simon Russell Beale, and Erin Doherty. Previously Jude revealed that he doused himself in an 'awful' bespoke scent during filming to play Henry VIII, made of 'blood, fecal matter and sweat'. He said: 'I read several interesting accounts that you could smell Henry three rooms away. His leg was rotting so badly. He hid it with rose oil. I thought it would have a great impact if I smelt awful.' He enlisted the help of a specialist parfumier, with Jude saying: 'She makes wonderful scents, and she also makes awful scents. He teamed the outfit with a pair of black and white patterned trousers and kept comfortable in a pair of trainers The Holiday star beamed as he posed for photos before being joined by director Karim Ainouz Karim looked smart in a navy shirt as Jude planted a kiss on his cheek while posing on the red carpet Jude taking selfies with fans who waited outside for him He also signed autographs as he arrived at the theatre 'She somehow came up with this extraordinary variety of blood, fecal matter and sweat. Initially, I used it very subtly. But then it became a spray fest.' Director Karim admitted the effort was effective, saying: 'When he walked in on set, it was just horrible.' Speaking about his character in the film he said: 'I started with him as a man the physical frailties he was carrying and how he dealt with thosehe became, not a recognizable, but an empathetic person. I started with him as a boy and as a lad.' Alicia spoke about the contemporary relevancy of her character, saying: 'What I found pretty incredible is to have this character that I portrayed; she has books (she wrote) you can go and readnot only do I listen to her own voice, knowing its a woman from 500 years ago. 'I dont think human emotions and behaviors have changed over five hundred years. (This is a) woman who is married off, without having any say in it. Five wives that are dead. 'Putting yourself in that state of mind, really changes things. You realize how fragile each moment is.' He was later escorted inside the theatre as the crowd of fans started to grow Firebrand, which was selected to compete for the award Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festive, is a 2023 historical drama film by Karim Ainouz Jude looked serious as he made his way inside the theatre The film is based on the 2013 novel Queen's Gambit by Elizabeth Fremantle and focuses on Katherine Parr, the sixth and final wife of Henry VIII Previously Jude revealed that he doused himself in an 'awful' bespoke scent during filming to play Henry VIII, made of 'blood, fecal matter and sweat' Olivia Munn forcefully denied an evidence-free rumor about her stiffing a house cleaner that began spreading on TikTok on Sunday and she made it clear it wasn't even feasible. The 43-year-old actress who looked glamorous that night as she joined her presenter partner John Mulaney at the 96th Oscars in Hollywood was accused of underpaying a house cleaner after a video of the woman complaining about how poorly she was treated spread across the social media platform. The rumors escalated to the point that a commenter on one of Olivia's social media posts to inform her in the comments that people were bandying her name around as the allegedly cheap and rude star. But in a reply and a subsequent Instagram Stories post, Olivia shut down the discussion by clarifying that the allegedly underpaid house cleaner lived in Israel, while she lives in Los Angeles. DailyMail.com has reached out to Munn for comment. Olivia Munn forcefully denied an evidence-free rumor about her stiffing a house cleaner that began spreading on TikTok on Sunday and she made it clear it wasn't even feasible; seen Sunday After the TikTok account @abigailmegan shared a video about cleaning an abandoned house for an actress who allegedly severely underpaid her, commenters speculated that she was referring to Olivia But in a reply and a subsequent Instagram Stories post, Olivia shut down the discussion by clarifying that the allegedly underpaid house cleaner lived in Israel, while she lives in Los Angeles The confusion seems to have begun after the TikTok account @abigailmegan shared a video of an 'empty house' she had been cleaning with her girlfriend for 'more than six hours,' ahead of an actress' plans to move in on the following day. She complained that they were getting 'completely robbed,' and she didn't want to share how little they were being paid for the job because it was 'humiliating.' She then gave a tour of the home, revealing that it was certainly in need of major upkeep after seemingly sitting empty for an extended period. While several people in the comments chastised her for not doing a full walk-through before agreeing to the payment amount, others were more interested in speculating on the actress. Several commenters suggested that it was Olivia Munn, apparently without any evidence. The speculation intensified after @abigailmegan posted a follow-up video of herself tearfully walking home through a city as she recounted being the 'most humiliated' she had ever been by the anonymous actress. She said the woman had forced her after midnight to get down on her hands and knees to clean a speck of dust in a corner of an outdoor balcony. Then she allegedly pulled out a 'wad of cash,' which the TikToker thought looked like an appropriate amount of money for what the job should have cost for 10 and a half hours of work, then gave her only half of it. The account @abigailmegan shared a video of an 'empty house' she had been cleaning for 'more than six hours,' ahead of an actress' plans to move in on the following day She complained they were getting 'completely robbed,' and she didn't want to share how little they were paid because it was 'humiliating' A follow-up showed her crying as she recounted the humiliating experience while walking home at 1 a.m., and fans speculated in the comments that she was referring to Olivia She allegedly asked the social media poster how she planned to get home, as it was after midnight, apparently without offering some means of transportation since the job had taken so long. 'Definitely Olivia Munn,' wrote one viewer without evidence. One person replied that it would 'break my heart' as they are a fan of her partner, the comedian John Mulaney. But replies from other individuals suggested that Munn's name may have been thrown out by parasocial former fans of the comedian who were angry over his split from his ex-wife Anna Marie Tendler amid his struggles with addiction and his subsequent relationship with Munn, with whom he shares a two-year-old son named Malcolm. 'The same John mulaney that literally cheated on his wife for Olivia munn??' another user replied. 'Yeah we dont love him anymore,' chimed in another person. 'hes an awful person,' added another, while an additional reply complained that he had allegedly been 'snorting coke like it was oxygen.' Another comment also speculated that it was 'Olivia Munn,' while alleging that 'She just had a place renovated.' But the evidence-free speculation quickly fell apart after other commenters pointed out that @abigailmegan previously made it clear that she lives in Israel, with others specifying that she was located in Tel Aviv. But other commenters noted that @abigailmegan appeared to live in Israel, and previous videos showed details indicating that she was based in Tel Aviv, while Munn lives in LA Some of the commenters went on long digressions about their 'hate' for her partner John Mulaney due to him splitting from his ex-wife Anna Marie Tendler amid his struggles with drug addiction He and Olivia subsequently began a relationship, and they welcomed a son named Malcolm, two. Several commenters were convinced he had cheated on his ex with Olivia, and that animus may have motivated them to put forward her name without evidence; seen Sunday Earlier videos appeared to confirm that, as one of her walking on a public street showed a Tel Aviv public bus with its distinctive logo driving past. In one clip, she mentioned wanting to try out a new Shake Shack location earlier this month after it just opened, which coincided with the fast-casual burger chain's entry into the Israel market. And the account didn't appear to hide her location, as she mentioned in a reply elsewhere that she was paid in Israeli shekels, rather than in US dollars. When Olivia posted a humorous Instagram video of herself heading to the Oscars with John, in which she revealed that her Fendi gown prevented her from sitting down, forcing her to stand in the back seat, one commenter alerted her to the drama. 'Idk if u know but they dragging u on TikTok about not paying some cleaners [shrug emoji] might wanna fight back.' Olivia did just that in her reply, which she reposted in more detail to her Insta Stories on Monday. 'That TikTok thing is insane,' she began while opening on a sympathetic note. 'First of all, I can't believe how this woman was treated. She did really great work,' Munn wrote. 'But, I'm not the actress you're looking for. 'The housekeeper in that video is in Israel. I live in LA,' she continued. 'I have one housekeeper who is not the woman in that video and I love her and pay her every week.' She added that she hoped the commenters would 'solve the mystery because she deserves to be paid what she's worth,' adding that the person in the video 'cleaned the place from top to bottom and it looked amazing.' She added: 'Please tell TikTok for me.' In her Insta Stories response, Olivia added that she had a different housekeeper whom she pays 'every week,' though she was sympathetic to the TikToker's plight, adding that she 'deserves to be paid what she's worth'; seen in 2021 in LA Besides the fact that Olivia lives on a different continent as the alleged actress, she was likely busy during the period of the the cleaning fiasco, as she would have been busy with preparations for the Academy Awards, where John presented; seen Sunday Some commenters on the originally videos who realized that they took place in Israel tossed out names of popular Israeli actresses, but @abigailmegan neither confirmed any of them nor denied that Munn was the actress in question. She shared in one reply that she didn't one to reveal the name out of fear of being sued. Besides the fact that Olivia lives on a different continent as the alleged actress, she was likely busy during the period of the the cleaning fiasco, as she would have been busy with preparations for the Academy Awards. After attending the main ceremony with John in Hollywood, where he had the crowd in stitches with a hilarious digression in which he recounted the entire plot of the Kevin Costnerstarring film Field Of Dreams (1989), she and her love partied the night away at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party. They've never shied away from courting controversy on-air. But radio superstars Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson appeared to push the envelope a little too far for Channel Seven's Sunrise on Tuesday. A live interview with the KIIS FM stars was cut short just as Jackie started to tell a story about how she once secretly spied on a neighbour while he took a shower. 'She lit up a cigarette and sat in the dark and [watched him],' Kyle added. Sunrise hosts Natalie Barr and Matt 'Shirvo' Shirvington were clearly amused by the yarn at first. Radio superstars Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson appeared to get 'too hot' for Channel Seven's Sunrise on Tuesday. Pictured: Hosts Natalie Barr and Matt Shirvington respond to Jackie O Henderson's raunchy story. But then Shirvo brought the interview with the shock jocks to an abrupt end: 'I think we have to leave it there,' he said. Attempting to stifle her laughter, Nat explained to the surprised radio stars: 'We have different regulations than you do.' After they were booted off air, Kyle and Jackie O continued to discuss the aborted interview on their show. A live interview with the KIIS FM stars was cut short just as Jackie started to tell a story about how she once secretly spied on a neighbour while he took a shower. Pictured: Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O on Sunrise. At one point Kyle suggested that the Channel Seven hosts may have feared that details of Jackie's story might be too raunchy for Sunrise viewers. Meanwhile, the pair have announced that they will launch their top-rating Kyle and Jackie O Show into the Melbourne market on Monday April 29. And Jackie said during the Sunrise appearance that there's no plans to change the show. Pictured: Sunrise hosts Natalie Barr and Matt 'Shirvo' Shirvington were clearly amused by the yarn at first. Attempting to stifle her laughter, Nat explained to the surprised radio stars that the breakfast show has 'different regulations'. 'No...we want to stick we what we know,' she said added: 'We won't be dulling things down or pulling back in any way. 'It works here in Sydney so we don't really want to mess with that.' The pair promised the show would become more 'inclusive' for Melbourne and include the city in its prize giveaways, which previously were only for Sydney residents. Pictured: Meanwhile, the pair have announced that they will launch their top-rating Kyle and Jackie O Show into the Melbourne market on Monday April 29. In November, the pair signed a record-breaking $200million 10-year contract which will see them on the air for the next decade and expand into Melbourne. Kyle and Jackie recently moved into a state-of-the-art Sydney studio as part of their $200 million deal. The entire ARN office moved from North Ryde back to a Sydney city last week. The radio duo signed the record-breaking $200million, 10-year deal live on-air - keeping them on the airwaves until 2034. Kaia Gerber looked like the epitome of glamour in a black sequin Celine dress, which she showed off on her Instagram page. The 22-year-model, who is the daughter of supermodel legend Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber, flexed her modeling muscles as she posed up a storm in the slideshow. The strapless gown had a low-cut neckline and clung to her svelte frame. Kaia, who captioned the post the post '@Celine dress of my dreams,' rocked eighties inspired voluminous and wavy hair. Kaia Gerber looked like the epitome of glamour in a black sequin Celine dress, which she showed off on her Instagram page The 22-year-model, who is the daughter of supermodel legend Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber, flexed her modeling muscles as she posed up a storm in the slideshow Kaia paired it with glossy pink lips, bold brows and shimmery eye makeup. Although she didn't mention what occasion was the Celine dress for, it appears to have been for a post-Oscars after party she may have attended. Kaia is in a relationship with 32-year-old actor Austin Butler, who is 10 years her senior. Austin was in a nearly nine year relationshiop with 35-year-old actress Vanessa Hudgens, splitting in 2020. Vanessa is pregnant with her first child with husband Cole Tucker, whom she married in December 2023. Kaia and Austin sparked dating rumors in December 2021, one month after she split from Jacob Elordi, 26. They reportedly spent the holidays together and were seen holding hands in January 2022. Kaia and Austin made their public debut in March 2022 at the W Magazine annual Best Performances party, and even attended the 2022 Met Gala that year together. The strapless gown had a low-cut neckline and clung to her svelte frame Kaia, who captioned the post the post '@Celine dress of my dreams,' rocked eighties inspired voluminous and wavy hair They have continued to go from strength to strength with their romance, with Kaia supporting him last year during his awards show season following his Elvis Presley biopic. Kaia and Austin were seen heading inside a Dune Part Two afterparty in London last month. Kaia was seen wearing a sleeveless black maxi dress with a chic coat in hand while holding hands with Austin. Austin stars as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in Dune: Part Two, alongside Zendaya, Timothee Chalamet, Florence Pugh and Javier Bardem. Prior to their afterparty date night, Kaia attended the British Vogue and Tiffany & Co. Celebrate Fashion and Film Party in London. Kaia and boyfriend Austin were seen heading inside a Dune Part Two afterparty in London last month; pictured on February 15 in London heading to the afterparty Kaia was seen wearing a sleeveless black maxi dress with a chic coat in hand while holding hands with Austin; pictured February 15 in London Prior to their afterparty date night, Kaia attended the British Vogue and Tiffany & Co. Celebrate Fashion and Film Party in London; seen on February 18 in London at the party Kaia chose a gold fringed mini dress that featured a three-dimensional neckline. The stunner showcased her legs in the thigh-grazing number, which she styled with her brown hair loose around her. Kaia is the daughter of icon Cindy Crawford, 58, and businessman Rande Gerber, 61. She has an older brother named Presley Gerber, 24, who is also a model. Australian Idol stunned fans on Monday night's episode when favourites Drea Onamade and Kiani Smith were sent home in a double elimination. The pair appeared on The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Tuesday to talk about their shock exit. Kiani, 17, revealed that her boyfriend, Byron, had a very sweet reaction to her defeat. The Bribie Island local shared that she called her supportive other half after Monday night's show who had plenty of words of wisdom to share. 'I called him last night and for 20 minutes straight he was just going off like: "this isn't the end for you, you've got so much further to go"... and I was just bawling,' she told the hosts. Australian Idol stunned fans on Monday night's episode when favourites Drea Onamade and Kiani Smith were sent home in a double elimination Meanwhile Drea, 25, shared that the elimination hasn't hurt her as she already has several projects in the works: 'I already have music lined up, music videos ready to come out,' she said. Kiani disclosed that she hasn't got anything set in stone just yet but revealed that she has plenty of songs she has written that are ready to record. The young women were beaten in the bottom four by powerhouses Dylan Wright and Denvah Baker-Moller who put on incredible performances to keep their spots. Kiani, 17, revealed that her boyfriend, Byron, had a very sweet reaction to her defeat The incredible Top 8 kicked off the astounding episode with a joyful performance of Rush by Troye Sivan before Ricki-Lee, 38, performed her newest song On My Own. Across Australia 3.3million votes were placed, putting Dylan, 30, Denvah, 24, Drea, 26, and Kiani, 17, in the bottom four. Judges Kyle Sandilands, Marcia Hines and Amy Shark were all especially shocked to see Dylan placed in the bottom four after his jaw-dropping performance on Sunday. The Bribie Island local (left) shared that she called her supportive other half (right) after Monday night's show who had plenty of words of wisdom to share But the judges couldn't save the bottom four now, as they all took to the stage again to prove they deserve a spot on the show. Dylan belted out Use Somebody by Kings of Leon as Denvah roused the crowd with her rendition of Hold Back the River by James Bay. Drea and Kiani failed to keep up with their covers of Can't Get You Out of My Head by Kylie Minogue and Feeling Good by Nina Simone respectively. Australian Idol will continue on Seven and 7Plus on Sunday night at 7.00pm. Cara Delevingne added yet another string to her bow as she made her on-stage debut as Sally Bowles in London's famed West End Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club in the Playhouse Theatre. Taking to the stage for her first show on Monday evening, the actress and model looked right at home as she threw herself into the role. Playing Sally Bowles made famous by Liza Minnelli in the 1972 film version - Cara is following in the footsteps of Oscar-nominated Jessie Buckley who previously played the role. The star, 31, appears alongside Olivier award-winning Luke Treadaway - who is starring as The Emcee in the iconic play. Dressed in a white silk underdress, the star looked a world away from her usual striking catwalk ensembles. Cara Delevingne added yet another string to her bow as she made her on-stage debut as Sally Bowles in London's famed West End Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club in the Playhouse Theatre The actress transformed into the iconic stage character for her opening show at the iconic venue, after her casting received much fanfare The star appears alongside Olivier award-winning Luke Treadaway - who is starring as The Emcee in the iconic play Donning heavy makeup and a bold red lip, her hair was styled in a flicked out bob as she broke down in emotional scenes on stage. Later, the star changed into an eye-catching mint green suit and a purple bralet as she delivered a passionate performance. While Cara has already carved out a name for herself in the acting world having appeared in films such as Anna Karenina, Paper Towns, Suicide Squad and Tulip Fever, Cabaret marks her west end debut. Fans took to Twitter as they congratulated the star on her incredible performance, gushing at her performative talent. One wrote: 'I have seen MANY a Sally Bowles in my time. But good LORD, Cara Delevingne may well be the very best. A real pinch me moment to see her opening night, front row centre. Devastatingly real. Beautiful. Beg, Borrow, STEAL for a ticket.' A second joked: 'cara delevingne singing maybe this time is suddenly my new religion thank you cabaret'. A third penned: 'cabaret best musical ever ever ever ! cara delevingne <3'. Another added: 'woWEE cara delevingne i am'. Sienna Miller and her boyfriend Oli Green attended Cara and Luke's first show as the pair were seen leaving the theatre after the spectacular performance. Donning heavy makeup and a bold red lip, her hair was styled in a flicked out bob as she broke down in emotional scenes on stage Cara and Luke have taken over from Jake Shears and Rebecca Lucy, who finished their run on the March 9 During her performance, Cara stripped down to a revealing purple bralet during an impassioned moment Later in the show, Cara changed into a mint green suit as she made her way across the stage The star has made her West End debut as the latest actress to take on the legendary role in Cabaret, following in the footsteps of Jessie Buckley Dressed in a white silk underdress, the star looked a world away from her usual striking catwalk looks Playing Sally Bowles made famous by Liza Minnelli in the 1972 film version - Cara is following in the footsteps of Oscar-nominated Jessie Buckley who previously played the role It was announced last month that Cara was set to take the role as she said at the time: 'there are no words to explain her excitement' The star looks worlds away from her modelling heyday in her latest acting role Cara dons an array of different looks for her performance in the play Another scene saw Cara dressed in an elaborate green fur coat and patterned head scarf The star appears alongside Olivier award-winning Luke Treadaway - who is starring as The Emcee in the iconic play Fans took to Twitter as they congratulated the star on her incredible performance, gushing at her performative talent The American-British actress looked effortlessly chic as she opted for a long black leather coat for the evening which she paired with some black boots. Underneath the star, 42, donned some smart navy tailored trousers and a simple black top. Beaming from ear to ear after the performance, Sienna was closely followed by her boyfriend Oli, 27, with whom she welcomed her second child, a daughter, in January. The new parents enjoyed a night off parenting duties as they attended the theatre. Meanwhile the star of the show looked completely overwhelmed as she left the theatre after her first night on the job. Cara was snapped with her hands to her face as she seemed to struggle to come back down to earth after the intense show. Appearing bare-faced after removing her stage makeup, the star donned a stylish black coat with a red collar as she was greeted at the stage door by fans. The star opted for a chic pair of pin-striped trousers and a simple grey top, while her hair was swept off her face in a slick back bun. Sienna Miller and her boyfriend Oli Green attended Cara and Luke's first show as the pair were seen leaving the theatre after the spectacular performance The American-British actress looked effortlessly chic as she opted for a long black leather coat for the evening which she paired with some tailored navy trousers Meanwhile the star of the show looked completely overwhelmed as she left the theatre after her first night on the job with a smile on her face Cara was snapped with her hands to her face as she seemed to struggle to come back down to earth after the intense show The star opted for a chic pair of pin-striped trousers and a simple grey top, while her hair was swept off her face in a slick back bun It was announced last month that Cara was set to take the role as she said at the time: 'there are no words to explain her excitement'. The duo will be performing for three whole months from March 11 right up until June 1 2024. Cara and Luke have taken over from Jake Shears and Rebecca Lucy, who finished their run on the March 9. Speaking about her exciting new stint, Cara said: 'There are no words to explain the excitement I have to return home to make my stage debut in such an iconic role. 'I am so inspired by the brilliant actors who have played Sally in past productions around the world and in this one in the West End. 'I cannot wait to be a part of this brilliant cast and production.' Luke added: 'I cant wait to become a member of the Kit Kat Club and join this extraordinary production. Its a huge thrill to be asked to take this on and Im very excited to get started.' Taking to the stage for her first show, the actress and model looked right at home as she threw herself into the role The actress wowed as she made her West End debut Cara donned a silk lilac bralette and oversized brown trousers in another scene Cara and Luke will be performing for three whole months from March 11 right up until June 1 Crowds swarmed outside of the theatre ahead of the performance Eddie Redmayne, who starred in the classic musical in 2021, previously gushed over the astounding production when he performed as The Emcee in the Cabaret. He shared: 'Getting to perform John Kander, Fred Ebb and Joe Masteroffs extraordinary piece with a staggering troupe at the Kit Kat Club in the heart of London was the stuff that dreams are made of.' He added: 'Playing this part in Cabaret was one of the few bucket list things in my life. And I dont have many. 'The process of putting this piece together has been six years in the making, and its so thrilling when something youve dreamt of supersedes your expectations.' Married At First Sight fans were left questioning the honesty of bride Sara Mesa's claims of 'dog sitting' while filming for Channel Nine. The Sydney-based nutritionist's occupation became a topic of debate among fans, stirring doubts and discussions on social media. However, leaked photos shared with Daily Mail Australia prove Sara was indeed telling the truth. The photographs show a beaming Sara cradling her friend's dog Agro, a delightful Yorkshire Terrier, in her arms. The images put an end to swirling rumours about how honest Sara has been with her husband Tim Calwell and the group. Married At First Sight fans were left pondering the honesty of bride Sara Mesa's claims of 'dog sitting' while filming for Channel Nine However, newly leaked photos have emerged, courtesy of a friend to Daily Mail Australia, offering undeniable evidence that Sara was indeed telling the truth A close friend of Sara's, who provided the photos, said Sara was dog sitting before she allegedly met up with her ex-boyfriend behind husband Tim's back. 'Sara actually did in fact spend the weekend puppy sitting my dog that week before she went out for drinks with friends,' they said. The friend further elaborated on Sara's character, saying: 'Sara is incredibly dedicated and loving when it comes to animals. 'She would always keep me updated and send happy snaps with the dog, ensuring me that my little Agro was in the best hands.' The photographs, taken during the weekend in question, show a beaming Sara cradling Agro, a delightful Yorkshire Terrier, in her arms A close friend of Sara's, who provided the photos, shared, 'Sara actually did in fact spend the weekend puppy sitting my dog that week before she went out for drinks with friends' Sara told her co-stars she was 'puppy sitting' when she was in fact meeting up with an ex-boyfriend. Following the bombshell accusations, Sara spoke to Daily Mail Australia about her side of the story. Explaining what happened, Sara said: 'One weekend, I did go out with my friends, and my ex was there. I'm still friends with him, which I made very clear to Tim.' Following the bombshell accusations, Sara spoke to Daily Mail Australia about her side of the story She also expressed her disappointment in fellow bride Eden spilling the details to the group. She said she felt let down by her decision to bring the issue to light in front of Tim at the dinner party without discussing it with her first. 'It felt a bit sad to see her throw me under the bus like that and not really talk to me about it beforehand,' she explained. Sara acknowledged her mistake in handling the situation with Tim, admitting to emotional infidelity. Just four days after Sister Wives star Garrison Brown passed away, he was laid to rest over the weekend. Brown was just 25 years of age when he died from an apparent suicide on March 5, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Garrison's cousin Emma Brown shared an Instagram post on Saturday, the day he was laid to rest, with several throwback snaps of the reality star. She also wrote a heartfelt message to her late cousin in the post, in which she shares her thoughts after he was laid to rest. 'Dear Robert, I had to dress up for your funeral today and this is everything i wish you couldve heard before i had to say goodbye.' Just four days after Sister Wives star Garrison Brown passed away , he was laid to rest over the weekend Garrison's cousin Emma Brown shared an Instagram post on Saturday, the day he was laid to rest, with several throwback snaps of the reality star 'Dear Robert, I had to dress up for your funeral today and this is everything i wish you couldve heard before i had to say goodbye' 'We love you. I dont even own a picture of you without your contagious smile. I dont know if I have the right words to say Ill miss you,' she added. 'I wish i was able to give you a hug and tell you how much you were loved. You were human, you had flaws but never once did i doubt the friendship we had,' she continued. 'Ill always cherish the times i got to spend with you. We planned to go on so many backpacking trips but only made it to one,' she continued. 'Ill miss your goofy dad jokes, our coffee runs, the dinners we shared. the times we watched movies and you always let me put messy face masks all over our faces,' Emma added. 'You always made sure that i had ate, and made sure I knew I could always talk to you. You were a son, a brother, a soldier, and a friend. If there is a god I hope hes giving you peace. I love you Robert,' she concluded. Robert Garrison Brown was found dead on March 5 by his brother Gabriel in Garrison's Tuscon, Arizona home. His mother Janelle, 54, took to Instagram Tuesday afternoon to announce the tragic news on behalf of the family. 'Kody and I are deeply saddened to announce the loss of our beautiful boy Robert Garrison Brown,' Janelle said. 'He was a bright spot in the lives of all who knew him. 'We love you. I dont even own a picture of you without your contagious smile. I dont know if I have the right words to say Ill miss you,' she added His mother Janelle, 54, took to Instagram Tuesday afternoon to announce the tragic news on behalf of the family. His most recent post came on Friday, as he posed alongside a cat he had adopted, which was his third overall 'His loss will leave such a big hole in our lives that it takes our breath away. We ask that you please respect our privacy and join us in honoring his memory' 'His loss will leave such a big hole in our lives that it takes our breath away. We ask that you please respect our privacy and join us in honoring his memory.' TLC said in a statement to People on Tuesday, 'We are devastated to hear of the tragic loss of Garrison Brown.' The network continued: 'We extend our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the Brown family at this difficult time.' Garrison had an Instagram account under the handle @robertthebrown, with more than 67,000 followers. His most recent post came on Friday, as he posed alongside a cat he had adopted, which was his third overall. 'Newest edition to my home, Ms Buttons,' Garrison said. 'Shes 9 years old and was on the line for euthanasia but my savior complex couldnt suffice. #crazycatlady.' But she said she was trying to let Emma's friend Jennifer Lawrence hand it over Michelle Yeoh stepped in on Monday to clear up an awkward miscommunication when she presented Emma Stone with her Oscar at the 96th Academy Awards on Sunday. The 61-year-old Malaysian actress, who was the previous Best Actress winner in 2023 for her performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once, confused viewers and audience members when she appeared to be unwilling to let go of the statuette. The Oscars broadcast appeared to show Emma looking confused and miffed as she tried to take her award from Michelle, though the veteran star didn't let go. But the Hong Kong action film legend clarified on Instagram that she was actually trying to get the 35-year-old actress' good friend Jennifer Lawrence in on the action. 'Congratulations Emma!! I confused you , but I wanted to share that glorious moment of handing over Oscar to you together with your best friend Jennifer!!' she explained in her caption. Michelle Yeoh stepped in on Monday to clear up an awkward miscommunication when she presented Emma Stone with her Oscar at the 96th Academy Awards on Sunday; seen with Jennifer Lawrence on Sunday Yeoh, 65, explained that she didn't hand over the Oscar immediately because she wanted Emma's good friend Jennifer Lawrence to be involved She added that the 33-year-old Silver Linings Playbook actress 'reminded me of my Bae Jamie Lee Curtis always there for each other!!' Jamie costarred with Michelle in her blockbuster indie sci-fi dramedy Everything Everywhere All At Once, and she also won her first Oscar in the Best Supporting Actress category for the film. When Emma's name was called which shocked some viewers, as Killers Of The Flower Moon star Lily Gladstone had been considered the frontrunner after winning more prior awards she hilariously turned around to reveal to the presenters and former winners that the back of her dress had ripped earlier in the evening. But as she walked toward Michelle, who was the most recent winner and held the Oscar statuette, Emma reached out to grab it, but Michelle didn't let go. Emma seemed to have a confused look on her face as she and the action star continued walking together toward Jennifer, before Michelle let go and Emma was able to hug her friend. Michelle included photos of her joyously presenting the award to Emma with Jennifer joining them, as well as a sweet photo of just her and Emma hugging. A follow-up snap showed Emma surrounded by Michelle, Jennifer and the other three presenters, Jessica Lange, Charlize Theron and Sally Field. If Emma was confused or upset, she didn't betray it at all during her acceptance speech. When Emma's name was called she hilariously turned around to reveal to the presenters and former winners that the back of her dress had ripped earlier in the evening But as she walked toward Michelle, who was the most recent winner and held the Oscar statuette, Emma reached out to grab it, but Michelle didn't let go. Emma seemed to have a confused look on her face Michelle hugged her friend Jennifer after Michelle let go of the award Michelle clarified that she was trying to walk the award toward Jennifer so that the previous winner could hand it to her friend Emma She apologized for the 'confusion,' but included photos of her and Emma looking friendly to clarify that there weren't any hard feelings Some viewers were shocked when Emma beat out apparent frontrunner Lily Gladstone, but she and the Killers Of The Flower Moon actress have been 'fast friends' since the start of awards season; seen together at the Oscars with fellow nominee Annette Bening After hilarious revealing her dress mishap to the audience, Emma fought back tears as she praised Lily, whom she had become 'fast friends' with during awards season. The two were seen looking chummy during a commercial break, and they joined up with fellow Best Actress nominee Annette Bening for a group hug. Emma's film Poor Things, which she also produced, ended up winning four of its 11 nominations, with additional wins for production design, makeup and hairstyling and costume design. The evening's big winner was Oppenheimer, which won seven of its 13 nominations, including Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Director and Best Picture. Jackie 'O' Henderson took to the radio air waves on Tuesday to reveal her very own Airbnb horror story. Following the announcement that Airbnb has banned indoor cameras in rental properties around the world after a spate of peeping incidents, Henderson, 49, shared her ordeal. The radio star revealed she found a hidden camera located outside of her Airbnb's ensuite and claimed that she was 'naked in that room': 'I came out of the ensuite exactly where the camera is positioned,' she said. 'I don't know if it was on or not,' the 49-year-old added. Jackie suggested the owner must have been paranoid about the house because 'everything was double glazed, every single window was double glazed, they had bars up and gates... outside on the lawns there was cameras watching.' Jackie 'O' Henderson took to the radio air waves on Tuesday to reveal her very own Airbnb horror story Kyle Sandilands, 52, joked 'are you sure you didn't stay at the prison?' Airbnb made the announcement on Monday and said that it was done in an effort to 'prioritize the privacy of our community.' The policy change for indoor cameras will come into effect April 30. It comes after the radio duo revealed that their show will premiere in Melbourne on Monday, April 29 at 6am. Following the announcement that Airbnb has banned indoor cameras in rental properties around the world after an outbreak of peeping incidents, Henderson, 49, shared her ordeal 'What we are going to put into Melbourne has never been done before. Even if you already hate Jackie, give me a chance,' Kyle joked. 'We're looking forward to finally broadcasting into Melbourne. We're excited.' The pair promised the show would become more 'inclusive' for Melbourne and include the city in its prize giveaways, which previously were only for Sydney residents. In November, the pair signed a record-breaking $200million 10-year contract which will see them on the air for the next decade and expand into Melbourne. Married At First Sight bride Lauren Dunn has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Sara Mesa's rendezvous with her ex-boyfriend and how it impacted their mutual friend Eden Harper. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, the Perth-based PR maven, 32, didn't hold back on her thoughts on the matter. 'I did know about Sara meeting up with the ex, Eden knew, I knew that nothing happened and it was honestly a non issue,' she said. She did however acknowledge the deeper issues at play - the hurt it caused Sara's partner Tim. 'However, I can say in hindsight that it was very hurtful to Tim to find out the way he found out, because lying about something makes someone feel like there's something to hide,' she added. Married At First Sight bride Lauren Dunn has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Sara Mesa's rendezvous with her ex-boyfriend and how it impacted their mutual friend Eden Harper Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, the Perth-based PR maven, 32, didn't hold back on her thoughts on the matter Lauren shared the advice she offered Sara during the couple's tumultuous time. 'I did say to Sara you should just tell him who cares? And her concerns was that he'd been cheated on in the past and it would make him think that something was going on that wasn't,' she explained. 'So I can see both sides, but obviously seeing how hurt Tim was on the screen was hard to watch.' Reflecting on the aftermath, Lauren noted, 'And Sara and I have discussed this and she definitely knows now that what she did was wrong and it just created more problems than would have been created if she just told him the truth.' 'I did know about Sara meeting up with the ex, Eden knew, I knew that nothing happened and it was honestly a non issue,' she said The controversy blew up after Eden showed her partner Jayden the text messages between herself and Sara, in which she disclosed her the rendezvous with her ex. 'I have many opinions on this situation. However, I do believe that Jayden saw the messages on the phone and was pressuring Eden to bring it up because Jayden and Tim are good friends, and he felt like Tim needed to know, but Eden was seriously anxious about having to expose Sara,' she said. Lauren also expressed her discomfort with how the situation was handled, particularly by Eden, who was caught between a rock and a hard place. She did however acknowledge the deeper issues at play - the hurt it caused Sara's partner Tim Lauren also expressed her discomfort with how the situation was handled, particularly by Eden, who was caught between a rock and a hard place 'I really don't feel like she really wanted to do it in that way and I think that's what was making her so anxious at the retreat,' Dunn said. Despite the scandal, Lauren made it clear her relationship with Eden remains intact. 'Eden and I definitely had a friendship, and we continue to have a friendship,' she revealed. 'It definitely didn't ruin the friendship. I was just disappointed with how it was it came out,' she affirmed, showing support for her friend amidst the backlash.' Sara Sampaio took her relationship with Ray Nicholson to a new level on Sunday when they made their red carpet debut at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party. The model and the actor, both 32, oozed affection as they embraced in front of the camera at the high-profile celebrity event. The party coincided with the the 96th Academy Awards, where Oppenheimer took home the most awards, included the night's top prize, Best Picture. The Portuguese beauty has been dating Ray who is the spitting image of his superstar father Jack Nicholson, 86 since the summer of 2023, but they saved their major debut as a couple for Hollywood's biggest night. Sara radiated classic Hollywood glamour in a gorgeous black-and-burgundy off-the-shoulder gown from Zuhair Murad. Sara Sampaio took her relationship with Ray Nicholson to a new level on Sunday when they made their red carpet debut at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party The model and the actor, both 32, oozed affection as they embraced in front of the camera at the high-profile celebrity event after they were first linked in the summer of 2023 The gown featured a ruched bodice and a voluminous skirt with a slit to reveal her trim legs. The dark material was enlivened with lovely dark red rose designs, and she paired the dress with a tasteful set of pointy black pumps. Sara swapped out her usual brunette hair in favor of blond locks after getting her hair dyed last month. She styled her long hair with a side part and let her long waves drape down her back. She completed her opulent look with shimmering jewelry, including gleaming diamond earrings and a thick necklace decorated with more diamonds and an enormous red stone, from Pasquale Bruni. Ray looked suave in a well-tailored charcoal suit that he paired with a black satin shirt sans tie and a set of black loafers. Sara shared some snaps from her Oscars party preparations to her Instagram Stories. 'Last night at @vanityfair with my ,' she captioned one post of her and Ray on the red carpet. She included some behind-the-scenes snaps, including a photo of Ray helping her to zip-up the back of her haute couture look. She beamed ear to ear in another photo as she brushed her hair from her face and highlighted her delicate pink-tinged nails. Ray is the product of his father's relationship with Rebecca Broussard, whom the Oscar winner dated from 1989 to 1994. Nicholson has three other confirmed children, including a daughter Jennifer with his only wife, Sandra Knight, whom he was wed to from 1962 to 1968. He would go on to have a son Caleb with his Five Easy Pieces costar Susan Anspach, whom he did not publicly acknowledge until 1996; and an older daughter Lorraine from his relationship with Broussard. The Chinatown star also has a supposed daughter Honey from his relationship with Danish model Winnie Hollman, whom he has never acknowledged; and a daughter Tessa with the waitress Jeannine Gourin, whom he has also never publicly confirmed. Sara and Ray have kept their relationship relatively under the radar, and they were last pictured together on a shopping trip in Beverly Hills in December. She was previously linked to the literary manager Zac Frognowski, but their last red carpet appearance was early in 2023. Ray had been previously seen on a date with Delilah Hamlin in 2022. Sara radiated classic Hollywood glamour in a gorgeous black-and-burgundy off-the-shoulder gown from Zuhair Murad, along with Pasquale Bruni jewelry Ray looked suave in a well-tailored charcoal suit that he paired with a black satin shirt sans tie and a set of black loafers Sara shared some snaps from her Oscars party preparations to her Instagram Stories, including one of Ray helping to zip up her dress 'Last night at @vanityfair with my ,' she captioned her post Ray is the son of actor Jack Nicholson and his longtime girlfriend Rebecca Broussard, whom the Oscar winner dated from 1989 to 1994. He is an actor in his own right and has had parts in Promising Young Woman, Licorice Pizza and Something From Tiffany's After first getting his start acting in the mid-2000s, he has gradually worked with more and more prestigious talents. He was featured in a small part with Jared Leto in 2018's The Outsider, and he went on to play a modest role in 2020's Promising Young Woman opposite Carey Mulligan. In 2021, he worked with acclaimed auteur Paul Thomas Anderson for a small part on his 2021 film Licorice Pizza, before graduating to lead roles with the Neil Labute thriller Out Of The Blue, which he costarred in with Diane Kruger. More recently, Ray had a supporting role in the 2022 Zoey Deutchstarring rom-com Something From Tiffany's, and last year he worked with Camila Morrone, Willem Dafoe and actor and director Patricia Arquette on her drama Gonzo Girl. Ariana Madix revealed she was 'on [her] last $2,000' before finding success in the aftermath of Scandoval. In a preview of an upcoming episode of Vanderpump Rules, the 38-year-old reality TV star was seen opening up to her castmates about her past and present financial situation. She confessed that she was 'not in a good place financially' prior to the viral scandal, which stemmed from her discovery of her now-ex, Tom Sandoval, having an affair with her friend Rachel Leviss. In the scene, Madix was seen opening up to James Kennedy's girlfriend Ally Lewber, Lala Kent, Katie Maloney and Scheana Shay who also revealed in a recent episode that Sandoval lent her money when she was 'broke' at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. 'The internet thinks I've made millions of dollars. That is not true,' she admitted to her co-stars and friends. Ariana Madix revealed she was 'on [her] last $2,000' before finding success in the aftermath of Scandoval; seen in January 2024 She confessed that she was 'not in a good place financially' prior to the viral scandal, which stemmed from her discovery of her now-ex, Tom Sandoval, having an affair with her friend Rachel Leviss; seen in June 2022 Days before uncovering her boyfriend-of-nine-years's infidelity, she recalled contacting her team about being low on money. 'It's like, on March 1st, was I financially prepared to move? No,' she said. 'Literally the week before all of this happened, I remember emailing my agent and manager and being like, "Guys, let's start really trying to do some s***, because I'm not in a good place financially."' The teaser for the new episode, which airs on Tuesday, March 12, also shows Madix expanding on her financial situation and sharing additional details in a confessional. 'When I first started making decent money, we decided we wanted to buy a house,' she recalled of her and Sandoval's property purchase. 'Then, I was playing catch-up all the way up until Katie and I found a great location for a sandwich shop,' she said about her and Maloney's joint business venture, Something About Her which is rumored to be now closed. 'Then a bunch of my money went toward that. 'Now I was at a point where in March I was literally on my last $2,000. I am not kidding.' She explained that she took on so many work opportunities following her split with Sandoval because In a preview of an upcoming episode of Vanderpump Rules, the 38-year-old reality TV star was seen opening up to her castmates about her past and present financial situation; seen in May 2023 'The internet thinks I've made millions of dollars. That is not true,' she admitted to her co-stars and friends. Days before uncovering her boyfriend-of-nine-years's infidelity with Leviss, she recalled contacting her team about being low on money Almost exactly a year ago in March 2023, Madix ended her relationship with Sandoval when she discovered his months-long affair with Leviss. The former couple had been dating for nearly a decade and bought a $2 million home in Valley Village together in 2019; seen in February 2023 'He created this situation and now I am f***ing scrambling to get my s*** together to be able to in a financially responsible way move onto the next step.' In a recent episode, Shay grappled with her feelings and losing Sandoval as a friend. She recalled he was 'there for me in a time when no one else was' in the past. When she was 'broke' and 'struggling' during the pandemic, she said Sandoval sent her 'several thousand' dollars. During a deep conversation with Kent in last week's episode, Shay struggled to hold back tears as she recalled her friendship with Sandoval. 'That's where I'm struggling,' she told Kent. 'That's what I was telling Ariana. I'm like, "Ariana, do you remember in the pandemic when I had no income and I woke up one day to a massive PayPal from Sandoval?"' She said that, at the time, she 'had no money' and 'had nothing coming in'. In a confessional, she elaborated. 'During the pandemic, I woke up to several thousand dollars in my account,' she explained. 'He knew I was struggling at the time. My podcast got canceled. I'm pregnant. I had no income and he was there for me in a time when no one else was.' In a recent episode, Shay grappled with her feelings and losing Sandoval as a friend. She recalled he was 'there for me in a time when no one else was' in the past. When she was 'broke' and 'struggling' during the pandemic, she said Sandoval sent her 'several thousand' dollars; seen in February 2024 She said that, at the time, she 'had no money' and 'had nothing coming in'. 'I'm struggling not forgiving this human who has been there for me,' she added about Sandoval; seen in November 2018 Despite her conflicting feelings, she insisted that she was 'not saying I'm going to be his best friend again'. 'I'm not saying come over for f***ing dinner [and] let me paint your toenails white. 'I'm struggling not forgiving this human who has been there for me,' she added. Almost exactly a year ago in March 2023, Madix ended her relationship with Sandoval when she discovered his months-long affair with Leviss. The former couple had been dating for nearly a decade and bought a $2 million home in Valley Village together in 2019. Madix currently lives in New York City while she is performing on Broadway, but the pair still reside in the same house. In early January, she filed a lawsuit and sued him as she wants to sell the home and they do not see eye-to-eye on how to split up the property. In another twist, Leviss also recently filed a revenge porn lawsuit against both Sandoval and Madix. Married At First Sight's Jack Dunkley has addressed rumours that he is ready to start a family with bride Tori Adams. The reality star groom insisted that claims that Tori is already pregnant are not even close to true. 'Yep, we can squash that right now,' he told Star 104.5's Gina & Matty this week. In fact, the groom said that the pair had not even slept together yet so starting a family was a long way off. 'We just pushed back if we weren't ready, we weren't comfortable,' Jack explained on the show. Married At First Sight's Jack Dunkley (pictured) has addressed rumours that he is ready to start a family with bride Tori Adams The reality star groom insisted that claims that Tori (right) is already pregnant are not even close to true 'By this point of the show, where we're getting up to plenty of mischief... we just hadn't actually done the deed yet'. It comes after he revealed a major spoiler about his future with Tori. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, the Gold Coast personal trainer, 34, hinted that against all odds the couple do make it together after the experiment. Jack also opened up about the lack of sexual intimacy with Tori, attributing it to the couple's quest for the right moment to consummate their marriage amid the chaos of the show. 'I've had two commitment ceremonies at this point, where I have been getting railed by the experts about if I've had sex with Tori yet. And my response has been 'not yet',' he explained. 'Yep, we can squash that right now,' he told Star 104.5's Gina & Matty this week 'However, I am ready,' he added, stressing the importance of romance and timing over physical intimacy. 'I am ready. We have fooled around, we have been intimate. We just haven't had intercourse. 'We just need to find a little bit of romance within the Skye apartments because right now there's a lot of heat. There's a lot of pressure. It's not the most romantic setting you could say. And we were just looking for a moment to do it right and enjoy each other.' Jack said the couple have developed a strong bond, one that extends beyond the surface level expectations of reality TV relationships. 'We would set our alarms and get out of bed at the same time. We'd have dinner together every night... We just started forming this life - a life I would like to have with a wife one day,' he shared. In fact, the groom said that the pair had not even slept together yet so starting a family was a long way off. 'We just pushed back if we weren't ready, we weren't comfortable,' Jack explained Jack explained that despite not finding Tori initially sexually attractive, the couple eventually formed a spark which he credits to Tori's loyalty. 'And to watch Tori defend me the way she did and not fall for any of the storylines that were getting put out there by [other participants]... I've never had someone stand up for me that much and have my back,' Jack said. 'It was really attractive to see that in a partner... I started to really connect with her through these rough times, and at the end of the day, we've only got each other. 'We would be under the firing line at all the dinner parties and then we'd hold hands and go home at night time. We only had each other. We could cuddle up and debrief over the whole dinner party charade. 'We really made each other feel secure and happy.' Ewan McGregor stepped out hand-in-hand with his wife Mary Elizabeth Winstead for a date night in New York City on Tuesday. The couple, who married in 2022, strolled down Fifth Avenue after enjoying dinner at The Polo Bar ahead of an appearance on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon. Ewan, 52, put on a smart display in a navy blue pinstripe suit that he teamed with a black T-shirt and tan lace-up boots. Mary, 39, wore a leather skirt with a high front slit and polka dot tights, layering over a wool jacket. During their TV appearance, they discussed their upcoming Showtime series A Gentleman in Moscow, an eight-part adaptation of Amor Towles' 2016 novel. Ewan McGregor, 52, stepped out hand-in-hand with his wife Mary Elizabeth Winstead, 39, for a date night in New York City on Tuesday Ewan is set to portray Count Alexander Rostov while Mary will star as his onscreen wife Mary Urbanova. The series will mark the third on-screen collaboration between Mary and her husband, following 2017's Fargo (where they first met) and 2020's Birds of Prey. The couple have also share a Star Wars link with Ewan playing Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy and Mary starring as Hera in the Disney Plus series. Despite both starring in the franchise as popular characters, the couple revealed their son Laurie, two, favours another star. 'He loves Grogu, who doesn't appear in any of our series'', Mary explained. She continued: 'But he did get to meet him. He came to visit me at work. Ewan brought him to me on my set. 'He has several Grogu stuffed toys which he loves he wants to take them everywhere and we were like, "you're going to meet the real Grogu." Explaining how the meeting didn't go as planned, Ewan laughed: 'He freaked out, he did not like it all. The puppeteers were like "Oh god sorry, sorry" and he was just screaming this head off.' The couple, who married in 2022, strolled down Fifth Avenue after enjoying dinner at The Polo Bar ahead of an appearance on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon Ewan, 52, put on a smart display in a navy blue pinstripe suit that he teamed with a black T-shirt and tan lace-up boots During their TV appearance, they discussed their upcoming Showtime series A Gentleman in Moscow, an eight-part adaptation of Amor Towles' 2016 novel Ewan is set to portray Count Alexander Rostov while Mary will star as his onscreen wife Mary Urbanova Before marrying Mary in April 2022, Ewan was married to Eva Mavrakis for 22 years until their split in May 2017 - they shares daughters Clara, Jamyan, Esther and Anouk. The actor met Mary when they were both working on Fargo in late 2016 when Ewan was still married to Eva and Mary was still with her ex-husband Riley Stearns. They were pictured kissing London cafe in October 2022 and later announced he had been separated Eva since May. In the ensuing couple of years, Clara infamously denounced Mary as 'a piece of trash' and fumed that her father was an 'a**hole.' Clara later expressed regret over her unfiltered remarks about Mary, and the blended family has evidently arrived at a rapprochement. Last year, Ewan broke his studious public silence about his divorce to reveal the devastating blow the split had dealt his family. 'A divorce in a family is a bomb going off in everyone's life - my children's lives,' he told GQ. 'The, sort of, healing of that is on-going.' Eva, a production designer, first struck up her relationship with Ewan in 1995 when they were working on the British legal drama Kavanaugh QC. They married that year and raised four daughters together, two biological and two of whom they adopted. Although they reportedly separated in May 2017, they did not break the news to the public until October - when Ewan was glimpsed kissing Mary. A seething drama played out on social media, with Ewan's fanbase polarized over the implosion of his marriage and his blossoming romance with Mary. Clara poured fuel on the fire by sneering on Instagram that Mary was 'a piece of trash' in mid-2018 as the divorce proceedings rumbled on. The series will mark the third on-screen collaboration between Mary and her husband, following 2017's Fargo (where they first met) and 2020's Birds of Prey Before marrying Mary in April 2022, Ewan was married to Eva Mavrakis for 22 years (L-R Clara, Laurie, Mary (back), Anouk, Eva, Esther, Jamyan) Months after the outburst, Clara addressed the remark in the Times of London, saying: 'There had been a lot building up to it and a lot to deal with, not to make excuses or anything, but, yeah, it wasnt my finest moment.' Then, near the beginning of 2019, Clara posted a bikini snap of Eva and took a swipe in the comments at 'a**hole men who leave my goddess of a mother.' Eva and Ewan spent years in their divorce proceedings and squabbled about money before they finalized their split at last in 2020. The settlement reportedly required that he pay her 40,000 a month and was also alleged to have awarded her half his Star Wars royalties. Cillian Murphy has revealed an update on the future of his Peaky Blinders character Tommy Shelby after his historic Oscars win for Best Actor. The actor was previously best known for his role as the northern gangster in the BBC drama, but has since received worldwide acclaim for his performance in Oppenheimer. For months speculation has been rife that creator Stephen Knight has been working on a movie adaptation, but now Cillian has hinted he may never return to his role as Tommy Shelby. Asked whether he was happy to retire the character of Tommy, he said after the ceremony: 'I loved playing him. He was exhausting and so wildly different for me that each time going back was kind of a journey. 'I'm really not sentimental about work. I feel like the next thing is the most exciting thing. And I mean, it was a ten-year period in my life, so it is significant, but I always feel, like, let's keep moving.' Cillian Murphy has revealed an update on the future of his Peaky Blinders character Tommy Shelby after his historic Oscars win for Best Actor Last month, Cillian said he would be happy to reprise his role as Tommy Shelby if Knight were to make a Peaky Blinders movie. Speaking on Desert Island Discs, he admitted he was 'relieved' when the BBC drama ended in 2022 but is now 'totally' on board with a movie adaptation. Murphy also hinted that the programme's writer, Steven Knight, had more stories to tell about the Birmingham-based Shelby clan and their criminal activities between the 1880s and 1910s. He explained: 'I have always said that if Knight delivers a script that I know he can deliver, because he is such a phenomenal writer, I'll be there. If we want to watch 50-year-old Tommy Shelby, let's do it.' Peaky Blinders launched in 2013 and garnered huge audiences both in Britain and overseas, attracting roles for silver-screen stars such as Tom Hardy and Anya Taylor-Joy. Cillian was awarded the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer at the 96th Academy Awards. In his speech Cillian told the star-studded room that he was 'a very proud Irishman standing here tonight' before dedicating his win to 'peacemakers everywhere'. Fans watching hailed hailed him a 'true gentleman' for his 'heartfelt' words as he signed off with a nod to his Irish heritage. 'Go raibh mile maith agaibh,' he added, which translates to 'a thousand thank yous'. The actor was previously best known for his role as the northern gangster in the BBC drama, but has since received acclaim for his performance in Oppenheimer (pictured at the Oscars) Speaking in the press room after picking up his statuette, Murphy told journalists: 'I'm in a little bit of a daze, I'm very overwhelmed. I'm very humbled. I'm very grateful and you know, very proud to be Irish standing here today. 'It's really really meaningful to me. I don't know if I said this in my speech, because I can't remember what I said.' 'I did want to say that I think in Ireland we are really great at supporting artists and I think we need to continue to support artists and the next generation of actors and directors. I think that's vitally important. That's all I have to say.' When asked if he is 'content' about being remembered for his role as atomic bomb scientist J Robert Oppenheimer in the movie, the actor replied: 'Very content. I mean, you got to move forward, but this has been a huge, huge moment for me. 'The movie is so special to me, and myself and [director] Chris [Nolan] have such a special relationship.' 'And I just feel very privileged to be able to continue to work with him and I'm very proud that this is a film that is provocative, and that asks questions, and is challenging, but yet so many people went to see it, so I'm really really proud of it.' Cillian added of his relationship with director Christopher Nolan: 'It's very very special. We have been working together for 20 years. I think he's the perfect director, he's an extraordinary writer, he's an extraordinary director of actors. 'He presents this film like no one else does in the world, and I just can't believe my luck. I did a screentest for him when I was a kid, and I thought that would be it and it would just be enough to be in a room with Chris for a couple of hours, and here we are. So, I'm just so humble and thankful.' When asked if he is 'content' about being remembered for his role as atomic bomb scientist J Robert Oppenheimer in the movie, the actor replied: 'Very content. I mean, you got to move forward, but this has been a huge, huge moment for me. For months speculation has been rife that creator Stephen Knight has been working on a Peaky Blinders movie, but now Cillian has hinted he may never return to his role as Tommy Shelby 'The movie is so special to me, and myself and [director] Chris [Nolan] have such a special relationship.' 'And I just feel very privileged to be able to continue to work with him and I'm very proud that this is a film that is provocative, and that asks questions, and is challenging, but yet so many people went to see it, so I'm really really proud of it.' Cillian added of his relationship with director Christopher Nolan: 'It's very very special. We have been working together for 20 years. I think he's the perfect director, he's an extraordinary writer, he's an extraordinary director of actors. 'He presents this film like no one else does in the world, and I just can't believe my luck. I did a screentest for him when I was a kid, and I thought that would be it and it would just be enough to be in a room with Chris for a couple of hours, and here we are. So, I'm just so humble and thankful.' Lenny Henry made a rare appearance with his partner Lisa Makin as they enjoyed a low-key dinner date together in London on Monday. Ahead of hosting his final Comic Relief telethon, the comedian made an appearance on The One Show, before heading to the Arlington restaurant with the theatre mogul. Lenny cut a dapper figure in a smart black coat and a baker boy hat as he headed home hand-in-hand with theatre mogul Lisa. The comic began dating Lisa in 2012, after he split from his wife of 25 years Dawn French in 2010. Lenny will host the Comic Relief telethon for the final time on Friday, March 15, alongside Davina McCall, Joel Dommett, Paddy McGuinness, Rosie Ramsey, Romesh Ranganathan, Maya Jama and David Tennant. Lenny Henry made a rare appearance with his partner Lisa Makin as they enjoyed a low-key dinner date together in London on Monday Ahead of hosting his final Comic Relief telethon, the comedian made an appearance on The One Show, before heading to the Arlington restaurant with the theatre mogul In a recent interview with The Radio Times, Lenny said that missing his former Comic Relief co-hosts - including ex-wife Dawn French- was one reason why he decided to step down from presenting the iconic telethon after 39-years. The comic, who co-founded the charity alongside Richard Curtis, has fronted the Red Nose Day specials since its inception as a charity in 1985, but confirmed that this month's show will be his last. Sir Lenny, who was married to Dawn from 1984 to 2010, told Radio Times he 'missed his gang' of fellow comics who co-hosted with him in the 80s including French and Saunders, Billy Connolly and the late Victoria Wood. Telling the publication: 'We were like a little gang. But for a few years I've felt, ''Where's the new gang?''. '[Comic Relief] is a baton to be handed on to a new group of people who are going to take on Comic Relief'. Lenny then tipped his replacement after praising David Tennant who hosted the show in 2019 due to theatre commitments. Saying: 'I thought, well, actually, [David was] brilliant. And I think there's other people, newer people, who are coming up like Romesh Ranganathan, Alesha Dixon, AJ Odudu. 'There are new people coming up now who can absolutely take the reins'. Lenny cut a dapper figure in a smart black coat and a baker boy hat as he headed home hand-in-hand with theatre mogul Lisa However Sir Lenny did admit that while he would not be on screen during the big night he'd continue working for the charity behind the scenes as it's Life President. In 2010, Dawn and Lenny, who share daughter Billie, divorced on the grounds of his 'unreasonable behaviour'. There were rumours that Lenny cheated on Dawn in 1999, an allegation he denied. After 36 years at the helm, Lenny said that he's decided it's time for new names to take the presenter reins, while he continues to support Comic Relief and Red Nose Day on other projects throughout the year. He said: 'When we first started Comic Relief back in 1985, I never dreamed we'd still be here today. I thought we'd probably do three shows and that would be it, but fast-forward nearly 40 years, and that enthusiasm and determination to step up and help others has never wavered. 'As Life President of Comic Relief, I'm excited to see some new and familiar faces come forward now to present the big night and lead us into the next chapter.' 'Right now, we know there is a cost-of-living crisis and people are struggling, a lot of people are struggling here and around the world. Lenny is stepping down as the host of Comic Relief after 39 years, and he will host his final telethon on Friday, March 15 'But we also know that the British public are brilliant you're so kind and generous, if somebody has a problem, you always want to help out. 'Without you, we couldn't do what we do. I'd love nothing more than if you joined me in getting involved this year. 'Let's make it one to remember and show that having a laugh can actually make a world of difference. 'Do something funny for money, join me at The London Palladium, wear your Red Nose with complete and utter pride whatever you do, thank you! Let's go!' He's set to leave Casualty as its longest serving star, but Derek Thompson admits his beloved character was supposed to leave the show decades ago. The actor is preparing to bow out as clinical nurse Charlie Fairhead after joining the BBC medical drama during its first series on September 6 1986. Now 75-years old, Thompson - who appeared in British gangster film The Long Good Friday and Channel 4 soap Brookside before stepping into the role - says it was originally outlined as a short-term job by show producers. He told OK!: 'I never envisaged I'd stay 38-years. I originally signed up for three years, but it soon became apparent what a great character he was to play. 'Medicine and television have both changed a lot since I started. But the basics are still there the reception area and desk where people roll up is still performing the same function it did on my first day.' He's set to leave Casualty as its longest serving star, but Derek Thompson admits his beloved character was supposed to leave the show decades ago The actor is preparing to bow out as clinical nurse Charlie Fairhead after joining the BBC medical drama during its first series on September 6 1986 Charlie's life currently hangs in the balance after he was stabbed by a crazed patient, part of a new storyline that Thompson hopes will draw attention to the increasing threat of violence faced by NHS workers. And he admits it remains to be seen if the popular character will pull through, adding: 'I don't want to spoil it by saying whether or not he survives, but everything felt heightened when I filmed my last scenes. 'It felt like one of those big emotional moments in your life, like the birth of a child or your wedding. 'This final story really does create a realism, which will poke people in the eye and say, "This really is painful for these people, and yet they struggle on."' The actor confirmed his departure after the programme's episodes were dramatically reduced due to costs at the BBC. However, he won't be absent from screens for long because he has already been snapped up by another BBC drama and is set to appear in upcoming weeks. Thompson will be featured in the second series of the BBC's hit drama Blue Lights, returning to his hometown of Belfast. The new role is a massive shift for the actor who has only made limited appearances in other shows outside of Casualty in the last 37 years. Thompson has already bagged his first acting gig after leaving his role on Casualty The actor is set to return to his hometown of Belfast to take on the role of retired police officer Robin Graham (pictured in character) who is confronted with his murky past Blue Lights will see Thompson take on the role of retired police officer Robin Graham over the course of five episodes this season. As trainee solicitor Jen Robinson (Hannah McClean) investigates a decades old case that is set to insight havoc in the present day, the pensioner is confronted with his murky past. Thompson confessed he was quick to sign on for the job following his departure from the long-running medical show. He said: 'I loved the first series of Blue Lights and thought, as did the majority of my friends and colleagues, that it was the best new TV series of last year. 'I was thrilled and excited (star jumps in the living room) when I got the invitation to take part in series two. 'I was born in Belfast and was equally excited (more star jumps) to travel over to work on the show and pleased to report, having read the scripts, that I'm sure the fans will love the second series every bit as much as the first. 'Greatly looking forward to it myself as I'm one of them.' Production company, Two Cities, added: 'We are delighted to have Derek Thompson back working with us in his native Belfast, it is an honour to have him as part of the Blue Lights family.' Thompson's Casualty exit was confirmed in May of last year after the actor revealed that 'the time (had) come' after nearly four decades on the soap. Discussing his departure, he said: 'The time has come for me to hang up Charlie's scrubs after the most wonderful 37 years. 'Charlie Fairhead was inspired by a real nurse - Pete Salt. 'Together with the writers and producers, I have tried to bring to Charlie the compassion, kindness, heroism and sound judgment that we all see and love in Pete and I want to say thanks to Pete and everyone else over that time who has inspired me in bringing this character to life.' Louise Thompson has given an update on her recovery after being hospitalised for the fourth time. The Made In Chelsea star, 33, took to Instagram on Monday where she posted snaps of herself spending quality time with her young son, Leo, whom she shares with her fiance Ryan Libbey. She was forced to cancel her Mother's Day plans due to her recovery, but still got to spend quality time with her son Leo. Louise wrote on Instagram: 'Was supposed to be doing something lovely with my ma and grandma yesterday but computer said NO. And recovery prevailed. So the furthest we got was a trip to the supermarket megastore round the corner. 'Still felt good given that I haven't been since December. In fact it was better than good. I saw so many faces with mixed facial expressions, dads dashing out to buy supermarket flowers for their wives, and watching Leo's little legs dangle in the trolley seat was chef's kiss. Louise Thompson has given an update on her recovery after being hospitalised for the fourth time She was forced to cancel her Mother's Day plans due to her recovery, but still got to spend quality time with her son Leo 'Many a beautiful moment was had at home, including watching Ryan eat lots and lots of gooooood food , trash tv and sitting with this garish purple hot water bottle that I opened and almost angrily discarded when suffering with a raging fever. 'I now consider it the best thing since sliced bread, especially given that I can tie it around my poor sore body and wear it round the 'crib' like a camp accessory.' Louise recently spent two weeks in hospital after losing 'cups of blood' due to Ulcerative Colitis while in Antigua on a family holiday. Following her discharge after the 12-day stint, Louise was then admitted to hospita l three times in one week over extreme pains, ultrasounds and check ins. Revealing that her friends and family have played a huge part of her recovery, she captioned her honest post: 'T hings that helped me in H. Louise previously revealed what has helped her get through her gruelling hospital stints as she said she has feeling feeling 'really s***'. The mother-of-one shared a heartfelt post on Instagram updating her 1.4million followers on how she was feeling on Sunday afternoon. Alongside an album of hospital pictures, Louise captioned her post with 31 tips that she would recommend when staying in hospital for a long period of time. 'Before I press forward I just want to go back and talk about some nuggets that have helped me as an inpatient - Because yesterday afternoon someone* at the hospital said 'thank you so much for sharing all you do because it actually helps people' 'The funny thing is I probably added the word 'actually' into that sentence in my own head because it still shocks me as to how much of an impact social media can have.or I could have but her comment made me realise I need to keep talking, even if it's for the minority of people. Actually especially for the minority of people. The Made In Chelsea star, 33, took to Instagram on Monday where she posted snaps of herself spending quality time with her young son, Leo, whom she shares with her fiance Ryan Libbey Louise wrote on Instagram: 'Was supposed to be doing something lovely with my ma and grandma yesterday but computer said NO. And recovery prevailed. So the furthest we got was a trip to the supermarket megastore round the corner.' 'I know by waxing lyrical about my problems I'm liable to extra scrutiny and am keen to stave off this narrative of 'poor me' or 'look at me i've spent time in hospital', given that there are a lot of people going through a lot of s**t, but I shouldn't invalidate my lived experience. 'I have been through a lot. It has been really s**t. I have been really bloody strong. And I have learnt a lot along the way. And now I want to educate people in a really simple way about the inevitable struggles that come with spending time in hospital. And also how pants lifelong chronic conditions can be. 'So I'm sharing this incase you or someone you know has to spend a bit of time here. (Could indeed be the joyful occasion of giving birth, doesn't always need to be doom and gloom) but let me tell you - it really is the little things that help. 'It's basic stuff,' she noted before going on to write a list of 31 things. Her open Instagram post comes after the star was admitted to hospital three times in one week in February . Louise has been in and out of hospital since giving birth to Leo, two, following a traumatic birth that left her with PTSD. She was discharged following a 12-day stint earlier this week before she had to return days later for a check in and again 24 hours later for an ultrasound after her pain became unbearable. Ryan shared a heartfelt post to his Instagram Stories during the end of February revealing that she returned to hospital over extreme pains. Sharing a sweet post of the two of them in the back of a car, Ryan wrote: 'This little warrior is doing well, but the pain has ramped up in the last 48 hours. 'So we are back at the hospital for an ultrasound to check nothing there is nothing sinister happening.' Earlier that week, Louise informed fans she will be spending a lot of time in hospital going forward as she needs to return for 'weekly check ins'. Taking to her Instagram Stories, the star shared a selfie and wrote: 'Big Steps. 1. First school run with the gang. 2. Then back to hospital for weekly check ins.' Louise shared a sweet video earlier that week again of her son Leo visiting her in hospital after 12 days apart as she gave an update on her health. Taking to Instagram, Louise shared the moment they were reunited and how it gave her 'the motivational boost I needed' to get her home. She shared a Reel to her page alongside the words: 'I didn't see this peanut for 12 days. But a visit was just the motivational boost I needed to hurry my recovery on and get me home for good. Louise previously revealed what has helped her get through her gruelling hospital stints as she said she has feeling feeling 'really s***' (pictured with fiance Ryan Libbey) The mother-of-one shared a heartfelt post on Instagram updating her 1.4million followers on how she was feeling Her open Instagram post comes after the star was admitted to hospital three times in one week in February . The mum-of-one has been in and out of hospital since giving birth to Leo, two, following a traumatic birth that left her with PTSD 'More on children visiting hospital in the caption. Would love to learn your thoughts.' The Reel was sweetly set to Betty Who's I Love You Always Forever. She added in a lengthy caption: 'One of the strange things about this whole experience has been navigating time spent in hospital with a little one at home. 'When Ryan was young(ish) well we've now established he was about 8 years old - he saw his mum in hospital connected to lots of wires after a major back surgery and the memory still stings him to this day. 'Ryan's not very good with hospital. I don't judge him for it. That's one of the reasons why we thought long and hard about bringing Leo in to visit.' Louise said during her first seven days in hospital Leo wasn't allowed to visit but while she was in ITU a doctor recommended that it was good idea for her to see Leo when she was further along in her recovery. 'This is going to sound horrendous but when I was, say, 'septic' post op I didn't think about Leo. I couldn't think about anything. I couldn't concentrate. Plus I was on Fentanyl for 5 days so I was drifting in and out,' she continued. 'It was only as I started to feel a bit better that I could think more rationally and could weigh up the pros and cons. 'I'd facetimed him on one of the days and got a bit upset. I didn't want to show him lots of sadness. I didn't want to add any more confusion. 'I didn't want to disrupt the challenges that Ryan was dealing with at home - my health uncertainty and the change to Leo's routine. 'Leo was happy and busy at nursery several days a week. Lots of family rallied around to play with him. Things were really ok for him. 'I also reminded myself that some young parents go away for work or for holidays with their partners leaving their kids behind for a week or so anyway! That made me feel a lot better.' Louise also shared an update on Instagram stories. She said: 'I wanted to let you know that I am actually doing really well recovering at home. '(I keep touching my hair, aka, touching wood, whenever I say this to anyone that visits because I'm mindful I don't want to speak too soon and I don't want to jinx anything'. Louise, the elder sister of Sam Thompson , has faced series of health issues since the birth of Leo-Hunter in November 2021. She was diagnosed with Ulcerative colitis during her last stint in hospital which is the inflammation of the lower end of the digestive system. The condition sadly has no cure, but can be effectively managed with time. Before Louise's latest health scare, she was posting photos from her family trip with Ryan, Leo and her father to Antigua And Barbuda. A post on January 28 featured a carousel of snaps of herself with little Leo, alongside which she wrote an emotive caption about 'learning to lean into and be grateful for those imperfect in-between moments because nothing lasts forever'. Louise revealed a while after welcoming Leo that she and he nearly died during the traumatic labour. She was diagnosed with Ulcerative colitis during her last stint in hospital which is the inflammation of the lower end of the digestive system. The condition sadly has no cure, but can be effectively managed with time On December 23, 2021, Louise announced the birth of her son on her Instagram page and revealed she had been discharged from hospital to recover at home. She said: '5 weeks ago I gave birth to my beautiful baby boy Leo-Hunter Libbey weighing in at 7lbs. Unfortunately it wasn't the easiest start for either of us. One ended up in NICU and the other ended up in ICU.' Louise said that Leo recovered quickly, but she had to deal with 'many bad things', saying: 'To dance with death twice brings a whole new view of the world.' In December, two years after Leo's birth, she reflected on the time since the traumatic series of events. She said: 'Here's a reminder that a lot can change in a year. A lot can change in 6 months. Indeed a lot can change in a month but it's hard to witness the change until you create some sizeable distance from it. 'I'm crying writing this. I'm feeling very emotional today. I can't lie it feels nice to purge my pain. I encourage you to try writing and crying too. 'Sometimes it helps. But the main reason I'm writing this is because I really want you guys to know that you must keep moving forward. Don't give up. Because there will be a time when you will want to wear a pretty party dress again. You will shine again.' The reality star announced last month she is releasing a book, Lucky, where she will tell the story of the near-death experience. Cat Deeley has made a change to This Morning on her second day as the new main host alongside Ben Shephard. The TV presenter, 47, replaced Holly Willoughby who had the role for 14 years before leaving the programme in October. Cat has already put her best fashion foot forward on the show as she filmed Tuesday's episode wearing a pair of dark blue skinny jeans. The casual look was virtually unheard of from Cat's predeccesor Holly who preferred pencil skirts and dresses while hosting the show. Cat added to her look with a pair of dark brown knee-high boots and a white and black striped top. Cat Deeley has made a change to This Morning on her second day as main host as she sported a pair of skinny jeans for the show The casual look was virtually unheard of from Cat's predeccesor Holly who preferred pencil skirts and dresses while hosting the show Cat added to her look with a pair of dark brown knee-high boots and a white and black striped top The new gig comes as Cat has left her presenting role on So You Think You Can Dance? after relocating back to London from LA with her husband Patrick Kielty and their two children. Cat and Ben gushed they were 'so excited' as they finally made their debut on Monday. Speaking during the show's opening moments, Cat said: 'We are so excited to be here, this show has been a part of our lives for so long.' Ben, who left Good Morning Britain last month after 10 years, added: 'Everyone has been so kind. thank you to everyone who has sent us messages of support.' The pair received messages of support from some of their celebrity pals, with Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly sharing a sweet tribute to their former SMTV co-host. Ant said: 'Cat, Ben, good luck!' while Dec continued: 'Have the best time! You're going to be amazing, we can't wait to watch.' Noting their wild partying during their children's TV heyday, Ant said: 'A little bit of advice for Ben about Cat because we worked with Cat and she might be all sweetness and light but that girl can party! Don't think she can't.' Declan added: 'Keep a lock on the drinks cabinet.' The star looked right at home as she presented alongside Ben Shephard (pictured with Dermot O'Leary) Holly presented This Morning for 14 years before leaving the show last October Cat and Ben gushed they were 'so excited' as they finally made their debut on Monday Cat said: 'We are so excited to be here, this show has been a part of our lives for so long' Back in the studio, Cat admitted with a smile on her face: 'Look, my motto in life is work hard, play hard.' Cat went on to reveal: 'Well actually Ben, I've actually had a little word of warning about you too - from one of your besties, have a look!' Before the clip played, Ben joked: 'That's even more worrying if it's from one of my friends!' Viewers then heard Chris Kamara, affectionately known as Kammy to many, say: 'Let me tell you Cat, he is like a bear with a sore head when West Ham get beat and the rest of the time, he is just miserable! 'Only kidding, let me tell you Cat - he was one of the best things to happen to me and I'm sure you will see that and vice versa of course. Good luck to you both, I think you're going to smash it.' Ben commented: 'Aww Kammy! He never fails to move me, that man. We woke up together a lot on Sundays on Sky That's something you have to learn! But thank you Kammy for that message.' The Hague, Mar 12 (News On Japan) - For the first time, a Japanese national, Judge Tomoko Akane, has been elected as the President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which adjudicates war crimes and other serious offenses. The ICC, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, announced on March 11 the election of Judge Akane as its new President. In March 2023, Akane was involved in the decision to issue an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin on suspicion of war crimes related to the abduction of children from Ukraine. As a result, she has been placed on a wanted list by the Russian government. This is the first time a Japanese national has assumed the position of President of the ICC. Akane expressed her honor in being elected and stated, "I will focus on promoting dialogue between the various organs of the court, as well as between counsel and victims' representatives." Source: TBS Good Morning Britain correspondent Richard Gaisford was welcomed back to the show on Tuesday after undergoing emergency surgery on his leg. The broadcast journalist, 51, was back on location at a wet and windy Windsor Castle while reporting on the controversy surrounding Kate Middleton's doctored Mother's Day photo. And he was warmly welcomed by hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls from an equally warm ITV studio while shielding himself from pelting rain outside the royal residence. Gaisford was treated by doctors at a Hampshire hospital in February, telling social media followers he contracted a leg infection while reporting from war-torn Ukraine. Confirming his return to Good Morning Britain on Monday evening, he tweeted: 'Back to work tomorrow. Two weeks of enforced rest, now ready to broadcast again. Will be shaven, not stirred. Good Morning Britain correspondent Richard Gaisford was welcomed back to the show on Tuesday after undergoing emergency surgery on his leg Gaisford was treated by doctors at a Hampshire hospital in February, telling social media followers he contracted a leg infection while reporting from war-torn Ukraine The journalist confirmed his return to Good Morning Britain in a post shared on Tuesday night 'After two weeks of enforced rest (& voluntary beard growth) Im heading back to work. Still have a hole in my leg that is slowly healing, but will be minus my strangely white whiskers when I appear @GMB.' Gaisford, Good Morning Britain's chief correspondent, had originally thanked his fans for their kind messages and insisted he would be back at work imminently. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, in February he wrote: : 'Am grateful for so many kind messages today. Its all a bit overwhelming. Glad to report Im not at deaths door, and most certainly wasnt rushed to hospital. 'I developed an infection in my leg in Ukraine that didnt respond to antibiotics. I sought advice from the NHS.' He added: 'Doctors decided an immediate operation to open up the affected area and clean out the infection was the best course of action. 'I have a big hole, but hopefully nothing nasty left inside. I should be back working soon, but might not return to the frontlines for a while. 'Am still a little bemused by all the interest, but if youve suddenly discovered my feed for the first time please take a look at our recent Ukraine assignment. 'Its really important we dont forget the suffering of people there, much more so than my personal health issues!' Gaisford was treated by doctors at a Hampshire hospital in February, telling social media followers he contracted a leg infection while reporting from war-torn Ukraine Good Morning co-host Susanna Reid wished Gaisford well during his enforced absence in February Gaisford also praised the National Health Service staff responsible for treating him in Portsmouth Praising the National Health Service staff responsible for treating him, he added: 'Not quite the Sunday Id planned. Many thanks to the incredible team @PHU_NHS for amazing care and a spot of emergency surgery. 'NHS at its very best. I realise there are untold pressures at the moment, but the service I received was first class and hugely appreciated.' Sharing an image of Gaisford during his recent stay in hospital at the time, Reid said: 'We just wanted to send our very best wishes to our reporter Richard Gaisford who posted this picture. 'He's had to be in hospital over the weekend, he had an infection, antibiotics didn't deal with it so he popped in to see if it was alright and suddenly he was undergoing emergency surgery at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth. "He wanted to say a massive thank you to all the incredible NHS staff who looked after him, so a swift recovery.' Lizzie Cundy looked pretty pleased with herself when she was pictured out with a handsome man on Monday night. The former WAG, 55, looked lovely in a pink suit as she took her suitor to Gaia restaurant in London's upmarkte Mayfair. While she is yet to name him, the pair have actually been seen out together before when they attended an exhibition called Revelations: A Portrait Of Magic at S&P Gallery in London back in 2022. All that's known about him is that he's an American restaurant director who flew in from Miami. A source told MailOnline: 'He couldn't keep his eyes off her. They are very much a couple and they go together perfectly.' Lizzie Cundy looked pretty pleased with herself as she enjoyed a hot date with a handsome mystery man at Gaia restaurant in Mayfair on Monday night While Lizzie is yet to name him, the pair have actually been seen out together before All that's known about the man is that he's an American restaurant director who flew in from Miami The couple attended an exhibition called Revelations: A Portrait Of Magic at S&P Gallery in London back in 2022 (pictured) Lizzie looked lovely in her pink suit which she wore over a gold knitted top. She completed her look with a pair of gold high heels. And she carried a mini Louis Vuitton handbag on her shoulder. Her date wore a cream bomber jacket over a matching jumper with jeans and beige Chelsea boots. Lizzie is now on good terms with her ex husband James Cundy. The radio presenter was married to the Chelsea and Spurs defender for 16 years and they have two sons together. Lizzie's outing comes after she revealed that her house was recently targeted by suspected burglars while she was inside the property, leaving her completely 'terrified'. The socialite took to Instagram in January to reveal the 'frightening' ordeal as she claimed the scary incident happened while she was in the bath. She shared more details with MailOnline as she told how she had heard a 'huge bang' from downstairs while her whole house was in complete darkness other than her bathroom light. Lizzie said she 'couldn't move with fear' as she didn't know what was happening, claiming it was a local farmer who called the police after allegedly seeing two men outside her home. She said the farmer 'spooked' the men and they drove straight through her fence while trying to flee, but overturned the car while driving at high speed and ran away. Lizzie shared her relief that the suspected burglars were not successful in entering her home and claimed she was targeted because the men believed the property was empty and that she was still on holiday in Barbados. A source told MailOnline: 'He couldn't keep his eyes off her. They are very much a couple and they go together perfectly' Ben Shephard looked unrecognisable as he gave a glimpse of his surprising role in Harry Potter during Tuesday's episode of This Morning. The presenter, 49, and Cat, 47, make their debut as the permanent hosts of the ITV's programme on March 11, finally replacing Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby. The hosts were discussing Miriam Margolyes recent comments about adult fans of the franchise, when Ben made the shock admission. Flashing a photo of himself in character, Ben could be seen with shoulder length long hair and a thick moustache. 'Mrs S still yearns for the long hair and full moustache,' he joked. Ben Shephard, 49, looked unrecognisable as he gave a glimpse of his surprising role in Harry Potter during Tuesday's episode of This Morning Flashing a photo of the him in character, Ben could be seen with shoulder length long hair and a thick moustache He appeared in a scene in Fred and George's Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in Diagon Alley, but his part in the franchise was uncredited and his scene was cut out on the editing floor Ben was filming a behind-the-scenes documentary for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince back in 2009 when he was offered a part of the extra. It comes after Miriam enraged adult Harry Potter fans by claiming they should be 'over' the book by now as it is 'for children'. The actress, 82, and national treasure played Professor Sprout in the acclaimed film series, based on J.K. Rowling's books. Despite insisting it was 'wonderful' and she was 'very grateful' to the franchise, the BAFTA award-winning actress said adult fans should be 'over that' by now as it is 'for children.' In an interview with New Zealand television network 1News, Miriam admitted: 'I worry about Harry Potter fans. She went on: 'They should be over that by now. It was 25 years ago and it's for children. I think it's for children. 'But they get stuck in it and I do cameos and people say 'Oh we are having a Harry Potter-themed wedding' and I think 'gosh what's their first night of fun going to be. I can't even think about it.' He appeared in a scene in Fred and George's Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in Diagon Alley It comes after Miriam Margolyes (pictured) enraged adult Harry Potter fans by claiming they should be 'over' the book by now as it is 'for children 'Harry Potter is wonderful, I'm very grateful to it, it's over,' she concluded. Ben and Cat were officially unveiled as the new permanent faces of This Morning on February 16. Cat had been reportedly struggling to choose between the breakfast show and her 43,000-an-episode US presenting gig on So You Think You Can Dance. Ben had his final GMB show on February 23, leaving his 'on-screen wife' Kate Garraway after nearly 20 years. He said at the time: 'One of the hardest decisions of course is knowing that my mornings with Kate, my on-screen wife of nearly 20 years, is coming to an end.' The pair had been locked in talks for some months prior to the announcement. It had been claimed that Cat was finally won round with a lucrative deal, but insiders at ITV denied the claims. They insisted instead that it was the ability to spend more time with family, over a big money payday, that finally sealed the deal. The news was confirmed via a bespoke promo on This Morning's Twitter, featuring just Ben. He walked down the familiar This Morning production corridor and placing a new photo of Cat on the wall, before turning to the camera as the photo comes to life. Cat said: 'This Morning is a national institution. Whenever it's on, it's like having your friends over - funny, smart, silly, heartfelt, informative and joyful - like all the greatest friendships!... Ben and Cat were officially unveiled as the new permanent faces of This Morning on February 16 Former Good Morning Britain lead Ben had his final show on February 23 and is leaving his 'on-screen wife' Kate Garraway after nearly 20 years 'This Morning is and always will be the viewer's show. Ben and I both know how much people love it, and with the help of an amazing team of people, we're going to do our best to take care of it.' Ben added: 'This really feels like a very special moment for Cat and I to be part of the next chapter of This Morning. It's an honour to be trusted with the reigns, join Alison and Dermot and all the team that work on and off screen and do such a great job... 'For the last ten years I've been waking up with our ITV daytime audience on GMB and I now look forward to spending time with Cat... 'Welcoming the viewers home after the school run or from their early morning routines, with a cup of tea and a mix of everything that makes This Morning so loved.' TV star's life flashed before her eyes as she heard a lion roar nearby after her fall Black-ish star Jenifer Lewis feared she was going to be eaten alive by a lion when she fell 10-foot into a ravine during a 'trip of a lifetime' to the Serengeti in Africa in November 2022. The 67-year-old actress thought she had fallen to her death when she tumbled over the deck outside her hotel room in 'pitch black' and remembers her body hitting 'boulders, stones and sharp rocks' down below. During an exclusive interview on Good Morning America, Jenifer told Robin Roberts that as she laid on the ground 'in shock', she heard a lion roar and started imagining being eaten alive and envisaged 'pieces' of her body 'being flown back to the States'. Somehow, Jenifer managed to call out to her friend Lori - who was staying in a separate hotel room nearby - but admitted to 63-year-old Robin that it was 'hard to even take a big breath to scream'. Black-ish star Jenifer Lewis feared she was going to be eaten alive by a lion when she fell 10-foot into a ravine during a vacation in Africa Following the November 2022 incident, the actress ended up in hospital and was fighting for her life The 67-year-old spoke exclusively about the terrifying experience to Good Morning America host Robin Roberts Explaining that she was laying injured in the middle of the Serengeti, Jennifer said: 'There are wild animals, because when Lori shined her flashlight down there, she didn't know there was a Cape buffalo ten feet away. And when Lori ran to get help, I heard a lion roar. 'My last thought - because I am Jenifer Lewis - was, "what a headline!" she cackled, before continuing: '"The King ate the Queen... pieces of Jenifer Lewis' body is being flown back to the States", as host Robin looked on sympathetically. As she recalled the night in question, Jenifer explained that she had been escorted to her lodge at the hotel claimed she 'wasn't given a tour' and feels she should have been given one. 'The sun set and when the sun sets in the Serengeti, there are no street lights, it is pitch black,' she said. 'I laid out my safari clothes and I saw the infinity pool out on my deck so I went out. 'I was just taking in the fact that I was back in the Serengeti once again, and I'm walking and all of a sudden... boom! I had fallen ten feet into a dry ravine full of boulders and stones and sharp rocks, Robin, I fell.' Jenifer continued: 'There was a space that was not sectioned off and there was no sign that said: "Caution 10 feet drop," as Robin asked her what 'kind of pain' she was experiencing in that moment. 'Well, of course I was in shock. My right hip took the impact, my shoulder went up against the stone, a lightning bolt went through my mind's eye right here. In pitch black I didn't know I was falling and I said, "move your body, baby. Come on, Jenny, move".' Jenifer, who played the role of Ruby Johnson in popular TV sitcom Black-ish from 2014 until 2022, described the past year as 'the hardest' and revealed to Robin that she kept her fall - and recovery - a secret because: 'I didn't want y'all to know I had fallen until I could show you how I got back up.' .@ABC NEWS EXCLUSIVE: "In pitch black I didn't know I was falling." Jenifer Lewis opens up to @RobinRoberts about a near-fatal fall she took while on her dream vacation. See more tonight at 8:30pm ET on @ABCNewsLive and @Hulu. pic.twitter.com/oSMAjsoXog Good Morning America (@GMA) March 12, 2024 Jenifer was on a 'trip of a lifetime' in the Serengeti when she experienced her life flashing before her eyes Jenifer had walked out onto her balcony of her hotel lodge to admire the infinity pool and fell over the edge into a ravine The TV star fell onto boulders and sharp rocks and recalls it was 'hard to even take a big breath to scream' Jenifer endured a long road to recovery and described the past year as 'the hardest' Robin explained to her co-hosts how her sit down interview with Jenifer came about at the end of last year. 'She needed that time for herself because people were like, "where's Aunt Jenny? Where's Aunt Jenny?"' Robin said, referring to Jenifer's private recovery. 'I mean she was not on social and it was Niecy Nash, end of last year I was getting ready for the holidays, Niecy called and said, "you need to talk to Jenifer Lewis, she's about to post this on social". 'And Niecy was like, "you can't just post something like this, you need to share it", and then she connected us to talk and I'm telling you, the special that we put together just makes you exhale, but it also makes you laugh because it's Jenifer Lewis.' The full interview with Jenifer Lewis will air on ABC News Live at 8:30 pm ET and Hulu tonight. Stacey Dooley reveals she had to hire a trailer for her husband Kevin Clifton and daughter Minnie to join her during filming in US. The documentary maker, 37, has returned for another series of Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over USA in which she meets a variety of extraordinary families. Sharing an update to Instagram on Tuesday, ahead of its release, she explained how she wasn't ready to leave her 14-month-old daughter so brought her family along. Stacey uploaded a photo of the trailer, named 'Minnie Winnie' and wrote: 'I had to hire an entire trailer and drag it across America. 'I just wasnt ready to be away from Minnie. Kev had to live in here for 3 weeks reading the same tiger book over and over. It was chaos but also so fun.' Stacey Dooley, 37, reveals she had to hire a trailer for her husband Kevin Clifton and daughter Minnie to join her during filming in US Sharing an update to Instagram on Tuesday, ahead of its release, she explained how she wasn't ready to leave her 14-month-old daughter so brought her family along The series sees Stacey stay over for 72 hours at the house of an unusual family, with the latest three-part run filmed in the US. It comes after she was dubbed an icon after she posted a heartfelt Instagram post about breastfeeding on Friday to celebrate International Women's Day. The presenter looked every inch the doting mother as she cradled her sweet daughter, Minnie close to her chest. Wearing only gold hoop earrings and a gold necklace, the mother looked in high spirits as her newborn baby cuddled close while feeding. Sharing the beautiful moment with her 1.1million followers, she captioned the post: 'V v v v v v lucky to be able to mother in a safe space. 'Not lost on me that so many other mums not afforded the same luxury this IWD. (Im defo NOT saying only motherhood defines womenfeel like I have to caveat everything on here ) '(Also, lol at me thinking the hoops would help me feel semi human)' Hundreds fled to the star's comment box to praise her post as they dubbed her an icon and thanked her for acknowledging the difficulties of amalgamating womanhood and motherhood. The documentary maker has returned for another series of Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over USA in which she meets a variety of extraordinary families Stacey uploaded a photo of the trailer, named 'Minnie Winnie' and wrote: 'I had to hire an entire trailer and drag it across America It comes after she was dubbed an icon after she posted a heartfelt Instagram post about breastfeeding on Friday to celebrate International Women's Day Some even got emotional from the raw post. One user penned: 'As someone who wasnt blessed with motherhood, please know that I do appreciate it when people acknowledge the difficulties of amalgamating womanhood and motherhood Its not the big things, its the little things. Thank u xxx' 'What an icon,' another comment, while someone else wrote: 'The hoops while breastfeeding is iconic.' 'Celebrate your baby and your journey into motherhood. Shout it from the roof tops. To all the women out there hoops or non hoops,' someone else penned. 'Hi Stacey. Ive discovered you on YouTube two weeks ago. (I dont and I never have lived in UK - I am from the Czech Republic ).The first video I saw was when you slept over at the house of the upper class family and Ive really enjoyed your work since. 'It makes me so happy to see youre a mommy now too It makes me incredibly happy to be a mom and I am always happy to see people I like become moms and enjoy motherhood as much as I. This photo made me so emotional (sic),' one fan shared. Stacey gave birth to her daughter in January 2023 with former Strictly Come Dancing star Kevin Clifton. Stacey and Kevin, 41, announced their pregnancy news in August, sharing a snap of her cradling her bump to Instagram. In December 2021, Kevin and Stacey sparked engagement speculation after the presenter sported a band on her ring finger in an Instagram post. Her followers praised the post as they dubbed her an icon and thanked her for acknowledging the difficulties of amalgamating womanhood and motherhood The pair were seen eating dinner and sharing a plate of dessert which had the word 'Congratulations' piped in chocolate Stacey and Kevin were crowned Strictly champions in 2018 after winning viewers' hearts with their incredible partnership. Stacey confirmed their romance back in April 2019 as she finally went Instagram official with her beau after weeks of speculation, and four months after winning Strictly Come Dancing. The duo had remained coy about their relationship after her ex-boyfriend Sam Tucknott revealed in an explosive interview with the Mail On Sunday that their five-year relationship had ended. Robert Downey Jr. has no plans on slowing down after finally winning his first Oscar on Sunday for his scene-stealing performance in Oppenheimer. 'I got a couple other tricks up my sleeve,' the 58-year-old Brat Packer told People at the Governor's Ball. Robert - who boasts 113.5M social media followers - Instastoried a triumphant morning-after snap with his golden statuette on Monday captioned: 'Oh happy day...' Downey Jr. and his wife of 18 years - Susan Levin Downey - founded their production company Team Downey a decade ago and their upcoming projects include Netflix series Sweet Tooth, Amazon MGM Studios' crime thriller Play Dirty, and Max spy series The Sympathizer. 'We're just getting started,' the 50-year-old producer gushed. Robert Downey Jr. has no plans on slowing down after finally winning his first Oscar on Sunday for his scene-stealing performance in Oppenheimer The 58-year-old Brat Packer told People at the Governor's Ball: 'I got a couple other tricks up my sleeve' 'We talk about it all the time. There's so many more things we want to do together and achieve together and play together, create together.' The Downey's Dream Cars producer-host called their partnership an 'inside job' adding: 'I believe that in our own way we have mountains yet to climb.' As for the long-delayed Sherlock Holmes 3, Susan told the UnWrapped podcast a year ago: 'Yes, it's in the hopper. We're going to do it when it's right with the right people. But it is a priority for the company and a priority for Robert.' During his acceptance speech, Robert gave a sweet shout-out to his 'veterinarian, I mean wife' considering 'she found me a snarling rescue pet and loved me back to life. That's why I'm here.' Downey Jr. frequently credits his wife with helping him overcome his drug and alcohol addiction in 2003 after meeting on the set of Gothika, and they're proud parents of 12-year-old son Exton and nine-year-old daughter Avri. In 2015, the twice-rehabbed ex-con received a full and unconditional pardon from Governor of California Jerry Brown for his prior drug convictions. Speaking of which, Robert's eldest son Indio Falconer Downey celebrated 18 months of sobriety last November. Downey Jr. welcomed the 30-year-old musician during his 12-year marriage to Deborah Falconer, which ended in 2004. Robert - who boasts 113.5M social media followers - Instastoried a triumphant morning-after snap with his golden statuette on Monday captioned: 'Oh happy day...' Downey Jr. and his wife of 18 years - Susan Levin Downey - founded their production company Team Downey a decade ago and their upcoming projects include Netflix series Sweet Tooth, Amazon MGM Studios' crime thriller Play Dirty, and Max spy series The Sympathizer The 50-year-old producer (R) gushed: 'We're just getting started. We talk about it all the time. There's so many more things we want to do together and achieve together and play together, create together' The Downey's Dream Cars producer-host called their partnership an 'inside job' adding: 'I believe that in our own way we have mountains yet to climb' As for the long-delayed Sherlock Holmes 3, Susan told the UnWrapped podcast a year ago: 'Yes, it's in the hopper. We're going to do it when it's right with the right people. But it is a priority for the company and a priority for Robert' During his acceptance speech, Robert gave a sweet shout-out to his 'veterinarian, I mean wife' considering 'she found me a snarling rescue pet and loved me back to life. That's why I'm here' Downey Jr. frequently credits his wife with helping him overcome his drug and alcohol addiction in 2003 after meeting on the set of Gothika, and they're proud parents of 12-year-old son Exton and nine-year-old daughter Avri In 2015, the twice-rehabbed ex-con received a full and unconditional pardon from Governor of California Jerry Brown for his prior drug convictions (pictured in 2015) Speaking of which, Robert's 30-year-old son Indio Falconer Downey celebrated 18 months of sobriety last November (pictured October 17) Downey Jr. will next executive produce and star as four different characters in Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar's seven-episode spy thriller The Sympathizer, which premieres April 18 on Max The Manhattan-born high school drop-out will next executive produce and star as four different characters in Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar's seven-episode spy thriller The Sympathizer, which premieres April 18 on Max. Each of Robert's antagonistic characters reportedly represent a different arm of the American establishment and he told People: 'It wasn't particularly subtle, it wasn't meant to be, but I'm already proud of what I've seen.' Cowboy Bebop star Hoa Xuande plays the main character - a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War and his resulting exile in the United States. The small-screen adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen's Pulitzer Prize-winning 2015 debut novel will also feature Sandra Oh, Kieu Chinh, Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen, Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Vy Le, and Alan Trong. Khloe Kardashian is turning 40-years-old in three months on June 27. And this week the reality TV siren was reflecting on ageing. As she wished her best friends twins Malika and Khadijah Haqq a happy 41st birthday on Instagram, she shared some thoughts about 'growing up' as she approaches the milestone which sisters Kourtney, 44, and Kim, 43, have already crossed. 'Growing up is really a crazy thing when you're younger, all you want to do is party, be out, be seen, be in the mix. You have tons of friends but none of them really know the real you,' Kardashian began. 'Then, you get a little older and with every year that passes, you crave more and more simplicity. More peace. You crave friends that you can count on one hand. You crave doing the 'nothingness' with someone. The things that make you feel safe,' she added. Khloe Kardashian is turning 40-years-old in three months on June 27. And this week the reality TV siren was reflecting on ageing As she wished Malika and Khadijah Haqq a happy 41st birthday, she brought up her state of mind. 'Growing up is really a crazy thing when you're younger, all you want to do is party, be out, be seen, be in the mix. You have tons of friends but none of them really know the real you,' Kardashian began. 'Then, you get a little older and with every year that passes, you crave more and more simplicity' She also talked her pals Malika and Khadijah: 'To the twins, You are my safe space. You are the ones I want to do everything and nothing with. You are the ones I've always been able to count on. 'Blessed to have had my safe space since we were young teenagers. Since the moment I met you girls we just clicked. We just get one another. We became triplets and we never looked back.' Kardashian then wrote: 'Thank you for trusting me with all that you do. Thank you for holding my hand while we go through life. 'It's a privilege and an honor to have a friendship as long as we have had and I cherish the years we have spent together. Ohhhhh the memories we have ohhhhhh the secrets that will die with US lol. 'I know the magic that exists within your souls and I can't wait to see you both sparkle brighter, and brighter with every year. This is just the beginning!!' she went on. 'Some people come into our lives and make it better, you two make life better. Sweeter, more memorable. 'Thank you for never judging me when I made mistakes, for laughing until we cried, for crying until we laugh, for the sleepless nights of fun and for always being there. You both will always be my person, my ride or die, through thick and thin, until the end.. and we ain't ending!!' Kardashian concluded the lengthy message. The star, who seems to just get better with age, added she wanted, 'More peace. You crave friends that you can count on one hand. You crave doing the 'nothingness' with someone. The things that make you feel safe' Kardashian is mom to daughter True, 5, and son Tatum, 19 months, with ex Tristan Thompson. Last week she was on mom duty as she took her daughter True and niece Dream Kardashian to her friend's daughter Dove's ballerina themed birthday party. True looked darling in a pair of fashionable destroyed jeans with a white ringer T-shirt featuring the Barbie logo in pink. The young girl also wore a pink jacket, super cool pink cowboy boots and a pink purse. The Good American founder who recently shared that she's selling the clothes True has grown out of wore a pair of acid-wash jeans with a white cropped t-shirt and a long denim duster. Dream, seven, wore a fuzzy bright pink top and studded jeans with a pair of pink cat eye sunglasses as she painted a ballerina version of her aunt Khloe, 39. Khloe was on mom duty as she took her daughter True Thompson and niece Dream Kardashian to her friend Dove's ballerina themed birthday party True, five, looked darling in a white ringer T-shirt featuring the Barbie logo in pink The birthday was for Dove Halcro, the daughter of influencer and reality TV personality and actress Natalie Halcro. Khloe's caption on the festive photos read: 'Happy birthday sweet @dovealayah!!! We all love you so much!! @nataliehalcro you certainly know how to throw a party. The details are always perfection.' Last month, The Keeping Up With the Kardashians alumna caught some flack from fans when she posted some of True's clothing for sale on the Kardashian Kloset. She shared a photo of True on Instagram at the time and captioned it: 'New pieces up on @kardashiankloset.' While the site is peppered with designer clothing for kids, many were stunned and irritated to find the entrepreneur was also selling fast-fashion brands like Zara and Urban Outfitters. 'Khloe posted a link to the 'Kardashian Kloset' today on her Instagram stories and out of curiosity I clicked on it. I am confused as to why this family resells clothing instead of donating it?' one follower wrote on Reddit. The person continued saying they could 'stand behind' the Kardashian's selling their clothing if it was going to a good cause, but they didn't see evidence of that on the website. 'One thing that stuck out to me was this used Zara children's coat now I know Zara is relatively inexpensive if you're a Kardashian. Reselling a used coat for $50? This is absurd to me,' they pointed out. Last month, The Keeping Up With the Kardashians alumna caught some flack from fans when she posted some of True's clothing for sale on the Kardashian Kloset. She shared a photo of True on Instagram at the time and captioned it: 'New pieces up on @kardashiankloset' Others agreed that reselling used kids clothing for exorbitant prices was 'greedy.' 'Very creepy because I feel like the only reason someone would be inclined to pay full price for a used Zara children's piece of clothing is the fact that a Kardashian wore it,' another pointed out. 'I bet I could go to Target or look on Amazon and find the exact same jacket for $10.' 'This disgusts me,' someone else declared. 'You [so] much money can you not just f**king donate the clothes to people in need. They are so greedy.' If the new broom really does sweep clean then Cat Deeley has wasted no time in clearing all traces of Holly Willoughby out of This Morning's White City studio - just two days into her tenure as the presenter's permanent replacement. Deeley is forty-eight short hours into what one expects to be a long-term run as the show's new host alongside former Good Morning Britain regular Ben Shephard, with the pair filling well-worn shoes previously owned by Willoughby and Phillip Schofield. But while the reaction she's received across social media echoes the occasionally mixed response afforded her predecessor, the similarities appear to stop there - at least for now. Indeed, from her wardrobe to her presenting style and her social media footprint, Deeley has subtly indicated she is keen to sweep away the past and start with a clean slate, and a brand new approach. Read on for all the signs... If the new broom really does sweep clean then Cat Deeley has wasted no time in clearing all traces of Holly Willoughby out of This Morning's White City studio - starting with her wardrobe THE WARDROBE No pencil skirts? No problem! While former host Willoughby was famed for her eternally revolving wardrobe of thigh-skimming dresses - typically accompanied by tights and stiletto heels - Deeley has gone right back to basics. On Tuesday the presenter turned back the dial by wearing skinny jeans on the studio floor, an almost unfathomable fashion faux pas during Willoughby's 14-year tenure. The stiletto heels were also ditched, with Deeley leaving them to collect dust in the dressing room while she presented the show in knee-high leather boots. Viewers appeared to give the down-to-earth look a positive thumbs up across social media, with one commenting: 'I'm really enjoying this new duo and love Cat's outfit, definitely a combo we can all relate to.' Another wrote: 'Im liking Ben and Cat's more relaxed look... They seem good together. I wasnt sure but proved wrong.' On Tuesday Deeley turned back the dial by wearing skinny jeans on the studio floor, an almost unfathomable fashion faux pas during Willoughby's 14-year tenure on the show While former host Willoughby was famed for her eternally revolving wardrobe of thigh-skimming dresses, Deeley has gone right back to basics Willoughby would typically accompany her skirts with tights and a pair of stiletto heels GOODBYE PERSONAL STYLIST Deeley's relatable look might be in some way attributed to her using the This Morning resident stylist, instead of recruiting her own. Willoughby was rarely without trusted personal stylist Dannii Whiteman while preparing for her daily appearances on the show and often favoured her guidance ahead of its backstage staff. Whiteman, who also contributes to Willoughby's Wylde Moon lifestyle blog, has additionally been responsible for the creating the presenter's glamorous looks at various social engagements and red carpet events, as well as her other high-profile TV roles - including Dancing On Ice. Discussing Willoughby's signature style with The Sun, she said: 'Something that is key with dressing Holly is a nipped-in waist. 'Drawing attention to Hollys waist is key, especially for TV as you have no control over camera angles.' She added: 'Anything with a nipped-in waist will be your best friend, whether its a tailored high-waisted trouser, classic midi dress with a nipped-in waist, a-line skirt, etc. 'Anything that draws attention to the waist will be your best friend.' Conversely, Deeley has become friends with This Morning's underused styling team and her outfits to date - a demure linen dress on Monday and casual jeans on Tuesday - have been a hit, even if her presenting style has occasionally been a miss. Deeley's relatable look might be in some way attributed to her using the This Morning resident stylist, instead of recruiting her own Deeley showed off her legs as she took the famous This Morning sofa with Ben Shephard for her hosting debut on Monday A cursory glance at Willoughby's Instagram grid will tell you all you need to know about her undeniable love of all things fashion (left), while Deeley's focuses on her commercial interests and red carpet appearances (right) GOING OFF-GRID A cursory glance at Willoughby's Instagram grid will tell you all you need to know about her undeniable love of all things fashion. Indeed, the presenter has developed something of a reputation for sharing daily photos of her latest pre-show looks with followers on the social media platform. From pencil skirts on This Morning to glamorous sequinned gowns on Dancing On Ice, the account is a veritable catalogue of backstage fashion photos - interspersed with shots of the presenter and her celebrity circle of friends. It's a different story for Deeley, whose own Instagram grid focuses less on fashion and more on her various commerical ventures. Her last post, shared on Monday, featured a new promotional trailer for the latest series of So You Think You Can Dance - a show hosted by Deeley. Elsewhere there are wholesome holiday snaps, obligatory red carpet photos and tributes to A-list stars - among them a nod to Rosamund Pike after the actress wore a perfume from Deeley's e11even fragrance range at the EE BAFTA Awards. It's still early days but Deeley has wasted no time in getting hands on while presenting the daily show alongside co-host Shephard On Tuesday she was on her hands and knees while fussing over resident This Morning dog Buddy on the studio floor Deeley was also very much involved while show chef John Torode talked viewers through his ultimate Thai green curry GETTING INVOLVED It's still early days but Deeley has wasted no time in getting hands-on while presenting the daily show alongside co-host Shephard. On Tuesday she was on her hands and knees while fussing over resident This Morning dog Buddy on the studio floor. And she admitted to being tearful after meeting the dog - an autism assistance puppy for the first time. She said: 'Yes I've already cried. He's having to hold me back right now so I can read lines and do an interview.' Deeley was also very much involved while show chef John Torode talked viewers through his ultimate Thai green curry - a contrast to Willoughby's comparatively reserved approach. Jackie O Henderson has shared highlights from the retreat for her Besties business venture. The radio host and her business partner Gemma O'Neill hosted a three-day Southern Highlands getaway for 50 women. Following the retreat, Jackie O shared a video to the Besties official Instagram page of snippets from the fun trip away. It showed the women participating in cooking classes, a night of dancing and social events. She also posted a video, revealing each women received a personalised apron, head scarf, a coffee mug, candle and a Bare Body beauty pack. Jackie O Henderson has shared highlights from her Besties retreat in the Southern Highlands after denying she lost money on Gwyneth Paltrow event It comes after Gemma denied the pair lost money on their event hosted by Gwyneth Paltrow in October. The speaking engagement, the first organised by the duo's business venture Besties, saw the A-list actress fly to Sydney for a one-night appearance. Despite having a Hollywood drawcard, the event, which was held at the ICC theatre, was only half-full - but O'Neill insists that was deliberate. 'Look, we're not professional events people and we are very new to this game, but we are really proud of the fact we wanted to do it and are having a crack,' O'Neill told The Daily Telegraph. 'The ICC is the only venue that offered more than 2000 capacity. You can book it for full capacity or half-full,' she added. 'We booked for half capacity and sold just under half 4000 seats.' The radio host and her business partner Gemma O'Neill hosted a three-day Southern Highlands getaway for 50 women It comes after Gemma denied the pair lost money on their event hosted by Gwyneth Paltrow in October Paltrow's fee was estimated at between $150,000 and $500,000, and tickets for the event started from $100 and went up to $2,500 for VIP access. O'Neill denied that a four-day Kokomo Island trip in December hosted by Besties had a poor response, or that a second trip to Fiji slated for September this year was cancelled for lack for interest. Paltrow sat down with Jackie for what was described as a candid conversation for a paying crowd in October. Jackie launched her business with close friend Gemma last year, and said it 'celebrates the most important relationship in your life - your best friend'. Besties appears is event-based business which sells experiences for 'best friends' to create memories together. The pair also launched a line of Besties branded clothing in October. After six episodes of completely avoiding one another, Tom Sandoval attempted to confront Ariana Madix publicly twice in the Vanderpump Rules midseason trailer, which Bravo released Tuesday. The philandering 40-year-old physically reached out to his 38-year-old ex-girlfriend at a black-tie event as she turned and stormed off. 'Ariana, wait one second,' Tom - whose seven-month affair with Rachel Leviss resulted in 'Scandoval' - said to no avail. At that, Ariana headed over to a producer of the Emmy-nominated reality show and yelled: 'He wants 30 seconds with the audience. He doesn't give a f*** if I f***ing died in a ditch.' Moments later, Sandoval walks over to castmates Lala Kent, Scheana Shay, and Tom Schwartz and declares: 'Ariana, she f***ing talks s*** about all of you f***ers.' After six episodes of completely avoiding one another, Tom Sandoval attempted to confront Ariana Madix publicly twice in the Vanderpump Rules midseason trailer, which Bravo released Tuesday Madix attended the fancy party with her New York City-based boyfriend of a year, Daniel Wai. The Chicago thespian - who's starring in the Broadway musical through April 7 - famously began dating the 38-year-old personal trainer the same month she ended her nine-year relationship with the Everybody Loves Tom podcaster. 'Ariana's got good taste in men,' Tom admitted in the preview. At one point, Lala asked Daniel what he'd do if Sandoval attempted to speak to him, and he replied: 'I know what he's done.' In a beach scene, the Tom Tom Restaurant junior partner again attempted to talk to Ariana about 'her rules' and she clapped back: 'Don't speak to me.' Frustrated, Tom replied: 'You're speaking to me!' Sandoval appeared even more frustrated while reuniting with Jax Taylor, who was famously fired off The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills spin-off in 2020 after accusing former co-star Faith Stowers of grand theft auto and going AWOL from the military in a tweet. 'You've been relentlessly talking s*** about me,' the Schwartz & Sandy's Lounge co-owner blasted. The philandering 40-year-old (R) physically reached out to his 38-year-old ex-girlfriend (L) at a black-tie event as she turned and stormed off 'Ariana, wait one second,' Tom - whose seven-month affair with Rachel Leviss resulted in 'Scandoval' - said to no avail At that, Ariana headed over to a producer of the Emmy-nominated reality show and yelled: 'He wants 30 seconds with the audience. He doesn't give a f*** if I f***ing died in a ditch' Moments later, Sandoval walks over to castmates Lala Kent, Scheana Shay, and Tom Schwartz and declares: 'Ariana, she f***ing talks s*** about all of you f***ers' Madix attended the fancy party with her New York City-based boyfriend of a year, Daniel Wai (R) The Chicago thespian - who's starring in the Broadway musical through April 7 - famously began dating the 38-year-old personal trainer the same month she ended her nine-year relationship with the Everybody Loves Tom podcaster 'Ariana's got good taste in men,' Tom admitted in the preview At one point, Lala asked Daniel what he'd do if Sandoval attempted to speak to him, and he replied: 'I know what he's done' In a beach scene, the Tom Tom Restaurant junior partner again attempted to talk to Ariana about 'her rules' and she clapped back: 'Don't speak to me' Frustrated, Tom replied: 'You're speaking to me!' Sandoval appeared even more frustrated while reuniting with Jax Taylor (pictured), who was famously fired off The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills spin-off in 2020 after accusing former co-star Faith Stowers of grand theft auto and going AWOL from the military in a tweet 'You've been relentlessly talking s*** about me,' the Schwartz & Sandy's Lounge co-owner blasted Jax yelled back: 'The whole world has talked s*** about you! The whole, entire world!' Meanwhile, Tom Schwartz and Katie Maloney - who divorced in 2022 after five years of marriage - are both seen passionately kissing Scheana's nanny Tori Keeth 'Me and Katie are closer than ever right now. I mean, we're dating the same girl,' Schwartz says before asking her: 'I know we're divorced, but I was thinking, just [a] one night stand' There's a tense scene where Shay admits to her teary-eyed husband Brock Davies less than two years into their marriage: 'I don't think you and I are gonna be together forever' Things are also awkward for live-in loves James Kennedy and Ally Lewber while discussing having babies in the future when she scoffed: 'I've never felt that' Tune into the newest episode of Vanderpump Rules as well as Ariana Madix's appearance on Bravo talk show Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen this Tuesday evening Jax yelled back: 'The whole world has talked s*** about you! The whole, entire world!' Meanwhile, Tom Schwartz and Katie Maloney - who divorced in 2022 after five years of marriage - are both seen passionately kissing Scheana's nanny Tori Keeth. 'Me and Katie are closer than ever right now. I mean, we're dating the same girl,' Schwartz says before asking her: 'I know we're divorced, but I was thinking, just [a] one night stand.' There's a tense scene where Shay admits to her teary-eyed husband Brock Davies less than two years into their marriage: 'I don't think you and I are gonna be together forever.' Things are also awkward for live-in loves James Kennedy and Ally Lewber while discussing having babies in the future when she scoffed: 'I've never felt that.' Jennifer Dulos / Associated Press FILE PHOTO: A family friend of Jennifer Dulos, Carrie Luft, gives her address as Connecticut Protective Moms hosts an awareness event for Domestic Violence Awareness Month at the Bush Holley House Historical Society Thursday, October 22, 2020, in Greenwich, Conn. Erik Trautmann / Hearst Connecticut Media Fotis Dulos Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media Before Jennifer Dulos disappeared five years ago, she told a family court judge that her husband, Fotis Dulos, threatened her financially and physically, according to court documents. She filed for custody of her five children in 2017, and Carrie Luft, who has served as a spokesperson for Jennifer Dulos' family, said the defense argued then that there was no active violence in the marriage. No active violence does not mean that there is no violence in a relationship emotional, psychological, financial, sexual, or physical, she said. What was not able to be introduced into evidence in its full, vivid reality was Jennifers fear. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Meghan Scanlon, CEO of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said those stories are common among domestic abuse victims. Advocates had been seeing non-physical forms of abuse for many, many years, she said, including, financial abuse, stalking and emotional abuse and psychological abuse, as well as threats against children and pets and more. Scanlon believes there are at least 40,000 victims of domestic violence in Connecticut every year. I think it's small based on doing this every day. I'm like, We are so missing people, because whenever I talk to people, regardless if I'm at the legislature or at a community event, someone always has a story that they share with me about themselves or their family member or their friend, she said. So, I know that this issue impacts more people, directly and indirectly than we admit to in the state. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Jennifer Dulos has never been found, but a judge last year declared her legally dead. Now, as Michelle Troconis has been convicted in connection with her death, five years after the disappearance and four years after Fotis Dulos died by suicide, Scanlon said the New Canaan mother's story may have encouraged victims of domestic violence to come forward. For survivors, she said, it was sort of a wake-up call in that regard, like, Oh, maybe I am experiencing some sort of abuse or violence and maybe I can seek services. Suzanne Adam, chief executive officer of the Domestic Violence Crisis Center, said that is the silver lining. This is a public health crisis and a social issue that truly does thrive in silence, and bringing the public awareness and that education that this can happen to anyone is truly the first step in ending this pervasive silence issue, she said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad One person dying is one person too many, Adam said. This tragedy should not have happened. But the silver lining is that in New Canaan and in Connecticut and the nation, people are safer because they know it can happen to anyone and they also know that help is available. The case did have some direct impact on Connecticut law. In 2021, the Connecticut General Assembly passed what was called Jennifers Law, which created a general definition of domestic violence, including coercive control, though Luft said legal definitions and acknowledgment of intimate partner violence remain inadequate, in spite of the progress being made on that front. Still, Scanlon said it made a difference. For Connecticut to then pass a bill that would allow individuals to go in and seek relief through the court system for non-physical forms of violence was a huge shift and not something that the court didn't see in the past, but the court didn't necessarily have a way to address it in the past, Scanlon said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A similar measure, also called Jennifers Law, was passed in California. The Dulos family was not without means, a fact Scanlon said has helped the case resonate even more. She seemingly had resources, but couldn't utilize or access them, or for whatever reason, had a fear of doing so. She was terrified of retaliation. That also is one of the ways in which people started to realize, this is a pattern of behavior. This is what abuse is, she said. You can't access the resources that you would like to because you're afraid of retaliation. You're afraid of your kids maybe being hurt. You're afraid of yourself being hurt. That was more of a public realization in this case, than some of our cases that we don't talk about in the media every day, she said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Scanlon also said that Jennifer Dulos has helped overcome the misconception that this could never happen to a wealthy white woman. We know as advocates that it can, and we know that it happens to more than just wealthy white women on a day-to-day basis. It crosses over gender identities and socioeconomic statuses and race, she said. We know that it doesn't discriminate against these different identities that we classify ourselves in. But I think for the general public, there's this assumption or misconception about who is the face of domestic violence, when we all are. Its for that reason Luft urges all media to increase coverage of all missing people, particularly cases of intimate partner violence. There are many people whose stories do not receive immediate attention during a crucial window of time. Missing white women is a trope because it is accurate. The women themselves are not at fault; they are, tragically, dead, she said. The responsibility for this disparity in coverage lies with the media. Cover all these stories, across races, ethnicities, genders, and economic stations, and help us expose and address this epidemic of partner violence, of partner homicide and murder. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Scanlon said people often think of domestic violence as a question of criminal justice, but she believes it should be considered a public health issue. It impacts all of the different social determinants of health, from housing to economic security to access to food. she said. People don't think about this, but the individuals that are experiencing intimate partner violence or family violence are living in your community every day, oftentimes going to the same schools as you going to the same workplace. Visiting the same doctor's office or community health center. What is happening to them in terms of their own health and safety and wellbeing impacts all of those different systems and it does impact you on a day to day basis, whether you realize that or not, she said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Advertisement Sofia Vergara looked every inch the hot Hollywood star in an apple green one-piece swimsuit in images shared to Instagram on Tuesday. The Modern Family actress had a tiny waistline and toned legs as she sat on one of the balconies of her Los Angeles mansion while flashing gold jewelry. The 51-year-old beauty - who divorced Joe Manganiello last year and is now romancing Justin Saliman - was introducing her very own swimwear collection for Walmart, a chain she has worked with for the past several years. 'After months of testing samples and styles, I could not be happier to share my new swim collection at @walmart is officially live!' wrote the brunette looker. 'Just in time for spring break,' added the star who has won raves for her work in the Colombian drug lord saga Griselda. Sofia Vergara looked every inch the hot Hollywood star in an apple green one-piece swimsuit in images shared to Instagram on Tuesday The Modern Family actress had a tiny waistline and toned legs as she sat on one of the balconies of her Los Angeles mansion while flashing gold jewelry This comes after she put on a sensational display in a stunning gown as she made an appearance at the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscars party in Beverly Hills on Sunday. . The cover girl joined other stylish stars on the red carpet, such as Jessica Alba and also Quinta Brunson. The beauty made a statement during a quick photo session upon arriving to the Wallis Anneberg Center for the Performing Arts where the event was held. Vergara donned a figure-hugging, black strapless dress that clung to her toned frame and fell down towards the ground, with a short train behind her. Two bow embellishments were placed on the upper bodice, along with a small cutout that offered a sultry flare. Vergara accessorized her look with a pair of flashy, gold earrings as well as chunky rings on each of her hands. Her long locks were parted in the middle, and effortlessly flowed down past her shoulders in elegant waves. Sofia's makeup was glammed up for the festivities, and comprised of a layer of mascara to her lashes as well as a shimmering, smoky shadow around her eyes. A light pink blush and contour was added to better accentuate her cheekbones, while a nude-colored, satin tint was worn on her lips for a finishing touch. The 51-year-old beauty - who divorced Joe Manganiello last year and is now romancing Justin Saliman - was introducing her very own swimwear collection for Walmart, a chain she has worked with for the past several years 'After months of testing samples and styles, I could not be happier to share my new swim collection at @walmart is officially live!' wrote the brunette looker. 'Just in time for spring break,' added the star who has won raves for her work in the Colombian drug lord saga Griselda While recently talking to Harper's Bazaar last year in June, the actress revealed one of her 'beauty secrets.' 'You have to find the things that look good on you and stick to it. I have been doing my makeup in the same way since I'm 15, with kind of like the same tones, because that's what looks good on me,' she expressed to the outlet. 'Even the same thing with my clothes. I know there's a style. I know my body shape. I am not a model. I don't need to be wearing over-the-top fashion, just to be in.' The star added, 'I wear the style that I know that for my figure, with the big boobs and whatever, is going to look good on me. I don't care what anyone says.' Until now, it's perhaps been most popularly associated with one of the opening scenes from Chariots Of Fire, the 1981 Oscar-winning film starring Nigel Havers and Ben Cross as two undergraduate athletes one an aristocrat; the other, the son of a Jewish immigrant who belt 371 yards around its Great Court while the clock strikes 12. But no amount of cinematic lustre can disguise the moral failure which seemingly now characterises Trinity College, Cambridge according to the Earl of Balfour, who watched in disgust and disbelief last week as Trinity's portrait of his great-great uncle, Arthur Balfour, the former prime minister, was repeatedly slashed and sprayed with paint by a 'pro-Palestine protester'. Condemning the attack as 'wanton vandalism', the Earl is even more revolted by what he describes as the 'supine' and 'woke' response by Trinity. 'The college said it was offering support to anyone 'affected' but shouldn't the priority be to leave no stone unturned to find the perpetrators?' asks Balfour, 75. He's similarly dumbfounded by what he calls the 'plain ignorance of the history of the Middle East among these extremists' who attempted to justify the attack by claiming that the Balfour Declaration of 1917 'began the ethnic cleansing of Palestine'. A pro-Palestine protester slashes and sprays paint on a painting of Lord Balfour at the University of Cambridge The Earl of Balfour (pictured) watched in disgust and disbelief as Trinity's portrait of his great-great uncle was vandalised by a 'pro-Palestine protester' last week Ben Cross and Nigel Havers pictured in a scene from 1981's Chariots of Fire which sees the students try to sprint 371 yards around Trinity College's Great Court Trinity declines to respond to requests for comment which, understandably, antagonises Lord Balfour even more. 'Not to stick up for him is shameful,' he tells me (File Image) The Earl patiently reiterates the truth. 'The Declaration addressed a refugee problem but was very clear about the expected rights of existing residents,' he tells me. 'To claim that [it] gave away Palestine is a calumny.' His great-great uncle would have been appalled, he adds, by extremist attempts to ensure that 'the Jews one of the three Abrahamic faiths have no rights to be in Palestine'. Trinity declines to respond to requests for comment which, understandably, antagonises Lord Balfour even more. 'Not to stick up for him is shameful,' he tells me. But eloquent support comes from The de Laszlo Archive Trust, which preserves the immense legacy of Philip de Laszlo, whose portrait of Arthur Balfour has been desecrated. 'De Laszlo said of himself, "A portrait painter has a great responsibility to leave to future generations an historical document of his times". The violent destruction of Lord Balfour's portrait seeks to wipe away history.' An internet sleuth has revealed the surprising apps that Kim Kardashian has on her phone, after the reality star accidently revealed her mobile screen to photographers. The Kardashians star, 43, recently stepped out at Paris Fashion Week and paused to take photos with fans. Unfortunately, the socialite didn't realise her phone was unlocked, allowing onlookers full sight of the apps on her home page. TikTok user Erica Stolman Dowdy has since picked apart the image and created a list of every app visible on her phone - and the results have set the internet ablaze. 'This is page one, this is the home screen arranged by rows,' Erica said, flashing a categorised list of apps. Internet sleuth Erica Stolman Dowdy (left) has revealed the surprising apps that Kim Kardashian has on her phone, after the reality star accidently revealed her mobile screen to photographers at Paris Fashion Week Among them were Facebook Messenger, FaceTime, TMZ, Daily Mail, TikTok, Instagram, X, WhatsApp, Facebook and Pinterest. Kim, who is often accused of doctoring her Instagram photos, also had picture editing apps FaceTune, FaceApp and Snow App on her home screen. Fans were particularly surprised to see encrypted messaging service Signal and Oura, a health technology app used to track sleep and physical activity. Among the apps spotted on Kim's phone were Facebook Messenger, FaceTime, TMZ, Daily Mail, TikTok, Instagram, X, WhatsApp, Facebook and Pinterest Erica then shared a photo of Kim accidently revealing another page on her phone screen. 'Page two of her phone, it looks like she swiped at the very end, so we got a very quick look. It was very hard to decipher,' Erica explained. Among the apps that she did manage to identify were Reddit, YouTube, Sound Cloud and the Tesla app. Kim, who is often accused of doctoring her Instagram photos , also had picture editing apps FaceTune, FaceApp and Snow App on her home screen TikTok users flooded the post to express their surprise at the kinds of apps Kim prefers. 'Her having TMZ and Daily Mail on the first screen is so real of her,' one wrote. 'Crazy how there's no bank app lmao,' another laughed, as someone else weighed in: 'I would love to see her Pinterest'. Others claimed they noticed the Wattpad app on her screen, which is a website primarily used by fanfiction writers to publish their stories. 'Why would Kim be on Wattpad?' one confused user wrote, as another added: 'I literally saw Wattpad and CACKLED out loud'. Are you exercising too much? Trainers warn of the dangers... If you're spending every night in the gym in a bid to get big and strong, you could be playing a fool's game, studies suggest. In fact, if you're aged between 20 and 35, all you need to maintain your strength and muscle size is a single strength training session each week. In each session, just one set of each weight lifting exercises will do, say experts. This might include a combination of deadlifts, pull ups, and shoulder presses, most effective when they're performed for about an hour in total, according to research. Fitness professionals have now defined what they call a 'minimum effective dose' - the least amount of exercise needed to shop your muscles shrinking, or getting weaker. Studies show that working out just once a week, for about an hour, is enough to maintain your physical strength for at least seven months This particular metric was first identified by physicians in a 2021 study in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. Fitness experts have now flagged the importance of this equation for encouraging people to exercise - and not being scared off by unachievable goals. 'A lot of people assume that if they had to put in a ton of work to build their strength, itll take the same amount of effort to maintain their strength,' fitness expert and powerlifter Greg Nuckols told Stylist. 'Knowing that you can maintain virtually all of the strength youve built, with very little time investment can help when people either dont have the time or motivation to put in long hours in the gym.' Previous studies have revealed the exact exercises to do to build muscle and keep your heart healthy. The original study, by researchers from the US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, found that the minimum exercise threshold fluctuated based on a number of factors, including age. If you're older than 35, you'll probably require 2 sessions per week with two to three sets per exercise. Also, they mainly focused on weight lifters for their study, not other forms of training, and strength was only maintained for a total of seven months. The key, the authors said, doesn't lie in the frequency of your workouts, but your intensity. As long as you're maintaining the intensity of your workouts lifting the same weight the authors found you should be able to maintain your strength with just one weekly session. Another study published in the Journal Frontiers in 2021, found that you could actually get stronger than by using a 'minimum effective' training dose for six to twelve weeks. Despite the old adage 'use it or lose it', it actually takes relatively little effort for the body to maintain the muscle mass it has built up, according to Bryant Stamford, a professor of kinesiology and integrative physiology at Hanover College. Writing in the Courier Journal he said: 'All you have to do is make modest demands on your muscles regularly. He explained that everyday movements, like walking up stairs or carrying an object, is often enough to remind the body to upkeep its muscle mass. The main downside to this strategy, Nuckols said, is that you might not get the same cardiovascular and metabolic benefits. Experts agree that maintaining your personal strength will help with your health over your lifetime. Studies show that strength training is a great way to support bone strength, improve mobility and stave off chronic disease as you age. 'We all should think about how to build up a base of strong muscles to prepare for the loss of muscle and strength that we will experience as we age,' Barb Nicklas, a gerontologist from Wake Forest University School of Medicine told the US National Institute of Aging. So if you have time for daily intense workout, that's great. But the key is to stick to what you can manage, according to Nuckols. Many car owners enrolled for such features say they were entirely unaware They do so through features that are presented as driving games and challenges Car insurance companies have been accused of secretly snooping on motorists' driving habits - with the help of vehicle manufacturers. Modern cars from makers like GM, Honda, Kia and Hyundai have sensors that track how they are driven. The internet-connected vehicles monitor distances, speeds, acceleration and braking. Motorists can view this data on smartphone apps and are encouraged to take on challenges to improve their driving. But there is a major catch for drivers. The automakers share the data with analytics firms which in turn sell it to insurers that use it to adjust premiums, according to a new report in The New York Times. GM presents the OnStar Smart Driving app as a way for drivers to compete in challenges and games but it is actually collecting their data and providing it to insurance companies Pictured is OnStar Smart Driving promotional material in which it advertises that drivers can 'earn badges' for driving safely. Many say they had no idea they were even signed up The tactic is the latest attempt by insurance companies to gather data on how people drive in order to optimize their underwriting and maximize profits. For more than a decade, they have been offering special deals to those willing to use third-party trackers and apps that record how they accelerate and brake. But for the most part, Americans rejected those schemes. So scorned insurance companies found a workaround: leaning on automakers to generate that data with sensors built into their cars so they can then buy it in secret. Several car owners being tracked told the Times they had no knowledge these features even existed in their cars, let alone that they were enrolled in them. Sixty-five-year-old Kenn Dahl told the newspaper that the insurance on his Chevrolet Bolt shot up 21 percent in 2022. When he went to other insurance companies they quoted him similarly high prices. One insurance agent suggested that a report issued by the data broker LexisNexis might be the source of his woes, so he requested it from the company under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. What he received was 130 pages detailing every single time he or his wife had driven the Bolt in the last six months. It noted how long each of the 640 trips they had made lasted, and how often they had either accelerated or braked too fast. The report also indicated that the data had been generated by General Motors and supplied to LexisNexis, which used it to compile the report. That report was then sold to insurance companies, including Dahl's own, which then hiked his premiums. 'It felt like a betrayal,' Dahl told The Times. 'They're taking information that I didn't realize was going to be shared and screwing with our insurance.' The feature that GM says was responsible for generating the data tracking Dahl is known as OnStar Smart Driver - accessed within myChevrolet, myBuick, myGMC and myCadillac apps. In the process of signing up for OnStar Smart Driving (pictured), no reference is made to the fact that driving behavior data will be shared with third parties OnStar is a subsidiary of General Motors. Pictured is the OnStar button that used to be fitted on the mirror of many GM cars According to its website, it provides 'driving insights on how you can become a smarter, safer driver' and allows you to 'earn badges by completing challenges, build on streaks specific to different driving habits and view all your data in an intuitive dashboard.' OnStar, a subsidiary of GM, has teamed up with Instagram influencers in recent months to boost awareness and popularity. Last month, Louisiana lifestyle blogger Britt Fusilier, who has almost 400,000 followers on the platform, shared a video in partnership with OnStar. In it, she and her partner competed in a challenge to collect Smart Driver 'badges and streaks'. 'We love fun competition that encourages safer driving! You guys have got to check it out today!' read the post. Dahl wasn't the only user to complain that they never signed up for Smart Driver. A Cadillac owner in Florida also told the newspaper he had not heard of Smart Driver and never noticed it within the myCadillac app. One possibility is that they were signed up at the dealership, where The Times reports salespeople can receive bonuses for enrolling new customers. 'GM's OnStar Smart Driver service is optional to customers,' a GM spokeswoman said. 'Customer benefits include learning more about their safe driving behaviors or vehicle performance that, with their consent, may be used to obtain insurance quotes. Customers can also unenroll from Smart Driver at any time,' they added. Honda claims that 'your data will never be shared without your consent' when signing up for the 'Honda Feedback' app but the automaker does share data with data broker Verisk Jen Caltrider, a researcher at Mozilla, told The Times that it's common for automakers to use safety as the justification for such features. 'The car companies are really good at trying to link these features to safety and say they are all about safety,' she said. 'They're about making money.' GM is not the only automaker known to be sharing driving behavior data with LexisNexis - it is joined by Kia, Subaru and Mitsubishi. And another data broker, Verisk, which similarly sells data to insurance companies, has access to data from millions of vehicles made by Ford, Honda and Hyundai. 53 rd National Safety Week held at POWERGRID NEW DELHI: The 53rd National Safety Week was celebrated at Regional Headquarters, Faridabad and under its all establishments with great enthusiasm. During this Safety Week emphasis was laid on safety of human resources to create awareness among employees about safety in all spheres of life. This year, the theme of National Safety Day 2024 is Focus on Safety Leadership for ESG Excellence. The key objective of organizing the said Safety Week is to raise awareness about workplace safety and promoting safety culture within the organization. AK Mishra, Executive Director, POWERGRID, NR-I Region administered the Safety Pledge to all employees and all the employees were asked to comply with the safety norms. The government has abolished wireless operating licence and launched a regulatory sandbox for quick and online approval of product testing, Union Communications and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Monday. While speaking at the curtain raiser of the telecom sector event India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2024, the minister said that the wireless operating licence was abolished a few months back but it is being formalised now. "There was a wireless operating licence. For operating wireless devices they had to take wireless operating licences. That has been done away with. It was done away for a few months and we are formalising it today," Vaishnaw said. The minister unveiled a regulatory sandbox for the telecom sector. He said that through the regulatory sandbox, the DoT will provide online approval for product testing at minimal charge in an easy manner to even enable students to test their products. Vaishnaw said that 15 organisations including industry bodies ICEA, MAIT, Nasscom should come together to make it Asia's biggest technology event to be held from October 15-19. The India Mobile Congress is currently organised by telecom industry body COAI (Cellular Operators Association of India) with the support of the Department of Telecommunications. "Put in some effort and take the target of 1000 exhibitors. We should make tech-oriented organisations-- MAIT, ICEA, and Nasscom an integral part of IMC. I would like you to get into EV, connected cars, people who are into IOT devices, particularly entire tech serviced by telecom. If that is the goal then we should look at 15 organisations jointly organising it. Then only we will be able to reach the 1000 mark," Vaishnaw said. IMC had 247 exhibitors in 2023. The IMC will coincide with the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA 2024) from 15-24 October 2024 preceded by Global Standards Symposium (GSS 2024) on 14 October 2024 at New Delhi. The minister said that the industry should make an effort to involve college students in WTSA and IMC from 500 colleges. He said that the government will bring on board Indian Railways for logistics and bring students to attend these events. "Practically every technology program that we are doing, we are involving students at the college level," Vaishnaw said. From Members of Parliament switching allegiance to candidates making outlandish promises, the stage is set for a captivating saga to capture power Elections have been described as the festivals of democracy. It is the time when we celebrate democracy in its true splendour. Those who do not get seats to contest cross over to the rival camp in the hope of getting a ticket from the latter. A parliament member who represented the Hindutva party jumps ship and joins the secular party when it is known that his name does not figure in the list of his mother party. He can never think of a life without membership in parliament or the legislative assembly because he is obsessed with serving the people, though this member might not have visited his constituency even once after the results of the previous election were announced. Earlier, it used to be the family patriarchs who led the exodus to the enemy camp when their interests were overlooked while allocating party tickets. Now it is the other way around, as there was a report about a father-son duo leaving the party in which they were working for the rival camp, which has offered them tickets. This is not a fictitious story, and anyone who reads newspapers daily comes across such reports. There are other scenarios also. The member of parliament representing the Grand Old Party falls sick and rushes to the USA for treatment. Though elections are yet to be declared, there is a queue of party leaders to his residence to find out the seriousness of the ailment. A woman leader immediately starts distributing her CV among the electorate, though she is magnanimous enough not to mention the fact that she is after the particular seat. She has been seen by the electorate only on television news channels and never even once in the constituency as she is wary of the high humidity and hot weather. When it was known that the sitting member was found fine in the tests held in the US clinic, the lady launched a blistering attack on the system for not reserving enough seats for women! The recent mysterious death of J S Sidharth, the veterinary science student at Wynand, is also having ramifications in the electoral politics of Kerala. Leaders of the SFI, the student wing of the CPI(M), are on a State-wide campaign condemning the death of Sidharth. But those who have been arrested in connection with the death are all activists and leaders of the SFI. The activists have put up billboards near Sidharths residence offering homage to the martyr, while other political parties stand perplexed. The situation is similar to a scene in the black comedy movie Sandesham (Malayalam for message) made by ace filmmaker Sathyan Anthikkadu in 1991. Immediately after the change of government following a general election, the dead body of a man was found lying in the village square. Leaders of the two leading political parties claim that the dead man belonged to their outfit and they have the right over the body. The police team that reached the spot held a quick investigation and ruled that the body belonged to the dead person, and no one other than him could lay any claim over it. No wonder, even 33 years after its release, Sandesham remains the numero uno movie shot in Malayalam, and each character featured in it remains a household name in the State. The promises made by political parties at the time of the election are also subjects of fun and laughter. In Sthaanaarthi Saramma (Saramma, the candidate), the theme is the election to the panchayat. The political party that has fielded Saramma, a young woman as a candidate, makes some earthshaking promises. They read like this: an airport on the riverbank, farmland to all farmers, rich people to be exiled to the deserts, non-gazette officials (NGOs) to get a fourfold hike in their monthly salary, and disbanding of the tax department! Remember, these are the promises made during a panchayat election!! The movie was shot in 1966. (The writer is special correspondent with the Pioneer, views are personal) Come May 2024, a fleet of five hydrogen-fuel cell commercial buses shall start operating at a height of 11,500 feet in the eco-fragile Himalayan region of Ladakh. The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Ltd (NTPC) under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative is going to provide these buses to the Ladakh administration which is already working towards making Ladakh a carbon-neutral region. A high-level meeting was chaired by the Administrative Secretary of the Transport Department, UT Ladakh Amit Sharma to finalize the draft proposal of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Ltd. and the Transport Department, Ladakh. The UT administration is racing against time to ensure the successful implementation of the zero-emission hydrogen mobility project in Leh. On ground zero, the UT administration has already started raising the required infrastructure at Changthang to ensure the hassle-free launch of the ambitious project. Speaking to The Pioneer over the telephone Amit Sharma said the transport department plans to run these hydrogen fuel cell buses in Leh and its peripheral areas by May 2024. He said the UT administration is awaiting the fleet of buses to arrive. According to the proposal, these buses can cover a distance of 225 km per day. The seating capacity of each bus is 33 plus drivers. After the Leh district, the Kargil district with five such buses will be covered in the second phase. Since these buses get their energy from hydrogen, there will be no emission of harmful gases, except water vapours and warm air. They are more efficient than conventional internal combustion engine vehicles and produce no harmful tailpipe emissions, said Sharma. Hydrogen fuel cell buses in Ladakh would be the first of its kind initiative in India. Since the Prime Minister has accorded top priority to make Ladakh a carbon-neutral region, we are doing everything possible to achieve the objective, he added Shawn Gibson pleaded no contest in the 2013 disappearance of Aryndel Castro, above, who police believe was beaten to death in a Noble Avenue rooming house. Bridgeport Police / Contributed photo / Shawn Gibson has pleaded no contest in connection with the 2013 disappearance of Aryndel Castro. Bridgeport Police / Contributed photo / BRIDGEPORT A Hamden man is facing 12 years in prison after he pleaded no contest Tuesday to beating and choking a local man to death in 2013 and burying the body under a garage. Ten years after 24-year-old Aryndel Castro disappeared from his city home, his family finally got the chance to see his killer brought to justice but it was clear as they sat in the back of the courtroom crying that they are not happy with the disposition. I know the family is displeased with the disposition, States Attorney Joseph Corradino told Superior Court Judge Tracy Lee Dayton. But he continued, It reflects the strength of the evidence and the cooperation of Mr. Gibson. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Under the plea deal, the 46-year-old Shawn Gibson pleaded no contest to reduced charges of first-degree manslaughter and hindering prosecution. He faces 12 years in prison when he is sentenced May 15. Under a no contest plea, Gibson told the judge he is no longer contesting the states case. The judge then found him guilty of the charges. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Are you making this plea freely and voluntarily, the judge asked Gibson. Yes, Gibson responded, letting out a loud sigh. Gibson, who is free on bond, and his lawyer, Frederick Paoletti, declined comment as they left the Bridgeport Judicial District Courthouse. Castros family also declined comment. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Castros family reported the victim missing in September 2013. In 2021, police arrested Terrance Boyd, 55, in Columbia, S.C., after they said he admitted to helping kill Castro. Ill put it in a nutshell for you, Boyd told police, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. This guy (Castro) stole some tools from Shawn (Gibson). He didnt like it. He told me to go get the guy. Brought him to the house, beat him to death and then buried him. According to the affidavit, Boyd told detectives that he and Gibson had brought Castro to a rooming house on Noble Avenue that Gibson owned and Gibson began beating Castro with his fists. Boyd told detectives the beating became so bad that he had vomited. Boyd said he had left to get some beers but as he left he could still hear Gibson beating Castro, the affidavit states. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The affidavit continues that both men later put Castros remains in a large plastic bag. They initially took it to a house Gibson owned on Moffitt Street and then tried to bury it in Beardsley Park but couldnt dig a deep enough hole, the affidavit states. Boyd is awaiting trial on murder charges. Gibson later told Lt. Christopher LaMaine he had buried Castros body under a relatives garage, the affidavit states. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Prime Minister Narendra Modi has honoured Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Jain refugees by giving them citizenship through CAA, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday and maintained there is no provision of stripping of anyones citizenship in the new law. Hitting out at the Congress and AIMIM, Shah, addressing party meetings here, said AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and Hyderabad Lok Sabha member Asaduddin Owaisi are lying that minorities of the country will lose their citizenship with the implementation of CAA. Addressing a BJP social media volunteers meeting here, Shah alleged that the Congress party opposed the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) due to appeasement and vote-bank politics. We had said we will bring CAA. The Congress party opposed CAA. Since Independence it was a promise of the Congress and makers of our Constitution that citizenship will be granted to those persecuted on religious grounds in Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan, who come (to India). But, due to appeasement and vote-bank politics, the Congress party opposed the CAA, Shah said, justifying its implementation. He said in order to save their faith and honour lakhs and crores of people from Pakistan and Bangladesh came to India, but were not granted citizenship. They (refugees) felt insulted in their own country when they were not granted citizenship, he said, adding that PM Modi honoured Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh refugees by granting them citizenship through the CAA. The Centre on Monday implemented the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, notifying the rules four years after the contentious law was passed by Parliament to fast-track citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014. With the unveiling of the rules that came days ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections, the Modi government will now start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from the three countries. The rules came into force with immediate effect, according to a Gazette notification. Later, addressing a BJP booth workers meeting here, Shah hit out at those spreading misapprehension about the CAA, saying the law grants citizenship and would not take it away. He slammed AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi and said they were lying that minorities will lose citizenship due to CAA and accused them of indulging in vote-bank politics over the issue. ...I want to tell the minorities of this country that no citizen of the country will lose citizenship due to CAA. The CAA is a law that grants citizenship and does not to take away anyones citizenship. I assure you there is no provision in CAA to snatch anyones citizenship, he said. He said the Modi government fulfilled the promise of CAA even as the Congress and the AIMIM opposed it. Narendra Modi by granting citizenship to the refugees fulfilled their dreams to live life with dignity, he further said. Shah highlighted the abolition of Article 370, construction of the Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya, 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, abolition of instant triple talaq and the country emerging as the fastest growing economy as some of the achievements of the Modi government. He further said India is poised to become the third largest economy in the world under the leadership of PM Modi. Terming the Congress, the BRS and the AIMIM as dynastic parties, Shah asserted that the BJP should get 12 Lok Sabha seats in the upcoming general elections. He said he did not see Narendra Modi taking a holiday even for a day in the past 23 years. Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, Shah said every three months he (Rahul Gandhi) takes leave for 45 days. Modi asks everyone to enjoy their holiday in India, but he (Rahul Gandhi) goes to Italy, England and America because he feels it is hot here (in India). Recalling the surgical and air strikes carried out by the NDA government against terror camps, Shah said there used to be regular infiltration from Pakistan and former PM Manmohan Singh did not do anything about it. Hitting out at the INDI alliance (INDIA bloc) and the BRS, the Home Minister said those parties are trying to promote their offspring while the BJP under the leadership of PM Modi has been trying to make India a Vishwaguru. After the meetings, Shah along with Union Minister G Kishan Reddy offered prayers at the Bhagyalakshmi temple near the historic Charminar here. In a lightning-speed politically just days before the announcement of Lok Sabha poll schedule, a change of guard was effected in Haryana, with State BJP chief Nayab Singh Saini sworn in as the new Chief Minister on Tuesday, hours after Manohar Lal Khattar and his Cabinet Ministers resigned from their posts. Five others took the oath as members of the new Council of Ministers along with Saini. They are BJP leaders Kanwar Pal, Mool Chand Sharma, Jai Parkash Dalal and Banwari Lal and Independent MLA Ranjit Singh Chautala. The BJP-JJP alliance broke apart in the State, after which Khattar and his Deputy Chief Minister from JJP, Dushyant Chautala, resigned to make way for a new Government. Chautala was insisting to contest two Lok Sabha seats of the 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana but the BJP which is currently holding all the 10 Lok Sabha seats has offered only one seat to JJP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Saini on taking oath as the Chief Minister of Haryana. Congratulations to @NayabSainiBJP on taking oath as the Chief Minister of Haryana. Wishing him and his team of Ministers the very best for their efforts in fulfilling the aspirations of the people of Haryana, Modi said on social media. Saini was administered the oath by Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya during a ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan in Chandigarh. He bowed before Khattar and sought his blessings after being sworn in. On the BJP removing Khattar, the Congress said the chaos in the State was a reflection of the growing peoples angst against the saffron party and it was time for change in the country. The party alleged it was a pre-planned drama by the BJP and the JJP of breaking the alliance to avoid the consequences of their failure and demanded fresh elections under the Presidents rule. Earlier in the day, the BJP named OBC leader Saini (54) as Haryanas new Chief Minister. He is the partys State unit president and the MP from Kurukshetra. Khattars second term as the Chief Minister was also to end in October when the Assembly polls were due. Khattar and all 13 other members of the BJP-led council of Ministers submitted their resignations to the Governor as a team of the partys Central observers arrived in Chandigarh. In the past as well, the BJP has changed Chief Ministers, and reshuffled Cabinets before Assembly elections to ward off the anti-incumbency factor and rejuvenate State units and leaders. This was the tactic before polls in Gujarat and Uttarakhand, which the party won, and Karnataka, which it lost. The selection of Saini an influential Other Backward Classes leader also represents the BJPs focus on caste and OBC equations in each State before an election. The BJP effected similar moves in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh. Sainis appointment as the State BJP chief in October was seen as the partys move to strengthen its hold over the OBC community and non-Jats. The support of Jats, who are the most populous communities in the State, is largely seen to be divided between the Congress, the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD). Along with these factors, the move to pick Saini as the Chief Minister is also being seen as a counter to the anti-incumbency perception against the Khattar dispensation. The population of the Saini community is around eight per cent in Haryana. The community wields influence in many of Haryanas northern districts, including Ambala, Kurukshetra and Hisar besides in few other districts. In 2014, when the BJP had formed its Government for the first time on its own strength in Haryana, the party had picked Khattar, a first-time MLA from Karnal, as the Chief Minister. At that time, Khattar was picked up ignoring senior leaders like Ram Bilas Sharma, Anil Vij, Capt Abhimanyu and OP Dhankar. In the events which unfolded on Tuesday, Saini was picked to succeed Khattar in a similar fashion. In the outgoing Khattar Cabinet, Anil Vij, a six-term MLA, is the senior most Minister. Saini was born on January 25, 1970 in a village called Mirzapur Majra in Ambala district. A law graduate, he enjoys cordial terms with Khattar, with their relationship going back to their RSS days. Close on the heels of Karnataka making snakebite cases and deaths notifiable, a first for any State in the country, the Centre is considering the establishment of a dedicated Snakebite Helpline (15400). Designed to serve as a lifeline in times of crisis, the helpline aims to assist affected individuals and communities amid the disturbing rise in snakebite cases and fatalities in India. This much-needed effort comes in response to alarming statistics, revealing between 81,000 and 138,000 annual deaths attributed to snakebites, alongside a staggering 400,000 cases of amputations and permanent disabilities resulting from snakebite envenoming. The innovative initiative promises swift intervention and support for individuals and communities grappling with snakebite emergencies and is set to be piloted in five states: Puducherry, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, and Delhi. The Government aims to halve the mortality and disability associated with snakebite envenoming by 2030 in India. To achieve this goal, Apurva Chandra, Union Health Secretary, launched a National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming (NAP-SE) in India, along with an array of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials. These materials will serve as invaluable tools for raising awareness, disseminating critical information, and empowering communities to take proactive measures against snakebite, a neglected tropical disease. Regarding the proposed helpline, a senior official said individuals bitten by snakes can call the helpline for immediate guidance on administering first aid and seeking medical attention. They can also receive assistance in identifying the species of snake encountered and determining whether it is venomous or harmless. The helpline will offer reassurance, emotional support, and advice on coping strategies for individuals who may feel anxious or panicked after a snake encounter, even if they have not been bitten. The Snakebite Helpline represents a forward-looking approach to public health, ensuring that no life is lost or altered irreversibly due to lack of timely intervention. With the notification of snakebite envenoming by the Karnataka Government, all hospitals, medical colleges (teaching hospitals), and private facilities are mandated to record all snakebite cases and deaths on the Integrated Health Information Portal (IHIP). n Around 55 students were detained on Tuesday as they gathered to protest against the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at the Delhi University Arts Faculty, police said. Scores of students from the Left affiliated AISA had called for a protest against the implementation of the CAA notified by the Centre on Monday. Delhi University AISA unit president Manik Gupta said that the students were detained by the police even before the protest started. "Many students who were simply standing outside the Arts Faculty and not participating in the protest were detained by the police on the basis of mere doubt," he alleged, claiming that students were brutally handled. "Taking preventive measures, we have removed around 50 to 55 students from the Central Library of Delhi University (opposite Arts Faculty) who were protesting against the CAA. They were removed from the location and they will be released soon," Deputy Commissioner of Police (north) M K Meena told PTI. "All allegations that the police thrashed the students are baseless as we have all video-recorded," he added. The protests have also riddled other university campuses, including Jamia Millia Islamia, after the CAA was notified. Students' outfits held a press conference at Jamia demanding the withdrawal of the Act and release of all students, who were booked in the anti-CAA protest nearly four years ago. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday notified the rules of the CAA giving nod to its implementation. Under the rules, persecuted non-Muslim migrants - Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians - from three countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, will be eligible for Indian nationality. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that all administrative organs should adhere to good governance. Steps like registry in the purchase and sale of movable property as well as the system of nominbation transfer and simplification of the process of passing house maps have been taken for the convenience of the public. It is duty of the state government to take care of soldiers and the police personnel dedicated to maintaining law and order. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav was addressing a programme organized at Kushabhau Thackeray Auditorium. Mohan Yadav said that increasing irrigation facilities and drinking water supply will bring positive changes in the lives of the people of Bundelkhand and Chambal region. Those present were Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Deora, Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla, Water Resources Minister Tulsi Silawat, Panchayat and Rural Development, Labor Minister Prahlad Patel, Revenue Minister Karan Singh Verma, MP V.D. Sharma and Additional Chief Secretary Water Resources Rajesh Rajoura. Prachar raths to cover 3600 villages of 17 districts Chief Minister Yadav inaugurated the Ken-Betwa and Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal Jal Kalash Yatra. Chief Minister Yadav flagged off five raths of Jal Kalash Yatra from the Kushabhau Thackeray Auditorium complex. Under the Yatra, one hundred LED Prachar Raths are being sent for publicity in about 3600 villages of 17 districts benefiting from Ken Betwa Parvati Kali Sindh Chambal Project. Films focusing on the benefits of the project and the importance of water were screened. Chief Minister Yadav gave out-of-turn promotion to 24 police personnel who displayed bravery and valour and gave them stars for the promoted posts. Chief Minister Yadav distributed appointment letters to one thousand newly appointed candidates virtually through a single click and symbolically gave appointment letters to 9 candidates from the stage. Ken-Betwa and Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal project to alter Bundelkhand, Chambal regions Chief Minister Yadav said that India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is witnessing a big change. During the Covid period, Prime Minister Modi demonstrated his efficiency by protecting the countrymen as well as by providing Covid vaccine to more than 100 countries. The innovations taking place in the country under his leadership and the use of new technology have made life of the common man easier. The people of Bundelkhand continued to struggle and defeated the enemies. Ken-Betwa Link Project will increase irrigation facilities in Bundelkhand region and will make the life of the people joyful. Ken-Betwa and Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal project will change the life of Bundelkhand and Chambal. Out of turn promotions to brave and dutiful police personnel Chief Minister Yadav said that the police personnel who faced tough situations amd performed duties. They deserve commendations. Chief Minister Yadav, while congratulating the newly appointed officials, said that they will discharge their duties and will remain dedicated to the advancement of the country. Jal Kalash Yatra is a resolve for the development and progress of Madhya Pradesh: Water Resources Minister Silavat Water Resources Minister Tulsiram Silavat said that Ken-Betwa Link Project and Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal Link Project Jal Kalash Yatra is a pledge for the development and progress of the state. The resolve that was taken by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to link rivers in Madhya Pradesh is now taking shape. There has been unprecedented growth in the irrigation sector in Madhya Pradesh. In the year 2003-04, the area under irrigation was only 7 lakh hectares, which has increased to about 47 lakh hectares today. Our target is to increase it to 65 lakh hectares by the year 2025 and to 1 crore 55 lakh hectares by the year 2047. Minister Shri Silawat said that Ken-Betwa National Project will change the picture and destiny of Bundelkhand. This project will irrigate 8 lakh 11 thousand hectare area and 41 lakh people of Bundelkhand will get drinking water. The project will generate 103 MW electricity in Bundelkhand that will benefit 7 lakh 13 thousand farmer families of about 2 thousand villages in 10 districts of the state. Chambal-Kalisindh-Parvati Irrigation Project will open new doors of development and progress. This project costing Rs 72 thousand crore will irrigate 06 lakh 17 thousand hectare area of ??Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, in which irrigation facility will be available in 03 lakh 37 thousand hectare area of ??Madhya Pradesh. Bundelkhand will now be a green and prosperous region MP Shri V.D. Sharma said that the Ken-Betwa link project will prove to be a milestone in the development of Madhya Pradesh. Bundelkhand, which was called dry and poor, will now be a green and prosperous region. Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for the project, Shri Sharma said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, implementation of the projects will be ensured within the time limit. Director General of Police Shri Sudhir Kumar Saxena said that Chief Minister Dr. Yadavs recognition of the sacrifice and bravery of the police personnel shows his affection towards the police personnel. The nature of police service is such that there is neither a fixed place of duty nor a fixed time. Chief Minister Dr. Yadavs decision of providing better facilities to police families is commendable. Sub Inspector, Assistant Sub Inspector, Head Constable and Constable promoted Chief Minister Dr. Yadav gave out of turn promotions to 24 police personnel who displayed courage and devotion to duty in the encounter with Naxalites on December 14, 2023 at Kamkodadar in Balaghat and awarded them stars of higher rank. These include Sub Inspector Shri Upendra Dubey, Shri Namdev Sharma, Assistant Sub Inspector Hawkforce Shri Atul Kumar Shukla, Arun Mishra, Manoj Kapse, Lokendra Singh Jadaun, Dilip Uike, Head Constable Hawkforce Shri Aziz Ali, Ravindra Kumar, Sandeep Singh, Ramkumar Navreti, Phoolchand Kushwaha. , Braj Mohan Gurjar, Constable Hawkforce Shri Rajesh Kumar, Kamal Vaishnav, Raisingh Verma, Anurag Singh Yadav, Pawan Kumar, Asif Khan, Arvind Kumar Soni, Arvind Kumar Yadav, Satish Matre, Mahipal Chandela and Lokendra Singh Sikarwar. Effective work being undertaken in anti-Naxal campaign It may be noted that in the last few years, effective work has been done in the anti-Naxal operation in Balaghat, in which 17 Naxalites have been killed. In the year 2022, 6 Naxalites were killed, which is a record for the highest number of Naxalites killed in a year. Apart from this, 5 Naxalites were arrested in the last five years and 6 exchanges of fire took place in the last two years, following which the Naxalites escaped. In the last two years, 10 Naxal dumps were recovered in which huge quantity of ammunition and explosives were seized by the police. Seven new police camps have been established in the year 2022-24. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav gives symbolical appointment letters to 9 candidates Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav provided appointment letters to the newly appointed candidates. Under this, under Public Health and Medical Education Department, Shri Manish Pawar has been appointed as Radiographer, Sushri Manisha Gupta as Laboratory Technician, Shri Anand Kesharwani as Pharmacist, under Revenue Department, Sushri Shilpa Saryam, Sushri Sakshi Verma, Shri Ranu Sharma, Shri Saubhar Chaudhary as Patwari and Sushri Ekta Verma under the Panchayat and Rural Development Department for the post of Assistant Engineer. Anushka Verma is representing India at the ongoing World Youth Festival in Sirius Federal Territory, Russia from March 1 to 8. President Vladimir Putin had signed a decree last year for hosting the international meet. Anushka was shortlisted based on the results of the competitive selection held in accordance with the Regulations for the Competitive Selection of Russian and Foreign Participants of the World Youth Festival 2024. Bhopal Crime Branch on Monday arrested the accused of committing crimes of fraud and breach of trust, accused used to earn profit by cheating and selling the vehicle at a higher price. Vikram Singh, a resident of Kolar Road in the city, lodged a complaint that Rinku Tomar, originally a resident of Shivpuri district, betrayed his trust by dishonestly selling his Scorpio car to another person. After this Rinku refused to give the money after selling Vikram's car. The police registered a complaint and started investigating the matter. The accused was arrested on the basis of information received from an informer. After registering a complaint in the matter, the police reached Shivpuri to investigate the accused and during which informatiopn was received about Rinku's presence on Shivpuri Guna bypass. On reaching the place, the police found a person similar to the description described by the informer. On interrogating the person, he revealed his name as Rinku. After which the police took him into custody. On being interrogated about the vehicle after his arrest, the accused told that in April 2023, he had asked Vikram Singh to get a good amount of money in exchange for the Scorpio vehicle. But without the knowledge of the owner, the vehicle was sold to Amar Singh, a resident of Guna district, for Rs 3.5 lakh. Whereas the actual price of the car was Rs 6 lakh. Apart from this, the accused also assured Amar Singh to get the car registered in his name. According to the information received from the accused, the police contacted Amar Singh, the person who bought the car, and interrogated him by giving him a notice. During interrogation, Amar Singh told that accused Rinku had talked about getting the car transferred to his name in a couple of days, but it did not happen even after a long time. Police found Vikram Singh's Scorpio car in Amar Singh's house itself. Which was seized by the police. Meanwhile a case of payment by issuing fake bills for attached vehicles has surfaced at CMHO office of Bhopal. According to the bills which are on paper, these vehicles on rent are Innova Crysta, Dzire and Bolero, but when their numbers were investigated, a shocking revelation was revealed. Actually, a total of Rs 88000 was paid on two bill numbers 7194 and 7386 of Swift Dezire (19 BA 0310). When investigated in the RTO, it was revealed that this number was not of any Dzire car, but of a CT 100 bike of Satna resident Kandhilal Sen, which never came to Bhopal. Similarly, in another bill in which a payment of Rs 27000 has been made, the Dzire vehicle is shown on MP04T4533. This is actually the number of the auto rickshaw of Jahangirabad resident Abdul Rashid, but in the CMHO office, payments for the vehicles have been being made to a private tour and travel company for years on this number. By issuing fake bills for more than 10 such vehicles, sometimes by increasing the payment and sometimes by decreasing, the government's revenue is being harmed. Private tour and travel company is being given benefits, information about more than 10 such fake bills came to light Actually, according to the rules of the Finance Department, only taxi quota vehicles can be hired and not private category vehicles. Congress leader Puneet Tandon has complained about this to the Lokayukta including Deputy CM, Chief Secretary and top officials of the Health Department. CMHO Bhopal Dr. Prabhakar Tiwari we have a complete proof system here. Before the payment is released, four people verify it. There are no vehicles here in bulk but only a few vehicles are available. It is possible that in some cases a clerical mistake may have occurred. Chief electoral officer BVRC Purushottam held a meeting with representatives of all political parties in view of the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. He appealed to the political parties to cooperate as expected for successful conduct of the parliamentary elections. The political parties were also asked to abstain from the use of single use plastic in the campaigning process for the elections. They were informed in detail about nomination of candidates, manifesto and the Election Commission guidelines during the imposition of the election model code of conduct. The political representatives were also told about provisions regarding expenditure on rallies of star campaigners, road shows and other programmes during the election campaign. Purushottam also appealed to all the political parties to motivate the citizens to vote in order to increase the voting percentage in the State. He assured them that the CEOs office will fully cooperate with any political party requiring any kind of information or for the solution of any problem faced during the election process. The CEO appealed to the political parties to cooperate in the efforts to make the State plastic-free by shunning the use of single-use plastic in their campaign material. The assistant CEO Mastu Das informed the political representatives in detail about the responsibilities and other aspects related to the election process. Political representatives of all recognised parties and registered parties in the State attended the meeting. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said that the state government is making strenuous efforts for making Punjab a debt free state, progressive and prosperous state. Addressing the gathering during Sarkar Vyapaar Milni here on Monday, Mann said that the state has inherited a debt due to misdeeds of the previous governments. However, he said that his government will make all out efforts to bail out the state from the crisis for which concerted efforts are being made. He said the budget of two years reflects good things unfolding in the state in terms of enhanced revenue collection adding that this tempo will continue in coming days too. Mann said that Punjab is witnessing these types of functions for the first time, adding that for the first time traders have become integral part in decision making to put the state in path of high trajectory. He said that today new schools, hospitals are being coming up, free power is given to 90% households, jobs have been given to more than 43000 jobs and others due to the good intentions of the government, adding that this was lacking during the earlier regimes due to which the state has lagged behind in progress. The Chief Minister said that the budget of this year is a roadmap for a progressive and vibrant Punjab as the people of state have ousted the political parties that used to play musical chairs of power to loot them after every five years. He said that his government has been given a chance by people to serve them and they will work hard to fulfil their expectations. Mann asked the opposition to shun criticism for the sake of criticism and allow them to work for the well being of Punjab. Mann said that the credit of transforming the politics and bringing common man on the agenda of the political parties goes to Arvind Kejriwal. He said that instead of Sankalp Pattars or election manifestos, the political parties are now giving guarantees of welfare to the people. Mann said that he had always been a votary of making the manifesto of any party into a legal document so that political parties may not dupe the common man. He said that every single penny from the state exchequer is being spent on the well being of the people and called upon people to ensure victory of the party on all the 13 Lok Sabha seats so that he can effectively combat the discriminatory policies of the Union government. Mann said that the hands of AAP needs to strengthen by giving 13-0 to the parties adding that these 13 MPs, when elected, will give fillip to the development and progress of the state. Traffic movement was affected in southwest Delhi on Monday as commuters faced congestion due to the inauguration of the Haryana section of the Dwarka Expressway. Several commuters took to microblogging platform X to share their ordeal. The traffic was heavy at Mahipalpur, one of them wrote on X. Another mentioned that the traffic was very heavy on the Dabri Dwarka Road. An X user said there was huge jam on the toll road towards Gurugram from Delhi and that traffic was halted from Subroto Park to Gurgaon. Some others travelled by metro to travel to Delhi from Gurugram after coming to know about the traffic congestion. Vistara and SpiceJet airlines also cautioned the customers about the traffic jams. Heavy traffic congestion and slow vehicle movement are expected enroute to Delhi Airport today, March 11th. Customers are advised to allow more time for their journey to the airport, Vistara wrote on its X handle. Similarly, SpiceJet mentioned, Traffic congestion and slow vehicle movement is expected on NH-48 due to VIP movement. Passengers travelling to Delhi Airport are requested to keep a tab on live traffic and allow sufficient time for the journey. The traffic was also heavy at several other places of the national capital, including Naraina Vihar and Azadpur. Police on Sunday had said the traffic movement will be regulated in many areas of Dwarka for inauguration of the Dwarka Expressway. The advisory had urged commuters to avoid Dhulsiras Chowk, Sector 8-9 crossing, Carmel Chowk Sector-20, Janki Chowk near Sector-23 police station and Pochanpur flyover Sector-23 Chowk. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the Haryana section of the landmark Dwarka Expressway, which will improve traffic flow and ease congestion between Delhi and Gurugram on NH-48. The total length of Dwarka Expressway is 29 km, out of which 18.9 km falls in Haryana, while the remaining 10.1 km is in Delhi. State's attorney's say Linda Kosuda-Bigazzi, a Burlington woman accused of killing her husband, a UConn med school professor, plead guilty to manslaughter. Contributed photo HARTFORD A woman who was accused of killing her husband in 2017 has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, officials say. In a release on Monday, the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice said Linda Kosuda-Bigazzi, 76, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and first-degree larceny. Officials said Kosuda-Bigazzi was arrested in February 2018 after her husband, Pierluigi Bigazzi, an 84-year-old professor at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, was found dead in the basement of the couple's Burlington home. They said his body was found by police who were conducting a welfare check at the home after he did not show up to work for several months. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Officials said checks from UConn Health continued to be deposited into the couple's joint checking account from the time of his death until his body was discovered in early February 2018. After his body was found, State police claimed Kosuda-Bigazzi killed her husband in 2017. according to court records, and she was initially charged with murder and tampering with evidence. It is alleged that after murdering her husband, Kosuda-Bigazzi hid the body in the home for several months and continued to receive his salary from UConn Health in Farmington, where he was employed as a professor in the School of Medicine since 1975, state police said in 2021 when she was also charged for allegedly cashing his checks. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In the husbands autopsy report, a doctor with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Bigazzis death a homicide, with the cause listed asblunt injuries of the head, according to the warrant, but also noted the body was in a state of advanced decomposition. A second autopsy report was written at the request of Kosuda-Bigazzis attorney. During an interview with the doctor who wrote the second report, Kosuda-Bigazzi refers to a physical altercation in August involving a hammer, the warrant states, in which she ultimately realized that Pierluigi Bigazzi was dead. Kosuda-Bigazzi's sentencing is scheduled for June 28 in state Superior Court in Hartford. Congress MLAs, on the sixth day of the ongoing budget session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha, vehemently called for a resolution denouncing the Centre and the Haryana Government for their alleged mistreatment of farmers protesting at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points. Congress MLA from Gidderbaha Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, who is also the state party president, brought forth the pressing issue of the ongoing farmers' agitation at the Punjab-Haryana borders during the Zero Hour. Warring passionately advocated for a thorough discussion on farmers grievances and proposed a resolution condemning the Centre and the Haryana Government for their purported atrocities against the protesting farmers. 'We should have a one-day debate on farmers' issues, he demanded. The Delhi Chalo march, spearheaded by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, is a potent expression of farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops. Despite facing resistance from security forces, the farmers have persisted in their protest, stationing themselves at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points. Echoing the same sentiments, the Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa urged for a comprehensive deliberation in the House on the issues afflicting farmers. Bajwa underscored the importance of solidarity across political lines to support the farmers' cause and accused the BJP-led Centre of prioritizing corporate interests over farmers' welfare. In a unified stance, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan pledged to write letters to all Speakers of state assemblies, urging them to stand in solidarity with Punjab's farmers. He emphasized that the farmers' struggle transcended regional boundaries and it is not only Punjabs issue, and was a collective fight for the rights of farmers across the nation. Cong Stages Walkout Over Privilege Motion Against CM Congress MLA staged a walkout on Monday, citing dissatisfaction over the handling of a privilege motion against the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for alleged derogatory remarks against the Dalit legislator Sukhwinder Kotli. The motion was initiated by Kotli, who accused the Chief Minister of making objectionable comments directed at him during a session on March 4. Seeking accountability, Kotli raised concerns about the status of his privilege motion against the CM during Monday's proceedings. As Kotli stood to address the Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, other Congress MLAs rallied behind him, amplifying the demand for clarity on the motion. Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa emphasized the gravity of the issue, condemning the alleged remarks made by the CM against Kotli and stressing the importance of a prompt decision on the privilege motion. Expressing disappointment with the Speaker's response, Congress MLAs expressed their frustration by walking out of the House. Following the walkout, Adampur MLA Kotli addressed the media, reaffirming the demand for accountability and action on his privilege motion. Kotli expressed dissatisfaction with the Speaker's inaction, stating that despite their demands, no progress had been made on the motion. Delhi Police has arrested five members of a gang for their alleged involvement in a fake visa scam and recovered 235 visa papers from their possession, officials on Monday said. Three people have been arrested from Punjab and two from Delhi, they said. The arrested accused have been identified as Suraj Bahri (49), Ashwani Kumar (30), Jaswinder Singh (40), Manish Sharma (51), and Jitender Kumar (38), police said, adding Rs 8.5 lakh have been recovered from their possession. One Kulwinder Singh had field a complaint at Connaught Place police station and claimed that he met some persons at a mall in Chandigarh on January 20, Deputy Commissioner Police (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla said. The DCP said that the alleged person promised Singh a Canadian visa and took Rs 9.30 lakh from him in Chandigarh on the pretext of documentation and formalities. The total agreed-upon amount was Rs 18 lakh, with the remaining balance due after the visa was secured. Later, Kulwinder Singh got a call that his visa and plane tickets were ready and instructed him to come to Mahipalpur in Delhi to receive visa and ticket, and to pay the remaining Rs 9 lakh, he added. The officer said that on February 24, they directed him to reach Connaught Place, where he paid the remaining amount and an additional Rs 1.25 lakh for Canadian dollars. The accused asked Kulwinder to meet them near Dr RML Hospital gate in 20 minutes, where they would hand over the passport, tickets and Canadian dollars. However, upon reaching the location, Kulwinder found their phones switched off following which he realised that he had been cheated. An FIR was registered and an investigation was taken up, the DCP said. A police team formed to investigate the matter identified two suspects and traced their location to Jalandhar in Punjab. Three accused identified as Suraj, Ashwani and Jaswinder were arrested from Jalandhar and they admitted to their involvement in the scam, police said. The police recovered Rs 8.5 lakh in cash, mobile phones, electronic devices like laptops and printers, and forged stamps from their possession. Further investigation revealed that Suraj Bahri identified Manish Sharma in Delhi as the source of the fake visa. Based on this information, police arrested Sharma. During questioning, Sharma, implicated Jitender Kumar, who provided him with the forged visas near Vikaspuri Metro Station. Kumar arranged visa papers, he was arrested too, said the DCP. The Delhi Police has arrested five sharpshooters of the Kala Jathedi-Lawrence Bishnoi syndicate and claimed to have foiled a plan to kill a rival gang member, officials said on Sunday. Police said they also recovered sophisticated imported weapons from them. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Manoj C said they received a tip-off on March 7 that some members of the Kala Jathedi-Lawrence Bishnoi syndicate would come near a DDA Park in Dwarka sector 16 with illegal weapons. He said the police laid a trap and nabbed Rahul, Parveen, Rohtash, Mohan and Sachin, all residents of Haryana. Rahul said during interrogation that he runs wine shops in partnership with gangsters Kala Jathedi and Anil Chippi and they had some financial dispute with a person named Ajay, a resident of Basantpur Village in Rohtak, according to the officer. Ajay was supported by one Aman, a resident of village Bhainswal, Sonepat, Haryana. Aman is also involved in crime and he is associated with fugitive gangster Himanshu. Last year, Rahul had opened fire outside the residence of Ajay and he was arrested by Haryana police in the case, said the DCP. The State Cabinet here on Monday accorded an administrative approval of Rs 592.30 crore for Simhastha for civil works for the establishment of a new Government Medical College in Ujjain. The Cabinet approved payment of bonus of Rs 125 per quintal on wheat procured from farmers at support price in Rabi marketing year 2024-25 to provide remunerative prices to the farmers for their produce. This will entail a financial burden of Rs 3850 crore. It was decided to shift the office of the Head of the Department, Director of Religious Trust and Endowment and Director, Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana Satpura Bhavan along with the currently posted staff to Ujjain. The Cabinet has given approval for a government guarantee of Rs 29 thousand 400 crore for the procurement of food grains, operation of public distribution system and other government schemes and meeting the deficit under the Support Price Decentralized Scheme in the coming financial year 2024-25 for the period from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 (one year). Administrative approval of Rs 592.30 crore was given for the civil works for the construction of a new Government Medical College to strengthen the health services in view of the Simhastha 2028 in Ujjain. Approval of necessary equipment and human resources for this will be given later. With the construction of a medical college, the people of nearby districts will also benefit from high level medical facilities. The Cabinet ratified the appointment of Justice Satendra Kumar Singh to the post of Lokayukta of Madhya Pradesh. Ratification and approval was given to extend the territorial jurisdiction of Cyber Tehsil to all the districts. Under the NDB scheme, revised administrative approval of Rs 305.08 crore was given for the strengthening and upgradation of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Nagar Marg (Kolar Marg 15.1 km) of Bhopal. Advance storage plan of urea, DAP, complex and potash fertilisers was approved for 2024-25 to 2026-27 ensuring availability of chemical fertilisers to the farmers. Madhya Pradesh State Cooperative Marketing Federation (Markfed) has been designated as nodal agency. In 2024-25, government guarantee of Rs 850 crore was approved to Markfed. A revised administrative approval of Rs 1167.95 crore was given for the operation of new government medical colleges of Neemuch, Mandsaur, Sheopur and Singrauli and purchase of equipment. Rs 287.45 crore has been approved for Neemuch, Rs 288.5 crore for Sheopur, Rs 289.74 crore for Singrauli and Rs 302.26 crore for Mandsaur. The Cabinet has given administrative approval of Rs 192.40 crore for the establishment of new nursing colleges along with medical colleges under the centrally sponsored scheme. Nursing colleges will be built in 13 districts - Datia, Khandwa, Ratlam, Shahdol, Vidisha, Chhindwara, Shivpuri, Satna, Rajgarh, Neemuch, Mandsaur, Sheopur and Singrauli. Rs 14.80 crore has been sanctioned for each nursing college. With this, all the citizens of these districts and nearby areas will be able to avail the benefit of medical facilities and the students will be able to easily get education in nursing cadre. The Cabinet has approved operation of vehicles free of cost carrying dead bodies in all district hospitals and government medical colleges. In case of institutional death during treatment or death due to road accident/disaster, the dead body will be respectfully transported free of cost to the destination. The responsibility of operating the hearse will be with the Public Health and Medical Education Department. Presently this responsibility rests with the Urban Development and Housing Department. PM Shri Air Ambulance Service Scheme has been approved. The responsibility of its operation and implementation will rest with the Public Health and Medical Education Department. Payara Singh, who took refuge in India escaping from war torn Afghanistan over three decades back, celebrated implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) saying he felt reborn hoping now to have his identity as bonafide citizen of the country. Now, 57, Singh joined dozens of fellow Sikh refugees from Afghanistan and Hindu refugees from Pakistan bursting crackers, playing Holi, dancing on drumbeats and raising slogans of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" at a programme hosted by Delhi BJP on Tuesday. "It feels like I am celebrating my birthday as a new chapter has started in my life as I am on the verge of having an identity as citizen of India that has been my home for more than three decades," Singh told PTI. Recounting his tale, Singh said he left Paktia in Afghanistan in 1989 to save his life and reached India but there was no place for him to stay or money to start a new life. "Identity is the most basic and important thing for any human being, but we didn't have it. We could not buy a house and the people were reluctant to give us their house on rent," said Singh, who now lives in Tilak Nagar. He runs a small shop of mobile phone accessories in Karol Bagh. "Now, I feel free and can do everything after getting the citizenship of India and even own a passport and voter card and travel anywhere that was impossible so far," he said. The Centre on Monday announced the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, paving way for granting citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. With this, the Central government will now start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from the three countries. Many other refugees living in India for decades expressed similar sentiments of relief and joy while thanking Modi government for the decision to implement the CAA. They handed over a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the function to Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva. "This Holi is unlike any other," said Sachdeva joining the refugees and BJP leaders and workers in celebrations. Pakistani Hindu refugee Sona Das, who came to India in 2013, said he was hugely relieved and hoped for a better life for his children, including five boys and two daughters. "We have seen very difficult times and I can't express the pain of being a refugee for more than a decade," he said. Hundreds of Hindu refugees from Pakistan live in a temporary settlement at Majnu Ka Tila in north Delhi. "Our wait is over," said Manju Ram, another Pakistani Hindu refugee from Majnu Ka Tila. "The Modi government did what they promised. Now we can be part of everything, buy property and vote in the elections also," he said smiling. Govind Ram said, "We have been Indian at heart for the past four decades and now thanks to Narendra Modi we will be legal citizens of the country." Haryana Police forms teams to probe liquor traders murder in Murthal Chandigarh: Haryana Police has formed eight teams to investigate the murder of a liquor trader who was allegedly shot dead by two assailants in Sonepat district, an official said on Monday. The incident took place on Sunday when Sunder Malik alighted from his car at a parking lot outside an eatery in Murthal. The two assailants fired indiscriminately at Malik, killing him on the spot, they said. Malik, a resident of Sonepat district, was earlier booked in more than 10 cases, including murder and other offences. CCTV footage of the incident showed the accused rushing towards Maliks vehicle with weapons and shooting him multiple times as soon as he came out. The duo then fled the spot. Later, gangster Himanshu Bhau claimed responsibility for the murder in an unverified social media post. A police official on Monday said eight teams have been formed to probe Maliks murder case. Haryana CM approves improvement of 10 ODR roads in Kaithal Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday granted administrative sanction for the special repair and improvement of 10 ODR roads in Guhla, Kaithal District. This project will cost over Rs. 8.76 crore. The roads serving rural areas of production and providing them with outlet to market centres, tehsil headquarters, block development headquarters, railway stations etc. are known as Other District Roads (ODRs), said a spokesperson. District Welfare Officer in Hry arrested for taking a bribe of Rs 40,000 Chandigarh: The Haryana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday arrested District Welfare Officer (DWO) Lalchand red-handed while taking a bribe of Rs 40,000 in Fatehabad district. The bribe was demanded through a private person, Ravinder Singh. An ACB spokesperson said that the ACB team laid a trap to nab the accused on the basis of information and was successful in catching him red-handed. Banks, Post Offices to create voter awareness; says Haryana CEO Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Anurag Agarwal on Monday said that in the upcoming Lok Sabha general elections, every eligible voter must exercise their franchise. For this purpose, the Election Commission of India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Indian Banks Association (IBA) and the Department of Posts to amplify its voter outreach and awareness efforts. The key objective is to convey the message to voters that the election festival is a matter of pride for the nation. The Election Commission and the election officials of states and Union territories are just mediators in this festival of democracy; the real strength lies with the voters, said Agarwal while presiding over a meeting with the officers regarding the preparations for the Lok Sabha 2024 general elections. Students' groups of Jamia Millia Islamia protested on Tuesday against the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and demanded its withdrawal by the Centre. They addressed a press conference near one of the university gates and interacted with the media from inside the campus, while Delhi Police remained stationed outside. Journalists, who arrived in large numbers at the campus to report, were not allowed entry. The students called for the repeal of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, and the release of all students booked in anti-CAA protests nearly four years ago. Protesting students questioned the Government's CCA move and said, "The implementation of the CAA is a political strategy to gain more votes by the BJP before the 2024 General Elections." Slogans such as "Delhi Police wapas jao" and "Inqalab Zindabad" echoed across the campus. Students also demanded "demilitarization" of the university campus as security in the area was beefed up after the Government notified rules for implementation of the CAA on Monday. A senior police officer said the security around the Jamia campus has been beefed up to prevent any further gathering outside the campus. The Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in the area and drones are also being used to monitor the situation. Protesting students said implementation of CAA is discriminatory and partial, particularly towards Muslims. Some students were also seen with posters "We support CAA" at the campus. A student said the protesters' demand is illogical and CAA is beneficial for the nation. "NSUI Jamia Millia Islamia protests against the decision of the Central Government to implement the unconstitutional CAA," a statement by NSUI's Jamia unit said. A group of students led by the Muslim Students Federation (MSF) raised slogans against the Modi Government and the Delhi Police. Jamia's officiating vice-chancellor, Eqbal Hussain, said the campus should not be turned into a protest site. He said the university is for study, not politics, and protests will not be tolerated during the ongoing session. The students protested inside the campus, he said. Jamia was the epicentre of the anti-CAA protests in 2019-2020. BJP State President Babulal Marandi on Monday said that question papers of the JSSC examination are being sold for Rs 35 to 50 lakhs. Marandi targeting the State Government said that this government is not only engaged in ruining the future of youth but also the future of Jharkhand. He said that earlier also such irregularities had come to light in many such examinations, but the Hemant government was not ready to accept it, but when the students took to the streets and protested, the government had to accept it. Earlier, the JSSC CGL examination was held on January 28, but its question paper was leaked ahead of the examination. Following this, the SIT was formed to identify and arrest the accused at the earliest. The Jharkhand government has constituted an SIT to investigate the question paper leak of the JSSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination. A special task force was formed under the leadership of Ranchi Sadar Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sanjeev Kumar Besra. Many policemen, including four police inspectors, are included in the SIT. Jharkhand assembly undersecretary Mohammad Shamim and his two sons were arrested by Ranchi Police in the JSSC paper leak case. The police raided the accused's premises and recovered blank cheques, dozens of admit cards and mobile phones. The BJP leader said that today the people of the party which is in power in Jharkhand are joining BJP due to their dissatisfaction with the policies and work culture of the party. On one hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is determined to make India a developed nation by 2047, while on the other hand, other parties have no ideology. They have only one aim - how to save their family and secure the future of their children and for this they have only one aim - to remove Modi. Due to the inaction and anti-development mentality of the selfish alliance government of JMM-Congress in the state, Congress has started losing interest in the minds of the people. On this occasion, State General Secretary Manoj Singh, State Media Incharge Shivpujan Pathak, Co-incharge Yogendra Pratap Singh, Ashok Badaik, Yuva Morcha President Shashank Raj were present. The stage was conducted by Yuva Morcha State Vice President Bhupendra Singh. Box: Central Govt fulfilled another promise by implementing CAA PNS Ranchi BJP state spokesperson Pratul Shahdev posted on social media platform X today and said that with the implementation of CAA, people of Hindu, Jain, Buddhist, Sikh, Christian and Parsi communities who have migrated to India from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will directly benefit. The provisions for granting citizenship have also been relaxed for the people of minority communities coming from these countries. Now they will also be entitled to buy property. Pratul said that the people of these minority communities living in those three countries will now get their due rights in India after a long time. Pratul said that Modi ji's guarantees are always fulfilled. The Modi government does whatever it says. Delhi PWD Minister Atishi has approved the strengthening and upgradation of Ring Road from Nigam Bodh Ghat to Chandgi Ram Akhara signal to ensure smooth traffic movement, an official statement said on Monday. The Public Works Department, according to the statement, is working on a mission mode. Under the recently approved projects, strengthening work of Ring Road between Nigam Bodh Ghat to Chandgi Ram Akhara red light will be carried out, it said. Atishi, who had recently given her approval to several major projects to improve quality of roads, said, We aim to create roads that reflect the beauty of Delhi while ensuring the safety of all commuters. We are working on a mission mode to bring about significant improvements in the road infrastructure, making it more resilient and visually appealing. These projects are a testament to our commitment to providing a world-class road infrastructure for the citizens of Delhi. The Ring Road strengthening work is a crucial step in our mission to create roads that are not only smooth but also safe for everyone. The strengthening of these roads will positively impact lakhs of commuters, alleviating congestion and enhancing connectivity, she added. These roads were originally constructed and upgraded long ago, leading to their gradual deterioration. The PWD has conducted a thorough assessment of the roads with the assistance of experts and has been instructed to initiate the upgrading process, the minister said. She also stressed the importance of ensuring minimal disruption to the commuters during the construction phase, with a directive to adhere to global standards for high-quality roads. Atishi said the government under Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals leadership is working on mission mode to improve the roads of Delhi. The minister has approved the strengthening project for the road from Nigam Bodh Ghat to Chandgi Ram Akhada Red Light along with the PVC Market Road to Rohtak Road stretch in west Delhi, the statement added. A national conference on Cardio-metabolic, chronic hepatic and Infectious diseases - Medifest 2024 was organized by Department of Medicine AIIMS Bhopal on March 9 and 10, 2024. This literary fest included speakers among leading academicians and doctors from various specialities and medical colleges from India as well as post graduate students/ residents research scholars as delegates. Medifest included a number of engrossing sessions over 2 days including lectures, panel discussions and poster presentations. The patron of the conference was Dr Sunil Malik, President AIIMS Bhopal and Prof(Dr) Ajai Singh , Executive Director & CEO AIIMS Bhopal was the chief guest. Prof Ajai Singh stressed the importance of holistic approach in medical disorders and also emphasized development of clinical skills in medical students. Medifest 2024 Oration was delivered by Prof A K Das, Ex-Prof & HOD Endocrinology JIPMER. Keynote address on Newer paradigms in management of heart failure was delivered by Prof P P Joshi, Director AIIMS Nagpur. Lecture on Initiating ART what is new was delivered by Dr B B Rewari, Professor Epidemiology and Public Health. Other speakers of repute included Dr Prof Soumitro Ghosh, Head General Medicine, IPGMER Kolkata, Prof Puneet Rastogi, Professor and Head Cardiology, GRMC Gwalior, Dr Ajay Jain, Consultant Choithram Hospital, Dr A K Pandit, Senior neurologist AIIMS Delhi, Dr Prof. Ashish Bhalla PGIMER Chandigarh and Dr. Prof D. Himanshu KGMU Lucknow. Various employees and Medical students were awarded achievement awards by President and Director AIIMS Bhopal. All sessions were enthusiastically participated by all delegates and speakers. About 45 posters from students of various medical colleges were discussed and top three best poster awards were awarded to Dr A S Girish. AIIMS Raipur; Dr Pradeep Moolchand, AIIMS Bhopal and Dr Pawas Dwivedi, MGM Medical College. Victoria Hill testifies before the Connecticut Judiciary Committee on Monday, March 11, 2024. Hill says she dated her half-brother in high school after her mother and others were inseminated by Dr. Burton Caldwell, documents show. Connecticut Network/Contributed NEW HAVEN Lawyers for two women who say a fertility doctor inseminated them and a number of others with his own sperm resulting in one woman's daughter unknowingly dating a half brother in high school are seeking more information for use in suing the doctor, Yale University and related entities. The womens lawyers filed the petition for a bill of discovery last week in state Superior Court in New Haven against Yale University and various related entities, including Yale New Haven Hospital. The petition also names as a defendant Dr. Burton V. Caldwell, 85, of Clinton, who formerly practiced medicine as a reproductive endocrinologist, according to the petition. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a statement, Yale New Haven Health and Yale said they "are hopeful the court will again deny the request, as it did last year, as there was no evidence of their involvement in the conduct alleged against Dr. Caldwell." Last years bill of discovery against Yale in relation to Caldwell was filed by different lawyers for other plaintiffs and it did not state the same allegations cited in the new petition. The bill of discovery filed last week accuses Caldwell of using his own sperm to inseminate two other women after telling them the sperm would come from a Yale medical trainee who had been screened for health issues, looked like the womans husband, did not plan to stay in the area and had not donated frequently. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A previous lawsuit filed last year by a different woman and her mother claims Caldwell may have fathered more than 22 children in a similar fashion. No lawyer is listed for Caldwell in court records. Caldwell and an attorney who represents him in another case could not be reached for comment. Woman says she was 'intimate' with half brother Caldwells medical license is listed as inactive in online state records, which say it lapsed due to non-renewal in 2005 after he had been licensed in Connecticut for 28 years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad One of the women seeking the information in the new case is Maralee Hill, of Wethersfield. The petition alleges that she gave birth to her daughter, Victoria Hill, as a result of an artificial insemination in which Caldwell used his own sperm. Maralee and Victoria Hill were among about 30 people who testified Monday before the state legislature's Judiciary Committee on a bill to prohibit doctors from using their own sperm to inseminate patients without consent. The bill as currently written would create civil liability, but would not make fertility fraud a crime. In her written testimony, Victoria Hill said she recently discovered that her high school boyfriend was one of her half siblings. Hill testified that she was "intimate and in a relationship" with him "and very much could have seen myself marrying this man and having children had we not gone to different colleges and allowed life to take us in different directions." She also testified that, after learning she was Caldwell's biological daughter, "I confronted Dr. Caldwell who very readily admitted to donating for many years and showed no remorse or concern for what he had done." Advertisement Article continues below this ad Jody Madeira, a law professor at Indiana University Bloomington who has written a book about infertility issues, said Monday she believes this is the first confirmed case of a person dating a half sibling as a result of alleged fertility fraud in the U.S. She said there have been such cases in England involving sperm donors. The court petition seeks some basic information from Caldwell, such as a court-ordered DNA test, likely to determine whether he is the biological father of the children involved. The plaintiffs believe he is the father based on half sibling relationships identified through commercial DNA testing services. The petition also seeks extensive information on Caldwells relationship to Yale to determine whether the school can be held legally liable for the doctors acts. Even in the absence of a law specifically banning fertility fraud, the plaintiffs' lawyers believe they have legal grounds to sue, based on claims such as medical negligence, fraudulent concealment and violation of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act, according to the petition. The petition claims there is already considerable evidence of Caldwells relationship to Yale, including that he was on its medical staff, was a professor at Yale School of Medicine, and saw and treated patients at Yale. The petition also says Caldwell listed Yale affiliations among his credits when he co-authored scientific papers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 'Grievous betrayal' The lawyers representing the two women seeking the information are Matthew S. Blumenthal and Kelly A. Fitzpatrick of Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder. Blumenthal on Monday called Caldwell's use of his own sperm a "grievous betrayal of trust in some of the most intimate and vulnerable parts of people's lives." He said the mothers "were desperate to have children" and willing to submit themselves to invasive procedures. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "It also involves some of the core elements of people's identity, who am I and where do I come from?" he said of the children. Several other families may also file separate legal actions, said attorney Rosalie Louis, who is representing Janine Pierson and her mother Doreen in the first lawsuit filed against Caldwell. That lawsuit also contends that Doreen Pierson was seeing Caldwell for fertility issues and was told she would be artificially inseminated with sperm from a Yale medical intern who would remain anonymous. The Piersons said in the lawsuit that Janine Pierson found at least 22 others who are her half siblings, all of whom were fathered by Caldwell through artificial insemination, the documents stated. Louis has said some of the other families are considering filing their own lawsuits through her firm, Lynch Traub Keefe & Errante. Louis said she is seeking to question Caldwell's former nurses under oath. Caldwell and his business associates have already undergone out-of-court questioning under oath as part of the lawsuit, she said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "We've talked to a number of families impacted by this," Louis said. In 2022, Janine Pierson did a home DNA test and discovered Caldwell was her biological father, according to the lawsuit. When she confronted him with the test, Caldwell admitted "using his own sperm to artificially inseminate numerous patients," including her mother, the lawsuit contends. Doreen Pierson said in the lawsuit that she was never told the sperm came from Caldwell and has suffered emotional distress knowing that someone she trusted to perform an intimate procedure had used his own sperm, which resulted in the birth of her daughter. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As a result of his conduct, Janine Pierson said her life has been forever changed because she fears various heredity diseases that run in Caldwell's family, according to the lawsuit. She also fears she'll wind up dating or being intimate with a person who is actually her half sibling, the lawsuit said. / Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the 19 km long Haryana section of the 8-lane Dwarka Expressway in a function held at Gurugram. An important part of the 60,000 crore Delhi decongestion plan, Indias First Elevated Urban Expressway is designed to ease congestion on existing NH-48 and provide smoother traffic flow between Delhi and Gurugram. The Prime Minister also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 114 National Highway Projects for different States worth about One Lakh crores. Modi laid the foundation stone for the Shamli-Ambala National Highway costing Rs. 4890 crore, which will span 43 kilometers. Additionally, he also laid the foundation stone of Bhiwani-Hansi Road (including four bypasses and widening and strengthening), costing Rs. 1330 crore. Furthermore, he inaugurated two projects of Dwarka Expressway costing Rs. 4087 crore. The 10.2 km long package-III of the 8-lane access control Dwarka Expressway connects Delhi-Haryana border to Basai in Haryana. This package has 8.6 km of elevated section with a width of 34 meters and is a part of Indias first eight-lane elevated road constructed on single pier. In addition to the 8-lane main carriageway, the width of the service road varies from 4 lanes to 14 lanes in this package. The expressway also features traffic signal-free lanes, four vehicular underpasses, and an elevated service road at five major junctions, providing uninterrupted traffic movement. In addition, 12 subways, footpaths, and cycle tracks have been provided on both sides for the convenience of pedestrians. One entry/ exit point has been provided for local traffic on the expressway. A drainage facility along with rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge has also been provided on the entire stretch. The 8.7 km long package IV of the 8-lane Dwarka Expressway connects Basai to Kherki Daula cloverleaf interchange. This package has 3.7 km of elevated section with a width of 34 meters and is a part of Indias first eight-lane elevated road constructed on single pier. The width of the service road varies from 4 lanes to 10 lanes. The section also features one of the widest railway-over-bridge in India with 16 lanes as well as one of the longest Bow Spring Steel Bridge of 125-metre length. The Clover leaf interchange at Kherki Daula is among the largest in the country with more than two km circumferential length. The Cloverleaf provides seamless connectivity in all directions with the existing Delhi-Jaipur Highway on NH-48. All roads are traffic signal free and three vehicular underpasses have been provided for uninterrupted traffic movement. On the occasion, the Prime Minister reminisced about old memories. He recalled that when he used to come to Haryana with CM Manohar Lal Khattar, he had a motorcycle and they would travel from Rohtak to Gurugram with him sitting behind. There were small roads but today, the entire Gurugram region is connected to several major national highways, including expressways, which reflects the progressive mindset of the Chief Minister. Modi underscored the significance of projects such as the Dwarka Expressway in fostering industrial growth and connectivity in the region. He praised Chief Minister Khattar's pivotal role in realizing these initiatives, affirming his unwavering commitment to Haryana's development agenda. Khattar expressed gratitude to Modi for the road projects and said that the Prime Minister has a special attachment with Haryana and with the support of the central government, today Haryana is writing a new saga of development. The Chief Minister said that while both the centre and the state governments have paid special attention towards infrastructural development, now dedicated efforts are being made towards the revival of cultural and religious heritage. Despite being only 2 percent of the country's population, Haryana is making significant contributions to the nation's development, Khattar added. On the occasion, Khattar assured the Prime Minister that in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections Haryana will certainly win all 10 seats. Earlier, Modi led a road show along the Dwarka Expressway. Upon the Prime Minister's road show reaching near Basai village, Prime Minister Modi, Chief Minister Khattar, and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari were greeted with a warm reception as flowers were showered upon them. Hundreds had gathered for this road show, with chants resonating such as "Bharat Mata ki Jai," "Jai Shri Ram," and "Modi Modi." The 48-day-long Ram Raag Sewa celebrations, organised to welcome the resident deity of Ayodhya, culminated with prominent artistes, including Hema Malini and Vyjayanthimala, giving their performances. The devotional extravaganza, which commenced on January 26, featured a spectacular array of music, dance and drama performances from exceptionally talented artistes from across the country, including renowned names like Vyjayanthimala, Hema Malini, Anuradha Paudwal, Suresh Wadkar, Anup Jalota, Sujata Mohapatra, Rahul Deshpande, Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Sonal Mansingh, and others. The preparations for the consecration ceremony last year prompted the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to plan 48-day-long religious rituals, starting from January 22. Following the consecration, the trust initiated religious rituals and, inspired by the idea of cultural events, approached music and cinema scholar Yatindra Mishra to organise the cultural festivities to welcome Lord Ram. Yatindra Mishra, a member of Ayodhyas erstwhile royal family, took up the challenge of showcasing the diverse culture of the entire country within a limited timeframe through the concept of Ram Raag Sewa. He began his preparations in early November, and the concept gained support from the Sangeet Natak Akademi in Delhi once Mishra presented the idea. Prominent performing artistes, including legends like Hema Malini and Vyjayanthimala, visited the temple town and contributed to the success of the cultural extravaganza. Mishra expressed his astonishment at the 90-year-old Vyjayanthimala, who, despite entering the temple town in a wheelchair, gave a captivating performance before Lord Ram for more than 20 minutes and even toured the temple complex. Mishra highlighted the energetic performances, including an elaborate dance by 81-year-old classical dancer Padma Subrahmanyam, who presented Bharata Natyam at the temple. Raag Sewa, traditionally conducted within temples in southern India and some parts of Rajasthan, is now envisioned by the trust to become a year-round cultural celebration to celebrate Ram Lallas return to his original seat. Despite the logistical challenges of arranging for the artistes needs, such as food, lodging and transportation, Mishra noted that none of the artistes sought additional fees or charges for their contributions. Mishra shared, A different kind of energy grips people once they get darshan of the lord. I could feel it when Vyjayanti ji got up from the wheelchair. She said she wanted to perform for a few moments but gave an elaborate dance performance. The success of the Ram Raag Sewa reflects not only the artistes dedication but also the profound impact of cultural celebrations in the temple town of Ayodhya, he said. Security has been beefed up in northeast Delhi, Shaheen Bagh, Jamia and other sensitive areas across the national capital following the notification of Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) on Monday, officials said. Police personnel and paramilitary forces have also been deployed in some parts, with flag march being conducted in parts of northeast and southeast Delhi, they said. Delhi witnessed communal riots in 2020 over the CAA and NRC (National Register of Citizens). Safety of every single common man of Delhis northeast district is our responsibility, DCP northeast Joy Tirkey told PTI. He further said that intensive patrolling and checking is being carried out by northeast district police personnel and paramilitary forces for the safety of citizens in sensitive areas. Everyone is requested to follow the safety instructions, the officer said. We have intensified night vigil along with paramilitary forces. No one will be allowed to breach the law and order situation. We took out flag marches for the safety of every single common, the DCP said. The rules for implementation of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 were notified on Monday, paving the way for granting of citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. With the CAA rules being issued, the Modi government will now start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who came to India till December 31, 2014. These include Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians. Union Home Minister Amit Shah slammed the AAP-Congress alliance in Delhi for the Lok Sabha polls, asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will return to power with 400-plus seats. Accompanied by Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena and Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Puri, Shah launched piped natural gas supply in 41 villages and developmental works in 178 villages of the national capital under Dilli Gramodaya Abhiyan. Whether you have alliance with the Congress or even merge with it, nothing is going to happen because zero plus zero remains zero, Shah said, referring to the tie-up between the two parties in Delhi, Gujarat and Haryana. He also slammed Kejriwal, alleging that he rose to power by fighting against corruption and scam of the Congress but is now having alliance with the party. There are two types of people in politics -- one those who deliver on what they say and the others who do the opposite. Both types of people are present in Delhi. One is Narendra Modi and the other is Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who has not done anything that he said, the Union home minister said. He attacked Kejriwal over the AAP tying up with the Congress for the Lok Sabha polls and said their alliance will not succeed. You sat on the lap of the Congress, the very same party that you accused of corruption. You are acknowledging the corruption of the Congress. You can keep on forming alliances but Prime Minister Modi will return to power with over 400 seats, Shah asserted. Shah also hit out at Kejriwal accusing him of being involved in a series of scams. He said Prime Minister Modi started a new culture in the country in last 10 years and implemented all the promises made with people. Prime Minister Modi gave LPG cylinders to 13 crore mothers of the country, provided piped gas to the homes of one crore people, tap water to 14 crore homes, built 14 crore toilets, more than three crore houses and provided five kg free food grains per person per month to 60 crore people, he said Modi has worked to fulfil the dreams of the people of the country and earned their trust, he said. Whether it is the abolition of instant triple talaq or implementing CAA, Modi has created an atmosphere of new zeal, optimism and enthusiasm in the country by fulfilling every promise and that is why the entire country is moving forward today with new confidence to become fully developed and self-reliant by 2047, Shah said in a statement. He said it is a big day for rural Delhi that 41 villages are being provided piped natural gas facility and various development works in 178 villages with a fund of Rs 383 crore under Dilli Gramodaya Abhiyan has started. Madhya Pradesh Minister Prahlad Patel on Tuesday hit out at the Opposition for criticising the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and said the act was implemented after following due process. The former union minister said India respects refugees but is against infiltrators. The Centre on Monday announced the implementation of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, for granting citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh had said the Act was against the Constitution and accused the ruling BJP of "dividing every issue between Hindus and Muslims". Talking to PTI, Patel said, "I want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for implementing the CAA. This has not happened overnight but both Houses of Parliament passed the law after a long discussion. It received the President's assent. The entire process took more than a year." This is an important step by the government, he said. "This is not about snatching anybody's citizenship but rather giving citizenship. It is a basic element of the land (mool tattva) of India that we respect refugees but are against infiltrators," Patel said. "Digvijaya Singh will not understand this," he said. The CAA was passed in December 2019 and subsequently, received the President's assent but there were protests in several parts of the country against it. The law could not come into effect as rules had not been notified till now. Top Tamil actor Vijay, who recently launched his political party Tamizhaga Vetrik Kazhagam, on Tuesday dubbed the Citizenship (Amendment) Act "divisive" and said it was hence unacceptable. The popular star demanded that the DMK regime assure people that Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) will not be implemented in Tamil Nadu. The Centre had yesterday notified rules to implement the CAA. In a statement posted on the party's social media handles, Vijay said that no piece of legislation like the CAA which is being implemented in pursuance of 'divisive politics' is acceptable. Actor Vijay's party Tamizhaga Vetrik Kazhagam will not be contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as he had earlier announced that the 2026 Assembly polls will be the first electoral innings for his outfit. The leader of Yemens branch of al-Qaida is dead, the militant group announced late Sunday, without giving details. Khalid al-Batarfi had a USD 5 million bounty on his head from the US government over leading the group, al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, through years that saw him imprisoned, freed in a jailbreak, and governing forces in Yemen amid that countrys grinding war. Though believed to be weakened in recent years due to infighting and suspected US drone strikes killing its leaders, the group known by the acronym AQAP has long been considered the most dangerous branch of the extremist group still operating after the killing of founder Osama bin Laden. Al-Qaida released a video showing al-Batarfi wrapped in a white funeral shroud and al-Qaidas black-and-white flag. Militants offered no details on the cause of his death and there was no clear sign of trauma visible on his face. Al-Batarfi was believed to be in his early 40s. Allah took his soul while he patiently sought his reward and stood firm, immigrated, garrisoned, and waged jihad for His sake, the militants said in the video, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. The group made the announcement on the eve of Ramadan, the Muslim holy fasting month that Yemen will begin Monday. In the announcement, the group said Saad bin Atef al-Awlaki would take over as its leader. The US has a USD 6 million bounty on him, saying al-Awlaki has publicly called for attacks against the United States and its allies. The Yemen branch of al-Qaida has been seen by Washington as the terror networks most dangerous branch ever since its attempt in 2009 to bomb a commercial airliner over the United States. It claimed responsibility for the 2015 deadly attack in Paris on the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo. But their overseas operations have waned in recent years. Although in decline, AQAP remains the most effective terrorist group in Yemen with intent to conduct operations in the region and beyond, a recent United Nations report on al-Qaida said.Estimates provided to the UN put AQAPs total forces as numbering between 3,000 and 4,000 active fighters and passive members. The group raises money by robbing banks and money exchange shops, as well as smuggling weapons, counterfeiting currencies and ransom operations, according to the UN. Al-Batarfi took over as the head of the branch in February 2020. He succeeded leader Qassim al-Rimi, who was killed by a US drone strike ordered by then-President Donald Trump. Al-Rimi had claimed responsibility for the 2019 attack at the US Naval Air Station Pensacola in which a Saudi aviation trainee killed three American sailors. Under al-Batarfi, AQAP fell further under the influence of al-Qaida fighter Saif al-Adl, now believed to have led the militant group after the killing of Ayman al-Zawahiri in a US drone strike in Afghanistan in 2022. That came as Yemen has been locked in a war between the Houthi rebels, who hold the capital, Sanaa, and a Saudi-led coalition backing the countrys exiled government based in Aden. Since 2020, Saif al-Adel has been able to convince al-Batarfi of his strategic approach, focused on confronting Western states and their allies in Yemen the Saudi-led coalition, the Aden-based government, the United Arab Emirates and its allies rather than confronting the Iranian-backed Houthi movement, a 2023 report by the Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies said. Al-Adl is believed to be in Iran, part of a longtime al-Qaida presence in the Islamic Republic. Thats long been denied by Tehran but backed up by documents seized in the 2011 US raid in Pakistan that killed bin Laden, who orchestrated the September 11, 2001, attacks on the US. Al-Batarfis ties to al-Adl had strained relations in AQAP, experts say. However, it has seen the militants become armed with bomb-carrying drones something the Houthis now use to target shipping in the Red Sea amid the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. AQAP developed unmanned aerial systems capabilities, establishing a specialized drone unit, with operational training from the Houthis, a UN report from January says. It prioritizes liberating its prisoners to replenish ranks; in September, the Houthis released several AQAP members and explosives experts. The Shiite Zaydi Houthis have previously denied working with AQAP, a Sunni extremist group. However, AQAP targeting of the Houthis has dropped in recent years while the militants continue to attack Saudi-led coalition forces. Yemens history and tribal structure long has seen alliances rapidly shift, something its late strongman President Ali Abdullah Saleh referred to as dancing on the heads of snakes. Al-Batarfi, born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, travelled to Afghanistan in 1999 and fought alongside the Taliban during the US-led invasion. He joined AQAP in 2010 and led forces in taking over Yemens Abyan province, according to the US. In 2015, he was freed after an AQAP raid that saw the militants capture Mukalla, the capital of Yemens largest province, Hadramawt, amid the chaos of the war. A photo at the time showed al-Awlaki with a Kalashnikov rifle, posing inside a government palace there. AQAP was later pushed out of Mukalla but has continued attacks and been the target of a US drone strike campaign since the administration of then-President George W. Bush. In 2020, there had been claims that al-Bartafi had been detained, which later were denied. In 2021, he appeared in a militant video and referred to the Jan. 6 riot at the US Capitol as only the tip of the iceberg of what will come to them, God willing. A US Army vessel carrying equipment for building a temporary pier in Gaza was on its way to the Mediterranean on Sunday, three days after US President Joe Biden announced plans to increase aid deliveries by sea to the besieged enclave where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are going hungry. The new push for aid came in the final hours before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which could start as early as Sunday evening, depending on the sighting of a crescent moon. Hopes for a new cease-fire by Ramadan faded days ago with negotiations apparently stalled. The opening of the sea corridor, along with airdrops by the US, Jordan and others, showed growing alarm over Gazas deadly humanitarian crisis and a new willingness to bypass Israeli control over land shipments. Israel said that it welcomed the sea deliveries and would inspect Gaza-bound cargo before it leaves a staging area in nearby Cyprus.But aid officials say that air and sea deliveries cant make up for a shortage of supply routes on land. The daily number of aid trucks entering Gaza by land over the past five months has been far below the 500 that entered before the war.A ship belonging to Spanish aid group Open Arms and carrying 200 tons of food aid was expected to make a pilot voyage to test the corridor as soon as possible, said spokesperson Linda Roth with partner organisation World Central Kitchen. The ship remained at Cyprus port of Larnaca in what Roth called a quickly evolving and fluid situation. Biden stepped up public criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he believes that Netanyahu is hurting Israel more than helping Israel in his approach to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, now in its sixth month. Speaking Saturday to MSNBC, the US president expressed support for Israels right to pursue Hamas after the militants October 7 attack on southern Israel, but said that Netanyahu must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost. He added that you cannot have 30,000 more Palestinians dead. The Health Ministry in Gaza said that at least 31,045 Palestinians have been killed since the war began. The ministry doesnt differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but says that women and children make up two-thirds of the dead. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and its figures from previous wars have largely matched those of UN and independent experts. Palestinian casualties continued to rise. The Civil Defence Department said that at least nine Palestinians, including children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza City late Saturday. Footage that it shared showed one rescuer placing the body of a dead infant on a sofa amid the wreckage. Elsewhere, the bodies of 15 people, including women and children, were taken to the main hospital in the central town of Deir al-Balah on Sunday, according to an Associated Press journalist. Relatives said they were killed by Israeli artillery fire toward a tent camp for displaced Palestinians in the coastal area near the southern city of Khan Younis. Israel rarely comments on specific incidents during the war. It maintains that Hamas is responsible for civilian casualties, because the militant group operates from within civilian areas. Meanwhile, US efforts began to set up the temporary pier in Gaza for sea deliveries. US Central Command said a first US Army vessel, the General Frank S. Besson, left a base in Virginia on Saturday and was on its way to the Eastern Mediterranean with equipment for construction. US officials said that it would likely be weeks before the pier is operational. The sea corridor is backed by the European Union together with the United States, the United Arab Emirates and other countries. The European Commission has said that UN agencies and the Red Cross will play a role. The ship in Cyprus is expected to take two to three days to arrive at an undisclosed location. The World Central Kitchen spokesperson said that construction work began Sunday on the jetty for it at an undisclosed location in Gaza. A member of the charity said on X, formerly Twitter, that once the ships barge reaches Gaza, aid would be offloaded by a crane, placed on trucks and driven to northern Gaza, which has been largely cut off from aid shipments and was the first focus of Israels military offensive. Israel declared war on October 7 after Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 250 hostages. Israels air and ground offensive has devastated large parts of Gaza and displaced about 80 per cent of the population of 2.3 million.The US and regional mediators Egypt and Qatar had hoped to have a six-week cease-fire in place by Ramadan, but Hamas is holding out for assurances that a temporary truce will lead to an end of hostilities. Mediators had hoped to alleviate some of the immediate crisis with the temporary cease-fire, which would have seen Hamas release some Israeli hostages, Israel release some Palestinian prisoners and aid groups be given access for a major influx of assistance into Gaza. Rashidat Hamza is in despair. All but one of her six children are among the nearly 300 students abducted from their school in Nigerias northwest, riddled with Islamic extremists and armed gangs. It has been more than two days after her children ages 7 to 18 went to school in the remote town of Kuriga in Kaduna state only to be kidnapped by gunmen. She was still in shock Saturday. Authorities said at least 100 children aged 12 or younger were among the abductees in the state known for violent killings, lawlessness and dangerous roads where people get regularly snatched. We dont know what to do, but we believe in God, Hamza told The Associated Press during a visit to the town. The mass kidnapping in Kuriga was the third in northern Nigeria since last week; a group of gunmen abducted 15 children from a school in another northwestern state, Sokoto, before dawn Saturday, and a few days earlier 200 people, mostly women and children displaced by conflict, were kidnapped in northeastern Borno State. The kidnappings are a stark reminder of the security crisis plaguing Africas most populous country. No group claimed responsibility for any of the recent abductions. But Islamic extremists waging an insurgency in the northeast are suspected of carrying out the kidnapping in Borno. Locals blame the school abductions on herders who are in conflict with the settled communities. Its not the first time for a student kidnapping in Nigeria to shock the world. In 2014, Islamic extremists abducted more than 200 schoolgirls from Bornos Chibok, sparking the global #BringBackOurGirls social media campaign. A decade later, at least 1,400 Nigerian students have so far been abducted from their schools in similar circumstances. Some are still held captive, including nearly 100 of the Chibok girls. Recalling Thursdays kidnapping, Nura Ahmad, a teacher, told the AP that students were just settling into their classrooms at the government primary and secondary school when gunmen came in dozens, riding on bikes and shooting sporadically.The LEA Primary and Secondary School, one of the few educational facilities in this area, sits by the road just at the entrance of the town, tucked in the middle of forests and savannah. Even with its decaying roof and wrecked walls, it gave parents hope for a better future for their children.They surrounded the school and blocked all passages and roads to prevent help from coming before kidnapping the children in less than five minutes, Ahmad said. Fourteen-year-old Abdullahi Usman braved gunshots to escape the captors. Those who refused to move fast were either forced on the motorcycles or threatened by gunshots fired into the air, Abdullahi said. The bandits were shouting: Go! Go! Go! he said. Nigerian police and soldiers headed into the forests Friday to search for the missing children, but combing the wooded expanses of northwestern Nigeria could take weeks, observers said. Since this happened, my brain has been muddled, said Shehu Lawal, the father of a 13-year-old boy who is among those abducted. My child didnt even eat breakfast before leaving. His mother fainted (upon hearing the news), he said. Some villagers like Lawan Yaro, whose five grandchildren are among the abducted, say their hopes are already fading. People are used to the regions insecurity, but it has never been in this manner, he said. We are crying, looking for help from the government and God, but it is the gunmen that will decide to bring the children back, Yaro said. God will help us. But schools are not the only targets. More than 3,500 people have been abducted across Nigeria in the last year, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project. Some were even kidnapped from their homes in the capital of Abuja. Last year, President Bola Tinubu took office after he successfully campaigned on the promise to tighten security and stop the kidnappings. Experts say it is easy to smuggle in arms, used in kidnappings, over Nigerias poorly policed borders. More than half of its 1,500-kilometer (932-mile) border with Niger, for instance, stretches across the northwest. Though mostly covered in woodland savannah, the region also has vast ungoverned and unoccupied forests where organized gangs hide and keep their kidnap victims. In 2022, lawmakers passed a bill to penalize ransom payments, but Nigerian kidnappers are known for their brutality, forcing many families to succumb to their demands. Nigerias military continues to conduct air raids and special military operations in the region as well as respond to pockets of crisis across the country but is fatigued by the 14-year Islamist insurgency in the northeast. Armed gangs also keep on multiplying in the region where many are poor and often work with extremists, seeking to expand their operations. The military previously said that sometimes kidnap victims were used as human shields to prevent aerial bombardments of the forests where their captors hide. The gangs are adapting their strategies and further entrenching themselves in the northwest through extortion, said James Barnett, a researcher specializing in West Africa at the U.S.-based Hudson Institute. Their mentality is that they should be allowed free rein to do what they please in the northwest and that if the state challenges them, directly or indirectly, they will have to respond and show their strength, Barnett said. More than a dozen checkpoints and military trucks now dot the dangerous 55-mile (89 kilometers) road running from Kuriga town to the city of Kaduna. But the soldiers are likely to be redeployed elsewhere soon, depending on security needs. People in Kuriga can only hope their children are returned unharmed and the safety they now feel with the presence of military personnel endures. Hamza, the mother whose five children were kidnapped, hopes the government will arrest the kidnappers and return the students. The gunmen dont allow us to have peace. Savoir Faire Capital Management L.P. bought a new position in The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY Free Report) during the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor bought 31,362 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,275,000. Hershey accounts for approximately 3.5% of Savoir Faire Capital Management L.P.s portfolio, making the stock its 6th largest holding. A number of other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of HSY. Institutional & Family Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Hershey during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Hershey during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Costello Asset Management INC purchased a new stake in shares of Hershey during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Zions Bancorporation N.A. raised its position in shares of Hershey by 121.3% during the 1st quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 135 shares of the companys stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 74 shares during the period. Finally, Indiana Trust & Investment Management CO purchased a new stake in shares of Hershey during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. 56.47% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Hershey alerts: Insider Activity In related news, insider Charles R. Raup sold 2,065 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, January 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $191.85, for a total transaction of $396,170.25. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 14,770 shares in the company, valued at $2,833,624.50. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In other news, insider Charles R. Raup sold 2,065 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $191.85, for a total value of $396,170.25. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 14,770 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,833,624.50. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CFO Steven E. Voskuil sold 1,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $188.97, for a total transaction of $283,455.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 29,816 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,634,329.52. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 5,518 shares of company stock worth $1,042,669 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.22% of the companys stock. Hershey Stock Performance NYSE:HSY traded down $2.23 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $196.79. 638,256 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,840,837. The stock has a market capitalization of $40.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.99, a P/E/G ratio of 2.98 and a beta of 0.34. The Hershey Company has a twelve month low of $178.82 and a twelve month high of $276.88. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $192.03 and a 200 day moving average of $194.16. The company has a current ratio of 0.97, a quick ratio of 0.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92. Hershey (NYSE:HSY Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $2.02 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.95 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $2.66 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.72 billion. Hershey had a net margin of 16.67% and a return on equity of 51.79%. The companys quarterly revenue was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.02 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that The Hershey Company will post 9.59 EPS for the current year. Hershey Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th will be issued a dividend of $1.37 per share. This is an increase from Hersheys previous quarterly dividend of $1.19. This represents a $5.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.78%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 16th. Hersheys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 60.55%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research firms recently weighed in on HSY. Sanford C. Bernstein upgraded shares of Hershey from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $235.00 target price for the company in a report on Monday, January 29th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on shares of Hershey from $195.00 to $205.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Morgan Stanley downgraded shares of Hershey from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $191.00 to $183.00 in a research note on Monday, February 12th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of Hershey from $190.00 to $210.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, February 9th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada restated a sector perform rating and issued a $213.00 price target on shares of Hershey in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have assigned a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $228.33. Read Our Latest Report on HSY Hershey Company Profile (Free Report) The Hershey Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of confectionery products and pantry items in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: North America Confectionery, North America Salty Snacks, and International. It offers chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery products; gum and mint refreshment products, including mints, chewing gums, and bubble gums; pantry items, such as baking ingredients, toppings, beverages, and sundae syrups; and snack items comprising spreads, bars, snack bites, mixes, popcorn, and pretzels. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HSY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Hershey Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hershey and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. A photo of Elena Laspino, the hospice care nurse and dog trainer who was killed in a crash involving a stolen vehicle in 2020. Laspino's family is suing four East Haven police officers, among others, alleging that Laspino died as a result of a high-speed police chase. Lisa LaSpina-Williams / Contributed Photo EAST HAVEN The town has agreed to pay $4.5 million to the family of a town woman who was killed in a crash involving a stolen vehicle fleeing local police in 2020, officials said. Elena Laspino, 58, a home hospice nurse and dog trainer, was rear-ended by a stolen SUV as she sat at a traffic light at the intersection of Hemingway Avenue and Main Street on the morning of May 7, 2020, police said. She died two days later. A photo of Elena Laspino, who was killed in a crash involving a stolen vehicle in 2020. Laspino's family is suing four East Haven police officers, among others, alleging that Laspino died as a result of a high-speed police chase. Lisa LaSpina-Williams / Contributed Photo A lawsuit filed by Laspino's sisters claim East Haven police engaged in a high-speed pursuit of the stolen vehicle, leading to Laspino's death. According to complaints filed in the case, the officers chased the stolen vehicle at speeds about 50 miles per hour over the posted limit in violation of both the state's and town's pursuits policy. Advertisement Article continues below this ad East Haven Town Attorney Michael Luzzi said in an emailed statement that the town reached a $4.5 million settlement with Andrea Harnedy and Lisa LaSpina-Williams, Laspino's sisters. Melody Drinan, another woman who was injured in the crash, also was awarded $300,000. "The resolution in this case represents the legal accountability of the town of East Haven and its police department in this matter," said John F. Buckley, Jr., of the New Haven-based Buckley Wynne & Parese, which represented Laspino's sisters. "This was an entirely preventable situation. It was a pursuit that should have never taken place, and unfortunately it resulted in the death of a very special woman." Attorney John F. Buckley, Jr., of the Buckley Wynne & Parese law firm in New Haven. Michael J. London & Associates / Contributed Photo Luzzi said the legal dispute resulted in a total settlement of $5 million, of which about 80 percent, or $4 million, was paid by the town's insurance company. East Haven's share of the full settlement, after fees and costs, amounted to roughly $1 million, he added. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "The Town of East Haven and the East Haven Police Department take loss of life very seriously, and extend its sincere condolences to the Laspino family," Luzzi said. The Ford Explorer that crashed into Laspino had been stolen by a juvenile in Rye, N.Y. earlier that day, officials said. Rye police said the suspect in the vehicle was possibly in possession of a handgun, East Haven police spokesperson Capt. Joseph Murgo said at the time. In their complaint, Harnedy and LaSpina-Williams claim John Fraenza, Kevin McGuire, Ryan Michalowski and Gregory Borer, the four officers who chased the stolen vehicle, "pursued the minor at speeds in excess of 85 miles per hour in 25-35 miles per hour zones." The sisters also took legal action against East Haven police Sgt. Joseph Mulhern, an on-duty supervisor who they claim failed to call off the pursuit, which violated the policies of both the state and town. Drinan, the other woman involved in the crash, sued the same five East Haven officers, alleging that she was injured as a result of the negligent police pursuit. Advertisement Article continues below this ad An internal affairs investigation conducted by East Haven police following the fatal crash revealed that three officers had "deviated from the established pursuit guidelines," Luzzi recently said. As a result, the officers, who Luzzi did not identify, "faced disciplinary measures, including suspensions," he added. A file photo of an East Haven police cruiser. The family of an East Haven woman who was killed by a stolen vehicle fleeing local police in 2020 is suing the officers involved in the pursuit, among others. Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media Matthew Popilowski, of the New Haven-based Lynch, Traub, Keefe and Errante, which represented Fraenza, McGuire, Michalowski and Borer, said this week they did not wish to comment on the settlement out of respect for everyone involved. John Dolan, of Branford-based Milano and Wanat, Mulhern's attorney, also said he did not have a comment "out of respect for the parties." Mulhern was not disciplined for his role in the crash, according to Dolan. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A separate Connecticut State Police investigation determined that the minor who was driving the stolen vehicle was responsible for the crash, Luzzi said. The minor subsequently was charged with "multiple felonies," he said. Drinan's lawsuit, filed in May 2022, identified the driver and then-juvenile who crashed into Laspino as Gennaro Terrone. In a previous phone interview, an attorney representing Terrone in two unrelated cases confirmed that Terrone was behind the wheel of the stolen SUV that crashed into Laspino. According to the attorney, Terrone's case was adjudicated in juvenile court and those records are sealed. "It was traumatic for him, as well, and I dont think he wants to have it in the paper any more than the mention of his name," said Jack O'Donnell, Terrone's New Haven-based attorney. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Besides the five officers, both Terrone and East Haven were accused of negligence in the case, which had been consolidated, the state's online judicial system shows. Harnedy and LaSpina-Williams filed their lawsuit against Borer in Superior Court in New Haven in April 2022, court documents show. They initially filed a wrongful death claim against the other four officers in Superior Court in New Haven in November 2021. The sisters' suit alleged that the reckless police chase led to the stolen vehicle crashing into the back of Laspino's 2015 Subaru "at a high rate of speed and with great force, fracturing her neck and resulting in her death." Laspino was working at the time of the incident, according to the suit. Laspino's "injuries, losses and death were caused by the negligence, recklessness and wanton conduct of said police officers," the lawsuit states. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Drinan's lawsuit alleged that Terrone violently rear-ended Laspino's vehicle, forcing it to slam into the back of Drinan's 2008 Volvo, which also was stopped at the intersection. "To think that (Laspino's) life was taken because of a property crime is just a lot to fathom," Buckley said. "From the perspective of the family of Elena Laspino, their purpose in doing this was to be sure that this never happens to another family." Passed in 2019, the East Haven Police Department's Motorized Pursuits policy states that, "No officer shall initiate a vehicular pursuit unless the officer has reasonable suspicion to believe that the driver or occupant has committed or is attempting to commit a crime of violence, or there are exigent circumstances that warrant the need to apprehend the suspect in a timely manner because of the potential for harm to the public if the apprehension does not occur." Advertisement Article continues below this ad Shares of CNO Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:CNO Get Free Report) have been assigned an average rating of Hold from the six analysts that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $25.80. Several brokerages recently commented on CNO. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on shares of CNO Financial Group from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, February 8th. Evercore ISI raised their price target on shares of CNO Financial Group from $26.00 to $27.00 and gave the stock an underperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 28th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of CNO Financial Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 6th. Get CNO Financial Group alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on CNO Financial Group Insider Activity Institutional Investors Weigh In On CNO Financial Group In other news, EVP Matthew J. Zimpfer sold 3,220 shares of CNO Financial Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.97, for a total transaction of $86,843.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 275,777 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,437,705.69. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website . In other news, EVP Matthew J. Zimpfer sold 3,220 shares of CNO Financial Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.97, for a total transaction of $86,843.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 275,777 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,437,705.69. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website . Also, EVP Matthew J. Zimpfer sold 3,280 shares of CNO Financial Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.77, for a total transaction of $87,805.60. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 272,497 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,294,744.69. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders sold a total of 48,942 shares of company stock valued at $1,308,200 in the last three months. 3.00% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CNO. Raymond James & Associates grew its stake in CNO Financial Group by 11.5% in the 1st quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 60,846 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,527,000 after acquiring an additional 6,281 shares during the period. Bank of Montreal Can boosted its stake in CNO Financial Group by 191.0% during the 1st quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 36,666 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $936,000 after purchasing an additional 24,066 shares during the last quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in CNO Financial Group by 38.3% during the 1st quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 141,090 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $3,540,000 after purchasing an additional 39,101 shares during the last quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in CNO Financial Group during the 1st quarter worth $1,142,000. Finally, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS boosted its stake in CNO Financial Group by 7.9% during the 1st quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 44,125 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,107,000 after purchasing an additional 3,241 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.28% of the companys stock. CNO Financial Group Stock Performance Shares of CNO Financial Group stock opened at $26.82 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.13 and a beta of 1.03. The company has a quick ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 0.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.50. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $27.05 and a 200 day moving average price of $25.60. CNO Financial Group has a 52 week low of $19.95 and a 52 week high of $28.39. CNO Financial Group (NYSE:CNO Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 6th. The financial services provider reported $1.18 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.85 by $0.33. The firm had revenue of $1.17 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $934.05 million. CNO Financial Group had a net margin of 6.67% and a return on equity of 17.51%. Sell-side analysts expect that CNO Financial Group will post 3.17 EPS for the current year. CNO Financial Group Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 22nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 8th will be issued a dividend of $0.15 per share. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.24%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 7th. CNO Financial Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 24.90%. CNO Financial Group Company Profile (Get Free Report CNO Financial Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, develops, markets, and administers health insurance, annuity, individual life insurance, insurance products, and financial services for senior and middle-income markets in the United States. It offers Medicare supplement, supplemental health, and long-term care insurance policies; life insurance; and annuities, as well as Medicare advantage plans to individuals through phone, online, mail, and face-to-face. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for CNO Financial Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CNO Financial Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fidelity D & D Bancorp Inc. acquired a new stake in Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund acquired 5,389 shares of the utilities providers stock, valued at approximately $476,000. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Catalyst Financial Partners LLC lifted its position in Duke Energy by 28.6% during the 3rd quarter. Catalyst Financial Partners LLC now owns 4,023 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $355,000 after acquiring an additional 894 shares during the last quarter. Adviser Investments LLC acquired a new position in Duke Energy during the 3rd quarter worth $304,000. Guggenheim Capital LLC lifted its position in Duke Energy by 13.1% during the 2nd quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC now owns 191,379 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $17,174,000 after acquiring an additional 22,100 shares during the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp lifted its position in Duke Energy by 1.9% during the 3rd quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 7,918,910 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $698,923,000 after acquiring an additional 144,612 shares during the last quarter. Finally, HHM Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in Duke Energy by 10.0% during the 3rd quarter. HHM Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,397 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $212,000 after acquiring an additional 217 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 63.68% of the companys stock. Get Duke Energy alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, EVP Louis E. Renjel sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $92.57, for a total transaction of $277,710.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 14,213 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,315,697.41. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.11% of the companys stock. Duke Energy Price Performance NYSE DUK traded down $0.81 on Tuesday, reaching $95.03. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,210,561 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,134,352. The company has a current ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.49 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.50. The firm has a market cap of $73.31 billion, a PE ratio of 27.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.02 and a beta of 0.46. Duke Energy Co. has a 52 week low of $83.06 and a 52 week high of $100.39. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $94.82 and a 200 day moving average price of $92.43. Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 8th. The utilities provider reported $1.51 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.53 by ($0.02). The firm had revenue of $7.21 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.24 billion. Duke Energy had a return on equity of 8.93% and a net margin of 9.78%. Duke Energys quarterly revenue was down 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.11 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that Duke Energy Co. will post 5.98 EPS for the current year. Duke Energy Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 18th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 16th will be paid a dividend of $1.025 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 15th. This represents a $4.10 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.31%. Duke Energys dividend payout ratio is 115.49%. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research firms have weighed in on DUK. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of Duke Energy from $93.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $101.00 to $100.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 12th. KeyCorp boosted their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $106.00 to $107.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, January 4th. Bank of America downgraded shares of Duke Energy from a buy rating to a neutral rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $105.00 to $96.00 in a report on Monday, February 12th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $103.00 to $100.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 9th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $100.00. Read Our Latest Report on Duke Energy About Duke Energy (Free Report) Duke Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy company in the United States. It operates through two segments, Electric Utilities and Infrastructure (EU&I) and Gas Utilities and Infrastructure (GU&I). The EU&I segment generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electricity in the Carolinas, Florida, and the Midwest; and uses coal, hydroelectric, natural gas, oil, solar and wind sources, renewables, and nuclear fuel to generate electricity. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DUK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Duke Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Duke Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nuveen Massachusetts Quality Municipal Income Fund (NYSE:NMT Get Free Report) announced a monthly dividend on Friday, March 1st, Wall Street Journal reports. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be given a dividend of 0.0415 per share by the financial services provider on Monday, April 1st. This represents a $0.50 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.61%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. This is an increase from Nuveen Massachusetts Quality Municipal Income Funds previous monthly dividend of $0.03. Nuveen Massachusetts Quality Municipal Income Fund Price Performance NYSE:NMT traded down $0.01 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $10.80. 2,501 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 13,963. Nuveen Massachusetts Quality Municipal Income Fund has a 52-week low of $9.05 and a 52-week high of $10.82. The firms fifty day moving average price is $10.61 and its 200 day moving average price is $10.15. Get Nuveen Massachusetts Quality Municipal Income Fund alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On Nuveen Massachusetts Quality Municipal Income Fund Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of NMT. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. increased its stake in Nuveen Massachusetts Quality Municipal Income Fund by 6.0% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 19,726 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $251,000 after buying an additional 1,117 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Nuveen Massachusetts Quality Municipal Income Fund in the first quarter valued at approximately $295,000. Bank of America Corp DE grew its position in shares of Nuveen Massachusetts Quality Municipal Income Fund by 25.7% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 118,079 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,502,000 after purchasing an additional 24,162 shares in the last quarter. UBS Group AG grew its position in shares of Nuveen Massachusetts Quality Municipal Income Fund by 43.3% in the second quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 75,212 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $888,000 after purchasing an additional 22,740 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Eagle Bay Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Nuveen Massachusetts Quality Municipal Income Fund in the second quarter valued at approximately $30,000. 11.57% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About Nuveen Massachusetts Quality Municipal Income Fund Nuveen Massachusetts Quality Municipal Income Fund is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc The fund is co-managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors LLC and Nuveen Asset Management, LLC. It invests in the fixed income markets of Massachusetts, United States. The fund primarily invests in undervalued municipal securities and other related investments which are exempt from regular federal and Massachusetts income taxes. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Nuveen Massachusetts Quality Municipal Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nuveen Massachusetts Quality Municipal Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PFS Partners LLC trimmed its position in shares of Exxon Mobil Co. (NYSE:XOM Free Report) by 1.3% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 10,836 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after selling 138 shares during the quarter. Exxon Mobil makes up 1.1% of PFS Partners LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 16th biggest holding. PFS Partners LLCs holdings in Exxon Mobil were worth $1,274,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Fidelity D & D Bancorp Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Exxon Mobil during the third quarter valued at $1,502,000. Quantum Financial Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Exxon Mobil by 55.9% in the 3rd quarter. Quantum Financial Advisors LLC now owns 5,424 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $638,000 after purchasing an additional 1,944 shares in the last quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont boosted its stake in shares of Exxon Mobil by 5.8% during the 3rd quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont now owns 97,413 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $11,454,000 after purchasing an additional 5,343 shares during the last quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Exxon Mobil by 9,188.1% in the third quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 692,799 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $81,459,000 after buying an additional 685,340 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Public Sector Pension Investment Board raised its position in shares of Exxon Mobil by 11.9% in the third quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 937,241 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $110,201,000 after buying an additional 99,870 shares during the last quarter. 58.53% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Exxon Mobil alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several analysts have commented on XOM shares. Erste Group Bank reaffirmed a hold rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research note on Friday, December 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on Exxon Mobil from $134.00 to $127.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 8th. UBS Group decreased their target price on shares of Exxon Mobil from $133.00 to $132.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Royal Bank of Canada restated a sector perform rating and issued a $120.00 target price on shares of Exxon Mobil in a report on Monday, February 5th. Finally, Mizuho lowered shares of Exxon Mobil from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $117.00 price target on the stock. in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Exxon Mobil currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $127.53. Exxon Mobil Stock Down 0.6 % Shares of Exxon Mobil stock traded down $0.68 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $108.34. 7,172,915 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 18,505,770. Exxon Mobil Co. has a twelve month low of $95.77 and a twelve month high of $120.70. The company has a market cap of $429.88 billion, a PE ratio of 12.17, a PEG ratio of 3.95 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a quick ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 1.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $102.41 and a 200-day simple moving average of $105.89. Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 2nd. The oil and gas company reported $2.48 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.20 by $0.28. Exxon Mobil had a return on equity of 18.51% and a net margin of 10.45%. The firm had revenue of $84.34 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $90.03 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $3.40 EPS. Exxon Mobils quarterly revenue was down 11.6% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts anticipate that Exxon Mobil Co. will post 9.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Exxon Mobil Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 11th. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 14th were issued a $0.95 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 13th. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.51%. Exxon Mobils dividend payout ratio is presently 42.74%. Insider Buying and Selling at Exxon Mobil In other news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 2,400 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.00, for a total value of $252,000.00. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 30,189 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,169,845. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 2,400 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.00, for a total value of $252,000.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 30,189 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,169,845. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, VP Leonard M. Fox sold 12,000 shares of Exxon Mobil stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $102.65, for a total value of $1,231,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 220,678 shares of the companys stock, valued at $22,652,596.70. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.04% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. About Exxon Mobil (Free Report) Exxon Mobil Corporation engages in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas in the United States and internationally. It operates through Upstream, Energy Products, Chemical Products, and Specialty Products segments. The Upstream segment explores for and produces crude oil and natural gas. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Exxon Mobil Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Exxon Mobil and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SandRidge Energy, Inc. (NYSE:SD Get Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, March 5th, RTT News reports. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be paid a dividend of 0.11 per share by the oil and natural gas company on Friday, March 29th. This represents a $0.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.31%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. SandRidge Energy Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:SD opened at $13.31 on Tuesday. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $13.34 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $14.46. The stock has a market cap of $493.80 million, a PE ratio of 8.16 and a beta of 2.12. SandRidge Energy has a one year low of $11.51 and a one year high of $17.80. Get SandRidge Energy alerts: SandRidge Energy (NYSE:SD Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 6th. The oil and natural gas company reported $0.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. SandRidge Energy had a return on equity of 14.50% and a net margin of 40.94%. The business had revenue of $33.93 million for the quarter. Institutional Investors Weigh In On SandRidge Energy Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in SD. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in shares of SandRidge Energy by 14.0% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 1,918,892 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock worth $26,231,000 after buying an additional 235,372 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its position in shares of SandRidge Energy by 3.8% in the 4th quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 81,383 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock worth $1,113,000 after buying an additional 3,000 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its position in shares of SandRidge Energy by 42.2% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 38,710 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock worth $530,000 after buying an additional 11,480 shares during the period. Barclays PLC raised its position in shares of SandRidge Energy by 161.9% in the 4th quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 63,031 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock worth $860,000 after buying an additional 38,968 shares during the period. Finally, Bridgeway Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of SandRidge Energy by 6.3% in the 4th quarter. Bridgeway Capital Management LLC now owns 289,707 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock worth $3,960,000 after buying an additional 17,064 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 20.81% of the companys stock. Separately, TheStreet cut SandRidge Energy from a b rating to a c+ rating in a report on Wednesday, March 6th. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on SD SandRidge Energy Company Profile (Get Free Report) SandRidge Energy, Inc engages in the acquisition, development, and production of oil and natural gas primarily in the United States Mid-Continent. As of December 31, 2022, it had an interest in 1,471 gross producing wells. The company was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Read More Receive News & Ratings for SandRidge Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SandRidge Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. WT Wealth Management bought a new position in Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm bought 20,113 shares of the pipeline companys stock, valued at approximately $282,000. Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in ET. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Energy Transfer by 230.9% during the 3rd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 736,634 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $10,335,000 after acquiring an additional 513,989 shares in the last quarter. Fractal Investments LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Energy Transfer by 12.9% during the 3rd quarter. Fractal Investments LLC now owns 5,682,061 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $79,719,000 after purchasing an additional 647,885 shares during the last quarter. Cutter & CO Brokerage Inc. boosted its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 22.5% in the 3rd quarter. Cutter & CO Brokerage Inc. now owns 421,372 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $5,912,000 after purchasing an additional 77,352 shares in the last quarter. Hodges Capital Management Inc. purchased a new position in Energy Transfer during the 3rd quarter worth $3,936,000. Finally, Citigroup Inc. increased its position in Energy Transfer by 8.1% during the 3rd quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 8,359,269 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $117,281,000 after buying an additional 629,300 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 33.79% of the companys stock. Get Energy Transfer alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes ET has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. UBS Group lowered their price target on Energy Transfer from $23.00 to $22.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Thursday, February 15th. Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of Energy Transfer from $17.00 to $18.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $17.57. Energy Transfer Stock Performance Shares of Energy Transfer stock traded up $0.03 on Tuesday, reaching $15.04. 7,362,906 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 13,046,128. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $14.32 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $13.87. The firm has a market capitalization of $50.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.80 and a beta of 1.64. Energy Transfer LP has a twelve month low of $11.45 and a twelve month high of $15.28. The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37. Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 14th. The pipeline company reported $0.37 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.29 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $20.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $21.46 billion. Energy Transfer had a net margin of 4.85% and a return on equity of 12.17%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.34 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Energy Transfer LP will post 1.44 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Energy Transfer Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, February 20th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 7th were issued a $0.315 dividend. This represents a $1.26 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 8.38%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 6th. This is a boost from Energy Transfers previous quarterly dividend of $0.31. Energy Transfers payout ratio is 115.60%. Energy Transfer Company Profile (Free Report) Energy Transfer LP provides energy-related services. The company owns and operates natural gas transportation pipeline, and natural gas storage facilities in Texas and Oklahoma; and approximately 20,090 miles of interstate natural gas pipeline. It also sells natural gas to electric utilities, independent power plants, local distribution and other marketing companies, and industrial end-users. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ET? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Energy Transfer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Energy Transfer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Abraham A. Ribicoff Federal Building, home to the United States District Court in Hartford, Conn. U.S. attorney's say Roberto Alicea has pleaded guilty to stealing $540,000 worth of catalytic converters as part of a criminal ring that steals and sells them. File Photo NEW HAVEN A 41-year-old city man was arrested on several charges while he was out on bond before reporting to prison in another case, according to federal officials. Antrum Coston had been sentenced to more than three years in prison and three years of supervised release on Sept. 23 and was due to surrender at the end of November, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut said. At that time, officials said Coston was sentenced for pandemic relief fraud, money laundering and drug offenses. The U.S. attorney's office said that on Oct. 25, Coston was arrested again, this time for possessing a gun with an extended magazine while being a felon and possession of controlled substances. Coston had multiple felony convictions, two of which were felony gun convictions, the U.S. attorney's office said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad All you blind indoctrinated overly emotional hysterical Net Zero lemmings need to fucking listen up. This is serious. The world is in a state of war, and this state of war is accelerating every day. You may not feel it now, that is apart from the cost of living rising at an exponential rate, but it is going to get worse. Your cotton wool utopian world of egalitarianism does not exist, and it never has existed. You may look through your eyes and perceive a life of veganism or zero carbon emissions, but that does not exist either. Try to tell the Chinese or Indians about sustainable living while they are daily pumping millions of tonnes of poisonous shit into the fucking atmosphere, rivers and sea every fucking second of the day. Try telling the Chinese about Net Zero when they are building hundreds of coal power stations every fucking day. You are deluded to think that the world can achieve Net Zero without vast population drops in numbers, and that includes you jumping off a fucking cliff to save the planet. But heres the good news yes, Net Zero will most probably be achieved but only after the war which you might or might not survive. It all depends on if the war escalates to nuclear levels, which there is always a chance of happening. Let us call this event Nuke Zero. The war in Ukraine is just the beginning, it is escalating and will continue to do so as it is Putins Sudetenland. The war in Gaza is escalating, with Yemen and the Lebanon, as well as the dark nemesis Iran behind all of the nastiness. There will come a time when Iran will be forced to actively join the fray instead of pulling the strings from the shadows like a simpering yellow coward. We have been in a proxy war for some time, but at some point the proxy war will melt into a war where the players will outwardly show themselves on the battlefields of Europe, the Middle East and South East Asia. More good news like a turd that refuses to be flushed down the toilet, ISIS are back as well. No doubt, they will add some spice to the mix. Thanks to Bidens disgraceful exit of Afghanistan, which left hundreds of billions of dollars worth of high end US weaponry, ISIS are now rising again. They lost their territory in Iraq and Syria, so Afghanistan was the next logical step. They will now either takeover from the Taliban or bring them under their wing so that Afghanistan can become the new ISIS Caliphate. Much like Putin, Xi Jinping of China is awaiting assurance to the efficacy of a Taiwan special military operation. But it wont stop there, of course, because the ultimate target is Australia and New Zealand. Remember, through Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, the Chinese have already colonised half of Africa in order to rape African nations of their natural resources, but still their hunger is not sated. The monstrous Chinese behemoth needs more and more of earths finite resources to continue manufacturing their cheap, low-quality plastic trinkets and be the factory for Western conglomerates. In war, there will not be much talk about carbon emissions or Net Zero, simply because it wont fucking matter. You can take your Net Zero aspirations to the front lines as shells pound the earth and suicide drones drop out of nowhere to obliterate the carbon emissions emitted from your deluded fucking mouth. After the nihilists, religious zealots, and jingoistic nationalists have had their fill, if some of the population of the globe has survived, then eventually over many decades they can talk about Net Zero. Not before the war, though, because that is way too premature. You see Net Zero requires a reduced global population, and this can only be achieved by strenuous actions like wars, famine and disease. You want Net Zero so fucking bad, first youre going to have to be a piece of fucking cannon fodder on the battlefield or be eviscerated in the killing fields of the overcrowded cities around the world. One day you will achieve Net Zero, dont worry, it is assuredas much as self-assured destruction is assured. You wanted Net Zero, you protested for it, you will get it, and it will also mean your own erasure from the planet. Henry Kissinger: If You Cant Hear the Drums of War You Must Be Deaf Henry Kissinger: The Delightful Drums of War Beat Louder Every Day Dals OpenThink initiative officially returns for its fifth year starting this week with 16 ambitious PhD students from across the university forming the programs 2024 cohort. Throughout the year, the new OpenThinkers will share their expertise with the public through monthly articles on the OpenThink blog, the first of which are now available to read. The years debut articles cover a wide range of research topics from socially sustainable technology and revisiting linear narrative ideas in African colonial encounters to the application of AI in farming applications. The blog will keep readers up to date on the latest knowledge, opinions, and insights from Dalhousies PhD researchers who generate some of the most innovative ideas at the university. As OpenThinks co-creator and academic director for the past four years, I have seen the value of this program grow, says Lynne Robinson, shown right. Our Thinkers articles are routinely reposted elsewhere and can remain popular for years, they have international reach and, increasingly, they are beginning themselves to help build capacity for public outreach. Influencing discourse The OpenThink program gives students the opportunity to influence public discourse and policy by providing a platform for thought leadership as well as communications training. OpenThinkers learn from experts in journalism, public relations, and data visualization from organizations such as the Conversation Canada, NATIONAL Public Relations, Kings College, and Dals own Creative Services. The 2024 cohort represents 11 Faculties and 16 departments at Dal the most diverse cohort yet. With OpenThinkers studying various disciplines, ranging from engineering to psychiatry, the program provides a unique view into the universitys leading-edge thinking. The students will help readers stay informed on some of todays most challenging problems, such as emerging threats to democracy and support for mental health. OpenThinkers are showcasing their exciting research and pushing the boundaries of our understanding in a wide range of fields, says Marty Leonard, dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Through creating knowledge for public consumption, they are forging new conversations and making change beyond the confines of Dalhousie. Meet this years OpenThinkers Ben Collison Interdisciplinary PhD Ben takes an interdisciplinary approach to research how to reduce the impact of forestry activities on Nova Scotia's freshwater environments and fisheries. "In the age of global biodiveristy loss and climate change, collective outcomes of local scale applied research will help inform policies that reduce or reverse environmental degradation." Bimpe Ayoola Computer Science PhD Ayoola is studying how to help software engineers blend social values into software development. "As software professionals, it is important to understand that the software we create does more than just perform tasks; it shapes society, it can expose individuals and nations to social risks such as security and privacy breaches, cybercrime, social isolation and so on." Chioma Abuba History PhD Chioma's research interrogates our understanding of African colonial and postcolonial histories. She studies the local production of Igbo identity in 20th century Nigeria, as socially produced processes guided by local historical actors. "African cultures are not static, backward or 'unmodern' as colonial and nationalist historiographies assume." Emilee Fackelmann Health PhD Emilee is studying how to re-imagine inclusion through belonging for disabled youth in school. I believe youth experiencing disability deserve to feel included and valued in their schools both academically and socially. Grace Wang Research Psychology and Neuroscience PhD Grace is looking at how the emotions that couples experience and how they manage their emotions affects their sexual well-being. "Our lives are full of stressors that can impact intimate relationships, ranging from transitioning to parenthood to navigating sexual dysfunctions to facing day-to-day conflicts common for all couples." Helen Pinsent English PhD Helen studies American Gothic literature, looking for representations of the road and what they suggest about the role of mobility in the American Dream. "The American dream claims to be available to all, but actually rising economic status is nearly impossible, especially for those in certain demographics." Jamil Muradov Medical Neuroscience Jamil's research focuses on detecting and addressing the abnormal brain activity that follows traumatic brain injuries in order to prevent long-term complications. As a researcher, I strive to make treatment accessible to individuals all over the world. Md Asif Hasan Anik Civil and Resource Engineering PhD Asif is developing a model to predict how cities can better manage where people live, work, shop and eat. I strive for my work to be a cornerstone in building cities that prioritize environmental stewardship, economic efficiency and the well-being of their residents, thereby paving the way for a more sustainable and resilient global future. Mohamad Alikhani Law PhD Mohamads research focus is on how Canadian laws and policies can be improved to ensure an ecologically sustainable future for offshore wind energy. Retaining resilience and health of ecosystems is arugably the only choice for human beings to build a resilient economy. Mozammel Bin Motalab Agriculture Research PhD Mozammel is developing smart tech to improve precision in farming My goal? To make modern farming slicker and more precise while not upending what farmers already know and have. Munam Al Muktadir Community Health and Epidemiology Munam uses high-tech computer algorithms to predict who might need extra help with their mental health in Nova Scotia. "Mental health challenges are a universal issue, and the insights from this [research] can inform policies, programs and practices worldwide." Nachum Gabler Interdisciplinary PhD Nachum studies what motivates public servants to come to work daily and what draws them to those jobs in the first place. "The main goal is to . . . improve organizational performance on the whole and make for a happier, healthier, and more productive workforce." Sigma Jahan Computer Science PhD Sigma's research focuses on developing intelligent tools to find, explain and correct errors in Artificial Intelligence systems. I firmly believe that ensuring AI safety and reliability is not just a task for technology experts: it will require a collaborative effort involving all stakeholders. Patrick Hickey Clinical Psychology and Neuroscience PhD Patrick uses data from e-mental health services to measure the mental health and needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ users over time and determine what types of virtual services are necessary to close the gap. I want to contribute to a more inclusive world, and create spaces in academia where queer, trans, and gender diverse people feel heard and represented. Robert Morissette Mathematics and Statistics PhD Robert's focus is on the possibility of creating a double-categorical programming language that could encode more structure. The beautiful thing about abstraction is that it allows you to see connections between things that may not appear remotely related. Category theory provides a framework for a level of abstraction that strikes a balance between being general enough to be applicable to nearly all of mathematics, plus a plethora of "real-world" situations. The Richard C. Lee United States Courthouse, Church Street in New Haven, Connecticut. Nyzaire Barnes, a member of New Haven's Exit 8 gang, admitted to being involved in two shootings, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Ed Stannard / Hearst Connecticut Media NEW HAVEN A city man has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from his role in two shootings and other gang activity, officials say. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut said Nyzaire Barnes, a 19-year-old member of New Haven's Exit 8 gang also known as "Melo," plead guilty to a racketeering charge in federal court in New Haven. The U.S. attorney's office said the ATF, FBI, DEA and New Haven Police Department have been investigating an ongoing gang war between members and associates of the Exit 8 street gang and rival gangs in the Hill section and other areas of the city. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Exit 8 gang is named after the geographic area accessed by exiting Interstate 91 at Exit 8 in New Haven, the U.S. attorney's office said, adding younger members had recently started identifying with the word Honcho. It said Honcho was the name of an Exit 8 member who was killed on Quinnipiac Avenue in February 2020. The U.S. attorney's office said the investigation revealed that Barnes and other members of the Exit 8 gang engaged in drug trafficking and firearms offenses. Since June 2018, the U.S. attorney's office said, the gang has committed at least three murders and 16 attempted murders. Exit 8 members and associates also stole vehicles in and outside of the state, the U.S. attorney's office said, adding they used those stolen vehicles when committing acts of violence. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The U.S. attorney's office said the gang members also promoted, coordinated, facilitated and celebrated their narcotics distribution and acts of violence through text messaging and the use of social media applications and websites, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube. Barnes pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, the U.S. attorney's office said, and specifically admitted that he participated in two gang-related shootings. The U.S. attorney's office said the first shooting was on April 12, 2022, when Barnes and other Exit 8 members shot and attempted to kill rival gang members. The U.S. attorney's office said Exit 8 members, including Devin Suggs, stole an SUV in Scarsdale, New York on Jan. 20, 2023. It said Barnes and Suggs committed a drive-by shooting of a rival gang member in New Haven later that day. The victim was shot in the head, but survived the attack, it said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Barnes has been detained since Aug. 3, 2023, the U.S. attorney's office said, adding he faces up to 20 years in prison. The strategic territory of the Taiwan Strait has become increasingly complex, with the recent call from a US Congressman to Elon Musk adding another layer of intrigue. In a move highlighting the evolving role of private actors in... More of this article Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C. trimmed its position in Laboratory Co. of America Holdings (NYSE:LH Free Report) by 86.7% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 11,767 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 76,533 shares during the period. Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C.s holdings in Laboratory Co. of America were worth $2,366,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Get Laboratory Co. of America alerts: A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Roundview Capital LLC grew its position in Laboratory Co. of America by 1.6% in the first quarter. Roundview Capital LLC now owns 7,793 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $2,055,000 after acquiring an additional 124 shares in the last quarter. LSV Asset Management increased its stake in shares of Laboratory Co. of America by 1.2% during the first quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 34,800 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $9,175,000 after purchasing an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. Synovus Financial Corp increased its stake in shares of Laboratory Co. of America by 105.7% during the first quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 1,654 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $441,000 after purchasing an additional 850 shares in the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. bought a new position in shares of Laboratory Co. of America during the first quarter valued at approximately $213,000. Finally, Sei Investments Co. increased its position in shares of Laboratory Co. of America by 18.9% during the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 89,167 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $23,543,000 after acquiring an additional 14,186 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.37% of the companys stock. Laboratory Co. of America Price Performance Laboratory Co. of America stock opened at $218.53 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $18.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.79, a P/E/G ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 1.02. Laboratory Co. of America Holdings has a 12-month low of $174.20 and a 12-month high of $234.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a current ratio of 1.17 and a quick ratio of 1.02. The firms 50-day moving average is $222.19 and its two-hundred day moving average is $213.74. Laboratory Co. of America Dividend Announcement Laboratory Co. of America ( NYSE:LH Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 15th. The medical research company reported $3.30 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.29 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $3.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.02 billion. Laboratory Co. of America had a net margin of 3.24% and a return on equity of 13.99%. Laboratory Co. of Americas revenue for the quarter was down 17.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $4.14 earnings per share. Equities analysts predict that Laboratory Co. of America Holdings will post 14.77 earnings per share for the current year. The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 13th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 27th will be issued a $0.72 dividend. This represents a $2.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.32%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, February 26th. Laboratory Co. of Americas dividend payout ratio is presently 61.67%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research firms have commented on LH. Barclays started coverage on shares of Laboratory Co. of America in a research report on Wednesday, January 3rd. They issued an equal weight rating and a $222.00 target price for the company. SVB Leerink began coverage on shares of Laboratory Co. of America in a research note on Monday, February 26th. They issued an outperform rating and a $260.00 price target on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Laboratory Co. of America from $259.00 to $261.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, November 17th. TheStreet downgraded shares of Laboratory Co. of America from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a report on Thursday, February 15th. Finally, Leerink Partnrs reiterated an outperform rating on shares of Laboratory Co. of America in a report on Monday, February 26th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $243.07. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on LH Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, EVP Der Vaart Sandra D. Van sold 237 shares of Laboratory Co. of America stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $226.45, for a total transaction of $53,668.65. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 7,637 shares in the company, valued at $1,729,398.65. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Laboratory Co. of America news, EVP Der Vaart Sandra D. Van sold 237 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $226.45, for a total transaction of $53,668.65. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 7,637 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,729,398.65. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Der Vaart Sandra D. Van sold 259 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $222.06, for a total value of $57,513.54. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 7,637 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,695,872.22. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 40,775 shares of company stock valued at $8,823,080 over the last 90 days. 0.65% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Laboratory Co. of America Profile (Free Report) Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings operates as a life sciences company that provides vital information to help doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, researchers, and patients make clear and confident decisions. It operates in two segments, Labcorp Diagnostics and Labcorp Drug Development. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Laboratory Co. of America Holdings (NYSE:LH Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Laboratory Co. of America Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Laboratory Co. of America and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Alps Advisors Inc. lowered its stake in Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR Free Report) by 23.1% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 1,785 shares of the business services providers stock after selling 535 shares during the quarter. Alps Advisors Inc.s holdings in Broadridge Financial Solutions were worth $320,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Get Broadridge Financial Solutions alerts: Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in Broadridge Financial Solutions by 0.8% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 13,714,442 shares of the business services providers stock worth $2,135,476,000 after purchasing an additional 108,223 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley raised its position in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions by 41.0% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 7,043,656 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $944,766,000 after buying an additional 2,048,184 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its position in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions by 0.3% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 4,660,175 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $775,189,000 after buying an additional 11,728 shares in the last quarter. Capital International Investors raised its position in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions by 34.1% during the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 3,712,221 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $614,559,000 after buying an additional 943,718 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its position in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions by 2.8% during the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 3,488,037 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $511,243,000 after buying an additional 96,566 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.36% of the companys stock. Broadridge Financial Solutions Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:BR opened at $202.36 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $23.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.25 and a beta of 0.99. Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. has a 12 month low of $133.97 and a 12 month high of $210.24. The firms 50-day moving average is $201.35 and its 200 day moving average is $190.88. The company has a current ratio of 1.40, a quick ratio of 1.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.77. Broadridge Financial Solutions Announces Dividend Broadridge Financial Solutions ( NYSE:BR Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The business services provider reported $0.92 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.89 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $1.41 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.40 billion. Broadridge Financial Solutions had a net margin of 10.82% and a return on equity of 41.12%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 8.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.91 EPS. Research analysts predict that Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. will post 7.72 EPS for the current year. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 5th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be paid a $0.80 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $3.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.58%. Broadridge Financial Solutionss dividend payout ratio is currently 55.75%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Broadridge Financial Solutions news, insider Douglas Richard Deschutter sold 22,722 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $199.00, for a total value of $4,521,678.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 44,680 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,891,320. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, President Christopher John Perry sold 5,069 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $205.32, for a total transaction of $1,040,767.08. Following the transaction, the president now directly owns 59,651 shares in the company, valued at $12,247,543.32. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Douglas Richard Deschutter sold 22,722 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $199.00, for a total transaction of $4,521,678.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 44,680 shares in the company, valued at $8,891,320. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 62,917 shares of company stock worth $12,660,561 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 1.60% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Evercore ISI upped their target price on shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions from $226.00 to $230.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 5th. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions from $175.00 to $180.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday, December 8th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions from $212.00 to $239.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Finally, Raymond James upped their price target on shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions from $205.00 to $214.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Broadridge Financial Solutions presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $203.17. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Broadridge Financial Solutions About Broadridge Financial Solutions (Free Report) Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc provides investor communications and technology-driven solutions for the financial services industry. The company's Investor Communication Solutions segment processes and distributes proxy materials to investors in equity securities and mutual funds, as well as facilitates related vote processing services; and distributes regulatory reports, class action, and corporate action/reorganization event information, as well as tax reporting solutions. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Broadridge Financial Solutions Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Broadridge Financial Solutions and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Royal London Asset Management Ltd. boosted its position in shares of RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:RNR Free Report) by 3.6% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 17,937 shares of the insurance providers stock after buying an additional 619 shares during the quarter. Royal London Asset Management Ltd.s holdings in RenaissanceRe were worth $3,553,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Get RenaissanceRe alerts: Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Financial Management Professionals Inc. grew its stake in shares of RenaissanceRe by 4,833.3% in the 3rd quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. now owns 148 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 145 shares during the period. Quarry LP purchased a new stake in shares of RenaissanceRe in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of RenaissanceRe by 519.4% in the 3rd quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 192 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $39,000 after buying an additional 161 shares during the period. Fred Alger Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of RenaissanceRe in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $44,000. Finally, Dark Forest Capital Management LP purchased a new stake in shares of RenaissanceRe in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $66,000. 91.84% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Insider Activity In related news, EVP David E. Marra sold 750 shares of RenaissanceRe stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $229.00, for a total transaction of $171,750.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 79,699 shares in the company, valued at approximately $18,251,071. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other RenaissanceRe news, CFO Robert Qutub sold 2,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $234.56, for a total transaction of $586,400.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 70,424 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $16,518,653.44. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP David E. Marra sold 750 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $229.00, for a total transaction of $171,750.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 79,699 shares in the company, valued at $18,251,071. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 5,130 shares of company stock worth $1,167,479. 2.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. RenaissanceRe Price Performance RenaissanceRe stock opened at $235.16 on Tuesday. RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. has a 52-week low of $174.22 and a 52-week high of $235.31. The companys 50 day moving average is $218.34 and its two-hundred day moving average is $209.25. The firm has a market cap of $12.39 billion, a PE ratio of 4.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 0.30. The company has a quick ratio of 1.40, a current ratio of 1.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23. RenaissanceRe (NYSE:RNR Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 30th. The insurance provider reported $11.77 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $8.13 by $3.64. RenaissanceRe had a net margin of 28.04% and a return on equity of 26.93%. The business had revenue of $1.59 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.83 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $7.33 EPS. The companys revenue was up 17.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. will post 34.35 EPS for the current fiscal year. RenaissanceRe Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be issued a $0.39 dividend. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.66%. This is a positive change from RenaissanceRes previous quarterly dividend of $0.38. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. RenaissanceRes dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 2.97%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research firms have recently weighed in on RNR. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of RenaissanceRe from $229.00 to $238.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, February 5th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on shares of RenaissanceRe from $216.00 to $295.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, February 5th. TD Cowen assumed coverage on shares of RenaissanceRe in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. They set a market perform rating for the company. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of RenaissanceRe in a research report on Wednesday, November 22nd. They set a buy rating and a $251.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Evercore ISI assumed coverage on shares of RenaissanceRe in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. They set an underperform rating and a $200.00 price objective for the company. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, RenaissanceRe presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $240.90. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on RenaissanceRe RenaissanceRe Profile (Free Report) RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance and insurance products in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Property, and Casualty and Specialty segments. The Property segment writes property catastrophe excess of loss reinsurance and excess of loss reinsurance to insure insurance and reinsurance companies against natural and man-made catastrophes, including hurricanes, earthquakes, typhoons, and tsunamis, as well as winter storms, freezes, floods, fires, windstorms, tornadoes, explosions, and acts of terrorism; and other property class of products, such as proportional reinsurance, property per risk, property reinsurance, binding facilities, and regional U.S. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding RNR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:RNR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for RenaissanceRe Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for RenaissanceRe and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sei Investments Co. raised its holdings in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:AIT Free Report) by 61.5% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 109,376 shares of the industrial products companys stock after buying an additional 41,636 shares during the quarter. Sei Investments Co.s holdings in Applied Industrial Technologies were worth $16,911,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Get Applied Industrial Technologies alerts: Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Fox Run Management L.L.C. acquired a new position in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies during the third quarter worth approximately $336,000. Ellevest Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies by 62.0% during the second quarter. Ellevest Inc. now owns 1,494 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $216,000 after buying an additional 572 shares during the last quarter. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies by 7.0% during the third quarter. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC now owns 4,707 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $728,000 after buying an additional 307 shares during the last quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies by 0.9% during the third quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC now owns 39,547 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $6,114,000 after buying an additional 364 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund lifted its holdings in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies by 494.2% during the third quarter. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund now owns 26,013 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $4,022,000 after buying an additional 21,635 shares during the last quarter. 92.49% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Applied Industrial Technologies Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:AIT opened at $182.62 on Tuesday. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $179.73 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $167.31. Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $122.24 and a fifty-two week high of $194.28. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.16 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a current ratio of 3.74 and a quick ratio of 2.59. Applied Industrial Technologies Increases Dividend Applied Industrial Technologies ( NYSE:AIT Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The industrial products company reported $2.24 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.11 by $0.13. Applied Industrial Technologies had a return on equity of 24.59% and a net margin of 8.39%. The firm had revenue of $1.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.06 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.05 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 1.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. will post 9.42 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 29th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 15th were given a $0.37 dividend. This represents a $1.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.81%. This is a boost from Applied Industrial Technologiess previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 14th. Applied Industrial Technologiess dividend payout ratio is 15.53%. Analyst Ratings Changes Separately, KeyCorp upped their price target on Applied Industrial Technologies from $182.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, January 26th. Read Our Latest Analysis on Applied Industrial Technologies Insider Buying and Selling at Applied Industrial Technologies In other Applied Industrial Technologies news, VP Warren E. Hoffner III sold 2,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $182.34, for a total value of $364,680.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 57,155 shares of the companys stock, valued at $10,421,642.70. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 2.00% of the companys stock. Applied Industrial Technologies Profile (Free Report) Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc distributes industrial motion, power, control, and automation technology solutions in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. It operates in two segments, Service Center Based Distribution, and Engineered Solutions. The company distributes bearings, power transmission products, engineered fluid power components and systems, specialty flow control solutions, advanced automation products, industrial rubber products, linear motion components, automation solutions, tools, safety products, oilfield supplies, and other industrial and maintenance supplies; and motors, belting, drives, couplings, pumps, hydraulic and pneumatic components, filtration supplies, valves, fittings, process instrumentation, actuators, and hoses, filtration supplies, as well as other related supplies for general operational needs of customers' machinery and equipment. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AIT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:AIT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Applied Industrial Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Applied Industrial Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Massachusetts State Police said Dejan Belnavis, the suspected killer of Connecticut National Guard specialist Chasity Nunez and her daughter, was arrested in San Diego. Massachusetts State Police / Contributed Photo The man suspected of killing a Connecticut National Guard specialist and her daughter in Massachusetts was arrested in California on Monday, police said. In a post on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, Massachusetts State Police said Monday that Dejan Belnavis, 27, was apprehended in San Diego. They noted Belnavis is suspected in the homicides of Chasity Nunez and her daughter, Zella Nunez. Police said Belnavis will be charged with armed assault to murder with a firearm and carrying a firearm without a license. A second suspect, Karel Mangual, of Worcester, had been arrested prior to Belnavis and brought up on the same charges, they said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad According to court filings, security camera footage showed two men approach a parked car and open fire in Worcester, Mass. last Tuesday, killing Nunez and her daughter. A car authorities believe was used during the shooting later was found in Hartford. The criminal complaint for Mangual's arrest filed in Massachusetts state court reports the shooting was reported around 3:10 p.m. on March 5 near Lisbon Street and Englewood Avenue. It said Nunez and her daughter were found in the car shot and in serious condition, adding they were taken to the hospital where they later died. The complaint said investigators reviewed video footage that showed a white sedan containing the suspected gunmen circling the area. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The two men were seen walking up to the car containing Chasity and Zella Nunez and opened fire, according to the complaint, then fled on foot back to the sedan. Footage also captured the car fleeing the area, it said. Cell tower data placed Belnavis' phone in the area at the time of the shooting, according to the complaint. Police were also able to track the car, which had Massachusetts plates, through AT&T using using its "connected car system." They said that led them to Hartford. "A check of Belnavis showed he had a relative who resided close to where the vehicle had been parked in Hartford," the complaint said. Video footage from Hartford showed both men getting out of the vehicle, the complaint said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Police said they took Mangual into custody on Wednesday without incident. Authorities were offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to Belnavis' arrest. Nunez held the rank of specialist and was assigned to the 142nd Medical Company, based in Danbury, where she served as a Patient Administration Specialist, a guard spokesperson said. According to Guard records, Nunez had served in the military for four years and had been awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and Army Achievement Medal. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Chasity was beloved by her fellow soldiers in the 142nd Medical Company. Her wit, social nature and dedication to duty made her one of the best Soldiers in our unit. I cannot begin to make sense of why this happened and why her family, friends, co-workers and fellow Soldiers have been robbed of her and Zella," Maj. David Pytlik, a Connecticut National Guard spokesperson, said last week. "What we can, and must do now, is support one another as we grieve, process this profound loss and honor their memory." A joint obituary for Chasity and Zella Nunez said Chasity was born in Worcester and attended South High School and Worcester State University. She received her master's degree from the University of Maryland Global Campus. In addition to serving in the Connecticut National Guard, Chasity Nunez worked as a patient safety and clinical quality coordinator at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Shaw Communications Inc (TSE:SJR.B Get Free Report) (NYSE:SJR)s stock price crossed below its 50 day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 50 day moving average of C$40.48 and traded as low as C$40.47. Shaw Communications shares last traded at C$40.48, with a volume of 6,724,328 shares trading hands. Shaw Communications Stock Performance The firm has a market cap of C$19.32 billion, a PE ratio of 27.54, a P/E/G ratio of 3.08 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a current ratio of 0.68, a quick ratio of 0.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 91.34. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is C$40.48. About Shaw Communications (Get Free Report) Shaw Communications Inc operates as a connectivity company in North America. The company operates through Wireline and Wireless segments. The Wireline segment provides broadband Internet, Shaw Go WiFi, video, and digital phone services to residential customers; and Internet, data, WiFi, digital phone, and video services to business customers. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Shaw Communications Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Shaw Communications and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. A new study by the Rivers Trust has revealed that Northern Irish rivers fail to meet 'good' overall status. This also applies to the rivers in County Derry. The comprehensive analysis of the health of the river is divided into four categories that are ecological, biological, physio- chemical and chemical status. According to the general results of the study on the rivers of Northern Ireland almost 70 per cent failed to meet the requirements for good ecological status, says the study. On the biological status side, 47 percent of river stretches failed to reach good biological status. 53 percent were given good or high general Physico-Chemical status, which looks at conditions that affect life in the river, such as temperature and nutrient composition. All rivers in Northern Ireland were given a moderate chemical status with none of them reaching high status. This includes the study of the presence of plastic (PBTs) in the water and mercury in plants and animals. In County Derry, data for multiple rivers is available. For example, River Bann from the sea to Lough Neagh has been classified as being in Moderate ecological health in 2022. In 2022, half of the Moyola River was classified as being in good ecological health while the northern part of the same river was given a moderate ecological health status. River Roe, from Limavady to Dungiven, has been classified as having poor ecological health. However, Mark Horton, Director of The Rivers Trust All-Ireland and Chief Executive Officer of Ballinderry Rivers Trust in County Derry said to still be optimistic about the future of Northern Irish rivers as a lot is due to human actions. This report is an alarm bell to every local community, citizen, politician, landowner, and our business community that we need to take collective action now if we want to improve and protect this vital freshwater resource that we all depend on and avert a deepening environmental and ecological crisis. Despite the dire current state of our rivers, I remain optimistic because, as this report shows, almost all the pressures negatively impacting our rivers, loughs and groundwater are caused by human activities and it is therefore within our gift to reverse some of these impacts. According to the study, agriculture and land management appear to be the major factor in nutrient pollution with nearly 300 rivers studied in Northern Ireland. Then comes sewage, urban run-off and industrial activity. The wee bogs under the stones, a sign of health The Northern Ireland Environment Agency goes out on a regular basis. And it will be looking at the wee bogs under the stones and that's what they refer to as a biological assessment, said Mark Horton. They're looking at the macroinvertebrates, so the really small insects that live under the water and some of those bogs are more sensitive to pollution than others. By knowing the range of how sensitive they are, by their presence or absence, we can tell how clean or dirty that water is. You can score it. Then the second thing they will do is chemical assessment. They'll go in, take a water sample, and then they'll measure things like phosphate, ammonia, suspended sediment, dissolved oxygen, and they're all indicators of how clean or dirty that water is. Then that data gets processed by the department and then it gets reported. Mark explained that the study of the Rivers Trust is not new information as they gathered existing studies to better understand the rivers states. The state authorities, no matter which country you're in, are having to gather this information as part of Water Framework Directive reporting. Although we are now outside of the EU, we're still continuing with that monitoring protocol, said Mark. The Rivers Trust was able to gather the data after asking the department for their most up-to-date data. This initiative to create a report on the river's states started three years ago according to Mark. However, he explained one of the main challenges was to gather the data between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as it is not recorded the same way. About three years ago, the Rivers Trust produced its first state of the rivers report. At that time, it only included England and what they were doing was gathering all the information that was already available, but was maybe in different places. They did bring it all together in one kind of interactive report that people could understand and explore the information and then we said that we need to extend that out. So this iteration of it included Northern Ireland and Ireland. That kind of brought its own challenges because we don't record data in the same way in Northern Ireland and Ireland. So very often when you look at a map of rivers there's either a big gap where Northern Ireland should be if it's Irish data, or it's the other way around. Northern Ireland, not the rest of Ireland. Of course, the rivers don't stop at the border, they flow across the border, said Mark. We tried to get that information into a format that you can see the bigger picture for the whole island of Ireland, explained Mark. Lough Neagh The study also takes a close look at the situation of Lough Neagh and Mark said that it is a catastrophe. There's just simply too much nutrients getting into our waterways. And there's a lot of kind of blame at the minute you know, there's a lot of fingers being pointed. People are saying it's the farmers and it's the water treatment plants but the truth is, it's all of those things, all of them. I've heard people saying that they need to do something about this. And I keep saying, No, we need to do something about this. Everybody has a role to play, said Mark. Of course, the farmer has a role to play and they need to be tested in their soil and understand how much fertiliser they need in order to get their grass to grow the required amount. If you put too much fertiliser on, it doesn't make the grass grow more. It just sits there in the soil, gets washed away into rivers and then enters Lough Neagh." However, Mark also emphasised the need for everybody who is not attached to the main sewer network and has a septic tank to check if it is cleaned and if it is functioning well. For more information and to access the full report, visit the Rivers Trust website. The heartbreaking story of Danielle McLaughlin will feature on RTE Prime Time tonight, Tuesday. Danielle, then 28, went to India in 2017 to attend Holi, the Hindu festival of colours. Only two weeks after her arrival, her body was found in Canacona, located in Goa. Danielle's body was discovered in a field, having been the victim of a rape and murder. On Prime Time, Danielles family will discuss their loss and fight for justice. A suspect in Danielle's case was arrested within hours of the crime. However, the trial is yet to conclude and has been heard over 250 times. However, the accused, Vikat Bhagat, was recently granted interim bail for the second time to attend his sister's wedding on February, 24. Twenty-eight-year-old Danielles body was found on the morning of March 14, 2017. Another trial for her murder is scheduled to take place on Thursday, the seventh anniversary of the day Danielles body was discovered and a doctor's evidence is due to be given in court. A high court in India has directed for the trial to conclude this year but Danielles sister is keeping her expectations low. It's just so draining that we just want it over and done with, Joleen said. We don't really know what's going to happen. They say it should end this year, but we don't really know, and we don't want to have that hope that it will end because we have been let down so many times in the past. Since March 2017, the McLaughlin family has been trying to come to terms with the loss of their daughter and sister in such a violent way, so far away from home. The family was assisted by the Kevin Bell Trust in repatriating her body home to Ireland for burial. I remember when they crossed the border out of India, the Kevin Bell Trust, they contacted me and said, Andrea, she's no longer in India, shes coming home, Danielles mother Andrea said. I never was as happy to know my daughters coming home. Danielle was laid to rest in her hometown, Buncrana. Danielle, who was laid to rest in Buncrana, had previously been in India as she volunteered in an orphanage in Calcutta and in 2017 returned as she wanted to study to be a yoga teacher. Prime Time will be aired on RTE One at 9:35pm tonight, Tuesday, and will be available to stream on the RTE player. The UK Government has undermined its own commitment to support integrated and shared education in Northern Ireland after 10 schools had ring-fenced funding withdrawn, Stormonts Education Minister has said. Giving evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, Paul Givan said he had received no comfort from Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris after he raised concerns that 150 million of funding previously earmarked for school construction projects had been moved into the UK Governments financial settlement for the Executive. Funds for new buildings at a number of integrated schools and shared education campuses were ringfenced in the Fresh Start Agreement in 2015. Last month, the Department of Education said 150 million of that funding was no longer available for the schools, having been reallocated to become part of a 3.3 billion financial settlement for the recently restored devolved government. Mr Givan gave an update to the Westminster committee, which met at Stormont. He said: That is something which, taking up post, I recognised very early. The ring-fenced funding that had been announced by the UK Government of 500 million, what was left of it in uncommitted schemes was no longer ring-fenced and had been rolled into the wider package of 3.3 billion. Therefore, we in education have lost that protection. That money that was there is no longer available to my department, I am having to actively bid for that as part of the wider budgetary process. I do believe that puts my department at a very distinct disadvantage and it also undermines the UK Governments commitment to supporting integrated and shared education as a result of the un-ringfencing of that funding. The Education Minister said he entered into correspondence with Mr Heaton-Harris to outline his concerns. He told MPs: I have received a response four days ago from the Secretary of State which doesnt give any comfort to me or the schools impacted. The response continues to hold the line that that is funding which is now available to the Executive to decide how it wants to spend that money. He added: There were a number of schools already contractually committed, which the Treasury will stand over. It equates to around 300 million in terms of what is contractually committed, and the Treasury will honour that. There were 10 schools that I have moved into my major capital schemes within the department. They will continue to advance, alongside other projects, in terms of their design stage and I will take them to the point where they can be shovel-ready, and when finance becomes available they will be allocated funding. But they are there alongside all of the other major capital projects within my department, of which there are over 50. I can understand why those schools feel aggrieved, I share that grievance that having been identified through Fresh Start funding they are now part of my wider capital programme and I have to make bids to the Executive to secure that. Mr Givan said the one outstanding project was Strule shared campus in Co Tyrone. Strule is the biggest school building project to be planned in Northern Ireland. It will involve more than 4,000 pupils being taught in six schools with some shared facilities. Mr Givan said: That is a flagship project for the Executive over the past decade. We are at a very advanced stage in terms of that process and I have been seeking Executive approval to identify the funding for that as part of an Executive funding stream because my department does not have the money, could not stand over the magnitude of what we need for that. It needs to be agreed by the Executive. SDLP MP Claire Hanna asked the minister about the way the withdrawal of the ring-fenced schools funding had been announced, suggesting it had been done furtively. Mr Givan said: I wanted to make sure that when schools would be made aware of the funding situation I would be provide them with comfort that I was taking them into my department, they would be advanced through the capital projects, they werent being stuck, they were continuing to advance. Ultimately, it is the UK Government that has taken this decision. The Lenovo Legion 9i is a gaming powerhouse that marks a triumphant return for the Legion 9 series. The laptop delivers exceptional gaming and overall performance. The unique carbon-patterned lid, rearranged keyboard for improved cooling, and robust build quality add aesthetic and functional flair. The TrueStrike keyboard impresses with a satisfying typing experience, while the 3.2K mini-LED display steals the show with deep blacks and HDR support up to 1200 nits. The steep price tag might deter some, but for those seeking top-tier gaming, content creation, and a stunning display, the Legion 9i potentially justifies the investment. The Legion 9i is a triumphant comeback with cutting-edge specs, innovative design, and unparalleled gaming prowess, making it a top contender in the high-end gaming laptop arena. The Lenovo Legion 9 16IRX8 is the highest-end Legion model available in the Legion lineup, surpassing the Legion 5 and 7. It makes sense considering the lowest-end Lenovo Legion 9i comes with an Intel Core i9-13980HX! Its also the first Legion 9 in a while; Lenovo hasnt made a Legion 9 since 2017, when they released the not-so-great Lenovo Legion Y920. So is this a triumphant return, or another average at-best launch? Read the full review to find out! Spoilers: its pretty amazing. Lenovo Legion 9i Specs at a glance Processor: 13th Gen Intel Core i9-13980HX (24C / 32T) GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 TGP: 175 W RAM: 32GB DDR5-6400 Storage: 2x 1 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD in RAID 0 Display: 3.2K (3200200) mini-LED 165 Hz We received the RTX 4090 unit for review, but there is an RTX 4080 variant as well. Lenovo Legion 9i Build and Design At a glance, the Legion 9i looks nothing like the Legion 7 series, despite using the same matte magnesium in its build and featuring the same branding. The first thing youll notice is the carbon wrap pattern on the lid, which gives the lid a kind of dark camouflage or granite-like finish. In addition to looking very cool, the carbon pattern also doesnt catch fingerprints. Another neat fact is that every Legion 9i has a unique carbon pattern, so no two are the same. Id say gotta collect them all, but with the price tag thats unlikely. Aesthetic changes aside, the Legion 9i also moves things around in the layout. The keyboard has been pushed closer to the edge, towards the user, to make room for more vents for better cooling. To that end, the protruding rear-end of the Legion 9i is also thicker to accomodate the powerful hardware and cooling solution; this is also where you will find the majority of the I/O ports. Theres plenty of ventilation on the bottom of the laptop as well to keep things running cool. You still have the physical webcam shutter which is expected in all Lenovo laptops, and a finger-print enabled power button as well, for security. Overall build quality feels excellent. The laptop feels very sturdy, with little to no flex when pushing in on the keyboard or twisting the chassis. The hinges also feel quite secure, with very little bounce when opening the laptop lid. Finally, coming to lighting, in addition to the RGB backlit keyboard, you also have an RGB Legion logo on the lid, and two RBG LED strips that run along the front and back edges of the laptop to complete the look. Keyboard and touchpad The TrueStrike keyboard on the Lenovo Legion 9i feels really good to type and game on. The 1.5 mm travel distance on the keys is on the lower end, but the feedback is crisp and satisfying. We didnt miss having a mechanical keyboard during our time using the Legion 9i. The touchpad on the other hand is almost non-existent. Since the keyboard was moved closer to the edge, the touchpad is now fairly tiny. It feels inadequate for a 16:10 3.2K display, but then again, most gamers (including us) will immediately opt to use a mouse. Which is probably what Lenovo is banking on here. Despite the small real estate, the touchpad is smooth and the clicks are satisfying when you need to use it in a pinch. I/O Ports As we mentioned above, the majority of the Lenovo Legion 9is ports are present on the rear. Lenovo has also added LED indicators above each port which is a nice touch and geniunely helps if you, like me, are going to be using pretty much ALL of them. Coming to the ports, the Legion 9i comes with three USB-C ports, with the two on the rear being Thunderbolt 4 (with DisplayPort 1.4 and 140 W Power Delivery), and the one on the right side being a USB-C 3.2 Gen. 1. Other than that, on the rear you have a 2.5 Gbps RJ-45 ethernet port, a USB-A 3.2 Gen. 1 port, and HDMI 2.1 port, and the AC adapter port. On the right-side, you have the webcam shutter switch and another USB-A 3.2 Gen. 1 port. The left side has the 3.5 mm combo jack, and an SD card reader. The presense of an SD card reader means that Lenovo is also targetting content creators with this laptop. That doesnt come as a surprise, considering the display on this thing, which is coming up next. Lenovo Legion 9i Display The Lenovo Legion 9i comes with a fantastic display. We know we recently mentioned that the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 has a fantastic display, but this potentially tops that. The Legion 9i comes with a miniLED display, which in itself is pretty rare in laptops. As a result, the Legion 9i can offer deeper blacks and higher brightness than its IPS and OLED contenders, especially when it comes to HDR content. The Legion 9i advertises a maximum brightness of 1200 nits for HDR1000 support, which is a first (at least for me), in a laptop display. During our testing, we managed to see a peak brightness of around 900 nits with HDR enabled, and 655 nits with non-HDR content. Thats already higher than most IPS and OLED panels offer. Additionally, we tested an sRGB coverage of 100 percent, and a DCI-P3 gamut coverage of 97.5 per cent. Pair that with its 3.2K, 16:10 resolution screen, NVIDIA G-Sync support, and a fast refresh rate of 165 Hz, and you have an excellent display for both gaming and content creation. Lenovo Legion 9i Gaming Performance The Lenovo Legion 9i comes with a top-of-the-line 13th gen Intel Core i9-13980HX processor which is paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU with a TGP of 175 W. Thats the highest allowed configuration by NVIDIA for the RTX 4090. While there are newer Intel processors in the market, the 13980HX easily holds its own. The Legion 9i actually had the highest PCMark 10 scores weve tested to date. It makes sense when you consider the two PCIe4 x4 NVMe SSDs in RAID 0 which gave us blistering fast read and write speeds north of 12500 MB/s. Add to that the 32 GB of DDR5-6400 RAM, which is also super fast, offering copy speeds of 78419 MB/s in our testing on AIDA64. But what were here for is the gaming performance, so well start things off with synthetic benchmarks. We use 3DMark for this. We use the Speed Way, TimeSpy, FireStrike and Port Royal benchmarks to test DX12, DX11, and DXR performance respectively. The Legion 9i has excellent scores across the board as you can see. The same trend continues in real-world gaming benchmarks as well. We saw great scores across the board, with the highest recorded scores weve seen in games like Cyberpunk 2077 with RTX on, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Red Dead Redemption 2, and F1 23, with close to the highest scores for the rest. Note that we run all of our real-world gaming benchmarks at 1080p. The Lenovo Legion 9i will easily give you excellent performance in modern AAA games at QHD+ resolutions as well, allowing you to fully utilise the laptops excellent display to its fullest. Heat and Noise While the laptops stays fairly quiet when performing light tasks, the fans are always running so there is always a constant hum. Since we run our tests and benchmarks on performance mode, the fans ramp up often, and the laptop gets pretty loud during any intensive tasks. The fans are definitely doing their part as far as cooling is concerned however, as you can see much better performance in performance mode as opposed to balanced or quiet mode in the Lenovo Vantage software. Coming to temps, internal temps are actually managed pretty well, with the CPU hitting 71 degrees Celsius during the AIDA64 stress test, and the GPU hitting 78 degrees Celsius in Unigine Valley. However, surface temps can get pretty toasty, with the WASD cluster and the centre of the keyboard seeing temps north of 42 degrees Celsius during instense gaming sessions. The rest of the laptops surface averages out at around 34 degrees Celsius. Lenovo Legion 9i Verdict The Lenovo Legion 9i is a gaming powerhouse that marks a triumphant return for the Legion 9 series. The laptop delivers exceptional gaming and overall performance. The unique carbon-patterned lid, rearranged keyboard for improved cooling, and robust build quality add aesthetic and functional flair. The TrueStrike keyboard impresses with a satisfying typing experience, while the 3.2K mini-LED display steals the show with deep blacks and HDR support up to 1200 nits. The steep price tag might deter some, but for those seeking top-tier gaming, content creation, and a stunning display, the Legion 9i potentially justifies the investment. The Legion 9i is a triumphant comeback with cutting-edge specs, innovative design, and unparalleled gaming prowess, making it a top contender in the high-end gaming laptop arena. Top 1% Wealth Requirements Across Nations Revealed Countries (Region) Wealth (USD) Monaco (Europe) $12,883,000 Luxembourg (Europe) $10,832,000 Switzerland (Europe) $8,509,000 United States (N. America) $5,813,000 Singapore (Asia) $5,227,000 Sweden (Europe) $4,761,000 Australia (Oceania) $4,673,000 New Zealand (Oceania) $4,574,000 Ireland (Europe) $4,321,000 Germany (Europe) $3,430,000 France (Europe) $3,273,000 Hong Kong SAR (Asia) $3,094,000 United Kingdom (Europe) $3,070,000 Italy (Europe) $2,548,000 Spain (Europe) $2,468,000 Japan (Asia) $1,971,000 China - Mainland (Asia) $1,074,000 The number of billionaires around the world has increased considerably over the course of the past decade. Its estimated that around 1.1% of the worlds population consists of millionaires, but in spite of the fact that this is the case, being a millionaire doesnt automatically make you part of the 1% in every single country. Some countries have such a disproportionate distribution of wealth that you need much more money to be part of the upper crust.With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that Monaco is at the top of the list when it comes to joining the 1%. 30% of Monacos population consists of millionaires, and as a result you need just under $12.9 million to be part of the top 1%. Coming in second is Luxembourg with $10.8 million required, followed by Switzerland with $8.5 million.America is the sole superpower in the world and the center of tech innovation along with many other industries, so it stands to reason that youll need a lot of wealth to join the top 1% here. Sure enough, the US ended up at number 4 with $5.8 million required to be included in the top 1%. Singapore rounded off the top 5 list with over $5.2 million with all things having been considered and taken into account.It bears mentioning that the US has the highest number of millionaires, but there are also plenty of people struggling to make ends meet. This is why the US wasnt able to reach the top spot, since income disparity was bound to bring the average down in some way, shape or form.China might just be the best example of the global average, since you need $1.07 million to be included in the 1% on the mainland. Interestingly enough, you need far more to be a member of this exclusive club over in Hong Kong, where the 1% hold over $3 million in wealth on average.Indeed, Singapore and Hong Kong are outliers in this regard. Elsewhere in Asia, Japan requires a total wealth of nearly $2 million for membership in the 1%, which just goes to show that even multi-trillion dollar economies dont see the same level of wealth concentration as a few other nations around the world.It will be interesting to see where things go from here on out, since the rich appear to be getting richer whereas the bottom 10% seem to be getting poorer by the year. This could have seismic consequences for the rest of the decade and beyond.Data via KnightFran k Read next: The Combined Net Worth of Richest People in the World is $1.44 Trillion as of February 2024 Exclusive: Chinese ex-Google employee stole company's AI secrets while moonlighting at Ant Group affiliate Former Googler Linwei Ding is accused of stealing AI secrets from the US tech giant while secretly working for an Ant Group affiliate just months before Ant announced its own AI division. Ding, a former Google engineer and a Chinese national was charged by the US Department of Justice on March 6. The DoJ accused him of exfiltrating hundreds of Google's classified AI files while secretly working at two Chinese companies including Ant Group-invested Beijing Rongshu Lianzhi Technology Company. The Ant Group connection It is reported that one of the companies that Ding secretly worked for while stealing Google's AI files was Beijing Rongshu Lianzhi Technology Company. Corporate records show that one of Rongshu's principal shareholders is Ant Group-controlled Shanghai Yunju Venture Capital. A 2022 Shanghai Securities News article covered Ant Group's investment in Rongshu. The article said it was discovered that Beijing Rongshu Lianzhi Technology underwent a change in its business registration on February 28, 2022 and that the new shareholder, Shanghai Yunju Venture Investment, was an affiliate of Ant Group. Shanghai Yunju Venture Capital's CEO is Ji Gang. Ji is Vice President of Strategic Investment and President of Corporate Development at Ant Group. 38-year-old Ding worked at Google as a software engineer from 2019. He was responsible for developing software deployed in Google's supercomputing data centers and therefore had access to confidential documents. The US Justice Department's indictment shows that Ding's job responsibilities included the development of software that allowed GPUs to function efficiently for machine learning, AI applications, or other purposes required by Google or Google Cloud clients. In his role Ding was authorized to access confidential Google information related to hardware infrastructure, the software platform, and the AI models and applications they supported, the indictment said. Ding began uploading Google's confidential information from Google's network onto a personal Google Cloud account on May 21, 2022, and continued periodic uploads until May 2, 2023, the indictment said. In total, Ding uploaded more than 500 unique files containing Google Confidential Information, including the trade secrets, the indictment added. The perks Beginning June 13, 2022, one month after the secret uploading activity started Ding received several emails from Beijing Rongshu's CEO Yuan Ye. Yuan offered Ding the position of Chief Technology Officer (CTO), with a monthly salary of CNY100,000 (approximately US$14,800 in June 2022), plus an annual bonus and company stock, per the indictment. Rongshu's business involves the development of acceleration software designed for machine learning on GPU chips. The company touted its development of AI federated learning platforms, which were systems for training AI models using decentralized data sources for greater data privacy. Ding traveled to China on October 29, 2022, and remained there until March 25, 2023. During that period, he was still employed by Google. Beginning in or about December 2022, while in China, Ding participated in investor meetings to raise capital for Rongshu. At an April 17, 2023 meeting, Rongshu's CEO told investors that Ding was the company's CTO. Secret trips to China Ding never informed Google about his affiliation with Rongshu nor did Google know that Ding had traveled to China. On December 29, 2023, Google investigators reviewed surveillance footage from the entrance to the Google building where Ding worked and discovered another Google employee scanning his work ID. When questioned the employee told investigators that Ding asked him to periodically scan the ID so it appeared as if Ding was still attending in the office while he was traveling. On December 14, 2023, Ding booked a one-way ticket from San Francisco to Beijing on a China Southern Airlines flight scheduled to depart on January 7, 2024, the indictment alleged. On December 26, 2023, he sent an email to his manager, resigning from Google. Gottcha! On December 29, 2023, Google learned that Ding had represented his Chinese companies at an investor conference in Beijing on November 24, 2023. Google subsequently suspended his network access and remotely locked his Google notebook. Google checked Ding's network activity history and discovered his unauthorized uploads from May 2022 through May 2023. On January 13, 2024, the FBI executed an additional search warrant for the contents of Ding's Google accounts. One account contained more than 500 unique files containing Google's confidential information, including the trade secrets relating to the infrastructure and software platform that allow Google's data centers to train large AI models. The secrets also contained information about the architecture and functionality of GPU and TPU chips and systems, the software that allows the chips to communicate and execute tasks, and the software that orchestrates thousands of chips into a supercomputer capable of executing at the cutting-edge machine learning and AI technology, the indictment said. Ant Group announced the establishment of its own AI innovation research and development department, NextEvo, led by Xu Peng in January 2024. Before joining Ant Group, Xu worked at Google for 11 years. Satellite 2024: the future of space innovation has never looked brighter Satellite 2024 is set to dazzle on March 18. Beyond the glitz and glamour lies a convergence of industry titans and trailblazers, poised to reshape the fabric of our celestial endeavors. At the forefront of attention is Amazon's Project Kuiper, unveiling groundbreaking user terminals and announcing plans to launch a staggering 3,000 satellites. This ambitious endeavor sets the stage for a new era in satellite technology, promising unparalleled connectivity and accessibility on a global scale. However, it's not just the behemoths like Amazon making waves. Collaborative efforts spearheaded by TASA, ITRI, the Taiwan Space Industry Development Association, and the Taiwan LEO Satellite Industry Alliance are bringing the Taiwan Space Pavilion to life at Satellite 2024, showcasing the island nation's burgeoning space capabilities and fostering international partnerships. Joining the fray are luminaries such as Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of SpaceX, who will discuss how the company is scaling up with strategic investments in technology and new customer acquisition. With nearly 100 rocket launches in 2023 alone, SpaceX's dominance underscores the exponential growth trajectory of the satellite industry. A star-studded panel featuring industry heavyweights including David Wajsgras of Intelsat, Eva Berneke of Eutelsat Group, and Daniel Goldberg of Telesat promises insights into the current landscape and future trajectory of satellite operations. Their discussion offers a glimpse into the dynamic interplay of innovation and competition shaping the industry's evolution. Meanwhile, as the world edges closer to the dawn of 6G technology, the significance of satellite communication cannot be overstated. Discussions at Satellite 2024 will delve into the pivotal role of public-private partnerships in forging a truly interconnected global network, with luminaries such as Doreen Bogdan-Martin of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Mike Greenley of MDA leading the charge. Taiwanese firms such as Rapidtek, Tensor Tech, and Pyras Technology stand poised to showcase their cutting-edge innovations, cementing Taiwan's status as a burgeoning hub for space exploration and technology. From array antenna core modules to ground tactical backpacks, the technological marvels on display at Satellite 2024 underscore the boundless potential of satellite communication in an increasingly interconnected world. As the curtain rises on Satellite 2024, one thing is abundantly clear: the future of space innovation has never looked brighter. Hyundai reportedly designing 5nm auto chips Hyundai Motor is reportedly designing auto semiconductors based on the 5nm process, aiming to ensure a stable supply of advanced chips in the Software Defined Vehicles (SDV) era. Attention is also drawn towards relevant wafer foundries and other supply partners. According to ZD Net Korea, Hyundai plans to utilize the 5nmr advanced process to develop chips for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), supporting the advancement of SDV initiatives. Previously, in June 2023, Hyundai established a semiconductor research lab and recruited a former Samsung official responsible for developing the automotive SoC series Exynos Auto. SDV represents a future innovative area where vehicles are controlled through software, impacting driving efficiency, convenience, and safety. Hyundai previously announced plans to introduce online software update technology to all models by 2025, gradually transitioning to SDV. Hyundai is reportedly engaging with selected Design Solution Providers (DSP), and it's anticipated that the automaker will collaborate with either Samsung or TSMC. Notably, both Samsung and TSMC plan to commence mass production of auto semiconductors using processes below 4nm from 2024 onwards, thus it is not ruled out that Hyundai Motor might pursue chip development using even more advanced processes. Regarding these speculations, individuals from Hyundai stated that discussions on vehicle semiconductor development are ongoing, but no decisions have been made yet. It's noted in the industry that in the past, Hyundai Motor primarily relied on Tier 1 suppliers for automotive semiconductors. However, it is now directly investing in independent research and development to ensure a stable supply of advanced chips. Particularly, with the semiconductor supply shortage experienced 2 to 3 years ago impacting major automakers, the importance of semiconductor self-sufficiency has been emphasized. Apart from in-house development, Hyundai Motor is actively incorporating domestic vehicle semiconductors. Starting in 2025, they will source Samsung's In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) chip Exynos Auto V920, and they have invested in South Korean automotive semiconductor design startup BOS Semiconductors, commissioning the development of high-performance NPU SoCs for ADAS. Subscriber content preview The line, expected to top half a billion dollars in cost, would improve electrical reliability across the region. By TODD RICHMOND Associated Press MADISON, Wis. A coalition of conservation groups filed a last-minute federal lawsuit seeking to stop plans to build the high-voltage Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line across a Mississippi River wildlife refuge. American Transmission Co., ITC Midwest and Dairyland Power Cooperative want to build a 102-mile, 345-kilovolt line linking Iowa's Dubuque County and Wisconsin's Dane County. The cost of the line is expected to top half a billion dollars but the utilities contend the project would improve electrical reliability across the region. . . . A Brontothere skeleton on display across from the Age of Mammals mural at the renovated Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven photographed on March 11, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media The Cyrus Cylinder from 539 BCE on display at the renovated Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven photographed on March 11, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media An exhibit with a white-tailed deer at the renovated Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven photographed on March 11, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media Yale Peabody Museum Director David Skelly speaks with members of the media during a press tour of the renovated Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven photographed on March 11, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media A bronze statue of a torosaurus looking out onto Whitney Avenue at the renovated Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven photographed on March 11, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media A Homo Neanderthalensis skull casting is on display across from a mastodon skeleton at the renovated Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven photographed on March 11, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media The renovated Burke Hall of Dinosaurs photographed at the Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven on March 11, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media A mastodon skeleton on display at the renovated Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven photographed on March 11, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media The world's first cookbook on displayed in the Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia exhibit at the renovated Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven photographed on March 11, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media An extinct large flightless bird, gastornis, peers at members of the media during a press tour of the renovated Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven photographed on March 11, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media The Age of Mammals mural by Rudoph Zallinger at the renovated Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven photographed on March 11, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media Yale Peabody Museum Chief Preparator Marilyn Fox cleans the teeth on a skeleton of the extinct mammal, Brontothere, during the renovation of the Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven on July 25, 2023. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media Yale Peabody Museum Chief Preparator Marilyn Fox cleans the teeth on a skeleton of the extinct mammal, Brontothere, during the renovation of the Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven on July 25, 2023. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media Yale Peabody Museum Chief Preparator Marilyn Fox cleans the teeth on a skeleton of the extinct mammal, Brontothere, during the renovation of the Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven on July 25, 2023. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media Taylor Morrison, left, and Susan Green of Research Casting International place the last bone of a stegosaurus into place during the renovation of the Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven on July 25, 2023. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media After three and a half years the Yale Peabody Museum is reopening on March 26 to allow the public to see the extensive updates made since it closed for renovations in March 2020, shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began. "We've got a little more work to do but we're going to do a soft opening to the public," said David Skelly, director of the Peabody Museum. "What you're seeing is a combination of eight-and-a-half years of planning and three-and-a-half years of construction and almost a year of exhibit installation." The Peabody has added about 15,000 square feet of exhibit space and new galleries. The entire second floor, which was previously occupied by administrative offices, has been converted into gallery space. Classrooms and public space have been added to create community learning space. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "What I've hope we've done ... is really renew the way that the Peabody presents and how we interact and provide something to the public as well as the Yale community," said Skelly, indicating a gallery for teaching and a student-led exhibition. "We're bringing other voices into the museum." A newly mounted stegosaurus exhibit photographed on on March 11, 2024 is part of the Burke Hall of Dinosaurs at the renovated Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media Interested museum-goers can go to the Peabody museum website at https://shop.peabody.yale.edu/#/Admission to reserve a time for visits during the soft reopening. The museum is using the reservation system for the first 30 days to control crowds while final touches are added. Admission is free and will continue to be free after the soft reopening period has expired. The museum offered area media a sneak peak through its exhibits ahead of the soft opening with staff leading a tour through time, outlining the story of the earth and how life grew, evolved, died, and changed over millions of years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As you enter the new Central Gallery youre greeted by an Archelon, a giant sea turtle, posed fleeing for its life from a Tylosaur, an extinct marine reptilian predator. The fossil turtle was discovered missing a rear fin. Scientists were able to see that the fin had been bitten off and healed before the turtle died. Skelly said that the paleontology curators had inadvertently conjured a scene he had imagined as a child visiting the Peabody a pursuit out of a nature documentary. "I've been coming here since I was five-years-old and I used to stare at that turtle for a long time," said Skelly. "My childhood fever dream has been brought to life ... that scene played out in my head when I was a kid here. It's wonderful having it and doubly wonderful that I had nothing to do with it. It was the paleontology curator's idea." Growth, Change, Evolution and Extinction A major theme of the renovated Peabody Museum is the story of changing life on Earth. Visitors walking into the Burke Hall of Dinosaurs are greeted by massive ammonite fossils, ancient relatives of the modern-day nautilus. Strange fossils from the Edicaran and Cambrian eras are displayed next to models reconstructing unusual, shrimp-like bodies. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Most of the material here is from oceans before the time of the dinosaurs, said Susan Butts director of collections and research. We have a large portion of the gallery devoted to sea scorpions. The Peabody has the largest sea scorpion collection in the world were delighted we have the opportunity to put these out on display, which we didnt before. A restored and repositioned brontosaurus in the renovated Burke Hall of Dinosaurs at the Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven photographed on March 11, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media Trilobites and sea scorpions emerge and give way to a giant red portal, marking off the first mass extinction event at the end of the Permian era where 95 percent of all life in the oceans died. One of the things we want to impress on visitors is that when one thing dies out, another thing takes over in its place, said Butts. A new type of animal evolves. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Butts pointed out that scientists knew the way animals walked on land first evolved in the water. Over millions of years those limbs and patterns of motion changed to allow for running, climbing, bipedal motion and eventually, flight. That story, from crawling out of the ocean, to standing on two legs, to flying, is illustrated using fossils. That motion when youre capturing prey, moving your arms forward and back to your body, that becomes the flight stroke, said Butts. She also pointed out various updates to star attractions the Brontosaurus and Stegosaurus. The Brontosaurus was posed dynamically with its whip-like tail counterbalancing its long neck and head stretched high above museum visitors. The Stegosaurus was crouched down defensively, its neck plated in protective bones. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Some of the dinosaurs had different bones before the renovation. Bones now known to belong to older or younger Stegosaurus specimens were replaced with bones more proportional to the age of the dinosaur on display. The museum will also feature a display on dinosaur color. Scienctist have been able to isolate the color of dinosaur feathers and eggs when alive. Color isn't just nice to look at, it tells us a lot about how animals once lived. An extinct large flightless bird, gastornis, peers at members of the media during a press tour of the renovated Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven photographed on March 11, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media "White eggs stand out, you don't want to leave your white eggs in the open," said Butts, noting that alligators and crocodiles bury their white eggs. "So we know if we find egg shells that only show us white color, that they buried their eggs." Advertisement Article continues below this ad Leaving the world of dinosaurs, another mass extinction portal takes visitors through to a different gallery of mammal life spanning the past 66 million years. A major theme here is climate change. Chris Norris director of public programs said that at the start of mammalian life the world was much warmer, which is shown in fossils collected from Wyoming. "You can look at the fossil record for the last 66 million years and see two profound changes," Norris said. The first is the violent, obvious change in animal and plant life after a meteor struck the Yucatan Peninsula, wiping out non-bird dinosaurs. The second is a slower, more subtle change to a cooler world. "At the end of 66 million years ... the planet is actually different. The planet we live on now is not the same planet that giant dinosaurs lived on." As humans come on the scene, the world is in an Ice Age and covered with massive mammals. The museum features a new display exploring the complicated growth of humans and our hominid cousins. "We have a great display of human evolution and we're talking about the amazing ways that humans interact with the environment that allowed us to thrive," said Skelly. Advertisement Article continues below this ad New Galleries, New Voices Upstairs the museum features a new gallery on the history of science. Instruments, mechanical computers, telescopes and early cameras line the walls. A display of scientific glassware takes up a prominent portion of the room. None of these collections had permanent homes before. Its here that the Peabody curators begin to show part of their new approach to history. A display of Yales involvement with the eugenics movement, a pseudoscientific and racist movement to improve the quality of the human population, sits here. The display includes an IQ testing device and a probe designed to measure salivation that both belonged to Robert Yerkes, a Yale psychologist and eugenicist. The saliva measuring device, he got from (Ivan) Pavlov, said Kailen Rogers, associate director for exhibitions. The Pavlov famous for his dog conditioning experiment was a eugenicist, she added. Deeper into the exhibit, the anthropology section opens. This section compares the histories of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia because they parallel each other, Rogers said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The mixed media sculpture, Eternal Cities: Excavating the Present, Unpacking the Past, by Mohamad Hafez from 2023 displayed in the Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia exhibit at the renovated Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven photographed on March 11, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media A huge sculptural piece named Eternal Cities by local artist and restauranter Muhammed Hafez dominates one wall. The piece features tiny, 3D printed replicas of various artifacts from the Yale Babylonian collection on display in this section tucked into a layered, lived-in cityscape made of architecture from different cultures and eras. He built a cityscape reminiscent of Damascus it has layers and layers of cities across millennia and is lived-in said Rogers. You see a nod to contemporary destruction in the centerpiece but ultimately its a story of hope he devises a tribute to those cultures and places. The tour capped off with a brief visit to America with Olmec, Inca and other pre-European contact objects. A massive reconstruction of an Olmec head overlooks a gallery featuring a cloth made of thousands of yellow and blue feathers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad North American indigenous art and artifacts will also be displayed in several galleries, but those are not yet ready. Yale, as part of its commitment to following the updated regulations from the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, will be displaying objects once they have finished the consultation process with American tribal nations. We really have to focus on objects where the consultation process fits with the new regs, said Skelly. An Olmec head reproduction on display in the Mesoamerican and Andean Civilizations exhibit at the renovated Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven photographed on March 11, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media When that section is completed, it will feature a circular meditative, interactive and immersive space that mixes contemporary and ancestral works of Native Americans. Initially the objects on display will be more contemporary. Older, historical objects will be added over time. Skelly mentioned working with a Texas tribe so that a meteorite, regarded as a sacred object, would be displayed respectfully. Advertisement Article continues below this ad More than 7,700 children in County Donegal receive childcare subsidies under the National Childcare Scheme, but many are missing out on the scheme which can cut thousands off childcare bills. And today, Minister for Children, Roderic OGorman, is calling on all parents in the County using Tusla-registered childcare services to make sure they are getting their full entitlement to subsidies, which could cut thousands of euros off their childcare bills each year. 7,756 children in Donegal received subsidies towards the cost of their childcare under the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) in 2023, with more than 15 million paid to early learning and childcare providers in Donegal to reduce parents fees. Currently, the minimum hourly subsidy is 1.40 an hour and it will be increasing to 2.14 in September. This will mean families using full time care (45 hours a week) will receive a minimum of 5,000 euro a year off their bill per child. Many Families can receive an Income Assessed Award, which is based on household income, which can be as high 12,000 per year for those using full-time care. Families who would like to know if their child care provider is registered for the NCS can access the Childcare Search Service on the NCS website, at www.NCS.gov.ie, where they can also see the providers fees list. Families will also find information on how to apply for the NCS. Families who want some more support in how to apply can contact the Donegal County Childcare Committee. Childcare Committees are a local government funded support designed to help families access childcare support. Trish McLaughlin from Donegal County Childcare Committee explained: "The NCS has greatly benefited families across Donegal. All families regardless of their income benefit from this universal support which subsidises the cost of childcare." "Anyone with any questions about the NCS is welcome to contact the Donegal County Childcare Committee on 074 9123442 for assistance." The Scheme Administrator, Pobal, also runs a helpline to provide support and guidance to parents in relation to the NCS. The Parent Support Centre can be contacted on 01 906 8530, Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. Also for families from County Donegal planning a trip to Dublin, the team from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability Integration and Youth as well as County Childcare Committee members from across the country will be at the Pregnancy & Baby Fair in the RDS on the 23 to 24 March to speak to parents and expectant parents about childcare so if youre planning a visit, be sure to stop by stall G9. Some passengers who travelled on a flight from Abu Dhabi to Dublin last weekend have been urged to contact the health authorities after a case of measles was confirmed. It is the third confirmed case of measles in Ireland this year, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has said. The Etihad Airways flight touched down in the Irish capital at 6.30am on Saturday. The HSE said a confirmed case of measles was on board. They have said passengers who are pregnant women, immunocompromised or have children under the age of 12 months should contact the HSE. They have asked other passengers on the flight to be aware of the signs and symptoms of measles until March 30, which will mark 21 days from the potential time of exposure. The HSE said symptoms include a runny nose, sneezing and cough, sore red eyes, a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above and a rash, which usually appears on the head and neck first and then spreads to the rest of the body. They said if those symptoms are identified and illness develops, the passenger should stay at home in a separate room and seek healthcare advice, calling first to make arrangements. They added: HSE Public Health teams will continue to work with Etihad Airways. Health authorities recently warned that there is a risk of measles outbreaks in Ireland due to its population immunity dropping below the required rate. Meanwhile the Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland has also issued an appeal to some passengers on the flight who may have travelled on across the Irish border. Following a risk assessment with public health colleagues in the Health Service Executive (HSE), the PHA is asking any residents of Northern Ireland who were on Etihad Airways flight EY045 from Abu Dhabi to Dublin, which arrived in Dublin on Saturday March 9 2024, to be aware of the signs and symptoms of measles and for those who are at greatest risk of severe illness from measles to please contact the PHA on (028) 9536 8300 as they may be eligible to access appropriate treatments, it said. These treatments will work best if given within the next few days. Those who are at greatest risk are those who were on Etihad Airways flight EY045 and are: children under 12 months old; pregnant women; and people who are immunocompromised. Leo Varadkar is a radical who transformed Ireland, the US economic envoy to Northern Ireland has said. Mr Varadkar is on a week-long visit to the US where he will meet President Joe Biden in Washington after first exploring Irelands economic and cultural ties to Boston. The Irish leader met Joe Kennedy III, the grandnephew of US President John F Kennedy, in Boston on Monday. Mr Kennedy was appointed as the top US diplomat for encouraging economic development in Northern Ireland in December 2022. During a speech at the John F Kennedy Presidential Library, he thanked the Taoiseach for choosing Boston as the first stop on his US tour. Outlining an anecdote in which his six-year-old son misheard the Taoiseachs name as Leo the Radical, Mr Kennedy praised Mr Varadkars role in the Irish government throughout constitutional referenda which repealed legislative bans on abortion and extended marriage equality to gay couples. It actually made me think for a second because Taoiseach, in the best sense of the word, it fits, he said. The Taoiseach has, in fact, been an extraordinary force in challenging what it means to be Irish. What it means to offer a right to choose, what it means to be able to embrace the one you love. The changes ushered in under his watch have transformed Ireland and altered its perception in the world. He said the Irish premier had negotiated challenging political terrain to forge a new path for his own nation. He added: Thank you for all youve done to advance the cause of tolerance, for all youve done to secure peace and prosperity on the island of Ireland and for your efforts to carry the message of peace for all. Mr Kennedy III earlier hosted Mr Varadkar in the Presidents Room of the library, which is used by visiting members of the political family. Mr Varadkar was shown paraphernalia relating to President Kennedys term in office and connections with Ireland, including a green tie and a dish that was used to gift shamrock to the president. The Taoiseach also gave a speech at the presidential library where he said the US has been a true friend to Ireland. Mr Varadkar particularly recognised the contributions of the Kennedy political family, adding the US had played more of a role than any other country in bringing about peace and reconciliation in the island of Ireland. He has also said he will thank Mr Biden for the USs commitment to the Good Friday Agreement and the restoration of Northern Irelands institutions. Speaking to reporters in Boston, Mr Kennedy reflected on his role as economic envoy to Northern Ireland and said: Its been a real pleasure to spend as much time in Northern Ireland as Ive had, Ive got to know the region very well. If you spend any time over there, you realise how extraordinary a place it is and that starts with the people. Mr Kennedy said that while a lot has been written about Northern Irelands history, progress in the region does not get the same attention. He highlighted that there are nearly 250 American companies employing more than 30,000 people in Northern Ireland, as part of 1,200 international companies overall. Mr Kennedy said Belfast is the safest city of its size in the entire United Kingdom and Northern Ireland has a unique quality of life and standard of living on the island of Ireland. He also said the Windsor Framework, negotiated with the EU following the UKs exit from the union, provides trade advantages to Northern Ireland. Local company ZOMA have announced an upcoming fundraiser in honour of Daffodil Day, a cause which they say is close to their hearts, especially over the last year with the loss of their Managing Director's mother back in June 2023. On Friday March 22nd, they will be hosting a fitness-focused event, where they hope to get people to help raise funds for Daffodil Day, an initiative dedicated to providing care, support, and hope to those affected by cancer. In the heart of Dundalk, at 82 Park St, right outside the ZOMA office they will be setting up an area with Exercise/Concept Erg Machines (Bike/Row/Ski) and for every kilometre they collectively reach during the fitness event, ZOMA will donate 4 for each kilometre to Daffodil Day. The target is 820km, to book in its 10 and this donation will go directly to the Irish Cancer Society. You will also receive a branded t-shirt for the event. A spokesperson said: Not only will you be participating in a fun and invigorating activity, but you'll also be contributing directly to a worthy cause. We will also be hosting other challenges on the day of the event to raise awareness and funds like a hanging challenge and pull up challenge. We will also be looking for sponsors on the day and will be highlighting these sponsors on the boarding around the machines and equipment and across social media and press/media releases. We invite you to join us in this endeavour and make a positive impact in the fight against cancer. Whether you're a seasoned athlete or just looking to get active for a good cause, your participation matters greatly. Details of the event: Date: Friday 22nd March 2024, from 8:20am to 8:20pm Location: 82 Park St, Dundalk, ZOMA Office Book Your Slot Here: https://calendly.com/zoma-branding/zoma-s-820k-for-daffodil-day-fitness-fundraiser If you would like to donate directly to this cause please use this link: https://gofund.me/82a0f0df Councillors at the March meeting were told that there may be just five applications eligible for the Council's affordable housing scheme. Cllr Kevin Meenan raised the matter at the March meeting, seeking an update on how applications for the scheme were progressing. Senior Executive Officer, Mr John Lawrence, told the meeting that Louth County Council, to that point, had received around 26 applications for the ten houses available in the affordable housing scheme at Cois Farraige in Blackrock. Mr Lawrence went on to say that the actual number of eligible applications among the 26 was quite low, at that point, less than five. Highlighting that there was very strict criteria in relation to applying for the scheme, he added that they had extended the closing date for applications to the Wednesday 6 March. Mr Lawrence added that there was some issues around the approvals that applicants got in principle from the pillar banks not being sufficient, adding that they would be highlighting issues with the process with the Housing Agency. Deputies from the Taiwan delegation expressed confidence in national reunification and shared their expectations during a group meeting at the ongoing session of the National People's Congress (NPC) on March 9. Yan Ke, an NPC deputy and vice president of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, emphasized the unstoppable shared aspiration of people across the Taiwan Strait to forge closer ties and the irreversible historical trend toward national reunification. She stated, "We steadfastly oppose separatist activities aimed at 'Taiwan independence' and external intervention, aiming to uphold peace, deepen cross-Strait integration, and promote national reunification." Yan highlighted that the Chinese mainland's GDP, exceeding 126 trillion yuan ($17.52 trillion) in 2023, presents vast opportunities for compatriots on both sides of the Strait. "From January to November last year, more than 6,900 new investment projects from Taiwan were approved on the mainland, with the actual utilized capital reaching $86.9 billion, a 39.9% year-on-year increase," Yan explained. According to Yan, cross-Strait industrial cooperation has deepened, with Taiwan entrepreneurs accelerating investment and optimizing their business structures on the mainland. Taiwan enterprises on the mainland are operating with heightened confidence. Yan further noted that in the post-COVID-19 period of 2023, cross-Strait exchanges became more dynamic, with approximately 3 million registered travelers, emphasizing the importance of continuing to foster cross-Strait communication in various sectors. Chen Yunying, an NPC deputy and former researcher at the China National Academy of Educational Sciences, highlighted the ambitions of Taiwan's youth to seek development opportunities on the mainland. She noted that due to her work, she frequently interacts with well-educated young people and professionals who increasingly see the mainland as an essential foundation for their development in education, employment, entrepreneurship, or business. "The mainland offers numerous opportunities across every province and city. Young people are keen to come to the mainland and witness its significant development firsthand," Chen said. Chen outlined four favorable factors for Taiwan compatriots wishing to develop on the mainland: China being the world's second-largest economy, the absence of language or cultural barriers, close proximity and convenient transportation, and the variety of opportunities across different sectors. "Given the favorable development environment on the mainland, young people from Taiwan should not confine themselves to a 36,000-square-kilometer island, thereby missing out on opportunities and a future," Chen said. Chen Yongdong, an NPC deputy and deputy head of the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China Xiamen Municipal Committee, underscored the importance of policy support in fostering cross-Strait integration and national reunification. Last year, the central authorities issued a circular on supporting Fujian to explore new ways for advancing integrated development between the two sides of the Strait and build a demonstration zone for integrated cross-Strait development. The guideline emphasizes Fujian's role as the first stop for Taiwan compatriots and enterprises returning to the Chinese mainland, encouraging it to use its unique advantages and leading role in interactions with Taiwan. Under this guidance, Fujian aims to pioneer in providing Taiwan compatriots and enterprises treatment equal to mainland residents and continue enhancing the well-being of Taiwan compatriots, Chen noted. According to Chen, Fujian supports Taiwan compatriots in pursuing education, securing jobs, living, and engaging in social affairs within the province. "We welcome more students, teachers, medical workers and professional personnel from Taiwan to come to Fujian to explore better career opportunities," Chen said. He mentioned that Fujian will continue to improve its business environment, and support more Taiwan enterprises in engaging in Fujian-Taiwan industrial and sci-tech innovation cooperation, particularly in agriculture and fisheries. Republican George Logan (right) is facing off against U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes in Connecticut's 5th Congressional District. The race has drawn the interest of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who is coming to Hartford this weekend for a fundraiser to support Logan. Brian A. Pounds/ Hearst Connecticut Media A congressional race in northwestern Connecticut is once again drawing the attention of national Republicans intent on securing their control of the U.S. House of Representatives. On Saturday, House Speaker Mike Johnson will appear at a campaign fundraiser in Hartford for Republican George Logan, a former state senator who is making a second bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Wolcott, in the states fiercely competitive 5th Congressional District. Hartford is not part of the 5th District, which does include Avon, Chesire, Farmington, Meriden, New Britain, and Waterbury. For years, Republicans have viewed the district as one of their best opportunities to flip a seat in New England, where their numbers in federal offices have dwindled in recent decades. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Democrats, meanwhile, have seized on the appearance by the conservative, evangelical House Speaker from Louisiana to tie his agenda to Logan, a self-described moderate who has pledged to uphold Connecticuts laws permitting abortions. Logan did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday. During his most recent and unsuccessful campaign against Hayes in 2022, Logan similarly appeared with former House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. prompting similar attacks from Democrats. Advertisement Article continues below this ad While Logan lost that election by just over 2,000 votes, Republicans took control of the House and installed McCarthy as speaker, only to dump him less than a year later during a right-wing revolt that saw Johnson emerge as a consensus leader. In a statement released by her campaign on Tuesday, Hayes called the decision to host the Republican speaker an odd and unfortunate choice, while directly rebuking Johnson as an election denier, for his vote against the certification of the 2020 election. People care about our international allies, Johnson is playing politics with a security supplemental bill, even on the issue of the crisis at the Border, Johnson refuses to put a bill on the floor for a vote, Hayes said. People in the Fifth reject Johnsons extreme views on abortion and LGBTQ rights. This event further solidifies my opponents embrace of Trump and their most extreme policies. In his own post on the social media site X last week, Logan acknowledged that Donald Trump is all but ensured to be his partys nominee for president, without explicitly offering his endorsement of the former president. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I remain laser focused on solving the issues plaguing our country and my communities each and every day, which is why Im running for Congress, Logan said. We must return to economic strength, secure borders and deliver change for the American people." Johnsons upcoming visit has also rankled his only opponent in the Republican primary for the 5th District, Michelle Botelho of Danbury. Logan has the establishment behind him, Botelho said Tuesday. They have a lot of money invested in him, and so everybody is backing him. I am the grassroots, so I have a lot of conservative voters and conservative constituents backing me. Advertisement Article continues below this ad According to federal campaign disclosures, Logan raised $426,326 for his election bid last year, trailing Hayes $1.1 million by a significant margin. However, the Republicans fundraising efforts eclipsed Hayes during the final quarter of the year, $397,618 to $279,195. Community education providers in Louth are being encouraged to apply for Reach funding for eligible projects, which is now open for applications through Louth and Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB). Launched by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Simon Harris TD; the 5 million Reach Funding, (the former Mitigating Against Educational Disadvantage Fund), is inviting applications from community groups that reach disadvantaged learners with the highest level of need to apply. Minister Simon Harris TD said, Over the last four years, this vital funding has enabled community education providers in Louth and Roscommon to support thousands of disadvantaged learners - creating safe learning spaces, addressing the digital divide, building stronger learning communities, and increasing the capacity of community education organisations. "Community education is unique and many of its learners would simply not be able to access other educational provision. I am delighted to see the impact of this funding four years on and I look forward to seeing the range of projects that receive funding through the 2024 call. Since 2020, thousands of initiatives have received Reach Funding, helping to empower learners; build digital infrastructures to support learning; and reconnect disadvantaged learner groups, including the long-term unemployed; young people; people with disabilities; members of the Traveller and Roma communities; migrants and refugees; women wishing to return to the labour market; and lone parents. Encouraging community education providers to apply for the funding, Sadie Ward-McDermott, Director of Further Education and Training in LMETB said: Reach Funding provides an invaluable opportunity for community education providers to access funding to help them support some of the most disadvantaged learners in Louth and Meath. "This is an excellent opportunity for those delivering community education programmes to enhance their capacity to support the most marginalised in our community. A wide range of groups in Louth and Meath have successfully accessed funding in 2023 and we look forward to receiving your applications for 2024. Andrew Brownlee, CEO of SOLAS, said: Reach Funding provided a critical lifeline for learners during the COVID-19 pandemic and has continued to transform access to community education over the last four years. We would encourage community education partners to apply for Reach funding to support the vital work that they do. "It has been fantastic to see the enormous impact that this funding has had on not only on an individuals life, but also to our communities, and Irish society overall. Funding applications from community education providers can be made by completing a funding application form, available from Adult Education Officers in Louth and Meath ETB. Knockbridge ladies, Dolores McNally and Mary McArdle, are hosting an afternoon tea dance in Knockbridge Community Centre on bank holiday Monday 18 March, to raise funds for NECRET (North East Cancer Research & Education Trust) / Drogheda Oncology a cause very close to both women, who have both availed of these services. The mission of NECRET is to improve both the treatment and outcome of those people affected by cancer. Both Dolores and Mary say they cannot speak highly enough of the services provided by NECRET and Drogheda Oncology, having witnessed first hand the dedication and care provided by the services and medical teams and are grateful to be able to give something back to the organisation, and have a bit of fun while doing so. The tea dance will be held on the bank holiday Monday 18 March in Knockbridge Community Centre between 3-6pm, there will be good food, craic and music by Brian Mohan and friends. The ladies say not to forget your dancing shoes, and they will provide the hats! There will be a raffle on the day with some fantastic spot prizes up for grabs. Tickets are 15 and can be bought by contacting 085-1446825 or 087-2395203. Dolores and Mary say are extremely grateful to the local clubs and organisations who have been so supportive in the lead up to this event. If you are unable to make the tea dance and still want to make a contribution, donations and sponsorships are very much appreciated, the organisers say. It is expected to be a great opportunity to catch up with friends, and enjoy some nice homebaking, while dancing along to wonderful tunes, all while raising funds for a very worthy cause. Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) was recently a hive of excitement as lecturers brought the magic of engineering by roadshow to local schools for Engineers Week. The Institute also welcomed over 600 primary school children on campus for a Scientific Sue interactive show as part of their Engineers Week celebrations. Engineers Week is a national roll out of all things engineering and has been created to introduce primary and secondary school children to the diverse world of engineering. The busy week started on Monday with workshops by Sinead Kelly, lecturer in Mechanical Engineering who visited Kilkerly National School to give a wind turbine workshop. On Tuesday Gareth Kelly, lecturer in Civil Engineering took the DkIT Bridge Designer workshop to primary schools and Tuesday also saw Brendan Walsh, lecturer in Civil Engineering visit St Patricks and St Brigits primary school in Drogheda to talk about the work of engineers. On Wednesday DkIT hosted Engineers Ireland Northeast Region STEM quiz grand final on campus, where 13 teams from Cavan, Monaghan and Louth competed to be crowned the champion STEM Quiz team. St Josephs National School Dundalk walked away proudly with 1st prize on the day. The grand finale of the week was Scientific Sue who took to the stage of the Whitaker and held 3 sessions catering to over 600 students. Scientific Sue hosted a Magical Science & Engineering Show aimed at stimulating curiosity and imagination within the students so that they ultimately left the show wanting to embark on the many problem-solving and design tasks set by Scientific Sue. The show was fast-paced, energetic and used lots of enthusatic volunteers. With much excitement children from St Mary's NS Knockbridge, Scoil Mhuire gan Smal, Kilkerley, Scoil Naomh Buithe Tenure, Aston Village ETNS, St. Francis NS Blackrock, St. Oliver's NS Drogheda, Marymount NS Drogheda, Scoil Mhuire na Trocaire Ardee, Scoil Phadraig Naofa Kilcurry, St Mochta's NS, Louth Village, CBS Dundalk, Redeemer Girls Schools and Tallenstown NS. attended this electrifying and fun filled show. Scientific Sue is a graduate of Queens University, Belfast. She taught Physics, Chemistry and Drama for 10 years, in 2004 Sue was made a Fellow of the Institute of Physics (IoP) in recognition of her accomplishments and the impact she made in her sector. Sue has also worked with Stopwatch Television, TVam and RTE as a science consultant, TV guest plus appearing in 13 episodes of her own Scientific Sues Wonder Scientific Sues show in DkIT was part of STEPS Engineers Week which was rolled out with the aim of promoting engineering and the importance of the profession in Ireland. This annual event is coordinated on a national basis by Engineers Irelands STEPS programme - funded by the Department of Education and Skills and industry leaders ARUP, ESB, Intel and TII. A man, 40s, has been arrested on suspicion of kidnapping after An Garda Siochana successfully located a van they were earlier in pursuit of this Tuesday. The yellow Renault Trafic van with registration number 181-D-39433 was last seen in Dublin city centre and following information provided within an hour of the alert by a member of the public, was located in Co Mayo. A garda spokesperson has said: "The investigation into the alleged false imprisonment of a female [30s] is ongoing. The woman is safe and well and is currently receiving support from An Garda Siochana. An adult male has been arrested and is presently in custody at a Garda Station in the Northwestern Garda Region." Gardai had responded to a public order incident in Arklow, Co Wicklow, in the early hours of this Tuesday morning before the alert was issued later in the afternoon. An Garda Siochana would like to thank the public and media for their assistance. Investigations are ongoing. The Prom Closet event on March 3 at Allin Hair Studio in Cheshire. Jillian Falcone / Contributed photo Jillian Falcone, a junior at Cheshire High School Jillian Falcone / Contributed photo Jillian Falcone, a junior at Cheshire High School Jillian Falcone / Contributed photo The Prom Closet event on March 3 at Allin Hair Studio in Cheshire. Jillian Falcone / Contributed photo The Prom Closet event on March 3 at Allin Hair Studio in Cheshire. Jillian Falcone / Contributed photo The Prom Closet event on March 3 at Allin Hair Studio in Cheshire. Jillian Falcone / Contributed photo The Prom Closet event on March 3 at Allin Hair Studio in Cheshire. Jillian Falcone / Contributed photo The Prom Closet event on March 3 at Allin Hair Studio in Cheshire. Jillian Falcone / Contributed photo The Prom Closet event on March 3 at Allin Hair Studio in Cheshire. Jillian Falcone / Contributed photo The Prom Closet event on March 3 at Allin Hair Studio in Cheshire. Jillian Falcone / Contributed photo CHESHIRE When high school girls get ready for prom this year, many will be wearing dresses that they got for free at the Prom Closet, a project with the goal of making prom more affordable organized by Cheshire High School junior Jillian Falcone. Falcone sorted about 200 donated dresses, in a variety of sizes, by color on racks to create a regular dress shopping experience at a recent pop-up event at Allin Hair Studio. Each shopper also got five free raffle tickets for items, including having their hair done for prom, their makeup done for prom and a nail salon gift card. Falcone said 55 people got free dresses, and most of them came from outside of Cheshire, after she spread the word through guidance counselors, Facebook forums and fliers in other towns. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It makes tons of girls' day, Falcone said, It felt really good to see all these girls bring home dresses and be happy with themselves and feel confident in whatever dress they got. Prom costs can be significant, especially when factoring in tickets, which can be up to $150; corsages that can cost up to $60; and hair and makeup that can cost up to $350, according to an article about budgeting for prom 2024 by online dress brand Amarra. The most expensive dress on the online store PromGirl costs $2,310, while some of its final sale dresses cost $50 or less. Falcone said a typical dress can run from $350 to $850. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Prom dresses are very expensive, especially if you're only going to wear it for one time, Falcone said. Falcones older sister, Madelyn Falcone, had the idea for the Prom Closet in 2020 when she went prom dress shopping for the first time. Surprised by prices, she wanted to do something to make prom more affordable for everyone. After the COVID outbreak, the event took off the next year. Madelyn Falcone said her favorite moments of the project are seeing girls smile when they find their dream dress, especially the time she recommended her own former dress to a girl who loved it. I was filled with so much joy to get to pass my dress down to someone else, Madelyn Falcone said. It was a thousand times better than having it sit in my closet. Advertisement Article continues below this ad She said shes proud of her sister for taking the initiative to continue the project. Jillian Falcone said she wants the project to continue after she graduates, maybe one day being run by their younger sister, who is 11. This was the second year Allin Hair Studio hosted the event, and Sonia Agostinelli said she and her partner Elizabeth Markette will continue to do so. Agostinelli said they feel everyone should be able to go to prom and feel beautiful. People could drop dresses off at the salon prior to the event, with the unused dresses going into storage for next year. This has become a tradition that our studio looks forward to participating in every year, Sonia Agostinelli said. Our goal is to continue to expand this event and work toward making it bigger every year. The Spanish Community of Wallingford. File photo. Dave Zajac / Hearst Connecticut Media WALLINGFORD The Spanish Community of Wallingford and the town's Youth and Social Services department are teaming up this month to address mental health needs in the community by hosting a bilingual stress support group for youth and a bilingual workshop on understanding addiction for adults. Youth and Social Services Director Amanda Miranda said both workshops stem from a growing need to address mental health. She said her office is taking calls from people looking for help with addiction and mental health counseling. Because of this, she described the programs at SCOW as a way to go where the people are and provide effective programs. It's a stressful time for anybody and there's ways of coping and some ways of coping aren't necessarily the most healthy way, she said. Mental health is a big, big topic right now. And we want to get our resources out there. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The mental health toll of the past years on both adults and youth is well documented. In Connecticut, about 19 percent of adults experienced a mental illness in 2023, according to a data analysis report from Mental Health America. The report also found that about 17 percent of Connecticut adults reported having a substance use disorder in the past year and about 16 percent of Connecticut youth suffered from at least one major depressive episode in the past year. SCOW Executive Director Adriana Rodriguez said that the workshops are part of a longstanding collaboration with Youth & Social Services. She added that while SCOW is able to provide interpretation and translation services, transportation, childcare and wraparound services during each session, Youth & Social Services brings their highly qualified staff who are trained to provide education in these topics. By offering these workshops in English and Spanish at SCOW, we hope to address the increasing need for mental health education and information, Rodriguez said in an email. This is also done in an effort to lower the cultural stigmas and social taboos associated with mental health care within our Latina/o/e community. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bilingual Youth Stress Support Group The Bilingual Youth Stress Support Group started on Wednesday afternoon at SCOW. Intervention Coordinator Talisha Jones from Youth and Social Services runs the group and described it as an outlet for students to share their ideas and thoughts about stress. The group is open to 6th-8th graders and is designed to teach students skills on how to manage the stressors in their lives and integrate healthy habits into their lifestyles. Students such as them have been experiencing more symptoms and anxiety and stress, but also have not been able to find outlets for it and to communicate it, Jones said. With the rise in anxiety in teens, they sometimes dont recognize or understand those symptoms or those that might be related to the anxiety or stress. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Jones said the group talks about the different emotions that surround stress and anxiety in a way thats more approachable for teens. For example, she said students take a stress screener, which lets them see what level of stress they are on for that week. The students can discuss their score if they want and then participate in a hands-on activity, like making DIY stress balls. The support group is usually a month-long program. Jones said she piloted the group last month at the Wallingford Public Library and is talking to other local organizations to bring the workshop to them in coming months. Bilingual Understanding Addiction Workshop The bilingual Understanding Addiction Workshop series offers adults information and education about addiction, its causes, as well as available local resources. The workshop starts Tuesday, March 12, and runs weekly for a month. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Miranda explained that it was designed to include anyone who wanted more information, including anyone who is curious about the topic, families who are supporting someone struggling with addiction, or anyone who is struggling with addiction themselves. It really is for anybody who's looking for more information. Were trying to keep it pretty broad, she said. The part of the program that talks about resources, where to reach out for help, that would be a little more targeted to a family member, a close relationship that you're concerned about. We'll have information for that and where to go. For more information on these programs, SCOW can be reached by calling (203) 265-5866 and Youth and Social Services can be reached by calling (203) 294-2175. IN Mallory OMearas book, Girly Drinks, she refers to an ancient Sumerian deity called Ninkasi. It was believed that beer was imbued with the spirit of Ninkasi herself. The elated buzz you feel halfway through your first glass? That was thought to be the essence of Ninkasi. I met with the spirit of Ninkasi back in January at Elbow Lane Smokehouse and Brewery, when I sampled a pint of a new specialty beer - a version of their in-house Angel Stout flavoured with smoked hazelnuts. The first in a new collaborative series of experimental brews between Elbow Lanes head brewer, Russell Garet, and head chef, Harrison Sharpe, these limited-edition unique brews celebrate the ten-year anniversary of Corks only co-located brewery and restaurant. Praline sweet, richly nutty, malty and very moreish, I knew this was going to be one tasty year for beer at Elbow Lane Russell Garet has worked in brewing for over 35 years. Breweries both big and small, first in the U.S, then in Ireland since the late 90s, he was part of the team who established the original Franciscan Well brewery and worked there for 12 years before joining Elbow Lane in 2014 to help build the brewery. Head Chef at Elbow Lane, Harrison Sharpe. Harrison Sharpe joined Elbow Lane in 2017 and rose to Head Chef by 2019. He has a penchant for the experimental, and his food is heavily influenced by seasonal ingredients and tapping into the flavours and textures the beer-making process uniquely affords him and his kitchen. Elbow Lane has a core of five beers, all brewed in accordance with something called The Reinheitsgebot, a German Purity Law for beer that dates to 1516. Russell quips its possibly the worlds first consumer protection law, which states beer should be made with just three ingredients: water, barley and hops. Flavour differences come from using a variety of hops added at different stages of brewing, and how much the barley is roasted. Brewing in this way provides certainty about quality, but it can also be restrictive. Anything added outside those three ingredients puts it in the realm of specialty beer, and its this Elbow Lane is embracing, with a year-long roll out of exciting new brews and unique collaborations. The nanobrewery is nestled in a tight space at the back of the restaurant. The stainless-steel kettles are packed in like sentries, with fermenters on the floor above, linked by a forest of pipes and a direct vein to the taps in the bar. From tank to tap is less than 30 feet. I never thought I would work in a restaurant that had its own brewery, says Harrison. There arent a lot of places that do that together, especially one that is as fifty-fifty as Elbow Lane. This proximity means all beers are devised with food in mind, and dishes are created with beer pairings in mind, too. Its a symbiotic relationship between brewer and chef not replicated with such attention to detail anywhere else certainly in Cork, if not Ireland. Back row: Ronan Sharpe (Restaurant Manager), Harrison Sharpe (Head Chef), Russell Garet (Head Brewer). Bottom Row: Conrad Howard (Founder of Market Lane Group of restaurants, including Elbow Lane Smokehouse & Brewery), Stephen Kehoe (Executive Chef, Market Lane Group). Beer and food are paired and included in a lot of dishes around Europe, says Russell. Fish and chips with ale in the batter, beef cooked in brown ale in Belgium, and in Ireland we cook lamb stew in stout. Beers been used in cooking a lot, its just never really celebrated as much or experimented with as much. Thats more of what we do here: we expand on that tradition and bring something new to it. Un-hopped wort extract, brewers yeast for making miso dashi, spent grain, crystal malt and cascade hops, all have been handed off between brewer and chef to add points of difference on the Elbow Lane menu. Harrisons side project is The Fermentary. Hidden in the very top of the slim 18th century building, shelves are filled with jars, crocks, vinegar barrels and bottles housing pickles, ferments, vinegars, kombuchas, dried herbs and vegetables. The mention of beer vinegar piques my interest. Why not? We have wine vinegar and cider vinegar, so why not beer vinegar? We use it like any other vinegar, says Harrison. Weve used it for pickles, its really nice in dressings. We also have a celery vinegar thats lovely as a finishing vinegar with oysters, or in a celery butter sauce for your fish. They say lots of the best ideas happen over a pint, and while Russell has finished his day and winds down at the bar with a beer, Harrison is cranking up the fire ahead of a busy nights service. Soon enough, ideas start to fly. I said, lets do a hazelnut porter - we can get a hazelnut extract over in the English Market. But then Harrison says, why dont we make our own extract? explains Russell. Thats really where the collaboration kicks off. We could go to our local market and get extracts, but thats taking the uniqueness out of how we do things. The hazelnut extract Harrison made was made with our own brewers wort (un-hopped beer), so now theres us taking a whole other twist on it. Right now, the kind of ideas kicking around for new speciality brews for the year ahead include a Mocha Maple Amber Ale, a Quince Red Ale, and a Rhubarb Sour. While the Reinheitsgebot has been well and truly kicked to the kerb for this wild experimentation to take place, the ethos of seasonality is very much at the heart: hazelnuts in winter, rhubarb in spring, quince in autumn. Resting in the tanks right now is a 900-litre brew of a strong ruby ale which is destined to be broken down into small batches with each given a different treatment, creating a variety of expressions from the same base beer. We used a special malt that came in from Germany that imparts notes of rich plum, prune, cocoa, and toast. There are some other speciality malts in there for more richness, malt character and a lovely colour, and weve also used some English hops from Kent, says Russell. Half of this beer is destined to be barrel-aged in a virgin oak barrel sourced from Burgundy in France and made from French and American oak. That would be exciting enough, but there is another layer to this collaboration. Were doing a collaboration with Rebel City Distillery, explains Russell. The distillery makes gin, vodka and Irelands only absinthe, and whats planned is an entirely unique spirit. Well age our special beer in the barrel, then, when the time is right, well pull it out of the barrel, put that on tap in the bar as a special, and the barrel will go to Rebel City Distillery, says Russell. Theyll be producing a spirit, most likely a gin, and aging it in that barrel. A beer-seasoned barrel-aged gin? Literally, hold my beer We arranged to collaborate first, thought carefully about the barrel, and then formulated the beer. We realised there were a lot of considerations. Not just the beer as a stand-alone product, but how its going to react with the wood, and then how that Rebel City Distillery gin will react to the barrel thats had our beer in it. March is when the un-aged Ruby Ale will be pouring from the taps at Elbow Lane, with the barrel-aged coming on after. Its all a matter of time and constant monitoring for when Russell considers it ready. But as its virgin oak, the aging process will be much quicker so we shouldnt be waiting too long. Its an exciting project, one we havent been involved with here before, and thats a good thing, says Russell. In a sort of reunion of Elbow Lane alumna, two other collaborations are on the cards for the year. Former assistant brewers, Jake Biggerstaff and David Marcos, who have gone on to have great careers in brewing, are coming back to their Alma Mater to each work on a new beer recipe as part of the year-long celebrations. Thats part of the beauty of keeping things at nanobrewery level. It affords a flexibility and deftness of innovation that bigger breweries simply cannot do. The bigger breweries cant do that, says Russell. Being as small as we are, we can do all kinds of wacky, experimental projects the big guys cant. The brewery at Elbow Lane has a capacity to run between 12 and 15 five-hundred-litre brews a month and takes two back-to-back brews to fill a 1,000 litre fermenter. We dont rely on filtration or additives to make the beer age quicker. We rely on gravity sedimentation, says Russell. Over time, with a cold temperature, the sediments and yeast drop to the bottom of the tank to leave a relatively clear product. Thats when we know its ready. Filtration robs the beer of a certain flavour character and its just simply a more wholesome product; less adulterated. Theres a huge amount of quiet industry that goes on behind the scenes and under the radar at Elbow Lane what Harrison refers to as the scaffolding. Thats the whole point, he says. We try to hide the real architecture of what were doing and make it look really simple from the outside. These celebratory and collaborative brews will be on tap roughly every two months. Its all a matter of time the beer will tell Russell and Harrison when its ready. Thats the real architect of Elbow Lane Smokehouse and Brewery. The restaurant is open seven days a week for evening service. Beer flights are available, and restaurant staff are trained in how to pair food and beer. Ask for the speciality beer. www.elbowlane.ie A man who appeared to be having an epileptic seizure had consumed magic mushrooms he had found in a field, and thanked gardai for coming to his aid. Mihai Bracau pleaded guilty to possession of drugs, arising out of the incident on October 3, 2022, at his home at Clashafree, Bandon, in Co Cork. At Bandon District Court, Judge James McNulty heard that gardai responded to a call at 6.30pm and attended the mobile home where Mr Bracau lives with his father. Inspector Emmet Daly told the court that Mihai Bracau appeared to be having a seizure and medical assistance was called. Another male, Mr Bracaus father, then arrived at the scene and identified his son as the man on the floor. He gave permission for the house to be searched and gardai found a quantity of magic mushrooms, containing psilocin and psilocybin. Mr Bracaus solicitor, Plunkett Taaffe, said that the mushrooms had prompted the seizure. Mr Taaffe said his client, now 25, had no previous convictions and while originally from Romania, had lived in Ireland since the age of four. Mr Taaffe said that at a subsequent garda interview, Mr Bracau had made candid admissions. He had found them [the mushrooms] in a field, he had taken them, and that had the consequences as described, Mr Taaffe said. He is grateful to the gardai for dealing with him in that way. Mr Taaffe said his client was also grateful to ambulance crew for their assistance and that Mr Bracau had learned a lesson. It was a frightening experience for him, not to be repeated. Judge McNulty said he would treat the matter leniently as long as there was no repeat, dismissing the matter under the Probation Act. THE electoral register is in a shocking state, with a large number of deceased people being entitled to vote while new residents have no vote, a Cape Clear electoral worker told West Cork councillor Chris Heinhold following Fridays referendums. The Bantry-based Social Democrat councillor raised the matter during any other business at Mondays council meeting and said that the same worker had contacted the Franchise Office after the last election. This is something we need to get a handle on quickly, obviously, said Cllr Heinhold. Cllr Karen Coakley, a West Cork Municipal District independent councillor, said that she was aware of a number of deceased people who were issued with polling cards. Its so upsetting for families, she said. Cllr Kevin Murphy, a Fine Gael representative in the Bandon/Kinsale MD said that he had received a number of complaints about what he said were the number of people who were on RIP.ie for several years and theyre still on the register. Cllr Marcia DAlton, an Independent councillor in Carrigaline MD, said that she had been contacted by a household with four voters. Two got polling cards while the other two didnt and when the four of them, who had been living there for more than 20 years, went down to the polling station, just one of the four was on the register. One of the two who got a polling card wasnt on the register, three of the four had voted before while the fourth was a new voter. CORK woke up yesterday morning to the news that, as had been highly anticipated, Cillian Murphy was the Toast of Tinseltown after winning the coveted Best Actor Oscar at the 96th Academy Awards. Tributes have been paid to the Ballintemple actor, who won the award for his starring role in Christopher Nolans biopic Oppenheimer, which swept the boards in Los Angeles on Sunday night. Mr Murphy, who played the title role of J Robert Oppenheimer, the American physicist who helped to develop the atomic bomb, is the first Irish-born winner of the Best Actor award. The actor had already won a Golden Globe, a Bafta, and a Screen Actors Guild award for his starring turn as the theoretical physicist widely known as the father of the atomic bomb. Cork actor Cillian Murphy arrives at the 96th annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, with his wife Yvonne McGuinness and his sons Malachy and Aran. Tributes Leading the tributes to Mr Murphy was President Michael D Higgins, who congratulated him on his wonderful achievement and acknowledged his appropriate dedication to peacemakers everywhere during his speech. Tanaiste Micheal Martin also congratulated his fellow Cork man on his richly deserved win, saying he is absolutely thrilled and delighted for him and his family. In a video message from outside Mr Murphys former primary school, St Anthonys Boys National School in Ballinlough, Mr Martin said: It was an outstanding performance in an outstanding film that will stand the test of time. All at St Anthonys Boys School are particularly thrilled, his alma mater, of course, at Leeside in Cork. Delighted for him and his wonderful family and the nation as a whole all rejoice in a well-deserved Oscar award for Cillian Murphy. Speaking to The Echo, the Lord Mayor of Cork, Kieran McCarthy, said that the whole of Cork is very proud of Mr Murphy. Major congrats to Cillian. He has been on a run of award successes for several weeks now and remains very humble in his success, said Mr McCarthy. All of Cork is very proud of him, and I look forward to honouring him in City Hall in the not-so-distant future. He is a true arts treasure who remains grounded and he is a huge inspiration for others from Cork and Ireland involved in the international cinema scene. Speaking at yesterday evenings meeting of Cork City Council, Mr McCarthy said: I think many councillors today have been calling that our fantastic, international Oscar-winning actor Cillian Murphy be honoured in some shape or form within the city. I have reached out to his publicist and to himself and I await a response on that, so in terms of questions around any sort of civic reception or homecoming, we dont know what Cillian would actually like, so I await a response on that. Freedom of Cork Labour Party election candidate for Cork City South East Peter Horgan suggested that Mr Murphy should be awarded the Freedom of Cork as tribute for his continued contribution to film, not just globally but in Cork and Ireland. This was a wonderful day for the country to wake up to, and for Cork to wake up to one of their own winning the Academy Award for Best Actor, said Mr Horgan. I have written to the Lord Mayor and think this is no more fitting this year than to bestow the Freedom of Cork on Cillian Murphy to acknowledge what he has done, and continues to do, for Irish film. Cillian Murphy poses in the press room with the award for best performance by an actor in a leading role for "Oppenheimer" at the Oscars. Picture: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP. Fianna Fail councillor for the Cork City South-East ward Mary Rose Desmond said she was thrilled for Mr Murphy on his historic achievement and said the excitement locally following his win was palpable. It has been building over the last week. Everyone has been feeling he deserved it but holding their breath until it was a reality, she said. We all love a local success story and, to be fair, Cillian has been a success for many years but this is the ultimate acknowledgement of his talent as an actor on the world stage. Cillian and indeed the entire Murphy family have always been very unassuming, but I think it is safe to say there isnt a child in the locality, especially in St Anthonys Boys Primary School, that wont know his name. Independent councillor for Cork North-East ward Kenneth OFlynn, who is also on the board of directors of Visit Cork (Pure Cork), said: Cillian Murphys remarkable Oscar win is a momentous occasion that we are celebrating in a big way. His victory not only marks a personal triumph but also holds immense importance for Cork and the thriving arts community within it. As a proud Corkonian, Cillians achievement resonates deeply with the local spirit and talent that Cork embodies. Big News Speaking to The Echo from the US, the head of Visit Cork, Seamus Heaney, said: Arts and culture are big news and its what people want post-covid and I think the fact that Ireland is doing very well in cinema and cartoon in California alone is great news. To hear that even last week at a meeting with the IDA that its not all about tech, its about the arts too and how well that is doing. For him to win that on Sunday night was fantastic for the film industry in Ireland and to get more film coming to Ireland and Cork, it would be amazing. We always highlight the fact that every bottle of Jameson across the globe is made in Cork and now to add the Best Actor winner hails from Cork. It is huge news here in the US. Mr Murphys win was also celebrated among those in the hospitality sector, with one bar rolling out the red carpet and a cardboard cut- out of the Cork star for its customers following the news. Marketing manager of BarBarossa on Oliver Plunkett Street, Denis Cronin, said: Everyone at BarBarossa shares in the pride that all of Cork is feeling. Absolutely delighted Mr Murphys former primary and secondary schools were also celebrating the news yesterday morning. St Anthonys Boys National School principal Sean Lyons said: As a school community, we are absolutely delighted for Cillian and for his family and his parents, its just such a remarkable achievement for the man from Ballinlough and from Cork and Ireland to be an Oscar winner, thats just phenomenal. Its just a great positive feel all around Cork and all around Ireland to say hes one of our own and he has achieved it and he has done it in such a humble, respectful, talented way and we in the school have always had a special place in our hearts for Cillian. To reach the pinnacle now on the global stage is just a testament to the person he is and someone who we are, here in the school, so so proud of. Principal of Mr Murphys former secondary school, Presentation Brothers College, David Barry, said: This is such a great honour for Cillian and his family. It is a reward for all of the hard work that he has put into his career. He is an inspirational person who continues to influence people all over the world. There is a great buzz in the school due to Cillians success. Disco Pigs Born in Cork in 1976, Mr Murphy first came to prominence in Corcadorca production of Disco Pigs. His international breakthrough role came in 2002 in the Danny Boyle film 28 Days Later. He showed his darker side as a domestic terrorist in the 2005 thriller Red Eye, and also had roles in Breakfast On Pluto, the Irish war drama The Wind That Shakes The Barley, and science fiction thriller Sunshine, which reunited him with Boyle. He first collaborated with director Christopher Nolan in 2005, as Scarecrow in Batman Begins, a role he reprised in The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises. He also appeared in Nolans films Inception and Dunkirk, but it is his work with the director on Oppenheimer that has brought him the most critical acclaim. Oppenheimer, which is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph And Tragedy Of J Robert Oppenheimer, written by Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin, was the big winner on the night, scooping seven awards in total, including Best Actor, Best Picture, and Best Supporting Actor, as well as Best Director, plus Film Editing, Cinematography, and Original Ocore. The film chronicles Oppenheimers studies, his career, his direction of the Manhattan Project during the Second World War, and his eventual fall from grace after his 1954 security hearing. THERE needs to be further investment into the ambulance fleet or lives will be lost, a north Cork Fianna Fail councillor told colleagues at Mondays meeting of Cork County Council. Councillor Deirdre OBrien made this assertion as she proposed a motion calling for an investigation into the workings of the Ambulance Service by the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly. Describing the Ambulance Service as not bad, it is broken, Ms OBrien said it was increasingly under strain due to reduced hours for SouthDoc in north Cork. We now have ambulances being called out for non-emergency cases because what could be treated by a GP in SouthDoc is now a call to the ambulance team. The call taker is not medically trained, its probably vague and whats worse is the patient could Google it themselves, said Ms OBrien. This means our ambulance service is being called out for non-life-threatening conditions which are now treated in the same category as an emergency, heart attack or stroke call. Cllr OBrien said that because the Ambulance Service works to a central system This could mean no ambulance is available to us when an emergency occurs. Huge, long waiting times can be experienced by the callers. The ambulance is never in Fermoy, it is diverted to Mallow, Clonmel or Dungarvan regularly to cover for staff in these centres. The staff are exhausted, theyre expected to cover 100km distance at one time. Ms OBrien said once the ambulance had picked up a patient in any of these other towns and taken the patient to a hospital in Cork or possibly Waterford, its often asked to stay there and cover calls in the vicinity for the rest of the night or day shift. According to Ms OBrien, this means they cant go back to Fermoy or wherever they originally came from. This begs the question, who is to look after people in these areas. There needs to be further investment into the fleet to save lives or lives will be lost if this continues. Ms OBrien said that while SouthDoc tells people that each county has its own SouthDoc service and to stay in county, she regularly sees Fire Service personnel attending the scene of an accident because the ambulance is away on another call. Several councillors spoke in support of Ms OBriens motion. West Cork councillor, Declan Hurley, told of an incident which occurred in his area a few weeks ago in which a patient turned up at a GPs surgery feeling unwell. The person ended up having to be escorted from the GP practice by firefighters to an air ambulance helicopter because there was no ambulance available in West Cork to take him to hospital, said the independent councillor. Our health service is in a deplorable situation, lives are at risk and action needs to be taken. FILE PHOTO: Sailboats sit on the sand on a sunny winter afternoon at Jennings Beach, in Fairfield. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media After a blustery start to the week in Connecticut, the next few days are expected to see temperatures soaring to around 60 degrees, the National Weather Service said. Tuesday will be sunny and clear, with highs in the upper 50s, and at or near 60s in some spots. In Hartford, the high will be 58 degrees. Breezy winds will stick around today, with gusts expected to hit 30 mph or higher. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Some risk of flooding also remains after heavy rain last week and over the weekend. A flood warning remains in effect for the length of the Connecticut River from Hartford to the Long Island Sound. The weather service has also issued a flood warning for the Pawcatuck River, which is affecting parts of New London County as well as neighboring areas of Rhode Island. Tonight will see lows drop into the 30s before highs reach the low 60s with sunny skies on Wednesday and Thursday. Thursday night will bring another round of showers that will last through Friday and into the early part of the weekend. CILLIAN MURPHYS Oscar win is proof that people can achieve their dreams when they put their mind to it, the principal of the actors former primary school has said. Principal of St Anthonys Boys National School Sean Lyons said that the former pupils inspirational Oscar win sends an important message to all young people. No matter what part of life youre in, whether youre in the creative sector like Cillian or whether its in music, sport, or your own small personal achievements, with hard work its possible to get there whether youre from Cork, Dublin, London, America it does not matter. If you have a goal and the determination and if you can take the knocks and get up and go again and have a drive and the focus, you can achieve. Fianna Fail councillor for the Cork City South-East ward Mary Rose Desmond said she does not doubt that Mr Murphys success will act as a catalyst for many to pursue their dreams and a future career in the arts. I have known Cillian from childhood and I remember the first time I saw him perform was in a college production of Little Shop of Horrors in the Cork Opera House many years ago. "His success goes to show from local beginnings that Irish talent can succeed and shine bright on any stage and that the opportunities for the next generation of artists are boundless. CEO of Opera House Eibhlin Gleeson highlighted the importance of giving young people the opportunity to flourish in the arts. Its important to note that Cillian had opportunities when he was a young man to be in plays and to explore this part of his personality and his talent and its important that we maintain these opportunities for all young people and they continue to be supported up along their career so that they can have these amazing opportunities and they can go out there and win Oscars for Ireland, she said. Independent councillor for Cork North-East ward Kenneth OFlynn described his win as a beacon of inspiration for aspiring young individuals with big dreams in Cork and beyond and said he is opening doors of possibility for the next generation of artists and creatives in Cork. His win ignites a fire within young hearts, encouraging them to chase their ambitions fearlessly and reminding them of the incredible heights they can reach with perseverance and talent, said Mr OFlynn. A sleeping woman was allegedly attacked by her own son who struck her violently across the face with a saucepan he later told gardai: I wanted to clear my head. Garda Simone Gilman-Burke objected to bail being granted to the accused and outlined these allegations at an in camera hearing of Cork District Court. The parties cannot be identified as one of the charges is brought under the Domestic Violence Act, namely the count alleging a breach of a protection order. The 24-year-old man is also charged with assault causing harm. The woman who is aged around 50 believes that if her son is granted bail he would return to her home in Cork and may even kill her. She said he is hearing voices in his head which are telling him to do things. Garda Gilman-Burke said that when the accused was caught, arrested and questioned he told officers that he wanted to clear his head. The accused denied that his mother was asleep at the time. Sergeant John Kelleher and defence solicitor Frank Buttimer had not required that the complainant would give evidence. However, Judge Mary Dorgan asked for the complainant to be sworn in to inform the court about the issue of being asleep or not at the time of the alleged assault. She said she was asleep. The defendants mother told Judge Dorgan: I went to bed. I thought he was asleep already. 10.20pm there was a slam. There was blood everywhere. I kicked him. He walked out. He has voices telling him what to do at this stage. He has serious mental health the voices are telling him, the witness said. Mr Buttimer said the accused told him that he had no issues with his mental health. The accused said he would turn up in court if given bail. Sgt Kelleher said during cross-examination, You are smiling, your are not smiling, you are smiling. Are you suffering from some condition? The 24-year-old said: No. Mr Buttimer suggested: It seems to be a mannerism. Judge Mary Dorgan refused bail and remanded the accused in custody until March 15: I would direct the prison authorities to give him any attention he may need. Garda Gilman-Burke said the incident at the centre of the case occurred on Saturday night, March 9, when it is alleged that the accused walked into his mothers bedroom and struck her in the face as she slept, causing her nose to bleed heavily and leaving her with a swollen eye. The assault was completely unprovoked. She was asleep and entirely vulnerable. He fled afterwards, she said. The accused was arrested close to the scene afterwards. He appeared to lack remorse and awareness of the seriousness of his actions, the garda stated. PLANS for a significant expansion to a city graveyard which, when complete, will cater to a range of different burial preferences have been approved. At a meeting of Cork City Council on Monday, councillors approved the proposed extension of St Catherine's Cemetery in Kilcully. The expansion of the cemetery will see the footprint of the existing burial ground increased to provide 2,199 new standard grave burial plots, 880 cremation burial plots and 312 natural burial plots. St Catherine's currently has approximately 5,200 standard burial plots, with only a limited number of new burial plots remaining. Cork City Council, in its Part 8 planning report, said the proposed extension will cater for future demand for the next few decades. The proposed cemetery extension site is situated to the west of the existing cemetery in an agricultural grassland field and will connect the existing St Catherine's Cemetery with the Kilcully Old Church and its small surrounding graveyard, the report stated. In relation to the natural burials, the local authority said such burials are intended to be with environmentally friendly robust coffins such as good quality wicker materials with a simple small stone marking of the grave plot. The planting of [a] small sized native Irish tree selected from an approved list of suitable trees will be facilitated as [an] additional marker of the plot. No headstones or multiple coffin burials in each plot are proposed, the councils report continued. Also among the planned works is an expansion of the car park to create 53 additional car parking spaces, inclusive of six disabled car parking spaces. The provision of a bike shelter to accommodate a minimum of five bicycles is also proposed. A report issued to councillors at Mondays council meeting stated that two submissions were received when the scheme went to public consultation late last year. Speaking at the meeting, Green Party councillor Oliver Moran lauded the proposed expansion, particularly the option for natural burials, as extraordinarily imaginative. The natural burial ground, he said, will be the first publicly owned natural burial ground in Ireland. Evidence of a rodent infestation in a Douglas restaurant caused a closure order to be issued by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland last month. Two Cork food businesses were served with closure orders by the FSAI last month. Coriander Among them, Coriander Nepalese and Indian Restaurant where the inspector noted significant rodent droppings throughout the premises. Rodent droppings were noted on shelves next to open food, the report stated. There was also evidence of gnawed food packaging, while rodent droppings were also observed in areas where food was prepared and served. The inspector deemed the issues likely to be a grave and immediate danger to public health. The closure order was issued on February 19, and it was lifted two days later on February 21. Offbeat Donuts Separately, Offbeat Donuts were served with a closure order on February 19 just for the upstairs storage area of their business on French Church St in Cork city. Evidence of pest activity was noted throughout the upstairs storage area, the inspectors report noted, and the premises was not adequately pest-proofed. Evidence of rodent droppings were seen in and around gaps at wall and underneath windows the report said. The inspector warned that the conditions meant a serious risk of food contamination. That closure order was lifted on March 5. Ten orders nationally Nationally, ten closure orders were served on food businesses during the month of February for breaches of food safety legislation. Other reasons for the enforcement orders in February include: the sale of food product with the claim 'nut free' in a premises that contains tree nuts and peanuts and has inadequate procedures in place to avoid cross-contamination; the preparation of raw chicken on the equipment sink, with blood present and without any evidence of cleaning; the presence of personal items such as a mattress, blankets and duvet in the ambient food storage unit of the food business; and the presence of cosmetics including face washes, oils and toothpaste at the kitchen food wash sink. Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI, said that food safety is a legal requirement and that all food businesses must comply with the law. Consumers have a right to safe food and the food business owner is legally responsible for ensuring that the food they produce is safe to eat. Maintaining a clean premises that is fit for purpose, managing pest control, properly labelling produce and providing traceability information are mandatory legal requirements for all food businesses. By neglecting to uphold basic food safety and hygiene standards, a business not only jeopardises the health of its customers, but also risks damaging its own reputation as a trustworthy food business, said Dr Byrne. The parents of Cillian Murphy hosted an Oscar party for their children and grandchildren at their Ballintemple home as their son was named as the winner of the Best Actor Oscar at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday. And, yes, there was a sponge cake. Though, as Cillians father, Brendan, told Helen Ni She on RTE Raidio na Gaeltachtas Saol O Dheas programme on Tuesday, they went a bit mad as well when Cillians name was revealed as the winner of the most coveted acting award in cinema. The retired school inspector said that Cillians brother and his wife made a last minute decision to go to Los Angeles for the ceremony. Cillian spoke well and I particularly liked what he said at the end of his speech, said Mr Murphy as he referred to living in the age of Oppenheimer, the man who created the atom bomb, and thanking the peacemakers. He said afterwards that he didnt remember what he had said during the speech. I thought he might want to say something and, as it happens, what he said was completely appropriate. Cillian also mentioned his parents, Brendan and Mary, by name. We were very happy about that, said Brendan, though he thought, at first, that his son might be referring to another Brendan Murphy working on the film. When he mentioned my name, it was like the reading of the rolls at school and I was going to say anseo. We had a cake too, it was great to have it at home and we had more than cake, he said. I like that the cake was mentioned as my wife has a very big role in our family, and not only for baking cakes, I really like that her name was mentioned. When Brendan previously spoke on RTE RnaGs Saol O Dheas show, after his son was nominated for the award, he said that they were pleased entirely for him. I dont like to say were proud of him because its his achievement, not ours, he said. In the interview, Mr Murphy said that while it was fair enough to be proud of children when they were young, when they grew older, it was time for a mutual respect. What a teenager is looking for is respect, and you have to let them go at that stage, I think, but the respect has to be there. Afterwards, if they achieve something, you can be pleasantly surprised but I think you have to let them go when theyre young and love is very important, and would you believe this, love is as important now when theyre grown up as it is when theyre teenagers. In that context he expressed delight that Cillian included his own two sons when he was thanking people from the stage. He said that he loved them and theyre grown teenagers and I think thats very important. For those anticipating an early homecoming to Cork, it may not be soon as Brendan said his son planned to take a holiday and looming for his elder son is the Leaving Cert exams in June. Theyll have to look after him for that, he said. He anticipated that Cillian and his family would be taking a trip back to the West Kerry Gaeltacht in the Summer. As for future plans, Brendan thinks that Cillian will not be swayed by money to make blockbusters but rather to produce movies based on stories hes interested in. I dont hear him talking about blockbusters, I dont think he has too much interest in them unless they had some other quality, said Brendan. Maybe he might make a big enough movie so he could produce smaller scale movies as well. Homeowners and business owners in Cork are battening down the hatches and bracing for the unthinkable ahead of the status orange weather warning which has been forecast for Wednesday. The status orange warning forecast by Met Eireann will be in place from 12pm on Wednesday to 12pm on Thursday. Persistent rain, heavy at times, accompanied by strong onshore winds, high tides, and elevated river levels are forecast, leaving residents of Gleann Fia estate in Mogeely near Midleton on high alert. Resident Vivienne Jeffers, who recently told The Echo of how she had to escape her flooding home with her two young kids through the top window in their sitting room during Storm Babet back in October, said residents fear the worst yet again. 20/10/2023 Cork, Ireland. Businesses all through Midleton are open late tonight, as their owners work to repair damage caused by the flooding of Owennacurra River in time to open to customers tomorrow. Photograph: Eamonn Farrell / RollingNews.ie The estate was badly flooded last October with 30 of 32 homes affected, the aftermath of which Ms Jeffers described as complete demolition. The estate narrowly escaped flooding on two separate occasions since then. Ms Jeffers, who previously called for interim flood defense measures to be put in place, said: Residents are on high alert in Gleann Fia with the announcement of the orange rain warning, especially with the fact that our estate has been threatened twice with flooding since October without any weather events, just simple rainfall coming off the land. No one will sleep for the rest of the week. Many will have emergency bags packed just in case the unthinkable happens again. 20/10/2023 Cork, Ireland. Businesses all through Midleton are open late tonight, as their owners work to repair damage caused by the flooding of Owennacurra River in time to open to customers tomorrow. Photograph: Eamonn Farrell / RollingNews.ie. Cork County Council advised property owners to take precautions in low-lying areas or areas susceptible to flooding and road users are asked to exercise caution as driving conditions may be hazardous. Motorists are advised to avoid driving through flowing or standing water and to exercise caution during heavy rain and are also asked to be conscious of cyclists and pedestrians. The Councils Severe Weather Assessment Team convened on Tuesday afternoon and has crews on standby in several known risk locations across the county. Crews have been clearing inlets and gullies and pumping arrangements have been put in place as a precautionary measure in known problem locations. File photo of flooding near Fr Mathew Street. Picture by Noel Sweeney. Meanwhile, Cork city centre also braces for the strong winds, rainfall and expected flooding as businesses remain fearful of damage to their premises. Speaking to The Echo ahead of the status orange weather warning, president of the Cork Business Association (CBA) Kevin Herlihy said it is very worrying for businesses. These astronomical tides are a huge concern. There are very few businesses in the city centre that have flood insurance now so its obviously a big concern. We just hope that it will pass without incident. Thats the hope among the business community. Weve just got to batten down the hatches and Cork City Council is providing sandbags. The big thing too is that work on the flood defence scheme on Morrisons Island is going to start soon. "The sooner it starts and the sooner it gets done then the better for Cork city. When it is done it will be great but for the moment, weve just got to take all the precautions. In the event of a disruption to power supply, people are asked to contact ESB Networks at 1800 372 999 and in the event of a disruption to water supply, people are asked to contact Uisce Eireann at 1800 278 278. In an emergency, people are asked to call 999 or 112 and request the Fire Service, Ambulance Service, Gardai or Irish Coastguard as appropriate. A 77-year-old Cork man serving 11 years in jail for multiple counts of sexually assaulting two of his granddaughters had his appeal against his sentence for being unduly severe rejected today. Ms Justice Una Ni Raifeartaigh - in the rejection of the appeal heard also by President of the Court of Criminal Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, and Mr Justice John Edwards - said one of the aggravating factors was that the he had previous convictions for sexual assaults on three other granddaughters and one of his daughters. The appeal claimed that the 11 year sentence failed to consider the principle of totality, which resulted in the overall sentence being excessive. The appellant said the fact that he was 75 at the time of sentence meant that the impact of the sentence was greater than on a younger person. Ms Justice Ni Raifeartaigh said: The offending took place over a significant period of time in respect of two sisters. The offending was serious and included instances of digital penetration of the vagina by the finger and oral contact with the childs vagina (in respect of both injured parties). The children were extremely vulnerable by reason of their parents (difficulties). Their grandfather who had an important role in their daily lives, was taking advantage of their vulnerability and abusing the trust inherent in his familial position in the most egregious way. The effects on the victims (aged between 10 and 14 at the time of the crimes commencing in 2010) were severe and long-lasting. It was a very serious case of multiple sexual assaults of two children with several aggravating circumstances. The Court of Criminal Appeal judges found that adequate account was given by the sentencing judge to mitigating factors and the suspension of two years which left the accused serving a total of 11 years. In all the circumstances, while we accept that the sentence was a significant one for a man of the appellants age, we have reached the conclusion that the sentencing judge did not err in imposing the sentence in question and accordingly we dismiss the appeal against the severity of sentence, Ms Justice Ni Raifeartaigh said. There is a legal prohibition against identification of the parties to the case. A PRISONER serving a five-year sentence for a serious knife attack on a garda, that changed the course of the officers working life, was told that he was very sensible to heed the warning to withdraw his appeal to avoid his term being made longer rather than shorter. President of the Court of Criminal Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham said to Anthony ODonnell, of no fixed address, that this was a case of quite extraordinary seriousness. The options are to leave the sentence as it is, reduce or to increase it. The judge warned that because of the very serious nature of the assault and death threats against the garda, there was a real possibility that the Court of Criminal Appeal would increase the sentence. His [the injured partys] career serving the community is at an end, and he is now confined to desk work, Mr Justice Birmingham said. The appellants barrister, Paula McCarthy, said ODonnell had now instructed her to apply to withdraw his appeal. ODonnell was originally sentenced by Judge Catherine Staines to five years, with the last year suspended in the case, at Cork Circuit Criminal Court. Sergeant Gordon Crowley said that the injured officer, Garda Tim McSweeney, bravely intervened to protect the man from his own actions and to safeguard a woman and others who were present in the house. A woman who was present in the house that night put it simply: I want to thank Garda Tim McSweeney. I believe he saved my life. Unfortunately, it came at a high cost for the member of An Garda Siochana who is very well known throughout Passage West and surrounding areas where he has been based for many years. Mr McSweeney said: When I started my shift that day, little did I know the incident would change my life. He had hoped to serve out his career in the force in Passage West, but now believes that his future with the gardai will be more office-based rather than on the beat. INCIDENT Sgt Gordan Crowley said the incident dated back to the evening of March 24, 2022, when Mr McSweeney responded to a call to a house in the Douglas area of Cork, where he was told that a man was not welcome and would not leave. Mr McSweeney met ODonnell at the house and found that he was intoxicated and aggressive. Initially, he calmed him and escorted him from the house, Sgt Crowley said. As he did so, Anthony ODonnell went back into the kitchen to retrieve his jacket. He took a sharp knife from the kitchen. He inflicted minor lacerations on himself. Garda McSweeney intervened and received cuts to his own hands. Anthony ODonnell pointed the knife directly at him and said he would kill him and kill her [the woman living in the house]. He assaulted him in a frenzied manner until the armed support unit arrived. Garda McSweeney sustained injuries to his hands and back and to his knee, Sgt Crowley added. 36-year-old Anthony ODonnell pleaded guilty to charges including assaulting Mr McSweeney, production of a knife during an incident, threatening to kill the garda and a woman at the house, trespassing in a manner likely to cause fear, and obstructing Garda Marie Courtney. CHOOSING to run the referendum on International Womens Day transpired to be an unfortunate pairing Last Friday, there was the usual annual clamour for celebrating women and all that we do and all that we have achieved. Yes, it is nice to hear about accomplished women who have overcome adversity, bias, and setbacks on their path to success, and most years I am a champion of the day. Yet, last Friday, I couldnt help groaning at every article slash press release I read about an IWD discussion panel event, especially the ones sponsored by a mega corporation. Pardon my cynicism, but more and more companies seem to use the day as an opportunity for performative acts of support, maybe without implementing substantive changes. I was extra-cynical this year because I am so sick of striving. Or endeavouring. While the IWD events trundled on around the country the ballots were open, and voters decided to keep a 1937 interpretation of family, womanhood, and motherhood in the Constitution because the proposed alternative was so unpalatable. Three years since the Citizens Assembly on Gender Equality, millions of euros on the referendum, and God knows how many man and woman hours expended on endless meetings discussing the whole referendum enterprise. All for a big fat No. Two of them! The only positive thing is that it highlighted that care is a critical issue in Ireland that needs to be treated with the respect it deserves. Government could and should have shown greater ambition and given us stronger wording that recognised care in all its forms - within families and in the wider community. The most frustrating part is that constitutional reform on these issues is likely to be shelved for another decade. My seven-year-old daughter may be able to vote herself in the next iteration. It is 2024, more than 100 years since women got the vote, more than 50 years since the marriage bar was lifted, over 20 years since the Equal Status Act - can we have gender equality already? Can we have the complete package, including equal pay for equal work, no gender-based violence; recognition that child bearing and rearing is done mainly by women and is an invaluable part of the collective endeavour of running a successful society and country and needs to be properly supported? While we are at it, can we have the version that acknowledges that humans get old and sick and that someone must take care of them, and that work is mostly done by women? And when parents work outside the home, children need to be minded and those childcare and early years workers need to be paid significantly more? Can we acknowledge that we pay obscene amounts of money to jobs that generate wealth (for some) and under-pay workers whose jobs do not accrue money on a balance sheet but support society in myriad ways? Royal London Ireland estimated the cost to employ someone to do the work performed by a stay-at-home parent would be around 54,590 per year, yet 90% of people surveyed underestimated the monetary value of a stay-at-home parent, valuing the monetary value at 30,547. We all need a mindset upgrade that recognises the true value of caring. I regularly read the Little People, Big Dreams series of kids books where the lives of famous historical people are distilled into an easy to understand and inspiring story along with quirky illustrations. The book series is a worldwide phenomenon and has made the lives of David Bowie, Muhammed Ali, Rosa Parks, Frida Kahlo and so many others accessible to children, providing a diversity of role models for any child. The latest one my kids read happened to be about Emmeline Pankhurst, who was inspired, as a child, by books about heroes who fought for others. When the referendum result became clear over the weekend, I thought of people like Emmeline Pankhurst and Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington and the life-long battle they fought to secure the vote for women. Why must we battle so? Pankhurst dedicated her life to fighting for womens voting rights and, with great bravery, led a remarkable movement that changed the world. Limited voting rights were eventually secured in 1918 to women over 30 years old who met certain property qualifications, in the UK, including Ireland at the time. Full voting equality was achieved in 1922 when the Constitution of the Irish Free State was enacted, and women were granted the right to vote on the same terms as men. Irelands most influential suffragette and a founding member of the Irish Womens Franchise League in 1908, Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington, protested the conservative wording of Articles 41 in the Constitution and I have been wondering what people like Skeffington and Pankhurst would make of the lot of women in 2024. Would they marvel at the progress, or despair at remaining inequalities? No doubt they would urge us to continue to strive for justice and equality for all. The struggle continues. Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions. Researchers have discovered a variety of large plastic pieces in the guts of dead sea turtles found in the eastern Mediterranean. Some of these plastic items include bottle caps and a Halloween toy in the shape of a witch finger. A team led by the University of Exeter and the North Cyprus Society for the Protection of Turtles (SPOT) examined 135 loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) that had died in North Cyprus, which has several nesting and foraging sites on beaches in the area. According to the study, many sea turtle deaths in the area are because of bycatch, and strandings also occur that may be related to interactions with the fisheries. The researchers collected dead sea turtles from 2012 to 2022 and examined their guts for debris, including macroplastics, or plastic pieces larger than 5 millimeters. In total, researchers found 492 macroplastic pieces in 42.7% of the turtles, and one individual turtle contained 67 of those macroplastic pieces. They published their findings in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin. Overall, the researchers noted that the plastic pieces ingested tended to be rectangular, sheetlike, hard or foam texture and clear or white in color. The most common types of macroplastics found were polypropylene, polyethylene and polyamide. The researchers also recorded findings of plastic-like debris, including elastic and rubber. In one turtle, they found a witch finger toy made from rubber. The journey of that Halloween toy from a childs costume to the inside of a sea turtle is a fascinating glimpse into the life cycle of plastic, Emily Duncan, from the University of Exeters Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the Penryn Campus, said in a statement. These turtles feed on gelatinous prey such as jellyfish and seabed prey such as crustaceans, and its easy to see how this item might have looked like a crab claw. According to the study authors, these findings could further support sea turtles as a bioindicator species, although more studies are needed. A bioindicator species is one that reveals changes to the health of an environment, such as the often-cited example of a canary in a coal mine. As Brendan Godley, a professor at the University of Exeter who leads the Exeter Marine research group, explained, Much larger sample sizes will be needed for loggerheads to be an effective bioindicator species, and we recommend studies should also include green turtles allowing a more holistic picture to be gathered. Bissau, Guinea Bissau (PANA) Authorities in Guinea Bissau face important near-term risks, including policy implementation challenges stemming from a challenging socio-political climate and capacity constraints, said an International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday on completion of meetings on the countrys macroeconomic policies with the authorities in Bissau Victoria Hill testifies before the Connecticut Judiciary Committee on Monday, March 11, 2024. Hill says she dated her half-brother in high school after her mother and others were inseminated by Dr. Burton Caldwell, documents show. Connecticut Network/Contributed NEW HAVEN Lawyers for two women who say a fertility doctor inseminated them and a number of others with his own sperm resulting in one woman's daughter unknowingly dating a half brother in high school are seeking more information for use in suing the doctor, Yale University and related entities. The womens lawyers filed the petition for a bill of discovery last week in state Superior Court in New Haven against Yale University and various related entities, including Yale New Haven Hospital. The petition also names as a defendant Dr. Burton V. Caldwell, 85, of Clinton, who formerly practiced medicine as a reproductive endocrinologist, according to the petition. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a statement, Yale New Haven Health and Yale said they "are hopeful the court will again deny the request, as it did last year, as there was no evidence of their involvement in the conduct alleged against Dr. Caldwell." Last years bill of discovery against Yale in relation to Caldwell was filed by different lawyers for other plaintiffs and it did not state the same allegations cited in the new petition. The bill of discovery filed last week accuses Caldwell of using his own sperm to inseminate two other women after telling them the sperm would come from a Yale medical trainee who had been screened for health issues, looked like the womans husband, did not plan to stay in the area and had not donated frequently. A previous lawsuit filed last year by a different woman and her mother claims Caldwell may have fathered more than 22 children in a similar fashion. Advertisement Article continues below this ad No lawyer is listed for Caldwell in court records. Caldwell and an attorney who represents him in another case could not be reached for comment. Woman says she was 'intimate' with half brother Caldwells medical license is listed as inactive in online state records, which say it lapsed due to non-renewal in 2005 after he had been licensed in Connecticut for 28 years. One of the women seeking the information in the new case is Maralee Hill, of Wethersfield. The petition alleges that she gave birth to her daughter, Victoria Hill, as a result of an artificial insemination in which Caldwell used his own sperm. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Maralee and Victoria Hill were among about 30 people who testified Monday before the state legislature's Judiciary Committee on a bill to prohibit doctors from using their own sperm to inseminate patients without consent. The bill as currently written would create civil liability, but would not make fertility fraud a crime. In her written testimony, Victoria Hill said she recently discovered that her high school boyfriend was one of her half siblings. Hill testified that she was "intimate and in a relationship" with him "and very much could have seen myself marrying this man and having children had we not gone to different colleges and allowed life to take us in different directions." She also testified that, after learning she was Caldwell's biological daughter, "I confronted Dr. Caldwell who very readily admitted to donating for many years and showed no remorse or concern for what he had done." Jody Madeira, a law professor at Indiana University Bloomington who has written a book about infertility issues, said Monday she believes this is the first confirmed case of a person dating a half sibling as a result of alleged fertility fraud in the U.S. She said there have been such cases in England involving sperm donors. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The court petition seeks some basic information from Caldwell, such as a court-ordered DNA test, likely to determine whether he is the biological father of the children involved. The plaintiffs believe he is the father based on half sibling relationships identified through commercial DNA testing services. The petition also seeks extensive information on Caldwells relationship to Yale to determine whether the school can be held legally liable for the doctors acts. Even in the absence of a law specifically banning fertility fraud, the plaintiffs' lawyers believe they have legal grounds to sue, based on claims such as medical negligence, fraudulent concealment and violation of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act, according to the petition. The petition claims there is already considerable evidence of Caldwells relationship to Yale, including that he was on its medical staff, was a professor at Yale School of Medicine, and saw and treated patients at Yale. The petition also says Caldwell listed Yale affiliations among his credits when he co-authored scientific papers. 'Grievous betrayal' The lawyers representing the two women seeking the information are Matthew S. Blumenthal and Kelly A. Fitzpatrick of Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Blumenthal on Monday called Caldwell's use of his own sperm a "grievous betrayal of trust in some of the most intimate and vulnerable parts of people's lives." He said the mothers "were desperate to have children" and willing to submit themselves to invasive procedures. "It also involves some of the core elements of people's identity, who am I and where do I come from?" he said of the children. Several other families may also file separate legal actions, said attorney Rosalie Louis, who is representing Janine Pierson and her mother Doreen in the first lawsuit filed against Caldwell. Advertisement Article continues below this ad That lawsuit also contends that Doreen Pierson was seeing Caldwell for fertility issues and was told she would be artificially inseminated with sperm from a Yale medical intern who would remain anonymous. The Piersons said in the lawsuit that Janine Pierson found at least 22 others who are her half siblings, all of whom were fathered by Caldwell through artificial insemination, the documents stated. Louis has said some of the other families are considering filing their own lawsuits through her firm, Lynch Traub Keefe & Errante. Louis said she is seeking to question Caldwell's former nurses under oath. Caldwell and his business associates have already undergone out-of-court questioning under oath as part of the lawsuit, she said. "We've talked to a number of families impacted by this," Louis said. In 2022, Janine Pierson did a home DNA test and discovered Caldwell was her biological father, according to the lawsuit. When she confronted him with the test, Caldwell admitted "using his own sperm to artificially inseminate numerous patients," including her mother, the lawsuit contends. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Doreen Pierson said in the lawsuit that she was never told the sperm came from Caldwell and has suffered emotional distress knowing that someone she trusted to perform an intimate procedure had used his own sperm, which resulted in the birth of her daughter. As a result of his conduct, Janine Pierson said her life has been forever changed because she fears various heredity diseases that run in Caldwell's family, according to the lawsuit. She also fears she'll wind up dating or being intimate with a person who is actually her half sibling, the lawsuit said. Caldwell filed a motion to have some of the lawsuit dismissed, court records show. But a judge declined to rule on the motion, saying it would need to be filed in a timely manner. The case is scheduled to go to trial with jury selection starting in September 2025, according to the Judicial Branch website. Gemini, Google's AI chatbot, won't answer questions about Indias upcoming national elections, the company wrote in a blog post today. Out of an abundance of caution on such an important topic, we have begun to roll out restrictions on the types of election-related queries for which Gemini will return responses, the company wrote. The restrictions are similar to the ones Google announced in December ahead of global elections in the US and the EU. As we shared last December, in preparation for the many elections happening around the world in 2024 and out of an abundance of caution, were restricting the types of election-related queries for which Gemini will return responses, a Google spokesperson wrote to Engadget. The guardrails are already in place in the US. When I asked Gemini for interesting facts about the 2024 US presidential election, it replied, Im still learning how to answer this question. In the meantime, try Google Search. In addition to Americas Biden-Trump rematch (and down-ballot races that will determine control of Congress), at least 64 countries, representing about 49 percent of the worlds population, will hold national elections this year. When I prompted OpenAIs ChatGPT with the same question, it provided a long list of factoids. These included remarks about the presidential rematch, early primaries and Super Tuesday, voting demographics and more. OpenAI outlined its plans to fight election-related misinformation in January. Its strategy focuses more on preventing wrong information than supplying none at all. Its approach includes stricter guidelines for DALL-E 3 image generation, banning applications that discourage people from voting, and preventing people from creating chatbots that pretend to be candidates or institutions. Its understandable why Google would err on the side of caution with its AI bot. Gemini got the company in hot water last month when social media users posted samples where the chatbot applied diversity filters to historical images, including presenting Nazis and Americas Founding Fathers as people of color. After a backlash (mainly from the internets anti-woke brigade), it paused Geminis ability to generate people until it could iron out the kinks. Google hasnt yet lifted that block, and it now responds to prompts about images of people, Sorry, I wasnt able to generate the images you requested. A Brooklyn bishop renowned for his extravagant way of life and claims of an exaggerated close association with Mayor Eric Adams has been found guilty on numerous charges. Lamor Miller-Whitehead from Brooklyn, who gained notoriety after being robbed of $1 million worth of jewelry during an online broadcasted service and bragged about his connection with the New York City mayor, has been convicted in federal court on Monday. The charges include wire fraud, attempted extortion, and providing false information to the FBI. Three masked suspects stormed the service and ran off with the bishop's $75,000 Rolex watch, a $75,000 Cavalier watch and a $25,000 ruby and diamond ring, among other valuables. RELATED: 8 Kids Dead, 78 Rushed To Hospital After Eating Sea Turtle Meat The bishop, who "was known for driving around in a Rolls Royce and records show he lived in a $1.6 million home in Paramus, New Jersey," according to the Associated Press, also owned apartment buildings in Hartford, Connecticut. He returned to the spotlight in December when the indictment against him was officially announced. The 47-year-old preacher from Brooklyn has been convicted of five counts following a trial in federal court in Manhattan. Prosecutors contended that the pastor, who boasted about his connections to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, succumbed to greed as he allegedly pilfered a parishioner's retirement savings and attempted to allegedly extort a businessman to fund his extravagant lifestyle. He also faced allegations of providing false information to FBI agents when he denied owning a second cellphone. Per court records, Miller-Whitehead reportedly persuaded an elderly mother of a parishioner, Pauline Anderson, to invest $90,000 of her retirement savings with him, but instead, he allegedly spent the entire amount on personal expenses. RELATED: Judge Accused Of Shooting Sleeping Boyfriend In The Head And Told Him He Did It The preacher stands accused of coercing another church-goer into giving him $5,000 through extortion tactics. Subsequently, he allegedly persuaded a businessman to lend him an additional half a million dollars and provide him with a share in real estate dealings. Prosecutors argued that Miller-Whitehead was aware that he couldn't fulfill promises of favors from the city government in exchange for these transactions. Last month, prosecutors called Whitehead during the trial a "conman who told lie after lie to victim after victim." Whitehead allegedly "used lies and threats to get money from his victims and when lies caught up to him, he lied to the FBI," claimed prosecutor Jessica Greenwood, according to the 'New York Times.' The pastor of Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Canarsie entered a plea of not guilty and was subsequently released on a $500,000 bond. His sentencing is scheduled for July 1. Boeing Company employee John Barnett was found dead on March 9 after flagging several concerns regarding the company's production standards. Barnett, the 62-year-old, retired in 2017 following health concerns. During this time, the former employee was presenting evidence for a lawsuit against the $77 billion corporation. Per Charleston County Coroner's office, investigators confirmed that he died from a "self-inflicted" gunshot wound. He was found dead in his truck, located in the parking lot of a hotel. RELATED: Royal Family Member's Shocking Sudden Death Under Investigation Since 2010, Barnett was employed as a quality control manager at the North Carolina plant working on the 787 Dreamliner a modern American wide-body jet with unparalleled fuel efficiency, range flexibility, and "smooth wing" technology allowing for greater speed. The whistleblower highlighted flaws in the structure, claiming passengers on the 787 Dreamliner could be left without oxygen if the cabin were to suffer a sudden decompression. He also claimed testing proved that up to a quarter of oxygen systems could be compromised and may not work when needed. The retiree also reported that in some cases, parts were brought in from scrap bins and put onto planes to prevent delays, and feared the rushed process compromised the safety of the jet. Boeing sent their condolences in a statement saying they are "saddened by Mr. Barnett's passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends," however, are continuing to deny accusations despite the company failing dozens of safety audits. RELATED: 'Parasite' Actor Lee Sun-Kyun Found Dead Inside His Parked Car In Seoul According to The New York Times, the aerospace company failed 33 of 89 audits presented by the Federal Aviation Administration after a cabin door blew off an Alaska Airlines craft mid-flight in January. Investigators later found that bolts were missing from the structure. Northeastern University's physics professor Arun Bansil claimed passengers would likely have died if the blowout occurred 10 minutes later, per The Daily Mail. Barnett was scheduled to appear in person for further questioning. When the former employee did not appear, he was found dead. His lawyer described his death as "tragic" in a statement to BBC. Defense attorney Frank Riccio questions a witness on the seventh day of State Trooper Brian Norths trial in Connecticut Superior Court, in Milford, Conn. March 12, 2024. North is charged with manslaughter for shooting 19-year-old Mubarak Soulemane in January 2020 in West Haven after a chase from Norwalk on Interstate 95. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Paul Taylor, a professor at the University of Colorado, testifies on the seventh day of State Trooper Brian Norths trial in Connecticut Superior Court, in Milford, Conn. March 12, 2024. North is charged with manslaughter for shooting 19-year-old Mubarak Soulemane in January 2020 in West Haven after a chase from Norwalk on Interstate 95. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media James Borden, former police officer who works at Las Vegas-based Critical Incident Review, testifies on the seventh day of State Trooper Brian Norths trial in Connecticut Superior Court, in Milford, Conn. March 12, 2024. North is charged with manslaughter for shooting 19-year-old Mubarak Soulemane in January 2020 in West Haven after a chase from Norwalk on Interstate 95. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Lead prosecuting attorney Robert Devlin cross examines a witness on the seventh day of State Trooper Brian Norths trial in Connecticut Superior Court, in Milford, Conn. March 12, 2024. North is charged with manslaughter for shooting 19-year-old Mubarak Soulemane in January 2020 in West Haven after a chase from Norwalk on Interstate 95. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media State Trooper Brian North stands in Connecticut Superior Court at the start of the seventh day of his trial in Milford, Conn. March 12, 2024. North is charged with manslaughter for shooting 19-year-old Mubarak Soulemane in January 2020 in West Haven after a chase from Norwalk on Interstate 95. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media State Trooper Brian North sits in Connecticut Superior Court on the seventh day of his trial in Milford, Conn. March 12, 2024. North is charged with manslaughter for shooting 19-year-old Mubarak Soulemane in January 2020 in West Haven after a chase from Norwalk on Interstate 95. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Paul Taylor, a professor at the University of Colorado, is sworn in as witness on the seventh day of State Trooper Brian Norths trial in Connecticut Superior Court, in Milford, Conn. March 12, 2024. North is charged with manslaughter for shooting 19-year-old Mubarak Soulemane in January 2020 in West Haven after a chase from Norwalk on Interstate 95. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Defense attorney Frank Riccio questions a witness on the seventh day of State Trooper Brian Norths trial in Connecticut Superior Court, in Milford, Conn. March 12, 2024. North is charged with manslaughter for shooting 19-year-old Mubarak Soulemane in January 2020 in West Haven after a chase from Norwalk on Interstate 95. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Lead prosecuting attorney Robert Devlin cross examines a witness on the seventh day of State Trooper Brian Norths trial in Connecticut Superior Court, in Milford, Conn. March 12, 2024. North is charged with manslaughter for shooting 19-year-old Mubarak Soulemane in January 2020 in West Haven after a chase from Norwalk on Interstate 95. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media James Borden, former police officer who works at Las Vegas-based Critical Incident Review, is sworn in as witness on the seventh day of State Trooper Brian Norths trial in Connecticut Superior Court, in Milford, Conn. March 12, 2024. North is charged with manslaughter for shooting 19-year-old Mubarak Soulemane in January 2020 in West Haven after a chase from Norwalk on Interstate 95. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media MILFORD Jurors could be deliberating the question of whether Connecticut State Police Trooper Brian North's use of deadly force in the January 2020 fatal shooting of Mubarak Soulemane was or wasn't reasonable by Wednesday afternoon. On Tuesday, they heard from two former cops who determined that it was justified, but were prevented from talking about that conclusion specifically in court. Instead, Judge H. Gordon Hall limited their testimony to questions mostly about their methods and the facts leading up to North firing seven shots at Soulemane under an Interstate 95 overpass in West Haven following a pursuit, leaving the "ultimate question" of if the trooper was justified up to the jury. Advertisement Article continues below this ad After the experts testified Tuesday, the defense rested its case. Inspector General Robert Devlin, who is leading the prosecution, said he had one rebuttal witness scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday, after which closing arguments are expected. The two defense experts Paul Taylor and James Borden were first retained by Michael Gailor, a prosecutor who handled the investigation prior to Devlin, whose position investigating all police uses of deadly force statewide was created in 2021. Taylor and Borden reviewed video of the incident and concluded North fired his weapon in response to an articulable deadly threat posed by Soulemane. Devlin included the reports in his own investigation, but criticized their methodologies and reached the opposite conclusion on Norths use of force. He noted that the experts didnt take into account inconsistencies between Norths statements at the scene after the shooting and a written statement the trooper submitted through a lawyer a month later. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Through his analysis of body-worn camera footage, transcripts, case reports and other materials, Taylor, a professor at the University of Colorado Denver and the founder of the Association of Force Investigators, testified Tuesday that North did not decide to shoot in response to the Taser being deployed, nor because of a startled response. North testified Friday that he fired the shots because he thought Soulemane was going to use the knife to hurt other officers on the passenger side of the vehicle. The things that (Trooper North) describe as occurring when he made the decision to pull the trigger are in fact supported by the perception response times that we see in laboratory studies, Taylor said Tuesday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Taylor also said the officers' positioning outside a stolen Lyft driven by Soulemane "made sense" given the circumstances. During cross-examination, Devlin pointed out Taylor had not been provided with North's initial statement following the shooting, only with a statement he provided after reviewing body-worn camera footage. He then noted Taylor has said publicly that giving a statement after viewing this footage is an inferior way of having an officer relay what happened, to which Taylor agreed. Taylor added that, though its common practice, an officers memory of the event could be tainted by reviewing the footage. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "The preference would be for officers not to view body-worn camera footage," he said. Borden, a former cop who works at Las Vegas-based Critical Incident Review, was the next expert to take the stand Tuesday. He also wrote a report about the incident. Borden said he determined North's use of force in the case was appropriate," but before he could elaborate further, Devlin objected and the judge had Bordens answer stricken from the official record. Asked to explain Norths decision-making process, Borden said factors included what he knew at the time that Soulemane, believed at the time to be an armed carjacking suspect, had engaged police in a long pursuit before crashing into another vehicle. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It was a violent encounter, there was a weapon in play," he said. "All of those things existed in my analysis of the evidence. He said the officers' first focus was on stopping the threat posed by Soulemane, and that it's hard to judge after the fact with hindsight. "It's whether it was a reasonable response, not whether it was a perfectly correct response," Borden said. "An officer needs to be reasonable, not right." After several objections from the state regarding the Borden's conclusions Borden, Riccio argued outside the presence of the jury that the conclusion that Norths use of deadly force was reasonable should be allowed into the record. Devlin objected, noting the answer to that question was ultimately up to the jury. Hall asked for the testimony to continue on a question-by-question basis, asking Riccio to avoid the ultimate issue of Norths reasonableness to the extent possible. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Later in the afternoon, attorneys had a charging conference outside the presence of the jury, arguing about the language used in the instructions on the law that the judge will give the jury before they enter deliberations. After prosecutors presented their case to open the trial last week, North took the stand Friday in his own defense and said he thought two other officers could be in lethal danger when he shot Soulemane seven times on Campbell Avenue in West Haven following the highway chase. North said Soulemane initially appeared unresponsive after crashing into an SUV on Jan. 15, 2020, on a highway underpass following the chase, but came to, began reaching into his pants and took out a knife after West Haven Police Officer Robert Rappa used a baton to break the passenger-side window. I felt like I had to act in that moment or the West Haven officer or possibly Trooper (Joshua) Jackson could be killed, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad During cross-examination by Devlin, North affirmed that neither officer was actually inside the vehicle; that it would have been unreasonable to shoot Soulemane if he had known that at the time; and that if Rappa had been going into the vehicle, Norths bullets could have ricocheted and hit the officer. Devlin also got North, who said throughout his testimony that he relied on his training, to admit that training consisted of recommendations contrary to some of the officers actions during the 2020 incident, like a PowerPoint slide that said, for felony traffic stops, Do not approach the car! The trooper, echoing others who were at the scene and have taken the stand, testified that they had to respond to a dynamic, evolving event. North, who rejected a plea offer in the case calling for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison with a right to argue for less time behind bars, faces up to 40 years if convicted. He has been placed on administrative leave and his police powers are suspended pending the outcome of the case. (Informacion remitida por la empresa firmante) Antigua & Barbuda to be a country of focus for the Sustainable Markets Initiative's activities in the Caribbean , helping advance its climate resilience as well as green and blue economy priorities in line with their Nationally Determined Contributions. to be a country of focus for the Sustainable Markets Initiative's activities in the , helping advance its climate resilience as well as green and blue economy priorities in line with their Nationally Determined Contributions. Trade and Investment Mission a key step in consolidating existing partnerships and identifying opportunities, and represents the first time the Sustainable Markets Initiative has been invited by a host government to join such a mission. CEO Jennifer Jordan-Saifi stresses the transition to a sustainable future is the growth story of our time, and an opportunity for Antigua & Barbuda to leverage the support of the global private sector to meet its ambitions. SAINT JOHN'S, Antigua and Barbuda, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sustainable Markets Initiative joins the United Kingdom - Antigua and Barbuda Trade and Investment Mission, a three-day event focused on focus on the key economic sectors of growth for Antigua and Barbuda namely: infrastructure, renewable energy, tourism, agriculture, fast moving consumer goods and the blue and green economy. The Trade and Investment Mission is the first the Sustainable Markets Initiative has been invited to join, demonstrating the unique value that the Sustainable Markets Initiative can bring countries in pursuit of green economic growth. As part of the visit, the Sustainable Markets Initiative has named Antigua & Barbuda as the first of its five countries of focus for 2024. The Sustainable Markets Initiative's commitment to the country follows its participation in the Antigua & Barbuda UK Business Forum in November 2023, and ahead of its commitment to participate in the United Nations' fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States taking place in May. Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, CEO of the Sustainable Markets Initiative said: "It is an honour to have been invited by the Government of Antigua & Barbuda to participate in this Trade and Investment Mission. We are delighted to announce Antigua & Barbuda as a country of focus for the Sustainable Markets Initiative, and we look forward to deepening business and investment partnerships in support of the country's climate resilience as well as blue and green economy priorities." Minister E P Chet Green, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Trade, Antigua and Barbuda, said: "Antigua and Barbuda is delighted to deepen its relationship with the Sustainable Markets Initiative as a country of focus in 2024. As small island developing countries, unlocking financing for green initiatives is both an opportunity and a challenge. We welcome the support of SMI in navigating the sustainable transition which is important to Antigua and Barbuda as a global champion in the green energy space." The Sustainable Markets Initiative is a CEO-led coalition of more than 250 members, including some of the world's largest companies across industry and financial sectors. Launched in 2020 by His Majesty King Charles III, when he was The Prince of Wales, the Sustainable Markets Initiative brings together the private sector to accelerate a sustainable future in line with its mandate the Terra Carta. Jordan-Saifi went on to say the Sustainable Markets Initiative "will seek to leverage the scale, financial and technical capability of the private sector to support Antigua & Barbuda's investment and business opportunities across infrastructure, renewable energy, tourism, agriculture, fast moving consumer goods and the blue and green economy." She added that "bringing our member companies to see the blue and green economy opportunity first-hand has been critical to establishing the insights and connections needed to drive business and investment partnerships. Partnerships we hope will deliver a more sustainable future for Antigua & Barbuda as part of the growth story of our time." NOTES TO EDITORS About the Sustainable Markets Initiative Founded by His Majesty King Charles III in 2020, as Prince of Wales, the Sustainable Markets Initiative has become the world's 'go-to' private sector organisation on transition. Launched in 2021, the Terra Carta serves as the Sustainable Markets Initiative's mandate with a focus on accelerating positive results for Nature, People and Planet through real economy action. Find out more: www.sustainable-markets.org Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2285391... View original content: https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/sustainable-markets-initiative-joins-its-first-trade-and-investment-mission-to-antigua--barbuda-and-pledges-to-support-country-302086690.html Nigerian soldiers hunted for armed kidnappers who seized nearly 300 students in Kaduna state last week, a security source said, as distraught parents sought answers on when they would be reunited with their children. Tuesday, March 12, 2024 I know Ghana quite well because I was born and raised there. Like most African countries, it is a multi-tribal nation. Its tribes speak different languages and have vastly different cultures and religions. In spite of that social complexity, over the last several decades Ghana has been one of the rare stable countries on a continent beset with civil wars and various forms of strife. It is a vibrant democracy with a population that is known to be quite tolerant. In light of that national character, the recent announcement that Ghanas parliament had passed a bill that would impose a jail sentence for anyone identifying as LGBTQ+ came as a huge surprise. The bill has to be signed by the countrys president before it becomes law, but it is unclear at this point whether he will. If it does become law, those convicted of having engaged in same-sex activity would be jailed for up to three years. It would also impose a maximum five-year prison sentence for anyone forming or providing funding to LGBTQ+ groups. I lack the knowledge required to make an informed judgment about whether someones same-sex orientation is learned behavior or biologically driven. But I am aware that for centuries, gay people faced extreme levels of persecution and all forms of social isolation here in the West. That is the reason gays went to great lengths to hide their sexual identities. Because of that, I am inclined to believe that biology has something to do with that choice. Otherwise, why would anyone knowingly choose to live that way given the harsh penalties that they would certainly pay? In America and the rest of the Western world, whatever social acceptance there is today of same-sex relationships came about through a multi-century evolutionary process. Former President Bill Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) into law in 1996. DOMA defined marriage as only between a man and a woman for purposes of Federal Law. When then U.S. Senator Barack Obama was running for president in 2008, he said he was opposed to same-sex marriage. It subsequently emerged that he had misrepresented his views on the subject because he saw it as a political minefield that he needed to navigate carefully in order not to derail his quest for the presidency. It was only recently, in 2015, that the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states. In a narrow 5-4 decision, the Court ruled that states could not keep same-sex couples from marrying and must recognize their unions. Even with that, same-sex marriage remains deeply unpopular in America, with nearly half of the populationmostly Republicansunhappy with it. Clearly, there is nothing even remotely close to a national consensus on this issue in America. It is a similar picture in other parts of the Western world. It is therefore quite arrogant for political leaders and LGBTQ+ rights advocates in the West to push this issue so forcefully in other parts of the world, as if it were a straightforward matter that should be easily recognized as such by everyone, everywhere. These people have to shoulder a large part of the blame for the current global backlash against LGBTQ+ lifestyle. I worked for a multi-national corporation for several years, and one of the things we were constantly reminded of as employees was to be respectful of local cultures in the foreign countries we operated in. That is useful advice for Western political leaders and LGBTQ+ rights advocates. They currently demonstrate an astonishingly high level of tone-deafness that is seriously hurting the very cause they are trying to champion. The other big problem is our increasing inability to draw boundaries for anything in the Western world nowadays. We pretty much approach all issues on all-or-nothing terms. While people on the far right want to ban all forms of same-sex activity, extreme leftists seem to want little to no age restrictions for administration of gender-affirming care, and minimal parental involvement in those medical decisions. The result is a tense stalemate, with people simply talking past each other. Fighting for the rights of sexual minorities in other parts of the world, as Western political leaders and LGBTQ+ activists are doing, is a noble cause. But it is best to do so through education and persuasion, not threats. If it took centuries for the Western world to realize that it was wrong to persecute gays all that time, isnt it unreasonable to expect that people in countries with extremely conservative cultures and low levels of education would reach that position as quickly as these advocates demand? I am a big believer in the use of the power of the purse to prevent political and other forms of abuse within countries. But that power has to be used judiciously so that it doesnt become diluted over time. That is why it was a grave mistake for the World Bank to rush the decision to halt new lending to the Ugandan government, just a couple of months after the country passed its anti-LGBTQ law. It would have been far better to wait and see how the law was actually applied. Such a lending ban would be more widely supported if the Ugandan authorities were to begin rounding up large numbers of suspected gays and throwing them in jail. That is not an observation that could have been made reasonably within such a short period of time. Other than the people who identify as LGBTQ+, I am not sure that the rest of us have any way of knowing what drives that choice. Perhaps some medical and scientific experts can offer some clues based on their training and experience. But those expert voices are unlikely to carry much weight anyway because we live at a time when many people say they have lost faith in science. Ironically, the people who distrust science happen to be the most vehement opponents of LGBTQ+ rights. They insist that the atypical sexual orientation is learned, sinful behavior. But they dont bother to explain how they acquired that knowledge. They simply ask us to believe them, when they themselves dont trust anything anyone says. Some Ghanaians may be uncomfortable with the idea of their neighbors identifying as LGBTQ+. But Im not sure how these private choices, which a relatively small number of individuals make, could do so much collective harm to society that it must warrant such a drastic national reaction. Would any social, economic or other benefits of the law outweigh its potential costs? Ghanas president should think carefully about those implications before making his decision to sign the bill or let it die. The special counsel who investigated Joe Biden's handling of classified documents defended his controversial remarks about the US president's memory on Tuesday, and his decision not to file criminal charges. Robert Hur's testimony before a congressional committee quickly turned into a partisan slugfest with Democrats and Republicans seizing on the contrasting behavior of Biden and Donald Trump, who has been indicted for his own mishandling of top-secret documents. In his nearly 350-page report released in February, Hur said criminal charges against Biden were not warranted and -- in a politically explosive section -- described him as "a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory." Republicans have particularly focused on Hur's comments about Biden's memory, hoping to reignite the age issue for the 81-year-old Democrat ahead of an expected rematch against 77-year-old Republican Trump in the November presidential election. "My task was to determine whether the president retained or disclosed national defense information 'willfully' -- meaning, knowingly and with the intent to do something the law forbids," Hur told the House Judiciary Committee. "For that reason, I had to consider the president's memory and overall mental state. "My assessment in the report about the relevance of the president's memory was necessary and accurate and fair," Hur said. "I did not sanitize my explanation. Nor did I disparage the president unfairly." Democratic lawmakers pushed back against Hur, a 51-year-old Republican who served as a US Attorney under Trump, accusing him of making "gratuitous" remarks about Biden's memory and injecting himself into the presidential campaign. "Despite clearing President Biden from being prosecuted you used your report to trash and smear President Biden," said Georgia Democrat Hank Johnson. "You cannot tell me you're so naive as to think your words would not have created a political firestorm?" said Adam Schiff, from California. "You were not born yesterday. You understood exactly what you were doing," Schiff said. "It was a choice." Hur, who was named special counsel by Biden's attorney general, Merrick Garland, insisted that "partisan politics had no place whatsoever in my work." "Politics played no part," he said. - 'Documents under his bed' - Representative Matt Gaetz and other Republican lawmakers meanwhile contrasted the decision not to charge Biden with the indictment of Trump. Trump has been charged in Florida by a different special counsel, Jack Smith, with hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home after leaving the White House and obstructing the efforts of the FBI to retrieve them. "Biden and Trump should have been treated equally," Gaetz said. "They weren't. And that is the double standard that I think a lot of Americans are concerned about." Jamie Raskin, a Democrat from Maryland, countered that the circumstances surrounding the mishandling of classified documents by Biden and Trump were not remotely comparable. "(Biden) did not hide boxes of documents under his bed or in a bathtub," Raskin said. Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Ian Sams, spokesman for the White House counsel's office, said "it's time to move on." "A Trump-appointed prosecutor who spent 15 months investigating the president came to the obvious conclusion that there is no case here," Sams said. Transcripts of Biden's interviews with Hur were released, meanwhile, which appear to give a more balanced picture of their encounter than either the president or the prosecutor gave at the time the report was released. Whereas Hur said Biden could not remember "even within several years" when his son Beau died of brain cancer, the president in fact remembered the exact date and month, but not the year. Biden also asked aloud at one point when Trump was elected president and twice about the dates of his vice presidency. The rest of the transcript often shows a spirited back and forth between the special counsel and the president as they discuss the handling of classified documents while Biden was vice president. The garrulous Biden frequently joked and digressed into detailed stories, including one about an archery contest during a visit to Mongolia and others about his Corvette car, kept in the garage where some of the documents were found. cl/nro Farmers concerned about cheaper food imports are set to stage a new protest outside the Houses of Parliament later this month. Campaign groups Save British Farming and Fairness For Farmers said they wanted to "bring the countryside to the lawmakers in parliament". The protest surrounds three key demands: A ban on substandard food imports, a ban on 'dishonest' labelling and more measures to boost British food security. The protest will start from 6pm on Monday 25 March, both groups confirmed, with farmers able to register their interest online. It comes after hundreds of farmers staged a go-slow tractor protest in Canterbury earlier this month as concerns over cheaper food imports and government policy grows. Save British Farming, which organised the Canterbury protest with Fairness for Farmers, said their mission was to ensure that British farming was 'at the forefront of UK industries of the future'. "British food producers [need] to benefit from the opportunities and returns afforded by collaborative working and the fourth-industrial revolution. "Thereby to enable British producers, in rising to global challenges to continue providing the foundations of active, healthy lives by making sure people have access to a wide choice of affordable, ethically produced, high-quality food." Geoffrey Philpott, a cauliflower farmer in East Kent, said the protest in Canterbury was mainly centred on the need to ban sub-standard imports. I am proud to have a Union Jack on all my produce, but why is it foreign produce that is packed in the UK can have a Union Jack on it?" he asked. "The only reason is to deceive the public into believing its the healthiest and safest food you can buy." He said food security was another top issue. "I hope to be farming for many years to come, but if things dont change, I wont be and I wont be employing the fourteen people who work for me. "Then we will be reliant on foreign produce that will not have the high standard of UK production. Once that happens, we could be held to ransom over pricing. "Lets hope people wake up quickly and support British agriculture so I can continue to farm for many years to come and supply healthy, safe produce for UK people. Elsewhere, in Wales, over 10,000 farmers took to the streets of Cardiff due to rising anger at the Welsh government's vision for the industry. Organisers behind Open Farm Sunday are encouraging more farmers than ever to open their gates to the public to tell the story of British food production. Educational charity LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) aims to boost the number of farms opening their gates to the public for the 2024 event. As the largest annual celebration of British farming, Open Farm Sunday gives the public a closer look about what it takes to be a farmer in Britain. It is an opportunity for farmers to engage with the local community, share the farming story, bust any myths about the industry and give visitors a positive experience. Visitors to farms across the UK will learn first-hand how farmers are committed to sustainability, biodiversity, animal welfare, and managing the countryside. This year's OFS, which celebrates its 18th anniversary, takes place on 9 June. Open Farm Sunday Manager, Annabel Shackleton, said she wanted to inspire even more farmers to host events this year. She said: "Theres a fantastic opportunity to engage more of the public with how their food is produced and show our farmers as guardians of the earth. Opening your gates and sharing your farming stories, opens the publics mind to discover the world of farming. "Whatever the scale or type of event you choose to organise, every event matters and every farm can benefit from being involved. The magic happens when visitors talk with farmers and see farming first-hand." LEAFs 2024 Open Farm Sunday campaign launches with an on-farm event on 20 March at Bragborough Hall in Northamptonshire. The free event will include workshops and presentations from education, PR specialists, the OFS team and experienced host farmers. Series Description: She will play many roles for her king: spy, interrogator, even weapon. But what if she wants to be a hero? Ordinary and lonely kitchen maid, Meera Hailship, volunteers to feed a dangerous creature imprisoned at the palace. Her impulsive decision could end in disembowelment, but against all odds, she survives, striking an unexpected bargain with the deadly creature and an even more unexpected friendship. Meeras fondness for the feathered, fire- breathing beast called a raek will force her to choose between her king and her conscience. To rid the raek of his iron muzzle and help his mysteriousand handsomerider, Meera will have to barter a mans life, manipulate the king, and play with fireraek fire, that is. But when doing whats right is also treason, the consequences could be deadly ... The Raek Riders Series blends dragon-loving adventure with emotional depth. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Leigh Bardugo, and Rebecca Yarros, this thrilling and romantic fantasy will transport readers to another world altogether. Book 1 The Complete Series 1-5 Book 1: Iron-Bound Flames The Raek Riders Series: Books 2-5 by Melanie K. Moschella Book 2: A Warrior at Heart Book 3 As Easy As Falling Book 2: A Warrior at Heart Book 3: As Easy as Falling Book 4 A Flight of Fancy Book 5 The Middle of The End Book 4: A Flight of Fancy Book 5: The Middle of the End Genre: New Adult FantasySeries Pub Date: March 19, 2024 About The Author Melanie K. Moschella author of Raek Riders series Melanie K. Moschella is an escapist reader and writer living in the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire. Her two true passions are parenting and writingboth of which require stamina and creativity, but only one of which allows her to sit down. Despite Melanies overpriced English degree from an overrated university, she attributes her debut work, The Raek Riders Series, to the isolation of new motherhoodafter all, what could make a person crave adventure and romance more than dirty diapers? You can connect with Melanie at www.melaniekmoschella.com and on Instagram. Ariana Madix was "not in a good place financially" before the Tom Sandoval cheating scandal. Ariana Madix has opened up about her financial struggles The 38-year-old star split from Tom after it emerged that he had a months-long affair with Rachel Leviss, and Ariana has now confessed to being in a dire financial situation before the scandal erupted. In the latest episode of 'Vanderpump Rules', Ariana shares: "The internet thinks Ive made millions of dollars. That is not true." Ariana subsequently explained that she invested a lot of money into a business venture with Katie Maloney. The TV star said: "When I first started making decent money, we decided we wanted to buy a house. "Then I was playing catch up all the way up until Katie and I found a great location for a sandwich shop. "Then a bunch of my money went toward that. Now I was at a point where in March I was literally on my last $2,000. I am not kidding." Earlier this month, Lala Kent suggested that Ariana profited from Tom's cheating scandal. Lala, 33, said on 'Vanderpump Rules': "She needs to come back to reality and remember who her friends are and what they've done for her." On the other hand, Scheana Shay feels thrilled for her showbiz pal, following appearance on 'Dancing With the Stars' and on Broadway. The 38-year-old star said: "I'm so happy for her. Even her getting 'Dancing With the Stars', she knew how bad I wanted that. And I told her I'm so genuinely happy for you, I will be there every Monday you want me there. "She does deserve everything she's getting right now and I'm so happy for her that she did not go down a dark spiral." State Child Advocate Sarah Eagan speaks during a public hearing in front of the legislature in 2023. Eagan helped lead a new report on regulatory issues at High Road special education schools. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media State agencies and local school districts systemically failed to effectively monitor a chain of Connecticut special education schools, a new report from the state's Office of the Child Advocate has determined. The report, published Tuesday in partnership with the non-profit Disability Rights CT, focuses on High Road, a state-approved private special education program that operates six schools spread across the state. According to the report, High Road schools were consistently under-staffed, relied on unqualified instructors and overused physical interventions including restraint and seclusion. In addition to blaming school administrators for the conditions in their programs, the report criticizes the state Department of Education, as well as the local districts who send students to High Road, for failing to monitor the schools and ensure appropriate conditions, as is required in state law. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "State educational authorities have an obligation to ensure that school districts are implementing federal special education law," said Child Advocate Sarah Eagan said in an interview. "High Road is in some ways an object lesson, a case example, of the fact that's not happening. That monitoring and enforcement at the state level of conditions in education for some of the most vulnerable students is not occurring." In a statement Tuesday, a High Road spokesperson said the report "does not accurately reflect the academic and behavioral supports at our schools, which follow state and federal regulations and guidelines." A spokesperson for the state's education department rejected the idea that the agency could have done more to regulate High Road, arguing the report's claims were not supported by grievances from students, parents or educational authorities. High Road operates six schools statewide, with programs in Hartford, Wallingford, Norwalk, Windham and New London. During the 2021-22 school year, the schools served about 316 students originating from 38 different local districts. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a statement Tuesday, Disability Rights CT executive director Deborah Dorfman called out a "a stunning absence of sufficient oversight" of schools serving disabled students, many of them Black and Latino. "Children including children with disabilities and children of color all deserve and have a right to receive quality education in the most integrated setting," she said. To address these issues, the report recommends improved training protocols at special education schools like High Road, further restrictions on restraint and seclusion statewide, and enhanced monitoring of approved private schools at the local and state levels. Findings from the 57-page report can be broken into three broad categories: allegations against High Road, allegations against the state's education department and allegations against local school districts. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Allegations against High Road schools Conditions at High Road's six schools comprise the bulk of the child advocate's report. According to the report, the programs were frequently under-staffed and relied heavily on instructors who lacked the proper certification. High Road schools had no certified physical education, art or music teachers, and one program did not have a nurse on site, the report said. In one instance, detailed in the report, an "autism classroom" was staffed by a single teacher, who had no certification to provide special education instruction. Meanwhile, the report alleges, High Road failed to conduct the appropriate background checks on staff, as required by law. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The report also accuses the school of excessive use of restraint and seclusion physical interventions many advocates consider dangerous and even counter-productive for children in crisis. Eagan said the Office of the Child Advocate and Disability Rights CT conducted 18 site visits to High Road school and frequently witnessed students disengaged or even unsupervised. At one point, a High Road administrator told the Office of the Child Advocate that students there "dont have academic goals; they are here because of behavior." In a response submitted to the Office of the Child Advocate, High Road said it improved in several cited areas since the investigation began, reducing restraint and seclusion and ensuring background checks for all staff. "While we have concerns about the manner in which this investigation was conducted and challenge many of the findings in the resulting report, certain observations during the investigation process were constructive," High Road said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a statement Tuesday, spokesperson Jennifer Leckstrom said the Office of the Child Advocate and Disability Rights CT had failed to correct or acknowledge "inaccuracies" the school identified in the report. "Over the course of two years, High Road Schools provided comprehensive responses that outlined these inaccuracies, as well as highlighted the specific improvements we implemented as part of this process," Leckstrom said. "Unfortunately, the Agencies refused to acknowledge this in their report." Eagan said High Road and other parties named in the investigation had multiple chances to "correct any factual inaccuracies and to summarize any changes they were making going forward." The Office of the Child Advocate stands by its report, she said. Allegations against the state's education department The report sharply criticizes the state's education department for failing to properly monitor High Road schools and ensure compliance with federal and state special education law. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a statement, spokesperson Matthew Cerrone defended the department's monitoring of High Road and attributed the missing statements of assurance to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. "Despite the CSDE routinely handling around 1,000 statewide special education due process hearings, compliance complaints, and mediation requests annually, none have touched upon the alleged issues outlined by the OCA," Cerrone said. At times, the report says, the agency identified problems at High Road but failed to follow up to ensure they were addressed. In other cases, officials allegedly failed to collect annual assurances that High Road was complying with staffing and certification standards. The report concludes that the agency "did not adequately ensure that High Road utilized appropriately credentialed staff and completed background checks on their employees as required by Connecticut state law and state standards." Advertisement Article continues below this ad Advocates have frequently criticized state education authorities for failing to monitor the use of physical interventions in schools. In one instance previously reported by CT Insider, the education department asked a High Road schools, B.E.S.T. Academy in Wallingford, to explain why it had seen a dramatic increase in restraint and seclusion but declined to take further action when the school failed to respond. The education department has contested many of the claims in the new report from the Office of the Child Advocate and Disability Rights CT. In a written response to the investigation, an attorney for the agency questioned the findings of "widespread" problems at High Road and said the report had failed to establish a "causal link" between issues at the school and poor educational outcomes. Allegations against local school districts Under state law, the local school districts that send students to private special education programs like High Road are expected to help develop and implement individualized educational plans for those students. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In many cases, though, districts did little to ensure their students received proper instruction after enrolling in High Road schools, the report found. Of 18 districts contacted by the Office of the Child Advocate and Disability Rights CT, only three said they had observed students in High Road programs. The report names only one local district, Hartford Public Schools, which sends more students to High Road schools than any other public school system but which failed to inquire about staffing shortages there. In a response to the report filed with the Office of the Child Advocate, Hartford Public Schools promised to expand special education capacity within the district and increase monitoring of private programs like High Road where Hartford students are placed. A spokesperson for the district declined to comment further. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex has won a major legal victory in the defamation lawsuit brought against her by her half-sister. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex has won a major legal victory in the defamation lawsuit brought against her by her half-sister The suit against the mum-of-two, 42, was brought by Samantha Markle, 59, in March 2022, with the court claim stating Meghan had made false and malicious statements during her TV chat with Oprah Winfrey that aired on CBS in 2021. Samantha had also accused Meghan of falsely claiming to be an only child and alleged the duchess lied about the timeframe of when they last saw each other and claimed Meghan publicly bashed her estranged dad Thomas Markle, 79, in an attempt to sell a rags-to-royalty narrative of her life. Florida District Court Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell has now dismissed the suit against Meghan on Tuesday (12.03.24) with prejudice meaning Samantha cannot level her claim again. Court documents obtained by Page Six showed it was decided Samantha had failed to identify any statements that could support a claim for defamation or defamation-by-implication by this point, her third try at amending her complaint. Judge Honeywell noted there were also no examples of defamation to be found in Meghan and her 39-year-old husband Prince Harrys Netflix documentary show Meghan and Harry or Omid Scobies Finding Freedom book about the couple. There were also no examples of defamation found by the judge in the couples hourlong sit-down interview with 70-year-old Oprah. It was ruled Samantha supplied mischaracterisations of the (Oprah interview) transcript and it was decided the couples statements about Samantha and Thomas Markle were quintessential examples of opinion. Samantha had asked for $75,000 in damages and the cost of court and attorneys fees to be covered but Meghan hit back by branding the lawsuit meritless. The duchess legal team previously said in a statement: We do not empanel juries to rule on whether two people are close, or whether one genuinely feels that they grew up as an only child. Courts are not equipped to adjudicate the legitimacy of a persons feelings about their childhood and relationships. Nor should they be. Meghans attorney also told the suit was baseless and absurd and a continuation of a pattern of disturbing behaviour. The Albanese Labor Government, the federal executive government of Australia, has announced a significant reform to Australia's tariff system, planning to abolish nearly 500 import tariffs starting July 1. This major unilateral tariff reform, the largest in over two decades, targets a broad array of imported goods, including clothing, menstrual and sanitary products, aiming to reduce compliance costs, cut red tape, and enhance productivity. This move is expected to simplify the trading landscape for Australian businesses, especially benefiting small to medium enterprises by removing the burden of navigating the tariff regime and its associated costs. With most goods currently entering Australia duty-free due to successive trade agreements, the existing tariff preferences and concessions have become more of a compliance hurdle than a protective measure for businesses, often resulting in added costs for consumers, the government said in a press release. The Albanese Labor Government announced plans to abolish nearly 500 import tariffs from July 1, aiming to streamline trade and boost productivity. This significant reform targets various goods, including clothing and menstrual products, cutting compliance costs and reducing red tape for businesses. The move is set to simplify Australia's trading system. By abolishing these tariffs, the Albanese Government seeks to eliminate 14 per cent of Australias total tariffs, streamlining approximately Au$8.5 billion (approximately $5.6 billion) worth of trade annually and saving businesses over Au$30 million (approximately $19.8 million) in compliance costs each year. Items such as protective footwear, menstrual and sanitary products, chamois leather, pyjamas, and fishing reels are among those to see the removal of the 5 per cent customs duties. This reform is not only set to align tariff policy with previous changes made to the GST, particularly regarding menstrual and sanitary items, but also ensures that the abolition of these tariffs benefits businesses without negatively affecting Australian industries or complicating negotiations for future Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). By abolishing hundreds of import tariffs, well reduce red tape, boost productivity, ease the burden on small businesses and help to cut the cost of doing business. This is meaningful economic reform that will deliver meaningful benefits to businesses of all sizes around Australia. These tariffs impose a regulatory burden on Australian businesses and raise the costs of imported goods but they do little to protect our workers and businesses because they apply to goods that are mostly already eligible for duty-free importation, Treasurer Jim Chalmers. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DP) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has expressed keen interest in entering into a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Bangladesh. Reports claimed this citing a spokesperson from the Bangladesh foreign ministry. During a recent bilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi, UAE foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan reportedly emphasised the necessity of elevating the bilateral relationship with Bangladesh to a partnership level. UAE expresses interest to ink Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with Bangladesh. UAE foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan identified CEPA a significant step in elevating bilateral relationship with Bangladesh. He also underscored importance of activating Joint Business Council (JBC) to bolster economic collaboration. Abdullah identified the signing of the CEPA as a significant step in achieving this goal. Additionally, he underscored the importance of activating the Joint Business Council (JBC) to bolster economic collaboration between the two countries. At the meeting, Bangladesh foreign minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud presented a letter of invitation from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the UAE President, inviting him to visit Bangladesh in celebration of 50 years of diplomatic relations. Dr. Hasan recalled the historical ties between Bangladesh and the UAE, lauding the UAEs progress under visionary leadership and highlighting Bangladeshs achievements under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas guidance. The ministers reviewed existing bilateral cooperation and emphasised exploring new areas such as energy security, food security, environment, renewable energy, and people-to-people communication to enhance trade ties. The Bangladesh foreign minister showcased investment opportunities in Bangladesh, particularly in the Matarbari Exclusive Economic Zone and infrastructure development projects. The meeting, attended by Bangladesh ambassador to the UAE Md Abu Zafar and director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs West Asia wing, Md Shafiqur Rahman, signifies the commitment of both countries to strengthen bilateral ties and explore mutually beneficial opportunities for cooperation. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DR) Aattam OTT Release: The Malayalam movie 'Aattam,' directed by Anand Ekarshi, was released in cinemas on January 5, 2024. Featuring Vinay Forrt, Kalabhavan Shajohn, Zarin Shihab, and Nandan Unni in pivotal roles, it captivated audiences with its compelling narrative. Aattam Synopsis Following a theater group's gathering, their lone actress, Anjali, becomes the victim of a crime committed by one of the men in the group. A meeting is convened to address the incident. As they attempt to find common ground, stories emerge, suspicions arise, and chaos unfolds amidst the group. Aattam OTT Release Date And Platform "Aattam," the captivating Malayalam film directed by Anand Ekarshi and featuring Vinay Forrt, Kalabhavan Shajohn, Zarin Shihab, and Nandan Unni in pivotal roles, has now embarked on its digital journey. As of March 11, the film began streaming on Amazon Prime, allowing audiences to immerse themselves in its compelling narrative. With its theatrical release on January 5, 2024, "Aattam" garnered praise for its direction, performances, and engaging storyline. Now, with its availability on Amazon Prime, even more viewers can experience the movie from the comfort of their homes. Aattam Cast And Crew The movie stars Vinay Forrt, Kalabhavan Shajon, Zarin Shihab, Nandan Unni, Selvaraj Raghavan VR, Aji Thiruvankulam, Sanosh Murali, and Prasanth Madhavan in prominent roles. The film was penned and directed by Anand Ekarshi, produced by Ajith Joy. Basil C. J. provided the musical score, while Anurudh Aneesh managed the cinematography. Mahesh Bhuvanend took charge of the editing, and Renganath Ravee served as the sound designer. Photo Credit: Kalyani About Director Surya Kiran's Untimely Death: Award-winning child actor-turned-director Surya Kiran, who breathed his last on March 11, 2024, is being condoled by the film fraternity of Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam industries. His sudden demise at the age of 48 caused concern among his industry friends who are plagued by the deaths of young actors and technicians due to health-related issues. Surya Kiran, who won National Awards and acted as a child artist in more than 200 films spanning all the major South-Indian languages, succumbed to liver-related jaundice. He was getting treated at the GEM Hospital in Chennai where he lost his battle with life. Surya Kiran was born into a Chennai-settled Malayali family and out of three siblings, he is the elder one. His sister Sujitha is also a well-known actress in the Tamil and Telugu television and film industries. After his glorious stint as a child actor, Surya Kiran didn't want to become a hero but was inclined towards filmmaking, which prompted him to turn into a director. His first directorial, Sathyam, with Sumanth Akkineni, was a super success, making him a good director in the industry. After his death, his ex-wife, actress Kalyani, also known as Kaveri is said to have paid her last respects to the mortal remains of Surya Kiran, with whom she had shared a special bond. Karate Kalyani About Surya Kiran's Death Movie Artist Association (MAA) member and Telugu artist Karate Kalyani spoke about Surya Kiran and the reason for his untimely death due to health-related issues. Karate Kalyani is also one of his co-contestants from the Bigg Boss Telugu Season 4. Speaking on his death, Kalyani shared, "After separation from his wife, he was distraught and had no reason to live. He turned to alcohol for comfort and eventually his liver got damaged. He developed green jaundice which went undetected for a long time. There were also days when he spent the entire night smoking and drinking. His excessive alcoholism led him to this death." Surya Kiran's funeral will take place in Chennai at his home as his family, friends, relatives, and well-wishers bid a tearful goodbye. His procession and funeral will take place in the traditional Malayalam Hindu methods. By Mary de Wysocki NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / March 11, 2024 / Cisco Systems Inc. International Women's Day (IWD) gives us time to reflect on the achievements women have made before us, the unique challenges women may face today as they continue to break barriers, and what the future may look like for women as we move into a digital and low-carbon economy. The theme for IWD this year is "inspire inclusion." Thriving economies depend on stable environments and inclusive societies, and that's why Cisco's environmental sustainability strategy, The Plan for Possible, includes investing in resilient ecosystems as one of its three priorities. It is in our shared interest to help humans and nature navigate a changing climate by investing in regenerative technologies, workforces, and nature itself. The Cisco Foundation's Climate Grants and Investments team is working toward that vision by providing nonprofit grants and impact investing to support innovative climate solutions. As I reflected in a piece last year about women making strides in sustainability, I couldn't be prouder to see so many women represented in the environmental sustainability space. Women couldn't be better positioned to help connect us to a more regenerative future. According to United Nations (UN) Women, "In general, women are more likely to consider their families and communities in decision-making processes-which is crucial to producing the kind of holistic solutions that make for effective climate action." To gain some different perspectives, we asked six women entrepreneurs, whose climate technologies the Cisco Foundation has invested in, how women's leadership and creativity in the climate innovation space helps us build resilient ecosystems. This is what they had to say: Allison Wolff, CEO, Vibrant Planet - United States "Jane Goodall, one of the women I most admire, said: 'The environment, after all, is where we all meet, where we all have a mutual interest. It is one thing that all of us share. It is not only a mirror of ourselves, but a focusing lens on what we can become.' I am inspired by many women in the nature solutions space. Margo Robbins is a Karuk Tribal member teaching hundreds of people the art of beneficial fire; Katharine Hayhoe leads science at The Nature Conservancy; Sandra Steingraber who picked up Rachel Carson's lifesaving work; dozens of women cofounders and CEOs who, like me, are pioneering the nature tech space. Perhaps women are leading this space because we naturally have a nurturing, reciprocal relationship with nature rather than a destructive one. Women are known for creating community and we know that the answer to the nature and climate crisis resides in community, collaboration, and cooperation. Women know that nature is community and community is nature." Ugwem I. Eneyo, CEO and Co-Founder, SHYFT Power Solutions - Nigeria "As the founder and CEO of SHYFT Power Solutions, I've had the opportunity to work with families, businesses, regulatory bodies, and a wide range of stakeholders, delivering technology and solutions to solve some of Africa's toughest energy challenges. I see how economies can be impacted and ultimately thrive when we take creative approaches to supporting clean, reliable, and affordable energy solutions. I believe people closest to challenges are often in a unique and promising position to solve those challenges, and solving climate and environmental challenges can be best achieved when women are involved and leading those efforts. One of SHYFT's core values is solving unique challenges with diverse perspectives, and the creativity, ingenuity, and insight of women are a key part of that." Emily Jacobi, Founder and Co-Director, Digital Democracy - United States "I believe that women's full participation and leadership in general is critical to a thriving human ecosystem. This is particularly true in the climate innovation space. Through my work with Digital Democracy, I have been privileged to work with Indigenous women on four different continents and I have seen firsthand how much more effective and resilient climate work is when women's contributions are fully valued and recognized in their communities. Everywhere we've worked, I've seen how Indigenous women bring essential skills, knowledge, and energy to the collective work of building resilience. For example, in so many Indigenous communities in the Americas, it is women who are the knowledge keepers of where sacred medicinal plants are grown, and how to best tend to traditional foods - essential knowledge for climate resilience. Or with our close partners the Cheptikale Ogiek of Mt Elgon, Kenya, women have played a leading role in a mapping initiative to restore ancestral lands to their communities, helping to protect and steward their local ecosystem. The future of humanity depends on us doing everything we can to support resilient ecosystems in the world at large, and therefore depends on women's inclusion in these efforts." Nancy Schellhorn, Co-Founder and CEO, RapidAIM - Australia "As women leaders, we bring visibility to the value of whole-of-community approaches to innovation. Meeting the challenge of building resilient ecosystems takes all of us. It is our diversity of thinking and lived experience that helps us fully understand the problems that we need to solve, and that guides our creativity in developing solutions. At the company I lead, RapidAIM, we're on a mission to reduce the chemical intensity of agriculture. Pesticides are hydrocarbons that have been a mainstay of protecting food and fiber systems for decades. They have brought value by providing simple solutions to protecting crops, but also CO2e and harm to biodiversity. At RapidAIM we believe in protecting crops while also protecting people and the planet. We achieve this with our cutting-edge hardware-enabled pest detection and defense system. Our novel internet of Things (IoT) insect sensors connects growers to the farm 24/7 to enable the most precise management of pests. In celebration of International Women's Day, let's honour those women who have cleared the path of innovation by being bold, believing in our vision, and building for a better future." Kelly Erhart, President and Co-Founder, Vesta - United States "Ideal leadership includes varying perspectives and reflects the population being led. So, naturally, including women's perspectives at senior levels is essential to holistic leadership for any organization - and the climate innovation space is no different. In my personal experience, the teams where I've seen the most success are those that include women at the helm. Most recently, at Vesta, I helped build an organization that includes women in leadership positions in both the business and science functions - and we've been able to develop one of the most cost-effective emerging climate technologies available today as a result. When I work alongside the women at Vesta, I don't just feel optimistic, I feel inspired. Every day they're doing something that's helping a cause bigger than themselves, bigger than all of us. And this goes beyond Vesta as well: we see female leadership helping activate climate progress globally. As the UN reported, 'In the workplace, women's leadership is associated with increased transparency around climate impact. Higher percentages of women on corporate boards positively correlates with the disclosure of carbon emissions information.' For our planet to make progress towards the goals we've set out as a society, it's clear that we need all voices and genders at the table doing their part. I truthfully can't think of a better group of people to conduct our work on ocean-based carbon removal than the incredible women we have at Vesta. I'm beyond thankful to be able to work alongside such passionate and capable women who strive to make the world a cooler place." Nicole Rycroft, Founder and Executive Director, Canopy - Canada "International Women's Day focuses our attention on the things we now take for granted that were once monumental struggles of courage. It's also a time to take note of entrenched systems that continue to threaten women's peace of mind and body. My NGO, Canopy, being woman-led and with a formidable team that is 85% women, stands on the shoulders of women who have taken on the seemingly impossible and won. We are keenly aware that women are disproportionately impacted by climate change - and historically under-represented in the decisions that have created the ecological mess we're in. The climate crisis requires all-hands on deck. But until significantly more women are in decision-making positions - we've tied one hand behind our back as Spaceship Earth falters. Stabilizing our climate requires solutions to be scaled on accelerated timelines. It requires a comfort with ambiguity along with fierceness and determination (beware of mama bears). No single country, company or organization can solve the climate crisis by themselves. Leaders that value traits of collaboration as much or more than beating the competition will feel more comfortable in this existential endeavor. As U.S. President Harry Truman remarked, 'It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.' In my work alongside women in investment, business, civil society, and philanthropy, I see these traits deployed daily. Women lifting the work of others, creating pre-competitive solutions-spaces for the common goal. Through persistent and strategic efforts, we are shifting entrenched economic and political dynamics, transforming unsustainable supply chains, and securing ambitious, community-led conservation. Today, we honor these achievements and dare to dream bigger." See how Canopy is transforming supply chains above. Fostering resiliency, empowering people, protecting the planet. Learn more about Cisco Foundation's Climate Grants and Investments View original content here. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Cisco Systems Inc. on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Cisco Systems Inc. Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cisco-systems-inc Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Cisco Systems Inc. View the original press release on accesswire.com NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 11, 2024 / Kubera Gold Corp. (the "Company") (TSXV:KBRA) is pleased to announce that it has completed its initial public offering (the "Offering") of 3,000,000 common shares ("Common Shares") in the capital of the Company at a price of $0.25 per Common Share for gross proceeds of $750,000, pursuant to a final prospectus of the Company dated December 18, 2023 and filed in each of the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario (the "Prospectus"). On closing of the Offering, a total of 9,591,920 Common Shares were issued and outstanding, of which 1,200,000 Common Shares are currently held in escrow pursuant to National Policy 46-201 - Escrow for Initial Public Offerings, as disclosed in the Prospectus. The net proceeds of the Offering are expected to be used by the Company for exploration expenditures on its Dash Lake project (the "Dash Lake Project") which covers an area of approximately 815 hectares and is located approximately 90 kilometres north of the town of Fort Frances, Ontario, within the Kenora Mining Division, and for general working capital purposes. Pursuant to an agency agreement dated December 18, 2023 between the Company and Research Capital Corporation (the "Agent"), and in connection with the completion of the Offering, the Company granted to the Agent 180,000 Common Share purchase warrants (each, a "Agent's Warrant"), with each Agent's Warrant entitling the Agent to acquire one Common Share at a price of $0.25 per Common Share for a period of 36 months from the closing of the Offering ("Closing"). In addition, the Agent received a cash commission of $45,000, representing 6% of the aggregate gross proceeds of the Offering, and a corporate finance fee of $30,000 plus applicable taxes. The TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") has accepted the Company's listing application of the Common Shares as a Tier 2 Mining Issuer ("Listing"). The Common Shares will commence trading on the TSXV at market open on March 13, 2024, under the trading symbol KBRA. The Company's CUSIP is 50116K101 and ISIN is CA50116K1012. Immediately following Closing, the Company granted an aggregate of 800,000 stock options (the "Options") to directors, officers and a consultant of the Company permitting them to acquire up to an aggregate of 800,000 Common Shares. Each Option is exercisable to acquire one Common Share at a price of $0.25 until March 11, 2029. Early Warning Disclosure Prior to Closing, Scott Ackerman, President, CEO, Corporate Secretary and Director of the Company, with an address located at 1837 128th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, owned and controlled 1,120,000 Common Shares representing approximately 16.99% of the outstanding Common Shares on a non-diluted basis. Following Closing and the grant of Options, Scott Ackerman owns and controls 1,120,000 Common Shares, acquired at a price of $0.0125 per Common Share, and 470,000 Options, representing approximately 11.68% of the outstanding Common Shares on a non-diluted basis and approximately 15.80% of a partially diluted basis assuming exercise of his Options. Prior to Closing, The Emprise Special Opportunities Fund (2017) Limited Partnership ("LP2017"), with an address located at 1600 - 609 Granville Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, owned and controlled 1,850,000 Common Shares, acquired at a price of $0.07 per Common Share, representing approximately 28.06% of the outstanding Common Shares on a non-diluted basis. Following Closing, LP2017 owns and controls 1,850,000 Common Shares, representing approximately 19.29% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on an undiluted basis. The Company has been advised that the securities noted above were acquired by Scott Ackerman and LP2017 for investment purposes, and neither have any present intention to acquire further securities of the Company, although they may, in the future, acquire or dispose of securities of the Company through the market or otherwise, as circumstances or market conditions warrant. To obtain a copy of the early warning reports filed under applicable Canadian provincial securities legislation, please go to the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca or please reach out to Scott Ackerman at 778-331-8505. For further information about the Company, the Offering and the Dash Lake Project, please see the Prospectus, which is available under the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. About the Company Kubera Gold Corp. is a mineral exploration company engaged in the identification, acquisition, and exploration of mineral projects. The Company holds an option to acquire a 100% interest in and to the Dash Lake Project, which consists of mineral claims covering nearly 815 hectares approximately 90 km north of the town of Fort Frances, Ontario, in the Kenora Mining Division. For more information, please contact the Company at 778-331-8505 or email: sackerman@emprisecapital.com or info@kuberagold.com On Behalf of the Board of Directors of Kubera Gold Corp. Scott Ackerman President, CEO, Corporate Secretary and Director Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release includes certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the Listing, the use of proceeds of the Offering, and the grant of Options, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Often, but not always, forward looking information can be identified by words such as "pro forma", "plans", "expects", "will", "may", "should", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "potential" or variations of such words including negative variations thereof, and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, risk that the Company will not obtain Listing as contemplated, or at all, risk that the Company will not use the proceeds of the Offering as contemplated, risk that the Company will not grant the Options as contemplated, or at all, and statements as to the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, including the Company's option to acquire the Dash Lake Project, the proposed expenditures for exploration work thereon, the ability of the Company to obtain sufficient financing to fund its business activities and plans, delays in obtaining governmental and regulatory approvals (including of the TSX Venture Exchange), permits or financing, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, the Company's limited operating history, title disputes or claims, environmental issues and liabilities, as well as those factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Prospectus and other filings of the Company with the Canadian Securities Authorities, copies of which can be found under the Company's profile on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this presentation or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise required by law. SOURCE: Kubera Gold Corp View the original press release on accesswire.com VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 11, 2024 / bettermoo(d) Food Corporation (CSE:MOOO)(OTCQB:MOOOF)(Frankfurt:0I5A),(WKN: A3D8PP) (the "Company" or "bettermoo(d)") announces further details for its special investors announcement. Nima Bahrami, CEO of bettermoo(d), will share an exciting new development with investors. CONFERENCE CALL: The conference call will be held on Wednesday, March 13, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. Pacific, 4:30 p.m. Eastern, 9:30 p.m. CET. Please call in 10 minutes before the conference call starts and stay on the line. Questions will be answered at the end of the call. CONFERENCE PARTICIPANT ID: BETTER DIAL-IN NUMBERS: Toll: 785 424 1744 Toll-Free Canada & the US: 877-830-2596 Toll-Free Germany: 0 800 186 2030 The Company will issue a press release detailing the new announcement after the conclusion of the Conference Call. ABOUT BETTERMOO(D) FOOD CORPORATION bettermoo(d) Food Corporation is an innovative plant-based dairy alternative food and beverage company based in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada, launching Moodrink, a nutritious dairy-alternative beverage with a revolutionary flavour. Moodrink includes a blend of herbs and flowers similar to what cows ate, before the time of mass livestock production. Like rich dairy products, Moodrink contains added healthy plant fats and vitamins, so consumers don't miss out. The "Moodrink" is just the beginning of the revolution for the Vancouver based dairy-alternative company, bettermoo(d). Driven by the motto "What A Cow Eats and A Human Needs" bettermoo(d) seeks to produce dairy alternative products that are good for both people and the planet - ensuring that all products are nutritious and sustainably sourced, and that also emulate the great taste of traditional milk from the Alps regions of Switzerland, France and Austria. Working with food scientists, the Company's goal is to conduct continuous food research and development programs with the aim of rolling out a full line of dairy alternative products, including Moogurt and Buetter, as well as many other products, that are better for YOU and better for the planet. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD of DIRECTORS Nima Bahrami Chief Executive Officer and Director bettermoo(d) Food Corporation For further information please contact: Email: investors@bettermoodfoodcorporation.com Website: www.bettermoo.com Phone: 1-855-715-1865 The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain certain forward looking statements and forward looking information (collectively, "Forward-Looking Statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements with respect to the anticipated commercial production of Moodrink, are forward-looking statements. When or if used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations. SOURCE: bettermoo(d) Food Corporation View the original press release on accesswire.com Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - March 11, 2024) - FluroTech Ltd. (TSXV: TEST.H) ("FluroTech" or the "Company") and Great Slave Helicopters 2018 Ltd. ("GS Heli") are pleased to announce that further to the news release dated December 21, 2023, the parties have entered into an updated non-binding letter of intent (the "Letter of Intent") which provides for an updated acquisition price and changes to the proposed board of directors. Pursuant to the Letter of Intent, the Company will acquire all the issued and outstanding shares of GS Heli (the "GS Heli Shares") pursuant to a share purchase, business combination, plan of arrangement or similar structure (the "Transaction"). It is intended that the Transaction will constitute a "Change of Business" for the Company, as such term is defined in Policy 5.2 ("Policy 5.2") of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"). Additionally, it is intended that the Transaction will constitute the Company's "Reactivation" under the policies of the TSXV and that upon completion of the Transaction (the "Closing") and satisfaction of all conditions of the TSXV, the Company as it exists upon completion of the Transaction (the "Resulting Issuer") will have its listing transferred from the NEX board of the TSXV ("NEX") to the TSXV. Transaction Terms The material terms and conditions outlined in the Letter of Intent are non-binding on the parties and the Letter of Intent is, among other things, conditional on the execution of a definitive share purchase, arrangement, business combination or other similar form of transaction agreement (the "Definitive Agreement") to be negotiated between the parties. There is no assurance that a Definitive Agreement will be successfully negotiated or entered into. The LOI was negotiated at arm's length and the terms and conditions outlined in the LOI are expected to be superseded by the Definitive Agreement. In connection with the proposed Transaction, it is currently contemplated that all the issued and outstanding GS Heli Shares will be acquired by the Company for an acquisition price of $65,000,000, subject to customary adjustments (the "Purchase Price"). The Purchase Price is expected to be satisfied through a combination of bank and equity financing, in proportions to be determined by the Company and GS Heli, and a minimum of $8,000,000 of the Purchase Price shall be satisfied through the exchange of GS Heli shares for shares in the Resulting Issuer (the "Resulting Issuer Shares") at the deemed price of the Resulting Issuer Shares at the Closing, at an exchange ratio to be determined by the parties and in accordance with TSXV requirements. Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including, but not limited to, receipt of applicable regulatory and stock exchange approvals, including the approval of the TSXV, completion of satisfactory due diligence and the execution of the Definitive Agreement and related transaction documents. In connection with the Transaction, the Company is pleased to announce that it has appointed Research Capital Corporation as advisor to the Company for the proposed equity financing of subscription receipts (the "Concurrent Financing") at a price to be determined in the context of the market (the "Offering Price") and the Transaction. Summary of Bridge Financing In connection with the Transaction, FluroTech intends to complete a private placement of common shares of FluroTech ("Common Shares") for minimum proceeds of $500,000 and a maximum of $1,000,000 at a price of $0.075 per Common Share (the "Bridge Financing"). In accordance with Policy 5.2, the proceeds of the Bridge Financing will be used specifically for purposes of funding the costs associated with completing the Transaction, including costs related to audit fees, legal fees, preparation of necessary documentation for the Transaction and due diligence costs. The Bridge Financing remains subject to TSXV approval. Consolidation Prior to the closing of the Bridge Financing, FluroTech will complete a consolidation of the Common Shares on a 15:1 basis (the "Consolidation"), as approved by the shareholders of FluroTech at its last annual general and special meeting. Debt Conversion At Closing, it is anticipated that approximately $347,000 of FluroTech's existing debt will be converted into Resulting Issuer Shares at the Offering Price (the "Debt Conversion"). Change of Business Upon Closing of the Transaction, it is anticipated that FluroTech will carry on the business of GS Heli, addressing the needs of helicopter aviation in the Northwest Territories, Yukon, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, and focus on subsequent acquisition of businesses in the aviation and aerospace sector (the "Business") and will meet the Tier 1 Initial Listing Requirements for an Industrial Issuer, such that FluroTech will be graduated from the NEX to the TSXV. In connection with the Closing, it is anticipated that FluroTech will change its name to "Consolidated Aerospace Finance Corporation", or such other name as determined by the parties, in order to more accurately reflect its operations and the Business. Pursuant to Section 4.1 of Policy 5.2, FluroTech will not be obtaining shareholder approval of the Transaction as: (i) the Transaction is not a "Related Party Transaction" and does not involve any "Non-Arm's Length Parties" (as such terms are defined in the policies of the TSXV); (ii) FluroTech is without active operations and is currently listed on the NEX; and (iii) FluroTech is not subject to, and, to the best of its knowledge will not be subject to, a cease trade order on completion of the Transaction. However, the structure of the Transaction is being finalized and, based on the final structure as reflected in the Definitive Agreement, shareholder approval may be required under applicable law. Trading in the Common Shares has been halted and will remain halted until the Transaction is completed and the TSXV receives the requisite documentation to resume trading. Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including, but not limited to, receipt of applicable regulatory and stock exchange approvals, including the approval of the TSXV, completion of satisfactory due diligence and the execution of the Definitive Agreement and related transaction documents. Management and Board of Directors of the Resulting Issuer Additional information regarding the anticipated management and board of directors of the Resulting Issuer will be provided in due course by subsequent press releases. Sponsorship Sponsorship of the Transaction is required by the TSXV unless an exemption from this requirement can be obtained in accordance with the policies of the TSXV. FluroTech intends to apply for an exemption to the sponsorship requirement. There is no assurance that an exemption from this requirement will be obtained. Trading Halt In accordance with Policy 5.2, the Common Shares of FluroTech are currently halted from trading and will remain halted until completion of the Transaction. About Great Slave Helicopters 2018 Ltd. Information regarding GS Heli GS Heli is a privately held corporation existing under the Business Corporations Act (Alberta). Headquartered in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, GS Heli is a helicopter company with a long-standing reputation for safety, a diverse range of specialized services and logistical support. GS Heli has over 36 years of successful operations, a fleet of single and twin-engine turbine helicopters and a team of experienced professionals that continue to meet the needs of its customers in the public and private sectors. The only shareholder that holds a controlling interest both directly and indirectly in GS Heli is Mr. Pat Campling. Following the Closing, the Company expects to operate in the aviation industry, addressing the needs of helicopter aviation in the Northwest Territories, Yukon, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Northwest Ontario and British Columbia. With the largest local helicopter support infrastructure in northern Canada, the Company anticipates it will significantly expand the demand for its services, drawing on a senior executive team and board that bring experience in key target markets from aviation and aircraft sectors and its strong partnerships with First Nations throughout the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, British Columbia and Alberta. Summary of Selected Financial Information of GS Heli Year ended October 31, 2022 (unaudited) Year ended October 31, 2021 (unaudited) Gross profit $8,046,623 $7,665,512 Net income $584,933 $1,247,858 Total assets $53,635,376 $51,311,489 Total liabilities $24,878,719 $23,139,765 Total current assets $9,848,541 $8,922,319 Total current liabilities $9,456,849 $8,812,230 About FluroTech FluroTech was incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (Alberta) on May 24, 2018. FluroTech is currently inactive with limited operations and the Common Shares are currently listed on the NEX. FluroTech has no commercial operations and no assets other than cash and is a reporting issuer in the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. Additional Information Additional information concerning the Transaction and any connected transactions of the Company, GS Heli and the Resulting Issuer, including details on the bank financing for the Purchase Price (the "Bank Financing"), Concurrent Financing, Transaction terms, board and management appointments, and other matters will be provided in subsequent news releases and in the Company's management information circular or filing statement to be prepared and filed in connection with the Transaction, which will be available under FluroTech's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. All information contained in this press release with respect to the Company and GS Heli was supplied by or from the respective party for inclusion herein, without independent review by the other party, and each party and its directors and officers have relied on the other party for any information concerning the other party. Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, TSXV acceptance and, if applicable pursuant to TSXV requirements, majority of the minority shareholder approval, the completion of a Definitive Agreement and closing conditions customary to transactions of this nature. Where applicable, the Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative. The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. For further information contact: Consolidated Aerospace Finance Corporation c/o BLG LLP Centennial Place, 520 3 Ave SW Suite 1900 Calgary, AB T2P 0R3 Attention: Michael Rodyniuk, President & CEO E-mail: mrod@cafincorp.com Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "will", "estimates", "believes", "intends" "expects" and similar expressions which are intended to identify forward-looking information or statements. More particularly and without limitation, this press release contains forward looking statements and information concerning: the Transaction; the proposed structure by which the Transaction is to be completed; the Bridge Financing; the Concurrent Financing and the Offering Price; the completion of the Consolidation; the Debt Conversion; the proposed name change of the Company; that the Transaction will constitute the "Reactivation" of FluroTech under the policies of the TSXV; satisfaction of the Purchase Price (including the Bank Financing); and the officers and directors upon completion of the Transaction. FluroTech cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, assumptions and expectations, many of which are beyond the control of FluroTech, including expectations and assumptions concerning FluroTech, the Transaction, the timely receipt of all required TSXV and regulatory approvals and exemptions (as applicable) and the satisfaction of other closing conditions in accordance with the terms of the Letter of Intent. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of FluroTech. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and FluroTech does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by securities law. THIS PRESS RELEASE, REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE CANADIAN LAWS, IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES, AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO SELL ANY OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN IN THE UNITED STATES. THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN, AND WILL NOT BE, REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. PERSONS UNLESS REGISTERED OR EXEMPT THEREFROM. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/201345 SOURCE: FluroTech Ltd. Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl DUBAI, UAE, Mar 12, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - Kaskade finance, a gamified incentivization layer protocol, just announced the closure of its pre-seed funding round from over 40 investors.Nathan Lenga, CEO of Kaskade, tabled the MVP to go live in August, and to continue to build a world-class team that will make certain Kaskade Finance is the premier liquidity incentivization layer for all of DeFi.The oversubscribed seed round had participation from over 40 investors, some of which include Marshland, NxGen.xyz, Artemis Capital, Andromeda Capital, Hercules Ventures, 369 Capital, Crypto Oasis Ventures, as well as influencers, including VirtualBacon, Brian D Evans, CryptoJack and more.Kaskade already has a shortlist of protocols asking to collaborate in order to leverage its incentivization mechanism to bootstrap volume and liquidity; the first of which being Redacted Finance."We founded Kaskade to flip the incentive model on its head; rather than focusing on bootstrapping liquidity first, we strive to drive additional volume in the ecosystem. Our team fundamentally believes that the industry must incentivize volume, which represents demand, to create sustainable flywheels, given demand inevitably results in supply, liquidity," said Nathan Lenga, CEO and co-founder of Kaskade Finance.The first campaign will launch mid-March, in collaboration with Redacted Finance, with up to $30,000 USD in $BTRFLY rewards available for all participants. Not only is there a large rewards pool, but also a gas rebates program that frequent traders can avail themselves of.About Kaskade FinanceKaskade Finance is the cross-chain liquidity bootstrapping layer for DeFi protocols and networks that leverage volume focused incentives to increase more fees to liquidity pools. Kaskade is creating a new mechanism to incentivize liquidity, first emphasizing on volume, with the understanding that liquidity will subsequently increase.Protocols with live tokens can create campaigns through the Kaskade application, engaging their users to increase trading volume and accordingly liquidity. These protocols will put up rewards in any token to incentivize their users to trade more frequently, with users being able to claim these rewards at the end of the week.Keep up to date on all updates for Kaskade Finance by following their socials.Media contacts:Nathan Lengagm@kaskade.financeSource: KaskadeCopyright 2024 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign rally Saturday, March 9, 2024, at Pullman Yards in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Manuel Balce Ceneta/Associated Press In the 20 minutes leading up to President Joe Bidens State of the Union address, the channel I was watching mentioned the mans age four times. Immigration got three nods, and reproductive rights, one. I didnt mean to keep track, but the concerns about the presidents longevity and whether that hampers his ability to lead were telling, and they follow a multitude of polls where Americans are asked whether they believe an 81-year old can successfully lead a nation. A February NBC News poll said Americans Republican and Democrats are worried about Bidens age. An Iowa poll said 56% of people polled believe Biden is too old for a second term compared with 22% who say the GOP front-runner, who is just four years younger than Biden, is not. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In my university communication classes, we study the agenda-setting theory of the media. The medias primary strength rests in its ability to direct the populace not how to think, but what to think about. By the sheer number of media stories/polls/comedic skits that have focused on, well, numbers, we are all encouraged to make the presidents age An Issue. Connecticut is also aging faster than a lot of other states. The Nutmeg State is ranked the seventh-oldest in the country, with a median age of 40.9 in 2022. Accordingly, we have been warned about a so-called silver tsunami, where Connecticut seniors are poised to suck up all the public resources, prunes, and Viagara. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I made those last two up. What gets lost in coverage is the stark choices between the two front-runners, a man who will turn 82 a few weeks after the election, and a 77-year old facing 91 felony charges, including a sexual assault that in some cases though not New York, where the trial was held would be called rape. Fraud! Mishandling secret documents! Attempted cover-ups! Election interference! More attempted cover-ups! Hush money paid to try to quell stories about extramarital affairs! Even more attempted cover-ups! But yes, lets discuss age. I come at this from a unique perch. I am old. I am not as old as Joe Biden, but I turn 65 in July and no one is more surprised about that than I. My mail- and inbox are full of offers to help me navigate signing up for Medicare. My social media accounts are riddled with ads for senior housing and wrinkle cream. The signs are all there, yet when I called myself old in a recent class (dont worry, it was in context), two students nearly leaped from their chairs to reassure me that no, Im not old, as if Id confessed to some awful perversion and not a naturally occurring event. I let them calm down a bit, and then asked if they would consider me middle-aged, because if so, that meant Ill live past age 100, and I have no intention of doing that. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Speaking as a member of the Pepsi generation, I understand the concern. We intended to never trust anyone over age 30. We intended to study war no more. We intended to teach the world to sing, but we never intended to get old. Yet here we are, OK-Boomering our way to the grave. We are not middle-aged. We are old and in a culture where old gets left by the side of the road, it almost would be better to confess to a perversion or a crime. Be a rapist, be a pussy-grabber, but good Lord, dont be old. In some cultures, age is associated with wisdom, and steadiness the kind of qualities youd want in a leader. But among a certain type, examining a candidate for that candidates policy failures or legitimate cognitive decline requires too much effort. Instead, paint old on his forehead and move on. Assume marked decline, and settle Grandpa into a corner with a stick of gum. As President Biden was wrapping up last week, he joked about his age. I know I may not look like it, but Ive been around a while, he said, to laughter from the crowd. It was a droll cap to a sidewinder of a speech. Sure, laugh. Have at it. Make jokes at his expense, but remember if the GOP front-runner gets back into the White House, you will have been laughing at your own expense. Advertisement Article continues below this ad EQS Newswire / 12/03/2024 / 04:32 MSK Polymetal International plc Completion of divestment of Russian business Polymetal International plc ("Polymetal", the "Company" or the "Group") announces that following shareholder approval and satisfaction of all other conditions precedent, the divestment of Polymetal Group's Russian business by way of disposal of 100 per cent of the JSC Polymetal share capital to JSC Mangazeya Plus has completed. "We are pleased shareholders of Polymetal supported the sale of our Russian business. With the transaction closed and major risks eliminated, we plan to present our new strategy and capital allocation policy in May", said Vitaly Nesis, Group CEO. As a result of the Transaction, and in accordance with the terms set out in the shareholder circular published on 19 February 2024 (the "Circular"), Polymetal has deconsolidated US$2.20 billion of external net debt, fully settled US$1.04 billion of its intragroup liabilities net of tax and received after-tax cash proceeds of US$300 million. Following Completion, the Polymetal Retained Group has a net cash position of approx. US$ 130 million. The Group is the second-largest gold producer in Kazakhstan with the head office in Astana (AIFC), two production facilities (Kyzyl, Varvara) and a major development project (Ertis POX). The largest shareholder is Oman-based Maaden International Investment, owning 23.9% of the Company's shares, while 75% are freely traded on AIX and MOEX, with BlackRock Inc. being the largest shareholder within free float holding a 7.45% stake. For more information about the Transaction terms, rationale, background and risks please see the Circular and press release available at the link: https://www.polymetalinternational.com/en/investors-and-media/shareholder-centre/general-meetings/ Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalised terms within this announcement have the same meaning as defined in the Circular. Enquiries Investor Relations Media FTI Consulting Evgeny Monakhov +44 20 7887 1475 (UK) Kirill Kuznetsov Alikhan Bissengali +7 7172 47 66 55 (Kazakhstan) ir@polymetalinternational.com Yerkin Uderbay +7 7172 47 66 55 (Kazakhstan) media@polymetal.kz Leonid Fink Viktor Pomichal +44 20 3727 1000 (UK) FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This release may include statements that are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". These forward-looking statements speak only as at the date of this release. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the words "targets", "believes", "expects", "aims", "intends", "will", "may", "anticipates", "would", "could" or "should" or similar expressions or, in each case their negative or other variations or by discussion of strategies, plans, objectives, goals, future events or intentions. These forward-looking statements all include matters that are not historical facts. By their nature, such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors beyond the company's control that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding the company's present and future business strategies and the environment in which the company will operate in the future. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. There are many factors that could cause the company's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. The company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the company's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based. Polymetal International plc: Completion of divestment of Russian business 12/03/2024 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Media archive at www.todayir.com NEW YORK CITY (dpa-AFX) - Alcoa (AA) said that it has entered into a binding Scheme Implementation Deed with Alumina Limited (AWC.AX), valuing the company at $2.2 billion in an all-stock deal. The Alumina Limited Board of Directors has recommended that Alumina Limited shareholders vote in favor of the Agreement in the absence of a superior proposal and subject to an independent expert concluding that the transaction is in the best interests of Alumina Limited shareholders. As per the terms of the agreement, Alumina shareholders would receive consideration of 0.02854 Alcoa shares for each Alumina Limited share. Upon completion of the transaction, Alumina Limited shareholders would own 31.25 percent, and Alcoa shareholders would own 68.75 percent of the combined company. Based on Alcoa's closing share price as of February 23, 2024, the last trading day prior to the announcement of the Process Deed, the Agreed Ratio implies a value of A$1.15 per Alumina Limited share and an equity value of about $2.2 billion for Alumina Limited. In addition, two new mutually agreed upon Australian directors from Alumina Limited's Board would be appointed to Alcoa's Board of Directors upon closing of the transaction. Under the terms of the Agreement and at Alumina's request, Alcoa has agreed to provide short-term liquidity support to Alumina Limited to fund equity calls made by the AWAC joint venture if Alumina Limited's net debt position exceeds $420 million. Based on AWAC's current 2024 cashflow forecast, Alcoa does not expect any support to be required in the 2024 calendar year. Alumina Limited would be required to pay its equity calls (plus accrued interest) not later than September 1, 2025 in the event the transaction is not completed. Allan Gray Australia, currently the largest substantial holder in Alumina Limited, has confirmed it continues to be supportive of the proposed transaction. The transaction is expected to be completed in the third quarter 2024, subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions as well as approval by both companies' shareholders and receipt of required regulatory approvals. The required regulatory approvals include approvals from Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board and from the antitrust regulators in Australia and Brazil. The transaction is not conditional on due diligence or financing. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Groer Dividenden-Report 2024 von Dr. Dennis Riedl Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl Jetzt hier klicken Miami, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - March 11, 2024) - With the new announcement, LinkDaddy offers undetectable, authentic human clicks to manipulate site behavior, demonstrating credibility and viability to Google's bots - which, in turn, can improve organic ranking for key search terms. More information can be found at https://linkdaddy.com/ctr-manipulation/. LinkDaddy Announces CTR Manipulation Service For SEO & Improved Ranking To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/201377_8d69eaaca4e27a51_002full.jpg The service can be used to automate user behavior on any website or page, which demonstrates that it attracts engaged visitors who value clear navigation and easy-to-find, accurate information related to search queries. With over 90% of global internet traffic originating from Google search, Maps, or Images, according to SparkToro, ranking highly in organic search results is critical. Click-through rate has been identified as one of the most important ranking factors, signifying a website's quality and relevance to searchers - and by boosting a website's CTR, LinkDaddy aims to improve visibility and connect businesses with more qualified visitors. The agency uses a proprietary software tool, and the technology ensures all user behavior indicators come from real people rather than bots, protecting against algorithm penalties and helping to deliver long-lasting ranking improvements. Artificially increasing CTR works by manipulating the signals search engines use for ranking - such as factors like interactions, impressions, and bounce rate. When a website receives more consistent clicks and engagement, Google interprets this as an indication of relevance and authority. This service joins LinkDaddy's existing SEO and backlink offerings to provide an all-in-one visibility solution for businesses, and combining the CTR with other organic strategies maximizes the potential for high rankings and inbound traffic. Tony Peacock, the company founder, states: "What website owners love about this service is how it completely works faster than any marketing strategy that usually takes a lot of time and resources to take effect. Industry professionals in marketing usually rely on email campaigns, blog posts on social media platforms, and advertising campaigns just to get clicks. With the CTR manipulation service, you get a higher chance of boosting your SEO ranking for less time and money." Interested parties can learn more at https://linkdaddy.com/ctr-manipulation/. Contact Info: Name: Tony Peacock Email: tony@linkdaddy.com Organization: LinkDaddy Address: 1065 SW 8th St PMB 622, Miami, Florida 33130, United States Website: https://linkdaddy.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/201377 SOURCE: Plentisoft SHANGHAI, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Queclink, a world-leading IoT device and solution provider, proudly announces the launch of the WR210LG Dual-SIM LTE CPE. Designed to meet the demanding needs of the industrial sector, this high-performance device sets new standards with its extended functionality tailored for a wide range of industrial applications. The WR210LG, encased in a durable metal shell and equipped with industrial-grade components, operates reliably from -30C to 75C. It is designed with a versatile DIN rail mounting groove on the back, accommodating a wide range of latches and rails, including the standard DIN 35mm rail. With an alternative bracket mount option, the solution greatly simplifies the installation process, offering unmatched flexibility for setting up the device. At the core of the WR210LG's performance is its dual-SIM design, powered by 4G LTE Cat 4 technology. This ensures uninterrupted network coverage, providing fast data rates at all times. With backward compatibility with 2G and 3G networks, the device guarantees extensive connectivity across various countries and regions. Further enhancing its adaptability, the WR210LG features RS232 and RS485 serial ports and multiple I/O interfaces. It supports protocols such as SNMP and Modbus, facilitating remote control and seamless integration with various industrial systems. This versatility enables smooth communication between critical devices such as robots, sensors, and PLCs, bolstering overall connectivity for industrial automation. Security is a paramount concern in the IoT landscape, and Queclink addresses this with comprehensive network security features added to the device, including a firewall and data encryption, and support for multiple VPN protocols like PPTP, L2TP, OpenVPN, IPsec, and GRE. This multi-layered security approach protects data transmission and allows for secure remote network management. The WR210LG applies optical isolation technology in the RS485 interface, which significantly enhances the system's resistance to electromagnetic interference and surge impacts, ensuring stable and reliable data transmission across industrial automation systems. Moreover, the CPE solution provides intelligent power management, automatically powering on or off in response to the operational state of connected machinery. Detected through the ACC input, the device not only simplifies operations but also enhances device safety and operational efficiency, especially in vehicle-mounted applications where it can help prevent battery drainage and ensure uninterrupted business operations. With the launch of the WR210LG, Queclink reaffirms its commitment to advancing industrial connectivity solutions, offering unmatched reliability, security, and flexibility to meet the evolving needs of modern industries. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2360257/Queclink_Photo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/queclink-unveils-wr210lg-a-game-changer-in-industrial-connectivity-302086207.html DP World now operates 100 branches, launched in the last eight months in a bold move that has expanded its global freight forwarding offer, with significantly more branches to come Over 1,000 jobs created, with more new roles to be added as DP World expands its freight forwarding offering Unique combination of infrastructure ownership and end-to-end services provide customers with more resilience and bespoke solutions for their supply chains DUBAI, UAE, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- DP World has inaugurated the latest in a string of more than 100 freight forwarding offices across the world, marking a significant expansion aimed at supporting customers navigating the complexities of global trade. In response to increasing disruptions to global trade - from climate change, geopolitics and macroeconomic challenges - DP World has embarked on a bold initiative to bolster its commitment to its customers. The offices already employ 1,000 staff, adding to DP World's already 108,000-strong team and this is expected to grow significantly over the next 12 months, helping move more than 10% of global trade every year. Fuelled by global trade disruptions, businesses are now prioritising dynamic strategies to build resilience into their supply chains, according to Economist Impact research1. The traditional asset-light freight forwarding model, which moves cargo via third parties, has proven to be susceptible to disruption at key chokepoints and can have knock-on effects for inventory and fulfilment planning for businesses and their customers. With businesses seeking increased control over their supply chains, DP World's expansion comes at a pivotal time for the global logistics and supply chain industry. By expanding its freight forwarding offering, with a focus on air and ocean freight, DP World will deploy its 'toolbox' of services or capabilities made up of ports, terminals, warehouses, trucks, rail and shipping services to increase control and resilience, supported by proprietary digital technology, whilst also working with complementary partners across the supply chain to boost efficiency. Miami is the latest office to open its doors, as DP World builds on its end-to-end network of high-value port assets and specialist expertise across ports, trucking, air and ocean freight, customs and warehousing services that spans over 430 business units in 86 countries. Beat Simon, Group Chief Commercial Officer, Logistics at DP World, said: "Our expansion in freight forwarding complements our end-to-end supply chain solutions and capabilities. Our asset - appropriate approach is a step-change for the freight forwarding industry that puts customers in the driving seat with more visibility and control and giving them confidence to trade in today's global market. "As we continue to grow our freight forwarding footprint, we are building a network that will cover more than 90% of global trade. We are focused on densifying our network as we build a best-in-class, strong and resilient global capability." The growing service currently spans order and origin management, port handling and freight management for ocean and air, and at-destination services such as customs, drayage, logistics, last-mile delivery, deconsolidation and bonded warehousing services. Additionally, DP World offers a variety of value-add services including embedded trade finance, commodity-specific services, cars in containers, transload and advanced hubs and more. This is all accessed through a single digital window that is backed by an integrated Global Services Centre that centralises back-end processes, made up of over 500 IT specialists. The advanced digital system means customers can track their goods in real time and easily manage their cargo journey. Marco Nazzari, VP Commercial Freight Forwarding at DP World said: "Our freight forwarding service uses our proprietary digital technology solutions to simplify global trade for our customers and give them more control. However, it's not just our digital solutions that offer a next-gen freight forwarding service: our people are foundational to our customers' success. We employ over 1,000 team members and will continue to grow. "Leveraging an asset-appropriate approach, DP World utilises its digital tools, alongside the expertise and local know-how of its team, to make freight forwarding easier and more resilient from end to end." DP World's latest expansion is not only increasing the size of its global logistics team to more than 45,000 employees but also contributes to the company's total global workforce of nearly 110,000 people. These employees are distributed across a diversified portfolio of logistics services spanning: ports and terminals, marine services, and logistics. About DP World Trade is the lifeblood of the global economy, creating opportunities and improving the quality of life for people around the world. DP World exists to make the world's trade flow better, changing what's possible for the customers and communities we serve globally. With a dedicated, diverse and professional team of more than 108,100 employees from 161 nationalities, spanning 86 countries on six continents, DP World is pushing trade further and faster towards a seamless supply chain that's fit for the future. We're rapidly transforming and integrating our businesses -- Ports and Terminals, Marine Services, Logistics and Technology - and uniting our global infrastructure with local expertise to create stronger, more efficient end-to-end supply chain solutions that can change the way the world trades. What's more, we're reshaping the future by investing in innovation. From intelligent delivery systems to automated warehouse stacking, we're at the cutting edge of disruptive technology, pushing the sector towards better ways to trade, minimising disruptions from the factory floor to the customer's door. WE MAKE TRADE FLOW TO CHANGES WHAT'S POSSIBLE FOR EVERYONE. [1] Key findings | Trade in Transition (economist.com) Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2359451/DP_World_cargo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/dp-world-launches-global-freight-forwarding-network-302085843.html TAIPEI, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Taiwan Design Research Institute (TDRI) and Chinese Institute of Design (CID) have joined forces to earn recognitions of international design research community, winning the right to host the 2025 annual conference of the world-renowned design research association International Association of Societies of Design Research (IASDR). This globally anticipated event is projected to take place at Taipei New Horizon in Songshan Cultural and Creative Park in December 2025, and is expected to attract design scholars, experts, and students from all across the world. The year 2025 also marks the 20th anniversary of IASDR, and the conference will respond to the discussions on "Design Topics" and "Design Tools and Methodologies" at the 2023 conference themed "Life-Changing Design," and focus on the theme of "Design Next" to not only review the progress of design research over the past two decades, but also look ahead into the future, striving to formulate for future generations a new roadmap of design knowledge, theories, and methods. According to President Chang Chi-yi of TDRI, Taiwan is more than capable of hosting this conference with its rich experience of organizing numerous international events like the IDA Congress in the past. Fourteen experts from academia, including Professor Chen Chien-hsiung and Professor Hsu Yen of CID, will be joining the preparatory work of the event, and Professor Chen Lin-lin of Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands will also participate remotely. IASDR is is an international, non-governmental, non-profit-making, charitable organisation, and strives to promote research or study into or about the activity of design in all its many fields of application, through encouraging collaboration on an international level between independent societies of design research. Starting in 2005, IASDR has organized a biennial International Congress of Design Research, which has become a prominent academic event of global design research. Twenty years ago, Taiwan hosted the inaugural conference, and next year, the event makes a grand return to Taiwan after many years away. With the collective effort of TDRI and CID, IASDR 2025 will undoubtedly become an important milestone that drives global design research forward. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2360249/IASDP_20240201_2.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/iasdr-2025-officially-launched-announcing-conference-theme-design-next-302086257.html Dassault Systemes, a science-based leader in virtual twin experiences and CDR-Life, a Swiss biotherapeutics company, partnered to study the stability of antibody-based biologics Dassault Systemes' Contract Research team used BIOVIA software to run virtual "what if" experiments that identified stabilizing variants Dassault Systemes (Euronext Paris: FR0014003TT8, DSY.PA) today announced it collaborated with CDR-Life, a Swiss biotherapeutics company, to accelerate CDR-Life's development of next-generation highly tumor-selective immunotherapies using CDR-Life's proprietary M-gager platform. Scientists from Dassault Systemes' Contract Research team worked closely with scientists from CDR-Life to perform virtual "what if" experiments on antibody-based biologics called T-cell engagers, using Dassault Systemes' BIOVIA software and CDR-Life's experimental data. Dassault Systemes' Contract Research team leveraged its expertise in science and technology to model different molecules virtually, and identify ones that will have desirable properties such as stability, without impacting other molecular function. Following a holistic and systematic analysis of the results, the team provided the variants that were anticipated to have a high probability of success when tested in the lab by CDR-Life. "Our collaboration with Dassault Systemes' Contract Research team accelerated our research and development efforts based on our proprietary antibody-based MHC-targeting T-cell engager technology. By working together, we can use the insights gathered virtually for our protein engineering platform and pave the way toward more efficient and effective oncology treatments," said Fabian Scheifele, Discovery Leader, CDR-Life. Next generation immunotherapies are a key step in the successful treatment of cancer, as they empower the immune system to eradicate malignant cells with unparalleled specificity. Improving the stability of antibody-based T-cell engagers can result in high tumor cell killing potency, longer duration of effect, and lower risk of immune-related adverse effects. "The complexity of unmet medical needs affects the patient experience and health outcomes. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies of all sizes seek to accelerate the development of therapies that will help people live healthier lives," said Claire Biot, Vice President, Life Sciences Healthcare Industry, Dassault Systemes. "Our outcome-based Contract Research service is a game-changer in how we work with our customers on projects. CDR-Life was able to focus its time and energy on prioritized experiments with the most promising candidates. Not only did this narrow down the number of experiments its scientists needed to perform in their lab, it provided new insights that helped them reach their end-goals faster." As a science-based company, Dassault Systemes, through its Contract Research team, provides solutions to business-critical scientific challenges that its existing and new customers in all industries face. During the pandemic, for example, these services delivered actionable results and insights for projects to model, simulate and evaluate virus propagation risks in hospitals, offices and public spaces. FOR MORE INFORMATION Dassault Systemes' 3DEXPERIENCE platform, 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions: http://www.3ds.com M-gager is a proprietary technology and registered trademark of CDR-Life. SHARE THIS ON X, FORMERLY KNOWN AS TWITTER New collaboration between @Dassault3DS and CDR-Life to accelerate scientific innovation for cancer therapies 3DEXPERIENCE Connect with Dassault Systemes on https://twitter.com/Dassault3DS https://www.facebook.com/DassaultSystemes https://www.linkedin.com/company/dassaultsystemes https://www.youtube.com/DassaultSystemes ABOUT DASSAULT SYSTEMES Dassault Systemes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, is a catalyst for human progress. We provide business and people with collaborative virtual environments to imagine sustainable innovations. By creating virtual twin experiences of the real world with our 3DEXPERIENCE platform and applications, our customers can redefine the creation, production and life-cycle-management processes of their offer and thus have a meaningful impact to make the world more sustainable. The beauty of the Experience Economy is that it is a human-centered economy for the benefit of all -consumers, patients and citizens. Dassault Systemes brings value to more than 300,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit www.3ds.com Dassault Systemes. All rights reserved. 3DEXPERIENCE, the 3DS logo, the Compass icon, IFWE, 3DEXCITE, 3DVIA, BIOVIA, CATIA, CENTRIC PLM, DELMIA, ENOVIA, GEOVIA, MEDIDATA, NETVIBES, OUTSCALE, SIMULIA and SOLIDWORKS are commercial trademarks or registered trademarks of Dassault Systemes, a European company (Societas Europaea) incorporated under French law, and registered with the Versailles trade and companies registry under number 322 306 440, or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240311427392/en/ Contacts: Dassault Systemes Press Contacts Corporate France Arnaud MALHERBE arnaud.malherbe@3ds.com +33 (0)1 61 62 87 73 North America Natasha LEVANTI natasha.levanti@3ds.com +1 (508) 449 8097 EMEA Virginie BLINDENBERG virginie.blindenberg@3ds.com +33 (0) 1 61 62 84 21 China Grace MU grace.mu@3ds.com +86 10 6536 2288 India Kriti ASHOK kriti.ashok@3ds.com +91 9741310607 Japan Wen YANG wen.yang@3ds.com +81 3 4321 6549 Korea Jeemin JEONG jeemin.jeong@3ds.com +82 2 3271 6653 OKAZAKI, Japan, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Institute for Molecular Science (hereinafter "the IMS"), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, has established a "Commercialization Preparatory Platform (PF)" to accelerate the development of novel quantum computers, based on the achievement of a research group led by Prof. Kenji Ohmori. The launch of the PF was made possible by collaboration with 10 industry partners, including companies and financial institutions. The 10 partners that joined the PF include (listed alphabetically): blueqat Inc., Development Bank of Japan Inc., Fujitsu Limited, Groovenauts, Inc., Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hitachi, Ltd., and NEC Corporation. With the PF in place, the IMS will leverage the expertise of the participating companies and seek for advice and support on matters related to commercialization, such as the processes of establishing a start-up company, developing domestically produced quantum computers, and R&D efforts to enable practical application of quantum computers and their associated services. It plans to launch a start-up company by the end of its FY2024 and begin the development of "cold (neutral) atom" quantum computers. Background Fierce competition is underway globally for the development of quantum computers by various modalities. However, there remain a number of issues that need to be addressed in order to ensure that these computers can be used practically; these issues include the need to expand the scale of these computers and the ability to take measures against errors that may occur during computation. In recent years, the "cold (neutral) atom" modality, which uses individual atoms as qubits, has been attracting attention from industry, academia, and governments around the world as a revolutionary new method to overcome these issues. Another feature of the cold (neutral) atom modality is that it operates at room temperature and does not require any refrigerators, which are necessary for the superconducting qubit and silicon qubit modalities. The Ohmori group at the IMS is leading the world in developing the cold (neutral) atom quantum computers. The group has a number of technological advantages and core competencies (*1), including "optical tweezers" and microscope technologies to control a large number of high-quality qubits on a flat surface, and "ultrafast two-qubit gates" that use an ultrafast laser to create a quantum entanglement between two qubits in just 6.5 nanoseconds. In particular, the two-qubit gates represent an important core technology that enables the extraordinary computational speed of quantum computers. In 2022, the ultrafast two-qubit gates developed by the Ohmori group achieved a disruptive innovation that accelerates the two-qubit gates of the conventional cold (neutral) atom method by two orders of magnitude at once. By taking advantage of these technical advances and core competencies of the Ohmori group, the IMS will accelerate the development and commercialization of quantum computers in collaboration with its industry partners. World's first demonstration of quantum supremacy using superconducting quantum computers in 2019 (*2) Message from Professor John Martinis, University of California, Santa Barbara: "Professor Kenji Ohmori and his team have recently made a major breakthrough to overcome the weakness of the neutral atom method by using ultrafast lasers to drastically accelerate its two-qubit gate by two orders of magnitude. Their optical tweezers and microscope technology for manipulating individual atomic qubits is also outstanding. The team is therefore an extremely promising candidate for the realization of a practical quantum computer in the near future. I would like to actively participate in and contribute to the practical application and commercialization of their quantum computer by making use of my experience." Message from Yuki Takemori, General Manager, Innovation Promotion Office, Business Planning & Coordination Department, Development Bank of Japan Inc. Project General Manager of PF: "After the bursting of the bubble economy, the Japanese economy spent the 'lost 30 years' without a clue to its further growth. I expect that quantum computing will be a technology that will bring revolutionary evolution to mankind, similar to the Internet and artificial intelligence (AI). It will grow into an extremely important industry for Japan, acting as a catalyst for its development and advancement. The technological capabilities of Professor Kenji Ohmori and his team are a global treasure and a trump card for the revival of the Japanese economy. I expect that this project will spread its wings far and wide." Message from Professor Kenji Ohmori, Institute for Molecular Science: "I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the support of such distinguished companies for the development of our cold-atom (neutral-atom) quantum computer. Although we have absolute confidence in our basic technology, the development of practical quantum computers requires the integration of a variety of 'enabling technologies' including conventional electronics, software, system engineering, and architecture. With the launch of this commercialization platform, we will further strengthen our development efforts and work hard to create a quantum computer that can contribute to our society as soon as possible." Notes: (*1) Core competency: a defining capability that distinguishes an enterprise from its competitors (*2) Quantum supremacy: a demonstration of a quantum computer's advantage over classical computers, including supercomputers, to process calculations that would conventionally take a long time to process at unmatched speeds For more information, please visit: Research funding: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202403077687-O2-hlc67mcx.pdf Photo/Figure: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202403077687-O1-coSasezF.pdf Related links: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202403077687-O3-9KCZgK5F.pdf View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ims-developing-japans-first-cold-neutral-atom-quantum-computers-new-collaboration-with-10-industry-partners-toward-commercialization-302086184.html FirstBank Guinea receives prestigious 'Best CSR Brand, Guinea', and 'Best Mobile Banking Brand, Guinea' awards for 2023 at the distinguished Global Brand Awards. LONDON, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Prestigious Global Brand Awards, an annual event by Global Brands Magazine (GBM) based in England, honours worldwide brands that distinguish themselves across diverse industries every year. GBM conducted a comprehensive assessment covering multiple criteria, including Corporate Social Responsibility, Mobile Banking Services, Brand Reputation and Recognition, Financial Performance, Innovation and Technology, among others. FirstBank Guinea demonstrated exceptional performance in this evaluation, highlighting its excellence and earning well-deserved recognition from Global Brands Magazine. Commenting on winning the award, Jay Reddy, Director, Global Brands Magazine said, "FirstBank Guinea has demonstrated exceptional commitment to social responsibility and innovation in banking, and we are thrilled to recognize them as the recipients of the 'Best CSR Brand, Guinea' and 'Best Mobile Banking Brand, Guinea' awards at the prestigious Global Brand Awards 2023. Their dedication to making a positive impact in the community and providing cutting-edge mobile banking services sets a high standard for the industry. Congratulations to FirstBank Guinea on this well-deserved achievement." Commenting on winning the award, BAH Mamadou Macky, MD CEO, FirstBank Guinea said, "Firstbank Guinea is distinguished among her peers by several innovative products such as, Firstmonie, FirstMobile, USSD services amongst others. Besides the core commercial business, the Bank also distinguishes itself in other areas of responsibility within the operating environment, thus has earned the prestigious recognition as the bank with the Best Mobile App and the Best CSR Brand in Guinea in 2023. FirstBank Guinea is more than a bank, it's a factory where we consistently think of our customer's need and satisfactions." ABOUT FIRSTBANK GUINEA FirstBank Guinea is a commercial bank and one of the commercial banking subsidiaries of FirstBank Nigeria. Formerly known as IC Bank (International Commerce Bank) which had been operating since 1997 in Guinea, FirstBank opened its doors in the country through the acquisition of ICB in 2013 and first commenced operations as FBNBank Guinea, before becoming officially pronounced FirstBank Guinea in July 2023, in alignment with our Group Head Office. With a history of 130years, the FirstBank Group with headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria, has an international presence through its FirstBank (UK) subsidiary in London, a representative office in Paris and another in China, with six subsidiaries in Africa located in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Gambia, DR Congo, Senegal and Guinea, through which it offers services and products to meet the financial needs of its clients". Firstbank Guinea, has been growing exponentially over its years of operation in the country, allowing it to rise to being one of the top ten banks in the country. We draw our strength from the experience of our group, the dynamism of our young and innovative staff, as well as deployment of the best technology in the market. In nine years of activity, Firstbank Guinea has opened nine branches across the country, with additional branches to be opened in 2024. ABOUT GLOBAL BRANDS MAGAZINE (ENGLAND) Global Brands Magazine (GBM) has been at the forefront, bringing news, views and opinions on brands shaping the future of their industry. The UK-based magazine provides its readers with the latest news and information on 'best-in-class brands across the globe. Each year, GBM develops awards for companies that stand out, have a unique vision, exceptional service, innovative solutions and consumer-centric products among their industry leaders. The Magazine has over 10 million visitors and 14 million page views per month, making it one of the best online magazines. The Magazine also maintains a strong presence on social media, with over 20k+ Facebook likes, 10k+ Instagram followers, 25k+ Twitter followers, and 3k+ LinkedIn followers. ABOUT THE GLOBAL BRAND AWARDS Global Brand Awards honours brands for their excellence in performance and rewards companies across different sectors for the quality of their services. The Brand Awards highlight the accomplishments of organisations that have performed remarkably well in finance, education, hospitality, automotive, lifestyle, education, real estate, technology, and others. Global Brand Awards recognise vital players who progress towards excellence by providing a platform to acknowledge their efforts. In addition, GBM strives to create awareness concerning the significance of such organisations and rewards them for their notable efforts with the ultimate global recognition. We are excited to announce the highly anticipated awards ceremony, which will take place at The Athenee Hotel in the heart of Bangkok, Thailand, in May 2024. To learn more about the awards, please visit the Brand Awards Winners section on the GBM website. To nominate your company or business leader for the Global Brand Awards 2023, please click on the following link: https://www.globalbrandsmagazine.com/nomination-form/ Check out our social media shout outs from the links below: Facebook: https://bit.ly/49KhgAR Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3v8DYDR Twitter: https://bit.ly/3Pei2ho Instagram: https://bit.ly/3Pf3a2d Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2311174/GBM_Awards_2023_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/firstbank-guinea-emerges-victorious-at-global-brands-magazine-awards-302086345.html Tide is UK's leading business financial platform with Germany becoming Tide's second market outside the UK following its 2022 launch in India Tide, the UK's leading business financial platform, is to launch in Germany, with the country becoming Tide's second market outside of the UK, following the successful start of its operations in India in 2022. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240312718997/en/ Oliver Prill, CEO of Tide (Photo: Business Wire) In the UK, Tide offers small businesses that don't have a finance function, highly connected finance and admin solutions that save members (customers) time and money. These range from business current accounts to accounting. Tide serves over 575,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UK, more than 10% of the market. In Germany, potential members can today join the waiting list for Tide on tide.co/de with the Tide app becoming available in the coming months. Members will initially be able to access Tide's Business Account and card products, with Tide's full platform capabilities, which includes solutions from invoicing to cash flow forecasting, being rolled out step by step. The German financial sector is rapidly evolving. Germany is Europe's largest economy with nearly three million small businesses1, of which the vast majority employ less than 10 people. The German SME sector employs 5.9m people who are increasingly turning to digital solutions to manage their finances.2 Like the UK previously, SME financial services in Germany is dominated by large traditional banks. Tide will bring to Germany its simple, highly innovative offer, appealing to small businesses in Germany as it does in the UK. The Company's move into Germany follows Tide's successful launch in India, the world's largest SME market, in December 2022. The business has rapidly scaled to more than 200,000 members. Tide now employs 1,600 people globally and has offices in India and Bulgaria in addition to its headquarters in London. Tide has employees based in Germany, with plans to expand its presence around the country. Oliver Prill, CEO of Tide, says: "As in the UK, small businesses are the backbone of the German economy, Europe's largest. Our success in the UK has been built on having a deep understanding of the pain points of small businesses, the self-employed and freelancers. Our goal is to help reduce the financial and administrative management burdens with our advanced business financial platform. Looking at what is on offer for SMEs in Germany, we believe there is a huge opportunity for Tide. Across all our markets, we continue to add to the services and products we offer to our members, as part of our mission to be the leading international financial platform for small businesses." Chris Barton, His Majesty's Trade Commissioner Europe, says: "We are delighted that Tide is entering the German market and beginning to grow in continental Europe. In the UK, its first market, Tide represents a remarkable success story and has already helped hundreds of thousands of small businesses to keep their finances and administration under control in recent years. Tide is now one of the UK's leading providers of innovative solutions for small businesses and is making an important contribution to strengthening the SME sector.'' 1 Statista: https://www.statista.com/statistics/818691/small-and-medium-sized-enterprises-germany/ 2 Statista: https://www.statista.com/statistics/818691/small-and-medium-sized-enterprises-germany/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240312718997/en/ Contacts: Robin Tozer, Alice Cho SEC Newgate: tide@secnewgate.co.uk Blog Archive: Mar 2024 (155) Feb 2024 (145) Jan 2024 (156) Dec 2023 (155) Nov 2023 (150) Oct 2023 (155) Sep 2023 (150) Aug 2023 (155) Jul 2023 (155) Jun 2023 (150) May 2023 (155) Apr 2023 (150) Mar 2023 (155) Feb 2023 (140) Jan 2023 (155) Dec 2022 (156) Nov 2022 (150) Oct 2022 (155) Sep 2022 (150) Aug 2022 (155) Jul 2022 (154) Jun 2022 (150) May 2022 (155) Apr 2022 (150) Mar 2022 (155) Feb 2022 (140) Jan 2022 (156) Dec 2021 (156) Nov 2021 (150) Oct 2021 (155) Sep 2021 (150) Aug 2021 (155) Jul 2021 (155) Jun 2021 (150) May 2021 (155) Apr 2021 (150) Mar 2021 (155) Feb 2021 (140) Jan 2021 (155) Dec 2020 (155) Nov 2020 (150) Oct 2020 (158) Sep 2020 (150) Aug 2020 (130) Jul 2020 (124) Jun 2020 (120) May 2020 (124) Apr 2020 (120) Mar 2020 (124) Feb 2020 (116) Jan 2020 (125) Dec 2019 (126) Nov 2019 (120) Oct 2019 (124) Sep 2019 (120) Aug 2019 (125) Jul 2019 (124) Jun 2019 (120) May 2019 (123) Apr 2019 (121) Mar 2019 (124) Feb 2019 (112) Jan 2019 (125) Dec 2018 (126) Nov 2018 (120) Oct 2018 (124) Sep 2018 (121) Aug 2018 (124) Jul 2018 (125) Jun 2018 (120) May 2018 (124) Apr 2018 (121) Mar 2018 (124) Feb 2018 (112) Jan 2018 (123) Dec 2017 (124) Nov 2017 (124) Oct 2017 (141) Sep 2017 (135) Aug 2017 (138) Jul 2017 (137) Jun 2017 (134) May 2017 (138) Apr 2017 (135) Mar 2017 (139) Feb 2017 (129) Jan 2017 (143) Dec 2016 (135) Nov 2016 (138) Oct 2016 (142) Sep 2016 (128) Aug 2016 (133) Jul 2016 (136) Jun 2016 (138) May 2016 (164) Apr 2016 (311) Mar 2016 (348) Feb 2016 (320) Jan 2016 (348) Dec 2015 (314) Nov 2015 (338) Oct 2015 (363) Sep 2015 (358) Aug 2015 (399) Jul 2015 (374) Jun 2015 (331) May 2015 (337) Apr 2015 (319) Mar 2015 (320) Feb 2015 (271) Jan 2015 (286) Dec 2014 (254) Nov 2014 (238) Oct 2014 (287) Sep 2014 (267) Aug 2014 (259) Jul 2014 (260) Jun 2014 (238) May 2014 (241) Apr 2014 (228) Mar 2014 (240) Feb 2014 (217) Jan 2014 (263) Dec 2013 (226) Nov 2013 (254) Oct 2013 (256) Sep 2013 (252) Aug 2013 (263) Jul 2013 (261) Jun 2013 (251) May 2013 (250) Apr 2013 (221) Mar 2013 (193) Feb 2013 (164) Jan 2013 (157) Dec 2012 (155) Nov 2012 (240) Oct 2012 (526) Sep 2012 (411) Aug 2012 (394) Jul 2012 (284) Jun 2012 (229) May 2012 (213) Apr 2012 (213) Mar 2012 (253) Feb 2012 (269) Jan 2012 (298) Dec 2011 (273) Nov 2011 (219) Oct 2011 (204) Sep 2011 (201) Aug 2011 (236) Jul 2011 (217) Jun 2011 (211) May 2011 (206) Apr 2011 (215) Mar 2011 (215) Feb 2011 (186) Jan 2011 (215) Dec 2010 (107) Nov 2010 (98) Oct 2010 (55) SHANGHAI, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Wall Technology, a work flow digitization proptech company, today announces that it will launch an AI-powered property marketing and sales management system: Julius. The industry-leading cloud-native system is the global version of Blue Wall's widely-recognized system in China, and will first debut in the Gulf Region and North America. Jeffrey Yun Bai, Founder of Blue Wall Technology, says "With deep industry know-how, cutting-edge AI and cloud technologies and a verified business model, we have established undisputed leadership in China, the world's largest real estate market. We are now ready to meet the global need for digital transformation in the real estate industry." "With decades of experience in real estate, construction and internet companies, we are confident that Julius' global version will greatly improve the marketing efficiency for developers to obtain new customers from fast-growing social media platforms", adds Bai. Bai says that Julius, an AI-powered real estate project management system that first debuted in 2020, has become the "de-facto operation system" for its clients in China, with Julius' comprehensive set of modules including gen-AI marketing, CRM, dynamic inventory manager, and real-time budgeting. The global version of Julius will focus on helping developers generate and distribute marketing content across social media platforms, with generative AI technology offering real-time adjustments based on clients' feedback. "Like many industries, the real estate sector is increasingly relying on social media platforms to generate new leads. It is estimated that property transaction from online channels have been increasing at over 200% annually since COVID-19. We are ready to upgrade Julius to meet the urgent demand for digital solutions from marketers," says Bai. Blue Wall's global venture will prioritize two major functions, including the "AI-enhanced content creation" and "Sales Management". The AI-enhanced content creation will help clients generate highly personalized social media content to drive traffic from social media and can analyze customer data to offer insights for more effective marketing activities. It can also distribute content across different social platforms to generate leads and collect data for improvement. Julius's Sales Management system will upgrade the existing social CRM systems and can allow developers to better manage their sales channels. The standardized workflows from customer leads to transactions will maximize the marketing effects for business success. Data reveals a surge in Chinese investment for global real estate, with major cities experiencing the fastest growth. "The trend is clear as more Chinese companies expand globally, there is a growing need for Chinese entrepreneurs and executives to invest in properties outside of China. Blue Wall not only possesses technical solutions but also boasts deep insights into the specific needs and preferences of Chinese property buyers," explains Bai. "Our Julius system allows us to leverage this expertise and deliver significant value to our clients." Blue Wall's clients in China are developers of various property types including residential, commercial, industrial, and infrastructure. In 2023, Blue Wall's sales revenue has increased by 80% from 2022, with 95% of its clients renewing their contracts. At the moment, Blue Wall is working with clients across China in over 20 provinces. The company has been working with China's leading national and regional developers, industrial developers, and rental apartment developers, including CR Land, Gemdale Group, Landleaf Tech, Mingji Estate, Siasun, etc. Blue Wall is backed by leading VCs including GGV Capital, ZhenFund, and Hearst Ventures. The company was named to the Forbes Asia "100 to Watch" list in 2022 and was awarded "China Leading Proptech 50" for 3 consecutive years by KPMG since 2021. For more information, please visit www.bluewall.com.cn Media Contact contact@bluewall.com.cn View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/blue-wall-technology-to-launch-ai-powered-property-sales-management-system-julius-302084986.html New alliance continues FloQast's momentum in Europe, driving greater velocity, accuracy, and audit readiness among Accounting and Finance teams LONDON, March 12, 2024, a Finance and Accounting Operations Platform created by accountants for accountants, announced today a strategic consulting partnership with PwC UK, a global leader in assurance, advisory, and tax services. The collaboration combines the power of FloQast's Finance and Accounting Operations Platform with PwC's extensive industry expertise to transform critical accounting and finance processes, including the financial Close, and Compliance and internal controls management. Today's businesses are under significant pressure to transform their accounting and finance operations for greater accuracy and more valuable data and insights - critical for steering organisational strategy. This includes an increased focus on strengthening internal controls to comply with regulations, be audit-ready, and protect the business. FloQast addresses these needs by offering accounting teams a wealth of resources to improve communication and transparency, automate time-consuming tasks, and assure financial accuracy. This empowers them to work collaboratively, reduce errors, and accelerate record-to-report and compliance management processes. PwC UK's deep understanding of finance transformation and optimisation, regulatory environments, and industry-specific challenges will enrich the partnership by providing tailored consulting services to clients seeking greater efficiency and accuracy. "FloQast is proud to partner with PwC UK, continuing our momentum in the region by pairing FloQast's cutting-edge Finance and Accounting technology with PwC's industry and consulting expertise", said Adam Zoucha, Managing Director, FloQast EMEA. "The partnership comes at a critical strategic moment for many organisations, and we're excited to be a resource for our customers as they pursue financial transformation." "We are hugely excited to embark on this journey with FloQast to help businesses in the UK and EMEA region to accelerate financial transformations and deliver accounting operational excellence," said Lauren Cottier, Partner Enterprise Business Applications, PwC UK. "By combining our expertise in system implementation, back-office transformation and risk and compliance with FloQast's best-of-breed advanced workflow automation, we aim to deliver comprehensive solutions that address the unique challenges faced by finance teams today." In 2023, FloQast announced a strategic consulting partnership with PwC Germany to enhance financial close solutions in the region. This latest collaboration between PwC UK and FloQast is built upon PwC UK's dedication to delivering outstanding client service and FloQast's commitment to innovation, forming a robust foundation for their strategic partnership. About FloQast FloQast, a Finance and Accounting Operations Platform created by accountants for accountants, enables organisations to operationalize accounting excellence. Trusted by more than 2,600 accounting teams - including Cranswick, Emma Sleep, On Running, Treatwell, and Zoom - FloQast enhances the way accounting teams work, enabling customers to streamline and manage the Financial Close, Finance and Accounting Operations, and Compliance Programs. With FloQast, teams can manage every aspect of the month-end Close, reduce their compliance burden, stay audit-ready, and improve accuracy, visibility, and collaboration throughout the financial function. FloQast is consistently rated #1 across all user review sites. Learn more at FloQast.com . About PwC At PwC, our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. We're a network of firms in 152 countries with over 327,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory and tax services. The term PwC refers to the PwC network and/or one or more of the legally independent network companies. Further details at www.pwc.com/structure . Contact: Kyle Cabodi FloQast Director of Corporate Communications kyle.cabodi@floqast.com The birth of a vertically integrated, EU GMP, Clean Green certified organic, global medical cannabis company with a unique and proprietary aquaponics growing process, vast distribution capabilities and a commitment to providing high-quality, consistent products to patients. LONDON, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cannaray Limited, a leading European medical cannabis company headquartered in London, is thrilled to announce it has signed a definitive agreement to merge with Aqualitas Inc., a Nova Scotia-licenced, medical cannabis cultivator and processor and drug establishment license (DEL) holder with EU GMP, cGMP, GAP & Clean Green organic certifications. Aqualitas is home to Canada's top grower of the year and has developed an innovative cultivation system using living soil and aquaponic fertilisation from the nutrient dense waste of 3,000 koi carp fish, which has produced award-winning medical cannabis products. This landmark merger marks a pivotal moment in the European medical cannabis sector, emphasizing the commitment of both Cannaray and Aqualitas to providing high quality and consistent medical cannabis products for patients in need. Aqualitas is joining forces with Cannaray's highly regarded medical cannabis divisions, Therismos GmbH (Germany) and Therismos Limited (UK). Therismos partners with key opinion leaders in pain, psychiatry and other indications to provide patients with the ideal cannabis therapy and dosing guidelines. In Germany, Therismos has a powerful partnership with Walgreens Boots Alliance's German subsidiary Alliance Healthcare/GEHE which has 4,000 cooperation partner pharmacies in the 'Alphega' and 'gesund leben' network. In the UK Therismos has an established medical cannabis dispensing pharmacy and medical cannabis clinic. With the recent cannabis legalisation changes in Germany, this merger positions the combined entity uniquely in the market, creating a global, vertically integrated business to bring consistent, high-quality and cost-effective medication to the patient. Last year the combined companies generated sales of US$51M. This merger delivers the promise of even greater growth through vertical integration, a vast distribution network, and unique, high-quality, Clean Green certified organic medical cannabis products. M. Scott Maguire, CEO of Cannaray, expresses excitement for the future, stating, "We are delighted to have found Aqualitas, a company that has developed products with the patient at the forefront and shares our commitment to excellence. We are positioned to play a leading role in Germany where the German market is expected to grow exponentially as a result of the impending declassification of cannabis from a narcotic to a non-narcotic. We will be one of the few European companies with a seed-to-shelf operation in the UK and Germany." Myrna L. Gillis, CEO of Aqualitas, remarks, "This international merger with Cannaray is a significant milestone, reflecting our dedication to excellence in manufacturing clean, consistent, and safe medical cannabis products. Together, we share a vision of delivering the best medication in a variety of formats to provide physicians and patients the best therapeutic options." About Aqualitas Inc. Aqualitas Inc. is a privately held, vertically integrated, multi-Health Canada license holder of award-winning cannabis products and in-house brands distributed in all Canadian provinces and internationally. Aqualitas was awarded the 2023's LP brand of the year and is home to Canada's 2020 Grower of the Year, GrowUp Cannabis Cup 1st Place Flower 2022 and Best Flower 2023 and is Canada's first Clean Green Certified cannabis producer and processor, recognizing its commitment to international organic management practices, compliance, quality, and sustainability. Its unique and proprietary aquaponics growing process combines living water, powered by koi fish, and living soil to create product offerings with enhanced potency and terpene profiles. The Aqualitas brand promise, "Pure Wellness," encapsulates a dedication to driving innovation through research and product development that not only enhances the well-being of consumers but also reflects a commitment to purity, quality, and environmental stewardship. Its scientific incubator, Sindica Global Institute for Cannabis Research and Innovation, is uniquely positioned to collaborate on pharmaceutical and natural health product research due to Aqualitas' comprehensive licenses and certifications, including a research license, an FDA drug master file, a DEL, and adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices. Aqualitas medical products have also been distributed across Canada and exported to Germany, Australia, Portugal, Poland, Israel, USA and the UK. https://aqualitas.ca About Cannaray Limited, Therismos Therismos is the company's medical division, which imports and distributes cannabis-based products for medical use (CBPM) across Europe. Its strategy is to become the leading European full-service provider of medical cannabis through innovative product solutions, valuable partnerships with strategic allies, and collaboration with world-class scientists and medical practitioners. In May 2022, Therismos GmbH signed a transformational category growth partnership with Walgreens Boots Alliance's subsidiary, Alliance Healthcare GmbH / GEHE, for medical cannabis supply and pharmacist education in Germany. Therismos Limited (UK) also distributes the pediatric, life-saving gene therapy Libmeldy on behalf of Orchard Therapeutics as well as other orphan and rare-disease therapies on behalf of other global biopharma companies. https://therismos.de https://therismospharma.com/ Aqualitas Press Contact: Adriana Magana, Email: amagana@aqualitas.ca, Office Phone: +1(902)354-3736 EXT 109, Cell Phone: +1(902)809-9049; Cannaray/Therismos Press Contact:Joshua Roberts, Email: joshua@cannaray.co.uk, Cell Phone: +4407539414529 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2359824/Aqualitas_Inc__CANNARAY_LIMITED_ANNOUNCES_INTERNATIONAL_MERGER_W.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2359936/Aqualitas_Inc__CANNARAY_LIMITED_ANNOUNCES_INTERNATIONAL_MERGER_W.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2359925/Aqualitas_Inc__CANNARAY_LIMITED_ANNOUNCES_INTERNATIONAL_MERGER_W.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/cannaray-limited-announces-international-merger-with-aqualitas-inc-302085950.html Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Japanese yen weakened against other major currencies in the pre-European session on Tuesday. The yen fell to 4-day lows of 161.44 against the euro, 189.20 against the pound and 168.27 against the Swiss franc, from early highs of 160.28, 187.99 and 167.13, respectively. Against the U.S., Australia, the New Zealand and the Canadian dollars, the yen slipped to 4-day lows of 147.63, 97.58, 91.06 and 109.55 from early highs of 146.62, 97.02, 90.48 and 108.79, respectively. If the yen extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 163.00 against the euro, 192.00 against the pound, 170.00 against the franc, 151.00 against the greenback, 99.00 against the aussie, 93.00 against the kiwi and 111.00 against the loonie. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. u-blox AG / Key word(s): Partnership/Sustainability CTT teams up with u-blox for groundbreaking Antarctic penguin conservation initiative 12.03.2024 / 09:00 CET/CEST Thalwil, Switzerland - March 12, 2024 - u-blox (SIX:UBXN), a global provider of leading positioning and wireless communication technologies and services, has provided the US-based company Cellular Tracking Technologies (CTT) , a global leader in wildlife telemetry and IoT solutions, with its CloudLocate positioning service to enable scientists to track and monitor the diving and feeding behavior of a large Adelie penguin colony on Ross Island, in Antarctica, one of the harshest environments on Earth. The project started when Point Blue , an American wildlife conservation leader, contacted CTT for support to develop a tracking device to research the whereabouts of juvenile Adelie penguins on Ross Island. One of only five species of penguins on the continent, Adelie penguins serve as a widely recognized indicator species for scientists, demonstrating sensitivity to shifts in climate and the environment. Monitoring their population is thus crucial for assessing alterations in the marine ecosystem that can result from climate change and human activities like commercial fishing. Scientists aiming to monitor wildlife for conservation purposes in such remote regions face an array of technical challenges, such as the small size of the Adelie penguins, their speed and the long time spent underwater, and the lack of affordable connectivity. Any tracking device must therefore be extremely light and non-invasive for the animal, as well as consume very little battery power to last longer and prevent multiple replacements. It also has to be extremely data efficient to minimize expensive satellite connectivity costs. CTT and u-blox collaborated to develop a unique and sustainable monitoring solution embedded within CTT's Penguin Iridium GPS tracker on the back of the penguin. One of u-blox standard precision GNSS modules, known for its compact dimensions and ultra-low battery consumption, captures the raw location data of a penguin. The u-blox CloudLocate positioning service then offloads the power-hungry positioning calculation from the device to the cloud - saving ten times the energy and facilitating long-term monitoring. The CTT tracker only needs to transmit a tiny 50-byte message, capturing crucial location information within the brief window of around three seconds when the penguin emerges from the water to breathe. CTT plans to apply the same unique tracking solution for broader wildlife research and conservation efforts. About CTT Cellular Tracking Technologies (CTT) is a global leader in wildlife telemetry and IoT solutions with headquarters in Cape May, NJ. CTT was founded in 2007 by a small team of scientists and engineers that today employs 42 staff who manufacture a full range of Cellular, Satellite, and 434MHz and 2.4GHz Digital Radio Tags for animals of all sizes. CTT's tags are deployed on every continent, and allow researchers to track their animals worldwide. u-blox (SIX:UBXN) provides semiconductor chips, modules, and IoT services that reliably locate and connect every thing. Our cutting-edge solutions drive innovation for the car of the future and the Internet of Things. Headquartered in Thalwil (Zurich), Switzerland, we have a presence of 1,400 experts who enable our customers to build solutions for a precise, smart, and sustainable future. Join us on social media - X , Facebook , YouTube , LinkedIn , and Instagram . ( www.u-blox.com ) u-blox media contact: Natacha Seitz Senior Manager PR and Content Strategy Mobile +41 76 436 0788 natacha.seitz@u-blox.com End of Media Release ProductLife Group is strengthening its capability to provide global Digital consulting services with the acquisition of the UK-based consultancy Integrity. With this alliance, PLG extends its capacity to drive global IT Quality projects and Digital transformation programmes. PARIS, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ProductLife Group (PLG), the global consulting provider of regulatory, scientific, vigilance, quality, and digital transformation services for the life sciences industries, announces the acquisition of Integrity, a leading UK-based life sciences consulting organization specializing in IT Quality, Digital Project & Programme Management, Business Transformation, and Computerized System Validation. This strategic acquisition comes as part of PLG's commitment to expanding its Digital capabilities and global footprint. The union of PLG, Integrity, and the recently acquired Italian based company LifeBee, is poised to unlock substantial synergies, offering clients a complete range of Digital services and solutions aimed towards quality, efficiency and innovation. With PLG's extensive global presence, Integrity's expertise in digital consulting and computerized system validation, and LifeBee's specialization in digital strategy and operational excellence, the Group is well-positioned to deliver enhanced and pragmatic value to clients, navigating the complexities of the life sciences industry. Chris Reid, CEO of Integrity, mentioned: "Becoming part of PLG is a testament to the dedication and expertise of the Integrity team. We are excited about the synergies this partnership will bring and the enhanced value we can deliver to our clients globally. This new journey as part of PLG comes with great confidence as both companies share similar values and culture, as well as a pragmatic approach to bring innovative and high quality services to clients. Together, we are poised to set new Digital Quality standards in life sciences globally." Xavier Duburcq, CEO of PLG, highlighted: "This strategic move not only strengthens our global Digital capabilities but also marks a significant step in increasing our presence in the UK, US and Japan, which are all pivotal life sciences markets. Welcoming Integrity into the PLG family positions us to deliver end to end Digital transformation services to clients worldwide. Integrity's distinguished past and present roles within the ISPE International Board and GAMP global committee are a demonstration of their commitment to high standards and to lead the way to innovation." Paul-James Martin, CFO and Managing Director of Integrity, added: "Since 1998, Integrity has been at the forefront of life science, technology, and quality consulting, empowering clients to navigate and adopt new technologies within a regulated environment. Thanks to PLG's global presence, we will be able to accelerate our joint growth strategy in the North American and JAPAC markets. We are excited to start this journey together and drive strategic Digital Quality projects to support life sciences clients worldwide." About ProductLife Group: ProductLife Group's mission is to improve human health by delivering consulting and outsourcing services for the safe and effective use of healthcare solutions, through the entire product lifecycle.. Combining local expertise with global reach spanning more than 150 countries, PLG is the Life Sciences Industries reference strategic partner for the development, market introduction and life cycle management of product portfolios, and the related business and digital transformation. With a goal of continuously improving the value delivered to teams and clients, PLG is committed to long-term partnership, innovation, flexibility, and cost efficiency. For more information, visit https://productlifegroup.com/ Contact: Fabrice Galzin - ProductLife Group Head of Marketing fgalzin@productlife-group.com +33 (0) 672 349 606 About Integrity: Established in 1998, Integrity are life science, technology and quality experts that enable their customers to successfully and confidently plan, manage, deploy and adopt new technologies within a regulated environment. Integrity helps businesses move forward with their strategies, which involves anything from managing a programme to introducing a new service or solution, to recovering an existing programme. By focusing on the root cause of problems, which may be related to governance, delivery, commitment, skills, systems and/or business processes, their highly skilled team of professionals provide a blend of business knowledge and subject matter expertise. The Integrity team works to any scale, and has dedicated resources based in the UK, EU, US and Japan. This enables them to support their clients at a local, regional and global level helping them to deliver their business every day. For more information, visit https://integrity.net/ Contact: Chris Reid - Chief Executive Officer Chris.reid@integrity.net View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/productlife-group-acquires-integrity-extending-its-global-digital-capabilities-with-it-quality-and-program-management-302085268.html ISTANBUL, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Odine, global telecoms partner, announces the approval of their Initial Public Offering (IPO) application, marking a significant milestone in their commitment to fostering innovation and driving sustainable transformation within the telecom industry. With a focus on redefining network ecosystems through cutting-edge software-defined solutions, Odine stands at the forefront of reshaping the future of communication. The approval of the IPO application represents a pivotal moment, offering investors the opportunity to participate in its disruptive vision while enabling the intensification of investment in research and development, technological advancement, and the delivery of pioneering services to benefit partners and customers. Odine's shares will be traded on BIST Star, Borsa Istanbul, Turkiye's premier securities exchange, adding to the vibrancy and diversity of the exchange's offerings. The public offering will be conducted under the joint leadership of Turkiye Sinai Kalkinma Bankasi A.S. (TSKB) and Yatirim Finansman Menkul Degerler A.S. Book building: 13-14-15 March 2024 IGNITING INNOVATION The IPO approval marks the next phase in Odine's mission to accelerate the networks of tomorrow and foster unparalleled growth for telecommunications. The company remains dedicated to investing in network virtualization, cloudification services and developing solutions tailored to meet the demands of Tier-1 telecom operators, all while prioritizing long-term sustainability. Odine is steadfast in its commitment to integrating financial, infrastructural, and environmental sustainability into the fabric of organizational business models. By leveraging diverse, software-defined, and future-proofed technologies, the company empowers partners to create enduring value in the ever-evolving landscape of telecommunications. WHAT'S NEXT FOR ODINE The approval of the IPO application follows several notable achievements. Recently, Odine has also announced that their Telco Cloud Project with Turkcell has been shortlisted for the Best Cloud Solution at the GLOMO Awards 2024, recognizing innovative contributions in cloud services, alongside receiving the Cloud and Edge Computing Innovative Award and placing in Capacity Media's 20 Top Telco Vendors power list in 2023. These successes reflects Odine's commitment to sustainable network transformation and industry leadership. A substantial portion of the proceeds from the IPO will be allocated to support the company's international growth objectives. A part of the revenue will be designated for operational capital. The remaining funds will be dedicated to completing innovative projects integrating advanced technologies, tailored to meet the evolving demands of customers and the industry at large. With several partnerships and updates on the horizon, Odine is poised for continued growth alongside its customers. As the telecommunications industry increasingly adopts software-defined technology, Odine remains resolute in its commitment to ensuring that sustainable transformation remains at the core of the sector's future trajector. "This IPO approval marks a significant milestone for Odine, propelling us into an era of unprecedented growth and innovation," remarked Alper Tunga Burak, CEO at Odine. "It promises to unlock the potential of groundbreaking technologies, including artificial intelligence, data analytics, and sustainable solutions, offering investors a chance to be part of the next generation of tech disruptors." Together, we will continue to push the boundaries of innovation, sustainability, and excellence, creating value for all stakeholders involved. With our IPO approved and our vision clear, Odine is poised to lead the industry into a new era of transformative growth. This bulletin does not form the basis of any contract, commitment, or investment decision. The decision to purchase the shares of the Company should be made independently and in accordance with the prospectus and Capital Markets Law No. 6362 ("Law") and the relevant capital markets legislation regulations. The prospectus has been published on the websites of Public Disclosure Platform (www.kap.org.tr), Company (www.odine.com), Turkiye Sinai Kalkinma Bankasi A.S. (www.tskb.com.tr) and Yatirim Finansman Menkul Degerler A.S. (www.yf.com.tr). About Odine Odine is a global telecom partner empowering sustainable network transformation, building resilient and software-defined networks of the future. We are a leading communication solutions company that enables global telecom companies to evolve with a sustainable approach. With market-leading technology, holistic solutions, and collaborative partnerships, we will support you in reinventing your value creation formula fully dedicated to your success. Our resources are available for organizations to tap into whenever they need them. We work collaboratively to equip you with the power to evolve your business models, build new propositions, differentiate yourselves, and accelerate into new territories. Together, we will build the sustainable networks of the future. www.odine.com Harika Nihan Gundem, Head of Marketing, harika.gundem@odine.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2359642/Odine.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/odines-ipo-application-approved-pioneering-sustainable-transformation-in-telecoms-302086299.html Original-Research: q.beyond AG - from NuWays AG Classification of NuWays AG to q.beyond AG Company Name: q.beyond AG ISIN: DE0005137004 Reason for the research: Update Recommendation: BUY from: 12.03.2024 Target price: 1.00 Target price on sight of: 12 Monaten Last rating change: Analyst: Philipp Sennewald FY prelims without surprises + bullish outlook // chg. Implied Q4 sales increased by 9% yoy to EUR 50.8m (eNuW: EUR 47.6m, eCons: EUR 47.4m). Growth was predominantly driven by the continued recovery of the SAP segment (21% of sales), where revenues increased strongly by 28% yoy to EUR 10.8m (eNuW: EUR 8.9m), following several key customer wins as well as a pick-up of the S/4HANA transformation. The Cloud & IoT segment (79% of sales) showed yet another quarter with muted growth of 4.9% yoy to EUR 40.1m (eNuW: 2.7% organic growth), although exceeding our estimate of EUR 38.7m. Overall, FY '23 sales increased 9.4% yoy to EUR 189m (eNuW & eCons: EUR 186m). 50% of the growth is attributable to the productive-data acquisition. Q4 EBITDA came in at EUR 5.8m (eNuW & eCons: EUR 5.2m), implying an 11.5% margin and a 358% yoy increase. However, the strong increase is mainly due to a decision of the tax authorities in favor of q.beyond, which had a positive effect of EUR 8.6m (eNuW: EUR 3.2m net cash effect in '24). On the other hand, the company built up provisions amounting to EUR 5.3m mainly related to the ongoing business transformation. Hence, while FY reported EBITDA came in at EUR 5.7m, the operating EBITDA amounted to EUR 2.4m. Notably, the company generated FCF of EUR 1.7m (eNuW: EUR1.4m, eCons: EUR 0.2m), thus reaching breakeven one year ahead of target. With now EUR 37.6m of net cash, CEO Rixen indicated in yesterday's CC that M&A might already be on the table for late 2024. Here, one possibility could be to partner up with a company from a respective industry in order to access new verticals (see logineer). Mind you, future M&A is not reflected in our model, thus providing a certain upside to our estimates. Bullish FY '24 guidance. With the release, management also provided a 2024 outlook, targeting sales of EUR 192-198m (eNuW new: EUR 197m, eCons: EUR 196m) and an EBITDA of EUR 8-10m (eNuW new: EUR 8.1m, eCons: EUR 7.4m). While 3% sales growth at mid-point should be achievable, the EBITDA guidance appears quite ambitious, as it implies an incremental margin of 125% at mid-point with respect to the operating EBITDA. Yet, with our new estimates we expect the company to achieve the lower end of the guided range due to (1) an increased off- and near-shoring ratio, (2) an increased consulting and development ratio as well as the (3) ongoing streamlining of processes in connection with one-q.beyond (i.e. eliminate duplicate structures, optimize order-to-cash). New segmentation: From 2024 onwards, q.beyond will change its segment reporting, as the new segments "Managed Services" and "Consulting" will replace the current segmentation ("Cloud & IoT" and "SAP"). 'Managed Services' will comprise the q.beyond data centres in Hamburg and Ulm as well as logineer while 'Consulting' will comprises the former SAP segment as well as the Microsoft services, ITsecurity, software development, data-intelligence and cloud consulting. A more detailed overview is provided below. Remains a BUY with an unchanged PT of EUR 1.00 based on DCF. You can download the research here: http://www.more-ir.de/d/29113.pdf For additional information visit our website www.nuways-ag.com/research. Contact for questions Die Analyse oder weiterfuhrende Informationen zu dieser konnen Sie hier downloaden: www.nuways-ag.com/research. NuWays AG - Equity Research Web: www.nuways-ag.com Email: research@nuways-ag.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nuwaysag Adresse: Mittelweg 16-17, 20148 Hamburg, Germany ++++++++++ Diese Meldung ist keine Anlageberatung oder Aufforderung zum Abschluss bestimmter Borsengeschafte. Offenlegung moglicher Interessenskonflikte nach 85 WpHG beim oben analysierten Unternehmen befinden sich in der vollstandigen Analyse. ++++++++++ transmitted by EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this research. The result of this research does not constitute investment advice or an invitation to conclude certain stock exchange transactions. Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. VIENNA, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Premium Viennese coffee brand, Julius Meinl, has launched a campaign encouraging people to find joy in life's simple pleasures. The campaign, 'I do it Meinl way', celebrates the little moments that make up people's lives through the superior taste and quality of Julius Meinl coffee, reminding us not to get caught up in life's constant distractions, from emails and texts to news alerts and appointments. It takes inspiration from Vienna's coffeehouse culture which encourages coffee drinkers to embrace small, meaningful moments. Founded in 1862, Julius Meinl is one of the world's oldest coffee roasters and is the preferred supplier of Vienna's leading coffeehouses. Dedication to quality has been a trademark for five generations resulting in the unrivalled aromas and flavours that the brand is internationally renowned for. Described as 'an indulgent escape from the mundane', each sip of Julius Meinl coffee is a testament to over 160 years of craftmanship, allowing a moment of blissful solitude or shared joy with loved ones wherever you are. This reinforces the campaign's unique concept that 'life is a mosaic of special little moments and enjoying them is what matters most.' Through embracing the 'Meinl' way, where time is treasured and simple pleasures are savoured, the campaign recreates the charming Vienna coffeehouse experience. The concept captures the dedication of Julius Meinl's hotel, cafe, and restaurant partners to crafting delicious, memorable coffee moments, whilst inviting everyday coffee afficionados to be more present. Maintaining the much-loved heritage of the brand, the campaign's creative has been produced in collaboration with advertising agency, Obscura. It reimagines Julius Meinl's long-standing concept, 'more than a moment', offering a modern interpretation. Combining tradition with innovation, Julius Meinl is the global ambassador of Vienna's coffeehouse culture, representing impeccable service, creative expression, and an appreciation of premium quality. This is reflected in the campaign assets featuring some of the city's most iconic locations, including Cafe Sperl, Altbau apartments, and the beautiful skyline with view of Stephansdom (Saint Stephen's Cathedral). The campaign captures six stories, celebrating togetherness and connecting younger audiences to coffeehouse culture. Christina Meinl, fifth-generation family member, comments: "We take great pride in delivering 'delicious, memorable coffee moments' for the benefit of our loyal HoReCa partners, their guests, and those who appreciate premium quality coffee at home. "Our new campaign redefines people's perspective of drinking coffee, demonstrating that it's not just something we do to relax or reflect, it's also a vibrant celebration of life itself. Enjoying a good cup of coffee is about engaging all the senses to encourage people to live in the moment. Whether it's catching up with friends or some 'me' time, we want to inspire people to embrace the small moments that carry true meaning and make up the mosaic of our lives." NOTES TO EDITORS About Julius Meinl: Founded in 1862, Julius Meinl is one of the oldest coffee roasters in the world and an iconic Vienna coffee house brand. Dedication to quality has been a family trademark for five generations. With 160 years of experience in sourcing, blending and roasting, Meinl is a preferred coffee supplier for Vienna's leading coffeehouses. Today Meinl coffees and teas help create meaningful moments for customers and consumers across the globe, and are sold in over 50,000 hotels, coffee houses and restaurants in 70 countries, plus a growing number of retail outlets. Video - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2359237/Julius_Meinl.mp4 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2352443/I_do_it_Meinl_Way.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2347693/Julius_Meinl_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/julius-meinl-launches-i-do-it-meinl-way-campaign-to-celebrate-lifes-little-moments-302085562.html The launch of ChatGPT in November 2022 and the release of the first text-generated video model Sora last month symbolize key advancements in frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, big data, metaverse and Web 3.0. These advancements are catalyzing a new scientific and technological revolution, transforming every aspect of human life. The World Intellectual Property Organization's Global Innovation Index 2022 identifies two primary innovation waves shaping the future: a "digital age wave" propelled by supercomputing, AI and automation; and a "deep science wave" driven by advances in biotechnology, nanotechnology, and new materials. The convergence of these waves promises to redefine innovation across industries. According to the WIPO's World IP Report 2022, there has been 172 percent growth in digital innovations from 2016-20, with AI, big data and cloud computing leading this surge. Three critical trends underscore the evolving landscape of global innovation. The first is the eastward shift of innovation hubs. Asia now accounts for 70 percent of global IP applications, up from 50 percent two decades ago, with East Asia being host to six of the top 10 science and technology clusters. This shift reflects the leading global position of Asia in the advancement of technology. The second is collaborative exchange of innovation. The top science and technology clusters are deepening collaboration, particularly in patent applications and research publications, highlighting the importance of openness and cooperation in the innovation process. The third trend is of enterprise-led innovation. Enterprises are spearheading the advancement in technologies, with companies like Mitsubishi Electric, Sony, BOE, Baidu, Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo and ZTE leading the charge in their respective clusters, reflecting the pivotal role of enterprises in the innovation ecosystem. Frontier technologies such as AI and the metaverse highlight the growing importance of and challenges facing IP in fostering growth and development. The challenges include safeguarding AI algorithms, establishing patent and copyrights criteria for AI innovations and AI-generated content, and integrating virtual and real-world assets' intellectual property rights (IPR). The evolving digital landscape calls for an adaptable IPR system that would promote innovation in a way that benefits all stakeholders, including small and medium-sized enterprises, women and youths. The WIPO has been at the forefront of addressing these issues through its WIPO Conversation on IP and Frontier Technologies series. Since 2019, eight sessions have convened global experts from among stakeholders at all levels. A particularly impactful session was the eighth, dedicated to generative AI and IP, attracting more than 5,000 participants from 162 countries to discuss the implications of AI on IP policy and regulation. The upcoming ninth session, themed "Training the Machines-Bytes, Rights, and the Copyright Conundrum", scheduled for March 13-14, will focus on the critical role of training data in AI development, addressing quality, bias and accessibility issues. The session aims to foster a deeper understanding of training data's influence on the IP ecosystem, inviting a wide range of participants to contribute to the future of AI and creative industries. China's advancements in frontier technologies China has made remarkable achievements in digital frontier technologies like AI, 5G and cloud computing, becoming a leader in innovation. China's information and communications technology (ICT) patents comprise 14 percent of the global total. By the end of 2023, the most rapidly growing sectors in China's domestic patent registrations were IT methods for management, computer technology and basic communication processes, with year-on-year increases of 59.4 percent, 39.3 percent and 30.8 percent respectively. This growth underscores China's robust innovations in digital technology, significantly contributing to the digital economy's high-quality development, which now exceeds 50 trillion yuan ($6.94 trillion) and accounts for more than 40 percent of its GDP. Intellectual property has emerged as a crucial driver of innovation and creativity, playing a vital role in China's high-quality development strategy. To develop new quality productive forces, it is imperative that China strengthen intellectual property protection. In February, the WIPO Office in China highlighted the achievements of Chinese companies in frontier technologies, providing a platform for sharing best practices and exploring IP's role in innovation. Tech giants such as Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, Huawei, BOE, Douyin and Oppo are leading the way through technological innovation. In fact, Huawei invested more than 80 billion yuan in R&D in the first half of 2023 alone, securing numerous patents, trademarks and designs, and it is the largest user of WIPO's PCT system for international patent registration. Such IPR protection supports Huawei's growth but also helps advance the ICT industry. Additionally, new energy companies such as BYD, GCL ET, and Goldwind are promoting innovation in blade battery technology (lithium battery), photovoltaic panels and wind turbines, enhancing the export potential of China's emerging industries. Small and medium-sized enterprises such as Xi'an KissFuture, Shanghai Westwell and Beijing IICT have become industry leaders by leveraging AI in digital cinema, green port logistics and urban traffic management. As a matter of fact, Xi'an KissFuture and Shanghai Westwell were awarded the 2nd WIPO Global Awards, distinguishing them from the rest of the 548 competitors from 58 countries. Milestones in IP and innovation in 50 years The 50th anniversary of the collaboration between the WIPO and China, celebrated in Beijing and Geneva, underscores China's tradition of innovation, which goes back 5000 years. WIPO Director General Daren Tang said the occasion was a testament to China's remarkable progress in IPR and its pivotal role in leveraging IP to foster socioeconomic development. China's contribution to global IP filings is unparalleled, holding leading positions in the WIPO's PCT, Madrid, and Hague systems for international IP registrations. By the end of last year, China had set a new global benchmark with 4.99 million valid invention patents, including 4.01 million domestic patents making it the first country to surpass 4 million valid domestic invention patents. In the 2023 Global Innovation Index, China ranked 12th; it was the only middle-income country to break into the top 15. This achievement is further bolstered by its leadership in science and technology clusters, boasting 24 of the world's top clusters, including Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai-Suzhou, which are respectively ranked 2nd, 4th, and 5th globally. The ascent of China's innovation-driven economy reflects comprehensive strength across all facets of the innovation ecosystem, marking a significant chapter in the country's enduring legacy of creativity and invention. The WIPO envisions a bright future for innovation and creativity in China, and it remains dedicated to working alongside Chinese stakeholders to harness the opportunities and tackle the challenges presented by emerging technologies. The WIPO's goal is to cultivate a more open and inclusive global IP ecosystem, and using the IP system to promote innovation, sustainable development and economic growth. Serving as the WIPO's arm in China, the WIPO Office in China will act as a crucial link, fostering connections between the market, stakeholders and the media. Embracing new technologies, new generations and new initiatives, the WIPO Office in China aims to highlight China's exemplary IP practices and accomplishments, and provide targeted, timely and tailored services in the country to promote new quality productive forces. BaseFold leverages Basecamp Research's purpose-built foundational dataset to significantly increase prediction accuracy of large, complex protein structures and small molecule interactions - it is up to six times more accurate than AlphaFold2 and offers up to a three-fold improvement in small molecule docking More reliable 3D structure predictions for larger and more complex proteins is poised to greatly accelerate AI-based drug discovery efforts LONDON, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Basecamp Research , a world leader in artificial intelligence (AI)-based design of proteins and other biological systems, today announced the launch of BaseFold, its new deep learning model that predicts 3D structures of large, complex proteins more accurately than other AI-powered tools, including the industry gold standard, AlphaFold2. These data were recently published in bioRxiv . BaseFold was created by augmenting the AlphaFold2 model, which predicts the 3D structure of a protein based on its amino acid sequence, with BaseGraph. BaseGraph is Basecamp Research's purpose-built foundational dataset for biological AI, collected via access and benefit-sharing partnerships with over 25 biodiversity-rich countries. The published accuracy improvements are just a starting point, as BaseFold is continuously improving week over week as Basecamp Research scales its global network of biodiversity partnerships. Furthermore, Basecamp Research will be working with NVIDIA to optimise and productionise BaseFold for NVIDIA BioNeMo , a generative AI platform for drug discovery. The scientific benchmark for determining protein structure is still via slow and time-consuming experimental methods such as X-ray crystallography. However, AlphaFold2's development in 2020 provided a breakthrough for the use of AI across biotechnology, giving scientists confidence in AI-based structural predictions. A wide array of structure prediction models have since followed AlphaFold2, most notably CollabFold, ESMFold, OpenFold and RoseTTAFold. However, the performance of these models is highly dependent on their training data; all are trained on public protein databases that are widely seen as unfit for biotech's AI era. These public training datasets are small, unreliable and heavily biased toward proteins from laboratory model organisms. The sequence data captured in these public databases is estimated to represent less than 0.000001% of life on Earth . These data limitations mean that existing AI tools work well for predicting the structures of smaller, simpler proteins that are well-represented in public datasets but often struggle beyond that, creating major problems for those using AI to develop complex new medicines. AlphaFold2 draws heavily from the public MGnify database, known for having issues with incomplete sequences, which can impact the quality of structures predicted for larger proteins. Basecamp Research's BaseFold tackles the next big computational challenge, which is to achieve crystallography-level accuracy for larger, more complex proteins, especially those underrepresented in existing protein sequence databases. To do this, BaseFold extracts orders of magnitude more meaningful evolutionary information from over 6 billion relationships in BaseGraph. Replete with extensive genomic context and comprehensive metadata, training algorithms on BaseGraph has been shown to yield significant advances in the performance of a wide range of biological AI models, including AlphaFold2 as presented here. In this preprint, Basecamp Research scientists evaluated BaseFold's performance in predicting the structure of various proteins selected from the CASP15 (Critical Assessment of Structure Prediction) competition and CAMEO (Continuous Automated Model EvaluatiOn) community project . Publication Result Highlights Basecamp Research's purpose-built foundational dataset allowed BaseFold to improve the accuracy of AlphaFold2's predicted structures by up to 6-fold. The team demonstrated an up to 3-fold improvement in modelling accuracy for small molecule interactions with protein targets. BaseFold unlocks more reliable 3D structure predictions and small molecule docking for larger and more complex proteins than ever before, particularly those that are underrepresented in public datasets. This step change is poised to greatly accelerate drug discovery efforts, where understanding these interactions will allow for more advanced therapeutics molecules to be developed using AI. "We have redesigned and rebuilt the entire data acquisition process, making us the first team ever to collect and annotate biodiversity data with the same quality as human clinical genetic data - all purpose-built for the AI era," said Dr. Phil Lorenz, CTO of Basecamp Research. "BaseGraph, the most diverse and comprehensive dataset of its kind, is the core driver of our advances in AI. The results of this publication prove that more diverse, representative genomics data allows for step-change algorithm improvements without the need for extensive lab-in-the-loop infrastructure. Our database is growing every week, and as a result, BaseFold is improving every week, too." "AlphaFold is one of the most useful AI tools in drug discovery, and for good reason. It enables researchers to better predict how medicines may interact with proteins in the body, shaving off years of work. However, AlphaFold still has significant room for improvement - particularly when being used to predict large, complex and underrepresented proteins, which are often the most critical for the development of new therapeutics. Even just a few percentage points of error can have major implications in accurately predicting protein-molecule interactions," said Dr. Glen Gowers, co-founder of Basecamp Research. "We know that when it comes to AI, the best data produces the best outcomes, and it's rewarding to know that the new, purpose-built foundational dataset that we have built is already having widespread implications for drug development and human health," Dr. Gowers added. "We're not stopping here, though - we are continuing to scale our biodiversity partnerships and apply this data advantage across more and more biological AI models." The full preprint can be found here: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.06.583325v1 About Basecamp Research Basecamp Research is a market leader in mapping biodiversity for AI-based design of biological systems. We match and refine novel proteins for our partners' exact industrial, therapeutic or diagnostic applications using BaseGraph, a new generation of AI design that is powered by the first-ever high-resolution map of global genetic biodiversity. Understanding the full genetic, evolutionary, and environmental context of each protein allows Basecamp Research to design tailored proteins for specific applications without the need for expensive and time-consuming directed evolution campaigns. We're a team of explorers, scientists and policy experts driven by our ambition to protect and learn from nature's diversity, whilst delivering life-changing breakthroughs to those who need them most. For more information, visit www.basecamp-research.com . For media and other inquiries, please contact press@basecamp-research.com , 07867 488769 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2357306/Basecamp.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2357382/Basecamp_Research_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/basecamp-research-launches-basefold-a-breakthrough-in-3d-protein-structure-prediction-of-large-complex-protein-structures-302085267.html GENEVA, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ACE & Company, a leading Swiss private equity and venture capital group, is proud to announce its commitment to responsible investment practices by becoming a signatory to the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment. The United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) provide a comprehensive framework aimed at integrating environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) considerations into investment decision-making and stewardship practices. This framework underscores the importance for investors to understand and incorporate ESG factors into their methodologies, paving the way for investments that are both sustainable and responsible. David Atkin, CEO at the PRI, comments: "We're very pleased to welcome ACE & Company as a new signatory to the PRI. A commitment to systemically embedding responsible investment principles is an important and meaningful step, allowing investors to more effectively manage risk, identify opportunities, and approach their investment activity in a holistic and fully-considered way. We look forward to working alongside ACE & Company to support the organization's efforts in this vital area." In embracing the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), ACE & Company embarks on a journey towards integrating six foundational Principles of Responsible Investment into its operations. This signifies a commitment to incorporating ESG into the firm's processes, fostering the sustainable development of the global financial ecosystem. "Joining the ranks of over 5,000 signatories is a key step in our dedicated journey to integrate responsible values within our business practices, investment strategies, and the companies we support," reflects Sally Beh, Managing Partner of ACE & Company. "With a collective purpose guiding us, we will cultivate a suite of ESG policies and actions. Our aspirations go beyond risk mitigation to create value for our investors, establish a nurturing environment for our team, and generate meaningful contributions to the communities we engage with. This marks an important inflection point as we firmly integrate these principles into our business ethos." Visit www.aceandcompany.com/responsibility for more information. About ACE & Company: ACE & Company (ACE) is a multi-stage private equity and venture capital group built on the unique combination of expertise, experience, and knowledge of its founders and team. The group has $1.7bn total assets across Secondaries, Buyouts, Ventures, and Investment Solutions. ACE delivers differentiated returns through the breadth of its portfolio, investment process, and information advantage built on decades-long relationships with industry leaders. Elia Innamorati einnamorati@aceandcompany.com Office +41.22.311.3333 | Web aceandcompany.com ACE & Company SA | Rue du Rhone 30 | 1204 Geneva | Switzerland Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2325690/4574311/ACE_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ace--company-becomes-signatory-to-the-united-nations-supported-principles-for-responsible-investment-302085655.html During Ramadan, UK and North American faith-based charities rally support for Zakat-eligible cause to save the lives of mothers and babies worldwide. LONDON, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Under the For Mama campaign, a coalition of 20+ charitable organizations and faith-based philanthropies have launched a fundraising effort to protect mothers and babies from preventable deaths. Anyone can donate by visiting actformama.org to provide mothers and babies with the care, tools, and resources they need to survive and thrive. Childbirth can be one of the most dangerous days of a woman's life - every two minutes a woman dies during pregnancy or childbirth. While the maternal health crisis affects women everywhere, women of color, women in low- and middle-income countries, and those living in humanitarian settings are especially vulnerable. Nearly all of these deaths can be prevented with existing tools and access to consistent, quality care throughout pregnancy. In response, For Mama partners have rallied together this Ramadan to encourage greater investments in maternal and newborn health. "'For Mama' is the first-of-its-kind campaign mobilizing the Muslim community to advocate and prioritize giving to mothers' and babies' health. The power of the Muslim philanthropic community is tremendous and harnessing that collective power will transform lives in the US and globally." Isra Chaker, Campaign Lead, For Mama. The campaign has received Zakat eligibility from globally recognized religious scholars. "As a father and a Muslim, I know the central role mothers play within our families, our communities and our faith," said Shaykh Navaid Aziz, Director, Public Relations, Al-Maghrib Institute. "I hope the Muslim community sees maternal and newborn health as an important area for donations this Ramadan." Donations made to For Mama will support maternal and newborn health programs across North America, the United Kingdom and globally. To maximize impact, for every $3 USD raised by the campaign, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will be donating an additional $1 USD - up to $3,000,000 USD. "No woman should die giving birth, and no child should grow up without a mother," said Alaa Murabit, the Director of Global Policy, Advocacy and Communications, Health at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "Most maternal deaths can be prevented with quality care and interventions, such as maternal azithromycin, IV iron, and advanced postpartum hemorrhage drapes. We are proud to support the For Mama campaign to ensure that life-saving care, tools, and resources reach the mothers and babies who need them most." Visit actformama.org/press to learn more and hear from our partner organizations. About For Mama For Mama aims to raise awareness of the high rates of maternal deaths worldwide. The campaign challenges us to think about what we can - and should do- 'for mama' to ensure that life-saving interventions reach mothers and babies, whose needs and experiences are too often overlooked. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2359692/For_Mama_Campaign___No_more.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2359694/For_Mama_Campaign_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/for-mama-campaign-launches-fundraising-effort-to-end-todays-urgent--and-solvable--maternal-mortality-crisis-302085665.html Following the success of the inaugural 2023 program, Paddle's 2024 AI Launchpad will help 50 promising AI founders accelerate the growth of their businesses. Successful applicants will gain access to an exclusive community of AI founders and experts, the chance to win $20k, and a host of other benefits from Paddle partners. Founderpath has allocated $10 million in funding for selected AI Launchpad participants. Applications open today, 12th March, and will close on Sunday 14th April. LONDON, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Paddle , the payments infrastructure provider, today opens applications for its second AI Launchpad, a 6-week program aimed at empowering ambitious software founders to build, launch and scale their AI-powered business ideas. Participants in the expanded 2024 program will gain access to tailored guidance and practical insights from industry experts and will have the chance to win a $20k cash prize from Paddle for the best offering, as judged by a panel of experts. Ever more businesses are turning to AI to boost revenues, with Paddle's latest SaaS Benchmarks Report finding that 46% of software companies added AI to their product in the last year. However, building an AI-powered tool is not the same as building a successful, sustainable AI business. Through its AI Launchpad program, Paddle is offering 50 innovative, ready-to-scale, AI-focused companies the support they need to accelerate their growth and effectively monetize their AI products. AI Launchpad 2023: Helping founders unlock growth Paddle AI Launchpad was founded in 2023, with a panel of judges selecting Virtual Staging AI, a platform that allows real estate professionals to sell properties faster by using AI to digitally furnish images of empty rooms, as the winner of the inaugural program. After participating in the Launchpad and receiving tailored advice and mentorship from Paddle and a range of industry experts, Virtual Staging AI decided to switch its payment strategies, with remarkable results. The company has since seen revenue increase 10x, from a monthly revenue of $20,000 to $200,000. Other members of the 2023 cohort also saw a significant positive impact on the revenue and scalability of their businesses thanks to the expert insights and go-to-market strategies provided on the program. Other Launchpaddler growth stats: In February 2024, Launchpad finalist SiteGPT hit its first $100k revenue month hit its first $100k revenue month Aibo experienced 60% day-over-day growth in active users during the 6-week program Riju launched on Product Hunt, with 100+ upvotes in its first 24 hours Bulby and Jotverse converted their first ever paying customers during the 6-week program Michael Bonacina, Founder and CEO of 2023 AI Launchpad winner Virtual Staging AI, said: "What really stood out to us about Paddle's AI Launchpad program was the access to a dedicated community of generative AI founders. This is because you're all grappling with the same challenges - how to build a model, how to compete with the likes of OpenAI, how to acquire customers for a new solution - and so it was interesting to hear how others were thinking about those problems. "We launched back in March 2023, and when we applied to Paddle AI Launchpad in August we had $20k in monthly revenue. By the end of the program, in November, we had $200k in monthly revenue, because we implemented a lot of the things we'd worked on, such as implementing annual plans, we got a lot more customers, improved the product, enhanced the checkout experience, and now we have a product that really speaks to our customers." AI Launchpad 2024: Bigger and better Following the success of the 2023 program, Paddle has doubled the number of places on the program from 25 to 50. Participants will also now have exclusive access to the "Launchpaddlers" community - a hub for Launchpad alumni to network and share resources. Through this community, AI founders will be supported with data, advice, and tailored content, and will also have access to experts in their sector. This will be spearheaded by Karthik Puvvada, Paddle's new Founder Relations Manager, who has built founder-facing education and community programs for dozens of startups, who said: "I'm thrilled to be joining Paddle to work directly with founders and build leadership communities. I can't wait to work with the team on taking Paddle's AI Launchpad to the next level and help SaaS founders remove the invisible barriers that get in the way of growing." Founderpath , a $150m fund for SaaS founders, will again allocate $10 million in funding for selected participants who successfully complete Paddle's programs, providing additional opportunities and resources to further fuel their growth and success. Other partners and contributors for AI Launchpad will include SaaStock, AWS Activate, Google Cloud, PartnerStack, GoodFit, saaslaunch.io, Gilion (formerly ArK Kapital), Enablix, saas.group, SquareOne, and Element Communications. Additional key elements and benefits of the AI Launchpad program will include: Expert mentorship: Participants will receive personalised, technical guidance from industry experts at Paddle, based on its decade-plus of experience scaling software and AI businesses through effective pricing and payment strategies. Participants will receive personalised, technical guidance from industry experts at Paddle, based on its decade-plus of experience scaling software and AI businesses through effective pricing and payment strategies. Cash Prize: The program will culminate with a cash prize of $20,000 for one founder. This substantial financial boost will catapult the development and market reach of the winning startup. The program will culminate with a cash prize of $20,000 for one founder. This substantial financial boost will catapult the development and market reach of the winning startup. Additional benefits from partners: Participants will receive new perks from Paddle's partners, including $350k in credit from Google Cloud, $20k in credit from AWS Activate, and free tickets to Founder community events by Code.talks and SaaStock. Fast-tracked entries into SaaStock's startup competition will also be reserved for select Launchpad finalists. Christian Owens, Founder and Executive Chairman of Paddle, said: "At Paddle, our goal has always been to help software sellers grow their businesses as quickly and efficiently as possible. We started the AI Launchpad to help a new generation of software founders that are building in one of the world's fastest-moving categories. We were blown away by the ambition and innovation shown by our first cohort of AI founders so we're thrilled to be expanding the program for a second year. After seeing the impact the Launchpad had on participants in 2023, we're excited to grow this community and help more AI founders achieve faster growth and build healthy and sustainable businesses for the long-term." Applications for the AI Launchpad will be open from 12th March to 14th April 2024, with the program beginning in May. For more information on how to apply for AI Launchpad, including terms and conditions, please visit www.paddle.com/ai-launchpad. About Paddle Paddle, the payments infrastructure provider for software companies, powers hyper-scale growth across acquisition, renewals and expansion. With Paddle, companies are finally able to transform their payments infrastructure into a strategic growth lever to respond faster and more precisely to every growth opportunity. Paddle has 300 employees serving over 3500 software sellers in 245 countries and territories globally. Backed by investors including KKR, FTV Capital, Kindred, Notion, and 83North, Paddle aims to define the next wave of B2B SaaS leaders. Visit www.paddle.com or www.twitter.com/PaddleHQ for more information Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2171595/Paddle_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/paddle-launches-expanded-ai-launchpad-to-help-ambitious-ai-founders-accelerate-growth-302085662.html Nortal announces the appointment of John Cheal and its membership in techUK, the UK's technology trade association, as part of its continued expansion in the UK LONDON, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nortal , the strategic innovation and technology company made famous by its transformation of the Estonian government ('e-Estonia'), is announcing the appointment of John Cheal as UK Government and Public Sector Director. Bringing together decades of experience from top 100 global IT providers in designing and implementing transformation programs for citizens and employees, along with Nortal's expertise in digitalising entire nations, Cheal is dedicated to enhancing Nortal's public sector offerings in the UK. Cheal will be helping public sector leaders leverage advanced digital solutions to improve citizen experience, streamline operational delivery and accelerate policy deployment, introducing Nortal's global GovTech experience to the UK. "Nortal is renowned for building the infrastructure of some of the world's most digitally advanced societies. We deliver end-to-end transformations with visible socio-economic outcomes - putting citizen experiences at the heart of what we do. My focus is on bringing the best of what Nortal has to offer to the public sector to re-imagine what digital government services can deliver in the UK," said John Cheal, Public Sector Director and UK Government lead at Nortal. Nortal has an unparalleled track-record of delivering successful transformation projects for over 20 years for public and private sector clients, transforming and future-proofing businesses and organisations by building world-changing solutions with the right technologies. Bringing this experience in the UK, the company will support the government's roadmap for digital and data transformation by 2025 and beyond as part of its efforts to improve the provision of digital public services. "John is a strong leader with a breadth of experience in the enterprise IT and technology sector, from AI automation and personalised public services through to large scale outsourcing. His leadership qualities and digital expertise put us in good stead for continued growth in the UK market," said Thomas Hedley, Managing Director for UK at Nortal. "It marks a significant step forward in growing our presence in the UK and driving forward our ambition for closer collaboration with decision-makers in the public sector." To coincide with Cheal's appointment, Nortal is announcing it has joined techUK - the UK's technology trade association driving innovation in the public and private sectors. Nortal will tap into techUK's network for innovation and collaboration across business, government and stakeholders, reinforcing its commitment to UK public sector digitalisation. Cheal has held a place on techUK's Justice & Emergency Services Management Committee since 2021 and continues in this role. Georgie Morgan, Head of Justice & Emergency Services at techUK, commented, "'techUK is delighted to welcome Nortal into membership. It is an exciting time to join the community and we are pleased to see that Nortal has also been awarded a seat on our Justice and Emergency Services Management Committee. We are looking forward to working with the team particularly across our public sector offering." For more information contact: Sid Shepherd: nortal@welcometowith.com 02072497769 About Nortal Nortal is a strategic innovation and technology company with an unparalleled track-record of delivering successful transformation projects for over 20 years. Having offices in Europe, the Middle East, and in North America, we are close to our customers while backed by a vast global talent pool of more than 2000 people. www.nortal.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2359446/John_Cheal_Nortal.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2249978/4346504/Nortal_Logo.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/nortal-appoints-government-lead-to-accelerate-uk-public-sector-digitalisation-efforts-302085472.html Company Announcement 14/2024 Copenhagen, 12 March 2024 NOTICE CONVENING THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SCANDINAVIAN TOBACCO GROUP A/S In accordance with Article 7 of the Articles of Association, notice is hereby given of the annual general meeting of Scandinavian Tobacco Group A/S (the "Company") to be held on Thursday 4 April 2024 at 4.30 pm. (CEST) at the office of Kromann Reumert, Sundkrogsgade 5, 2100 Copenhagen Follow the general meeting via webcast Instead of attending in person, our shareholders have the opportunity to follow the general meeting via live webcast transmission on the Investor Portal). The general meeting and the webcast will commence on 4 April 2024 at 4.30 pm. (CEST). Please note that it is not possible to participate actively in the general meeting, i.e. ask questions or vote, if you follow the general meeting via webcast. Agenda In accordance with Article 8.2 of the Articles of Association, the agenda of the meeting is as follows: 1.Report of the Board of Directors on the Company's activities during the past financial year 2.Adoption of the audited annual report The audited annual report is available on www.st-group.com. 3.Appropriation of profit as recorded in the adopted annual report The Board of Directors proposes to the general meeting that the Company pays for the financial year 2023 a dividend of DKK 8.40 per share of DKK 1. 4.Presentation of the Company's remuneration report for an advisory vote The remuneration report is available on www.st-group.com. 5.Adoption of the remuneration of the Board of Directors and Board committees The Board of Directors proposes that the remuneration of the Board of Directors for the financial year 2024 be as follows: To align with general market practice, the Board of Directors proposes that the fee to the chair of the Remuneration Committee and Nomination Committee, respectively, is increased from 25 percent to 50 percent of the base annual fee, and that the fee to the other members of the Remuneration Committee and Nomination Committee, respectively, is increased from 12.5 percent to 25 percent of the base annual fee. Other than these proposed changes, the proposed fees are unchanged from 2023. Consequently, the Board of Directors proposes the following remuneration of the Board of Directors: Ordinary members of the Board of Directors shall be paid a base annual fee of DKK 440,000 The chairman of the Board of Directors shall receive three times the base annual fee The vice-chairman of the Board of Directors shall receive two times the base annual fee The chair of the Audit Committee shall receive a fee corresponding to 75 percent of the base annual fee Other members of the Audit Committee shall receive a fee corresponding to 37.5 percent of the base annual fee The chair of each of the Remuneration Committee and Nomination Committee shall receive a fee corresponding to 50 percent of the base annual fee Other members of the Remuneration Committee and Nomination Committee, respectively, shall receive a fee corresponding to 25 percent of the base annual fee The fees for the chair and members of the committees are in addition to their fee as chairman, vice-chairman or member of the Board of Directors. In addition to the above, the Company may, in accordance with the Company's Remuneration Policy, also pay social contributions and similar fees that may be charged by foreign authorities in relation to the fees paid to members of the Board of Directors. Further, the Company may pay travel expenses and other expenses related to the work as a member of the Board of Directors. Subject to his re-election, Henrik Amsinck (the Board member with special IT competences) shall receive separate supplementary remuneration corresponding to 25 percent of the base annual fee for a specific ad hoc task in relation to the Company's project "OneProcess" (global roll out of ERP SAP S/4HANA). 6.Any proposals by the Board of Directors and/or shareholders The Board of Directors has not received any proposals from the shareholders. 6A. Reduction of the Company's share capital The Board of Directors proposes that the Company's share capital is reduced. On 10 November 2023, the Company announced a share buy-back programme with the purpose to adjust the Company's capital structure and meet obligations relating to the group's share-based incentive programme. The programme will end no later than 28 February 2025. Some of the treasury shares acquired are proposed to be cancelled resulting in the share capital being reduced by treasury shares of a nominal value of DKK 1,000,000 allocated to nominally DKK 1,000,000 own shares with a nominal value of DKK 1 each. After the reduction, the nominal value of the Company's share capital will be DKK 86,000,000. Pursuant to section 188 of the Danish Companies Act, notice is hereby given that the purpose of the capital reduction is to cancel part of the Company's portfolio of treasury shares. According to the practice of the Danish Business Authority, this is comparable to a capital reduction for distribution to shareholders, see section 188(1)(2) of the Danish Companies Act.The Company has repurchased the treasury shares that are proposed to be cancelled for the total sum of DKK 118,846,043. This means that in addition to the nominal capital reduction amount, a total of DKK 117,846,043 has been paid out to the Company's shareholders. Prior to the implementation of the capital reduction, the Company's creditors will be requested to file within a period of 4 weeks any claims they may have against the Company. The request will be published via the Danish Business Authority's IT system. The capital reduction will be implemented after expiry of the said 4-week deadline, unless the capital reduction cannot be implemented at such time under the provisions of the Danish Companies Act. Adoption of the proposal implies the following amendment of Article 3.1 of the Articles of Association taking effect upon completion of the capital reduction: "3.1The company's share capital is nominally DKK 86,000,000, divided into shares of DKK 1 or any multiple thereof." 6B. Adoption of an amendment to the Articles of Association to amend the Indemnification Scheme for members of the Board of Directors and the Executive Management as adopted at the general meeting in 2023. The Board of Directors proposes that the general meeting adopts amendments to Article 13.3 of the Company's Articles of Association to include a time limit for the indemnification scheme and to clarify that the maximum coverage included in an indemnification agreement shall be within the maximum limit permitted under Danish law. Adoption of the proposal implies that the wording of Article 13.3 in the Articles of Association will be amended and replaced by the following wording (amendments marked in bold): "13.3 Any indemnification offered under the Indemnification Scheme to any Indemnitee is subject to the company entering into an indemnification agreement with the Indemnitee setting out the terms and conditions, including a maximum coverage, of the indemnification. The maximum coverage must be within the maximum limit permitted under Danish law. The Indemnification Scheme is, and any indemnification agreement shall be made, exclusively for the benefit of the individual Indemnitee, including his/her death estate and compulsory heirs, but no other persons. Any such indemnification agreement shall terminate and cease to have any further effect not later than on the 10th anniversary of the Indemnitee ceasing to hold a position as member of the board of directors or executive management of the company." 6C. Approval of the Remuneration Policy The Remuneration Policy must be approved by the general meeting at least once every four years. The Company's current Remuneration Policy was adopted at the annual general meeting held on 26 March 2020, and subsequently amended most recently at the annual general meeting held on 13 April 2023. The proposed revised Remuneration Policy includes the following amendments to the Company's current Remuneration Policy: - a possibility to deviate from the Remuneration Policy in extraordinary circumstances (section 2.4, first paragraph) - a mandate to amend KPI targets and calculated results under the short-term incentive plan (section 4.4, sixth paragraph) and long-term incentive plan (section 4.5, seventh paragraph) - value of PSUs granted to an executive at the time of the grant will not exceed 150% (from currently 100%) of the annual base salary, even assuming a maximum level of performance (section 4.5, third paragraph) - gross misconduct as an additional basis for clawback of remuneration (section 4.6, first paragraph) - increased the share-holding requirements for other members of the Executive Management than the CEO from 30% to 50% of base salary (section 4.7), and - a few clarifying sentences and minor editorial amendments. If approved, the proposed revised Remuneration Policy will apply to agreements on remuneration and incentive pay entered into in the financial year 2024 and subsequent financial years. The full wording of the proposed revised Remuneration Policy is attached as Annex 1 to this notice. 7.Election of members to the Board of Directors Pursuant to Article 11.1 of the Articles of Association, all members of the Board of Directors elected by the general meeting are elected for one year at a time. Claus Gregersen has decided not to stand for re-election. The Board of Directors proposes re-election of the following Board members: Henrik Brandt (Chairman), Henrik Amsinck, Dianne Blixt, Marlene Forsell and Anders Obel. The Board of Directors further proposes election of Jorg Biebernick. Information about the nominated candidates is enclosed and is also available at the Company's website). 8.Election of auditor(s) Pursuant to Article 15.1 of the Articles of Association, the auditor elected by the general meeting is up for election annually. The Board of Directors proposes, in accordance with the Audit Committee's recommendation, to re-elect PricewaterhouseCoopers Statsautoriseret Revisionspartnerselskab. The Audit Committee has not been influenced by any third party and no clause of a contract entered into with a third party has been imposed upon it, which restricts the general meeting's choice of certain auditors or audit firms. The Board of Directors further proposes to elect PricewaterhouseCoopers Statsautoriseret Revisionspartnerselskab to provide a statement of assurance on the contents of the sustainability reporting in the management's statement in the annual reportfor the financial year 2024. VOTING REQUIREMENTS Adoption of the proposals in items 6A and 6B on the agenda requires adoption by at least 2/3 of both the votes cast and the share capital represented at the general meeting. The other proposals on the agenda may be adopted by a simple majority of votes, see Article 10.2 of the Articles of Association. REGISTRATION, ADMISSION AND PROXY Registration date In accordance with Article 9.4 of the Articles of Association, a shareholder's right to participate in the general meeting and the number of votes, which the shareholder is entitled to cast, is determined in accordance with the number of shares held by such shareholder on 28 March 2024 at 11.59 pm., no later than 1 April 2024 11.59 pm., and submitting it to Computershare A/S, Lottenborgvej 26D, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, email gf@computershare.dk, so that it is received by Computershare A/S no later than 1 April 2024 11.59 pm., when you request the admission card. Shareholders who have ordered admission cards for the general meeting have the following options: print the admission card and bring it to the general meeting, or bring the admission card on a smartphone or tablet, or collect the admission card at the general meeting upon presentation of proper ID. Proxy and postal votes You may appoint a proxy to cast the votes carried by your shares. The proxy must be received by Computershare A/S no later than 1 April 2024 at 11.59 pm., or by printing the proxy form at the Company's website, www.st-group.com, and submitting it, duly signed and dated, to Computershare A/S, Lottenborgvej 26D, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, email gf@computershare.dk. Shareholders may also vote by post. Vote by post must be received by Computershare A/S no later than 3 April 2024 at 11.59 pm.. Alternatively, shareholders can submit the printed, signed and dated postal vote form found at the website to Computershare A/S, Lottenborgvej 26D, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, email gf@computershare.dk. Once a vote by post has been received, the vote cannot be revoked by the shareholder. LANGUAGE In accordance with Article 9.7 of the Articles of Association the general meeting will be conducted in English. Shareholders present at the meeting may choose to speak in Danish or English. SHARE CAPITAL AND VOTING RIGHTS The Company's share capital is nominally DKK 87,000,000, divided into 87,000,000 shares of DKK 1 each. Article 9.1 of the Articles of Association stipulates that each share of nominally DKK 1 shall carry one vote at the general meeting. AGENDA ETC. The complete, unabridged text of the documents to be submitted to the general meeting, including the total number of shares and voting rights as at the date of the notice, the agenda with the full text of all proposals to be submitted to the general meeting, the forms to be used for voting by proxy and by post, as well as the audited annual report. RIGHT TO INQUIRE According to Article 9.6 of the Articles of Association, the shareholders have the right to ask questions in writing to the Company's management about matters of significance to the assessment of the annual report and the general position of the Company or the assessment of any matter to be resolved at the general meeting. Shareholders may also ask questions to the management of the Company at the general meeting. PERSONAL DATA In connection with the general meeting, the Company collects, processes and retains certain personal data. In this respect reference is made to the Company's Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy, which are available on the Company's website). Scandinavian Tobacco Group A/S The Board of Directors For further information, please contact: Torben Sand, Head of Investor Relations and Communication phone: +45 5084 7222 or torben.sand@st-group.com CANDIDATES FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Henrik Brandt (Chairman) Independent Born in 1955 Nationality: Danish Joined the board in 2017 and was elected Vice-Chairman. Was elected Chairman in 2022. Chairman of the Nomination and Remuneration Committees. Educational background: MBA from Stanford University Master of Science in Economy, Copenhagen Business School Competencies: Extensive executive and non-executive experience in leading international, publicly listed and private equity businesses Sales and marketing of fast-moving consumer goods Strategic business development Selected former positions: President and CEO Royal Unibrew A/S 2008-2017 President and CEO of Unomedical A/S 2003-2008 President and CEO of Sophus Berendsen A/S (now Berendsen A/S) 1999-2002 CEO of House of Prince A/S (1990-1999) and Group Executive of Skandinavisk Tobakskompagni A/S 1992-1999 President and CEO of Fritz Hansen A/S 1989-1992 President and CEO of Kevi A/S 1987-1989 Directorships and other offices: Chairman of the board of Toms Gruppen A/S, Fritz Hansen A/S, Intervare A/S (and its subsidiary nemlig.com A/S) and Gerda & Victor B. Strand Holding A/S Member of the board of Gerda & Victor B. Strands Fond/Toms Gruppens Fond and Ferd Holding AS Henrik Amsinck Independent Born in 1961 Nationality: Danish Joined the Board in 2021. Educational background: Master of Science in Business Economics, Aarhus University Competencies: Executive experience from contributing to the running of large, international and global corporations Extensive experience with strategy development, change and program management Considerable insight into digital transformation, global IT management and cyber security & compliance Experience with retail and online business Selected former positions: CIO and Corporate Management Member in the LEGO Group, 2007-2021 CIO and board member, TDC Totallsninger A/S & TDC A/S, 2005-2007 Finance and IT Director, Management Board Member, AAK A/S, 2004-2005 CIO, Aarhus Oliefabrik A/S, 1999-2004 Directorships and other offices: Member of the board of DSB (Member of the Audit Committee), Eltronic A/S, and Falck Digital Technology Poland Sp. z.o.o. CEO and board member of Falck Digital Technology Denmark A/S CIO of Falck Danmark A/S Jorg Biebernick Independent Born in 1968 Nationality: German New candidate for the Board of Directors Educational background: Advanced Management Program, Columbia Business School Diplom Kaufmann, Koblenz School of Corporate Management Competencies: Extensive executive experience in leading international and publicly listed businesses Sales and marketing of fast-moving consumer goods Strategic business development Selected former positions: Various positions within Imperial Brands plc, including President Europe (2020-2022), Interim CEO (2020), Chairman of the Board of Reemtsma Sigarettenfabriken GmbH (2021-2022) 2017-2022 President Latin America, Kimberley-Clark Corporation 2014-2017 Vice President Consumer Goods Category, SCA 2012-2013 Division Vice President & General Manager EMEA, Georgia Pacific LLC 2007-2012 Various positions in marketing and innovation, Procter & Gamble 1992-2006 Directorships and other offices: CEO of Paulaner Brauerei Gruppe GmbH & Co. KGaA Dianne Blixt Independent Born in 1959 Nationality: American Joined the board in 2016. Member of the Audit, Nomination and Remuneration Committees. Educational background: Master's degree in Business Administration and Finance, University of North Carolina at Greensboro Competencies: Significant experience in business analysis Financial management and reporting expertise Considerable insight into the US tobacco industry Selected former positions: Member of the board of directors of Lorillard, Inc. 2011-2015 Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Reynolds American, Inc., 2004-2007 Various positions in Reynolds American and its subsidiaries 1988-2003 Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Holdings, Inc. 2003-2004 Directorships and other offices: Member of the board of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. (Chairperson of the Compensation Committee, Member of the Audit and Risk Committee and Member of the Executive Committee), Triad Business Bank (Member of the Operating Risk Committee and Member of the Audit Committe), and Winston-Salem Police Foundation (Treasurer) Marlene Forsell Independent Born in 1976 Nationality: Swedish Joined the board in 2019. Chairman of the Audit Committee. Educational background: Master of Science in Business Administration and Economics, Stockholm School of Economics Competencies: Extensive experience with and insight into financial matters Enterprise performance management Reporting processes in listed companies Considerable insight into the tobacco industry Selected former positions: Senior Vice President and CFO of Swedish Match AB 2013-2018 Member of the board of Scandinavian Tobacco Group A/S 2014-2017 Various positions in the Swedish Match group, including Vice President Group Reporting and Vice President Business Control 2004-2013 Analyst Ernst & Young 2001-2004 Directorships and other offices: Member of the board of Kambi Group plc (Chairman of the Audit Committee), Lime Technologies AB (Chairman of the Audit Committee), Nobia AB (Chairman of the Audit Committee), InDex Pharmaceuticals Holding AB (not for re-election at 2024 AGM), AddSecure AB (Chairman of the Audit Committee), and Viedoc Technologies AB Anders Obel Independent Born in 1960 Nationality: Danish Joined the Board in 2018. Member of the Audit Committee. Educational background: Bachelor of Science in Economics and Business Administration, Copenhagen Business School Competencies: Extensive experience in management of industrial and investment companies Strategic business development Economic and financial expertise Selected former positions: Member of the board of directors of Forenet Kredit f.m.b.a., Nykredit Holding A/S and Nykredit Realkredit 2009-2017 Member of the board of directors of Scandinavian Tobacco Group A/S 2010-2016 Vice President at Gemini Consulting/Cap Gemini 1996-2002 Various positions, including Manager, at Hambros Bank Plc., 1985-1996 Directorships and other offices: Chairman of the board of C.W. Obel Bolig A/S, C.W. Obel Ejendomme A/S, Obel-LFI Ejendomme A/S, Semco Maritime A/S, Semco Maritime Holding A/S, Goodvalley A/S (Member of the Audit Committee and the Nomination Committee, and Chairman of the Remuneration Committee), Woodmancott Fonden and Haxholm v/Anders Christen Obel Vice Chairman of the board of Fritz Hansen A/S and Skandinavisk Holding A/S Member of the board of STG's Gavefond, Minkpapir A/S, Palcut A/S, C.W. Obels Fond, Danmark-Amerika Fondet (Danmarks amerikanske selskab), Fonden Det Obelske Jubilumskollegium, Mullerupgaard- og Gl. Estrupfonden, Hvdingsgaard Fonden, Skjrringefonden, Aktieselskabet Dampskibsselskabet Orient's Fond, Kilsmark A/S, Rexholm A/S, A/S Motortramp, Skovselskabet af 13. December 2017 A/S and Ejendomsselskabet Amaliegade 49 A/S CEO of C.W. Obel A/S, Anders Christen Obel ApS and Det Obelske Familiefond Attachment LONDON, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hexaware, a global IT services and digital solutions leader, announced the launch of tensai GPT, an AI web app, in collaboration with Microsoft. Using Microsoft Azure Open AI Service, this AI web app will enable Hexaware employees to harness enterprise knowledge, fostering creativity across diverse industries. The launch underscores Hexaware's commitment to enhance human-machine collaboration, leveraging its extensive technical and industry expertise. Calling the launch of tensai GPT a momentous occasion, Arun 'Rak' Ramchandran, President & Global Head - Consulting & GenAI Practice, Hi-Tech & Professional Services, Hexaware, said, "As we navigate the era of unprecedented technological advancements, the launch of tensai GPT marks a pivotal moment for Hexaware's commitment to relentless innovation." Arun added, "It will aid our transformative journey, where advanced technological solutions and end-to-end automation redefine the hi-tech and professional services landscape. tensai GPT exemplifies our dedication to pushing the boundaries of what's possible, propelling us toward a future where Hexaware continues to lead with ingenuity, shaping industries through the seamless integration of advanced AI capabilities." Integral to Hexaware's innovation drive, tensai GPT provides a platform for employees at all levels to contribute from ideation to implementation. Harnessing generative AI, it offers a unique blend of virtual guidance and real-world support, utilizing Hexaware's depth of expertise for client benefit. Satyajith Mundakkal, CTO - SVP at Hexaware, said, "tensai GPT redefines our work with its secure, user-friendly design and advanced AI functionalities. Aligned with Microsoft Azure Open AI Service's no-data-for-training policy, it will be the ultimate conversation companion, enhancing productivity while addressing privacy concerns and reimagining human-machine interaction. It highlights our commitment to lead in the generative AI-driven industry transformation, where creativity, innovation, and responsible AI come together to drive excellence." Sangita Singh, General Manager IT & ITES, Microsoft India, added, "We are committed to helping partners and customers drive innovation and holistic transformation with AI. We work together to harness generative AI to build intelligent applications that redefine user experiences. Hexaware's AI and automation capabilities help them set new benchmarks using Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service to develop advanced AI solutions that foster collaboration and transform business outcomes." For Hexaware, which strives to attain the highest responsible and ethical AI standards, the launch of tensai GPT signifies a crucial step in its mission to advance knowledge. About Hexaware: Hexaware is a global technology and business process services company. Our 28,300 Hexawarians wake up every day with a singular purpose; to create smiles through great people and technology. With 45+ offices in 16 countries, we empower enterprises worldwide to realize digital transformation at scale and speed by partnering with them to build, transform, run, and optimize their technology and business processes. Learn more about Hexaware at https://www.hexaware.com For more information, contact: Reena Kamble Hexaware Technologies reenak3@hexaware.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2237417/Hexaware_NEW_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hexaware-unveils-tensai-gpt-a-secure-ai-web-app-using-microsoft-azure-open-ai-service-to-advance-internal-innovation-302086510.html EQS-News: CPI PROPERTY GROUP / Key word(s): Real Estate CPI PROPERTY GROUP - Hotels joint venture and stake sale 12.03.2024 / 10:38 CET/CEST The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. CPI Property Group (societe anonyme) 40, rue de la Vallee L-2661 Luxembourg R.C.S. Luxembourg: B 102 254 Press Release - Corporate News Luxembourg, 12 March 2024 CPI PROPERTY GROUP - Hotels joint venture and stake sale CPI PROPERTY GROUP ("CPIPG" or the "Group") is pleased to announce the sale of a 50% stake in a subsidiary owning a portfolio of eight hotel properties in the Czech Republic, along with the signing of a joint venture agreement with Best Hotel Properties ("BHP"). The joint venture includes many of the Group's hotel properties in the Czech Republic, including Clarion Congress Hotel Prague, Mamaison Residence Downtown Prague, and Comfort Hotel Prague City East, among others, as well as CPI Hotels a.s., the hotels operator. The gross transaction value was approximately 347 million, for which a 50% stake totals c.173 million. CPIPG and BHP entered into a long-term joint venture agreement to manage the investment, where CPI Hotels will continue to operate these hotels. BHP, based in Slovakia, is a well-respected investor and operator in premium and luxury hotel properties, mainly in the CEE region, and has been growing its presence since 2009. "CPIPG is excited to work with BHP and sees this partnership as an opportunity to share operational knowledge and take our hotel portfolio to the next level," said David Greenbaum, CEO of CPIPG. CPIPG expects to use the net proceeds received to repay debt. For further information, please contact: Investor Relations Moritz Mayer m.mayer@cpipg.com For more on CPI Property Group, visit our website: www.cpipg.com Follow us on X (CPIPG_SA) and LinkedIn 12.03.2024 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.eqs-news.com KELOWNA, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 12, 2024 / Tryp Therapeutics, Inc. ("Tryp" or the "Company") (CSE:TRYP)(OTCQB:TRYPF) is pleased to announce that the Company's securityholders overwhelmingly approved the previously announced arrangement (the "Arrangement") involving the Company and Exopharm Limited CAN 163 765 991 at the Company's annual general and special meeting of securityholders (the "Meeting") held on March 8, 2024. The Company is also pleased to announce that the Supreme Court of British Columbia issued its Final Order approving the Arrangement on March 11, 2024. The special resolution approving the Arrangement (the "Arrangement Resolution") was required to be approved by at least two-thirds (66 2/3%) of the votes cast by: (i) the Company's shareholders and (ii) the Company's shareholders, option holders and the holders of certain warrants, voting as a class. A total of 37,738,906 common shares of Tryp were voted at the Meeting, representing approximately 39.14% of the Common Shares entitled to be voted at the Meeting. Approximately 99.92% of the votes cast by Tryp shareholders were in favor of the Arrangement Resolution. All other matters to be determined at the Meeting also passed by similar overwhelming majorities of votes cast. Closing of the Arrangement remains subject to satisfaction of certain closing conditions, including receipt of final court, stock exchange and regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of certain conditions set forth in the arrangement agreement. Subject to the satisfaction of these closing conditions, the parties currently expect to complete the Arrangement in late March 2024. Further details regarding the Arrangement, including the principal closing conditions and the anticipated benefits for shareholders, can be found in the Company's management information circular dated January 26, 2024 in respect of the Meeting (the "Circular"), which can be found under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. About Tryp Tryp Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing proprietary, novel formulations for the administration of psilocin in combination with psychotherapy to treat diseases with unmet medical needs. Tryp's lead program, TRP-8803, is a proprietary formulation of IV-infused psilocin (the active metabolite of psilocybin) that alleviates numerous shortcomings of oral psilocybin including: significantly reducing the time to onset of the psychedelic state, controlling the depth and duration of the psychedelic experience, and reducing the overall duration of the intervention to a commercially feasible timeframe. The Company has completed a Phase 2a clinical trial for the treatment of binge eating disorder at the University of Florida, which demonstrated an average reduction in binge eating episodes of greater than 80%. The Company also recently announced commencement of patient dosing in a Phase 2a clinical trial for the treatment of fibromyalgia in collaboration with the University of Michigan and is preparing to initiate a Phase 2a clinical trial in collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital for the treatment of abdominal pain and visceral tenderness in patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome. Each of the studies is utilizing TRP-8802 (synthetic, oral psilocybin) to demonstrate clinical benefit in these indications. Where a positive clinical response is demonstrated, subsequent studies are expected to utilize TRP-8803 (IV-infused psilocin), which has the potential to further improve efficacy, safety, and patient experience. For more information, please visit www.tryptherapeutics.com. Investor & Media Contact Peter Molloy Chief Business Officer Tryp Therapeutics Inc. pmolloy@tryptherapeutics.com Forward-Looking Information This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively referred to herein as "forward-looking statements"). The forward-looking statements herein are made as of the date of this press release only, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budgets", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "projects", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements in this press release include: stock exchange and other regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of conditions to closing the Arrangement; and anticipated timing of the closing of the Arrangement. Forward-looking statements and information are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of Tryp to control or predict, that may cause Tryp's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors set out herein, including, but not limited to, the Company not obtaining stock exchange approvals; all conditions to completion of the Arrangement not being satisfied or waived and the Arrangement not being completed as anticipated; and the risk factors set out in the Circular dated and other filings available for review on the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Such forward-looking statements represent management's best judgment based on information currently available. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER HAS REVIEWED OR ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. SOURCE: Tryp Therapeutics View the original press release on accesswire.com EQS Newswire / 12/03/2024 / 11:00 CET/CEST With the final stop of semi-final contest at Stuttgart, four-city world semi-final series for EPiC 2024 global pitching contest completed and over 70 semi-finalists were selected "Best-of-the-best" semi-finalists to gather in Hong Kong on 26 April 2024 and all applicants target US$45 million investment to be arranged, up to US$5 million in HKSTP venture funding , US$240,000 in cash prizes, plus partnership opportunities Grand Finale set to feature stellar cast of judges with innovation gurus and leaders from Cathay, HSBC, MTR Lab and more to added in Grand Finale HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 12 March 2024 - With the completion of the last two EPiC 2024 semi-finals in Hong Kong (29 February 2024) and Stuttgart (4-5 March 2024), Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) has successfully wrapped up its first-ever world series of four regional semi-finals for the HKSTP global Elevator Pitch Competition 2024 (EPiC). Over the course of seven weeks from January to March, the brightest and best startups from Silicon Valley, Singapore, Hong Kong and Stuttgart (Germany) have battled in ferocious pitching contests to leave over 70 semi-finalists still standing and set for the EPiC Grand Finale in Hong Kong on 26 April 2024. All applicants have set their sights on the US$45 million investment to be arranged[1], plus up to US$5 million in HKSTP Corporate Venture Fund (CVF), as well as US$240,000 in cash prizes, plus partnership opportunities. The EPiC 2024 Grand Finale on 26 April 2024 will take place at the iconic Sky100 venue atop Hong Kong's tallest building, International Commerce Centre (ICC), with aspiring startups literally making 60-second elevator pitches while hurtling up the ICC tower. Eric Or, Head of Partnerships, HKSTP, said, "EPiC 2024 has surpassed all expectations with over 70 startups of the highest quality and with the most impressive levels of talent, innovation and judging excellence that we have witnessed since this global contest began. With EPiC 2024, HKSTP has now forged a new global innovation footprint across the US, Europe, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Mainland China, providing unmatched growth opportunities for startups plugging directly into the city's biggest innovation ecosystem and also integrating for seamless expansion from Hong Kong to the China GBA and beyond." This year, HKSTP has handpicked a star judging panel of leading figures from the Hong Kong innovation scene to determine the winners at EPiC 2024. Over 70 semi-finalists will be categorised by the three innovation tracks of PropTech, FinTech and MobilityTech. They will be assessed by the specific track judging teams, who will select four finalists from each track to join a final group for 12 startups for a final on-stage presentation to the final judging panel. From the coming Grand Finale to the series of global semi-finals, HKSTP has assembled over 100 world-class innovation leaders to steer the judging contests and more judges are being confirmed. The current Grand Finale final judges include: PropTech Final Judges: Dr Andy Lee, Chairman, East Asia Region, ARUP; Ar Donald Choi, JP, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer, Chinachem Group; Michael Chan, Managing Director, MTR Lab; Jonathan Chiu, Hong Kong President, Schneider Electric (Hong Kong) Limited. FinTech Final Judges: Sachin Goel, Chief Technology Officer, AIA International Limited; Sebastian Paredes, Head of North Asia & CEO of DBS Bank (Hong Kong); Bojan Obradovic, Chief Digital Officer, HSBC Hong Kong; Eric Hui, CEO Zurich (Hong Kong), Chairman Zurich (China) and Chairman of HKFI InsurTech (GI) Task Force. MobilityTech Final Judges: Lawrence Fong, Director Digital and IT, Cathay; Ed Lam, CEO, LFX; Andrew Ma, Chief Technology Officer, eLab Asia, AS Watson Group. Before coming on the stage, the selected over 70 semi-finalists will make their live 60-second pitch in front of judges while riding up the elevator at the iconic Sky100 venue atop Hong Kong's tallest building, International Commerce Centre. The current Grand Finale elevator judges include: PropTech Elevator Judges: Ir Yan Zhou, Assistant Director, Industry Development, Construction Industry Council; Ir Dr Stewart Wan, Head of Innovation, Gammon Construction; Johnny Yu, Advisor to Chairman, Henderson Land Development; Wilson Cheung, Executive Director and Chief Projects Officer, HKR International; Julie Wong, General Manager, Sustainability, Hysan Development; Biga Luk, Managing Director - Hong Kong and Macau, Ingram Micro (China); Kevin Chu, Deputy Managing Director, Kai Shing Management Services Limited; Kiki Wang, General Manager, MTR Lab; Kain Chow, Head of Group Technology Strategy, New World Development; Kevin Lee, Head of Smart Facilities Management, SOCAM Development. FinTech Elevator Judges: Edison Sam, Director of Technology, Digital and Analytics Transformation, AIA International Limited; Timothy Lee, Managing Director, Head of Transaction Banking Group Greater China, BNP Paribas; Derek Ip, Chief Digital and Technology Officer, FT Life; Charles Chang, VP, Head of Digital Platforms, FWD Life Insurance Company (Bermuda) Limited; Dr Gabriel Leung, Executive Advisor - Hong Kong and Macau, Hewlett Packard Enterprise; Mimi Poon, General Manager, IBM Hong Kong; Selina Lau, Chief Executive, The Hong Kong Federation of Insurers; Binnie Wong, Managing Director, Global Family and Institutional Wealth Management, UBS Wealth Management. MobilityTech Elevator Judges: Kammy Leung, Hong Kong General Manager, Global Import Supply Chain Division, Cainiao; Aldric Chau, General Manager Digital, Cathay; Steve Ng, Managing Director of Commercial Group, HKT; Lily Lai, Chief Information Officer, Hong Kong International Airport; Nixon Cheung, Head of Commercial and Brand, Hong Kong Tramways; Lilliana Choi, Corporate Development & Affairs and Real Estate Investments Director, Jebsen Group; Robert Ip, Managing Director, Konica Minolta Business Solutions (HK) Limited; Keith Ip, Chief Technology Officer, Li & Fung; Dennis Mak, Managing Director - Greater China, Rhenus Warehousing Solutions Hong Kong Limited; Joseph Leung, Finance Director, The Kowloon Bus Motor Bus Co. (1933) Ltd. EPiC 2024 Grand Finales also gives valuable chance to startups to get noticed from investors with their cutting-edge solutions and business plans. Investors judges will also select 12 finalists out of over 70 semi-finalists in the 60-second elevator pitches. Investor Final Judges and Investor Elevator Judges confirmed to attend Grand Finale including Lap Man, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Beyond Ventures; Dr Alfred Shang, Managing Partner, Bitrock Capital; Kenneth Lee, Investment Director, Gaw Capital; Dr Jason Sun, Operation Director, Hong Kong X; Dr Samson Tam, JP, Partner, InnoAngel; Alex Zhou, Investment Manager, Jafco Asia; David Chang, Managing Partner, Mindworks Capital, and Michael Chow, Managing Director, Radiant Tech Ventures. EPiC has a proven track record of propelling success for past finalists and winners. Two notable examples are Archifiction from EPiC 2023 and Papkot from 2021. Archifiction is a naked-eye 3D XR tech venture based in Silicon Valley and now also Hangzhou in China. Through EPiC, it successfully partnered with a leading Hong Kong property group, Henderson Land, to create a pioneering XR experience centre in Hong Kong and it will soon launch and power further growth in this region. Meanwhile, Papkot is a French greentech that set up in Hong Kong and through EPiC expanded with a lab at the HKSTP Shenzhen Branch. Today it is aggressively taking its ground-breaking plastic-free paper packaging to meet critical market needs and opportunities here in Hong Kong and the GBA. All chosen semi-finalists for the Grand Finale will gain vital exposure to international investors as well as the cream of corporate innovators in the region. While the access to HKSTP's Shenzhen Branch provides global ventures with scalable, efficient, and dedicated infrastructure and services support, in the expansion to Mainland China. More information can be found on: EPiC 2024 ( https://epic.hkstp.org/ ) and HKSTP Shenzhen Branch ( https://www.hkstp.org/hong-kong-and-beyond/greater-bay-area/hkstp-shenzhen/ ) . Photo 1: HKSTP successfully completed regional Elevator Pitch Competition 2024 (EPiC) Hong Kong Semi-final on 29 February 2024, with 12 of the Hong Kong's brightest innovators selected to participate in EPiC 2024 Grand Finale on 26 April 2024. Photo 2: HKSTP successfully completed regional Elevator Pitch Competition 2024 (EPiC) Stuttgart Semi-final on 4-5 March 2024, with 20 of the European brightest innovators selected to participate in EPiC 2024 Grand Finale on 26 April 2024. Photo 3: Eric Or, Head of Partnerships, HKSTP, said, "EPiC 2024 has surpassed all expectations with over 70 startups of the highest quality and with the most impressive levels of talent, innovation and judging excellence that we have witnessed since this global contest began. With EPiC 2024, HKSTP has now forged a new global innovation footprint across the US, Europe, SE Asia, Hong Kong, and Mainland China, providing unmatched growth opportunities for startups plugging directly into the city's biggest innovation ecosystem and also integrating for seamless expansion from Hong Kong to the China GBA and beyond." Photo 4: Featured startups showcased FinTech, PropTech and MobilityTech innovations in EPiC 2024 Hong Kong Semi-Final Contest Photo 5: Featured startups showcased FinTech, PropTech and MobilityTech innovations in EPiC 2024 Stuttgart Semi-Final Contest. [1] Target to arrange USD45 Million investment: Investors (including funds managed by HKSTP CVF, Beyond Ventures, BitRock Capital, Gaw Capital, HKX, InnoAngel, Jafco Asia, Mindworks Capital and Radiant Tech Ventures) will consider investing in applicants (subject to terms and conditions to be agreed between the parties) The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. About Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) was established in 2001 with a mission to position Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology (I&T) hub. HKSTP has created a thriving I&T ecosystem supporting over 10 unicorns with more than 13,000 research professionals and around 1,700 technology companies from 26 countries and regions focused on healthtech, AI and robotics, fintech and smart city technologies. We offer comprehensive support to attract and nurture talent, accelerate and commercialise innovation for technology ventures on their I&T journey. Our growing innovation ecosystem is built around our key locations of Hong Kong Science Park in Shatin, InnoCentre in Kowloon Tong and three modern InnoParks in Tai Po, Tseung Kwan O and Yuen Long. The three InnoParks are realising a vision of new industrialisation for Hong Kong, where sectors including advanced manufacturing, micro-electronics and biotechnology are being reimagined. Hong Kong Science Park Shenzhen Branch in Futian, Shenzhen, opened in September 2023 to support Hong Kong's future development and its growing demands of the I&T industry and to strengthen cross-border exchange, attract technology companies as well as talent from around the world, helping them go global. It has both dry and wet laboratories, co-working space, conference and exhibition spaces, and more. We will focus on attracting enterprises in seven key areas: Medtech, big data and AI, robotics, new materials, microelectronics, fintech and sustainability. Through our infrastructure, services, expertise, and network of partnerships, HKSTP will help establish I&T as a pillar of growth for Hong Kong. More information about HKSTP is available at www.hkstp.org . News Source: Media OutReach 12/03/2024 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Media archive at www.todayir.com OncoOne, a biotechnology company focused on discovering precision medicines for cancer and autoimmune diseases, announced today the formation of a clinical advisory board to provide strategic and clinical insights for the company's lead program in immunology, ON104. ON104 is a monoclonal antibody targeting the oxidized isoform of the macrophage migration inhibitory factor (oxMIF) for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases. "The growing amount of preclinical data for ON104 is very promising and illustrates its broad applicability in key indications such as RA, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, and nephritis," commented Randolf Kerschbaumer, Ph.D., CEO of OncoOne. "As we continue to validate our technology's ability to effectively neutralize disease progression in autoimmune diseases, this board of distinguished experts will be invaluable to the clinical strategy for ON104 and will support OncoOne's vision of supplying a new class of therapeutic solutions to patient populations with a high unmet medical need." The members of the OncoOne Clinical Advisory Board include: Richard Bucala, M.D., Ph.D. Richard Bucala, is the Chief of Rheumatology, Allergy Immunology at the Yale Institute for Global Health and the Waldemar Von Zedtwitz Endowed Professor of Medicine, Pathology, Epidemiology, Public Health at the Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Bucala is renowned in MIF research and is recognized for discovering MIF's receptor CD74, as well as elucidating MIF's critical role in regulating glucocorticoid immunosuppression. He is an attending physician in the Yale New Haven Health System and is the past Editor-in-Chief of Arthritis Rheumatology. Dr. Bucala was elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) and the Association of American Physicians (AAP), in addition to having served on an advisory board for the United Nations and various other U.S. federal, academic, and pharmaceutical organizations. Daniel Aletaha, M.D. Daniel Aletaha is Professor and Head of the Clinical Department of Rheumatology at the Medical University of Vienna. Dr. Aletaha is the current president of the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR). His research focuses on arthritis and other inflammatory rheumatic diseases, precision medicine, and the management of complex diseases. He has experience in the areas of novel therapies and treatment strategies, diagnosis, prognosis, outcomes, and biomarkers. He currently holds over 350 indexed publications. Seamas Donnelly, M.D. Dr. Seamas Donnelly is a Professor of Medicine at Trinity College Dublin. He is a global leader in translational medicine with a research focus on the development of novel compounds as anti-inflammatory/anti-cancer therapies. He has authored many MIF-focused publications in renowned peer-reviewed journals, including Nature Medicine and Molecular Medicine. Dr. Donnelly's research epitomizes classical bench to bedside on an international scale, and, in recognition of this, has been awarded an Honorary Professorship in Translational Medicine by the University of Edinburgh. He is the current President of the Association of Physicians of Great Britain Ireland, the leading academic medical association in the UK and Ireland. Dr. Donnelly is also the lead Trinity PI of Health Innovation Hub Ireland and has been a member of OncoOne's scientific advisory board since 2022. Michael Freissmuth, M.D. Dr. Freissmuth is the Director of the Center of Physiology Pharmacology as well as the Chairman of the Institute of Pharmacology at the Medical University in Vienna. He was appointed Professor of Pharmacology in 1995 and received many awards, including the Novartis Award for Medicine. Dr. Freissmuth is a member of numerous editorial boards and serves on several review panels and scientific advisory boards. His most recent appointments include positions on international panels such as the Scientific Advisory Board of the Institut Cochin de Genetique Moleculaire in Paris and of the Engelhorn Foundation for Life Sciences. He is also a member of the supervisory board of Boehringer Ingelheim Austria. Dr. Freissmuth is an inaugural member of OncoOne's scientific advisory board, where he continues to support the development of the company's pipeline of biotherapeutics. About OncoOne OncoOne seeks to overcome the limitations of targeting macrophage migration inhibitory factor by harnessing the disease-related isoform, oxidized macrophage migration inhibitory factor (oxMIF). The Company is focused on developing multiple proprietary drug modalities to leverage oxMIF's potential as a target for systemic treatment of cancer, as well as for chronic inflammatory diseases. Equipped with a successful track-record in early-stage drug development, as well as a deep understanding of the target itself, OncoOne's leadership will advance a pipeline based on oxMIF's promise in inflammation and other disease areas. www.oncoone.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240312348462/en/ Contacts: For OncoOne: Randolf Kerschbaumer, Ph.D., CEO Website: https://www.oncoone.com/ E-mail: contact@oncoone.com Phone: +43 1 909 2208 6000 For Media Inquiries: Trophic Communications Desmond James E-mail: OncoOne@trophic.eu Phone: +49 1516 7859086 Audley Travel shares the ten cities with the most five-star rated museums and galleries across the globe, according to TripAdvisor data. WITNEY, England, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Experts at Audley Travel have revealed which cities have the highest number of five-star rated museums and galleries. Following an analysis of TripAdvisor data, the travel company can now unveil that London, Prague, Paris, Istanbul, and New York City respectively top the list for cities of culture. Audley's specialists have shared their thoughts on why these destinations make culture connoisseurs happiest of all. London ranked first Of course, it should come as no surprise to us that our home capital, historically rich London, ranks high on this list. For years, we've taken advantage of its over 170 galleries and institutions - visiting many of them for free - but perhaps without really considering what sets the city's cultural offerings apart from the rest. London's long history and multicultural populace have shaped a unique cultural scene. On the one hand, it's home to huge, family-friendly institutions like the British Museum and the National Gallery, housing the rarest of the rare: the Rosetta Stone, Van Gogh's Sunflowers, the Parthenon Sculptures, to name a few. "Yet, many London museums also defy the status quo," believes Audley specialist Jacqui Kaliouby. "There's the Freud Museum, the Churchill War Rooms, even the Old Operating Theatre Museum - you have so much to explore, all in your own backyard." Other cities on the list Next on the list is the city of a thousand spires, Prague, followed by Paris. Both excel on their attention to detail, particularly when it comes to history and the arts, with millions attending institutions like the Museum D'Orsay and Prague's National Museum each year. The list continues with Istanbul, where travellers can enjoy collections dedicated to Byzantine art, walk the Iznik-tile floors of sixth-century palaces, and explore the ornate mosques of the Ottoman Empire. "A personal favourite of mine," says Audley specialist Gudrun Updegraff, "is the Topkapi Palace Museum. Intricately decorated with vibrant ceramic tiles, it's one of the world's best-known examples of Ottoman architecture." Far from a one trick pony, Istanbul is home to some unconventional exhibitions. Couched in the bohemian neighbourhood of Cukurcuma is the Museum of Innocence. Curated in tandem with a novel of the same name, it's a daring, surrealist project that both bewilders and soothes. Rounding off the list is New York City. With its finger on the pulse of the present, as well the past, New York offers a versatile mix. For flamboyant modern art pieces, there's The Metropolitan Museum of American Art. For touching stories of immigration and survival, head to the Tenement Museum. The Top 10 United Kingdom - London Czech Republic - Prague France - Paris Turkey - Istanbul United States - New York City South Korea - Seoul Italy - Rome Canada - Toronto Japan - Tokyo Germany - Berlin View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/the-top-cities-of-culture-across-the-globe-are-revealed-302085672.html Wynzora Cream is approved and marketed in Italy, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. SINGAPORE, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyphens Pharma International Limited ("Hyphens Pharma", or the "Company", and together with its subsidiaries, the "Group"), Singapore's leading specialty pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare group, is pleased to announce that its subsidiary, Hyphens Pharma Pte. Ltd., has entered into an exclusive license, supply and commercialisation agreement (the "Agreement") with MC2 Therapeutics ("MC2") for the exclusive rights to register and commercialise Wynzora Cream and all future product extensions and/or improvements for the topical treatment of plaque psoriasis in the 10 ASEAN countries. Wynzora Cream (www.wynzora.com), is a leading topical treatment for plaque psoriasis, including scalp psoriasis in adults. Psoriasis sufferers endure a significant psychological burden due to the visible nature of the skin lesions, its comorbidity, and its chronicity[1]. Wynzora Cream is a cream-based fixed dose combination of calcipotriene and betamethasone dipropionate that has demonstrated high efficacy with quick improvement within 1 week in clinical studies[2]. Its dual mode of action targets the hallmark cytokines IL-23 and IL-17A/F immune axis and TNF-a expression in a single product. It is uniquely enabled by MC2's formulation and drug delivery system PAD Technology, allowing for an effectful convenient-to-use aqueous formulation. Wynzora Cream has been approved and marketed in key markets including Italy, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. "Hyphens Pharma is a leading specialty pharma company focused on the commercialisation of innovative pharmaceutical products in the ASEAN region. It has a clear ambition and strategy to grow its dermatology franchise and is an excellent partner for MC2 to leverage Wynzora in the region, a large and growing market with over 600 million people," said Mr Jesper J. Lange, Chief Executive Officer of MC2,"This deal substantiates our strategy to make Wynzora available to as many patients suffering from plaque psoriasis as possible globally, as we continue to develop and expand our pipeline of innovative first-in-class drug candidates within immunology and inflammation", added Mr Lange. Mr Lim See Wah (???), Chairman and CEO of Hyphens Pharma remarked: "MC2's commitment to develop novel treatment paradigms for skin diseases is synergistic with Hyphens' presence and ambition to be a regional leader in ASEAN. Wynzora is a proven effective treatment for plaque psoriasis in the United States and Europe. Leveraging our strong regulatory and commercial capabilities, we will work closely with MC2 to accelerate the launch of Wynzora in the ASEAN region, which will benefit Asian patients suffering from psoriasis." Pursuant to the Agreement, the Group will pay MC2 a total of EUR 2.5 million, which includes an upfront payment and fees upon reaching certain regulatory milestones. In addition, MC2 will be entitled to receive fees for sales milestones and double-digit royalties on net sales. The Agreement will not have a material effect on the net tangible assets or earnings per share of the Group for the financial year ending 31 December 2024. [1] Lim DS, Bewley A, Oon HH. Psychological Profile of Patients with Psoriasis. Ann Acad Med Singap. 2018 Dec;47(12):516-522. [2] Pinter A, Green LJ, Selmer J, Praestegaard M, Gold LS, Augustin M; trial investigator group. A pooled analysis of randomized, controlled, phase 3 trials investigating the efficacy and safety of a novel, fixed dose calcipotriene and betamethasone dipropionate cream for the topical treatment of plaque psoriasis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2022 Feb;36(2):228-236. About Hyphens Pharma International Limited (www.hyphensgroup.com) Hyphens Pharma International Limited and its subsidiaries (the "Group") is Singapore's leading specialty pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare group, leveraging on its diverse footprint in ASEAN countries. The Group has a direct presence in Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, and is supplemented by a marketing and distribution network covering 14 other markets - Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong S.A.R., Macau S.A.R., Myanmar, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. Singapore is the Group's regional headquarters, where its strategic planning, finance, regulatory affairs, research and development, legal, business development and logistics operations are based. The Group's core business comprises the following segments: Specialty Pharma Principals, Proprietary Brands, and Medical Hypermart & Digital. Besides marketing and selling a range of specialty pharmaceutical products in selected ASEAN countries through exclusive distributorship or licensing and supply agreements with brand principals mainly from Europe and the United States, the Group also develops, markets and sells its own proprietary range of dermatological products and health supplement products. In addition, the Group operates a medical hypermart for healthcare professionals, healthcare institutions and retail pharmacies, to supply pharmaceutical products and medical supplies and an online pharmacy for doctors to prescribe and have medications delivered to their patients' homes. About MC2 Therapeutics (www.mc2therapeutics.com) MC2 Therapeutics is a commercial stage biotech company focused on developing novel treatment paradigms within immunology and inflammation. Its pioneering approach in immunology is anchored in a deep understanding of skin biology, clinical expertise and cross-silo thinking. Besides Wynzora Cream, MC2 has a pipeline that includes two first-in-class drug candidates, both in Phase 2 clinical development. This media release has been reviewed by the Company's sponsor, SAC Capital Private Limited (the "Sponsor"). It has not been examined or approved by the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (the "SGX-ST") and the SGX-ST assumes no responsibility for the contents of this media release, including the correctness of any of the statements or opinions made or reports contained in this media release. CONTACT: Issued on behalf of Hyphens Pharma International Limited, For media enquires contact: Mr Derek Chng / Mr Gerald Woon, Email / DID / Mobile: derekchng@cogentcomms.com/ (65) 6704 9285 / (65) 9638 8635, woon@cogentcomms.com / (65) 6704 9268 / (65) 9694 8364; The contact person for the Sponsor is Ms Lee Khai Yinn (Tel: (65) 6232 3210) at 1 Robinson Road, #21-00 AIA Tower, Singapore 048542. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2360220/HYPHENS_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hyphens-pharma-licenses-wynzora-cream-for-asean-countries-from-mc2-therapeutics-302086586.html Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge announced that she is resigning. The 71-year-old Ohio Representative said she is stepping down for family concerns, especially to spend more time with her 92-year-old mother. The White House said Fudge will be departing the Biden administration later this month, after which, Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman will serve as Acting Secretary. Fudge has been the Secretary of HUD since the beginning of the Biden administration. Under her leadership, HUD removed barriers to homeownership, resulting in more than 1.5 million new FHA homeowners and the highest rate of first-time homebuyers in 20 years. At her direction, the Department worked closely with partners at the federal, state, and local level to increase the supply of affordable homes, while allocating historic resources to address homelessness. And with Secretary Fudge at the helm, HUD strictly enforced fair housing laws and took a stance against racial bias and discrimination in the appraisal market. 'Marcia got to work rebuilding the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and over the past three years she has been a strong voice for expanding efforts to build generational wealth through homeownership and lowering costs and promoting fairness for America's renters,' President Joe Biden said in a statement on her departure. 'From her time as a mayor, to her years as a fierce advocate in the U.S. House of Representatives, Marcia's vision, passion, and focus on increasing economic opportunity have been assets to our country,' Biden added. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. ANN ARBOR, MI / ACCESSWIRE / March 12, 2024 / Zomedica Corp. (NYSE American:ZOM) ("Zomedica" or the "Company"), a veterinary health company offering point-of-care diagnostic and therapeutic products for equine and companion animals, today announced the presentation of veterinary education programs scheduled at the upcoming Fetch dvm360 Veterinary Conference and subsequent dvm360 Fetch programs. "The 'Fetch' series of veterinarian Continuing Education (CE) programs by dvm360 is the ideal format for presenting Zomedica's groundbreaking technologies to animal healthcare professionals, and our close relationship with this organization provides us with an exceptional opportunity to bring awareness to veterinarians about the many ways Zomedica's products and services can benefit them and their patients," commented Nicole Westfall, Zomedica's Senior Vice President of Marketing. "The Charlotte meeting is the first in a series of five annual dvm360 CE meetings across the country, with thousands of animal healthcare professionals in attendance. Zomedica will be sponsoring multiple educational seminars to support animal health education at these meetings this year." "Recent publications highlighting the efficacy of Zomedica's PulseVet shock wave platform and TRUFORMA Bulk Acoustic Wave diagnostic platform, as well as a rapidly growing successful customer base, ensure that we are staying busy at these meetings," commented Kevin Klass, Zomedica's Senior Vice President of Sales. "We are grateful to the veterinary leaders that are supporting our educational efforts with their time and enthusiastic interaction with our team as we continue to execute our mission of meeting the needs of clinical veterinarians in ways that promote both patient and practice health." Zomedica will be attending and exhibiting at the Fetch Charlotte Annual Conference from March 18 - 21, 2024 at Booth #223, which will feature the following presentations, sponsored by Zomedica, from leaders in the field of veterinary medicine: David Dycus, DVM, MS, CCRP, DACVS-SA - " Osteoarthritis Updates Part II: Thinking Outside the Box for Management" Fred Wininger, VMD, MS & Adam Christman, DVM, MBA - " From Stone Ages to Modern Marvels! Revolutionizing Veterinary Care Through Technology" Robert Schick, DVM, DACVD - " What's Old and New in Dermatology Labs" Matthew Brunke, DVM, CCRP, CVPP, CVA, CCMT - " Overview of Common Neurological Conditions in Veterinary Rehab and A Helpful Targeted Treatment" Heidi Lobprise, DVM, DAVDC - "Inflammation and Pain in the Oral Cavity" About Zomedica Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Zomedica (NYSE American:ZOM) is a veterinary health company creating products for horses, dogs, and cats by focusing on the unmet needs of clinical veterinarians. Zomedica's product portfolio includes innovative diagnostics and medical devices that emphasize patient health and practice health. Zomedica's mission is to provide veterinarians the opportunity to increase productivity and grow revenue while better serving the animals in their care. For more information, visit www.zomedica.com. Follow Zomedica Email Alerts: http://investors.zomedica.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zomedica Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/zomedica X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/zomedica Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zomedica_inc Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur and include statements relating to our expectations regarding future results. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, performance, or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, including assumptions with respect to economic growth, demand for the Company's products, the Company's ability to produce and sell its products, sufficiency of our budgeted capital and operating expenditures, the satisfaction by our strategic partners of their obligations under our commercial agreements, our ability to realize upon our business plans and cost control efforts and the impact of COVID-19 on our business, results and financial condition. Our forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: the outcome of clinical studies, the application of generally accepted accounting principles, which are highly complex and involve many subjective assumptions, estimates, and judgments, uncertainty as to whether our strategies and business plans will yield the expected benefits; uncertainty as to the timing and results of development work and verification and validation studies; uncertainty as to the timing and results of commercialization efforts, as well as the cost of commercialization efforts, including the cost to develop an internal sales force and manage our growth; uncertainty as to our ability to successfully integrate acquisitions; uncertainty as to our ability to supply products in response to customer demand; uncertainty as to the likelihood and timing of any required regulatory approvals, and the availability and cost of capital; the ability to identify and develop and achieve commercial success for new products and technologies; veterinary acceptance of our products; competition from related products; the level of expenditures necessary to maintain and improve the quality of products and services; changes in technology and changes in laws and regulations; our ability to secure and maintain strategic relationships; performance by our strategic partners of their obligations under our commercial agreements, including product manufacturing obligations; risks pertaining to permits and licensing, intellectual property infringement risks, risks relating to any required clinical trials and regulatory approvals, risks relating to the safety and efficacy of our products, the use of our products, intellectual property protection, risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact upon our business operations generally, including our ability to develop and commercialize our products, and the other risk factors disclosed in our filings with the SEC and under our profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. We undertake no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in our expectations except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Investor Relations Contact: Zomedica Investor Relations investors@zomedica.com 1-734-369-2555 SOURCE: Zomedica Corp. View the original press release on accesswire.com MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET) today announced that it will redeem all of its outstanding 5.375% Senior Notes due December 9, 2024 (the "Notes"), pursuant to the terms of the Notes. The full 350 million outstanding principal amount of the Notes will be redeemed on April 11, 2024 (the "Redemption Date"). The redemption price as determined by the calculation agent will be equal to the price at which the yield on the outstanding principal amount of the Notes on March 11, 2024 is equal to the yield on the 5% U.K. government Treasury Stock due March 7, 2025 (the "Benchmark Gilt") as of that date as determined by reference to the middle-market price on the Benchmark Gilt at 3:00 p.m., London time, on that date, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the Redemption Date. On and after the Redemption Date, all interest on the Notes will cease to accrue. The Notes are held through Clearstream Banking, S.A. ("Clearstream") and Euroclear Bank SA/NV ("Euroclear") and will be redeemed in accordance with the procedures of Euroclear and Clearstream. Payment to Euroclear and Clearstream will be made through The Bank of New York Mellon, as the London Paying Agent. About MetLife MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates ("MetLife"), is one of the world's leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to help individual and institutional customers build a more confident future. Founded in 1868, MetLife has operations in more than 40 markets globally and holds leading positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com. Forward-Looking Statements The forward-looking statements in this news release, using words such as "will," are based on assumptions and expectations that involve risks and uncertainties, including the "Risk Factors" MetLife, Inc. describes in its U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings. MetLife's future results could differ, and it does not undertake any obligation to publicly correct or update any of these statements. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240311854295/en/ Contacts: For Media: Brian Blaser 212-578-2415 bblaser@metlife.com For Investors: John Hall 212-578-7888 John.A.Hall@metlife.com Future Market Insights, Inc. projects the global industrial DeNOx system market to reach US$15.5 billion by 2034. This expansion is primarily driven by increasing regulatory pressure and growing public concern about air pollution. Download the report to gain access to the exclusive summary and detailed market intelligence. NEWARK, Del., March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --The industrial DeNOx system market is expected to be valued at US$ 9.6 billion by 2024. The market valuation is estimated to be US$ 15.5 billion by 2034, registered at a CAGR of 4.9%. Key Coverage of Industrial Denox System Market Report Adjacent Study on Industrial Denox System Market, Industrial Denox Catalyst Market Industrial Denox System Market Size, Current Insights, and Demographic Trends Europe Industrial Denox Systems and Services Market Outlook Global Industrial Denox System Market Growth Opportunities Sales Forecast for India Industrial Denox System Market Download the Sample PDF report to explore key market insights and trends: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-19211 A primary market driver is increasing regulatory pressure to reduce emissions and combat air pollution. Governments worldwide are implementing stringent emissions standards and regulations, compelling industries to invest in DeNOx systems to control nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and comply with environmental mandates. Growing environmental awareness and public health concerns drive the demand for denox systems as industries seek sustainable solutions to minimize their environmental footprint and demonstrate corporate responsibility. One significant challenge is the high upfront costs associated with installing and operating denox systems. Industries must invest substantially in equipment, technology, and infrastructure, which can impact profitability and financial viability. Technological complexity and the need for specialized expertise pose challenges for companies implementing denox systems, requiring ongoing maintenance and optimization to ensure effective performance. Several trends are shaping the future of the industrial denox system market. Technological advancements, including innovative catalysts and advanced control systems, are enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of denox systems, driving market growth. The increasing adoption of digitalization and automation technologies is streamlining operations and improving the reliability of denox systems, reducing downtime and enhancing overall performance. The rise of sustainable development goals and corporate sustainability initiatives drives industries to invest in environmentally friendly technologies like denox systems, further fueling market growth. Report Scope Attributes Details Estimated Market Size in 2024 US$ 9.6 billion Projected Market Valuation in 2034 US$ 15.5 billion Value-based CAGR 2024 to 2034 4.9 % Forecast Period 2024 to 2034 Historical Data Available for 2019 to 2023 Market Analysis Value in US$ billion Key Market Segments Covered Industrial Denox System Market - Key Segments By Type: Selective Catalytic Reduction Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction By Application: Utilities Industries Others By Region: North America Latin America Western Europe Eastern Europe South Asia and Pacific East Asia The Middle East and Africa Key Countries Profiled The United States Canada Brazil Mexico Germany The United Kingdom France Spain Italy Russia Poland Czech Republic Romania India Bangladesh Australia New Zealand China Japan South Korea GCC countries South Africa Israel Key Companies Profiled Alstom SA Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises Inc. Babcock Noell GmbH Burns & Mcdonnell, Inc. Doosan Power Systems FLSmidth & Co. A/S Fuel Tech Inc. Haldor Topsoe A/S Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. Others Key Takeaways from the Market Study Under type, the selective catalytic reduction registered to expand at 4.7% CAGR by 2034. The United Kingdom is estimated to register at a CAGR of 5.7% by 2034. China experiences significant growth, projected at a CAGR of 5.6% by 2034. Based on application, the industry segment is anticipated to expand at a 4.5% CAGR by 2034. "The increasing regulatory pressure to reduce emissions and combat air pollution is one significant driver for the industrial denox system market," comments by Nikhil Kaitwade (Associate Vice President at Future Market Insights, Inc.) Competitive Landscape The competitive landscape of the industrial DeNOx system market is characterized by established players and emerging companies vying for market share. Leading manufacturers such as Babcock & Wilcox, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, and Amec Foster Wheeler dominate the market with their comprehensive product portfolios and extensive industry experience, while new entrants offer niche solutions and challenge established players. Purchase now and gain full access to the Intelligent DeNOx System Industry report, featuring comprehensive Market Forecast, Company Share Analysis, Competition Intelligence, DROT Analysis, Market Dynamics and Challenges, and Strategic Growth Initiatives. Some of the key developments are: Fuel Tech Inc. focused on expanding its portfolio of emissions control solutions, particularly emphasizing its DeNOx technology offerings. The company invested in research and development efforts to enhance the performance and efficiency of its DeNOx systems, catering to the evolving needs of industries seeking to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. Haldor Topsoe A/S continued its commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship by advancing its DeNOx technology offerings. The company focused on developing innovative catalysts and advanced control systems to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its DeNOx solutions, meeting the stringent emissions reduction requirements of industries worldwide. More Valuable Insights Available Future Market Insights offers an unbiased global industrial denox system market analysis, providing historical data from 2019 to 2023 and forecast statistics from 2024 to 2034. To understand market opportunities, the industrial denox system market is segmented based on Type (Selective Catalytic Reduction, Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction), Application (Utilities, Industries, Others) and Region (North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, South Asia and Pacific, East Asia, and the Middle East and Africa). About the Chemicals and Materials Division at Future Market Insights The chemicals and materials team at Future Market Insights offers expert analysis, time-efficient research, and strategic recommendations to provide authentic insights and accurate results to help clients worldwide. With over 100+ reports and one million+ data points, the team has analyzed the industry lucidly in 50+ countries for over a decade. The team briefly analyzes key trends, including competitive landscape, profit margin, and research development efforts. About the Author: Nikhil Kaitwade (Associate Vice President at Future Market Insights, Inc.) has over a decade of experience in market research and business consulting. He has successfully delivered 1500+ client assignments, predominantly in Automotive, Chemicals, Industrial Equipment, Oil & Gas, and Service industries. His core competency circles around developing research methodology, creating a unique analysis framework, statistical data models for pricing analysis, competition mapping, and market feasibility analysis. His expertise also extends wide and beyond analysis, advising clients on identifying growth potential in established and niche market segments, investment/divestment decisions, and market entry decision-making. Nikhil holds an MBA degree in Marketing and IT and a Graduate in Mechanical Engineering. Nikhil has authored several publications and quoted in journals like EMS Now, EPR Magazine, and EE Times. Explore FMI's Extensive Coverage in the Chemicals and Materials Domain: Industrial Wastewater Treatment Chemical Market Forecast by Corrosion and Scale Inhibitors from 2024 to 2034. - Review and Access to the Sample Report. Forecast by Corrosion and Scale Inhibitors from 2024 to 2034. - Lithium Silicon Battery Market Forecast by Electric Vehicles and Power Storage Application from 2024 to 2034. - Review and Access to the Sample Report. Forecast by Electric Vehicles and Power Storage Application from 2024 to 2034. - MS Polymer Market Analysis by Hybrid MS Polymers and Pure MS Polymers from 2024 to 2034. - Review and Access to the Sample Report. Analysis by Hybrid MS Polymers and Pure MS Polymers from 2024 to 2034. UV Curable Resin and Formulated Products Market by Oligomers, Monomers and Photoinitiators by Composition from 2024 to 2034. - Review and Access to the Sample Report. by Oligomers, Monomers and Photoinitiators by Composition from 2024 to 2034. - High Performance Fluoropolymer Market by PTFE, PFA/MFA and Other Product Types from 2024 to 2034. - Review and Access to the Sample Report. About Future Market Insights (FMI) Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting service provider, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in Dubai and has delivery centers in the UK, the U.S., and India. FMI's latest market research reports and industry analysis help businesses navigate challenges and make critical decisions with confidence and clarity amidst breakneck competition. Our customized and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. A team of expert-led analysts at FMI continuously tracks emerging trends and events in a broad range of industries to ensure that our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers. Contact Us Nandini Singh Sawlani Future Market Insights Inc. Christiana Corporate, 200 Continental Drive, Suite 401, Newark, Delaware - 19713, USA T: +1-845-579-5705 For Sales Enquiries: sales@futuremarketinsights.com Website: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com LinkedIn| Twitter | Blogs | YouTube Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1197648/3531122/FMI_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/global-industrial-denox-system-market-to-reach-us15-5-billion-by-2034--driven-by-stringent-regulations-and-sustainability-push-302086465.html New AI Copilot Enables Businesses to Gain Process Insights, Get Recommendations, and More, All by Asking Natural Language Questions DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / March 12, 2024 / mindzie, inc. ("mindzie"), mindzie, a leading provider of Generative AI-Driven process mining and business process optimization software, is thrilled to announce the launch of its next generation of Generative AI, the mindzie AI Process Intelligence Copilot. Process Intelligence AI Copilot The mindzie AI Process Intelligence Copilot stands at the forefront of technological innovation, integrating state-of-the-art Generative AI to redefine the way businesses approach process mining and intelligence. With its advanced capabilities, users can effortlessly inquire about their business processes in natural language, receiving in-depth insights and actionable recommendations in near real-time. This marks a pivotal advancement in making complex data analytics accessible and actionable for decision-makers across various industries. "At mindzie, we are committed to enabling businesses and users of all levels with data-driven operational intelligence. The launch of our AI Process Intelligence Copilot is a testament to this vision," said James Henderson, mindzie's Chief Executive Officer. "We believe that the future of business operations lies in harnessing the power of Generative AI to make complex data analytics both accessible and actionable for businesses. Our latest innovation is designed to empower organizations to not just understand their processes better, but to drive meaningful change that enhances operational efficiency and business outcomes." mindzie's latest offering is designed to cater to the evolving needs of businesses striving for efficiency and excellence in their operations. The AI Process Intelligence Copilot goes beyond mere data analysis. It can explain complex processes, pinpoint the top-priority improvements, and provide recommendations on how to initiate these improvements. This added functionality ensures that not only are insights provided, but a roadmap for action is also delivered, facilitating practical steps towards operational enhancement. With multi-language support, this feature democratizes the power of advanced process mining, ensuring that organizations worldwide, regardless of their primary language, can leverage the full potential of Generative AI-driven insights. Learn more at https://mindzie.com/ai-process-intelligence-copilot/. About mindzie Studio The mindzie studio is available in Cloud Hosted, Enterprise On-Premise, Desktop Professional Edition, and Free Desktop Edition, allowing companies to select the architecture that best fits their unique requirements. Contact Information mindzie media Media Relations info@mindzie.com 866-646-3943 SOURCE: mindzie, inc. View the original press release on newswire.com. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 12, 2024) - Lake Victoria Gold Ltd. (TSXV: LVG) ("LVG", or the "Company") is pleased to announce a significant step forward in the Company's subsidiary Tembo Gold (T) Ltd's (TGTL) acquisition of the Imwelo mining licence from Tanzoz Minerals Limited announced on August 10, 2023 (https://lakevictoriagold.com/tembo-gold-announces-transformative-acquisition-and-landmark-investment-from-tanzanian-strategic-investor/) with the Tanzanian Fair Competition Commission approval granted on February 29, 2024. Highlights In Q4 2023, Tembo Gold (T) Ltd (TGTL) submitted an application for approval of the acquisition of ML538/2015 from Tanzoz Minerals Limited, to the Fair Competition Commission (FCC) of Tanzania. After review of the information provided, the FCC unconditionally approved the acquisition on February 29, 2024. ML538/2015 is a fully permitted mining licence. The ML is located in the Geita greenstone belt 12km west of Anglogold-Ashanti's Geita Gold Mine. The Imwelo project comprises a 3.85km 2 ML and a 8.5ha PML containing a historical resource estimate of 42,000oz Au measured resource at 3.15g/t, indicated resource of 95,700oz Au at 1.95g/t and 153,900oz inferred resource at 1.53g/t. TGTL will acquire the ML for a consideration of C$5,500,000 consisting of approximately 23.6 million common shares at a deemed value of C$0.22 per share. Detailed design of the major infrastructure and plant facilities is currently being finalized. Orders have been placed for key plant equipment with the ball mill presently being refurbished in South Africa. Next Steps The acquisition agreement has now been submitted to the Tanzania Revenue Authority for the assessment of capital gains tax (CGT) payable by TML. The tax assessment is expected to be completed in the coming weeks. On payment of the CGT by TML, the TRA will issue a tax clearance certificate. The following step will be the submission of the licence transfer application to the Mining Commission of Tanzania, together with the requisite supporting documentation (FCC Certificate and TRA Tax Clearance Certificate) and application fee. On approval, the Mining Commission will advise the company that the transfer has been approved and issue a certificate confirming the new ownership. Simon Benstead, Executive Chairman & CFO of the Company, stated: "We are pleased to receive this approval from the FCC in Tanzania. As we learned from our transaction with Barrick, this is the most time consuming part of the process and we expect to have the acquisition closed in the coming weeks. The acquisition and advancement of Imwelo and the previously announced acquisition of Dora are firmly in line with the Company's growth strategy of establishing itself as a rapidly growing gold producer, mine developer and exploration company in East Africa." About Lake Victoria Gold (LVG): Lake Victoria Gold is a rapidly growing gold exploration and development company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol LVG. Leveraging our unique position and experience, the Company is principally focused on growth and consolidation in the highly prolific and prospective Lake Victoria Goldfield in Tanzania. The Company has a 100% interest in the Tembo project which has over 50 thousand meters of drilling and is located adjacent to Barrick's 20Moz Bulyanhulu Mine. The Company recently announced the acquisition of two deposits that support our objective of accretive growth and consolidation. The Imwelo project and Dora project both have potential for significant growth. LVG has assembled a highly experienced team with a track record of developing, financing, and operating mining projects in Africa with management, directors and partners owning more than 60% of the shares. Notably, the Company is grateful for the validation that comes with the support and equity investment from Barrick Gold and recent strategic partnership with Taifa Group. Taifa Group (a diverse group of companies with interests in amongst others, Mining, Telecoms, Oil & Gas, Agri Business, Pharmaceuticals and Leather) has entered into an agreement with the Company to obtain an equity stake in the Company and through its wholly owned subsidiary Taifa Mining (a wholly Tanzanian owned company), or other nominees. Taifa Mining will also carry out all the contract mining and civil works for the Imwelo project. Taifa Mining is Tanzania's largest mining contractor with over 30 years mining related experience. Taifa have been the contractor of choice to most mines in Tanzania and have maintained long and successful relationships with companies such as Petra, De Beers, Barrick, and AngloGold Ashanti. In addition, Taifa also owns the largest fleet of mining equipment in Tanzania. As a company, Taifa is committed to adopting and adhering to the latest internationally recognized standards throughout all aspects of its business. On Behalf of the Board of Directors of the Company, Simon Benstead Executive Chairman & CFO For more information please contact: Simon Benstead Executive Chairman & CFO Phone:+ 1 604-685-9316 Email: sbenstead@lakevictoriagold.com Marc Cernovitch CEO & Director Phone: +1 604-685-9316 Email: mcernovitch@lakevictoriagold.com NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation, including: future exploration plans with respect to the Imwelo Project, gold production on the Imwelo Project and the timing thereof, the terms of the Acquisition and the Financing, contract work on the Imwelo Project by Taifa Mining, entering into a joint venture agreement and shareholder agreement with the Tanzanian government and the terms and timing thereof, the closing of the Acquisition and the Financing, including the satisfaction of the closing conditions thereunder and the expected timing thereof, and receipt of all regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange for the Acquisition and Financing and the Tanzania Fair Competition Commission for the Acquisition. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, although not always, identified by words such as "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "project", "target", "potential", "schedule", "forecast", "budget", "estimate", "intend" or "believe" and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could", "should" or "might" occur. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond LVG's control, including risks associated with or related to: the completion of the Acquisition, the Financing and related transactions, including receipt of all regulatory approvals and third-party consents, the volatility of metal prices and LVG's common shares; changes in tax laws; the dangers inherent in exploration, development and mining activities; the uncertainty of reserve and resource estimates; not achieving development or production, cost or other estimates; actual exploration or development plans and costs differing materially from the Company's estimates; the ability to obtain and maintain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for mining activities; environmental regulations or hazards and compliance with complex regulations associated with mining activities; climate change and climate change regulations; fluctuations in exchange rates; the availability of financing; financing and debt activities; operations in foreign and developing countries and the compliance with foreign laws, including those associated with operations in Tanzania and including risks related to changes in foreign laws and changing policies related to mining and local ownership requirements or resource nationalization generally, including in response to the COVID-19 outbreak; remote operations and the availability of adequate infrastructure; fluctuations in price and availability of energy and other inputs necessary for mining operations; shortages or cost increases in necessary equipment, supplies and labour; regulatory, political and country risks, including local instability or acts of terrorism and the effects thereof; the reliance upon contractors, third parties and joint venture partners; challenges to title or surface rights; the dependence on key personnel and the ability to attract and retain skilled personnel; the risk of an uninsurable or uninsured loss; adverse climate and weather conditions; litigation risk; competition with other mining companies; community support for LVG's operations, including risks related to strikes and the halting of such operations from time to time; conflicts with small scale miners; failures of information systems or information security threats; the ability to maintain adequate internal controls over financial reporting as required by law; compliance with anti-corruption laws, and sanctions or other similar measures; social media and LVG's reputation; and other risks disclosed in the Company's public filings. LVG's forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management and reflect their current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date hereof. LVG does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change other than as required by applicable law. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what benefits or liabilities LVG will derive therefrom. For the reasons set forth above, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/201341 SOURCE: Lake Victoria Gold Ltd. TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 12, 2024 / AirIQ Inc. ("AirIQ") (TSXV:IQ), a leader in IoT based asset management solutions for over 25 years, today announced the appointment of Michael T. Lawless as Chief Revenue Officer. With over 20 years of sales leadership experience in technology and wireless industries, Mr. Lawless has a track record of generating new revenue streams through strategic partnerships and business development. Mr. Lawless will be responsible for the expansion of customer segments and business partnerships and will be influential in creating a strategic plan for boosting revenue streams. "We are very excited that Mr. Lawless has agreed to join AirIQ effective March 25, 2024 to lead our sales, marketing and account management teams to drive recurring revenue growth", said Mike Robb, President and Chief Executive Officer of AirIQ. "Mr. Lawless is based in San Diego and brings extensive wireless carrier and industry connections to AirIQ in a geographic region that will generate new opportunities. We believe that Mr. Lawless is a key element in delivering exceptional organic recurring revenue growth. In addition, Mr. Lawless will play a key role in identifying M&A targets to drive inorganic growth in the future", continued Mr. Robb. Mr. Lawless has held senior sales positions at Direct Communication Solutions Inc., Metrum Technologies, Kyocera, and NexAira prior to joining the team at AirIQ. "When I first met the AirIQ leadership team, I could tell that there was something special there. AirIQ's core company values, passion to provide best in class customer service, combined with an award winning, mature IoT platform is a solid foundation to build upon. I am humbled and look forward to applying my 20+ years of experience to the next chapter of the AirIQ story. I couldn't ask for a better fit", said Mr. Lawless. About AirIQ AirIQ (TSXV:IQ) celebrated its 27th anniversary of its founding in 1997 and is a pioneer in IoT based asset management solutions. AirIQ's solutions allow commercial businesses to reliably, effectively and efficiently monitor assets in near real time. The Company develops iOS and Android mobile and web-based applications, and cloud-based solutions that stand-alone or that can be readily integrated with existing software. AirIQ solutions are mixed fleet capable and provide fleet reporting, maintenance, compliance, safety and analytics utilizing multiple hardware options including a fully integrated video telematics camera solution and a battery powered solution for non-powered assets. For additional information on AirIQ please visit the Company's website at www.airiq.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter and Instagram. Forward-looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information based on management's best estimates and the current operating environment. These forward-looking statements are related to, but not limited to, AirIQ's operations, anticipated financial performance, business prospects and strategies. Forward-looking information typically contains statements with words such as "hope", "goal", "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan" or similar words suggesting future outcomes. These statements are based upon certain material factors or assumptions that were applied in drawing a conclusion or making a forecast or projection as reflected in the forward-looking statements, including AirIQ's perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments as well as other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Such forward-looking statements are as of the date which such statement is made and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from future results expressed, anticipated or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, changes in market and competition, technological and competitive developments and potential downturns in economic conditions generally. Therefore, actual outcomes may differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Other than as may be required by law, AirIQ disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of such information, future events or otherwise. * * * For more information please contact : AirIQ Inc., Michael Robb, President and Chief Executive Officer, (905) 831-6444 mrobb@airiq.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: AirIQ Inc. View the original press release on accesswire.com The year 2023 started with the first acquisitions of NFTs by museums and ended with another bull run on the stock markets and the main cryptocurrencies. The major event in cryptocurrencies is notably BlackRock's (the largest asset manager in the world) and Fidelity's introduction of ETFs directly invested in Bitcoin (Bitcoin spot ETFs) authorized by the SEC on 11 January 2024. This is a real consecration for Bitcoin which on 11 March 2024 was quoted at around 72,000 dollars, while Ethereum was at $4,000 (ETH ETFs are expected very soon). BlackRock and Fidelity have achieved the best ETF launches in 30 years thanks to Bitcoin. In their first month of trading, the "IBIT" and "FBTC" funds raised $6.5 billion, which is more than any of the 5,500 other index funds launched before them (according to Les Echos of 10 January 2024: "Bitcoin ETF: the SEC opens the doors of Wall Street wide to Bitcoin". This is a new record for Bitcoin. Of the 5,535 ETFs launched over the last thirty years, none have gotten off to such a strong start as BlackRock's 'IBIT' and Fidelity's 'FBTC', said Bloomberg expert Eric Balchunas. This Monday, March 11, 2024, a Bloomberg report (by Tom Metcalf & Emily Nicolle) announces "The London Stock Exchange said it will start accepting applications for the admission of exchange traded notes backed by Bitcoin and Ether" in the second quarter, confirming London as the capital of cryptocurrencies on the European continent. This allows retail and professional investors to gain exposure to the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, without having to directly hold the asset. Via cryptocurrencies, new collectors and art enthusiasts have been attracted to the art market, often younger than their predecessors. Not averse to speculation and the excitement of taking risks, these art enthusiasts and collectors solidly welded to their crypto-universe of Web 3.0. The near future of Artprice by Artmarket is the meeting place between Web 3.0. (Metaverse and NFT) and Artprice's artificial intelligence, its Intuitive Artmarket AI. The 2023 period in NFT auctions, significantly less speculative than the two previous years, allowed Digital Art to finally settle peacefully in the international cultural and economic environment. As the NFT market consolidates, Artprice draws up a summary of the transactions on NFTs hammered in auction rooms in 2023, dominated by Sotheby's, but which finished with Christie's "Next Wave" sale on the sidelines of the Art Basel Miami Beach fair. Monthly evolution of proceeds from public NFT auctions [ https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2024/03/image1-monthly-evolution-of-proceeds-from-public-nft-auctions.png ] "Artprice by Artmarket.com recognizes in Digital Art - whether via NFTs or Artificial Intelligence - a revolution that it would be infinitely better to support and accompany than to reject or denigrate", affirms thierry Ehrmann, CEO of Artmarket.com and Founder of Artprice. "Artprice subscriptions will soon be able to be paid in ETH and BTC, and our databases have already been adapted to accommodate these two cryptocurrencies. We are very proud to support digital artists with the opening of our Standardized Marketplace to NFTs. Furthermore, we acquired and presented the works Flow (2023) by digital artist Josh Pierce on the cover of our latest Annual Report of the Contemporary Art Market in 2023 and the NFT work Chaos under the pure light by artist 1dontknows for our Annual 2023 Art Market report published in 2024." Annual Report of the Contemporary Art Market in 2023: https://imgpublic.artprice.com/pdf/le-marche-de-lart-contemporain-2023.pdf https://imgpublic.artprice.com/pdf/the-contemporary-art-market-report-2023.pdf Annual 2023 Art Market report published in 2024: https://imgpublic.artprice.com/pdf/le-marche-de-lart-en-2023.pdf https://imgpublic.artprice.com/pdf/the-art-market-in-2023.pdf This NFT paradigm shift is well explained in the ARTE documentary, recently released in 5 languages: "NFT, Chaos in the art world" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_08d_1oY-Lo Throughout this documentary, thierry Ehrmann, visual artist, NFT artist and Founding CEO of Artprice.com, delivers his analysis accompanied by other artists, experts and international players in the world of Art NFTs. Any attempt to understand the significance of NFTs in Art History requires an appreciation of the digital and cultural revolution that they represent and some kind of prediction regarding their role and impact over the short and medium term. According to thierry Ehrmann "In its various annual reports on the Art Market and the regulated information it publishes as a listed company, Artprice by Artmarket.com has always said with regard to NFTs that it is impossible to apprehend this new market without a true understanding of Blockchain, crypto-currencies and their cultural origins among the Cypherpunks (period of PGP-type data encryption at the beginning of the 1990s)." Bearing in mind all the underlying parameters and data required, Artprice by Artmarket is the only organization on the global art market to be able to truly respond to the certification of primary issues of Art NFTs in an environment of cryptocurrencies and major international currencies. In 2024, Artprice will be uniquely positioned in its capacity as a certifier of primary issues of Art NFTs based on the fact that Artprice by Artmarket has been the Global Leader in Art Market Information for more than 27 years and is the creator and owner of its globally recognized databases. It also has the world's largest documentary collection of art market notes, manuscripts, codices and annotated sales catalogs from 1700 to the present day, which act as a guarantee of the authenticity and historical veracity of its databases. 1. Auctions of NFTs in 2023: key figures - 350 lots sold - 53 unsold lots (13% of lots) - 32 sales sessions dedicated to or including NFTs - 259 distinct artists - $22.7 million in turnover (including fees) - +65% growth compared with 2022 - 0.2% of global fine art turnover - $1.9 million worth of NFTs sold per month on average - 6 active auction houses - 82% of the turnover generated by Sotheby's ($18.4 million) - $10.9 million total from "Grails: Property from an Iconic Digital Art Collection Part II" sale at Sotheby's on 15 June 2023 - Minimum price: $126 for Ghost Sphynx (2023) by Asa Jarju - Average price: $64,800 - Maximum price: $6.2 million for Ringers #879 (The Goose) (2021) by Dmitri Cherniak https://www.artprice.com/artist/1091079/asa-jarju/nft/31233678/ghost-sphynx https://www.artprice.com/artist/1023654/dmitri-cherniak/nft/30581409/ringers-879-the-goose Distribution of public auctions of NFT by price range and by auction house [ https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2024/03/image2-distribution-of-public-auctions-of-nft-by-price-range-and-by-auction-house.png ] 2. Seven-digit auction results and other exceptional sales In 2023, the seven best results of the year in the NFT category were hammered for Generative Art. This self-generating and random artistic approach is at the heart of the history of NFTs, notably with the controversial Profile Pictures (PFP) series such as the Bored Apes and the CryptoKitties. However, these series have now left their place at the forefront of the Generative scene to the abstract works created by artists like Dmitri Cherniak and Tyler Hobbs. Indeed, the series Autoglyph by Larva Labs now fetches higher prices than their CryptoPunks which made the artist duo famous. Among the most anticipated pieces last year at auction, five digital creations created by Keith Haring at the end of the 1980s were put on sale at Christie's in September 2023 by the Keith Haring Foundation. In the form of five unique NFTs (#1/1), these experiments were carried out on the first computers equipped with digital creation software a few years after those conducted by Andy Warhol. All the works found buyers at prices between $250,000 and $350,000. https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/keith-haring-pixel-pioneer/lots/3479?sc_lang=en Top 20 results for NFT works sold at auction in 2023 1. Dmitri Cherniak (b. 1988) - Ringers #879 (The Goose) (2021): $6,215,100 2. Tyler Hobbs (b. 1987) - fidenza #725 (2021): $1,016,000 3. Snowfro (XX-XXI) - Chromie Squiggle #1780 (2021): $635,000 4. Tyler Hobbs (b. 1987) - Fidenza #479 (2021): $622,300 5. Tyler Hobbs (b. 1987) - fidenza #216 (2021): $609,600 6. Larva Labs (b. 2005) - Autoglyph #187 (2019): $571,500 7. Tyler Hobbs (b. 1987) - fidenza #724 (2021): $442,170 8. Keith Haring (1958-1990) - Untitled (April 14, 1987) (1987): $352,800 9. Keith Haring (1958-1990) - Untitled #1 (April 16, 1987) (1987): $352,800 10. Keith Haring (1958-1990) - untitled #2 (April 16, 1987) (1987): $352,800 11. Kjetil Golid (b. 1991) - Archetype #397 (2021): $330,200 12. Larva Labs (b. 2005) - autoglyph #218 (2019): $330,200 13. Tyler Hobbs (b. 1987) - Fidenza #290 (2021): $279,400 14. Tyler Hobbs (b. 1987) - Fidenza #871 (2021): $279,400 15. Keith Haring (1958-1990) - untitled (feb 2, 1987) (1987): $277,200 16. XCOPY (b. 1981) - Loading New Conflict Redux 6 (2018): $254,000 17. Larva Labs (b. 2005) - CryptoPunk#4153 (2017): $254,000 18. Keith Haring (1958-1990) - untitled (Feb 3, 1987) (1987): $252,000 19. Tyler Hobbs (b. 1987) - Fidenza #370 (2021): $241,300 20. Tyler Hobbs (b. 1987) - Fidenza #861 (2021): $241,300 3. Both in auction rooms and on the Metaverse Sotheby's now stands out as the most active auction house on the NFT market, regularly hosting sessions dedicated to this new medium. On 15 June 2023, Part II of its sale Grails: Property from an Iconic Digital Art Collection totaled $10.9 million in New York. But apart from these sales dedicated to NFTs, Sotheby's now also includes NFTs in general sessions: at its day sale of Contemporary Art on 19 May 2023 in New York, Tyler Hobbs' Fidenza #725 (2021) fetched over a million dollars (including fees), against an estimated range of $120,000 - $180,000. https://www.artprice.com/artist/1062390/tyler-hobbs/nft/30222588/fidenza-725 Under Patrick Drahi's leadership, Sotheby's has also deployed a brand new platform called Metaverse, entirely dedicated to Web3: https://metaverse.sothebys.com . In 2023, it hosted the sale of 5,000 photographs by Sebastiao Salgado in the form of NFTs, then a session entitled Snow Crash curated by artist Tony Sheeder, and lastly, a sale of 500 unique works generated by the pioneer Vera Molnar (who sadly passed away shortly after on 7 December 2023). The projects carried out by Sotheby's on its Metaverse platform, however, deviate somewhat from public sales in terms of transparency and communication of results and are undoubtedly more similar to private sales. Several important NFT works are still visible today on the sothebys-grails.eth wallet and are - according to Michael Bouhanna (VP, Contemporary Art Specialist & Head of Digital Art and NFTs at Sotheby's) - available for private sale: CryptoPunk #6669: https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0xb47e3cd837ddf8e4c57f05d70ab865de6e193bbb/6669 Fidenza #526: https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0xa7d8d9ef8d8ce8992df33d8b8cf4aebabd5bd270/78000526 Bored Ape #8552: https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0xbc4ca0eda7647a8ab7c2061c2e118a18a936f13d/8552 4. 'On-chain' versus 'off-chain' transactions The majority of NFT artworks publicly auctioned by Sotheby's have so far gone through its main website, not through its Metaverse, and the transactions have therefore taken place outside the Blockchain. In other words, they were concluded "off-chain" the hammer prices do not appear in the history of the NFT, where only a double transfer of ownership of the work is visible: from the seller's portfolio (of the artist or collector) to that of Sotheby's, and then from Sotheby's to the buyer's wallet, once payment is complete. These "off-chain" transactions allow the auction house to maintain greater control over the transactions, in particular to collect payment before transferring the work to its new owner. This allows Sotheby's to collect a commission by adding the usual fees. For its part, Christie's, which carries out "on-chain" transactions via its Christie's 3.0 platform https://nft.christies.com , does without a commission. Its FAQ specifies that " Christie's 3.0 does not add Buyer's Premium to the hammer price" and that "You will need to pay a gas fee when you place a bid and, if applicable, when you pay sales tax and collect your NFT, Gas fees are not included in the final purchase price". But these gas fees only concern the operating costs of the Blockchain and are not collected by the auction house. 5. The entry of NFTs into museum collections The year 2023 saw the first acquisitions of NFTs by several museums, starting with the most prestigious, the LACMA, the MoMA, the Pompidou Center, and the Granet Museum in Aix-en-Provence. Unlike the ambiguous situation of 2021 which saw several institutions put digital duplicates of their masterpieces on sale, it is now a matter of acquisitions of NFTs by museums, directly from artists or via their collectors. CryptoPunks #110 acquired by the Center Pompidou and CryptoPunks #3831 acquired by LACMA The reluctance of auction houses regarding "on-chain" transactions is shared by museums, which are subject to strict regulations regarding the acquisition of works. The procedures they must follow sometimes conflict with the principles of transparency and decentralization of Web3. Public institutions therefore prefer for the moment to acquire "off-chain" works and avoid placing all their NFT artworks in a single wallet. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), which received a donation of 22 NFTs in February 2023 from anonymous collector Cozomo de' Medici, has only 8 pieces on its e-wallet. Several NFTs, like Fragments of an Infinite Field #972 by Monica Rizzolli, have not yet been delivered and are still on the Cozomo de' Medici wallet. As for the famous CryptoPunk #3831, the work has been placed in an independent portfolio. Official announcement of the 22 NFTs acquired by LACMA: https://unframed.lacma.org/2023/02/24/new-acquisition-cozomo-de-medici-collection LACMA Collection on Opensea: https://opensea.io/0x9482B7FEF251Ebb81CeF01108c5512C27520003D Fragments of an Infinite Field #972 de Monica Rizzolli : https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0xa7d8d9ef8d8ce8992df33d8b8cf4aebabd5bd270/159000972 CryptoPunk #3831 by Larva Labs : https://opensea.io/0x0f7f63BA74681EfC4eab9777a463E2aF45916EDf Marcella Lista, Head Curator at the Centre Pompidou explains the procedure followed by the French museum to make its first NFT acquisitions: "The Center Pompidou has opened a digital wallet exclusively dedicated to the reception and conservation of tokens, knowing that the files of the works have been uploaded in parallel to be stored on the conservation servers of the Pompidou Center as is the case with any digital work in the collection. The works were acquired via a classic acquisition and distribution authorization contract, following the museum 's usual practice, and were paid in euros. "The various states of visibility of these works on NFT platforms and on the Pompidou Center database can be explained by the long contractualization procedure, their registration on our inventory, and their entry into the database. Works that have not yet appeared are being processed in this administrative, accounting and technical chain." The Centre Pompidou NFT collection on Opensea: https://opensea.io/Centre_Pompidou_MNAM CryptoPunk #110 from the Centre Pompidou: https://cryptopunks.app/cryptopunks/details/110 6. A reassuring start to 2024 Auction houses Christie's and Sotheby's have started 2024 with one and two sales respectively dedicated to NFTs. Patrick Drahi's company has already taken the lead this year, generating 92% of the segment's turnover. Sotheby's sessions GRAILS: Starry Night and Natively Digital: An Ordinals Curated Sale totaled over $1 million each, with 19 and 18 lots sold respectively, and no unsold lots. One of the best results was hammered for Genesis Cat, for Taproot Wizards (2024) by digital artist FAR. It was generally believed that the NFT market was now focused on more 'serious' creations, but this off-beat work - reminiscent of CryptoKitties - fetched the best NFT result at the start of 2024: $254,000 versus an estimated range of $15,000 to $20,000 (January 22 at Sotheby's in New York). https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/natively-digital-an-ordinals-curated-sale/genesis-cat?locale=fr Auction results exceeding $100,000 for Satoshi Nakamoto, Xcopy, Beeple and Des Lucrece continue to show that the success of these digital artists is not just anecdotal. In 2024 we will probably see a consolidation of the prices of works by these key signatures on the NFT market. And the rising values of Bitcoin and Ethereum will no doubt contribute to this progression. 7. Top 50 Artists by NFT p ublic a uction turnover in 2023 1. Dmitri Cherniak (b. 1988): $7,880,898 (14 lots sold) 2. Tyler Hobbs (b. 1987): $4,919,950 (15 lots sold) 3. Larva Labs (b. 2005): $1,811,675 (9 lots sold) 4. Keith Haring (1958-1990): $1,587,600 (5 lots sold) 5. Snowfro (XX-XXI): $743,529 (3 lots sold) 6. Kjetil Golid (b. 1991): $453,390 (7 lots sold) 7. Refik Anadol (b.1985-): $386,796 (4 lots sold) 8. Shroomtoshi (XX-XXI): $342,900 (2 lots sold) 9. 0xDEAFBEEF (XX-XXI): $325,120 (3 lots sold) 10. Des Lucrece (xx-xxi): $289,599 (10 lots sold) 11. Xcopy (b. 1981): $254,000 (1 lot sold) 12. Six N. Five (b. 1985): $210,321 (1 lot sold) 13. Seerlight (b. 1993): $165,100 (2 lots sold) 14. Andrea Bonaceto (b. 1989): $157,947 (1 lot sold) 15. Jack Butcher (xx-xxi): $144,534 (4 lots sold) 16. Ripcache (XX-XXI): $121,611 (2 lots sold) 17. Deekay Kwon (b. 1989): $115,597 (1 lot sold) 18. Grant Riven Yun (xx-xxi): $107,100 (1 lot sold) 19. Beeple & Madonna (XX-XXI): $100,800 (1 lot sold) 20. luxpris (xx-xxi): $90,170 (4 lots sold) 21. Pindar Van Arman (b. 1974): $82,786 (3 lots sold) 22. Ryan Koopmans (b. 1986): $78,315 (2 lots sold) 23. Matt Deslauriers (XX-XXI): $62,611 (6 lots sold) 24. Hideki Tsukamoto (b. 1973): $62,230 (4 lots sold) 25. Helena Sarin (XX-XXI)$61,355 (3 lots sold) 26. Anyma (b. 1988): $54,658 (1 lot sold) 27. Terrell Jones (b. 1997): $54,052 (3 lots sold) 28. Jack Kaido (xx-xxi): $49,638 (2 lots sold) 29. Mad Dog Jones (b. 1985): $48,165 (1 lot sold) 30. Sam Spratt (XX-XXI): $48,165 (1 lot sold) 31. Alpha Centauri Kid (b. 1986): $45,139 (2 lots sold) 32. Elman Mansimov (XX-XXI): $41,314 (1 lot sold) 33. GMUNK (b. 1975): $38,559 (1 lot sold) 34. Sofia Crespo (b. 1991): $36,915 (2 lots sold) 35. Laura El (b. 1991): $35,645 (2 lots sold) 36. William Mapan (b. 1988): $34,984 (1 lot sold) 37. Pop Wonder (b. 1982): $34,925 (2 lots sold) 38. 0xdgb (XX-XXI)$33,020 (1 lot sold) 39. neurocolor (XX-XXI): $30,480 (2 lots sold) 40. omentejovem (XX-XXI): $30,462 (1 lot sold) 41. Casey Reas (b. 1972): $28,669 (3 lots sold) 42. Samantha Cavet (b. 1997): $28,389 (2 lots sold) 43. Bryan Brinkman (b. 1985): $28,236 (3 lots sold) 44. Luke Shannon (b. 2000): $27,988 (1 lot sold) 45. Isaac Wright (xx-xxi): $27,940 (1 lot sold) 46. Yatreda ???? (XXI): $27,543 (1 lot sold) 47. Ryan Talbot (b. 1997): $27,329 (1 lot sold) 48. Guido Di Salle (b. 1979): $26,308 (1 lot sold) 49. Tyler Hobbs & Dandelios Wist (xx-xxi): $25,400 (1 lot sold) 50. Carlos Marcial (b. 1984): $24,596 (1 lot sold) Images: [ https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2024/03/image1-monthly-evolution-of-proceeds-from-public-nft-auctions.png ] [ https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2024/03/image2-distribution-of-public-auctions-of-nft-by-price-range-and-by-auction-house.png ] Copyright 1987-2024 thierry Ehrmann www.artprice.com - www.artmarket.com Don't hesitate to c ontact our E conometrics Department for your requirements regarding statistics and personalized studies: econometrics@artprice.com Try our services (free demo): https://www.artprice.com/demo Subscribe to our services: https://www.artprice.com/subscription About Artmarket: Artmarket.com is listed on Eurolist by Euronext Paris, and Euroclear: 7478 - Bloomberg: PRC - Reuters: ARTF. Discover Artmarket and its Artprice department on video: www.artprice.com/video Artmarket and its Artprice department was founded in 1997 by its CEO, thierry Ehrmann. Artmarket and its Artprice department is controlled by Groupe Serveur, created in 1987. See certified biography in Who's who : https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2024/02/2024_Biographie_thierry_Ehrmann_WhosWhoInFrance.pdf Artmarket is a global player in the Art Market with, among other structures, its Artprice department, world leader in the accumulation, management and exploitation of historical and current art market information (the original documentary archives, codex manuscripts, annotated books and auction catalogs acquired over the years ) in databanks containing over 30 million indices and auction results, covering more than 835,800 artists. Artprice by Artmarket, the world leader in information on the art market, has set itself the ambition through its Global Standardized Marketplace to be the world's leading Fine Art NFT platform. Artprice Images allows unlimited access to the largest Art Market image bank in the world: no less than 180 million digital images of photographs or engraved reproductions of artworks from 1700 to the present day, commented by our art historians. Artmarket with its Artprice department accumulates data on a permanent basis from 7200 Auction Houses and produces key Art Market information for the main press and media agencies (7,200 publications). Its 7.2 million ('members log in'+social media) users have access to ads posted by other members, a network that today represents the leading Global Standardized Marketplace to buy and sell artworks at a fixed or bid price (auctions regulated by paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article L 321.3 of France's Commercial Code). The Art Market's future is now brighter than ever with Artprice's Artmarket Intuitive AI Artmarket, with its Artprice department, has twice been awarded the State label "Innovative Company" by the Public Investment Bank (BPI), which has supported the company in its project to consolidate its position as a global player in the art market. Artprice by Artmarket's Global Art Market Report, "The Art Market in 2023", published in March 2024: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-art-market-in-2023 Artprice by Artmarket publishes its 2023 Contemporary Art Market Report: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-contemporary-art-market-report-2023 Index of press releases posted by Artmarket with its Artprice department: https://serveur.serveur.com/artmarket/press-release/en/ Follow all the Art Market news in real time with Artmarket and its Artprice department on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/artpricedotcom/ (over 6.5 million followers) twitter.com/artmarketdotcom twitter.com/artpricedotcom Discover the alchemy and universe of Artmarket and its artprice department https://www.artprice.com/video headquartered at the famous Organe Contemporary Art Museum "The Abode of Chaos" (dixit The New York Times): https://issuu.com/demeureduchaos/docs/demeureduchaos-abodeofchaos-opus-ix-1999-2013 La Demeure du Chaos / Abode of Chaos GESAMTKUNSTWERK & SINGULAR ARCHITECTURE Confidential bilingual work now public: https://ftp1.serveur.com/abodeofchaos_singular_architecture.pdf L'Obs - The Museum of the Future: https://youtu.be/29LXBPJrs-o www.facebook.com/la.demeure.du.chaos.theabodeofchaos999 (over 4 million followers) https://vimeo.com/124643720 Contact Artmarket.com and its Artprice department - Contact: ir@artmarket.com ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: yptraMqbYpmWmWprZ5WZZmpjmmZml5Sdl2WemWSbZsrHcG5pnG2VZ5vJZnFlmmxn - Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com. ------------------------ Copyright Actusnews Wire Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-84571-artmarket-com-artprice-looks-at-2023-nft-auction-market-50-most-succesful-digital-artists.pdf Tesla maintained its status as the most crowded security in the Americas in February, with Chevron, Exxon Mobil, and Super Micro Computer all earning places among the top five shorted stocks during the same period, according to the latest Shortside Crowdedness Report from Hazeltree, a leader in active treasury and intelligent operations technology for the alternative asset industry. The report is a monthly listing of the top 10 shorted securities in the Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions in the large-, mid-, and small-cap ranges. The data comes from Hazeltree's proprietary securities finance platform data, which tracks approximately 15,000 global equities across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. The data is aggregated and anonymized from the contributing Hazeltree community, which includes approximately 700 asset manager funds. "It is interesting to note that when compared to the Shortside report from six months ago, just 27 securities remain the same in our latest report," said Tim Smith, managing director of data insights at Hazeltree. "These are mostly concentrated around the large cap well-known securities and to be expected, such as Tesla, Exxon Mobil, LVMH, Kering, Advantest and Commonwealth Bank of Australia." Additionally, Smith notes some of the Covid-impacted stocks, such as cruise lines, appear to be becoming less interesting to the same community, as advertisements and most likely bookings seem to be gaining momentum. Highlights from the February 2024 report include: Americas In the large-cap category, Tesla was the most crowded security (99), followed by Chevron (94) and Exxon Mobil (92). Multiple newcomers joined the ranks, including Super Micro Computer (87), Capital One (76), Comcast (76), and Wells Fargo (74). In the mid-cap category, semiconductor developer Wolfspeed Inc. was the most crowded security (99), while Choice Hotels International had the highest institutional supply utilization (49.93%). In the small-cap category, Bloom Energy was the most crowded security (99), while Purecycle Technologies displayed the highest institutional supply utilization (99.03%). EMEA In the large-cap category, luxury goods conglomerate LVMH was the most crowded security (99), while Maersk B had the highest institutional supply utilization (30.03%). In the mid-cap category, French rail manufacturer Alstom was the most crowded security (99) and had the highest institutional supply utilization (75.32%). In the small-cap category, Irish video game company Keywords Studio plc and fitness center operator Basic Fit NV were the most crowded securities, each with a score of 99. Basic Fit NV had the highest institutional supply utilization (88.74%). APAC In the large-cap category, Toyota took over first place for the most crowded security (99), knocking Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. (84) down the list. Advantest led in institutional supply utilization (13%). In the mid-cap category, Japanese electronics company Ibiden Co Ltd. was the most crowded security (99), rising from a crowdedness score of 94 in January. Pilbara Minerals Ltd stood out with the highest institutional supply utilization (57.63%). In the small-cap category, Furukawa Electric entered the ranking of the top 10 most crowded securities, with a score of 99, overtaking Webjet Ltd. (83). Aeon Financial Service had the highest institutional supply utilization (54.87%). The Shortside Crowdedness Report tracks shorting activity in three different metrics: Hazeltree Crowdedness Score: This score represents securities that are being shorted by the highest percentage of funds in Hazeltree's community in a pre-defined category. The securities are graded on a scale of 1-99, with 99 representing the security that the highest percentage of funds are shorting. This score represents securities that are being shorted by the highest percentage of funds in Hazeltree's community in a pre-defined category. The securities are graded on a scale of 1-99, with 99 representing the security that the highest percentage of funds are shorting. Institutional Supply Utilization: This figure represents the percentage of the institutional investors' supply of a particular security that is being lent out. The institutional supply utilization rate is an indicator of how "hot" a security is in terms of the supply-demand dynamic. It is possible to see 100% utilization of a security's availability, making it difficult to establish new short positions. This figure represents the percentage of the institutional investors' supply of a particular security that is being lent out. The institutional supply utilization rate is an indicator of how "hot" a security is in terms of the supply-demand dynamic. It is possible to see 100% utilization of a security's availability, making it difficult to establish new short positions. Hazeltree Community Borrow Fee: This figure is the average weighted fee for what funds in the Hazeltree community are paying to borrow a security. The fee is represented as the annualized cost calculated as a percentage of the price of the security. To view Hazeltree's February Shortside Crowdedness Report and past reports, click here. Note to editors: If you are a member of the media/press and would like to be included on the distribution list for this report, please contact hazeltree@backbaycommunications.com About Hazeltree Hazeltree is a leader in active treasury and intelligent operations technology. Purpose-built for the alternative asset management ecosystem, Hazeltree's modular platform aggregates internal and external data, providing a comprehensive view of operations and counterparty relationships while proactively highlighting opportunities to extract more value from every transaction. Hazeltree is headquartered in New York with offices in London and Hong Kong. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240312344141/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: BackBay Communications hazeltree@backbaycommunications.com Efficacy of ReActiv8 Restorative Neurostimulation shows no statistically or clinically meaningful differences between older and younger patient populations Mainstay Medical Holdings plc today announced the publication of a pooled analysis of three different clinical studies that evaluated the safety and efficacy of ReActiv8 therapy after two years in patients of various ages. The analysis, published in Regional Anesthesia Pain Medicine, included 261 patients across the ReActiv8-B, ReActiv8-C, and PMCF studies, with the results demonstrating that age is not a factor when utilizing ReActiv8 to treat intractable mechanical chronic low back pain patients with multifidus dysfunction. The publication can be found here: https://rapm.bmj.com/content/early/2024/03/08/rapm-2023-105032 There were no statistically significant or clinically meaningful differences between the groups in the magnitude or durability of response across pain, disability, or health-related quality of life measures. A summary of some of the data from the analysis for patients at two years of ReActiv8 therapy is as follows: Percentage of patients with >50% pain reduction Mean Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) Score Mean EQ-5D Quality of Life Score Patients aged 56-82 (n=65) 62% 23.4 0.763 Patients aged 56 and below (n=196) 66% 20.8 0.770 Dr. Simon Thomson MBBS FFPMRCA, Consultant Lead at the Pain and Neuromodulation Centre, Mid and South Essex University Hospitals NHS, Essex, UK and the London Clinic, former President of International Neuromodulation Society (INS), stated: "Restorative Neurostimulation has proven to be a unique therapy that delivers consistent results in randomized, controlled and real-world studies. Until now it was unknown if age was a factor in predicting long-term outcomes. This pooled analysis demonstrates that properly selected patients can benefit from this therapy, irrespective of age." Jason Hannon, CEO of Mainstay Medical, stated: High quality clinical evidence sets us apart in this industry. We study, learn, and demonstrate outcomes in patient populations before we suggest ReActiv8 is beneficial to a particular group of patients. This is how we partner with clinicians to deliver the best possible, and most durable, treatments for their patients. With these exciting results demonstrating the value of ReActiv8 across all studied age groups, we can now confidently support identification of older patients who are likely to benefit from the therapy. We look forward to continuing to partner with physicians to help chronic low back pain patients of all ages, and to growing the global body of peer-reviewed evidence supporting the ability of ReActiv8 to provide positive long-term outcomes." About ReActiv8 ReActiv8 is an implantable medical device designed to treat adults with intractable chronic low back pain (CLBP) associated with multifidus muscle dysfunction. Multifidus muscle dysfunction may be evidenced by imaging or physiological testing in adults who have failed therapy including pain medications and physical therapy, and who are not candidates for spine surgery. ReActiv8 has received regulatory approval in several geographic areas, and is commercially available in the European Economic Area, Australia, the UK, and the US. About Mainstay Medical Mainstay Medical is a medical device company focused on commercializing its innovative implantable Restorative Neurostimulation system, ReActiv8, for people with disabling mechanical CLBP. Mainstay Medical is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland and has subsidiaries operating in Ireland, the United States, Australia, Germany, and the Netherlands. Further information can be found at www.mainstaymedical.com. Mainstay Forward-Looking Statements All statements in this announcement other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements regarding the company's intentions, beliefs or current expectations concerning, among other things, the company's clinical outcomes, commercial efforts and performance, research studies and results, financial position, financing strategies, product design and development, intellectual property portfolio and its scope, regulatory applications and approvals, and reimbursement arrangements. Forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from those described in, or suggested by, the forward-looking statements. A number of factors could cause results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements herein, including, without limitation, the risks and uncertainties included in the company's Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2022, which should be read in conjunction with the company's public disclosures (available on the company's website (www.mainstaymedical.com)). The forward-looking statements herein speak only as of the date of this announcement. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240312978913/en/ Contacts: Mainstay PR and IR Enquiries: LifeSci Advisors, LLC Brian Ritchie Tel: 1 (212) 915-2578 Email: britchie@lifesciadvisors.com FTI Consulting (for Ireland) Jonathan Neilan or Patrick Berkery Tel.: +353 86 602 5988 Email: mainstay@fticonsulting.com Mainstay Medical Corporate Communications Email: Media@mainstaymedical.com March 12, 2024 Cloud offering will help improve workflow integration, access, and reliability, delivering greater productivity and collaboration Collaboration combines best of clinical workflow leadership with scalable cloud solution to help accelerate decision-making and further transform patient care Amsterdam, the Netherlands and Orlando, USA - Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today announced an expanded collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to address the growing need for secure, scalable digital pathology solutions in the cloud. The collaboration unites Philips' leadership and expertise in digitization of pathology to optimize clinical workflows and AWS' leadership in scalable, secure cloud solutions. Philips and AWS will advance digital pathology and help pathology labs to efficiently store, manage, and analyze growing volumes of digital pathology data and enable more pathology labs to adopt digital workflows to increase productivity. In addition, pathology labs will be able to optimize workflow efficiency and facilitate collaboration among specialists, enabling seamless integration with existing healthcare systems to deliver holistic patient care. Through examination of patient tissue samples, pathology plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and management of a variety of diseases, particularly cancer. With an estimated 70% of important medical decisions involving laboratory or pathology tests [1], the availability of digitally stored pathology images is especially important as it has a significant impact on patient care. The growing need for scalable storage to meet new data volumes and computing resources to power innovative artificial intelligence (AI) models, calls for expanding capabilities of traditional on-premise solutions into the cloud. "By harnessing the power of the cloud to accelerate the digitization of pathology, we are improving the quality of patient care by enabling greater workflow efficiency and collaboration at scale," said Shez Partovi, Chief Innovation & Strategy Officer and Chief Business Leader Enterprise Informatics at Philips. "As the demand for pathology-based diagnosis continues to increase, we see digital pathology in the cloud as a critical enabler for productivity, scale and to further transform healthcare diagnostics by opening new avenues for research, education, and the integration of AI to further improve patient care." Philips is an industry-leading provider of digital pathology solutions, with more than 300 customers using the fully digital workflow of Philips IntelliSite Pathology . Philips' collaboration with AWS has the potential to enable large scale clinical trials, multi-institute studies, and care collaboration to address complex cases, including in cancer care. Philips will use AWS HealthImaging to optimize storage, increase scale and enable AI and research across the healthcare system to advance pathology image analysis and simplify clinical workflows. Additionally, Amazon Bedrock, which offers high-performing foundation models (FMs), will support generative AI application development and integration. "Healthcare organizations benefit when clinical workflow leadership is combined with scalable cloud infrastructure. By building their cloud-native enterprise pathology solution on services like AWS HealthImaging and Amazon Bedrock, Philips is offering their customers the best of both worlds," said Tehsin Syed, GM of Health AI at AWS. "Secure cloud-based offerings address the growing demand to store and utilize more data, and by digitizing pathology healthcare leaders can apply AI and ML to drive better insights. We look forward to continued work with Philips to help improve productivity, advance research, and ultimately enable more precise and tailored patient care." Combined with Philips HealthSuite Imaging on AWS to support radiologists, Philips' broad capabilities in enterprise informatics enable an integrated diagnostics approach to empower clinicians with improved diagnostic workflows, quicker access to images from any location - helping along the entire workflow across enterprise imaging, from diagnosis to treatment options and follow-up. For more information on Philips' informatics solutions and news at HIMSS, please visit here or join us in person at the HIMSS 2024 conference, booth #2041 and follow HIMSS24 for updates. [1] Report of the Second Phase of the Review of NHS Pathology Services in England, Lord Carter of Coles (2008). Results are specific to the institution where they were obtained and may not reflect the results achievable at other institutions. For further information, please contact: Anna Hogrebe Philips External Relations Tel.: +1 416 270 6757 E-mail: anna.hogrebe@philips.com About Royal Philips Royal Philips. Attachments Leading Provider Nexdata Demonstrates Advanced Annotation Platform and Ground Truth Data Processing Techniques, Revolutionizing AI Development in Autonomous Driving Sector BERLIN, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / March 12, 2024 / With the increasingly mature technology of artificial intelligence, more and more automotive enterprises are beginning to apply it to vehicles, adding more personalized and emotional new features to the driving experience. Nexdata at TechAD Europe 2024 Nexdata's Team discussion with customers from BMW Group, RoboSense, GM, Continental, Mercedes-Benz Group, and others. Nexdata has always been committed to creating a safer, more personalized, and more convenient journey experience. At the recent TechAD Europe 2024, Nexdata's overseas representative, Pan, actively engaged in discussions with the speakers and business partners on the processing of real-time ground truth data annotation during the icebreaker session held on the eve of the exhibition. The discussions ranged from how semi-supervised learning can improve the efficiency of labeling data to the application of pre-trained models in accelerating the generation of ground reality data, covering multiple cutting-edge technology areas. On 11th March at TechAD Europe Booth #12, Nexdata showcased its latest data annotation platform, which leverages semi-automated driving capabilities to enhance the functionality of annotation products. Nexdata's latest version of the annotation platform integrates multiple functions such as ground detection algorithms, automatic color rendering, pre-labeling, interpolation algorithms, static object tracking algorithms, interactive pre-recognition, support for point cloud frames, and segmentation of the same template annotations, significantly improving productivity and efficiency in the data processing process. This platform is currently the only intelligent driving and riding data processing platform that integrates data processing, automated annotation, and machine quality inspection. With years of experience in annotation implementation, Nexdata has provided a user-friendly experience for newcomers through a minimalist working interface and offers a variety of convenient deployment options to meet diverse needs. The debut of Nexdata at TechAD Europe 2024 has attracted considerable attention from the industry. As of now, Nexdata has successfully provided autonomous driving data solutions for various automotive enterprises including Audi, BMW, Toyota, Honda, Qualcomm, SAIC and others. In this conference, Nexdata provided various automotive enterprise customers with the latest processing solutions for generating and providing high-quality data throughout the entire development cycle of autonomous driving artificial intelligence algorithms. Additionally, platform trial qualifications were offered to help customers gain a more intuitive understanding of how Nexdata enhances cost-effectiveness during the data processing process. Nexdata is a company that provides high-quality training data solutions and is a trusted partner for numerous well-known clients. Its rich and instantly available Off-the-Shelf data, along with highly flexible data collection and annotation services, greatly assist companies in unleashing the potential of AI and driving rapid development in the artificial intelligence industry. Please get in touch with us or send an email to info@nexdata.ai to schedule an appointment. Contact Information Doris Yu Marketing Specialist doris@nexdata.ai Related Files Nexdata at TechAD Europe SOURCE: Nexdata View the original press release on newswire.com. Cartamundi leverages Digital River's expertise and merchant of record solution to rapidly expand into new markets Digital River, a global ecommerce enabler directly connecting brands and buyers, today announced the expansion of Cartamundi brands into new markets using Digital River's merchant of record solution. Cartamundi is the global leader in "play" solutions, encompassing playing cards, card and board games, collectibles, and trading card games. In 2022, Cartamundi consolidated game and card brands with VTEX, an enterprise commerce platform, and Digital River. Cartamundi was able to manage multiple brands on one platform and leveraged Digital River to accelerate opening new markets while delivering localized payments and customer experiences. Starting in the US, Cartamundi expanded globally in 2023, and this year launched Hro brand stores in the United States, United Kingdom and Spain. "We needed a payment provider to help with global expansion, and what we got was that and so much more," said Patrick Lane, Vice President of Global Commerce for Cartamundi. "Not only does Digital River localize the checkout experience; their ability to alleviate the burden of local tax remittance saves us time and money. Based on our experience, we are confident in continuing to grow globally with Digital River." "We are excited to be part of Cartamundi's successful global expansion strategy," said Kelly Danter, Vice President Customer Success at Digital River. "Their team is fantastic to work with, allowing us to move quickly from kick-off to live in new markets and with new brands." To learn more about accelerating global revenue growth and simplifying ecommerce, please visit Digital River here. About Cartamundi Group Cartamundi is the global leader in "play" solutions, encompassing playing cards, card and board games, collectibles, and trading card games. Its team of nearly 3,000 people is dedicated to providing every individual with the opportunity to "Live Differently, Play Differently." This family-owned company, headquartered in Belgium, operates a worldwide network of design centers, sales offices, and manufacturing facilities, spanning from the United States and Europe to Japan. The company is home to a portfolio of global firms that includes a suite of traditional brands such as Fournier, Bicycle, Bee, Copag, and many others. For more details, visit Cartamundi.com. About Digital River Digital River empowers ecommerce brands to confidently accelerate growth in more than 240 markets worldwide. The company connects brands and buyers directly, staying behind the scenes to manage international payments, tax, fraud, compliance, localization, and domestic and cross-border shipping and returns. Digital River is a strategic partner for brands, helping turn data into actionable insights and providing expert guidance based on 30+ years of experience enabling ecommerce brands to thrive. Digital River is global commerce growth, simplified. Digital River is headquartered in Minneapolis with offices across the U.S., Asia, Europe, and South America. For more details, visit DigitalRiver.com. Digital River is a registered trademark of Digital River, Inc. All other company and product names are trademarks, registrations, or copyrights of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240312649938/en/ Contacts: Mary Swanson Sr Director, Strategic Marketing Digital River +1 952.239.8828 publicrelations@digitalriver.com Nearly 60% of newsrooms have no AI use case policy AI is moving fast but journalists are split on using it. Twenty-eight percent cited using AI in their workflow and 20% plan to explore it, according to new survey results from Muck Rack, the company that enables organizations to build trust, tell their stories and demonstrate the unique value of earned media through its public relations management platform. Muck Rack's seventh annual State of Journalism report, which surveyed 1,106 journalists on the current state of the industry, also found that those who are using or plan to use AI, are doing so for brainstorming (52%), research (51%) and drafting headlines (34%). However, nearly 60% reported that their newsroom has no AI use case policy. Journalism continues to face challenges, with about one-third of journalists expressing concerns about lacking funding and trust in journalism, consistent with last year's findings. More than one-third reported layoffs or buyouts at their organizations last year and 30% reported turning to LinkedIn for job opportunities when layoffs hit. "It's a difficult time for many journalists with layoffs and buyouts happening far too often, and our research found a gap between workload and compensation, with most journalists working overtime and wages stagnating," said Gregory Galant, cofounder and CEO of Muck Rack. "Using AI for tasks like research and brainstorming may help offset shrinking newsrooms, but more support and funding are needed to ensure a free and independent press endures." Work Hours and Compensation Over half of journalists surveyed (64%) report working more than 40 hours a week, with 79% working after hours at least once a week and 34% working after hours most days. Yet, only 46% earn more than $70k annually, which could indicate a gap between workload and compensation. Journalists have differing, but heavy workloads. Nearly a quarter of journalists produce 11 or more stories per week, and a similar number produce 5-7 weekly. Social Media Social media continues to be an important tool, with more than half of journalists saying it is either important or very important to producing their stories and even more (70%) saying it is also important for promoting their work. X (Twitter) is still the dominant social platform, with 36% of journalists reporting that it is still the most valuable platform to their work, and only 19% reporting deleting, suspending or stopping their X account in the last year. While one in five claimed to have moved away from the platform this year, about one-third say they are looking for an alternative but aren't sure where to go. PR and Journalist Relationship Despite 46% of journalists receiving six or more pitches daily, 49% seldom or never respond, mainly due to relevance issues. Still, 70% acknowledge that PR professionals are at least moderately important to their success. As indicated by the survey, preferred pitches are sent via 1:1 email before noon and 200 words or less. One follow-up is ideal and should come within 3-7 days. More than half don't care which day they are pitched but 44% prefer to receive pitches before noon. Methodology The self-administered survey collected 1,106 responses from January 3 to February 9, 2024. Most respondents came from U.S.-based journalists, and Asia, Africa, and Europe were also represented. Muck Rack distributed the survey with the help of nine research partners, including the Society of Professional Journalists and the American Press Institute. Download the full free report here. About Muck Rack Muck Rack enables organizations to build trust, tell their stories and demonstrate the unique value of earned media. The only public relations management platform powered by intuitive technology and the most accurate, comprehensive data provided by journalists themselves, Muck Rack combines media database, monitoring and reporting for seamless team collaboration, pitching and measurement. Purpose-built for communications and public relations, Muck Rack helps more than 5,000 companies worldwide analyze and report on the impact of their media relations. Thousands of journalists use Muck Rack's free tools to showcase their portfolios, analyze news about any topic and measure the impact of their stories. Learn more at muckrack.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240312456517/en/ Contacts: Bailey Mark Communications Manager bailey.mark@muckrack.com Fixed wireless access and satellite broadband boom as scalable solutions reach rural and underserved populations SINGAPORE, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and Satellite Communication (SatCom) are ideal broadband technologies to bridge the digital gap in the Southeast Asian region. According to a new report from global technology intelligence firm ABI Research, the FWA connectivity market is expected to reach a value of US$1.33 billion by 2028. Similarly, the adoption of SatCom broadband services in the region is forecasted to grow to US$2.12 billion by 2028. The entry of new FWA and SatCom broadband service providers in the region and, consequently, the rising affordability of broadband plans will contribute to the uptake of broadband services across the region. "Considering the low Fixed Broadband (FBB) subscription rate in the region, for instance, in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia, wireless connectivity solutions such as FWA and SatCom are the ideal solutions to tap into underserved and remote populations. As Southeast Asian economies build more robust network infrastructure and welcome 5G services, FWA deployment will also become more scalable. Meanwhile, the collaboration between notable SatCom broadband providers such as Starlink, Kacific, and Thaicom will support the region's potential for SatCom connectivity services in Southeast Asia," says Matthias Foo, Senior Analyst at ABI Research. While the Philippines will continue to see a rapid decline in FWA services through 2024, the country demonstrates immense potential for SatCom services. It is forecasted to be the largest Southeast Asian market for SatCom broadband, with 909,000 subscriptions by 2028. Following this, Indonesia and Thailand are forecasted to have the greatest potential to close the digital divide with FWA and SatCom technologies, with a total of 3.17 million FWA and 2.58 million SatCom subscriptions by 2028. These markets, particularly the Philippines and Indonesia, have challenging geographies and limited infrastructure to deploy fixed broadband. These countries also have more than 40% rural populations, demonstrating the potential for SatCom and FWA to penetrate these populations. With the growing Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the SEA region, there is more disposable income for people to afford wireless connectivity solutions. "Furthermore, with the upcoming 3GPP Release 19 in 2024, the focus on 5G commercial deployments, specifically regarding 5G-Advanced and Massive MIMO, will impact FWA and SatCom markets. However, the lack of spectrum availability to dedicate to FWA and SatCom broadband in competition with regular cellular network connectivity should be carefully considered. The widespread adoption will require more collaboration between the private and public sector," Jake Saunders, VP of Asia-Pacific, concludes. These findings are from ABI Research's Connecting the Unconnected market data report. This report is part of the company's Southeast Asia Digital Transformation Research Service research service, which includes research, data, and analyst insights. Market Data spreadsheets comprise deep data, market share analysis, and highly segmented, service-specific forecasts to provide detailed insight into where opportunities lie. ABI Research is a global technology intelligence firm uniquely positioned at the intersection of technology solution providers and end-market companies. We serve as the bridge that seamlessly connects these two segments by providing exclusive research and expert guidance to drive successful technology implementations and deliver strategies proven to attract and retain customers. ABI Research?????????????,?????????,???????????????????????,??????????????,??????????????????????????,?????????? For more information about ABI Research's services, contact us at +1.516.624.2500 in the Americas, +44.203.326.0140 in Europe, +65.6592.0290 in Asia-Pacific, or visit www.abiresearch.com. Contact Info: Global Deborah Petrara Tel: +1.516.624.2558 pr@abiresearch.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2309035/ABI_Research_2024.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/southeast-asia-connectivity-revenues-for-fwa-and-satellite-communication-markets-to-reach-us3-45-billion-by-2028--302086375.html South Korea providing consular assistance to its national arrested in Russia South Korean foreign ministry on Tuesday said it has been providing consular assistance to its national arrested in Russia reportedly on espionage charges. Russia's TASS news agency reported Monday that South Korean citizen Baek Won-soon has been held in the Lefortovo detention facility in Moscow since late February, and a court extended his detention until June 15, citing a law enforcement official, Yonhap news agency reported. Baek was arrested by Russian law enforcement earlier this year in the Russian Far East city of Vladivostok and transferred to Moscow for further investigation, according to the news report. TASS cited a law enforcement source as saying that Baek was handing over classified information to foreign intelligence agencies. South Korea's foreign ministry confirmed the arrest. "Upon learning of the arrest, the local diplomatic mission has been providing necessary consular assistance," the ministry said. It declined to give further details, citing an ongoing investigation. It marks the first time a South Korean has been arrested in Russia on spying charges. Baek, a missionary with a South Korean humanitarian foundation, was working in Vladivostok at the time of the arrest, mostly engaged in helping North Korean defectors flee and providing them with other assistance, people with knowledge of the matter told Yonhap. The Russian authorities had arrested Baek's wife as well but later released her. She is currently in South Korea. Relations between South Korea and Russia have soured as Moscow has labeled Seoul an "unfriendly" country over its participation in international sanctions against Russia for its war in Ukraine. The ties have also cooled as Russia has stepped up military cooperation with North Korea following the Sept. 13 summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 12, 2024) - Silver Dollar Resources Inc. (CSE: SLV) (OTCQX: SLVDF) (FSE: 4YW) ("Silver Dollar" or the "Company") has commenced its re-evaluation of the Nora Silver-Gold property (the "Property") in the state of Durango, Mexico. Figure 1: Nora property plan view with surface sample locations. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://silverdollarresources.com/images/Nora/Nora-Surface-Sampling_Feb-24.jpg Fieldwork was carried out in late February that included geological mapping and sampling of priority anomalies along with resampling of the Candy Vein (Figure 1). A total of 72 surface samples were collected as follows: 12 soil grid samples were taken from the East anomaly. 10 soil grid samples were taken from the West anomaly. 9 soil grid samples were taken from the South anomaly. 41 rock/chip samples were taken from the main Candy Vein structure in an attempt to replicate the sample locations and high-grade results originally reported by Canasil Resources, the former owner of the Property. In the case where no visual evidence was found in the field of where a previous sample had been taken, the new sample was taken based on Canasil's coordinates and the probable outcrop. All samples were described, photographed, and bagged on-site; and then delivered by Silver Dollar staff to ActLabs in Zacatecas, Mexico for analysis. The assay results will be reported once they are received. Photo 1: Sampling the main Candy Vein structure. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://silverdollarresources.com/images/Nora/Candy-Vein-Sampling-0224.jpg About the Nora Property: Silver Dollar acquired a 100% interest in the Nora Ag-Au property (the "Property") from Canasil Resources, subject to a 2% net smelter returns royalty (See news release of February 8, 2024). Located in the Eastern Sierra Madre sub-province in the transition to the high plateau of Mexico, the Property lies centrally within the "Silver Trend" that runs from the northwest to the southeast through Durango State (Figure 2). Significant deposits in the region include Endeavour Silver's Guanacevi mine and Fresnillo's San Julian mine on-trend to the northwest, with Endeavour Silver's Pitarrilla project approximately 50 kilometres (km) to the east. Pitarrilla is one of the largest undeveloped silver deposits in the world and was discovered by Perry Durning and Frank (Bud) Hillemeyer, Silver Dollar's technical advisors. Figure 2: Location of the Nora property and other mines and deposits in the region. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://silverdollarresources.com/images/Nora/MX-Map-Nora-LR.jpg The Property is located approximately 200 km north-northwest of the city of Durango, with excellent year-round access via Federal highway, paved road, and local dirt roads. Local infrastructure is available in the towns of Tepehuanes and Santa Maria del Oro and the city of Santiago Papasquiaro, all within 50km of the Property. Mike Kilbourne, P.Geo., an independent Qualified Person (QP) as defined in NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this news release on behalf of the Company. The QP and the Company have not completed sufficient work to verify the information on the Nora property, particularly regarding historical exploration, neighbouring companies, and government geological work. About Silver Dollar Resources Inc. Silver Dollar is a mineral exploration company that is fully funded to execute its near-term exploration plans having closed its last financing with lead orders from billionaire mining investor Eric Sprott and NYSE-listed First Majestic Silver. The Company's primary projects lie within Mexico's prolific Durango-Zacatecas silver-gold belt and include the flagship La Joya silver (Cu-Au) property and the Nora silver-gold property. Management has an aggressive growth strategy and is actively reviewing potential acquisitions with a focus on drill-ready projects in mining-friendly jurisdictions. For additional information, you can download our latest presentation by clicking here and follow us on Twitter by clicking here. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Signed "Michael Romanik" Michael Romanik, President, CEO & Director Silver Dollar Resources Inc. Direct line: (204) 724-0613 Email: mike@silverdollarresources.com 179 - 2945 Jacklin Road, Suite 416 Victoria, BC, V9B 6J9 Forward-Looking Statements: This news release may contain "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this news release and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. The Canadian Securities Exchange (operated by CNSX Markets Inc.) has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/201324 SOURCE: Silver Dollar Resources Inc. BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - Wednesday, the House will vote on a bipartisan bill that would require Chinese company ByteDance to sell the popular video app TikTok or face a ban in the United States. Two pieces of legislation to protect American data and national security from foreign adversaries are up for the House's consideration. The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (H.R. 7521) would protect Americans and prevent foreign adversaries like China from targeting, surveilling, and manipulating the American people through online applications such as TikTok. If passed, the Bill requires Beijing-based Bytedance to divest TikTok and other applications it controls within 180 days after enactment of the bill, or those apps will be prohibited in the United States. . This prohibition can only be applied to applications controlled by a 'foreign adversary,' which the bill defines as China, Russia Iran, and North Korea. The Biden administration and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson have both signaled support for H.R. 7521, while former President and potential GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump is opposed to it. The second Bill, the Protecting Americans' Data from Foreign Adversaries Act (H.R. 7520), limits how data brokers share American's sensitive information abroad. TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, is currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for surveilling American journalists. In March last year, the CEO of TikTok testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee to answer for the threat his company poses to the U.S. national security. 'While TikTok may be the most well-known application subject to the Chinese Communist Party, it is certainly not the only one - others, like Lemon8 and Capcut, are also subject to the CCP's influence through ByteDance,' says House Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Groer Dividenden-Report 2024 von Dr. Dennis Riedl Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl Jetzt hier klicken NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / March 12, 2024 / Around the globe, more than 200 Whirlpool Corporation employees rolled up their sleeves in 2023 to help build homes and change lives. As we enter our 25th year of work with Habitat for Humanity International, we will continue to focus on our vision of ensuring everyone can have a place to live that is comfortable and nurturing. About Whirlpool Corporation Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE:WHR) is committed to being the best global kitchen and laundry company, in constant pursuit of improving life at home. In an increasingly digital world, the company is driving purposeful innovation to meet the evolving needs of consumers through its iconic brand portfolio, including Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, JennAir, Indesit and InSinkErator. In 2023, the company reported approximately $19 billion in annual sales, 59,000 employees and 55 manufacturing and technology research centers. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com. View original content here. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Whirlpool Corporation on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Whirlpool Corporation Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/whirlpool-corporation Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Whirlpool Corporation View the original press release on accesswire.com The awards recognize exceptional contributions to the association's global network, celebrating local connectivity, reciprocity/network support, sustainability, and innovation NEW YORK, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) - an international trade organization connecting more than 300 World Trade Center (WTC) locations in nearly 100 countries - announced the winners of the 3rd Biennial Champions Awards during its 54th Annual WTCA Global Business Forum (GBF) hosted by WTC Bengaluru in Bengaluru, India, honoring exceptional contributions from member businesses within its global network. Nominees were awarded in four key categories: local connectivity, reciprocity/network support, sustainability and innovation. Additionally, outstanding members were honored through the 'Regional Member of the Year' awards across the five regions where the WTCA is active, as well as the 'Global Member of the Year' award. The Champions Awards recognize WTCA members across a global network of highly connected, mutually supporting businesses and organizations who exemplify the association's core values and mission. Each category highlights the efforts of WTCA members in driving positive impact both locally and globally. This year's edition received a total of 45 nominations, recognizing 23 Members across the global network. A judging panel consisting of previous Champions Awards winners, and chairs of WTCA's Member Advisory Councils and Regional Advisory Councils selected the winners of the 10 categories. "The Biennial Champions Awards not only recognizes our WTCA Members' achievements, but also serves as a catalyst for continued innovation and collaboration within the network. In this year's edition, we introduced several new categories to showcase our global members and the work they do on a daily basis to drive real change that impacts our association's global footprint. As a result, we witnessed a great number of nominations from our members - nearly tripling the number of nominees from the previous edition," said John E. Drew, Chair, WTCA Board of Directors. The 3rd Biennial WTCA Champions Awards winners are as follows: Champion Award for Local Connectivity: WTC Bhubaneswar for facilitating over 35 trade promotion programs under the Export Facilitation Cell in the last nine months, and being declared as the State Export Facilitation Cell by the State Government of Odisha. WTC Bhubaneswar for facilitating over 35 trade promotion programs under the Export Facilitation Cell in the last nine months, and being declared as the State Export Facilitation Cell by the State Government of Odisha. Champion Award for Reciprocity & Network Support: WTC Savannah for fulfilling 20 reciprocity desk requests from various WTC businesses across India in 2023, supporting WTC Atlanta in their strategic development, collaborating with WTC Accra for the 2023 WTCA General Assembly, and encouraging prospective WTC businesses to join the invaluable WTCA network. WTC Savannah for fulfilling 20 reciprocity desk requests from various WTC businesses across India in 2023, supporting WTC Atlanta in their strategic development, collaborating with WTC Accra for the 2023 WTCA General Assembly, and encouraging prospective WTC businesses to join the invaluable WTCA network. Champion Award for Sustainability: WTC The Hague/Rotterdam for creating a good living and working environment within their premises, receiving significant awards in Sustainability, and supporting the United Nations' Sustainability Goals, aiming to become Paris Proof by 2045 and making their buildings as energy efficient as possible. WTC The Hague/Rotterdam for creating a good living and working environment within their premises, receiving significant awards in Sustainability, and supporting the United Nations' Sustainability Goals, aiming to become Paris Proof by 2045 and making their buildings as energy efficient as possible. Champion Award for Innovation: WTC Taipei for utilizing the latest technologies and innovations to enable dynamic MICE experiences for the community, and their B2B platform featuring "Sales Avatars," which will soon enable real-time translation in over 70 languages, thereby helping SMEs overcome language barriers and reach global markets. WTC Taipei for utilizing the latest technologies and innovations to enable dynamic MICE experiences for the community, and their B2B platform featuring "Sales Avatars," which will soon enable real-time translation in over 70 languages, thereby helping SMEs overcome language barriers and reach global markets. Regional Member of the Year (Asia Pacific): WTC Bengaluru for operating with transparency, contributing to a culture of trust and reliability among its members and the broader business community in the Asia Pacific region. WTC Bengaluru for operating with transparency, contributing to a culture of trust and reliability among its members and the broader business community in the Asia Pacific region. Regional Member of the Year (Europe): WTC Lisboa for hosting a successful European Regional Meeting, representing the WTCA in China to further connectivity, and helping to spearhead the WTCA as a renowned organization for real estate investment and business clubs. WTC Lisboa for hosting a successful European Regional Meeting, representing the WTCA in China to further connectivity, and helping to spearhead the WTCA as a renowned organization for real estate investment and business clubs. Regional Member of the Year (Latin America): WTC Monterrey for serving as a beacon of education and activity for its region in Mexico, working with more than 6,000 small businesses throughout the year, and shaping the interests of future generations. WTC Monterrey for serving as a beacon of education and activity for its region in Mexico, working with more than 6,000 small businesses throughout the year, and shaping the interests of future generations. Regional Member of the Year (Middle East & Africa): WTC Algiers for furthering WTCA's strength in Business Clubs, serving as a gateway to the African and Middle Eastern markets as a reliable partner, and facilitating the exchange of knowledge and expertise by organizing international trade events, conferences, and business forums to enhance economic prospects for its members and the region at large. WTC Algiers for furthering WTCA's strength in Business Clubs, serving as a gateway to the African and Middle Eastern markets as a reliable partner, and facilitating the exchange of knowledge and expertise by organizing international trade events, conferences, and business forums to enhance economic prospects for its members and the region at large. Regional Member of the Year (North America): WTC Savannah for achieving several milestones in 2023 - hosting its fourth annual signature event, attracting over 500 leaders from Southeast USA and being awarded the 2023 International Business of the Year award; leading one of the largest business delegations from North America to the WTCA General Assembly in Accra; and establishing an official city-to-city partnership between Accra and Savannah covering areas such as trade, culture, urban planning, education, environmental justice, healthcare, tourism, and Information and Communications Technology (ICT). WTC Savannah for achieving several milestones in 2023 - hosting its fourth annual signature event, attracting over 500 leaders from Southeast USA and being awarded the 2023 International Business of the Year award; leading one of the largest business delegations from North America to the WTCA General Assembly in Accra; and establishing an official city-to-city partnership between Accra and Savannah covering areas such as trade, culture, urban planning, education, environmental justice, healthcare, tourism, and Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Global Member of the Year: WTC Bengaluru (selected by the judging panel from the winners of the five Regional "Member of the Year" categories). "WTC Bengaluru is honored to be named both WTCA's 'Global Member of the Year' as well as 'Regional Member of the Year (Asia Pacific).' Receiving these distinguished awards recognizes our international efforts and our region's position as a rising investment destination around the world. The recognition was a very welcome surprise as we concluded hosting this year's GBF with our colleagues and friends around the WTCA network," said Vineet Verma, Managing Director of WTC Bengaluru, Chennai and Kochi; and newly-appointed WTCA Board Member. "With this great honor, we are committed to bolster international trade and B2B opportunities that positively impacts Karnataka and beyond, with WTCA's mission at the forefront of our work." Winners were announced and awarded on March 6 during the WTCA's GBF hosted by WTC Bengaluru in Bengaluru, India. Over 245 participants from nearly 110 WTC locations across 36 countries/territories representing 52 different industry sectors came together for the association's premier annual event. "On behalf of the WTCA, I'm delighted to extend our congratulations to this year's winners and nominees - each of these WTC businesses truly demonstrate how our global network has been driven by the imperative to 'connect locally and prosper globally,'" said Drew. "This year's winners now join an elite group of past Champions Awards winners who have set the standard for global excellence around the network. They are leaders at the forefront of change and innovation, spearheading initiatives that have reshaped industries, forged valuable partnerships, and positively impacted the global landscape for trade and investment. We are proud of the work they do for their local and global communities, and look forward to what they accomplish in the years to come." To learn more, please visit the Champions Awards website. Also, follow along on social media via WTCAChampion. MEDIA CONTACTS: World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) Chanelle Dimalanta Phone: +1 212 432 2644 Email: cdimalanta@wtca.org Violet PR Kate Traina Phone: +1 908 967 2117 Email: kate@violetpr.com About World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) is a network of more than 300 highly connected, mutually supporting businesses and organizations in 91 countries. As the owner of the "World Trade Center" and "WTC" trademarks, WTCA licenses exclusive rights to these brands for Members to use in conjunction with their independently owned, iconic properties, facilities and trade services offerings. Through a robust portfolio of events, programming and resources that it offers its Members, the goal of WTCA is to help local economies thrive by encouraging and facilitating trade and investment across the globe through Member engagement. To learn more, visit www.wtca.org. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2360538/Winners_Of_The_WTCA_Champions_Awards.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/704442/WTCA_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/world-trade-centers-association-reveals-global-winners-of-3rd-biennial-champions-awards-302086736.html Harnessing AI to accelerate personalized cancer treatment ArteraAI, the developer of multimodal artificial intelligence (MMAI) based predictive and prognostic cancer tests, today announced its continued work with Movember, the leading charity changing the face of men's health on a global scale. "We are privileged to stand shoulder to shoulder with industry leaders in the battle against prostate cancer," said Andre Esteva, CEO and co-founder of ArteraAI. "It is through strategic collaborations with those who share a passion for advancing how we treat this disease, that we will be able to harness AI to accelerate personalized cancer treatment." This announcement follows a recent study presented at the 2023 European Society for Medical Oncology Congress (ESMO). The study successfully validated ArteraAI's prognostic model in advanced prostate cancer, demonstrating stronger prognostic correlations than individual clinical factors. This study was a component of the broader STRATOSPHere project, initiated and funded by Movember and Prostate Cancer UK, an initiative to accelerate the progress of precision medicine by using data from tumor and blood samples of men participating in STAMPEDE, to identify biomarker-treatment pairings to personalize therapy. ArteraAI looks forward to its continued work with these organizations as there are several ongoing initiatives in the early development phase. "Being able to predict what might happen for men with aggressive prostate cancer is incredibly important," said Sarah Hsiao, Director, Biomedical Research and Impact. "Movember is proud to have supported the STRATOSPHere team on this innovative research, leveraging ArteraAI's technology to empower men with prostate cancer and their providers to make informed treatment decisions." Although prostate cancer is a common disease, it currently lags behind other cancers in terms of precision medicine advancements. This gap means that many men do not always receive the most suitable treatments, potentially leading to life-altering side effects or even fatal outcomes. While current guidelines provide general recommendations on how to treat prostate cancer, they are not personalized to the individual. Cancer is personal. Cancer therapy should be too. For more information on ArteraAI, visit Artera.ai. About ArteraAI ArteraAI is a leading precision medicine company developing AI tests to personalize cancer therapy. ArteraAI offers an AI-enabled test that is the first of its kind to provide both predictive and prognostic results for patients with localized prostate cancer: ArteraAI Prostate Test. ArteraAI's multimodal artificial intelligence (MMAI) biomarker test leverages a unique algorithm that assesses digital images from a patient's biopsy and learns from a patient's clinical data. The AI combines this information to predict whether a patient will benefit from a particular therapy and determine their prognosis. ArteraAI Prostate Test is the first test that can both predict therapy benefit and prognosticate long-term outcomes in localized prostate cancer. The test is clinically available through our CLIA-certified laboratory in Jacksonville, Florida and can be ordered online at Artera.ai. About Movember Movember is the leading charity changing the face of men's health on a global scale, focusing on mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer. The charity raises funds to deliver innovative, breakthrough research and support programs that enable men to live happier, healthier and longer lives. Committed to disrupting the status quo, millions have joined the movement, helping fund over 1,250 projects around the world. In addition to tackling key health issues faced by men, Movember is working to encourage men to stay healthy in all areas of their lives, with a focus on men staying socially connected and becoming more open to discussing their health and significant moments in their lives. The charity's vision is to have an everlasting impact on the face of men's health. To donate or learn more, please visit Movember.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240312539037/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Lesley Swiger Antenna artera@antennagroup.com (202) 869-1612 BOSTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / March 12, 2024 / Global software developer eschbach, the provider of Shiftconnector digital manufacturing software for the pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturing sectors, is pleased to announce that Felix Monschein, eschbach's Managing Director, North America, is a featured presenter at the 2024 AIChE Spring Meeting being held from March 24 - 28th at the Ernest Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. eschbach will be exhibiting in Booth 521. Felix will present two separate discussions, each of which highlights how harnessing the power of AI and Natural Language Processing in eschbach's Shiftconnector Smart Search module, enhances team performance, knowledge sharing, and productivity in the chemical industry. These benefits will be fully demonstrated in each session with a deep dive into how Bayer Crop Science, as a case in point, is reaping the advantages delivered by the innovative capabilities of Smart Search. What: "How Natural Language Processing Boosts Knowledge Sharing and Productivity in the Chemical Manufacturing Industry" When: Tuesday, March 26 from 12:15 to 12:35 p.m. in rooms 212-213 in the Morial Convention Center Synopsis: AI, and specifically Natural Language Processing (NLP), is changing the way chemical manufacturers communicate - from the shop floor to corporate headquarters. Industry 4.0 has significantly increased the amount of data that is available to operators but the challenge is how to discover that relevant information. Smart searching developments are helping companies like Bayer Crop Science discover critical information quickly and efficiently by using eschbach's Smart Search capabilities that are specifically designed for operations with the latest AI-based language models. In this presentation, eschbach will demonstrate how Bayer deployed the Smart Search engine that has greatly increased their productivity, team collaboration, and knowledge management. What: "A Chemical Industry Case Study: Using AI to Create More Productive Teams in the Chemical Manufacturing Industry" When: Wednesday, March 27 from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. in rooms 212-213 in the Morial Convention Center Synopsis: The development of an effective and efficient search functionality based on AI solved two challenges cited by Bayer: inefficient access to documented historical knowledge captured by eschbach's Shiftconnector platform and incomplete entry items where descriptions of solutions to problems (in the production process) were often missing or incompletely described. The development of eschbach's AI Smart Search functionality, embedded in the eschbach Shiftconnector software platform, solved both problems. Teams have improved plant performance by quickly finding solutions based on the history of documented tribal knowledge from plant operations teams. With the ability to retrieve the most relevant information, operations are accelerated bringing capabilities to help teams recover from disruptions by immediately identifying appropriate fixes. Also, captured knowledge is available to manage and support workforce changes. Speaker Bio: Felix Monschein is eschbach's Managing Director, North America. Felix leads the day-to-day operations of the eschbach North America market and builds on relationships with eschbach's existing customer base as well as develops and executes strategies to further expand growth in the chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing sectors. About eschbach and Shiftconnector With U.S. operations in Boston and headquartered in Germany, eschbach develops software for plant process management. Shiftconnector provides a new level of team communication to ensure safety and improve plant effectiveness. The award-winning solution is trusted worldwide by leading manufacturing companies such as DuPont, BASF, and Roche. For more information visit www.eschbach.com. Media Contact: Dawn Fontaine Ripple Effect Communications dawn@rippleeffectpr.com Tel. 617-536-8887 SOURCE: eschbach View the original press release on accesswire.com Bringing together top digital innovators, the year's largest WordPress developer event will feature three keynotes and over 40 speakers. WP Engine today announced registration is open for DE{CODE} 2024, the company's annual developer conference and the industry's largest WordPress developer event. The free, virtual event will be held on March 19 (North America and APAC) and March 21 (EMEA). Now in its fifth year, WP Engine DE{CODE} brings together WordPress community thought leaders to share best practices and discuss the future of modern web development innovation. This year's agenda features developer-centric content and learning opportunities, including: Industry-leading keynote speakers, including AI futurist expert Zack Kass, OpenAI's former Head of GTM on 'Navigating Our AI Future.' including AI futurist expert Zack Kass, OpenAI's former Head of GTM on 'Navigating Our AI Future.' New product launches unveiling the latest WP Engine innovations including its new artificial intelligence (AI) offering. unveiling the latest WP Engine innovations including its new artificial intelligence (AI) offering. Breakout sessions from agencies and brands including Brainstorm Force, Elementor, NitroPack, Google, PeachPay, Code Theory, Granite Digital, Illustrate Digital, StrategiQ, americaneagle.com, WEBDOGS, and drewl. "WP Engine's north star is to advance WordPress success, offering unparalleled technology and expertise that helps our customers win online," said WP Engine Founder and Chief Innovation Officer Jason Cohen. "DE{CODE} was created with that same spirit in mind, empowering developers with ongoing education centered around the latest innovations in WordPress. This year, we're empowering attendees with the skills and inspiration needed to shape the future of the web through sessions on performance optimization, developer efficiency, eCommerce growth, and modern development solutions such as headless WordPress and AI." The conference has grown to become the industry's largest WordPress developer event and will feature content, networking opportunities, and live demos dedicated to helping developers, marketers, and agencies build better WordPress sites. With four breakout tracks of programming, this year's attendees will learn how to: Improve developer workflows and increase efficiency. Uncover new strategies for enhancing site performance and SEO. Discover how to optimize eCommerce sites. Explore how the applications of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and headless WordPress, are modernizing web development. To register for the conference and learn more about what to expect at DE{CODE} 2024, visit: https://events.wpengine.com/GPrGQQ?Refid=PR About WP Engine WP Engine provides the most relied upon and trusted WordPress products for companies and agencies of all sizes, including specialized solutions for managed WordPress hosting, eCommerce, enterprise WordPress, headless WordPress, and developer-centric tools like Local, Advanced Custom Fields, Genesis, and more. WP Engine's tech innovation and award-winning WordPress experts help to power more than 1.5 million customers across 150 countries. More of the top 200,000 sites in the world use WP Engine to drive their digital experiences than anyone else in WordPress. At WP Engine, we do what's right for our customers, and this focus helps us to do the best work of our careers. We prioritize investing in our employees' success and love offering opportunities to help them grow and develop professionally. Learn more at wpengine.careers. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240312368336/en/ Contacts: Press@wpengine.com Spiro Discusses Authentic Tech Integration in Experiential Marketing via Fireside Chats AUSTIN, Texas, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Spiro, a leading global brand experiential agency, discussed how today's brand marketer can strategically approach AI and AR for impactful experiential marketing at Brand Innovator's Leadership in Brand Marketing Summit at SXSW on March 9. The first discussion, moderated by Spiro's Global CMO, Carley Faircloth, featured IBM's Program Director, Event Experience & Executive Programs, exploring how brands can leverage AI to create authentic emotional connections. A second session, moderated by Spiro's EVP, Strategy & Measurement, Dane Aloe, featured Chobani's VP, Creative Production, exploring how brands can enhance engagement through AR and generative AI. "In the right context, AI has the transformative potential to create brand activations that spark genuine emotionality," said Faircloth. "But achieving results requires strategic implementation and balancing tech with the human touch. IBM's WatsonX at NRF activation successfully shows that when approached with this mindset, you can even spark audience empathy with AI." The discussions grounded trending technologies with real-world applications, focusing on how brand marketers can use these tools to transform their activations in ways that match both their brand objectives and current audience behaviors. In one example, Chobani saw dwell time of double the average industry benchmark and an 8.3-point lift in purchase intent. "What's exciting is seeing real-time examples and results of brand marketing experimentation with AI and AR, both creatively and operationally," said Aloe. "Ultimately, each brand activation represents an opportunity to cultivate essential customer relationships, translating into tangible bottom-line benefits. These and future technologies are not meant to replace your experience design process, but rather create efficiencies to enhance engagement and help you get the most from your experiential investment." Brand Innovators' summits focus on fostering marketing leadership connections within a marketplace for brands to engage with and learn from more than 200 of the best top tier brand side and agency marketers in our industry. Spiro's involvement in the summits underscores its commitment to industry transformation and its focus on helping brands create crucial relationships with its audiences to secure priority placement in their hearts and minds. About Spiro Spiro (sp-eye-roh) is a strategically-led, creatively-driven, industry-leading global brand experience agency. We exist to cultivate purposeful connection. We specialize in delivering the world's most powerful bonds between brands & their business and consumer audiences. We work with some of the world's most recognized brands, to design events and experiences intended to sway & stay customer preference. We strive to understand drivers & engagement motivators, design to those behaviors, and ultimately position brands as priority in the hearts & minds of their most important audiences. Come. Experience Brand Gravity, the uniquely Spiro bond between brand & customer. To learn more, visit ThisIsSpiro.com. Media Contact: Jenn Joseph The Encore Agency 602-329-8040 Jenn@TheEncoreAgency.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2359639/Spiro_BI_Summit_Press_Release_1280x960.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2091294/SPIRO_FullColor_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/spiro-explores-ai-and-ar-for-empathy-and-engagement-with-ibm-chobani-at-brand-innovators-leadership-in-brand-marketing-summit-at-sxsw-302085755.html LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / March 12, 2024 / Global real estate advisor, CBRE, has published its ranking of European cities according to their resilience to the impacts of climate change. The report, 'European City Sustainability Study 2024,' evaluated the performance of 42 cities across Europe in relation to a number of factors, from transition risk, building performance standards and level of air pollution to future flood risks and ability to implement renewable energy. Three UK cities ranked within the top ten, including Birmingham, London and Manchester. The study provides real estate professionals and investors with insights to help understand different markets, the opportunities and challenges they face. Out of 42 cities assessed, the study ranked the top 10 in terms of climate resiliency as: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Birmingham, United Kingdom Gothenburg, Sweden Helsinki, Finland London, United Kingdom Manchester, United Kingdom Oslo, Norway Paris, France Rotterdam, The Netherlands Stockholm, Sweden By improving the understanding of Europe's key cities in terms of climate readiness, we hope to galvanise not only the property industry and investors, but also broader stakeholders, to take note of the need to prepare against the worst effects of climate change. While many cities may regard themselves as being leaders, this survey holds some surprises and warns against complacency. Jen Siebrits, Head of UK research, CBRE A key finding of the study is that real estate exposure to climate risk varies significantly across Europe, as does the challenge to decarbonise the built environment, which accounts for 30% of carbon emissions globally. Within the study, there were three primary categories upon which each city was assessed: Transition risk: the risks to business associated with societal and economic shifts towards a lower-carbon future Physical climate risk: the particular city's vulnerability to climate change Mitigation and Adaptation Measures: the city's ability to implement recommended environmental initiatives to limit climate change UK cities have performed particularly well, with Birmingham, London and Manchester all appearing in the top ten. This is testament to efforts so far to prepare for the inevitable effects of climate change. However, there is much work to be done and no room for complacency if we are to deliver against the country's much needed net zero targets. Kaela Fenn-Smith, Managing Director, ESG Consultancy and Sustainability Services, CBRE Read more about the European City Sustainability Study 2024 report here About CBRE Group, Inc. CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Dallas, is the world's largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2022 revenue). The company has approximately 115,000 employees (excluding Turner & Townsend employees) serving clients in more than 100 countries. CBRE serves a diverse range of clients with an integrated suite of services, including facilities, transaction and project management; property management; investment management; appraisal and valuation; property leasing; strategic consulting; property sales; mortgage services and development services. Please visit our website at www.cbre.com. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from CBRE Group, Inc. on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: CBRE Group, Inc. Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cbre-group-inc Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: CBRE Group, Inc. View the original press release on accesswire.com Company recognizes exemplary volunteerism of its financial advisors through its annual Community Service Awards program Originally published by Northwestern Mutual on February 19, 2024 LOUISVILLE, KY / ACCESSWIRE / March 12, 2024 / Northwestern Mutual is celebrating the outstanding volunteerism of its financial professionals through its annual Community Service Awards (CSA) program. This year, 16 financial advisors and representatives were recognized for their transformational impact on the communities they serve, totaling $295,000 in grants to nonprofits nationwide. Local Louisville resident Mark Kull, founder of Capitalis Planning Partners, a member of the Northwestern Mutual Private Client Group, has been named a 2024 Most Exceptional Community Service Award winner, receiving a $25,000 grant for Healing the Children (HTC) - Kentucky. "At Northwestern Mutual we believe in putting people first. This value is highlighted through our dedicated financial advisors who are not only building better tomorrows for their clients, but also for their communities," said Steve Radke, president of the Northwestern Mutual Foundation. "Through their philanthropic work, our advisors are donating their time and talents to help local nonprofit organizations." HTC provides urgently needed quality medical care for underserved children around the world. Since 2020, Kull and his wife have fostered two children through HTC's International Inbound program, which offers a home away from home for kids while they undergo medical treatment at Norton Children's Hospital. In 2023, the Kull family fostered a 4-year-old boy, Nouri, who traveled from Burkina Faso to Louisville for four months. Upon Nouri's arrival, the medical team discovered they needed to address his severe kidney stones and a massive abdominal hernia, in addition to heart surgery. In addition to providing a temporary home, guardianship and love for their foster children, the Kull family personally donated $20,000 to help fund HTC's global mission. "Through our work with HTC, we may not be solving all of the world's problems, but we are solving these kid's problems by opening our homes and providing loving support," said Kull. "Thanks to this grant from Northwestern Mutual's Community Service Awards program, additional funding will be allocated to HTC's primary program areas, including its International Inbound program which allows even more children to have access to lifesaving medical care." Now in its 29th year, Northwestern Mutual, through its Foundation and Community Service Awards program, has donated nearly $7 million to nonprofits supported by financial professionals in their communities across the country. Learn more about Mark Kull, Capitalis Planning Partners and his volunteer efforts with Healing the Children here. About Northwestern Mutual Foundation The mission of the Northwestern Mutual Foundation is to improve the lives of children and families in need. The Foundation has given more than $400 million since its inception in 1992 and is designed to create lasting impact in the communities where the company's employees and financial representatives live and work. We accomplish this by combining financial support, volunteerism, thought leadership and convening community partners to deliver the best outcomes. Our efforts are focused nationally on curing childhood cancer, and locally on education, neighborhoods and making our hometown of Milwaukee a great destination. Visit Northwestern Mutual Foundation to learn more. About Northwestern Mutual Northwestern Mutual has been helping people and businesses achieve financial security for more than 165 years. Through a comprehensive planning approach, Northwestern Mutual combines the expertise of its financial professionals with a personalized digital experience and industry-leading products to help its clients plan for what's most important. With more than $570 billion of total assets being managed across the company's institutional portfolio as well as retail investment client portfolios, nearly $35 billion in revenues, and $2.2 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than five million people with life, disability income and long-term care insurance, annuities, and brokerage and advisory services. Northwestern Mutual ranked 111 on the 2023 FORTUNE 500. Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM), Milwaukee, WI (life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits) and its subsidiaries. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) (investment brokerage services), broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company (NMWMC) (investment advisory and services), federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC) (long-term care insurance). Not all Northwestern Mutual representatives are advisors. Only those representatives with "Advisor" in their title or who otherwise disclose their status as an advisor of NMWMC are credentialed as NMWMC representatives to provide investment advisory # # # For further information, contact: Jennifer Erickson, 1-800-323-7033 mediarelations@northwesternmutual.com View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Northwestern Mutual on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Northwestern Mutual Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/northwestern-mutual Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Northwestern Mutual View the original press release on accesswire.com After years of litigation, protest and public input, the West Berkeley shellmound site will be acquired on behalf of the Ohlone for $27 million. Paul Chinn/The Chronicle The city of Berkeley has reached a landmark agreement with the developer who owns a parking lot atop a sacred Ohlone site to transfer the land permanently back to Indigenous peoples after years of litigation and community outcry. Under the terms of the deal, the owner, Ruegg & Ellsworth LLC, will receive $27 million in exchange for the property, with the vast majority of the money originating from the Sogorea Te Land Trust, a women-led organization that works to return Indigenous lands. Sogorea Te Land Trust, which recently received a $20 million donation from a private foundation, will contribute $25.5 million of the cost, while Berkeley will put up $1.5 million. The Berkeley City Council voted unanimously, 7-0, to approve the deal on Tuesday afternoon. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Corrina Gould, the Ohlone leader who spearheaded the effort to return the land, has developed a plan for the area that includes exposing the creek nearby, creating open space with native plants, and building a 40-foot-tall mound covered with poppies that will house an educational and memorial component. The news heralds the end of a messy and expensive development fight in Berkeley that has pitted developers, housing advocates, Native American tribes and the city against each other for more than a decade. The site has become a symbol of the national effort to make reparations to Native American communities amid growing consciousness about the countrys colonial history and brutal dispossession of land inhabited by Indigenous peoples. This is a significant move to right past wrongs, let people know the Ohlone people are still here, and really set an example of how we can, working in partnership with indigenous leaders, rematriate lands, Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin said in an interview. Gould said the news made her speechless, calling the agreement one that acknowledges were not just the past, but current and available to come to the table as equal partners to protect our sacred places. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In addition to stipulating the transfer of the site, the settlement will end the yearslong legal case filed by the developers against the city for its efforts to stop development there. A trial was set to begin next month into potential financial damages owed by the city to the developer. Berkeley City Council Member Sophie Hahn called the move the most significant land-backed action ever taken by a city in California, and said it demonstrated the strength of Berkeleys commitment to addressing historic wrongs. The 2-acre parcel abutting the Fourth Street shopping corridor was for many decades owned by Spengers Fish Grotto, which was Berkeleys oldest restaurant when it closed in 2018 after 128 years. Paul Chinn/The Chronicle Dana Ellsworth, a principal at Ruegg & Ellsworth, said the companys agreement was with the city of Berkeley, which will then turn over the land to the trust in a separate deal. Were happy to have the case settled and move forward, and we wish all the best to the land trust, Ellsworth told the Chronicle. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The council voted on an ordinance to authorize the city to acquire the property, at 1900 Fourth St., and then transfer its title. The purpose and intent of this Ordinance are to rematriate a portion of the historic West Berkeley Shellmound to the Ohlone people from whom the land was unjustly taken without compensation or consent prior to the founding of the City of Berkeley, reads the text. The path to the deal was paved by the $20 million donation to Sogorea Te Land Trust, which came from the Kataly Foundation and was announced this month. The foundation, which says its mission is to empower Black and brown communities through economic justice measures, is run by members of the Pritzker family, whose holdings have included Hyatt hotels and the Royal Caribbean cruise line. The Sogorea Te Land Trust called it the largest known cash gift to a Native land trust in history. Discussions about preserving the site, which is now a parking lot, date back more than 20 years, though questions have been raised over the years about the exact location of shellmounds in the area, and whether one of them is indeed under the parking lot. An investigation funded by the developers did not find evidence of a shellmound on the site, Ellsworth said. Ohlone representatives and archaeologists at UC Berkeley have said that the site, one of the last open and undeveloped spaces at the location of an ancient village where Strawberry Creek used to run into the bay, is sacred and historically important part of burial and ceremonial grounds dating back more than 5,700 years. The parcel, a 2.2-acre patch of flat land that abuts the Fourth Street shopping corridor and train tracks in West Berkeley, has been paved for more than 50 years, and was for many decades a parking lot owned by Spengers Fish Grotto, which was Berkeleys oldest restaurant when it closed in 2018 after 128 years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In 2000, the Berkeley City Council designated the site, known as the West Berkeley Shellmound, as a landmark. That same year, Ruegg & Ellsworth bought into the property in a joint ownership agreement with Spengers, Ellsworth said. In 2022, the development firm bought out the Spenger familys share for $9.5 million, she said, valuing the property at around $19 million. The location of a sacred Ohlone shellmound was designated as one of the 11 most endangered places in the U.S. by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The designation threw development plans for the site into jeopardy. Paul Chinn/The Chronicle The tug-of-war between the city and the developers heated up in the 2010s, with a proposal for a mixed-use building for residential and retail space to be built there. In 2018, Ruegg & Ellsworth changed its plans and sought to use a new state law, SB35, which gave projects that set aside at least 50% of their units at below-market rates the ability to cut through red tape on local permitting processes. The goal was to construct a 260-unit building. Berkeley, however, shot down the proposal, arguing that the development was not eligible under SB35 because it would demolish a historic structure, in this case the remnants of the shellmound under the lot. Advertisement Article continues below this ad That kicked off a yearslong legal battle. Berkeleys decision was originally upheld by an Alameda County judge in 2019, but it was overturned by the 1st District Court of Appeal in San Francisco in 2021. That court said the development served the urgent need for affordable housing and would not harm the historic site. In 2020, the site was named an endangered historic place by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Southwest Airlines Co., in a filing with the U.S. Securities And Exchange Commission, on Tuesday said it sees a net loss in its first quarter 2024, and trimmed forecast for unit revenues amid challenges with Boeing Co., while capacity outlook was raised. Further, the airline is now expecting fewer deliveries of new aircraft from Boeing in 2024. On the New York Stock Exchange, Southwest Airlines shares were losing more than 11 percent to trade at $30.05. Regarding timing of expected aircraft deliveries, the company said Boeing has advised that deliveries for fiscal 2024 will now be around 46 737-8 aircraft, a reduction from the previous expectation of 79 737 MAX aircraft deliveries, which included 58 -8 aircraft. Further, the company now assumes no 737-7 aircraft deliveries and continues to assume no -7 aircraft are placed into service this year based on the current certification status. Amid Boeing's continued challenges, Southwest Airlines expects the delivery schedule to be fluid and, therefore, plans to reduce capacity and re-optimize schedules, primarily for the back half of 2024. This is likely result in at least a one point reduction to the company's full year 2024 capacity plans on a year-over-year basis. In light of further second half 2024 planned capacity reductions, the company has halted hiring classes for multiple workgroups, including Pilots and Flight Attendants, and now intends to end the year with headcount down on a year-over-year basis, compared with its previous expectation of flat to down, year-over-year. Regarding the first quarter, the company said the loss expectation is based on current trends, while it still expects a return to profitability in March. For the first quarter, capacity in available seat miles or ASMs are now expected to be up around 11 percent year-over-year, compared to previously expected growth of around 10 percent. Meanwhile, unit revenues are now projected to be flat to up 2 percent, compared to previous view of a growth of 2.5 percent to 4.5 percent. The decrease in outlook mainly reflects higher than expected completion factors in February and March, as well as lower than expected close-in leisure passenger volume. The first quarter 2024 operational performance has been strong, thus far, and flight cancellations have been lower than was expected in late January, the firm noted. Looking ahead, bookings for second quarter 2024 are currently ahead of seasonally normal trends. The company expects to deliver all-time record operating revenues for the quarter, as well as positive year-over-year RASM trends to continue throughout the year. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Groer Dividenden-Report 2024 von Dr. Dennis Riedl Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl Jetzt hier klicken Market-leading brands combine sector specialisation and global reach, strengthening leadership and talent expertise for Norwegian, European and multinational clients OSLO, Norway, March 12, 2024, a pioneer in helping clients to drive growth through executive search and leadership expertise. Kjetil Haug-Nodeland Managing Partner, Boyden-ISCO commented, "On behalf of Boyden, we are very proud to announce this merger with one of the most established and admired firms in the market. There are strong indicators for consolidation in our industry and this strategic move will reshape the executive search and leadership consulting landscape. Clients need global capabilities to pursue international growth and expansion, as well as transformative leaders in fast-changing industries. Our combined capabilities provide the gold standard for these needs." Clients will benefit from engaging a boutique firm with a global footprint, running seamless, cross-border client relationships. The firm's global reach will enable Norwegian, European and multinational companies to acquire world-class leaders in evolving industries, particularly technology , renewables and energy transition . Both firms also have a proven track record in working closely with venture capital and private equity firms , identifying the right C-suite leaders for portfolio, retail and strong branded companies at different growth stages. Bendik Nicolai Blindheim Managing Partner, Boyden-ISCO added, "On behalf of ISCO, we are very excited about the possibilities this merger brings and the value it will create for our clients. Our two firms are aligned strategically, commercially and culturally with very strong reputations in the market. This merger represents a forward-looking and ambitious step for Boyden Norway and ISCO Group, and we look forward to achieving exceptional results for clients as a unified force in our industry." The two firms have 70 years of experience in the market between them. Specialist teams will deliver stand alone or integrated solutions to clients across executive search , board search, management audit, interim management and leadership consulting . With offices at Wergelandsveien 7, 0167 Oslo, the firm will be led by managing partners: Kjetil Haug-Nodeland, Roger Schnning, Birger Svendsen, Bendik Nicolai Blindheim and Ole Petter Melleby. About Boyden Boyden is a premier leadership and talent advisory firm with more than 70 offices in over 45 countries. Our global reach enables us to serve client needs anywhere they conduct business. We connect great companies with great leaders through executive search, interim management and leadership consulting solutions. Boyden is ranked amongst the top companies on Forbes' Americas Best Executive Recruiting Firms for 2023. For further information, visit www.boyden.com . Contacts: Michael Puglia 716.390.1393 PR@19ideas.com Certificate Manager provides full visibility into cryptographic assets, reduces human error, and costs, and delivers operational efficiencies and compliance with industry and regulatory standards. SAN ANTONIO, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan recently assessed the certificate lifestyle management (CLM) industry and, based on its findings, recognizes Sectigo with the 2024 Global Customer Value Leadership Award. The company offers the combined benefit of being a trusted SSL/TLS-issuing public certificate authority (CA) and a CA-agnostic CLM firm. This means that Sectigo offers a wide range of digital certificates, PKI solutions, and automated CLM capabilities under one roof. The company's flagship product, Sectigo Certificate Manager (SCM), is a single-pane-of-glass platform that manages the lifecycles of all public and private digital certificates across an organization's network. It enables digital certificate discovery, issuance, renewal, and management in a cloud-based, coherent offering and integrates many automation protocols including ACME, Rest: API, and more. Sectigo Certificate Manager offers all five pillars of CLM in one offering, negating the need to license separate bolt-on products or tools to discover, monitor, and automate certificate lifecycles while also providing interoperability in complex IT environments. SCM's integrations allow deployment flexibility and customization in customer environments: With its highly productized offering and flexible pricing models, Sectigo has greatly extended CLM to smaller organizations by eliminating on-premises requirements and the need for additional professional services. SCM supports full interoperability with more than 50 technology partners and vendors, enhancing customers' network architecture and establishing digital trust across the organization. Ozgun Pelit, senior industry analyst at Frost & Sullivan, observed, "Sectigo's management and product teams consist of industry veterans in PKI and enterprise security solutions with decades of experience and a comprehensive understanding of customers' needs. From the initial inquiry to onboarding and continued account management, Sectigo offers industry-leading, white-glove customer service 24/7/365." Sectigo removes the barrier to try certificate lifecycle management by offering a free trial of SCM. This preview enables everyone to run the platform's functions and discover rogue certificates. Greatly simplifying the pre-purchase experience, the quick trial enables organizations to see how SCM behaves in their environments. Sectigo is also one of the few CAs offering customers subscription-based pricing models. With options to either transact directly or through a large ecosystem of partners and resellers, Sectigo makes it easy for customers all over the world to issue digital certificates and deploy CLM solutions. "Extending automated CLM solutions to wider audiences and smaller enterprises greatly improves security and digital trust globally. As a result, Sectigo distinguishes itself from its competitors with its highly productized solution offering, addressing a wide range of needs in a single, coherent platform," added Pelit. "With its strong overall performance, Sectigo earns Frost & Sullivan's 2024 Global Customer Value Leadership Award in the certificate lifecycle management solutions industry." Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to a company that has demonstrated excellence in implementing strategies that proactively create value for customers with a focus on improving the return on the investment that customers make in its services or products. The award recognizes the company's unique focus on augmenting the value that customers receive, beyond simply good customer service, leading to improved customer retention and expansion. Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in various regional and global industries for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analyses, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry. About Frost & Sullivan For six decades, Frost & Sullivan has been world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders, and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Megatrends, new business models, and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion. Contact: Ashley Weinkauf P: 210-844-2505 E: ashley.weinkauf@frost.com About Sectigo Sectigo is the industry's most innovative provider of comprehensive certificate lifecycle management (CLM), with automated solutions and digital certificates that secure every human and machine identity for the world's largest brands. Its automated, cloud-native, universal CLM platform issues and manages digital certificates provided by all trusted certificate authorities (CAs) to simplify and improve security protocols across the enterprise. Sectigo is one of the longest-standing and largest CAs with more than 700,000 customers and two decades of delivering unparalleled digital trust. For more information, visit www.sectigo.com, follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to our Webby award-winning podcast, Root Causes. Contact: Samantha Dooley Sectigo PR samantha.dooley@sectigo.com +44 07380262811 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2359818/Sectigo_Award.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/sectigo-applauded-by-frost--sullivan-for-innovations-in-automated-certificate-lifecycle-management-and-offering-superior-customer-value-with-sectigo-certificate-manager-302086524.html MONTREAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / March 12, 2024 / Tarku Resources Ltd (TSXV:TKU)(FRA:7TK)(OTCQB:TRKUF) (the "Company" or "Tarku") is delighted to announce its recent acquisitions of promising mineral claims in the Abitibi region, Quebec, solidifying its presence in one of the most esteemed and secure global jurisdictions for mining exploration. While maintaining a steadfast focus on advancing its co-flagship 3As project in Quebec and the Silver Strike project in Arizona, these new claims strategically contribute to Tarku's commitment to exploring high-quality geological projects. Tarku now holds 100% ownership of nine distinct exploration projects in Quebec, encompassing 19,701 hectares (197 km2) as well as maintaining its full ownership of the Silver Strike project in Arizona, providing shareholders exposure to a diverse range of commodities such as gold, silver, copper, zinc, lithium, manganese, and nickel. These assets are located in mining-friendly jurisdictions, and some of them involve critical and strategic minerals. Julien Davy, President and CEO of Tarku Resources, expressed enthusiasm about the potential of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt, stating: "The Abitibi Greenstone Belt is undeniably one of the most prospective geological regions globally. We are excited about the prospectivity of this region, which happens to be in our backyard. The current market conditions have presented opportunities to acquire additional land positions at low costs, prompting us to wisely expand through staking and acquisition efforts". The Calypso Project Tarku's Calypso project, entirely owned by the company, is situated in the north-central part of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt (figure1). It is located between NTS Sheets 32F12 and 32F11, a mere 20 km south of Matagami, Quebec, and encompasses 42 claims, totaling 2,346 hectares. Positioned along the Casa Berardi-Douay-Cameron regional deformation zone, the Calypso project spans a segment of this extensive east-west regional structure, stretching over 150 km and characterized by a network of interconnected shear zones. It covers 6 kilometers along the strike of the Taibi Group, host to the Vezza gold deposit to the west, the Discovery deposit to the east, and the Douay and Douay West areas located just 7 kilometres to the southeast. Tarku's compilation reveals little exploration work on the property, primarily due to glacial coverage. Recent exploration efforts by neighboring companies, such as Nuvau Minerals Corp, Midland Exploration, and O3 Mining, underscore the strong gold potential of the Calypso project and its location. Tarku plans to commence exploration activities on the Calypso project in 2024. The Barmat Project Tarku's Barmat project, also fully owned by the company, is located in the southern part of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt, within NTS Sheets 32C05, only 7km northeast of the Barraute municipality and 40km north of Val-d'Or, Quebec (figure1). Encompassing 12 claims totaling 514 hectares, the project is adjacent and along the Abcourt-Barvue Silver-Zinc deposit. The Abcourt-Barvue Silver-Zinc deposit updated its MI feasibility study in 2019, revealing proven and probable reserves of 8.07 million tonnes with a grade of 51.79 g/t of silver and 2.83% zinc for a 13-year life mine open-pit and underground operations (Source: Sedar). Qualified persons Julien Davy, P.Geo., M.Sc, MBA, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tarku Resources Ltd., is Tarku's "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101 on standards of disclosure for mineral projects, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release for accuracy and compliance with NI 43-101. Location of Tarku's project in the Abitibi region Figure 1: Location of Tarku's project in the Abitibi region About Tarku Tarku Resources Ltd. (TSXV:TKU)(FRA:7TK)(OTCBQ:TRKUF) is a mining exploration company dedicated to advancing new discoveries through the application of modern techniques in promising mining jurisdictions, including Quebec and Arizona. In Arizona, Tarku holds 100% ownership of the 29 km2 Silver Strike project situated within the renowned Tombstone District. Management interprets Silver Strike to have the potential for Carbonate Replacement Deposits (CRD) similar to those of the Hermosa project, located 80 km west in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. South32 acquired the Hermosa project for USD 1.8 billion in 2018. In Quebec, Tarku possesses 100% ownership of over 19,700 hectares of prospective claims, including the 'Three A's' projects (Apollo, Admiral, and Atlas) along the Sunday Lake Regional Fault, east of Matagami. Management interprets this area as the eastern extension of the Detour Belt, which has witnessed recent exploration successes by companies like Kenorland Minerals, Midland Exploration, Wallbridge Mining Company, and Probe Metals. Additionally, the company owns the MAX Lithium project, located 4 km southwest of Sayona Mining's North American Lithium mine. On behalf of Tarku Resources Ltd. Julien Davy, President and CEO Tarku contact information: Email: investors@tarkuresources.com Website: www.tarkuresources.com Please follow @TarkuResources on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and activities to vary materially from targeted results and planning. Such risks and uncertainties include those described in Tarku's periodic reports, including the annual report, or in the filings made by Tarku from time to time with securities regulatory authorities. SOURCE: Tarku Resources Ltd View the original press release on accesswire.com G&A's Sustainability Highlights ( 03.01.2024 ) NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / March 12, 2024 / Breaking news on sustainability disclosure and reporting for corporate boards and management teams! On March 6, the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) released its Final Rules on climate disclosures, designed to "enhance and standardize climate-related disclosures by public companies and in public offerings." According to the SEC's press release, one of our Top Stories below: "the final rules reflect the Commission's efforts to respond to investors' demand for more consistent, comparable, and reliable information about the financial effects of climate-related risks on a registrant's operations, and how it manages those risks while balancing concerns about mitigating the associated costs of the rules." We also include in our Top Stories several links reporting on the SEC announcement. The Final Rules will be published in the Federal Register and on the SEC web site. There is also news out of the European Union as member countries blocked (at the last minute) proposed supply chain reporting rules. This demonstrates that EU nations are not necessarily "unanimous" in their quest for expanded and enhanced corporate and capital market disclosure relating to ESG topics. In China, the world's #2 economy, the country's three large stock exchanges have rules in place now to require listed large companies to disclose a range of sustainability information (including disclosure climate change matters, ecosystem, anti-corruption, anti-briber, and rural revitalization efforts). Important: China has adopted the EU approach on double materiality on corporate disclosure. Tim Mohin, former CEO of the Global Reporting Initiative, shares his thoughts in ESG News in another Top Story below - "The Dragon Roars: China's New Sustainability Disclosure Mandate." The G&A Institute team will share more news and perspectives regarding the SEC Final Rule announcement in future issues of our Newsletter. There is much to review and digest, and as always, our team is available to provide counsel as these rules go into effect in the links in this issue. This is just the introduction of G&A's Sustainability Highlights newsletter this week. Click here to view the full issue. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc. on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc. Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/governance-accountability-institute-inc Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc. View the original press release on accesswire.com CHICAGO, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Gene Expression Analysis Market in terms of revenue was estimated to be worth $4.2 billion in 2024 and is poised to reach $6.2 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 8.1% from 2024 to 2029 according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The gene expression analysis market is experiencing significant growth due to several key factors. Firstly, the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders is driving the demand for advanced diagnostic and therapeutic solutions. Gene expression analysis plays a crucial role in understanding the genetic basis of these diseases, enabling personalized medicine approaches for more effective treatments. However, the high cost of instruments & consumables and concerns associated with data privacy and security are expected to restrain the market growth during the forecast period. Download an Illustrative overview: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=156613968 Browse in-depth TOC on "Gene Expression Analysis Market" 436 - Tables 54 - Figures 369 - Pages Gene Expression Analysis Market Scope: Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2024 $4.2 billion Estimated Value by 2029 $6.2 billion Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 8.1% Market Size Available for 2022-2029 Forecast Period 2024-2029 Forecast Units Value (USD Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered Product & Service, Application, and End User Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa Report Highlights Updated financial information / product portfolio of players Key Market Opportunities Growing focus on Single-Cell Analysis Key Market Drivers Advancements in gene editing technology The assays & kits segment accounted for the largest share of reagents & consumables in the gene expression analysis market in 2023. By reagents & consumables, the gene expression analysis market has been further categorized into assays & kits, enzymes, DNA chips, and others. Assays & kits accounted for the largest share of the gene expression analysis market in 2023. The increasing adoption of high-throughput technologies such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) and microarray analysis has boosted the demand for assays and kits. These technologies generate large amounts of data, and assays and kits help in streamlining the workflow, from sample preparation to data analysis. The drug discovery & development application segment is expected to grow at a higher rate during the forecast period. Based on technology, the gene expression analysis market has been segmented into drug discovery & development, clinical diagnostics, and other applications. In 2023, the drug discovery & development segment accounted for the largest share of the gene expression analysis market and is expected to grow at a higher growth rate during the forecast period of 2024-2029. The share share of drug discovery & development application is attributed to gene expression analysis is instrumental in the preclinical and clinical stages of drug development. In preclinical studies, researchers use gene expression profiling to assess the efficacy and safety of potential drug candidates. This helps in selecting the most promising candidates for further development, reducing the time and cost associated with drug discovery. The pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies segment accounted for the largest share of the end user segment in the gene expression analysis market in 2023. Based on end user, the gene expression analysis market is segmented into pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies, academic & research institutes, and other end users. In 2023, pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies accounted for the largest share of the gene expression analysis market. As the pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies heavily rely on understanding how genes are expressed in various disease states to identify potential drug targets. Gene expression analysis helps in pinpointing genes that are upregulated or downregulated in diseases, providing valuable insights into disease mechanisms and potential therapeutic interventions. The North America region accounted for the largest share of the gene expression analysis market in 2023. The gene expression analysis market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Latin America (LATAM), the Middle East, and Africa. The North American region is observing rising investments in the field of drug discovery & development. Moreover, the need for advanced therapies due to the rising rate of chronic diseases such as cancer has contributed to the growth of the gene expression analysis market. The supportive government regulations in North America for the development of mAbs and biosimilars also contribute to market growth. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=156613968 Gene Expression Analysis Market Dynamics: Drivers: 1. Advancements in gene editing technologies 2. Increasing funding initiatives for genomic research 3. Growing preference for therapeutic applications 4. Declining costs of sequencing technologies Restraints: 1. High cost of instruments & consumables 2. Concerns associated with data privacy and security Opportunities: 1. High growth potential across non-clinical applications 2. Machine learning and AI 3. Growing focus on single-cell analysis Challenge: 1. Extensive timelines for product approval 2. Data interpretation challenges Key Market Players of Gene Expression Analysis Industry: Key players in the gene expression analysis market are Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc (US), Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc. (US), Illumina Inc (US), QIAGEN (Netherlands), F. Hoffmann-La Roche (Switzerland), Revvity (US), PacBio (US), Agilent Technologies Inc (US), Oxford Gene Technology IP Limited (UK), BGI (China), Eurofins Scientific (Luxembourg), Standard BioTools (US), Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc (UK), GenScript (US), Takara Bio Inc (Japan), 10x Genomics (US), Zymo Research Corporation (US), Twist Bioscience (US), Promega Corporation (US), LGC Limited (UK), CD Genomics (US), NanoString Technologies Inc. (US), BioSpyder, Inc (US), Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc (US) and New England Biolabs (US). The primary interviews conducted for this report can be categorized as follows: By Respondent: Supply Side- 70% and Demand Side 30% By Designation: Managers - 45%, CXOs and Directors - 30%, and Executives- 25% By Region: North America -45%, Europe -20%, Asia-Pacific -20%, Latin America -10%, Middle East & Africa- 5% Recent Developments of Gene Expression Analysis Industry: In May 2023, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Pfizer collaborated to expand localized access to Next-generation Sequencing-based testing for cancer patients in over 30 countries across Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. In August 2022, Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc. acquired Curiosity Diagnostics to expand its capabilities by inculcating a new generation of rapid PCR systems into its product portfolio. In April 2022, Illumina established a new state-of-the-art facility solution center in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to expand global access to genomics in Latin America. Illumina's revenue is majorly generated from markets across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Get 10% Free Customization on this Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=156613968 Gene Expression Analysis Market - Key Benefits of Buying the Report: The report will help market leaders/new entrants by providing them with the closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the overall gene expression analysis market and its subsegments. It will also help stakeholders better understand the competitive landscape and gain more insights to better position their business and make suitable go-to-market strategies. This report will enable stakeholders to understand the market's pulse and provide them with information on the key market drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges. The report provides insights on the following pointers: Analysis of key drivers (Advancement in gene editing technologies, increasing funding initiatives for genomic research, growing preference for therapeutic application, declining sequencing cost), restraints (high cost of instruments & consumables, concerns associated with data privacy and security), opportunities (application expansion across non-medical fields, machine learning and ai, growing focus on single-cell analysis), and challenges (prolonged timelines for approval, data interpretation challenges) influencing the growth of the market. Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights on newly launched products of the gene expression analysis market Market Development: Comprehensive information about lucrative markets - the report analyses the market across varied regions. Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new products/services, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the gene expression analysis market Competitive Assessment: Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc (US), Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc. (US), Illumina Inc (US), QIAGEN (Netherlands), F. Hoffmann-La Roche (Switzerland), Revvity (US), PacBio (US), Agilent Technologies Inc (US), Oxford Gene Technology IP Limited (UK), BGI (China), Eurofins Scientific (Luxembourg), Standard BioTools (US), Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc (UK), GenScript (US), Takara Bio Inc (Japan), 10x Genomics (US), Zymo Research Corporation (US), Twist Bioscience (US), Promega Corporation (US), LGC Limited (UK), CD Genomics (US), NanoString Technologies Inc. (US), BioSpyder, Inc (US), Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc (US) and New England Biolabs (US), among others in the market. Related Reports: NGS Sample Preparation Market - Global Forecasts to 2028 Drug Discovery Services Market - Global Forecasts to 2028 Genomics Market - Global Forecasts to 2028 Next Generation Sequencing Market - Global Forecasts to 2027 NGS-based RNA-sequencing Market - Global Forecasts to 2027 About MarketsandMarkets: MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's best management consulting firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. We have the widest lens on emerging technologies, making us proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients. Earlier this year, we made a formal transformation into one of America's best management consulting firms as per a survey conducted by Forbes. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we work with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies - helping them stay relevant in a disruptive ecosystem. Our insights and strategies are molded by our industry experts, cutting-edge AI-powered Market Intelligence Cloud, and years of research. The KnowledgeStore (our Market Intelligence Cloud) integrates our research, facilitates an analysis of interconnections through a set of applications, helping clients look at the entire ecosystem and understand the revenue shifts happening in their industry. To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Research Insights: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/gene-expression-analysis-market.asp Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/gene-expression-analysis.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2297424/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/gene-expression-analysis-market-worth-6-2-billion--marketsandmarkets-302086429.html Road Town, British Virgin Islands--(Newsfile Corp. - March 12, 2024) - In a significant move for cryptocurrency and mobile technology enthusiasts, LBank Exchange, a premier global digital asset trading platform, has announced the listing of Chinu (CHINU) on March 12, 2024. Users of LBank Exchange can brace themselves for the CHINU/USDT trading pair, which will go live at 15:00 UTC on the slated date. CHINU Listing Banner To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8831/201404_64b7c01334600b8c_001full.jpg Chinu (CHINU) is a charming and loyal meme coin on the Solana blockchain, combining the appeal of a Chinese Chow dog with innovative blockchain utility, including operating a validator node, to engage the Solana community. Introducing Chinu: Solana's cutest meme coin with a heart of loyalty and innovation LBank Exchange is thrilled to announce the upcoming listing of Chinu (CHINU), an innovative meme coin that makes waves within the cryptocurrency community, especially among Solana blockchain enthusiasts. Chinu brings a blend of charm, utility, and commitment to the blockchain ecosystem, encapsulated in the persona of a loyal and adorable Chinese Chow dog. This digital asset operates on the Solana blockchain, offering users the advantage of high-speed transactions and low fees, making it accessible for trading on popular decentralized finance (DeFi) exchanges and wallets like Phantom and Jupiter. Beyond its cute facade, Chinu stands out by actively contributing to the Solana network's security and stability. It achieves this through its operation of a validator node, a critical component that helps maintain the integrity and performance of the blockchain. This involvement not only underscores Chinu's commitment to the Solana ecosystem. These features, coupled with its community-focused initiatives and partnerships with other Solana-based projects, position Chinu for potential growth and expansion within the cryptocurrency market. The project's vision extends to fostering a fun and engaging way for users to interact with the Solana blockchain, thereby encouraging wider adoption and engagement. Embodying the essence of prosperity, abundance, and wealth through the auspicious power of 888, Chinu Chows represent a groundbreaking collection of 8,888 unique hand-drawn NFTs within the CHINU ecosystem on the Solana Blockchain. Scheduled for an airdrop during the Chinese New Year, Chinu's gesture of goodwill extends to Solana Saga phone owners and the top 50 CHINU holders, while offering others the chance to acquire these treasures through platforms like Magic Eden and Tensor. This initiative not only celebrates the intricate artistry of the NFTs but also underscores the project's broader CHINU ecosystem's growth. CHINU is thrilled to announce its significant stride in supporting the Solana blockchain by initiating its own validator through Edgevana as of 21 UTC on January 18, 2024. Embodying the spirit of a diligent Chinese Chow dog, CHINU is steadfast in its commitment to the $SOL community, offering more than just a meme coin experience with a secure and potentially robust contribution to Solana's infrastructure. In this journey, CHINU proudly stands as more than just a token; it's a community-driven force aimed at enhancing and protecting the ecosystem it thrives in. The Chinu project is more than just a meme coin; it's a movement towards creating a more inclusive and enjoyable digital space. With a dedicated team behind it and a clear vision for the future, Chinu aims to build a community that values fun, inclusivity, and support for the Solana ecosystem. About CHINU Token Based on SOL, CHINU has a total supply of 949 million (i.e. 949,794,158). CHINU token is poised for its debut on LBank Exchange at 15:00 UTC on March 12, 2024. Investors who are interested in CHINU can easily buy and sell on LBank Exchange after that time. Learn More about CHINU Token: Official Website: https://chinu.vip/ Contract: https://solscan.io/token/FLrgwxXaX8q8ECF18weDf3PLAYorXST5orpY34d8jfbm Twitter: https://twitter.com/Chinu_SOL Telegram: https://t.me/chinusol Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chinu_sol Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chinuonsol Chinuchows Website: https://chinu.vip/chinuchows/ Tensor: https://www.tensor.trade/trade/chinu_chows MagicEden: https://magiceden.io/marketplace/chinuchows About LBank LBank is one of the top crypto exchanges, established in 2015. It offers specialized financial derivatives, expert asset management services, and safe crypto trading to its users. The platform holds over 9 million users from more than 210 regions across the world. LBank is a cutting-edge growing platform that ensures the integrity of users' funds and aims to contribute to the global adoption of cryptocurrencies. Start Trading Now: lbank.com Community & Social Media: l Telegram l Twitter l Facebook l LinkedIn l Instagram l YouTube Press contact: press@lbank.com Business Contact: LBK Blockchain Co. Limited LBank Exchange marketing@lbank.com business@lbank.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/201404 SOURCE: LBank Unifying Brands Highlights Extensive Offerings Kymanox Provides to the Life Science Community, Supporting Innovative Products Reaching the Patient. Morrisville, North Carolina USA" March 12, 2024("Kymanox"), a professional services company exclusively serving the life sciences industry, announced today that the company will consolidate the brands of four recently acquired companies into the Kymanox brand. These companies include Neuma, based in King of Prussia, PA, Agilis Consulting Group, based in Cincinnati, OH, and Europe-based Anteris Helvetia and Anteris Medical. This consolidation effort will provide clearer communication of the extensive offerings and solutions provided by Kymanox, thus fostering the team's ability to meet the complex needs of clients while continuing to provide trusted solutions. Kymanox acquired Neuma (formerly Neuma, LLC) in July 2021 in order to expand and diversify its highly specialized service offerings to include product design and development, sterilization process development, device assembly, and device testing that has been leveraged by some of the world's largest life science companies developing medical devices and combination products. The company acquired Europe-based Anteris Medical and Anteris Helvetia in February 2023 to help both companies realize their shared corporate goal of geographical expansion of their common development and commercialization support for combination products, biosimilars, medical devices, and in vitro diagnostic products. Kymanox acquired Agilis Consulting Group, a trusted human factors partner for the global medical market, in March 2023 to leverage the company's extensive usability engineering and human factors study support to ensure successful FDA, EMA, and other regulatory submissions. "We are excited to consolidate these amazing companies into one brand to facilitate the rapid response our customers need in today's complex business environment," commented Matt Neighoff, Chief Commercial Officer at Kymanox. "With the creation of a new Product Design, Development, and Commercialization group, as well as the reach of Kymanox Europe and the Kymanox Human Factors groups, Kymanox will continue to offer best-in-class services to our clients." In order to continue the growth fueled by these acquisitions, this brand consolidation will be fully implemented in Q2 2024. Legal entity names and contracts will not be affected. A unified brand will enable the company to foster seamless collaboration among teams, enhancing agility, efficiency, and knowledge to better serve our clients in the accelerated development and delivery of modern medicines. To enable a smooth transition, Nicholas (Nick) Ciccarelli, PE, former President at NEUMA, joins leadership at Kymanox as Chief Technology Officer, leading the Product Design, Development, and Commercialization group, Alexis Dechelette, PhD, former Vice President at NEUMA, now serves as Director of the Design and Innovation group, Shaun Devitt, CISS, former Vice President at Neuma, now serves as Director of the Sterilization Technology group, Michael Gschwandtner, PhD, RAC, former Managing Director at Anteris, now serves as Director of Kymanox Europe, and Shannon Hoste, formerly President of Agilis, now serves as Vice President of Human Factors Engineering. "Over the last 20 years, we have been steadfast in our goal to partner with biologic, pharmaceutical, combination product, and medical device manufacturers to bring their products from bench to patient better, more efficiently and more affordably," said Stephen M. Perry, CEO. "This consolidation reflects our company's evolution as we prepare for increased global growth, continued support of biopharma and medical device companies, and deployment of innovative solutions." About Kymanox: Kymanox has proven, collaborative, end-to-end solutions that help bring life science products to the market - and keep them there. They are a global professional services organization that supports comprehensive drug development through the integration of science, engineering, compliance. Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - President Joe Biden's FY 2025 Budget Request includes $1.5 billion to support Ukriane in countering the Kremlin's aggression. The $482 million requested for Ukraine, along with the National Security Supplemental Request, will assist with Ukraine's economic recovery, bolster Ukraine's resilience and ability to defend itself against Russia's full-scale invasion, and ensure progress toward reforms needed for Ukraine's EU accession, the State Department said. Out of FY 2025 Request for Ukrain, $250 million has been earmarked for economic and development assistance to support reforms in Ukraine, civil society, rule of law, and election integrity. $95 million will be spent in security-sector assistance for FMF for immediate and medium-term capabilities to help Ukraine win the war against Russian aggression. $71 million goes to health programs. $66 million has been earmarked for other security assistance activities such as supporting civilian security, rule of law, and for demining and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. EQS-News: Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company / Key word(s): Agreement Mumtalakat Launches New Digital Solutions Provider "ARRAY" 12.03.2024 / 18:00 CET/CEST The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Mumtalakat Launches New Digital Solutions Provider "ARRAY" Creating 1000 jobs and boosting Bahraini expertise to match the dynamic needs of the digital economy Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain 12, March 2024 : Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company ( Mumtalakat ), the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Bahrain, signed an agreement to launch ARRAY Innovation (ARRAY), a new digital solutions provider with the support of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB). Mumtalakat Attending the signing were His Excellency Shaikh Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive Officer of Mumtalakat of Mumtalakat, and Alaa Saeed, Co-Founder of ARRAY, a former Citi Managing Director and Crown Prince's International Scholarship Program Alumni. Bridging the gap between global digital innovation opportunities and local Bahraini talent, ARRAY will harness cutting-edge technologies integrating generative AI and Cloud capabilities to deliver premium digital solutions including consultancy services, professional and managed IT services, and turnkey resourcing solutions to a diverse range of businesses in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the region and globally. ARRAY is committed to spearheading digital innovation, generating social impact, and enhancing Bahrain's position as a regional technology leader by providing specialised digital expertise to businesses and communities, fostering the development of local talent, and shaping a future where progress paves the way for positive change. Commenting on the announcement, H.E. Shaikh Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, CEO of Mumtalakat, said: "In line with our ongoing efforts to optimise and diversify our portfolio and create an impact, we are pleased to launch ARRAY which will enhance Bahrain's position as a global technology service provider in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 that aims to diversify the national economy and create high skilled job opportunities for Bahrainis." "ARRAY will provide at least 1,000 highly skilled jobs for Bahrainis, addressing the needs and serving a clientele of financial institutions, multinational corporations, and governments," H.E. Shaikh Abdulla added. Her Excellency Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development and Chief Executive of Bahrain Economic Development Board, said: "The financial services and technology industry is advancing rapidly and therefore it is vital to continue to future-proof Bahrain's young, bi-lingual, tech-savvy talent pool with in-demand niche skills and international training opportunities to maintain Bahrain's position as a leading destination for investment on a global playing field." "ARRAY choosing Bahrain to build a distinguished, global client base speaks volumes to the unique value proposition of our island nation, where companies benefit from competitive operating costs, progressive government frameworks, and the agility of Team Bahrain," H.E. the Minister of Sustainable Development and Chief Executive of Bahrain Economic Development Board added. Alaa Saeed, Co-Founder of ARRAY, stated, "Our decision to establish our global headquarters in Bahrain was driven by the region's exceptional talent pool, supported by a strong partnership with Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company and Bahrain Economic Development Board. We are confident in our ability to swiftly expand and deliver high-quality IT consultancy and services from our tech hub in Bahrain to meet global demand, contributing to the evolution of a thriving national ICT sector." "At ARRAY, we strive to foster a dynamic work culture and environment, and we invite top software engineers to join us in leveraging cutting-edge AI and cloud computing for transformative outcomes. We are committed to collaborating with clients to achieve their long-term objectives through smart resourcing and the knowledge of our seasoned technology specialists," Mr Saeed added. The launch of ARRAY is a testament of Mumtalakat's commitment to investing in Bahrain for Bahrain, as it will facilitate the development of highly competent employment prospects in the Kingdom by training and enabling local talent to actively engage in the digital innovation sector. - Ends - About Mumtalakat: Mumtalakat is the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Bahrain. With a mandate to grow the wealth of Bahrain through long-term investments based on sound financial, strategic and governance principles, Mumtalakat holds stakes in over 50 commercial enterprises with a portfolio spanning a variety of sectors, including industrial manufacturing, financial services, telecommunications, real estate, logistics, consumer products, healthcare and education. Further details on Mumtalakat can be found at www.mumtalakat.bh For more information, please contact: Jenan Almaskati Director - Communications & External Affairs Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company e-mail: communications@mumtalakat.bh Phone: +973 17 561111 12.03.2024 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.eqs-news.com Jordan Parker is a breaking news reporter for The San Francisco Chronicle. He graduated from Sacramento State University in May 2022 with a degree in journalism. During his time there, he spent three years as a reporter and editor for the university's award-winning student newspaper, The State Hornet. He spent his senior year of college serving as The Hornet's first Black editor in chief, leading the organization to two Pacemaker awards and several other national honors from the Associated Collegiate Press. When he's not chasing down a story, he likes watching movies, traveling and trying new restaurants. He can be reached at Jordan.Parker@sfchronicle.com. CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / March 12, 2024 / Local Canadian finance firm Dynamic Capital Equipment Finance (Dynamic Capital) is pleased to have facilitated funding for client LaPrairie Works Inc. (LaPrairie Works), leader in highway and bridge maintenance and civil construction, in its acquisition of Carwald Redi-Mix's (Carwald) concrete and aggregate operations in Slave Lake and Wabasca, Alberta. LaPrairie Works is a Canadian, family-owned company that provides highway and bridge maintenance and civil construction services across Alberta. It is a member of LaPrairie Group of Companies that provides full-service crane and rigging, heavy hauling, highway and bridge maintenance, civil construction, fleet maintenance, and industrial mineral mining and distribution services to customers across Western Canada and Northeastern USA. With the recent acquisition, Carwald's high-quality ready-mix concrete, asphalt concrete pavement (ACP), and aggregate products will now be available to customers through a new division of LaPrairie Works. "We are very pleased to have Carwald, one of Alberta's premier concrete and aggregate suppliers, join the LaPrairie Works team," said Kelly McManus, President of Transportation & Highway Operations of LaPrairie Works. "In the highway maintenance and civil construction industries, concrete, ACP, and aggregate products are frequently used. With this acquisition, we will now be able to source these products for our own operations in-house while continuing to supply loyal Carwald customers with the quality products and excellent customer service they are accustomed to." Dynamic Capital was thrilled to fund a portion of this exciting deal for its long-time client LaPrairie Works. Experts in the equipment finance industry, Dynamic Capital's team of professionals is committed to providing the best possible customer experience in the industry. "We really appreciate the support that LaPrairie Works has provided to our privately held Canadian business over the years," exclaims Dustin White, CEO of Dynamic Capital. "We are passionate about supporting Canadian entrepreneurs and look forward to working with the LaPrairie Works team on future opportunities that lie ahead." With an in-house Structured Deal team managing these larger projects to ensure that clients get the best possible experience, Dynamic Capital can engage with professionals quickly and set itself apart from the rest. "The folks at Dynamic Capital, who we have worked with on other transactions, were uniquely responsive to assisting us with the equipment acquisition," said Jim Feragen, Chief Financial Officer, LaPrairie Group of Companies. "We appreciate the support of our lenders in facilitating this acquisition." Since inception, Dynamic has grown from a small equipment finance brokerage into one of the largest independent, Canadian owned and operated equipment finance companies in Canada. Supporting Canadian entrepreneurs operating in heavy industries such as Construction, Aggregates, Concrete, Logging, Manufacturing, Energy, Transportation, Mining, Waste Management, and Utilities, Dynamic has recently grown to specialize in Merger and Acquisition financing to support the acquisition of another business. Committed to putting capital to work for Canadian entrepreneurs, Dynamic Capital's ideas, advice and solutions are designed to help its clients achieve both their short- and long-term goals and are thrilled to have been able to assist LaPrairie Works in this transaction. If you are interested in exploring funding solutions for your business or your clients, or if you are wanting to join this exciting, growing company, visit www.dynamiccapital.ca. Contact Dynamic Capital Equipment Finance w. www.dynamiccapital.ca | e. customerservice@dynamiccapital.ca Contact LaPrairie Works Inc. w. laprairiegroup.com/works/carwald | e. communications@laprairiegroup.com Contact Information: Dustin White CEO dwhite@dynamiccapital.ca SOURCE: Dynamic Capital Equipment Finance View the original press release on newswire.com. -Following positive pre-submission meetings with regulators, Prilenia plans to submit its MAA for pridopidine in Huntington's disease (HD) in mid-2024- -If approved, pridopidine could be commercially available to patients in Europe as early as 2025- Prilenia Therapeutics B.V., a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the urgent mission to develop novel therapeutics to slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases and neurodevelopmental disorders, announced its plan to submit a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for pridopidine for the treatment of Huntington's disease (HD) to the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP). This decision follows positive pre-submission meetings with regulatory authorities in the European Union. Submission is planned for mid-2024. "Pridopidine demonstrates consistent treatment benefits across independent measures that are important to patients and families. These measures include day-to-day function, cognition, motor and clinical progression in people living with HD. The benefits are clearly evident in those with HD who are not taking anti-dopaminergic medications (ADM)," said Dr. Michael R. Hayden, CEO of Prilenia. "We appreciate the constructive discussions with European regulators regarding our data for pridopidine. This provides a pathway to potential approval of a therapy for HD, a rare neurodegenerative disease with a predictable decline, and no currently approved treatments that address progression. We are now finalizing our MAA submission for mid-2024 and preparing to make pridopidine commercially available for patients in Europe, if approved." ADMs include neuroleptics (also known as antipsychotics) and VMAT2 inhibitor (anti-chorea) drugs. Prilenia intends to discuss with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a potential path forward for pridopidine as a possible treatment for those living with HD in the United States. The Company will also consider global regulatory submissions for additional countries and regions following the regulatory review process in Europe. In addition to the progress in HD, Prilenia announced in January 2024 that it had completed discussions with global regulatory agencies regarding the next stage of development of pridopidine for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and is planning for a single pivotal Phase 3 study. About Pridopidine Pridopidine (45 mg twice daily) is an oral, highly selective and potent investigational S1R agonist that has exhibited a safety and tolerability profile similar to placebo in clinical studies to date. The safety dataset includes approximately 1,700 patients who have been on pridopidine for up to seven years. The S1R protein is highly expressed in the brain and spinal cord, where it regulates several key processes that are commonly impaired in various neurodegenerative diseases. Activation of the S1R by pridopidine stimulates multiple cellular protective pathways including enhancing autophagy, axonal transport, mitochondrial energy production and respiration, and restores calcium homeostasis. These effects are essential to neuronal function and survival, and lead to neuroprotective effects. Prilenia holds Orphan Drug designation for pridopidine in HD and ALS in the U.S. and EU. In addition, pridopidine has received Fast Track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of HD. About Huntington's disease Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare inherited (genetic) neurodegenerative disorder caused by a mutation in the huntingtin gene. Each child of a parent with HD has a 50 percent chance of developing the disease. HD causes neurons in the brain to degenerate and lose their ability to communicate with each other, resulting in functional, motor, cognitive and behavioral symptoms. HD affects about 100,000 people around the world with an additional 300,000 people at risk of developing HD. It is usually diagnosed between the ages of 30 and 50, although HD can also occur at any age including children and young adults (known as juvenile onset HD or JHD). The disease progresses slowly over 15 to 20 years, with patients slowly losing their ability to work, communicate, manage day to day life and take care of themselves. Currently, there is no treatment to address the progression of HD. About PROOF-HD PROOF-HD, a Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, evaluated the safety and efficacy of pridopidine (45 mg twice daily for 65-78 weeks), in individuals with HD (NCT04556656). The study enrolled 499 individuals and was conducted in the U.S., Canada, Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom. Pridopidine (45 mg bid) has shown consistent and sustained benefit on multiple, independent, clinically meaningful measures in HD participants not taking ADMs. These benefits were seen across multiple clinical endpoints that matter to people with HD and their families (function, cognition, motor, global disease progression and quality of life). In pre-specified analyses, there were improvements compared to placebo across progression, motor, cognition and HD QoL (as measured by TFC, cUHDRS, SWR, Q-Motor, HDQoL). These treatment benefits were sustained for up to 78 weeks at all time points. There was also unprecedented improvement from baseline for a minimum of 1 year in cUHDRS, cognition and motor function (Q-Motor). These PROOF-HD results are further supported by an independent integrated efficacy analysis from a 4 placebo-controlled, double-blind studies of pridopidine in HD which showed significance for cUHDRS, TFC and Q-Motor in patients off ADMs. In clinical studies to date, pridopidine's safety and tolerability profile was comparable to placebo. The PROOF-HD study was conducted in collaboration with the Huntington Study Group (HSG), a world leader in clinical research for HD and valued collaborator for Prilenia. About Prilenia Prilenia is a clinical stage biotechnology company founded in 2018 focused on the urgent mission to develop novel therapeutics to slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases and neurodevelopmental disorders. The initial focus of the company has been on HD and ALS. Prilenia is backed by a group of well-respected investors including: Forbion, Morningside, Sands Capital, SV Health Investors, Sectoral Asset Management, Talisman, Amplitude Ventures and the ALS Investment Fund. The Company is based in the Netherlands, Israel and Massachusetts in the U.S. For more information, visit www.prilenia.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. 2024 Prilenia Therapeutics B.V. For a copy of this release, visit Prilenia's website at www.prilenia.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240311060274/en/ Contacts: Prilenia Communications Team info@prilenia.com SINGAPORE, Mar 13, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - GDA Capital, a global leader in digital asset and blockchain technology investments and capital markets advisory, is excited to announce the acquisition of Omni3, a digital asset and disruptive technology advisory firm based in Singapore. This strategic move marks a significant milestone for GDA Capital as it extends its global footprint into the vibrant Asian market, with a dedicated commitment to establishing a full-time presence in Singapore.Nicholas Seah, the esteemed founder of Omni3, will be joining the GDA Capital team as the Gaming Lead, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. Nicholas's impressive track record includes a notable tenure at Temasek, the Singaporean sovereign fund with $400B+ in AUM, and Blockchain Founders Fund, a leading venture capital firm in the blockchain space. His deep understanding of the Asian markets and extensive network will be instrumental in steering GDA Capital's strategic direction and growth in the region.The acquisition of Omni3 underscores GDA Capital's commitment to investing in high-potential markets and sectors, particularly in the gaming and blockchain industries. Nicholas Seah's leadership role as the Gaming Lead highlights the company's focus on innovative technologies and its ambition to become a dominant player in the digital asset space globally."We are thrilled to welcome Nicholas and the Omni3 team to GDA Capital. This acquisition is a pivotal step towards our expansion in Asia and strengthens our capabilities in the capital markets advisory domain," said Michael Gord, CEO of GDA Capital. "Nicholas's extensive experience and remarkable track record in both the financial and blockchain sectors will be invaluable as we embark on this exciting new chapter in Singapore."As part of the acquisition, GDA Capital is making a significant investment in establishing a robust full-time presence in Singapore, emphasizing its commitment to becoming a key player in the region's thriving digital economy. The new office in Singapore will serve as a central hub for GDA Capital's operations in Asia, focusing on capital markets advisory, blockchain technology, and the burgeoning gaming sector under Nicholas's leadership.Nicholas commented, "Joining GDA Capital is a remarkable opportunity to contribute to the company's growth and to drive the blockchain and gaming industries forward in Asia and beyond. I am excited to lead our expansion in Singapore, leveraging my experience and network to build a strong foundation for GDA Capital in this dynamic market."The acquisition of Omni3 and the establishment of a Singapore office are just the beginning of GDA Capital's ambitious plans for the region. With a strategic focus on innovation, technology, and market expansion, GDA Capital is well-positioned to capitalize on the rapidly growing demand for digital asset and blockchain solutions in Asia and around the world.About GDA CapitalGDA Capital is a leading global digital asset and blockchain technology investment firm. With a diverse portfolio of investments across various sectors, GDA Capital is committed to driving innovation and providing strategic advisory services to businesses worldwide.About Omni3Omni3 is a capital markets advisory firm based in Singapore, specializing in providing strategic guidance and solutions to businesses in the digital asset and blockchain sectors. Founded by Nicholas Seah, the firm has established itself as a trusted advisor in the Asian market.For media inquiries, please contact:Zephyr@platodata.ioSource: GDA CapitalCopyright 2024 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. EQS Newswire / 12/03/2024 / 17:15 CET/CEST MEISHAN, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire - 12 March 2024 - In March 2024, an unprecedented visual feast will take place inside the Kennedy Center in DC and David H. Koch Theater in New York City's Lincoln Center. There will be eight shows of the modern musical Dongpo: Life in Poems, a joint effort between the China Oriental Performing Arts Group Co., Ltd. and the MeiShan Song and Dance Theatre in this round of debut in the U.S. Using unique perspectives and innovative forms of expression, the production aims to showcase to the world the profundity and charms of traditional Chinese culture. Modern Musical Dongpo: Life in Poems The creative core of Dongpo: Life in Poems revolves around the story of venerated luminary Su Shi (1037-1101). Also known by the name Su Dongpo, not only was he the pride of Meizhou (present-day Meishan of Sichuan Province), but also one of the most respected and accomplished writers and poets in Chinese history. Known for his positive and liberal spirit, and unwavering mentality, Su Dongpo became the only Chinese on the list of "Heroes of the Millennium" published by France's Le Monde. Incorporating a diverse range of art forms from modern choreography and guqin music, to poetry, calligraphy, painting and carving, this production fully presents the inner world and emotions of Su Dongpo. Stage photo of Dongpo: Life in Poems Internationally recognized producer, director, choreographer, painter and visual artist Shen Wei takes the helm on this production in multiple roles. He cleverly melds the words from 12 of Su Dongpo's poems and proses into every dance movement and musical note, presenting an artistic dialogue that transcends time and space. After 20 months of meticulous polishing and 19 modifications, the final outcome has received critical acclaim. Shen Wei remarked: "The creative process of Dongpo: Life in Poems was an in-depth exploration of ancient culture, and at the same time an innovative experiment in using modern artistic methods to reiterate traditional Chinese culture." Stage photo of Dongpo: Life in Poems The stagecraft of Dongpo: Life in Poems is breathtaking. Rather than directly showing Su Dongpo's personal life, the goal is to rely on artistic sophistication to foster a poetic ambience where "Dongpo can't be seen but Dongpo is everywhere." This kind of artistic expression that fuses traditional and contemporary elements, the East and the West, will bring to the American audience an artistic experience unlike any other. The picture shows the Meishan Sansu Temple (meaning three Sus), which is the former residence of the famous literary masters, Su Xun and his two sons, Su Shi and Su Zhe of the Northern Song Dynasty in China. The temple houses tens of thousands of cultural relics and documents and was rated as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2018, making it one of the best places to experience traditional Chinese culture Furthermore, the production also represents a gathering of some of the top artists from both China and overseas. Other than Shen Wei, the team includes the likes of renowned Chinese-French composer Chen Qigang, national grade I scriptwriter Guo Changhong, lighting designer for the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games Xiao Lihe, and Deputy Director of the China Calligraphy Institute Yang Tao, among other heavyweights. Their expertise and experience have furnished this production with choreography, music, scripting, lighting and calligraphy of remarkable quality. This round of debut in the U.S. has received tremendous support from the "Image China" brand. Since inception in 2009, "Image China" has been responsible for a large number of Chinese performances that have garnered widespread acclaim. This round of Dongpo: Life in Poems shows in the U.S. will be undertaken in cooperation with the American Dance Festival, and present to the American audience a modern musical masterpiece featuring Chinese aesthetics. As the debut performances draw near, the Kennedy Center in DC and David H. Koch Theater in New York City's Lincoln Center are making final preparations. No doubt the audiences have a lot to look forward to, and they expect to savor the charms and colors of traditional Chinese culture on stage. It has been known that Dongpo: Life in Poems will also tour in France and the Hong Kong and Macao regions in 2024. As the birthplace of Su Dongpo, the city of Meishan will also capitalize on the opportunities of these tours by using both online and on-site methods to introduce to the world the city's wonderful array of cultural resources, ecology, sceneries, gastronomy and intangible cultural heritages. Hashtag: Musical The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. News Source: Media OutReach 12/03/2024 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Media archive at www.todayir.com Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 12, 2024) - The Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE" or "the Exchange") today welcomed the listing of Golden Rapture Mining Corporation. The company's common shares began trading on the CSE earlier today under the symbol GLDR. Golden Rapture, based in Edmonton, is primarily focused on advancing the Phillips Township gold property, which is located near Nestor Falls in Northwestern Ontario. The property is in close proximity to the Rainy River gold mine and other significant discoveries. The company has an option agreement to acquire a 100% stake in the property. "With gold prices at all-time highs, this is an exciting time to be advancing early-stage precious metal properties," said James Black, the CSE's Vice President, Listings Development. "We are delighted to add Golden Rapture, which joins a very strong cohort of junior gold exploration firms on the CSE." About the Canadian Securities Exchange: The Canadian Securities Exchange is a rapidly growing exchange invested in working with entrepreneurs, innovators and disruptors to access public capital markets in Canada. The Exchange's efficient operating model, advanced technology and competitive fee structure help its listed issuers of all sectors and sizes minimize their cost of capital and enhance global liquidity. Our client-centric approach and corresponding products and services ensure businesses have the support they need to confidently realize their vision. The CSE offers global investors access to an innovative collection of growing and mature companies. STAY CONNECTED WITH THE CSE ============================= Website: https://thecse.com/ Blog: https://blog.thecse.com/ CSE TV on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/csetv CSE's "The Exchange for Entrepreneurs" Podcast: https://blog.thecse.com/category/cse-podcast/ Linkedin: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/canadian-securities-exchange Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSE_News Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canadianexchange/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CanadianSecuritiesExchange/ Contact: Richard Carleton, CEO 416-367-7360 richard.carleton@thecse.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/201428 SOURCE: Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) Chicago, Illinois--(Newsfile Corp. - March 12, 2024) - The countdown to The Future of Insurance USA 2024 is on - May 15-16 is coming around fast. If this event is not on your radar, it needs to be ASAP as both time and tickets are running out. Get registration sorted this week and save $400 on ticket prices - you'll be joining 100s of carriers in the Windy City. Just last week we received bookings from Allianz, Liberty Mutual, Intact, Horace Mann, Kin Insurance, State Farm, Prudential, Fremont Insurance, USAA, Pacific Specialty, Openly, United Educators & many more. Register now with your $400 discount - use code SAVE400 (code expires Friday, March 15th) For 2 action-packed days, we'll gather 500+ strategic leaders AND technology innovators to ensure all key players are involved in the conversations that will shape the future of insurance. Now, I can sense what you're thinking - why should I prioritize this event? Let me give you a few extra details AI is the biggest buzzword of 2024 - but without a strategic roadmap, it's just empty hype. All stakeholders must be aligned for it to have a meaningful impact. United conversations with technology experts, strategic leaders, and industry regulators at FOIUSA will give you a framework to capitalize on this unprecedented opportunity. New perspectives, influential innovators, invaluable connections: 75% of our speakers are brand-new for 2024 and combined with the seniority and relevance of our audience - you'll want to meet everyone in the room. This has always been our USP and continues to be the most important and recurring feedback we receive from our community. Written in collaboration with your peers, our detailed agenda exists to equip carriers with the competitive insights and tangible case studies you need to navigate current headwinds and drive your team forwards - not just an update on the latest insurtech. Quality over quantity: No hiding behind a huge attendee list - we're focused on bringing together an audience of insurance carriers, e.g. Allstate, Travelers, AXA XL, Northwestern Mutual, CNA, Principal Financial, RLI Insurance, FM Global, Erie Insurance, Highmark Health, Group 1001, The Hanover, New York Life, The Hartford, Kin Insurance & many more. Okay, now for the fun side - break down the corporate atmosphere and create genuine connections with fellow attendees at our offsite networking party, through interactive workshops, and during conference lunches. Book here before EOD Friday, March 15th with code SAVE400 for $400 off If you have any questions or need further info, let me know. We have limited availability remaining on our Basic and Business passes so it's important to make a call on this quickly. Contact Information Alexandra Wilson Senior Project Director, Insurance T: + 44 (0) 20 7513 4979 E: alexandra.wilson@thomsonreuters.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/201425 SOURCE: Reuters Events BH Macro Limited - Transaction in Own Shares PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, March 12 BH Macro Limited (the "Company") (a closed-ended collective investment scheme established as a company with limited liability under the laws of Guernsey with registered number 46235) Transaction in Own Shares 12 March 2024 BH Macro Limited (the Company) announces today it has purchased the following number of its ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange from J.P. Morgan Securities plc: Ordinary Shares: - Share Class Sterling Date of purchase: 12 March 2024 Number of ordinary shares purchased: 150,000 Lowest price per share 330 Highest price per share 334.5 Trading venue LSE Aggregate volume per date per trading venue: 150,000 Weighted average price per day per trading venue: 333.1000 The Company intends to hold the purchased shares in treasury. Following the above share transactions of the relevant US Dollar and Sterling Shares, the total number of shares in issue in each share class of the Company will be as follows: Ordinary Shares in issue (excluding Treasury) Ordinary Shares held in Treasury 363,508,958 Sterling Shares 10,098,581 Sterling Shares 29,759,638 Dollar Shares Nil Dollar Shares From 12 March 2024, the total number of voting rights in the Company (rounded up to the whole number) is 557,356,858. Enquiries: Company website: www.bhmacro.com William Simmonds JPMorgan Cazenove Tel: 020 7588 2828 The Company Secretary Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited Tel: 01481 745001 ELKINS PARK, PA / ACCESSWIRE / March 12, 2024 / CETRA recently announced the launch of its CETRA Translate app to support multilingual e-discovery within the Relativity legal platform. This latest translation technology builds on CETRA's more than 25 years of experience and expertise in the legal industry. CETRA Translate app logo The CETRA Translate app provides translation for multilingual e-discovery. CETRA Translate plugs into both Relativity One and the Relativity Server environments. The CETRA app allows legal teams to translate more than 130 foreign languages into English without leaving their own Relativity platform. CETRA Translate is included in the official Relativity App Hub. The CETRA Translate app is designed to provide law firms and corporate counsel with a user-friendly and cost-efficient tool to support multilingual e-discovery and international litigation. It offers speed, accuracy, and cost-efficiency. "Our latest language technology is designed for multilingual e-discovery and litigation support for U.S.-based legal teams," said Jiri Stejskal, CETRA's CEO. "CETRA was founded in 1997 to support the e-discovery process of a Philadelphia-based law firm. The CETRA Translate app is our newest offering to support the work of the legal sector." The app automatically identifies the foreign language of documents within the Relativity platform and supports the most common file types for e-discovery, including Microsoft Office documents, e-mails, PDFs, text files, and other file formats. Clients using the CETRA Translate app can select tiers of translation support according to their needs, including raw machine translation, post-edited machine translation, and publication-ready translation. "The CETRA Translate app leverages the speed and efficiency of AI-powered machine translation, backed up with the responsiveness, personalized customer service, and expertise of our project managers and translators," said Stejskal. "The combination of CETRA's latest technology and our professional human experts with legal translation experience gives clients peace of mind in their multilingual litigation." Potential customers looking for more information or would like a free demonstration of the CETRA Translate app, please contact Anukware Adzima at info@cetra.com. Media inquiries can contact Angela Wende at angela.wende@cetra.com. About CETRA Language Solutions CETRA provides language services to businesses, government agencies and institutions around the world in more than 300 languages. Its global network of more than 5,000 professional linguists, and its dedicated staff in Pennsylvania, California, Ireland, and Germany provides professional and responsive service that saves clients time, simplifies the process, and makes working with CETRA a pleasure. CETRA is ISO 9001:2015 certified for quality management. Contact Information Angela Wende Chief Marketing Officer angela.wende@cetra.com 215-635-7090 x9090 SOURCE: CETRA Language Solutions View the original press release on newswire.com. The Bay Bridge is seen from Piers 30-32 in San Francisco on Thursday. Many people are living further and further away from their S.F. offices. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle The rise of work-from-home has had a huge secondary effect. People are living increasingly far from their employers office. And thats particularly true of high-income, millennial tech workers, according to a new study. The study, led by researchers at Stanford University and the Mexico Autonomous Institute of Technology, found that the average distance between workers homes and their jobs nearly tripled over the last four years, from 10 miles in 2019 to 27 miles in 2023. The share of workers who live over 50 miles from their employers also increased sharply, from 1% in 2019 to over 5% in 2023. The data used in the study comes from Gusto, a payroll and HR services provider, and includes about 6,000 small to midsize employers across the U.S. According to Nicholas Bloom, one of the Stanford economists who authored the study, that national trend is probably on steroids in the Bay Area because tech and finance workers are especially likely to live far from the office. Census Bureau data on where San Francisco-based workers lived in 2021 compared with 2019 backs him up. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The census data shows that S.F. workers were much more likely to live in places like Emeryville, Berkeley, Dublin and Fremont in 2021 than 2019 (data is not yet available for more recent years). Some even farther-flung localities, including Vacaville and Manteca, also took in more San Francisco workers. If they make the journey, people in these locales face a 50- or 70- mile commute to their city offices. Within San Francisco, the data shows local workers left almost every part of the city, which was part of a larger decline in the citys population during the height of the pandemic. Residential strongholds like the Richmond and Sunset neighborhoods were affected just as much as Nob Hill, Hayes Valley and other central areas. The only exceptions were some parts of South Beach and Mid-Market, which were among the fastest-growing parts of the city over the last decade. The steadily increasing distance between employees and employers in the U.S. is driven by workers hired after March 2020, the Stanford-Gusto study found. In May 2020, after most pandemic lockdowns were put in place, new hires lived 26 miles from their employer on average. By the end of 2023, that distance had expanded to 35 miles on average. The data includes people who live hundreds of miles away from their employers and likely never make the commute. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The highest-income employees also tend to live particularly far from their place of work. Employees making $250,000 or more live over 40 miles away from their workplaces on average, more than twice the 18 average miles separating workers making less than $50,000 from their jobs. The data shows that people with jobs in tech and finance, industries where people are unusually likely to work remotely, now live well over 70 miles from their employers on average. But before 2020, these tech and finance workers lived about 10 miles from work on average, the same as other industries. Jobs that cant be done remotely, including food service, construction and health care, have seen almost no change over the same time period. An employees stage of life also influences how close they live to their employers. Workers in their 30s, the age when many are moving to the suburbs and starting families, now live furthest from work, over 30 miles on average. Employees aged 50-64 live less than 25 miles from their jobs on average. BOARD NOMINATIONS TO BE PROPOSED TO THE SHAREHOLDERS' MEETING Rexel's Board of Directors has unanimously decided on the recommendation of the Nomination, Governance and CSR Committee, to propose to the Annual General Meeting of April 30th, 2024 the appointment of Eric Labaye and Catherine Vandenborre as new independent members of the Board of Directors for a four year term, as well as the renewal of Brigitte Cantaloube's term of office as Director. Francois Henrot has also informed the Board of his resignation from his directorship following the April 30th, 2024 Annual General Meeting. Agnes Touraine, Chairwoman of Rexel's Board of Directors, said: "Francois Henrot has played a key role on Rexel's Board of Directors, notably as Senior Independent Director. I would like to thank him warmly for his advice, his loyalty and his many contributions over the years. And I am delighted to welcome Eric Labaye and Catherine Vandenborre. The Board of Directors had recently identified complementary needs in terms of expertise, which guided our choices. Eric will bring to the Board his expertise in the fields of strategy and innovation. As for Catherine, she will provide Rexel with her knowledge of the electricity sector, as well as her expertise in finance. I wish them both much pleasure in contributing to Rexel's development as members of our Board." Biographies: Eric Labaye has been since 2023 Chairman and co-Founder of IDEL Partners, a consulting firm specialized in business transformation. From 2018 to 2023, Eric Labaye was Chairman and (executive) President of Ecole Polytechnique, as well as of Institut Polytechnique de Paris since its creation in 2019. Previously, he was a Senior Partner at McKinsey, which he joined in 1985, serving international companies in the high-tech and industrial sectors. Eric Labaye was Managing Partner of McKinsey's French office, member of the Global Executive Committee in charge of Knowledge and Communication, and Chairman of the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI). He was also a member of McKinsey's Global Board of Directors for 9 years. He is a graduate of Ecole Polytechnique and Telecom Paris and has an MBA from INSEAD. Catherine Vandenborre has been, since September 2023, interim CEO of the Elia Group, an electricity system operator in Belgium and Germany and developer of electricity infrastructure in the US. She has held several management positions within the Group, including Chief Financial Officer. She is also a Director and Chairwoman of Proximus' Audit Committee. Previously she was a member of the Executive Committee of APX-ENDEX, an Anglo-Dutch gas and electricity company based in Amsterdam and CEO of Belpex. She began her career in the auditing sector, where she held the position of auditor at Coopers & Lybrand. She has a graduate degree in Applied Economics from Universite Catholique de Louvain, and a diploma in tax law and financial risk management. She attended the Executive Programs of INSEAD and Singularity University. ABOUT REXEL GROUP Rexel, worldwide expert in the multichannel professional distribution of products and services for the energy world, addresses three main markets: residential, commercial, and industrial. The Group supports its residential, commercial, and industrial customers by providing a tailored and scalable range of products and services in energy management for construction, renovation, production, and maintenance. Rexel operates through a network of more than 1,950 branches in 19 countries, with more than 27,000 employees. The Group's sales were 19.2 billion in 2023. Rexel is listed on the Eurolist market of Euronext Paris. CONTACTS FINANCIAL ANALYSTS/INVESTORS Ludovic DEBAILLEUX +33 1 42 85 76 12 ludovic.debailleux@rexel.com PRESSE Brunswick: Thomas KAMM +33 1 53 96 83 92 tkamm@brunswickgroup.com (mailto:tkamm@brunswickgroup.com) Attachment Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Transaction in Own Shares PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, March 12 For immediate release 12 March 2024 FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC (the "Company") MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES The Company announces that it has today purchased 176,740 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 855.85 pence per Ordinary Share. Such shares will be held in treasury by the Company. The transaction was made pursuant to the authority granted at the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 23 January 2024. Following this transaction, the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury is 35,098,591; the total number of Ordinary Shares that the Company has in issue, less the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury following such purchase, and therefore, the total number of voting rights in the Company is 189,892,712. The figure of 189,892,712 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for calculations of interests in the Company's voting rights in accordance with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules. For and on behalf of Frostrow Capital LLP Company Secretary For further information, please contact: Victoria Hale Frostrow Capital LLP Tel: 020 3 170 8732 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - This year, Equal Pay Day in the U.S. falls on Tuesday, March 12. So what is the significance of the Equal Pay Day? It is a day that was originated by the National Committee on Pay Equity, or NCPE, in 1996 to promote public awareness regarding the gap between men's and women's wages. This is a date that symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. So, women have to work around 14.5 months to make what men earned in 12 months. According to the Census Bureau, full-time working women earned 84 cents for every dollar men earned. The wage gap is 16 percent and is based on the data available from the 2022 Census. However, this falls to 78 cents when women working part-time and part-year are included, the Equal Pay Today Campaign said. This wage gap adds up to $11,450 for a woman over the course of a year, costing all women more than $1.6 trillion in pay each year, according to the National Partnership for Women & Families. 'Women's labor force participation is the highest it has been in decades, and the gender pay gap is the narrowest it has ever been on record,' President Joe Biden said in a proclamation on Monday. 'Yet, despite this progress, the fight for equal pay continues.' 'America cannot have the strongest economy in the world while leaving women - half our workforce - behind,' Biden added. The wage gap was wider for women of color. While the wage gap was 20 percent for white, non-Hispanic women versus white, non-Hispanic men, the wage gap was 31 percent for Black women and 43 percent for Hispanic women. The Department of Labor blamed job segregation for the persistent pay inequities experienced by women in the U.S. A research report by the Labor Department revealed that Black women lost $42.7 billion in wages compared to white men in 2023 and Hispanic women lost $53.3 billion in wages. This was due to the fact that Black and Hispanic women are concentrated disproportionately in jobs that, on average, pay lower wages than those held by white men, the Labor Department said. 'Job segregation results in lower wages for women, especially women of color and their families, and hurts the whole economy,' Women's Bureau Director Wendy Chun-Hoon said. Recent research from the Institute for Women's Policy Research, or IWPR, showed that women earned less than men for full-time work in all 20 of the largest occupations for women and in all of the 20 largest occupations for men. 'At this rate, women will have to wait until 2053 for full pay equity,' IWPR President and CEO Jamila Taylor said. 'Accelerating change will require bold policy shifts to address employment discrimination, support job creation, protect workers, ensure a living wage, and solidify the caregiving supports women need to balance career and family.' The IWPR research showed that among the five jobs with the worst pay inequities were those of financial managers, where women earned only 71 percent of what men earned, and those of retail sales persons, where women earned only 72 percent. For education and childcare administrator jobs, women made 79 percent of what men earned. In administrative assistant jobs, the ratio was 80 percent, and for managers, it was 81 percent. The profession with the smallest gender wage gap was cashier, where women earned 98 percent of what men earn, the IWPR report said. Several efforts are being planned to close the wage gap, including pay transparency policy reforms such as posting pay ranges for different jobs in ads and prohibiting employers from seeking information on salary history from job candidates. The Biden Administration recently announced that it would ban the use of salary history for setting the wages of federal workers and is proposing the same for jobs with federal contractors. Legislation is also in the pipeline to address pay equity and increase wage transparency. These include the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Salary Transparency Act. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Groer Dividenden-Report 2024 von Dr. Dennis Riedl Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl Jetzt hier klicken New grant - delivered by Kyiv School of Economics Institute and Finn Church Aid, in collaboration with the Ukraine Ministry of Education and Science and other key Ukrainian partners - seeks to mobilize additional US$17 million in funding. NEW YORK, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As the conflict in Ukraine stretches into its third year, the Government of Ukraine and Education Cannot Wait (ECW) announced today US$18 million in catalytic grant funding for a new Multi-Year Resilience Programme that will benefit over 150,000 children across ten of Ukraine's most impacted areas. The new catalytic grant builds on ECW's US$6.5 million in previous investments in Ukraine, which have already reached more than 360,000 children and youth - 65% of whom are girls - with quality education support. ECW investments in Ukraine now total US$24.5 million. This new investment benefits from ECW's pooled funding, including 10 million in contributions from Germany. The Government of Japan has also committed an additional US$3 million towards the multi-year investment. The new ECW grant was announced by Ukraine's Minister of Education and Science Oksen Lisovyi and Education Cannot Wait Executive Director Yasmine Sherif at the United Nations in New York. During the launch, Lisovyi and Sherif called on donors to urgently mobilize an additional US$17 million to fully fund the two-year programme. "Today, Ukraine has the desire and resources not only to survive but to develop. That's why we perceive the expenditure on education as an investment in human capital. Building democracy and a strong, resilient state. The role of education here is crucial, so our efforts are currently focused on restoring access to education for every child. I am incredibly grateful to Education Cannot Wait and all the partners for their shared vision and support. Thank you for not only helping Ukraine respond to the challenges of war but also supporting the long-term development of the Ukrainian education system," said Oksen Lisovyi, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine. "The conflict has taken thousands of lives and impacted the education of children and adolescents. By investing in education for girls and boys who have lost so much, we are investing in their hope, their development and their future. We need donors to step up to support Education Cannot Wait and our strategic global partners in delivering on our promise of education for all: our funding gap is just US$600 million. With that, we will have US$1.5 billion in total funding and can reach 20 million children worldwide with quality education support, including for Ukraine," said Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait, global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises within the United Nations. This is the largest humanitarian crisis Europe has experienced in decades. The United Nations has registered significant human, economic and social losses, which have created ripple effects across the globe. Children located in the most intense conflict-affected areas live in fear and often lack basic needs and services, including access to quality learning environments. Hundreds of educational institutions have been damaged or destroyed during the conflict. Recent estimates indicate more than 3,500 education institutions have been damaged, including over 340 destroyed. The government of Ukraine, with support from ECW, donors, UN agencies and other partners, is making efforts to expand online learning and other holistic educational opportunities. Approximately 80% of education is conducted online, but many families - especially families who have been displaced by the conflict - lack access to technology and networks to ensure consistent access to online learning. Recent data indicate that at least 1.5 million internally displaced people are children, about 225,000 of whom are school-aged. About three out of four of these children have witnessed bombing and shelling firsthand. Teachers have been equally impacted, with an estimated 43,000 teachers displaced by the conflict. The two-year investment will be delivered by the Kyiv School of Economics Institute and Finn Church Aid, in collaboration with the Government of Ukraine, and national organizations. To build gender equality and deliver on the Grand Bargain Agreement targets for localization, seven of ten local organizations are led by women and are represented by female experts in the education sector. Along with the 41,000 girls and boys targeted through the investment, at least 150,000 children are expected to indirectly benefit from the investment, especially with renovated schools and learning spaces. The programme will work to ensure safe and accessible physical learning environments, improve learning outcomes by training teachers, expanding digital learning initiatives, and providing alternative education opportunities, and work to ensure gender equity and inclusion. To address the challenges facing the girls and boys who are living through this ongoing conflict, there is also a strong focus on mental health and psychosocial support. Note to Editors About Education Cannot Wait (ECW): Education Cannot Wait (ECW) is the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises. We support quality education outcomes for refugee, internally displaced and other crisis-affected girls and boys, so no one is left behind. ECW works through the multilateral system to both increase the speed of responses in crises and connect immediate relief and longer-term interventions through multi-year programming. ECW works in close partnership with governments, public and private donors, UN agencies, civil society organizations, and other humanitarian and development aid actors to increase efficiencies and end siloed responses. ECW urgently appeals to public and private sector donors for expanded support to reach even more vulnerable children and youth. On X (Twitter), please follow: @EduCannotWait @YasmineSherif1 @KentPage Additional information available at: www.educationcannotwait.org Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2360771/UN_Education_Cannot_Wait.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/government-of-ukraine-and-education-cannot-wait-announce-us18-million-catalytic-grant-and-call-on-donors-to-scale-up-education-funding-for-girls-and-boys-impacted-by-conflict-302087101.html WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC has sent an expert team to Chicago to help the local health officials manage a measles outbreak there. The CDC team plans to assist local health officials in identifying people who are at risk of getting measles and providing clinical guidance as well as vaccination to both adults and kids. They would also arrange vaccination campaigns at several schools, shelters and other community centers. 'The majority of Chicagoans are vaccinated against measles and therefore are not at high risk but we are strongly urging those who aren't vaccinated to do so as soon as possible, new arrivals and all Chicagoans. It is by far the best protection against measles, which for the first time in years is in our city,' Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Olusimbo 'Simbo' Ige stated. He added, 'Because of how contagious measles is, I anticipate seeing more cases. Should you be exposed to someone who has measles, if you are not vaccinated you need to immediately quarantine and call a health provider. If you are not sure of your vaccination status, stay home and call your health provider as soon as possible.' Measles is a contagious disease and can be life-threatening in certain cases. It is spread through air or contact and can cause symptoms like mild to moderate fever, runny nose, cough, and red and watery eyes. Some people even suffer from stomach problems and pneumonia. Last week, the Chicago Department of Public Health announced the first measles case in the area since 2019. However, the patient is recovering well. Later, two more measles cases among children at a migrant shelter in the city's Pilsen neighborhood were reported. The health department stated that one child is doing well, whereas the other one is hospitalized but is in stable condition. The department further found measles cases among adults in the shelter, leading the total number of cases to five. The adults are reportedly recovering well from the disease. The health department along with health officials from Cook County Health, Rush University Medical Center and the University of Illinois-Chicago checked all the residents of the shelter and vaccinated over 900 of them. They are also providing MMR vaccines to the newly arrived migrants. Last month, Florida reported an outbreak of measles, a disease considered to be eliminated from the U.S. in 2000. The CDC report on measles outbreaks revealed that 45 cases were reported as of March this year, compared to a total of 58 cases in last year. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Groer Dividenden-Report 2024 von Dr. Dennis Riedl Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl Jetzt hier klicken WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A New Mexico resident, whose name has not been disclosed, died after contracting bubonic plague, according to a report by the state's health department. 'We extend our deepest sympathy to the family of the Lincoln County man who succumbed to the plague,' said State Public Health Veterinarian Erin Phipps. 'This tragic incident serves as a clear reminder of the threat posed by this ancient disease and emphasizes the need for heightened community awareness and proactive measures to prevent its spread.' The department stated that this was the first case of bubonic plague since 2021 and the first death since 2020. Following the death, the health officials conducted a thorough search in the Lincoln County area to check if any other person had contracted the same disease. Last month, a similar case was confirmed in Oregon, where the person got infected from their house cat. However, early diagnosis and prompt treatment of the patient helped to restrict the disease from spreading to the community. Bubonic plague, mostly seen in Africa and Asia, is a bacterial disease spread to humans through the bites of infected fleas, which often live on small mammals like rats. It also spreads through infected pets. The health department notified that the bubonic plague is characterized by sudden onset of fever, chills, headache, weakness and swelling of lymph nodes in certain cases, which could turn fatal if not treated promptly. The health regulator further informed that the disease symptoms in pet animals include fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, and swelling of lymph nodes under the jaw. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention commented that the increase in the occurrence of plague has been recently detected in the rural areas of the western U.S. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Groer Dividenden-Report 2024 von Dr. Dennis Riedl Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl Jetzt hier klicken Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Air New Zealand has temporarily suspended its flights from Auckland to Chicago for at least seven months due to maintenance requirements on engines. The carrier announced on Tuesday that it would halt its non-stop Auckland to Chicago service starting from March 31. The decision is attributed to challenges related to the availability of serviceable Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines. The airline flies three Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes on the major route. Air New Zealand explained the issue in a statement to the press: 'Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines normally require heavy maintenance, where they are taken off the aircraft and sent to the offshore manufacturer for inspection, after 1000 engine cycles (take-offs and landings). During regular inspections, Air New Zealand engineers identified that the engines required maintenance after 750-850 cycles.' 'Rolls-Royce has been unable to provide Air New Zealand with spare or replacement engines to deliver the level of service needed, leading to a reduction in the amount of flying Air New Zealand can deliver via its 787 fleet.' Although up to three aircraft will be unavailable for an extended period, Air New Zealand plans to maintain its schedule of up to 35 flights weekly to six destinations across the U.S. and Canada. The carrier's fleet, which included 14 Boeing 787 jets, totaled 105 aircraft as of the end of October. Chief customer officer Leanne Geraghty said: 'It's not a decision we've made lightly and we're sorry to make this change so close to the time some customers plan to fly.' Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Arabsat, the leading satellite operator in the Arab world, and Aldoria, a pioneering space situational awareness company, announced at LEAP 2024, the world's most attended tech event (Saudi Arabia), the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on enhancing space safety and security. This MoU is one of the fruitful outcomes of the 1st Space Debris Conference in Saudi Arabia held in Riyadh on February 11-12 and organized by the Saudi Space Agency. The Agency, represented by its Sector Head of Space Services, Eng. Kamal Alharbi, is fostering the development of the space economy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and supports the development of capacity and know-how in space situational awareness for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. Arabsat, a global leader in satellite operations and the foremost provider of satellite services in the Arab world, excels in delivering a comprehensive range of solutions. From full spectrum TV and radio broadcasting to telecommunications, broadband, advanced data transmission networks, and a variety of satellite ecosystem services, Arabsat offers a seamless integration of multi-channel communication services. Additionally, they provide internet services tailored to the needs of government and commercial entities across the MENA region. This MoU sets the stage for expanded collaboration on key strategic initiatives and potential ventures. Under this agreement, Aldoria would provide its advanced space solution to Arabsat and its member countries, enhancing their capabilities in safeguarding space assets. Furthermore, the partnership includes plans for the establishment of one of Aldoria's sensor systems in an Arabsat member country, further strengthening space security measures in the region. "We are particularly enthusiastic about harnessing Aldoria's advanced solution, given their proven track record of providing offerings to renowned satellite operators. This partnership reinforces our capability to uphold service delivery to our customers worldwide." asserted Alhamedi Alanezi, CEO & President of Arabsat. Romain Lucken, CEO of Aldoria added "The leadership shown by Saudi Arabia and the broader MENA region in prioritizing space safety and sustainability is remarkable. We take pride in consistently delivering our services to leading providers globally, affirming the strong market demand and our dedication to supporting industry leaders." Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2360947/Arabsat_1.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/arabsat-and-aldoria-collaborate-on-enhancing-space-safety-and-security-302087159.html WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has reported the first pediatric influenza-related death of the flu season in the state, involving a child infected with flu strain A (H1N1). The death was confirmed on Friday, but the state health department has not commented on the age, county of residence, or vaccination status of the child who passed away in Michigan. However, it is worth noting that nearly 90% of the 103 flu-related pediatric deaths across the country this year were unvaccinated, according to the CDC. Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the chief medical executive, stated 'Each year influenza claims the lives of dozens of children across the United States.' The MDHHS continues to strongly recommend that everyone six months of age and older get a seasonal flu vaccine, as it is the best way to protect yourself and your family from getting sick and reduces illness severity if someone does get the flu. Citing the death of the unidentified child, Dr. Bagdasarian said the state health department 'continues to strongly recommend that everyone six months of age and older get a seasonal flu vaccine.' Dr. Kira Sieplinga, division chief of general pediatrics at the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, highlighted the vulnerability of children to influenza complications, particularly those under 5 years old. Symptoms of the flu include high fever, muscle aches, headaches, stomach cramps, vomiting, and dehydration, which often leads to hospitalization. Severe muscle pains may result in kidney damage, while neurological symptoms like seizures or brain inflammation can occur in some cases. Sieplinga advised seeking medical attention within the first 48 hours of experiencing symptoms like fever, muscle aches, and gastrointestinal issues, urging parents to trust their instincts when observing unusual behavior in their children. Sieplinga encouraged hesitant individuals to seek credible information sources and said, 'The influenza vaccine has been proven to decrease the rates of influenza in communities and also decrease the severity.' Vaccination rates for the flu among children aged 6 months to 17 years are just over 19% this season, down from almost 21% at this time last year, with the state health department attributing the decline to hesitancy post-COVID-19. Given the severity of the flu and the vulnerability of children to its complications, it is important to take necessary precautions to prevent its spread and protect ourselves and our loved ones. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Groer Dividenden-Report 2024 von Dr. Dennis Riedl Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl Jetzt hier klicken NEW YORK, N.Y., March 12, 2024, a five-year $60.5 million investment to accelerate progress on closing the global gender digital divide, announces its first call for applications with recorded remarks from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power. Founded by USAID and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-and first announced by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in Accra, Ghana in March 2023-WiDEF will now begin identifying, funding, and accelerating investment in proven solutions to close the gender digital divide. ?"The gender digital divide hinders development progress-ingraining existing inequities into the fabric of societies of the future, creating a self-perpetuating cycle that drives further disparities. We need a future in which women are empowered to participate as equal citizens in our increasingly digital world. We look forward to working together to achieve that vision," said Samantha Power, Administrator, USAID. "I'm proud of our support for the Women in the Digital Economy Fund. Overcoming the gender digital divide is crucial to unlock the potential of women in the digital era. By increasing women's participation in digital technology, we're aiming not just to change their status from consumers to creators and leaders; we're working to forge a path to a future where everyone benefits," said Anita Zaidi, President of the Gender Equality Division at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This event, which brought together leaders from across the public and private sectors and civil society worldwide, was an opportunity to celebrate the start of this effort and learn about how WiDEF will implement its ambitious vision. Representing the Biden-Harris Administration at today's kickoff event was Rachel Vogelstein, White House Gender Policy Council Deputy Director. Advancing access to digital technology for all women and girls is critical to achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. This will help ensure that everyone has access to economic opportunities and advancement as well as government services, education, and healthcare. In low- and middle-income countries, nearly one and a half billion women lack access to online services. Through 2022, there were 259 million more men than women globally using the internet; a gap that has cost the global economy an estimated $1 trillion. Closing the gender digital divide would increase economic activity by an estimated $524 billion by 2025. WiDEF is administered by consortium partners CARE, Global Digital Inclusion Partnership (GDIP), and the GSMA Foundation. The consortium will collaborate with industry-leading organizations to effectively engage local and global private sector actors and funders to advance a shared set of commitments to closing the gender digital divide. "WiDEF is about putting millions of women at the center of connectivity and information programming. CARE brings our strength in locally led, gender-centered programming in over 100 countries to the effort. The consortium's collective focus on technology, policy, and gender advocacy offers the greatest opportunity yet to create and sustain an internet that works for the women who could most benefit from it," said Revi Sterling, WiDEF Technical Director and CARE Senior Technical Director, Digital Inclusion. "Launching WiDEF is indeed a special moment, one that reflects real commitment and determination to address the stubborn gender digital divide and open the possibilities for women in the digital economy. GDIP is committed to women's digital inclusion, and we look forward to advocating alongside our global partners to advance this collective effort," said Sonia Jorge, GDIP Executive Director. "Closing the gender digital divide has been at the centre of the GSMA Foundation's work for over a decade, and we are extremely honoured to play an active role in the management of the Women in the Digital Economy Fund. We now look forward to receiving applications to the first round launched today, and to the further two rounds to be announced later this year, focused on large private sector actors, and India specifically," said Max Cuvellier Giacomelli, Head of Mobile for Development, GSMA. WiDEF will support and fund programs that advance digital access and affordability; develop relevant products and tools; provide digital literacy and skills training; promote online safety and security; and invest in sex-disaggregated data and research. It will support, wherever possible, women-led and gender transformative solutions, products, and tools and will invest heavily in ensuring the voices and institutions closest to the gender digital divide are central to the effort. As part of today's event, WiDEF announced the first call for applications, inviting local institutions worldwide to apply to receive WiDEF funding and support. Applications are due by May 6, 2024. In addition to financial support from USAID and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, funding is also being provided by Microsoft and the Korean International Cooperation Agency. To learn more, email contact@widef.global, visit us online at widef.globalor follow WiDEF on social media, Facebook, LinkedInand Twitter/X). About CARE Founded in 1945 with the creation of the CARE Package, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE places special focus on working alongside women and girls. Equipped with the proper resources, women and girls have the power to lift whole families and entire communities out of poverty. This year, CARE and partners worked in 109 countries implementing 1,671 poverty-fighting development and humanitarian aid projects and initiatives that reached 167,000,000 people. To learn more, visit www.care.org. About GDIP TheGlobal Digital Inclusion Partnership(GDIP) is a coalition of public, private, and civil society organizations working to bring internet connectivity to the global majority and ensure everyone is meaningfully connected by 2030. Founded by a global team of experts who successfully championed affordable and meaningful connectivity around the world, GDIP advances digital opportunities to empower and support people's lives and agency, leading to inclusive digital societies. GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation The GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation, Inc. ('The GSMA Foundation') brings together mobile operators, innovators, governments, and the international development community to realise the positive social, economic and climate impact of mobile technology, primarily in low- and middle-income countries. With funding from donors and the GSMA, the GSMA Foundation runs programmes that advance digital and financial inclusion - with a strong focus on gender inclusivity, climate action, humanitarian response, and investment in innovative digital solutions. Since 2007, these programmes have impacted the lives of over 220 million people. Attorneys for the Los Angeles Innocence Project said during a brief hearing in Redwood City that theyre seeking more DNA testing and additional evidence in their attempt to exonerate Scott Peterson in the killing of his wife, Laci, and their unborn son. Jeff Chiu/Associated Press 2022 Attorneys for Scott Peterson said Tuesday they are seeking DNA testing and evidence to challenge his conviction for murdering his wife and their unborn son after uncovering what they described as alarming deficiencies in the evidence prosecutors presented at Petersons high-profile trial. Peterson, 51, appeared in San Mateo Superior Court from Mule Creek State Prison in Amador County via a Zoom feed during a hearing that lasted a half hour. The hearing in Redwood City was held after the Los Angeles Innocence Project took up Petersons case. In January, attorneys with the organization, which operates independently from the national Innocence Project, filed requests in court seeking DNA testing and evidence from prosecutors as part of an effort to exonerate him. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We are eager to get our investigation underway, LA Innocence Project Director Paula Mitchell told Judge Elizabeth Hill during Tuesdays hearing. We spent a lot of time trying to suss out what frankly are very alarming deficiencies in the discovery that was provided to the defense at the time of the trial. Mr. Petersons been waiting 20 years to find some of these police reports and audio recordings and video recordings that should have been provided. David Harris, a special prosecutor for Stanislaus County said, A lot of these issues have been raised and have been adjudicated. Prosecutors previously told the Innocence Project its contentions about discovery were misguided and that newly discovered information was shared with Petersons attorneys and the court during prior proceedings. Prosecutors claimed the Innocence Project itself had withheld evidence to support its assertions. Petersons wife, Laci, who was eight months pregnant, disappeared on Christmas Eve 2002 in a case that grabbed national attention. Her body and her unborn childs body were found along Richmonds shoreline four months later. Peterson maintained his innocence; he said he had gone fishing near where the bodies were found around the time his wife disappeared. Advertisement Article continues below this ad After a jury convicted him, Peterson was sentenced to Death Row in 2005. He was later resentenced to life in prison without parole. Peterson contacted the Innocence Project last March and asked its attorneys to take a look at his case, Mitchell said in court documents. After the Los Angeles Innocence Project took up the case, attorneys filed nearly 1,000 pages of court documents, contending key evidence was withheld from jurors during Petersons trial. Among the evidence was a mysterious van that was set on fire across from the Petersons home. The Innocence Project claimed the van contained blood splatter that might have cleared Peterson. The LA Innocence Project asked for DNA testing of the blood and a review of previously unheard interviews with witnesses who cast doubt on the guilt of Peterson. During Tuesdays hearing, Hill set deadlines for attorneys on both sides to file responses to the motions in question. The judge will consider the motions during separate hearings in April, May and June. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY) ("Teledyne") announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Valeport Holdings Limited and its affiliates ("Valeport"). Valeport, founded in 1969 and headquartered in Totnes, United Kingdom, designs and manufactures underwater sensors for environmental, energy, construction and defense applications. Terms of the transactions were not disclosed. Valeport provides complementary underwater sensors including sound velocity probes, current and flow meters, and conductivity, temperature and depth sensors. Valeport also provides multi-parameter profilers which can also measure turbidity or cloudiness, or include fluorometer sensors to detect chlorophyll levels. "We are delighted that Valeport will join Teledyne Marine and expand our technology offerings," said George Bobb, President and Chief Operating Officer of Teledyne. "Through more than 20 acquisitions and ongoing collaboration, Teledyne Marine brings imaging, instruments, interconnects, acoustics, and complete subsea vehicle technology together to provide total solutions to our customers." "Our family is very proud of where we have brought Valeport so far, but the time is right for the next phase of its journey, and I am so pleased that this will be as a part of Teledyne Marine and excited about the prospect of working with the rest of the Teledyne group to bring our customers an even greater range of excellence," said Matt Quartley, Managing Director of Valeport. About Teledyne Teledyne is a leading provider of sophisticated digital imaging products and software, instrumentation, aerospace and defense electronics, and engineered systems. Teledyne's operations are primarily located in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Western and Northern Europe. For more information, visit Teledyne's website at www.teledyne.com. Forward-Looking Statements Cautionary Notice This press release contains forward-looking statements, as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, relating to a pending acquisition of a company subject to customary closing conditions and approvals. Actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Many factors, as well as market and economic conditions beyond either company's control, could change anticipated results. There are additional risks associated with operating businesses internationally, including those arising from United States and foreign government policy and regulatory changes or actions and exchange rate fluctuations. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240312768008/en/ Contacts: Jason VanWees (805) 373-4542 Eclipse Labs, a San Francisco, CA-based software firm contributing to the development of the first Ethereum layer-2 using the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM), raised $50M in Series A funding. The round, which brought the the total amount to $65M, was led by Placeholder and Hack VC. Other participants included Polychain Capital, Delphi Digital, Maven 11, DBA, Apollo-managed funds, Fenbushi Capital, and strategic checks from Flow Traders, GSR, Auros, and OKX Ventures. Various researchers and builders participated as angel investors, including Barnabe Monnot (Ethereum Foundation), John Adler (Celestia Labs), Austin Federa (Solana Foundation), ZachXBT, and Meltem Demirors. The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and development efforts. Founded by Neel Somani, Eclipse is building an Ethereum Layer 2 using the Solana Virtual Machine, so that developers get benefits of dedicated throughput with none of the downsides. The Eclipse Labs team comprises Vijay Chetty, former Uniswap and dYdX Head of BD and Growth; David Lin, former VP of Engineering at the zk-L1 development company Discreet Labs; and ex-Citadel quant Neel Somani. Since its mainnet architecture announcement in September 2023, Eclipse Labs has released Devnet and Testnet versions of the Eclipse protocol. Leading dApps from the Solana and Ethereum ecosystems are anticipated to deploy to Eclipse Mainnet, once publicly available, including NFT marketplace Rarible, oracle infrastructure Pyth Network, and Solana borrow-lend protocol Solend. On the horizon is Eclipse Mainnet, on track for a Q2 launch. Top developers and projects deploying to Eclipse Mainnet will be offered ecosystem grants alongside engineering and marketing support. Eclipse Labs intends on sponsoring hackathons and accelerators, in addition to community-building events targeted toward users who interact with Eclipse Mainnet. Commenting on the news, Neel Somani said: Ethereum needs a single, scalable, composable layer-2 capable of handling the 99% of use cases. Other L2 ecosystems have only optimized for full EVM compatibility, resulting in a highly fragmented, slow and undifferentiated L2 landscape. Eclipse integrates the high-performance SVM with the deep pools of liquidity on Ethereum, while maintaining the hard constraint of verifiability. FinSMEs 12/03/2024 Empathy, a NYC-based company providing a support system for loss, raised $47M in Series B funding. The round, which brought the total amount to $90M, was led by Index Ventures with participation from General Catalyst, Entree Capital, Latitude (sister fund of existing investor LocalGlobe), and Brewer Lane, plus strategic investments from major life insurance carriers Allianz, MassMutual Ventures, MetLife, New York Life Ventures, Securian Financial, and Sumitomo. The company intends to use the funds to expand services and cover new industries and regions nationwide. Founded in 2020 by Ron Gura and Yonatan Bergman, Empathy provides support across grief, estate settlement, benefits and probate. In the past three years, the company has made a full range of assistance with grief, estate settlement, probate and more available to 5 million employees and 35 million policyholders across the US. FinSMEs 12/03/2024 Foundation Health, a San Francisco, CA-based healthcare technology company, raised $6M in Seed funding. Backers included Garry Tan (CEO, Y Combinator), Transpose Platform, Tuesday VC, Alt Capital, Box Group, Liquid Ventures, Exceptional Capital, Calm/Storm Ventures, and PageOne Ventures, with support from angel investors Paul Johnson (Lemonaid) and Meghan Fitzgerald (Grey Ghost Advisors). The company intends to use the funds to accelerate product development and its expansion plans. Led by Founder and CEO Umar Afridi, Foundation Health is a healthcare technology company that works to empower consumer healthcare experiences by delivering tech-enabled pharmacy and telehealth experiences at scale to help clients take control of healthcare delivery, streamline operations, and redefine the consumer healthcare experience worldwide. Foundation Healths offerings encompass three core B2B products: APIs for Telehealth Prescribing and Pharmacy Services: A tech platform that connects clients to telehealth providers and a network of pharmacies to provide prescription mail order delivery, same-day delivery, compounding, specialty medications, veterinary medications, and durable medical equipment (DME). Virtual Pharmacy: Digital pharmacy SaaS product that enables any company to launch their own white-label, custom virtual pharmacy. Features include pharmacist support 24/7, a variety of delivery methods, and clear, transparent pricing that allows patients to choose between cash or insurance. Expandable options include telehealth and clinical services such as brand-to-generic switching and MTM to help improve adherence and, ultimately, health outcomes. Virtual Direct-to-Patient (DTP) Service: A complete solution for pharmaceutical manufacturers to launch products direct-to-patient. It enables manufacturers to remove the middleman, set affordable pricing without rebates, and seamlessly get medication to those who need it. While Foundation Healths services currently span the US, UK, and EU markets, the companys initial focus will be on driving innovation within the US healthcare landscape. Commenting on the news, Umar Afridi said: With this funding, we are equipped to accelerate product development, onboard customers currently on our waitlist, and continue engaging with new customers to ensure were delivering precisely what the market needs. We are thrilled by the initial demand for our products and anticipate reaching profitability in approximately 18 months. FinSMEs 12/03/2024 Quthero, a Toronto, Canada-based biotech company providing a Q-peptide platform, raised $500K in funding. The round, which was raised in addition to a co-investment of $850K for a total round size of $1.35M, saw participation from Ontario Centre of Innovations (OCI) Life Science Innovation Fund. The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and development efforts. Led by Milica Radisic, PhD, President and CEO, Quthero is discovering and developing applications for tissue regeneration. Its patented Q-peptide technology facilitates the complete regeneration of a patients natural tissue with minimal scarring. The companys products are available for direct purchase on their website www.quthero.com or through participating physicians. FinSMEs 12/03/2024 When establishing an online presence, selecting the right hosting solution is paramount. VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting and shared hosting are two prevalent options. Below, we provide a concise overview of each: Shared Hosting: In shared hosting, multiple websites share resources on a single server. Its a cost-effective option for small websites with low to moderate traffic. However, resource limitations and potential performance issues may arise due to the shared environment. VPS Hosting: VPS hosting offers a more advanced solution by allocating dedicated resources within a virtualized environment. Each VPS operates independently, providing greater reliability, performance, and control than shared hosting. Its ideal for businesses seeking scalability, enhanced security, and customization options. Understanding Shared Hosting Shared hosting is popular for individuals and small businesses looking to establish an online presence without the complexity and cost associated with dedicated hosting solutions. The features and limitations of shared hosting: Features: Cost-Effective: Shared hosting plans are typically affordable, making them an attractive option for those on a budget. Ease of Use: Shared hosting providers often offer user-friendly interfaces and one-click installations, making setting up websites and managing hosting resources simple. Maintenance-Free: The hosting provider handles server maintenance and management tasks, freeing users from technical responsibilities. Resource Sharing: Multiple websites share resources (such as CPU, RAM, and storage) on a single server, reducing costs for individual users. Scalability: Shared hosting plans often provide scalability options to accommodate growing website traffic and resource demands. Limitations: Resource Limitations: Shared hosting environments often come with resource limitations, where resources such as CPU, RAM, and bandwidth are shared among multiple users. This can result in slower load times and performance issues, especially during peak traffic periods or abusive activity. Additionally, amount of the provided resources on shared is low when compared to other hosting types. Limited Control: Users have limited control over server configurations and may be restricted from installing certain software or making system-level changes. Security Concerns: Shared hosting environments may pose security concerns as security vulnerabilities in one website can potentially affect others hosted on the same server. While basic security measures are often provided, the limited security features may leave websites more susceptible to cyber threats. Its important to note that security is typically provided out of the box, and users may not have the option to enhance security beyond the provided measures. In contrast, with VPS hosting, users have the flexibility to choose and implement their preferred security solutions, allowing for greater customization and control over security measures. Customization Restrictions: Shared hosting environments may impose restrictions on customization options, limiting the ability to tailor server settings to specific requirements. Exploring VPS Hosting VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting is more advanced and versatile than shared hosting. Below, we provide an overview of VPS hosting features and capabilities: Overview of VPS Hosting Features and Capabilities: Dedicated Resources: Each VPS operates in an isolated environment with reliable resources, including CPU, RAM, and storage. This ensures consistent performance and stability. Root Access: Users have access to their virtual server, allowing them to customize server configurations, install software, and manage security settings according to their specific requirements. Scalability: VPS hosting offers scalability options, allowing users to easily upgrade resources as their website grows in traffic and complexity. Enhanced Control: VPS users have greater control over server settings and configurations compared to shared hosting users, enabling them to optimize performance and security. Customization: VPS hosting allows for greater customization options, making it suitable for websites with unique requirements or specific software dependencies. Performance Comparison VPS hosting typically outperforms shared hosting in terms of performance due to the dedicated resources and their amount allocated to each virtual server. In this section, well highlight the performance differences between VPS and shared hosting, emphasizing the benefits of VPS hosting for websites with high traffic volumes or resource-intensive applications. Security Enhancements Security is a top priority for website owners, and VPS hosting offers enhanced security measures compared to shared hosting. In this section, well discuss the security enhancements provided by VPS hosting, including: Isolated Environment: Each VPS operates independently, reducing the risk of security breaches caused by neighboring accounts. Firewall Protection: VPS hosting often includes firewall protection to prevent unauthorized access and mitigate security threats. Regular Security Updates: VPS providers typically offer regular security updates and patches to address vulnerabilities and ensure the server remains secure. Custom Software Configuration: VPS hosting allows users to configure custom software, including anti-malware scanning and monitoring solutions, tailored to their specific security needs. This flexibility empowers users to implement comprehensive security measures to safeguard their virtual server environment. Scalability and Resource Allocation Scalability is essential for accommodating growth and handling fluctuating traffic levels. VPS hosting offers greater scalability and resource allocation options compared to shared hosting. In this section, well tell how VPS hosting allows users to scale resources up or down as needed easily, ensuring optimal website performance and reliability. Control and Customization One of the significant advantages of VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting is the increased control and customization it offers compared to shared hosting. In this section, well delve into the various aspects of power and customization available with VPS hosting: Root Access: VPS users can access their virtual server, providing complete control over server configurations, software installations, and security settings. This level of access allows users to tailor the server environment to their specific requirements and preferences. Operating System Choice: VPS hosting allows users to select their preferred operating system, such as Linux distributions or Windows Server editions. This flexibility lets users choose the OS that best suits their application and software compatibility needs. Server Management Tools: VPS hosting often includes various server management options, monitoring software and control panels, such as cPanel, Plesk, or custom management interfaces. These tools streamline server administration tasks and provide intuitive interfaces for managing websites, domains, databases, etc. Customization Options: With VPS hosting, users can customize server settings, install custom software, configure security protocols, and optimize performance parameters according to their unique requirements. This level of customization ensures that the server environment is tailored to the specific needs of the website or application hosted on the VPS. Cost Considerations While VPS hosting offers numerous benefits in performance, control, and customization, its essential to consider the cost implications compared to shared hosting. In this section, well discuss the cost factors associated with VPS hosting and how they compare to shared hosting: Price Structure: VPS hosting typically involves higher costs than shared hosting due to the dedicated resources and enhanced features it provides. However, the price can vary depending on factors such as the amount of allocated resources, the level of management (managed vs. unmanaged), and the hosting providers pricing structure. Resource Allocation: VPS hosting plans offer greater flexibility in resource allocation, allowing users to scale resources up or down based on their needs. While this scalability can lead to higher costs than fixed-resource shared hosting plans, it also provides greater control and ensures optimal performance for the hosted websites or applications. Value Proposition: Despite the higher costs associated with VPS hosting, many users find it to be a worthwhile investment due to the performance, reliability, and customization benefits it offers. When evaluating the cost of VPS hosting, its essential to consider the value proposition and how it aligns with your website or applications specific needs and goals. By understanding the control and customization options available with VPS hosting and considering the cost implications, users can make informed decisions when choosing between VPS and shared hosting solutions. Wrap up All in all, VPS hosting offers numerous advantages over shared hosting, including enhanced performance, control, and customization options. Readers can confidently select the optimal hosting solution for their website or application by considering their specific needs and requirements. When story is the new hero in a film, we really dont need stars. Thats what the cast of Kiran Raos Laapataa Ladies says and we completely echo their thoughts. In a candid chat with Firstposts Lachmi Deb Roy, actors Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastav and Nitanshi Goel talk about cinema changing and more. Laapataa Ladies is about women who get lost and the story that follows. Set in 2001 in a fictional state called Nirmalpradesh. It is a comedy of errors, where two new brides Phool and Jaya with their ghongaats reaching below their noses end up losing their husband. In an EXCLUSIVE interview with Firstposts Lachmi Deb Roy, the actors of Laapataa Ladies, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastav, Nitanshi Goel talks about getting the roles, cinema changing and most importantly when the story is the new hero. Advertisement Edited excerpts from the interview: Tell us about how you all got the role for Laapataa Ladies and how did you prepare for it? Nitanshi Goel: We all auditioned for this role, so when I got this film project, I wasnt even aware that Kiran Rao was directing it and it was Aamir Khans production. I just had three scenes that I was supposed to do. But the script and the whole story of the film moved me so much that I wanted to be part of the project. I began my preparation with the audition itself and I watched a lot of movies back in the era like Sui Dhaaga and Balika Badhu and I also watched some of the Bhojpuri women videos that helped me in understanding how they talk and her body language because my character doesnt speak much, but it is the body language that mattered and to get that and fit into the 2001 era because I am 2007 one, so these videos helped me a lot. Advertisement I sent a YouTube link because it was COVID time and I was continuously checking if the director has seen it or not. By evening itself I got a note that Kiran Rao liked the audition and Aamir Khan wanted to meet me. Then I performed in front of Kiran Rao and I met Aaamir Khan. Thats how the role happened. Advertisement Sparsh Shrivastav: My process was a little different, though it was as organic as Nitanshis. When I saw the script, I was really triggered to play this part. Once I got selected, my aim was to catch hold of Deepak, my character. My idea was to look for Deepak inside me, not outside me. I went around observing people. Advertisement One day when a boy came to my house to deliver biryani to me. He was wearing a mask and I just saw his eyes. There was innocence in his eyes and I wanted that expression in Deepak. So, we roamed, spent time with each other and even talked on calls. He was a little scared because he was from a small town. Advertisement I would like to mention that our preparation was so strong and more than the preparation, we got a chance with camera testing that doesnt really happen in a lot of films. Kiran Rao really helped us in this process. I see all of you here and I see all of you in the film. How did you all get yourself transformed into those characters of 2001? Advertisement Pratibha Ranta: The shift was actually very organic. There were certain things that the story demanded and if you are not fulfilling that you are not conveying the right message, wearing a saree and looking a certain way, not applying too much makeup and working on your dialect, all these things were planned well in advance. Advertisement It was very important that the place that you are narrating, you should look as if you belong to that place. In fact, I agreed to that because as an actor you are challenging yourself and that is helping you grow in your craft. I am sure you all must have watched movies of the 90s and the recent ones, what do you have to say about cinema changing? Advertisement Nitanshi Goel: I see a huge difference; I will tell you why? My mother and I have this thing Every Saturday, we have a movie night. Its like one week it is my era movie and the other week its my mothers era movie. So, I watch both old and new films. But there is a difference in the stories. Todays films are much more relatable, but yesteryear films were magical and had its own charm. Advertisement What do you have to say on womens role changing? Pratibha Ranta: Womens role in todays cinema is evolving with time and in a very beautiful way. There is no hero heroine concept. Sometimes there are films which just have a woman as lead. There are many who have asked me how do you feel accepting the character you are playing in Laapataa Ladies. Advertisement Sparsh Shrivastav: Now story is the new hero. However big the star is, if the story doesnt have potential, it will not do well. Aagar story main daam nahin, toh kuch nahin. Now actors are playing different roles, they are willing to take up roles where they play a gay character. They are playing anti-heroes and heroes are playing the role of villain and that is the lead. Advertisement Women are accepting deglamorized roles now. Now stories are evolving, makers are evolving and makers are evolving. Most importantly there are so many new writers who think differently and come up with unique stories. Kimmel started by speaking about the success of Oppenheimer suggesting that director Christopher Nolan worked without an internet connection to avoid his porn addiction while making the film Robert Downey Jrs past drug addiction caught him in controversies several times. The actor, however, has been clean for around two decades now. Despite that, the 96th Academy Awards witnessed an uncomfortable moment for Downey as the host of the event, Jimmy Kimmel, made a joke at the actors expense in his opening monologue. Advertisement Jimmy Kimmel , for the fourth time since 2017, returned as a host for Oscars 2024. As is customary, Kimmel playfully aimed several celebrities in the crowd, including Christopher Nolan, Ryan Gosling, and Cillian Murphy, in his fun-filled opening monologue. However, the one joke that seemingly did not go down well with the actor and his fans was the one made at the expense of the Iron Man star. Kimmel started by speaking about the success of Oppenheimer suggesting that director Christopher Nolan worked without an internet connection to avoid his porn addiction while making the film. Then, referring to The Avenger actors history of substance abuse, the host quipped, This is the highest point of Robert Downey Jrs career well, one of the highest points. Advertisement Visibly uncomfortable with Kimmels remarks, the Oscar nominee tapped his nose. Noticing this, Kimmel goes on to ask, Was that too on the nose or a drug motion you made? In response to the same, Downey said, Keep it going, keep it going, and made a rolling motion with his fingers. Kimmel, however, did not stop there and said, Is that an acceptance speech in your pocket or do you just have a very rectangular penis. Advertisement As the video of the banter between the Oppenheimer actor and Jimmy Kimmel caught everyones attention, netizens started calling out the host for making drug jokes referring to them as tasteless. I dont hate Jimmy Kimmel but the penis joke was cringe. Robert Downey Jr is great. pic.twitter.com/YbFwnxvMZJ Shoe Gazing Underground (@AltPost) March 11, 2024 Advertisement For those uninitiated, Downey Jr faced various drug charges due to his drug addiction. In 1999, the actor landed in prison where served 12 months for repeatedly missing court-ordered drug tests. Emphasising his drug addiction, Downey Jr previously noted that he lived through 30 years of dependency, depravity, and despair before his comeback as the star of Marvels Iron Man in 2008. Aseefa BhuttoZardari is the youngest daughter of Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari and the countrys first woman prime minister Benazir Bhutto. The 31-year-old, who has worked on polio eradication, campaigned for her brother Bilawal and is often seen alongside her father, is likely to be named the first lady Pakistans controversial elections are behind us. And now its new leadership is taking shape. Asif Ali Zardari is the countrys new president . He was sworn in on Sunday. During his second tenure, Zardari is likely to set a new precedent. Breaking tradition, he is expected to make his daughter Aseefa Bhutto Zardari the first lady. Advertisement It is the wife of the president who usually takes up the role. However, this is the first time in Pakistans history that a daughter will assume the post. We take a look at the rise of Aseefa and what can be expected of her as first lady. Why has Zardari picked his daughter as the first lady? Aseefa is the 31-year-old youngest daughter of Pakistans first woman prime minister Benazir Bhutto and the only two-time president of the country, Zardari . Bhutto was assassinated at an election rally in 2007. So during Zardaris first tenure as president between 2008 and 2013, the position of the first lady remained vacant. Advertisement According to a report by Pakistan-based media house ARY News, Zardari will make his daughter the new first lady. In fact, his Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has already started referring to Aseefa with the title. Advertisement However, an official announcement is yet to be made. Who is Aseefa Bhutto Zardari? Aseefa is the youngest of the three Bhutto Zardari heirs. She was the first child in Pakistan to receive a polio vaccine in a drive that was started by her mother Benazir Bhutto. Aseefa then went on to work for polio eradication and became an ambassador for polio-free Pakistan. She ran campaigns to fight the disease, met concerned officials, and visited affected families, leaving an impact on the public. Advertisement Aseefa is quite an achiever. She has a masters degree in public health from University College London. One of the first times Aseefa was in the spotlight was when she accompanied her father to meet Nobel Peace winner Malala Yousafzai in Birmingham in 2012. This is where the schoolgirl, who was just 15 then, was being treated after she was shot in the head by the Taliban. Zardari and the then 19-year-old Aseefa reportedly met Malalas family and doctors treating her. Advertisement Soon she would be grabbing more headlines. At 21, she was the youngest Pakistani ever to address the Oxford Union. While Aseefa would make her political debut years later, in Pakistan, she has had fan pages dedicated to her since 2015. Her possible appointment as first lady is being cheered on her social media profiles filled with her followers with many praising her gracefulness. Advertisement However, the young scion was preparing for a role in Pakistan politics. Also read: The challenges before Shehbaz Sharif as he becomes Pakistan PM for second time In an interview with the BBC in 2019, she spoke about her familys legacy of standing up and fighting for the people of Pakistan. The options are to stay silent and speak up. My grandfather chose to speak up for peoples rights, my mother chose to speak up. On the basis of my grandfathers mission and my mothers vision, my brother speaks for the entire Pakistan and therefore we will continue to speak up, she said. Advertisement Aseefa Bhutto Zardari takes a selfie with a portrait of her mother Benazir Bhutto. Image courtesy: @AseefaBZ/X How active has Aseefa been in politics? Over the past decade, Aseefa has been a familiar face next to Zardari and has quickly climbed the political ladder in the influential Bhutto-Zardari family. She made her political debut at a rally in Multan in November 2020 and has been actively involved in the PPP. In the run-up to the 8 February elections this year, she was part of the partys electoral campaign. She led various rallies to seek support for her brother Bilawal Bhutto Zardari , the partys then-candidate for the Pakistan PMs post, reports PTI. Advertisement President Zardari had long since established his intentions of involving his three children son Bilawal, and daughters Bhaktawar and Aseefa in the PPP, especially to take up leading roles, according to a report in Dawn. But Aseefa has shown more inclination towards dynastic politics than her siblings. More than her brother, who served briefly as Pakistans foreign minister, and her sister, it is Aseefa who has been seen alongside her father. She has been present at addresses, political ceremonies, and rallies. She has carved out a position for herself in the party and the countrys public scene, a Dawn report says. Advertisement Advertisement What will be Aseefas role if appointed first lady? First ladies traditionally host dinners, function as political workers, launch domestic initiatives, address conferences and summits, and enlist help from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for various causes, according to Dawn. In Pakistan, Aseefa has big shoes to fill. Her grandmother Nusrat Bhutto served as first lady. She was an active member of the PPP, served several tenures as MP to the National Assembly and was actively involved in the womens National Guard, a military reserve force, according to a report in The Print. Advertisement If appointed first lady, Aseefa will be rubbing shoulders with Tehmina Durrani, the first spouse of Pakistan the wife of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. She is a popular feminist voice, who has written three books and has advocated for the rights of women and children. Aseefa with her brother Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Image courtesy X Have daughters played roles as first ladies before? Not in Pakistan. In the US, President Thomas Jeffersons daughter, Martha Jefferson Randolph, served as the acting first lady during his regime. Another American president Andrew Jacksons daughter-in-law and niece served as his acting first ladies. Two other US presidents, Chester Arthur and Grover Cleveland, asked their sisters to become the first lady. With inputs from agencies About 200 students, faculty and other supporters marched at UC Berkeley Monday to highlight concerns about antisemitism on campus following a violent incident that canceled a speech by a prominent Israeli lawyer last month. Noah Berger/Special to the Chronicle A pro-Palestinian banner stands across UC Berkeleys Sather Gate on Monday, March 11. The banner said that as the first day of Ramadan, some people in Gaza have nothing to eat after they break their fast. Noah Berger/Special to the Chronicle About 200 students, faculty and other supporters marched at UC Berkeley on Monday to highlight concerns about antisemitism on campus following a violent incident that canceled a speech by a prominent Israeli lawyer last month. The group met in front of Zellerbach Hall around midday, before marching across campus, where they held a rally in front of one of the universitys oldest buildings, California Hall. Attendees held signs with slogans such as Jewish lives matter, and Believe Jews, while speakers, including a UC Berkeley professor who is holding a continuous protest from his campus office, spoke about the dangers of antisemitism on campus and the United States. Instead of passing through the universitys famed Sather Gate entrance, where a group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators had stretched a long banner that blocked the central portal, the marchers chose to walk into the main part of campus by crossing a nearby stream. Advertisement Article continues below this ad UC Berkeley student Antonios Tsoulfas joins pro-Jewish demonstrators outside California Hall on Monday. Noah Berger/Special to the Chronicle About a dozen, yellow-jacketed personnel from a private staffing company that Berkeley hires for sporting events stood nearby after being called in as security. The protest was the latest sign of tension over the war in Gaza, a conflict that has divided campuses and communities around the country. But at Berkeley, with its proud history of free speech activism and status as a bellwether for the progressive movement, these debates have taken on a particular weight and emotion. Federal authorities are now investigating the school, along with many others, in a sweeping probe of campus discrimination related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Students who attended the anti-antisemitism march Tuesday said they were galvanized by two events. On Feb. 26, a group of hundreds of pro-Palestine demonstrators shut down a talk to be given by Ran Bar-Yoshafat, a lawyer and a director at a conservative Israeli think tank, with some people breaking windows and a door at the schools Zellerbach Playhouse, authorities said. Some students said the universitys carefully worded Feb. 27 response to the incident, which restated its commitment to free expression and rejection of violence, and a follow-up letter a week later about plans to investigate the incident and beef up security, fell short of reassuring Jewish students who felt unsafe on campus. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The second issue students pointed to was the stretching of a pro-Palestinian banner across Sather Gate. On Tuesday, the banner noted the beginning of Ramadan, and said that Israel and the US are starving 2.2 million. Gazans have nothing to break their fast with. The blocking of Sather Gate symbolizes the schools lack of action and protection for Jewish students against antisemitism, said Dylan Sacks, 19, a second-year undergraduate. Berkeley Law student Adam Pukier helps pro-Jewish demonstrator David Weissman cross Strawberry Creek on Monday, March 11. The marchers traversing the creek avoided pro-Palestinian demonstrators holding a banner across Sather Gate. Noah Berger/Special to the Chronicle The protesters intentionally avoided going through the gate, even though two portals are open on each side of the main opening, opting for the stream crossing to underscore concerns about the banner. By midafternoon, someone had ripped the banner in half. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A spokesperson with Graduate Students for Justice in Palestine, who was on scene at the banner on Tuesday, declined to speak with the Chronicle, as did other pro-Palestine demonstrators at the banner. Claude Fischer, a professor of the graduate school in sociology who joined the Jewish demonstrators, said he had heard stories about students being harassed or subjected to antisemitic slurs. Fischer said he believed that the administration is sympathetic to the concerned students but is not acting firmly on that concern. Dan Mogulof, a UC Berkeley spokesperson, said that the university was working hard to draw a line between respecting students rights to free speech and avoiding conflict and escalation. For more than four months after the crisis began on Oct. 7, Mogulof said that administrators had received only two reports of person-on-person violence a student being hit with a water bottle, and another who was pushed after dozens of heated protests, rallies, speakers, prayer circles and other events at the campus of more than 45,000 students. But he said the violence that greeted the Israeli speakers planned appearance in February had changed the dynamic increasing the potential for confrontation and violence. In addition to the property damage, two students reported minor injuries, Mogulof said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its something without recent precedent, he said. We sent every available police officer we had and never expected to be confronted with a mob of 200 people seeking to shut the event down. He said the school was in the process of changing its safety protocols to prevent further issues. Jewish activist Inga Pevchin breaks through a pro-Palestinian banner across Sather Gate during a protest at UC Berkeley on Monday, March 11. Noah Berger/Special to the Chronicle We are now proceeding on the assumption that every rally, every speaker, connected to the Gaza conflict has that potential, he said. Were committed to one essential idea every single student has a right to feel safe and respected on campus regardless of who they are and what they believe. He said that police, finding themselves outnumbered that day, prioritized defusing the situation safely for the students inside the building instead of making arrests, but that the case was still under investigation. Four years after it was passed in Parliament, the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA) has been notified. The legislation eases the citizenship process for persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The Centre has clarified that the CAA doesnt change anything for existing Indian citizens People celebrate after the central government notified the rules for implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, in Bhopal on Monday. PTI Four long years after Parliament passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA), the Centre on Monday (11 March) notified the rules for its implementation, days before the announcement of the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections. Following the notification , Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has delivered on another commitment and realised the promise of the makers of the Constitution. With this notification, PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji has delivered on another commitment and realised the promise of the makers of our Constitution to the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians living in those countries, he wrote on X. Advertisement While the BJP, its allies and other groups praised the Modi government for CAA, the Congress and other opposition parties criticised the move, alleging it was done to polarise the elections, especially in West Bengal and Assam. But what exactly is the CAA? What are the rules of the CAA? And what changes with the implementation of the CAA? What is CAA? The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, also known as the CAA, aims to protect individuals who have sought refuge in India due to religious persecution. Under the new law, Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis coming from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan can seek a fast-track to Indian citizenship if they came on or before 31 December 2014. Advertisement The law doesnt cover Muslims with the government explaining that since Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh are Islamic republics with a Muslim majority, they cannot be considered persecuted minorities. It also does not cover those fleeing persecution in non-Muslim majority countries, such as the Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka. Moreover, it has no provision for Rohingya Muslim refugees from neighbouring Myanmar. Advertisement The legislation was introduced in Parliament in 2019 and soon became the heart of many protests, including the one held at Shaheen Bagh in Delhi. Many had argued that the bill was discriminatory, divisive and a damaging move with purely communal motives. However, in December 2019, the Parliament passed the bill received presidential assent. Earlier, the Ministry of Home Affairs had notified that the Act would come into force on 10 January, 2020. But since the rules were not framed, it couldnt be implemented. Advertisement Union Minister of Home Amit Shah has been pushing for the CAA. He has insisted that the CAA does not apply to Indian citizens and they are completely unaffected by it. File image/PTI What are the rules, procedures under CAA? Now that we have understood what exactly is the CAA, lets understand the procedure and eligibility. First off, one must understand that the CAA doesnt guarantee citizenship but makes it easier for non-Muslim refugees who entered India on or before 31 December 2014 from the three countries to get Indian citizenship. Advertisement Moreover, most parts of the northeast are exempted from the CAA. The tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram or Tripura as included in the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution and States of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland and Manipur are exempted from provisions of the CAA. As per the CAA rules, one will become eligible to apply for Indian citizenship after spending at least 12 months in the country preceding the date of application. Or, the applicant will be eligible to get Indian citizenship if he/she has spent not less than six years in the country out of eight years immediately preceding those 12 months. Advertisement Those applying under the CAA will also have to provide an eligibility certificate issued by a locally reputed community institution confirming that he/she belongs to Hindu/Sikh/Buddhist/Jain/Parsi/Christian community and continues to be a member of the above mentioned community. The applicants will also have to give a declaration that they irrevocably renounce the existing citizenship and that they want to make India as permanent home, according to the rules. Advertisement The CAA rules also provide separate application for people belonging to these sub-categories a person of Indian origin, a person who is married to an Indian citizen, minor child of an Indian citizen, a person having Indian parents, a person who or either of his parents was a citizen of independent India, a person who is registered as an Overseas Citizen of India cardholder and a person seeking citizenship by naturalisation. Advertisement Supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wave party flags and hold placards in support of the governments Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). File image/AFP The rules also state that those applying for citizenship under CAA wont mandatorily have to provide a passport. A spokesperson for the home ministry said eligible individuals could submit applications in a completely online mode. No other documentation will be sought from the applicants, one official said. Once the documents are submitted, they will be verified by a District Level Committee headed by Designated Officer, whose details will be specified later. Advertisement The designated officer shall also administer to the applicant the oath of allegiance and thereafter, sign the oath and forward the same in electronic form along with confirmation regarding verification of documents to the Empowered Committee. And when cleared by the Empowered Committee, the applicant will get a digital certificate and a hard copy will be provided after a request is made by the applicant. Advertisement So, what changes? The government has clarified and sought to reassure the public that nothing changes for Indian citizens already living in India. In fact, the CAA does not apply to Indian citizens and they are completely unaffected by it. The home minister also clarified the same, and said that the CAA was being used as a bogeyman by the Opposition, especially West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Advertisement He reiterated that the CAA is only meant for Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains or Christians who come from Afghanistan, Pakistan, or Bangladesh and seek citizenship in India after facing religious persecution. This law is likely to benefit thousands of non-Muslim migrants from the three countries who are as of now living in India either illegally or on long-term visas. The Opposition and many civil groups oppose CAA, calling it discriminatory. Back in 2019, the introduction of the legislation had also led to mass protests across the country. File image/PTI What does the Opposition say? West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has been a vocal critic of the CAA, and shortly after it was notified, she said she would fiercely oppose it if she found it to be discriminatory against groups of people living in India and if it curtailed their existing citizenship rights in any manner. She questioned the timing of the notification, saying, Why do this only days before the Lok Sabha polls are scheduled to be announced? Why did the Centre have to wait for four years to notify the law after it was passed in Parliament? The TMC supremo further added that she was apprehensive that the CAA could be used as a possible precursor to implementing NRC across the nation. The Congress also slammed the governments step with Jairam Ramesh alleging that the announcement was yet another attempt to manage the headlines after the Supreme Courts strictures on Monday on the electoral bonds issue. After seeking nine extensions for the notification of the rules, the timing right before the elections is evidently designed to polarise the elections, especially in West Bengal and Assam, he said. Keralas Pinaray Vijayan described the CAA as a communally divisive law and asserted that it will not be implemented in the southern state, while the Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal alleged that the Centres move is against the country and that it was dirty politics of the BJP to make poor people from neighbouring countries its vote bank in India. With inputs from agencies The State Bank of India (SBI) will furnish all details related to electoral bonds to the Election Commission today, based on an order by the Supreme Court. Prime Minister Modi will see Indias atmanirbharta come alive at the tri-service military exercise, Bharat Shakti in Pokhran. Heres what else is expected to happen After the Supreme Court refused its plea of an extension, the SBI will have to furnish all the details on electoral bonds today. File image/PTI Its a Tuesday and theres big news waiting to happen. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Gujarats Ahmedabad to unveil railway projects worth Rs 8,500 crore. He will also witness Bharat Shakti, a synergised demonstration of indigenous defence capabilities in the form of a tri-services live fire and manoeuvre exercise, in Rajasthans Pokhran. Advertisement Apart from this, the State Bank of India (SBI) will also have to furnish the details of electoral bonds to the Election Commission, as per the orders of the Supreme Court. Heres what else is expected to happen today (12 March). SBI to furnish electoral bonds data The State Bank of India (SBI) has been ordered by the Supreme Court to furnish details of electoral bonds encashed by political parties today, after rejecting its plea for an extension on Monday. A five-judge bench of the court, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, said it had asked the SBI to do a plain disclosure as per the courts judgment. The top court also directed the Election Commission to publish information shared by SBI by 5 pm on 15 March. Furthermore, the chairman and managing director of the bank has been asked to file an affidavit after the details are submitted and warned them of contempt action if the order is not complied with. Advertisement PM Modi to unveil rail projects in Ahmedabad Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to be in Gujarat on a day-long visit during which he will release the master plan of the Gandhi Ashram Memorial and Precinct Development project and also inaugurate or lay the foundation stone of railway projects worth Rs 85,000 crore. Advertisement The PM will also inaugurate a new Vande Bharat train service between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, aimed at providing efficient and comfortable transportation for the commuters in one of the busiest sections of the railway network. PM Modi will witness Indias atmanirbharta in defence at the Bharat Shakti exercise in Pokhran. Image used for representational purposes/PTI PM Modi to witness Bharat Shakti in Pokhran On Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi will also witness the mega exercise Bharat Shakti to be held at Pokhran, Rajasthan. Bharat Shakti will demonstrate the prowess of indigenously manufactured defence equipment of the three services. Advertisement According to Additional Director General, Army Design Bureau, Major General C S Mann, the integrated tri-service firepower and manoeuvre exercise will be held for about 50 minutes. LCA Tejas, ALH Mk-IV, LCH Prachand, mobile anti-drone system, BMP-II and its variants, NAMICA (Nag Missile Carrier), T90 tanks, Dhanush, K9 Vajra and Pinaka rockets are among the platforms that will be demonstrated at the event. Advertisement The Navy will also showcase anti-ship missiles, autonomous cargo carrying aerial vehicles, and expendable aerial targets, highlighting maritime strength and technological sophistication. SC to hear plea of six disqualified Himachal MLAs The Supreme Court will hear today a plea by six rebel Congress MLAs, who had cross-voted in the recent Rajya Sabha polls in Himachal Pradesh, against their disqualification. Advertisement The Speaker of Himachal Pradesh Assembly, Kuldeep Singh Pathania, had disqualified the six on the Congress plea for defying the party whip that required them to be present in the House and vote for the budget. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with supporters during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. He is expected to enter Maharashtra today through Nandurbar. File image/PTI Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra to enter Maharashtra Congress leader Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will enter Maharashtras Nandurbar today. The yatra will travel from Nandurbar to Dhule, Malegaon and Nashik, where Gandhi will offer prayers at the famous Kalaram temple dedicated to Lord Ram and at the Trimbakeshwar temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Advertisement The east-to-west Manipur-Mumbai yatra is scheduled to traverse 6,700 kilometres through 15 states. It aims at highlighting the message of nyay (justice) while meeting common people on the way. UN atomic watchdog chief to visit Japan The International Atomic Energy Agency director general Rafael Grossi will visit Japan, beginning today. He will make a visit to Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Incs Fukushima No 1 nuclear power plant to inspect the current situation around the release of treated water from the plant into the ocean which started in August, Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said earlier. Advertisement Grossi last visited the plant in July last year. At that time, the international nuclear watchdog released a comprehensive report, acknowledging the safety of the treated water to be discharged from the plant. As gangs storm prisons and torch shops, leading to chaos, Haiti prime minister Henry Ariel has announced his resignation. Now an interim successor will be selected by the presidential council, which will have seven voting members. But will it bring peace to the violence-hit nation? A woman demonstrates against Haiti's prime minister Ariel Henry. After days of chaos, Henry has tendered his resignation as the prime minister of Haiti. Reuters Amid the violence and the chaos that has broken out in Haiti, the countrys embattled Prime Minister Ariel Henry has tendered his resignation , although with a caveat. Henry has said that he would resign once a transitional presidential council is created. The government I lead cannot remain insensitive to this situation. As I have always said, no sacrifice is too great for our homeland Haiti, Henry said in a resignation address that he posted online. Advertisement Irfaan Ali, president of Guyana, which now chairs the regional body called CARICOM, confirming the same said: We are pleased to announce a commitment to a transitional governance arrangement which paves the way for a peaceful transition of power. To that end, we acknowledge the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry. A United States official also said that Henry had confirmed his resignation in a phone conversation with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was in Jamaica. We take a closer look at what has happened in the Caribbean nation so far and what comes next for the country that is on the brink of collapse. Advertisement How did Haiti get here? Haiti, a tropical paradise, has over the years become a land of gang violence . In recent weeks, Haitis powerful and politically connected gangs have gone on a rampage across the country, storming prisons, seizing control of the port, torching dozens of shops and police stations and laying siege to the international airport. In fact, over the weekend, heavily armed gangs even attacked the National Palace and set part of the Interior Ministry on fire with petrol bombs. Advertisement The situation is such that the United States and the European Union evacuated all of its diplomats from the country. However, for local Haitians, there is no option, as they remain trapped. The authorities, in an attempt to curb the violence, have imposed a state of emergency and also a night-time curfew. But that has had little to no effect, with gangs running amok in the countrys capital, Port-au-Prince. Advertisement People walk near the cars consumed by a fire, as Haiti remains in the state of emergency due to the violence, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Reuters But what is the purpose of the gang violence? As per special forces police officer turned gang kingpin called Jimmy Barbecue Cherizier , the mission of the criminal groups is to overthrow Haitis unpopular prime minister Ariel Henry and liberate the countrys over 11 million citizens from what he dubs is an anti-democratic rule. Advertisement The people of Haiti must be free and we will achieve that with our guns, Cherizier declared. Why are they angry with Henry? The gangs led by Barbecue allege that 74-year-old Henry is unelected and do not represent the peoples aspirations. And its a sentiment shared by many local Haitians too. In fact, Amy Wilentz, author of Farewell, Fred Voodoo: A Letter from Haiti, wrote in the Atlantic earlier this week, No one wants Henry. Not the United States, which has all but asked him to resign. Not the gangs and not the Haitian people. Many would be happy never to give him another thought. Advertisement But how did he reach here? Henry was installed as prime minister shortly after the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, who had selected him for that position. Moises party likely thought Henry would bring credibility and some kind of constituency, said Brian Concannon, executive director of the US-based nonprofit Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti, as per an AP report. Advertisement Ariel Henry was installed as prime minister shortly after the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise. File image/AP He further added in the same report that Henry was not appointed through any recognised Haitian procedure. He was basically installed by the Core Group. The Core Group, established by a UN resolution, comprises diplomats from Germany, Brazil, Canada, Spain, the US, France, the EU and representatives from the United Nations and the Organization of American States. Advertisement Last year, he failed to hold elections, saying the countrys insecurity would compromise the vote. And his decision further enraged protesters who had for months demanded he stand down as Haiti slid further into poverty and rampant gang violence. And anger against him only worsened when he travelled to Kenya last month to sign a deal on the deployment of an international security force to help tackle the gang violence. A plane carrying Henry was stopped from landing following sustained attacks at Haitis international airport. Advertisement So, what comes next? Amid this chaos and anger, Henry submitted his resignation to the Caribbean Community regional political bloc, CARICOM, after they held an emergency meeting on Haitis future as it edged ever closer to a failed state. And now Henrys interim successor will be appointed by a presidential council, which will have seven voting members who make decisions by a majority vote. According to an AFP report, the seven will include representatives of major political parties, the private sector and the Montana Group, a civil society coalition that had proposed an interim government in 2021 after President Jovenel Moises assassination. Advertisement There will also be two non-voting seats on the council one for civil society and another for the church. US secretary of state Antony Blinken speaks beside Guyana president Irfaan Ali and Jamaican prime minister Andrew Holness as they attend an emergency meeting on Haiti at the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Kingston, Jamaica. Reuters Moreover, an international stabilisation force led by Kenya will also be deployed in an attempt to restore control of key routes into the capital, protect state infrastructure and stabilise the security situation. In fact, on the same day that Henry announced his resignation, the US pledged another $100 million to back the force. Advertisement Secretary of State Antony Blinken even said: All of us know that only the Haitian people can, and only the Haitian people should, determine their own future not anyone else. Candidate in the waiting? Earlier, Guy Philippe, a leader of the 2004 Haitian coup who returned to Haiti last year after serving a prison sentence in the US, told Reuters news agency that he wants to be president. When asked if he wanted to become president, he said: Yes! Im going into politics. I was a senator, Ive been elected by my people, I will go again in elections, he added. For those unaware, Philippe was one of the main leaders in the successful overthrow of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. He also had a failed run for president in 2006, before winning a senate seat in 2016, though he was arrested and extradited to the United States before he could be sworn in. With inputs from agencies Nearly 10 times as many Chinese migrants crossed Americas southern border in 2023 compared to 2022. The dramatic uptick is the result of a slowing Chinese economy, tightening political control by President Xi Jinping and easy access to online information on Chinese social media about how to make the trip A group of people, including many from China, walk along the wall after crossing the border with Mexico to seek asylum, near Jacumba, California. File photo/AP The brief closure of the Darien Gap a perilous 66-mile jungle journey linking South America and Central America in February 2024 temporarily halted one of the Western Hemispheres busiest migration routes . It also highlighted its importance to a small but growing group of people that depend on that pass to make it to the US: Chinese migrants . Advertisement While a record 2.5 million migrants were detained at the United States southwestern land border in 2023, only about 37,000 were from China . The speed with which the number of Chinese migrants is growing is remarkable. Nearly 10 times as many Chinese migrants crossed the southern border in 2023 as in 2022. In December 2023 alone, US border patrol officials reported encounters with about 6,000 Chinese migrants , in contrast to the 900 they reported a year earlier in December 2022. The dramatic uptick is the result of a confluence of factors that range from a slowing Chinese economy and tightening political control by President Xi Jinping to easy access to online information on Chinese social media about how to make the trip. The self-employed middle-class fleeing China Journalists reporting from the border have generalised that Chinese migrants come largely from the self-employed middle class . They are not rich enough to use education or work opportunities as a means of entry, but they can afford to fly across the world . Advertisement According to a report from Reuters , in many cases, those attempting to make the crossing are small-business owners who saw irreparable damage to their primary or sole source of income due to Chinas zero COVID policies . The migrants are women, men and, in some cases, children accompanying parents from all over China. Advertisement Chinese nationals have long made the journey to the United States seeking economic opportunity or political freedom. Based on recent media interviews with migrants coming by way of South America and the USs southern border, the increase in numbers seems driven by two factors. A man from China gets a bowl of oatmeal from a volunteer as he waits with others for processing to apply for asylum after crossing the border with Mexico. Several fleeing China are the self-employed middle class, say journalists. File photo/AP First, the most common path for immigration for Chinese nationals is through a student visa or H1-B visa for skilled workers. But travel restrictions during the early months of the pandemic temporarily stalled migration from China. Immigrant visas are out of reach for many Chinese nationals without family or vocation-based preferences, and tourist visas require a personal interview with a US consulate to gauge the likelihood of the traveller returning to China. Advertisement From Douyin to X, a guide to leaving China Second, with the legal routes for immigration difficult to follow, social media accounts have outlined alternatives for Chinese who feel an urgent need to emigrate. Accounts on Douyin, the TikTok clone available in mainland China, document locations open for visa-free travel by Chinese passport holders. On TikTok itself, migrants could find information on where to cross the border, as well as information about transportation and smugglers, commonly known as snakeheads , who are experienced with bringing migrants on the journey north. Advertisement With virtual private networks, immigrants can also gather information from US apps such as X, YouTube, Facebook and other sites that are otherwise blocked by Chinese censors. Inspired by social media posts that both offer practical guides and celebrate the journey , thousands of Chinese migrants have been flying to Ecuador, which allows visa-free travel for Chinese citizens , and then making their way over land to the US-Mexican border. Advertisement A couple from China adjust their masks as they wait to board a bus to the airport after crossing the border and being dropped off by border patrol agents at a transit centre in San Diego. In December 2023 alone, US border patrol officials reported encounters with about 6,000 Chinese migrants. File photo/AP This journey involves trekking through the Darien Gap, which despite its notoriety as a dangerous crossing has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Venezuela, Colombia and all over the world. In addition to information about crossing the Darien Gap, these social media posts highlight the best places to cross the border. This has led to a large share of Chinese asylum seekers following the same path to Mexicos Baja California to cross the border near San Diego. Advertisement The history of Chinese migration to the US The rapid increase in numbers and the ease of accessing information via social media on their smartphones are new innovations. But there is a longer history of Chinese migration to the US over the southern border and at the hands of smugglers. From 1882 to 1943, the United States banned all immigration by male Chinese labourers and most Chinese women. A combination of economic competition and racist concerns about Chinese culture and assimilability ensured that the Chinese would be the first ethnic group to enter the United States illegally. Advertisement Migrants gather in Necocli, Colombia, a stopping point for those taking boats to Acandi which leads to the Darien Gap. The flow of thousands of migrants daily through the migratory highway has been cut off following the 26 February capture in Necocli of some boat captains who had been ferrying the migrants to the starting point of their jungle trek. File photo/AP With legal options for arrival eliminated, some Chinese migrants took advantage of the relative ease of movement between the US and Mexico during those years. While some migrants adopted Mexican names and spoke enough Spanish to pass as migrant workers, others used borrowed identities or paperwork from Chinese people with a right of entry, like US-born citizens. Similarly to what we are seeing today, it was middle- and working-class Chinese who more frequently turned to illegal means. Those with money and education were able to circumvent the law by arriving as students or members of the merchant class, both exceptions to the exclusion law. Advertisement Though these Chinese exclusion laws officially ended in 1943, restrictions on migration from Asia continued until Congress revised US immigration law in the Hart-Celler Act in 1965 . New priorities for immigrant visas that stressed vocational skills as well as family reunification, alongside then-Chinese leader Deng Xiaopings policies of reform and opening, helped many Chinese migrants make their way legally to the US in the 1980s and 1990s. Advertisement Even after the restrictive immigration laws ended, Chinese migrants without the education or family connections often needed for US visas continued to take dangerous routes with the help of snakeheads. One notorious incident occurred in 1993, when a ship called the Golden Venture ran aground near New York , resulting in the drowning deaths of 10 Chinese migrants and the arrest and conviction of the snakeheads attempting to smuggle hundreds of Chinese migrants into the United States. Advertisement The US-China tensions Though there is plenty of precedent for Chinese migrants arriving without documentation, Chinese asylum seekers have better odds of success than many of the other migrants making the dangerous journey north. An estimated 55 per cent of Chinese asylum seekers are successful in making their claims, often citing political oppression and lack of religious freedom in China as motivations. By contrast, only 29 per cent of Venezuelans seeking asylum in the US have their claim granted, and the number is even lower for Colombians, at 19 per cent. The new halt on the migratory highway from the south has affected thousands of new migrants seeking refuge in the U.S. But the mix of push factors from their home country and encouragement on social media means that Chinese migrants will continue to seek routes to America. And with both migration and the perceived threat from China likely to be features of the upcoming US election, there is a risk that increased Chinese migration could become politicised, leaning further into existing tensions between Washington and Beijing. Meredith Oyen , Associate Professor of History and Asian Studies, University of Maryland, Baltimore County This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article . Its been a day of twists and turn in Haryana politics. It all began with the resignation of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, signalling an end of the BJPs alliance with Dushyant Singh Chautalas JJP. Hours later, the ruling party chose Kurukshetra MP Nayab Singh Saini to take charge of the states affairs Haryana's new chief minister Nayab Singh Saini with his predecessor Manohar Lal Khattar. Khattar stepped down today after the BJP-JJP alliance came to an end. File image/PTI Haryana saw a chief minister resign and a new one rise to power all within a few hours. On Tuesday morning, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar resigned along with his ministers after a split in the BJP-JJP (Jannayak Janta Party) alliance. Shortly afterwards, it was announced that BJP state president and MP from Kurukshetra Nayab Singh Saini would take oath as the Haryana chief minister and that there would be no JJP representative in the new Haryana Cabinet. Advertisement If you are confused about all that happened and what went wrong between Manohar Lal Khattar and Dushyant Chautala, heres our explainer to guide you through all the political twists and turns taking place in the state. Khattar out On Tuesday morning, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar delivered a bombshell when he and his Cabinet ministers submitted their resignations to Haryana governor Bandaru Dattatreya. The action came as BJPs alliance in the state fell through with Dushyant Singh Chautalas JJP. But what led to the split in the alliance, which was formed in 2019 post the elections when the BJP didnt get a majority in the 2019 Haryana Assembly polls? The BJP-JJP alliance has been under strain over seat-sharing talks for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, with the BJP stalling the JJPs demand for two of the 10 constituencies in Haryana. According to News18, the two seats in question were Hisar and Bhiwani-Mahendragarh. The JJP wanted these two seats, claiming they have a strong base there. Incidentally, Chautala was a MP from Hisar in 2014, while Dushyants father and JJP supremo, Ajay Chautala, was MP from Bhiwani in 1999. Advertisement Manohar Lal Khattar with Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) leader Dushyant Chautala. Khattar and his Cabinet ministers submitted their resignations to Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya today. File image/PTI However, the BJP was not interested in giving any Lok Sabha seats as it felt it was in a strong position in both seats. Additionally, a BJP source was quoted as telling News18 that they were willing to offer JJP another seat, such as Kurukshetra, but the alliance partner was adamant. Advertisement Its important to note that the sitting BJP MP from Hisar, Brijendra Singh, quit the party just two days ago and joined the Congress. On his decision, he had then said that the dynamics of Haryana revolved widely around kisan (farmer), jawan (solider), and khiladi (sportsperson). But the interest of all these sections was widely overlooked under the BJP regime, he said. Advertisement While the seat-sharing may be the primary trigger for the alliance to fall through, sources told The Wire that the BJP Haryana cadre was also discontent with the JJP. Theres also speculation that the split in the alliance and Khattars exit was to neutralise the anti-incumbency feeling and also split the dominant Jat votes by leaving the JJP on its own and let it compete with the Congress for the same votes. Advertisement Rumours of the alliance breaking up had also surfaced last year in June, but both partners had remained mum then. Rise of Nayab Singh Saini With Khattars exit, the position of chief minister fell vacant and speculation began on who would occupy the top post. Initially, rumours swirled that Khattar would return as CM, but later the names of Nayab Singh Saini and Sanjay Bhatia began to circulate. Advertisement Putting an end to the speculation, the BJP said that Nayab Singh Saini would be the new chief minister of the state and his swearing-in would take place at 5 pm. Currently, the MP from Kurukshetra, Saini hails from the OBC community and was appointed as the state president of Haryana BJP in October last year. Notably, hes also considered a close confidante of former CM Khattar. Advertisement Haryanas new chief minister Nayab Singh Saini has a long association with the BJP. He began his political career with the party in 1996 and climbed the ranks and even won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Kurukshetra. File image: @mr_mayank/X Saini has worked long in the BJP; his political journey began with the party in 1996 and he progressed through the ranks to assume the role of district general secretary of the BJP Youth Wing in Ambala in 2002. Later, in 2014, he was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly from the Narayangarh constituency and even became a minister in the Haryana government in 2016. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he defeated Nirmal Singh of the Congress from the Kurukshetra constituency with a margin of over 3.83 lakh votes. Advertisement Moreover, the Saini caste in Haryana is of significance. It makes up eight per cent of the Haryana population. Uncertain times for Chautala The split in the BJP-JJP alliance is not the only problem for Dushyant Singh Chautala, who was the former deputy chief minister of the state. It seems that members of his party are all set to make a switch to the BJP following the split in the partnership. Advertisement Shortly after the resignation of Khattar and his Cabinet, Chautala called a meeting of all 10 MLAs and other senior leaders of the party in New Delhi to discuss the partys future strategy in the wake of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. While his mother and Bhadra MLA Naina Chautala, Uklana MLA Anoop Dhanak, Narwana MLA Ram Niwas, and Shahbad MLA Ram Karan have made their way to the Capital for the talks, five others are yet to even confirm their attendance at the meet, fuelling rumours that they would be making the jump to the BJP. Advertisement The five MLAs who havent confirmed the attendance at the meet are Narnaund MLA Ram Kumar Gautam, Barwala MLA Jogi Ram Sihag, Guhla MLA Ishwar Singh and Julana MLA Amarjeet Dhanda. Moreover, the Indian Express reported Dushyants confidante Devender Singh Babli will also not attend the meet, raising questions about the partys situation. Advertisement Shortly after Khattars resignation, JJP spokesperson Arvind Bharadwaj said, We will issue an official statement soon. The JJP is all set to contest all 10 seats and 90 Assembly seats. Numbers game in Haryana Assembly In the 90-member Haryana Assembly, the majority mark is 46. As of today, the BJP has 41 MLAs in the House, while the JJP has 10 and the Congress has 30. Seven are Independents, while there is one MLA each from the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP). It is rumoured that former Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar will now contest the Lok Sabha elections, with some speculating that he will contest from Karnal. File image/PTI And now it seems that the BJP has got its support from five Independents, including HLPs lone MLA, Gopal Kanda. Its left to be seen how this dissolution of the alliance will play out in the upcoming Lok Sabha as well as Assembly elections where it is a known fact that the Jat vote plays a pivotal role. With inputs from agencies To protect workers, China is considering offering legal protection to employees forced to stay online even after work hours. The development comes after a political advisor last week recommended that guidelines and a legal framework be made for working overtime online With advanced technology, worldwide businesses are grappling with the rise of flexible work. Reuters Replying to endless texts about a new project or answering a phone call after leaving work, work is slowly seeking into peoples personal lives, especially since remote work became more convenient in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to protect the workers from such invisible overtime, neighbouring China is considering offering legal protection to employees forced to stay online even after work hours. Advertisement This development comes after Lyu Guoquan, head of the general office of Chinas trade union federation, recommended the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) last week that guidelines and a legal framework be made for working overtime online. Lets take a closer look. The right to disconnect The right to disconnect is defined as a workers right to be able to disengage from work and refrain from engaging in work-related electronic communications, such as emails or other messages, during non-work hours," according to the European Union (EU). Digital information technology in the internet era has blurred the boundaries between work and life, making invisible overtime increasingly normalised as unpaid overtime, Lyu, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee said, according to the state-owned Workers Daily newspaper on Tuesday. Advertisement The state of being always online has left workers trapped in the work system, adversely affecting their physical and mental well-being, he added. According to South China Morning Post, he recommended putting limitations on hours for jobs that depend on online platforms and have variable schedules and heavy workloads, as well as amending standard working hours to explicitly identify online overtime and compensation. Advertisement According to Lyu, the government should also strengthen supervision, penalise companies who engage in invisible overtime, and enhance the system that allows employees to safeguard their rights against arbitrary and unpaid overtime. Chinas labour rules provide that an employee should not work more than eight hours a day, or forty hours a week, on average. Advertisement Companies may decide to extend working hours, usually for no more than an hour a day, in response to production and business needs; however, overtime must be compensated. He said that a number of governmental organisations and political advisory groups had approved the plan. The top court supports the proposal The matter, according to SCMP, was raised by the president of the Supreme Peoples Court on 8 March, who talked about rewarding employees for the invisible overtime in his work report to the National Peoples Congress, Chinas rubberstamp parliament. Advertisement As per Bangkok Post, Chief Justice Zhang Jun told the NPC a person was considered to be working overtime if they contributed substantive labour to tasks that evidently consume time a definition that included staying online. The standards guarantee that online (overtime) work is rewarded and offline rest is protected, he said. Advertisement Various discussions in the past This isnt the first time, invisible overtime is being discussed. Chinese courts in the recent years have addressed numerous cases related to overtime payments. The Supreme Court highlighted one such case as exemplary for other judicial bodies to follow. According to the report, case involved a director of a short video team, named Li, who sued their employer for unpaid overtime after being terminated in 2020. Initially, a lower court ruled that the time Li spent on WeChat for work-related communication during off-duty hours should be considered while calculating overtime compensation. However, the top court pointed out that quantifying such scattered time was challenging. Advertisement Lou Yu, director of the Social Law Institute at China University of Political Science and Law, expressed the likelihood of regulations being established to govern online overtime labour. This is a very prominent labour and employment issue at present, and (the proposal) was recognised by different sectors, he said, as per Bangkok Post. Advertisement He, however, noted that it will take at least two years to formulate a ministry-level regulation and even longer for a law under the State Council, the Chinese cabinet. A norm in China Invisible overtime has become a global phenomenon. According to the Global Times, in December 2023, a woman from Southwest Chinas Sichuan Province reportedly spent three hours and a half leaving over 600 WeChat work groups after she quit her job. Advertisement Her story ignited massive discussions on social media, with many commenting due to messages alert on work groups and calls anytime, they felt scared whenever their phones buzzed. As per the 2023 survey by dtcj.com, over 90 per cent employees had invisible overtime, including 60 per cent who experienced it frequently. The top three practices included responding to work messages after logging out, participating in training or competitions the company organised and standing by at any time despite without any task assigned. Advertisement The poll suggests over 73 per cent of people said they worked overtime to finish their workload. Situation in other countries With advanced technology, worldwide businesses are grappling with the rise of flexible work. To battle this, many countries are tightening how much bosses can contact employees out of working hours. In the United Kingdom, about 3.8 million people did unpaid overtime last year, putting in an average of 7.2 unpaid hours a week, as per the TUC survey published on 23 February. The poll estimates that was equivalent to 7,200 a year of wages going unpaid. Advertisement The High Court in Singapore heard a case involving a worker who requested overtime compensation over the legally-mandated threshold but was not reimbursed. The court determined that the Employment Act does not preclude an employee from seeking compensation for overtime hours surpassing the stipulated limit, according to HCAMAG.com. Australia, is mulling over the planned legislation, known as the right to disconnect, which aims to limit the amount of unpaid overtime for staff. According to the countrys Centre for Future Work data, on average, workers do 5.4 hours of unpaid work each week or 280 hours of unpaid overtime a year. The country is taking cue from Belgium and other European countries, which introduced measures in 2022 to prohibit bosses from contacting workers outside of working hours. According to the World Economic Forum, Belgium granted around 65,000 public sector employees like the right to disconnect to promote a better work-life balance, with restrictions on contacting employees beyond designated hours. In 2016, France implemented the same policy, followed by Italy in 2017, Spain in 2018, and Ireland in 2021, as per India Times. While Europe has taken significant steps to address such work-related issues, the US, the UK, and even India are still lagging behind. With inputs from agencies French president Emmanuel Macron has announced new legislation to legalise aid in dying. He stated that the new bill would only apply to adults suffering from an incurable illness who are expected to die in the short or middle-term and are in intractable physical or psychological pain President Emmanuel Macron set no date for the legislation's implementation, saying it will first go through a months-long legislative process that will begin in May. AP French president Emmanuel Macron has announced new legislation to legalise aid in dying, which will allow adults with terminal illnesses to take lethal medication, reports The Associated Press. In an interview published Monday by French newspapers La Croix and Liberation, Macron stated that the new bill would only apply to adults suffering from an incurable illness who are expected to die in the short or middle-term and are in intractable physical or psychological pain. Advertisement He added that the law will provide a possible path, in a determined situation, with precise criteria, where the medical decision is playing its role, using the example of people with terminal cancer, some of whom have previously gone abroad to end their lives. However, certain conditions apply. Only people over the age of 18 who are capable of forming their own opinions will be allowed to participate in the process, and those with severe psychiatric conditions and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimers disease will be excluded, Macron confirmed, according to AP. The development comes after a report last year indicated that most French citizens support legalising end-of-life options Macron set no date for the legislations implementation, saying it will first go through a months-long legislative process that will begin in May. Here are several other European countries that already allow the terminally ill to receive help to end their lives. Advertisement Euthanasia: Dutch first In April 2002, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalise active euthanasia, whereby doctors administer lethal doses of drugs to patients suffering from an incurable condition. It also legalised assisted suicide, where patients can receive help to voluntarily take their own life. The Dutch law said the patient must have unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement and must have requested to die in a way that is voluntary, well considered and with full conviction. Advertisement In 2012, the Netherlands expanded the law to authorise euthanasia for over-12s in great suffering, provided they have parental consent, and in 2020 to patients with severe dementia, if the patient had requested the procedure while still mentally competent. The Dutch government in April 2023 also approved euthanasia for children under 12 after years of debate, permitting mercy deaths for young minors suffering unbearably and without hope. Advertisement Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal Belgium was the second country to adopt euthanasia and assisted suicide in May 2002, and with similar caveats to the Dutch. In 2014 it went further than the Netherlands by allowing terminally ill children of all ages to also request the procedure, with the consent of their parents. Under the French legislation, only people over the age of 18 who are capable of forming their own opinions will be allowed to participate in the process, and those with severe psychiatric conditions and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimers disease will be excluded. File image/Reuters Fellow Benelux country Luxembourg decriminalised euthanasia and assisted dying in 2009, followed by Spain in June 2021, which legalised both practices. Advertisement Portugal in May 2023 adopted a bill decriminalising euthanasia, despite strong opposition from President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a devout churchgoer. The law legalised euthanasia for people in great suffering and with incurable diseases. Assisted dying: final destination Switzerland Switzerland, which prohibits euthanasia, has for decades allowed assisted suicide, making it the go-to destination for patients from around Europe looking for assistance to end their suffering. Advertisement The growth of so-called suicide tourism has caused much soul-searching in Switzerland but the authorities decided in 2011 against restricting the practice. Neighbouring Austria, a staunchly Catholic nation, also legalised assisted suicide in 2022 after its constitutional court ruled the country was violating citizens fundamental rights in making it illegal. Italys constitutional court by contrast in February 2022 rejected a bid to hold a referendum on decriminalising assisted dying, judging that such a vote would fail to protect the weakest. Advertisement But the court ruled that it should not always be punishable to help someone with intolerable physical or psychological suffering to commit suicide. The issue is also the subject of renewed public interest in Britain. In 2015, MPs voted overwhelmingly against allowing assisted dying but over 150,000 people have signed a petition calling for a new debate and vote. Advertisement With inputs from AP and AFP The development comes amid speculations that the BJP and Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) will part ways. Sources say Nayab Saini or Sanjay Bhatia are likely to replace him Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar along with his cabinet on Tuesday submitted their resignation ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The development comes amid speculations that the BJP and Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) will part ways. Sources say Nayab Saini or Sanjay Bhatia are likely to replace him. The oath-taking ceremony for the new chief minister will take place on Tuesday. Advertisement BJP leader Kanwar Pal Gujjar confirmed Khattars resignation and said, CM and cabinet ministers have resigned and the Governor has accepted the resignations. #WATCH | Chandigarh: BJP leader Kanwar Pal Gujjar says, "CM and cabinet ministers have resigned and the Governor has accepted the resignations..." pic.twitter.com/ckFpx6G5Dm ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2024 Why has Khattar resigned? Ties between BJP and Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala-led JJP started deteriorating after the two parties failed to reach a seat-sharing agreement ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Advertisement In 2019, the BJP had won all 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state elections. #WATCH | BJP leader Manohar Lal Khattar leaves from Raj Bhavan in Chandigarh after resigning as CM of Haryana CM Khattar and his cabinet submitted their resignations to state Governor Bandaru Dattatreya. pic.twitter.com/UaGDECkk5L ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2024 Advertisement Meanwhile, Independent MLA Nayan Pal Rawat acknowledged that the alliance between the two parties is at breaking point, and support of some independent MLAs for Khattar might ensure BJPs survival in the state. Advertisement Earlier today, Union Minister Arjun Munda and former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb went to Haryana to oversee the changes in the government. Sources say that Khattar is likely to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Karnal. The number game To form a government in Haryana, the BJP will need to count on the support of 46 lawmakers. Currently, in the 90-member Assembly, BJP has 41 MLAs, Congress 30 and JJP 10. Advertisement There are seven Independents. There is one MLA each from the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the HLP. Nayab Singh Saini, said to be close to Manohar Lal Khattar hails from the OBC community. He was appointed as the state president of Haryana BJP in October 2023 Nayab Singh Saini, BJP MP from Kurukshetra will be Haryanas new Chief Minister. His name was decided during the BJPs meeting on Tuesday held after Manohar Lal Khattar resigned from the post in morning. Saini will be the chief minister of Haryana for next nine months before the state goes to poll later this year. Advertisement #WATCH | Haryana BJP MLA Krishan Lal Middha says, "Nayab Singh Saini to be next CM of Haryana. All people are now going to meet the Governor..." pic.twitter.com/8PBhukdzC5 ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2024 Saini will take oath around 5 pm on Tuesday at Raj Bhawan. Advertisement Saini, said to be close to Khattar hails from the OBC community. He was appointed as the state president of Haryana BJP in October 2023. The last decade saw Saini step-up party ladder. In 2014, he first became an MLA from Naraingarh Seat and in 2016, he for the first time became a Minister in Haryana. Advertisement He became an MP from Kurukshetra in 2019 and after which in 2023, he was made BJP State President in Haryana. With Saini become the Chief Minister of Haryana, BJP will now field a new candidate from Kurukshetra Lok Sabha seat. Why Manohar Lal Khattar resigned from Haryana CM post? As per sources, Khattar, who resigned from the post of Chief Minister of Haryana on March 12, will be contesting for Lok Sabha elections 2024. He is expected to fielded from Karnal. Advertisement Earlier names of both Saini and Sanjay Bhatia (MP from Karnal) were doing the rounds for replacing Khattar after he stepped submitted his resignation on Tuesday. In Haryana, cracks appeared in the ruling coalition of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala-led Jannayak Janata Part (JJP) ahead of the Lok Sabha polls 2024 after their failure to reach a seat-sharing agreement in the state for the Lok Sabha elections. In the 2019, the BJP had won all 10 Lok Sabha seats. Advertisement Reports said BJP is unwilling to give 2 seats to JJP for the upcoming general elections and wants to contest on all 10 seats on its own. A BJP central team comprising Union minister Arjun Munda and former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb are in Haryana to oversee the changes. The BJP claims to have the numbers to cross the halfway mark. In the 90-member Haryana Assembly, the BJP now has 41 MLAs, while the JJP has 10. The ruling combine also enjoys the support of six of seven independents. Advertisement BJP claimed that it has enough numbers - 41 MLAs, plus five independents, taking it past the half-way mark of 45 seats in the Haryana Assembly. The main opposition in Haryana Assembly, Congress has 30 MLAs and the Indian National Lok Dal and the Haryana Lokhit Party have one seat each. With inputs from agencies Nayab Singh becomes Haryana CM following Khattars resignation Nayab Singh Saini, BJP MP from Kurukshetra will be Haryanas new Chief Minister. His name was decided during the BJPs meeting on Tuesday held after Manohar Lal Khattar resigned from the post in the morning. Saini will be the chief minister of Haryana for the next nine months before the state goes to poll later this year. Advertisement Haryana CM Khattar resigns Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar along with his cabinet on Tuesday submitted their resignation ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The development comes amid speculations that the BJP and Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) will part ways. Sources say Nayab Saini or Sanjay Bhatia are likely to replace him. PM Modi launches Rs 85,000 crore railway projects in Ahmedabad Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of Rs 85,000 crore railway projects, including the launch of 10 new Vande Bharat trains. The PM launched the projects from Sabarmati area of Ahmedabad in Gujarat after visiting the Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFC) Operation Control Centre in Ahmedabad. He also flagged off the extension of four Vande Bharat trains. The PM also flagged off two new passenger trains between Asansol and Hatia & Tirupati and Kollam stations. PM Modi also flagged off freight trains on the DFC from various locations - New Khurja Junction, Sahnewal, New Rewari, New Kishangarh, New Gholvad, and New Makarpura. He dedicated 50 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras at various railway stations. These centres will offer affordable and quality generic medicines to the people. The PM also dedicated to the nation 51 Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminals, which will promote seamless movement of goods between different modes of transportation. Advertisement PM Modi to witness tri-services firepower in Rajasthans Pokhran today Stage is set in the arid terrain of Rajasthans Pokhran for the mega exercise Bharat Shakti on Tuesday, which will demonstrate the prowess of indigenously manufactured defence equipment of the three services. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will witness the integrated tri-service firepower and manoeuvre exercise that will be held for about 50 minutes. The countrys top military brass will also be present on the occasion. LCA Tejas, ALH Mk-IV, LCH Prachand, mobile anti-drone system, BMP-II and its variants, NAMICA (Nag Missile Carrier), T90 tanks, Dhanush, K9 Vajra and Pinaka rockets are among the platforms that will be demonstrated. Advertisement Mallikarjun Kharge likely to skip Lok Sabha contest Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge is unlikey to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, according to a report. According to an NDTV report, amid the unease in the party over his decision, the Congress veteran has pointed out that he needs to take care of the big picture without getting involved in his own personal campaign. Kharge was the one unanimous name in the candidates list for Karnataka that was discussed last week for the Gulbarga constituency. But he is likely to nominate his son-in-law Radhakrishnan Doddamani, added the report, citing sources. Advertisement PM Modi to flag off two new Vande Bharat Express Trains from Visakhapatnam today Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off two more Vande Bharat Express trains from Andhra Pradeshs Visakhapatnam via video conferencing on Tuesday. The two new trains will operate between Visakhapatnam-Puri and Visakhapatnam-Secunderabad. With this, the total number of Vande Bharat Express trains operational from Visakhapatnam will be three.During the occasion, PM Modi will also inaugurate completed portions of railway line doubling projects and other infrastructural developments, which will enhance train connectivity and contribute to the overall development of the region. One Station, One Product stalls over the division will also be dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister. Advertisement With inputs from agencies Brian, left, and Kevin Fisher-Paulson visiting the Palace at Versailles in France in February. Courtesy Kevin Fisher-Paulson And, now, the final chapter of our European vacation We started on the Orient Express. Well, thats how the travel agent billed it, though try as I might I never found Hercule Poirot. My husband, Brian, and I took a train ride through the Swiss Alps. Large lakes and churches were dwarfed by the even larger mountains. We sped by Mount Pilatus, where legend has it Pontius Pilate was buried. We arrived in Zurich, the one city on the trip whose language Id never Duolingoed. Pointing and gesturing got us on Rail Europe to France. We arrived in Paris late. As we hailed a taxi to go to our hotel, a soft mist turned the city into an Impressionist painting. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The next morning, we traveled to the Palace of Versailles, mighty in its own artistry, but when we came upon the sculpture The Rape of the Sabine Women, we remembered seeing the larger original in Rome. Or was it Florence? Not all journeys end, but a vacation does. At some point, on any holiday, I click my sneakers and say, Theres no place like home. Its not like I didnt love Italy, the Vatican, Switzerland and France; its that I thought Id get more rest at home. I wouldnt have to fight my circadian rhythm. And I had grown tired of conjugation. That night, we walked to the Latin Quarter. I used up the last of my French in a restaurant named Le Petit Prince de Paris. It served as a tavern in 1450 and took on its current name in 1976. Candlelight flickered in framed mirrors. Wooden staircases went nowhere. It was a comfy hobbits den of an eatery. Waiter Edwin, left, takes a selfie with Brian and Kevin Fisher-Paulson in February at the Le Petit Prince de Paris restaurant. Courtesy Kevin Fisher-Paulson Edwin, our waiter, brought an amuse-bouche: olives and cheese. I stumbled through the menu to order Filet de Boeuf au Roquefort for my husband and Magret de Canard for myself, and we tasted the best meal of our journey. Edwin, knowing an American tipper when he saw one, even flirted with us as Brian sipped his port. Advertisement Article continues below this ad France is super protective of its language. In 1635, Cardinal Richelieu established the Academie Francaise, with a mission to preserve the native tongue. In 1992, when terms like le weekend and le hamburger had crept into use, the French passed a constitutional amendment declaring: The language of the Republic is French. The government even fined one company 500,000 euros for providing software in English only. On the street level, this translates to the French insisting I try to speak French, but rolling their eyes when I confused it with my junior high school Spanish and my Italian tutoring. They wouldnt help me out of a plus que parfait but, still, no matter how I garbled deux verres de vin blanc, the waiters brought white wine. Still, it was nice to get on that Air France jet and know I wouldnt have to wonder where to put the adverbs anymore. Twelve hours later we landed in San Francisco to the wonderful chaos that is America and its language, where, apparently, I can now put a preposition anywhere I damn please. Emily Brewster, an associate editor at Merriam-Webster, has announced that a preposition is a perfectly appropriate kind of word to end a sentence with. Stephan Savoia/Associated Press That week, Emily Brewster, an associate editor at Merriam-Webster, announced that a preposition is a perfectly appropriate kind of word to end a sentence with. Somewhere in a cemetery in Queens, there is a grave that Sister Mary Florence, my fourth-grade teacher, rolled in. But I myself was tickled. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The ban on sentence-ending prepositions was born in 1672, when John Dryden critiqued Shakespeare for ending his sentences that way. He thought this wrong because Latin did not allow for this construction. English teachers have been enforcing this ever since. But American English is not Latin. Its not even really English. We dont have the Academy American to enforce structure. We live, in fact, in a Wild West of language. Not sure if I accept Emily Brewster as an authoritative source, but I applauded her in that she understood that our language is a polyglot, borrowed from French, German and what have you. We dont have rigid rules, but rather suggestions, and a good writer knows when to split that infinitive. We can argue all day about the Oxford comma, but we recognize its as arbitrary as the Notre Dame exclamation point! The Fisher-Paulson familys Bedlam Blue Bungalow takes its name from a poem by Kevins father, Hap. Courtesy Kevin Fisher-Paulson We got home to a language I knew. I kissed the ground of the Outer, Outer, Outer, Outer Excelsior in a city that translates whatever you please into Spanish, Tagalog, Mandarin or Cantonese. Frank may have its faults linguistically and otherwise but its the town I have made my home in. Kevin Fisher-Paulsons book Secrets of the Blue Bungalow (Fearless Books, $25) is available at fearlessbooks.com and area bookstores. IAFs LCA Tejas crashed at Jaisalmers Jawahar colony which is around 100 km away from the venue where PM Modi is addressing the Bharat Shakti programme A Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed near Rajasthans Jaisalmer on Tuesday during an operational training sortie. The pilot ejected safely. Tejas crashed at Jawahar colony in Jaisalmer which is around 100 km away from the venue where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing the Bharat Shakti programme. Advertisement One Tejas aircraft of the Indian Air Force met with an accident at Jaisalmer, today during an operational training sortie. The pilot ejected safely. A Court of Inquiry has been constituted to find out the cause of the accident. Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) March 12, 2024 A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident. Advertisement #WATCH | Rajasthan | A Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas of the Indian Air Force crashed near Jaisalmer today during an operational training sortie. The pilot ejected safely. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident. pic.twitter.com/3JZf15Q8eZ ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2024 Advertisement This is the first crash of the indigenous jet - Tejas - since it first flew 23 years ago. Advertisement The crash site is around 100 km away from the venue where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing the Bharat Shakti programme. People gathered and recorded the video which showed thick, black smoke emitting from the crashed LCA Tejas aircraft. VIDEO | An aircraft of Indian Air Force crashes in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. More details are awaited. pic.twitter.com/py2Bdt9wXf Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 12, 2024 Advertisement With inputs from agencies The split between JJP and BJP grew momentum after the latter reportedly refused to give 2 seats to the former for the upcoming general elections and wants to contest all 10 seats on its own Former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattars post was taken up by BJP MP Nayab Saini on Tuesday after cracks between the ruling BJP-Jannayak Janata Party became too inevitable. As the political drama in Haryana unfolded, the Bhartiya Janata Party closely managed to pull the numbers in its favour, enough to ensure its survival in the state. Advertisement In the past, the saffron party has successfully navigated through challenges wherein it was put in a tough spot of losing authority over the governance of a state, usually owing to inconceivable demands of its allies. The split between JJP and BJP grew momentum after the latter reportedly refused to give 2 seats to the former for the upcoming general elections and wants to contest all 10 seats on its own. However, this is not the first time the BJP has replaced a chief ministerial face in a state. Gujarat: Vijay Rupani replaced by Bhupendra Patel In 2021, Union Minister Amit Shah loyalist Vijay Rupanis chair was given to Bhupendra Patel. Word of mouth was that the BJPs central leadership was unhappy with Rupanis handling of the COVID pandemic, especially in the second wave. Advertisement Another factor that cost Rupani his post was caste. Hailing from the Jain community, the stronger Patel-Patidar community was not particularly happy with the BJPs decision to make Rupani the chief minister. Tripura: Biplab Deb replaced by Manik Saha The very next year, Tripura saw a change of guard when the ruling BJP replaced Biplab Deb with Manik Saha. Advertisement Debs resignation came as a surprise to observers but happened as there were rumours of internal fighting among BJP state unit leaders. Party is above all. I am a loyal worker of the BJP. I hope I have done justice to the responsibilities that were given to me whether it was BJP state president or Tripura chief minister. I have worked for the overall development of Tripura, and to ensure peace for the people of the state, the former chief minister said at the time. Advertisement Uttarakhand: Tirath Rawat by Pushkar Dhami In the same year (2022), Pushkar Singh Dhami took oath as the new Uttarakhand chief minister after Tirath Rawat resigned in 2021, a little after four months since he assumed charge. At the time, the BJP pushed for Rawats resignation as the Election Commission had not decided to hold a by-election in the state due to the COVID pandemic. Additionally, Rawat could not participate in the bypoll as he got infected by the coronavirus. Advertisement Karnataka: BS Yeddiyurappa replaced by Basavaraj Bommai The year 2021 saw another government shake-up in the southern state of Karnataka BS Yeddiyurappa had to make way for Basavaraj Bommai. Yeddiyurappas age came in the way of his ability to continue as the states chief minister. Under the Modi government, the unspoken age cut-off for retiring from active politics is 75. At the time of his resignation, Yeddiyurappa was 78. The Pakistani boat was intercepted about 350 kms from Gujarats Porbandar during the joint operation was carried by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) India Coast Guard with ATS Gujarat and NCB apprehended Pakistani boat in Arabian Sea in an overnight anti-narco operation. X/@IndiaCoastGuard A Pakistani boat with six people onboard carrying 80 kg of drugs worth Rs 480 crore was intercepted about 350 kms from Gujarats Porbandar during an joint operation on the intervening night of March 11 and 12. All the six people, reportedly Pakistani nationals, onboard have been arrested. The joint operation was carried by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). Advertisement @IndiaCoastGuard with #ATS Gujarat & #NCB apprehended Pak boat in Arabian Sea in an overnight anti-narco operation. Boat with 06 crew & approx 80Kg contraband worth 480 Cr being brought to nearest Port for further joint rummaging & investigations. @giridhararamane pic.twitter.com/7p2frqvimL Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) March 12, 2024 In a statement, NCB said the boat was apprehended in a sea-air coordinated operation involving ICG ships and Dornier Aircraft. Advertisement The operation exhibited well-coordinated efforts between ICG, NCB, and ATS Gujrat, the NCB said. This is the tenth apprehension by ICG, jointly with ATS Gujarat and NCB, in last three years, amounting to 517 kg Narcotics worth Rs 3,135 crores, it added. The ICG, meanwhile, said on specific intelligence input from agencies, they strategically positioned its ships in Arabian Sea on Monday, March 11. Advertisement ICG also tasked its Dornier aircraft to scan and locate the boat in likely areas. After an exhaustive search in area, the ICG Ships, with teams of NCB and ATS Gujarat, arrived location and positively identified the boat which was moving suspiciously in dark, the Coast Guard further said. On being challenged by the Coast Guard ships, the boat started evasive manoeuvring, but was chased and forced to stop, the Coast Guard said. Advertisement 10th apprehension by ICG, jointly with ATS Gujarat and NCB As per the NCB, this is the tenth apprehension by ICG, jointly with ATS Gujarat and NCB, in last three years, amounting to 517 kg Narcotics worth Rs 3,135 crores. Second big drug consignment seized in 30 days Notably, this is the second big drug consignment seized off Gujarats coast in the last 30 days. Advertisement On February 28, at least 3,300 kg of drugs from a boat manned by suspected Pakistani crew members was seized off the coast of Gujarat. The international market value of these drugs was more than Rs 2,000 crore. With inputs from agencies We reject the comments made by the Chinese side regarding the visit of the Prime Minister to Arunachal Pradesh. Indian leaders visit Arunachal Pradesh from time to time, as they visit other states of India. Objecting to such visits or Indias developmental projects does not stand to reason. Further, it will not change the reality that the state of Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India, said the MEA in a statement A day after China said it lodged a diplomatic protest with India over Prime Minister Narendra Modi s visit to Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs came hard at Beijing saying that objecting to such visits or Indias developmental projects does not stand to reason neither does it change the reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Advertisement We reject the comments made by the Chinese side regarding the visit of the Prime Minister to Arunachal Pradesh. Indian leaders visit Arunachal Pradesh from time to time, as they visit other states of India. Objecting to such visits or Indias developmental projects does not stand to reason. Further, it will not change the reality that the state of Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India, said the MEA in a statement. Chinese side has been made aware of this consistent position on several occasions, the statement further added. China has been reiterating its claim over the area by saying Indias moves will only complicate the unresolved boundary question. PM Modi inaugurated the Sela Tunnel, situated at an altitude of 13,000 feet in Arunachal Pradesh, on Saturday. This tunnel will ensure year-round connectivity to the strategically important Tawang region and facilitate smoother troop movement along the frontier. Advertisement Costing Rs 825 crore, the tunnel is constructed on the route linking Tezpur in Assam to the West Kameng district in Arunachal Pradesh. It claims the title of the worlds longest bi-lane road tunnel at such a high altitude. According to military officials quoted by PTI on Monday, the Sela Tunnel will enhance the mobility of troops and armaments across various points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. Advertisement Despite Chinas persistent claims over Arunachal Pradesh, referring to it as South Tibet and naming the area Zangnan, India maintains its sovereignty over the region. New Delhi has consistently rejected Chinas territorial assertions, reaffirming that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India. Additionally, India dismisses Chinas attempts to assign fabricated names to the region, emphasising that such actions do not change the ground reality. Advertisement Asked by the official media in Beijing about Modis visit to Arunachal Pradesh at a media briefing on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said, Zangnan area is Chinese territory. The Chinese government has never recognised the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally set up by India and firmly opposes it, he said. Advertisement The China-India boundary question has yet to be solved. India has no right to arbitrarily develop the area of Zangnan in China. Indias relevant moves will only complicate the boundary question and disrupt the situation in the border areas between the two countries, he said. China strongly deplores and firmly opposes the Indian leaders visit to the East Section of the China-India boundary. We have made solemn representations to India, Wang added. Advertisement With inputs from agencies On Monday, the Supreme Court denied SBIs request of extension deadline of submission of electoral bond data asking the bank to furnish the detail by the ending of business hours of March 12 The State Bank of India (SBI) is reportedly ready with electoral bonds data that the Supreme Court Monday had asked to be disclosed to the Election Commission of India (ECI) by March 12. A report by NDTV Profit quoted sources saying SBI is ready with the details on electoral bonds sought by the apex court as part of its order. Advertisement The bank is expected to submit the electoral bond data later on Tuesday (March 12), the report added. SBI has the information regarding the donors who purchased these electoral bonds and the amount they have purchased. It also has details of political parties which have gone ahead and redeemed these electoral bonds. However, the mapping of data, which is said to be important as a review process to avoid discrepancies, has not been completed, the bank also told the SC on Monday. But, since the court did not mention that mapping needs to be done, the bank has said they have the information and they are ready to submit the details to the top court which will later be published by the ECI on its website. Advertisement The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the SBIs request to extend the deadline to reveal information about electoral bonds till June 30 and directed Indias largest lender to furnish the details by the end of business hours on March 12. The court also asked the ECI to publish these details on March 15 by 5 pm. Advertisement The SCs five-judge constitutional bench, led by Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, said there was no reason for further extension since the submissions of SBI indicate that the information is readily available. The court also requested an affidavit from SBIs CMD Dinesh Kumar Khara, to confirm compliance with the courts directives, indicating that contempt proceedings would be initiated if the deadline is not met. Advertisement On February 15 the court struck down the electoral bond scheme and asked the SBI to furnish the details of the bonds purchased from April 12, 2019, to February 15, 2024, to the ECI by March 6. Two days before the court-set deadline, SBI had on March 4 sought an extension of time till June 30. Advertisement With inputs from agencies The North-South divide in Indias economic and political landscape is a complex issue that needs nuance and understanding rather than oversimplification and stereotypes On leap years leap day, The Economist published an analysis that cant be leapt. With two articles titled To see Indias Future, go south and Indias north-south divide, The Economist argues that Indias economic rise is over-reliant on South India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trading ideological aims for national unity. Advertisement Similar arguments have been utilised by a parliamentarian from a major political party to demand a separate nation. This party had organised a movement in New Delhi in February, demanding Our Tax Money, Give it to us. It is being portrayed that the ruling party in the Centre stands for an illiterate, underdeveloped, Hindi-speaking North India, while the opposition stands for a developed, inclusive, and Hindi-opposing South India. This portrayal oversimplifies the complexities of Indian politics and regional dynamics, necessitating clarification to challenge attempts to undermine Indias sovereignty. First things first. The protests against the alleged divide are not economic but political. The analysis of the economy notably excludes the Western states of Gujarat and Maharashtra, which collectively contribute to almost 24 per cent of Indias GDP. However, a strong demand for separatism still doesnt exist. Among these states, Gujarat has been ruled by the BJP for nearly three decades. The Economist, not for once, mentions these states and their stats. Advertisement Political leaders of the opposition in the South are leveraging economic injustice to solidify their political positions, often in response to challenges posed by Prime Minister Modis popularity and his partys strategies. These leaders also support the farmers protests in North India despite their purported concerns about tax distribution. This raises questions about the sincerity of their motives regarding the North-South economic divide. Advertisement A historical perspective may shed light on why West and South India have experienced more economic growth than the North and East. From 1952 to 1993, the Government of India implemented a freight equalization policy that subsidized the transportation of minerals. This policy incentivised the development of manufacturing facilities near the coastline, where transportation of raw materials was more feasible. Although the policy was eventually revoked, its impact persisted as new investments favoured regions with existing infrastructure. Advertisement The role of migrants in contributing to GST collections in states like Karnataka, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu is significant. For instance, an IT engineer from Uttar Pradesh settled in Bengaluru contributes to income tax collections, while workers from Bihar purchasing goods in Tamil Nadu contribute to GST revenues. Consider the service they are adding to these states. This commercial activity contributes to state-wise tax collections, which are then redistributed by the union government based on developmental needs. If the argument of using Karnatakas money for UP is made, then the same argument of using Bengalurus money for Hassan can also be made and similarly, using the billionaires money to uplift the masses. If the last two would be illogical, then the former would be too. Advertisement As long as the tax money collected from the developed states goes to undeveloped states for infrastructure development, security, and education over frivolous subsidies, this distribution is fair. Such distribution will only encourage fresh investment in the underdeveloped regions and the taken-for-granted approach for migrant labourers will be reduced. Naturally, one would prefer to work closer to their hometown, provided enough economic opportunities and other basic amenities. In July 2023, Namma Metro in Bengaluru faced a shortage of skilled labour from the north as Metro works were underway in North and Central India. Advertisement The disbursal of the freebies, the corrupted leaders, and the lack of a developmental agenda in some pockets of the north causing a high fiscal deficit, is an issue. Yet, the flagbearer politicians from South India are comfortable in allying with politicians of North India who distribute freebies, revive old pension schemes, and cause severe financial liabilities. Punjab, ruled by the AAP that offered free electricity, didnt have money to pay salaries to the government employees, and its power corporation had an outstanding debt worth 12,000 crores as of October 2023. Ironically, The Economist clubs Punjab with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana as if it is a BJP-ruled state! Advertisement In conclusion, the North-South divide in Indias economic and political landscape is a complex issue that needs nuance and understanding rather than oversimplification and stereotypes. The reviewer is an independent columnist who writes on international relations, and socio-political affairs. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, an unexpected dimension has emerged: the involvement of Nepalese citizens who have found themselves unwittingly drawn into the turmoil. As the crisis deepens, Nepals proximity to India has led to concerns about the potential entanglement of these two South Asian nations in a conflict thousands of miles away. Advertisement Duped to fight Recent reports have surfaced indicating that Nepalese citizens have become trapped on the frontlines in Ukraine, desperate for assistance to return home. According to circulating social media posts, these individuals claim they were deceived into joining the Russian forces and are now seeking refuge in India, hoping for repatriation. The plight of these Nepalese citizens underscores the broader issue of human trafficking and exploitation in the context of armed conflicts. Many of them were promised lucrative job opportunities in Russia, only to find themselves coerced into military service upon arrival. Their stories echo those of Indian nationals who have similarly fallen victim to deceptive recruitment tactics, prompting a crackdown by Indian authorities on the agents responsible. Advertisement Nepal warns Russia Nepals government has not remained passive in the face of this crisis. In December of last year, Kathmandu initiated a crackdown on individuals involved in trafficking and forgery operations related to the conflict. Despite these efforts, the situation persists, with reports indicating that around 15,000 Nepalese citizens have been forced to fight on Russias behalf in Ukraine. Advertisement In response to mounting pressure, Nepals Foreign Minister Narayan Prakash Saud issued a stern message to Russia, calling for an immediate halt to the recruitment of Nepalese citizens and their prompt repatriation. However, progress has been slow, leaving many stranded in a foreign land with little hope of escape. India working to bring citizens home Advertisement Meanwhile, India has been actively engaging with Russia to secure the release of its own citizens caught up in the conflict. Strong diplomatic efforts have been made to address the issue, with New Delhi urging Moscow to discharge Indian nationals from military service and crack down on recruitment agents operating under false pretences. Advertisement Several Indian nationals have been duped to work with the Russian Army. We have strongly taken up the matter with the Russian government for early discharge of such Indian nationals. Strong action has been initiated against agents and unscrupulous elements who recruited them on false pretexts and promises, said Randhir Jaiswal, Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson. Advertisement The situation in Ukraine continues to escalate, drawing in foreign fighters from across the globe. Reports suggest that citizens from 55 countries, including NATO troops, have joined the conflict, adding to the complexity of the situation. While some may have volunteered, many others have been coerced or deceived, highlighting the urgent need for coordinated international intervention to address the root causes of human trafficking and exploitation in conflict zones. Advertisement As the war in Ukraine rages on, the plight of Nepalese and Indian citizens caught in the crossfire serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of armed conflict and the need for concerted global action to prevent further exploitation and suffering. The world watches anxiously as governments grapple with the challenge of protecting their citizens and preventing the escalation of violence in a distant land. Advertisement Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Despite claims of pursuing strategic autonomy, Muizzus actions appear driven by a desire to challenge India rather than diversify alliances In stark contrast to the cautious beginnings of most leaders, Mohamed Muizzu, the President of the Maldives, has adopted a rapid and assertive approach since assuming office. His actions mirror the urgency often seen in modern social media challenges underscoring his determination to expedite change. Muizzus acquisition of Turkish drones Muizzus latest move involves the procurement of surveillance drones from Turkey, signalling a significant departure from Maldives traditional defence strategies. These high-tech assets, costing millions, are intended to bolster Maldives defence capabilities and assert its sovereignty in the Indian Ocean. Advertisement By opting to conduct surveillance of its Exclusive Economic Zone independently, Muizzu signals a shift away from the joint efforts previously undertaken with India. This move reflects Maldives aspiration for self-reliance and autonomy in safeguarding its territorial interests. I believe that modern military capability to defend the country by road, sea and air should be strengthened in the Maldives. We have started to do that now, if God wills. The Maldivian Defence Force will soon be able to conduct the surveillance of the 900,000 square kilometre Exclusive Economic Zone of the Maldives, 24 hours a day, said President Muizzu. Muizzus anti-India agenda Since taking office, Muizzu has consistently pursued policies antagonistic to India, from expelling Indian soldiers to prioritising ties with Turkey and China. The acquisition of Turkish drones serves as another step in his agenda to distance The Maldives from its historical ally. Despite claims of pursuing strategic autonomy, Muizzus actions appear driven by a desire to challenge India rather than diversify alliances. The presence of a Chinese spy vessel in Maldives waters further reinforces concerns about Muizzus alignment with Beijings interests. Advertisement As Maldives approaches parliamentary elections, Muizzus anti-India rhetoric may yield short-term political gains. However, the long-term implications of alienating a regional ally in favour of geopolitical posturing remain uncertain, raising questions about the durability of alliances and regional stability. Muizzus rapid manoeuvers underscore the risks of prioritising short-term gains over long-term strategic stability. As the geopolitical landscape continues to evolve, Maldives trajectory under Muizzus leadership serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the complexities and challenges of navigating regional politics in the Indian Ocean. Advertisement Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Telegram is planning to go for an IPO as it approaches the 1 billion user mark, and will soon turn profitable. However, as much as it would like to position itself as a champion of free speech, one cannot deny that it is a haven for criminal activity, a social media platform for organised criminals From hackers to paedophiles, Telegram has become platform for all sorts of criminals. Image Credit: AFP Criminology and cybersecurity experts are closely monitoring Telegram, a platform hosting tens of thousands of groups and channels, arguing that it has evolved into a contemporary dark web where criminals and hackers engage in illegal activities without facing consequences. Cybersecurity experts label Telegram as a social media platform for organised criminals, highlighting its role in facilitating various forms of fraud targeting US government systems, which have gained significant traction within certain hacker communities. Advertisement Telegrams growth from a messaging app in 2013 to an indispensable news source and organizing tool during geopolitical and humanitarian crises, such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas conflict, underscores its broader impact. Pavel Durov, Telegrams CEO, positions the platform as a champion of privacy and free expression, particularly in repressive regimes. With its user base reaching 900 million, Telegram boasts Asia as its largest market, experiencing significant growth since 2021. With features akin to Twitters broadcast capabilities and a laissez-faire approach to content moderation, Telegram has become a powerful tool for global leaders and authoritarian regimes alike. From Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to official Russian ministries and even militant groups like Hamas, Telegram serves as a communication channel for a diverse array of actors. Advertisement While some view Telegram as a haven for free speech and dissent, others express concerns about its role in facilitating criminal activity and misinformation. As Telegrams influence continues to expand, questions surrounding its regulation and responsibility are likely to intensify. Despite its role as a platform for free speech, concerns persist about Telegrams involvement in criminal activity and misinformation. Advertisement Furthermore, Telegram serves as a haven for those seeking to evade tighter restrictions on rival platforms like Metas Facebook and Googles YouTube, attracting disinformation pushers, conspiracy theorists, and extremists. Experts caution that it has increasingly become a tool for propaganda wielded by governments, despite being relied upon by citizens for information. Advertisement Based in Dubai, Telegram has largely avoided the regulatory scrutiny and law enforcement pressures that have plagued similar platforms in Silicon Valley. Pavel Durov, its CEO, describes Dubai as a neutral ground where the government does not interfere with their operations. However, as Telegram grows in scale and explores avenues for monetization, including through advertising, it faces mounting pressure to address concerns about its role in facilitating criminal activities and maintaining integrity. Jeff Allen, co-founder and chief research officer for the Integrity Institute, warns that investors should be wary of these issues. Advertisement With global regulators eyeing the platform, there is a growing expectation for Telegram to meet basic standards of trust, safety, and integrity, which it currently falls short of. Durov and his brother Nikolai initially developed Telegram as a private communication tool in response to mass surveillance revelations. Despite their efforts to provide secure messaging, Durovs conflicts with Russian authorities led to his departure from St Petersburg in 2014. Advertisement In 2018, Telegrams refusal to grant Moscow access to user data resulted in a ban, which was later circumvented. Despite this, Telegrams reputation as a platform for free speech grew, with Durov hailed as a champion of freedom. As Telegram approaches a potential market debut, concerns about Kremlin influence linger, particularly following Russias unbanning of the platform in 2020. Advertisement While Durov emphasizes Telegrams neutrality, questions about its ties to Russia persist. Despite assertions that Telegram does not share private chat data with governments, critics raise concerns about the platforms moderation policies. Attracting Western investors may require addressing concerns about potential Kremlin influence over Telegram. Critics highlight that following Russias sudden unbanning of Telegram in 2020, Russian government entities swiftly adopted the platform. Advertisement Telegrams role in facilitating various illegal activities globally, including fraud, arms sales, and discussions among professed paedophiles. Despite Durovs claims of active moderation, concerns persist about Telegrams viability for advertisers due to its association with toxic content, potentially hampering revenue opportunities. As Telegram becomes a platform for wartime communications, concerns arise regarding its susceptibility to propaganda and misinformation. While Durov asserts active moderation, critics warn of Telegrams potential for manipulation and coercion, underscoring the complexities of balancing free speech with platform integrity. Advertisement (With inputs from agencies) OpenAI, in its response to the lawsuit by Elon Musk has claimed that it is based on a fictitious, convoluted and often incoherent factual premises. OpenAI also stated in the filing that Musk might use the lawsuit to get the companys proprietary records and technology through pretrial discovery OpenAI has gone on record to state that Elon May have fabricated the lawsuit to access the details of OpenAI's website. Image Credit: Reuters In a court filing, OpenAI has strongly refuted Elon Musks allegations against the company, describing his claims as resting on convoluted and often incoherent factual premises. This response marks the companys first legal reply to Musks February lawsuit, according to CEO Sam Altman and President Greg Brockman. Musks lawsuit accused OpenAI of deviating from its mission of developing responsible artificial intelligence and becoming overly influenced by its largest investor, Microsoft Corporation. OpenAI countered in its filing that it did not breach any agreement with Musk because there was no founding agreement or any agreement whatsoever with him. Advertisement The filing also rejected Musks claims made in a memo to staff and a recent blog post. OpenAI characterized Musks requested relief as extraordinary and based on a fictitious contract. The company asserted that Musk aimed to compel OpenAI to reorganize and distribute its technology according to his imagined terms. The conflict between Musk and OpenAI predates the lawsuit and revolves around disagreements regarding the companys commercialization strategy and its relationship with Microsoft. Musk, who was initially involved with OpenAI as part of its founding team, has been critical of the companys direction. OpenAI revealed in its blog post that Musk had previously advocated for integrating the company into Tesla Inc., his automotive company. The filing also suggested that Musk supported the idea of OpenAI operating as a for-profit entity but only under his control. OpenAIs legal team accused Musk of seeking to capitalize on the companys technological achievements for his own benefit. Advertisement The ongoing dispute between Musk and OpenAI raises significant questions about AI safety and accessibility, extending beyond the confines of the tech industry. Billionaire venture capitalist and OpenAI investor Vinod Khosla weighed in, suggesting that Musks lawsuit would not lead to the development of artificial general intelligence through legal means. OpenAI also stated in the filing that they are concerned Musk might use the lawsuit to gain access to the companys proprietary records and technology through pretrial discovery. As a precaution, the company requested that the court designate the case as complex, considering its intricate technical nature and the potential involvement of multiple parties and claims. Advertisement (With inputs from agencies) GLOBALink | Spanish auto industry insider upbeat about allure of Chinese NEVs in European market Pub Date:24-03-12 09:56 Source:Xinhua "I believe they will embrace a very promising future." A Spanish auto industry insider has voiced strong confidence in the allure of Chinese NEVs in the European market. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Editor:Zheng Chen Related News GLOBALink | China's green transformation o... Foreigners' tours in China to be more conv... China to promote extensive fitness-for-all... China's auto sales up 11.1 pct in first 2 ... Celery root ravioli with caper, basil pesto and garlic-Parmesan emulsion at 7 Adams in San Francisco. The restaurant will be added to the Michelin Guide this year. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle At least one new Bay Area restaurant will be added to the 2024 Michelin Guide for California. In a preview Tuesday morning of its final selections, to be released in a later month, the famed guidebook revealed that 7 Adams in San Francisco would be included in its next edition. It was one of 10 California restaurants mentioned in the preview, and the only one from the Bay Area; the rest were in Los Angeles, including pasta hot spot Funke and pizza parlor Quarter Sheets. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The preview did not indicate how the 10 new additions would appear in the Michelin Guide whether they would earn a star, be included as Bib Gourmand selections (considered good value) or merely be included with no distinction. A press release indicated that the list of 10 restaurants was not the entire slate of new selections for California, so more than one new addition from the Bay Area is possible. In 2023, there were 45 Michelin-starred restaurants in Northern California. The Michelin Guide expanded to include all of California in 2019, drawing some focus away from the Bay Area; in 2023, there were 87 Michelin-starred restaurants in California. Michelin stars were announced last year in July; this years date has not been released. The married chefs behind 7 Adams, Serena Chow Fisher and David Fisher, won a 2021 Michelin star for their last San Francisco restaurant, Marlena. But after a sudden split last summer from Marlenas owner and a dispute over the restaurants name, the duo opened 7 Adams (1963 Sutter St.) in November. Partnering with the group behind other San Francisco restaurants like the Vault and Trestle, the chefs designed a five-course, $87 tasting menu. Dishes start with warm house-made milk bread with cultured butter, often include a preparation of Hokkaido scallops, and culminate in fresh handmade pasta and mains like pork collar grilled over binchotan charcoal. Desserts include ice cream made by Chow Fisher, the restaurants pastry chef. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a glowing review of 7 Adams, the Chronicles associate restaurant critic, Cesar Hernandez, wrote that the chefs move from Marlena had paid off. Frankly, 7 Adams is a much better restaurant, he wrote. The food from the moment the glistening rolls hit the table to the final spoons of ice cream is sharper, and the general atmosphere feels less stuffy. France is facing large-scale cyberattacks on its internet services and several government services. Although France hasnt been able to verify it, Anonymous Sudan, a group of hackers believed to have pro-Russia affiliations is claiming responsibility for the cyberattacks France is the latest in a line of Western countries that have come under massive cyberattacks from Russia-backed attackers. Image Credit: Freepik/AFP The French government made an announcement on Monday that it is fending off large-scale cyberattacks on its internet services and several government services. Officials in France have described the scale of these attacks as having unprecedented intensity. Furthermore, the attacks have forced the French government to activate a special crisis centre to restore online services, a report from the Associated Press claims. Advertisement According to a statement from Prime Minister Gabriel Attals office, the attacks started on Sunday night, affecting multiple government ministries. However, specific details regarding the targets were not disclosed. By Monday afternoon, the impact of the attacks had been mitigated for most services, and access to government websites had been restored. Anonymous Sudan, a group of hackers believed to have pro-Russia affiliations according to cybersecurity experts, claimed responsibility for the attacks in online posts. However, neither the French prime ministers office nor the digital safety agency commented on the claim or provided details regarding the extent of the damage caused. A French official stated that the attacks were denial-of-service attacks, a common cyberattack method aimed at overwhelming a website with data to render it inaccessible. The French government has been actively enhancing its cyber defences in preparation for the Paris Olympics this summer, following previous ransomware attacks, including those targeting hospitals in 2021. Advertisement Tensions between Russia and the West, exacerbated by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, have reached a critical point, with Russian President Vladimir Putin warning of the risks of direct confrontation between NATO and Russia. The French government has accused Russia of conducting a sustained online manipulation campaign against Ukraines Western supporters, including tactics such as mirroring the French Foreign Ministry website. Advertisement French President Emmanuel Macron has taken a firm stance against Moscow and the war initiated by Putin in Ukraine. Macron emphasized the importance of defeating Russia in Ukraine for Europes security during a speech in Paris. He announced the formation of a coalition to provide Ukraine with medium- and long-range missiles and bombs, highlighting the urgency of the situation. While Macron noted that there was no consensus on deploying Western troops to Ukraine, he emphasized that all options should be considered. Advertisement (With inputs from the agency) TikTok is planning to expand its functionality, or may launch a new app altogether that would rival Metas Instagram directly. However, this comes at a time when TikTok is looking at a potentially ban in the US, one of its biggest markets outside China TikTok is looking at a strong chance of getting banned in the US. Its only way out, is if ByteDance sells the platform to a non-Chinese business. Image Credit: AFP TikTok, already a formidable competitor to Instagram in the video-content platform, is preparing to launch an all-out attack and expand its operations with a new photo-based app. This will be a direct assault on rival Instagrams photo-centric platform. According to reports from TheSpAndroid (via Matt Navarra), the latest version of the TikTok app contains code referencing a potential new app called TikTok Photos. The strings discovered in the code suggest that this app will feature a feed similar to Instagram, where users can share photos with their social circle. Advertisement The findings indicate that users may have the option to seamlessly share content between the main TikTok app and the Photos app. One string even describes TikTok Photos as a platform for connecting with like-minded people who enjoy photo posts. While details regarding the release date and availability of TikTok Photos remain scarce, the evidence suggests that an official announcement could be imminent. This development comes amid concerns raised by creators about Instagrams shifting focus towards video content, potentially diluting its original purpose as a photo-sharing platform. If these reports are accurate, TikTok could leverage its dominance in short-form video content to successfully launch its new photo-centric app. However, the timing of TikToks potential expansion could present challenges for its parent company, ByteDance. The United States House of Representatives is set to vote on a bill this week that could lead to a ban on TikTok in the US. Advertisement In response to this legislative development, President Joe Biden expressed support for the bill, indicating his intention to sign it if passed by Congress. The move is part of broader concerns about national security and allegations that ByteDance, a Chinese company, could be sharing user data from TikTok with the Chinese government. Advertisement TikTok has vehemently opposed these accusations, asserting that the US governments efforts to ban the platform infringe on the free expression rights of its users. The company contends that it upholds strict data privacy measures and operates independently from any government influence. As the debate over TikToks future in the US continues, the potential launch of TikTok Photos adds another layer of complexity to the situation, highlighting the ongoing competition between social media giants and the regulatory challenges faced by international tech companies. Advertisement (With inputs from agencies) ODNi or the Office of the Director of National Intelligence claims that China or Chinese citizens have been using TikTok not just interfere with the presidential elections, but to also transform public opinion on Chinas aggression. Man folding a phone, tying to browse on TikTok. TikTok faces a massive challenge as it faces a potential ban in the US. Image Credit: Reuters The American intelligence community has issued a warning stating that Chinas government utilised the popular video-sharing platform TikTok to influence recent US elections, as revealed in its annual threat assessment released on Monday. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), which oversees the US'18 intelligence agencies, and issues an annual assessment highlighting major threats to the nations interests globally claimed that ByteDance-backed TikTok, has been influencing people of voting age to dissuade them from voting in a croup. Advertisement The significance of this warning is underscored by the fact that it comes during an election year, with the House of Representatives gearing up to vote on legislation aimed at compelling ByteDance, TikToks parent company based in China, to divest its stake in the platform. Failure to comply could result in TikTok being banned from app stores in the United States. Congress is pushing for this legislation due to national security concerns surrounding the Chinese governments potential access to American user data through TikTok, as well as its ability to conduct influence campaigns via the platform. According to this years report, TikTok accounts allegedly operated by a Chinese propaganda arm targeted candidates from both political parties during the 2022 US midterm election cycle. The report also cautioned that China might attempt to influence the US elections in 2024 to sideline critics of China and exacerbate societal divisions in the United States. Advertisement This is not the first time that someone in the US has accused China or Russia of interfering in their elections. China is said to possess enhanced capabilities for operating massive covert influence operations and dissemination of disinformation. Other than elections, China is also trying to shape the public discourse in the United States regarding its sovereignty and its claimed regions like Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet, and Xinjiang. Advertisement The report additionally highlights Chinas monitoring of Chinese students studying abroad for dissenting views and its influence on research conducted by US academics and think tank experts. In a broader context, the report warns of an increasingly fragile global order, strained by countries such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, as well as by regional conflicts, disruptive technologies, and the economic impacts of climate change. Advertisement It emphasises the ongoing competition between authoritarian and democratic systems, which has hindered collaborative approaches to global issues like climate change. Moreover, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology are expected to exacerbate this competition. In response to the allegations, a TikTok spokesperson stated that the platform regularly takes action against deceptive behaviour, including covert influence networks, and has implemented measures to safeguard its community during elections worldwide. Advertisement (With inputs from agencies) The report indicates that Beijings intentions include instigating scepticism regarding U.S. leadership, undermining democratic processes, and extending its influence on a global scale. U.S. intelligence agencies have highlighted Russia and Chinas concerted efforts to tarnish Americas global reputation and exacerbate divisions within US society using artificial intelligence (AI), according to reports. According to the annual worldwide threat assessment, Beijing is described as expanding its global covert influence posture in alignment with the objectives of the Chinese Communist Party. The report indicates that Beijings intentions include instigating scepticism regarding U.S. leadership, undermining democratic processes, and extending its influence on a global scale. Advertisement Russias influencers may use new technologies, such as generative AI, to improve their ability and reach into Western audiences, according to the assessment, which was presented to the Senate Intelligence Committee on Monday. The intelligence community said in its annual assessment of global threats that Moscow is contemplating how U.S. electoral outcomes in 2024 could impact Western support to Ukraine and probably will attempt to affect the elections in ways that best support its interests and goals. An ambitious but anxious China, a confrontational Russia, some regional powers, such as Iran, and more capable non-state actors are challenging longstanding rules of the international system as well as U.S. primacy within it, the agencies said in their 2024 Annual Threat Assessment. The report largely focused on threats from China and Russia, the greatest rivals to the United States, more than two years after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, as well as noting the risks of broader conflict related to Israels campaign against Hamas in Gaza since the Oct. 7 attacks. John Barnett, a known Boeing whistleblower, who flagged concerns about the companys production standards, was in Charleston regarding a legal case against the aircraft manufacturing company John Barnett, a Boeing whistleblower, was found dead in his truck in a hotel car park in the United States. At the time of his death, Barnett, well-recognised for flagging concerns about the firms production standards, was in Charleston regarding a legal case against the worlds largest aerospace company. How did John Barnett die? Advertisement The 62-year-old Barnett was found dead in his truck in a hotel he was staying in in Charleston on March 9. The cause of his death was a self-inflicted wound, reports said. Barnett, who had worked for Boeing for over three decades, had been providing evidence in a whistleblower lawsuit against the company. He had set off on a long-running legal action against Boeing after retiring in 2017 on health grounds. In the lawsuit, he had claimed that after he pointed out multiple issues within the company, especially surrounding their production and safety standards, Boeing denigrated his character and obstructed his career. According to the BBC, Barnett had given a formal deposition in this case in Charleston last week. He was questioned by Boeings lawyers back then. He was supposed to undergo further questioning during the weekend. However, Barnett never showed up. His absence spurred inquiries at the hotel where he was later found dead. Advertisement What did Boeing say? We are saddened by Mr. Barnetts passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends, read an official statement from Boeing. Why was Barnett fighting Boeing? Barnett had been working as a quality manager for Boeing at its North Charleston plant since 2010. The plant is touted as the home of the 787 Dreamliner aircraft used mainly on long-haul routes. Advertisement After his retirement, Barnett, in 2019, told the BBC that the push to build new aircraft was leading to the assembly process being rushed, and safety being compromised. Workers, under pressure to prevent delays on the production line, had been deliberately fitting sub-standard parts to aircraft. In some cases, parts from the scrap bins were fitted to planes. Advertisement Barnett also pointed out issues with the emergency oxygen systems fitted to the 787. This, he said, could mean than one in every four oxygen masks had a chance of not deploying in case of an emergency. He said flagging these issues to his managers was met with inaction. Although Boeing denied Barnetts assertions, a review by the US aviation watchdog, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), upheld some of his concerns. Advertisement Boeing still mired in issues The report of Barnetts death has come close on the heel of a Boeing 787 airliner operated by LATAM Airlines dropped abruptly mid-flight and led to at least 50 passengers being injured. Earlier this month, the FAA, following its six-week-long audit of Boeing, said there were several instances of the company failing to comply with manufacturing quality control standards. Advertisement These instances have come under intense scrutiny, especially since an unused emergency exit door blew off a brand-new Boeing 737 Max in January. With inputs from agencies The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote Wednesday under fast-track rules that require two-thirds of members to vote yes for the measure to win passage. President Joe Biden said last week he would sign the bill US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told a House of Representatives intelligence committee on Tuesday that China might use the social media app TikTok to influence the 2024 US elections. When asked if the Communist Party of China, which is in power, would use TikTok to sway the elections, Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi questioned Haines, and she responded, We cannot rule out that the CCP would use it. Advertisement Along with its Republican chair Mike Gallagher, Krishnamoorthi is the ranking Democrat on the House Select Committee on China. Last week, the committee introduced a bill that would give ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, roughly six months to sell the short video app, which is used by 170 million Americans. The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote on Wednesday under fast-track rules that require two-thirds of members to vote yes for the measure to win passage. President Joe Biden said last week he would sign the bill. The 2024 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community released on Monday said TikTok accounts run by a Chinese government propaganda arm reportedly targeted candidates from both political parties during the U.S. midterm election cycle in 2022. Advertisement TikTok, which says it has not and would not share U.S. user data with the Chinese government, argues the House bill amounts to a ban. It was unclear if China would approve any sale or if TikTok could be divested in six months. With inputs from Reuters Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Donald Trump will not give a penny to Ukraine, if he were to get re-elected Hungary wants the United States to vote for Donald Trump in the upcoming Presidential elections, with the countrys Prime Minister Viktor Orban saying the Republican candidate can help end Russia-Ukraine war. Orban visited Trumps million-dollar residence Mar-a-lago in Palm Islands, Florida last week. After which, he heaped praises about the former US President calling him man of peace, who has a detailed plan to end Ukraine war. Advertisement Orbans appeal to US voters Appealing to American voters, who will exercise their franchise to elect a new president on 5 November, 2024, the far-right Hungarian PM said it would be better for the world if the US voted for Trump. President Trump was a president of peace, he commanded respect in the worldand there would be no war today if he were still US president," said Orban. Trump will help end Ukraine war The Hungarian PM said Trump will not give a penny to Ukraine, if he were to get re-elected, adding that the former US president has a detailed plan to end the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. He will not give a penny in the Ukraine-Russia war, Orban told state media in Hungary. Therefore, the war will end, because it is obvious that Ukraine cannot stand on its own feet, he added. Advertisement Trump has always favoured Kremlin and vouched for ending Ukraine aid, Orban supported his narrative, saying: If the Americans dont give money and weapons, along with the Europeans, the war is over. And if the Americans dont give money, the Europeans alone cant finance this war. And then the war is over. Advertisement Orban highlighted that during Trumps tenure there was peace in middle east and Ukraine and that that there would have be war today. President Trump was a president of peace, he commanded respect in the world, and thus he created the conditions for peace. During his presidency there was peace in the Middle East and peace in Ukraine. And there would be no war today if he were still president of the United States." Advertisement Trump has been facing around 91 criminal charges and civil lawsuits concerning his business affairs and a rape allegation. He is running in the Presidential race again at end of this year. Viktor Orban is the boss The two leaders who share a friendly relationship with Vladimir Putin, have repeatedly drawn criticism ever since the Russian President launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Advertisement The Hungarian Prime Minister has been an ally to Putin, and unlike many other EU and Western nations, Orban refuses to send weapons to its neighbour Ukraine, stating repeatedly that Kyiv is unable to win against a nuclear-armed Russia. The two leaders also emphasised on the economic ties shared by the two nations, adding there is a lot potential. Advertisement We also agreed that there is still a lot of potential in US-Hungarian economic relations. Although our trade turnover has exceeded $9 billion, we do not want to stop there, and when the President returns (to office), we will give a new impetus to US-Hungarian trade relations, Orban said. Trump commended Orbans leadership and said there is nobody better, smarter leader than him in the country. Advertisement Theres nobody thats better, smarter or a better leader than Viktor Orban. Hes fantastic, hes a non-controversial figure because he says, This is the way its going to be, and thats the end of it. Right? Hes the boss. No, hes a great leader, Trump said. With inputs from agencies The charity ship Open Arms was seen leaving Larnaca port in Cyprus, pulling a barge loaded with approximately 200 tonnes of flour, rice, and protein, according to a report NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue boat Astral is seen through a porthole in central Mediterranean Sea, on 22 August, 2022. Reuters File A vessel carrying nearly 200 tonnes of food departed from a port in Cyprus to Gaza early on Tuesday as part of a pilot project aimed at establishing a new maritime pathway for providing aid to a population teetering on the edge of famine in the war-torn region. According to Reuters, the charity ship Open Arms was seen leaving Larnaca port in Cyprus, pulling a barge loaded with approximately 200 tonnes of flour, rice, and protein. Advertisement The mission, mostly funded by the United Arab Emirates, is being organised by US based charity World Central Kitchen (WCK), while Spanish charity Proactiva Open Arms is supplying the ship. Our goal is to establish a maritime highway of boats and barges stocked with millions of meals continuously headed towards Gaza, Reuters quoted WCK founder Jose Andres and chief executive officer Erin Gore as saying in a statement. According to BBC, the initiative is separate from a US plan to construct and operate a floating pier close to the Gaza coast, which will allow swift delivery of humanitarian aid. The charities intend to take aid directly to Gaza, which has been sealed off from the outside world since Israel began its offensive in response to an 7 October attack on Israel by Hamas. With the lack of port infrastructure, WCK has said it was creating a landing jetty in Gaza with material from destroyed buildings and rubble. Advertisement It has said it had another 500 tonnes of aid amassed in Cyprus which would also be sent. The development comes amid a report suggested that a famine that could kill thousands of Palestinian civilians in war-torn Gaza is imminent with situation being particularly dire in the northern part of Gaza, located at the opposite end of the strip from aid delivery points in the towns of Khan Younis and Rafah near the Egyptian border, where people have resorted to eating animal fodder. According to a South China Morning Post report, citing United Nations top aid official in Gaza, famine may only be averted if Israel agrees to allow the current trickle of humanitarian aid to turn into a roaring river. Advertisement Around 576,000 individuals in Gaza, roughly a quarter of the population, were deemed by the UN in late February to be perilously close to famine and facing the prospect of a slow and agonising demise. In the past couple of weeks, UN agencies and their partnering NGOs have sounded the alarm, stressing that only unrestricted access to significant quantities of food, medicine, fuel, supplies, and expertise can avert an impending disaster. Advertisement With minimal aid making its way to north Gaza, residents have resorted to feeding their hungry children animal fodder and foraged food, as reported by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on March 4. This dire situation has led to the heartbreaking news of children succumbing to malnutrition and dehydration in two hospitals, with the death toll reaching 25 by Saturday, according to the Gazan health ministry. Advertisement Before the outbreak of the ongoing conflict in October, approximately 500 trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered Gaza from Egypt daily. However, since the conflict began, with Hamas launching attacks on southern Israel resulting in casualties and kidnappings, Israel has significantly reduced the number of aid trucks allowed into Gaza to fewer than 100 per day. Advertisement In response to the humanitarian crisis, the United States recently announced plans to construct a temporary floating military pier or causeway off the coast of Gaza to facilitate aid delivery. Additionally, the US has started airdropping aid in coordination with Egypt and three European nations. With inputs from agencies Netanyahu and the US president collaborated closely to provide broad military and diplomatic support. But it is now impossible to hide the tensions between the Israeli leader and his most significant ally over the number of civilian deaths, with over 30,000 dead reported by the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry For many years, Biden, 81, and Netanyahu, 74, have not agreed on a range of issues Image Courtesy Reuters Months ago, the nearly daily phone calls came to an end. The leaders are now openly arguing over Israels war on Hamas, which is the source of their tensions between Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu. With food shortages and hunger warnings from relief organizations due to Israels onslaught, the US declared late last week that its forces will construct a dock to deliver aid to civilians in Gaza. In an apparent threat that he is hurting Israel more than helping Israel, Biden urged the Israeli leader to pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost. Advertisement Next day, Netanyahu retaliated. Hes wrong on both counts, he told the media. The public back and forth marked a significant shift from Bidens vocal support of Israel during the bloodiest Hamas strikes in the nations history on October 7. Netanyahu and the US president collaborated closely to provide broad military and diplomatic support. But it is now impossible to hide the tensions between the Israeli leader and his most significant ally over the number of civilian deaths, with over 30,000 dead reported by the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry and Israel preparing an attack on Rafah, the last significant city in the enclave where residents are seeking refuge. On Thursday, Biden was overheard telling a lawmaker over a hot mic that he and Netanyahu were having a come-to-Jesus conversation. That occurred only a few days after his administration held high-level talks in Washington with Benny Gantz, the war cabinet member of Israel and chief political adversary of Netanyahu. The Israel prime minister detected treachery. It doesnt help to the extent that Hamas thinks theres daylight between us, Netanyahu said on Fox News on Monday. Both the US and the EU have classified Hamas as a terrorist group. Advertisement As it intervenes to actively provide humanitarian relief, the Biden administration has for the time being continued to supply Israel with weapons and other forms of support. For many years, Biden, 81, and Netanyahu, 74, have not agreed on a range of issues. However, the tensions are even more apparent this time. According to the US, Israel isnt doing enough to lessen suffering and deaths among the millions of Palestinians who live in daily life and are unaffiliated with Hamas or its violent ideologies. US officials report that twelve children in northern Gaza have starved to death as their parents use animal feed for flour and eat grass, citing a World Health Organization statement. Advertisement Liberal and younger people at home are pressing Biden to stop supporting Israel, and he is facing mounting pressure from foreign capitals as well as important allies to take more action to restrain his ally. The update is released at a time when the publics concerns about false information and fake news have been heightened by advances in generative AI, including the creation of images and videos, leading governments to regulate the technology In an effort to prevent any potential blunders in the application of the technology, Alphabet-owned Google announced Tuesday that it will not be allowing its AI chatbot Gemini to respond to inquiries concerning the upcoming global elections. The update is released at a time when the publics concerns about false information and fake news have been heightened by advances in generative AI, including the creation of images and videos, leading governments to regulate the technology. Advertisement When asked about elections, like the one that will take place in the United States in which Joe Biden and Donald Trump will face off for the presidency, Gemini says, Im still learning how to answer this question. In the interim, utilise Google Search." In December, Google made an announcement about restrictions in the United States, stating that they would take effect before the election. In preparation for the many elections happening around the world in 2024 and out of an abundance of caution, we are restricting the types of election-related queries for which Gemini will return responses, a company spokesperson said on Tuesday. Aside from the United States, national elections are set to be held in several large countries including South Africa and India, the worlds largest democracy. Advertisement India has asked tech firms to seek government approval before the public release of AI tools that are unreliable or under trial, and to label them for the potential to return wrong answers. Googles AI products are under the scanner after inaccuracies in some historical depictions of people created by Gemini forced it to pause the chatbots image-generation feature late last month. Advertisement CEO Sundar Pichai had said the company was working to fix those issues and called the chatbots responses biased and completely unacceptable. Facebook-parent Meta Platforms said last month it will set up a team to tackle disinformation and the abuse of generative AI in the run-up to European Parliament elections in June. Advertisement With inputs from Reuters Baked goods from Bernal Bakery in San Francisco in 2020. The pandemic pop-up is launching a bakery, Bernal Basket. Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle After a dreary winter, spring is almost here and with it a slate of enticing new restaurants. More are on the way, too. Southern fried chicken specialist Minnie Bells Soul Movement is preparing to open its long awaited Fillmore neighborhood restaurant, while barbecue restaurant Stateline Road Smokehouse is set to open this spring. Boichik Bagels, the nationally acclaimed Berkeley bagel shop, is gearing up to launch its first locations in San Francisco. The owners of Bay Area Mexican favorite Tacolicious are bringing Todo el Dia, a Mexico City-inspired all-day cafe, to Noe Valley, with coffee, breakfast tacos and tortas. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The region will also be getting a new restaurant from an acclaimed Cambodian chef, a wine bar from the owners of a beloved San Francisco Italian restaurant and two exciting new bakeries. Here are 11 notable restaurants opening in the Bay Area this spring, listed in alphabetical order. Bad Walters Ice Cream Bad Walters Crazy Squares flavor: cinnamon custard ice cream with bourbon caramel and Cinnamon Toast Crunch toffee. Courtesy Sydney Arkin Bad Walters can finally drop bootleg from its name when its aboveboard, permanent ice cream shop opens in Oakland. The pandemic pop-up, which owner Sydney Arkin started by selling pints from her home, is known for maximalist ice cream creations. Think charred marshmallow custard swirled with bourbon fudge and candied Rice Krispies. Notably, all the ice cream and mix-ins will be made from scratch at the Rockridge shop, with about eight to 10 rotating flavors, all made with lactose-free milk. Elena Kadvany Advertisement Article continues below this ad Projected opening: May. 5800 College Ave., Oakland. badwalters.com Bernal Basket Co-owner Ryan Stagg holds a fresh country loaf at Bernal Bakery in 2020. The pop-up is launching a bakery, Bernal Basket. Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle This pop-up, known for lowering loaves of crusty sourdough bread via a basket to customers during the height of the pandemic, is opening a bakery in Bernal Heights. Now named Bernal Basket, owners Ryan Stagg and Daniella Banchero, both former restaurant chefs, will serve all things sourdough, from their popular bread and pastries like brioche cinnamon rolls and apple cider doughnuts to focaccia. Plus, Roman-style pizza by the slice in homage to Staggs time at Berkeleys popular, now-closed Pollara Pizzeria. E.K. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Projected opening: March 23. 521 Cortland Ave., San Francisco. bernalbakery.com Bettola Roman-style pizza from Montesacro Pinseria in San Francisco, whose owner is opening a new restaurant this spring. Stephen Lam/Special to The Chronicle The owner of the Bay Areas popular Montesacro Pinseria is bringing a different Italian restaurant to San Franciscos Inner Richmond neighborhood. When he was a child in Rome, Gianluca Legrottaglies mother would often bring dinner home from the local tavola calda, a casual, takeout-focused restaurant with roasted meats and hot plates. His modern version of that, Bettola, will serve rotisserie chicken, Roman-style pizza, baked pastas and more. E.K. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Projected opening: April. 343 Clement St., San Francisco. bettolasf.com Binu Bonu Owners Massimiliano Conti, right, and Lorella Degan at their former San Francisco restaurant La Ciccia in 2017. Theyre now opening a new wine bar. Leah Millis/The Chronicle Expect to see plenty of Italian wines at the newest project from the owners of Noe Valleys beloved La Ciccia. Binu Bonu, a new wine bar in West Portal from Massimiliano Conti and Lorella Degan, will offer by-the-glass pours and bottles from 50 to 60 mostly small-scale Italian producers. Unlike La Ciccia, the focus wont only be on Sardinian wines, but theyll still be available. After all, the bars name is Good Wine in Sardo, the regional dialect in this Italian region where Contis family is from. Mario Cortez Advertisement Article continues below this ad Projected opening: spring. 230 West Portal Ave., San Francisco. Enclos Stone Edge Farm Vineyards & Winery will open Enclos, a fine dining restaurant in downtown Sonoma this spring. Provided by Jason Tinacci/Stone Edge Farm Vineyards & Winery This spring arrival in downtown Sonoma is not shy about its ambitions. Enclos is shooting for a Michelin star in a Wine Country city that is yet to have a restaurant receive the honors. Owners Mac and Leslie McQuown, who also own Stone Edge Farm Vineyards, have brought in San Francisco chef Brian Limoges, whose resume includes roles at Michelin-starred spots Atelier Crenn, Quince and Saison, to create the tasting menu. Expect dishes like a venison tartlet and Dungeness crab served three ways. The space will boast an elegant look from San Francisco designer Jiun Ho, who designed Saisons interior, with room for 30 diners. M.C. Projected opening: May. 139 E. Napa St., Sonoma. enclos-sonoma.com Fitoor Duck seekh kebab from modern Indian restaurant Rooh, whose owners are opening a splashy new South Bay restaurant. Rooh The owners behind San Franciscos upscale Indian restaurant Rooh are on a hot streak, recently launching restaurants in Emeryville and on the Embarcadero in San Francisco. Now theyre pushing into a luxe South Bay location at upscale mall Santana Row. Fitoor, Hindi for passion, is Anu and Vikram Bhambris newest restaurant. The owners previously told the Chronicle it will feature food from Indias coastal regions with a modern twist. Dishes in the works include masala crab and pork ribs in curry. The restaurant looks to channel the feel of Indias modern restaurants with DJs spinning thumping beats and a bar serving eye-catching cocktails. M.C Projected opening: Late March. 377 Santana Row, San Jose. instagram.com/eatdrinkatfitoor Forma Bakery Forma Bakery in Oaklands Temescal neighborhood will offer Mexican pastries along with croissants. Provided by Jackson Schnetz/Forma Bakery A new bakery coming to Oaklands Temescal is bringing together Mexican pan dulce and French viennoiserie under one roof. Forma Bakery is the latest from Jackson Schnetz, who grew up in his familys Mexican restaurant Dona Tomas and is a former baker at Berkeleys popular Fournee. He melds both of these worlds with conchas in flavors such as corn and vegetable ash, the latter inspired by the conchas he baked at famed Oaxacan restaurant Criollo. The shops interior takes inspiration from classic Mexican panaderias, such as Mexico Citys Panaderia Rosetta, with rustic tables, muted stucco and patterned tilework. The shop will be counter service, with a standard coffee list featuring a spiced cafe de olla. M.C. Projected opening: April. 4920 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. instagram.com/forma_bakery Go Duck Yourself Owner Eric Cheung checks on duck roasting in a cylindrical oven at Hing Lung in San Franciscos Chinatown in 2017. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle After a three-year wait, the brothers behind San Francisco Chinatown roasted duck specialist Hing Lung will finally serve diners at their new Bernal Heights restaurant. Go Duck Yourself will offer more of the crackly skinned, Cantonese-style duck and pork the decades-old Hing Lung is known for, plus rich, bold dishes from Teochew, a city in the southern Guangdong province. Expect regional comfort dishes like crispy oyster pancakes accompanied by a salty fish sauce with pepper essence. Go Duck Yourselfs dining room will lean modern, with neighborhood artists designing fixtures and furnishings. M.C. Projected opening: April. 439 Cortland Ave., San Francisco. instagram.com/go_duck_yourself_sf Hed 11 A set meal at San Francisco restaurant Hed Very Thai, including coconut soup with mushrooms, pork toast and butternut squash with egg. Janelle Bitker/The Chronicle An 11-course Thai tasting menu is coming to Japantowns Kimpton Hotel Enso. Led by chef Piriya Saint Boonprasarn, formerly of Michelin-starred restaurants Bo.Lan and Saawaan in Bangkok, the menu will feature eclectic Thai dishes that owner Billie Wannajaro, who also runs the casual Financial District Thai restaurant Hed Very Thai, says are hard to find even in Bangkok. Expect seasonal themed menus, like a seafood-centric dinner or an 11-stop tour of Thailands rugged landmass. The restaurant will also offer American-style breakfast through 11 a.m., giving way to casual Thai lunch through 2:30 p.m. M.C. Projected opening: April. 1800 Sutter St., San Francisco. Lunette Kuy Teav Phnom Penh noodle soup from Nyum Bai in 2018. The owner of the hit Cambodian restaurant is opening a new spot in San Francisco. Paul Chinn/The Chronicle A groundbreaking Cambodian chef is making a comeback with a new San Francisco restaurant. Two years after closing the acclaimed Nyum Bai in Oakland, Nite Yun will open Lunette, a casual noodle bar at the Ferry Building. There will be Cambodian noodle and vegetable dishes as well as street food-inspired rice plates. E.K. Projected opening: May. 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco. instagram.com/lunette_cambodia Three One Four Sourdough pizza from Three One Four, opening soon in Berkeley. Courtesy Brandon Wilson A swanky restaurant devoted to sourdough pizza is coming soon to Berkeley. Three One Four will open in the former home of popular neighborhood restaurant Lalimes, which closed in 2020. Three One Four is the first restaurant from Brandon Wilson, who oversaw Restoration Hardwares rooftop restaurant in Marin. Chef Mario Vollera, a native of Rome who owns Los Angeles pizzeria South End, is behind the menu. Expect starters, salads and pies such as the Lalime, topped in homage to the previous tenant with braised lamb, sun-dried tomatoes, feta, red onion and tzatziki. E.K. Projected opening: spring. 1329 Gilman St., Berkeley. threeonefourpizzeria.com Freelance writer Eve Batey contributed additional reporting. Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry has resigned, the chair of the Caribbean Community said on Tuesday. The resignation comes after nearly two weeks of gang violence in the island nations capital city, Port-au-Prince Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Guyanas president and the current chair of chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Tuesday said Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry has resigned as the head of the government of the island nation. Henry, an unelected official, had held the post since the assassination of the countrys last President Jovenel Moise in July 2021. Advertisement We acknowledge his resignation upon the establishment of transitional presidential council and naming an interim prime minister, said Ali, thanking Henry for his service to Haiti. Henrys resignation has come on the heel of a meeting of regional leaders of the Caribbean held on Monday in Jamaica over the deteriorating law and order situation in Haiti, Reuters reported. The civil war threat Since February 29, the nations capital, Port-au-Prince, has been in the clutches of gang violence that erupted when Henry left for Nairobi for talks with the Kenyan President William Ruto. The violence intensified after gunmen breached two jails in the capital and set approximately 4,700 inmates free. Powerful gang boss Jimmy Cherizier, aka Barbecue, threatened a civil war just last week. He told reporters if Henry does not resign, and if the international community continues to support him, well be heading straight for a civil war that will lead to genocide. Advertisement Ariel Henry stranded in US territory Henry has been stuck in the US unincorporated territory of Puerto Rico since the first week of March. He tried to fly back from Nairobi to Port-au-Prince on March 5, but could not land there as the airport was closed. Haitian soldiers at the airport were dealing with gunmen attempting to seize it. He was also unable to make a landing in the neighbouring Dominican Republic as civil aviation authorities there said they had not been provided with the necessary flight plan. Advertisement He finally landed in Puerto Rico and has remained there since. US role in Henrys resignation According to Miami Herald, Joe Biden-led United States government pressured Henry to agree to a new transitional government and resign around the same time that Barbecue made his threat. The 74-year-old was supposed to step down in February. Advertisement The US backed a proposal developed in partnership with CARICOM and Haitian stakeholders to expedite a political transition through a creation of a broad based, independent presidential college, the State Department said in a statement. With inputs from agencies I hope that India continues to play its role. India is known for Mahatma Gandhi and Gandhi believed in non-violenceWe have to make sure that other countries understand where this philosophy comes from. We cant settle scores through violence, said US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi Days after a media report suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modis outreach played a pivotal role in preventing Russia from a potential nuclear attack on Ukraine, US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi on Monday said that he hopes India continues to play its role of spreading Mahatma Gandhis ideals of non-violence and ensure that other countries understand where this philosophy comes from. Advertisement #WATCH | On media report on Russias plans on raging a nuclear war on Ukraine and India's intervention, US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi says, "I hope that India continues to play its role. India is known for Mahatma Gandhi and Gandhi believed in non-violence...We have to make pic.twitter.com/lecClupZVp ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2024 Speaking to ANI news agency, Krishnamoorthi said, I hope that India continues to play its role. India is known for Mahatma Gandhi and Gandhi believed in non-violenceWe have to make sure that other countries understand where this philosophy comes from. We cant settle scores through violence. Advertisement According to a CNN report, citing two senior officials, the US had been diligently preparing for the possibility of a nuclear strike by Russia on Ukraine at a time when President Vladimir Putins forces were encountering numerous setbacks on the battlefield. The report, which relied on statements from US officials, suggested that the involvement of Prime Minister Modi and nations like China could have influenced Putin to abandon his intention of launching a nuclear missile at Ukraine in 2022. Advertisement US officials say that outreach and public statements from Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi helped avert a crisis, said the CNN report. The report said that with Ukrainian forces advancing towards Kherson, there was a looming danger of entire Russian units becoming encircled. At the same time, Moscow purportedly insinuated that Ukraine could potentially employ a dirty bomb. Advertisement Within the US administration, there arose a belief that a significant defeat in Kherson might prompt Russia to consider deploying nuclear weapons, and the allegation of a dirty bomb could serve as a pretext for such action, added the report. To prevent the crisis, the US reached out to non-allied nations like India, seeking their support to dissuade Russia from resorting to extreme measures. Advertisement One of the things we did was not only message them directly but strongly urge, press, encourage other countries, to whom they might be more attentive, to do the same thing, CNN quoted a senior US administration official a saying. I think the fact that we know, India weighed in, China weighed in, others weighed in, may have had some effect on their thinking, the official added. Advertisement Notably, India has consistently condemned civilian killings and advocated for a peaceful resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In September 2022, PM Modi told Putin that this is not the era of war during the SCO summit in Uzbekistan, expressing a commitment to exploring paths towards peace. With inputs from agencies Western sanctions on Russia, one of the worlds top energy producers, have shifted global oil markets, forcing the country to ship oil to new customers in India and China and away from traditional consumers in Europe US President Joe Bidens energy envoy stated Tuesday that as sanctions against tankers transporting Russian oil surpass Western price caps, the US is attempting to assist India in negotiating cheaper prices for the fuel. The leading Russian tanker group, Sovcomflot, was subject to sanctions by Washington towards the end of last month, marking two years since Moscows full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Additionally, it listed 14 crude oil tankers as belonging to Sovcomflot. Advertisement According to Reuters late last month, this raised concerns in India about possible damage to Russian oil sales to the country, which is the largest importer of Russian seaborne crude, and how the new sanctions might make it more difficult for Indian state refiners to negotiate yearly supply agreements. At the end of the day, my goal is not to take it off the market, Im not looking to take these tankers, take the crude, the product, off the market, Amos Hochstein, Bidens energy and global infrastructure adviser, told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference. Im trying to get the Indians to negotiate better prices by forcing the tankers into a different direction. I think the Indians understand what were trying to do, Hochstein said. Western sanctions on Russia, one of the worlds top energy producers, have shifted global oil markets, forcing the country to ship oil to new customers in India and China and away from traditional consumers in Europe. Advertisement The sanctions and the $60 per barrel price cap imposed on cargos of Russian oil that use Western-based maritime services such as insurance, transportation and flagging, have pushed dozens of tankers carrying Russian oil to swap flags from Liberia and the Marshall Islands that have registries based in Virginia, to flags from other countries, including Gabon. Advertisement The tankers have swapped flags in an effort to avoid sanctions, but they could still be vulnerable to the measures if they carried oil above the price cap with the original flag. The goal of the price cap has been to reduce Russias revenues it can spend on the war in Ukraine while keeping oil flowing to global markets. Advertisement With inputs from Reuters The commencement of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on Monday came without the start of the much-desired truce and hostage exchange, despite weeks of negotiations including US, Qatari, and Egyptian mediators On October 7, a major and catastrophic attack on Israel by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas precipitated the start of the Gaza war Image Courtesy AFP Majed Al-Ansari, a spokesman for Qatars foreign ministry, stated on Tuesday that although an agreement on hostages and a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is still a long way off, Doha is still optimistic. The commencement of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on Monday came without the start of the much-desired truce and hostage exchange, despite weeks of negotiations including US, Qatari, and Egyptian mediators. Advertisement We are not near a Gaza ceasefire deal but remain hopeful, Ansari said at a press conference in Doha, adding that talks are ongoing. We are not seeing both sides converging on language that can resolve the current disagreement over the implementation of a deal, he said. All parties were continuing to work in the negotiations to reach a deal hopefully within the confines of Ramadan, Ansari said. However, he clarified that the situation is still very complicated on the ground and that he is unable to offer any timeline on an agreement. Ansari added that rather than a few-day ceasefire, Qatar is attempting to create a lasting peace in Gaza. On October 7, a major and catastrophic attack on Israel by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas precipitated the start of the Gaza war. In the midst of horrifying murders, thousands of assailants broke through the border from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping 253 more, taking them as prisoners back to Gaza. Advertisement In response, Israel launched a military operation to overthrow the Hamas government in Gaza, destroy the terrorist organization, and release the 130 hostages who are still being held captivenot all of them are alive. Although talks for a possible hostage agreement and temporary ceasefire have reached a standstill, mediators are still trying to move the process along, according to Hamas spokesperson Muhammad Nazzal. Advertisement Israel maintains that its objectives remain the destruction of Hamas and the release of all hostages, and that any ceasefire must only be short. The terrorist organization claims that it will only release the captives it has been holding since October 7 if a deal is reached to end the conflict. Advertisement In exchange for about 400 Palestinian security inmates, the first phase of the rumored draft of a six-week peace agreementwhich Hamas has so far rejectedwould see the release of 40 hostages, including women, children, the elderly, and sick. Additional releases might potentially be discussed. A previous week-long truce in November, which witnessed the release of 105 hostages, the most of whom were women and children, was negotiated with Qatars assistance. In return, Israel released three times as many Palestinian prisoners. The fighting has displaced the majority of Gazas 2.3 million residents, and the United Nations believes that one-quarter of the population is at risk of hunger Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus attitude to the Gaza conflict was hurting Israel, and she encouraged the country to change direction or risk losing even more international support. US President Joe Biden stated on Saturday that Netanyahu was hurting Israel more than helping by conducting the war in a way that contradicted the countrys ideals. Advertisement When asked about his comments from Tuesday, Wong concurred, saying worldwide support for Israel would dwindle until it addressed the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. October 7th was a terrorist attack and the world was rightly very sympathetic to and in solidarity with Israel at that time, Wong said at the Australian Financial Review Business Summit on Tuesday. I think the world is horrified with the current situation and I would say that unless Israel changes its course it will continue to lose support. The conflict was sparked by Hamas raid on Israel on October 7, in which 1,200 people were murdered and 253 were held captive, according to Israeli figures. Israels air and military assault on Gaza has killed 31,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza authorities. Advertisement The fighting has displaced the majority of Gazas 2.3 million residents, and the United Nations believes that one-quarter of the population is at risk of hunger. Wongs new remarks about Israel are part of a rising chorus of voices, even those of its staunch supporters, calling on the country to solve the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza as it prepares to launch an attack on the southern city of Rafah. Advertisement Canada, Australia and New Zealand called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in a joint statement last month. Wong said the three countries united to amplify their voices. U.N. chief Antonio Guterres on Monday appealed for a truce and said the threatened assault on Rafah could put the people of Gaza in an even deeper circle of hell. Advertisement Israel has said it will not stop its war until it eradicates the Hamas militant organisation. A post by Israeli PMO mentioned that NSA Doval met Israeli PM Netanyahu along with Director of National Security Council Tzakhi Hanegbi, Indian Ambassdor to the Israel and countrys Foreign policy advisor to discuss recent development in the region amid ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas NSA Ajit Doval met Israeli PM Benjanmin Netanyahu at Jerusalem to discuss recent development in the region and address issue of humanitarian assistance in Gaza. Reuters File Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in Jerusalem to discuss recent developments in the strife-torn region, and the need to address the rising humanitarian assistance in Gaza. NSA Doval also discussed the effort to release hostages held by Hamas during the October 7 attack last year. A tweet by the PMO of Israel on X, formerly Twitter, also mentioned that the Director of the National Security Council Tzakhi Hanegbi also met Doval and was present during the meeting with Netanyahu. Advertisement Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met today with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and updated him on recent developments in the fighting in the Gaza Strip. The sides also discussed the effort to release the hostages and the issue of humanitarian assistance. pic.twitter.com/EJzlR2dupE Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) March 11, 2024 The Prime Ministers Foreign Policy Advisor and the Indian Ambassador to Israel Sanjeev Singla also participated in the meeting. Advertisement Why is this meeting significant? As the war between Israel and Hamas continues for the sixth month, recent developments suggest a rising need for humanitarian assistance in war-hit Gaza. More than a million people in Gaza are crammed into Rafah, a tiny sliver of land with a population that is now five times larger than it was before the war, struggling to meet demands for food, water and medical necessities. Advertisement A few months ago New Delhi had sent 70 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Gaza, including 16.5 tonnes of medicines and medical supplies. PM Modi had also backed the delivery of more relief materials to the strip. To end the decades-long conflict between Israel and Palestine, India backs a two-state solution, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reiterated Indias stand on the ongoing crisis adding that the country is trying to strike the right balance. Advertisement PM Narendra Modi has recently been engaging with the leaders of Middle Eastern countries such as the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, and is actively holding dialogues to promote peace and stability in the region. In December, India for the first time, voted in favour of a draft resolution in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and the unconditional release of all hostages. Although there havent been any major interruptions to the oil supply as a result of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian organisation Hamas, Yemens Houthis, who are affiliated with Iran, have been assaulting ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November in what they claim is a campaign of sympathy with Palestinians Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continued to raise concerns, which led to an increase in oil prices on Tuesday. However, gains were constrained by negative demand sentiments and the markets waiting for monthly reports from oil agencies. By 0408 GMT, Brent futures for May delivery had increased by 26 cents, or 0.3%, to $82.47 per barrel. The April contract for US crude increased by 17 cents, or 0.2%, to $78.10 a barrel. Advertisement Although there havent been any major interruptions to the oil supply as a result of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian organisation Hamas, Yemens Houthis, who are affiliated with Iran, have been assaulting ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November in what they claim is a campaign of sympathy with Palestinians. Western Yemeni port cities and small villages were struck by airstrikes purportedly carried out by a US-British coalition on Monday. Meanwhile, the Houthis said on Tuesday that they had fired missiles at what they claimed as the US ship Pinocchio in the Red Sea. The prognosis for declining demand and rising supply from suppliers outside the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will, however, limit gains. Advertisement Bearish demand sentiments and growing non-OPEC supply leave little room for the market to be bullish on oil prices at this time, said Serena Huang, head of APAC analysis at Vortexa. The International Energy Agency (IEA) expects oil supply to grow to a record high of about 103.8 million bpd, almost entirely driven by producers outside OPEC and its allies (OPEC+), including the United States, Brazil and Guyana. Advertisement Meanwhile, Chinas crude oil imports rose in the first two months of the year versus the same period in 2023, but they were weaker than the preceding months, continuing a trend of softening purchases by the worlds biggest buyer. In the meantime, the market is awaiting demand estimates from monthly reports by OPEC, the IEA and the Energy Information Administration, analysts from ANZ said in a note. Advertisement While we believe the estimates will be largely unchanged, any upside surprise will ease demand concerns. Stringent measures include mandatory body searches for all individuals entering the jail premises, along with a comprehensive clearance operation within and around the facility. Additionally, security clearance for government contractors operating within the jail is now mandatory The development unfolds against the backdrop of Imran Khan's incarceration, which began in September 2023 when he was transferred from Attock jail Image Courtesy PTI Imran Khan, the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the nations former prime minister, has been barred from having meetings inside Rawalpindis Adiala jail for two weeks while he serves his term. According to a Tuesday report by Geo News, a Punjab Home Department warning limited all visits, meetings, and interviews within Adiala Jail due to a security alert. Advertisement Barbed wire was to be installed around the property, and a quick security audit including members of the Intelligence Bureau, the special branch of the police, and jail employees was required. Stringent measures include mandatory body searches for all individuals entering the jail premises, along with a comprehensive clearance operation within and around the facility. Additionally, security clearance for government contractors operating within the jail is now mandatory. Expressing concerns over the ban on Imran Khans meetings at Adiala jail, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan voiced apprehensions regarding the former prime ministers safety. Addressing a press conference outside the jail, Gohar said that they were barred from meeting the incarcerated PTI founder. He said that the authorities did not inform anybody about the two-week ban on Khans meeting, as per Geo News. Advertisement The authorities gave terrorism as a reason for the move, he added. Gohar demanded immediate meetings and consultations with the incarcerated PTI founder. He also sought details about Khans health. The development unfolds against the backdrop of Imran Khans incarceration, which began in September 2023 when he was transferred from Attock jail. Khan is currently serving an accumulative sentence of 31 years across various cases, including a 10-year sentence for the cypher case and a subsequent 14-year term in the Toshakhana reference case. Advertisement Moreover, Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, face an additional seven-year sentence in the un-Islamic nikah case. The legal proceedings have extended to the 190 million case, with indictments issued during the Adiala jail trial. PTI and associates have consistently advocated for Khans release from what they term as fabricated cases, citing concerns for his safety within the prison environment. Advertisement Last week, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed to have arrested three terrorists and recovered a map of Adiala Jail, a hand grenade and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) from their possession. Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO) Khalid Hamdani said police recovered automatic weapons and ammunition from the terrorists who hailed from Afghanistan. Advertisement Before that, in November, police had found a suspicious bag laden with an explosive device near Adiala Road in Gorakhpur, Rawalpindi, just one kilometre away from the facility. (With agency inputs) Houthis Red Sea attacks have disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa, and stoked fears that the Israel-Hamas war could spread to destabilise the wider Middle East. In yet another attack, Yemens Houthis attacked the US ship Pinocchio in the Red Sea with missiles. Houthis Red Sea attacks have disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa, and stoked fears that the Israel-Hamas war could spread to destabilise the wider Middle East. Advertisement Yemens Iran-aligned Houthi rebels reportedly launched missiles targeting a vessel described as the US ship Pinocchio in the Red Sea, as stated by the groups military spokesperson in a televised address early on Tuesday. The Pinocchio is a Liberian-flagged container ship that is owned by Singapore-registered company OM-MAR 5 INC, according to public databases operated by Equasis and the UNs International Maritime Organization (IMO). Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said the group will escalate their military operations in the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in solidarity with Palestinians during the war in Gaza. Houthis Red Sea attacks have disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa, and stoked fears that the Israel-Hamas war could spread to destabilise the wider Middle East. Advertisement On Monday, airstrikes attributed to a US-British coalition hit port cities and small towns in western Yemen, killing at least 11 people and injuring 14 while defending commercial shipping, a spokesperson for Yemens internationally recognised government told Reuters. The United States and Britain have launched strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen and redesignated the militia as a terrorist group. Advertisement According to public databases operated by Equasis and the UNs International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Pinocchio is a Liberian-flagged container ship that is owned by Singapore-registered company OM-MAR 5 INC. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said the group will escalate their military operations in the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in solidarity with Palestinians during the war in Gaza. Advertisement On Monday, airstrikes attributed to a US-British coalition hit port cities and small towns in western Yemen, killing at least 11 people and injuring 14 while defending commercial shipping, a spokesperson for Yemens internationally recognised government told Reuters. The United States and Britain have launched strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen and redesignated the militia as a terrorist group. Advertisement With inputs from Reuters. An independent report commissioned by the British governments Commission for Countering Extremism was released Monday. It details the formation of a UK branch of the radical Pakistani anti-blasphemy political party, Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP) A recent UK counter-terrorism report has discovered that the UKs response to alleged acts of blasphemy is more coordinated than ever, with some of the leading voices involved having ties to violent anti-blasphemy extremists in Pakistan. An independent report commissioned by the British governments Commission for Countering Extremism, titled Understanding and Responding to Blasphemy Extremism in the UK, was released on Monday. It details the formation of a UK branch of the radical Pakistani anti-blasphemy political party, Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP). Advertisement According to the report, incidents involving extreme sectarianism, intimidation, and threats of violence related to blasphemy have become more common in the UK in recent years. The reactions to each incident have been orchestrated by anti-blasphemy activists in the UK, some of whom have associations to violent anti-blasphemy extremists in Pakistan, it said. The report specifically highlights three major flashpoints, mostly in northern England, which have inspired British anti-blasphemy activists since 2021. These include protests in 2021 against a teacher at a school in Batley after they allegedly showed students a picture of Prophet Mohammed, protests against the screening of a so-called Shia-influenced film Lady of Heaven in 2022, and protests against schoolboys in Wakefield for allegedly disrespecting a copy of the Quran last year. Advertisement None of the activists linked to these three incidents call for violence in the UK and expressly call on British Muslims to express their anger in peaceful and democratic ways. However, their rhetoric and the support some of them have expressed for violent anti-blasphemy extremists in Pakistan has the potential to radicalise their audience around the issue of blasphemy, the report points out. Advertisement Anti-blasphemy activism in the UK is focused on what is perceived to be two of the major threats Islam faces: the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, whose beliefs are viewed by activists as blasphemous, and non-Muslims who insult Islam usually by disrespecting either Mohammad or the Koran (Quran), the analysis reads. According to the study, before he died in 2020, TLP founder Khadim Rizvi had a long record of calling for and supporting vigilante violence and murder against accused blasphemers. It flags worrying signs for the UK as since his death, there have been three annual events in the country organised by TLP-UK commemorating Rizvi and celebrating his work to violently eliminate blasphemy against Islam. Advertisement Among its recommendations for the government, the report calls for a review of the charitable status of bodies and organisations linked to anti-blasphemy extremism, especially those linked to supporters of blasphemy violence abroad, such as in Pakistan. It concludes: As part of its counter-extremism work, the government should investigate principal actors and the existence or role of coordination activities and connections to violent anti-blasphemy extremists in Pakistan. Advertisement Related to this, the government should consider proscription of groups associated with anti-blasphemy extremism, such as the TLP; and a ban on their non-British members and supporters entering the country. The report comes as the UK government is said to be preparing to table a revised definition of extremism in Parliament later this week. Advertisement With inputs from PTI Craig Ledbetter of Vino Farms in Lodi has replaced some of his vineyards with pistachio trees. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle This winter, Garret Schaefer has been pulling his grapevines out of the ground. Schaefers family has been farming wine grapes in Lodi since 1894. For the past 60 years, the family had a reliable buyer for their 180 acres of grapes, about half of which is Zinfandel. But in 2019, that buyer a winery decided to stop making Zinfandel. Since then, Schaefer has tried relentlessly to find another winery to buy the crop. At some point you have to say this isnt working, Schaefer said. So far, hes brought in excavators to dig up 40 acres of grapes, and he expects hell remove 25 more this year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hes hardly alone. Across California, farmers are ripping out their vineyards en masse. This uprooting is the result of a yearslong oversupply: With wine consumption in the U.S. declining, wineries are decreasing production, which means they need fewer grapes. Piles of grapevines and mangled metal stakes after being removed. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle Caught at the end of that equation are the farmers, who now find themselves with a surplus of fruit. There are simply too many wine grapes planted in California for the market to sustain. Its left growers from Mendocino to Madera with an excruciating decision: Do you continue investing in the vineyard, with the risk that there wont be a buyer for the fruit, or cut your losses? Advertisement Article continues below this ad Youre better off to take your loss and not spend that $4,000 an acre to farm your vineyard when you dont know whether youll be able to sell those grapes, said Craig Ledbetter, owner of Vino Farms in Lodi (San Joaquin County), who has removed 160 acres of vines in the past couple of years. Some farmers are replacing the grapevines with other crops, like pistachio or almond trees, or even specialty crops like kiwis. Some are renting out their land to solar farms. Many, like Schaefer, are simply letting the land sit fallow. In the end, Schaefer was able to find a buyer for some of his Zinfandel, but not at a price to comfortably make a profit. His farming expenses have doubled since 2020, he estimated. Id love to keep farming grapes; I think Im pretty good at it, Schaefer said. But I cant. Theres no money in it. Pistachio trees can take up to six years to bear a crop, but theyre still more economical than farming wine grapes, according to longtime Lodi grape grower Craig Ledbetter. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle In the past six years, Californias wine grape acreage has been reduced by about 18,000 acres, estimated Jeff Bitter, president of Allied Grape Growers, a cooperative that represents 400 growers in California. Yet, that doesnt go far enough, Bitter believes. In order to reach equilibrium with the market, he said, California needs to remove an additional 50,000 acres, roughly 8% of the states bearing wine grape acreage. Advertisement Article continues below this ad If farmers dont act on his warning, theyll inevitably see the value of their land plummet, Bitter said, and many will default on their mortgages: Youll just end up with abandoned vineyards. The oversupply is a cruel wake-up for the wine industry, which is facing strong headwinds after a long period of unbridled success. For a quarter century, as Californias wine industry boomed, it seemed as if the state couldnt plant enough vineyards. People in this business took it for granted that there was always going to be growth, Bitter said. Wine consumption skyrocketed in the early 1990s, thanks in large part to the popularization of the so-called French Paradox, which held that red wine was healthy. Consumers demanded more wine, so wineries produced more bottles, so farmers cultivated more grapes. In 1990, the state had about 290,000 bearing acres of wine grapes, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture; in 2019, it peaked at 590,000. In the late 2010s, however, Americans started drinking less, creating something of a domino effect with wineries, which wound up with excess bottle inventory, and growers, who suddenly couldnt find wineries to buy their grapes. The effect has only intensified. In the last 18 months weve seen a precipitous drop-off in wine sales, Bitter said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bitter has been issuing warnings to the industry since 2019, when he first advised growers to consider removing their vineyards. But it hasnt been until this year that significant numbers of farmers have heeded his call. Ledbetter, whose family owns about 3,000 acres of vineyards, mostly in Lodi, replaced the 160 acres he initially removed with pistachio trees. Because it can take up to six years for a pistachio tree to bear a crop, he hasnt sold any nuts yet. But he says hes still in a better position than he would be with grapes; pistachios are cheaper to farm and require less capital upfront. Planting a vineyard, even in lower-cost regions like Lodi, can cost up to $30,000 an acre, whereas planting a nut tree orchard is closer to $8,000 an acre. This year Ledbetter will remove another 140 acres of grapes, and were contemplating another 200, he said. Some of the land will be fallowed, some rented to a solar farm. The oversupply is being felt on a global scale: even Bordeaux in France, arguably the worlds most prestigious wine region, is removing about 10% of its vineyard acreage. The French government is subsidizing that effort. No such program exists in the U.S. Old grapevines that are due to be torn out at Vino Farms in Galt (Sacramento County). Jessica Christian/The Chronicle Yet, not every part of California feels these effects equally. Bitter recommended that Napa and Sonoma counties remove only 5,000 acres, as opposed to the 15,000 he prescribed for the Lodi/delta area. Demand for high-end wines from coastal regions remains relatively strong, while growers in places like Lodi, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and the Central Valley, who have historically found great success supplying grapes for lower-priced wines, are competing with ultra-cheap imported bulk wine. Advertisement Article continues below this ad With our cost of goods, we cant compete against Argentina, Chile and even the European countries that produce fruit at a nice price, Ledbetter said. Its legal for California wineries to blend up to 25% of this imported bulk wine with California-grown wine, and many industrial-scale producers take advantage of that to cut costs. Removing a vineyard here is costly about $2,500 an acre to hire an excavator to pull up the plants, then either grind up the vines and put them back in the ground, or burn the pile of cuttings. (Due to air-quality concerns, burning has become more restricted, which is adding to the cost of vine removal.) Thats still less than it would cost to farm the vineyard for a year, though. These economics have led many growers to choose to let their land sit empty for now. At least they wont be losing money. About 16% of our acreage is not going to generate any revenue next year, said Aaron Lange, vice president of vineyard operations for LangeTwins Family Winery and Vineyards in Lodi. Since November, hes removed 130 of his familys 1,200 acres, and is about to remove 21 more. Farmworkers prune young pistachio trees. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle Lange doesnt see much promise in alternative crop options. Some of his acreage will become sheep pasture. Maybe, in a few years, grapes will look like a smart option again, but he wouldnt cultivate new vines without a guaranteed buyer in place. No ones planting on spec, he said. Bitter cautioned that vineyard removals shouldnt be viewed as a tragedy, but simply as an effect of a changing marketplace. You cannot invest in an asset that you expect to last indefinitely, he said. But many farmers cant help but feel emotional. These people identify as grape growers, its who they are, theyve been doing it for multiple generations, said Stuart Spencer, executive director of the Lodi Winegrape Commission. That is a hard reality check. For Schaefer, the Lodi farmer, its especially difficult to accept that his oldest Zinfandel vines planted in the 1960s and registered with the Historic Vineyard Society simply dont make financial sense anymore. The old-vine Zin produces beautiful wines, and Schaefer has a sentimental attachment to it, but its yields are meager. The old fields are the ones losing the most money, Schaefer said. Theyre the ones that have to come out first. Tate, a self-described misogynist with a sizable internet following, and his brother are both facing trial in Romania on separate counts of rape, human trafficking, and organising a criminal organisation to abuse women sexually Police in Romania have detained controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan on suspicion of committing sex offences in the UK, they announced on Tuesday. Romanian authorities said in a statement they executed two European arrest warrants issued by the UK judicial authorities for the committing of sexual offences, of exploitation of persons on the territory of the UK. Advertisement Police reported that a court in Bucharest had mandated their 24-hour detention. Tate, a self-described misogynist with a sizable internet following, and his brother are both facing trial in Romania on separate counts of rape, human trafficking, and organising a criminal organisation to abuse women sexually. In a statement on Tuesday, Tates representative stated that the two were under arrest and that the warrants had been issued by (the) Westminster Magistrates Court. Tate was served with legal documents by British law firm McCue Jury and Partners in June 2023, following claims of sexual assault against him. The attorneys for the four women threatened Tate with a lawsuit in English courts. The women, now in their late twenties and early thirties, say the offences took place between 2013-2016, when Tate was based in the UK. Advertisement A statement from the UK law firm representing them said allegations including violent rapes, serious physical assault, and controlling and coercive behaviour. Tates spokesperson said that Andrew and Tristan Tate unequivocally deny all allegations and decry what they perceive as an exploitative use of the legal system. As many as 26 drones sent by pro-Kyiv forces were destroyed by Russia. No casualties were reported from the air raid, which lasted multiple hours The Russian Defence Ministry on Tuesday said that the countrys air defences intercepted and destroyed at least 26 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones sent by pro-Kyiv forces over as many as seven Russian regions. Moscow said it had deployed warplanes, missiles and artillery to fend off the assaults. The air raid, reportedly comprising anti-Kremlin Russians, lasted several hours and left one woman injured. No casualties have been reported so far. Advertisement Whos behind the attack? Russian state-owned agency TASS attributed the airborne offensive to Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles. However, according to a Reuters report, two pro-Kyiv militias made of up of Russian volunteer fighters have claimed responsibility for the attacks. These are the Freedom of Russia legion and the Siberian Battalion. A third group, the Russian Volunteer Corps, has also been named in the matter. Further details about the attackers are awaited. In a separate offensive on Tuesday, Ukraine used at least 25 drones and nine rockets, pounding targets across Russia and setting a major oil refinery on fire. Focus on attacking energy infrastructure The attack seemed to be largely focused on Russian energy infrastructure. TASS said that the drone offensive in the Oryol Region set an oil tank ablaze, with the fire engulfing an area of 100 sq. m." The attack also resulted in an oil refining installation in the Nizhny Novgorod Region catching fire. Advertisement The UAV attacks led to power outages in seven communities in the Belgorodsky district and five communities in the Graivoronsky district. A power transmission line was damaged in the settlement of Novaya Tavolzhanka. Drone attacks: A prominent trend Both Russian and Ukrainian forces have both used UAVs to hit each others critical infrastructure and troops. In recent times, Russias Advertisement On Saturday, Russias Defence Ministry had reported incursions by at least 47 Ukrainian drones over the Belgorod, Kursk, Volgograd, and Rostov regions. They said that the drones had been intercepted and that there were no serious consequences of the attack. With inputs from agencies Moscow has labelled South Korea as a unfriendly country in response to Seouls sanctions against Russia for its involvement in the war in Ukraine According to Seouls foreign ministry on Tuesday, a South Korean citizen who has been arrested in Russia on suspicion of espionage is receiving necessary consular assistance from Seoul. Recent improvements in relations between Russia and North Korea include Pyongyang allegedly sending weapons to Moscow for use in the Ukraine, according to reports from the US and South Korea. Advertisement Moscow has labelled South Korea as a unfriendly country in response to Seouls sanctions against Russia for its involvement in the war in Ukraine. Citing an ongoing investigation, Seouls foreign ministry declined to provide information about the South Koreans detention on Tuesday. Upon learning of the arrest, the local diplomatic mission has been providing necessary consular assistance, it said. Russias state-run TASS news agency first reported that a South Korean man had been detained earlier this year on suspicion of espionage and was being held in a Moscow prison. TASS, which said the case was top secret, identified the suspect as Baek Won-soon and said he had been picked up in Russias far-eastern city of Vladivostok. Advertisement According to a TASS source in law enforcement agencies, Baek Won Soon passed state secret information to foreign intelligence services, the agency said. It is the first time Russia has arrested a South Korean citizen for criminal espionage, according to TASS. Baek was transported from Vladivostok to Moscow for further investigation and is being held in the capitals notorious Lefortovo prison, the Russian news agency added. Advertisement The prison, known for keeping detainees in near-total solitude, also currently houses US reporter Evan Gershkovich, held on spying charges that he denies. Espionage carries a maximum jail term of 20 years in Russia. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin last year, Pyongyang has been drawing ever closer to Moscow. Advertisement During his trip to Russia, Kim declared that bilateral ties with Moscow were his countrys number one priority. An analyst told AFP that North Korea could have been involved in the arrest, given the close ties between Moscow and Pyongyang. It cannot be ruled out that Russian intelligence agencies received intel from North Korean spies about the South Korean suspect and arrested him, said Ahn Chan-il, a defector-turned-researcher who runs the World Institute for North Korea Studies. Advertisement It is also likely to be retaliation against the South Korean government for indirectly providing weapons to Ukraine. China supports Maldives in safeguarding the sovereignty and working with other countries on the basis of equality, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin China on Tuesday said that it backs Maldives in protecting its sovereignty as the first batch of Indian troops overseeing a helicopter operation departed the island nation. According to Maldives-based Mihaaru newspaper, 25 Indian troops stationed in the southernmost atoll of Addu departed from the archipelago before 10 March, adhering to the agreed-upon commencement of the withdrawal process by both parties. Advertisement Asked for his comments on the first batch of the Indian military personnels withdrawal from the Maldives, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said he was not aware of the specifics. China supports Maldives in safeguarding the sovereignty and working with other countries on the basis of equality, PTI quoted him as saying. Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, known for his pro-China stance, has confirmed that no Indian military personnel, including those in civilian attire, will remain in his country after May 10. Muizzu requested India to withdraw approximately 90 military personnel from the Maldives. India has consented to replace these military personnel with civilians while maintaining the operations of two helicopters and a Dornier aircraft. These aircraft are utilised for humanitarian and medical evacuation services in the country. Advertisement Muizzus government also allowed a sophisticated Chinese research ship to dock at Male. Last week, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) signed a deal with Chinas military. Under this deal, China will supply non-lethal weapons to the Maldives free of cost. Muizzu visited China in January during which the two countries announced the elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership besides signing 20 agreements to assist Maldives infrastructure. Advertisement China also announced a USD 130 million grant besides promising to send more Chinese tourists to the tourism-dependent Maldives. After Muizzus visit, China is sending more of its tourists to Maldives on his request in an apparent attempt to reduce the dependence on Indian tourists who have recently topped the list of international tourists to the tourism-dependent country. Advertisement With inputs from agencies Move Forwards progressive agenda has resonated among millions of young and urban voters and it won a stunning victory over military-backed parties in a May election. Concerned over the Move Forward partys campaign to change a law against insulting the monarchy undermines the countrys system of governance, Thailands Election Commission on Tuesday said it would ask a court to dissolve the opposition party. Move Forwards progressive agenda has resonated among millions of young and urban voters and it won a stunning victory over military-backed parties in a May election. Advertisement But its plan to change lese majeste laws outraged conservative lawmakers allied with the royalist military who torpedoed the partys attempts to form a government. If the party is dissolved, its leaders could be banned from politics for 10 years. The decision of the election commission came after a ruling by the Constitutional Court in January, which stated that Move Forward, the party that emerged victorious in last years general election, had breached the constitution with its proposals to amend the lese majeste law. The courts verdict concluded that the partys suggested changes to Article 112 of the criminal code were deemed as an attempt to undermine Thailands constitutional monarchy. The Election Commission said in a statement on Tuesday There is evidence that Move Forward undermines the democratic system with the king as the head of state,. Advertisement The Election Commission has considered and analysed the Constitutional Court verdict and has decided unanimously to ask the Constitutional Court to dissolve the Move Forward party. Thailands lese majeste legislation carries a punishment of up to 15 years jail for each perceived insult or defamation against the king, queen, heir and regent. Advertisement Thailands monarchy is enshrined in the constitution to be held in a position of revered worship, and many royalists see the lese majeste law as sacrosanct. The palace typically does not comment on the lese majeste law. Rights activists say the law has been abused by conservative politicians to smear liberal opponents and stifle institutional reforms. More than 260 people have been prosecuted under the legislation since 2020, including a man facing a record 50 years jail time over Facebook posts critical of the monarchy. Advertisement Move Forward party has argued its campaign to change Article 112 was aimed at strengthening the constitutional monarchy and preventing the law from being misused. We have no intention to overthrow the democratic system with the king as the head of state, Move Forward party spokesperson Parit Wacharasindhu told Reuters on Tuesday. Advertisement We will prove our innocence at the Constitutional Court, he said. Pita Limjaroenrat, who led the party to its 2023 election victory, told Reuters in an interview last month Move Forward had a succession plan if it was dissolved and the partys ideology would live on. Move Forwards anti-establishment platform, which includes plans to tackle business monopolies and to keep the military out of politics, is popular with voters but has put the party on a collision course with the interests of powerful conservatives. Advertisement The partys predecessor, Future Forward, had championed similar policies and was disbanded in 2020 for violating campaign funding rules. With inputs from Reuters. Trump contends he is immune from prosecution for conduct alleged to involve official acts during his tenure in office. His lawyers argue some of the evidence and alleged acts in the hush money case overlap with his time in the White House and constitute official acts In order to give the Supreme Court more time to consider his claims of presidential immunity in a different criminal case, Donald Trump is attempting to postpone his hush money trial scheduled for March 25. On Monday, the attorneys for the former president of the United States, requested that Manhattan Judge Juan Manuel Merchan postpone the criminal trial in New York indefinitely, pending the resolution of Trumps claim of immunity in his election meddling case in Washington, D.C. Advertisement Merchan did not come to power right away. He chastised Trumps attorneys in a late-Monday ruling for missing a filing deadline, bringing up the immunity issue only 2.5 weeks prior to jury selection, and neglecting to provide a justification for the delayed file. The court ordered that going ahead, before submitting any more pretrial motions, Trumps attorneys and prosecutors had to obtain his consent. Trump contends he is immune from prosecution for conduct alleged to involve official acts during his tenure in office. His lawyers argue some of the evidence and alleged acts in the hush money case overlap with his time in the White House and constitute official acts. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments April 25, a month after the scheduled start of jury selection in Trumps hush money case. It is the first of his four criminal cases slated to go to trial as he closes in on the Republican presidential nomination in his quest to retake the White House. Advertisement The Manhattan district attorneys office declined to comment. Prosecutors are expected to respond to Trumps delay request in court papers later this week. Trump first raised the immunity issue in his Washington, D.C., criminal case, which involves allegations that he worked to overturn the results of the 2020 election in the run-up to the violent riot by his supporters at the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Advertisement The hush money case centers on allegations that Trump falsified his companys internal records to hide the true nature of payments to his former lawyer Michael Cohen, who helped Trump bury negative stories during his 2016 presidential campaign. Among other things, Cohen paid porn actor Stormy Daniels $130,000 to suppress her claims of an extramarital sexual encounter with Trump years earlier. Advertisement Trumps lawyers argue that some evidence Manhattan prosecutors plan to introduce at the hush money trial, including messages he posted on social media in 2018 about money paid to Cohen, were from his time as president and constituted official acts. Trump pleaded not guilty last year to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He has denied having a sexual encounter with Daniels, and his lawyers argue the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses and not part of any cover-up. Advertisement A federal judge last year rejected Trumps claim that allegations in the hush money indictment involved official duties, nixing his bid to move the case from state court to federal court. Had the case been moved to federal court, Trumps lawyers couldve tried to get the charges dismissed on the grounds that federal officials have immunity from prosecution over actions taken as part of their official duties. Advertisement The evidence overwhelmingly suggests that the matter was a purely a personal item of the President a cover-up of an embarrassing event, US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein wrote last July. Hush money paid to an adult film star is not related to a Presidents official acts. It does not reflect in any way the color of the Presidents official duties. Advertisement Trumps lawyers appealed Hellersteins ruling, but dropped the appeal in November. They said they were doing so with prejudice, meaning they couldnt change their minds. The question of whether a former president is immune from federal prosecution for official acts taken in office is legally untested. Prosecutors in the Washington, D.C., case have said no such immunity exists and that, in any event, none of the actions Trump is alleged to have taken in the indictment charging him with plotting to overturn the 2020 presidential election after he lost to Democrat Joe Biden count as official acts. Advertisement The trial judge in Washington and a federal appeals court have both ruled against Trump, but the high court agreed last month to give the matter fresh consideration a decision that delays the federal case in Washington and injects fresh uncertainty as to when it might reach trial. A famine that could kill thousands of Palestinian civilians in war-torn Gaza is imminent with situation being particularly dire in the northern part of Gaza, located at the opposite end of the strip from aid delivery points in the towns of Khan Younis and Rafah near the Egyptian border, where people have resorted to eating animal fodder, according to a report Volunteers distribute rations of red lentil soup to displaced Palestinians in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on 18 February. AFP File A famine that could kill thousands of Palestinian civilians in war-torn Gaza is imminent with situation being particularly dire in the northern part of Gaza, located at the opposite end of the strip from aid delivery points in the towns of Khan Younis and Rafah near the Egyptian border, where people have resorted to eating animal fodder, according to a report. Advertisement According to a South China Morning Post report, citing United Nations top aid official in Gaza, famine may only be averted if Israel agrees to allow the current trickle of humanitarian aid to turn into a roaring river. Around 576,000 individuals in Gaza, roughly a quarter of the population, were deemed by the UN in late February to be perilously close to famine and facing the prospect of a slow and agonising demise. In the past couple of weeks, UN agencies and their partnering NGOs have sounded the alarm, stressing that only unrestricted access to significant quantities of food, medicine, fuel, supplies, and expertise can avert an impending disaster. With minimal aid making its way to north Gaza, residents have resorted to feeding their hungry children animal fodder and foraged food, as reported by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on March 4. This dire situation has led to the heartbreaking news of children succumbing to malnutrition and dehydration in two hospitals, with the death toll reaching 25 by Saturday, according to the Gazan health ministry. Advertisement Indeed, a famine in Gaza is imminent, Georgios Petropoulos, the Rafah-based head of the OCHA office for Gaza, told This Week in Asia. The glaring, glaring problem is our inability to overcome the access issue and actually deliver at scale food and other needed commodities to north Gaza. Petropoulos emphasized the stark reality: over 31,000 Gazans have lost their lives to the war, and the increasing fatalities due to malnutrition, alongside the tragic deaths of numerous children from preventable diseases, underscore the urgency of the situation. Advertisement He stressed that the imminent risk of mass casualties resulting from malnutrition and dehydration was entirely avoidable. However, achieving prevention depended solely on the successful scaling up and delivery of substantial humanitarian aid. Now its especially notable that everybody in Gaza requires aid, he told This Week. He said just the volume of the food required to reverse the dire situation is in the thousands of metric tonnes over days and weeks. Advertisement The UN World Food Programme suggests that Gazas 2.2 million residents, nearly all of whom rely entirely on aid since the conflict began five months ago, require approximately 4,000 tonnes of food each week. Petropoulos highlighted the primary obstacle confronting humanitarian organisations in Gaza: securing a consistent provision of essential relief supplies to nourish, medicate, and shelter the distressed civilian population. Advertisement These things come in drips and trickles when they need to be coming in a roaring river of humanitarian aid so that we can use local distribution networks to assist people, he said, adding the logistical arrangements for delivering aid have to be by land. That is, however, an unlikely prospect because Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet colleagues have flatly refused to ease arduous restrictions imposed on aid convoys entering Gaza overland from Egypt. Advertisement Before the outbreak of the ongoing conflict in October, approximately 500 trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered Gaza from Egypt daily. However, since the conflict began, with Hamas launching attacks on southern Israel resulting in casualties and kidnappings, Israel has significantly reduced the number of aid trucks allowed into Gaza to fewer than 100 per day. Advertisement In response to the humanitarian crisis, the United States recently announced plans to construct a temporary floating military pier or causeway off the coast of Gaza to facilitate aid delivery. Additionally, the US has started airdropping aid in coordination with Egypt and three European nations. However, Pentagon press secretary Brigadier General Pat Ryder noted that it would take over 1,000 US soldiers up to 60 days to complete the maritime facility. Advertisement This delay raises concerns among humanitarian groups in Gaza, who fear an increase in deaths among vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing health conditions, due to malnutrition and dehydration in the coming weeks. With inputs from agencies The US Central Command (CENTCOM) claimed in a statement Monday night that the attacks were conducted out after the Houthis launched two missiles at the Pinocchio, a Singaporean-owned commercial ship flying the Liberian flag US forces claimed to have destroyed an underwater drone and over 20 ballistic missiles in a series of strikes against Yemens Houthi rebels, who vowed to increase assaults in the Red Sea during Ramadan on Tuesday. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) claimed in a statement Monday night that the attacks were conducted out after the Houthis launched two missiles at the Pinocchio, a Singaporean-owned commercial ship flying the Liberian flag. Advertisement The missiles did not impact the vessel and there were no injuries or damage reported, CENTCOM said. Hours later, it added, US forces conducted six self-defense strikes destroying an unmanned underwater vessel and 18 anti-ship missiles in Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack on the Pinocchio in a statement early Tuesday, maintaining the missile strike was accurate. The British maritime security agency UKMTO had previously said a ship in the area reported a sound of an explosion in its vicinity southwest of the Yemeni port of Salif, and that US-led coalition forces were investigating. The Houthi statement went on to say that military operations will be escalated during the month of Ramadan. Advertisement The attacks would be in support of the oppressed Palestinian people and those in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis military spokesman Yahya Saree said. Since November, the Iran-backed Houthis, who control the capital Sanaa, have been attacking ships in the Red Sea, in professed solidarity with Palestinians during the Israels war against Hamas militants in Gaza. Advertisement The attacks have sent insurance costs spiralling for vessels plying the key trade route and prompted many shipping firms to take the far longer passage around the southern tip of Africa instead. Since January, the United States and Britain have launched repeated strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the attacks, but the actions have not deterred the rebels. The report largely focused on threats from China and Russia, the greatest rivals to the United States, more than two years after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, as well as noting the risks of broader conflict related to Israels campaign against Hamas in Gaza since the Oct. 7 attacks. China has enhanced its capacity to covertly disseminate disinformation and could potentially seek to influence the outcome of Americas 2024 presidential election, said US intelligence agencies in their 2024 Annual Threat Assessment. According to the annual worldwide threat assessment, Beijing is described as expanding its global covert influence posture in alignment with the objectives of the Chinese Communist Party. The report indicates that Beijings intentions include instigating scepticism regarding U.S. leadership, undermining democratic processes, and extending its influence on a global scale. Advertisement An ambitious but anxious China, a confrontational Russia, some regional powers, such as Iran, and more capable non-state actors are challenging longstanding rules of the international system as well as U.S. primacy within it, the agencies said in their 2024 Annual Threat Assessment. The report largely focused on threats from China and Russia, the greatest rivals to the United States, more than two years after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, as well as noting the risks of broader conflict related to Israels campaign against Hamas in Gaza since the Oct. 7 attacks. China is providing economic and security assistance to Russia as it wages war in Ukraine, by supporting Russias industrial base, the report said. It also warned that China could use technology to try to influence this years U.S. elections. (China) may attempt to influence the U.S. elections in 2024 at some level because of its desire to sideline critics of China and magnify U.S. societal divisions, the report said. Advertisement In her testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines urged lawmakers to approve more military assistance for Ukraine. It was hard to imagine how Ukraine could hold territory it has recaptured from Russia without more assistance from Washington, she said. The threats report noted that trade between China and Russia has been increasing since the start of the Ukraine war and that Chinese exports of goods with potential military use have risen more than threefold since 2022. Advertisement Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, an ally of former President Donald Trump, has so far refused to call a vote on a bill that would provide $60 billion more for Ukraine. The measure has passed the Democratic-run Senate. GLOBAL LINKS, GLOBAL RISKS Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns, like Haines, said continuing support for Ukraine would send a message to China about aggression toward Taiwan or in the South China Sea. Advertisement It is our assessment that (Chinese leader) Xi Jinping was sobered, you know, by what happened. He didnt expect that Ukraine would resist with the courage and tenacity the Ukrainians demonstrated, Burns said. Haines noted concerns that the conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas could spread global insecurity. The crisis in Gaza is a stark example of how regional developments have the potential of broader and even global implications, Haines said. Advertisement She noted attacks by Houthi militias on shipping and said the militant groups al Qaeda and ISIS inspired by Hamas have directed supporters to conduct attacks against Israeli and U.S. interests. After a protester interrupted the hearing with shouts about the need to protect civilians in Gaza, Burns was asked about children in the Palestinian enclave. Advertisement The reality is that there are children who are starving. Theyre malnourished as a result of the fact that humanitarian assistance cant get to them. Its very difficult to distribute humanitarian assistance effectively unless you have a ceasefire, he said. Emotions rose in the hearing as some senators discussed immigration across the U.S. border with Mexico, which Trump has made a focus of his campaign to defeat Democratic President Joe Biden in the November election. Advertisement FBI Director Christopher Wray expressed concern about the terrorism implications from potential targeting of vulnerabilities at the border, noting rising threats from Americans inspired by Islamist groups and other foreign militants since Hamas attack on Israel on Oct 7. The threat has gone to a whole new level, Wray said. With inputs from agencies. After criticism over the Pope Francis statement on Ukraine to raise white flag against Russia, Vaticans second-highest ranking official after Francis, Cardinal Pietro Parolin backtracked on the Pontiffs statement calling Russias invasion unjust. After Pope Franciss message for Ukraine to surrender before Moscow spread angered many, the Vatican Tuesday backtracked on the Pontiffs statement calling Russias invasion of Ukraine unjust. Vaticans second-highest ranking official after Francis, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that Russia should first and foremost ceasefire, calling Moscow an aggressor. Advertisement After global criticism over the bishops statement, the Vatican official said, The war unleashed against Ukraine is not the effect of an uncontrollable natural disaster but of human freedom alone, and the same human will that caused this tragedy also has the possibility and responsibility to take steps to put an end to it and pave the way to a diplomatic solution." Ukraine summons Vatican envoy Previously, Ukraine, irked by the Popes white flag, summoned Vatican City envoy Apostolic Nuncio Visvaldas Kulbokas to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and said that it would never surrender to Moscow, rejecting the Popes suggestion. The Ministry also said that the Catholic leaders statement would further encourage the Kremlin to disregard norms of international law. Advertisement In a transcript of an interview with Swiss broadcaster RSI, Pope Francis was asked about what he thinks about increasing calls for Ukraine to surrender to Russia, to which he replied, I believe that the strongest are those who see the situation, think about the people and have the courage to raise the white flag and negotiate. Advertisement Ukraine needs weapons, not white flags NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg sided with Ukraine and expressed his displeasure over Popes statement and said that it would be a tragedy for Ukrainians to talk about surrender now. It will also be dangerous for NATO and Ukraine. The NATO secretary-general told Reuters, If we want a negotiated peaceful lasting solution, the way to get there is to provide military support to Ukraine. Advertisement with input from agencies A receipt from the Flea Street Cafe in Menlo Park explains how the service charge will be shared with the staff. In most places, restaurants do not have to give money from service charges to workers. Peter DaSilva/Special to the Chronicle 2021 The owner of Che Fico in San Francisco uses a 10% dining-in charge to fund competitive wages and a 401k plan with an employer 4% match for workers. John Storey/Special to the Chronicle 2018 Of all the restaurant trends that have persisted since 2020, from the QR code menu to parklets, perhaps the stickiest, most controversial thing is the service charge. They can seem pretty arbitrary: At a recent meal at Z&Y Restaurant in San Franciscos Chinatown, my bill included an 18% service fee. When I stopped at Pacific Heights Spruce for a burger a few months ago, there was a 20% service charge and a 3.75% charge for S.F.-mandated employer expenses. At the restaurant inside the ritzy Madrona Hotel in Healdsburg, the employee mandate was just 2% of my bill. While tip-like in appearance, however, none of these charges were tips. And without clear rules for how these charges should be used and explained, these fees are causing problems for everyone. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As the range of percentages and terminologies indicates, the world of restaurant service charges is one of total anarchy. Unlike tips, which must go entirely to service staff, every cent of a service charge technically belongs to restaurant owners, who can do anything they want to with it. There are rare exceptions to this rule: In Oakland and Berkeley, service charges must go to the employees who worked the related shifts. But in many other places, there are no legal ramifications for an owner keeping the money and spending it on anything else. This may all change when the Federal Trade Commission follows through on President Joe Bidens proposal to eliminate unfair and deceptive junk fees nationwide, which he flagged last week in his State of the Union speech. So far, the FTCs proposal, citing research and 72,000 public comments its received, has targeted restaurant service charges alongside the other add-on charges, like hotel, live-event ticket and air travel fees for increased regulation and transparency. When you look at a restaurant menu, the FTC wants you to know what youre actually paying for if theres a service charge and for the restaurant to spell out where that fee is going. In response, the Independent Restaurant Coalition, formed during the pandemic to advocate for restaurants, urged its 150,000 members to lobby Congress to strike any mention of restaurants from the proposal. This policy would significantly curtail the progress these businesses have made to fairly and properly pay their workers and negatively impact the very people President Biden and the Administration intends to help, the coalition said. I can empathize with restaurant owners reasons for implementing service charges, which the FTC says are practiced in 20% of restaurants. Profit margins are razor thin and labor costs in a post-2020 world in which many workers either dropped out, became permanently disabled or passed away directly compete with diners collective sense of how much a burger should cost. Commercial rent in cities like San Francisco, where landlords have held fast on the hope that people will pay now for prosperity later, has also squeezed independent restaurants. Advertisement Article continues below this ad When I asked restaurant workers on Instagram to chime in on the service charge issue, they echoed this concern. Service fees are a ripe opportunity for what is essentially wage theft, said Milo Salehi, beverage director at San Franciscos Cavana, when I called him to elaborate on a post hed written. He wouldnt work at a place that had a service charge. Ive known people that have worked in those environments, and theres a lot of frustration with the amount of money they get and the lack of transparency in it. Others agreed. One veteran of Michelin-starred restaurants said, We have done the math at several restaurants and it does not add up. Ownership often uses these funds to pay management salary, expand their business and even open new locations all out of money that is given by the guest with the implicit understanding that is going to the front of house/back of house staff. They blamed this practice for contributing to the labor shortage hounding restaurants. I worked at a high-end restaurant in Healdsburg that decided to add a 3% service charge that goes to pay management!!! How insane is that? another person messaged me. They tried to explain it away like it would help the staff but really it took tips down from 20% to 17% while still paying minimum wage! That said, when done right, the service charge can be a wonderful thing. Che Fico chef-owner David Nayfeld has been admirably outspoken about how the restaurants 10% dining-in charge has impacted worker welfare: staff now have a 401k plan with an employer 4% match and competitive wages. And the Independent Restaurant Coalition rightfully notes that tipping culture, embraced by white American business owners after the Civil War to avoid paying Black workers actual wages, is tainted by racism and sexism. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Although the 61-year-old Maduro has not yet announced, it is widely anticipated that he would compete for reelection in a contest in which his major rival is not allowed to participate A top official in the ruling party said on Monday that President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela has been chosen to run for a third consecutive term in the elections scheduled for July 28. After a vote by the PSUV party, Maduro was selected as the partys presidential candidate. Diosdado Cabello, who is ranked second in the governing Chavismo movement, posted on X. Advertisement Although the 61-year-old Maduro has not yet announced, it is widely anticipated that he would compete for reelection in a contest in which his major rival is not allowed to participate. The presidents widely-regarded illegitimate reelection to a six-year term in 2018 was met with a series of penalties and was not recognised by the US or dozens of other nations. Venezuela, a South American nation suffering from severe economic hardship, will hold elections on July 28, according to a statement made last week by the countrys electoral body, the CNE. That happened after the opposition and Maduros administration decided to hold a free and fair election in 2024 with the presence of foreign observers in Barbados last year. Advertisement As a result of the agreement, which included a prisoner swap, US-based Chevron was able to resume limited crude production from the oil-rich South American nation and the US lifted sanctions against it. As per the agreement, opposing candidates were to have the right to challenge court decisions that disqualified them from office. Advertisement Since then, though, Maduro-aligned Supreme Court justices have maintained a 15-year ban on opposition primary victor Maria Corina Machado and others, which has prompted Washington to think about lifting the sanctions. On January 6, 2021, rioters attacked the seat of US democracy, fuelled by the then-presidents fraudulent charges of voting fraud, in an attempt to prevent Joe Bidens transition to power On Monday, Donald Trump, referring to those imprisoned for their involvement in the 2021 attack on the US Capitol, announced that one of his first acts if reelected will be to release them, calling them hostages. On January 6, 2021, rioters attacked the seat of US democracy, fuelled by the then-presidents fraudulent charges of voting fraud, in an attempt to prevent Joe Bidens transition to power. Advertisement According to the most recent numbers given by the Justice Department last week, about 1,358 people have been charged in the 38 months since. Approximately 500 people have received jail sentences. Trump posted the comments on his Truth Social website, additionally promising to shut down the border with Mexico as part of his first acts if reelected, without providing details. My first acts as your next President will be to Close the Border, DRILL, BABY, DRILL, and Free the January 6 Hostages being wrongfully imprisoned! he wrote late Monday. Trump has made previous comments about his hypothetical first day in office, vowing during a televised town hall in December not to act as a dictator except other than day one. Advertisement Nor is it the first time Trump has called his imprisoned supporters hostages or suggested they should be freed. In January, he implored President Biden to release the J6 hostages, Joe during a campaign rally in Iowa. Trump faces four criminal indictments, including two one federal and one in Georgia stemming from his attempts to overturn the election results after losing to Biden. Advertisement Trump is virtually assured of being the Republican presidential nominee now that his last remaining rival, Nikki Haley, dropped out of the race following his overwhelming wins in the primaries. Trump insists that the support he enjoys among his Republican base has been enhanced, not hurt, by his many legal woes. The AI system, located in Beijing, is actively processing extensive real-time data from across the countrys 45,000km (28,000-mile) high-speed rail network. This system can promptly alert maintenance teams of any abnormal situations within 40 minutes Engineers involved in Chinas high-speed rail network have reported significant advancements in the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, according to a recent peer-reviewed paper published in the academic journal China Railway. The AI system, located in Beijing, is actively processing extensive real-time data from across the countrys 45,000km (28,000-mile) high-speed rail network. This system can promptly alert maintenance teams of any abnormal situations within 40 minutes, boasting an impressive accuracy rate of 95 per cent. Advertisement Niu Daoan, a senior engineer at the China State Railway Groups infrastructure inspection centre, mentioned in the paper the critical role of AI in facilitating quick on-site reinspections and repairs. Notably, in the past year, none of Chinas operational high-speed railway lines received warnings necessitating speed reduction due to major track irregularities, while minor track faults decreased by 80 per cent compared to the previous year. Furthermore, the application of AI technology has led to a reduction in the amplitude of rail movement caused by strong winds, even on massive valley-spanning bridges. This predictive capability enables precise and timely maintenance, ensuring that high-speed rail infrastructure remains in optimal condition. The extensive data generated by sensors embedded in the high-speed rail infrastructure has propelled China to adopt cutting-edge technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence, as outlined in the paper. Advertisement As per reports, these technologies enable more precise assessments and scientific evaluations of infrastructure service status. The successful integration of AI in Chinas high-speed rail network has addressed challenges in risk perception, equipment evaluation, and trend predictions, providing scientific support for proactive safety measures and precise infrastructure maintenance. Despite initial concerns about maintenance burdens as the high-speed rail network expanded, China has demonstrated its ability to effectively manage and maintain the worlds fastest rail network, which operates at speeds of up to 350km/h (217mph), with plans for further acceleration to 400km/hr (249mph) in the near future. Advertisement However, the engineers have identified a potential challenge stemming from demographic changes, with a projected decrease in the number of maintenance workers compared to current levels. Nonetheless, the application of AI presents an opportunity for high-speed rail health management. While the AI technology gap between China and the US may appear to be widening, some observers suggest that there may be Chinese breakthroughs in critical areas, despite US government sanctions limiting access to advanced AI chips. Samsung is reportedly planning to revert to a square design for its Galaxy Watch, according to SamMobile. This change marks a departure from the circular design seen in recent models. The new design will resemble older models like the Galaxy Gear, Gear 2, and Gear Live, which were popular over a decade ago. Initially, Samsung shifted to circular designs with the Gear S2, introducing a rotating bezel. This design has been consistent across subsequent generations, including the current Galaxy Watch 5 models. The decision to return to a square shape is being enthusiastically considered within Samsung, the report noted. While the company considers reintroducing the square shape, after eight years of circular designs, how Samsung executes this shift and persuades customers accustomed to the circular design remains to be seen, posing an intriguing challenge amidst the established popularity of its circular Galaxy Watch series Its uncertain whether this change will be implemented with the upcoming Galaxy Watch 7 series or delayed until a later release, possibly the 2025 Galaxy Watch 8. Source With the General Election approaching in India, Google India has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the electoral process by providing reliable information to voters and safeguarding its platforms against misuse. Heres how Google India plans to assist: Connecting Voters to Reliable Information Voting Information: To aid voters in understanding the electoral process, Google is ensuring that credible information is easily accessible through its platforms. They collaborate with the Election Commission of India (ECI) to provide essential voting information in English and Hindi on Google Search and YouTube. This includes details on registration procedures and voting guidelines. Authoritative Content: On YouTube, authoritative content related to elections is prominently featured, guiding viewers on registration, voting, and candidate information. Additionally, information panels highlight sources of funding for publishers and offer contextual insights on topics susceptible to misinformation, such as electronic voting machines. Safeguarding Platforms and Combating Misinformation Google enforces strict policies to maintain the integrity of elections across its platforms. Measures include: Enforcement of Policies: Policies against false claims detrimental to democratic processes are rigorously enforced, employing both human reviewers and AI models. Transparency on Election Ads: Advertisers wishing to run election-related ads must undergo identity verification and provide necessary certifications. Google also compiles election ads in a searchable hub for transparency on advertisers and expenditure. Collaboration against Misinformation: Google collaborates with newsrooms and fact-checkers through initiatives like the Google News Initiative Training Network and Fact Check Explorer to combat misinformation effectively. It also collaborates with Shakti, India Election Fact-Checking Collective. Helping Navigate AI-generated Content As AI-generated content becomes prevalent, Google is introducing tools and policies to assist users: Ads Disclosures: Google requires disclosure for election ads containing synthetic content, prohibiting manipulated media to mislead viewers. Content Labels on YouTube: Labels are displayed for content created with YouTube generative AI features, ensuring viewers are informed about synthetic content. Responsible AI Approach: Google restricts certain election-related queries on its AI products and emphasizes providing high-quality, credible information. Providing Additional Context: Features like About this Image in Search and the double-check feature in Gemini help users assess the credibility of online content. Industry Collaboration Google is part of the C2PA coalition, collaborating across industries to prevent deceptive AI-generated content from influencing elections globally. The coalition aims to counter harmful content through technological advancements and commitments to transparency. Announcing the updates, Google India posted: PG&E says supply-chain issues and government red tape are causing delays in installing transformers and connecting new homes to power. Jeff Chiu/The Chronicle 2021 Regarding How PG&Es failures are making Californias housing crisis even worse (Open Forum, SFChronicle.com, Feb. 28): This recent opinion piece took PG&E to task for delaying the connection of new homes to the power grid. Sadly, the piece made its case with inaccurate information: The wait for electric transformers is a nationwide supply-chain issue not unique to PG&E. A 2023 report from the Edison Electric Institute found that 75% of all investor-owned utilities were experiencing similar shortages and were likely to continue to do so through mid-2024. Still, PG&E substantially recovered its stock of transformers in late 2023 and has shared inventory with distributors statewide to help developers secure equipment. PG&E did not delay the safe-parking site in the Bayview. As reported by the Chronicle, the city of San Francisco changed the sites use and submitted an incomplete application for service. Once the city provided the required information, PG&E met expected timelines for estimating and connecting the project. Advertisement Article continues below this ad PG&E supported SB410 and AB50, meant to speed connections, which are now law. PG&E embraces accountability and will submit a report to the California Public Utilities Commission later this year to demonstrate timely customer connections. PG&E will continue to welcome guidance from new state laws, and its valuable work with the California Building Industry Association, to drive improvements in connections. PG&E remains on track to meet the customer on-time delivery targets it set for the end of 2024. Jake Zigelman, vice president, Bay Area Region, PG&E Remake the Constitution Regarding Please stop trying to save democracy (Open Forum, SFChronicle.com, March 10): Joe Mathews toes the edge of reality. He rightfully claims, that our post-World War II order protects military and corporate powers that undermine democracy. He doesnt go far enough. Those are the powers that make policy at the national level, not the people. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Except in local politics, our system of government fails the democracy test. It lacks the defining element of any true democracy: one person, one equal vote. European governments come closest with their parliamentary systems. Our undemocratic Constitution embraces a system of minority rule. Our Senate does not represent the will of the people. It will never ban assault weapons again. The Supreme Court dictates the lives of Americans with edicts that have no place in a democracy. In Gaza, the U.S. is complicit with the genocide because our president has too much power. He dismisses the will of people who demand a permanent cease-fire and self-determination for Palestinians. Mathews gets it wrong. We dont have a democracy to save. What America needs is a democratic Constitution worth defending. Advertisement Article continues below this ad David De Hart, Oakland Faculty raise questions Although leaders of similar CSU campuses are typically downsizing by reducing the number of colleges, Cal State East Bay President Cathy Sandeen is moving ahead with starting a new College of Health without explaining why it is important to do so at this time. Numerous campus community members also doubt that we are ready for the next emergency, given that no public message has addressed the lack of a unified response to a campus power outage for three days after storms in early February. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At this time, some faculty members have lost confidence in the leadership of President Sandeen to make choices that prioritize the safety of campus community members and the future of our campus. Therefore, the Academic Senate at Cal State East Bay is taking the step of last resort by considering a vote of no confidence in the president. Elon Musk, an early investor in OpenAI, is suing the company, claiming it has departed from its original mission to benefit humanity. Leon Neal/Associated Press 2023 Earlier this month, news broke that Elon Musk was launching a quixotic lawsuit against OpenAI, the innovative artificial intelligence outfit he co-founded with Sam Altman. Musk was an early financial supporter of OpenAI, and on its surface, the suit alleges breach of contract and seeks the return of Musks original investment. But as someone who teaches ethical philosophy, its clear to me that Musk is intentionally trying to couch his narrow legal charge in a much broader and very explicit moral argument. Im not buying it. According to the suit, the Tesla CEO originally got involved with OpenAI so that he could help develop the technology for the benefit of humanity. But now, he alleges, Mr. Altman (has) caused OpenAI to radically depart from its original mission, abandoning his principles in the pursuit of profit and power. The risks of doing so are potentially dire because Musk has long recognized that AGI (artificial general intelligence) poses a grave threat to humanity. Mr. Altman, we presume, does not, and Musk demands that OpenAI return to its humanitarian mission. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In framing the allegations in this way, Musk is doing more than preparing to sue; hes establishing (or perhaps reestablishing) himself as a moral authority on artificial intelligence and more importantly, as someone who wont sacrifice his principles. Hes positioning himself as a bulwark against profit-hungry speculators who supposedly just dont care about the threats the technology poses. And the media has already begun to bite, with Fortune writer Jeremy Kahn claiming that while the suits legal argument is weak, the questions it raises are not and Daily Beast tech editor Tony Ho Tran arguing that Musk has a point in his lawsuit. But we cant take the bait and let Musk use this lawsuit to grab the reins in this crucial conversation. Because one of the worlds richest people is also a moral fabulist of the first rank and has a long history of cloaking his petty aims in high-flung but ultimately meaningless ethical language. Perhaps the most famous example is Musks 2022 purchase of Twitter. Experts are still debating the reasons behind the sale, but Musks stated goal from the start was that he wanted to help humanity: I didnt do it to make more money. I did it to try to help humanity, whom I love. And I do so with humility, recognizing that failure in pursuing this goal, despite our best efforts, is a very real possibility. He continued elsewhere, suggesting that he wanted Twitter to be a common digital town square where people could discuss and debate without resorting to violence. Listen to this veritable St. Teresa of Tech, preaching compassion, eschewing personal gain and quashing violence and with modesty. No matter that he may have bought Twitter just to keep one user from tracking his private jet. Either that or because his ex-wife wanted him to reinstate the Babylon Bee, her favorite news satire site, and purge the social media provider of woke-ism. Or take as another instance Musks touting of Hyperloop, an ultra-efficient sub-sonic (or perhaps even supersonic) pod that would rocket passengers through underground vacuum tubes. Musk often referred to Hyperloop as a fifth mode of transport that would be faster than trains, safer than cars and much less damaging to the environment than aircraft. Here we see Sustainability Musk, revolutionizing clean travel and doing his part to help save the planet. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But as tech writer Paris Marx later discovered, Musk was likely only feigning interest in the technology in hopes of getting California regulators to abandon plans for high-speed rail in that state. That such trains would likely drive down demand for Teslas was Im sure beside the point. These and other similar cases are part of a larger pattern of moral laxity identified by Villanova Law Professor and business ethics specialist J.S. Nelson, who believes that Musk has a habit of breaking trust not only with the public but with lots of other groups of stakeholders, from investors to suppliers and employees to regulators. Many of these habits have been on full display since he purchased Twitter, during which time hes threatened to back out of contracts, fired or forced out the majority of his workers and is even being sued for nonpayment of rent in certain jurisdictions. For Nelson, such decisions have financial and moral costs, telling Harvard Law Today: He is starting to feel the repercussions of having destroyed the ethical assumptions that underlie many of (his business) relationships. And yet the fact that hes destroyed some of these ethical assumptions and may even know it might also help us understand why hes trying to regain some moral standing in the language of his OpenAI suit. Bob Egelko has been a reporter since June 1970. He spent 30 years with the Associated Press, covering news, politics and occasionally sports in Los Angeles, San Diego and Sacramento, and legal affairs in San Francisco from 1984 onward. He worked for the San Francisco Examiner for five months in 2000, then joined The Chronicle in November 2000. His beat includes state and federal courts in California, the Supreme Court and the State Bar. He has a law degree from McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento and is a member of the bar. Coverage has included the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, the appointment of Rose Bird to the state Supreme Court and her removal by the voters, the death penalty in California and the battles over gay rights and same-sex marriage. He can be reached at begelko@sfchronicle.com. Shira Stein is The San Francisco Chronicle's Washington correspondent, covering national politics and policy with a particular eye to the impacts on California. She was previously a health care reporter and received several awards for her work covering the COVID-19 pandemic for Bloomberg. She also covered the fall of Roe v. Wade, including being the first to report President Joe Bidens consideration of a public health emergency for reproductive rights; the Trump administrations efforts to lower prescription drug prices; and the third legal fight to overturn the Affordable Care Act. She previously interned at the Washington Post, Bloomberg Law, and the Colorado-based Durango Herald. She is a native of the Bay Area and a graduate of American University. She can be reached at shira.stein@sfchronicle.com. Joe Garofoli is the San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer, covering national and state politics. He has worked at The Chronicle since 2000 and in Bay Area journalism since 1992, when he left the Milwaukee Journal. He is the host of Its All Political, The Chronicles political podcast. Catch it here: bit.ly/2LSAUjA He has won numerous awards and covered everything from fashion to the Jeffrey Dahmer serial killings to two Olympic Games to his own vasectomy which he discussed on NPRs Talk of the Nation after being told he couldnt say the word balls on the air. He regularly appears on Bay Area radio and TV talking politics and is available to entertain at bar mitzvahs and First Communions. He is a graduate of Northwestern University and a proud native of Pittsburgh. Go Steelers! He can be reached at jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com. 'I think he's onto something with the chair thing...' What is it like to work with Oscar winner Christopher Nolan? Western Slope hospitals contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to the local, and, at times, rural economies each year, according to two separate reports commissioned by the hospitals themselves. Intermountain Healths St. Marys Regional Hospital in Grand Junction commissioned Colorado Mesa University Economics Professor Nathan Perry to determine the direct, indirect and induced impact its operations had on the Mesa County economy throughout 2022. According to the report, direct effects are the immediate impact of jobs, wages and expenditures; indirect effects are the impact of local spending on suppliers; and induced effects are the impacts made by employees putting their wages back into the local economy. The other report was commissioned by the Western Healthcare Alliance, a coalition of medical providers mostly located in Colorado and Utah that provides opportunities for collaborations and partnerships. This study was conducted by the Business Research Division at the University of Colorado-Boulder Leeds School of Business and focused on the economic contribution of six independent hospitals to Colorado between 2019 and 2022. The study also specified how much of the overall impact was in rural economies. Most people dont necessarily understand that when you have a hospital in a community, it provides health care, but it also provides jobs, and it provides an economic engine for that community that goes beyond just the X-ray that youve received, said Angelina Salazar, chief executive officer of the alliance, which includes such providers as Community Hospital and St. Marys. The hospitals analyzed in the alliance study mostly service rural regions across Colorado, including in Mesa, Montrose, La Plata, Alamosa, Eagle and Garfield counties. Joe Minissale, the interim chief financial officer at Montrose Regional Health, one of the six selected providers, said this rural focus demonstrates how the health care industry is especially influential in rural, developing areas. When you bring in good, high-paying, educated positions, it just keeps flowing down and down, Minnissale said. You need more buildings, more equipment, more security, more housing and schools and more teachers, public works, restaurant and service industry jobs, et cetera. IMPACT SUMMARY According to the St. Marys report, the hospital directly contributed nearly $277 million to Mesa Countys gross domestic product throughout 2022. Including indirect and induced effects, its GDP contribution totaled over $443 million. Another emphasis of the report was that the hospital directly employed 2,739 people in 2022, resulting in a pay-out of just under $265 million in wages, health insurance and fringe benefits. With consideration of wages resulting from capital expenditures as well as indirect and induced effect wages, the hospital spent more than $365 million, which is just under 8% of the total wages in the county. The report also said that (including indirect and induced) the hospital generated more than $105 million in tax revenue. The alliance study, meanwhile, reported that the six area hospitals contributed a combined total of $1 billion (including indirect and induced) to the states GDP in 2022. This study also reported that over 6,000 Coloradans were directly employed across the surveyed hospitals in 2022, which generated around $600 million in direct wages that year and another $200 million via indirect wages. Of the more than 6,000 Coloradans directly employed by the six alliance providers in 2022, Community Hospital employed more than 1,200 of them. While the scope of this study was the entire state, rather than St. Marys focus on Mesa County, the alliance report does note that more than 93% of the total economic impact was generated in rural areas. The total GDP contribution of all the surveyed hospitals to rural counties in 2022 was just under $976 million. These studies do not include Family Health West nor the Grand Junction Veterans Administration Medical Center, though they certainly contribute to the economic pillar that is the countys health care industry. According to the Family Health West Communications Manager Heather Benjamin, the hospital is Fruitas largest employer with 599 employees and a $40 million annual payroll in 2023. Benjamin added that while their economic impact and its benefits on the county are apparent, the hospital primarily focuses on community impact through personalized care. We arent looking to compete with our bigger neighbors for costly clinics like labor and delivery or cardiac care, Benjamin said. Our focus remains on rehabilitation and serving the greater community with personalized care. The Grand Junction VA administration could not provide many specifics on economic impact, but a representative said that it employs over 900 people. SEPARATE STUDIES SIGNIFICANCE Bryan Johnson, president of St. Marys and the Western Colorado Market for Intermountain Health, said one benefit of their study is that it addresses concerns about the recent Intermountain Health merger potentially resulting in a loss of local resources to the systems new headquarters in Salt Lake City. We are a not-for-profit entity, which always gets challenged (with the question) why dont we pay taxes, Johnson said. Well, we dont pay taxes because we more than exceed our taxable liability based on our community benefit. On top of that, theres $105 million worth of taxes that this community receives just by St. Marys being here. He added that their study was motivated by a desire to demonstrate how much they benefit the local community and determine how much of the health care industrys impacts can be directly connected to St. Marys. According to Community Hospital CEO Chris Thomas, both studies shared the intention of illustrating how these hospitals benefit the region, adding that those intentions differ in that Community Hospital and the others in the alliance survey sought to prove their value specifically as independent hospitals. We are trying really hard to stay independent because of the values that we think that system brings, but were up against consolidations and the different challenges, Thomas said. They have very deep pockets in those systems, so how do we compete with those, stay viable and stay independent? We wanted to demonstrate were making a difference if you look at the payroll, the investments and what these hospitals are doing for our communities. Im not talking about the smoke and mirrors with community benefits, we have never been a really strong financial organization we get by and weve done well but we dont have lots of money in the bank because we usually just reinvest it, Thomas said. PUBLIC PERCEPTION Despite some differences in the motivations behind these two studies, Salazar said that both impact reports serve the shared purposes of demonstrating the value of hospitals and shifting away from the current narrative that hospitals are nothing but giant profit centers. Salazar added that regardless of whether a hospital is independent or part of a system, they all have a critical role in the overall industry. According to Perry, the healthcare industry across Colorado is an important influence, as it is not subject to recessionary cycles like the majority of other industries. Stabilizing industries such as these are especially impactful in rural regions where there might not be as many consistent, high-paying jobs as there are in urban areas. Health care is integrally important to the physical health and the economic health of these communities, said Brian Lewandowski, executive director of CUs Business Research Division. Its important not only for the young families, but for the aging populations in these communities. Its an intangible benefit of having good health care within some of these communities. The full St. Marys Economic Impact report can be found here. The full alliance Economic Impact report can be found here. Fri Friday 68 /36 Windy with a mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the upper 60s and lows in the mid 30s. ODNI Releases 2024 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ODNI News Release No. 07-24 March 11, 2024 WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) today released the 2024 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community. This report reflects the collective insights of the Intelligence Community, which is committed every day to providing the nuanced, independent, and unvarnished intelligence that policymakers, warfighters, and domestic law enforcement personnel need to protect American lives and America's interests anywhere in the world. The unclassified assessment is available here. ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US intelligence: Beijing may try to influence 2024 election China allegedly used AI to generate political content on TikTok during America's 2022 midterm elections. By Alex Willemyns for RFA 2024.03.11 -- Beijing has improved its ability to covertly spread disinformation and may try to influence America's 2024 presidential election, according to a report issued Monday by the U.S. intelligence community. The annual worldwide threat assessment says Beijing is "expanding its global covert influence posture to better support" the goals of the Chinese Communist Party, with the aim "to sow doubts about U.S. leadership, undermine democracy, and extend Beijing's influence." China has been "intensifying efforts to mold U.S. public discourse," the report says, with a focus on shifting how Americans view Chinese sovereignty claims over Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet and the Xinjiang region, where the United States has accused Beijing of genocide. But in the coming months, the report adds, the machinery of Beijing's online influence operations may be increasingly concentrated on impacting the Nov. 5 presidential election, which looks set to again pit President Joe Biden against former President Donald Trump. "The PRC may attempt to influence the U.S. elections in 2024 at some level because of its desire to sideline critics of China and magnify U.S. societal divisions," it says, using an acronym for the People's Republic of China. Chinese state actors, it says, "have increased their capabilities to conduct covert influence operations and disseminate disinformation" and already have a track record of using artificial intelligence to generate political content on TikTok targeted at Americans. "China is demonstrating a higher degree of sophistication in its influence activity," the report says. "TikTok accounts run by a PRC propaganda arm reportedly targeted candidates from both political parties during the U.S. midterm election cycle in 2022." "Even if Beijing sets limits on these activities" this year, it continues, "individuals not under its direct supervision may attempt election influence activities they perceive are in line with Beijing's goals." Balancing act Any influence attempts, though, would likely be hard to detect, leaders of the intelligence community told U.S. lawmakers on Monday during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing to accompany the report. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said that while Chinese President Xi Jinping "was convinced that the United States will not tolerate a powerful China," he was also biding his time and has been seeking to avoid any tensions since his summit with Biden last year. Xi "seeks to ensure China can maintain positive ties to the United States, and will likely continue to do so this year," Haines said, because "stability in our relationship is important to [China's] capacity to attract foreign direct investment" amid growing economic problems. In an exchange with Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida and his party's top member on the intelligence committee, FBI Director Christopher Wray said he was worried by the ways that TikTok, one of the most popular social media apps in America, could be used. Rubio posed a hypothetical scenario in which TikTok's Chinese parent company ByteDance was approached by Beijing and told, "We want you to change your algorithm so Americans start seeing videos that hurt this candidate or help that candidate in the upcoming election." "ByteDance would have to do that under Chinese law," Rubio said. "That's my understanding," Wray said. "That kind of influence operation ... [is] extraordinarily difficult to detect, which is part of what makes the national security concerns represented by TikTok so significant." TikTok, which is the fourth most downloaded app on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store, is currently the target of a bipartisan effort by U.S. lawmakers to pass legislation that could force ByteDance to divest its ownership to avoid a ban on the app. However, TikTok has strenuously denied being instructed by China to influence public discourse in the United States. Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for China's embassy in Washington, on Monday denied Beijing had plans to interfere in the 2024 election. "The election is U.S. domestic affairs, and China doesn't interfere in other countries' internal affairs. That is our principle. We have no intention to interfere in the US election," Pengyu said in an email. "Some in the U.S. should stop making unwarranted accusations and smears against China, and stop playing up the China topic in the election year," he said. Edited by Malcolm Foster. Updated to include comment from the Chinese Embassy. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content March not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes a working vineyard, airplane hangar, equestrian facilities and boat dock with access to San Francisco Bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The 130-acre estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes a working vineyard, airplane hangar and boat dock with access to San Francisco Bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The property at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma is listed for $17 million and includes 11 bedrooms and 15 full baths across multiple residences. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The sprawling 130-acre compound for sale at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma offers 11 bedrooms and 15 full baths across multiple residences. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty Real estate listing images of the estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma, offered at $17 million. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes a working vineyard, equestrian facilities, airplane hangar and boat dock with access to San Francisco Bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty One of the 11 bedrooms included in the property at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes 15 full bathrooms. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes a working vineyard, airplane hangar and boat dock with access to San Francisco Bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The sprawling 130-acre compound for sale at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma offers 11 bedrooms and 15 full baths across multiple residences. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty Real estate listing images show Northern Californias centennial ranch estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma. The property includes a working vineyard, airplane hangar and boat dock with access to the San Francisco bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes a working vineyard, airplane hangar, equestrian facilities and boat dock with access to San Francisco Bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The sprawling 130-acre compound for sale at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma offers 11 bedrooms and 15 full baths across multiple residences. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The sprawling 130-acre compound for sale at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma offers 11 bedrooms and 15 full baths across multiple residences. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The sprawling 130-acre compound for sale at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma offers 11 bedrooms and 15 full baths across multiple residences. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The sprawling 130-acre compound for sale at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma offers 11 bedrooms and 15 full baths across multiple residences. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes a working vineyard, airplane hangar, equestrian facilities and boat dock with access to San Francisco Bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes a working vineyard, airplane hangar, equestrian facilities and boat dock with access to San Francisco Bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes a working vineyard, airplane hangar, equestrian facilities and boat dock with access to San Francisco Bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The sprawling 130-acre compound for sale at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma offers 11 bedrooms and 15 full baths across multiple residences. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes a working vineyard, airplane hangar, equestrian facilities and boat dock with access to San Francisco Bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes a working vineyard, airplane hangar, equestrian facilities and boat dock with access to San Francisco Bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes a working vineyard, airplane hangar, equestrian facilities and boat dock with access to San Francisco Bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes a working vineyard, airplane hangar, equestrian facilities and boat dock with access to San Francisco Bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The sprawling 130-acre compound for sale at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma offers 11 bedrooms and 15 full baths across multiple residences. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes a working vineyard, airplane hangar, equestrian facilities and boat dock with access to San Francisco Bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes a working vineyard, airplane hangar, equestrian facilities and boat dock with access to San Francisco Bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes a working vineyard, airplane hangar, equestrian facilities and boat dock with access to San Francisco Bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes a working vineyard, airplane hangar, equestrian facilities and boat dock with access to San Francisco Bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes a working vineyard, airplane hangar, equestrian facilities and boat dock with access to San Francisco Bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty An expansive Sonoma County estate with a working vineyard, private airplane hangar and boat dock with access to the San Francisco Bay is now on the market for $17 million. Located at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma, the sprawling 130-acre compound offers 11 bedrooms and 15 full baths across multiple residences. The property, boasting equestrian facilities and breathtaking views stretching from the Petaluma River to Olompali State Park and the peak of Mount Tamalpais, was listed last week by selling agents Tim Rangel and Rene Richardson from Sothebys International Realty Wine Country. Advertisement Article continues below this ad According to the brokers, the ranch features over 46 acres of vineyards, named Rockin H Ranch, dedicated to cultivating four grape varietals Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay and Grenache used for small-batch commercial production. The estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes a working vineyard, airplane hangar, equestrian facilities and boat dock with access to San Francisco Bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty Among the residences on the estate are a three-bedroom riverfront house with a wine cellar and cigar room, plus a two-bedroom Victorian enclave complete with an office and guest suite. The waterfront hangar, spanning 5,160 square feet, comes equipped with a 2,000-foot airstrip, private river access, a 50-foot-deep water dock, a caretakers home and a modular home. Purchased in the early 1990s by seller Gigi Hendricks and her late husband, Sidney Hendricks, the historical property traces its origins back to an 1833 land grant to Gen. Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, considered the founder of Sonoma. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Originally spanning thousands of acres, it was divided into sub-parcels, yet it retains an original seawall constructed by Vallejo for a munitions depot. The estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes a working vineyard, airplane hangar, equestrian facilities and boat dock with access to San Francisco Bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty Hendricks estimates the first wine grapes were planted along the river around 1878 by William Bihler. Situated in the Petaluma Gap, renowned for its resistance to frost due to unique wind and fog conditions, the vineyard holds historical significance. Among the previous owners is Nevada Sen. James G. Fair, a mining tycoon and former robber baron with substantial real estate holdings in San Francisco. The Fairmont Hotel atop Nob Hill was named in his honor by his daughters Theresa Fair Oelrichs and Virginia Fair Vanderbilt. After the property fell into disrepair, the Hendrickses undertook significant upgrades, including vineyard revitalization and grape production for select vintners such as Bouchaine, Clos du Bois and Harts Desire. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The estate at 6614 Lakeville Highway in Petaluma includes a working vineyard, airplane hangar, equestrian facilities and boat dock with access to San Francisco Bay. Listing images provided by Tim Rangel/Sothebys International Realty The airplane hangar now serves dual purposes, functioning as an event venue with a wet bar, stage, lounge and custom disco ball. The 2,000-foot runway caters to small to medium aircraft, facilitating swift journeys to destinations along the Central California coast. The equestrian facilities, meanwhile, include a barn with an open breezeway, stables accommodating up to 30 horses and riding arenas. The riding trails run through vineyards, eucalyptus groves, ponds and along the Petaluma River. A boat dock adjacent to the main residence provides direct access to the river, allowing for a journey into the San Francisco Bay to retrace the historic wine transport route. The garage offers parking for 12 vehicles. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau convenes the Incident Response Group to discuss the situation in Haiti Prime Minister of Canada - Justin Trudeau March 11, 2024 Ottawa, Ontario Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau convened the Incident Response Group with ministers and senior officials to discuss the ongoing situation in Haiti. The Government of Canada remains fully engaged on these issues and is committed to the safety and security of Canada's embassy personnel and of all Canadians in Haiti. The Prime Minister and ministers considered the latest developments, shared their profound concern for the security and humanitarian crises unfolding, and underscored the importance of Canada's close engagement with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the United Nations, and other international partners to re-establish peace and security in Haiti. The Prime Minister looked forward to Canada's participation in the CARICOM-hosted dialogue with Haitian stakeholders later in the day. He emphasized the importance of urgently reaching an inclusive political agreement toward free and fair elections to restore democratic order in Haiti. The Prime Minister underscored that any such agreement must be Haitian-led. The Prime Minister reaffirmed the urgency of deploying the United Nations-authorized Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to improve security conditions for civilians. He highlighted Canada's commitment to contribute $80.5 million to the MSS mission as well as efforts to support CARICOM as they prepare to participate in the mission. The Prime Minister underlined the need for additional international partners to provide support for the mission. The Prime Minister and ministers reiterated Canada's commitment to supporting a path forward in addressing the humanitarian crisis and working toward peace and democracy in Haiti. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address March 11 USCENTCOM Conducts Humanitarian Airdrops into Gaza U.S. Central Command Press Release | March 11, 2024 USCENTCOM March 11, 2024 Release Number 20240311 - 01 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TAMPA, Fla. -- U.S. Central Command conducted a humanitarian assistance airdrop into Northern Gaza on March 11, 2024, at 2:17 p.m. (Gaza time) to provide essential relief to civilians affected by the ongoing conflict. The joint operation included U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft and U.S. Army Soldiers specialized in aerial delivery of U.S. humanitarian assistance supplies. U.S. C-130's dropped over 27,600 U.S. meal equivalents and approximately 25,900 bottles of water into Northern Gaza, an area of great need, allowing for civilian access to the critical aid. The DoD humanitarian airdrops contribute to ongoing U.S. and partner-nation government efforts to alleviate human suffering. These airdrops are part of a sustained effort, and we continue to plan follow-on aerial deliveries. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address March 11, 2024 Release Department of Defense Releases the President's Fiscal Year 2025 Defense Budget Statement by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on the President's Fiscal Year 2025 Defense Budget "The President's budget request for the Department of Defense is once again rooted in our 2022 National Defense Strategy, which continues to enable us to match our national resources to our national objectives. This request will bolster our ability to defend our country, paced to the challenge posed by an increasingly aggressive People's Republic of China. It will better posture us to deter aggression against the United States, or our allies and partners, while also preparing us to prevail in conflict if necessary. It will continue to forge a more resilient joint force and a modern defense ecosystem, built for the security challenges of the 21st century. And it will strengthen the unmatched global network of alliances and partnerships that magnifies our power and deepens our security. This budget request is consistent with the funding levels approved by Congress under the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. Under these caps, we made difficult but responsible decisions focusing on maintaining our military's readiness and taking care of our personnel. So our budget request reflects targeted reductions to programs delivering key capabilities in later years to support the joint force's ability to fight and win in the near term. We must continue to invest in cutting-edge defense capabilities and to advance new operational concepts across domains, from advanced cyber systems and enhanced space capabilities to a modernized nuclear triad. This budget request also reflects a deep commitment to our people, who will always be the Department's greatest strategic asset; we hope to raise basic pay, boost quality-of-life initiatives, and promote safety and accountability. Moreover, this request will enable the Department to deepen cooperation with our interagency colleagues, industry, academia, allies, and partners. Through cooperative defense initiatives, multilateral joint exercises, and shared technology development, we will enhance our capabilities and help make America and the world more secure. Since my first day as Secretary of Defense, I have focused on three priorities: defending the Nation, taking care of our people, and succeeding through teamwork. President Biden's Fiscal Year 2025 budget request advances each of these priorities. As Congress writes authorizing and appropriations legislation in the months ahead, I am grateful for Members' support for the budget and the mission of the Department of Defense." The President's Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request for the Department of Defense On March 11, 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration submitted to Congress a proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 budget request of $849.8 billion for the Department of Defense (DoD), consistent with the caps approved by Congress under the Financial Responsibility Act (FRA) of 2023. The FY 2025 defense budget request provides the capabilities and investments to advance the Secretary's three key priorities: defending the United States, taking care of our people, and succeeding through teamwork. To achieve these priorities, this budget request links our strategic goals to our resources to continue executing our 2022 National Defense Strategy (NDS), which aligns with the President's National Security Strategy. These guiding documents determine the direction of the Department of Defense in what the President has called the "decisive decade." The NDS outlines the Department's defense and security priorities: Defending the homeland, paced to the growing, multi-domain challenge posed by the People's Republic of China (PRC); Deterring strategic attacks against the United States, our allies, and our partners; Meeting the acute threat of a newly aggressive Russia; Tackling the dangers from Iran, North Korea, global terrorist groups, and more; Building a resilient joint force and defense ecosystem. The NDS positions the U.S. military to meet our defense challenges through integrated deterrence, campaigning, and actions to build enduring advantages. The FY 2025 DoD budget request of $849.8 billion enables the Department to advance these goals by providing the resources to position our warfighters, allies, and partners for success. This budget continues to make the investments necessary to execute the NDS, but the FRA topline limitations required the Department to make tough but responsible choices. We made targeted reductions to programs that will not deliver capability to the force until the 2030s to preserve and enhance the Total Force's ability to fight and win in the near term. Integrated Deterrence The FY 2025 budget request allows the DoD to invest in capabilities to maintain a ready, lethal, and combat-credible joint force, with a laser focus on the pacing challenge from the PRC, as well as the acute threat posed by Putin's Russia. The budget makes critical investments to revitalize the defense industrial base, drive innovation, and take care of the Department's personnel. The FY 2025 budget request includes $143.2 billion in research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E), and would also fund $167.5 billion for procurement. Combined, these investments will establish even stronger, nimbler, and more modern combat-credible forces across all domains. Investments in platforms and systems across the air, sea, and land domains will increase the lethality of our Joint Force and enhance our ability to deter threats well into the future. So this budget request includes: $61.2 billion for airpower to continue developing, modernizing, and procuring lethal air forces; $48.1 billion for sea power, including new construction of six battle force fleet ships; and $13.0 billion for land power, supporting the modernization of Army and Marine Corps combat equipment. A safe, secure, effective, and credible nuclear deterrent remains the ultimate check on strategic attacks on our country and our allies. To sustain this level of deterrence, the FY 2025 budget requests $49.2 billion to modernize and recapitalize all three legs of the nuclear triad and operate our legacy systems even as we pursue arms control measures that enhance U.S. and allied security. For example, the budget requests: $9.9 billion for the Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarine; $5.3 billion to continue development and procurement of the B-21 strategic bomber program; and $3.7 billion to continue funding for the ground-based Sentinel program. Our highest defense priority remains to deter attack against the United States. The PRC and Russia are fielding conventional long-range and hypersonic weapons that can threaten our allies, partners, and U.S. forces. Therefore, the FY 2025 budget requests $28.4 billion to enhance U.S. missile-defense capabilities to defend the homeland, U.S. deployed forces, and our allies and partners against this growing missile threat. Other critical investment highlights include: $9.8 billion in long-range fires to hold adversary targets at risk from operationally relevant ranges and reduce risks to U.S. forces and assets; $33.7 billion for vital space capabilities, resilient architectures, and enhanced space command and control to keep space safe for military, civilian, and commercial operations; and $14.5 billion for cyberspace activities focused on three main portfolios covering cybersecurity, cyberspace operations, and cyber research and development. Campaigning The second way we advance the NDS is through campaigning, or well-planned and carefully sequenced exercises and initiatives to advance our defense priorities. Campaigning starts with our strategic readiness and our ability to build, maintain, and balance warfighting forces, capabilities, and competitive advantages to achieve our strategic objectives. The Department's FY 2025 budget request therefore prioritizes the readiness of our joint force, investing $147.5 billion to build and maintain our warfighting forces and capabilities. The budget request is designed to maintain our current levels of readiness while modernizing to meet future challenges. The Department's strategic-readiness framework keeps our eyes on the horizon, carefully balancing today's urgent and competing demands with preparing to prevail in long-term strategic competition. The FY 2025 budget request includes critical investments to strengthen deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, including ballistic missile-defense activities in support of Guam; expanded security cooperation with our valued allies and partners; increased investments in exercises, training, and experimentation activities; cyber operations technology support; the fielding of uncrewed and autonomous systems that can operate in all domains; and other innovative technologies. The outcome of Putin's cruel and unprovoked war of choice against Ukraine will define global security for decades to come, and we remain determined to meet the moment. The FY 2025 budget request also funds our bedrock commitment to NATO, the indispensable defensive alliance that remains the foundation of transatlantic security, and includes $4.2 billion to support investments, activities, and operations within Europe to deter Russian aggression against our allies and partners, including: $9.9 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative; $2.9 billion for the European Deterrence Initiative; $625.6 million in NATO Military Contribution; $434 million for the NATO Security Investment Program; and $300 million to fund the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. Building Enduring Advantages The Department's people - the Total Force - are its most valuable asset and we have made significant investments to take care of our people. In particular. DoD supports its outstanding all-volunteer force and their families by continuously working to strengthen economic security and improve quality of life. Critical investments in our people include: A 4.5 percent pay increase for Service members and annual rate increases for both housing and subsistence allowances; $245.3 million for a proposed substantial increase to the Income Eligibility Threshold for Basic Needs Allowance, an allowance designed to provide extra support to Service members and families who qualify; More than $120 million in additional funding for commissaries to provide our Service members with food savings of over 25 percent compared to the local marketplace; $2.0 billion to support family housing to provide safe, high-quality residences for Service members and their families; $1.1 billion in unaccompanied housing or barracks construction; $547 million to prevent suicide in the military, including $261 million to implement the approved recommendations from the Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee; and $1.2 billion to prevent sexual assault and other harmful behaviors, including $651 million for the continued implementation of the recommendations by the Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military and funding for the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Education and Training Center of Excellence. Another Department priority is investing in our technological advantage to maintain global readiness for decades to come. The Department's approach, which was codified in the National Defense Science and Technology Strategy, prioritizes three strategic lines of effort: focus on the Joint Mission; create and field capabilities at speed and scale; and strengthen the foundations of research and development. The FY 2025 budget request of $143.2 billion in Research, Development, Test &Evaluation (RDT&E), enables us to maintain our commitment to innovation and modernization with investments including: $17.2 billion in science and technology; $1.8 billion in artificial intelligence; $1.4 billion in Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control to deliver information advantage at the speed of relevance across all domains and partners; $450 million for the Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve to help more swiftly field new capabilities; $144 million to support the Office of Strategic Capital, including $132.6 million in RDT&E funding, which Secretary Austin established to enable the Department to attract and scale private capital in our most critical component-level supply chain technologies; and Resources for the Department-wide Replicator Initiative to accelerate the delivery of innovative capabilities to warfighters at speed and scale. In addition, the Department is focused on manufacturing and production challenges, with continued investment in capabilities supporting a modern, technology-enabled industrial base. We also seek to make supply chains more resilient. The recently released National Defense Industrial Strategy (NDIS) outlines four priorities for achieving a 21st-century defense industrial base: resilient supply chains, workforce readiness, flexible acquisition, and economic deterrence. Aligning our ongoing industrial-base efforts with the NDIS priorities will enable better coordination among programs and help us more swiftly identify opportunities for investments or policy modifications. The Department will continue to leverage authorities provided by Congress to deliver critical munitions affordably, while bolstering our inventories and providing a more predictable demand signal to industry. The FY 2025 budget request includes: $29.8 billion for munitions, including both conventional ammunition and Precision Guided Munitions; $4.0 billion in investments in the submarine industrial base, a historic investment in supplier and workforce development as well as infrastructure expansion and technological advances; and $2.5 billion for microelectronics to reduce gaps in the advanced packaging ecosystem. The FY 2025 budget continues to build on prior investments by including $19.8 billion to sustain, restore, and modernize our facilities, as well as $17.5 billion in construction and family housing programs. These efforts support our people, enhance our deterrence, and improve our critical infrastructure. Those investments include: $8.7 billion in facilities supporting readiness improvements; $2.5 billion in projects advancing the European Deterrence Initiative, the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, and the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent program; $2.0 billion in critical naval-infrastructure improvements; $2.3 billion to support the construction of other new quality-of-life facilities including barracks, dormitories, child development centers and youth centers, medical clinics, and schools. As always, the Department is committed to being a responsible steward of hard-earned taxpayer funds and committed to better performance across the defense enterprise. The FY 2025 Defense Budget includes $1.3 billion in support of the DoD audit. This includes funding for audit services, support, remediation and financial systems. The Department has taken significant steps to improve our systems, modernize our enterprise, and attract and retain the best possible talent. We must continue to align our resources with our evolving defense needs. That will ensure that we can secure the right capabilities to build enduring advantages over our global competitors and work toward a safer America in a more stable, open, and prosperous world. The FY 2025 Defense Budget positions the Department to support its people and its allies and partners during this decisive decade and to meet the defense challenges that our republic faces today and will face far into the future. The entire budget proposal and additional materials are available at: https://comptroller.defense.gov/Budget-Materials/Budget2025/ https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3703410/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese FM issues warning as Manila mulls to include US into its energy exploring plan in S.China Sea Global Times By Wang Qi Published: Mar 11, 2024 10:40 PM The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday warned the Philippines not to undermine China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and it should not invite external forces to intervene in regional affairs, after Manila's envoy to Washington recently claimed that the Philippines is seeking to count on the US to explore energy resources in the South China Sea. Chinese experts said on Monday that the Philippines intends to further strengthen its bond with the US and gain more US support to confront China. They warned that if the Philippines operates its oil and gas tapping plan with the US, the Beijing-Manila ties, as well as the regional situation, is likely to become more intense and complicated. "The South China Sea issue is a matter between China and some ASEAN countries. China maintains that maritime disputes, including those related to developing resources, should be handled properly with countries directly concerned through negotiation and consultation," Wang Wenbin, spokesperson from Chinese Foreign Ministry, said on Monday. The exploration of resources in the South China Sea should not harm China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and no one shall draw forces outside the region into the issues, Wang remarked. In a recent interview in Manila, the Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez disclosed that his country is seeking to parlay its deepening security ties with the US into broader economic benefits. It is also seeking closer ties with US allies such as Japan and Australia, according to a Bloomberg report released on Sunday local time. The envoy, also the cousin of Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr, said inviting US companies to invest in the exploration is among the possible courses of action, without providing more details on the exploring plan. In January this year, Manila's defense chief has suggested pushing resource exploration as its key local gas field nears depletion. In February, Manila announced it will auction out eight energy projects to secure the country's energy requirements. Also in February, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo suggested that the Philippines is open to energy talks with China, while maintaining that Manila would not yield control of any venture to China, according to the Bloomberg. Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Monday that the Philippines lacks technology, funds and expertise in exploration, and needs to look to foreign countries for joint efforts. However, on the issue of joint exploration with China, the current Philippines obviously lacks political sincerity. The Marcos government has been seeking to strengthen its ties with the US, Chen said. Marcos welcomed US Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and the Presidential Trade and Investment Mission (PTIM) delegates in Malacanang on Monday. Raimondo said during the visit that American companies are set to announce investments amounting to more than $1 billion in the Philippines. The Philippines is trying to get additional diplomatic support from the US, by inviting American companies to tap oil and gas in South China Sea, Chen said. "With energy exploration and provocative actions in the South China Sea, the Philippines is trying to show toughness, with the US behind it," said Chen, "The US also uses the Philippines to contain China and pushing its strategy, like establishing military bases in the Philippines and wooing allies to get more involved in South China Sea issues." According to Chen, it would be difficult to avoid an upgrading maritime confrontation if Manila insists in exploring disputed waters with external countries. With the problems accumulated before, the conflict between the two sides is likely to become sharper, and the situation in the region would become more intense and complicated. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sudan: Statement on humanitarian access Government of Norway News story | Date: 11/03/2024 Norway is deeply concerned about the restrictions on humanitarian access in Sudan and calls for urgent restoration of safe and unhindered humanitarian access across the country. The border between Chad and Sudan has been one of the most important entry points for humanitarian assistance the past months. The recent closure of this border further restricted an already severely limited flow of life-saving humanitarian aid into Sudan. The border is essential for the delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to civilians in need, especially in the Darfur region in the west, where the situation is especially dire. While news of a re-opening of the Tina border crossing between Chad and Sudan in the south-west is welcomed, several more border crossings are needed to ensure delivery of sufficient levels of humanitarian aid. Unfettered humanitarian access between RSF and SAF controlled areas is urgently needed. Denying access to humanitarian assistance is illegal according to International Humanitarian Law and may constitute a war crime. The humanitarian consequences of the war in Sudan are alarming. More than half the population, some 25 million people, need humanitarian assistance. An estimated 18 million people are already facing acute hunger and the United Nations warns of a looming famine if conditions do not improve. Aid organizations are currently not able to reach many of them. Civilians must be protected. Using starvation as a method of warfare against civilians is strictly prohibited. Restoring connectivity so that civilians and humanitarian actors can communicate is also urgent. The telecommunication black-out that has affected large parts of Sudan since early February is a threat to the safety of civilians and is significantly hampering humanitarian assistance. We are deeply concerned about the deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure, including telecommunications, which has severe consequences for the civilians affected by the hostilities. Our expectations to all parties to the conflict are clear: International Humanitarian Law must be respected, always and everywhere. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hezbollah will not leave Palestinian resistance alone: Sheikh Qasem IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 11, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The Deputy Secretary General of Lebanon's Hezbollah stated that even if the scope of the aggression of the Zionist regime widens, the Lebanese resistance is very well prepared, and emphasized that Hezbollah will not leave the Palestinian resistance alone until the end of Israel's aggression in Gaza. Sheikh Naeem Qasem said that Lebanon's resistance will continue to defend itself, respond to the Israeli regime, and help the Palestinian resistance, and the intimidation of the enemies will not have any effect on it. The Deputy Secretary General of Hezbollah, in response to the statements of the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Zionist regime regarding the preparation of this regime for a ground attack on Lebanon, said: Hezbollah will not react to the statements of the Zionist authorities unless it is made with the intention of intimidating the other side or made seriously. "We will give an appropriate and strong response to any aggression. We should let the field commanders decide on the definitive and final options," he added. In relevant remarks earlier on Monday, a member of the Lebanese Hezbollah Central Council has emphasized that the resistance has imposed deterrence on the Zionist regime and the Israeli regime cannot even think of invading Lebanon. Sheikh Hassan al-Baghdadi said that if the decisive response of the resistance to the American and Zionist enemy had not taken place, the victory and the balance of deterrence would not have been imposed on them, the Iraq-based Alahad TV reported. Referring to the Zionist regime's aggressive attacks on areas in southern Lebanon, he underlined that the Islamic Resistance responds to the aggressions appropriately and on par with the volume of the aggressions. He underscored that the resistance response to the Americans and their proxies has led them to conclude that they cannot deter Hezbollah from taking military action. He went on to say that the resistance's appropriate response made the Zionist regime fear. "As of today, we can see that they are not even considering an attack on Lebanon. However, if they do decide to make such a move, the resistance's retaliation would be shocking for the regime." With the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Storm by the Palestinian resistance groups on October 7, Lebanon's Hezbollah, in support of the Palestinian people and reducing the pressure on the resistance in Gaza, has carried out daily and heavy operations against the Zionist targets inside the Palestinian territory. 2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hezbollah: Israel cannot even think of invading Lebanon IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 11, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- A member of the Lebanese Hezbollah Central Council has emphasized that the resistance has imposed deterrence on the Zionist regime and the Israeli regime cannot even think of invading Lebanon. Sheikh Hassan al-Baghdadi said on Monday that if the decisive response of the resistance to the American and Zionist enemy had not taken place, the victory and the balance of deterrence would not have been imposed on them, the Iraq-based Alahad TV reported. Referring to the Zionist regime's aggressive attacks on areas in southern Lebanon, he underlined that the Islamic Resistance responds to the aggressions appropriately and on par with the volume of the aggressions. He underscored that the resistance response to the Americans and their proxies has led them to conclude that they cannot deter Hezbollah from taking military action. He went on to say that the resistance's appropriate response made the Zionist regime fear. "As of today, we can see that they are not even considering an attack on Lebanon. However, if they do decide to make such a move, the resistance's retaliation would be shocking for the regime." With the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Storm by the Palestinian resistance groups on October 7, Lebanon's Hezbollah, in support of the Palestinian people and reducing the pressure on the resistance in Gaza, has carried out daily and heavy operations against the Zionist targets inside the Palestinian territory. 3266**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taliban rejects US claims of inability to deal with threat of extremists IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 11, 2024 Kabul, IRNA -- The spokesperson of the Afghan caretaker government has rejected claims by the top US general in the region that the Taliban is unable to contain the threat of extremist groups in Afghanistan. "We reject such claims because Afghanistan is now secure and one unified government controls the entire geographical area of this country," Zabihullah Mujahid told IRNA's correspondent in Kabul on Monday. The comment was in response to US Army General Michael E. Kurilla, commander of CENTCOM, who accused the Taliban of being unable to curb extremist groups. "I assess ISIS-Khorasan retains the capability and will to attack US and Western interests abroad in as little as six months and with little to no warning," Kurilla told a Senate hearing this week. Mujahid said the ruling administration in Kabul will not allow Afghanistan soil to be used as launching ground for attacks against other countries. "No outside group is allowed to operate in the territory of Afghanistan," he stressed. 4353**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US symbolic aid to Gaza 'a ridiculous and bitter show': Iran IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 11, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- Iran has slammed as a "ridiculous and bitter show" the US dispatch of aid to Gaza while simultaneously blocking international efforts to establish a ceasefire in the besieged Palestinian territory. "The symbolic move by the US to send humanitarian aid is a ridiculous and at the same time a bitter show," Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said during a weekly press conference in Tehran on Monday. "On one hand, they prevent the cessation of war by vetoing UN Security Council resolutions, and on the other hand, they try to improve their warmongering image in the eyes of the world public by dispatching humanitarian assistance in a symbolic and ridiculous way." He was referring to the US vetos of UN Security Council resolutions on a ceasefire in war-ravaged Gaza on three different occasions. Kanaani said that the world is now fully aware of the US's role in creating and prolonging the Gaza war, and the public opinion will not change by such symbolic moves. He also censured the international community for its "painful inaction" to bring an end to the Israeli regime's war on Gaza. "More than five months into the brutal attacks by the Zionists, we are unfortunately witnessing a completely painful inaction by the international community, especially the United Nations and the Security Council whose main tasks are to ensure international peace and security." The Security Council has failed to fulfill its duty in the wake of Washington's political and military support to the Israeli regime and the US use of its veto power, the Iranian diplomat added. OIC failed to halt Israeli genocide in Gaza: Kanaani The spokesman also said that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was expected to utilize its available tools to put pressure on the Israeli regime and play a key role in halting the Gaza onslaught, "but unfortunately, we are not witnessing such a move." However, he continued, "We hope to see a more active role by Islamic states on the verge of the holy month of Ramadan." Kanaani further said Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian presented Iran's proposals at the OIC meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, adding that if they are implemented, changes will definitely occur in the Gaza war. Referring to the designation of the last Friday of Ramadan as International Quds Day by the late founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khamenei, Kanaani predicted extensive support from across the globe for the Palestinian cause on the occasion this year. The important occasion will be held magnificently in Iran and throughout the world, he asserted. According to the spokesman, Iran attaches importance to the issue of delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza and will spare no efforts in this respect whenever it is possible. The Israeli regime, he went on, is using hunger as a war mechanism against the residents of the Gaza Strip, and international entities such as the International Court of Justice and the United Nations must pay close attention to this issue. UN Human Rights Council being sacrificed for political goals, spokesman warns Commenting on certain anti-Iran moves on the pretext of human rights violations, Kanaani said such "vindictive moves" are aimed at reviving last year's unrest in the country. This can be seen as sacrificing the UN Human Rights Council for political purposes, he stated, adding that those countries are abusing the issue of human rights to exert political pressure against independent countries. He further rebuked such moves as a warning call to all independent states. Iran has never kneeled before the wishes of the bullies, the spokesman said. He also argued that those behind such moves have a dark history of human rights violations, including waging world wars and using weapons of mass destruction and nuclear weapons. And today, Kanaani hastened to add, they are standing by the side of the Israeli regime in its extensive crimes against the oppressed people of Gaza, a regime that has been charged with committing genocide at the Internationa Court of Justice. "Those countries should take a look at their own human rights record instead of making accusations against Iran," he noted. Iran in full cooperation with IAEA: Kanaani On the quarterly session of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held on March 6, the Iranian spokesman said Tehran is in full cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog. He said "unfounded and non-technical decisions" have no impact on the Islamic Republic's determination to continue its cooperation with the IAEA, stressing that the country will continue its peaceful nuclear program under the Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA. Kanaani also referred to negotiations between Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani and European Union officials, saying that such talks are always on the agenda and cover bilateral as well as regional and international issues. The most recent talks were held on March 8, which the spokesman said included discussions on the removal of sanctions. "We are committed to the negotiating table. In the path of negotiations, if the other side is ready, issues can be assessed so that they also return to their obligations under the agreements," Kanaani said in reference to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, from which the US unilaterally withdrew in 2018. On Iran's foreign policy achievements, the spokesman said that the country has taken good steps in establishing constructive ties with friendly countries and those willing to have relations with Iran. He explained that Iran worked on new fields of cooperation with some countries, while working on de-escalating tensions with others. In terms of establishing security as well as political and economic stability, the Islamic Republic took serious steps and will continue the same path during the next Iranian year that will begin on March 20, he added. 'Iranian nation has greatly suffered from US sanctions' On the illegal US sanctions against Iran, Kanaani said Washington has hypocritically claimed on different occasions that it had not imposed sanctions on the Iranian people, but this is "a baseless lie". The spokesman noted that the Iranian nation has suffered enormously from the repercussions of sanctions for several years, including Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) patients who have not been able to receive their medicines due to the US-imposed sanctions. Many countries, he hastened to add, refuse to provide Iran with special medicines because they are afraid of the US sanctions. Iran's foreign minister visited some EB patients and closely became familiar with their sufferings, Kanaani noted, expressing regret that some of the patients lost their lives due to lack of special EB dressings. 'Sweden jeopardized ties with Iran by siding with terrorists' Asked about the latest developments concerning the fate of an Iranian national who has been imprisoned in Sweden for years, Kanaani said the Foreign Ministry will make all-out diplomatic and legal efforts to persuade the Swedish government to release Hamid Nouri from jail. Iran sees the ruling of the Swedish Court of Appeal as unacceptable because it wrongfully upheld the verdict of the previous court, he stated. Unfortunately, the Swedish judiciary system jeopardized the European country's longstanding ties with Iran when they sided with a terrorist group, which had urged them to detain and try the Iranian national, Kanaani added. Spokesman: Israel must be expelled from UN Commission on Status of Women Elsewhere in his presser, Kanaani said that the Zionist regime must be expelled from the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Iran has put forward the proposal as the regime has killed over 9,000 Palestinian women during five months, he said. He said this can be a yardstick to fact-check the claims of the so-called advocates of women's rights. The Zionist regime keeps attacking Palestinians in the Gaza Strip because the international community has not used its powers to put an end to the war, Kannani stated. No one would witness these crimes if they utilized their power to this end, he underlined. 'Red Sea tensions linked to Palestine issue' Also, Kanaani said the ongoing tensions in the Red Sea are closely linked to the situation in Palestine. "Unfortunately, due to the Zionist regime's warmongering policy and US support for it, we have witnessed more than five months of turmoil in the Red Sea," he said. The Ansarullah fighters have no intention of making the Red Sea and shipping insecure, he said, adding that the United States is paying attention to the effect rather than addressing the cause. The measures by the US and its allies will ramp up insecurity and instability in the region, he further noted. Kanaani also advised the US to examine the foot of the crisis instead of leveling accusations against others and paying attention to the consequences of the war. The United States can use its capacity to halt the war instead of resorting to futile actions, he noted. 4194**4208**7129**4354 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Health staff in Gaza lack food ahead of Ramadan: Health spokesman IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 11, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- Healthcare workers in Gaza do not have sufficient food ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, media outlets have reported. According to the Palestinian Sama news agency, the spokesman for the Palestinian ministry of health Ashraf al-Qadr has said that medical personnel are working round-the-clock in northern Gaza and have nothing to eat. Over 2,000 health staff in the northern Gaza Strip are going to fast during Ramadan without the sunrise and sunset meals, he added. The official called on international organizations to provide ready meals so that medical staff can continue their activities. In a related development, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Adele Khodr has issued a statement, touching on the Gazan malnourished babies who are slowly perishing in the war. "The child deaths we feared are here and are likely to rapidly increase unless the war ends and obstacles to humanitarian relief are immediately resolved." 7129**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In the bright and clear spring, on a slope in Dashan Village, Xianyu Town, Shitai County, numerous wild China yews thrive, exuding vibrant vitality under the gentle breeze of spring. The China yew, a first-class rare and endangered plant in China, contains the anti-cancer substance paclitaxel and is hailed as the "giant panda" of the plant world. Previously, this mountain only had a few scattered China yews. The Deng family from the local area, spanning four generations, has been dedicated to protecting and cultivating them. Now, over 1,000 China yews cover the mountain, creating a beautiful ecological landscape nurtured with their painstaking efforts. Recently, reporters visited Dashan Village and met with the fourth-generation guardian, Deng Xuemao. Like his deceased father Deng Changgen, Deng Xuemao regularly climbs the mountain with tools whenever he has free time, checking on the growth of China yews, clearing weeds, collecting seeds, and transplanting seedlings to nearby land. In the 1930s, influenced by his grandfather and father, Deng Changgen began caring for and cultivating China yews when he was only in his teens. Due to the slow growth and poor regenerative ability of China yews in natural conditions, Deng Changgen made continuous efforts, with one tree after another taking root and growing in the mountain forest. He went to the mountain almost every day, making two round trips most of the time, and his life had long been intertwined with the China yews. In 2021, Deng Changgen was honored with the title of "National Top 100 Most Beautiful Ecological and Environmental Volunteers." Green mountains and clear waters are worth more than mountains of gold and silver. Influenced by the Deng family, the villagers of Dashan Village have joined the ranks of protecting and cultivating China yews. They also cherish every blade of grass and every tree on the mountain. The forest coverage rate here has exceeded 95%. The "green" story continues... Sourc: anhuinews.com Mark Farrell, former San Francisco supervisor and mayor, speaks during the launch of his 2024 mayoral campaign at the San Francisco Baseball Academy on Feb. 13. Farrell says he wants to impose strict daylight-only operating hours on certain troubled parks and bring back more officers near retirement age to curb crime in the city. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle San Francisco mayoral candidate Mark Farrell is pushing new proposals to improve police staffing and respond to residents concerns about illegal activity in public spaces, underscoring how public safety concerns are at the center of this years mayoral election. Farrell, a former supervisor and appointed mayor who is one of Mayor London Breeds most formidable reelection opponents, said Tuesday that, if hes elected in November, he would subsequently prepare a ballot measure designed to boost the ranks of the San Francisco Police Department by allowing officers eligible for retirement to continue working. San Francisco Mayor Mark Farrell speaks during the Salesforce Tower grand-opening ceremony on May 22, 2018. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle 2018 Former District 2 Supervisor and interim Mayor Mark Farrell speaks with the San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Board inside the Chronicle newsroom in July 2018. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle 2018 Farrells campaign said he would also impose strict daylight-only operating hours on certain troubled parks that have been the subject of resident complaints about late-night drug dealing and other illegal behavior. Civic Center and United Nations plazas and the Mission Districts Jose Coronado Playground would be among the first affected. U.N. Plaza became a hot spot for drug scenes and illegal vending, though the Breed administrations recent addition of a skate park and other changes to the plaza have improved conditions, at least during the daytime. Additionally, Farrell said hed make permanent a temporary ban on street vending in the Mission and hed extend the ban to other areas impacted by people selling apparently stolen goods on public sidewalks. He also wants to fund five police academies in the city budget. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We will be aggressive to make sure San Francisco residents feel safe in every single neighborhood, Farrell said in an interview. Farrells proposals are his latest effort to explain to voters how hed respond to their concerns about public safety in a year when residents are outraged about the citys incessant open-air drug dealing and property crime. Farrell said when he announced his campaign that, if elected, hed immediately seek new leadership at the Police Department by replacing Chief Bill Scott. Farrell is not only up against Breed, whos leaned into public safety and law enforcement issues, but against nonprofit founder and Levi Strauss heir Daniel Lurie, another moderate whos also centering crime in his campaign. Mayor Breed has failed on public safety, Farrell said. I believe the next mayor has to come in with a detailed set of policies that will grow our police force once again and, more than anything, provide San Francisco residents with the belief that City Hall is focused on the safety of our residents once again. Breed and her allies defend her record on public safety and argue that the city is beginning to see signs of progress in key areas. The mayor has been touting the citys 7% drop in reported crimes last year, though experts have cautioned it was too soon to tell whether the decline was directly attributable to her policies. Regardless of the reason, the decline appears to be continuing: Reports of violent and property crime were down in February compared to 2023 and down from 2018, when Farrell was mayor. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Breed also just won passage of Proposition E, a measure she placed on the March ballot to expand police power by letting officers chase more suspects by car and have easier access to surveillance cameras and drones, among other things. Breed campaign spokesperson Joe Arellano panned Farrells public safety proposals in a statement, calling the ideas a thin minestrone of half-baked ideas and plagiarism. Shutting down Civic Center Plaza wont do anything except hurt residents and events at City Hall and Bill Graham Civic and feed the Fox News perception of San Francisco, Arellano said. Shutting down the public spaces after dark may be difficult. While Jose Coronado is fenced and closes at 10 p.m., the wide-open Civic Center and U.N. plazas are not, though Farrell said hed send park rangers and police officers to enforce the new hours. People would still be allowed to pass through the plazas at night, and sanctioned events such as the holiday tree lighting would still be permitted Farrells campaign said the goal would be to prevent people from loitering in the plazas after dark. Neighbors have been up in arms surrounding many different parks in San Francisco about illegal activity, not being able to bring their families and children into the park. That is unacceptable, Farrell said. Farrells police staffing plan would, in a future ballot measure, seek to revive the abandoned Deferred Option Retirement Program, or DROP, which sought to encourage retirement-age police officers to stay on the job longer than they otherwise might. Voters in 2008 approved a trial of the program, which allowed eligible officers to have their monthly pension payments put in a tax-deferred account while they continued to work earning their regular salary for up to three years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A 2011 report from the City Controller found that 169 officers participated in the program during its first year and half, which was the most recent data available at the time. But the report concluded that the program would cost the city more money than it would save. With its current design, and with the demographics and behavior of the eligible members to date, it appears that the DROP program represents a net increase in the Citys liability and is not cost-neutral, the controllers report said. Ten members of the Board of Supervisors including Farrell voted not to extend the program. Farrell said he wants to learn from the lessons of the past and bring back a modified version of DROP. He said hed want to mandate that any officer who participates in the program be out on patrol, not working behind a desk. But any implementation of it would likely be years away since it would need to go to the voters. What this allows us to do is keep police officers that are nearing retirement age within the Police Department, Farrell said. The city will benefit not only from their experience but also from that additional head count in our district stations. That will be incredibly beneficial to the residents of our city. We need to keep these officers in our Police Department in the wake of our staffing shortages. Arellano, the Breed campaign spokesperson, said in his statement that Farrells proposal couldnt be voted on until 2026, and Breed plans to have the Police Department almost fully staffed by then. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Instead of pretending hes Rudy Giuliani and running to be Mayor of the Doom Loop, Farrell should leave the bubble of his Jordan Park home for a change, Arellano said. Leading San Francisco requires a lot more effort than just cosplaying as mayor from your kitchen. Farrells other leading opponents in the race were also quick to criticize his public safety proposal. Max Szabo, a spokesperson for the Lurie campaign, said in a Tuesday statement that Farrell was proposing solutions to problems he walked away from when he was in office. The Lurie campaign pointed to a 2018 message from the San Francisco Police Officers Association that accused Farrell, who was mayor at the time, and other city officials of not supporting the police union enough as it sought raises during contract negotiations. And Supervisor Ahsha Safai, who is also running for mayor, said hed already worked to get more police officers on the streets through legislation requiring the Police Department to create a strategy for implementing foot and bike patrols. To crack down on people selling stolen goods on sidewalks, Farrell said he wants to make the Mission Street temporary vending ban permanent after city officials reported improved street conditions during the bans first 60 days. The city recently extended the three-month pilot for six months. Breed is currently trying to get the state Legislature to change a law her administration says has allowed stolen-goods sales to proliferate on San Francisco sidewalks. Farrell said hed push for an expanded vending ban despite the citys tough fiscal situation namely, an $800 million two-year deficit. Public safety is my No. 1 priority and I will be uncompromising in my budget to pursue that agenda, Farrell said. The No. 1 job of our city government is to keep our residents safe and to make them feel safe. US military base in Syria comes under drone attack IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 11, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- Reports say a US military base in eastern Syria came under a drone attack on Sunday night. According to Russia's Sputnik news agency, a source said that a US military base at the Koniko gas field in Syria's eastern province of Deir ez-Zur came under attack with two drones. As a result of the drone attack, a column of smoke rose into the air over the US military base. However, more details of the strike have not been released so far. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq targeted US positions in Iraq and Syria on numerous occasions following the onset of the Israeli regime's genocidal war on the Gaza Strip because the United States actively aided and abetted the massacre of Palestinians. Instantly after Operation Al-Aqsa Storm on October 7, 2023, the Israeli regime's army initiated an all-out devastating war on Gaza, resulting in over 30,000 martyrs and more than 70,000 injured, mostly women and children. 4208**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Palestinian resistance at peak of its strength: Islamic Jihad IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 11, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement, in a statement on Sunday night, assured the Palestinian nation and the free people of the world that the resistance is in a very good shape and at its peak and that it will not allow the enemy to achieve success in its sinister plots. Our resistance continues, and God willing, it will continue its strikes and its ventures from all fields and arenas, especially in Gaza and the West Bank, the movement said according to a Sunday IRNA report citing Lebanon's Al-Mayadeen news channel. Palestinian people are creating the most amazing images of steadfastness and determination in the face of Zionist terrorism and massacres in the Gaza Strip, amid silence and humiliation of Arab and Islamic countries, the statement said. Despite this unfortunate reality, the resistance of the Palestinian people is valiant in this confrontation, which is entering its sixth month in a row, Islamic Jihad said referring to the Israeli genocidal war on the besieged Gaza Strip. Al-Aqsa Mosque under siege The Islamic Jihad's statement further touched on the desecration of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli forces and settlers, saying they are playing with fire by limiting the movement and access of worshipers to this holy place, against which, we and the free people of the world will not stand idly by. Since October 7, Israel has imposed near blanket restrictions on the entry of Palestinians to Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied al-Quds, denying access to Muslim worshipers to the holy site. On Sunday night, Israeli forces denied hundreds of worshipers' entry into the mosque on the eve of the holy month of Ramadan. According to Al Jazeera, Palestinian worshipers faced severe restrictions, with the occupation forces seen preventing Palestinian youth from entering to perform evening prayers. This report added that the Zionist regime deployed thousands of police forces in al-Quds on Sunday night and arrested at least 20 Palestinians citing suspicion of provocative actions. At the entrances of the mosque, the soldiers allow only men over 40 years old to enter the Islam's third holiest site. Last month, a far-right extremist politician and a member of the coalition cabinet presented a controversial plan asking the regime to a curb on Palestinians entering into Al-Aqsa during Ramadan. Israeli forces are implementing the plan despite Zionist media reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the decision amid warnings from internal spy agency Shin Bet that such action could spark religious tensions in al-Quds. 4399 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Netanyahu bluntly rebukes Biden criticism IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 11, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected US President Joe Biden's criticism for civilian deaths in the war on Gaza, saying the majority of Israelis support him over his military aggression against Palestinians. In an interview with several western media outlets on Sunday cited by the Palestinian Sama news agency, Netanyahu said he did not know what Biden meant with his remarks. "If he meant by that that I'm pursuing private policies against the majority, the wish of the majority of Israelis, and that this is hurting the interests of Israel, then he's wrong." The Zionist premier was reacting to Biden criticism on Saturday that Netanyahu was making a 'big mistake' by not doing enough to protect civilians and it 'is hurting Israel' more than helping it. "We cannot have 30,000 more Palestinians dead," Biden said. But Netanyahu claimed that Biden was 'wrong on both counts' as an 'overwhelming majority' of Israelis supported his (war) policy. Israeli PM in hot water During his interview, Netanyahu however fell short of mentioning growing rage among Israelis against the war and calls for him and his far-right cabinet to resign. Over the past five months, Tel Aviv and occupied al-Quds have witnessed demonstrations almost on a daily basis by settlers and the families of Zionist captives held by Palestinian resistance fighters in Gaza. Some of the protests against Netanyahu and his far-right cabinet also turned violent as police used force to disperse them in recent weeks. On Sunday night, the protesters once again gathered in front of the Ministry of War of this regime in Tel Aviv and demanded an ceasefire agreement with Hamas for the release of the Israeli captives. The Israel regime is also facing denunciation worldwide over the Gaza genocide; with people keep hitting the streets to vent their anger at Israel and its western backers. As part of a week-long humanitarian ceasefire, brokered by Qatar and Egypt, fighting was paused and humanitarian aid was allowed into Gaza in December. It also saw an exchange of 240 Palestinian abductees with 105 captives, including 81 Israelis and 24 foreigners, in Gaza. 4399 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address All Israeli plans for Gaza have failed: Hamas chief IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 11, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- Ismail Haniyeh, political bureau chief of the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement said in a speech on Sunday night that the Zionist regime's plots in Gaza have resulted in failure, warning that Israel will sooner or later pay for "the biggest crimes of the century" it has been committing against Palestinians. October 7th was a turning point in the history of the Palestine issue which was brought back to the forefront of world events despite efforts by some colonial powers to forget this issue, Haniyeh said while referring the operation "Al-Aqsa Storm" as quoted by the Palestinian Sama news agency. The Hamas chief also blamed the Israeli regime for the failure to reach an agreement on the Gaza ceasefire, reiterating that the movement will not settle for anything less than a full cessation of Israeli aggression and the withdrawal of the occupation forces from Gaza. "During the negotiations, we determined five principles, which included a comprehensive ceasefire, the end of the war, the complete withdrawal of forces from Gaza, the return of the displaced, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza," he emphasized. Haniyeh went on to say that any agreement should include the end of the war and the complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip. . The Zionist regime is seeking the release of its captives and then restarting the war, he noted, adding that the enemy has evaded providing guarantees required for a ceasefire during the talks held so far. "Hamas has shown great responsibility, positivity and flexibility in the negotiation process mediated by Qatar and Egypt". It is the Israeli regime which is responsible for not reaching an agreement as we welcome a deal that fulfills our defined principles and conditions, he added. Haniyeh also denounced any plot to divide the Gaza Strip into two parts, stressing that the enemy will not be able to achieve such plot as Palestinians remain firm despite the loss of tens of thousands of their loved ones. 4399 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kanaani: US humanitarian aid to Gaza 'ridiculous, bitter show' ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency Mon / 11 March 2024 / 14:36 The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson states that the motive behind the US sending humanitarian aid to Gaza is an attempt to change its world image. The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani labeled the US government's move of dispatching humanitarian aid to Gaza as "ridiculous and symbolic," considering that Washington has vetoed the UNSC resolution calling for an end to the Israeli war on Gaza. "The symbolic move by the US to send humanitarian aid is a ridiculous and at the same time a bitter show," he stated. "On one hand, they prevent the cessation of war by vetoing UN Security Council resolutions, and on the other hand, they try to improve their warmongering image in the eyes of the world public by dispatching humanitarian assistance in a symbolic and ridiculous way," he emphasized. During his weekly presser today, the Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson addressed the perpetual savagery of the Israeli occupation against Palestinians. Kanaani, who highlighted that more than five months have passed since "Israel" launched its war on Gaza, stressed, "During this time, unfortunately, we are witnessing a painful inaction of the international community, especially the United Nations and the Security Council, whose main task is to ensure international peace and security." "In the shadow of the support of the American government for the Zionist regime, we witnessed that the world and international assemblies, the United Nations and the Security Council failed to fulfill their human, legal, and international duty in stopping the war and maintaining peace in the world," he added. Kanaani criticized the US government for attempting to support Palestine in its statements and acts when it has been playing a major role in the Israeli war on Gaza. To elaborate on that, highlighting the US hypocrisy, Kanaani explained that the United States continuously sends its weapons to the Israeli occupation, while also sending humanitarian aid to Palestinians, which he believes is a US attempt to convert its hostile image in the eyes of the public opinion of the world. The Government Media Office in Gaza on March 8 called for the immediate and urgent opening of land crossings to allow thousands of tons of aid to enter, to prevent the deepening famine crisis in the Gaza Strip, especially in the north. Commenting on the casualties resulting from the random air drops of aid, which led to the killing of 5 people and injury of several others, the office reiterated that such operations are not effective and are not the optimal way to deliver aid. Five Palestinians, including two children, were killed on March 8 due to an aid airdrop mishap, where at least one parachute malfunctioned, causing a package to fall on them. The tragic incident occurred in the al-Shati refugee camp in northern Gaza at approximately 11:30 am local time. The Office reiterated its previous statement regarding the airdrop of aid, emphasizing that such operations are more of a display and publicity stunt than a humane, service-oriented approach. It warned that these actions pose a deadly threat to the citizens in the Gaza Strip. It also pointed out that a portion of these aids ended up in the sea, near the "separation barrier", or within areas controlled by the Israeli army, posing a danger to the lives of citizens attempting to access the aid. It squarely placed the responsibility for the Israeli genocidal war against Palestinians, the ensuing famine, and the perpetuation of a starvation policy on the US administration, the international community, and "Israel". The office also urged the free nations worldwide to exert pressure on the occupation to cease genocide and starvation and to permit the entry of aid. End Item NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US, Britain launch fresh missile attacks on Yemen's Hudaydah Iran Press TV Monday, 11 March 2024 7:02 PM The United States and Britain have carried out fresh aggression on Yemeni soil by targeting the western province of Hudaydah amid Yemen's indefatigable support for Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip. Yemen's al-Masirah television network reported on Monday that the American and British warplanes had attacked al-Araj area in the Bajil district of Hudaydah with missiles. The television network also reported "three raids" by the US and British air forces that targeted Ras Issa area in Yemen's Salif district of Hudaydah. The latest aggression came hours after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) claimed to have received report of the sound of an explosion near a vessel 131km (71 nautical miles) southwest of Yemen's port of Salif. The UKMTO said the vessel and its crew were safe, adding that the incident was under investigation. The US-British coalition has launched several airstrikes against various areas in the western Yemeni province over the past few weeks. The US-UK aggression continues in blatant violation of Yemeni sovereignty and as an attempt to deter Sana'a from its decision to prevent Israeli-linked shipping through the strategic Red Sea in support of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. Palestinians have been facing a months-long genocidal war by the occupying regime that has killed more than 31,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children since October when it launched its war on the Gaza Strip after the territory's Palestinian resistance movements carried out the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm. Yemenis have declared their open support for Palestine's struggle against the Israeli occupation since the regime launched its devastating war on Gaza, with Yemeni Armed Forces pledging not to stop retaliatory strikes. The maritime attacks have forced some of the world's biggest shipping and oil companies to suspend transit through one of the world's most important maritime trade routes. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Silence guns' in Gaza to honor holy Ramadan: UN chief Iran Press TV Monday, 11 March 2024 5:11 PM United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says Israel has to stop "the killing, bombing and bloodshed" in the Gaza Strip to honor the spirit of the holy month of Ramadan. Guterres told reporters on Monday that by the start of Ramadan, "Muslims around the world celebrate and spread the values of peace, reconciliation and solidarity." Yet in Gaza, he said, "the killing, bombing and bloodshed continue" with civilian killings and destruction "at a level that is unprecedented." "This is heartbreaking and utterly unacceptable," Guterres said. "My strongest appeal today is to honor the spirit of Ramadan by silencing the guns and removing all obstacles to ensure the delivery of lifesaving aid at the speed and massive scale required." Guterres also warned that Israel's threatened assault on the southern city of Rafah "could plummet the people of Gaza into an even deeper circle of hell." Rafah, the town along the Egyptian border, which was once deemed a "safe zone" by the Israeli military forces, has now become the last refuge for over half of Gaza's entire population of more than 2.3 million, who have fled their homes in other parts of the territory to shelter from incessant Israeli attacks. Guterres said, "The eyes of the world are watching. The eyes of history are watching. We cannot look away." "We must act to avoid more preventable deaths... Desperate civilians need action immediate action." It has been almost six weeks since the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) finally managed to deliver aid to northern Gaza. UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that people of Gaza "are very, very anxious." Israel war on Gaza, which began in early October, has driven around 80 percent of the territory's population from their homes and pushed hundreds of thousands to the brink of famine. The war has directly resulted in the death of more than 31,000 Palestinians. Thousands more have also died from starvation, malnourishment, and inadequate medical care. Those people are considered indirect victims as they were not registered in hospitals. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hezbollah launches multiple attacks on strategic Israeli sites in support of Gaza Iran Press TV Monday, 11 March 2024 3:37 PM The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah has targeted with multiple drone and rocket strikes the Israeli regime's strategic military sites in the north of the occupied territories in support of Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip. Hezbollah announced in separate statements on Monday that the resistance group launched an aerial operation with "four attack drones" on Israel's air and missile headquarters at the Kila barracks in the occupied Golan Heights, "hitting its targets precisely." The Lebanese resistance movement also targeted with artillery shells a gathering of the Israeli occupation forces around the a-Rahib site in the north of the occupied Palestinian territories. Hezbollah also launched an attack on a "gathering of Zionist enemy soldiers on the hill of al-Tayhat with appropriate weapons, achieving a direct hit." In another statement, the Lebanese resistance movement announced a strike on the Jal al-Alam site with appropriate weapons. Hezbollah underlined that the retaliatory attacks on the Israeli sites were "in support of ... steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their brave and honorable resistance, [and] the fighters of the Islamic Resistance." According to reports, missile sirens were heard across multiple illegal settlements in the north of the occupied territories. Hezbollah launched on Sunday rocket and drone attacks on several Israeli positions, saying its fighters had targeted the Meron settlement in the occupied territories with Katyusha rockets. The group also launched a drone attack on Israeli artillery launchers in the Arar barracks and fired rockets at a gathering of the regime's soldiers east of the Birkat Risha outpost. Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging fire since early October, shortly after the occupying regime launched its bloody war on the besieged Gaza following a surprise operation by the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement. Since the start of the regime's aggression on Gaza, nearly half a million Israelis are said to have fled the occupied territories. The movement has vowed to keep up its retaliatory operations as long as the Tel Aviv regime continues its onslaught on Gaza. The Israeli war on Gaza has killed more than 31,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured over 72,000 others. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli troops deny Palestinian worshippers entry to Al-Aqsa Mosque Iran Press TV Monday, 11 March 2024 3:24 PM Israeli troops have kidnapped a large number of Palestinians at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque simultaneous with the beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan across the occupied territories. Young Palestinian men were prevented from worshipping at the holy site in the Old City of al-Quds on Monday. They numbered a few hundreds. On Sunday evening, the eve of Ramadan, many were violently prevented from performing evening prayers inside the compound. Thousands of Israeli forces have been deployed around the narrow streets of the Old City in al-Quds, where tens of thousands of worshippers are expected every day at the holy compound. Israel has deployed 23 battalions throughout the occupied West Bank with the beginning of Ramadan. Itamar Ben Gvir, a minister with the regime, has called for restrictions on worshipers at the mosque. The number of Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank is twice the number of troops in the entire besieged Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, leaders of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas have called on the Palestinians to march on the mosque at the start of Ramadan. The spokesman for the Hamas military wing Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades Abu Obeida called in a speech on March 8 for the Palestinian people to mobilize during the holy month in defense of Al-Aqsa Mosque. Separately, Israel's Shin Bet spy service abducted several people in the northern flank of the 1948 occupied territories on Sunday. The men were allegedly in contact with Hamas and had plans to carry out resistance operations. Situation could turn into 'explosion' Jordan is the custodian of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East al-Quds. It said on Monday that restrictions imposed by Israel on Muslim worshippers' access to the compound during Ramadan was pushing the situation towards an "explosion." In remarks on state media, Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said his country rejected Israel's announced move to limit access to the holy site during Ramadan, citing security needs with war raging in Gaza. Jordan echoes the Palestinian view that such restrictions were an attack on freedom of worship, he said. The West Bank has seen record violence for more than two years and a further surge since hostilities in Gaza began in early October. Israeli raids, combined with settler violence, have left more than 400 Palestinians dead in the West Bank. More than five months into Israel's brutal campaign of death and destruction in Gaza, health authorities there say more than 31,000 Palestinians have been killed. Thousands of others are also missing, or feared dead. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran: US 'main party' to Gaza war; its aid delivery 'ridiculous, symbolic' Iran Press TV Monday, 11 March 2024 11:36 AM The spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry says the United States is the main party responsible for the start and continuation of Israel's on the people of Palestine in the Gaza Strip. "The American government stood by the Zionist regime in words and deeds," Nasser Kan'ani told reporters at his weekly press briefing in Tehran on Monday. Since the beginning of Israel's war in October, the US has been providing the regime with large-scale shipments of weapons, he added. He noted that the US has been exerting pressure on the Palestinian people, slamming the "painful inaction" of the international community, particularly the United Nations, over the past five months about the Israeli regime's brutal attacks against Gaza. The Iranian spokesman further pointed to the "merely symbolic" move by the United States to airdrop humanitarian aid into Gaza and said Washington vetoed three resolutions calling for an immediate end to the war in the besieged strip and, at the same time, is sending its weapons to Israel. Kan'ani emphasized that the US resorts to "ridiculous and bitter'" measures in an effort to rectify and justify its warmongering policy. However, the people of the world are aware of the realities on the ground and will never change their minds, he said. The US Central Command has announced that together with Jordan's air force it had "conducted a combined humanitarian assistance airdrop into Gaza ... to provide essential relief to civilians affected by the ongoing conflict." At least 31,112 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been confirmed killed and 72,760 others wounded so far during Israel's genocidal war, which began following Operation al-Aqsa Storm by Gaza-based resistance movements on October 7. The war has devastated large swathes of Gaza, destroyed hospitals and displaced a major proportion of the population of 2.4 million in the world's "largest open-air prison." Iran seizes US cargo on oil tanker in reaction to cruel sanctions Elsewhere in the presser, Kan'ani said Iran's seizure of the US oil cargo carried by the Marshall Islands-flagged Advantage Sweet in the Persian Gulf was the "outcome of the American administration's cruel sanctions." He added that the US sanctions have inflicted terrible suffering on the Iranian people, particularly the patients with special diseases, as they failed to receive the necessary life-saving medicines. A large number of Iranian patients have unfortunately lost their lives in the absence of the necessary medicines, the spokesman said. "This is a kind of hypocrisy of the American administration, which hypocritically declares that it did not prevent the export of medicines while imposing extensive sanctions on all items exported to Iran," Kan'ani emphasized. "This is an obvious lie and Iran will never forget these hostilities." He added that a number of countries have refrained from selling medicines needed by certain patients in Iran, saying they are concerned about the imposition of US sanctions and economic punishment against their pharmaceutical companies. Reports said the confiscation took place upon a court ruling in favor of the patients afflicted with epidermolysis bullosa (EB) or butterfly patients. In their complaint, the EB patients, who are characterized by extreme fragility of the skin and mechanically induced blistering, claimed damages against the US. Iran sends humanitarian aid for Gazans to ports in Egypt Kan'ani said the delivery of humanitarian aid to the war-stricken people in Gaza has been on Iran's agenda since the outset of the crisis in the strip, adding, "We have held many diplomatic consultations and talks through Egypt." Given Israel's blockade on Gaza, it is not possible for Iran to directly send its aid to Palestine, he noted. The Iranian diplomat said the Egyptian officials have repeatedly told Iran that Israel does not allow the aid to be distributed to the Palestinian people. "However, these [acts of obstruction] did not stop Iran's efforts and we sent aid through Egypt," Kan'ani said. Iran regards regional stability, security beneficial to world The Iranian spokesman said the recent tensions between the US vessels and the Yemeni military in the Red Sea were the outcome of the developments in Palestine. He expressed regret that the continuation of the 5-month crisis in the Gaza Strip as a result of Israel's warmongering policies and lack of US will to end the war have caused instability in some parts of the region. "Iran considers regional stability and security for the benefit of the international community and regional countries and its commercial activities," Kan'ani said. He advised the US administration to stop leveling accusations against countries and focus on the center of the crisis. The US is better to use its capabilities to stop Israel's machine of mass killing, he asserted. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A low-pressure system known as an inside slider is expected to move across the Great Basin on Wednesday and Thursday, resulting in gusty winds in California. Baron/Lynx Tuesday marks the beginning of a significant weather shift across Northern California. The cold, wet pattern is on the way out, replaced by a warm, dry period for at least the next week. This transition will be accelerated by a low-pressure system known as an inside slider that will bring precipitation to the Intermountain West, but dry winds and rising temperatures in California. On Tuesday, a low-pressure system is expected to clip Northern California with a few light rain and snow showers. Rather than continuing its journey east, the low-pressure system is expected to turn south toward the Nevada-Utah border Wednesday, eventually parking itself over Las Vegas from Thursday through Saturday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Typically, winter and spring low-pressure systems hover off the California coast. As a result, the counterclockwise-spinning low-pressure systems blow west-southwest winds toward the Bay Area. This week, though, the inside slider will be to Californias east, causing winds to blow out of the north-northeast. As the area of low pressure moves south Wednesday, northerly wind gusts are forecast to increase though the Sacramento Valley. By Wednesday evening, gusts of 35 to 45 mph are possible in Sacramento, Vacaville and Fairfield. North-northeast winds will also pick up in the Bay Area, gusting up to 35 mph in San Francisco by Thursday morning. Winds are expected to gust up to 35 mph in San Francisco on Thursday morning, even stronger in Solano County and the Sacramento Valley. Baron/Lynx On Thursday, the low-pressure system will continue to move south, causing winds to shift out of the northeast. The Sierra Nevada will be prone to gusts of 75 mph or higher Thursday, especially south of Interstate 80. Locally strong northeast winds will continue in the Bay Area on Thursday, especially in the hills, where gusts of 40 mph or higher are possible. This is a Diablo wind pattern, more typical of the fall than the spring. While Diablo winds in the fall can mean high fire risk, the recent winter rains means vegetation is filled with moisture, so fire vulnerability is relatively low. Similarly, the National Weather Service forecasts Santa Ana winds in Southern California to gust 35 to 55 mph, but fire danger is predicted to remain low. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bay Area residents longing for warm weather should thank the Diablo winds, because temperatures Thursday are expected to reach the upper 60s at the coast and lower 70s inland. Winds are forecast to slowly relax throughout the day Friday, leaving the Bay Area under pristine weekend sunshine, with highs in the mid- to upper 60s at the coast and lower to mid-70s inland. Tuesday breakdown San Francisco: A lingering rain shower is possible in San Francisco on Tuesday morning, but drier conditions are expected by the afternoon. Highs will be in the upper 50s in the Richmond and Sunset districts and lower 60s in the Mission District, SoMa and downtown. Gusts up to 25 mph are possible in the Presidio, Marina and at Ocean Beach in the afternoon. Lows will be in the upper 40s. North Bay: Patchy morning fog and drizzle are expected to give way to clearing skies during the afternoon and evening. Highs will be around 60 in Santa Rosa, San Rafael, Napa and Vallejo and the lower to mid-60s in Fairfield and Vacaville. Northwest winds could gust up to 25 mph in the evening. Lows will be chilly compared to the past few nights, in the upper 30s to lower 40s. East Bay: Scattered, light rain showers are possible Tuesday morning, particularly in the Oakland hills, but partial clearing is on tap for the afternoon. Highs will be in the lower 60s in Oakland, Berkeley, Hayward and Fremont and Livermore. Mid-60s are expected for Concord, Martinez and Walnut Creek. Lows will drop to the lower 40s inland and mid-40s near the bay shoreline. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Pacific Coast and Peninsula: Patchy morning fog and light rain showers are in the cards for the Peninsula, but otherwise Tuesday should be a transition day, with gradual afternoon clearing. Highs will be in the upper 50s in Daly City, Pacifica and Half Moon Bay and the lower 60s in South San Francisco, San Bruno, Burlingame, San Mateo and Redwood City. Gusts up to 25 mph are possible at the coast in the evening. Lows will be in the mid- to upper 40s. Islamic Jihad warns Israel against 'playing with fire' after al-Aqsa Mosque restrictions Iran Press TV Monday, 11 March 2024 10:33 AM The Palestinian Islamic Jihad resistance movement has warned Israel "not to play with fire" after the regime imposed restrictions on access to the al-Aqsa Mosque during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. "Israel is playing with fire through desecration of the sacred al-Aqsa Mosque compound by occupation forces and settler gangs, besides restrictions on access to the site. We and freedom-loving people will not stand idly by in the face of such aggression," the Gaza-based group said in a statement late on Sunday. The statement added that Palestinians are creating impressive scenes of steadfastness and determination in the face of Zionist terrorism on the advent of Ramadan and amid the silence of some Arab and Muslim governments. "In spite of this unfortunate reality, the Palestinian resistance front is resolute to carry on with its struggle, which is entering its sixth month in a row and is armed with faith in God. "Congratulations to the entire Palestinian nation, especially the residents of the Gaza Strip, on the arrival of the month of Ramadan. Our resistance will continue, and we will carry out strikes and acts of retaliation throughout Gaza and the West Bank," it added. The Islamic Jihad finally reassured all walks of Palestinian society and freedom-loving people worldwide that resistance fighters are at the apex of their combat preparedness and will not allow the "Zionist enemy" to advance its sinister plots against the Palestinian cause and nation. Since the beginning of the war in the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces have restricted Palestinian Muslims' access to the al-Aqsa Mosque, particularly on Fridays. The Hamas resistance movement, in a statement on February 19, also denounced Israel's plan to restrict Palestinians' entry to the al-Aqsa Mosque compound during Ramadan, warning that the measure will explode the whole situation. "An outburst of anger is waiting to go off in the face of the occupying regime in response to any restrictions on worship at the al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan," Izzat al-Rishq, a member of the political bureau of Hamas, said on Sunday. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Resistance groups inflict heavy losses on Israeli military in Gaza Iran Press TV Monday, 11 March 2024 8:58 AM Resistance groups have inflicted heavy losses on the Israeli military in the Gaza Strip amid the invading regime's genocidal war on the Palestinian territory. On Monday, the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a coalition of Palestinian armed groups based in the occupied West Bank, said it had carried out 14 operations against Israeli forces. The brigades said it had "engaged in fierce clashes [with the troops] and targeted gatherings of Zionist enemy army vehicles," causing "several deaths and injuries within the ranks of the enemy army." Meanwhile, Lebanon's al-Mayadeen television news network cited various resistance groups in Gaza as reporting making substantial gains against the aggressors. According to the report, al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, carried out a drone attack against gatherings of Israeli troops, including their "command tents," east of the city of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip. The brigades also said it had caused heavy casualties among the regime's ranks in the southern city of Khan Younis by bombing a booby-trapped house that had been attacked by an Israeli infantry brigade. For its part, al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad, which is Hamas's fellow Gaza-based resistance movement, reported downing an Israeli drone used by the regime's army for intelligence purposes, northeast of the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. Israel launched the war against Gaza on October 7 after Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, a surprise operation by the coastal sliver's resistance groups against the occupied territories that was staged in retaliation for the intensification of Tel Aviv's decades-long crimes against Palestinians. The regime has so far during the war killed more than 31,112 Gazans, most of them women, children, and adolescents. So far, during the military onslaught, the Israeli army has officially acknowledged losing 590 forces and officers as a result of the resistance's operations. The fatalities include 248, who have been killed in ground battles. Gaza's resistance groups have also been carrying out numerous retaliatory rocket attacks against the occupied Palestinian territories. Also on Monday, Israeli media outlets reported that Hamas still possessed the capability to fire rockets at the central part of the occupied territories. The Israeli regime had vowed to "eliminate" the movement as a result of the war. Earlier, Chairman of the US Senate Intelligence Committee Mark Warner asserted that the regime's so-called goal of "eliminating" Hamas was not "a realistic goal." "140 days in, they've basically taken out only about 35% of the Hamas fighters, and literally have only penetrated less than a third of the tunnel network" used by the group, Warner said, contradicting Israel's much larger estimates. The al-Mayadeen report also said the Palestinian resistance's operations against the Israeli forces in the northern Gaza Strip had confirmed "the presence and strength of the resistance," and "refuted the Israeli claims of imposing control over the northern Gaza Strip." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Western support for Netanyahu's crimes showed their true nature, says Syrian FM Iran Press TV Monday, 11 March 2024 8:12 AM Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad has censured Western countries for staunchly supporting Israel's war on Gaza, where more than 12,000 children have been killed, stating that such an approach laid bare their hollow slogans and hypocrisy. "[Israeli prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu has reduced the Gaza Strip to rubble and caused the death of more than 12,000 children and over 8,000 women in Gaza," Mekdad said in a series of posts published on X social media platform, formerly known as Twitter, on Sunday evening. "The total number of victims whose lives he has taken now stands at nearly 31,000, something which could be best described as genocide." He added that the mantra that European Union strategists have long been promoting about the rules-based international order is now absolutely meaningless. "Murderous Netanyahu has not spared any regulation, and has infringed upon international law, international humanitarian law, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Charter of the United Nations, children's and women's rights, democracy, disarmament, and [global] peace," the top Syrian diplomat asserted. Mekdad further argued that what is "more dangerous than the crimes of Netanyahu and his ruling clique is the backing he receives from many EU governments, not to mention Washington's blind support he is showered on." "Everyone knows that much of what EU leaders have done now or in the past was nothing but hypocrisy, travesty and dishonesty. Their defense of Netanyahu's crimes pulled the rug out from under them, and laid bare their true nature. It showed they are mere puppets of Zionism and enemies of public rights and aspirations," the Syrian foreign minister underscored. Since the start of Israel's genocidal war against Gaza on October 7, 2023, at least 31,112 Palestinians, including mostly women and children, have lost their lives, while 72,760 others have been injured. The Israeli military offensive has left a trail of destruction in Gaza, leaving hospitals in ruins and displacing around half of its 2.4 million residents. Israel has additionally enforced a comprehensive blockade on the coastal sliver, severing the supply of fuel, electricity, sustenance and water to the population of over two million Palestinians residing there. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mar. 10: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation Iran Press TV Monday, 11 March 2024 6:43 AM By Press TV Website Staff Amid Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed more than 31,000 Palestinians so far, including at least 14,000 children, resistance groups in Palestine and across the region continue their operations against the Tel Aviv regime and its Western backers. The major operations carried out by the Palestinian and regional resistance groups on Sunday, March 10, are as follows: Al-Qassam Brigades' operations on Mar. 10: Detonated a pre-rigged building housing an Israeli infantry force in the Bani Suhaila area, east of Khan Younis city, southern Gaza. Engaged in clashes with an Israeli military unit inside a tunnel in the Bani Suhaila area, east of Khan Younis city, resulting in multiple casualties. Fatally shot an Israeli soldier from a mechanized unit in the Bani Suhaila area, east of Khan Younis city. Sniped an Israeli soldier with a Qassam rifle, south of Tal al-Hawa in Gaza City. Al-Quds Brigades' operations on Mar. 10: Shot down an Israeli spy drone during its reconnaissance mission, northeast of the al-Bureij neighborhood in central Gaza. Mujahideen Brigades' operations on Mar. 10: Targeted a gathering of Israeli forces with short-range rockets, southeast of Gaza City. Targeted a gathering of Israeli forces with heavy-caliber mortar shells, east of Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza. Al-Aqsa Brigades' operations on Mar. 10: Shelled a gathering of Israeli soldiers and their vehicles with a barrage of heavy-caliber mortar shells, west of Khan Younis city. Shelled a gathering of Israeli soldiers on Street 10, south of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, east of Gaza City. Targeted an Israeli military vehicle with RPGs, in the axis west of Khan Younis city. Targeted a Merkava tank with RPGs in the axis west of Khan Younis city. Shelled a gathering of Israeli soldiers and vehicles with a barrage of 60mm mortar shells in the axis west of Khan Younis city. Hezbollah's operations on Mar. 10: Eastern sector: At around 06:20 local time, a drone attack was carried out against the Israeli military's artillery positions in Ara. At around 14:25 local time, the Israeli military's surveillance equipment at the Radar site Shebaa was targeted with appropriate weapons. At around 15:50 local time, the Maale Golan Barracks was targeted with missiles. At around 16:10 local time, the Ramtha site in Kafr Shuba was targeted. At around 16:15 local time, the Al-Samaqa site in Kafr Shuba was targeted. At around 16:55 local time, the Maale Golan Barracks was targeted with dozens of Katyusha rockets. Western sector: At around 9:00 local time, the Ramya site was targeted. At around 9:15 local time, the Meron settlement was targeted with dozens of Katyusha rockets. At around 10:20 local time, Israeli troops east of the Birkat Risha site were targeted. At around 11:15 local time, an Israeli "Nimir" military vehicle was targeted at the Al-Malikiyah site. At around 14:30 local time, the Al-Raheb site and Israeli soldiers deployed around it were targeted with Burkan missiles. At around 15:30 local time, Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the Birkat Risha site were targeted with Burkan missiles. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Renewal of close US ties good for regional security, Micronesian leaders say U.S. President Joe Biden signed a government funding bill that includes $7.1 billion for three Pacific island allies. By Stephen Wright for BenarNews 2024.03.11 -- The renewal of close U.S. ties with Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall Islands will contribute to greater regional security, island leaders said after President Joe Biden signed a government funding bill into law that included US$7.1 billion for the three Pacific allies. Biden's signature on Saturday following the $460 billion bill's passage through Congress last week averted a partial government shutdown. It also ended uncertainty about funding for the three Micronesian nations that occupy a swath of the western Pacific crucial to U.S. military dominance in the region. "The path to this day has been longer than expected and a challenging road that raised concerns," Federated States of Micronesia's President Wesley Simina said in a video posted online Sunday. "At the end of the day, the FSM and the U.S. reached an agreement with an outcome that I am confident will benefit both our nations and contribute to greater peace and prosperity for our peoples and to greater security and stability for the Indo-Pacific region and the world," he said. The Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau, which together are home to about 200,000 people, give the U.S. military access to their vast ocean territories in exchange for funding and the right for their citizens to live and work in the U.S. The agreements, known as compacts of free association, also allow the U.S. to deny other countries access to the waters between the Philippines and Hawaii. Amid increased U.S.-China rivalry in the Pacific, the three island nations last year signed new economic assistance agreements with the U.S. that are significantly more generous and provide a total of $7.1 billion over two decades. But budget battles between Republicans and Democrats created uncertainty about when the funding taps would be turned on. The leaders of Palau, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands, the New Zealand and Australian ambassadors to the U.S. and dozens of U.S. politicians had recently rung alarm bells that delays in securing the funding had created an opening for China's government to further increase its influence in the region. Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine said the Nitijela - the Marshall Islands legislature - still needs to give its approval for the updated compact, which includes $700 million in contributions over four years to a national trust fund. The Marshall Islands was the last of the three nations to sign its amended compact with the U.S. last year after negotiations complicated by the legacy of American nuclear testing on Bikini and Enewetak atolls in the 1940s and 1950s. U.S. legislative approval "represents a very big step in our mutual and enduring efforts to strengthen the compacts," Heine said in a statement. The compact, she said, "is crucial to the wellbeing of our citizens and security of our region." The Marshall Islands hosts a mainstay U.S. ballistic missile testing and space surveillance range on Kwajalein Atoll. In Palau, the U.S. military is building an over-the-horizon radar station. Last month, Simina and the leaders of Palau and Marshall Islands had warned in a letter to senior U.S. legislators that uncertainty about funding had "resulted in undesirable opportunities for economic exploitation by competitive political actors active in the Pacific." The letter didn't name China but its inroads with Pacific island nations, including a security pact with the Solomon Islands in 2022, have recently galvanized renewed U.S. attention to the region. China's government has courted Pacific island nations for several decades as it seeks to isolate Taiwan diplomatically, gain allies in international institutions and erode U.S. dominance. Beijing regards Taiwan, a democracy and globally important tech manufacturing center, as a renegade province that must be reunited with the mainland. BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated online news organization. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content March not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Wider Europe Briefing: Where Does EU Enlargement Stand Right Now? By Rikard Jozwiak March 11, 2024 Brief#1: Ukraine, Moldova, Bosnia: How Their EU Membership Bids Are Stacking Up What You Need To Know: In December 2023, European Union leaders made the historic decision to open EU accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova. But two months into 2024, the negotiations have not yet started as fears still exist of going too fast too soon -- notably with Kyiv -- especially ahead of June's European Parliament elections. And as Ukraine's and Moldova's enlargement journeys are connected, this of course applies to Chisinau as well. Most pressing are the negotiation frameworks that the European Commission, the executive branch of the EU, needs to adopt for both Ukraine and Moldova. Those two countries also have a "midterm" assessment, along with Bosnia-Herzegovina. The commission is due to deliver all these reports to EU member states on March 12. A more comprehensive report on all EU candidate countries in the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe is due at the end of October. Deep Background: The easiest way to unpack all of this is to revisit the December 2023 summit conclusions that the 27 EU heads of state agreed on regarding enlargement. The conclusions state that "the European Council decides to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and with the Republic of Moldova. The European Council invites the council to adopt the respective negotiating frameworks once the relevant steps set out in the respective commission recommendations of November 8, 2023, are taken." "Relevant steps" for Ukraine and Moldova normally means issues related to the rule of law in those countries. While Kyiv and Chisinau are working to address the issues, the question of whether they have satisfactorily resolved them is open to interpretation. It is the European Commission's job to decide and issue a recommendation. Then it's up to the EU member states to decide. This is where Bosnia also comes into the picture. And again, it's worth looking back at those EU summit conclusions: "The European Council will open accession negotiations with Bosnia-Herzegovina, once the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria is achieved. It invites the commission to report to the council on progress at the latest in March 2024, with a view to making a decision." Drilling Down: Bosnia is one step behind Ukraine and Moldova, as the opening of talks is conditional on the country completing a number of reforms spelled out in the European Commission's enlargement report in November 2023. Some of Bosnia's biggest supporters in the EU -- Austria, Croatia, Hungary, and Slovenia -- want Bosnia's candidacy to be tied to Ukraine and Moldova. So far, those supporters have used their potential vetoes on accepting Ukraine and Moldova into the bloc in order to secure a green light for Sarajevo. Not everyone feels the same about Bosnia. There are plenty of officials from the EU and EU member states who think that Bosnia is less deserving than the two Eastern European countries. The issue is coming to the fore, as EU leaders have explicitly asked for a European Commission report on the progress Bosnia has (or hasn't) made by the end of March at the latest. That's a requirement that neither Moldova nor Ukraine have. The most likely scenario is that the European Commission will deliver a written report on Bosnia but only give oral assessments on Ukraine and Moldova. EU leaders will assemble again for a summit in Brussels on March 21-22. From speaking to officials and diplomats, my understanding is that Germany and France don't want the summit to be about enlargement, instead preferring to focus on how to arm Ukraine. So those assessments might be something of a damp squib. Another distinct possibility, from speaking to my sources, is that Germany and others would prefer that no enlargement decisions be made before the European Parliament elections in June. The justification stems from the concern that populist parties around the continent would increase their support by inciting alarm about Ukraine's impending EU membership. That would be bad news for Ukraine and Kyiv's biggest supporters, notably the three Baltic states and Poland. They were hoping that a symbolic intergovernmental conference, marking the opening of talks with Ukraine (and Moldova), could be held in March. This would mean a decision is pushed back to the end of June, after the European elections. Leaders of the 27 member states are planning to hold two summits in Brussels in June chiefly with the aim of selecting new European Commission and European Council presidents but also to potentially discuss and decide on enlargement. A June date would also give Ukraine and Moldova a few more months to complete the necessary reforms. In Moldova, for example, the EU-required vetting of judges is expected to drag on well into May. But what about the negotiation frameworks mentioned in the December 2023 summit conclusions? Each framework is a roughly 20-page document outlining the main negotiation chapters -- for example, agriculture, taxation, or home affairs -- and what each candidate needs to do to comply with EU laws. Normally, the frameworks are just an overview, without any controversial political elements. And while they are country-specific, the chapters will be essentially the same as those negotiated by Albania and North Macedonia, who were both given the go-ahead to start accession talks back in 2022. The European Commission is currently working on drafts of the frameworks, and, when visiting Kyiv in February, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that they will be ready in mid-March. That's the easy part. The hard part is getting agreement and sign-off from all the members of the EU. Brief#2: With Hungary And Georgia, A Complex Picture Gets Even More Complex What You Need To Know: The already complex enlargement picture gets even muddier when it comes to Georgia and Hungary. More so, as the Hungarian European commissioner, Oliver Varhelyi, is also in charge of the bloc's enlargement negotiations. On July 1, Hungary takes over the rotating six-month presidency of the European Council, which defines the political direction and priorities of the EU. Given Budapest's open skepticism of Ukraine's EU membership bid -- starkly illustrated in December 2023, when Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had to leave the room while others voted to open membership talks with the war-ravaged country -- Kyiv might not see much progress in the second half of 2024. Deep Background: EU officials and diplomats are broadly split into two camps. Some believe Hungary will act as a spoiler on anything Ukrainian and that every decision related to Kyiv will have to be made prior to July 1 -- or instead have to wait until Poland takes over the rotating presidency from Hungary on January 1, 2025. The second camp is more optimistic and believes that Hungary will take a more moderate position during its presidency, given that the country must appear to be a neutral, honest broker for those six months. The optimists have also noted that if Budapest did want to spoil things, it could do so at any time, presidency or not. My guess is that the intergovernmental conference will be held with Moldova and Ukraine in June. It's unlikely, but who knows, maybe even Bosnia will get one as well. In this context, it is worth mentioning Varhelyi, who, despite the fact that he officially works for the European Commission, seems to be very aligned with the Orban government's thinking on enlargement. Case in point: screening. This is when European Commission officials sit down with their counterparts, in this case from Ukraine and Moldova, and go through policy field after policy field to determine how EU rules and regulations would be transposed into national law. The screening is the meat on the negotiation framework's bones. Diplomats from EU member states expressed surprise when they learned in January that the screening with Ukraine and Moldova hadn't started immediately after EU leaders made the decision in December 2023. In fact, the screening still hasn't started, although both Ukrainian and Moldovan officials have claimed the opposite. Quite why it has dragged on is unclear. One explanation is that Varhelyi didn't want to start the process until he got an explicit green light from EU member states to do so, whereas officials from other EU member states claimed that such a technical move didn't need to be signed off on by national capitals and that the European Commission was capable of taking such a step itself. So far, so Brussels. Drilling Down: So where does Georgia fit into all of this? You may remember that the South Caucasus country got candidate status from EU leaders at that same December 2023 summit that Moldova and Ukraine got a green light to open accession talks. This means that Tbilisi is at least one step behind the pair. This could mean Hungary will get involved, especially if its past record is anything to go by. Take the EU-Georgia Association Council, which took place in Brussels in February. Normally, this is a fairly low-profile event, where Brussels and Tbilisi compare notes on various political developments. This time, though, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze was there, along with the bloc's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, and Varhelyi. EU member states tend to not even send their EU ambassadors to such things, instead deploying their designated desk officers. However, at the EU-Georgia Association Council, Hungary was represented by none other than Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. While the Georgian and Hungarian governments have cultivated close political ties, sending Szijjarto was an extraordinary gesture. It shows just how hard Hungary is lobbying for Georgia's membership, with some reports indicating that Budapest is trying to move the timeline forward and even pushing for an intergovernmental conference with Tbilisi before the end of the year. Looking Ahead Ambassadors from EU member states are set to green-light another set of sanctions when they meet in Brussels on March 13. This time it concerns asset freezes and visa bans on around 35 people and entities that the bloc considers directly responsible for the death of Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny in a Siberian prison last month. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will present his annual report for 2023 the following day, on March 14. There will be a lot about the war in Ukraine and how prepared the military alliance is in case Russia were to attack any of its members. The report is also set to include new figures on how much the 31 allies have spent on defense in the past 12 months. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukkraine-moldova-georgia- bosnia-eu-enlargement/32857223.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Montenegro's Pro-Russian Parliament Speaker Survives No-Confidence Vote By RFE/RL's Balkan Service March 11, 2024 Andrija Mandic, the pro-Russian head of the New Serbian Democracy party, will continue to serve as the speaker of the Montenegrin parliament after surviving a no-confidence vote. In a secret ballot, 44 lawmakers voted for Mandic to remain at the helm of parliament, while 27 voted for his dismissal. There are 81 legislators in the Montenegrin parliament. Mandic's dismissal was sought by the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), which accused him of abusing the assembly for "party, nationalist, and anti-European interests." DPS, the biggest opposition party, was outraged after Mandic received Milorad Dodik, the pro-Russian president of the Bosnian Serb entity on February 27. Dodik visited Montenegro immediately after meetings with the authoritarian presidents of Russia and Belarus, Vladimir Putin, and Alyaksandr Lukashenka. The visit triggered violent protests in Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina, prompting the latter to send a note of protest to the Montenegrin authorities. The note highlighted that only the flag of the Bosnian Serb entity, Republika Srpska, was displayed behind Dodik at the press conference and not Bosnia's. Dodik has called for the seccession of the Serb-dominated Republika Srpska from Bosnia. A quarter of Montenegro's population is ethnic Serb. "Mandic is a representative of those who implement national-chauvinist politics, a promoter of Greater Serbian nationalism. For him, (Radovan) Karadzic and (Ratko) Mladic are his heroes," DPS deputy Ivan Vukovic said in explaining the request for Mandic's dismissal. Karadzic and Mladic are Bosnian Serbs who were convicted of war crimes, including genocide, during the Yugoslav wars. The DPS criticized Mandic for visiting the election headquarters of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's party on the day of the parliamentary elections in Serbia. They also criticized him for placing a tricolor flag identical to the official national flag of Serbia in his cabinet. Montenegro declared its independence from Serbia in 2006. The DPS called Mandic a "weight on the neck" of European Montenegro and claimed that Western ambassadors bypass the Montenegrin parliament because of his leadership role. Mandic did not directly respond to the accusations and criticism, emphasizing instead that te public is primarily interested in the results delivered by the parliamentary majority. "In response to claims by political opponents that I am a hindrance to European integration, I defer to [EU Enlargement Commissioner] Oliver Varhelyi and others in Brussels with whom I have engaged. They appreciate the efforts of the parliament and me," Mandic said. Mandic received support from his own party as well as members of the ruling coalition, which includes the Europe Now Movement (PES) led by Prime Minister Milojko Spajic, the Democrats led by Deputy Prime Minister Aleksa Becic, and the Socialist People's Party. However, during the parliamentary session, no member of the Europe Now Movement voiced support for Mandic, despite not voting for his dismissal. Mandic was the leader of the former pro-Russian Democratic Front, which until 2020 was the main opposition to the DPS, which subsequently lost power. The program guidelines of the Democratic Front included the withdrawal of recognition of Kosovo's independence, the lifting of sanctions against Russia introduced in 2014 after the annexation of Crimea, and the withdrawal of Montenegro from NATO. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/montenegro-mandic- speaker-survives-no-confidence-dodik/32857507.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address First Cargo Containers Delivered From China Via Kazakhstan Reach Azerbaijan By RFE/RL's Kazakh Service and RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service March 11, 2024 The leaders of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan on March 11 greeted the first containers delivered from China to Azerbaijan's eastern Abseron district via a new train route crossing the vast territory of Kazakhstan. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his Kazakh counterpart, Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev, monitored the arrival of the containers via a video-link in Baku. The 61 containers filled with goods covered the 7,000-kilometer trek from China's Xi'an Province in 11 days. After leaving Xi'an by train, the containers arrived at a terminal on the Kazakh shore of the Caspian Sea, from where they were loaded onto a vessel that crossed the land-locked body of water to Azerbaijan. The containers were then taken by rail to Abseron. Authorities expect that 10 such container trains will reach Azerbaijan from China via Kazakhstan each month. Toqaev arrived in Baku on March 11 for a two-day official visit that includes participation in the first session of the Azerbaijani-Kazakh interstate council. Aliyev and Toqaev signed several bilateral documents, including a memorandum on supporting small and medium-sized businesses in the two countries, an agreement on cooperation between Azerbaijan's investment holding and Kazakhstan's state wealth fund, and other documents. Azerbaijan's state-owned oil company, SOCAR, and Kazakhstan's state-owned energy giant, KazMunaiGas, signed an agreement on increasing volumes of Kazakh oil transported to Western markets via Azerbaijan. Kazakhtan oil output is expected to pick up in the coming years amid expansion at the giant Tengiz oil field. The two former Soviet republics are members of the Organization of Turkic States, of which Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan are also members, while Hungary, Turkmenistan, and Northern Cyprus have observer status in the grouping. With reporting by Turan, Tengrinews, and Apa.az Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/azerbaijan-kazakhstan-china- cargo-route/32857366.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Borrell Urges EU To Beef Up Defense Industry For Potential Threats, Keep Aiding Ukraine By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service March 11, 2024 EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has urged the bloc to strengthen its defense industry and replenish its stockpiles in order to be ready to face "potential threats" while continuing to provide military aid to Ukraine. Ukraine, which relies heavily on Western and especially U.S. supplies of military equipment, has been forced to ration its ammunition stocks in the face of an increasingly intense assault by Russia. "After two years of high-intensity war, available supplies have been depleted and the conflict has shifted from a war of supplies to a war of production," Borrell wrote in an article on March 11 on the European Defense Industrial Strategy that was presented to the European Commission on March 5. As a critical $60 billion military aid package remains blocked in the U.S. House of Representatives due to Republican opposition, Ukraine has become more dependent on supplies from European allies. Borrell said the EU needs to urgently overcome the current fragmentation of its defense industry and become "defense ready" through more joint procurement and more common defense projects. While consolidating its own defense capabilities and increase production, the EU "could use the windfall profits of Russian frozen assets to purchase arms for Ukraine and/or help strengthen its defense industry," Borrell wrote. "So far, we have considered using these profits to support the reconstruction of Ukraine. However, currently, the main issue in Ukraine is not so much reconstruction, but rather avoiding further destruction," he wrote. Borrell's comments came as CNN, quoting an unnamed senior European intelligence official, reported on March 11 that Russia was churning out three times more artillery ammunition that the United States and the EU put together. "What we are in now is a production war," the senior NATO official told CNN. Russia is currently producing 250,000 artillery shells monthly, or about 3 million annually, the source told CNN, adding that the United States and Europe together have the capacity to send Ukraine some 1.2 million shells per year. While beefing up its own production capabilities, Russia has also been reportedly importing massive quantities of artillery ammunition from North Korea and Iran. In late January, Borrell acknowledged that the EU would fall far short of its previously set target of sending 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine by March, saying that about half was delivered by that deadline and that the rest would be sent by the end of the year. In an interview with RFE/RL last month on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Borrell said, "We have to do more, I know. It is never enough when you fight on war. It is never enough." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-european-union- defense-production-ukraine-aid/32857113.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The President's Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request for the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development US Department of State Press Statement Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State March 11, 2024 The Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request released by the President today makes critical, targeted investments on behalf of the American people that will promote greater prosperity and economic growth for decades to come. The President's budget proposal will enable us to continue using our diplomacy, assistance, and accountability tools to advance our vision of a free, open, secure, and prosperous world and to deliver on the issues that matter most to the lives and livelihoods of the American people. It is critical that the United States lead international efforts to shape the terms of our technological future; bolster economic, energy, food, and health security; counter synthetic drugs; and take ambitious action to mitigate the climate crisis and address irregular migration. Each of these global challenges increasingly affects Americans at home, and the President's Budget Request will allow us to address them on behalf of the American people. At the Department of State and USAID, the Foreign Affairs Budget will: Ensure Russia's Strategic Failure in Ukraine by enabling Ukraine to protect its democracy and rebuild its economy. The FY 2025 Request of $482 million in foreign assistance, in addition to the Administration's National Security Supplemental Request, reflects the depth of our commitment to securing the future of a free Ukraine - and more broadly, to European and Transatlantic security. These funds provide essential assistance to bolster Ukraine's defense, law enforcement and anti-corruption institutions; support reform efforts; boost the Ukrainian economy; investigate and prosecute war crimes; rebuild and protect Ukraine's energy infrastructure; and make Ukraine more independent of foreign donations. The vast majority of U.S. military assistance funds provided to Ukraine have supported the U.S. defense industrial base, bolstering the U.S. economy. Invest, Align, and Compete with People's Republic of China (PRC). The PRC is the United States' only competitor with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to do so. Funding, including Countering PRC Influence Fund (CPIF) and the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI) Fund, will prevent the PRC's direct and indirect inroads detrimental to U.S. interests, raise the cost of problematic PRC activity, and provide direct alternatives to PRC offerings. In addition, the President's Budget includes $4 billion in mandatory spending over five years to make game changing investments in the Indo-Pacific and international infrastructure to outcompete China. Invest in our Indo-Pacific Partnerships and Alliances. The Indo-Pacific region is of vital importance to U.S. security and prosperity. The $4 billion Request will strengthen the U.S. role in the Indo-Pacific, including by strengthening our alliances and partnerships. This includes critical bilateral and regional foreign assistance, as well as resources to increase personnel directly supporting the Indo-Pacific Strategy, including recently opened or expanded embassies in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Advance Peace and Security in the Middle East by maintaining $3.3 billion in the Budget's base security assistance consistent with the U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding, and in addition to the Administration's October Supplemental Request. This Request demonstrates our enduring support for U.S. partners in the region, including Jordan and Egypt, and bolsters regional stability against terrorist groups like Hamas, Iran-backed proxies and partners, and economic shocks and instability exacerbated by the conflict. It also maintains lifesaving assistance for the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza and continues investments in peacebuilding as a foundation for a sustainable, two-state solution with Israel. Deliver Solutions for Shared Global Challenges. We must continue to address pressing global challenges such as irregular migration, countering synthetic drugs, global food insecurity, global health challenges, a rapidly changing climate, and growing humanitarian crises. $1.2 billion to support the ongoing U.S. government response to the global food security crisis, including $100 million for the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils. Resources will support inclusive and sustainable agricultural-led economic growth, the deployment of enhanced agricultural practices, promote a more resilient agricultural sector, and integrating nutrition-sensitive approaches supporting a well-nourished population. $169.4 million to counter the production and trafficking of fentanyl and other synthetics that endanger public health and safety and contribute to tens of thousands of drug-overdose deaths in the United States annually. $500 million in mandatory FY 2025 funding for the Green Climate Fund (GCF), as part of a four-year mandatory proposal to provide $3 billion to the GCF. Paired with GCF reforms, this funding will unlock private capital that will enhance energy security by diversifying energy sources, help countries to reduce their emissions, enable the most vulnerable to adapt to climate change, and strengthen the resilience of their economies and critical infrastructure. $9.8 billion to advance U.S. leadership in addressing global health challenges, strengthening health systems, and bolstering pandemic preparedness, including through a contribution to the Pandemic Fund to support low- and middle-income countries in pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. $10.3 billion to deliver lifesaving humanitarian assistance to millions of people who have been impacted or displaced by conflicts like those in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan. It will also enable State and USAID to address the human suffering and displacement that have been compounded by multi-season droughts and climate induced disasters, worsening malnutrition, and food insecurity worldwide. These funds will be used to assist more than 330 million people globally who face acute food insecurity. The Request also includes funding to unlock $36 billion in new World Bank lending. Recognizing that the challenges cannot be solved by the Request alone, we must continue to leverage multilateral institutions, strengthen alliances and partnerships, and urge others to do their part to comprehensively address these issues. Modernize Diplomacy and Bolster our Workforce. To achieve our strategic objectives, our workforce must be equipped to meet critical challenges and take advantage of opportunities. The Request will drive an ambitious modernization of American diplomacy and development by filling 200 vacancies and establishing nearly 350 new positions, for a total workforce growth of almost 550. State's Request adds 52 Foreign Service positions and 150 Civil Service positions, and the USAID Request adds 145 positions. The Request advances our presence in the Indo-Pacific, reduces Foreign Service vacancies, strengthens the Civil Service, enhances workplace flexibilities, and redresses long-standing inequities in compensation for our Locally Employed (LE) staff around the world. It also sustains ongoing initiatives to advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) across the foreign affairs workforce. Protect our Diplomats, Embassies, and Data. Excluding rescissions of prior year funds, this Request includes $5.8 billion to keep our global workforce secure from an array of threats to their health and safety, address infrastructure vulnerabilities, and protect sensitive data. $3.9 billion for Diplomatic Security and related programs will protect U.S. diplomatic operations abroad, including our expanded presence in the Indo-Pacific, Libya, and Eastern Caribbean. $1.9 billion for Embassy, Security, Construction and Maintenance will provide diplomatic and consular missions overseas with secure, safe, and functional facilities that represent the U.S. government to the host nation. An additional $694 million is requested for cybersecurity. Improve Consular Services through $5.1 billion in projected spending from fee revenues to increase hiring and technology investments that will improve the accessibility and efficiency of consular services, such as through the electronic Consular Report of Birth Abroad application and Online Passport Renewal. Newly requested authorities will enhance the flexibility of the fee-funded Consular and Border Security Programs (CBSP) account. Find more information on the President's FY 2025 Budget , ### Find the Department of State and USAID Congressional Budget Justification NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Department of Public Information . News and Media Division . New York 11 March 2024 The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General. ** Briefings Greetings, earthlings. Happy Monday. A couple programming notes for you. At 1 p.m., our colleague Maher Nasser [Director of the Outreach Division in the Department of Global Communications] will be here to brief you on the conference that the Department of Global Communications will host, together with civil society, which is the 2024 UN Civil Society Conference in Support of the Summit of the Future, under the theme "Shaping a Future of Global and Sustainable Progress". This will take place on 9 and 10 May of this year at the United Nations Office in Nairobi, in Kenya. Then, tomorrow at 9:30 a.m., there will be a briefing here, sponsored by our friends at the Permanent Mission of Ireland [to the United Nations] with the NGO Karama and the Afghan Women's Forum, and that is pegged to what is going on at CSW68 (Commission on the Status of Women). And just to keep you busy, at 10:15, we will have Jean-Martin Bauer, the World Food Programme (WFP) Director in Haiti. He will be briefing you from Port-au-Prince to update on the situation there. Then, to keep you even busier, after our daily prayer meeting here at noon, we will have a briefing by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) with Yasmine Sherif, from Education Cannot Wait, along with Oksen Lisovyi, the Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, and Yevhen Kudriavets, the First Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine. ** Commission on Status of Women This morning, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, spoke at the opening of the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. He thanked the women from civil society for their work, saying he has been able to witness all over the world how their work is sparking progress on women's rights and benefitting communities. Mr. Guterres also warned that as the world is going through turbulent times, women and girls are being hit hard. He also noted that despite evidence that women's full participation makes peacebuilding more effective, the number of women in decision-making roles is actually falling. The facts are clear, he said. Women lead to peace. Budgets and policies must follow with ambitious targets for women's participation and urgent investments in women's peacebuilding. We must speak out, loud and clear, he said. Not on our watch, he added. His full remarks were shared with you and the meeting is still going on. ** Occupied Palestinian Territory And earlier this morning, the Secretary-General spoke to you. He said that even though Ramadan has begun, the killing, bombing and bloodshed continue in Gaza. He appealed today for all sides to honour the spirit of Ramadan by silencing the guns and removing all obstacles to ensure the delivery of lifesaving aid at the speed and massive scale required. At the same time and in the Ramadan spirit of compassion he called for the immediate release of all the hostages held in Gaza. The Secretary-General also renewed his appeal for a Ramadan cessation of hostilities in Sudan, saying that the fighting there must end for the sake of the Sudanese people who face hunger, who face horror and untold hardships. And earlier, we also issued a video message to mark Ramadan, in which the Secretary-General said in these trying times, the spirit of Ramadan is a beacon of hope, a reminder of our shared humanity. He called for the spirit of the holy month to guide us towards a more just and compassionate world. Turning to the situation in Gaza, our colleagues at the World Health Organization (WHO) and their partners told us they reached two hospitals in the northern part of the Gaza Strip and those are the Al Ahli and Al Sahaba hospitals and that was over the weekend. This followed an assessment mission to those two hospitals on Friday by OCHA [Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs], the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), and the International Committee of the Red Cross. The WHO-led mission on Saturday delivered orthopaedic and trauma items for about 150 patients, as well as 13,000 litres of fuel to Al Ahli hospital. The team also reached Al Sahaba hospital with 12,000 litres of fuel. In a social media post, the Director-General of WHO, Dr. Tedros [Adhanom Ghebreyesus] said that both hospitals are functioning with limited capacity, and lack fuel, anaesthetics, antibiotics, specialized staff and critical supplies. He said we need sustained, safe access to health facilities to deliver life-saving health care on a regular basis. ** Security Council Later today, as you all know, at 3 p.m., the Security Council will convene for an open briefing on the situation in the Middle East. Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, will be briefing and obviously will brief on her mission she just concluded to Israel. ** Haiti Turning to Haiti, I can tell you that the Chef de Cabinet, Courtenay Rattray, is in Kingston, Jamaica. He is representing the Secretary-General at the high-level meeting organized by the community of Caribbean States, CARICOM. Also with him there from the UN is Atul Khare, the Head of the Department of Operational Services (DOS), and Miroslav Jenca, the Assistant Secretary-General [for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas] in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA). Our main message to the meeting is that it is critical that we support the Haitian people with one voice towards finding rapidly a Haitian-led solution to the current grave crisis. The Secretary-General continues to call on the Government and all national stakeholders to agree on immediate steps to stop the ongoing deterioration of the situation in the country and to advance the political process that will lead to elections. He also continues to urge Member States to accelerate ongoing plans to deploy and, of course, adequately fund the Multinational Security Support mission, which was, as you will recall, authorized by the Security Council last October, and that mission is needed to tackle the grave security needs of Haitians. You have also been asking me about the trust fund that is supposed to fund this mission, and unfortunately, I can confirm that there are no new contributions so far to the trust fund; it still stands at $10.8 million. On the humanitarian end, our colleagues continue to do everything they can to deliver assistance to people in need, despite the risks for their own safety. Since the end of February, the World Food Programme and its partners have delivered more than 50,000 meals to people who have fled their homes. UNICEF and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have provided nearly 70,000 gallons of water and emergency shelter material. We, along with our partners also distributed 1,500 hygiene kits to sites where people uprooted by the violence are living. But that is, of course, not enough. We need unhindered, safe humanitarian access without preconditions. Our humanitarian partners continue to report shortages of medicine and medical equipment, along with blood, beds and staff to treat the patients who are coming in with gunshot wounds from areas all around Port-au-Prince. The Humanitarian Needs Response Plan for Haiti, which calls for $674 million, is only 2.6 per cent funded, that means it has only $17.7 million in the bank. That is not enough. We urgently need funding to be able to help the people of Haiti. And obviously more on Haiti tomorrow at 10:15 a.m., with the WFP Country Director, who has briefed you in the past and is indeed very good. ** Western Sahara Some travel that may be of interest to some of you. The Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, travelled to Moscow at the invitation of the Russian authorities. Today, he had discussions with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergei Vershinin, on the issue of Western Sahara. ** Ukraine Turning to Ukraine: Our colleagues from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us that attacks on the frontline regions over the weekend resulted in civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure. In the Donetsk Region, in the east, the city of Myrnohrad was particularly impacted after two attacks on 8 and 10 March. Civilians, including children, were reportedly injured, and the homes of some 200 families were damaged. That is according to what the authorities and our partners are telling us. Other towns in the region also sustained attacks, with homes, hospitals and schools being damaged. That's also what local authorities are telling us. Our partners have provided construction materials, helping nearly 900 civilians whose homes had been damaged. Over the last three days, homes, schools and civilian infrastructure were also reportedly damaged by attacks in the Kharkiv, Dnipro, Odesa and Kherson Regions, all according to national authorities. ** Myanmar Turning to Myanmar, where our humanitarian colleagues are deeply concerned about the indiscriminate use of heavy weapons in residential areas that is posing grave risks and costing civilian lives in Rakhine state. On Saturday, a stray artillery shell landed in a residential area in the state capital Sittwe, killing at least eight Rohingya civilians and injuring 12 others, including five children. This is the second time in two weeks that a stray shell has killed people in Sittwe. These incidents take place amid intensifying fighting in Rakhine between the Myanmar Armed Forces and the Arakan Army. The situation has prompted a surge in displacement across the state. More than 300,000 people are now displaced in Rakhine State. The tactics used by the parties to the conflict are harming civilians and undermining humanitarians' continued ability to deliver assistance to people in need. We remind all parties to the conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians, including aid workers. ** Somalia In Somalia, the deputy heads of OCHA and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have wrapped up their three-day mission to the country. Speaking in Mogadishu over the weekend, the Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Joyce Msuya, said the humanitarian community will seek more international support for Somalia going forward, as climate change continues to drive up needs, with women and girls bearing the brunt of the crisis. Ms. Msuya also warned that the lives of millions of people hang on a very tight balance, adding that this year's Humanitarian Response Plan will seek to reach 5.2 million people with life-saving assistance. ** Chad Staying in the general region, in Chad, we along with our partners together with the Government today launched the 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, which seeks $1.1 billion to help 4.6 million people in the country. The plan prioritizes food security and nutrition, as Chad braces for what could be the worst lean season in more than a decade. You'll recall that just a few weeks ago, the Government declared a state of emergency due to the food security and malnutrition situation in the country. The 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, which is aligned with Chad's national development plan, also focuses on providing health care and support for refugees and their host communities in Chad. Since the start of the conflict in neighbouring Sudan last year, Chad has opened up its doors and welcomed more than half a million refugees, which has significantly strained the humanitarian situation in the east of the country. Meanwhile, attacks by non-State armed groups in the Lake Chad Basin are driving further internal displacement. Last year, the humanitarian community managed to assist 3.5 million people, despite receiving just one third of the $920 million we had asked for. ** Syria And lastly, just for the record: You saw that over the weekend we issued a statement marking yet another sad and grim anniversary in Syria, which is 13 years of conflict. During these years, the people of Syria endured unprecedented devastation and displacement, and today, three out of every four people need humanitarian aid. In the statement, the Secretary-General said it is long past time for key parties to step up and meet the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people. He underscored the importance for everyone to do their utmost to reach a genuine and credible political solution that restores the sovereignty, the unity and independence, and the territorial integrity of Syria in accordance with Security Council resolution 2254 and that it creates the conditions necessary for the voluntary return of refugees in safety and in dignity. The Secretary-General also stressed that we need urgent and adequate funding to sustain our life-saving humanitarian operations, including early recovery. ** Questions and Answers Spokesman : Edie? Question : Thank you, Steph. Two questions. First, this morning, the Secretary-General reiterated his call for a Ramadan ceasefire in Sudan. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) accepted a ceasefire on Friday. The government put a whole bunch of conditions on any kind of a ceasefire. Are any discussions, talks between the two sides going on? And is Mr. [Ramtane] Lamamra involved at all? Spokesman : I'm not aware that he is. We do hope that both sides agree on silencing their guns during Ramadan, at the very least. As I'm reading all these notes on the humanitarian situation in Sudan, in Gaza, in Myanmar and Haiti, first of all, it's rather depressing and we keep asking for the same things, right? People to put aside their differences for an end to the violence and for this unhindered and free access for humanitarian aid for those who need it. Question : Secondly, on Haiti, can we get a readout later today of what's happening with CARICOM in Kingston, the meeting and what Mr. Rattray and the Assistant Secretaries-General are accomplishing? Spokesman : We have pre-emptively asked in anticipation of your question. Correspondent : I have, and I would just like to make a comment and put on the record that the first five speakers at the Commission on the Status of Women this morning were men. And Achim Steiner, the Head of UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), who was the fifth, actually took notice of this, as did the first female speaker. Spokesman : I think that was clear for all to see. Madame? Question : I wanted to ask about the leak, about the UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) report from Reuters two days ago. Has the SG seen the report and what is his reaction? Spokesman : He's aware of the report. He's very disturbed by it. And our understanding is that our UNRWA colleagues have shared it with the Israeli authorities, and we would like to see an investigation and accountability. Question : I mean, has this been brought up with Israeli authorities? Spokesman : My understanding is that UNRWA has brought it up with the Israeli authorities. Question : And are there any steps being taken to support the staff who were allegedly tortured? Spokesman : Our UNRWA colleagues are providing whatever psychosocial support they can for their own colleagues. Dezhi, then Maggie. Question : This morning, Secretary-General's statement on the Ramadan. He urged for a ceasefire. What is his reaction that as a matter of fact, there is no ceasefire still yet in Gaza? What's the reaction? [cross talk] Spokesman : The reaction is continued tragedy for the civilians in Gaza, continued tragedy for those hostages who are continuing to be held in Gaza. And he very much hopes that others will echo his call and that his call will be listened to. Question : Does he feel disappointed that no one's really listened to the international communities? Spokesman : It's not about him, his personal feelings. He's disappointed that the suffering is continuing in all of these places I've talked about today. Question : Okay. Any update on the UN's role in the temporary pier construction humanitarian delivery? Spokesman : No. Sounds like a great question to be asked at the Pentagon. Senor. Oh, sorry Maggie? Correspondent : Thank you. Spokesman : You're welcome. Sorry. Question : Do you have an OIOS (Office of Internal Oversight Services) update on their internal investigation of UNRWA? Spokesman : No. I mean, if my calendar is right, they should be in Israel this week, meeting with Israeli counterparts. Question : So, to date, no handover of this dossier of evidence to the UN? Spokesman : Let's be clear. There has been no further handover of information by the Israeli authorities to UNRWA, right? I don't know what may be handed over or discussed between OIOS and the Israeli authorities. Question : And one more. The Israeli Foreign Minister is in the building today for a 3 p.m. Security Council meeting. But I don't see him on the Secretary-General's schedule today. No meeting was requested? Spokesman : No. Question : Hi, Steph. Again, on Haiti. Two questions. The European Union today has announced they are evacuating their personnel in Haiti. Is the UN doing...? Spokesman : No. We are taking whatever measures to keep our staff safe, but there is no outward movement of UN staff out of Haiti. We're staying and working with our Haitian partners and trying to do whatever we can, most importantly for the Haitian people. Question : And do you have any information where Ariel Henry is and if he's expected today in the CARICOM meeting? Spokesman : We are tracking him like you are tracking him, through media reports. If he appears in CARICOM and we find out about it, and I'm able to share, I will. But I've not seen any new information. Abdelhamid, and then we'll go that way. Question : Thank you. I have two questions. I asked the SG this morning, but he left the podium. Why he doesn't try to go visit Gaza? Why? Spokesman : Any travel by the Secretary-General will be announced in time. I think, as you know, there have been a good number of UN senior officials who've needed to be there for operational reasons. But if we have something to announce, we will share with you. Question : My second question. On the statement issued by Tor Wennesland on the anniversary of the fifth month of the war. He said the following, and be patient. One... Spokesman : No. Correspondent : No, no, this is very important. Spokesman : Abdelhamid, what... Question : Can you be patient with me? Spokesman : I think I am very patient. No, but ask the question. Go ahead. Correspondent : I withdraw my question. Spokesman : No, no, ask the question, Abdelhamid. Question : He said, we need an end to this misery now one that will lead to the immediate release of all hostages and a ceasefire. The SG always says ceasefire and release of hostages. Why Mr. Tor Wennesland said release of all hostages first and then the ceasefire? Which comes first? Which is most legal now? Spokesman : Abdelhamid, I'm patient with you. You asked your question. I will tell you the same thing over again. Please call Mr. Wennesland's office. He said what he said. I think the idea in his statement and the Secretary-General's statement are the same. Correspondent : No, they're not. Spokesman : Benny, Ephrem, Nabil, Linda, Gabriel. Question : Two questions. First, about the Israeli Foreign Minister. First, about the Israeli Foreign Minister. Did he request a meeting with the SG? Spokesman : No meeting was requested from the Israeli Mission. And the SG did not request a meeting with them. Question : Is that unusual? Spokesman : No. I mean, by which standards? Question : I mean, is there an effort by the Israeli Government not to meet with the Secretary-General, boycotting the Secretary-General? Spokesman : Benny, like I told Dezhi to ask the Pentagon, I would ask you to ask the Foreign Ministry. Correspondent : Okay. Second question... Spokesman : And I would add that we speak to our Israeli counterparts, especially on the ground, on a daily, if not hourly basis. We continue to have operational contacts and we speak to the people we need to speak to. Correspondent : Yeah, but you're aware that there's quite a lot of anger in Israel for the Secretary-General. Spokesman : I, too, read the media. Question : Second question, about the Secretary-General's speech or statement this morning. He said, and this is something that he had said before, actually, since the beginning of the war, that what's happening in Gaza is unprecedented during his time as Secretary-General. You just read a statement that said that the situation in Syria is unprecedented. Obviously, you also referred to Sudan, which is not precedented. Is the use of unprecedented in this case a little overwrought? Spokesman : I will leave it to all of you to analyse the text and analyse what the Secretary-General said. I think, when he has said and in terms of the level of deaths that we have seen in Israel and in Gaza, is that the number in this short amount of time is the highest that he has since he's become Secretary-General in any one conflict. Question : So, there are precedents, but not in this short time? Spokesman : Well, he said since becoming Secretary-General. Question : Well, this war in Syria was during his time as Secretary-General. Spokesman : But he has not been Secretary-General for 13 years as far as... I've been here now. This is my tenth anniversary here at this podium. Question : Really? Only tenth? Are you sure about that, Steph? Spokesman : Yes. No, I know. So, he has not been Secretary-General for 13 years. Ephrem? Question : Thank you, Steph. Two questions. The Fact-Finding Mission on Iran has found that the violent repression of peaceful protests and the discrimination against women and girls there has enabled crimes against humanity and human rights violations. Does the Secretary-General have any commentary on this report? Spokesman : I think he thinks it's a very important report done by the fact-finding mission appointed by the Human Rights Council. And as you know, the Secretary-General has raised the issue of human rights in Iran repeatedly in his meetings with senior Iranian officials. Question : Yes. And on Syria. I know, I read the statement also, and you just said it. But the Commission of Inquiry also on Syria has released its report, unprecedented, actually, the violence in the past four months by all parties, including the Syrian Government, dropping cluster munitions on densely-populated areas, hitting hospitals, schools, markets and camps for displaced Syrians, which is a pattern that's been ongoing in the past decade. Any specific comments on that report? Spokesman : Again, I think these show how important these tools are to the international community, these commissions. For our part, I think the Secretariat has been talking about, and condemning very openly since the beginning of this conflict, all attacks against civilians in Syria. Nabil, Linda, then Gabriel, then Benno, and then we'll go on. Question : Thank you, Stephane. So, we've seen that a number of humanitarian convoys could not reach their destinations inside Gaza for many reasons. But part of the reasons is that Hamas police or Hamas government police is not functional maybe anymore. So, does the Secretary-General believe that the convoys need to be escorted by any kind of police or force or military presence? Spokesman : The convoys need to have some sort of security, right? And for quite some time, the de facto authorities provided some security to the convoys. We see what happens, and we've seen with our own convoys what happens when there is no security. Frankly, sometimes the trucks can't move from the crossing. Some of the trucks have been, people have taken aid because they've been stuck at checkpoints for a long time, and they don't know when the aid is going to come again. And they act in a way that is understandable. Some of them have been looted by criminal gangs. Humanitarian convoys need some sort of security. Question : So, what kind of ideas the Secretary-General is discussing now? Spokesman : These are issues that we've been discussing on the ground with the Israeli counterparts and others. Question : So, do you think other Member States can play any role in, I don't know, any deployment, any support? Spokesman : Look, I think the deployment of other security forces, I think, is something that's been discussed, but it's something that would need quite a lot of preparation. It would need various mandates. So, what we need is solutions today, not in a few... I mean, you see with Haiti, right? You see, we called for this. The vote for the force was approved in October, and we are now, what, 11 March? Question : Yeah, but I'm asking because now we have a draft resolution discussed in the Security Council, or could this be a good opportunity for the Secretary-General to share some ideas and support the convoys? Spokesman : We've shared a lot of practical ideas on the ground to try to move things quickly. Question : Such as? Spokesman : Increased security. Looking at different options for increased security for our convoys. Linda, then Gabriel, then Benno, then Sahar, then Stefano. And then we'll get there. Question : Thank you, Steph. Following up on the, I guess you could say, non-meeting between the Israeli foreign minister and the SG. I was just wondering, has the SG met with any high-level Israeli officials here in New York since 7 October? Spokesman : Yeah, there have been visits of others coming from Israel. There have been some officials also coming from the Israeli embassy in Washington. Question : And one other question. In terms of the norm, if there is one, in general, does the SG invite foreign ministers, high-level senior officials from various countries that are particularly in conflict? In other words, does he reach out if there's a high-level person from, say, for example, Ukraine? Does he generally invite? Spokesman : No. It's like any other meeting you'd want to have. Sometimes people, I mean, often when visiting officials come to New York, they will request a meeting with the Secretary-General. Not always, because sometimes he's seen people in other contexts before, and sometimes he will reach out. Correspondent : Thank you. Spokesman : Gabriel. Sorry. Question : Sorry. Thanks, Steph. Housekeeping issue. Is the Secretary-General going to be meeting with Josep Borrell this evening? Spokesman : Yes, I think Borrell is on his schedule for today, if I'm not mistaken, or tomorrow. You're asking me too many operational details at this early hour of the day. But it's not secret information. I will let you know. Question : No problem. If and when he does meet him, can we get a readout of that? Spokesman : We can try. Yeah. Question : Thank you. On Haiti, a quick follow-up from a Friday question on Haiti. Do you have any update on the deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission? Spokesman : No. I mean, the only update I have for you is the fact that we're still at 10 million and change in the trust fund. But I have no other details to share with you. Correspondent : Okay. And just a follow up on this floating dock causeway. I know you don't have anything to do with it. I'm not asking you about its construction or anything related to that. Spokesman : What are you asking me about? Question : Okay. The US Department of Defense said over the weekend that it would take up to 60 days to move the ship to the region and then another seven to 10 days to build it. My question to you is how does that information inform the UN's decision on how they will use this, potentially, to distribute aid to the people that need it in Gaza? Spokesman : That's one of the reasons we've said we welcome all these initiatives to increase aid, but from where we stand, there is no alternative for a rapid land-based increase of humanitarian aid coming into Gaza from other crossing points, using the Ashdod port, which already exists. So obviously, it's good that there's more aid coming in and in the pipeline, but we need things now. Correspondent : And this is not anything that's going to be even close to now, given we're looking at weeks. Spokesman : Sounds like a statement. Benno? Correspondent : Thank you, Steph. By the way, the European Union says the meeting with Borrell and Guterres is Monday evening. Spokesman : Yes, it is. And thank you for confirming what I've been told, but thanks. Question : Yeah, we were not sure, so. I have also questions. Does the Secretary-General have any comment to the results of the parliamentary elections in his home country, Portugal, where a right-wing party got 18 per cent, which is a lot? Spokesman : Would it surprise you if I told you no? Question : Okay. About Edie's comment about the CSW event and the male speakers. This just happened last Friday, as you know, with the International Women's Day. And maybe you agree with me that it's not like a great look, at least. Shouldn't somebody look into it and how these events are planned? Spokesman : These are Member State-driven events, right? Ask the question to the chair of the CSW. Ask the question to the Member States who organize these events. Sahar? Question : Thank you. I know you said that the UN stance is that you guys are going to stay in Haiti, but if it comes down to the point where the situation gets so extreme, would the UN in Haiti even have the operational capacity right now to evacuate its foreign staff if it came to that? Spokesman : It wouldn't surprise you, Sahar, that we're not going to talk about a hypothetical situation. The security of our staff, whether it's in Haiti or anywhere else, we operate at a high level of tension, is evaluated on a day-by-day basis. Decisions are made in relation to the security situation. So, I can only speak to what is going on today is that our staff is staying in Haiti. Correspondent : Thank you. Spokesman : Stefano, then Sinan. Question : Thank you, Stephane. Yesterday, the Secretary-General did a long, a very interesting interview on the Italian television. I saw it. It was very good. But there is one part that I listened myself. But I'm not sure if I understood exactly what he's thinking about it. It's about the Security Council reform, where he restated the necessity for... the need for Africa to be more represented. He said that he doesn't believe that the veto power can be eliminated. But again, it's not clear when he's talking about Africa more represented, if he's talking about then a permanent seat, but then what country or just more members? Spokesman : I think the Secretary-General has often spoken about the need for African representation on the council. All of those issues will be dealt with and will have to be dealt with by Member States. Sinan and then we'll go to round 2. Yeah. Question : Thank you. Just a quick follow-up, since Ephrem asked my question. A UN report says Iran committed crimes against humanity during protest crackdown, caused death of Kurdish woman Mahsa Jina Amini in 2022. But on the other hand, Iran condemns UN reports, and they said that the case was not investigated by independent investigators. And what's the Secretary-General's response? Spokesman : Look, all of these commissions set up by the... Whether it's fact-finding missions and commissions of inquiry, different models set up by the Human Rights Council have a very important role to play. I think it is important that all Member States cooperate with them. From what I understand, and I hope I'm not mistaken, is that this fact-finding mission was not able to go to Iran. But they did their report using the sources that they used that were legitimate sources. And I think it is always best for Member States to cooperate with these mandates. Abdelhamid? Question : Thank you again, Stephane. Today, the first day of Ramadan, hundreds of settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque. And, you know, this day, many people dedicate their day, whole day for prayer. Do you have any comment on that? Spokesman : We're always very concerned about any provocation in the holy sites in Jerusalem. There is a status quo that needs to be observed and respected. Nabil, then Margaret, then Ibtisam. Question : Thank you. Back to Gaza. Have you or any UN agency mobilized or prepared the humanitarian resources in Cyprus to be shipped to Gaza? Spokesman : We have. Sigrid Kaag has people on the ground in the port in Larnaca, in Cyprus. I'm not aware in terms of what goods may be shipped through that road, if those will include UN goods. But I can try to find out. Question : And this will be under her mandate or WFP or OCHA? Spokesman : I mean, the people that are there are under her mandate given as Senior Humanitarian Coordinator. Margaret? Question : Just a follow-up on my Haiti question about Mr. Henry, you have three senior UN officials at the CARICOM meeting. Nobody has told you whether they've seen him or not in the building? Is he in the building? Spokesman : The meeting started, I think, about an hour ago or so. I will try to reach one of these senior people, but I'm sure if they'd seen Henry, hopefully somebody would have told me. But hey, again, nobody tells me anything. Exactly. Ibtisam, and I think we will close there. Question : I have a few follow-ups. So first on this Cyprus ship, so is it going to go to Ashdod port or...? Spokesman : These are very valid questions. The ship that is sailing from Cyprus, I expect it to sail from Cyprus because as far as I know, it hasn't left yet, is not being coordinated by us. So, you would have to ask one of the two NGOs who are organizing it to see where it will be going. Question : Okay. And another follow-up on the UNRWA report and the allegation that these confessions were taken under torture. In this case, isn't it... Because you talked about, in your answer, you said that there should be investigation. And my question is, when it comes to allegation regarding torture that happened against UN staff, isn't it the UN that's also supposed to have its own investigations? Spokesman : I think the two things that are mutually exclusive. As I've said before, when this conflict ends or when this phase of this conflict ends, there will be boards of inquiries and there will be an internal UN mechanism to look at exactly what happened in terms of how UN staff were treated, how UN staff died, and how UN property was destroyed. Question : Last one. On the Sudan resolution that was adopted Friday regarding cessation of hostilities, you talked about it before. My question here is, who is actually responsible for implementing that resolution? I mean, does the Secretary-General has a role there and his envoy, or is it back to the court of the Security Council? Spokesman : I think the Secretary-General's own responsibility are lined up. But it is obviously... what we want is to see both warring parties accept it. And what we want to see are all those countries that have an influence on either one of the two parties to use that influence in a positive way and push for a cessation of hostilities. Thank you. And I would ask you to stay for Maher, who will be here in about five minutes. Thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Civilians in Israel and Palestine 'cannot be abandoned', says top UN official on sexual violence in conflict 11 March 2024 - Amid worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, briefed the Security Council in New York on Monday on her recent report relating to the 7 October attacks in Israel. She said while nothing can justify the "deliberate violence" perpetrated by Hamas, nothing could justify "the collective punishment of the people in Gaza". The Security Council meeting adjourned at 5:32 PM. Describing the evidence of unspeakable violence she had witnessed against Israeli civilians, the top UN official on sexual violence in war said she was also "horrified by the injustice of women and children killed in Gaza" since 7 October. HIGHLIGHTS Pramila Patten, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, refuted falsehoods, provided a snapshot of her recent report on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory and delivered recommendations "There has been no attempt by the Secretary-General to silence my report or suppress its findings," Ms. Patten said The Special Representative expressed her disappointment "that the immediate reaction to my report by some political actors was not to open inquiries into those alleged incidents, but rather to reject them outright via social media" "What I witnessed in Israel were scenes of unspeakable violence perpetrated with shocking brutality resulting in intense human suffering," Ms. Patten said "We found clear and convincing information that sexual violence, including rape, sexualized torture, and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, has been committed against hostages, and we have reasonable grounds to believe that such violence may still be ongoing against those in captivity," she said "What I witnessed in the occupied West Bank was a climate of intense fear and insecurity with women and men terrified and deeply disturbed over the ongoing tragedy in Gaza," Ms. Patten said, adding that concerns had been raised over invasive body searches, unwanted touches, threats of rape against women and inappropriate and prolonged forced nudity among detainees For summaries of UN meetings, visit our colleagues at the UN Meetings Coverage in English and French 5:23 PM Council silent on Hamas crimes for too long: Israel Israel Katz, Foreign Minister of Israel, said that he had come to the Security Council to protest "as loud as I can" against the crimes against humanity that Hamas has committed to deter and scare the entire society of Israel. "For too long the UN has been silent on Hamas actions," he alleged, stating that the Organization had failed to condemn the group for its crimes. "The only one responsible for the crimes against humanity is Hamas," he said, recalling the brutal attacks against Israeli civilians of 7 October and calling for Hamas to be declared a terrorist organization by ambassadors and face the heaviest sanctions possible. He said that Hamas was not speaking on behalf of the Muslim world and that Israel is asking the Security Council to condemn the crimes it has committed which the militant group claimed in the name of the Muslim faith. "I am demanding from the Security Council to put as much pressure on the Hamas organization to release immediately and unconditionally all kidnapped hostages" assumed to be in Gaza, he said, noting that they continue to face attacks and remain in grave danger. "United Nations, please try your utmost to stop this living hell on Earth," he added, thanking the nations that have supported and accepted Israel's point of view. 5:00 PM Palestine: 'Stop this genocide' Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer for the Observer State of Palestine, said food and hope cannot be found in Gaza at the start of the holy month of Ramadan, with nothing to eat for suhur or for iftar, alongside an occupation-made humanitarian crisis that has left 9,000 women and 13,000 children dead and more than one million displaced, living in "inhumane conditions". However, for decades, investigations on sexual assault against Palestinian women, men, girls and boys have not led the Security Council to convene a single meeting on the matter, he said, citing such evidence as the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) 2013 report on Israel's ill treatment of detained Palestinian children and UN rights office (OHCHR) findings that since 7 October Israeli security forces' arrests were "often accompanied by beating, ill-treatment and humiliation of Palestinian women and men, including acts of sexual assault such as kicking genitals and threats of rape". Expressing hope that today's meeting marks a change in this attitude and that more attention will be shown by the Council in an unbiased manner, he raised several concerns about the latest report before the Council. While Ms. Patten had not sought to gather information or verify allegations in the context of the Occupied Palestinian Territory in order not to duplicate the ongoing work of other UN entities in this regard, he said none of these groups were invited today to present their findings on sexual violence against Palestinians. 'Let the facts speak' Declaring his delegation's full readiness to cooperate with OHCHR and the Independent International Commission of Inquiry to investigate all allegations, he expected the Security Council to demand that Israel do the same. "Let the facts speak; let the law decide," he said, noting Israel's refusal to cooperate with any fact-finding mission or rights inquiry over the years in "its failed attempt to hide the truth". Indeed, Israel has resorted to lies and distortions many times before to justify the killing of Palestinians and their dispossession, helping to spread false stories knowing that irreparable harm would be done during the time it would take to refute them, he said. In this vein, he pointed to the stories of "beheaded babies", "Hamas headquarters under Al-Shifa Hospital" and another tale refuted in the Special Representative's report as "unfounded": the "highly publicized allegation of a pregnant woman whose womb had reportedly been ripped open before being killed, with her fetus stabbed while still inside her". "Shamefully, this was never about the Israeli victims; this was about justifying the atrocities that Israel intended to commit against Palestinian victims, and, for Israel, the truth is irrelevant in this pursuit," he said. Israeli impunity made Gaza genocide possible Nothing justifies any violence against civilians, he said. Israel has been killing, maiming, detaining Palestinians, destroying their homes and collectively punishing a nation, before and after 7 October, for 75 years now, he said. "It is always the victim, even when it kills and destroys and steals, and not a single Israeli leader, not a single member of the Israeli occupation forces has ever been held accountable for any crime committed against the Palestinian people," he said, emphasizing that this impunity is what made this genocide possible. "It is time for a change, and that change starts by ending Israeli impunity," he said. "I call on you again: stop this genocide." 4:43 PM Relentless assault on Palestinians: Algeria Amar Bendjama, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Algeria to the UN, said that the principled position of his country is that no man or woman, regardless of their nationality, religious or origin, should endure the horror of sexual violence. "Such acts are clearly condemned by our religion, Islam, and those responsible must face severe consequences within the bounds of law," he said, calling for an international independent investigation into allegations of all sexual violence in the region, as suggested by Special Representative Patten. He went on to note that for decades, Palestinian women have borne the impact of a relentless assault, discrimination and unspeakable violence on numerous fronts. "The Palestinian population, and specifically women, have been subjected to countless brutalities violating the very essence of their humanity and dignity," he said. "This plight is however not a recent phenomenon; it has persisted throughout the enduring occupation and exacerbated by a deliberate policy of collective punishment." 4:35 PM US: Council must stamp out conflict-related sexual violence US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that the Council has been silent about the 7 October atrocities, with some members viewing the evidence with scepticism. "The evidence before us is damning and devastating," she said. "The question now is how will we respond? Will the Council condemn Hamas's sexual violence or will it stay silent?" she asked. Turning to allegations in the West Bank, she said all parties must uphold international law, and, as a democracy, Israel must hold perpetrators accountable. Hamas's acts of sexual violence are ongoing, she continued, citing examples in the Special Representative's report and calling for the release of all hostages. The Council must call on Hamas to agree to the ceasefire deal "on the table", she said. If Hamas actually cared about the Palestinian people, it would agree to this deal, which would bring in much-needed aid. The US has put forward a resolution that would help to pave the way to a cessation of hostilities and towards a lasting peace. The draft will also do what the Council has yet failed to do: condemn Hamas, she stressed. In the meantime, the Council must work together to stamp out conflict-related sexual violence, she said. 4:33 PM Accountability essential: Ecuador Ecuador's Ambassador Jose De La Gasca said an immediate ceasefire was vital and in relation to the sexual violence report, Israel should allow a full United Nations investigation to take place. He urged Israel to allow entry to the UN human rights office (OHCHR) and the independent investigative commission of inquiry. "It is vital that there be accountability for these crimes whereby we guarantee that the offenders are investigated, tried and condemned." He said it was important to investigate all allegations of sexual violence in the West Bank, by settlers or the Israel forces. "The value of human life and human dignity have been forgotten and this report clearly shows that." He said Ecuador stands in solidarity with both Israel and Palestine. The violence must end. 4:10 PM Russia: More information needed Russian representative Maria Zabolotskaya, recalling her delegation's unequivocal condemnation of the October attacks, said these crimes, no matter how heinous, cannot be just to justify collective punishment of Palestinians in Gaza. Welcoming efforts aimed at shedding light on the crimes committed during the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, she said the UN is not taking sufficient measures in this area nor does it have access to reliable information. Moreover, she said, the Special Representative's visit did not include a visit to Gaza, and it was unclear what kind of Israeli cooperation the report refers to. Indeed, the Council has only been given partial information. Noting that Ms. Patten's team was unable to meet victims of the sexual assault that took place during the tragic events of 7 October, she said the data was mainly received from the Government of Israel. "Only after a comprehensive and objective study of the situation in its entire geographical extent will it be possible to draw any conclusions," she said, adding that Russia categorically rejects attempts to manipulate the important issue of combating sexual violence in the conflict. "We consider it unacceptable that the suffering of people who have experienced sexual violence or accusations of this serious crime become a 'bargaining chip' in political games," she concluded. 4:02 PM Mozambique: Intervention urgently needed Domingos Estevao Fernandes, Deputy Permanent Representative of Mozambique to the UN, said that the relentless violence between Israeli settlers and Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank, coupled with the bombardment in the Gaza Strip demanded the "immediate intervention" of the Security Council. "All parties must fully respect international humanitarian law as rape and other forms of sexual violence constitute grave violations in armed conflict," he said, strongly urging all parties to pursue a peaceful resolution and a cessation of hostilities during the scared month of Ramadan. "We should all pause and reflect on whether our world needs further bloodshed and violence," he added. 3:35 PM France: Ceasefire needed now French Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere said it is unacceptable that the Security Council and the General Assembly have not yet been able to clearly condemn the terrorist acts and violence, including sexual violence, committed by Hamas and other terrorist groups on 7 October. France will continue to work so that the reality of the crimes committed that day is recognized and cannot be called into question, he said. "We reiterate our call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages," he continued, emphasizing that international law is binding on all. It will be necessary to shed light on the allegations contained in the report about some forms of sexual violence against Palestinians. At the start of Ramadan, and while no agreement has been reached on a cessation of hostilities, France reiterates its call for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in order to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid and the protection of civilians, he said, stating that the lack of sufficient access to those in need is unjustifiable and indefensible. 3:29 PM Civilians terrorized: UK Lord Tariq Ahmad, the UK Minister of State for the Middle East, said that it is a tragic fact that sexual violence is used to terrorize civilians, shattering lives and leaving brutal and lifelong scars on victims, their families and communities. He voiced "deep concern" over Special Representative Patten's findings, including "reasonable grounds" to believe that sexual violence occurred in Israel on 7 October and the existence of "clear and convincing" information that sexual violence has been committed against hostages. "It is deeply disturbing to know that 'such violence may be ongoing against those still in captivity'," he added, calling for the immediate, safe and unconditional release of all hostages. Lord Ahmad also expressed "deep shock" at the reports of sexual violence perpetrated by Israeli forces against Palestinian detainees, which are being investigated. "I call on Israel to take immediate measures to prevent conflict-related sexual violence, to abide by international humanitarian law, to ensure thorough investigations into these reports, and for perpetrators to be held to account," he added. "Let me be absolutely clear - we, the United Kingdom, condemn conflict-related sexual violence unequivocally, wherever it occurs, and stand in solidarity with all victims and survivors," he said. "Put it simply, it must stop. Perpetrators must be held accountable. Survivors must receive holistic support," he said. In conclusion, Lord Ahmad said that justice delayed is justice denied, and that a two-State solution is the "only way" to achieve justice and security for both Israelis and Palestinians. "The first step must be an immediate stop to the fighting leading to a permanent, sustainable ceasefire, the release of all hostages and vital humanitarian lifesaving aid delivered to Gaza. It is this solution that we seek," he said, adding: "We owe it to the legacy of every innocent civilian killed in Israel and across the Occupied Palestinian Territories to utilize every lever and channel we have in pursuit of this." 3:10 PM 'I saw the pain in their eyes': Patten UN Secretary-General's Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, provided an overview of her mission to Israel and the West Bank, which was not investigative in nature, but aimed at gathering, analysing and verifying reports on conflict-related sexual violence. Considering the ongoing hostilities, she did not request a visit to Gaza, where other UN entities are operation, with some monitoring sexual violence. "There has been no attempt by the Secretary-General to silence my report or suppress its findings," she said at the outset, emphasizing that her team, including nine UN experts, conducted the mission in accordance of independence and transparency. Conclusions were based on the credibility and reliability of sources and assessing whether or not there was information sufficient to determine a finding of fact, she said, noting that in a number of cases, the team assessed that certain allegations were unfounded. Israel visit Her team conducted interviews with 34 individuals, including survivors of the 7 October attacks, visiting four sites of alleged attacks and review over 5,000 images and 50 hours of footage provided by authorities and independent sources. The team did not meet with survivors of sexual attacks, she said. "What I witnessed in Israel, were scenes of unspeakable violence perpetrated with shocking brutality resulting in intense human suffering," she said, recalling meeting with traumatized communities who are trying to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. "I saw the pain in their eyes," she said, citing reports of people who had been shot, burned in their homes and killed by grenades alongside the abduction of hostages, mutilation of corpses and widespread looting. "It was a catalogue of the most extreme and inhumane forms of killing, torture and other horrors." Hostages in Gaza "We found clear and convincing information that sexual violence, including rape, sexualized torture, and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment has been committed against hostages and we have reasonable grounds to believe that such violence may still be ongoing against those in captivity," she said, adding that this information does not legitimize further hostilities. Instead, this creates "a moral imperative" for a humanitarian ceasefire to end the unspeakable suffering imposed on Palestinian civilians in Gaza and bring home the hostages, she said. West Bank On the visit to Ramallah, she said UN entities had already provided information that would be included in her report to the Council in April. "What I witnessed in the occupied West Bank was a climate of intense fear and insecurity with women and men terrified and deeply disturbed over the ongoing tragedy in Gaza," she said. Interlocutors raised concerns of invasive body searches, unwanted touches, threats of rape against women and inappropriate and prolonged forced nudity among detainees, she said. Raising these reports with Israeli authorities, who indicated its who provided her with some information regarding their protocols in place to prevent and address such instances and indicated their willingness to investigate any alleged breaches. "In this regard, I wish to express my disappointment that the immediate reaction to my report by some political actors was not to open inquiries into those alleged incidents, but rather to reject them outright via social media," she said. "We must translate political resolve into operational responses, which are critical in the current context of unremitting violence," she said. Recommendations The report makes a number of recommendations, including urging all parties to agree to a ceasefire and for Hamas to release all hostages. "The implicated parties in these hostilities have turned a blind eye to international law," she said, encouraging the Government of Israel to grant without further delay access to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and that Israel to carry out fully-fledged investigations into all alleged violations that occurred on 7 October. Truth is the 'only path to peace' "Truth is the only path towards peace," she said, also calling on relevant bodies to bring perpetrators to justice. Nothing can justify the violence perpetrated by Hamas on 7 October nor the horrific collective punishment of the Palestinian people, she said. "The end goal of my mandate is a world without war," she said. "Civilians and their families in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory cannot be abandoned by the international community. Survivors of sexual violence and persons at risk must be protected and supported. We cannot fail them." She said horror and heartache must be replaced with healing, humanity and hope. "The credibility of the multilateral system depends on it, and the rules-based international order demands no less." 3:06 PM Ms. Patten is briefing ambassadors, and said the Council was meeting more than 150 days after the coordinated Hamas-led attack, the deadliest in Israeli history. She also reminded that more than 30,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have perished in the aftermath of 7 October during the Israeli offensive, according to figures released by the health ministry in Gaza. 2:45 PM Ms. Patten is expected to provide an overview of the report on sexual violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, which made headlines worldwide upon its release last week following a visit to the region from late January to mid-February. According to the report, the Special Representative said that during the Hamas attacks on Israel in October, there are "reasonable grounds" to believe that incidents of sexual violence took place "in at least three locations", including the Nova music festival. Findings also showed hostages taken during the attacks faced "rape and sexualized torture and sexualized cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and it also has reasonable grounds to believe that such violence may be ongoing" inside Gaza. In the West Bank, her team heard "the views and concerns" of Palestinian counterparts over incidents "allegedly committed by Israeli security forces and settlers". The report noted that stakeholders had "raised concerns about cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of Palestinians in detention, including the increased use of various forms of sexual violence, namely invasive body searches, threats of rape and prolonged forced nudity". The meeting is taking place against the backdrop of rising hunger in Gaza, where aid deliveries have been blocked by Israel and the risk of famine is steadily mounting, as Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) military operations are planning a ground invasion in Rafah, the southern point of the besieged and bombarded enclave, where more than 1.5 million Gazans are seeking shelter from the fighting. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address World News in Brief: Syria violence intensifying, heavy weapons threat in Myanmar, justice call for Thai lawyer 11 March 2024 - Syria is experiencing a wave of violence not seen in years that likely amounts to war crimes, top UN-appointed rights investigators said on Monday. The UN Syria Commission of Inquiry, which reports to the Human Rights Council, warned that fighting escalated on 5 October last year, when consecutive explosions at a military academy graduation ceremony in government-controlled Homs killed at least 63 people, including 37 civilians. The Syrian Government and Russian forces "responded with bombardments" that struck at least 2,300 sites in opposition-controlled areas in the space of three weeks, "killing and injuring hundreds of civilians", the investigators said. Locations hit included "well-known and visible hospitals, schools, markets and camps for internally displaced persons" which may amount to war crimes, the said in a statement. 90 per cent live in poverty From the Commission of Inquiry, chairperson Paulo Pinheiro insisted that the Syrian people "cannot sustain" any more fighting, after 13 years of war which have left 16.7 million inside the country in need of humanitarian assistance - the largest number of people in need since the start of the crisis. "More than 90 per cent now live in poverty, the economy is in freefall amid tightening sanctions, and increased lawlessness is fuelling predatory practices and extortion by armed forces and militia," Mr. Pinheiro explained. Syria has used cluster munitions in densely populated areas, "continuing devastating and unlawful patterns that we have documented in the past," said Commissioner Hanny Megally. "The October attacks resulted in some 120,000 people in fleeing, many of them previously displaced several times, including by the devastating earthquakes last February." Mr. Megally said it should be no surprise that the number of Syrians seeking asylum in Europe last October reached the highest level in seven years, with Syria remaining the world's largest displacement crisis. Since the start of the Gaza war, tensions have increased between some of the six foreign armies active in Syria, commissioners said, notably Israel, Iran and the US - all raising concerns of a wider conflict. Meanwhile, in northeast Syria, Turkish forces have accelerated operations against Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in retaliation for an attack claimed by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Ankara in October, the Commission said. Turkish aerial attacks on power plants deprived nearly one million people of water and electricity for weeks, in violation of international humanitarian law. The Commission's report is due to be presented to the Human Rights Council on Monday 18 March. Myanmar: Deep concern over use of heavy weapons in residential areas UN humanitarians are deeply concerned about the "indiscriminate use" of heavy weapons in residential areas of Myanmar's Rakhine state during fighting between forces loyal to the ruling junta and the rebel Arakan Army, the UN Spokesperson said on Monday. Stephane Dujarric said that the use of artillery was posing grave risks to civilians and costing civilian lives, as fighting intensifies between a raft of rebel groups across the country and the national army. "On Saturday, a stray artillery shell landed in a residential area in the state capital Sittwe, killing at least eight Rohingya civilians and injuring 12 others, including five children", said the UN Spokesperson. It's now more than three years since the military coup which toppled the democratically-elected Government and amid a violent crackdown on any opposition and protests, more than 4,600 have been killed including hundreds of women and children, with the death toll likely much higher. Rakhine is home to the mostly Muslim Rohingya minority, hundreds of thousands of whom have fled across the border into Bangladesh following brutal military repression in 2017. "This is the second time in two weeks that a stray shell has killed people in Sittwe. The situation has prompted a surge in displacement across the state. More than 300,000 people are now displaced, Mr. Dujarric added. He said the tactics used by the parties to the conflict are harming civilians and undermining humanitarians' continued ability to deliver assistance to people in need. "We remind all parties to the conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians, including aid workers." Truth and justice call for disappeared Thai lawyer It's been a full 20 years since Thai lawyer and activist Somchai Neelapaijit went missing - high time that the authorities disclose what happened to him, top independent rights experts said on Monday. The joint appeal led by the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances comes almost two decades to the day since Mr. Neelapaijit vanished. His alleged enforced disappearance is believed to be related to his work as a lawyer defending Muslim minorities in southern Thailand. No-one has been held accountable for his enforced disappearance but "truth, justice and redress" in the case of Mr. Neelapaijit must be achieved "without further delay", the rights experts insisted. They highlighted how the lawyer's wife, Angkhana, had faced threats and reprisals in her search for justice, but that she had refused to give up her quest - even becoming the first Asian women to join the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNRWA Situation Report #88 on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem - All information from 7-9 March 2024, is valid as of 9 March 2024 at 22:30 UNRWA 11 Mar 2024 Key Points The Gaza Strip Intense Israeli Security Forces (ISF) bombardment from the air, land and sea continued to be reported across much of the Gaza Strip, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement and destruction of civilian infrastructure. Israeli forces airstrikes continue in heavily populated Rafah in southern Gaza. According to UNICEF latest sitep hospitals continue to experience severe disruptions in providing health care in the Gaza Strip. UNICEF report that up to 155 health facilities have been damaged, and 32 hospitals and 53 health centres are non-functional due to hostilities or shortages of essential medicines. UNRWA continues to operate 7 out of its original 23 health centres. According to UNICEF, child malnutrition levels in northern Gaza are particularly extreme, with now at least 18 children reported to have died from malnutrition and dehydration in northern Gaza. UNFPA has cautioned that "malnutrition rates amount pregnant and breastfeeding women have spiked, posing significant health risks". The first nine days of March saw an average of 168 aid trucks per day crossing into the Gaza Strip. This remains well below the operational capacity of both border crossings and the target of 500 per day, with challenges at both Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) and Rafah. Security to manage the crossing has been severely impacted due to the killing of several Palestinian policemen in Israeli airstrikes near the crossings in early February. As of 9 March, the total number of UNRWA colleagues killed since the beginning of hostilities is now 162. As of 9 March, up to 1.7 million* people (over 75 per cent of the population) ** have been displaced across the Gaza Strip, some multiple times.*** Families are forced to move repeatedly in search of safety. Following intense Israeli bombardments and fighting in Khan Younis and the Middle Area in recent weeks, a significant number of displaced people have moved further south. *This includes one million individuals residing in or near emergency shelters or informal shelters. As of 12 October, approximately 160,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were recorded in UNRWA shelters in North Gaza and Gaza governorates. UNRWA currently estimates that the population of North Gaza and Gaza governorates to be up to 300,000 people. The ability of UNRWA to provide humanitarian support and updated data in these areas has been severely restricted. The ongoing hostilities, evacuation orders issued by Israeli Security Forces (ISF), and the constant need for safer locations have resulted in people being displaced multiple times. **UNRWA reported in Situation Report 64 that up to 1.9 million IDPs were either residing in 154 UNRWA shelters or near these shelters. Due to the continued escalation of fighting and evacuation orders, some households have moved away from the shelters where they were initially registered. *** There are instances where the same IDPs are registered in multiple shelters due to the fluid movement of populations; hereafter, estimates are used for these shelters. UNRWA plans to conduct a more accurate count of IDPs in shelters, including informal shelters, as soon as the security situation allows. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Security Council Press Statement on Haiti Press Release Security Council SC/15620 11 March 2024 The members of the Security Council were briefed on 6 March by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), Maria Isabel Salvador, on the situation in Haiti. The Permanent Representative of Kenya, the Permanent Representative of Haiti, and the Permanent Representative of Jamaica, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), participated in the meeting under Rule 37. The members of the Security Council reiterated their deep concern over the security and humanitarian situation and stressed the need to address the multidimensional crisis in Haiti. They reiterated their strong condemnation of the increasing violence, criminal activities, mass displacement of civilians, and human rights abuses that undermine the peace, stability, and security of Haiti and the region, including kidnappings, sexual and gender-based violence, trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants, homicides, unlawful killings, and recruitment of children by armed groups and criminal networks. Members of the Security Council strongly condemned the continued destabilizing criminal activities of armed gangs and stressed the need for the international community to redouble its efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the population and to support the Haitian National Police, including building its capacity to restore law and order through the Multinational Security Support mission. They condemned in the strongest terms the attacks carried out by armed gangs on the country's main prisons and other critical infrastructure, which allowed gang leaders and other prisoners to escape the facilities. They expressed their deep concern at unacceptable threats of targeted violence against the police and members of the Government. Members of the Council heard Kenya's briefing on the ongoing planning efforts on the deployment of the Multinational Security Support mission to Haiti and the international pledges made to the mission. They expressed the expectation and hope for the deployment of the Multinational Security Support mission to Haiti as soon as possible, as requested by Haiti and authorized by the Security Council through resolution 2699 (2023). They welcomed pledges made by Member States to the Multinational Security Support mission in the form of financial, personnel, and in-kind commitments and the establishment of the United Nations Trust Fund for this mission. They stressed the need to create security conditions conducive to an inclusive political process, and free and fair elections in Haiti. The members of the Security Council expressed concern at the limited progress in the political process in Haiti. They urged all political actors to engage constructively in meaningful negotiations to allow the holding of free and fair legislative and presidential elections and restoring democratic institutions as soon as possible and acknowledged the ongoing efforts of CARICOM in this regard. The members of the Security Council expressed grave concern at the illicit flow of arms and ammunition to Haiti that remains a key factor of instability and violence. They reiterated its demand for Member States to take the necessary measures to implement the arms embargo in accordance with resolution 2699 (2023) and resolution 2700 (2023) and called for further actions by the Security Council. The members of the Security Council urged the armed gangs to immediately cease their destabilizing actions. They reiterated the Council's call for the perpetrators of these abhorrent acts to be brought to justice and emphasized the Council's role in placing and enhancing sanctions on individuals and entities responsible for or complicit in actions that threaten the peace, security or stability of Haiti, in accordance with resolution 2653 (2022) and 2700 (2023). They also reiterated the need for meaningful progress into the investigation of the assassination of the President of Haiti Jovenel Moise. The members of the Security Council urged the Government of Haiti and all relevant parties in Haiti to protect the safety of UN staff and all civilians, including foreign nationals. The members of the Security Council reiterated their continued solidarity with the people of Haiti and expressed their support for the work done by BINUH and the United Nations country team towards a better future for Haiti. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary-General's remarks to the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women United Nations Secretary-General 11 March 2024 [All-English] Excellencies, distinguished guests, dear friends, It is always a pleasure to address the Commission on the Status of Women - the preeminent global body dedicated to promoting the rights of women and girls. Progress on women's rights has overwhelmingly come from civil society and women's rights organizations. I have seen it myself in every corner of the world. And I have seen how that progress benefits all our communities and societies. So, thank you for everything you do. Excellencies, my dear friends, Our world is going through turbulent times, and women and girls are being hit hard. In conflict zones around the globe, women and girls are suffering most from wars waged by men. Today is the first day of Ramadan - a time of compassion, reflection and understanding. I am appalled and outraged that conflict is continuing in Gaza during this holy month. Families seeking shelter from Israeli bombardment are struggling to survive, as hunger and malnutrition take hold. This is heartbreaking and utterly unacceptable. Once again, I call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the unconditional release of all hostages, and a massive increase in humanitarian aid. In a statement to the press this morning, I stressed the need, at the very least, for a cessation of hostilities and the release of the hostages during the holy month of Ramadan. Last week, I made a similar appeal for a cessation of hostilities in Sudan. In the spirit of Ramadan, I appeal to all those involved in conflict everywhere to silence the guns and return to the peace table. Excellencies, dear friends, Around the world, conflict and crisis are increasing, with a devastating impact on women and girls. In Afghanistan, the Taliban has issued more than 50 edicts suppressing women's and girls' rights. In Sudan, scores of women have reportedly been subjected to rape and other forms of sexual violence in the ongoing conflict. In Israel, there are horrific accounts in the report by my Special Representative, Pramila Patten, of sexual violence against women and girls and indications of sexualized torture during the terror attacks launched by Hamas and other armed groups on 7 October. The report also includes shocking testimonies of sexual violence against Palestinian women in detention settings, house raids and checkpoints in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. And more than two-thirds of the tens of thousands of people killed and injured during Israel's military operations in Gaza are reportedly women and children. Meanwhile, despite evidence that women's full participation makes peacebuilding much more effective, the number of women in decision-making roles is actually falling. Women were virtually absent from talks on ending the conflicts in Ethiopia, Sudan, Myanmar, and Libya. The facts are clear: Women lead to peace. Budgets and policies must follow - with ambitious targets for women's participation and urgent investments in women's peacebuilding. Excellencies, dear friends, Many women and girls are also facing a war on their fundamental rights at home and in their communities. Hard-fought progress is being reversed. Women's rights are fundamentally a question of power, and I see two deeply worrying trends. First, despite enormous progress that all of you have helped realize - the patriarchy is far from vanquished. It is regaining ground. Autocrats and populists are attacking women's freedoms and their sexual and reproductive rights. They promote what they call "traditional" values. And patriarchy is indeed an age-old tradition. Discrimination against women goes back millennia. We don't want to bring it back. We want to turn it back. We cannot accept a world in which grandmothers fear their granddaughters will enjoy fewer rights than they had. We must speak out, loud and clear: Not on our watch. At the same time, I see another worrying trend in power relations over the coming decades: in the digital technologies. Those technologies, and particularly Artificial Intelligence, are today dominated by men - as leaders, and at the technical level. There is a mountain of evidence that when systems are designed by men, they result in biased algorithms. Women's needs, women's bodies, and women's fundamental rights are ignored. Male-dominated algorithms could literally programme inequalities into activities from urban planning to credit ratings to medical imaging, for years to come. This endangers men and boys, as well as women and girls. It's time for governments, civil society and the Silicon Valleys of the world to join a massive effort to bridge the digital gender divide and ensure women have decision-making roles in digital technology at all levels. This is one of the main goals of the Global Digital Compact that will be central to the Summit of the Future in September. Excellencies, dear friends, Your gathering this year is focused on how tackling poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective are critical to accelerate gender equality. The reason is simple: globally, poverty has a female face. Women have less access to land, natural resources and financial assets. They suffer the impacts of climate change more than men. And they are more likely to be food insecure. The International Labour Organization estimates that, worldwide, women, as an average, earn just 51 cents for every dollar earned by a man. Economic sectors dominated by women are undervalued, underpaid -- and even, in some cases, unpaid. Women's invisible domestic labour is a subsidy to the entire economy. Meanwhile, the violence that is a pervasive feature of many women's lives can feed a vicious cycle: Poverty intensifies the risks of violence and violence makes women poorer. This is simply unacceptable. At the global level, we are failing to invest in women and girls. And the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; mounting debt; climate-related disasters; and an ongoing cost-of-living crisis are all shrinking the pie even more. We will not solve today's challenges by relying on a global financial system that helps perpetuate inequality. I am therefore calling for an SDG Stimulus that would provide $500 billion annually in affordable long-term finance for developing countries. The proposal includes a debt lifeline to create breathing space for countries facing impossible repayment schedules. Leaders endorsed the Stimulus at last year's SDG Summit. I urge all countries to support these efforts to increase the investments that will achieve SDG 5 on gender equality, and turbocharge progress across the entire 2030 agenda. And I count on governments' support for deep reform of the international financial architecture at the Summit of the Future in September, so that it reflects today's global economy and meets the financial needs of developing countries, enabling them to invest in equality and opportunity for women and girls. Excellencies, dear friends, At the national level, governments have a responsibility to invest in ending poverty and achieving inclusive, sustainable development for all. That takes budgets and taxes that address the specific needs of women and girls living in poverty. It takes policies that drive women's full economic participation and empowerment, through decent work, training, upgrading skills, accessible public services, and social protection. Governments must recognize the key economic role of unpaid care work, with policies that support both mothers and fathers to take paid work outside the home. They should ensure that their climate policies, including a just and equitable transition to renewable energy, boost employment opportunities for women, and improve access to goods and services for women and girls. And they must do more to prevent the global scourge of violence against women and girls, and end the abomination of female genital mutilation. Equal rights for women and girls depend on ending violence and abuse against them. Excellencies, dear friends, Accelerating gender equality by tackling poverty requires women's full representation and leadership of financial institutions. More than eight out of 10 finance ministers are men. More than nine out of 10 central bank governors are men. Overwhelmingly male-dominated financial institutions need to dismantle the structural barriers that are blocking women from leadership roles. Business as usual is business dominated by men. But change doesn't just happen. We did not achieve gender parity at senior levels of the United Nations by accident. We did it with a determined effort to change our culture and welcome women into leadership roles. And that effort produced results. We achieved full gender parity among senior management and UN leaders around the world for the first time in history. If the United Nations can do it, governments can do it, banks can do it, and everyone must do it. Across the UN system, the representation of women in the Professional and higher categories is at a historic high. We are pursuing full gender parity at all levels and in each and every entity, prioritizing areas where progress is slow - especially our field missions. And we are supporting the fight for equality far beyond our own Organization. On International Women's Day, I launched the United Nations System-Wide Gender Equality Acceleration Plan. This commits to placing women and girls in the center of all our work; to opening financing opportunities for grassroots women's organizations; and to working with Member States for an ambitious revitalization of the CSW. Your Commission. Excellencies, dear friends, The Commission on the Status of Women is a catalyst for the transformation we need. At this difficult and divided moment, let's work together to end poverty in all its dimensions. Let's do it by investing in women and girls, betting on women and girls, and pushing for peace and dignity for women and girls everywhere. Thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary-General's opening remarks at press stakeout on the beginning of Ramadan United Nations Secretary-General 11 March 2024 Good morning. Today marks the start of the holy month of Ramadan - a period when Muslims around the world celebrate and spread the values of peace, reconciliation and solidarity. Yet even though Ramadan has begun - the killing, bombing and bloodshed continue in Gaza. We recently entered the sixth month since the Hamas terror attacks in Israel and the catastrophic Israeli onslaught on Gaza began. My strongest appeal today is to honour the spirit of Ramadan by silencing the guns - and removing all obstacles to ensure the delivery of lifesaving aid at the speed and massive scale required. At the same time - and in the Ramadan spirit of compassion -- I call for the immediate release of all hostages. The eyes of the world are watching. The eyes of history are watching. We cannot look away. We must act to avoid more preventable deaths. We have witnessed month after month of civilian killing and destruction at a level that is unprecedented in all my years as Secretary-General. Meanwhile, life-saving relief for Palestinians in Gaza is coming in trickles - if it comes at all. International humanitarian law lies in tatters. And a threatened Israeli assault on Rafah could plummet the people of Gaza into an even deeper circle of hell. For months, leaders have appealed for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the immediate release of all hostages. But the most compelling calls have come from the families of the victims of this war. I will never forget my meetings with them -- and they have stood at this very podium and addressed you -- united in remarkable courage and unfathomable pain. Israeli hostage families who shared their torment and anguish - and pleaded for the immediate release of their loved ones. And Palestinian families who shared heart-wrenching testimonies of family members killed in Israeli bombardments - and pleaded for an immediate ceasefire. As one of those family members said, "We are not here for condolences. We are not here for apologies. We are here for immediate action." Is that too much to ask? We must hear and heed those voices. Desperate civilians need action - immediate action. Today, I also renew my appeal for a Ramadan cessation of hostilities in Sudan. The fighting there must end for the sake of the Sudanese people who face hunger, horrors and untold hardships. In Gaza, in Sudan, and beyond, it is time for peace. I call on political, religious and community leaders everywhere to do everything in their power to make this holy period a time for empathy, action and peace. Let's not forget that beyond Ramadan, Christians will soon celebrate Easter and Jews will celebrate Passover in April. It is time to end the terrible suffering. Now is the time to do it. Thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 325th FW conducts first wing-wide AFFORGEN exercise Published March 11, 2024 By Airman 1st Class Zeeshan Naeem 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) -- The 325th Fighter Wing recently hosted exercise Crown Royal 24-2 at Tyndall Air Force Base Feb. 20-March 6, to test the wing's ability to generate, employ and sustain combat forces. Exercises like CR 24-2 are an Air Force instruction requirement for evaluating combat readiness and improving coordination for various situational requirements. "We want to train the way we fight; if we're not testing our ability to do our job under strenuous conditions, how are we going to know if we're ready to fight in a deployed environment?" said Maj. Kurt Helfrich, 325th FW inspector general. "This exercise is vital to find where friction points are so we can fail in a safe environment. This is a 'lab' where we can try different things, but once we're in a combat scenario we don't have the time or opportunities to gauge our limits." The exercise is broken down into two components: phase one (the generation phase) and phase two (the employment phase). Phase one involves planning for the deployment and the generation of personnel and cargo, simultaneously testing abilities to marshal those resources and prepare exercise players for phase two. The second phase simulates operating in a downrange environment while individuals wear Mission Oriented Protective Posture Gear and accomplish mission essential tasks. "During the generation phase, people are preparing to deploy," said Frank Labroad, 325th FW IG chief of exercise plans. "The end of the generation phase has people 'deploying' from the installation. The employment phase is after they have arrived at their forward location and are now executing their mission essential tasks under [simulated] combat conditions." As the 325th FW pivots from a training to a combat mission, coinciding with the Air Force transitioning to the Air Force Force Generation model, the wing's focus shifts more to readiness. AFFORGREN, the first change in generating forces for combat scenarios in over 20 years, is designed to improve readiness for combat situations and improve the capabilities the Air Force provides to the joint force while also establishing a more structured cycle to prepare Airmen for downrange operations. Helfrich stated the wing plans on standing up as a combat-ready lead wing for ACC in 2025, with the 95th Fighter Squadron ready to deploy and sustain combat forces. "Our new [mission] being combat related requires us to change the mindset of the base," Labroad explained. "Exercises like this are kind of a way of shaking people out of the old way of thinking. We want individuals to realize and understand how far we need to get to for our new mission and embrace the change." With the base-wide reconstruction continuing, CR 24-2 was employed in a unique scenario. The higher traffic on all sites resulted in the exercise transpiring dispersedly, with players performing the exercise in normal duty locations. "It's atypical, but we're pushing to do the best with our situation- making lemonade out of lemons," Helfrich said. "As the 'Installation of the Future' comes along, we plan on [further] mimicking that downrange environment with an exercise area." The 325th FW will accomplish more exercises like CR 24-2 as the AFFORGEN transition and the Ready Airman Training requirements increase. The 325th FW IG office plants to accelerate the tempo and complexity in which exercises are executed in order to produce the most ready and capable Airmen when called upon. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address H-53 Fleet Support Team bolsters Fleet readiness with new engine wash procedures US Navy 11 March 2024 From Joe Andes, Public Affairs Specialist Engineers at Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) are enhancing flight line readiness with the development of updated engine wash procedures and training in support of the Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter. Jordon Barnes, a senior engineer on the H-53 Fleet Support Team (FST), said the engine wash procedures are aimed at enhancing time on wing and increasing the lifespan of the T64 engine. "Engine washes are the biggest bang for our buck in trying to improve time on wing," said Barnes. "Tight clearances allow for the most effective and efficient performance of the T64 engine. Sand or dirt build up can cause wear and open up these clearances. When that happens, the engine makes less than optimal power. Proper engine washes prevent that." In addition to a newly written publication which updates and standardizes cleaning procedures of the CH-53E's T64 engine, squadrons throughout the Marine Corps will receive new engine cleaning equipment and a video training aid. "This initiative is a great example of the support the FST provides to the warfighter," said FST Site Lead Russell Padgett. "The procedures and training developed by our engineers boost the readiness of the Marine Corps CH-53E squadrons by increasing engine efficiency and reducing maintenance time. The FST worked closely with the customer and came up with an innovative and efficient solution to meet their needs." The CH-53E is the heavy-lift helicopter used by Marines around the world. It is capable of rapidly transporting troops and equipment from ship-to-shore. The helicopter's T64 engine provides the power that makes these capabilities possible. To ensure these engines are meeting squadron needs, the H-53 FST regularly sends a team of engineers specializing in the T64 engine to units flying the Super Stallion. "The FST conducts maintenance awareness visits, where we go to each squadron and meet with the Fleet," said Ronald Bittiker, a mechanical engineer with the H-53 FST. "We ask them what we can do to make their job a little easier. During these visits, the topic of engine washes frequently came up. We began to look at the procedures and the equipment used in the squadrons with a focus on standardizing the process and making it more efficient." Barnes said a maintenance awareness visit to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego during the summer of 2023 allowed the team to work with Marine Corps CH-53E crews and see firsthand how the washes were conducted in the Fleet. "After several days of trying to wash aircraft with the Marines, we really felt their pain," said Barnes. "We needed to figure out a way to make this easier on them and give them the tools required to more efficiently accomplish their jobs." According to Barnes, the team set out to standardize both the cleaning process and the equipment used. He said the goal was to find the Marines simple, compact cleaning tools that could withstand the rigors of life in the Fleet. "We started passing ideas back and forth," said Barnes. "We came up with what is essentially a foamer that hooks up to a hose which has a canister where you put the cleaner. It's inexpensive, lightweight and easy to use. There are no moving parts." After extensive research, the team developed procedures for using the gear and then set out to validate the effectiveness of the process. This involved an intensive, data-driven test plan measuring increases in power after cleaning the airfoils of the T64 engine. "Cleaning the airfoils increases the efficiency of the engine," said Barnes. "It increases the fuel efficiency as well as the power output. To measure this, we'd take the dirty engine and run it up and grab a performance point. Then we we'd cool it off, wash the engine effectively and bring it back up to take the power points again. "We gained 90 horsepower on the very first engine we ever did, which wasn't even that dirty," Barnes continued. "After many trials in the test cell, our next step was testing on wing. Here, we could pull numbers off of the aircraft which actually collects this data when the pilot initiates a check." In addition to validating the effectiveness of the procedures, Barnes said testing on squadron helicopters also allowed the engineers to gather feedback from the Marines who work with the CH-53E daily. "The reaction so far has been overwhelmingly positive," said Barnes. "They like the simplicity of the equipment. They like the idea of throwing this and their cleaner in the back of the aircraft. If they stop somewhere, they can clean the engine quickly and effectively with equipment that has a minimal footprint." After validation and testing was completed, the engineers wrote a new publication detailing and standardizing engine wash procedures for the T64 engine. Bittiker said the team worked closely with the CH-53E community throughout the process. "There was a lot of collaboration involved," said Bittiker. "A lot of it was just going down to the Fleet or talking to artisans and engineers at the depot - people that know this aircraft inside and out - and getting their input and ideas. All this experience put together resulted in something that will certainly benefit the Fleet." The team also developed a video training aid to guide Marines through the updated procedures and the use of the new equipment. In addition to the video training aid, Barnes said the team looks forward to visiting the squadrons to provide training support. He explained they're also eager to see the new engine wash procedures in action. "There's no better feeling than the satisfaction of assisting our Marines and Sailors and supporting the Fleet," said Barnes. "As part of the FST at FRC East, we have a very unique opportunity to do this. We see all aspects of H-53 maintenance and operations. We get to see these engines come off the aircraft and go through major repairs at the depot. Through our site visits, we also get to see each aspect of Marine Corps maintenance at both the intermediate and organizational levels. Seeing these products go full circle back and forth is very informative and fulfilling. It makes us more effective in our job." FRCE is North Carolina's largest maintenance, repair, overhaul and technical services provider, with more than 4,000 civilian, military and contract workers. Its annual revenue exceeds $1 billion. The depot provides service to the fleet while functioning as an integral part of the greater U.S. Navy; Naval Air Systems Command; and Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address SCSTC Leadership Visits Republic of Korea US Navy 11 March 2024 From Kimberly M. Lansdale, Surface Combat Systems Training Command Public Affairs BUSAN, Republic of Korea -- Surface Combat Systems Training Command (SCSTC) leadership recently visited the Republic of Korea (ROK) to meet with ROK Navy officials to expand and strengthen SCSTC and ROK Navy's training partnership. Capt. George A. Kessler, Jr., SCSTC's commodore, accompanied by Mr. Jesse S. Dilbeck, SCSTC's International Programs director, N7I, completed visits with Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence Planning, Rear Adm. Noho Park; ROK Naval Warfare Training Command; Aegis Operation Management Training Center; and Sejong the Great-class guided-missile destroyer ROKS Yulgok Yi I (DDG 992). "It was a great opportunity to discuss SCSTC's mission and the support both our naval forces provide to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific," Kessler explained. "We also addressed the Ballistic Missile Defense [BMD] training SCSTC will provide in support of the new capability acquired through their KDX III Batch II ship-building program. The 'Jeongjo the Great' class Aegis destroyers represent an important first - the first maritime BMD capability for the ROK Navy." As the designated training agent for all Naval Sea Systems Command Foreign Military Sales Integrated Weapon System (IWS) cases, N7I provides high quality combat systems training to generate allied nation warfighting capability, bolstering regional security aligned with U.S. national security objectives. N7I partners with U.S. training, readiness, and policy organizations, as well as other government agencies and industry, to develop, coordinate and execute IWS training programs across multiple partner nation navies. "We are excited to build upon our strong working relationship with the ROK Navy, as we stand up BMD training for the ROK Navy, both in the U.S. and here in South Korea," Dilbeck said. "This will include overseeing the development and export of electronic classroom training material and immersive training technologies in the form of simulated advanced maintenance training and operator simulations. Our continued alliance with South Korea is critical to ensuring our combined readiness and lethality." Surface Combat Systems Training Command (SCSTC), headquartered in Dahlgren, Virginia, falls under the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), led by Rear Adm. Jeffrey Czerewko. SCSTC is a training organization that consists of 15 global learning sites and detachments. Its mission is to provide the U.S. Navy and our allies with highly trained warfighters to maintain, operate, and tactically employ surface combat systems across the spectrum of operations. Annually, SCSTC delivers training to over 37,000 U.S. Navy Sailors as well as 700 international Sailors from 27 partner nations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Connecticut Water Co.'s William Neal MacKenzie Water Treatment Plant in Clinton purifies up to 4 million gallons a day. State Attorney General William Tong is urging Connecticut utility regulators to reject the company's request for an 18 percent rate increase. Dan Haar/Hearst CT Media Connecticut Attorney General William Tong is urging state utility regulators to reject a $21.8 million rate increase sought by the Clinton-based Connecticut Water Co. Officials with the utility filed an application in October with the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority seeking to raise the cost of a gallon of water from 1.5 cents to 1.8 cents. Approval of the increase would raise Connecticut Water's rates by approximately 18 percent, according to Tong. The rate hike request came two years after Connecticut Water received approval for a rate increase in July 2021. Officials with the utility requested a $20 million rate hike in that case, but received a $5.2 million increase. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Tong said in a brief filed Monday that Connecticut consumers, especially those on fixed or limited incomes, "are simply unable to absorb any further increases in their cost of living." "These customers are entitled to expect that the Authority and all the participants in this proceeding will work to ensure that the water utility rates approved will be no higher than absolutely necessary, Tong wrote in the brief. Officials with Connecticut Water issued a statement on Monday, which said in part that the utility "understands the responsibility to both its current customers and future generations to prudently invest in the infrastructure needed to provide clean drinking water. " Advertisement Article continues below this ad "While we make all efforts to drive down operational expenditures, our water systems in Connecticut are some of the oldest in the country and take significant investment to maintain and improve so that Connecticut residents can continue to depend on reliable water service," the statement said, noting that the company and public officials "have a responsibility to Connecticut residents to balance the needs of all stakeholders and determine reasonable and prudent water rates." Tong noted to PURA commissioners that Connecticut Water is seeking a return on equity of 10.5 percent as part of its rate increase, which he said is substantially higher than the states other regulated utilities. The company has presented no reasonable explanation for why a relatively low risk operation such as a water utility should be awarded the highest authorized ROE of any of the states regulated public service companies, Tong wrote in the brief. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The brief identifies numerous areas where the increase requested could be reduced, including accounting, revenue and expense areas, as well as costs that should be covered largely by shareholders instead of ratepayers. Those areas include board of director expenses, investor relations expenses, cash incentives and bonuses. Partners and Allies mark successful conclusion of exercise Cutlass Express 2024 US Navy 11 March 2024 From Lt.Cmdr. Tyler Barker NAPLES, ITALY -- Allies and partners from more than a dozen participating nations marked the successful conclusion of exercise Cutlass Express 2024, East Africa's premier maritime exercise, March 8, 2024. The exercise kicked off following opening ceremonies in Djibouti and the Seychelles, Feb. 25 and 26, respectively. It involved hundreds of Sailors, Coast Guardsmen, civilian and contractor personnel across Africa's East Coast, from Djibouti to Tanzania to Mozambique, and into the Western Indian Ocean, with Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles all hosting individual scenarios, alongside multiple East African coastal nations. Partner nations from outside East Africa, including Georgia, India, Senegal, Tunisia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, also took part. In addition to Djibouti and the Seychelles, Kenya also served as a host nation and primary exercise hub, with numerous events and exercise serials occurring alongside the Kenyan Coast Guard Service in Mombasa. "Cutlass Express continues to provide a platform for Kenya Coast Guard Service personnel to exploit learning opportunities fostering continuous improvement in maritime law enforcement," said Director General of the Kenya Coast Guard Service, Mr. Bruno I. Shioso, EBS, OGW. "CE 24 played a key role in enhancing our overall operational posture and readiness aimed at enhancing maritime security in the WIO region whilst strengthening partnerships and collaborations among participating nations. Leveraging on these partnerships for a broader Maritime Collective Approach underpins development within the region." The exercise started off with a focus on training and academics, where partners shared processes, experiences, and procedures on a wide range of topics, including SeaVision and maritime domain awareness, maritime collaboration across the region, and fundamentals of maritime interdiction, from information collection to target prosecution. The international team of participants also trained on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) evolutions, and diving fundamentals, among others. The academic setting set the stage for this week's final training exercise, or FTX, where those involved put their skills and knowledge to the test. The FTX portion of the exercise provided the perfect venue for partners to relay their training into realistic exercise scenarios, identifying suspect vessels and personnel, sharing information about targets, capabilities, and available assets, and dispatching multinational teams to address shared threats. Whether vessels suspected of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUUF), personnel believed to be smuggling illicit material or involved in human trafficking, or other threats to regional maritime security, each exercise scenario inject presented a unique challenge and opportunity to combine efforts and neutralize threats. These scenarios occurred against a backdrop of leveraging new and existing technologies, too. Working with the SeaVision program to collect and share data and incorporating collaboration across maritime operations centers (MOC), the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Center (RMIFC) in Madagascar and the Regional Coordination Operations Centre (RCOC) in the Seychelles underscored the value Cutlass Express provides to the region. Participants bolstered their regional collaboration, enhanced their understanding and application of legal principles and the Djibouti Code of Conduct, and strengthened skills in the maritime domain. "One of the incredible benefits of the Express series of exercises is what we learn from our partners, those who operate here year-round and have intimate knowledge of regional challenges and opportunities for collaboration," said Capt. Geoffrey Townsend, Commodore of Commander, Task Force (CTF) 68 and overall Officer in Tactical Control of the exercise. "We continue to push the envelope of our collective capabilities across the full spectrum of maritime operations and I'm very excited about the continued evolution of this exercise." Cutlass Express 2024, conducted by U.S. Naval Forces Africa and sponsored by U.S. Africa Command, increases the readiness of U.S. forces; enhances maritime domain awareness and collaboration among participating nations; and strengthens the capability of partner nations to combat piracy and counter illicit trafficking and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. For over 80 years, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) has forged strategic relationships with allies and partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability. Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the USEUCOM and USAFRICOM areas of responsibility. U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO HQ Raises Swedish Flag, Strengthening Baltic Region Against Russian Threat By Henry Ridgwell March 11, 2024 Sweden's flag was raised in a ceremony Monday at NATO's headquarters in Brussels after it officially joined the Western defensive alliance last week, ending its long-held policy of military nonalignment. "We are now an ally among allies. After more than 200 years of military nonalignment, this is a historic step but also a very natural step. We've been preparing for decades and in details for the last two years," Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said at a news conference ahead of the ceremony. "With this membership, Sweden has come home. Home to the security cooperation of democracies. Home to the security cooperation of our good neighbors. Today, I'd like to say thank you to all of our allies. We have chosen you, and you have chosen us. All for one, one for all," Kristersson added. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the alliance's 32nd member. "Sweden's accession shows again that NATO's door remains open. No one can close it. Every nation has the right to choose its own path, and we all choose the path of freedom and democracy. The brave people of Ukraine are fighting for these values as we speak," Stoltenberg said. Ratification delay Sweden and Finland simultaneously applied to join NATO in May 2022, three months after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Finland which shares a 1,340-kilometer border with Russia joined NATO relatively quickly, in April 2023. However, Sweden's bid was delayed by NATO members Turkey and Hungary. Ankara accused Sweden of harboring Kurdish separatists, whom it considers terrorists. The passing of a new anti-terrorism law in Sweden persuaded Turkey to ratify its accession to the alliance. Budapest appeared to object to Swedish criticisms of a perceived democratic backsliding in Hungary. A meeting between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his Swedish counterpart last month in Budapest, and a new bilateral defense deal, overcame those differences and Hungarian lawmakers approved Sweden's application on February 26. Strategic change After two centuries of military nonalignment, NATO membership marks a significant change for Sweden and its people. Opinion polls show most Swedes approve of the change. "A couple years ago, I was really against Sweden joining NATO, because I was really for this neutrality policy that we have. But now ... I guess we had to take a stance, really," 24-year-old Stockholm student Carl Fredrik Aspegren told Reuters. Information technology worker Hakan Yucel, 54, agreed. "I think it feels much safer now. Before, we were outside and felt a little bit alone," he said. Baltic defense Sweden is due to launch a fleet of new submarines by 2028 designed to protect vulnerable subsea infrastructure in the Baltic. Its accession brings valuable military capabilities to NATO, according to Barbara Kunz, a senior researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. "With all Nordic countries now being members of NATO and also the Baltic states being members of NATO, that allows for real holistic planning of the defense of Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea area. Sweden is particularly qualified to operate in the Baltic Sea, which is a very special region. It's like shallow waters in which you can't really see that well, so Sweden is very good at that," Kunz told Reuters. NATO exercises Swedish forces are already training in the Norwegian Arctic with NATO allies, part of the military exercise Steadfast Defender 2024, the alliance's largest military drills since the Cold War, with some 90,000 troops taking part. Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he intends to strengthen his country's military presence along its western borders to, in his words, "neutralize threats associated with the next expansion of NATO." NATO said it is a defensive alliance and highlights that it was Russia's unprovoked, illegal invasion of Ukraine that prompted Sweden and Finland to seek membership. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Palau's President Relieved by Security Pact Funding Approval By Jessica Stone March 11, 2024 Critical funds to counter China in the Pacific are finally on their way to three U.S. allies: Palau, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands. On Friday, the Senate passed a funding package that provides $7 billion over 20 years for the Compacts of Free Association (COFA) as part of a partial government funding bill. It was signed into law by President Joe Biden over the weekend. "Extending Compact-related assistance is a critical component of the administration's Pacific Partnership, Indo-Pacific, and National Security Strategies," said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement. "We look forward to working with our partners in the Freely Associated States over the next two decades of COFA-related cooperation." The compacts are agreements that give the U.S. strategic access to these regions of the Pacific Ocean. In return, the U.S. provides grants to fund education, health care and infrastructure in these nations, whose citizens are then entitled to study, work and live in the U.S. without a visa. The United States has had compact agreements in effect with Micronesia and the Marshalls since 1986 and with Palau since 1994. The compacts were signed last year but funding stalled as U.S. lawmakers struggled to reach agreement on full-year spending. Palau has been forced to borrow to pay for basic government services like education and health care while waiting for $890 million its share of the funds. "It's not Oct. 1, but it's at least within this fiscal year, and really just in time," Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. told VOA in an interview on Monday. "[This] allows us to stop borrowing to keep government operations going; it allows us to hire those critical police officers, health care workers and education teachers that we need," he said. Palau's economy tanked after Chinese tourism dropped by more than 50% in the wake of the COVID pandemic. The island nation maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan under repeated pressure from Beijing to switch alliances. Whipps says he recently met with investors from Singapore and Japan, as well as United Airlines with a request for direct service to Japan. He said now that COFA is funded, he can promise a stable and secure environment to financiers. "[It's important that we're] opening up new markets so that we're diversified and more resilient, not so dependent on the Chinese tourism, which could be weaponized," said Whipps. Coordinated push The final passage comes after a coordinated pressure campaign, from members of Congress as well as the Pacific region. "The COFA agreements send a clear message of U.S. commitment to the Pacific region and take a much-needed international strong stand for the ideals of democracy and freedom," American Samoa Representative Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen said in a statement after the House passed COFA on Wednesday. "I've appreciated the partnership of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and thank the many advocates -- in Hawaii and in COFA communities across the country -- whose hard work made this victory possible," Hawaii Senator Mazie Hirono said in a statement after the Senate passed COFA, Friday. The leaders of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands joined Whipps in February in drafting a letter to congressional leaders warning of the consequences of not funding the compacts. Like Palau, the Marshall Islands maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan, while Micronesia has diplomatic relations with Beijing. "There have been 'carrot and stick' efforts from the PRC [People's Republic of China] to shift our alliances, including discontinuing support of Taiwan," Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine wrote in the February letter. At a Nuclear Remembrance Day ceremony in the Marshall Islands on March 1, President Heine said the funding delay had created doubt. "At some point, our nation needs to seriously consider other options available to us if the U.S. is unable or unwilling to keep its commitments to us. Our nation has been a steadfast ally of the United States, but that should not be taken for granted," she told the audience. Delay sends signal Experts say Washington's funding delay sent a signal to the rest of the Pacific that undermines U.S. credibility. "They see our agreements with these three Pacific nations as the bellwether for our entire engagement with the region," Kathryn Hendel Paik, Center for Strategic and International Studies senior fellow, said Monday in an interview with VOA. "Our waffling on this has really made them question a relationship that they were already starting to be skeptical on because, historically, we have not always been there for the Pacific and we've not always showed up the way we should have," she said. Charles Paul, Marshall Islands ambassador to the U.S., told VOA via Zoom on Monday, "We're looking forward to having the compacts approved." He added that the agreement includes about $700 million to address the health impacts of radiation introduced in the 67 American atmospheric nuclear tests between 1946 and 1958. In a 13-minute video posted Saturday on Facebook, Wesley Sinima, president of the Federated States of Micronesia, said the funding delay stirred up "doubt and uncertainty." He added, however, that the final agreement will "contribute to greater peace and prosperity" for the Micronesian people and "greater security and stability for the Indo-Pacific region and the world." As for Palau, President Whipps said he's been invited to Washington in the coming weeks for an exchange of diplomatic notes to finalize the compacts. He hopes to attend. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel Targets Senior Hamas Military Leader By VOA News March 11, 2024 Israel said Monday that an airstrike in Gaza over the weekend targeted a senior Hamas military leader, but it was still trying to determine whether he had been killed. The strike on the presumed hideout of Marwan Issa took place "between Saturday and Sunday," Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told a news briefing Monday. He said the compound in central Gaza was used by two senior members of Hamas, including Issa, who Israel accuses of being one of the key planners behind Hamas' October 7 terror attack on Israel. Issa is second in command of Hamas' military wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades. "We are still examining the results of the strike, and final confirmation has yet to be received," Hagari said. The comments come as Palestinians marked the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on Monday. Fighting continued despite efforts to secure a new cease-fire between Israel and Hamas during Ramadan. Israel reported carrying out attacks across the Gaza Strip on Monday, including conducting airstrikes and ground attacks in Khan Younis and other areas of southern Gaza, as well as in central Gaza. The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza said Monday that 67 people had been killed in Israel's offensive during the past day, with at least 31,112 killed since war began in October. The violence followed weeks of negotiations that included Egypt, the United States and Qatar to secure a new cease-fire before Ramadan that would have included a release of hostages held by militants in Gaza and Israel setting free Palestinian prisoners. Hamas negotiators said in departing talks in Cairo last week that cease-fire negotiations would resume this week. In New York, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated his appeal for a cease-fire for the Muslim holy month to speed adequate aid to Palestinians in Gaza and secure the release of all hostages held by Hamas. "The eyes of the world are watching. The eyes of history are watching," Guterres told reporters. "We cannot look away. We must act to avoid more preventable deaths." He said desperate civilians need "immediate action." German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Monday that "an important step now would be a cease-fire that lasts longer, ideally during Ramadan already." During a news briefing in Berlin alongside Malaysia's prime minister, he said, "More humanitarian aid must reach Gaza, and that is our clear call to Israel, which has every right to defend itself against Hamas." A U.S. Army ship is on its way to the Mediterranean Sea to start construction of a temporary pier on the Gaza coastline to provide passage for more truckloads of humanitarian aid to famished Palestinians. Officials, however, said it could be two months before the facility is built and operating. The eventual plan is for more food and medical supplies to be dispatched to the temporary pier in Gaza from nearby Cyprus after Israeli forces inspect the cargo to make sure no weaponry is included for Hamas militants. The temporary pier is needed because Gaza has no port infrastructure and has been under an Israeli navy blockade since 2007, when Hamas took control of the enclave. There have been few direct sea arrivals since then. A Spanish charity ship carrying food aid was expected to soon set sail from Cyprus. The nongovernmental group Open Arms said its vessel would carry 200 tons of food, which its partner, the U.S. charity World Central Kitchen, would then unload on the shores of Gaza where it had constructed a basic dock. The October 7 terror attack on Israel killed 1,200 people and led to the capture of about 250 hostages. The United Nations has warned that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are starving, and that the daily number of aid trucks entering Gaza by land over the past five months has been far below the 500 that entered daily before the war because of Israeli restrictions and security issues. The U.S. Central Command and the Royal Jordanian Air Force conducted a combined humanitarian assistance airdrop into northern Gaza on Sunday, dropping more than 11,500 meal equivalents, as well as other items including rice, flour, pasta and canned food into the territory. Officials say the airdrops are insufficient to cover the vast food needs in Gaza. Five people were also killed days ago when a food pallet hit them after its parachute failed to deploy correctly. Some material in this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Mothers Don't Have Milk to Feed Their Babies,' Say Gaza Doctors By Heather Murdock March 11, 2024 Children in Gaza haven't been to school since the Israel-Hamas war began, but parents here say, right now, this is the least of their problems. The United Nations says more than 12,000 children have died in the war, and 20 of starvation in recent weeks. Another 17,000 children have lost or been separated from their parents. Most children in Gaza have been forced to flee their homes, and parents say even the best cared-for are traumatized. "[My son] is constantly awake at night, crying," says Hekmat Almasri, the mother of 12-year-old Abed Alrazeq Almasri. Since the war began, her husband, a doctor, has lived at the hospital where he works. His small family fled to a makeshift camp in Rafah, in Gaza's south, where they live in a tent near the border with Egypt. "[My son] says, 'I miss my father. I wish we could go back home,'" adds Hekmat Almasri. "I want to live the normal life that we used to live." More than 31,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Gaza ministry of health. The war began October 7, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 240 hostages. Most of Gaza's 2 million-plus population is now crowded into emergency shelters in Rafah, but hundreds of thousands of people are living in the north, where hunger has reached "catastrophic levels," according to the U.N. But even in the south, where the population of Rafah has increased six-fold in recent months as people await what Israel says is a coming assault, the food crisis has become an emergency. Pediatricians in the south say every child they see is suffering from noticeable psychological and physical trauma, and the consequences of hunger. "All of them are having problems growing," says Dr. Saeed Abdulrahman Mahmoud Marouf, a doctor at Abu Yousef Al Najjar Hospital. "All of them are sick. Even the mothers don't have milk to feed their babies. They say, 'I can't make milk to give them and how could I possibly buy it?'" Psychological damage Some children, says Marouf, can clearly identify bombs, planes and who among their family or neighbors have died. Other children wail and cling to their parents nearly all the time. Many have started to hallucinate. Despite the suffering, there are children who have hope that they will be reunited with loved ones, adds Almasri, the mother. "I wish to go home," says her son, Abed Alrazeq Almasri, when asked what he would ask for if he had one wish. He now spends his days searching for food and counting the days since he last saw his father in October. "I used to go to school, but now I don't go to school. I used to play with my friends." His mother says watching the children learn and relearn the depth of the crisis is heartbreaking. "The mothers cannot answer their children's questions," she explains. "They can't answer their needs... even for food. Children will ask for meat, or fish, or chocolate or sweets that they used to eat. But we can't get it now." Hunger disaster approaching Israel says it places no restrictions on the amount of aid that can get into Gaza, but it does inspect all deliveries to make sure they don't carry weapons or other items meant for use by Hamas. Israel blames the U.N. for the slow distribution of food aid, but the organization says distribution problems are caused by the ongoing conflict and Israeli military checkpoints. Amnesty International accuses Israel of "blocking and impeding the passage of sufficient aid into the Gaza Strip, in particular to the north which is virtually inaccessible." The U.N. says widespread starvation is imminent if access does not improve dramatically. Efforts to bring in aid via air or sea, they say, can provide only a fraction of the massive influx of food that is needed. "Airdrops are a last resort and will not avert famine," said Carl Skau, the World Food Program's deputy executive director in a March 5 statement. "We need entry points to northern Gaza that will allow us to deliver enough food for half a million people in desperate need." Nedal Hamdouna and Amjed Tantesh contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraqi resistance drone hits Tel Aviv airport IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 12, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The Islamic Resistance of Iraq says it has targeted Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv with a drone, in a latest of attack on Zionist targets deep inside Israel. In a statement, the resistance group, said the early Tuesday's attack was in support of the people of Gaza and pledged to continue to carry out attacks on Israeli targets. Last week, the Islamic Resistance of Iraq carried out a number of anti-Israeli operations, targeting a military base of the Zionist regime in the "Rash Pina" airport located in the Al-Jalil region. The Islamic Resistance of Iraq announced earlier that the power plant of Haifa city airport in occupied Palestine was targeted by a drone attack. Since the onset of the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza, regional resistance groups including Iraq's Islamic Resistance keep targeting US and Israeli interests in an effort to exert pressure on the regime to end its bloodshed in Gaza. 4399 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Zionist warplanes target Lebanon's residential area IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 12, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The Israel regime's military has carried out new aerial attack on a residential area in Lebanon, leaving several civilians injured. The area around the city of Baalbek in northeastern Lebanon was targeted in this attack, according to a report from the Al Jazeera news network. At least six civilians are confirmed injured so far, the report said. Tensions remain high in Lebanon amid exchanges of missiles and shelling between the Hezbollah resistance movement and the Zionist army, with both sides targeting each other's positions almost on a daily basis. Over the past five months, with the onset of Israel's bloodshed and genocide in the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah has targeted the regime's military positions in the occupied territories, killing a number of Zionist soldiers and forcing thousands of settlers to leave the areas. The Israeli regime has recently stepped up its attacks on Lebanon's residential areas that have left a number of civilians dead and prompted Hezbollah to intensify retaliatory attacks. 4399 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US, UK intensify aggression against Yemen IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mar 12, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- American and British warplanes have carried out fresh raids on Yemen after raining down bombs on parts of the Arab country on the previous day, the Yemeni media reported. The warplanes targeted the Takhiyeh area in the city of Majz, located in northern Saada province 5 times in the early hours of Tuesday, according to Yemen's Al-Masirah TV network. On Monday, media reported that American and British jets dropped bombs on different areas of Yemen, especially the western parts of the country over a dozen times. The areas that were targeted the previous day include Al-Araj in the city of Bajal, Ras Isa port town and the city of al-Salif in western Hudaydah province, according to IRNA citing the Yemeni media. There were immediately no reports of possible casualties and damage from the latest attacks. The United States and Britain have carried out a number of joint strikes on Yemen under the pretext of protecting maritime trade in the Red Sea. Attacks have been intensified in recent days, with Yemenis and international experts calling the belligerence an attempt to pressure the Yemeni armed forces to stop the naval blockade imposed on the Zionist regime. The Yemeni army launched their operations against Israeli or Israeli-bound ships in the Red Sea over the regime's genocide in the Gaza Strip. The have repeatedly announced that all other ships are free and safe to sail through the strategic water. However, over the past month, Yemenis have also launched attack on US and British ships in retaliation for the two countries' aggression against the Arab country. 4399 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Europe sees sharp rise in arms imports in 2019-2023 People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 09:40, March 12, 2024 STOCKHOLM, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Arms imports to Europe surged 94 percent in 2019-2023 from 2014-2018, said the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) on Monday. In its latest report, SIPRI said Ukraine emerged as the largest arms importer in Europe and the fourth in the world over the past five years, as at least 30 countries supplied weapons to it since February 2022. "With many high-value arms on order, including nearly 800 combat aircraft and combat helicopters, European arms imports are likely to remain at a high level," said Pieter Wezeman, a senior researcher with the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme. Wezeman added that in the past two years Europe has also seen a much greater demand for air defence systems due to the Ukraine crisis. Meanwhile, the SIPRI report showed that around 55 percent of arms imports by European states in the 2019-2023 period were from the United States. "Many factors shape European NATO states' decisions to import from the USA, including the goal of maintaining trans-Atlantic relations," said SIPRI Director Dan Smith. "If trans-Atlantic relations change in the coming years, European states' arms procurement policies may also be modified," Smith added. SIPRI, founded in 1966, provides data, analysis and recommendations for military expenditure, arms trade, disarmament and arms control, among others. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN chief calls for Ramadan truce in Gaza, Sudan People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 08:10, March 12, 2024 UNITED NATIONS, March 11 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called for ceasefires in Gaza and Sudan during the holy month of Ramadan. As Monday marks the start of the holy month of Ramadan, it is a period when Muslims around the world celebrate and spread the values of peace, reconciliation and solidarity. Yet the killing, bombing and bloodshed continue in Gaza, he said. "My strongest appeal today is to honor the spirit of Ramadan by silencing the guns -- and removing all obstacles to ensure the delivery of life-saving aid at the speed and massive scale required," he told reporters. The civilian killing and destruction have been at a level that is unprecedented in his years as UN secretary-general. Meanwhile, life-saving relief for Palestinians in Gaza is coming in trickles -- if it comes at all, said Guterres. International humanitarian law lies in tatters. And a threatened Israeli assault on Rafah could plummet the people of Gaza into an even deeper circle of hell, he warned. Guterres also called for a Ramadan cessation of hostilities in Sudan. "The fighting there must end for the sake of the Sudanese people who face hunger, horrors and untold hardships," he said. "In Gaza, in Sudan, and beyond, it is time for peace. I call on political, religious and community leaders everywhere to do everything in their power to make this holy period a time for empathy, action and peace," said Guterres. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 11: Committee chairman Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) speaks during a senate hearing. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Drew Angerer/Getty Images U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Monday he will introduce bipartisan legislation to prevent natural gas pipeline companies from overcharging customers. If approved and signed into law, the Making Pipelines Accountable to Consumers and Taxpayers Act will result in millions of dollars of refunds to consumers who have been overcharged for their natural gas costs. The loophole that allows for the overcharges to occur exists because the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regulates rates charged by natural gas pipeline companies, but does not have the ability to order rebates for the pipelines customers when they are overcharged. Interstate natural gas pipeline companies, Blumenthal said, regularly overcharge utility companies, which purchase the fuel to provide to their customers. The costs charged to the natural gas utilities are then passed along to consumers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Blumenthal described the pipeline companies' overcharges as "systematic and ceaseless." He said that a recent American Public Gas Association study found that between 2012 and 2016, U.S. consumers paid $2.5 billion more than they should have. Current federal law provides natural gas customers no opportunity to recover overcharges, and so the natural gas pipeline companies are able to keep the excess, according to Blumenthal. The proposed legislation would fix this problem by granting FERC the authority to require that pipeline companies reimburse their customers for excessive charges and ensure excessive consumer rates are reduced on a timely basis. The proposed legislation has the support of Pedro Azagra, chief executive officer of Orange-based Avangrid, the corporate parent of Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas. Azagra said the two natural gas utilities pass through what they pay for the natural gas delivered from the pipeline and do not make a profit. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "We believe it's important for energy consumers to know where their costs come from," he said. Chris Riley, a spokesman for Norwich Public Utilities, said the legislation, if approved and signed into law, "has the potential to make a real difference to our 10,000 natural gas customers every month." Officials with the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, a Washington, D.C. trade group of pipeline operators, were not immediately available for comment on the proposed legislation. Russo-Ukraine War - 11 March 2024 - Day 746 Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. "To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal] The UK Ministry of Defence reported that according to the Russian Interior Ministry there are about 2.8 million residents in the temporarily controlled territories (TCT) of Ukraine who are now Russian passport holders. Russia makes access to services in these regions, including social services and healthcare, conditional on the receipt of Russian passports. In April 2023 Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree stating that residents of the TCT who refuse Russian passports will become foreign citizens or stateless persons. Such persons have the right to live in the TCT only until 1 July 2024. There is a realistic possibility that any individuals in the TCT after this date who do not have a Russian passport will be deported or face detention. Recent rhetoric from the deputy chair of Russia's National Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, indicates individuals might be deported to remote parts of Russia. The Kremlin is pursuing a relentless Russification policy in the TCT. Another decree on military districts issued on 26 February 2024 states that the TCT will now become part of the Russian Southern Military District. The Kremlin is seeking to make the integration of the TCT into the Russian Federation irreversible. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of March 11, there were 53x combat engagements. Russian forces launched a total of 6x missile and 87x air strikes, carried out 32x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, Russian attacks resulted in wounded civilians. Residential private and apartment buildings, as well as other infrastructure were destroyed and damaged. Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes. No signs of formation of an offensive group. Certain units of the armed forces of Belarus continue their missions in the areas bordering Ukraine. Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: Russia maintains its military presence in the areas of russia bordering Ukraine. Russia continues its sabotage and reconnaissance activities, shelling Ukrainian settlements from the territory of Russia and increases the density of minefields along the state border of Ukraine. Russian forces launched an air strike in the vicinity of Prohres (Chernihiv oblast). More than 30x settlements came under Russian artillery and mortar fire, including Klyusy, Kostobobriv, Huta-Studenets'ka (Chernihiv oblast), Katerynivka, Myropillya, Seredyna-Buda (Sumy oblast), Udy, Strilecha, Starytsya (Kharkiv oblast). Kup'yans'k axis: Russian forces conducted no offensives. The occupiers launched air strikes in the vicinities of Petropavlivka (Kharkiv oblast) and Kryvoshyivka (Luhansk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 15x settlements, including Syn'kivka, Petropavlivka, Berestove (Kharkiv oblast). Lyman axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 7x assaults near Terny (Donetsk oblast) and Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), where Russian forces, with air support, made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Yampolivka and Fedorivka (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 15x settlements, including Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Terny, Yampolivka, Spirne, Rozdolivka (Donetsk oblast). Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 5x attacks in the vicinities of Klishchiivka, Andriivka, Stupochky and east of Chasiv Yar (Donetsk oblast), where the Russian occupiers made attempts to improve their tactical situation. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinity of Chasiv Yar (Donetsk oblast). Around 10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Hryhorivka, Kalynivka, Klishchiivka (Donetsk oblast). Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 11x attacks in the vicinities of Berdychi, Orlivka, Tonen'ke, Pervomais'ke and Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Novokalynove, Novobakhmutivka, Zavitne, Oleksandropil' (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 15x settlements, including Berdychi, Semenivka, Pervomais'ke (Donetsk oblast). Novopavlivka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back Russian forces in the vicinities of Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Novomykhailivka and Pobjeda (Donetsk oblast). In that area, the Russian invaders, with air support, made 18x attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Novomykhailivka, Vodyane (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 20x settlements, including Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Paraskoviivka, Vuhledar (Donetsk oblast). Orikhiv axis: Russian forces conducted 5x attacks on positions of Ukrainian defenders in the vicinities of Robotyne, Staromaiors'ke and northwest of Verbove (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast), Novodanylivka and Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Around 20x settlements, including Poltavka, Chervone, Robotyne, Novodanylivka (Zaporizhzhia oblast), were under Russian artillery and mortar fire. Odesa operational-strategic group, Kherson axis: Russian forces conducted no offensives. More than 25x settlements, including the city of Kherson, Tyahynka, Ivanivka, Krynky (Kherson oblast), were under Russian artillery and mortar fire. During the day of March 11, the Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 8x concentrations of Russian troops, weapons and military equipment, 1x command post. The Ukrainian missile troops hit 2x concentrations of troops, weapons and military equipment, 1x Buk-M1 air defense system, 1x 1L219 Zoopark radar station of Russian invaders. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces, in cooperation with aviation and artillery, repelled four attacks launched by assault groups of AFU 32nd mechanised and 57th mechanised infantry brigades near Sinkovka (Kharkov region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 30 Ukrainian troops, two infantry fighting vehicles, and two pick-up trucks. In the course of the counter-battery warfare, one Czech-made Vampire MLRS, two French-made Caesar self-propelled artillery systems, one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, one D-30 howitzer, and one U.S.-made M101 howitzer were destroyed. In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces took more advantageous lines, and inflicted losses on units of AFU 80th air assault, 33rd, 54th mechanised brigades near Krasnogorovka, Razdolovka (Donetsk People's Republic), Belogorovka (Lugansk People's Republic). In addition, one attack by assault groups of the AFU 79th Air Assault Brigade was repelled close to Novomikhailovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU lost up to 180 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, three pick-up trucks, three Akatsiya self-propelled artillery systems, and two D-20 howitzers. Three enemy ammunition depots were destroyed. In Avdeyevka direction, the Tsentr Group of Forces' units improved the situation along the front line, and inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of AFU 53rd, 110th mechanised, 103rd territorial defence brigades near Kalinovo, Mayorsk, and Rozovka (Donetsk People's Republic). Eleven counter-attacks of AFU 24th, 47th mechanised, 3rd assault brigades were repelled near Novobakhmutovka, Berdychi, Orlovka, and Tonenkoye (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy lost more than 430 Ukrainian troops, one U.S.-made Abrams tank, two armoured fighting vehicles, and 18 motor vehicles. In the course of the counter-battery warfare, one Grad MLRS, one U.S.-made M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system, one D-20 howitzer, and five D-30 howitzers were destroyed. Moreover, two AFU ammunition depots were wiped out. In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of AFU 72nd mechanised, 102nd territorial defence brigades near Vodyanoye (Donetsk People's Republic), Chervonoye (Zaporozhye region). The AFU losses amounted to more than 140 Ukrainian troops, eight pick-up trucks, and one U.S.-made M119 towed gun. In Kherson direction, units of the Dnepr Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions as a result of coordinated actions. One attack launched by assault groups of the AFU 82nd Air Assault Brigade wwas repelled near Rabotino (Zaporozhye region). The enemy lost up to 30 Ukrainian troops, one tank, five motor vehicles, and one D-30 howitzer. Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have engaged one ammunition depot and seven UAV control posts of the AFU. In addition, two temporary deployment areas of foreign mercenaries, as well as clusters of enemy manpower and military hardware were engaged in 142 areas. Russian air defence forces have shot down 10 HIMARS MLRS projectiles during the day. Over the past 24 hours, 95 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been destroyed near Peschanoye, Tabayevka (Kharkov region), Zhitlovka, Lisichansk (Lugansk People's Republic), Donetsk, Kremenets (Donetsk People's Republic), Tokmak (Zaporozhye region), and Proletarka (Kherson region). In total, 577 airplanes and 267 helicopters, 15,080 unmanned aerial vehicles, 484 air defence missile systems, 15,428 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,237 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,369 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 19,608 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Treasury Designates Transnational al-Shabaab Money Laundering Network U.S. Department of the Treasury March 11, 2024 WASHINGTON -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on 16 entities and individuals who compose an expansive business network spanning the Horn of Africa, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Cyprus that raises and launders funds for al-Shabaab, a terrorist group affiliated with al-Qa'ida. Individuals within this network include influential businesspeople in the region that lend financial backing to al-Shabaab, a terrorist group responsible for some of the worst terrorist attacks in East Africa's modern history. These attacks have claimed the lives of thousands of innocent civilians. These individuals and entities are being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended, which targets terrorist groups and their enablers. "The United States is committed to working with regional partners to root out terror financing networks and the entities they abuse to raise and move funds," said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. "Today's action is part of a multifaceted effort by Treasury to support the Somali government's economic offensive against al-Shabaabaone of three pillars in their campaign to degrade this deadly terrorist group." Al-Shabaab generates over $100 million per year by extorting local businesses and individuals, as well as through the financial support of affiliated businesspeople. The threat posed by al-Shabaab is not limited to Somalia. Al-Shabaab's revenues are disbursed to other al-Qa'ida-supported groups worldwide and help fund al-Qa'ida's global ambitions to sow discord and undermine good governance. This action continues Treasury's efforts to disrupt al-Shabaab's abuse of the regional financial system and builds on OFAC's October 2022 designation of a network of al-Shabaab financial facilitators who served as key interlocutors between al-Shabaab and local businesses in Somalia. AL-SHABAAB MONEY LAUNDERERS IN THE UAE AND EASTERN AFRICA The network of individuals and entities designated today have been involved in the raising and laundering of millions of dollars through several businesses at the direction and in the interest of al-Shabaab. Dubai-based Haleel Commodities L.L.C., also known asHaleel Group,is a key financial facilitator for al-Shabaab, which relies on the leaders of Haleel Group, as well as its branches and subsidiaries in Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, and Cyprus to generate and launder funds. Haleel Group's subsidiaries in Cyprus include Haleel Finance LTD, Haleel Holdings, and Haleel LTD; the group also has branches in Kenya (Haleel Commodities Limited) and Uganda (Haleel Commodities LTD) and operates as Haleel Electronics in Somalia. UAE-based Qemat Al Najah General Trading has served as an important money laundering node in the network, and helped manage and transfer funds for al-Shabaab in connection with Haleel Group. Kenya-based Faysal Yusuf Dini (Dini) is an al-Shabaab financial facilitator who leverages Haleel Groupand some of its leadership to transfer funds on behalf of al-Shabaab. He also works closely with Kenya-based Mohamed Jumale Ali Awale (Awale) to plan investment projects and money laundering activities. This includes managing al-Shabaab funds laundered through investment projects and companies, including through Kenya-based Crown Bus Services. Crown Bus Services has alsosupported al-Shabaab's logistical operations. Hassan Abdirahman Mahamed, a Finland-based Somali citizen, uses money transfer and hawala businesses to support al-Shabaab's money laundering operations linked to the network of Haleel Group and Qemat Al Najah General Trading. UAE-based Mohamed Artan Robel is another member of this money laundering network supporting al-Shabaab through the Haleel Group and Qemat Al Najah General Trading. Abdikarin Farah Mohamed is a Somalia-based key member of this money laundering network. Farhan Hussein Hayder (Hayder) directs and manages Haleel Group'sbranches in Kenya, Uganda, Cyprus, and the UAE, and supports al-Shabaab by generating funds for the group through these businesses. A notable part of this network is active in Uganda. Specifically, Abdulkadir Omar Abdullahi (Abdullahi), is associated with Haleel Group's Uganda branch as its director, along with Omar Sheikh Ali Hilowle (Hilowle) and Hayder. In his role, Abdullahi has managed and transferred funds for al-Shabaab. Farhan Hussein Hayder,Mohamed Jumale Ali Awale, Abdulkadir Omar Abdullahi, and Qemat Al Najah General Tradingare being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, al-Shabaab, a person whose property is and interest in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 13224. Faysal Yusuf Dini, Omar Sheikh Ali Hilowle,Abdikarin Farah Mohamed,and Mohamed Artan Robel are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, al-Shabaab, a person whose property and interest in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 13224. Hassan Abdirahman Mahamed is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Haleel Commodities L.L.C., a person whose property and interest in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended. UAE-based Haleel Commodities L.L.C., is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, al-Shabaab, a person whose property and interest in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 13224. Cyprus-based Haleel Finance LTD, Haleel Holdings, and Haleel LTD are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13244, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, directly or indirectly, Haleel Commodities L.L.C., a person whose property and interest in property are proposed to be blacked pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended. Kenya-based Haleel Commodities Limited and Crown Bus Servicesare being designated pursuant to E.O. 13244, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, directly or indirectly, Mohamed Jumale Ali Awale, a person whose property and interest in property are proposed to be blacked pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended. Uganda-based Haleel Commodities LTD is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13244, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, directly or indirectly, Farhan Hussein Hayder, a person whose property and interest in property are proposed to be blacked pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended. SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of the individuals and entities named above, and of any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by them, individually, or with other blocked persons, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC. OFAC's regulations generally prohibit all dealings by U.S. persons or within the United States (including transactions transiting the United States) that involve any property or interests in property of designated or blocked persons. Furthermore, engaging in certain transactions with the individuals designated today entails risk of secondary sanctions pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended. Pursuant to this authority, OFAC can prohibit or impose strict conditions on the opening or maintaining in the United States of a correspondent account or a payable-through account of a foreign financial institution that knowingly conducted or facilitated any significant transaction on behalf of a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC's ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer to OFAC's Frequently Asked Question 897 here. For detailed information on the process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list, please click here. View identifying information related to today's action. ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting with head of Roscosmos Yury Borisov Vladimir Putin had a working meeting with General Director of the Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities Yury Borisov. March 11, 2024 13:30 The Kremlin, Moscow President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Borisov, I know that preparations are underway for a new ISS mission. How is this work proceeding? Let us begin with this issue. Head of Roscosmos Yury Borisov: Mr President, this work is now in its final stage, and we are currently completing comprehensive crew training tests. The three-person crew includes cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya from our fraternal Republic of Belarus. She was selected in December 2022 from among six contenders, and she started training in August 2023. She has already completed her training, passed all the exams, and she is ready to lift off. Oleg Novitsky, the crew's commander, is not a rookie cosmonaut. NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, due to replace Loral O'Hara (who has spent six months aboard the ISS) is the third crewmember. We are expecting the Soyuz-25 spacecraft to deliver them to the ISS on March 21, and we will be waiting for them to come back on April 2. Vladimir Putin: I see. I know that there are other issues as well. Please continue. Yury Borisov: Yes, Mr President, but, first of all, I would like to thank you on behalf of the sector's large staff for your care in addressing our immediate challenges. Of course, your deep immersion in the essence of these issues and nuances deserves deep appreciation; in turn, we assume specific obligations. We appreciate this very much. I would like to draw your attention to the following points. We are completing the Angara-5M launch complex at the Vostochny Cosmodrome. We hope that the first launch will take place in the first ten days of April. This is a highly important event for the country; we will strengthen the ground-based space infrastructure. As you know, we already operate one launch site in Plesetsk, and this will become a standby launch site. That's why it is very important to us. We continue a series of accident-free launches. Quite recently, we added a Meteor-M 2-4 satellite to the weather satellite cluster. By the way, we launched 18 small satellites together with it, including one contributed by our colleagues from Iran. We are getting ready to receive our colleagues from BRICS countries. Russia chairs BRICS throughout 2024. We will also meet with our colleagues from national space agencies. We worked closely with them last year, and we have tremendous prospects. I will inform you about our proposals on this issue. We are working intensively to popularise space exploration among the population, especially young people. We really care who will replace us in 10-15 years, and who will continue our work. For example, we are now actively working on projects to popularise space careers together with the Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova. These are the main aspects that I wanted to report to you. Mr President, this year marks the 90th birthday anniversary of Yury Gagarin, our wonderful cosmonaut who wrote his name in golden letters in the history of the global space programme. I would like to present you with a portrait of him. This portrait is a symbol of the Cosmos Pavilion that you opened after its reconstruction in 2018. I hope that you will be filled with optimism, while looking at it, and that you will feel confident that we will accomplish all our objectives. Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much. <...> NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Revised Organic Law of the State Council passed Global Times Emendation ensures smooth implementation of important policy decision: expert By Cui Fandi Published: Mar 11, 2024 10:55 PM Chinese President Xi Jinping signed a presidential order on Monday to promulgate a revised Organic Law of the State Council, which took effect on the same day. The revisions to the law were passed by Chinese national lawmakers on Monday at the closing meeting of the second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), the first revision of the law since its adoption in 1982, the Xinhua News Agency reported. The revised Organic Law of the State Council meets the development requirements of the times, scholars told the Global Times. The revision emphasizes the leadership of the Party over administrative organs, and will help ensure smooth governance and the implementation of important decisions. The latest revision contains 20 articles, and adds provisions concerning the nature and position of the State Council per the Constitution, which stipulates that the State Council, namely, the central government, is the executive organ of the highest state organ of power, and is the highest state administrative organ. It also refines the expressions regarding the functions and powers of the State Council and adds a provision that the State Council exercises unified leadership over the work of local state administrative organs at all levels nationwide, according to Xinhua. According to the revision, the amended provisions further clarify the duties of vice premiers and state councilors. It adds the governor of the People's Bank of China as a member of the State Council. The lawmakers started deliberating the draft revision to the Organic Law of the State Council on March 5. On Sunday, the third meeting of the presidium of the second session of the 14th NPC made a decision to submit the draft revision to the NPC session for a vote. The law has played a significant role in ensuring that the State Council performs its duties in accordance with the Constitution and other laws, said Li Hongzhong, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, when explaining the bill at the opening meeting of the second session of the 14th NPC, according to the Xinhua News Agency. Revising the law is a necessary step for the State Council to uphold the Party's overall leadership and strengthen the all-round improvement of governance, said Li, adding that it provides an institutional guarantee for the State Council to adhere to its people-centered principle and its fundamental purpose of wholeheartedly serving the people, a Xinhua said on March 6. The revision is also an important part of efforts to fully implement and enforce the Constitution and establish law-based governance, as well as being an effective measure to reform Party and state institutions and modernize the country's systems and capacity for governance, according to Li. The revised Organic Law of the State Council highlights its political nature, putting even more emphasis on the unified leadership of the Party over state administrative organs, Zhuang Deshui, deputy director of the Research Center for Government Integrity-Building at Peking University, told the Global Times on Monday. This is a significant change aimed at ensuring smooth implementation of the policies, or in other word, the important policy deployment of the CPC Central Committee can be carried out through the state administrative organs, said the expert. "At the same time, it modified the decision-making mechanism of the State Council, especially by incorporating central bank into the State Council, which increased the country's decision-making power," Zhuang told the Global Times. "It allows heads of more of the departments related to major national decisions to enter the decision-making body, which is beneficial for ensuring the implementation of decisions." The Organic Law of the State Council was adopted in December 1982 when China's current Constitution was formulated and had never gone through a revision before today. The revision of such an important and long-standing law adapts to the requirements of the times, and better suits the functions of the current State Council, Zhuang noted. "It is a result of our practice over the past few decades, and responds to the practical needs of the operation of the State Council," he said, noting that the outcome will be clearer to see after a few years of implementation. After deliberation began on the draft revision, it drew widespread attention from foreign media. Many of them misinterpreted it, smearing it as signifying further centralization of power or weakening of government authority. Observers pointed out that these misunderstandings stem from a fundamental prejudice by many Westerners against China's unique system. The idea of separation of the Party and government in China has always meant that specific functions of the Party and the government should be separated, not that the government should be detached from the Party's leadership, Zhuang explained. "The goal was always to improve the Party's leadership mechanism and methods in order to better lead the government's work," he said. "The Party is responsible for overall coordination and decision-making, with a division of labor and coordination between the Party and government. The central government will not be marginalized." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China's in-development H-20 bomber worth the excitement: PLA Air Force deputy commander Global Times By Liu Xuanzun Published: Mar 11, 2024 08:02 PM China's long awaited first strategic stealth bomber, the H-20, is worth the excitement, as it faces no technical difficulties in development and will be unveiled to the public soon, said the deputy commander of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force at the two sessions in Beijing. Wang Wei, who is also a member the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), made the remarks when asked about updates on the H-20 by the Hong Kong Commercial Daily on the sidelines of the second session of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC, which wrapped up on Sunday. China's new long-range bomber project was first announced by then PLA Air Force commander Ma Xiaotian in 2016, when he publicly confirmed the development of the aircraft, Shanghai-based news outlet eastday.com reported. Since then, little official information was released about the bomber other than a promotional video by state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China in 2018 and a PLA Air Force recruitment video in 2021. Both videos featured computer-generated scenes of an unknown large aircraft covered in a blanket, with the aircraft's outline suggesting it boasts a flying wing design, but with no further elaboration. When asked about if the H-20 has encountered technical bottlenecks given the lack of further information since 2016, Wang said that, "there is no bottleneck, and all problems can be solved. Our scientific researchers are progressing well, they are fully capable," the Hong Kong Commercial Daily reported on Monday. The aircraft will be officially unveiled to the public soon, and its commissioning and mass production will closely follow its test flights, Wang said. Wang agreed that the commissioning of the H-20 will significantly enhance the PLA Air Force's capabilities, as he said that "[it is] to be proud of, it is worth the excitement." The US has long been the leader of stealth bomber development and deployment with the B-2, and its next generation successor, the B-21, has already made its maiden flight in November 2023 and since then started low-rate production, according to US media reports. Wang refused to compare the H-20 with its US counterparts, saying that China will not compete with the US, but will only defend own security. The H-6 series, which is China's current main combat bomber that has served for decades, is a medium-range subsonic platform without stealth capability, so despite many upgrades and modernization, the aircraft itself cannot penetrate modern air defense, and relies on launching standoff munitions to attack targets, said experts reached by the Global Times. A next generation stealth bomber, capable of avoiding hostile detection, will enable the launch of more powerful or more cost-efficient munitions at closer range in larger numbers, experts said. When commissioned, the H-20 will become a new quality combat force, serve as a powerful strategic deterrent and contribute to the safeguard of national sovereignty, security and development interests, as well as peace and stability in the region and around the world, analysts said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on March 11, 2024 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China 2024-03-11 22:19 Xinhua News Agency: We noted that at the 13th meeting of the China-Africa Think Tanks Forum held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Chinese and African scholars issued the Consensus Among African and Chinese Think Tanks on Deepening Global Development Cooperation, also called the Africa-China Dar es Salaam Consensus. This document represents a joint message from China and Africa in response to the risks and challenges facing the world. Could you share some comments and further information about the meeting? Wang Wenbin: The China-Africa Think Tanks Forum is an important sub-forum of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. This year's meeting had the participation of over 300 think tank scholars, business leaders and officials from China and 49 African countries. The scholars, under the guidance of the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, had in-depth discussions on the major issues and challenges facing the world, jointly put forth solutions and formed the Africa-China Dar es Salaam Consensus. The Consensus called on the international community to deepen development cooperation based on the principles of mutual respect, solidarity, win-win cooperation, openness, and common prosperity. It proposed that countries should uphold a people-centered development approach, and create a sound institutional environment that enables everyone to pursue a better life. It stressed that different civilizations should choose dialogue over conflicts, and different nations' history, culture and traditions and the basic national conditions of each country need to be respected. It also supported countries in pursuing a path to modernization that meets their own development requirements and has the distinctive features of their own culture. These ideas and suggestions reflect the vision and wisdom of the Chinese and African academia and need to be valued. We agree with the suggestions proposed in the Africa-China Dar es Salaam Consensus. China always believes that the Global South, including China and Africa, has the right to share in the dividends of economic globalization, and gets the opportunities to accelerate self-driven development. The Global South needs to combine the role of effective market and proactive governance, improve the division of labor in the international industrial chain, help form more resilient global industrial and supply chains, and in this process, advance our industrial upgrading and improve our industrial structure. This year is a big year for China-Africa cooperation. China stands ready to work with Africa to build an equal and orderly multi-polar world, invigorate and empower global economic growth through a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, advance trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, promote reform of the international financial system, increase the representation and say of developing countries, open up new prospects for China-Africa common development and write a new chapter of building a China-Africa community with a shared future. AFP: Last week, Pope Francis called on Ukraine to stop fighting and negotiate with Russia. The Ukrainian side responded that it will never surrender. Does China also call on Ukraine to stop fighting and negotiate with Russia? Wang Wenbin: On the Ukraine issue, China follows an objective and impartial position and has actively promoted talks for peace. President Xi Jinping has put forward four points about what must be done. They are China's fundamental guide in seeking a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. China supports the holding in due course of an international peace conference that is recognized by both Russia and Ukraine and ensures the equal participation of all parties and fair discussions on all peace plans. China looks forward to the early restoration of peace and stability on the European continent and will continue to play a constructive role to this end.a Associated Press of Pakistan: On March 10, co-chairperson of the Pakistan People's Party Asif Ali Zardari took oath as the President of Pakistan after securing majority in the presidential elections. Do you have any response on that? Wang Wenbin: We extend our warm congratulations to Mr. Asif Ali Zardari on his inauguration as the President of Pakistan. President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to President Zardari. China attaches high importance to growing its relations with Pakistan and stands ready to work with Pakistan to carry forward our traditional friendship, advance practical cooperation across the board, promote greater progress in China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership and boost the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era. TASS: On Monday, the Center for Strategic and International Studies will hold a conversation on land power's contribution to AUKUS. What is the Foreign Ministry's comment? Wang Wenbin: By setting up the so-called AUKUS, the US, the UK and Australia are in nature inciting military confrontation through military cooperation. This is typical Cold-War mentality. It will increase the risk of nuclear proliferation, exacerbate arms races in the Asia-Pacific and harm peace and stability in the region. China and many other countries in the region are gravely concerned and oppose this. Any attempt to enlarge and upgrade the US-UK-Australia military cooperation represents a step in a more dangerous direction, and will only cause greater concern from regional countries and the international community. We urge the three countries to abandon the Cold-War mentality, fulfil their international obligations in good faith, and stop creating greater trouble for peace and stability in the region. Bloomberg: The Filipino Ambassador to the US said that the Philippines is looking to work with the US, Japan, Australia, and other allies to develop oil and gas resources in the South China Sea. Under the previous government, the Filipinos have been in discussions with China about developing these resources. Does China have any comment about the change in the Filipino strategy? Wang Wenbin: The South China Sea issue is a matter between China and some ASEAN countries. China maintains that maritime disputes, including those related to developing resources, should be handled properly with countries directly concerned through negotiation and consultation. The exploration of resources in the South China Sea should not harm China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and no one shall draw forces outside the region into the issues. Bloomberg: Just to follow up on that question. So you see any participation by foreign energy companies as interference in the sovereign rights of the Chinese state? Is that correct? Wang Wenbin: I just now made clear China's position. Relevant countries should not undermine China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in their effort of developing resources in the South China Sea. Drawing forces outside the region into the South China Sea issue will only complicate the situation. AFP: Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Eurasian Affairs Li Hui recently visited Russia, Ukraine, Brussels, and Germany for discussions on the war between Russia and Ukraine. Has the visit achieved any progress? Can you brief us on the progress?a Wang Wenbin: In the past week and more, Special Representative Li Hui visited Russia, the EU headquarters, Poland, Ukraine and Germany. He is now in France today. During this round of shuttle diplomacy, Special Representative Li Hui held talks with various parties and officials from the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland to pass on messages, build up consensus, and exchange in-depth views on a ceasefire and a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. The parties appreciated China's mediation efforts. On the Ukraine issue, China follows an objective and impartial position and has actively promoted talks for peace. We support the holding in due course of an international peace conference that is recognized by both Russia and Ukraine and ensures the equal participation of all parties and fair discussions on all peace plans. China will continue to play a constructive role for a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.a Shenzhen TV: It's reported that on March 7, Prime Minister of Vietnam Pham Minh Chinh visited Australia and the two countries issued a joint statement on the elevation to a comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Australia. The statement stressed the two sides share a common vision for an inclusive, stable, peaceful, independent, and prosperous Indo Pacific, and touched upon the South China Sea and the Mekong River. Media reports described it as the latest evidence of Vietnam weaning itself away from reliance on China. What's your comment?aa Wang Wenbin: China's position on the so-called Indo-Pacific Strategy of the US and some Western countries and the issue of the South China Sea is consistent and clear. We have also expressed concerns to relevant parties. We always believe that in the current Asia-Pacific region featuring overall peace and stability, development and cooperation is the consensus and aspiration of all countries in the region. Leaders of ASEAN countries stressed on multiple occasions that they will never become a proxy for any party and should never plunge into major-country competition. To advocate bloc confrontation and build exclusive circles goes against the trend of the times and the common aspiration of regional countries. We hope relevant parties will follow the spirit of openness, inclusiveness, and win-win cooperation and do more things conducive to regional peace and stability. Beijing Daily: It's reported that India's Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited "Arunachal Pradesh" to inaugurate the Sela Tunnel and other projects on March 9. The Indian Ministry of Defense put out a press release and said that the tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity to Tawang, boost defense preparedness and augment socio-economic development of the border region. What's your response?aa Wang Wenbin: The area of Zangnan is Chinese territory. The Chinese government has never recognized the so-called "Arunachal Pradesh" illegally set up by India and firmly opposes it. The China-India boundary question has yet to be solved. India has no right to arbitrarily develop the area of Zangnan in China. India's relevant moves will only complicate the boundary question and disrupt the situation in the border areas between the two countries. China strongly deplores and firmly opposes the Indian leader's visit to the East Section of the China-India boundary. We have made solemn representations to India.a CCTV: The Mayor of San Francisco, California London N. Breed sent a public letter together with leaders from various sectors to President Xi Jinping recently, reflecting on President Xi Jinping's speech at a welcome dinner hosted by friendly organizations in the US last November which focused on the people-to-people foundation of the US-China bilateral relationship, noting that San Francisco can provide a uniquely significant foothold for this people-to-people relationship, expressing the support for a stronger friendship between the two countries on that people-to-people basis, and saying that San Francisco stands ready to welcome pandas to the San Francisco Zoo. What is China's comment? Wang Wenbin: In November last year, President Xi Jinping met with President Joe Biden in San Francisco and attended a welcome dinner hosted by friendly organizations in the US where he made an important speech. The two presidents reached a number of common understandings on growing the bilateral relations, fostered the San Francisco vision, and charted the course for the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-US relations. As President Xi Jinping pointed out, the hope of the China-US relationship lies in the people, its foundation is in our societies, its future depends on the youth, and its vitality comes from exchanges at subnational levels. We hope and encourage the peoples of our two countries to make more visits, contacts and exchanges, and jointly write new stories of friendship between the two peoples and cooperation between the two countries in the new era. Giant pandas are envoys of friendship between the Chinese and American peoples. We stand ready to continue carrying out giant panda conservation cooperation with the US to enhance the friendship and mutual understanding between the two peoples. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese arrests jump nearly 50% amid clampdown on 'hostile foreign forces' Authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong go after "infiltration, sabotage, incitement and separatism." By Gu Ting and Chen Zifei for RFA Mandarin 2024.03.11 -- Chinese authorities arrested 726,000 people last year, a jump of 47.1% from the previous year, the country's chief prosecutor told the National People's Congress that ended Monday amid a crackdown on crimes linked to "hostile foreign forces." Authorities also formally prosecuted 1.688 million people last year, up 17.3%, Chief Prosecutor Ying Yong said. Ying said more than 2.4 million people were "arrested or prosecuted" last year for offenses related to "national security," although he didn't provide a breakdown for each category. The Chinese authorities have typically employed a highly elastic definition of what constitutes a state secret, and national security charges are frequently leveled at journalists, rights lawyers and activists, often based on material they posted online. Ying's annual work report on behalf of the Supreme People's Procuratorate said the focus of last year's "strike hard" campaign was crimes linked to "hostile foreign forces" including "infiltration, sabotage, incitement and separatism." The ruling Communist Party blames "hostile foreign forces" for the "white paper" protests that spread across the country in November 2022 as people vented their anger and frustration, holding up blank sheets of paper as a symbol of what they can't say, about Xi Jinping's three-year long zero-COVID policy. It also claims that foreign forces were behind waves of mass popular protest in Hong Kong against national security legislation, patriotic education and extradition to mainland China in recent years. Social unrest Cheng Xiaofeng, a former police detective from the Zhuzhou municipal police department in the central province of Hunan, said the rise in arrests is likely linked to growing social unrest. "2024 is the year in which China is heading into a state of social unrest," Cheng told RFA Mandarin. "Various social tensions are emerging, one after the other." "The official crime data tells us that people are having a hard time, and is a true reflection of the state of society," he said. Lu Jun, who founded the Beijing-based health non-profit Yirenping, agreed. "The explosion of these numbers is either due to a rise in social resistance during the past year, or it's due to the Communist Party itself, which may be acting to maintain stability, catch spies ... to ward off a crisis." He said he knows of many volunteers in the non-profit sector who have been detained and even sentenced during the past year. "If they're like this in the public welfare sector, then it's even more likely in other fields," he said. "Of course, legally speaking, it's total nonsense." The nationwide obsession with "hostile foreign forces" is being seen in Hong Kong too, where the authorities are getting ready to pass another law safeguarding "national security" that provides for harsher penalties where foreign forces are deemed to have been involved. Currently, pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai is on trial for "collusion with foreign forces" under the 2020 National Security Law -- the case against him relies heavily on opinion articles published in Lai's now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper. Sedition penalties The law also boosts penalties linked to "sedition," criminalizing online posts or displays that "cause hatred" towards the authorities or "contempt" for residents of China, according to a draft "Safeguarding National Security" bill currently before the city's Legislative Council. Penalties for "sedition" have been raised from two years to seven years, while "failing to report treasonous acts" carries a maximum jail term of 14 years. Anyone with links to overseas groups will incur harsher sentences in all cases, according to the bill. Exiled former pro-democracy lawmaker Ted Hui said the draft bill will "further deprive the people of Hong Kong of their rights." For example, Hui said many in Hong Kong are hotly supportive of Taiwan, and have gone out of their way to buy its produce amid an ongoing trade war with China. "In the future, you could be accused of treason and sentenced to life imprisonment if you don't side with the Chinese government," Hui warned, adding that the definition of the crimes under the draft law was overly vague. "This approach puts Hong Kongers at extreme risk," he said. The law will also allow police leave to hold a suspect for up to 14 days without charge, a stark contrast to the two days previously allowed. There are also restrictions on legal representation under the bill, Hui said. "You can't see a lawyer, and you can't specify which lawyer you see," he said. "People released on bail will also be placed under effective house arrest." Patrick Poon, a rights researcher at the University of Tokyo, said the new provisions will mean police have similar powers to their counterparts in mainland China. "The biggest issue [with the draft bill] is that it gives a huge amount of latitude to the police," Poon said. "Catch-all charges will become a serious problem, and there is no way to get a lawyer or to receive legal protection." "It's exactly the same as the approach in mainland China, and it's a very serious violation of human rights," he said. Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Malcolm Foster. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content March not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China set to boost defense amid regional tensions Its 2024 defense budget is set to grow more than 7%, making it the second highest in the world after the U.S. By RFA Staff 2024.03.11 -- China is increasing its 2024 defense budget by 7.2% to US$231 billion amid regional tensions and growing rivalry with the United States, marking the third consecutive year of over 7% growth in defense spending. Since 2015 and under Xi Jinping's leadership, China's defense budget has more than doubled, becoming the second-largest globally, despite the economic slowdown. This military spending increase outpaces the government's economic growth forecast of 5% for 2024. As "national defense is the security guarantee for the survival and development of a nation," a stable growth in military expenditures has been maintained throughout the years, a Chinese military spokesperson, Wu Qian, said at the weekend. The increased defense budget, announced at the National People's Congress (NPC) last week, will focus on military construction and capabilities; the innovative development of national defense science and technology; military reform; and an improved remuneration policy system, Wu added. The increase aligns with Beijing's goal of achieving a "world-class military" by 2049, as reported by the state-run Xinhua News Agency quoting Xi Jinping at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2017. "Given the state of China's economy now, it does appear that Beijing is bent on persisting with its buildup of the People's Liberation Army despite the economic challenges," said Collin Koh, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, who also warned about the "opacity in China's decision making." Researchers of the China Power project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington D.C. shared a similar view. "While China releases an official defense budget, how much China actually spends on its military is widely debated," its March report reads in part. Despite joining the U.N. voluntary report on military expenditures, China "remains less transparent than many countries," the report further reads. China's official defense budget for 2022 was approximately US$230 billion, but the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) estimated the actual figure that year to be US$292 billion, or almost 27% higher. The U.S. Department of Defense also noted in 2021 that China's real military spending may be around 1.1 to 2 times higher than stated in its official budget. Yet the Chinese military spokesperson Wu insisted that "China's defense expenditures are open, transparent, reasonable and appropriate." "China actively participates in the United Nations' military expenditure transparency system and has submitted its military expenditure report for the previous fiscal year to the United Nations every year since 2008," Wu said. Lower than the U.S. The military budget for 2024 is about 10 times as much as China's education budget, and almost five times more than the budgets for science and technology. But the Chinese military spokesperson Wu said compared to the U.S., China's defense expenditure remains "relatively low in terms of the percentage in GDP, percentage in national fiscal expenditure, and per capita defense expenditure as well as per-service member defense expenditure." "China adheres to the path of peaceful development and firmly pursues a defensive national defense policy," Wu added. Koh from S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies believes that whether China's defense policy is defensive or offensive, "it requires a debate on several fronts, including strategic and operational." "But the fact is that it is acquiring an array of offensive, especially force projection type, capabilities - several of which could be deemed destabilizing in nature," Koh told Radio Free Asia. Such a move as the military budget expansion could "fuel regional arms dynamics and consequently a potential arms-tension spiral given the extant geopolitical flashpoints in the region," he added. "Its aggressive behavior against its neighbors such as India and Southeast Asian rivals in the South China Sea should also justify China being seen as a security threat." Taiwan reunification Observers also noted that China's Premier Li Qiang in his government work report at the opening of the annual parliamentary session last week dropped the mention of "peaceful reunification" when speaking of Taiwan. But the report pledged that Beijing would be "firm in advancing the cause of China's reunification." China considers the self-ruled island one of its provinces that should be reunited with the mainland but so far Chinese officials have not threatened military action and the word "peaceful," though was dropped before, was re-installed last year. "We should promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and advance the process of China's peaceful reunification," said the then-Premier Li Keqiang at the 2023 NPC meeting. Li passed away last October. In response to Li Qiang's government work report, Taiwan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jeff Liu said that Taiwan is a sovereign independent country and is not subordinate to the People's Republic of China, which has never ruled Taiwan. Koh believes Beijing has also paid close attention to what's happening in Ukraine since the war started and sought to draw useful lessons to refine its own wartime strategy on Taiwan. "Taiwan definitely forms a major consideration," he said. "But it's also equally important to say that in this context, the primary adversary Beijing is preparing the PLA for isn't just simply Taiwan per se, but the Americans." The U.S.-China rivalry has been dominating the international geopolitical agenda for several years and shows no sign of abating, analysts noted. Edited by Taejun Kang and Elaine Chan. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content March not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China, Iran, Russia Host Naval Drills By Samuel Weinmann March 11, 2024 China, Russia and Iran are holding joint naval exercises this week near the Gulf of Oman, according to the Chinese defense ministry. According to a ministry statement Monday, the exercises, dubbed "Security Bond-2024," will take place from Monday to Friday and aims to "strengthen maritime cooperation" and "jointly safeguard regional maritime security." A similar round of drills was held last year in the same area between the three countries. According to Iran's state news agency, IRNA, the drills are set to start Tuesday with naval representatives from Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Oman, India and South Africa also set to observe the exercises. Iranian state media added that the purpose of the drills is to "consolidate security and its foundations in the region and expand multilateral cooperation among the participating countries." In a statement published Monday, Beijing announced that China will be sending the "guided missile destroyer Urumqi, guided missile frigate Linyi and comprehensive supply ship Dongpinghu." According to Russian news agencies, Moscow's defense ministry said, "The practical part of the exercise will take place in the waters of the Gulf of Oman in the Arabian Sea." Moscow also added that the drills would facilitate maritime safety. Russian state media reported ahead of this week's drills that ships from Russia's Pacific Fleet arrived at Iran's Chah Bahar port Monday, led by the Varyag cruiser. The maritime drills come as tensions are high in the region due to the war in Gaza and ongoing attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Last week, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said that since October 19 of last year, rebels have launched 403 missiles or drones against 61 ships, causing disruptions to international trade. The Houthi leader has previously pledged that attacks will further escalate if what he calls "the barbaric and brutal aggression against Gaza does not stop." Some U.S. officials have previously expressed concern over growing military ties between the three countries. Last year, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley said that China, Russia and Iran would be a problem "for many years to come" for Washington. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China Concludes Annual Parliamentary Meetings as Xi Consolidates Power By William Yang March 11, 2024 China concluded its week-long annual parliamentary meetings in Beijing Monday, passing amendments that will further consolidate Chinese President Xi Jinping's power and vowing to adopt several new pieces of legislation that aim to safeguard China's sovereignty and security interests. China's rubber-stamp parliament passed revisions to the Organic Law of the State Council on Monday, which include clauses stipulating that the council shall uphold the leadership of the ruling Chinese Communist Party and safeguard the centralized leadership of the Communist Party's Central Committee led by Xi. "Under the strong leadership of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee with comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we must adhere to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as our guide and unswervingly push forward the Chinese-style modernization," Zhao Leji, the chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, said at the closing ceremony of the week-long meeting. The amendments come after the Chinese Communist Party announced an abrupt cancellation of Premier Li Qiang's annual press conference at the end of the week-long parliamentary meetings. Some analysts told VOA that the latest amendments and Beijing's decision to cancel the premier's press conference, which had been part of the annual parliamentary meeting "Two Sessions" for more than three decades, are part of the Chinese leadership's effort to redefine the state council's role. "As Xi tries to strengthen his power, the state council has been downgraded to an organization focusing on implementing policies," Liu Dongshu, an expert on Chinese politics at the City University of Hong Kong, told VOA by phone. He said the development would make the state council less influential in the Communist Party's decision-making process and serve as a "big step for Xi" to consolidate his power. "In the past, the premier, who is the head of the state council, was seen as another big political figure in China, but now, it will no longer be the case," Liu said. Since most decision-making power is now concentrated in Xi under the newly adjusted political structure, some experts say this could affect the Chinese leadership's decision-making efficiency. [The Communist Party's] "decision-making could become slower because everything needs to pass through Xi, but I suppose policy implementation might become faster since once an order gets into the hands of someone at the state council, they don't have to think about it other than how to implement the order," Ian Chong, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore, told VOA by phone. As China faces persistent economic headwinds, Liu in Hong Kong said Beijing's attempt to consolidate Xi's power may hurt the quality of its policies and be counterproductive to its efforts to boost foreign investors' confidence in the Chinese economy. "I can't imagine a very robust discussion about policymaking [taking place within the Communist Party since] Xi has such a dominant power," he told VOA, adding that this development may reduce foreign investors' confidence in China. "People will feel like China becomes more untransparent," Liu said. Doubling down on national security In addition to consolidating Xi's power by adjusting the role of the state council, China's rubber-stamp parliament also vowed to adopt several security-related laws in 2024, which follows the trend in recent years. China's top lawmaker Zhao Leji said last Friday that Beijing would enact "an emergency management law and an energy law" while revising "the National Defense Education Law and Cybersecurity Law." The announcement comes after Beijing adopted revisions to the Law on Guarding State Secrets last month, which broadened the scope of information deemed as "work secrets." Last year, China also revised the anti-espionage law, which gives Chinese authorities more power to punish what it views as threats to national security. Some academics say the plan to adopt more security-related legislation follows Beijing's efforts to expand the scope of national security since Xi Jinping came to power more than a decade ago, and it reflects lawmakers attempts to cope with the rising economic and social challenges. "Very soon after Xi became general secretary, he pushed the idea of "overall national security," [which means that] national security would encompass a full gamut of issues, from politics to social and economic affairs," Dali Yang, an expert on Chinese politics at the University of Chicago, told VOA in a video interview. He said the Chinese government has become very "security conscious" due to the economic headwinds and social challenges. "This past year, the Communist Party leadership decided to introduce a society work department into the Party's Central Committee, [which reflects the government's] increasing effort to be conscious of the challenges facing China's society and economy," Yang added. Chong in Singapore said the Chinese government's plan to double down on national security may have negative consequences for China's sluggish economy and the looming demographic crisis. "The thing to remember is that securitization is not cost-free," he told VOA. "Someone must pay for it, and right now, it seems that the heavy securitization is putting a drain on the Chinese economy and innovation while discouraging investors," Chong said, adding that the government's growing emphasis on national security may also deter Chinese citizens from getting married or having children. Since the wide range of challenges facing China will likely persist, Chong said it's important to observe how the tension between the economy and Beijing's emphasis on security plays out. "Adjustment has to come from one direction or another if he [Xi] wants to achieve some of his plans because there is a risk that he could be stuck in a situation where he doesn't fully realize either plan," he told VOA. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute in "The Office." NBC/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via "The Office" star Rainn Wilson, who portrays assistant to the regional manager Dwight Schrute, will not "underestimate the power of nostalgia" as he takes a trip down memory lane with his audience at the Toyota Oakdale Theatre. "A Live Conversation with Rainn Wilson" will take place at the venue on May 8, and will feature a talk with the actor as well as a a screening of an episode of "The Office," according to a news release. Wilson will share behind-the-scenes stories and memories after airing a yet-to-be-announced episode of "The Office." In addition to the action on the stage, there will be a Dwight Schrute look-alike contest in which participants will be judged on their mustard yellow shirts and aviator reading glasses. The conversation is part of a run of shows which will also stop in Albany, NY. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The sitcom, which ran from 2005 to 2013, chronicled the day-to-day operations at the office of a fictional paper company stationed in Scranton, Pa., which devolved into antics. The show was originally conceived in the United Kingdom in 2001 with Ricky Gervais before airing in the U.S. four years later. For most of its run time, Michael Scott, portrayed by Golden Globe-winning actor Steve Carrell, was the incompetent yet heartfelt boss who constantly sought the approval of his employees. Alongside Michael was Wilson's Dwight, a matter-of-fact salesman who became known for his love of beets and martial arts. Other recurring actors to appear in the show include Jim Halpert (John Krasinki), Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer), Kelly Kapoor (Mindy Kaling), Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) and Darryl Philbin (Craig Robinson). The show also boasted a number of short-lived and cameo appearances from veteran actors and comedians like Will Ferrell, Idris Elba, Bob Odenkirk, Stephen Colbert, Kathy Bates and Jim Carrey. Outside of "The Office," Wilson has appeared in a variety of projects such as 2022's "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story" and the Apple TV+ series "Lessons in Chemistry." Wilson also serves as the character of Terry Carnation on the real-life horror podcast "Radio Rental." Last year, he released his book "Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution," which examines his take on the necessity of spirituality in modern times. Advertisement Article continues below this ad DRDO successfully conducts Mission Divyastra India - Press Information Bureau Ministry of Defence Indigenously developed Agni-5 missile makes maiden flight with MIRV Posted On: 11 MAR 2024 8:02PM by PIB Delhi Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted first successful flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-Entry Vehicle ( MIRV) technology. The flight test named Mission Divyastra was carried out from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha. Various Telemetry and radar stations tracked and monitored multiple re-entry vehicles. The Mission accomplished the designed parameters. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi lauded the efforts of the DRDO scientists who participated in the conduct of the complex Mission. In a post on social media platform X He said, " Proud of our DRDO scientists for Mission Divyastra, the first flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology." Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has also congratulated the scientists and the entire team, terming it as an exceptional success. ******* ABB/Anand (Release ID: 2013549) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Four European Countries Seal Free Trade Pact with India, Pledge $100 Billion Investment By Anjana Pasricha March 11, 2024 India has signed a free trade pact with a group of four European nations that aims at drawing in investment of $100 billion over the next 15 years. The deal announced Sunday with the European Free Trade Association, whose members are Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein, comes weeks ahead of India's national elections in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made economic growth a key poll plank as he seeks a third term in office. The trade deal is one of several New Delhi is pursuing as it steps up efforts to grow its exports and take advantage of geopolitical shifts that are seeing many Western countries trying to reduce trade dependence on China. The pact was sealed after about 16 years of negotiations. "The pact is significant because it is India's first with developed countries," according to Biswajit Dhar, trade analyst and Distinguished Professor at the Council for Social Development in New Delhi. "So far India, which has many protectionist barriers, only had such agreements with developing countries." To ease access to its vast market of 1.4 billion people, India will reduce tariffs on goods ranging from industrial imports to processed foods, beverages and items such as Swiss watches. New Delhi hopes to boost its exports in areas such as information technology and business services. India is the European Free Trade Association's fifth-largest trading partner after the European Union, the United States, Britain and China with two-way trade adding up to $18.65 billion in 2022-23. The investment pledge by the four European countries will create one million jobs, according to Indian Commerce Minister, Piyush Goyal. "It's for the first time that we are inking a free trade agreement with a binding commitment to invest $100 billion in India," Goyal said. "It is a modern trade agreement, fair, equitable and win-win for all five countries." European officials said pledging the investment made it a "balanced" deal for both sides. "If you look at the different market sizes, India offers 1.4bn population, plus it's a door to the global world," Helene Budliger Artieda, Swiss state secretary for economic affairs, told reporters. However, trade analyst Dhar said that it remains to be seen how the investment promise translates on the ground. "These four countries had invested just $10 billion in the last 23 years. So taking this up to up to $100 billion in 15 years is a tall order, it does not seem realistic," he said. In recent years, India has stepped up efforts to pursue trade agreements to boost its fast-growing economy. In the last two years, it has concluded a free trade pact with the UAE and a preliminary agreement with Australia. Officials are also trying to finalize deals with Britain and Oman. "This landmark pact underlines our commitment to boosting economic progress and create opportunities for our youth," Modi said in a post on X after the deal with the European countries was concluded. Modi is promising to make India, which is a lower middle-income country, a developed nation by 2047. Bucking the trend of slowing growth in many countries, the Indian economy is growing briskly. It is expected to grow at more than 7% in the financial year that ends in March a the fastest growth among major economies. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iranian, Russian, Chinese forces to start joint naval exercise in northern Indian Ocean Iran Press TV Monday, 11 March 2024 11:16 AM Naval forces from the Islamic Republic of Iran, Russia and China will start a combined naval exercise in the northern tip of the Indian Ocean, where various divisions of their militaries will conduct large-scale maritime maneuvers. The main stage of the naval war game, dubbed Maritime Security Belt 2024, will kick off on Tuesday. The naval and airborne units of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, together with their Chinese and Russian counterparts, will participate in the joint naval drills. Naval delegations from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Oman, Pakistan and South Africa have taken part as observers in the exercises. The Maritime Security Belt 2024 naval drills are meant to beef up security and its fundamentals in the region, enhance multilateral cooperation among the participating countries, and to demonstrate the goodwill and ability of the participants to jointly safeguard global peace and maritime security. The exercises are also intended to strengthen the security of international maritime trade, combat piracy and maritime terrorism, and provide an opportunity for the exchange of information in the field of maritime rescue as well as operational and tactical experiences. The Iranian naval forces and their Chinese and Russian counterparts have held several military drills in recent years to enhance the security and stability of international maritime trade. They have also been involved in joint efforts aimed at countering piracy and maritime terrorism, exchanging information in naval rescue and relief operations as well as sharing operational and tactical experience. In March 2023, the Iranian, Chinese and Russian naval forces staged the 2023 Marine Security Belt war game in the northern parts of the Indian Ocean, which was the fourth joint exercise in recent years. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Videos appear to show Myanmar military training Rohingyas Meanwhile, conscription law is driving Burmese youth to flee to Thailand and Malaysia. 'We no longer feel safe,' said one. By RFA Burmese 2024.03.11 -- Videos have emerged on social media in recent days that appear to show junta personnel providing military training to ethnic Muslim Rohingyas at a site in western Myanmar's Rakhine state, amid reports of forced recruitment around the country. On Feb. 10, the junta imposed a military draft law - officially called the People's Military Service Law - prompting civilians of fighting age to flee Myanmar's cities. Many said they would rather leave the country or join anti-junta forces in remote border areas than serve in the military, which seized power in a 2021 coup d'etat. The junta has sought to downplay the announcement, claiming that conscription won't go into effect until April, but RFA has received several reports indicating that forced recruitment is already under way. Two videos emerged on Facebook over the weekend showing junta troops training a group of people wearing full military uniforms in the use of firearms and around 30 armed people wearing fatigues inside of a military vehicle. They were posted to the site with a description that identifies the subjects as Rohingyas. A third video, posted on March 7, shows junta Rakhine State Security and Border Affairs Minister Co. Kyaw Thura visiting a warehouse where hundreds of people, believed to be Rohingyas, are seated in military attire. RFA was unable to independently verify the content of the videos. Reports suggest the junta has been forcibly recruiting Rohingyas in Rakhine in recent weeks, and residents told RFA Burmese that the video shows members of the ethnic group receiving training at a site in the north of the state, although they were unable to provide an exact location. They said that junta personnel have detained and enlisted around 700 Rohingyas for military training from the Rakhine townships of Buthidaung, Maungdaw and Kyaukphyu, as well as the capital Sittwe, since the Feb. 10 announcement, with the goal of forming a militia. In Kyaukphyu, the training has progressed to using firearms, said a resident who, like others interviewed for this report, spoke to RFA on condition of anonymity due to security concerns. "It is known that the current training phase involves firearms practice," the resident said Monday. "Gunfire has been heard over the past two or three days, although the training regimen varies daily." Many of the detainees are living at Kyaukphyu's Kyauk Ta Lone camp for internally displaced persons, or IDPs, where on Feb. 29 junta authorities forcibly gathered 107 mostly ethnic-Rohingya Muslims between the ages of 18 and 35 at the camp's food warehouse, after collecting their personal information. Former military captain Nyi Thuta, who now advises the armed resistance as part of the anti-junta Civil Disobedience Movement, questioned why the military regime is forcibly recruiting the Rohingya when it has refused to grant them citizenship. "These people are being coerced and manipulated in various ways into fighting to the death for the junta, which is facing defeat in [the civil] war," he said. 'No way to escape' Some 1 million Rohingya refugees have been living in Bangladesh since 2017, when they were driven out of Myanmar by a military clearance operation. Another 630,000 living within Myanmar are designated stateless by the United Nations, including those who languish in camps and are restricted from moving freely in Rakhine state. Rights campaigners say the junta is drafting Rohingya into military service to stoke ethnic tensions in Rakhine, while legal experts say the drive is unlawful, given that Myanmar has refused to recognize the Rohingya as one of the country's ethnic groups and denied them citizenship for decades. Myanmar's military is desperate for new recruits after suffering devastating losses on the battlefield to the ethnic Arakan Army, or AA, in Rakhine state. Since November, when the AA ended a ceasefire that had been in place since the coup, the military has surrendered Pauktaw, Minbya, Mrauk-U, Kyauktaw, Myay Pon and Taung Pyo townships in the state, as well as Paletwa township in neighboring Chin state. On Feb. 28, the pro-junta New Light of Myanmar claimed that Rohingya had not been recruited for military service because they aren't citizens. Attempts by RFA to reach Hla Thein, the junta's attorney general and spokesperson for Rakhine state, went unanswered Monday. Nay San Lwin, a Rohingya activist, condemned the coercion of members of his ethnic group into military service as a "war crime." "They wield power and resort to coercion and arrests," he said, adding that he believes the junta's goal is to "obliterate the Rohingya community." "I perceive this as part of a genocidal agenda." Earlier this month, the shadow National Unity Government, or NUG - made up of former civilian leaders ousted in the coup - warned that Rohingya were being pressed into duty by the military "because there is no way to escape." Kachin youth fleeing recruitment Meanwhile, residents of Kachin state said Monday that young people in the area are increasingly fleeing abroad or to areas controlled by the armed resistance to avoid military service. The draft law says males between the ages of 18 and 35 and females between 18 and 27 must serve in the military. A draft-eligible resident of Kachin's Myitkyina township said that he and others like him "no longer feel safe" in Myanmar. "Since the conscription law was enacted, it has become quite difficult for us to realize our dreams," he said. "It isn't even safe to go out to a restaurant. We feel threatened daily." But even for those who have left the country, life can be difficult abroad. A young Kachin named Ma La Bang who recently relocated to Thailand said he doesn't have a visa to stay in the country legally, and told RFA that people like him worry about being forced to return home. "Young people living in Thailand without any visa feel insecure, and it is also difficult for them to get jobs," he said. "They are struggling to get a visa and any legal status for residency right now." La Sai, the chairman of the Kachin Refugee Committee in Malaysia, said that Kachin youths have been flooding the country since the enactment of the draft law. Two weeks after the junta activated the conscription law, the number of people entering Malaysia from Kachin state has more than doubled, he said. "This kind of migration is also taking place at [Myanmar's] Thai and Indian borders." 'Sacrificing their futures' Win Naing, a member of parliament for Kachin's Moe Kaung township for the deposed National League for Democracy, said the future of Myanmar's youth is being lost because of the law. "The conscription law ... has directly interfered with the opportunities of young people for education and employment," he said. "The youth are being made to sacrifice their futures." Junta spokesperson Major General Zaw Min Tun was quoted in pro-junta newspapers on Feb. 15 as saying that 50,000 soldiers will be recruited every year that the law is in effect. Based on Myanmar's 2019 interim census, at least 13 million people are eligible for military service. Those who refuse face five years in prison. Translated by Kalyar Lwin and Aung Naing. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content March not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Indiscriminate shelling kills family in western Myanmar Junta officials blamed the deaths on the Arakan Army, an ethnic rebel group seeking to capture Rakhine's capital. By RFA Burmese 2024.03.11 -- Heavy artillery in Myanmar's west killed seven people over the weekend, locals told Radio Free Asia. After the ethnic rebel army captured a city only 24 kilometers (15 miles) from Rakhine state's capital of Sittwe on Mar. 4, most residents fled as junta soldiers prepared for battle. While the Arakan Army has not entered Sittwe, a shell explosion on Saturday night is responsible for the deaths and five additional injuries. All victims were Rohingya living between Sittwe's Kathe and Aung Min Ga Lar neighborhoods. A resident who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons told RFA on Sunday that five people were killed instantly, while two more died at Sittwe Hospital. "Five died on the spot at the beginning, and two died on Sunday morning," he said. "The first five dead were a whole family." The dead were sent to Sittwe Hospital's mortuary, locals said, adding that most of the injured were hit by shrapnel in the head and lower body. The names and ages of victims could not be confirmed as telecommunication remains difficult to access in the area, but children and elderly women are among the casualties, residents said. RFA contacted Rakhine state's junta spokesperson Hla Thein for more information about the explosion, but he said that he didn't know anything about the attack. Military-controlled newspapers claimed on Monday that the Arakan Army fired into Sittwe's Kathe neighborhood, killing the seven civilians. RFA contacted Arakan Army officials for comment on this accusation, but did not receive a reply by the time of publication. A man who identified himself as part of Sittwe's Rohingya community told RFA on Sunday that the restrictions and travel ban imposed by the junta have been particularly harsh for those in the ethnic group, historically targeted by the Myanmar military. "Everyone is worried," he said, asking not to be named for fear of persecution. "People don't know when and at what time a heavy weapon will fall, so people live with fear and anxiety." Junta troops arrived in Sittwe's Kathe neighborhood a few hours after the explosion, he said, adding that security has been tightened and almost no one dares to walk freely around the area. Despite allowing civilians to travel within Sittwe, those remaining in the capital have been told they are not allowed to leave, residents said. Another Sittwe resident who also asked for anonymity told RFA he suspects the military junta's repeated attacks on civilians are intentional. "Heavy weapons have not just fallen once or twice," he said. "I doubt that the heavy weapon firing had any purpose because they dropped shells in civilian neighborhoods, not a military target." Locals claimed ammunition was fired from Sittwe-based Police Battalion No. 12, but RFA has not been able to independently verify this statement. On Feb. 29, soldiers firing explosives into a crowded market in Sittwe killed 12 civilians and injured 18 more in what appeared to be another round of indiscriminate civilian attacks. As of Feb. 18, renewed fighting in Rakhine between the military junta and Arakan Army has killed 111 civilians and injured 357 since it began on Nov. 13, 2023, according to a statement by the Arakan Army. Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Kiana Duncan and Mike Firn. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content March not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia's intelligence says US seeks to interfere in presidential election Iran Press TV Monday, 11 March 2024 4:10 PM Russia's foreign intelligence service, known as SVR, has revealed that the United States is trying to interfere in the upcoming presidential election. "According to information received by the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation, the administration of J. Biden is setting a task for American NGOs to achieve a decrease in turnout," Russian media quoted the SVR as saying in a statement. It said leading American IT specialists had been recruited by the government and "planned to carry out cyber attacks on the remote electronic voting system, which will make it impossible to count the votes of a significant proportion of Russian voters." There has been no response by the White House media service to the SVR's announcement. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that any attempt by the administration of President Joe Biden to meddle in the election would be considered an act of aggression. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the US-led efforts to sway the Russian elections were part of Washington's "vicious practices" of meddling in the domestic affairs of other nations. Last week, the Kremlin dismissed claims that Moscow had interfered in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections in the United States. The "Mueller" special counsel investigation had concluded that Russian interference in the 2016 election did occur "in sweeping and systematic fashion" and "violated US criminal law." In the meantime, US media have accused Russia of spreading disinformation ahead of the election, using fake online accounts and bots to damage the popularity of the Democratic President Joe Biden. According to former US officials and cyber experts cited by US media, the dissemination of attacks on Biden is part of Russia's continued efforts to undercut US military aid to Ukraine. In this regard, the Republican nominee in the upcoming election, Donald Trump, says he is opposed to the US military assistance. Putin, however, says he finds Biden preferable as the next US president compared to Trump. After he exited the Oval office in 2021, the Kremlin complained that during his tenure Trump had created exceptional havoc in world politics and violated all possible rules. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia says US provocations to push ties to "the abyss" Iran Press TV Monday, 11 March 2024 10:53 AM Russia's ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov has warned the US against provocations ahead of the Russian presidential election, saying such actions would seriously damage bilateral relations. Antonov said the "degree of Russophobic rhetoric" of President Joe Biden's administration "is off the chart." He also referred to a number of US provocations that he said are aimed at destabilizing the situation in Russia. "From the high US tribunes we hear allegations about 'aggressive ambitions' of Russia in Europe. The Pentagon easily calls our country an 'enemy' of the United States," the Russian embassy quoted Antonov as saying on Monday. He added that, "State Department officials and lawmakers defiantly welcome fugitive representatives of the Russian 'fifth column', fervently convincing the latter of Washington's continued support for the `struggle for the freedom of the Russians'." "Mass media are not far behind, calling for protests outside the embassy and consulates general and ballots spoiling on the election day." He urged Washington to "refrain from actions that could lead to a slide of bilateral relations into the abyss." However, Antonov noted that the Russian embassy is maintaining close contact with the US Department of State to ensure the security of the diplomatic mission. "In conditions of constant provocations, the embassy works cool headed. We are working on organizing the upcoming elections in a business-like way," he said. "We hope that the US side will fulfill its obligations to ensure the security of the diplomatic mission," Antonov added. Russia will hold the presidential elections on March 15-17. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Playing The Numbers: Leaked Document Details How The Kremlin Manages Russia's Elections By Andrei Grigoryev March 11, 2024 Late last week, managers at the Astrakhan Natural-Gas-Processing Plant handed workers leaflets with instructions on how to vote in Russia's March 15-17 presidential election, the Telegram channel Ostorozhno, Novosti reported. According to the instructions, the plant's 5,000 workers will be sent text messages containing a link they are to open when they are at a polling station. The link will geolocate their phone and report to company management that they voted. Workers who don't receive the SMS are told instead to scan a QR code presented by a "person" at the polling station. On March 7, the independent election-monitoring group Golos, which is banned in Russia, reported that the ruling United Russia party has created a project called GEO-SMS that aimed to "control the turnout of state-sector voters" such as medical workers, teachers, and employees at state enterprises. The use of geolocation software to boost turnout is an innovation in this year's election, in which longtime President Vladimir Putin is set to secure a fifth term as president. It figures prominently in a leaked document that was posted on Telegram last month by opposition politician Olga Sidelnikova, a former administrative head of Moscow's Lomonosov district who now lives abroad. The document appears to be a presentation of the Kremlin's election strategy for Udmurtia, a central region with a population of nearly 1.5 million. Sidelnikova declined to say how she obtained it, but added she had the original in her possession and had no doubt about its authenticity. The 38-page set of presentation slides reveals "what 'elections' are in Russia," Sidelnikova wrote, adding that information coming from across the country, such as the Astrakhan report, indicates that "the story will undoubtedly be the same in the other regions." Sergei Antonov, a political consultant from Udmurtia who now lives abroad, said he was certain Sidelnikova's leak is "a real document and that analogues have been issued in all the regions of Russia." "On Friday [March 15], before 2 p.m., all state-sector workers have to send to the server a message with their geolocation turned on," said Sergei Antonov, a political consultant from Udmurtia who now lives abroad. "This is new technology. With each election, the system is perfected." Getting Voters 'On Their Feet' Elections under Putin have never been fairly conducted, monitoring groups and Kremlin critics say, with the state controlling resources from the police and the courts to election commissions, state media, and local governments. But the current campaign, which is being conducted amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine and a yearslong crackdown on dissent that has completely marginalized the opposition, is widely seen as the least competitive national vote in his nearly 25 years as president or prime minister. Media reports and remarks by officials indicate the Kremlin intends to secure 80-85 percent of the vote for Putin, with a turnout of at least 70 percent. Analysts say Putin and his administration want to use the election to boost his legitimacy through the appearance of mass popular support for his rule, as well as for the war against Ukraine and for Russia's growing confrontation with the West. Securing a high turnout was always a "weak spot" for the government, Sidelnikova said. "Despite the innovations of recent years, such as the elimination of independent monitoring, the expansion of online voting, the control of election commissions at all levels, they still need people to show up at the polls," she told RFE/RL. "And controlling the turnout is not easy. It is, crudely speaking, their weak spot." "They need people to actually get on their feet and go to the polls," she continued. "Once they get the turnout, they can produce whatever result they want, considering that there is no independent monitoring and the election commissions are completely controlled." From internal evidence, it appears the document Sidelnikova obtained was presented to officials in Udmurtia not later than June 2023, at which point the planning for the presidential campaign was already apparently well under way. The document devotes considerable attention to the problem of raising the turnout from Udmurtia's typical figure of about 55 percent to the goal of 80 percent. In addition to the geolocation software, the document calls for the "mobilization" of voters through United Russia party offices and the efforts of municipal administrations and local lawmakers. It instructs municipal administrations to "control the turnout through their representatives" on the polling station commissions. Antonov said United Russia intended to "increase the base-level turnout by means of administrative resources -- mobilizing workers, holding various competitions and patriotic events." However, he added, the party is often handicapped in its ability to carry out such plans by a general lack of enthusiasm at its lower levels. "When it comes to carrying out such ideas, it turns out that in local party cells there are people who really don't do anything or people who have been pressured to be there," he said. 'Project Purge' The leaked document also details the Kremlin's efforts to "control public opinion," including expanded social-media efforts. The Putin campaign will, the document says, constantly monitor social-media chats and discussion groups with the goal of controlling negative information and discrediting opposition initiatives. The document includes points such as "the filming and compiling of useful content," "counterwork against any actions of protest that arise," "the creation and distribution of countercontent," and "the preparation and distribution of memes, fakes, long reads, investigative films, and so on." It also includes Project Purge, which aims to identify and "quickly eliminate" all "opposition agitational-propaganda material" from the Internet. The government has also been creating "territorial public self-government organizations" (TOS), made of government-friendly activists, from which it has recruited "independent" election monitors. They are "pseudo-public pseudo-monitors," Antonov said of the 4,500 monitors the government plans to deploy in the region. "Their task is not to allow any 'provocations' or 'fakes,'" he said. "That means they will always say that there were no violations. If they have to give an interview, that is what they will say. That is the way they are instructed. During the election of the head of Udmurtia [in September 2017], they didn't uncover a single violation." According to the document, Putin's campaign effort in Udmurtia is headed personally by regional head Aleksandr Brechalov, who has also headed the regional branch of United Russia since July 2020. His chief of staff, Aleksandr Zhuravlyov, is one of his deputies in the campaign, in charge of "organization." The other two deputies are Udmurtia deputy head Roman Yefimov, in charge of finances, and Udmurtia regional Election Commission head Svetlana Palchik, in charge of coordinating the work of polling stations and "party mobilization." The campaign structure outlined in the leaked document, Antonov said, "de facto duplicates the structure of the government of Udmurtia." "Elections in Putin's Russia have been brought to their logical perfection," he added, "and will be held according to the pattern of the U.S.S.R. -- without choices, with a single candidate." Robert Coalson contributed to this report Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-document-planning-elections- udmurtia/32857472.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Imprisoned Kara-Murza Says Putin's Rule Based 'Exclusively On Fear And Apathy' By RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities March 11, 2024 Imprisoned Russian opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza said in an exchange of letters with blogger Anna Yarovaya that Russian President Vladimir Putin's rule is based "exclusively on fear and apathy," and will collapse in the "foreseeable future." The 42-year-old is serving a 25-year prison term on charges of high treason and discrediting the Russian military involved in Moscow's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which he, his supporters, and human right groups reject as politically motivated. Kara-Murza wrote in the letters, published on the Yarovaya pishet Telegram channel over the weekend, that he was shocked by the news on February 16 about the death of another leading opposition politician, Aleksei Navalny, in an Arctic prison and had no doubt Putin was "personally responsible." "From the first second [after hearing the news] I knew for sure that Vladimir Putin was personally responsible for the death of Aleksei Navalny and that a political murder was carried out on his orders, no matter if it was the result of intentionally created torturous conditions or repeated poisoning," Kara-Murza wrote, adding that he was not aware of how other inmates reacted to the news, as he is being held alone in a punitive part of the prison in the Siberian city of Omsk and has no contact with other inmates. According to Kara-Murza, a credible politician cannot live outside the country, so opposition politicians such as himself and imprisoned Kremlin critics such as Ilya Yashin, Andrei Pivovarov, and Navalny, have no choice but to stay in Russia or return to Russia to challenge the authorities. "For a public politician, it's a question of ethics and political responsibility.... If you call on people to stand against the authoritarian regime, you cannot do it from a safe distance -- you have to share the risks with your compatriots," Kara-Murza wrote. In one letter, he also wrote that as a historian he believes that history has its own developmental laws and logic that nobody can "cancel." "Let's look at the map of Europe -- just 35 years ago, half of the countries there were authoritarian. Today there are only two countries in Europe that are not free -- Russia and Belarus. And there is no doubt that these two bastions are also temporary," Kara-Murza stressed. "I absolutely have no doubt that in the very foreseeable future, Russia will become a democracy, or as Aleksei Navalny liked to say, 'a normal European country.'" "Putin's regime is based exclusively on fear and apathy. The authorities want Russian society to be divided, depressed, demoralized," Kara-Murza wrote. "But you remember what Aleksei Navalny said.... The changes will not come to Russia from outside.... Only when Russian society itself stops tolerating what is going on, when it realizes its strength, its identity, and its responsibility for the future, the changes in Russia will become inevitable. When that happens depends solely on us," Kara-Murza wrote. Kara-Murza, who holds Russian and British passports, was initially arrested in April 2022 after returning to Russia from abroad and charged with disobeying a police officer. He was later charged with discrediting the Russian military, a charge stemming from Russia's 2022 full-scale aggression against Ukraine and a Kremlin push to stamp out criticism of the subject. He was later additionally charged with treason over remarks he made in speeches outside Russia that criticized Kremlin policies. In April last year, Kara-Murza was found guilty of all charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Kara-Murza fell deathly ill on two separate occasions in Moscow -- in 2015 and 2017-- with symptoms consistent with poisoning. Tissue samples smuggled from Russia to the United States by his relatives were turned over to the FBI, which investigated his case as one of "intentional poisoning." U.S. government laboratories also conducted extensive tests on the samples, but documents released by the Justice Department suggest they were unable to reach a conclusive finding. The Kremlin has denied any involvement in the incidents but investigative reporters from Bellingcat, The Insider, and Der Spiegel say they have identified four Federal Security Service (FSB) -- Roman Mezentsev, Aleksandr Samofal, Konstantin Kudryavtsev, and Valery Sukharev -- who followed Kara-Murza secretly during his trips before both times when he fell ill. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-kara-murza-putin- collapse/32857107.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia's Artillery Munition Production 3 Times Higher Than in US, Europe - Reports Sputnik News 20240311 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia seems to be three times ahead of the United States and European countries combined in the production of artillery ammunition, and this could have a significant impact on the outcome of the conflict in Ukraine, CNN reported Monday, citing NATO intelligence estimates. Russia's production capacity amounts to 250,000 artillery munitions per month or about 3 million annually, while the US and Europe collectively can manufacture only 1.2 million munitions per year to send to Ukraine, a senior European intelligence official told CNN. "The outcome in Ukraine depends on how each side is equipped to conduct this war," a senior NATO official told the broadcaster. Russia had to slow down the production of missiles and other weapons at the start of its special military operation in Ukraine. However, its production started to pick up steam again by the end of 2022. As a result, Russia is currently generating more ammunition than the West, The New York Times reported in September 2023, citing US, European and Ukrainian officials. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Bookish Babes and Brews is run by Alyssa Korzon, left, and Caroline Shelton, right. They sell donated, used titles they've dubbed "Blind Date with a Book." These are hand-covered and decorated with the genre and other clues. People purchase them based on which covers intrigue them. They will be selling their books Saturday at Perkatory Coffee Roasters in Middletown. Caroline Shelton / Contributed photo Bookish Babes and Brews sells donated, used titles dubbed "Blind Date with a Book." Caroline Shelton is shown hand-covering and decorating one with clues. Caroline Shelton / Contributed photo Bookish Babes and Brews is run by Alyssa Korzon, left, and Caroline Shelton, right. They sell donated, used titles they've dubbed "Blind Date with a Book." These are hand-covered and decorated with the genre and other clues. People purchase them based on which covers intrigue them. They will be selling their books Saturday at Perkatory Coffee Roasters in Middletown. Caroline Shelton / Contributed photo Bookish Babes and Brews sells donated, used titles they've dubbed "Blind Date with a Book." These are hand-covered and decorated with the genre and other clues. People purchase them based on which covers intrigue them. Caroline Shelton / Contributed photo MIDDLETOWN Book lovers and good friends Caroline Shelton and Alyssa Korzon recently joined efforts in a used-book business, selling titles wrapped in decorative paper that remain a mystery until the reader unwraps them. Caroline Shelton of Branford and Alyssa Korzon of East Haven, whose business is Bookish Babes and Brews, cover them with paper and give clues to their name and genre. These Blind Date With a Book titles are a surprise to purchasers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The two became fast friends while attending graduate school at Southern Connecticut State University, working toward their reading specialist licenses, according to Shelton, a former teacher. She just began working at the Madison RJ Julia Booksellers. Korzon is a grade-school teacher. After getting to know one another during online college projects, they bonded over their love of reading. We realized we have similar taste in books, Shelton said. The two started buddy reading in January 2020, just before the pandemic, and later, during quarantine measures, Shelton explained. She and Korzon would choose a book, read up to a certain chapter and discuss it. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It was the smallest little book club, Shelton explained. It got us through the pandemic. At the time, she was teaching sixth graders full-time. Shelton eventually left graduate school after transitioning students to online work and discovering her priorities had changed, she said. In May, they made a bookstagram account, a nod to the name they use playing trivia games at breweries. They soon found an established community of like-minded individuals. In December, she and Korzon spoke with the manager of Perkatory Coffee Roasters in Branford, Shelton said, who agreed to host a pop-up shop. All are priced at $14 and under. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The two take donations of hardcovers and paperback, as well as books from their personal libraries, wrap them in butchers paper, decorate them, write descriptions and give plot points, Shelton added. These serve as clues to what might be inside. Korzon and Shelton coined them Blind Dates with a Book. We have pretty much every genre, Shelton said, as well as multiple copies of books that "came and went. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Some people can immediately identify a book based on the clues alone. Others are so excited by the cover they hesitate to open the packaging because it's so nice, said Shelton, whose father even donated a number of horror titles. Korzon said, "Bookish Babes has helped me broaden my knowledge of books across genres and has helped me make personalized book recommendations to friends and customers. It has also helped me find community through books. What was once a solo hobby is now something that can be social and more meaningful." Korzon only occasionally patronizes bookstores. "Instead, I try to prioritize my physical shelf and get library books through Libby. So when I do go to a bookstore, I typically gravitate to the display tables and look for books that have been recommended to me either by friends or through Bookstagram," said Korzon, who is mostly interested in literary fiction. She enjoys supporting local and used bookstores, such as Syd's Book Shack and Boutique in Guilford. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Korzon has found that secondary school students are drawn to graphic novels. "As an elementary school teacher and reading specialist, I do see that kids are often drawn more to screens than books," Korzon added. "However, students still find joy in reading. For my students, it often starts with graphic novels ("Dog Man") while they build confidence with decoding words. Websites like Learning Ally and Epic also help my students who maybe cant read yet enjoy listening to books." Shelton has been an insatiable reader since elementary school. Once she entered university, she added, reading for enjoyment wasnt really possible. Talking to other 20-somethings and 30-somethings, Shelton discovered that the pandemic gave people an opportunity to return to the pleasure of the written word because they were working from home or for other reasons. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Thats so wonderful, she said, because we could get something positive out of a very stressful time. We find our people, she explained. This sort of escapist activity is returning to popularity, Shelton said. We spend so much time on the computer and interacting behind a screen. I think its really nice to have a book in front of me." Independent bookstores are thriving again, and book club attendance is at an all-time high, Shelton said. She always carries her Kindle and a book, calling the practice "absolutely vital." Advertisement Article continues below this ad Shelton also loves audio books; however, a physical book will always be my preference," she said. She describes herself as a mood reader, sometimes preferring a fluffy romance or meaty fantasy. Some people request recommendations for new books because they havent yet been introduced to the various ways to find them, such as Instagram, Shelton said. It is like research for them. She recommends a title she rereads every year: Circe by Madeline Miller, a retelling of the daughter of a titan in Greek mythology from a feminist perspective. It is one of the most beautiful books Ive ever read. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Another favorite title is Millers The Song of Achilles. Shes currently reading an advance copy of Funny Story, the new book by Emily Henry, and just finished Island Witch by Amanda Jayatissa, a dark, witchy horror. Their first event was held at Moon Shots Juice Co. in Guilford. Others are in the works at Shoreline venues. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Putin Signs Law Allowing Use of Digital Financial Assets in International Payments Sputnik News 20240311 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law that authorizes the usage of digital financial assets and digital utility rights, as well as digital rights that include both of these instruments simultaneously in international payments, according to the relevant document published on the official legal information portal. The initial edition of the bill touched upon modernization of financial platforms, while during the second parliamentary reading the document was amended with an opportunity of cross-border payments with the use of digital financial tools, excluding foreign financial assets. The Bank of Russia, together with a body authorized by the government, will set the conditions for separate operations of currencies with digital rights, as well as will be able to ban such operations. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Putin Signs Law Ending 1956 Fishing Treaty With UK in Russia's Barents Sea Zone Sputnik News 20240311 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed the law denouncing the 1956 agreement that allowed UK sailors to fish in the Russian zone of the Barents Sea, according to the relevant document published on the official legal information portal on Monday. Considering the UK's decision made on March 15, 2022 to terminate the most favored nation regime in bilateral trade with Russia, the denunciation of the agreement "will not cause serious foreign policy and economic consequences" for Russia, the explanatory note said. In 1956, the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom signed an agreement that granted British fishermen access to fish in the Barents Sea zone, which is part of Russia's exclusive economic zone. This arrangement was a result of diplomatic relations and mutual benefits between the two countries, allowing the UK fishing industry to exploit the abundant resources in the region while fostering economic cooperation between the nations. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Rakes in $56 Billion From Rerouted Fossil Fuel Export Destinations Sputnik News 20240311 Since 2022, the European Union has been slapping sanctions on energy supplies from Russia. Initially, in the summer of that year, a ban on coal was levied, followed by restrictions on oil at the end of the year. As of 2023, the sanctions on oil products have gone into effect. Russia earned almost $187 billion from oil, gas and coal supplies to a number of friendly countries last year, which is $56 billion more than the average exports to European countries before they imposed their anti-Russian sanctions, according to Sputnik's calculations. Data from the national statistical services of the largest buyers of Russian hydrocarbons, Turkiye, China, India, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia and the EU, were analyzed. The study compared the average value of deliveries from 2019 to 2021 with those in 2023. Data from 2022 were not considered due to abnormal fluctuations in the value of imports, both in terms of price changes and supply volumes. Before the barrage of sanctions was imposed, the 27 countries of the EU purchased an average of $102.5 billion worth of hydrocarbons from Russia annually. However, this figure plummeted to $31.6 billion last year. Consequently, the volume of lost revenue from supplies to these countries totaled $70.9 billion. Despite this setback, the increase in exports to allied nations has more than made up for it. In total, exports to just six countries - Turkiye, China, India, Brazil, Indonesia, and Malaysia - reached $186.7 billion last year, compared to an average of $59.9 billion between 2019 and 2021. Thus, Russia earned an additional $126.8 billion from these destinations, which is $56 billion more than from its deliveries to the European Union. Last year, China emerged as the largest purchaser of Russian hydrocarbons, ramping up its spending from $43.3 billion in 2019-2021 to $94.6 billion. This doubling in expenditure encompassed the purchases of coal, gas, oil, and petroleum products. It is closely followed by India, which boosted its acquisitions of Russian hydrocarbons by nearly 18 times from the 2019-2021 average to $53.7 billion. Turkiye more than doubled its purchases to $30.1 billion, while Brazil experienced a 24-fold surge to $5.3 billion. Malaysia boosted its imports of hydrocarbons from Russia by 2.8 times to $2 billion, and Indonesia more than quintupled these imports to $1.1 billion. In December 2022, Moscow implemented a ban on the export of Russian oil and petroleum products to foreign entities, that is any country or company that, directly or indirectly, using the price cap in any contract. The ban applies to all stages of delivery, ultimately affecting the final buyer. This presidential decree went into effect on February 1, 2023, and has since been extended until June 2024. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan has 'absolute air superiority' over China: Deputy defense chief ROC Central News Agency 03/11/2024 08:53 PM Taipei, March 11 (CNA) Taiwan has "absolute air superiority" over China in its own airspace, Taiwan's deputy defense chief said Monday amid concern over whether Taipei could defend itself against a military incursion by Beijing. Though Taiwan's military often asserts its ability to defend the country, it is unusual for it to declare "air superiority" as did Deputy Defense Minister Po Horng-huei () in response to a question from ruling Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Chiu Chih-wei () at a legislative hearing. Chiu questioned if Taiwan would have partial or complete air superiority if People's Liberation Army (PLA) warplanes were found entering Taiwan's airspace. Po, himself a retired pilot, said Taiwan's military has "absolute air superiority" over PLA warplanes because "enemy aircraft will be exposed to Taiwan's air defense system and be within our firepower range." Chiu also asked Po if Taiwan's armed forces were capable of countering the numerical advantage the PLA has in terms of fighter aircraft. Maintaining high-quality military aircraft was more important than quantity, Po said, adding that the Air Force has also trained its pilots in different tactics to counter a potential Chinese invasion. Though Po said publicly at the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee hearing that Taiwan had air superiority in its airspace, a previously leaked Pentagon document questioned such an assertion. According to classified Pentagon documents made public by the Washington Post in April 2023, Taiwan's military leaders doubt their air defenses can "accurately detect missile launches" and that only about half of the island's aircraft are capable of effectively engaging the enemy. The documents also said Taiwan feared that moving its aircraft to shelters could take up to a week, leaving them vulnerable to missile strikes, and that China's use of civilian ships for military purposes was hampering U.S. intelligence's ability to predict an invasion. Pentagon analysts concluded China's air force would find it far easier to establish early air superiority than Russia did in its invasion of Ukraine. The documents were part of a series of documents allegedly leaked by U.S. air national guardsman Jack Teixeira. At the time, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense issued a statement in which it described the leaked documents as full of "fictitious content." It also gave its more usual assurance that it was continuing to beef up Taiwan's air defense capabilities and closely monitoring the PLA's movements to counter Beijing's military threats. (By Matt Yu and Joseph Yeh) Enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S.' China policy likely to continue whoever wins presidency: NSB ROC Central News Agency 03/11/2024 01:20 PM Taipei, March 11 (CNA) Taiwan's top intelligence chief on Monday said the United States' stance of containing China and maintaining a Taiwan-friendly approach is expected to continue regardless of whether President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump wins the race for the top job in November. National Security Bureau (NSB) Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (eZa) told lawmakers during the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee session in Taipei that a major difference between the two in terms of diplomacy is that Trump upholds unilateralism while Biden embraces multilateralism. He had been asked by multiple lawmakers what the two potential outcomes of the highly likely Trump-Biden rematch could mean for Taiwan. Regarding their policy on cross-strait matters, however, Tsai said both the Democrats and Republicans see Beijing as a major competitor and are doing their best to contain China. Trump and Biden both approved more than 10 rounds of arms sales to Taiwan during their respective presidencies, Tsai said. "This shows that no matter who wins the U.S. presidential election, Washington's policy of containing China while remaining friendly toward Taiwan is not expected to majorly change," the NSB chief added. Meanwhile, regarding increasing cross-strait tensions, Tsai said the Chinese Communist Party's (CPC) "carrot and stick" approach to Taiwan is expected to ramp up in the run-up to May 20, when President-elect Lai Ching-te (ea) will be inaugurated as the nation's new leader. Despite the frictions between Taipei and Beijing, which intensified recently due to the capsizing of a boat on Feb. 14 off the coast of Kinmen which led to the death of two Chinese fishermen, Tsai assured lawmakers and the Taiwanese public that there was no suggestion that a cross-strait war would erupt imminently. According to Tsai, CPC pressure toward Taiwan is multifaceted and includes military threats, political infiltration, economic coercion and cognitive warfare. Militarily, the People's Liberation Army is normalizing its coercion around Taiwan by holding drills involving joint warships and warplanes in the Taiwan Strait every seven to 10 days, he added. (By Joseph Yeh) Enditem/kb NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Mar. 12, 2024 ROC Ministry of National Defense 2024/03/12 PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan 1.Dateis 6 to 6 a.m. (UTC+8) Monday to Tuesday, Mar. 11-12 2.PLA activitiesis 2 PLA aircraft and 5 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Readout of U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland's Meeting with Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin Monday, March 11, 2024 For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs On March 7, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland welcomed to the Justice Department Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin (PG Kostin), Ambassador Oksana Markarova of Ukraine to the United States, and Director Yurii Belousov of the Prosecutor General's Department for Countering Crimes Committed in Conditions of Armed Conflict. On March 6 and 7, PG Kostin and Director Belousov also met with numerous Justice Department officials in Washington, D.C. AG Garland expressed the Department's continued support and commitment to working with Ukraine on all fronts and across numerous areas. He highlighted the Department's work holding Russia accountable for war crimes, through the work of the Justice Department's War Crimes Accountability Team (WarCAT) as well as the Department's participation in the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression in The Hague (ICPA). He also noted the Department's ongoing work to seize illicit Russian assets for the benefit of the people of Ukraine, to prosecute those who facilitate the evasion of sanctions imposed on Russia, and to fight back against the export of sensitive technologies through Task Force KleptoCapture (TFKC) and the Disruptive Technology Strike Force (DTSF). During the meeting, AG Garland reiterated the Department's commitment to working closely with Ukraine to secure their democratic future through the prosecution of high-level corruption and highlighted recent successes including the December war crimes indictment charging four Russia-affiliated military personnel and recent cases brought by TFKC and the DTSF. AG Garland and PG Kostin also discussed the impact of relationships developed across the Department including with the Environment and Natural Resources Division, the FBI's Art Crime Team, and the Office for Access to Justice (ATJ). On March 6, PG Kostin met with Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen to discuss cooperation in identifying and prosecuting illicit actors and how to build upon the relationship between the Ukrainian government and the DTSF, including opportunities for engaging with partners in Europe and the United Kingdom on preventing the export of sensitive dual-use technologies to Russia and to other foreign adversaries for malign purposes. On March 7, PG Kostin also met with Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Counselor for International Affairs Bruce C. Swartz, WarCat, TFKC, the Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT), Resident Legal Advisor at U.S. Embassy Kyiv Jared Kimball, the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP), Environment and Natural Resources Division's Environmental Crimes Section, ATJ, and the Office of International Affairs (OIA). In addition, PG Kostin met with victim witness support experts of the Office of Victims of Crime, Office on Violence Against Women, Office of Justice for Victims of Overseas Terrorism, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. The meetings were a follow-up to the meetings in September 2023 to discuss progress made and priorities moving forward including investigating and prosecuting war crimes of torture and sexual violence and providing support and resources to victims and witnesses of these horrific crimes. They discussed increased efforts to provide guidance, case-based mentoring, expertise, and capacity building to Ukrainian prosecutors and investigators on investigating war-related cyber-attacks to critical infrastructure and environmental crimes, as well as the theft and smuggling of cultural property and protecting cultural heritage. It also was an opportunity to demonstrate the United States' unwavering support and confidence in the Prosecutor General's Office's critical work and understand the current challenges they are facing and how the Department can help. The Justice Department is proud to stand by our Ukrainian law enforcement partners in their courageous and crucial work and looks forward to continued collaboration and partnership. Topics: Environment National Security Components: Office of the Attorney General Criminal Division Criminal - International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program Criminal - Office of International Affairs Environment and Natural Resources Division National Security Division (NSD) Office for Access to Justice Office on Violence Against Women USAO - District of Columbia Press Release Number: 24-274 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tsahkna in Vilnius: We must shift gear in our aid to Ukraine Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 11.03.2024 Yesterday, 8 March, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna was in Vilnius to attend the discussion called by French Foreign Minister StAphane SAjournA to find ways of helping Ukraine to victory. The foreign ministers of Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine also attended the meeting. Foreign Minister Tsahkna welcomed France's recent calls for discussions on helping Ukraine to victory but emphasised that action was more important than words. "The situation on the front is serious. Today's meeting in Vilnius demonstrates that like-minded countries remain determined and are ready to take action so that Ukraine is able to push Russia back," Tsahkna said, affirming that Estonia was working on new military aid packages to Ukraine. "We need to shift gear in our collective assistance to Ukraine. We must do everything we have done so far with added speed and intensity." Tsahkna underlined the need to keep all the promises on military aid that have been made to Ukraine and set higher target numbers for training Ukrainian troops. At the same time, progress is needed on new initiatives that would help Ukraine defend itself because Russia poses a long-term threat. "Estonia's calculations show that if all supporters of Ukraine contributed 0.25% of their GDP to military aid to Ukraine every year, Ukraine would be able to win this war very soon," Tsahkna emphasised. At the meeting, he also spoke about helping Ukraine in the cyber sphere. "While we do not think about it that much, Russia is actually also waging a brutal war against Ukraine online," Tsahkna said, speaking about the Tallinn Mechanism established last year with the aim of boosting civilian cyber support from donors to Ukraine. "Ukraine has shown great resistance to cyberattacks but help from donors is key to reinforcing Ukraine's long-term preparedness to address the damage caused by cyberattacks." Tsahkna said that using frozen Russian assets in the West to help Ukraine was another crucial step towards Ukraine's victory. "Frozen assets are a valuable resource and using them would improve Ukraine's position on the battlefield significantly and it would help turn the tide in the course of the war," Tsahkna said. Yesterday's meeting in Vilnius was a follow-up to the 26 February meeting on assisting Ukraine held in Paris on the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese special envoy's second round of shuttle diplomacy aims to promote peace talks Global Times China supports convening of international conference recognized by Russia, Ukraine, with equal participation, fair discussion By GT staff reporters Published: Mar 11, 2024 10:47 PM China's Special Representative on Eurasian Affairs Li Hui is currently engaged in a second round of shuttle mediation between Russia, Ukraine and other European countries in an effort to build consensus on a political resolution for the Ukraine crisis, which demonstrates China's sense of responsibility in the region, analysts said, calling all parties involved, particularly the US and other Western countries, to make a positive contribution to achieving a cease-fire. In the past week and more, Li visited Russia, the EU headquarters, Poland, Ukraine and Germany, and he is now in France. During this round of shuttle diplomacy, Li held talks with various parties and officials from the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland to pass on messages, build up consensus and exchange in-depth views on a ceasefire and a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, Wang Wenbin, the spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at the press conference on Monday. The parties appreciated China's mediation efforts, Wang said, noting that China follows an objective and impartial position and has actively promoted talks for peace. "We support the holding in due course of an international peace conference that is recognized by both Russia and Ukraine and ensures the equal participation of all parties and fair discussions on all peace plans. China will continue to play a constructive role for a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis," Wang said. Li arrived in Kiev, Ukraine, by train on Thursday. The first round of shuttle diplomacy began in May 2023, when Li visited Ukraine, Poland, France, Germany, the EU headquarters and Russia to engage in extensive contact and exchanges with all parties to work toward a political resolution. Despite the ongoing stalemate in Russia-Ukraine peace talks, recent developments suggest a potential shift in the situation, analysts said. While key factors remain unchanged and all parties are reluctant to compromise, there is hope for progress. Li's visit will help gather updated information, facilitate communication, and encourage the exploration of new solutions to the Ukraine crisis. This renewed effort could pave the way for a breakthrough in the negotiations, Zhang Hong, an associate research fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday. Conducting extensive dialogues with relevant parties may also further assist China in identifying new opportunities to advocate for a cease-fire, demonstrating its commitment to global and regional governance, according to Zhang. As the conflict has lasted over two years, the US and Europe are showing signs of fatigue in supporting Ukraine, with discussions intensifying regarding the potential for a cease-fire. For example, a survey from the Harris Poll Quincy Institute showed that roughly 70 percent of Americans want the Biden administration to push Ukraine toward a negotiated peace with Russia as soon as possible. In an interview recorded in February with Swiss broadcaster RSI, Pope Francis said that Ukraine should have what he called "the courage of the white flag" and negotiate an end to the war with Russia, which was met with strong objections from Ukraine. The Pope's statement was born out of his concerns regarding the rising death toll on the battlefield. However, he was scolded because supporting Ukraine against Russia is seen as politically correct in the West, Cui Heng, a scholar from the Shanghai-based China National Institute for SCO International Exchange and Judicial Cooperation, told the Global Times on Monday. With the upcoming US presidential election, many say that the Russia-Ukraine conflict may see a significant shift this year. Any initiative that promotes peace is crucial in resolving the Ukraine crisis and should be supported. Cui emphasized the importance of more countries collaborating with China to address the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. At the Monday press conference, Wang also said China supports the holding in due course of an international peace conference that is recognized by both Russia and Ukraine and ensures the equal participation of all parties and fair discussions on all peace plans. China looks forward to the early restoration of peace and stability on the European continent and will continue to play a constructive role to this end. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kiev rejects Pope's 'white flag' appeal ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency Mon / 11 March 2024 / 14:27 The Vatican should avoid repeating the mistakes of the past when talking about the Ukraine conflict, the foreign minister said. Tehran-ISNA- Pope Francis was wrong to suggest that Kiev should restart negotiations with Moscow, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba has said. The pontiff ruffled feathers in Ukraine this week by speaking about the importance of having "the courage of the white flag." "When it comes to the white flag, we know this Vatican's strategy from the first half of the twentieth century," Kuleba wrote on X (formerly Twitter), apparently referring to the policy of neutrality pursued by Pope Pius XII during World War II. Kuleba urged the Vatican to "avoid repeating the mistakes of the past and to support Ukraine and its people." "Our flag is a yellow and blue one. This is the flag by which we live, die, and prevail. We shall never raise any other flags," the minister wrote. In an interview with Swiss broadcaster RSI published on Saturday, the pontiff suggested that Ukraine and Russia should restart peace talks. The Pope's spokesman, Matteo Bruni, later clarified that the term 'white flag' was first used by the interviewer, and that Francis had stressed that "negotiations are never a surrender." Bruni added that the Pope hopes that "a little bit of humanity can be found that allows the creation of the conditions for a diplomatic solution in search of a just and lasting peace." Nevertheless, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky dismissed the pope's message in a video address on Sunday night. Without mentioning Francis by name, Zelensky said that the church in Ukraine is "together with people, not two and a half thousand kilometers away somewhere, virtually mediating between someone who wants to live and someone who wants to destroy you." Some of Kiev's most vocal backers have also slammed the Pope. "One must not capitulate in face of evil, one must fight it and defeat it, so that the evil raises the white flag and capitulates," Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics wrote on X. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski wrote, "How about, for balance, encouraging Putin to have the courage to withdraw his army from Ukraine?" Meaningful peace talks between Russia and Ukraine broke down in the spring of 2022, with both sides accusing each other of making unrealistic demands. Russian President Vladimir Putin subsequently said the Ukrainian delegation had initially agreed with some of Russia's terms during the talks in Istanbul in March 2022, but then abruptly reneged on the deal. End Item NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Orban: Trump promised to stop Ukraine cash ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency Mon / 11 March 2024 / 14:16 Without US money the conflict between Moscow and Kiev would end, the Hungarian PM has said. Tehran-ISNA- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said that Donald Trump promised to cut US funding for Ukraine if he wins the presidential election in November. The two politicians, who have long been on good terms, met at the former president's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Friday. Orban revealed a few details of the discussion in an interview with M1 broadcaster on Sunday, saying that "Donald Trump will not give a penny to the Ukraine-Russia war" if he returns to the White House. "If the US will not provide the money, Europeans on their own will not be able to finance this war, and then the war will end," he explained. Trump was "the first [US] president in a long time without a war. We know from his presidency that he is a man of peace, and he does not hide his opinion even now, he has clearly stated that his goal is to bring peace to the Russian-Ukrainian war," Orban said. The prime minister also stressed that the Hungarian government wants "nothing more than peace and a ceasefire, and an end to this war that is slowly stretching towards an end." Although Trump is not back in office yet, his party is already preventing the Democrats from allocating more money to the conflict, Orban stated, referring to continued resistance by some Republicans to the Biden administration's effort to push through another $60 billion in military aid for Kiev. Last week, Trump became the presumptive Republican nominee for the November 5 vote when his last remaining rival, Nikki Haley, suspended her campaign after losing primaries to him in 14 out of 15 states. Orban said previously that the goal of his visit to Florida was "to say frankly" that Trump's second presidency "will be better for the whole world." US President Joe Biden, who was asked to comment on the meeting at Mar-a-Lago during an interview with MSNBC on Saturday, claimed that Orban "doesn't believe in democracy." Trump "spent the time at his resort with Orban, he talks about his great respect for the president of North Korea [supreme leader Kim Jong-un], I mean, he praises [Russian President Vladimir] Putin. He's in a different world," Biden said. End Item NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hungary's Orban Says Trump's Plan To End Ukraine War Is To Cut Funding By RFE/RL's Hungarian Service March 11, 2024 Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, back in the country after a private meeting in the United States with Donald Trump, said the former president has "quite detailed plans" about how to end Russia's war against Ukraine and won't give Kyiv any further funding to hasten an end to the conflict. Speaking in an interview with state-run M1 television late on March 10, Orban, whose government has refused to send weapons to Kyiv while maintaining ties with Moscow, said after his meeting with Trump that "it is obvious that Ukraine on its own cannot stand on its feet." The Hungarian prime minister's trip came as a $60 billion aid package is being held up by Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives, who are insisting border security measures be enacted if they are to support money being sent to Kyiv. The U.S. Senate has already approved the package, much of which is for Ukraine to buy U.S. weapons and military equipment. U.S. President Joe Biden, a Democrat who is the party's presumptive candidate for the presidential election in November, has backed the aid package, but Trump, who has a more isolationist streak, has criticized the bill. "He will not give a penny into the Ukraine-Russia war and therefore the war will end," Orban said in the interview of Trump, who is on the verge of becoming the Republic Party's candidate for the election. "If the Americans do not give money and weapons, and also the Europeans, then this war will be over. And if the Americans do not give money, the Europeans are unable to finance this war on their own, and then the war will end," he added. Orban has stood out in the European Union for breaking with most of the bloc's leaders by maintaining ties with autocratic leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin. Orban traveled to the United States last week, where he spoke at the conservative Heritage Foundation and later met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, while forgoing any meetings with the White House during the trip. Trump's campaign said in a statement on the March 8 meeting that the two men discussed "a wide range of issues affecting Hungary and the United States, including the paramount importance of strong and secure borders to protect the sovereignty of each nation." The statement made no further comment on the discussions, nor did it mention Ukraine. Orban said peace in Ukraine must be achieved first through a truce and then a complete peace agreement, which Trump "has the means" to do. He gave no further details. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on March 11 that the Kremlin was aware of Orban's statement, but it had no comment. "We have seen it, but we have nothing to say, since no details are offered and it is unclear what kind of [what] plan this might be," Peskov said. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/orban-hungary-trump- ukraine-war-funding-cut/32856909.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine Loses Another US-made Abrams Tank in Avdeyevka Area in Past Day - Russian MoD Sputnik News 20240311 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Ukraine has lost more than 430 soldiers in the Avdeyevka area over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday. Over the given period, the Russian armed forces have repelled 11 counterattacks by Ukrainian military in the Avdeyevka region, four attacks in the Kupyansk area, and one attack in the Kherson direction. "The enemy lost more than 430 military personnel, a US-made Abrams tank, two armored combat vehicles and 18 vehicles [in the Avdeyevka area]," the ministry said in a statement. Kiev has also lost up to 180 soldiers in the Donetsk direction and more than over 140 soldiers in the South Donetsk direction in the past day, the ministry added. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Germany's Position on Sending Taurus Cruise Missiles to Ukraine Not Changed Sputnik News 20240311 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The position of the German government on the supply of Taurus cruise missile to Ukraine has not changed, German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said on Monday. "There have been no changes on this issue," Hebestreit told a briefing. On Saturday, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron told German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung that London is ready to help Germany resolve any issues precluding it from sending its Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine or to come up with an alternative arrangement where it would send Kiev its own Storm Shadow missiles and buy the replacement from Berlin. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Only 7 out of 14 Challenger Tanks Handed Over by UK to Ukraine Remain in Service - Report Sputnik News 20240311 Western allies began pouring weapons and ammunition into Ukraine shortly after Russia launched its military operation in the country in February 2022. Last year, the United Kingdom sent 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine, which Kiev received in early 2023. Only half of the Challenger 2 tanks handed over by the UK to Ukraine in 2023 can be used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces for combat operations, according to The Sun. As the newspaper notes, 5 of the 14 tanks are out of service and waiting for spare parts, the delivery of which from the United Kingdom could take months. One was destroyed by a Russian Lancet UAV and another is being used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to train tank crews deep behind the front lines. It is also reported that two Challenger 2 tanks were damaged in fighting, but have been repaired, with one having its gun barrel replaced. "It takes a long time to get spares. The logistics are very complex, at this end and your end," a Ukrainian tank company commander told The Sun. According to him, this is one of the main difficulties associated with the operation of British tanks. The tanker also said that some parts of the Challenger 2 broke "from the very beginning," while others require frequent replacement. According to him, these include some components of the tank's turret and precision targeting system, as well as rubber linings on the tracks. Another drawback of the 62.5-ton Challenger 2 is its weight. Reporters from The Sun, invited to a firing range in Ukraine "close to the front line," write how the tank, with the journalists on its turret, got stuck in a waterlogged ravine. Another tank was used to pull it out. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Andriy Yermak had a phone call with Jake Sullivan President of Ukraine 11 March 2024 - 23:29 As part of the ongoing dialogue with allies, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak had a phone call with National Security Advisor to the President of the United States Jake Sullivan. The interlocutors discussed the situation on the battlefield and the urgent needs of Ukrainian defenders. In particular, Andriy Yermak emphasized the importance of the U.S. House of Representatives approving an aid package for Ukraine as soon as possible, as it is badly needed by Ukrainian forces. The Head of the President's Office expressed gratitude for the recent speech of U.S. President Joseph Biden to the Congress during his annual State of the Union address, which contained strong messages about the need to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. The Head of the President's Office sincerely thanked the U.S. President and his Administration, both houses of Congress and both parties, and the entire American people for their unwavering support for Ukraine in its struggle for independence and territorial integrity, as well as for freedom and democratic values in Europe. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kremlin, NATO Chief at Odds Over Papal Suggestion of Ukraine-Russia Talks By VOA News March 11, 2024 The Kremlin on Monday agreed with a comment made by Pope Francis, during an interview with Swiss broadcaster RSI, that Ukraine should have the "courage" to negotiate with Russia two years after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. "It is quite understandable that [the pope] spoke in favor of negotiations," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Peskov said President Vladimir Putin had repeatedly said Russia was open to peace talks. "Unfortunately, both the statements of the pope and the repeated statements of other parties, including ours, have recently received absolutely harsh refusals," he said. Putin has essentially offered to freeze the battlefield along its current front lines, an option Ukraine rejects. Such an agreement would mean giving up territory that Moscow has seized that amounts to more than a sixth of Ukraine. Peskov said Western hopes of inflicting a "strategic defeat" on Russia were "the deepest misconception," adding: "The course of events, primarily on the battlefield, is the clearest evidence of this." However, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said now is "not the time to talk about a white flag." Speaking at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Stoltenberg said negotiations would be undertaken only if they preserved Ukraine as a sovereign and independent nation and only when Putin realized that he would not win on the battlefield. "If we want a negotiated, peaceful, lasting solution, the way to get there is to provide military support to Ukraine," the NATO chief said. "It's not the time to talk about surrender by the Ukrainians. That will be a tragedy for the Ukrainians," he said. "It will also be dangerous for all of us, because then the lesson learned in Moscow is that when they use military force, when they kill thousands of people, when they invade another country, they get what they want." Kyiv on Sunday criticized Francis' call for Ukraine to negotiate an end to the war, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying the pontiff was engaging in "virtual mediation." In his nightly video address Sunday, Zelenskyy thanked Ukrainian religious leaders who are on the front line, "protecting life and humanity," and who show support with "prayer, conversation and deeds." "This is what the church is," he said, "one with the people. Not two and a half thousand kilometers away a somewhere, looking for a virtual [mediation] between those who want to live and those who want to destroy you." In a statement published on its website, the German Bishops' Conference said it was ultimately up to Ukraine to decide, "after careful consideration, when the moment has come for peace negotiations." "The fact that Pope Francis did not address the points mentioned here in his interview caused irritation among many observers, which we can understand," the German bishops said. "It would be good if the Holy See communicated a substantive clarification of its position on these issues." Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni responded to the criticisms Sunday, saying that the pontiff urged "a stop to hostilities [and] a truce achieved with the courage of negotiations," rather than an outright Ukrainian surrender. Francis was asked in an interview last month with Swiss broadcaster RSI about the debate between those advocating for Ukraine to engage in peace talks and those who say those negotiations would legitimize Russia's act of aggression. "I think that the strongest one is the one who looks at the situation, thinks about the people and has the courage of the white flag, and negotiates," Francis said. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also criticized the pope's remarks on social media, saying that "our flag is a yellow-and-blue one. This is the flag by which we live, die and prevail. We shall never raise any other flags." Meanwhile, political wrangling in the U.S. Congress is stalling a $60 billion aid package to a Ukraine military short of ammunition. Russia is currently poised to produce nearly three times more artillery munitions than the U.S. and Europe do for Ukraine, according to a Monday report by CNN based on NATO intelligence. For every shell Ukraine fires along the front lines, Russia fires between five or six, according to defense analysts. The imbalance restricts Ukraine's ability to suppress Russian attacks and provide cover for its own troop movements. While Russia increases weapons production and can maintain a much higher rate of fire than Ukraine, Western experts say Moscow also faces some constraints and has turned to North Korea to bolster its munitions supplies. Russia's military said Monday that it had thwarted multiple Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory. The Russian defense ministry said its air defenses destroyed four drones over the Bryansk region, two over the Oryol region and another Ukrainian drone over the Belgorod area. Ukraine's defense ministry issued alerts Monday warning of Russian aerial attacks in the Donetsk, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions. Some information for this report came from Reuters, The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Says Ukrainian Drone Attack Hit Fuel Facility By VOA News March 12, 2024 Russian officials reported Ukrainian drone attacks Tuesday targeting Moscow and several regions of western Russia. Andrey Klychov, the regional governor of Oryol, said a drone crashed at a fuel facility, causing a fire but no casualties. A Ukrainian drone also attacked the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, leaving some people without power, according to the regional governor. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russian air defenses destroyed a drone that was flying toward the Russian capital. He reported no damage or injuries from falling debris. Officials in the Tula and Kursk regions also reported Ukrainian drones being destroyed in those areas Tuesday. In Ukraine, authorities issued air alerts in multiple regions overnight. Some information for this report was provided by Agence France-Presse and Reuters NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address BURLINGTON, Mass., March 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avid is thrilled to congratulate its Oscar-winning users for their creative achievements at last nights Academy Awards, following the success of Oppenheimer, which collected seven awards, including Best Picture, and Best Film Editing for editor Jennifer Lame, ACE. Lame edited Oppenheimer with Avid Media Composer , the industrys gold-standard editing tool for creative professionals. Oppenheimer was one of ten nominees for the Best Picture Oscar, nine of which were edited on Avid Media Composer including American Fiction, Anatomy of a Fall, Barbie, The Holdovers, Maestro, Past Lives, Poor Things and The Zone of Interest. In addition to Lame, three other nominees for Best Film Editing used Media Composer including Laurent Senechal (Anatomy of a Fall), Kevin Tent, ACE (The Holdovers), and Yorgos Mavropsaridis, ACE (Poor Things). Oppenheimer also won the Oscar for Best Original Score, with composer Ludwig Goranssons score produced on Avids music notation software Sibelius, and with live recording captured in Avids audio production software Pro Tools. Hollywoods most imaginative creatives choose Avid tools to produce the worlds most recognized and admired stories, said Tim Claman, Avids Chief Product Officer. Were extremely proud of all our amazing community and we delight in every opportunity to celebrate them. Their accolades inspire us to keep innovating to continuously elevate the craft of storytelling. Film and television editors have trusted Avid for more than 30 years to achieve excellence in their craft. Ever since its trailblazing launch, Avid Media Composer has been consistently recognized as the industrys top video editing system. The Academy first awarded an Oscar for Best Editing to an Avid user in 1996. Then in 1999, Avid itself received an Oscar for the concept, system design and engineering of Media Composer (then known as the Avid Film Composer) for motion picture editing. Further recognition from the Academy for Avids creative tools came in 2004 when the business received an Oscar for pioneering creative tools for audio postproduction with Avid Pro Tools. The Oscar recognition for Oppenheimer, Lame and Goransson follows their success at last month's BAFTA Film Awards in London where Oppenheimer won Best Film, Lame picked up the Best Editing award and Goransson won for Best Original Score, eliciting further congratulations from the Avid team. Listen to leading film and television editors discussing their craft on The Rough Cut podcast, hosted by Avids Matt Feury. Avid Powers Greater Creators People who create media for a living become greater creators with Avids award-winning technology solutions to make, manage and monetize todays most celebrated video and audio contentfrom iconic movies and binge-worthy TV series, to network news and sports, to recorded music and the live stage. What began more than 30 years ago with our invention of nonlinear digital video editing has led to individual artists, creative teams and organizations everywhere subscribing to our powerful tools and collaborating securely in the cloud. We continue to re-imagine the many ways editors, musicians, producers, journalists, and other content creators will bring their stories to life. Discover the possibilities at avid.com and join the conversation on social media with the multitude of brilliant creative people who choose Avid for a lifetime of success. 2024 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Avid, the Avid logo, Media Composer, Pro Tools, and Sibelius are trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc., or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. Academy Awards and Oscar are the registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Other trademarks are property of their respective owners. Product features, specifications, system requirements and availability are subject to change without notice. NEW YORK, March 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI) between April 30, 2019 and December 21, 2023, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), of the important March 15, 2024 lead plaintiff deadline in the securities class action first filed by the Firm. SO WHAT: If you purchased Cummins securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Cummins class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=21566 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than March 15, 2024. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) contrary to Cummins assurances about its commitment to compliance following its April 2019 announcement regarding the Companys emissions certification and compliance process for its pickup truck applications, Cummins continued to produce engines with unlawful emission defeating devices from 2019 to 2023; (2) accordingly, Cummins understated its legal and regulatory risk, and overstated its commitment to environmental protection, and (3) as a result, defendants statements about its business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Cummins class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=21566 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm. Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firms attorneys are ranked and recognized by numerous independent and respected sources. Rosen Law Firm has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. ------------------------------- Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com State Sen. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, left, and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont tour the new Merritt 7 Metro-North station in Norwalk, Conn., on Monday, March 11, 2024. The station, which broke ground in September 2020, experienced supply chain issues during construction that delayed its complete opening to January 2024. Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media A train arrives at the new Merritt 7 Metro-North station in Norwalk, Conn., on Monday, March 11, 2024. The station, which broke ground in September 2020, experienced supply chain issues during construction that delayed its complete opening to January 2024. Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont tours the new Merritt 7 Metro-North station in Norwalk, Conn., on Monday, March 11, 2024. The station, which broke ground in September 2020, experienced supply chain issues during construction that delayed its complete opening to January 2024. Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media The new Merritt 7 Metro-North station in Norwalk, Conn., photographed on Monday, March 11, 2024. The station, which broke ground in September 2020, experienced supply chain issues during construction that delayed its complete opening to January 2024. Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media From left, state Sen. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling, Connecticut Transportation Deputy Commissioner Laoise King, and Gov. Ned Lamont tour the new Merritt 7 Metro-North station in Norwalk, Conn., on Monday, March 11, 2024. The station, which broke ground in September 2020, experienced supply chain issues during construction that delayed its complete opening to January 2024. Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media Connecticut Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner Laoise King tours the new Merritt 7 Metro-North station in Norwalk, Conn., on Monday, March 11, 2024. The station, which broke ground in September 2020, experienced supply chain issues during construction that delayed its complete opening to January 2024. Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media The new Merritt 7 Metro-North station in Norwalk, Conn., photographed on Monday, March 11, 2024. The station, which broke ground in September 2020, experienced supply chain issues during construction that delayed its complete opening to January 2024. Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, left, and state Rep. Kadeem Roberts, D-Norwalk, tour the new Merritt 7 Metro-North station in Norwalk, Conn., on Monday, March 11, 2024. The station, which broke ground in September 2020, experienced supply chain issues during construction that delayed its complete opening to January 2024. Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media State Sen. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, left, and Gov. Ned Lamont tour the new Merritt 7 Metro-North station in Norwalk, Conn., on Monday, March 11, 2024. The station, which broke ground in September 2020, experienced supply chain issues during construction that delayed its complete opening to January 2024. Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media A train departs the new Merritt 7 Metro-North station in Norwalk, Conn., on Monday, March 11, 2024. The station, which broke ground in September 2020, experienced supply chain issues during construction that delayed its complete opening to January 2024. Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media The new Merritt 7 Metro-North station in Norwalk, Conn., photographed on Monday, March 11, 2024. The station, which broke ground in September 2020, experienced supply chain issues during construction that delayed its complete opening to January 2024. Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media Local and state officials, Metro-North employees, and construction workers pose at the new Merritt 7 Metro-North station in Norwalk, Conn., on Monday, March 11, 2024. The station, which broke ground in September 2020, experienced supply chain issues during construction that delayed its complete opening to January 2024. Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media NORWALK Where once laid a slab for Metro-North riders to use to climb onto Danbury Branch trains is now a modern 510-foot raised platform, complete with a pedestrian bridge encased in glass, heated elevators and an awning spanning the track. All I know, Bob, is everybody talks about transit-oriented development. They say, 'What does it mean?' This is what it means, Gov. Ned Lamont said to Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, during a tour of the new Merritt 7 Train Station on Monday afternoon. I remember when it was a slab, Lamont joked. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The new Merritt 7 Train Station not only serves to connect transit riders, but, with the addition of a pedestrian bridge, it also connects residents and riders to the Merritt 7 office complex, Main Avenue and the neighborhood beyond. The expansive Merritt 7 office park is home to several companies, including IBM, Xerox, Datto and Hearst Connecticut Media Group. Were really proud of it, said Laoise King, deputy commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Transportation. We wish wed been able to open sooner, but we had some supply chain issues with the glass. So it wasnt safe to let people walk through until we were able to get that last piece in. In January, Merritt 7 commuters were finally able to walk across the bridge to their offices at the nearby complex instead of taking a shuttle bus around the block. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Encased in glass, Duff and Lamont said this new station is a template for what other cities and towns should be doing. I just think Norwalk gets it right, and this is an example of that, Lamont said. Lamont said Norwalk and Stamford are Connecticuts fastest-growing cities and that transit-oriented development such as Merritt 7 station is what works. Ive talked to employers, they say, 'thank God for Norwalk and thank God they have housing for single families and working families and make it easier for me to expand my business right in this area', Lamont said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad You can only have the workforce if you have the housing, Duff added. Although there are already apartments and residences near the Merritt 7 Train Station, more transit-oriented development is planned for the area. We know housing has huge demands all over the state and all over our nation, and building here right next to a train station, right next to the main, square view of, office space is really the right place to do it, Duff said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Currently, BLT is seeking zoning approval for the first phase of the North 7 project, which would add 266 units in a 12-story building with retail space and a 13,000-square-foot town square across from the station. BLTs other phases are contingent on other traffic improvements, including the Route 7 and Merritt Parkway interchange project and improvements to Grist Mill Road. Duff noted that BLTs existing three building at The Curb were met with that high housing demand. Its filled up because people recognize that its a convenient place to live, its safe, close to transportation and has a great lifestyle, so that all comes together, he said. There is only one track on the Danbury branch, but space was left for another track to potentially be built along the line, King said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad One of the goals fueling transit-oriented development is sustainability. By providing alternative transit options, Norwalk hopes residents choose use their cars less or even go car free. Lamont said he believes improvements such as the new Merritt 7 Train Station will promote ridership. A, start with amazing amenities like this; B, make the rail service faster and more importantly, more frequent so if you miss a rail, theres another train you can catch, Lamont said. Were trying to get back to pre-COVID levels, so obviously, Metro-North and the Hartford line are almost all the way back right now. The Danbury line will be soon to follow thanks to developments like this. Urges Shareholders to Disregard ValueActs Endorsement of the Board Questions Whether the Board Violated ERISA laws as well as Disneys Code of Ethics NEW YORK, March 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blackwells Capital LLC (together with its affiliates, Blackwells or we) today issued a letter to fellow shareholders regarding the need for boardroom enhancement at The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS). We invite all shareholders to learn more about our nominees and mission at www.TheFutureOfDisney.com. The full letter to shareholders follows: Dear Fellow Disney Shareholder: As you may know, on January 3, 2024, The Walt Disney Company (Disney or the Company) issued a press release announcing an Information-Sharing Arrangement between the Company and ValueAct Capital Management, L.P. (ValueAct). The press release contained a glowing endorsement by ValueAct of Disneys board of directors (the Board) and management of Disney. The Board has repeatedly trumpeted ValueActs endorsement in proxy materials mailed to millions of shareholders, press releases, letters to shareholders, one-off engagements with shareholders, and in a recent presentation delivered to proxy advisory firm, Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS). 1 Blackwells diligence revealed that the Board failed to disclose in the press release that ValueAct or its affiliates have been managing over $350 million of Disneys pension fund assets, and that ValueAct has been earning fees ranging from approximately $55 million to $95 million for the services provided to Disneys pension fund since as early as 2013.2 ValueActs management of Disneys pension funds is not disclosed anywhere in any of the referenced communications. Meanwhile, Disneys entire shareholder franchise population has been led to believe that ValueAct provided its independent and unqualified support of the Board independently. We believe shareholders should consider the following: Can this Board believe that shareholders are able to evaluate the significance of ValueActs endorsement without a full understanding of the relationship? Did the Board know about ValueActs management of Disneys pension funds prior to authorizing the January 3 rd press release? If yes, how could they hide this information from shareholders? Did the Audit Committee of the Board review this matter in advance? press release? How could the Board not know of this relationship when their own investor presentation dated March 11, 2024, mentions Trians identical role in managing Disney pension fund assets? Why didnt ValueAct and its principal, Mason Morfit, insist on disclosing ValueActs management of Disneys pension funds in the January 3 press releasewhen, as fiduciaries to these funds, they certainly knew about these facts? Why didnt Mr. Morfit mention these important facts in his presentation in support of the Board in front of hundreds of attendees at the Council of Institutional Investors conference last week? Did the Board violate Disneys Code of Ethics3 and commitment to transparency4 by failing to disclose ValueActs management of Disneys pension funds after publicly accepting ValueActs endorsement? On numerous occasions, Blackwells has publicly demanded disclosure of Disneys relationship with ValueAct, including the release of the Information-Sharing Agreement. On February 16, 2024, Blackwells submitted a formal demand under Delaware law that this information be made available to Blackwells.5 The Board denied our demand, asserting that we had not explained sufficiently our reasons to believe the Companys relationship with ValueAct might be important.6 The Information-Sharing Agreement, the information shared under it, and details of the pre-existing, and current, Disney/ValueAct relationship on long standing is material information for shareholders. Blackwells diligence is proof positive that these disclosures must be made immediately. We urge fellow shareholders to join us in demanding that the Board immediately take all necessary steps to file updated proxy materials with full disclosure of the ValueAct arrangementso that shareholders can have the information needed to cast votes that are fully informed. Blackwells has nominated three incredibly qualified nominees for election at Disneys 2024 annual meeting of shareholders (the Annual Meeting): Craig Hatkoff, Jessica Schell and Leah Solivan. Our nominees add expertise in the needed areas of content, media, technology and best in class governance. For more information about our campaign, including our thoughts on improving governance such that Disney will limit future issues like the ValueAct one, please visit www.TheFutureOfDisney.com. Sincerely, Jason Aintabi Chief Investment Officer Blackwells Capital LLC To learn more about Blackwells three nominees Jessica Schell, Craig Hatkoff and Leah Solivan, fellow Disney shareholders are encouraged to visit www.TheFutureOfDisney.com. Blackwells campaign website includes materials for shareholders to evaluate and help make the most informed voting decisions possible. Please vote your proxy today on the GREEN universal proxy card FOR each of the Blackwells nominees and the Blackwells proposal. If you have any questions about voting your proxy or need replacement proxy materials, contact: Morrow Sodali LLC +1 (800) 662-5200 (toll-free for shareholders) +1 (203) 658-9400 (call collect for banks, brokers, trustees and other nominees) Blackwells@morrowsodali.com About Blackwells Capital Blackwells Capital was founded in 2016 by Jason Aintabi, its Chief Investment Officer. Since that time, it has made investments in public securities, engaging with management and boards, both publicly and privately, to help unlock value for stakeholders, including shareholders, employees and communities. Throughout their careers, Blackwells principals have invested globally on behalf of leading public and private equity firms and have held operating roles and served on the boards of media, energy, technology, insurance and real estate enterprises. For more information, please visit www.blackwellscap.com. Contacts Media: Gagnier Communications Dan Gagnier & Riyaz Lalani 646-569-5897 blackwells@gagnierfc.com Shareholders: Morrow Sodali Michael Verrechia & William Dooley (800) 662-5200 blackwells@morrowsodali.com IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Blackwells Onshore I LLC, Blackwells Capital LLC, Jason Aintabi, Craig Hatkoff, Jessica Schell and Leah Solivan (collectively, the Participants) are participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of The Walt Disney Company (the Company) for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. On February 6, 2024, the Participants filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) their definitive proxy statement and accompanying GREEN Proxy Card in connection with their solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of the Company for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. ALL SHAREHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ARE ADVISED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT, THE ACCOMPANYING GREEN PROXY CARD AND OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE SOLICITATION OF PROXIES BY THE PARTICIPANTS, AS THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION, INCLUDING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATED TO THE PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR DIRECT OR INDIRECT INTERESTS IN THE COMPANY, BY SECURITY HOLDINGS OR OTHERWISE. The definitive proxy statement and an accompanying GREEN proxy card will be furnished to some or all of the Companys shareholders and is, along with other relevant documents, publicly available at no charge on the SECs website at http://www.sec.gov/. In addition, the Participants will provide copies of the definitive proxy statement without charge, when available, upon request. Requests for copies should be directed to Blackwells Onshore I LLC. 1 See, e.g., soliciting materials filed on DEFA14 by Disney with the Securities Exchange Commission on March 11, 2024, February 14, 2024, February 12, 2024, February 5, 2024, February 1, 2024. 2 See, Schedule C to Form 5500 of The Walt Disney Company Retirement Plan Master Trust for fiscal years 2013 through 2022. In each year beginning in 2013, ValueAct (and/or its affiliates) has been disclosed as an entity receiving compensation in connection with services to the plan on Schedule C of The Walt Disney Company Retirement Plan Master Trusts Form 5500. 3 See, The Walt Disney Company, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics For Directors at page 1. Directors must avoid conflicts of interest. [for example] (iv) accepting, or having a member of a Directors immediate family accept, a gift from persons or entities that deal with the Company, in cases where the gift is being made in order to influence the Directors actions as a member of the Board, or where acceptance of the gift could otherwise reasonably create the appearance of a conflict of interest. 4 See, The Walt Disney Company Standards of Business Conduct at page 14. Our policies are designed topromote transparencywe dont engage in any activity that would compromise our professional judgment or suggest favorable or preferential treatment. 5 See, Blackwells Demand to The Walt Disney Company under Section 220 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, dated February 16, 2024, available at https://thefutureofdisney.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Blackwells-DIS-ValueAct-220-Demand.pdf. 6 See, The Walt Disney Companys Response Letter, dated February 26, 2024, available at https://thefutureofdisney.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Blackwells-220-Demand-Response-Signed-1.pdf. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Christina Lake Cannabis Corp. (CSE: CLC) (OTCQB: CLCFF) (FRANKFURT:CLB), (the "Company" or "Christina Lake Cannabis" or "CLC"), a leading producer of high quality extracts and sun grown cannabis, is pleased to announce following its acquisition of outdoor cultivation facilities in Midway, British Columbia, which closed in February 2024, it has entered into a lease agreement to acquire new harvesting equipment (the "Equipment") to address both the expanded cultivation footprint and growing demand for its products (the "Lease Agreement"). The Lease Agreement is for a term of 36 months beginning on September 1, 2024 (the "Term"), following the delivery of the Equipment to the Company. The monthly payment for the Lease Agreement shall be $13,363.11 per month, plus GST, payable on the 1st of each month, and $4,000 per month plus GST for standby rent for the months of April August 2024, payable on the 15th of each month. Should the Company make all payment on time during the first 18 months of the Lease Agreement, the Company shall have the option to purchase the Equipment at any time following month 18 up to the end of the Term (the "Option"). The Lease Agreement is between CLC and an entity 50% owned by a director of the Company. Accordingly, the Lease Agreement may be deemed to be a 'related party transaction' as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Lease Agreement is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 (pursuant to subsections 5.5(d) and 5.7(1)(f)) as the Lease Agreement was a lease of repeal property under reasonable commercial terms made in the ordinary course of business and does not contain any voting or equity component. The Companys independent board of directors reviewed and approved the Lease Agreement. About Christina Lake Cannabis Corp. Christina Lake Cannabis is a licensed producer of cannabis under the Cannabis Act. It has secured a standard cultivation license and corresponding processing amendment from Health Canada (March 2020 and August 2020, respectively) as well as a research and development license (early 2020). Christina Lake Cannabis facility consists of a 32-acre property, which includes over 950,000 square feet of outdoor grow space, offices, propagation and drying rooms, research facilities, and a facility dedicated to processing and extraction. Christina Lake Cannabis also owns a 99-acre plot of land adjoining its principal site. CLC focuses its production on creating high quality extracts and distillate for its B2B client base with proprietary strains specifically developed for outdoor cultivation to enhance extraction quality. On behalf of Christina Lake Cannabis: "Mark Aiken" Mark Aiken, CEO For more information about CLC, please visit: www.christinalakecannabis.com Jennifer Smith Investor Relations and Media Inquiries investors@clcannabis.com 902-229-7265 THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE ("CSE") HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE, NOR HAS OR DOES THE CSES REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER. This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements" which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Companys future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", "likely", "probably", "often", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet managements expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the Lease Agreement, the Option, the cultivation cycle and outcomes, the anticipated results from the Lease Agreement, the Lease Agreement being financially accretive and strategically valuable to the Company, the results of the processing, the 2024 outdoor grow season, any potential future expansion, the Companys objectives, goals or future plans, statements, harvesting results, and estimates of market conditions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include: future growth potential of the Company, fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions, fluctuations in securities markets, fluctuations in cannabis markets, expectations regarding the size of the future harvest, the ability of the Company to successfully achieve its business objectives, plans for expansion, inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards and general market conditions. Additional factors and risks including various risk factors discussed in the Companys disclosure documents which can be found under the Companys profile on http://www.sedarplus.com. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks including various risk factors discussed in the Companys disclosure documents which can be found under the Companys profile on https://www.sedarplus.com. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. Melbourne, Australia, March 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ashfords Wealth, an online platform catering to financial transactions, has implemented a series of strict measures aimed at enhancing security protocols. The company acknowledges the paramount importance of safeguarding the interests and assets of its users, thereby prioritizing security measures to mitigate potential risks effectively. In light of the evolving landscape of digital transactions, Ashfords Wealth has taken proactive steps to bolster its security infrastructure. Recognizing the prevalence of cyber threats and malicious activities targeting online financial platforms, the company has adopted a comprehensive approach to fortify its systems against unauthorized access and fraudulent activities. Emphasizing a proactive stance towards security, Ashfords Wealth has invested significant resources in implementing robust authentication mechanisms and encryption protocols. By incorporating industry-leading technologies and adhering to best practices in cybersecurity, the company endeavors to provide users with a secure environment conducive to conducting financial transactions with peace of mind. Furthermore, Ashfords Wealth maintains a dedicated team of cybersecurity experts tasked with continually monitoring and assessing potential vulnerabilities within its systems. Through regular audits and assessments, the company remains vigilant in identifying and addressing any potential security loopholes, thereby ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of user data. In addition to technological safeguards, Ashfords Wealth also emphasizes the importance of user education and awareness regarding security best practices. The company provides resources and guidance to users on how to recognize and respond to potential security threats, empowering them to take proactive measures to protect their accounts and assets. As part of its commitment to security, Ashfords Wealth regularly reviews and updates its security policies and procedures to adapt to emerging threats and evolving regulatory requirements. By staying abreast of industry developments and regulatory changes, the company remains proactive in maintaining a secure and compliant operating environment. In summary, Ashfords Wealth places a strong emphasis on security, implementing strict measures to safeguard the interests and assets of its users. Through a combination of advanced technologies, proactive monitoring, and user education initiatives, the company remains steadfast in its commitment to providing a secure and reliable platform for online financial transactions. About Ashfords Wealth Established as a leading provider of online financial services, Ashfords Wealth is dedicated to delivering secure and reliable solutions for clients worldwide. With a focus on safeguarding clients' assets, the company employs advanced technology and stringent measures to ensure the integrity of its platform. Ashfords Wealth operates in compliance with regulatory standards, prioritizing transparency and client education to empower individuals in navigating the financial landscape. With a commitment to continuous improvement and customer satisfaction, Ashfords Wealth strives to remain a trusted partner for individuals seeking reliable financial services. Company Details Company Name: Ashfords Wealth Email Address: media@ashfordswealth.com Company Address: Dandenong South Victoria 3175 Australia Company Website: http://ashfordswealths.com Disclaimer: This press release, titled "Ashfords Wealth Prioritizes Security With Strict Measures", is distributed by KISS PR. The information herein is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation of any securities by KISS PR. The content of this press release is not intended to provide tax, legal, or investment advice and should not be relied upon for making any investment or trading decisions. KISS PR, its employees, and its affiliates are not registered investment advisors or broker-dealers. All information provided should be used solely for informational purposes. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is made as to the accuracy, timeliness, or completeness of the information provided. Furthermore, KISS PR and its partners do not accept responsibility or liability for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising in whole or in part from reliance on, use of, or inability to use the information contained in this press release. Contact Chambrelan at the information provided for further inquiries or clarification. NEW YORK, March 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S.-China Green Institute (USCGI) announces the signing of a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which formalizes the relationship between the Iowa-based World Food Prize Foundation and the Peoples Republic of China. Signatories to the MOU are the World Food Prize Foundation (WFPF), the China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development (CFFPD), and the U.S.-China Green Institute. The US and China have cooperated well on agricultural issues for many years but this is the first formal relationship with the World Food Prize which is considered the Noble Prize of Agriculture. At a ceremony held on December 5, 2023, former U.S. Ambassador to China and Chairman of the World Food Prize Foundation, Terry Branstad, along with Jonathan Krane, CEO of KraneShares, and Longshe Wang, Secretary General of the China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development (CFFPD), commemorated the deepening ties and shared commitment to food safety and sustainable agriculture. The MOU outlines a commitment to establish a collaborative accelerator for sustainable agriculture initiatives, conduct exchange programs for government officials, students, and industry leaders, and revitalize the 2012 U.S.-China Agricultural Summit to enhance cooperation across the agricultural sector. Ambassador Branstad, in his remarks to the CFFPD, reflected on the longstanding relationship between Iowa and China, and the importance of continued engagement and cooperation in addressing global food security challenges. He noted the unique and personal ties Iowa has with China, including the early visit of President Xi Jinping to the State. "This agreement is a testament to the enduring partnership and mutual respect between our two nations," stated Ambassador Branstad. "It paves the way for a future where innovation and collaboration in agriculture can flourish, ensuring we can meet the pressing demands of global food security together." Jonathan Krane, Chair of the USCGI, added, "The signing of this MOU is a commitment to cooperation and a step forward in our mission to foster meaningful dialogue and action on climate change and sustainability. We are excited about the opportunities this will create for the United States and China." About the U.S.-China Green Institute The U.S.-China Green Institute is a prominent non-profit organization dedicated to fostering collaboration between the U.S. and China on climate change and green initiatives. The Institute's mission is to ensure continued constructive engagement between the two superpowers in addressing the climate crisis. https://uschinagreeninstitute.org/ About the World Food Prize Foundation The World Food Prize Foundation (WFPF), established by Nobel laureate Dr. Norman E. Borlaug and led by current president Terry Branstad, is dedicated to championing solutions to global food security challenges. It awards the esteemed annual World Food Prize, honoring significant contributions to the enhancement of food quality, quantity, and availability. Through its international symposium, the Borlaug Dialogue, and educational initiatives like the Global Youth Institute, the WFPF fosters innovation and inspires action in the fight against hunger worldwide. Headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, the WFPF is a beacon of hope and a catalyst for change in the global quest to end hunger. About the China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development (CFFPD) To open up new prospects for people-to-people diplomacy and to further integrate its resources, the Chinese Peoples Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) established the China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development (CFFPD) on May 15, 1996. CFFPD is Chinas first 4A-level public fundraising foundation in people-to-people diplomacy; it is registered with the approval of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the Peoples Republic of China and overseen by the CPAFFC. The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) is a national peoples organization engaged in people-to-people diplomacy since its inception in 1954. As the primary channel for China's citizen diplomacy, CPAFFC's mission is to enhance understanding, promote mutual respect, and foster long-term friendships between the people of China and other nations. Through a variety of cultural exchanges, educational partnerships, and economic collaborations, CPAFFC plays a pivotal role in cultivating a positive image of China and establishing cooperative relationships that contribute to international community development and peace. Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Article 53 of the SIX Exchange Regulation Listing Rules Tecan reports solid underlying sales growth and an increase in profitability and net profit for full year 2023 Financial results for the full year 2023 Highlights Sales of CHF 1,074.4 million (2022: CHF 1,144.3 million) Underlying growth of +6.3% in local currencies, excluding effects from lower COVID-related revenues and reduced material cost pass-through Sales development of -1.3% in local currencies (-6.1% in Swiss francs), compared to a higher basis of comparison which still benefited from exceptional tailwinds H2 reported sales growth of +1.0% in local currencies (+5.5% underlying) Adjusted EBITDA of CHF 220.6 million (2022: CHF 229.9 million) Adjusted EBITDA margin increased to 20.5% (2022: 20.1%) Adjusted net profit increased to CHF 164.4 million (2022: CHF 154.4 million) Adjusted earnings per share of CHF 12.88 (2022: CHF 12.14) Increase in the dividend proposed from CHF 2.90 to CHF 3.00 per share Strong increase in operating cash flow to CHF 160.6 million (2022: CHF 128.3 million) Operating highlights 2023 Expansion of core offering in laboratory automation in key growth markets Significant advance in liquid biopsy workflows with the introduction of the innovative Phase Separator Successful launch of Uno Single Cell Dispenser for isolating single cells New pipetting arm MCA 96 met with high demand across all key applications of genomics, proteomics and cellomics New additions to proteomics automation portfolio in the Resolvex line Several new partnerships and product launches in Partnering Business Partnering Business customers supported with product launches in all business lines Scaling of global manufacturing Series production of Cavro components successfully established in facilities at Morgan Hill, California, and Penang, Malaysia New assembly facility opened in the Shanghai Free-Trade Zone Further building on sustainability activities Great Place to Work certification in Switzerland, Germany and the U.S. Tecans greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets validated by Science Based Targets initiative Outlook FY 2024 outlook: Sales growth expected in the low single-digit percentage range in local currencies, and adjusted EBITDA margin forecasted to be at least around 20% of sales Mid-term outlook: Return to average organic growth rates in the mid to high single-digit percentage range in local currencies, combined with a continuous improvement of profitability Mannedorf, Switzerland, March 12, 2024 The Tecan Group (SIX Swiss Exchange: TECN) reported solid underlying sales growth and an increase in profitability and net profit for the full year 2023. Tecan CEO Dr. Achim von Leoprechting commented: Tecan concluded a successful 2023 in a challenging market environment, thanks to the dedication of our teams around the world. Our solid performance is built on our close collaboration with our valued business partners and our unique breadth of product offerings in multiple end markets, empowering early research all the way to clinical and medical applications. While customer spending may remain conservative in 2024, Tecan is well positioned to capitalize on opportunities across multiple regions and growth market segments as we continue our journey of scaling healthcare innovation globally. Financial results full-year and second half of 2023 Full-year order entry was CHF 1,028.1 million (2022: CHF 1,132.9 million or CHF 1,078.1 million when compared in local currencies), down 9.3% year-on-year, or 4.6% in local currencies compared to the substantial order entry in 2022, when COVID-related orders as well as orders related to the material cost pass-through still contributed to the high order intake. With solid inflow of new orders close to the level of sales, the book-to-bill ratio reached a value of 0.96. Excluding the effects of lower COVID-related orders and orders related to the pass-through of material costs, underlying order entry grew in the low single-digit percentage range in local currencies. Order entry improved in the second half of the year and was just 1.9% below the previous year's figure in local currencies, after a more significant decline in the first half of the year. Underlying sales for fiscal year 2023 increased by 6.3% in local currencies, despite a challenging market environment and cautious investment behavior among many customers. Underlying sales exclude the effects of lower COVID-related sales (estimated net effect of CHF -58.5m in local currencies) and a lower pass-through of material costs compared to the prior-year period (net effect of CHF -19.7m). In the second half of the year, underlying sales increased by 5.5% in local currencies. Reported sales for fiscal year 2023 decreased in comparison to fiscal year 2022 by 6.1% in Swiss francs and reached CHF 1,074.4 million, including a substantial negative exchange rate effect (2022: CHF 1,144.3 million or CHF 1,089.0 million when compared in local currencies). Reported sales were 1.3% below the prior-year period when measured in local currencies. Reported sales in the second half decreased by 4.9% in Swiss francs and rose by 1.0% in local currencies. Reported full-year sales in 2023 also include a significant reduction of pass-through sales compared to 2022, sooner and to a much greater extent than anticipated. As these sales do not generate a margin from passing on higher material costs, this is a desirable development. At CHF 220.6 million, adjusted operating profit before depreciation and amortization1 (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; EBITDA) was slightly below the previous year's level (2022: CHF 229.9 million), mainly due to lower sales volumes and a negative impact from exchange rate movements in major currencies versus the Swiss franc. The adjusted EBITDA margin nevertheless increased to 20.5% of sales (2022: 20.1%). Adjusted net profit2 increased to CHF 164.4 million (2022: CHF 154.4 million), supported by a one-time positive effect in connection with transitional measures from the Swiss tax reform. Adjusted earnings per share rose to CHF 12.88 (2022: CHF 12.14). Reported net profit for 2023 increased to CHF 132.1 million (2022: CHF 121.1 million), while basic earnings per share grew to CHF 10.34 (2022: CHF 9.53). Cash flow from operating activities increased by 25.2% to CHF 160.6 million in 2023 (2022: CHF 128.3 million). In the prior-year period, inventories and safety stocks increased to ensure delivery capability in times of tight material supplies. These inventories have now been increasingly reduced again. Thanks to the strong cash flow, Tecans net liquidity position (cash and cash equivalents plus short-term time deposits less bank liabilities, loans and the outstanding bond) increased to CHF 112.6 million (December 31, 2022: CHF 41.2 million). Information by business segment Life Sciences Business (end-customer business) Sales in the Life Sciences Business reached CHF 451.8 million (2022: CHF 492.3 million or CHF 466.0 million in local currencies), a decrease of 8.2% in Swiss francs or 3.0% in local currencies compared to 2022. In contrast, underlying sales increased by 4.9% in local currencies, excluding the impact of lower COVID-related sales compared to the same period last year (estimated net effect of CHF -35.1 million in local currencies, based on an allocation of 60% of total COVID-related sales in 2022). Thanks to good growth in the service business due to the higher installed base of instruments, recurring sales of services, consumables and reagents increased to 52.8% of segment sales (2022: 51.0%). In the second half of the year, underlying sales increased by 4.4% in local currencies and reported sales rose by 1.6% in local currencies. As new orders were only slightly lower than sales, the ratio of new orders to sales (book-to-bill) also normalized to a value close to 1. Reported operating profit in this segment (earnings before interest and taxes; EBIT) reached CHF 84.4 million (2022: CHF 87.1 million). The operating profit margin rose to 18.3% of sales (2022: 17.1%), supported by price increases and cost control and despite the lower sales volumes and an adverse exchange rate effect. Partnering Business (OEM business) The Partnering Business generated sales of CHF 622.6 million during the year under review (2022: CHF 652.0 million), which corresponds to a decrease of 4.5% in Swiss francs and 0.1% in local currencies. Underlying sales increased by 7.4% in local currencies, excluding the impact of lower COVID-related sales and a lower pass-through of material costs compared to the same period last year (estimated net effect of CHF -23.4 million in local currencies and CHF -19.7 million, respectively). The increase in underlying sales is primarily due to double-digit growth in the Paramit product line, driven primarily by the medical business, which also benefited from pent-up demand for certain medical products after the end of the pandemic. By contrast, sales of Cavro OEM components declined substantially, as these products had experienced a significant surge in demand in the prior-year period to mitigate disruptions in the supply chain and in the run-up to the transfer of production to two new manufacturing sites. Demand for in-vitro diagnostics systems for the Synergence product line remained solid and sales in local currencies were nearly unchanged year-on-year. In the second half of the year, underlying sales increased by 6.3% in local currencies and reported sales rose by 0.6% in local currencies. New orders in the Partnering Business for the full year were only slightly lower than sales, the book-to-bill ratio came close to 1. Reported operating profit in this segment (earnings before interest and taxes; EBIT) amounted to CHF 64.4 million (2022: CHF 74.4 million), while the reported operating profit margin reached 10.3% of sales (2022: 11.4%). The integration costs and amortization of acquired intangible assets in connection with the acquisition of Paramit were recognized for the Group in the Partnering Business segment. Other factors negatively impacting the segment margin were the lower sales volumes with corresponding negative economies of scale and a more negative product mix. Additional information Regional development In Europe, Tecan's full-year reported sales in 2023 were still affected by a COVID-related high comparative basis and weaker demand and developed accordingly at -22.6% in Swiss francs and -19.9% in local currencies. Against the high comparative basis, sales in the Life Sciences Business were 14.1% lower than the previous year in local currencies, and in the Partnering Business they declined by 24.2% in local currencies. In the second half of the year, sales in Europe decreased by 24.6% in local currencies for the Group and by 7.7% and 36.2% for the Life Sciences Business and Partnering Business segments respectively. In North America, reported sales grew by 5.8% in Swiss francs and by 11.8% in local currencies. Despite the high COVID-related basis of comparison and more cautious spending behavior, sales in the Life Sciences Business segment increased by 5.1% in local currencies. The Partnering Business segment reported a 16.4% increase in sales in local currencies, driven by strong sales growth in the medical business, which more than offset COVID-related sales in other product categories from 2022. Sales growth in North America accelerated in the second half of 2023, rising by 17.1% in local currencies. Both business segments contributed to this acceleration in the second half of the year, with the Life Sciences Business growing by 13.1% in local currencies and the Partnering Business by 19.6%. In Asia, full-year reported sales in 2023 decreased by 8.0% in Swiss francs and 1.7% in local currencies. In the second half of the year, by contrast, sales rose by 7.7% in local currencies. However, the development of sales in the two business segments was very different in the two half-year periods. While the Partnering Business was still affected by a high COVID-related basis for comparison and a decline in sales of Cavro components in the first half of the year, segment sales rose by 25.5% in local currencies in the second half of the year. The Partnering Business therefore closed the year as a whole with only a slight loss in sales of 2.9% in local currencies. In contrast, the Life Sciences Business segment recorded a significant increase in sales in local currencies in the first half of the year but experienced an almost identical decline in sales of 9.8% in local currencies in the second half of the year, mainly due to the market weakness in China. For 2023 as a whole, sales in the Life Sciences Business segment in Asia thus remained almost unchanged at -0.3% in local currencies. Operating highlights 2023 Tecan accomplished a number of successful new product launches in 2023. A standout example is the Phase Separator, an innovative new pipetting capability available on the Fluent Automation Workstation that represents a significant advance in liquid-separation technology. This unique module has advanced sensor handling to detect the interface between plasma and erythrocytes, which is a demand of workflows like cell free DNA sequencing used in Liquid Biopsy and is also applicable in fields such as separating the organic solvent phase in sample prep for mass spectrometry workflows. Further launches included the Uno Single Cell Dispenser. The Uno is a valuable tool for isolating single cells, enabling researchers to delve into the biology of individual cells, helping to understand their specialist functions, what triggers disease, and which treatments might restore them to health. MCA 96, a pipetting arm with 96 channels for the Fluent liquid handler, was launched together with an easy-to-use software, and was met with high demand across all key applications of genomics, proteomics and cellomics. With the launch of new products in the Resolvex line, Tecan added unique solutions to its broad automation portfolio to address unmet workflow needs for proteomics and bioanalytical processes, nucleic acid purification and food safety workflows. Among the various partnerships entered into in 2023, Tecan and Oxford Nanopore build an alliance to create automated, seamless and fully compatible nanopore sequencing library preparation for any-length fragments of native DNA/RNA. As well as concluding several new partnerships, Tecan supported various customers with product launches and the start of commercial supplies in all business areas of the Partnering Business. This includes customized OEM systems, OEM components as well as contract development and manufacturing services. The project pipeline for new development and manufacturing projects remains rich and the broad OEM offering with strong synergies between the individual projects and solution offerings is well received. In 2023, Tecan continued to scale its global production and operational footprint. The series production of Cavro components has been successfully transferred from San Jose, California, and is now established in Tecans facilities in Morgan Hill, California, and Penang, Malaysia. Additionally in 2023, as a step in executing the strategy to serve local customers in China even better and meet their specific needs, Tecan opened a new assembly facility in the Shanghai Free-Trade Zone (SFTZ), where liquid handling and detection products can now also be locally manufactured to advance Tecans business in China. Sustainability Report 2023 Tecans commitment to sound management of its social and environmental impacts was evidenced further in 2023, with an outstanding participation rate of 92% in Tecans first fully global employee survey, and the achievement of Great Place to Work certification in Germany and the U.S., to add to re-certification in Switzerland. Tecan submitted greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets to the Science Based Targets initiative in 2023, and received validation of these and confirmation that the planned emissions reduction plans are credible. Tecan has set an absolute emissions reduction target and commits to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain (scopes 1, 2 and 3) by 2050. The related targets are set out in the 2023 Sustainability Report and include a commitment to purchase 100% renewable electricity by 2025. The 2023 Sustainability Report was published as part of the Annual Report 2023 today. Proposal to the Annual General Meeting to increase dividend Based on the solid underlying sales growth and an increase in profitability, net profit and cash flows for the full year 2023 and on the basis of an ongoing positive business outlook, the Board of Directors will propose at the Companys Annual General Meeting on April 18, 2024, an increase in the dividend from CHF 2.90 to CHF 3.00 per share. Half of the dividend, i.e., CHF 1.50, will be paid out from the available capital contribution reserve and is therefore not subject to withholding tax. Outlook Tecan initiated its short-term outlook and guidance for the full year 2024 and expects reported sales to increase in the low single-digit percentage range in local currencies. As the previous disruptions in the supply chain have normalized, Tecan does not assume any further sales from the pass-through of material costs in this outlook (CHF 8.1 million in 2023). Tecan expects an adjusted EBITDA margin excluding acquisition- and integration-related costs of at least around 20% of sales, including an assumed negative effect from foreign exchange rates of around 40 basis points. The outlook 2024 does not take account of potential acquisitions during the course of the year. The expectations regarding profitability are based on an average exchange rate forecast for full year 2024 of one euro equaling CHF 0.95 and one US dollar equaling CHF 0.85. Tecan also reiterated its mid-term outlook, in which the company expects to continue to outperform the average growth rate of the underlying end markets and thus to return to average organic growth rates in the mid to high single-digit percentage range in local currencies, while continuously improving profitability. Annual Report and Webcast The full 2023 Annual Report and the 2023 Sustainability Report were also published today and can be accessed on the companys website www.tecan.com under Investor Relations. Tecan will hold an analyst and media conference to discuss the 2023 annual results today at 09:00 (CET). The presentation will also be relayed by live audio webcast, which interested parties can access at www.tecan.com. A link to the webcast will be provided immediately prior to the event. The dial-in numbers for the conference call are as follows: For participants from Europe: +41 (0)58 310 50 00 or +44 (0)207 107 0613 (UK) For participants from the US: +1 (1) 631 570 5613 Participants should, if possible, dial in 15 minutes before the start of the event. Key upcoming dates The Annual General Meeting of Tecans shareholders will take place on April 18, 2024 The 2024 Interim Report will be published on August 13, 2024 1 The adjusted operating profit before depreciation and amortization excludes acquisition- and integration-related costs (+CHF 17.7 million) as well as one-time pension plan effects (-CHF 4.4 million) 2 The calculation of 2023 adjusted net profit and adjusted earnings per share excludes acquisition- and integration-related costs (+CHF 17.7 million), one-time pension plan effects (-CHF 4.4 million) as well as the accumulated amortization of acquired intangible assets (+CHF 19.5 million) and they were calculated with the reported Group tax rate of 1.3%. About Tecan Tecan (www.tecan.com) improves peoples lives and health by empowering customers to scale healthcare innovation globally from life science to the clinic. Tecan is a pioneer and global leader in laboratory automation. As an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Tecan is also a leader in developing and manufacturing OEM instruments, components and medical devices that are then distributed by partner companies. Founded in Switzerland in 1980, the company has more than 3,500 employees, with manufacturing, research and development sites in Europe, North America and Asia, and maintains a sales and service network in over 70 countries. In 2023, Tecan generated sales of CHF 1,074 million (USD 1,194 million; EUR 1,108 million). Registered shares of Tecan Group are traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange (TECN; ISIN CH0012100191). For further information: Tecan Group Martin Brandle Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications & IR Tel. +41 (0) 44 922 84 30 Fax +41 (0) 44 922 88 89 investor@tecan.com www.tecan.com Attachment Wilmington, Delaware, United States, March 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Transparency Market Research Inc. - The previous market valuation of the hearing protection equipment market was measured in 2021, and it was valued at US $ 3,803.7 million. However, the said market shows a moderate advancement with a CAGR of 6.3% . This shall make the overall market valuation to US $ 6,981.1 million. Various market forces often govern this growth. Governments of various countries play a crucial role in governing the industry's growth. In the case of the subject market, multiple rules regarding the safety of people working in sectors requiring high-intensity noises have been imposed. As a result, it becomes imperative to meet these guidelines, thereby serving as a crucial market force. Many end-user industries, including the automotive and construction industries, and so on, have been increasing staggeringly. Due to this, chances for product innovation increase, thereby enhancing the quality of hearing protection aids or instruments. Therefore, this plays the role of a significant market force. Download sample PDF copy of report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=19841 Due to the worldwide increase in industrialization, manufacturing processes have started to increase rapidly. These processes often require a dedicated person to operate them, and the noise level at such places is high. Therefore, it drives the market substantially, contributing to the said industry's growth. Key Findings from the Market Report In the case of the hearing protection equipment market segmentation, it is identified that various market segments contribute equally to the market's growth. Earplug is the market segment that has great hygiene and maintenance properties. Due to this, earplugs handling is smooth. It depicts that a large consumer market segment is inclined toward the said segment. From the perspective of the application of devices, a manufacturing plant is one of the verticals of the market segment. Auditory control and safety are important in the said segment, and hence, hearing protection aids are widely used. From the auditory range segment perspective, ears are not supposed to be exposed to noises over 70 dB. Hence, this acoustic range is preferred, and devices damping the higher-frequency noise are used. In the case of the market segment concerning the distribution channel used, the direct sales segment is observed more often. This segment has been contributing to the market growth more. Regional Profile The technological development and rise in medical proficiency make the North American continent a probable market leader. Countries, including Canada and the USA, have significantly contributed to the development of the market. Also, strict government regulations and policies at the workplace are responsible for the same. Apart from this, Europe contributes substantially to the global hearing protection equipment market. Due to the robust medical infrastructure available in the continent, it revolutionizes the said market. Also, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East are some regions to be noted during the discussion. Key Developments in the Hearing Protection Equipment Market In October 2021, Honeywell International Inc. introduced a smart solution for analyzing real-time sounds. Due to this, the staff members of different companies could be safeguarded from hearing loss. In December 2021, for hearing loss caused during military operations, Maryland-based Zeteo Tech, Inc. introduced a canal hearing aid called The Canine Auditory Protection System (CAPS) technology. In April 2022, ISOtunes introduced its three products that are compatible with a fresher in the said matter and affordable. Competitive Landscape The competitive landscape of the global hearing protection equipment market is cluttered due to the presence of multiple players. Among these competitors, ISOtunes is the organization that produces an affordable product range like AIR DEFENDER, LINK 2.0, and FREE Aware. Maryland-based Zeteo Tech Inc. produces products designed especially for animals. Hearing protection aids called Ear Pro can be compatible with dogs and other animals. Honeywell International Inc. produces highly diversified products, often including sensory and protective devices for many sectors, like marine safety equipment, aerospace safety aids, etc. Key Players Honeywell International Inc. 3M Company Pyramex Safety Products LLC MSA Safety, Inc. Delta Plus Group JSP Ltd. Uvex Safety Group Kimberly-Clark E I Du Pont De Nemours and Co. Bei Bei Safety Co. Ltd. Unlock Growth Potential in Your Industry! Download PDF Brochure: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=19841 Market Segmentation Product Type Earplugs Moldable Earplugs Pre-molded Earplugs Semi Aural Earmuffs Passive Earmuffs Electronic Earmuffs Application Manufacturing Construction Pharmaceuticals Oil and Gas Transportation Mining Utility Chemicals Defense & Maritime Others (Agriculture, Food, etc.) Decibel Range 20 60 Decibel 61 120 Decibel Above 120 Decibel Distribution Channel Direct Sales Indirect Sales Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa South America Buy this Premium Research Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=19841